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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Podcast series concludes as General Conference draws near
Could this General Conference be the year for LGBTQ inclusion?
Nominations due May 1 for Denman Evangelism Awards
Bishop Trimble selected to lead Church and Society
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Take part in a nightly prayer for Great Plains Conference delegation
Here’s a look at legislation that will affect clergy formation
Wespath: Why we support regionalization
Revised Social Principles offers a new start, Weems says
Other General Conference updates
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Countdown is on: 50 days until we gather in Kearney; registered yet?
Expand leadership skills, lift up new leaders through nominations
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Crawford featured in podcast about clergy calling
Summer, fall clergy programming to include four different retreats
New resources available for clergy, congregations in pastoral transition
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
New course to focus on racial reconciliation in the church
Camp Fontanelle sets its spring cleaning next weekend
Want to do something that matters? Check out volunteer opportunities
Clergy, laity invited to help write our daily devotions
DISASTER RESPONSE
Details about mass incarceration, social justice to be released Thursday
Rural churches invited to help counter hatred
ADMINISTRATION
Nebraska UM Foundation scholarship program opens
RESOURCES
Pentecost, Holy Spirit subject of DVDs, books from media center
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Nebraska churches' UMYF shops, gives local in service project
In other news
Newsletters
Classifieds
Podcast series concludes as
General Conference draws near
The “In Layman’s Terms” podcast concludes a five-part series previewing the upcoming General Conference of The United Methodist Church with interviews involving Revs. Adam Hamilton, Amy Lippoldt, and David Livingston. They, along with guests in previous episodes — Rev. Dr. Mark Holland and Lisa Maupin, conference lay leader — are all delegates to the General Conference and share their insights into key issues facing the church.
Chief among those concerns are what has become known as the “Three R’s” — regionalization, repeal of restrictive language in the Book of Discipline, and revision of the Social Principles.
Download each of the episodes:
Find links to videos and stories, as well as summaries of the key issues facing the General Conference and the proposed schedule at https://www.greatplainsumc.org/UMCGC.
Watch the livestream of the plenary sessions via a link on the Great Plains website at https://www.greatplainsumc.org throughout the conference, which is scheduled for April 23 to May 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Please keep in mind that much of the first week will be legislative committee meetings, with few livestream opportunities other than morning and afternoon worship times. The majority of the second week is anticipated to be primarily time for the legislative process in plenary sessions.
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Could this General Conference
be the year for LGBTQ inclusion?
Discussion about LGBTQ inclusion -- specifically whether gay persons can become clergy and have the right to perform same-sex weddings -- has been a part of nearly every General Conference since United Methodism was formed in 1968.
But could this be the year that the tides change? Laity delegates from the Great Plains Conference believe so.
“I am 100% optimistic that things are going to change after we leave Charlotte,” said Jesi Lipp, the only openly queer member of the delegation. “Regardless of what happens at General Conference, I am optimistic about the future of the UMC and specifically what it means for queer inclusion.”
Read more here.
From UM News Servicer: Queer Delegate Caucus debuts in Charlotte.
From UM News: Church court reviews LGBTQ-related resolutions.
Interactive timeline of the General Conference's history with LGBTQ.
UM News' Heather Hahn explains the homosexuality debate.
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Nominations due May 1 for
Denman Evangelism Awards
Three laity in the Great Plains Conference were given the Harry Denman Evangelism Award during last year’s annual conference session.
Mackenzie Weller, a youth from Clay Center, Kansas, was honored for her work in the church’s praise and worship group, as well as a devotional podcast that encourages young people to come into faith. She participated in Operation Christmas Child and the local food pantry and was named the 2023 Kansas State Fellowship of Christian Athletes female athlete of the year. She is now a freshman at Kansas State University.
Kelley Rockhold of Oskaloosa UMC was recognized as chairperson of the church evangelism committee for more than 20 years. “She leads many community activities with the goal of bringing people closer to God through outreach,” her nomination form said. “Kelley is a nurse by profession and her naturally nurturing personality, combined with her strong faith, draws people to her and ultimately closer to God.”
