Image
Each day there will be 
a special edition of "GPconnect." Below you can find information on what attendees can expect during AC 2014, along with announcements and featured stories.
a special edition of "GPconnect." Below you can find information on what attendees can expect during AC 2014, along with announcements and featured stories.
Watch the live streaming of the session at www.greatplainsumc.org/livestream. See the official schedule to help make your viewing plains. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to view photos and stay current with everything AC 2014. Don't forget to use hashtag #GPUMC.
State of the conference - ahead of schedule
Youth, clergy and laity receive awards
Beyond the Horizon
More than 500 celebrate mission partnerships
Thursday afternoon plenary features proposal to reduce districts to 14
Charlie and Dan keep on truckin’
Results of Wednesday’s ad hoc meetings
Saint Paul School of Theology to host breakfast on Friday
Disaster Response training held this week
State of the conference - ahead of schedule
By the Rev. Nancy R. Pauls, pastor of congregational care and prayer at the Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kan.
Making something truly abundant – Great Plains Conference Lay Leader Courtney Fowler
Courtney Fowler, conference lay leader, began by describing the first Great Plains Annual Conference laity session as a time of praise and good will; where seeds of friendship and common bonds were cultivated in the midst of diversity.
Courtney reminded attendees that while the ending of three individual conferences brought grief, this ending is also an opportunity for God to show us a new beginning. Sharing our collective faith stories with others and speaking out for justice reflects our love of Jesus Christ. It also lays claim to our faith through service to the members of our community and models a life of faith to our children, she said. Sharing our faith and nurturing young people and those new to the faith one relationship at a time, is a way we plant seeds where we might not get to see the fruit. Fowler concluded that we do have the assurance that God will make something truly abundant.
Faithfulness – Bishop Scott J. Jones
When Bishop Jones’ young family was beset by uncertainty upon the sudden death of his father, they healed by going back to the basic principles of life, relying upon family and faith. Hearing the Gospel message brought hope and healing. Similarly, The United Methodist Church is going through a challenging time of uncertainty with its declining membership, increasing dependence upon technology, and divisive controversial issues, such as human sexuality.
Read more about Thursday's morning plenary session.
Making something truly abundant – Great Plains Conference Lay Leader Courtney Fowler
Courtney Fowler, conference lay leader, began by describing the first Great Plains Annual Conference laity session as a time of praise and good will; where seeds of friendship and common bonds were cultivated in the midst of diversity.
Courtney reminded attendees that while the ending of three individual conferences brought grief, this ending is also an opportunity for God to show us a new beginning. Sharing our collective faith stories with others and speaking out for justice reflects our love of Jesus Christ. It also lays claim to our faith through service to the members of our community and models a life of faith to our children, she said. Sharing our faith and nurturing young people and those new to the faith one relationship at a time, is a way we plant seeds where we might not get to see the fruit. Fowler concluded that we do have the assurance that God will make something truly abundant.
Faithfulness – Bishop Scott J. Jones
When Bishop Jones’ young family was beset by uncertainty upon the sudden death of his father, they healed by going back to the basic principles of life, relying upon family and faith. Hearing the Gospel message brought hope and healing. Similarly, The United Methodist Church is going through a challenging time of uncertainty with its declining membership, increasing dependence upon technology, and divisive controversial issues, such as human sexuality.
With some talking about schism in our church, he reminded us that unity is at the heart of United Methodism. Unity maximizes our service to Christ and we can do so much more together than we can divided. However, unity has a price, he said. We need to continue to live faithful, obedient and sacrificial lives constituted by our doctrine, mission and vision. The way we do this is by living together with grace-filled mutual respect in the midst of our disagreements. God cares about important issues, but he also cares deeply about how we treat each other. We need to go back to the basics of our collective values, remembering who we are and how we follow Christ. We need each other, Jones said. We need to affirm our diversity, as every part of the body has a role to play.
When asked how the new conference transition is going, Bishop Jones says, “I think we are doing extremely well, we are way ahead of schedule.” It is an imperfect journey that the conference is living into and it making good progress, he said.
Jones said the conference has learned to leave some old traditions behind and has created new opportunities that can be embraced together with patience. Intentional conference staff transitions and integrating best practices to create something new, like The One Event for youth and the new Candidacy Summit, have strengthened conference missional priorities.
With faithfulness to Jesus Christ and a missionary focus as the heart and soul of our denomination, we need to continue asking our churches and ourselves, “What is our mission?” “How are we doing?” and “How are we going to do a better job in the future?” Jones said we need to recommit to funding our connectional ministry and to measure our fruitfulness by professions of faith. We need to focus on intentional faith development, vital worship and putting people in hands on mission. We need to recommit to new congregations and put leadership development systems into place, especially through raising money for seminary scholarships, strengthening camping and campus ministries, and supporting all aspects of our public school system. Bishop Jones concluded by saying, “If genuine revival ever comes to America it will come through United Methodists … that’s our call … .”
Education resolution passes
Chair of the Mercy and Justice Team, the Rev. Kent Little spoke to Resolution #3 – Establishing the Great Plains Conference Public Education Partnership. After brief dialog, the resolution was passed with a voice vote. The Rev. Evelyn Fisher reported that $50,000 of grant money will be used to provide small matching fund grants to local congregations to establish or strengthen partnerships with local schools and for publicity and media. She challenged our congregations to attend one of the Big Hairy Audacious Education Caravan nights to learn together about public education and how to support it. The Great Plains has 144 churches already engaged in education partnerships. The goal is to share what they are doing as we hear about the needs of professional educators. Please take this survey to share how your congregation is involved with schools in your community.
