Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Wichita, Kansas, United States "GP Connect" of the Great Plains Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church for Wednesday, 3 September 2014

want moreImageWichita, Kansas, United States "GP Connect" of the Great Plains Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church for Wednesday, 3 September 2014
In this edition of GPconnect:
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Bishop Jones begins weekly blog

Have you been keeping up with Bishop Scott Jones’ weekly blog that is posted most Mondays?
In this week’s blog, Jones discusses difficult conversations as he reflects on a meeting in Wichita, Kansas, that addressed the question of how to prevent the same type of conflict seen in Ferguson, Missouri. To follow his blog, go to greatplainsumc.org/bishopsblog
Difficult conversations

Bishop Scott Jones
On August 28, a group of nearly 600 people gathered at East High School in Wichita, to address the question of how to prevent the same type of conflict we have seen in Ferguson, Missouri. Convened by a group of clergy and community leaders and led by United Methodist pastors Kevass Harding and Junius Dotson, the meeting was a timely and difficult conversation.
Earlier this year a young African-American man had been killed by the police. His family members were present. For five years community activists had been asking for police officers to wear cameras in order to record their work. The current chief of police for Wichita has announced his retirement.
All of these topics generated strong emotions and for two hours community leaders listened and occasionally responded. Mayor Carl Brewer (who is black), City manager Robert Layton (who is white) and deputy police chief Nelson Mosley receive most of the complaints and gave responses. Ms. Kenya Cox, Wichita Branch NAACP president, Carlos Contreras, president of Kansas People’s Action and the Rev. Reuben Eckels of Sunflower Community Action also participated in the panel responding to audience concerns and questions
Harding and Dotson moderated the evening with grace and skill. They enabled a diversity of perspectives to be aired in an atmosphere of mutual respect. The common goal of a better community was frequently lifted up. I am grateful for their leadership.
As a white citizen of Wichita, I was unaware of the level of anger felt by many African-Americans in my city. It was an important evening for me to hear the concerns and the pain being expressed. Coverage by the newspaper and TV stations may help widen the awareness of the whole community. At the same time, many people in the audience need a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced by the police and the difficult choices being made by political leaders setting priorities for the community. Too few Hispanic people were present, and not enough white people were in the room. But all present were convinced that this meeting was not the last step, but a first step in addressing key issues facing Wichita.
Many of our congregations, our annual conference and the whole of The United Methodist Church face difficult conversations. We need to remember our identity as sisters and brothers who together form the body of Christ. Putting that identity first can help us focus on why our relationships are important and why it is worth the effort to remain engaged with each other in difficult circumstances.
Listening to each other is an important skill whose difficulty is often underestimated. It is so easy to jump to conclusions about what the other person really means or why they say and do what they do.
Since January I have spent time trying to listen to different viewpoints about the unity of The United Methodist Church and our disagreements about human sexuality. Without taking a position myself, I have sought to clarify the viewpoints of others, and to describe objectively the context in which our discussions are taking place. I have posted my current assessment at www.extremecenter.com/documents. I will discuss many aspects of this issue on a webinar on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m. central daylight time, at www.greatplainsumc.org/livestream.

District superintendent/district connectional ministries orientation cultivating vital ministries

