In this edition of GPconnect:ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thank you for your donations to UMCOR
Disaster response news from Nebraska, volunteer training scheduled
Wellness pays
Conference maps available online
Make sure your Great Plains business cards are current
EQUIP DISCIPLES
Great Plains UM Conference local church audit policy revision
Hutchinson First UMC featured in UMNS “Daily Digest”
Fifteen ways to welcome a new pastor
Newsletter links
School of Congregational Development Satellite Events 2014
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Orders and Fellowship to focus on discipling
Thirty-five clergy honored for their ministry
Ordination is AC session crescendo
MERCY AND JUSTICE
Central Nebraska VIM team serves in New Jersey
Spare change for change
Epworth Village announces new interim CEO
CLASSIFIED
Communication coordinator/office assistant needed at Old Mission UMC in Fairway, Kan.
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Thank you for your donations to UMCOR
By Rev. Alan Gager, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries
Thank you to everyone who brought items to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) semi during the 2014 Annual Conference Session.
I would especially like to thank Mary Ann Bede and conference staff member Destiny Kucera. Mary Ann helped organize volunteers. Destiny did a great job arranging for the semi's transmission to be repaired. A heartfelt thank you to truck owner Charlie West who donates his time and expenses.
As of June 13, 2014, 456 churches brought items and/or money. A total of $12,733.75 was received in cash donations and approximately nine tons of items were collected. Items donated included: 973 health kits, 2,480 school kits, 320 cleaning buckets (flood buckets), 204 sewing kits, 78 layette kits, 38 boxes of homemade cloth diapers, boxes and boxes of miscellaneous items, 16 treadle sewing machines (to be refurbished at the MMDC repair store), five wheelchairs, 18 bicycles, 500 quilts, eight boxes of new pillows and 10 tornado relief kits.
Thanks to everyone who made this a great success. For more information on how MMDC "finds a home for EVERY donated item" go to www.midwestmissiondc.org.
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Disaster response news from Northeast Nebraska, volunteer training scheduled
Another round of storms and tornadoes hit Tuesday night 25 miles north of Pilger doing isolated damage to rural areas, but missing the town of Coleridge. More bad weather is predicted for Wednesday night. The Wayne UMC’s basement has provided shelter for many as these storms go through.
Great Plains Disaster Response Coordinator Linda Stewart reported while traveling to Pilger this morning that there are 12 people now doing pastoral care and intake – walking the community and connecting with home and business owners to help assess needs. The 12 make up one of the early response groups with feet on the ground. The group will be coordinating their efforts with disaster response organizations World Renew, Team Rubicon and others. The Great Plains Disaster Response team has been loaned an RV for their office, parked across from the emergency operations center.
Training 8:30 a.m. Thursday
Those wanting to volunteer through the Great Plains Conference must be trained for their own protection. A “mini” early responder training will start at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday at Wayne UMC, 516 Main Street, Wayne, Neb. Anyone wishing to volunteer should email umc.dr.pilger@greatplainsumc.org. The team needs to know what groups are coming, how many are in each group and how long each group plans to stay. Following the morning training, Great Plains volunteers will head to Pilger as a group.
Individual volunteers not participating in the training should report to the Wisner, Neb., high school for intake information on volunteering and for a work assignment.
Stewart offers these answers to frequently asked questions:
•I have gloves and closed-toed shoes. Why do I need to be trained?
Early response training is necessary to ensure the safest practices in the midst of broken glass and every kind of imaginable debris. Training also helps with interaction skills so that those working with storm victims can manage conversations and interactions and where to direct victims for additional help and counseling. United Methodists are concerned about the welfare of those who come to serve in disaster recovery as well as the victims of the disaster.
•It’s summertime and I have a youth group begging to come and help.
Youth are not included in disaster recovery because of safety issues. Additionally, youth are not prepared with the maturity to deal with the mental anguish of victims and their families. Again, sites are full of dangerous situations and debris. United Methodists are eager for youth to be involved in recovery, but in later phases. For example, Stewart said an ambulance was leaving Pilger this morning which means either they found another victim or someone doing disaster recovery was harmed.
•I want to help, but I don’t know how to engage.
Keep in mind the area will need help in recovery far after the initial stages of clean-up. Churches should be thinking about engaging members in work groups that will help in later phases of recovery. Groups interested in long-term recovery should contact TruDee Little at tlittle@greatplainsumc.org or disasterresponse@greatplainsumc.org.
Updates on the disaster response efforts in this area are aggregated here.
