THIS WEEK'S NEWS
New GP Camps director shares first impressions in podcast episode
The Hub opens its 'Neighbor's Kitchen' with Monday ribbon cutting
Bishop Wilson delivers ordination sermon at Mountain Sky Conference
Great Plains UMMen to host online prayer event on Monday, June 22
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Applications are open for clergy wellbeing mini-grants
September Roots retreat session to look at grief, hope
Clergy couples retreat set for Aug. 31 to Sept. 2
Preaching, worship planning retreat set for July 20-24 in Schuyler, Neb.
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Want to try a relevant evangelism experiment? Get into this cohort
Care Across Cultures small group study now available
UMVIM looking to train 100 young leaders
MERCY & JUSTICE
Champion dignity of migrants during World Refugee Day, June 20
DISASTER RESPONSE
ERTs: Are you still certified? Training sessions coming soon
Your church can join 12x12 Club for Disaster Response
ADMINISTRATION
GCFA offering survey to improve agency’s service
June 30 is deadline to apply for Nebraska UMFoundation scholarships
RESOURCES
Let the games begin! Check out these books from resource center
August summit to explore human agency, artificial intelligence
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Card shower, donations to honor SE Kansas DS, AA
One more chance to order 2026 ‘Serve Joyfully’ T-shirts
In other news
Newsletters
Classifieds
New GP Camps director shares
first impressions in podcast episode
With the summer fully under way, Todd Seifert, conference communications director, introduces you to Brad Sullivan, the executive director of the five Great Plains camps, in the latest episode of the In Layman’s Terms podcast.
Sullivan, who joined the conference in early April, shares where he found his love for camping, what he has enjoyed as he visited all of the Great Plains Conference camps, and what his hopes are for this summer and beyond.
Check out the links to camps in the show notes and find the link to the episode here.
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The Hub opens its ‘Neighbor’s Kitchen’ with Monday ribbon cutting
The biggest applause at the ribbon cutting for The Hub Argentine’s new Neighbor’s Kitchen on Monday wasn’t when the strip was snipped.
It was when the door to the kitchen was rolled open, and a full house saw new, shiny metal kitchen equipment thanks to a $650,000 project.
“It’s a place where, we believe here in this room, is the heart of the community,” Rev. Carter Ellis, executive director of The Hub, told a room of donors, volunteers and officials.
Read more and see a photo gallery.
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Bishop Wilson delivers ordination
sermon at Mountain Sky Conference
Bishop David Wilson delivered the sermon for the ordination service at the Mountain Sky Conference on Saturday in Billings, Mont.
Using the theme of the potter and the clay, Bishop Wilson recalls his aunt, Anna Belle Mitchell, a self-taught potter who revived the art of southeastern pottery and was declared one of the first Cherokee National Treasures by the tribe.
"God is the Great Potter and molds us the way He wants us to be," he recalls being told by his aunt.
Watch the sermon here.
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Great Plains UMMen to host online prayer event on Monday, June 22
The Great Plains UMMen, along with special guest Bishop David Wilson, are hosting an hour of prayer, scripture, music, and testimony focused on UMMen Serve Joyfully at 7:30 p.m. CT Monday, June 22.
This event is open to anyone -- men, women, clergy, lay, or youth. Join this structured event as a group or individually.
“Serve Joyfully” was the theme of the 2026 Great Plains Annual Conference and it is the second part of the United Methodist Church’s new Vision Statement adopted a year ago.
This is an opportunity to connect with each other and with our God. Amen? Amen!
The Zoom connection is easy to use on your phone, tablet, laptop or computer.
Join Zoom Meeting (the zoom or bit.ly link, QR code, or meeting ID will connect – your choice)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88018991447?pwd=p4SqXMJFXKs9IDrq444nyrB6VjRFIr.1
https://bit.ly/43GbrU1
If this is your first Zoom call and you wish to practice you can do that, at www.zoom.us/test or by calling/contacting Doug Kallesen at dkallesen@neb.rr.com or 402-909-3920 for a test run or questions.