By Michael Rich
“This training is like receiving a large suit of clothes that I haven’t grown into yet,” that’s according to an insight that Myron Wingfield, coordinator of the event, discovered from a 2013 participant.
District Superintendents and Conference Directors of Connectional Ministries from across the connection gathered from August 24-28, 2014 at Lake Junaluska Retreat and Conference Center in North Carolina.
Attending this year were 75 new district superintendents, 8 new directors of connectional ministries, and over 30 spouses.  A total of 41 conferences/episcopal areas were represented between participants, faculty and staff.
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries by Michael Rich
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries | GBHEMChris Holmes of Holmes Coaching Group, one of the five coaches who led sharing groups during this week of orientation. Photo by Michael Rich.
“This training is like receiving a large suit of clothes that I haven’t grown into yet,” that’s according to an insight that Myron Wingfield, coordinator of the event, discovered from a 2013 participant.
District Superintendents and Conference Directors of Connectional Ministries from across the connection gathered from August 24-28, 2014 at Lake Junaluska Retreat and Conference Center in North Carolina.
Attending this year were 75 new district superintendents, 8 new directors of connectional ministries, and over 30 spouses.  A total of 41 conferences/episcopal areas were represented between participants, faculty and staff.
The annual training is sponsored by the Council of Bishops, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Discipleship. 
This year’s program brought together some of the top leaders in the denomination for four days of intensive training on the roles of the district superintendent and director of connectional ministries.
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries | GBHEM
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries | GBHEMBishop Sandra Steiner Ball of the West Virginia Conference. Photo by Michael Rich.
The event included daily worship and centering time,  three plenary sessions, three sessions focused on technical leadership best practices, and four small group sharing sessions led by a coach who will continue coaching via conference calls through the end of the year.
The first two plenaries focused on the general theme of the event as outlined by Myron Wingfield: "We focus on the DS as the 'chief missional strategist of the district' and the DCM as the 'steward of the vision' for the conference, shifting the emphasis from institutional management to strategic, innovative, missional leadership.  Working together, these roles can be leading change agents for the missional renewal of the denomination."
Bishop Grant Hagiya led part one, entitled “Chief Missional Strategist & Steward of the Vision: Your Unique Role in Cultivating Vital Ministries.” Joe Daniels and Tom Hazelwood led part two.  The final plenary was led by Myron Wingfield and Ken Sloane, with closing worship and communion led by Bishops Eduard Khegay, Sandra Steiner-Ball and Jonathan Keaton.
The best practices sessions were designed so that the superintendents would receive training in supervision, legal issues, conflict resolution and cultural competence.
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries | GBHEM
DS/DCM Orientation Cultivating Vital Ministries | GBHEMThe Rev. Myron Wingfield, interim associate general secretary, Division of Ordained Ministry, GBHEM. Photo by Michael Rich.
Myron Wingfield and Bishop Steiner-Ball led the Supervision section.  They focused their teaching on the concept that leadership in a district requires intense self-awareness, belief and value awareness and time awareness.  “You can effectively lead only when you are leading from your authentic self,” according to Steiner-Ball, who served six years as a district superintendent before being elected to the episcopacy.
Dr. Jeff Patterson, superintendent of the Yadkin Valley District in the Western North Carolina Conference, shared the importance of this training.  “In the Personnel session, I discovered that even after ten years working with the Board of Ordained Ministry, that there is terminology and specifics in the 2012 Discipline that I needed to learn.”  Reflecting on his new role as a superintendent, “This training will help me prioritize my ministry after going from one church in one community to serving the diverse needs of 166 churches in numerous communities.”
Chris Moore, a clergy from the Baltimore-Washington Conference, is heading up the coaching experience for participants. “We believe that this experience will not end on Thursday,” he said. There are 8-9 DS/DCM’s in each of the 10 groups, and beyond the four meetings of the week, they will meet by conference calls four more times until December. Moore described the coaching component as “integration and processing of the huge volume of information shared in the orientation.” According to previous evaluations, it is always one of the most helpful components of the training.
Dr. Chris Eckert, the new superintendent of the Demopolis District in the Alabama-West Florida Conference reflected on his experience of the orientation: “I have realized that that I am not in this boat by myself.  In just the first couple of days, I have met folks from across the connection and learned that we are all learning how to do this together. This has broadened my horizons of what it means to be a part of our rich Wesleyan heritage.”
Rich is web and communications manager, Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Photos:  Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball of the West Virginia Conference; Chris Holmes of Holmes Coaching Group, one of the five coaches who led sharing groups during this week of orientation; and the Rev. Myron Wingfield, interim associate general secretary, Division of Ordained Ministry, GBHEM.

Youth workers UNITE! gathering on Oct. 14

Youth Workers UNITE! is a group of youth ministers and coordinators who gather a couple times each year to share ideas, learn from one another, and share our plans for youth ministry for the months to come.
The next gathering for this event Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Countryside C-side in Topeka, Kansas, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If interested, please contact Allison Bond at allison@stpaulslenexa.org, Tami Clark at tami@fumclawrence.org or Lisa Freeman at lisa.freeman@lenexaumc.org.
If you are a youth worker, or know one would be interested, join Youth Workers UNITE! on Facebook.

Wathena UMC choir sings national anthem

The Angel Choir of the Wathena UMC, in Kansas, was invited to sing the National Anthem at the Wathena Fall Festival Friday, Aug. 30.  Ms. Ara Ju, wife of the Rev. Ji Seok Ju, directs the choir.

Four Conference UMMen Rally 2014 to be Sept. 26-28

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Romans 1:8-13
The United Methodist Men (UMMen) will host the Four Conference United Methodist Men Rally 2014 in Spirit Lake, Iowa. UMMen from the Dakotas, Iowa, Great Plains and Minnesota conferences are invited to attend the rally held Sept. 26-28, at the Lake Okoboji United Methodist Camp and Retreat Center (21413 154th Street Place). The spiritual retreat will have the theme “What has Romans Done for You?”
Men are sought to volunteer to speak on their favorite passage out of Romans with an explanation of how the passage has affected their Christian faith. One of the speakers will be Daniel Wickham. Wickham spent 20 years in prison and will share his story of ‘lost and found’. Lost in crime and depravity and found by Christ in prison. Wickham devoted 15 years of his sentence to prison ministry. As you listen to Wickham l’s testimony you will find an un-common strength of faith and a life fully dedicated to Christ.
Men will be blessed by the music of Daniel Everson. Everson plays the electric piano and guitar and will lead Friday and Sunday worship as well as lead everyone in song all day Saturday. Preferences to hymns and worship songs attendees would like to sing over the weekend are sought in advance. Hymnals and song books are provided.
There will be a time of sharing ‘what is working in our local units?’ on Saturday afternoon. Attendees are asked to bring materials (photos, videos, power-point shows, etc.) and be ready to demonstrate the events and projects that their local unit has been involved in. The idea is to share ideas that motivate men to join men’s fellowship activities and discuss how to build a stronger presence of men in the congregations.
This year the Friday work day at camp will include the take-down and removal of three dead trees near the main hall. The material will be trucked to the south campus where a bonfire will be constructed for the Friday night worship with communion. The campfire and worship service will be within easy walking distance. Everson will lead the group in campfire songs and worship will include Holy Communion. There will be paint and clean-up projects for those who don’t want to do any lifting.
The total cost of the weekend meals and lodging is $60 or $30 for those who commute for Saturday only. The Friday work day will reduce your cost by $15.00 and Friday meals will be provided. If you will be with us on Friday and/or Saturday nights you must bring your own towels, pillows and bedding. The dormitories have kitchenettes with living rooms and nice shower bathrooms. The sleeping rooms are shared.
Please, share this notice and invitation with all men you think would be served by this rally. For more information or to volunteer to present your favorite passage of Romans or ‘what your local unit is doing,’ contact Karl Schwichtenberg at kschwichtenberg@bellbanks.com or 952-334-8279. Please, give notice of your intention to attend the rally by contacting Jim Smith at laceyjim89@gmail.com or to Karl Schwichtenberg at 952-334-8279.