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Wellness pays
The bio-metric testing at annual conference resulted in Great Plains group health insurance rebates to clergy totaling $7,559.72. Once spouses of others who did the biometric screening get their physicals an additional $4,595.43 may be earned by those people. “It pays to participate in preventive health care,” said Gary Beach, conference treasurer and director of administrative services.
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Conference maps available online
If you missed the chance to pick up a copy of the Great Plains Conference map at the Great Plains Annual Conference Session, you can view and download one at www.greatplainsumc.org/greatplainsmap.
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Make sure your Great Plains business cards are current
With the appointment season here, be sure your business cards are updated. If you need additional Great Plains United Methodists branded cards or if you are in need of updated cards, contact Roxie Delisi at rdelisi@greatplainsumc.org. Please provide the information you would like on your card, including church or agency affiliation, address, phone numbers, fax, email, website, etc.
The Great Plains logo treatment retains the fonts from the Kansas Area and the watermark from the Nebraska logotypes and stationery treatments. The cost is approximately $35 or less for 500 cards, depending on the number of people who choose to purchase cards. Click here to see a sample card.
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Great Plains UM Conference local church audit policy revision
The Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) recommended, and the Connecting Council approved, a revised audit policy for local churches with annual receipts of over $500,000. The Connecting Council voted on this change at its spring 2014 meeting. The original language can be found in the Plan of Organization. The new policy is linked below.
The audit policy adopted at the Uniting Conference meeting in August 2013 was questioned and called for research that delineated more clearly what the policy was attempting to do.
The goal is to provide a less expensive alternative to a full audit of the “books” for churches with over $500,000 in annual receipts. CFA believes this ensures that an appropriate review is done but in a way that reduces the cost to mid-sized and larger congregations. Churches with annual receipts less than $500,000 are still covered (as originally outlined in the Plan of Organization) by volunteers reviewing their “books” using the Local Church Audit Guide provided by the General Council on Finance and Administration.
•Amended Policy
•Instructions
•Procedures
•Procedures Q and A
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Hutchinson First UMC featured in UMNS “Daily Digest”
Hutchinson First UMC’s superhero story that the Great Plains Conference first featured in “GPconnect – AC Daily” on June 10, was featured in the United Methodist News Service’s “Daily Digest” on Friday, June 13.
To see other United Methodist congregations in the news, view our press clips at greatplainsumc.org/inthenews.
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Fifteen ways to welcome a new pastor
It is the season when many of our congregations will be welcoming new pastors within the coming weeks. Dean McIntyre, director of music resources for the General Board of Discipleship, has some suggestions particularly for those involved in the church's worship and music areas to prepare for and welcome a new pastor.
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Newsletter links
•United Methodist Communications: MyCom (June)
•Missionary David Upp’s newsletter: June 2014
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School of Congregational Development Satellite Events 2014
The General Board of Global Ministries Office of Congregational Development focuses on resourcing, designing and implementing leadership development components that will assist United Methodist churches across the world embrace and welcome the growing diversity in their communities.
The SCD Satellite Experience 2014 will provide staff supported sites with facilitators for guided conversations with ministry teams. Ministry teams have reported and shared good reports on the ability to view the satellite event as a team and the ministry success in local church settings.
Get Your Team Registered Today!
New this year, LiveCast direct to individuals will be made available for the first time on Saturday, August 16. This provides the opportunity for individuals or a small group to watch the sessions at their own location.
Two schedules are available with start time at 9 a.m. Those viewing the Saturday event on their own will be able to participate through a live and tape-delayed webcast, of:
•Ministry Tracks: Joe Daniels and Christie Latona on REAL Transformation
•Question and Answer with the presenters
And lastly, a diverse panel to reflect upon the presentations and help us to frame our Ministry Plans of Action for Local Church settings. It will be a full day and it will be a very productive day!
Visit scdscholarships2014.com for more information and to register.
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Orders and Fellowship to focus on discipling
Orders and Fellowship gathering for clergy will be held January 21-22, 2015, at St. Mark’s UMC in Lincoln, Neb.
Our featured speakers are Rev. Jay Hansen and Anne Bosarge. They come to us from The Chapel, a United Methodist congregation in Brunswick, Ga.
They do not have names that you would recognize from their latest book or having been speakers at a continuing education event you attended because they have not done either of these.
What they have done is develop a discipling and leadership program for their congregation, with Jay as the senior pastor and Anne as the Director of Discipleship. The discipleship program begins intentionally with children in the fourth grade.