Meeting ID: 880 1899 1447
Passcode: hi
Meeting chat link https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/88018991447
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Clergy Excellence
Applications are open for
clergy wellbeing mini-grants
Clergy wellbeing mini-grant applications are now open and are now available on year-round on a rolling basis as funds are available through Nov. 1.
Grants are available for clergy who are related to the Great Plains Conference as well as Certified Lay Ministers (CLMs) who are assigned to churches in the conference. Clergy and CLMs are encouraged to customize a grant to give space, resources, and/or persons to help renew and recharge for your present season of ministry.
Find more information here.
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September Roots retreat
session to look at grief, hope
The fall Roots for Your Soul clergy retreat, “Grace for the Journey: Living with Grief and Holding on to Hope” will be Sept. 21-23 at St. Benedict’s Center in Schuyler, Neb.
This retreat is an invitation to slow down, breathe, reflect, and acknowledge the grief we carry. Through scripture, silence, reflection, and guided exercises, participants will create space to process loss honestly while discovering grace for the ongoing journey. Grief may never fully leave us, but with God’s presence, we can learn to live, rest, and move forward with hope.
It will be led by Ronda Kingwood, founder and senior pastor of Wichita Heart of Christ United Methodist Church and a passionate preacher, teacher, and leader who ministers with authenticity, compassion, and grace.
This retreat flows from both her ministry and personal journey through grief. Pastor Ronda has experienced significant loss, including the passing of both parents, her grandmother, and most recently, her daughter in January 2024 after a battle with brain cancer.
In one of the most heartbreaking, difficult moments of her life, she preached her daughter’s homegoing service, leaning on God’s strength, and through that, she experienced God strengthening her to help others navigate grief.
Through that experience, Pastor Ronda sensed God calling her into a deeper ministry of helping others navigate grief which requires honesty, grace, rest and the presence of God. She believes grief is not something we simply “get over,” but a journey we learn to live through with God’s presence beside us.
Through this retreat, she desires to create a safe and sacred space for participants to process their grief, reconnect with themselves, and discover that healing does not mean forgetting, but learning how to live forward with hope.
The retreat has 1.6 CEUs. The cost is $50 per person. Register here.
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Clergy couples retreat
set for Aug. 31 to Sept. 2
Dear Clergy Couples of the Great Plains Conference:
Thank you for serving the Great Plains Conference and for navigating the joys and struggles of clergy couple life. On behalf of the Clergy Excellence Team, you are invited to take part in a special retreat intended for your spiritual renewal and formation. Together we hope to create a sacred space for rest, reflection, and renewal — honoring both the covenant of marriage and your callings.
We hope you will consider attending this spiritual formation retreat planned just for clergy couples. The only cost to you is $50 per person ($100 per couple) to reserve your spot for a two-night, three-day retreat, from 1 p.m. Aug. 31 to noon Sept. 2 at Marillac Center, Leavenworth, Kan.
It will be led by Rev. Doug Gahn and Rev. Anne Gahn, Rev. Dr. Shelly Petz and Rev. Dr. Dustin Petz.
There will be 1.6 CEUs available per participant. Register here.
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Preaching, worship planning retreat
set for July 20-24 in Schuyler, Neb.
The next session of A Time Apart preaching and worship planning retreat will be July 20-24 at St. Benedict Center, Schuyler, Neb.
The retreat will be led by Rev. Anne Gahn and Rev. Doug Gahn.
Jesus took time away for prayer and silence before proclaiming to the crowds. You are invited to take time apart in a retreat setting with other colleagues and create long-range plans for worship and preaching.
Each week pastors face the humbling and awesome task of preparing a sermon and worship that touches the lives of worshippers in our congregations. Our perplexing and difficult times call for authentic worship and preaching where people can encounter Christ. Yet the daily demands of ministry often keep us from having as much time as we would like for sermon and worship preparation, and especially for long-range sermon and worship planning. Taking time apart, like Jesus, gives us the opportunity to root our planning in prayer and to open ourselves to the directions of the Spirit.
The cost is $250.
Learn more here.
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Equipping Disciples
Want to try a relevant evangelism
experiment? Get into this cohort
The Foundation for Evangelism is offering thriving congregation local church cohorts, with registration now open.