Run wild in the wilderness

Camp Fontanelle Halloween Wilderness 5K Run and 1.25 Mile Walk

The 5th Annual Halloween Wilderness 5K Run and 1.25 Mile Walk is set for Saturday, Oct. 25, at Camp Fontanelle, near Fontanelle, Nebraska. The start time is 11 a.m.
Beginning at the 7:24 shelter, the 5K course will have runners going up and down the hills/bluffs of the Elkhorn River, across Buttermilk Creek and on and off the Camp Fontanelle trails, a true wilderness run. The 1.25 mile walk will be on trails only.
Download a registration form or register online at CampFontanelle.com. Entry fee is $30 and includes a T-shirt, spaghetti dinner and medals for the top three male and female finishers. All walkers 14 and under will receive a medal. Registrations received after Oct. 14 will not receive a T-shirt. Medals will be awarded at the spaghetti dinner immediately following the run.
Costumes are encouraged and spectators may enjoy a spaghetti meal for $5. Those additional meals may be purchased at the time of registration.
For additional information, contact Trent Meyer at 402-459-0686 or tmeyer@greatplainsumc.org.
This is a fun event for all ages. The corn maze will be open at 1 p.m. All runners/walkers will be given a free pass to the corn maze. Spectators will need to purchase their entrance to the corn maze. The proceeds from this run/walk go towards their summer camping program.

Order through Great Plains Conference for discount

Effective church-school partnership resources are available from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. See the newsletter link and note that the DVD/CD resource is available for $25 if ordered through the Conference Resource Center. Contact Diane Dunkerson at ddunderson@greatplainsumc.org to order one for your congregation. 

Bravehearted Boys to visit Lincoln

Every parent knows their son dreams of becoming a superhero someday, but they also want to protect him from a scary world of “villains” ready to trip him up. How does a super mom or dad raise a super man? That’s where Bravehearted Boys: The Superhero Experience can help. It’s an all-new parent-son date night where bravery is rewarded, fun is guaranteed and capes are optional. According to one dad, it’s an event that’s “way worth skipping football practice for.”
Bravehearted Boys: The Superhero Experience national tour will stop locally in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at St. Mark’s UMC. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., with tickets available online at Braveheartedboys.com. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information, please call Darci Warner at 402-489-8885.
Developed for parents (or mentors) and their boys (typically ages 5-12), this one-of-a-kind connecting experience is boy-friendly, dad-endorsed and mother-approved. You can think of it as real life superhero training. (And yes, you can even come dressed as your favorite superhero character.)
In between seat-gripping movie clips, superhero training challenges and a whole lot of high-energy hands-on fun, boys will almost forget they’re learning important lessons about character, courage and integrity, all while discovering their true source of bravery. They’ll also be reminded that mom and dad have a few superpowers of their own.
Meanwhile, parents take their own adventure into “boy world” — that strange, confusing place where their boys are laughing together one minute and beating the stuffing out of each other the next. They’ll walk away with a better understanding of their son’s unique wiring through multiple connecting moments that intentionally set parents up to win.
Plenty of things influence a boy on his journey toward becoming a man, but there’s almost nothing that affects him quite as powerfully as parents. In fact, studies show that boys who have positive relationships with mom and dad (or a strong parental presence) do better in school, experience fewer behavioral problems and possess stronger mental, social and emotional wellbeing.
However, as their sons grow older, parents sometimes struggle to find ways to connect with them. A boy often starts pushing away from mom and dad as he discovers his own identity, so it can be hard for parents to find the right balance between letting go and wanting to protect their little boy.
That’s why a Bravehearted Boys event is strategically designed to facilitate the parent-son connection. By connecting with their son now, while he’s still a young boy, parents are effectively preparing him for the challenges he’ll face later as a teen—from peer pressure to issues of integrity. And the best part is you’ll have a blast doing it. As one mom put it, the show is “God-centered, action-packed and SO much FUN.”
Bravehearted Boys was created by Fun and Faith Presents, a ministry organization dedicated to providing resources and fun, high-energy connecting events that are both educational and bible-based. Visit Braveheartedboys.com to find out more.