Linda Mease, Pleasant Valley UMC, leads small groups and was a former evangelism committee chair. She “has been instrumental in bringing many people into the congregation including a long-time friend of 45 years who, through Linda's persistence, found a church family to learn on during a personal tragedy,” the nomination said. “Others whom she has invited have become engaged in the ministry and mission of PVUMC through Linda's encouragement and warmth.”
The Denman Awards are given annually through the Foundation for Evangelism for United Methodist youth, laity and clergy in each annual conference.
“What distinguishes a Harry Denman Evangelism Award recipient is the commitment to consistently introduce others to the Good News of Jesus Christ in all ministry settings,” the foundation’s website says. “Their ministry is exceptional for the number of new Christ Followers who credit encounters with this person as critical in helping to start or reignite their faith journey.”
Nominations for the 2024 awards are due by May 1. Instructions and guidelines are on this the Nomination Form; specify whether you are nominating clergy, laity or youth.
Nomination forms in the Great Plains should be submitted to Rev. Jeff Clinger, director of congregational excellence, at jclinger@greatplainsumc.org.
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Bishop Trimble selected
to lead Church and Society
The United Methodist Board of Church and Society has elected Bishop Julius C. Trimble as the agency’s new top executive. Trimble, who currently leads the Indiana Conference, is set to retire as bishop on Aug. 31 and start his new role on Sept. 1.
Read stories from GBCS and Indiana Conference.
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General Conference
Take part in a nightly prayer for
Great Plains Conference delegation
Rev. Dr. Nancy Tomlinson, Blue River and Elkhorn Valley districts superintendent, will lead nightly prayers for the Great Plains Conference delegation at General Conference at 7 p.m. CT from April 29 to May 3.
Watch Tomlinson's introductory video.
Click on this link to join the nightly prayer.
Add to your iCalendar files.
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Here’s a look at legislation
that will affect clergy formation
Clergy formation is a significant topic that General Conference delegates will consider when they meet beginning April 23 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Alabama-West Florida Conference have each offered petitions. The Rev. Taylor W. Burton Edwards offers an analysis of the legislation in Part 3 of Ask The UMC’s series on what’s new for General Conference 2024.
Read analysis
Read more in series
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Wespath: Why we
support regionalization
The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency has had a hand in crafting the regionalization legislation going before General Conference. Agency staff see the proposed changes as crucial to the work of supporting church workers in retirement.
Read more from UM News Service.
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Revised Social Principles
offers a new start, Weems says
The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr. says the Revised Social Principles, up for consideration by the General Conference, provide United Methodists “a better way to live together as Christ followers.” He maintains in a commentary that the revision’s language about marriage can be affirmed across a diversity of annual conferences. Weems is senior consultant of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Read his commentary.
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Other General Conference updates
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Annual Conference
Countdown is on: 50 days until we gather in Kearney; registered yet?
Registration is now open for the Annual Conference session, June 6-9 at Younes North Conference Center in Kearney.
Register at this link.
Register for child care.
This year's session will celebrate "10 Great Years as the Great Plains Conference," including video memories of events from the past decade that helped shape the conference.
A 10th anniversary celebration will open the session at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 6, with a memorial and baptism service that evening.
The retiree celebration will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 7. After a dinner for the ordinands on Saturday night, the ordination service will take place at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, June 9, followed by the setting of appointments and adjournment.
Keep up to date with our annual conference page.
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Expand leadership skills, lift up
new leaders through nominations
The Great Plains Conference is seeking people who want to expand their leadership skills and who want to lift up emerging leaders across Kansas and Nebraska. Our Nominations Committee is looking for people to serve on a number of conference committees, including Archives and History, Vital Congregations, Camping Ministries, Campus Ministries, Nominations, and Pensions and Health, just to name a few.
There are a large number of positions open for both clergy and lay persons. And there is definitely a significant shortage of lay persons in the nomination pool. It is important to note certain nuances of the nominations process when thinking through who is a good person to lift up.
- The nominations process involves two steps, where the person is nominated via the interest form and then the nominee is sent a more extensive survey questionnaire about interest areas, skills, etc. A person cannot be considered for a committee unless that interest form is filled out.