New church starts
The Rev. Chad Anglemyer, New Church Development chair, talked about Great Plains United Methodist New Church Development (GPUMNCD), Inc. which assesses and prioritizes future mission fields and provides grants and coaching for new start churches in our conference.
The Rev. Nathan Stanton described the Church Planter Assessment Incubator, which was created for discernment for answering a call to church planting in the Great Plains Conference. The Campus Catalyst Launch Pad was also created for congregations who are called to support campus ministries.
The Rev. Junius Dodson, senior pastor, St. Marks UMC, Wichita, offered a new start case study. Just as the American experiment brought people from all walks of life pledging allegiance to a single flag, the Church of Jesus Christ is meant to bring people together from all different backgrounds and perspectives pledging allegiance to the cross. New start churches are the future of The United Methodist Church, said Dodson. Of the 16-person team who launched the southeast campus of St. Marks UMC (a diverse community of ethnic and economic backgrounds) four answered the call to fulltime ministry. Outreach events included reconnecting to the community with a prayer walk event and a gas buy down event which offered the community a sign from God of new hope and life.
Youth, clergy and laity receive awards
Angie Newman Award
Named after the late Angie Newman, who was the first woman elected as a delegate to General Conference, the Angie Newman award honors a laywoman whose contribution to the church and the community is an example of the spirit of Angie Newman. The award was created to honor a recipient who demonstrates commitment, compassion and and justice for all people, especially women, youth and children.
Marge Ambrosius was nominated by Marilyn Moore, longtime member of Saint Paul UMC in Lincoln, Neb., and president of Bryan College of Health Science also in Lincoln. Ambrosius is also an active member of Saint Paul UMC in Lincoln. Most notably, she is the woman who brought the orphanage in Jalingo, Nigeria to life. Ambrosius made the first trip to Nigeria, working with local church people there, to put the plans in place. She has raised money, recruited volunteers, and has personally been a part of the development of the orphanage that today serves as home and school to 98 children.
Francis Asbury Award
Named for Bishop Francis Asbury, this award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to fostering the church's ministries in higher education at the local, district or annual conference level of the church.
When the call went out for nominations for the award, there was one name repeatedly submitted from board members representing both Kansas and Nebraska – the Rev. Mel Luetchens. He has demonstrated humble service in extraordinary ways in the area of campus ministry and higher education. Luetchens shared his love for the mission and ministry of growing disciples of Christ in a rich environment of traditional students. He is the assistant to the president for church relations at Nebraska Wesleyan University, in Lincoln, Neb., and is the coordinator for a continuing education distance learning course called Wesleyan Live. Luetchens also has a long history as the university minister at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Harry Denman Evangelism Awards
Named for the late Dr. Harry Denman, distinguished lay evangelist, whom Dr. Billy Graham called "my mentor in evangelism," the Harry Denman Evangelism Awards honors United Methodist clergy, youth, and lay persons in each annual conference who has exhibited outstanding efforts in Wesleyan evangelism by faithfully carrying out the mission of "making disciples of Jesus Christ."
Clergy winner
Dennis Wallace was nominated by his district superintendent with letters of affirmation from four of his colleagues and two laity boards. The nomination said Dennis exudes the love of Jesus through every fiber of his being and witnessed through his actions. Wallace created a program called Assistant to the Pastor where he invites people to walk with him as a way to explore God’s calling upon their lives. The program has led to 10 people going into full-time ministry, many who are serving the Great Plains Conference. In his time at Asbury UMC, in Wichita, Kan., the church as grown from one campus to two – with the second campus now worshiping 300 weekly.
Youth winner
Lily Hanke was nominated by her district’s Open Table. Patrick Broz, presenter of the awards said it says a lot for a youth to be recognized beyond the local church level. Her nomination spoke about the spirt and energy she brings to youth ministry in the local churches where she is attending as well as the district level. The nomination said she has a passion for service, and particularly for those people in need of being wrapped up in the blanketing love of Christ, sometimes literally. Hanke is from the Bloomfield-Verdigre UMCdcharge in the Elkhorn Valley District.
Lay winner
Ed Hatcher was recommended by the administrative council and evangelism committee for Haysville UMC in Haysville, Kan. His church submitted a two-page, single-spaced summary that detailed all the work that he does within and outside the walls of the church. The most convincing aspect was that in the midst of chemotherapy treatments, he continued to pour his heart into lay ministry. As his nominating letter says, “it seemed the worse he felt, the more impassioned he grew – as if there were still so much he wanted to do for his Lord and felt he had to cram it all in to his dwindling time.” While incurable and inoperable, his cancer disappeared, giving him even more time to transform the world.
Beyond the Horizon
In a heartfelt service of remembrance and celebration, the Rev. Delores “Dee” J. Williamston delivered a powerful message of what is beyond the horizon for the Great Plains United Methodist Church during Thursday morning’s memorial service.
The service, which honored the lives and ministries of 44 departed Great Plains Conference clergy and spouses, was a time of reflection and anticipation. Williamston, Salina District superintendent as of July 1, told a story about when her beloved grandmother passed away. She remembered paying her respects and that her grandmother was in her Sunday suit, hat, gloves, shoes and purse. While leaving the church, her four-year-old self wondered where her grandmother was going – all dressed up.
Williamston talked about a student and a teacher who were discussing the horizon line and how it appears to be the end of the earth.
But the teacher told the student that he had been beyond the horizon. The student put faith in the teacher, believing that the earth didn’t end and that there were other cultures and wonders of the world.
She said we also must believe that there is more beyond the horizon. There is someone who did go back, past the line of death — Jesus Christ. “We need to have faith in the unseen,” Williamston said. Death cannot hold us if we believe.