We have asked them to share with us how they developed this program and implemented it congregation-wide to give us inspiration for developing spirit-led leaders in the local churches of the Great Plains.
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Thirty-five clergy honored for their ministry
During a retirement service, on Thursday, June 12, 35 clergy were recognized for their years of devotion to ministry at the Great Plains Annual Session. Bishop Scott Jones introduced the retirees, and said “For everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven. So, too, there is a time for movement, new adventure, fields of service not yet cultivated and where abundance may abound. With love, we send you forth in the spirt of John Wesley — may the world be your path.”
A representative of the retiree class, Carol Roettmer Brewer then passed a stole to Claire Gadberry, a representative of the ordination class. This symbolizes the light of Christ the retirees have carried in their ministry and lives being passed along to the next generation of clergy.
Those who retired include: Fred W. Andersen, Carol Roettmer Brewer, James Brewer, Max Clayton, Theta Dame, Ira L. DeSpain, Harry P. Disbrow III, Robert F. Edwards, John Ewton, Eleanor Foster, Roger Gillming, Diana Gaier Hill, Nel Holmes, Glenda Jardine, Jan Justice, James Keyser, George Kilmer, Jay Krumeich, Lawrence “Butch” Lambert, Sheila Lawson, Terry McGuire, Sandra Moore, Phillip Morris, James A. Newkirk, Carol Moore Ramey, Kent Myron Scott, Robert Smith, Carol Jean Stapleton, Sharon Thomas, Valjean Warman, Raynold H. Weinerman, Robert Winslow, Paul Wolf, Holly Wood and Rena Yocom.
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Another view of ordination
Ordination is AC session crescendo
By Melinda Harwood, pastor at Oskaloosa UMC in Oskaloosa, Kan.
The timpani rumble with the crescendo of “Festival Intrada” opened the first ordination service for the Great Plains conference Friday, June 13, at the Lied Center, in Lincoln, Neb. The choir made up of members from multiple Lincoln churches featured soloist Michael Tully who mesmerized the attendees. The choir connected all hearts with the Spirit of God.
A high-church processional, led by members of the cabinet and Board of Ordained Ministry, were followed in by those to be commissioned, ordained or recognized. The Christian symbols –light, cross, scripture, cup and basket of bread – are the traditional icons of ordination.
Bishop Scott Jones greeted the assembly and introduced the Rev. Roddy Dunkerson who served as the ecumenical representative for the ordination service. Dunkerson offered a short response.
Courtney Fowler, conference lay leader; Bruce Emmert, chairperson, Board of Ordained Ministry; Karen Nyhart, chairperson, Order of Deacon; and Jim Keyser, chairperson, Order of Elder presented the ordinands and those to be commissioned.
The face of each one commissioned for the work of elder changed as the assembly committed to support them as Bishop Jones laid hands on their shoulders and prayed for them to do the work of God.
The Lied Center's amazing acoustics provided the sacred background for the voices of everyone singing "The Church's One Foundation," as the Plymouth Brass and C. Richard Morris, organist accompanied.
The ordination message from the Rev. Jorge Acevedo did not disappoint as he connected all of us to "The Raw Emotions of Ministry" using six points from the writings of the Apostle Paul.
Six points
Acevedo’s mispronunciation of “sex” for “six” caught everyone's attention as he begins his sermon this was his first point about the burden of caring for people the ordinands will serve. Acevedo talked about the raw emotion of the heartbreaking desire for the people to grow in spiritual maturity. Every pastor knows what it feels like to be with people who will not change. "It will always hurt when someone leaves your church."
His third point is the pressure on the pastor's family. Pastors have families, and if you are over 40 you know what it is to have a broken heart. Next he talked about the never-ending task of preserving unity. Live in harmony. “The truth is the sheep bite the shepherd. It's worse when the sheep bite each other,” he said.
He went on to describe the insidious temptation to compare ourselves to others. "God isn't fair when passing out gifts,” said Acevedo. “Let's share each others’ successes.”
Finally he talked about the heart ache of personal betrayal. Apostle Paul talks about living with the raw emotions of ministry.
“Don't forget your call. Keep going back to your Damascus Road – keep remembering what brings you joy," said Acevedo.
Acevedo asks, “What's at stake? I remind you, it is the glory of God being revealed in ordinary people."
"I want to get baptized, I want to follow God, every day if my life," said Venezia Hernandez. "No matter what happens, Jesus has the last word." These were words, spoken on a video from a baptism ritual where Acevedo serves at Grace UMC, in Cape Coral, Fla.