Blue River District to host youth leader meeting

Staff, volunteers and student leaders are welcome to attend the Blue River District Youth Leader Meeting on Saturday, Sept. 20. The meeting will be located at Lincoln Horizons UMC (3200 Grainger Parkway), and will be from 10-11:30 a.m.

Newsletter links

Highlights of the 2014 Clergy Age Trends Report

Fewer and older elders; more local pastors

The 2014 edition of the Lewis Center’s annual Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church is now available at www.churchleadership.com/clergyage. The report is prepared in partnership with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.
Elders and local pastors are appointed as pastors of congregations. The number of active elders continues to decline as the number of local pastors grows. Since 1990 there are 6,123 fewer elders and 3,459 more local pastors. In 1990 there were over five elders for each local pastor; today there are two elders for each local pastor. In 2014 there are 15,384 elders and 7,395 local pastors.
Elders between ages 55 and 72 comprise 55 percent of all active elders, the highest percentage in history. This group reached 50 percent for the first time ever in 2010. This age cohort represented only 30 percent of active elders as recently as 2000. Previously their percentage of the total was even lower.
Go to www.churchleadership.com/clergyage to read more. There, you can also watch a six-minute video summary of the report and download the report itself.

Walking clergy consultations offer a healthier alternative

“How do you take care of yourself? Are you taking your days off? Do you take four weeks of vacation? In what kind of physical activity are you regularly involved?” During each annual clergy consultation, the Rev. Dennis Livingston, Hutchinson District superintendent, asks pastors in the Hutchinson District a string of questions similar to these. He stresses his hope that all district pastors work and play to maintain physical health because he believes that mental, emotional and spiritual fitness — and indeed, long-term ministry — is built on physical fitness. He encourages pastors to schedule time on their official calendars for physical activity and to treat those appointments as seriously as if they were meetings with Bishop Scott Jones.
Livingston asks those questions and many more while he and the pastor sit in comfortable chairs in an air conditioned office. That same pastor sat in a car up to two hours before the meeting and will sit in that same car for up to two hours to return home, only to sit in an office chair for the remainder of the workday catching up on work that waited while the pastor sat in the car and the district office.
Livingston decided that this year’s clergy consultations should model his hope for his pastors’ health instead of running counter to it. This summer he offered walking consultations and one cycling consultation. Several pastors have taken him up on the offer, discussing the state of the pastor and her or his congregation while walking the streets of downtown Hutchinson or cycling its perimeter.
“In addition to pushing blood out of the legs, elevating the heart rate and opening the lungs, walking or cycling side-by-side outdoors produces a kind of talking and listening different from when we sit face-to-face in district-office chairs,” Livingston said. “It’s a nice change.”
Livingston is so pleased at the way the walking consultations have worked that he hopes annual conference planners will pick up on his model for a future annual conference session. “Sitting all day is deadly. Why not conduct annual conference business while 1,800 members walk the streets of downtown Lincoln, Wichita, Topeka or Kansas City?” he mused. “Well — maybe not.”
Sheila Bartley is the photographer.
Photos: On bicycles are Amy Lippoldt (pastor at Newton Trinity Heights UMC) and Dennis Livingston. Walking are Dennis Livingston and Ben Hanne (pastor at Stafford/Alden UMCs).

Arkansas City First UMC offers second year of ESL classes

Arkansas City First UMC, in Kansas, started this year's English as a second language (ESL) classes on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014. The 2013-2014 school term was the church’s first year offering ESL and was a glorious adventure for all of the volunteers, leaders, students and children. Training with Tim and Jennifer Jepsen and ongoing support from Corey Daniel Godbey, Great Plains Conference Hispanic ministries coordinator, gave the congregation a strong start. As the church begins its second year, it’s thrilled to welcome back all but two of the students (pictured) who completed their instructional level during the first session.
Wednesdays begin with registration and a snack supper, time for sharing and prayer, and then everyone disperses for class. Infants through pre-kindergarten are cared for by nursery staff. Children in grade school attend Kids Club where they experience Bible stories through active and engaging stations. Tutors are available for all students needing homework help.
Though the church was very concerned, even scared, about launching a new outreach ministry with language barriers, the congregation took on the challenge. The "reunion" of students and volunteers only confirms the decision, as the atmosphere in the fellowship hall was filled with the Spirit's warmth and joy. Arkansas City First UMC is excited to reconnect with friends from last year and welcome new ones. The congregation is being deeply blessed by God for its efforts.