Williamston concluded that she believes that beyond the horizon there will be one conference — the Kingdom of God Conference — and there will be the one bishop. She believes that one day, we will get there and see our loved ones and Jesus. We will be shouting “Amen” and “Hallelujah.”
Those remembered included the Rev. Charles A. Bailey, the Rev. Donald (Don) R. Barb, the Rev. Ronald Bumstead, the Rev. Michael W. Conner, the Rev. Burr P. Crickard, the Rev. Frank Lee Dorsey, the Rev. Keith O. Dudeck, the Rev. Duane Lee Dyer, Virginia Rae Fleharty, the Rev. Clifford Fryda, the Rev. Robert C. Harder, the Rev. Billy Hughes, the Rev. Dr. Dugh A. Maddry Jr., the Rev. Donald F. Marsh, the Rev. Lila Picton, the Rev. Ralph A. Rosenblad, the Rev. Marvin L. Ruebsamen, the Rev. Vincent Rutherford, Phyllis Samuelson, the Rev. A.K. Saul, the Rev. Melvin Lee Short, the Rev. Phyllis Southhard, the Rev. Thomas H. Walsch, the Rev. Charles Earl Wretling, E. Laverne Amend, Myron Juanita Bailey, Gary S. Blasi, Bethel K. Christensen, M. Nanon Clare, Delores Doran, Loretta "Orr" Ellenberger, June M. Froelich, Norma Gates, Beverly Ann (Benson) Goering, Glenna J. Newkirk, Nina E. Pringle, Sylvia Stearns, Eileen Stouppe, Dennis Lee Tompsett-Welch, Shirley Turner, Sharon Vaughn, Ruth E. Viets, Ruth K. Warner and Linda L. Woods.
Photo: The Rev. Delores “Dee” J. Williamston shares her message about life beyond the horizon.
More than 500 celebrate mission partnerships
More than 500 attended the Mission Partnership lunch held Thursday at the Embassy Suites Hotel. In addition to messages given by the three Mission Partnership representatives (Haiti, Zimbabwe and Nigeria), attendees heard about the Global Aids initiative from Bill Black. Black also invited every church to have an HIV/AIDS ambassador to help keep apprised of global and conference developments to eradicate the virus. Micah Corps interns added to the celebratory atmosphere of the lunch by talking about Imagine No Malaria and promoting the project by wearing Buzzkill shirts.
Thursday afternoon plenary features proposal to reduce districts to 14
Taking a time of personal privilege during the Thursday afternoon plenary session, Andy Hargrove (Berryton, Kan.) notified the Great Plains Annual Conference Session members that a motion would be forthcoming to provide more money for campus ministries by reducing the number of districts in the conference from 17 to 14, as of July 2015.
“At the Uniting Conference we said we would be taking bold action to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is bold action,” Hargrove said. He noted that it would be good to take this action quickly while our current Bishop Scott Jones is here, rather than wait until we have a new episcopal leader who doesn’t have the experience with us in creating this new Annual Conference.
Read more about Thursday's afternoon plenary session.
By Stuart Davis, Orchard-Page-Ewing UMCs, Neb.
Taking a time of personal privilege during the Thursday afternoon plenary session, Andy Hargrove (Berryton, Kan.) notified the Great Plains Annual Conference Session members that a motion would be forthcoming to provide more money for campus ministries by reducing the number of districts in the conference from 17 to 14, as of July 2015.
“At the Uniting Conference we said we would be taking bold action to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is bold action,” Hargrove said. He noted that it would be good to take this action quickly while our current Bishop Scott Jones is here, rather than wait until we have a new episcopal leader who doesn’t have the experience with us in creating this new Annual Conference.
Hargrove noted that for at least the third year in a row there have been more clergy retiring from the Great Plains Area than entering ministry. Hargrove called for greater resources to be used to both build up campus ministry and attract candidates for ministry. “Our bureaucracy is too large. Our priority is administration while are struggling to find to qualified clergy.” He also noted that the reformed churches are making great strides in campus ministry while The United Methodist Church efforts seem static.
Bishop Jones addressed some procedural requirements that need to be met by Hargrove’s proposal. Among them is the need for review by the Council on Finance and Administration at their Friday evening meeting. Hargrove intends to present his proposal to the members of the Annual Conference Session during Saturday morning’s plenary session. The 2015 conference budget is now posted on the Great Plains Conference website.
Clergy excellence focuses on competency, offers opportunity for growth
Great Plains Director of Clergy Excellence Nancy Lambert and incoming Elkhorn Valley District Superintendent Marvin Neubauer spoke to the efforts of the Conference Clergy Excellence Team. A second preaching workshop will be coming in the fall, the Transition into Ministry (TiM) team has three candidates moving from phase one to phase two, and the Orders and Fellowship Conference (Jan 21-22, 2015, in Lincoln) will feature keynote speakers who pastor The Chapel in Brunswick, Ga., who have developed a discipleship and leadership program in their existing congregation that is working. Rather than theory, their presentation will be more of a “how it worked for us” workshop for application in Great Plains churches.
Neubauer addressed the Board of Ordained Ministry’s efforts around clergy competency, using an analogy of how hard the Husker marching band has to work to develop its talent in order to do the excellent work it does at half-time on the football field. “What qualities do we have in our clergy who are Christ-centered and have vitality in their churches? That’s what we need.”
Ten competencies will be addressed: Spiritual Vitality, Visioning, Achieving Results, Resilience, Team Leadership, Developing and Assisting Others, Negotiating Differences, Interpersonal Communication, Presentation Skills and Managing Self.
