THIS WEEK'S NEWS
In pulpit, on stage and online, Jaron Bell is changing his tune
Take a look inside newly opened Sand Creek Massacre exhibit
UMC finance agency leader warns of potential troubles ahead
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Updated clergy parental leave policy on website
Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural clergy, spouses invited to Nov. 23 webinar
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Local church leadership training set for Jan. 20-22
Lay persons needed to volunteer for various conference committees
MERCY & JUSTICE
Learn about the ministry of GraceMed Health Clinic
Join us for a Week of Faithful Witness, Jan. 4-10
DISASTER RESPONSE
Feeding Our Neighbors grants are now available from Global Ministries
Updated list of UMCs with food pantries
ADMINISTRATION
Conference’s newest financial accountant goes by the Book
Deadline to apply for NUMF’s Dare to Dream Grants is Dec. 1
RESOURCES
Prayer ministry is subject of material from resource center
$750 grants available for rural churches responding to communities
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
In other news
Newsletter
Classifieds
In pulpit, on stage and online,
Jaron Bell is changing his tune
To the dozens of parishioners at Brookville United Methodist Church in central Kansas, Jaron Bell is their pastor.
To a growing number of fans across the state, he’s a popular musician — both Christian and secular — and comedian.
And to an ever-expanding crowd of hundreds of thousands, he’s a viral sensation on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.
“I think I am a pastor,” the 38-year-old says, “I’m just a different kind of pastor.”
Read more and see a photo gallery.
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Take a look inside newly opened
Sand Creek Massacre exhibit
Last week, the General Board of Church and Society and the General Commission on Religion and Race kicked off the opening of the Sand Creek Massacre Exhibition at the United Methodist Building, spotlighting a panel discussion that featured the Sand Creek Massacre Tribal Representatives.
The panel discussion was held to highlight the exhibit at the United Methodist Building and to affirm our shared responsibility to truth, repentance, and repair.
The exhibit, "The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal that Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever," was developed by History Colorado together with the three Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.
Read more here from GBCS.
Our coverage from last week, including video of the commemorative run by Bishop David Wilson and two cabinet members and communications director Todd Seifert's podcast with some of the participants.
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UMC finance agency leader
warns of potential troubles ahead
The president of The United Methodist Church’s finance agency urged leaders to face the reality of dramatically reduced resources but also expressed hope that the denomination can rebuild for a faithful future. Bishop David Graves was addressing the General Council on Finance and Administration board as it struggled to meet funding requests in the aftermath of a denominational splintering.
Read more from United Methodist News Service.
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Clergy Excellence
Updated clergy parental
leave policy on website
An updated version of the parental leave policy for Great Plains Conference clergy is now on the conference website.
At the 2025 annual conference session, clergy and laity voted to update the policy, which now establishes a formal policy across the conference for maternity and paternity leave.
Read more here.
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Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural clergy,
spouses invited to Nov. 23 webinar
Our conference deeply values the well-being and care of our CRCC clergy and their families. We understand that transitioning into new cultures and communities can bring unique challenges. That’s why we are continually seeking ways to connect with you — both to offer support and to help you connect with one another.
We invite you to join us for a time of fellowship and reconnection at 7 p.m. CT Sunday, Nov. 23 via Zoom.
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/95121005026
Sign Up: LINK
We look forward to seeing you there!
-- Seulki Choi, intercultural family coordinator
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Equipping Disciples
Local church leadership
training set for Jan. 20-22
The Great Plains Conference has announced its annual Local Church Leadership Training, scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. CT (6-7:30 p.m. MT) Jan. 20-22. The three-night virtual event will offer focused training for leaders serving on Administrative Boards/Church Councils, Finance Committees, Staff-Parish Relations Committees (SPRC), Boards of Trustees, Lay Leadership/Nominations, and churches using a One-Board/Simplified Structure model.
Conference leaders are encouraging congregations to host local watch parties, noting that gathering leadership teams in the same room promotes collaboration, shared learning, and a stronger sense of purpose for the year ahead. Churches have increasingly used this model, and organizers hope even more congregations will participate together this year.
The event is especially recommended for first-time committee members, who will receive clear guidance about their roles and responsibilities as they begin serving in 2026. Returning leaders, pastors, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of local church structure are also invited to attend. Registration information and session links will be released soon through the conference website.
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Lay persons needed to volunteer
for various conference committees
The Great Plains Conference Nominations Committee beginning its work for 2026 and is inviting lay and clergy members to express their interest in serving on a conference committee. This is a great way for those who want to expand their own leadership skills and/or who want to lift up emerging leaders across Kansas and Nebraska.
How is God calling you to serve? Each year we have open positions for both clergy and lay persons. And there is definitely a significant shortage of lay persons in the nomination pool. As you think about nominating yourself or who a good person is to lift up is, here are some things you need to know about the nominations process.
- The nominations process involves two steps, where the person nominates themselves or lifts up someone else’s name via the nomination 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 survey form is completed.
- The conference currently does not allow persons, unless by virtue of their office, to concurrently 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.
- The nominations committee does not fill openings on the Board of Ordained Ministry, Administrative Review, Transition into Ministry, or Committee on Investigation. Please check with your District Superintendent regarding interest in serving on those committees.
