Recap from Friday, June 15, 2018
Welcome to Wichita, Kansas, and the 2018 Great Plains United Methodist Conference Session!
Each day there will be a special edition of "GPconnect." You can expect to receive GPconnect Daily today through Saturday. Below you can find information on what attendees can expect during AC 2018, along with announcements and featured stories.
Watch the live streaming of the session at www.greatplainsumc.org/livestream and on our Facebook page. See the official schedule to help make your viewing plans. View photos on our AC Flickr album, as we will update it daily. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to view additional photos and stay current with everything AC 2018. Don't forget to use hashtag #GPUMC and #GPAC18. Have a great week.
Bishop tells ordinands to find their north star
As a welcome gift to a new staff member in her Louisiana Conference, Bishop Harvey went to six places, but couldn’t find “an old-fashioned, fold-up kind of map.”
Sure, most of us use apps to find our way anymore, but “you need to be able not to see where you are with a blue dot,” she said, “but where you are going.”
Mapmakers, Bishop Harvey told Great Plains Conference ordinands Friday night, first used Polaris, the north star, to center themselves.
Likewise, “we need to know where our north star is,” she added.
Mission, Bishop Harvey has stressed in the Louisiana Conference, should be the lead in everything they endeavor to do, and likewise that should be the goal of all pastors and churches.
With decisions regarding human sexuality issues facing United Methodists next year, Bishop Harvey said the church must stay united, serving the hungry, thirsty, those in prison, the sick “and continue to be on call as the body of Christ.”
Bishop Harvey told the ordinands to “find your north star.”
Comissioned as provisional elders were Darryl Andre Burton, Anne Christine Gahn, Hyun Ju Gil, Julie Dawn King, John Richard Lewis, Daniel Norwood, Lori Jo Patton, Christine Elizabeth Potter, Jeffrey Paul Potter, Darlene May Sheffer, So Yeong Son, Hui Angie Vertz and Younghwan Won.
Rachel Elizabeth Rigdon was comissioned as a provisional deacon.
Recognition as associate members was bestowed on Robert Stanley Ernest, Berniece Dawn Ludlum and Vernon Scott Olson.
Melissa Gepford was ordained as a deacon in full connection.
Ordained as elders in full connection were Andrea Anna Beyer, Isaac Chua, Orlando Gallardo Parra, Donna J. Hull Goltry, Molly Danielle Just, Brenda Jane Kostner Johnson and Lucas Frederick McConnell.
Amy Michelle Seifert was ordained and transferred from the Order of Deacons to full membership in the Order of Elders.
Black pastors gather for praise, fellowship
This is the second time the black clergy – both African-Americans and African natives – have gathered, according to the Rev. Dee Williamston, Salina District superintendent.
“This is just so beautiful, so awesome,” the Rev. Darryl Burton of Church of the Resurrection, ordained as an elder Friday night, said.
The Saint Mark praise team energetically provided music for the night, and many testimonials from pastors in the audience segued into songs as well.
“There’s something about us and the rhythm we have here,” said the Rev. Wayne Reynolds, pastor of Crete Grace UMC in Nebraska.
African pastors led the group in traditional song and dance, which they were asked to reprise for the Friday afternoon session.
Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. and his wife, Maye, made a surprise appearance, and answered questions from the pastors.
“I want to encourage you and thank you for your ministry,” Bishop Saenz told them. “We really enrich our ministry with what you bring to the table.”
The pastors asked if they could bless the Saenzes, and surrounded them with prayer led by the Rev. Cynthia Wilson, associate general secretary of Discipleship Ministries.
Youth lead morning worship
Evangelism is job for everyone, annual conference told
Teasdale was the keynote speaker at the 2018 Great Plains Annual Conference session held in Wichita. Under the title “Evangelism for Non-Evangelist,” Teasdale shares techniques for those who feel they have the call to proclaim the gospel even if they see themselves as non-evangelists.
Evangelism is job for all of us, annual conference told
Teasdale was the keynote speaker at the 2018 Great Plains Annual Conference session held in Wichita. Under the title “Evangelism for Non-Evangelist,” Teasdale shares techniques for those who feel they have the call to proclaim the gospel even if they see themselves as non-evangelists.