Congregational excellence and other business
Great Plains Director of Congregational Excellence Evelyn Fisher spoke to some of the resources available from her team and introduced the members of “the most enthusiastic staff you could ask for.” She suggested that members check out the Congregational Excellence Team page on the conference website and also “Rethink Home,” which has many resources and stories about what is working in ministries around the conference. She commented that attendance and membership and other numbers only tell “part of the story. We need to hear and read the other stories about churches that are doing vital ministries and exceeding their goals.” Members of churches featured in Wednesday’s opening video will be available at the Vital Congregations booth on Friday to share their stories.
Eric Ford (Wahoo, Neb.) commented that the Vital Congregations Team has “a rather large task before us,” noting that the answers on how to get there are known only to God. Vital churches need to have purpose, passion and prayer. “For without purpose and passion, we don’t have a prayer,” he said.
Vital Signs — the numbers reported each week by our congregations — are merely a thermometer, he said. They measure quantity, and Ford commented that we need to measure quality by looking at those things that are the furnace. “We need to turn up the heat, and there is a long list of what makes us vital, but it comes down to a sense of purpose, of passionate spirituality and prayer.” Hope and salvation don’t require another program, so Vital Congregations is focusing on process.
Three processes for growth were highlighted: Next Steps, ABIDE and Small Wonders. The first two are long-term processes for church teams; the last is a two-day workshop in October. (More information is available from the website.) Ford commented that they are trying to avoid having things that one person of a church attends, returns to their congregation enthusiastic but unsupported, and with ideas that worked in larger congregations that are difficult to implement in the smaller-membership churches.
“Let’s stop complaining about the church that we’ve experienced and start becoming the church we’re dreaming of,” Ford concluded.
Shane Hinderliter, conference youth director, outlined a few details of the second The One Event, which will be held Jan. 3-4, in Grand Island. “We have a large venue, there will be awesome bands and speakers and an opportunity to fellowship and learn more about the church, camps and campus ministry. Host churches and adult volunteers will be needed to make it all work.
Sara Shaw, director of conference camping ministry, said that the bar is being raised for the programs at all six sites. “We are focusing on four key relationship areas — with Christ, with nature, with each other and with ourselves.” Youth and young adults shared some of their experiences with the camps, a place where “faith and fun come together.”
After some discussion, Resolution #8, to consolidate the separate disaster funds from Kansas and Nebraska into one fund, was passed.
All the resolutions, etc., are posted on the conference website.
Honoring those who have cultivated
First retiring class of the Great Plains Conference
Bishop Scott Jones addressed 37 Great Plains Conference retirees, reminding them that there is no retirement from discipleship. He thanked God for “this next phase of their lives and the opportunities that will be placed before them as they offer their time, talent, energy and money before [God]l; help them be a blessing to others.”
The congregation blessed their journey as well, asking that they “be channels of God’s peace and grace to the world wherever” they may be. The service also featured the traditional “passing of the mantle,” this time from retiree Carol Roettmer Brewer to ordinand Claire Gadberry.
“May the world be your parish,” Bishop Jones concluded. Those retiring included: Fred W. Anderson, Carol Roettmer Brewer, James Brewer, Young Ho Chun, 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 Drumeich, Lawrence “Butch” Lambert, Sheila Lawson, Russell McAlister, Terry McGruire, 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.
Photo: Steve Burnett, Great Plains disaster response chair, gives the disaster response report.
The 2015 Great Plains Conference budget.
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
INCOME:
Mission Shares $15,725,272 $15,181,611 ($543,661) -3.46%
Less: Allowance for Unpaid Mission Shares ($1,356,810) ($1,358,907) ($2,097)
Net Mission Share Income $14,368,462 $13,822,704
% of Mission Share Asking 91.37% 91.05%
Other Income:
Restricted Reserve-Budget Support (5%) $1,254,559 $1,463,669 $209,110 16.67%
Restr Reserve-Budget Support Special Distribution $0 $600,000 $600,000
Missional Opportunity Reserve Draw $0 $150,000 $150,000
Total Income $15,623,021 $16,036,373 $413,352 2.65%
EXPENSES:
I: Episcopal Office - Mike Chamberlain (Dean of the Cabinet)
General Church Ministries for Episcopacy
Episcopal Fund *1 $670,135 $698,897
Total General Church Ministries for Episcopacy $670,135 $698,897
Episcopal Admininstrative Personnel
Episcopal GCFA Grant Income ($54,209) ($49,866)
Episcopal Admin Salaries $68,931 $66,284