ERT training to be held in Salina, Kansas, on Sept. 6

If you are willing to help in the early days following a disaster, this training event is for you. It only takes a day’s commitment to be prepared for service as an Early Response Team (ERT) member in the early days following a disaster. Early responders are trained and organized for leadership roles as the team leader and assistant leader, site safety, base camp food and shelter, equipment maintenance and listener. If you have a heart to get involved, this UMCOR one-day class will equip and prepare you to be an early responder.
A very good way to prepare for disasters is to become trained in early response activities. When media coverage shows how lives have been harmed, emotions run high and we find ourselves ready to jump up off the couch and offer help. Now is the time to become trained so you are ready to offer help and can be involved in the early disaster response ministry and service. This invitation is for you to attend a one-day UMCOR training for Early Response Teams.
The training in Salina, Kansas, on Sept. 6, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at University UMC, Little Sanctuary (1509 S. Santa Fe). Register here.
The cost for the disaster training is $25, which covers meal, training materials, t-shirt and ERT badge. 

Farnam United Methodist Church sends people to UMCOR’s Sager Brown Depot

The following was submitted by the Rev. Neil Kloppenborg, pastor at Eustis UMC and Farnam UMC, in Nebraska.
For many years there have been opportunities for churches to take kits and supplies to the Annual Conference Session for the purpose of sending them to Sager Brown, for distribution around the world. This caused many people to wonder about the process of sending kits. For us, it was time to get answers.
After a year and a half of waiting after a time had been scheduled, seven people from the Farnam UMC, in Nebraska, loaded their things and crawled into a vehicle to begin a life-changing trip together on Saturday, Aug. 9. After 17 hours of riding, we unloaded our things and began our work at Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana. Here, we joined with teams of volunteers from Arkansas, Georgia and Illinois. There were a total of 31 persons volunteering this week.
Sunday evening brought about a time of orientation to the work of Sager Brown, and a time for devotions and a time to get settled in. Monday morning, we had another orientation session, and then determined where we were going to work. Our choices were to work on repairing floors in a couple of homes in the community, mowing the Sager Brown campus, working in the depot or working in the sewing room. With there being 31 persons, there were people willing to do each of these chores, with the majority of people working in the depot. Those in the depot worked on putting school kits together on Monday and Tuesday morning. Then it was time to help the depot staff with a very important task. On Tuesday, Wednesday morning and Thursday, we counted: wash cloths, baby blankets, baby sweaters, school bags and onesies. We also dumped boxes of health kits into tubs, so they were ready to be verified (inspected to make sure each kit has the exact things in it that are required).
Wednesday afternoon, each of the teams were given the afternoon (or full day if they wanted) to go site seeing or do any other activity of their choosing. Our team from Farnam chose to go on a swamp tour with Cajun Jack. It was a great 2.5 hour trip back into the back part of a bayou. Yes, we were able to see a couple of alligators and a lot of beautiful plants and flowers. We learned about the history of the area, and learned about much of the wildlife in that area.
On Thursday afternoon, some of the people who were tired of counting to 25, started to go through cleaning buckets. Each bucket had to be opened. The contents were then inspected to make sure all of the items in each bucket was the same as the others and that all of the required items were in each bucket. Friday morning, the remainder of the people in the depot joined in verifying the cleaning buckets and cleaning up the depot.
Through the week, the people in the sewing room were making additional school bags and changing handles that had been put on the bags incorrectly. The grounds were mowed and I believe the repairs to the floors were finished.
On Wednesday morning, a group of ladies also went to a home for abused women and children. There, they were able to work on organizing closets, shoes that had been collected for distribution and several other projects to help the home.
Friday afternoon, exhausted, but fulfilled, we began our trip back to Farnam.
The week was a wonderful experience for all seven of us from Farnam and a trip that each of us are ready to make again, maybe not next year, but in the near future. So now we will start to look to find additional persons to go next year.
Photo (left to right): Front row: Lisa Einspahr, Pastor Neil Kloppenborg. Middle row: Donna Hazen, Brenda Davis, Ruth Ann Hess, Irvin Hess. Back row: Ginger Craig.

Living our United Methodist Social Principles

Consultants needed

The United Methodist General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) project, “Living Our Principles,” is a video series highlighting people of faith around the world who are responding to human need. You can find short video clips to each of the sections of our Social Principles at www.livingourprinciples.org. A screening of the whole videos can also get organized.
Currently, the GBCS is accepting applications for persons to participate in consultations to consider a process to make the United Methodist Social Principles more succinct, theologically founded and globally relevant. Seven consultations are planned: five in central conferences and two in the United States.
The consultations are a preliminary step to develop a recommendation to the 2016 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s highest policy-setting body, to fund a process of six to eight public hearings across the connection. Those hearings will lead to a proposal to the 2020 General Conference to update the Social Principles.
If you are interested, and would like more information, please visit the GBCS website and let the Rev. Chali (kchali@greatplainsumc.org) or Andrea Paret (amparet08@yahoo.com) know.