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/leadershipnomination25
-- Esther Hay, nominations committee chair
estherhay56@gmail.com
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Mercy & Justice
First week of Advent resources
is focusing on food justice
The Mercy & Justice team has crafted the first week of Advent resources which include a devotional on the First Sunday of Advent’s lectionary text (Isaiah 2:1-5), a call to worship, some fast facts about SNAP benefits, and a call to action centering on storytelling and giving.
Click here to view the resources.
Our Week 2-4 materials will be in the Dec. 3 edition of GPconnect.
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Learn about the ministry
of GraceMed Health Clinic
In the first of a series taking a closer look at mission agencies in the Great Plains Conference, GraceMed Health Clinics is examined.
The Kansas-based clinics “show and share the love of Jesus Christ by providing compassionate, accessible, high quality health care for residents in the communities we serve,” including the addition of language access.
Read more here.
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Join us for a Week of
Faithful Witness, Jan. 4-10
The Mercy & Justice team, in conversation with Bishop David Wilson, Pastor Keith Anglemeyer and El Dorado First UMC, is inviting all Great Plains United Methodists to begin the 2026 year with a week of faithful witness. Inspired by the Wesleyan call to social holiness, we encourage all Great Plains churches to stand together in faithful witness through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness against systems that harm God’s creation and God’s people.
Members of the Mercy & Justice team and Great Plains Conference staff will be providing resources to participate in this week including: daily devotionals, worship resources for Epiphany Sunday (Jan. 4), Epiphany-themed children and youth resources, a congregational prayer guide, and calls to action through education and advocacy! These resources will be available through GPconnect and the Great Plains website by Wednesday, Dec. 10.
If you have questions, please reach out to Rev. Maddie Johnson at mmjohnson@greatplainsumc.org. We look forward to engaging in this week of faithful witness with you!
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Disaster Response
Feeding Our Neighbors grants are
now available from Global Ministries
To address a growing U.S. hunger crisis, the General Board of Global Ministries is making Feeding Our Neighbors food ministry grants available, offering up to $2,000 in emergency food funding for United Methodist congregations with food ministries, pantries and ministry partners across the United States.
United Methodist churches seeking to participate in the program can learn more and apply here.
Applications are open and will be accepted through Dec. 15.
Learn more about the program here.
Read more here.
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Updated list of UMCs with food pantries
- Central Nebraska District: Albion, Aurora, Cairo, Central City, Columbus, David City, Geneva, Grand Island Trinity, Hastings First, Red Cloud and Shelton.
- East Central Kansas District: Allen, Americus, Emporia First, Neosho Rapids, Perry, Reading, Rossville and Topeka Crestview.
- Eastern Nebraska District: Alder Grove, Omaha FaithWestwood, Omaha TRI Community-Living Hope-Union Memorial, South Sioux City, St. Paul-Dakota City-Homer, Springfield and Weeping Water.
- Southeast Kansas District: Baldwin First, Colony, Columbus, Fredonia, Humboldt, Neodesha, Prescott, Richmond, Wesley KU and Yates Center.
- Southeast Nebraska District: Elmwood, Lincoln ConnectioN Point, Lincoln First, Lincoln Horizons, Lincoln St. Mark’s, Nebraska City, Seward and Waverly.
- Western Kansas District: Bird City, Downs, Hardtner, Hoisington, Kiowa, Oakley and Osborne.
- Western Nebraska District: Broken Bow, Callaway, Gering, Gibbon, Grant, Harrison, Kearney First, Kimball, Oxford and Paxton.
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Administration
Conference’s newest financial
accountant goes by the Book
Christian Book – yes, that’s his name – is the newest financial accountant in the Great Plains Conference.
A Topeka native and Washburn University graduate, Book previously worked for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as pension fund officer.
He and his wife, Allison, also an accountant, live in Topeka.
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Deadline to apply for NUMF’s
Dare to Dream Grants is Dec. 1
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation is celebrating 60 years of partnership with United Methodist churches across Nebraska. In honor of this milestone, the Foundation will award 10 churches a one-time grant of $6,000 each. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1, 2025.
The Dare to Dream Grant encourages churches to think boldly and creatively about ministry. Priority will be given to applicants who are ready to DREAM:
- Dare to think outside the box.
- Reach out to the larger community.
- Eager to create new opportunities for both church and community.
- Authentic in their plan for using the funds.
- Make it happen through strong commitment and follow-through.
For full guidelines and the application form, visit www.numf.org/scholarships-grants.
For questions, contact Sharon Schmidt, Director of Stewardship, at 402-323-8841 or sschmidt@numf.org.
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Resources
Prayer ministry is subject of
material from resource center
Prayer ministry is the topic of one DVD and several books from United Media Resource Center.
The DVD is “When God’s People Pray: Six Sessions on the Transforming Power of Prayer” by Jim Cymbala.
Book titles includer “The Caring Congregation: How to Become One and Why it Matters” by retired Great Plains elder Rev. Karen Lampe, “Praying Together: Forming Prayer Ministries in Your Congregation” by Martha Graybeal Rowlett, and “Power of Group Prayer: How Intercession Transforms Us and the World” by Carolyn Carney.
Find those and more here.
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$750 grants available for rural churches responding to communities
United Methodist rural churches may apply for $750 grants for new or emerging social justice ministries. United Methodist Rural Advocates will approve six of the grant applications submitted by Jan. 20. Churches can enter justice-oriented ministries developed within the last six months or those they would like to develop in response to needs in the community.
Learn more and apply here.
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Across the Connection
In other news
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Newsletter
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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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