Health Insurance $24,151 $11,831
Social Security $5,273 $5,071
Pension - Laity $4,136 $3,977
Death & Disability - Laity $1,448 $1,392
Total Episcopal Admininstrative Personnel $49,730 $38,689
Episcopal Office Expenses
Episcopal GCFA Grant Income ($25,791) ($31,534)
Admin Travel/Training $2,250 $2,250
Bishop/Spouse Travel $5,750 $10,000
Office Supplies $12,000 $13,000
Audit Fee $1,750 $1,750
Connectional Activities $11,000 $11,000
Episcopacy Committee meeting expense $2,500 $2,500
Other meeting expense $1,200 $1,500
Miscellaneous $500 $1,500
Bishop's Ministry Fund $10,000 $10,000
Comm on Invest/Counsel for the Church/Admin Review $2,500 $2,500
Total Episcopal Office Expenses $23,659 $24,466
Episcopal Residence Maintenance $13,000 $13,260
District Personnel
District Superintendent Salary $1,307,372 $1,321,660
District Superintendent Housing Allowance $13,453 $15,325
District Superintendent Health insurance $255,000 $254,041
District Superintendent Pension Benefits $244,301 $164,800
District Adm Asst Salary $477,599 $566,431
District Adm Asst Social Security $36,536 $43,332
District Adm Asst Health $206,127 $189,833
District Adm Asst Pension $28,656 $33,986
District Adm Asst Death & Disability $10,030 $11,895
Total District Personnel $2,579,074 $2,601,302
District Office Expenses
Continuing Education $25,500 $25,500
Adm Assistant Continuing Education $17,000 $16,500
Cell phone $20,400 $21,250
Telephone $31,350 $34,400
Print, Post, Supplies $60,040 $53,390
Hotel, Travel, Meals $71,600 $82,350
Auto Operating & Maintenance $62,750 $63,500
Office Equipment $24,900 $26,900
Leadership Teams $12,500 $41,100
Other District Committees expenses $6,200 $12,890
Miscellaneous $5,950 $6,300
Total District Office Expenses $338,190 $384,080
Cabinet Operations
Equitable Compensation $74,500 $74,500
Pastor Moving Expense $385,000 $385,000
Cabinet Sessions/Retreats $15,000 $15,000
Recruitment Fund $9,000 $9,000
Introductories $9,000 $9,000
Pastor Leadership (pulpit supply, effect, exit trans, assess) $60,000 $60,000
Total Cabinet Operations $552,500 $552,500
Total Episcopal Office Budget $4,226,288 $4,313,194 $86,906 2.06%
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
II: Clergy Excellence - Nancy Lambert
General Church Ministries for Clergy Excellence
Ministerial Education Fund *1 $787,908 $800,005
Total General Church Ministries for Clergy Excellence $787,908 $800,005
Board of Ordained Ministry
Call
Seminary Visits $7,600 $7,600
Exploration $5,000 $5,000
Other clergy recruitment costs $1,000
Candidacy
Testing & Background Checks $44,800 $44,800
Travel Assistance for Candidates $3,500 $3,500
Candidacy Summit $10,000
Covenant Accountability
Annual Meeting of Orders & Fellowship $2,150 $0
Counseling Services $4,000 $4,000
Family Systems $4,500 $0
Response Team $6,000 $6,000
Sexual Ethics/Boundaries $4,000 $4,000
Interim Pastor Training $500 $0
Retirement $3,550 $3,500
Clergy Spouse Support $500 $0
Ordination/Commissioning meal $600 $3,500
Extension Ministries $500 $500
Jurisdictional Meeting $500 $500
Residency $51,000
Clergy Competency Model $6,400
General Expenses
Meeting/Operating $23,500 $23,500
Registrar/Recruitment office expense $6,800 $0
Registrar/Recruitment office Database/IT $3,800 $0
Registrar/Recruitment Office Travel $13,500 $0
Registrar/Recruitment Office Cell Phone-telephone $2,400 $0
Registrar/Recruitment Office Continuing Education $3,600 $0
Total Board of Ordained Ministry $141,300 $174,800
Transition into Ministry
Program expense $0 $90,957
Total Trans into Ministry $0 $90,957
Clergy Excellence Office Expense
Auto Expense $3,000 $7,500
Travel $5,000 $14,300
Association Meeting expense $0 $0
Office Supplies $1,000 $1,800
Cellphone $1,200 $3,600
Continuing Education $1,000 $4,000
Programming Expense $5,000
Total Clergy Excellence Office Expense $11,200 $36,200
Clergy Excellence Personnel
Base Salaries $258,310 $290,287
Housing Allowances $37,500 $45,975
Health Insurance $72,216 $59,170
Social Security $8,211 $8,454
Pension - Laity $6,440 $6,631
Pension - Clergy $28,272 $22,575
Death & Disability - Laity $2,254 $2,321
Total Clergy Excellence Personnel $413,203 $435,412
Total Clergy Excellence Budget $1,353,611 $1,537,374 $183,763 13.58%
III: Congregational Excellence - Evelyn Fisher
III. A. Leadership Development:
General Church Ministries for Leadership Development
Africa University Fund *1 $70,329 $71,409
Black College Fund *1 $314,274 $319,130
Total General Church Ministries for Leadership Development $384,603 $390,539
South Central Jurisdictional Ministries for Leadership Development
Mt Sequoyah *2 $22,687 $22,687
Lydia Patterson Institute *2 $94,868 $94,868
SMU Wesley Foundation *2 $5,844 $2,922
Total SCJ Ministries for Leadership Development $123,399 $120,477
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
Leadership Developmet Ministries:
Guest Quest "Success" Grants $5,000 $5,000
Conference Lay Leader Expense $12,000 $12,000
Young Adult Ministry $7,500 $7,500
Next Steps $25,000 $25,000
Local Church Transformation-Revitalization Process $40,000 $36,000
ABIDE Program $20,000 $20,000
Total Leadership Development Ministries $109,500 $105,500
Small Membership Church Ministries
Certified Lay Ministry $9,300
Lay Servant Ministries $8,000