Zimbabwe newsletters

Lloyd Chaukura is a volunteer communicator in the Zimbabwe area working to report for the partnership churches and other work of the Matusa-Nyanga district. He produced the following newsletters for the Chisipiti congregation. He did a recap of the entire Ebenezer Convention including Bishop Scott Jones.
  • Chisipiti Connection: Aug. 15
  • Chisipiti Connection: Aug. 16
  • Chisipiti Connection: Aug. 17 – Ebenezer Convention
  • Harare East District Farewell Party for Ebenezer Delegates: Aug. 22

"Intellectual hootinany" brings environment enthusiasts together

The following was written by Gloria Kimbulu, Micah Corps intern.
This summer I spent time at The Land Institute along with the other Micah Corps interns. Located right outside of Salina, Kansas, The Land Institute is an non-profit research organization that is dedicated to advancing perennial grain crops and poly culture farming solutions. During our time there we harvested kernza, an intermediate wheat grass which was developed by The Land Institute.
We also went on a tour of the area and learned a lot about how and why it was founded. Wes Jackson, the founder told us about The Prairie Festival, or as he calls it, an “intellectual hootinany.” The Prairie Festival is Sept. 26-28, and is open to the public. Leaders from all over the world attend this festival to discuss different topics such as the environment, economy, energy and agriculture. The speakers include Dr. Ted Burke, a professor at Creighton University, in Omaha, Nebraska; Dr. Ellen Davis, a Duke professor formerly at Yale; Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk; Priti Cox who is passionate about human and ecological toll taken by Hindu fundamentalism and casteism; Bill Vitek, a philosopher; Kristine Tompkins, who raises money to save wild diversity; and Dr. Ken Levy-Church who will speak on the current crisis in Eastern Europe.
View more information. You can register for this event online or download the PDF to call or fax in your order. For those needing a place to stay, there are prairie campgrounds on site and local hotels. Any questions you may have can be answered by calling The Land Institute office at 785-823-5376 or sending an email to info@landinstitute.org. Organize a group from your church and learn more about caring for God’s creation right here in the Great Plains Conference!

Young people advocate for global health

Great Plains Micah Corps delivers 200 letters to senators

The following was written by the Rev. Clayton Childers, director of conference relations at the General Board of Church and Society.
Great Plains Conference members got more than a nice lunch at this year’s Mission Luncheon during the annual conference session in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the middle of June. They got an opportunity to support funding for global health.
Over 200 attendees wrote personal letters to their U.S. senators asking for continued federal government support for critical foreign assistance programs fighting diseases such as HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
Young people advocate for global health
Great Plains Micah Corps delivers 200 letters to senators
by the Rev. Clayton Childers on August 25, 2014
Great Plains Conference members got more than a nice lunch at this year’s Mission Luncheon during the annual conference session in Lincoln, Neb., in the middle of June. They got an opportunity to support funding for global health.
Micah Corps logo
Micah Corps logoOver 200 attendees wrote personal letters to their U.S. senators asking for continued federal government support for critical foreign assistance programs fighting diseases such as HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
The U.S. government is a world leader in global-health funding and conference members wanted their senators to keep up the good work.
Delivered letters
Letters were delivered by members of the conference’s “Micah Corps,” young people chosen each summer to be part of a special program where they not only learn about the denomination’s public witness for a better world, but also participate in it.
As part of their experience Micah Corps members went to Washington, D.C., where they attended learning sessions with issues program staff at the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society.
While in the nation’s capital, the Micah Corps delivered the letters from Great Plains Conference members to each of the offices of the senators representing the states of Nebraska and Kansas.
Satisfying, empowering
"It felt satisfying and empowering to have seen the project all the way through: asking people to write to their senators and then being able to actually hand the letters over at the Washington, D.C., congressional offices," said Carter Oberheu, a member of this year’s Micah Corps.
Another member Hannah Bannister wrote about the experience in a blog for the “Micah Corps Journal.”
“It was a great moment to hand over something on behalf of so many United Methodists who feel funding for international aid to combat deadly diseases is important,” Bannister wrote. “Though handing over the letters to the senators’ staffers was not as satisfying as perhaps having the chance to hand the letters to the senators themselves, it did not take away from the value of the action.”
You can join with these young advocates to let your members of Congress know they should stand strong in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Go to send message on the General Board of Church & Society website. It will walk you through the process to identify your members of Congress, and how to send message to them.
Editor's note: The Rev. Clayton Childers is Director of Advocacy for the United Methodist Imagine No Malaria  campaign. He is also Director of Conference Relations at the General Board of Church & Society.

You can learn more about Micah Corps  on the Great Plains Conference website.
Photo: Hannah Bannister and Carter Oberheu, 2014 Micah Corps interns, hand over the letters to the staffer of Senator Jerry Moran.