- The nominations committee is not responsible for filling open Board of Ordained Ministry, Administrative Review, Transition into Ministry, 0r Committee on Investigation spots. Please check with your District Superintendent regarding interest in serving on those committees.
- The conference currently does not allow for persons, unless by virtue of their office, to serve on multiple conference committees. This was part of our organizing framework when we became the Great Plains. This means that if someone is already on a conference committee they cannot serve on another.
To indicate your interest or to lift up the name of another person please fill out the nominations form on the Great Plains Conference website https://gp-reg.brtapp.com/leadershipnomination.
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Clergy Excellence
Crawford featured in
podcast about clergy calling
Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford, associate director for clergy excellence for the Great Plains Conference, is featured in an episode of the podcast “On Call: Stories and Conversations on Calling.”
Crawford is interviewed by Amie Stewart and Adam Benson from the North Carolina Conference about different ways that people understand and say yes to God's call, as well as clergy burnout, the subject of her doctoral dissertation.
Listen and download here.
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Summer, fall clergy programming
to include four different retreats
Are you thinking about your Continuing Education needs for this summer and fall? The Registration links for several retreats have recently opened up, so this is a good time to check out what’s available in the months ahead:
- A Time Apart, a sermon and worship planning retreat led by Rev. Dr. Theresa Mason, Rev. Anne Gahn, and Rev. Doug Gahn. $250, Monday, July 29 (5 p.m.) to Friday, Aug. 2 (3 p.m.) at The Leadership Center in Aurora, Nebraska. Register here.
- Roots for Your Soul Retreat, The Embodied Gospel, led by Dr. Dave Janvier and Rev. Dr. Shelly Petz. $50, Monday, Sept. 16 (1 p.m.) to Wednesday, Sept. 18 (noon) at the St. Benedict Center, Schuyler, Nebraska. Read more about the retreat and register here.
- A Pastor’s Place Retreat, a retreat and 8-week small-group based group experience for Pastoral Renewal, let by Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford. $50, Monday, Sept. 9 (1 p.m.)-Wednesday, Sept. 11 (noon) at the Marillac Retreat Center in Leavenworth. Read more about the retreat and register here.
- More information coming soon about Challenging Times, Powerful Preaching: Practices for Keeping the Flame Alive, a five-part webinar with Dr. Lucy Hogan to support you through preaching this fall. Limited spaces will be available. $150 (Registration will be opening soon!)
Also, don’t forget about the resources available to you on our Clergy Discipleship page. Of special note are some information about grants and one-on-one supports for Clergy:
And, finally, if you’re a clergy who is in the midst of transition, check out our new and updated resources for pastoral transition here.
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New resources available for clergy, congregations in pastoral transition
Transition of Pastoral Leadership can create stress and opportunity, grief and excitement. The clergy and congregations who will be experiencing a transition of pastoral leadership are invited to join several new opportunities to navigate the change in healthy ways.
- Zoom-based training meetings designed by the Offices of Clergy and Congregational Excellence to provide a healthy foundation amid pastoral change for the outgoing pastor, plus1-2 congregational leaders (SPRC, Administrative Board, Lay Leader, or other key leaders from the congregation) to identify healthy strategies for the leadership change. Participants will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. (CT) May 9.
- New and Updated Resources added to our website for creating healthy pastoral transitions.
- Clergy who are moving appointments this year are invited to attend a For Your Life retreat that will be focused on soul care and creating a plan for spiritual health amid the transition. For details, contact Rev Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford, aalleycrawford@greatplainsumc.org.
Learn more and register for events here: www.greatplainsumc.org/pastoraltransitions.
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Equipping Disciples
New course to focus on
racial reconciliation in the church
Rev. Andrew Finch, who pastors three United Methodist congregations in Omaha, will lead an online course focusing on racial reconciliation in the church. The class will be held May 6-31 and is open to all persons looking for biblical, theological, and practical ways to support diversity in the church and racial reconciliation within the church.
The four-week event is offered at BeADisciple.com, and will include optional Zoom meetings as well as discussion and interaction on Blackboard academic software.