Small Church Leadership Development $4,550
Small Church Leadership Summit $14,000
Vacation Bible School $28,650
Video Education $6,000
Total Small Membership Church Ministries $70,500
Campus Ministries
Higher Education Misc. $4,000 $12,000
Campus Ministries $547,000 $539,000
Total Campus Ministries $551,000 $551,000
Camping & Retreat Ministries
Meeting Expense $3,500 $3,500
Publicity/Promotion $12,500 $12,500
Scholarship $10,000 $0
Summer Program Assistance $40,000 $0
Miscellaneous $12,000 $10,000
Contract Services - software $0 $12,500
Camp Grant $548,997 $588,500
Total Camping & Retreat Ministries $626,997 $627,000
Safe Gatherings
Background check subsidy $58,854 $63,500
Office Expense (Postage-copies) $1,146 $2,000
Total Safe Gatherings $60,000 $65,500
Total Leadership Development $1,855,499 $1,930,516
III. B. Vital Congregations:
Resource Center GPUMC Support $19,500 $27,920
Youth Ministry
Marketing $2,000 $0
Office Expense $3,700 $4,000
Culture of Call for Youth in local churches $10,250 $3,000
Youth worker & Local Church Training $14,750 $23,000
Empowering District Youth Ministry & Leadership $17,000 $16,250
One Event $0 $20,000
Confirmation Events $0 $3,000
Connectional Support for Vital Youth Ministry in Local Churches $12,500 $10,500
Youth Ministry Internship Program $0 $6,000
Youth Ministry Coaching program $0 $5,000
Resources $0 $1,000
CCYM meeting expenses $0 $9,000
Scholarship Fund $0 $1,000
Total Youth Ministry $60,200 $101,750
Ethnic Ministries
Balance Forward from previous years $13,479 $0
Bridges to the Future grant income $122,500 $75,000
Urban Ministries grant income $20,000 $20,000
Total Ethnic income offset $155,979 $95,000
Supporting ethnic ministries $50,000 $50,000
Training Events - hispanic $7,400 $11,000
HYLA: Hispanice Youth Leadership Academy $2,500
Meeting expense - hispanic $2,000 $2,000
Ethnic ministry grants $684,987 $688,833
Ethnic Ministry expenses $744,387 $754,333
Total Ethnic Ministry Mission Share need $588,408 $659,333
New Church Starts
Balance Forward from previous years $89,368 $55,000
Bridges to the Future grant income $115,000 $0
Pionner Fund income $25,000 $45,000
Property Rental Income: $100,600 $80,100
New Church Start Income offset $329,968 $180,100
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
New Church Start Expense:
Property/Rental Expense $89,168 $63,268
Property Debt Service $319,036 $191,388
New Church Start Grants $451,310 $411,969
Meeting $2,500 $2,500
Admin Office expenses $6,650 $0
New Start Pastor Training $17,250 $17,250
Mission Insite Fee $11,650 $11,650
Coaching Services $6,000 $6,000
Demographic Consulting Fee $7,500 $7,500
Peer Colloquy $0 $40,000
Professional Fee Expense $14,750 $14,750
Toal New Church expenses $925,814 $766,275
Total New Church Start Mission Share Need $595,846 $586,175
Total Vital Congregations Budget $1,263,954 $1,375,178
Congregational Excellence Office Expense
Auto Expense $19,500 $19,500
Travel $15,750 $15,750
Office Supplies $6,000 $6,000
Telephone $10,200 $10,200
Continuing Education $6,875 $6,875
Miscellaneous $6,250 $6,250
Pooled Fund Meeting Expenses $15,000 $15,000
Total Congregational Excellence Office Expense $79,575 $79,575
Congregational Excellence Personnel
Base Salaries $581,465 $649,544
Housing Allowances $45,000 $45,975
Health Insurance $150,701 $159,898
Social Security $23,974 $25,613
Pension - Laity $18,803 $20,089
Pension - Clergy $49,811 $38,011
Death & Disability - Laity $6,581 $7,031
Total Congregational Excellence Personnel $876,335 $946,161
Total Congregational Excellence Budget $4,075,363 $4,331,430 $256,067 6.28%
IV. Mercy and Justice - Evelyn Fisher
General Church Ministries for Mercy and Justice
World Service Fund *1 $2,294,996 $2,330,263
Total General Church Ministries for Mercy and Justice $2,294,996 $2,330,263
Mercy and Justice Office
Staff Expense:
Travel (Air/Lodging/Meals) $2,000 $2,000
Mileage $5,000 $5,000
Assoc Meeting expense $2,000 $2,000
Continuing Ed $1,500 $1,500
Cell phone $2,400 $2,400
Meeting & Administration $5,000 $5,000
Health and Wellness meeting $1,000 $1,000
Total Mercy & Justice Office expense $18,900 $18,900
Disaster Response $8,760 $15,900
Mercy and Justice Ministries
Volunteers in Mission $16,800 $16,800
Lydia Patterson board rep expenses $1,500 $1,500
Conference Secretary of Global Ministries $1,500 $1,500
Elkhorn Valley Dist Church & Comm Ministry $16,000 $16,000
Justice & Advocacy $15,000 $15,000
Nigeria Partnership $10,000 $10,000
Zimbabwe Partnership $10,000 $10,000
Haiti Partnership $10,000 $10,000
Spirit Quest $4,500 $4,500
Micah Corps Interns $32,400 $32,400
Leadership Development $8,000 $8,000
Faith and Science Educational Program $6,000 $6,000
Emergent Ministries $20,350 $10,350
Exchange - Strengthening Local Churches $7,000 $7,000
Criminal Justice & Mercy Ministries $11,000 $11,000
Total Mercy and Justice Ministries $170,050 $160,050
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
Mercy and Justice Personnel
Base Salaries $101,000 $96,712
Housing Allowances $15,000 $14,050
Health Insurance $35,910 $29,887
Social Security $3,902 $469
Pension - Laity $2,700 $0
Pension - Clergy $9,750 $10,463
Death & Disability - Laity $1,071 $129
Total Mercy and Justice Personnel $169,333 $151,710