Stevens Cottage opens on Epworth Village campus


“It’s taken a ton of work,” Epworth Village president/CEO Harrietta Reynolds said. “We are coming up on two years since we have had kids on campus.”
Reynolds admits it was hard for her to imagine this happening so quickly, but kids are back on the main campus — living in Stevens Cottage, a ranch style house that had been setting vacant.
The vacant house has been refurbished thanks to Epworth Village employees and supporters. Countless hours of volunteer labor and hard work by Epworth staff have gotten Stevens to this point. Several United Methodist churches, including regulars from Grace UMC in Hastings, Nebraska, have sweat equity in the cottage. Staff and helpers, along with volunteer supervisor Cliff Reynolds have cleaned, painted and performed carpentry work. There are a few things still needing attention — the weather has literally put a damper on work on the gable siding and couple of other things but that’s okay.
Reynolds calls volunteer hours invaluable and credits Carrie Stutzman, Stevens residential manager, with inspiring staff.
“There was Stevens, sitting vacant,” Reynolds said. “We realized we wanted to open it up and license it as a Group Home A.” And, that is just what the Epworth Village Board, CEO, staff and supporters did.
Stevens Cottage has been licensed as a “Group Home A” by the State of Nebraska, and the week before last the okay was given to get ready for kids to move in. Sunday, Aug. 24, the cottage opened its doors.
“We already have a one in Grand Island,” Reynolds said, speaking of Kruse Group Home. “We are looking to open another one on campus in two to three months. That one is Mills and it is already licensed,” bringing the total cottages operated by Epworth Village to three.
Having youth on campus again is an uplifting experience some Epworth Village staff haven’t experienced in their tenure. They say it’s fun to see kids playing a pick-up game of basketball or kicking around soccer balls from their office windows.
Epworth Village is now receiving referrals from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Probation Office as required by the state.
“Two days after I took over we put a self-imposed hold on beds. We re-trained and trained staff (both old and new). That is a huge part, we want them to have the tools to be successful and make a difference in the lives of these young people,” Reynolds said.
“The whole staff made this possible. I thank you — it truly has taken a village. Our board is looking for support of all kinds … we encourage the greater community to make an investment in the lives of these young people as well,” Reynolds said.
In Stevens Cottage, each young man has his own bedroom and the youth, ages 13-18, are thrilled. At this time clients in the cottage number four. The license is for 12. All attend the Epworth Village Learning Center (EVLC) and participate in individual, group and ‘family’ therapy sessions.
Epworth Village has had a rough time the last few years, “We need the community to be with us as they have been for the past 125 years — we are overjoyed and are feeling better about ourselves, said Reynolds. This (having youth back on campus) clears yet another path to helping with the healing process.”
Hope and healing is what Epworth Village is all about; it’s what it has always been about, according to Reynolds. The focus just changes as the needs of children and families change. In addition to group homes for boys, Epworth Village also offers foster care, in-home and safety services, intensive family preservation, out-patient counseling and its Rule 18 alternative school EVLC.
“We are elated,” Reynolds says, looking out her window over a campus that is once again open for the business of caring. 

Epworth Village shares history with former resident’s daughter

You never know when company is going to drop by Epworth Village. Sometimes when folks stop over it is for a genealogical reason. That’s because the history of the former Mothers’ Jewels Home dates back some 125 years.
Last month, on a Friday, a white sedan with Colorado license plates pulled into a visitor’s parking space near the central administration building on the main campus of Epworth Village. Roy and Barbara Ring of Thornton, Colorado, were paying their first visit to a place they had heard a bit about.
It was Barbara’s Aunt Darlene who prompted the visit. Aunt Darlene had shared with the Rings a story of two little girls, Verla and Opal Castor, who had been brought to the home back in 1914 by their mother who had fallen on hard times and needed someone to care for the girls. Verla was Barbara’s grandmother.
“I spent time with my grandmother (Verla) up until the time I got married and moved away,” Barbara tells.
She recalls her grandmother as a woman who loved to cook and have family around. “She owned (or ran) a huge hotel in Denver. I remember the kitchen — it was huge and seemed grand, said Barbara.  She had nine children and I remember grandma and the girls doing all of the cooking.”
Barbara doesn’t know why, but her mother never spoke of Mothers’ Jewels Home. It was her Aunt Darlene who spoke of Verla and Opal’s time at the orphanage. It was Aunt Darlene who placed a tree on campus with a plaque honoring the two young girls who spent five years of their life there before returning home to live with their mother Lilly.
Stories like Verla and Opals are not uncommon. History books located at Epworth Village document the lives of fathers and mothers who were victims of circumstance and the children who were taken in.
A search through records yielded further information about the girls’ stay — logs showing payments, an application for admittance, even a picture of the pair which was found on display in the glass case in the lobby.
“It is really cool to look at the history,” Barbara says as she looks over decades-old records.
Marcia Schlegelmilch, public relations coordinator, enjoys helping families look through the archives.
“It’s fun when company comes, you never know what you will find and the stories are always interesting,” Schlegelmilch states.
While on campus the Rings toured Epworth Village accompanied by Abbi Kleinschmidt, Epworth Village Foundation president.
Epworth Village, Inc., is a non-profit agency based in York, Nebraska. From its beginning as an orphanage in the 1880's, the mission of Epworth Village has been to bring hope and healing to children and families in the name of Christ.