Rev. Dr. Mark Teasdale speaks to the Great Plains Annual Conference session. Photo by Eugenio Hernandez
Through a video produced by Southern Baptist Billy Graham Association shown at the start of his presentation, he referred to evangelism as the “elephant in the room” and not an issue affecting Methodists alone. He said this is an issue affecting other religions and Christian denominations alike.“They all have trouble with evangelism,” Teasdale said. “We are not the only ones. It is good to know that it is something that everybody finds a little bit awkward doing.”Where do people need to focus their attention? First, “acknowledging what we are all thinking and that is, that awkward moment when you find yourself trying to share your faith.”
The reason why traditional views of evangelism fail, Teasdale said, is due to negative experiences that everyone has gone through, some time or another, when being evangelized. Feelings of condemnation, judgement and hurt are too often the negative experiences.
How then, do we proclaim Christ and the Gospel after the effects of these negative experiences?
Moving forward
Avoiding evangelism because we are afraid, says Teasdale, is not acceptable. He said individuals feel they don’t know the answers or feel unequipped but mainly “because individuals feel they will harm their relationship with others or get into a relationship that is over their heads,” he emphasized.
Teasdale said the assumption behind this fear is that evangelism is seen as just a technical activity. “It’s something that you just have to learn the best practices, is it? Wrong,” Teasdale said.
While there are some people gifted as evangelists (Ephesians 4:12), any individual can be formed as those who share the good news. This is where congregations are essential, Teasdale said.
“Seeing evangelism as a technical activity based first and foremost on specialist knowledge and practice is wrong,” echoed Teasdale. However, there are best practices for almost anything. Evangelism at the end of the day is just formation and being authentic and not a technical process.
“It is whether there has been formation in one’s life, so as you are formed by the gospel, you are just able to overflow with that formation to others,” Teasdale said.
Overflow evangelism
Evangelism is not about judging other people, Teasdale said.
Negativity ought to be overcome with positive alternatives, leading with what is good instead of what is bad. As per the Greek translation of Evangelism, Teasdale said, evangelism means “Good News,” and old ways of evangelism seen as negative inputs of the Gospel, whether still proclaiming faith with good intention, if they make anyone feel bad is not evangelism.”
Evangelism is what calls people to the good news of God’s redemption through Jesus Christ, Teasdale said. That is what Wesley called Christian Perfection.
Evangelism equation
What is the solution to the problem and how do you bring people around through evangelism? Evangelism does not have a set of particular best practices according to Teasdale, but it does have an equation. The equation is simply a way of walking through how you can work towards formation both personally and as a congregation.
“You are formed in that love of God in a way that it’s going to flow out to others that’s both authentic to you and meaningful for them” Teasdale said resuming what the result of the equation ought to be.
For Teasdale, the equation begins with a starting point, “the good thing in peoples’ lives and own experiences by God goodness”.
To do this, Teasdale said, the focus must be put in the individuality of each person. “You are going to hold in on to. Go tell people these things about God and convince them, persuade them to believe it, but rather, starting with your own experience of God’s goodness.”
The theological reflection is the next step to tackle, Teasdale said. He asked delegates to reflect on what Christian faith has taught them throughout the years, through the tradition of the Christian faith and apostolic tradition.
Following the mathematical equation, he then calculated that the importance for evangelists to seek meaningfulness through contextual awareness, is to respond to the following question; How would a person evangelizing is going to talk in a way that it can be heard and understood, and ultimately be responded to positively when an invitation is offered. Teasdale said creativity is the essence and the answer ought to be concise by “authentic evangelism.” Therefore, “to be able to get rid of stereotypes to revitalize the work of evangelism,” Teasdale said.
Teasdale advised attendees to creatively find answers to authentically evangelize by pointing out in which experiences Jesus has touch them in a meaningful way, where did they find their personal peace, their sense of purpose, their sense of forgiveness and finally, their sense of acceptance.
By answering these questions, Teasdale said one can find and be self-ware about how one is related to Jesus. He added one ought to see oneself wanting to continue to be related to Jesus publicly. “Am I going to be considered a Christian today or not? Am I going to be publicly identified with Jesus or not? Why am I a Christian?,” Teasdale asked.