Total Mercy and Justice Budget $2,662,039 $2,676,823 $14,784 0.56%
V: Administrative Services - Gary Beach
General and Jurisdictional Ministries for Administrative Services
General Administration Fund *1 $276,962 $281,275
Interdenominational Cooperation Fund *1 $61,590 $62,596
SCJ Mission And Administration Fund *2 $44,431 $44,431
Total General and SCJ Ministries for Admin Services $382,983 $388,302
Administrative Committee Expenses
Delegation Expenses $16,000 $16,000
Conference Council on Finance & Adm Expenses $2,500 $2,500
Board of Pension Expenses $2,500 $2,500
Connecting Council Meeting Expense $5,000 $5,000
Personnel Committee Meeting/Staff Appreciation $2,500 $3,245
Nominations committee expense $2,500 $2,500
Archives & History
Baker Univ Contract for KS archives $43,000 $43,000
Nebraska Archives operating expense $4,800 $4,800
Archives & History Meeting expense $962 $965
Total Administrative Committee Expenses $79,762 $80,510
Administrative Services office expense
Office Supplies & Equipment $10,000 $10,000
Telephone Expense $2,500 $6,000
Postage Expense $7,500 $7,500
Printing/Publication $6,000 $6,000
Staff Travel: Lodging/Travel/Meals $6,000 $8,100
Conference Auto/mileage expense $4,500 $4,750
Continuing Education $6,750 $5,250
Audit Fees $60,000 $60,000
Legal Fees $50,000 $50,000
Payroll Fees $5,000 $8,000
Miscellaneous Office Expense $1,000 $1,000
Total Administrative Services Office Expense $159,250 $166,600
Information Technology
Software/Hardware Purchases $75,000 $75,000
Shelby Support $6,400 $6,400
Shelby Hosting $15,720 $15,720
Shelby Misc costs $2,880 $2,880
Contract Services for outside vendors $120,000 $75,000
Total Information Technology $220,000 $175,000
Annual Conference Expense
Annual Conference Session (net of registr fees) $120,000 $70,200
Journal Printing $7,200 $7,400
Total Annual Conference Expense $127,200 $77,600
Conference Office Building Maintenance
Lincoln Building
Lincoln Utilities $13,500 $13,770
Lincoln Maintenance/Repairs $16,500 $16,830
Lincoln Custodial Services $8,000 $8,160
Lincoln Office Expense $16,000 $16,320
Total Lincoln Building $54,000 $55,080
Topeka Building
Topeka Utilities $11,000 $11,220
Topeka Maintenance/Repairs $12,500 $12,750
Topeka Office/Custodial Services $4,000 $4,080
Topeka Equipment (postage mach) $3,000 $3,060
Topeka Office Expense $7,800 $7,956
Total Topeka Building $38,300 $39,066
Wichita Building
Wichita Utilities $20,500 $20,910
Wichita Maintenance/Repairs $24,100 $24,582
Witchita Office Custodial Services $11,000 $11,220
Wichita Office Expense $18,250 $18,615
Total Wichita Building $73,850 $75,327
Total Conf Office Building Maintenance $166,150 $169,473
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
Trustees: Insurance, Auto, Dist Office & Parsonage
Board of Trustees Meeting Expenses $2,500 $2,500
District Office Rent & Utilities $115,400 $118,065
Insurance Coverage
Property (COB,Parsonage, District Office) $63,174 $33,163
Liability (General, Umbrella, D&O, Cyber) $87,386 $131,060
Auto $32,714 $29,206
Worker Comp $8,934 $8,339
District Parsonage Maintenance $102,000 $104,040
Parsonage Replacement Reserve $51,000 $51,000
Automobile Purchases $81,000 $63,386
Total Trustees: Insurance, Auto, Dist Office & Parsonage $544,108 $540,759
Communications Program Expense (Kathryn Witte)
Program Expense $25,000 $25,000
Brick River Console Fees $6,888 $6,888
Brick River additional fees $11,112 $11,112
Budget Interpretation $9,000 $9,000
Equipment/Software expenses $20,500 $16,500
Staff Travel: Lodging/Travel/Meals $8,500 $7,250
Continuing Education $3,500 $3,750
Contract Services $0 $0
Office Expense $7,700 $6,500
Meeting Expenses $6,000 $3,000
Church Web project $5,000 $5,000
Paid Ad Media $25,000 $25,000
Music Rights $0 $2,500
Leadership Training $0 $3,000
Conference Vehicle Expense $0 $3,250
Print Communications subsidy (net of ad income) $27,000 $27,000
Total Communications Program Expense $155,200 $154,750
Communications Personnel
Base Salaries $253,553 $261,611
Health Insurance $47,920 $29,571
Social Security $19,397 $20,013
Pension - Laity $15,213 $15,417
Death & Disability - Laity $5,325 $5,494
Total Communications Personnel $341,408 $332,106
Administrative Services Personnel
Base Salaries $698,180 $679,049
Housing Allowances $15,840 $15,325
Health Insurance $178,397 $143,945
Social Security $47,774 $46,160
Pension - Laity $37,470 $36,204
Pension - Clergy $13,428 $9,098
Death & Disability - Laity $13,114 $12,671
Total Administrative Services Personnel $1,004,203 $942,452
Total Administrative Services budget $3,180,264 $3,027,552 ($152,712) -4.80%
Missional Opportunities $125,456 $150,000 $24,544 19.56%
Total Great Plains Conference Budget $15,623,021 $16,036,373 $413,352 2.65%
Total Gross Income $15,623,021 $16,036,373
Net Income (Loss) $0 $0 $0 0.00%
Great Plains Composite Budget Detail
Approved Budget Budget Request
2014 2015
Change from
2014 Apprvd to
2015 Budget Request
Other Billings: - Nancy Lambert
NE billing
Retiree Healthflex Supplement $566,337 $544,324 ($22,013)
Mission Agency Support:
1% of line 67 for Agencies 1,478,397 $1,469,802
Colleges/Universities
Nebraska Wesleyan Univ (scholarships)** - Lincoln, NE $92,000 $92,000
Baker University - Baldwin City, KS $130,000 $129,250