Office manager needed at First UMC in Falls City

First UMC of Falls City, Nebraska is seeking a part time office manager/secretary. Computer skills are necessary. Experience working with Publisher, Excel and other software. Excellent communication skills and working with the public are also a necessity. This position is 20-25 hours a week at $8.50 per hour. There is a possibility to have 30 hours a week with right candidate in the future. Hours are flexible.
If interested, contact John Hogue at jhogue@greatplainsumc.org.

Lincoln Christ UMC looking for director of youth ministries

Christ UMC in Lincoln, Nebraska, is searching for a part-time director of youth ministries. This person is responsible for developing and overseeing the youth program for a church with active membership of 300 and youth participation of 20 to 30. View the full job description, and find out more information at christumclinc.org.
Job Description 
Position: Director of Youth Ministries, Christ United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska 
Position Objective: Develop and oversee the youth program for a church with active membership of 300 and youth participation of 20 to 30. Foster Christian fellowship among the youth and help them progress in their faith journey. Mentor youth to explore and broaden their role in the church and community. 

Time Commitment: Averages 10 to 12 hours a week. A week of typical church-based programs might require half that, but weeks with activities, service projects, or mission trips would involve greater time commitment. 
Qualifications: 
• Demonstrated ability to relate effectively to youth
• Strong, mature Christian faith; able to provide spiritual leadership and mentoring 
• Skilled in planning, organizing, and managing programs and volunteers 
• Sound knowledge of United Methodist Church 
• Able to maintain confidences and resolve conflicts effectively 
• Certified in Safe Gatherings boundary awareness and abuse prevention program; required to undergo law enforcement background check 
Responsibilities: 
• Coordinate and maintain a yearly program in close cooperation with pastor, parents, and church staff, primarily director of children’s ministries 
• Communicate regularly and effectively with youth and their parents 
• Plan and lead middle school and high school youth group meetings on Wednesday nights throughout the year 
• Plan and lead a high school or middle school Sunday morning class during the school year 
• Focus on a strong program of service projects and mission trips 
• Choose curriculum and activities that are spiritually well grounded while designed to be fun and connect with the kids 
• Increase participation by being consistently inclusive and inviting 
• Properly monitor and maintain a program budget 
• Participate in United Methodist conference and district youth activities 
• Attend and participate in worship service; fill a key role in the life of the congregation 

Director of children and youth ministries sought at Salem UMC in Newton, Kansas

Salem UMC in Newton, Kansas, is accepting applications for a full time director of children and youth ministries. This position will develop and promote a comprehensive approach to youth and children's ministries, schedule children's Sunday school teachers, develop and recruit participants in a weekly after-school program, and more.
SALEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
_________________________________________________________________
STAFF POSITION: DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRIES
RESPONSIBLE TO: Pastor, Pastor Parish Relations Committee
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. degree in Christian Education, Pastoral Ministries, or equivalent preferred
2. or working towards degree in Christian Education, Pastoral Ministries, or equivalent
3. or demonstrated experience in Christian Education, Pastoral Ministries, or equivalent
4. Safe Gatherings Certification (can be completed after hiring)
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Full time (2080 hrs per year), monthly salary
PAID HOLIDAYS:
Paid holidays (when they fall on a regular work day): New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Any other dates designated by the Pastor Parish Relations Committee.
PAID PERSONAL LEAVE: (can be used as sick or vacation leave)
1­5 years of service 1 week (5 days)
6­9 years of service 2 weeks (10 days)
10 years of service or more 3 weeks (15 days)
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
1. Knowledge of United Methodist Theology
2. Personal relationship with Jesus
3. Strong interpersonal, organizational, leadership and communication skills
4. Demonstrated abilities to work with children and youth
MAJOR FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Develop and promote a comprehensive approach to youth and children’s ministries.
a. Plan and supervise all youth events and activities.
b. Develop relationships with youth.
c. Maintain education on the nature of adolescents, their needs, joys and concerns.
d. Work with community leaders to identify the needs, abilities and desires of the youth in the church
and community.
e. Be an advocate of youth involvement in the decision­making process of the Church.
f. Insure United Methodist Theology is taught within the curriculum.
2. Serve as a role model to the youth.
3. Attend worship regularly at Salem UMC and participate in designated meetings of the Church.
(Leadership Team, Administrative Board, Education Team, and Staff).
4. Provide resources and training for children’s and youth Sunday school teachers.
5. Schedule children’s Sunday school teachers.
6. Help identify and recruit children's Sunday school teachers.
7. Serve as or designate a Vacation Bible School Director.
8. Develop and recruit participants in a weekly after­school program.
9. Maintain accountability for budgeted funds.

10. Give two weeks notice prior to termination.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Brian Rickard, pastor-parish relations chairman, at brianlrickard@gmail.com, you can also call 316-288-0243.
____________________________
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
Episcopal Office:
9440 E Boston Suite 160 Wichita, KS 67207 316-686-0600
Topeka Office:
4201 SW 15th Street PO Box 4187 Topeka, KS 66604 785-272-9111
Wichita Office:
9440 E Boston Suite 110 Wichita, KS 67207 316-684-0266
Lincoln Office:
3333 Landmark Circle Lincoln, NE 68504-4760 402-464-5994
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