"You will be privileged to be a pastor to someone like Venezia. So don't forget what's at stake," said Acevedo.
A rousing plea to make our offering our prayer to stop human trafficking was given by United Methodist Woman Louise Niemann. "Praise The Lord Ye Heavn's Adore Him," commissioned by Saint Paul UMC, Lincoln, exemplified the call to justice and mercy.
Canter Michael Tully sang "Come, Holy Ghost, Our Soul Inspire" as those who were prepared as deacons and elders were ordained under the authority of Bishop Jones.
Newly commissioned for the work of elder, with Bishop Jones
Front row, from left: Hyeayoun Kim, Emily Elizabeth Spearman Cannon, Bishop Scott J. Jones, Teresa Lynn Lucas, Jose Manuel Miranda and Lora Lee Andrews. Back row, from left: Changsu Kim, Charles Augustine Rivera, Andrew Michael Frazier, Kimberly Ann Shank, Joohyang Kim, Benjamin Christopher Hanne and Joseph McColligan
Newly commissioned for the work of deacon, Katherine Elizabeth Ebling and Melanie Nord Martin, with Bishop Jones
Newly ordained as elders, with Bishop Jones
Front row, from left: Ezekiel Kimutai Koech, Claire Elizabeth Gadberry, Natalie Kay Faust, Bishop Scott J. Jones, Amanda Lee Bennett Baker, Trudy Hanke and Wendy Mohler-Seib. Back row, from left: Patrick McLaughlin, Linda Kusse-Wolfe, Brenda Jo (Fasse) Davids, Alan W. Gager, Nicole Jean Schwartz, Blair Elizabeth Thompson and Andrew Barnes Yantis Hargrove
Newly ordained as deacons, Susan Barham and Barbra J. Lenz, with Bishop Jones
Newly recognized as elders, Jaiseong Pi and Sergio Tristan, with Bishop Jones
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Central Nebraska VIM team serves in New Jersey
Fifty six people from Nebraska arrived home from New Jersey on Sunday, June 8, after completing a nine-day mission trip to help in the rebuilding of private homes that were destroyed or damaged by Super Storm Sandy in November of 2012. Sponsored by the Arcadia United Methodist Church in Arcadia, Neb., the group worked through A Future With Hope — an organization the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is participating with. This organization screens homeowners in the area to determine their need for help in getting their homes and lives back together. Most have either fallen through the cracks of insurance or FEMA or have been swindled by dishonest contractors. The goal of A Future With Hope is to complete reconstruction of 500 homes in the area within five years.
Central Nebraska Volunteers In Mission (CNVIM) members worked on a total of eight different homes during their week in New Jersey. Work consisted of gutting out water-damaged materials and possessions to structural building, roofing, hanging drywall, mudding, painting, installation of doors, countertops and fixtures, and general property cleanup. Work on two of the homes was completed by the group and the owners were able to move in for the first time in more than a year and a half. Another important aspect of the volunteers’ work was to allow the homeowners to share their stories and to share the gospel of Christ with the homeowners. Team members were richly blessed with the new friends they made and with the appreciation that was expressed by all who we were able to help.
Participants ranged in age from 14 to 78 and there was something for everyone to do. About two-thirds of the volunteers had traveled with CNVIM on prior trips while for others this was their first mission trip. Volunteers came from the communities of Arcadia, Comstock, Sargent, Ord, Burwell, Ravenna, Brady, Pleasanton, Gibbon, Central City, St. Paul, Grand Island, Omaha, North Platte, North Loup, Kearney, Valley, Gretna, North Bend, Curtis, Fremont, Farwell, Neb. and Hillsdale, Ill.