Finch is an ordained elder in the Great Plains Conference and has served in the local church for more than 12 years. With a focus on urban ministry, Finch has seen the long-lasting effects of racial trauma that social institutions, including religious organizations, have suffered. He is determined to make a difference in how majority and minority individuals interact on a social and religious level.
“This course will help you develop as a strong social justice advocate even if you are afraid to know where to begin, while encouraging your own voice and platform, and without reinventing the wheel," he says.
For more information, visit BeADisciple.com.
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Camp Fontanelle sets its
spring cleaning next weekend
Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and you can hear the birds announcing that spring is here! All of these things mean it is time for spring cleaning out at Camp Fontanelle.
Join others at Camp Fontanelle from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, to help prepare for summer campers. There are tasks for all talent levels. Come give of your time by cleaning, repairing and preparing buildings and grounds. At noon, lunch will be served. Bring any tools you might need. Work gloves may help. Windows need cleaning, dusting, wood chipping, painting, sports fields assembled and more.
This clean-up work day coincides with the camp's Open House on Sunday, April 28. Visit the camp from 2-6 p.m. and enjoy a hike, join in on a scavenger hunt, tour the buildings and grounds, meet staff and then enjoy a fundraising Spaghetti Dinner. This dinner begins at 4 p.m. and is a donation meal to raise money for the ministry at Camp Fontanelle.
Volunteers are needed for the open house. You may sign up through Signup Genius. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0845A5AA2DA6FE3-48899017-open#/
There are sign-up opportunities for the workday but it is not required to register for the work day. Another workday is scheduled for May 4. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0845A5AA2DA6FE3-48898248-spring#/
Don’t forget to sign up for summer camp! There are opportunities for all ages. The theme this year is “Linked”, and it will help our campers understand that all we do is linked and provides a chance to grow in your Christian faith.
Please contact the camp with any questions: 402-478-4296 or fontanelle@greatplainsumc.org.
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11
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Want to do something that matters?
Check out volunteer opportunities
Summer is right around the corner and local church mission teams are beginning to make plans for their mission experience and for making disciples. Team leaders there are all kinds of helps on the conference website to make your planning easier: https://www.greatplainsumc.org/VIMteamresources.
Not sure where to go? We are in the process of securing some in-conference sites for you to select from. For other UMVIM projects check out this site: https://coor.umvimncj.org/projects/ For questions, contact Rev. Hollie Tapley, Conference Disaster Response and UMVIM Coordinator.
Local churches of the Great Plains Conference, do you have unmet needs of small repairs, painting, yard work, etc. that youth and adult mission teams could do for you this summer? We are looking for local projects within the conference for our UMVIM Mission Teams to connect with. If your church needs a mission team contact Tapley, htapley@greatplainsumc.org.
A new podcast from United Methodist Communications talks to two longtime United Methodists who have found new life in their retirement years as NOMADs, traveling the country to help with projects: Listen and download the podcast here.
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Clergy, laity invited to help
write our daily devotions
We're proud to have an array of those in the Great Plains -- clergy and laity, active and retired, young and old, Kansans and Nebraskans -- contribute to our daily devotions.
But, just as with any family dinner table, there's always room for more.
Sign up at this link to reserve a spot from now until the end of June to share your thoughts and reflections. Include a scripture, a devotion of about 300 words and a short prayer.
Want to subscribe? Check this link.
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Mercy & Justice
Details about mass incarceration, social justice to be released Thursday
An April 18 online press conference will divulge details of the National Summit on Mass Incarceration and Social Justice set for October in Kansas City, Missouri, at St. James Church. A previously released webinar about the challenges faced by people who get out of prison will be reposted the same day. The Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century event is set for noon CT.
Read press release
Register for press conference
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Rural churches invited
to help counter hatred
The Tri-Faith Initiative, an interfaith partner of The United Methodist Church, is joining with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to present the Summit to Counter Antisemitism and Islamophobia and Related Forms of Hatred and Bias in Rural America. The summit is scheduled May 15-16 at the Tri-Faith Commons in Omaha. Some travel stipends are available.
Learn more and register.
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Administration
Nebraska UM Foundation
scholarship program opens
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation opened its scholarship season on April 1 with more than $50,000 in scholarships available for undergraduate students, seminary students, and local pastors pursuing a career in church leadership.