Words and deeds
Evangelism is not all about human activity, is about how people will come to faith, Teasdale said.
If a person wants to become a new member of the church the signs to find are “our words and our deeds,” Teasdale said. It is key to point to people to follow Jesus and attend church to become spiritual discipleship. ”To look to God, to call God, to see God come” through words and deeds will transform people and save them, Teasdale resonated among Great Plains Conference delegates.
In all, Teasdale said, the transformation “is the work of the Holy Spirit” to create a process that draws people into discipleship by inviting them to your home, make them feel a sense of belonging, equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to be comfortable in their new Christian endeavor and finally and more precisely, project towards them an authentic sense of accountability to the word of God by one own discipleship and spirit transforming the world.
Teasdale thanked all attendees for the gracious hospitality offered by the Great Conference saying how “hospitality is part of evangelism.”
“If you show good hospitality it means you have got some gifts for evangelism.” Here in the Great Plains “you have got some ability to do evangelism well because you know how to welcome people, you know how to invite them in. And that is very critical,” he added.
Teasdale is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church and the E. Stanley Jones Associate Professor of Evangelism at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. He has written three books: "Methodist Evangelism," "American Salvation; Evangelism for Non-Evangelists: Sharing the Gospel Authentically" and "Go! Becoming a Great Commission Congregation."
He currently teaches at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and has lectured at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, Southern Methodist University, and Wesley Theological Seminary. In addition, he has been privileged to consult with several local churches and denominational bodies, including the cabinet of the Methodist Church (Lower Myanmar) and the Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church.
Eugenio Hernandez, media producer, can be contacted at ehernandez@greatplainsumc.org.
Read more about Teasdale's keynote presentation.
Workshops offer variety of learning opportunities
- Anatomy of Peace led by Rev. Nathan Stanton, director of congregational excellence The book, “The Anatomy of Peace,” asks, “What if conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root cause? What if we systematically misunderstand that cause?” This workshop lays the foundation for understanding how having a “heart of peace” can help our relationships go right, whether the other person is a family member, a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger. The alternative is to have a “heart at war,” meaning we view others as objects instead of persons. Learn how to change your way of being with others.
- Bloom where you’re Planted: Church Growth for Small and Mid-sized Churches led by Rev. Kimberly Pope-Seiberling Not everyone’s church has thousands or even hundreds of people (I’m not insulting large churches it’s just a fact), but that does not mean your church is unable to reach people for Christ. Don’t let the size of your congregation determine your God-sized dream. This workshop discussed critical markers for growth, how to identify gaps and how to make strategic changes in your church. You will also learn about some things you can do today to take the first steps toward church growth.
- Contextualized, Holistic Evangelism for the 21st Century led by Rev. Heather Lear Using the material developed for their Evangelism for Non-Evangelists webinar series, Heather Lear took a deeper dive into ways that our congregations can articulate their faith and share the Good News in authentic ways. This workshop built on Mark Teasdale’s plenary, and took a comprehensive look at congregations’ evangelism and discipleship practices and evaluate how current ministry offerings connect with their communities. Attendees moved past relying on best practices to creatively discern how God has gifted and placed your congregation “for such a time as this.”
- Fresh Expressions led by Rev. Michael Beck This workshop provided a basic introduction to the Fresh Expressions movement, explored the connections between the early Methodist revival, and considered the implications for local churches. Some practices and processes were offered on how to mobilize your local congregation as a mission force.
- How to Be Practically Christian — Covenant Discipleship Groups in Church and Community led by Rev. David Watson, Five Rivers/Parson districts superintendent Maybe the best way to grow the church is to shrink it (Honey, I shrunk the church!). Strange as it may sound, this has always been the “Method of Methodism:” small, focused gatherings of those who desired to be faithful Christians. It was where the earliest Methodists enjoyed fellowship and community — but most importantly — where they held each other accountable in their Christian life. “Watching over one another in love” is how they put it. And Wesley considered it a “prudential means of grace” — a practical, sensible way to grow in discipleship as profound as it was simple. This workshop focused on the “why” and the “how” of Covenant Discipleship as a model for vital ministry both in our congregations and communities. Attendees re-discovered the “Method of Methodism” — and saw what being “practically” Christian is all about.
