Wednesday morning worship features Ralph Gaines preaching
Workshops offer skill-building and reflection opportunities
Evocative ministry
Covenant session keeps to extreme center
Bishop's Statement —Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace
Wednesday morning worship features Ralph Gaines preaching
Be childlike, not childish
by Rachel Moser, communications coordinator and the Rev. Stephanie Ahlschwede, Lincoln South Gate UMC
Wednesday morning began with the Rev. Ralph Gaines preaching a very quotable sermon. Gaines shared stories from his own life to illustrate the importance of remembering that we are children of God, drawing laughter from the group when he added, “and as such we are called to be child-like, but not childish.”
He said in order for us to be leaders in the Great Plains Conference, children can help us be leaders — we need to be like a child. He pointed to three qualities of children to help us.
- A child has humility. Gaines talked about the pride we have in our child/grandchildren and how every little thing they do is worth sharing with everyone. Gaines stated that every time he tries to showcase his three-year-old granddaughter’s talent with someone she turns shy. “Young people don’t have the ‘I-itis,’” Gaines said. “They couldn’t care less about what someone else might think.” Children want to show what they can do and have to learn that we can’t take all the credit for what God had done for us.
- A child is trusting. Children trust adults. Gaines grew up in Little Rock, Ark., and was told not to let anyone get too “close to hear your heart beat.” Gaines shared that he started in the Baptist church, but has been a United Methodist for 12 years. “I’m proud and I’m trusting what God has for me in the United Methodist Church.”
- A child has a short memory. He said when his granddaughter does something wrong she gets disciplined and she gets upset, but five minutes later it’s like it never happened.
Gaines spoke of the trusting nature of children and their ability to forgive, noting the tendency of adults to hold on to past wrongs for a long time, saying “we hold on to stuff that happened 20 years ago. We can’t even remember why we are holding on.”He added, “We must cultivate a pattern of thinking that lets go of past hurts.”
Gaines said that he knows that some complained about the three conferences joining, he even admitted that he was one of them. “But we’re here now, let’s move forward,” said Gaines.
“Paul reminds me all the time – I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me,” Gaines said. He said that even when he is filling out all those forms that that need to be submitted, he can do all things through Christ.
Gaines closed by saying, “Today and every day, let us learn from children.” He said to thank God for the reminder of what God has given you. Think about what God commands of you – to have humility, to be trusting and to have a short memory.
Gaines is pastor at Nebraska’s McCool Junction-Exeter UMCs.
Workshops offer skill-building and reflection opportunities
Ten concurrent workshops took place on Wednesday featuring local experts and teachers on a variety of subjects. A recap of each workshop is offered below. Clergy were able to attend two.
Rev. Tom Mattick — Suited for Service
Rev. Dustin Petz — Understanding How Theology and Tradition Shape our Activity of Leadership
Rev. Carol Windrum — Prophetic Preaching
Rev. Dr. Robert Martin — Abiding in the Spirit
Rev. Donald Bredthauer — Centering Prayer
Rev. Dr. Clayton L. Smith — Today's Top Ten Practices
Rev. Jamie Norwich McLennan — Standing at the Crossroads
Rev. Micki McCorkle — Outreach: From a Small Church in a Small Town
Dr. Henry H. Knight III — Becoming an Evangelizing Church
Dr. Harold Washington — Biblical Wisdom for Daily Ministry
Evocative ministry
Rev. Dr. Robert Martin continued his plenary teaching on Wednesday affirming that most pastors are evocative pastors to some degree, but could be evocative in more, better, deeper and wider ways. Martin encourages taking action in the way pastors explore ministry comparing it to a mission trip where you are immersed in the culture and the lives of those you serve, rather than just pounding nails on a project. He emphasized the importance of contemplative prayer, the need for deep conversations with those with whom we are in ministry, and conversations that bring out the deeper desires in people’s lives. The idea of a pastor practicing evocative ministry working themselves out of job was a theme continued in today’s lecture.
Covenant session keeps to extreme center
Wednesday afternoon was devoted to discussion on covenant and what it means to Great Plains United Methodist clergy. Time was given for statements from the chairs of each of the orders followed by a statement from Bishop Scott J. Jones. The statements were followed by a period of small group discussion, a break and the gathering of written questions for Bishop Jones. The body reconvened for Bishop Jones' responses to questions.
Statements from the Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members, the Order of Deacon and Jones follow. The Order of Elder will be posted at a later time as will a recap of the question and answer period. Bishop Jones' statement is also posted on the bishop's page in the About section on the website with a link called "Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace."
Statement from Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members
Rev. Warren Schoming, chair
I’ve been asked to share for a few moments what the clergy covenant means and how is it both important and sometimes hard. I especially hope that my sharing will be particularly encouraging for the fellowship of local pastors and associate members. Our relationship within the whole covenant community of clergy is vitally important and needed. There should be no doubt that our fellowship is needed and valued by our sisters and brothers in The Orders as we work together for the making of disciples to transform the world. It should be understood that our covenant as a Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members is to develop a bond of unity and common commitment to the mission and ministry of The United Methodist Church and the annual conference; and enable the creation of relationships that allow mutual support and trust.
Read complete Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members statement
Statement from the Order of Deacon
Rev. Karen Nyhart, chair
I am Karen Nyhart, here as the chair of the Orders of Deacons, but I am also here as one of your colleagues in ministry.
As a deacon, I am ordained to word, service, compassion and justice — to be a bridge between the church and the world — and I can tell you that we live in a large world. A world that is bigger than one individual — with things that are frightening and people that are hurting or overwhelmed. A world made up with people that are poor, oppressed — struggling to make ends meet.
As deacons we go into the world to help people in need. To help people who have lost hope and need to know that people care. That God cares.
People like John. John is a person I met a few years ago. He is a great person. He is very caring and compassionate — always willing to help someone in need. However, he has made some life choices that others have not agreed with and he doesn’t go to church.
Read complete Order of Deacon statement
Presentation to the Orders of Elder and Deacon and
Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members
Great Plains Conference
by Bishop Scott J. Jones
For this meeting of the orders and fellowship in the Great Plains Conference, we have asked ourselves two key questions:
“How do we live in the tension of upholding our covenant to follow and uphold the discipline of the United Methodist Church while disagreeing with some positions of the Discipline?” and
“How do we respond with grace and love, both corporately and personally, when a colleague decides she/he can no longer live within that covenant?”
The starting point for my answer is Ephesians 4:1-3: “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Unity is God’s will for God’s people. Ephesians continues “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Connectionalism is our Wesleyan way of embodying that unity. There are three fundamental, non-negotiable and basic characteristics of our unity.
Read complete statement from Scott J. Jones