The Seminary Scholarship Program has 26 different seminary scholarships available.
- The David Wayne Krick & Donald E. Krick Jr. Seminary Scholarship are for those ministerial students who have lived in the Gateway District for two years.
- The Tither’s Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship and is available to students who will attend or are attending an accredited two or four-year college or university in Iowa or Nebraska, or any UM-affiliated and accredited institution of higher learning (post-secondary) education. Parents must have tithed for at least five consecutive years prior to which the scholarship would begin. The students and parents must be members of a United Methodist Church in Iowa or Nebraska.
The deadline for the above scholarships is June 30.
The Course of Study Scholarships are administered on a reimbursement basis to individuals enrolled in classes within the Course of Study program. Candidates must be a member of a Nebraska United Methodist Church and a certified candidate. They must also be available to be an appointed member of the Great Plains Conference with the intention of serving ministries approved by the Conference.
For more information on these scholarships, visit www.numf.org.
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation would like to acknowledge the generous gifts donors have made to make these scholarships possible.
If you would like to talk to someone about how you can honor the memory of a loved one through a named scholarship or provide further financial assistance for a student, please call the Foundation at 877-495-5545.
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Foundation in Lincoln also has seminary scholarships available. Contact Bob Fitzsimmons at 402-770-5677 or fitzfp@aol.com for more information.
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Resources
Pentecost, Holy Spirit subject of
DVDs, books from media center
Pentecost is a little over a month away, and United Media Resource Center has DVDs and books available to help educate about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit.
DVDs include “Breath: The Life of God in Us” by Beth Moore, “Jesus in Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion” by Anne Graham Lotz, and “Wildfire: A Study on Life in the Holy Spirit” by Rica McRoy.
Books include “Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost and the Growing Time” by Laura Alary, “Faith at Home: A Handbook for Cautiously Christian Parents” by Wendy Claire Barrie, and “Livestream: Learning to Minister in the Power of the Holy Spirit” by Ivan Filby.
Find those and more here.
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Across the Connection
Nebraska churches' UMYF
shops, gives local in service project
What do meatballs, a football, flour, Hot Wheels and batteries have in common? They are all part of a recent shopping-giving event by the Alma-Republican City, Nebraska, United Methodist Youth Fellowship!
The UMYF made 490 pans of BBQ meatballs as a fundraiser in November and recently used profits to purchase items for the Harlan County Caring Cupboard Food Pantry in Alma and the Under the Umbrella Daycare that is located at the Alma UMC.
Hogeland’s Market, Main Street Variety and Trustworthy Hardware in Alma remained open one evening so UMYF members could shop.
Lori Herz was at the food pantry when the youth arrived that evening and shared, "We are grateful to the UMC youth group for their generous donation! Not only did this group go above and beyond our wish list, they stocked the donated items onto our shelves.”
The youth enjoyed supper donated by Mackenzie Fennel, owner of The Hobby Kitchen.
UMYF Leader Jill Schmidt gave a lesson about “Three Truths in Giving.” When you put these three principles of giving into motion, you can set yourself up for bigger blessings in the future.
- Your giving is not limited to dollars. Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.
- Giving should be a goal. 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
- Giving brings you rewards. Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
UMYF members also delivered items to the UTU Daycare. Jayne Hogeland expressed her gratitude on behalf of Under the Umbrella, “We at UTU appreciate the generosity of the youth of this community. It’s a full circle moment when we see some of the kids that we served here at UTU giving back to us. We are proud of the young citizens they have become and sincerely thank all of them.”
The UMYF will also give a monetary donation to Camp Joy where many children in the area have attended camp.
UMYF Sponsor Jill Schmidt reminds us all that, “Giving is something we should all focus on in our lives. It’s important that we instill the gift of giving in our youth. Every single person has the ability to give something – a smile, an encouraging word, a lending ear, or time.”
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In other news
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Newsletters
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Classifieds
Classifieds are posted for 30 days unless otherwise requested. Please allow three business days for your classified to appear on the website. Email David Burke to update or renew your classified. Submit your classified here.
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