- Local-Church Marketing Plan Tool led by Rev. Ashleigh Joyner, United Methodist Communications It’s important that we tell the stories of our churches as a means of connecting with people in our communities. United Methodist Communications has developed a marketing tool that helps promote the local church. But first, it helps churches determine their dreams, discern the needs of their communities and then helps congregations develop ministries that provide the outreach necessary to better serve as disciples of Jesus Christ in the world today. This workshop walked attendees through the web-based tool, so they and their congregation can gather data that helps in ministry.
- Making New Disciples in New Places (Lay Missionary Planting Network) led by Rev. Bob Crossman and Rev. Dr. Douglas Ruffle, Discipleship Ministries This workshop introduced Making New Disciples in New Places (LMPN), a key resource that supports the vision of planting one new church every day. Outcomes desired from the use of this resource: Existing congregations and groups within the church can find value in its contents (e.g., a congregation in rural Nebraska or a remote village in Asia sees how it can apply the principles of this book) It helps move people from discipleship to apostleship People will be mobilized to start new ministries to make new disciples It will articulate an ecclesial understanding of the gathered and scattered church It will help people understand how Christology leads to Missiology and Ecclesiology
- VBS Horizon Style led by Rev. Jason Kennedy and Derek Steinacher, Horizons UMC in Lincoln This workshop shared the primary components of what makes a VBS successful — from vision setting to promotion, structure, design, and other strategies. Horizons hosted 591 participants in 2017 with the help of 375 volunteers. Numbers are anticipated to be over 600 this year. Not only do children come for VBS, but significant numbers of families come back and become a part of the church. Horizons’ VBS also puts the church on the map in the minds of community people, which is especially helpful when being located within a neighborhood.
Students from the Conference Council on Youth Ministries and those involved in campus ministries in the Great Plains Conference gave testimonies about what each program has meant to them in their faith journeys.
Five youth – Kailie Hamilton, Hesston, Kansas; Arianna Jacobson, Fremont, Nebraska; Emily Robinson, Andover, Kansas; Te Gatobu, Lincoln; and Roy Koech, Hays, Kansas – were commissioned to attend the Global Young People’s Convocation, July 18-22 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Shayla Jordan, a former delegate to the convocation, is organizing a legislative forum in South Africa.
The Susanna Wesley Award of Excellence was presented to Mary Conrad, retiring this month as campus ministry and new church development accountant.
The Rev. Nicole Conard, coordinator of young adult ministries, received the Francis Asbury Award, given through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Conference hears more about Way Forward
Much of the time included a video of the Rev. Tom Berlin, a pastor from the Virginia Conference and a member of the Commission on a Way Forward, explaining the three proposals being put before the delegates in detailed and sometimes-amusing ways. (The video will be posted on the Great Plains Conference website later this summer.)
The Rev. Nathan Stanton, director of congregational excellence, discussed the book “Anatomy of Peace,” which is being recommended for discussion on the issues, looking at the reasons for disagreement and options for achieving harmony.
The conference’s delegates for the Special Session, all of whom were delegates for the 2016 General Conference in Portland, Oregon, were introduced and blessed by the attendees. Oliver Green, Topeka, leads the laity, and the Rev. Adam Hamilton, from Church of the Resurrection, leads the clergy.
Also on Friday afternoon, the conference:
Voted to close churches in Upland, in the Gateway District; Glade and Gove, in the Hays District; Gardner First Light, in the Kansas City District; and Cedar Vale, in the Parsons District.
Gave a voice and vote to the Peace with Justice coordinator, as part of the lay equalization plan, for future Annual Conference sessions, including the remainder of this year’s conference.
Tabled the addition of a resolution committee until next year’s conference.
Defeated a resolution to encourage investment in Wespath’s “Social Values Choice” suite of funds.
UMCOR truck loads nearly 4,000 kits
The truck and driver, donated by ACI Motor Freight of Wichita, carried 430 cleaning kits, 1,783 hygiene kits and 1,785 school kits – a total of 3,998 kits.
Those who did not assemble kits donated money totaling $10,237.19 to benefit UMCOR.
Want More?
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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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