CNVIM members are willing to make presentations of the trip to interested churches or organizations. You may contact Teresa Staab at bstaab@nctc.net or Rolen Sell at rsell@nctc.net if you are interested
Photo:
Back row, l-r: Bill Staab, Brytin Woodward, Tanner Chilewski, Lance Hehner, Bob Sis, Taylor Hornickel, Kasey Hornickel, Pat Hoagland, Timothy Berry, Shawn Meyer, Lance Luehm, Hannah Miller, Eric Gearhart, Kipp Chilewski
Third row, l-r: Kristen Boden, Mary Ann Rickertsen, Ray Berry, Brad Nagorski, Pat Fittje, Michael Miller, Kelsey Scheer, Shelby Schneider, Tiffany Hoagland, Carla Berry, Veronika Vrabcova, Penny Jo Einspahr, Betty Jo Sell, Jerry Hawley, and Teresa Staab
Second row, l-r: Julie Hoagland, Linda Miller, Linda Johnson, Anna Berry, Celeste Gould, Walter Watts, Beverly Watts, Holly Dethlefs, Torri Dethlefs, Lacy Beavers, Kelli Wiiest, Marilyn Musil, Courtney Gould, Robyn Fittje, and Kristi Meeks
Front row, l-r: Shane Luehm, Matthew Berry, Nicole Bruha, Jamie Holmes, Katrina Gould, Bailey Coons, Abby Osborne, Rhyan Luehm, Ashley Einspahr, Madison Dodson, Brenna Keefe, Rolen Sell
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Spare change for change
Mission Agency Support Organization Epworth Village announces giving opportunity
By Dr. Nancy Dob, president of the board of trustees, Epworth Village
Alert: Epworth Village needs you! This morning as I walked through the premises I saw young boys whose lives have been torn apart by violence, mental illness and poverty. We as The United Methodist Church must be committed to helping them. At this time, we can no longer rely on the State of Nebraska to provide all the funding necessary for the care of our at-risk children. We need your help!
While the motto of Epworth Village is “a change for the better,” as United Methodists are called upon to be an integral part of change in these children’s lives. Ms. Harrietta Reynolds has accepted the role of Interim CEO. She will guide the institution as it continues its 125 year mission to serve the needs of at-risk children and families.
Nebraska churches are invited to renew the commitment to care for God’s children; to be a part of changing lives for the better. During the month of July churches are invited to collect spare change to assist in Epworth’s mission. Our spare change can make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, enabling them to grow in the knowledge and love of God, empowering them to be a positive change in the world. A check for your change will gratefully be accepted by Epworth Village, P.O. Box 503, York NE 68467.
Epworth Village is also both a United Methodist General Agency Advance and a Conference Advance. Contributions can be made through your local church offering plate by putting Advance number 715 on the memo line of your check. Giving through the local church will ensure your congregation gets credit for the 1 percent asking for Mission Agency Support.
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Epworth Village announces new interim CEO
Dr. Nancy Dob, president of the board of trustees, Epworth Village, Inc., York, Neb., a ministry of The United Methodist Church, announced today, that Mr. Patrick Garcia, CEO of Epworth Village, Inc., has resigned, effective immediately, to pursue other job opportunities. Dob expressed the board of trustees' gratitude for Mr. Garcia's service.
Dob also announced the appointment of Ms. Harrietta Reynolds, of Beatrice, Neb., as the interim CEO, effective immediately. Ms. Reynolds has 32 years of experience as a commissioned home missionary of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. She has a degree in social work and extensive experience, training and education in social work, administration and organizational practice. Reynolds has served as interim executive director for six agencies and institutions, as well as staff for an additional two in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "We as a board of trustees consider Ms. Reynolds an extraordinary gift to our 125 year old ministry to children and families with special needs," said Dob.
Epworth Village, a 501-c3 based in York, Nebraska, provides family-centered support through its foster care, in-home services, therapy, residential group homes and educational programs. For nearly 125 years, this important ministry has carried out the important mission of providing hope and healing to Nebraska children and families. Epworth Village is a National Mission Institution of the United Methodist Church, one of only two in Nebraska.
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Communication coordinator/office assistant needed at Old Mission UMC in Fairway, Kan.
Old Mission UMC, in Fairway, Kan., is looking for an experienced communications coordinator/office assistant to provide a positive, upbeat first impression for the church office; create and maintain excellent publications; and maintain website and marketing presence. Support staff duties are also part of the position. Hours are flexible, but basically 30 hours, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday - Thursday, with a small amount of data entry on Sundays. Successful applicants will have intermediate to advanced experience with Microsoft Office Suite, calendaring, reception, correspondence, database entry, online publications and website maintenance. Old Mission UMC is looking for a self-starter who is efficient, productive and works well with a team. Salary is $24,000 annually plus benefits.
Please submit a cover letter by email with a professional resume and a pdf of a publication, brochure or document you have created attached to the email to gay@oldmission.org by July 1, 2014. Selected applicants will be phoned about an interview by July 15. No phone calls, please.
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Editorial Policy: The content, news, events and announcement information distributed in GPconnect is not sponsored or endorsed by the Great Plains Methodist Conference unless specifically stated.
Want to submit a letter to the editor? Email Kathryn Witte at kwitte@greatplainsumc.org
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