The eight-week comprehensive, Wesleyan-based evangelism training and resources for congregations guides you through outlining a relevant evangelism experiment, leveraging the knowledge and skills acquired during the cohort training.
On completion, you'll have an opportunity to apply for the foundation’s grant cycle to put your evangelism plan into action.
Wesleyan-tradition congregations can register, including the pastor and laity. Small-to-medium sized churches (250 or fewer participants) can apply.
Apply here.
Get more information.
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Care Across Cultures
small group study now available
The Caring Congregation presents a new curriculum, Care Across Cultures, in two sessions.
Understanding of and respect for others is more important today than ever before. When we give care to others, it is vital to be cognizant of the cultural context of those receiving care. Our understanding of what others might expect from us impacts how we offer care and how our efforts are received.
This study, which includes video discussion with United Methodist Bishops Delores Williamston and David Wilson, plus Rev. Jin Cho, delves into how care is practiced in African American, Native American and Korean cultures. This small group curriculum encourages you to consider how being present and listening to those with a different world view than your own can prepare you to offer care that is sensitive and relevant.
It took intentional openness, prayer and respectful conversation around three specific cultures and from three individual ministry professionals. Our participants shared their experiences as a part of their respective cultures. They also shared observations on caring for others in their cultures and communities.
Click here to enroll.
Through June, use promo code $20FORJUNE at checkout to save on this curriculum.
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UMVIM looking to
train 100 young leaders
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) is training 100 young (under age 35) mission leaders in 2026. This offer includes a no-cost team leader training, welcome kit with the new team leader handbook and Journal, insurance administration costs waived for your first team, and much more.
For more information contact Eddie Erwin at eerwin@scjumc.org.
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Mercy & Justice
Champion dignity of migrants
during World Refugee Day, June 20
World Refugee Day is commemorated annually on June 20 to honor the resilience, courage and stories of people forced to flee conflict and persecution. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) recognizes this day as a vital call to raise awareness, advocate for policy changes, and champion the human dignity of migrants and refugees worldwide.
This past year saw a record number of people – more than 123 million around the world – forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict or violence. Among them, nearly 43 million are refugees.
Refugees are just one group of immigrants that come to our country. On this day we especially focus on them. The photo is from a few years ago when members of Omaha First United Methodist Church welcomed a refugee family from Myanmar. It is one of my favorite photos showing how we can teach our children from early on to welcome and appreciate each other, no matter where we are from and what language we speak. God created us in such wonderful diversity.
Many of you will know that our country closed the door to new refugees in January 2025. Thousands had already had their flight tickets issued, and some were already at the airports when they were informed they would no longer be allowed to come. This happened after they went through a long and thorough vetting process, often taking years to finally receive refugee status. In the meantime, a small number of mainly Afrikaners from South Africa have been allowed to come under the refugee program but without having to go through the very thorough and long process.
Let us think about how we can show God’s love and welcome to those around us who come from other places, who had to flee dangerous situations.
UMCOR is offering small seed money grants if your church or church group has a project they want to work on. https://umcmission.org/work/humanitarian-relief/migration-refugees/mustard-seed-grants
If you have questions or would like to connect with your Great Plains Immigration Task Force, feel free to reach out to Sandy Sypherd, ssypherd@windstream.net or Andrea Paret, amparet08@yahoo.com
-- Andrea Paret, Peace with Justice coordinator
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Disaster Response
ERTs: Are you still certified?
Training sessions coming soon
Early Response Team (ERTs) – it’s time to check your badges for your training expiration! New recertification trainings and basic ERT training dates will be released soon. Continue to watch GPconnect for the dates and locations of the training.
-- Rev. Hollie Tapley,
disaster response coordinator
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Your church can join 12x12
Club for Disaster Response
Your congregation can become a part of the vital ministry of Disaster Response by joining the 2026 12x12 Club. You can be a powerful blessing whether or not a disaster occurs.
Here's how:
- Register your church with htapley@greatplainsumc.org.
- Make 12 of each UMCOR Cleaning Kits
- Store at your church for six months.
- If they are not needed in six months, give them to a local organization, family, school or business in your community.
- Repeat the process!
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Administration
GCFA offering survey to
improve agency’s service
Every day, the General Council on Finance and Administration works behind the scenes to support the ministry of The United Methodist Church through administrative resources, including finance, technology, human resources and legal services. The agency is conducting a denomination-wide survey to better understand how United Methodists use the agency’s resources and where it can improve.
Take survey.
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June 30 is deadline to apply for Nebraska UMFoundation scholarships
Scholarship season is here! The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation is now accepting applications, with over $60,000 available to support undergraduate and seminary students. Don’t miss the June 30 deadline.
Seminary Scholarships: The Foundation administers 26 seminary scholarships to support future leaders of The United Methodist Church.
General Undergraduate -- Tither’s Scholarship: The Tither’s Scholarship recognizes and rewards students whose parents have demonstrated a consistent commitment to tithing. This scholarship provides an award of approximately $15,000 to eligible students attending an accredited two- or four-year college or university in Iowa or Nebraska, or any United Methodist–affiliated accredited institution of higher education in the US. Additional criteria can be found on the Foundation’s website.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities: As a reminder, the Foundation offers Church Leadership (Clergy and Lay Leaders) Education and Support Scholarships, as well as Course of Study Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded on a reimbursement basis, and applications should be submitted upon completion of courses, educational events, or renewal support.
For more information and to apply, please visit the Nebraska United Methodist Foundation’s website.
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Resources
Let the games begin! Check out
these books from resource center
Summertime is fun time, and these books from United Media Resource Center can give you some new ideas.
Titles include "Abingdon's Book of Bible Games" by Rhoda Preston and LeeDell Stickler, "Encyclopedia of Bible Games for Children's Ministry" edited by Vicki Witte and Mikal Keefer, and "Making Fun Out of Nothing at All" by Anthony and Mike Burcher.
Find those and more here.
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August summit to explore
human agency, artificial intelligence
Discipleship Ministries and United Methodist Communications are joining with ecumenical partners to hold an AI and Church Summit online Aug. 24-27. The gathering will examine faithful human agency in an AI-shaped world, making deliberate choices about technology, theology and ministry practice that keep human flourishing at the center. The summit costs $20 to attend.
Learn more and register.
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Across the Connection
Card shower, donations
to honor SE Kansas DS, AA
The Southeast Kansas District invites you to share your thanks to District Superintendent Rev. Micki McCorkle and District Administrative Assistant Marve’ Ralston for their years of service to district and the Great Plains Annual Conference.
Ralston, left, who has worked for the Great Plains and Kansas East conferences since 2004, is retiring at the end of June. There will be more about her retirement next week in GPconnect. McCorkle, who has been on the cabinet since 2021, will become the senior pastor at Wichita Calvary UMC on July 1.
In celebration of their time, you are invited to participate in a card shower to share our words of appreciation and recognition of a job well done.
Cards may be sent to:
Micki McCorkle
130 S. Matson
Kechi, KS 66067
Marve’ Ralston
P.O. Box 327
Baldwin City, KS 66006-0327
No gifts are requested. However, Micki and Marve’ would be honored by a donation to Pittsburg State UM Campus Ministry or Baker UM Campus Ministry.
Donations can be mailed to
Great Plains Conference UMC
Attn: Accounting PSU UMCM
P.O. Box 4187
Topeka, KS 66604
Baker University
Attn: Rev. Blake Stanwood
P.O. Box 65
Baldwin City, KS 66006
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One more chance to order
2026 ‘Serve Joyfully’ T-shirts
Did you miss out on buying a T-shirt with this year’s annual conference theme of “Serve Joyfully”? Good news! We can have more made, so you can order as many as you like!
Orders must be received by June 30, and only online payments will be accepted. You’ll find the form to make your purchase here.
Prices (shipping included) are $25 for sizes small to extra large, $28 for 2XL, and $30 for 3XL and 4XL.
These shirts come in a beautiful blue color with the annual conference session logo on the front. The back features a small Great Plains Conference logo at the top center.
Simply fill out the form and make the payment, and we’ll ship shirts as soon as they are completed by our vendor.
Spread some joy while you wear your annual conference T-shirt!
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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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