Saint Paul School of Theology - Leawood Kan., Oklahoma City, Okla $125,000 $125,000
Kansas Wesleyan University - Salina, KS $130,000 $129,250
Southwestern College - Winfield, KS $130,000 $129,250
Health & Welfare Institutions
U M Homes/Aldersgate Village (Good Samaritan Fund) - Topeka, Kan $75,000 $75,000
Asbury Park, (Good Samaritan Fund) - Newton, Kan $25,000 $25,000
GraceMed Health Clinic - Wichita, Kan $55,000 $55,000
Released & Restored - York, Lincoln, Geneva, Neb $14,000 $14,000
EmberHope (Youthville) - Newton, Dodge City, and Wichita, Kan $30,000 $30,000
Epworth Village - York, Neb $30,000 $30,000
Ministries with the Poor
United Methodist Ministries - Omaha, Neb $185,000 $185,000
Justice for Our Neighbors - Nebraska $150,000 $150,000
Friendship House of Hope - Ogden, Kan $37,000 $37,000
Wesley House - Pittsburg, Kan $50,000 $50,000
Fellowship and Faith - Topeka, Kan $14,000 $14,000
UM Open Door - Wichita, Kan $55,000 $55,000
UM Western Kansas Mexican-American Ministries $55,000 $55,000
Ecumenical/Interchurch organizations
Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska $35,000 $35,000
Rural Response Hotline (Interchurch Ministries of NE) $25,000 $25,000
Kansas Christians United (KS Ecumenical Ministries) $6,000 $0
Retreat Centers
Forest Park Conference & Retreat Center - Topeka, Kan $30,000 $30,000
Total Mission Agency Support Budget $1,478,000 $1,469,750 ($8,250)
Net Mission Agency Support Income $397 $52 ($345)
For Information Only - included in the above budget
General Church Apportionments
Episcopal Office *1 $670,135 $698,897
Ministerial Education *1 $787,908 $800,005
Africa University *1 $70,329 $71,409
Black College *1 $314,274 $319,130
World Service *1 $2,294,996 $2,330,263
General Administration *1 $276,962 $281,275
Interdenominational Cooperation *1 $61,590 $62,596
Total General Apportionments $4,476,194 $4,563,575 $87,381
South Central Jurisdiction Apportionments
Mt Sequoyah *2 $22,687 $22,687
Lydia Patterson Institute *2 $94,868 $94,868
SMU Wesley Foundation *2 $5,844 $2,922
SCJ Mission And Administration Fund *2 $44,431 $44,431
Total SCJ Apportionments $167,830 $164,908 ($2,922)
Charlie and Dan keep on truckin’
By Amanda Woita, Great Plains Conference communications intern
Last fall, both Nebraska and Kansas donated items that were picked up and transported by Missions in Motion.
Now Charlie West is back with his semi-trailer. West, a retired truck driver, and Dann Parker are parked at the Great Plains Conference office in Lincoln, Neb., for the annual conference session collection of UMCOR donations that began Tuesday evening. The collection closes at 10 a.m. Thursday.
According to West, their trip started a week ago Tuesday when they picked up donations in Indiana. Then they were off to Rantoul and Chatham, Ill., before heading to Mission, S.D., to unload.
West first began his “Missions in Motion” 11 years ago. His brother was a missionary in the Four Corners Native American Ministry — a United Methodist organization. When West went to visit his brother in Shiprock, N.M., a thrift shop owner asked him if he could find shoes to donate. West said he and his wife still had a leftover trailer, so he asked his local congregation for donations. Three months later, they had over 500 pairs of shoes and he made his way back to Shiprock. Since then, West said he has made 22 trips out to New Mexico with his truck loaded with donations.
Nearly 250 churches donated money to UMCOR, totally $9,751.77. The UMCOR truck received more than 9 tons of donated kits and other supplies.
Results of Wednesday’s ad hoc meetings
Approval of Nebraska Retiree Health Care subsidy change
Members of the former Nebraska Conference approved a motion that would see churches billed at a lesser rate of operating income to support the retiree health supplement. The Nebraska Health Care Team believes the plan will generate enough funds until the death of all eligible clergy and spouses, and at the same time predicts the need for the billing will end earlier that originally projected.
Hutchinson and Salina Districts dissolve unions
The Hutchinson District Union membership, at the recommendation of the District Union Trustees, voted for the dissolution of the District Union including the not-for-profit corporation under which the Union received, held, and managed district funds and three disaster response trailers.
The Salina Union also voted to dissolve, with the remaining functions of the unions now falling under the conference corporate umbrella.
Saint Paul School of Theology to host breakfast on Friday
Saint Paul School of Theology is hosting a breakfast for alums, prospective students and current students at the Embassy Suites on Friday, June 13, from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. Charlotte Abram and Eduardo Bousson, as trustee members, will be present as well as David Sisney, vice president for advancement and speaker for the breakfast. The cost is $10 - pay at the door on Friday.
Lee Johnson says "we will be done by 8:15 in time to get everyone where they need to be." And there is no need to RSVP - "just show up!"
Disaster Response training held this week
UMCOR consultant Christy Smith led a two-day disaster response case management training event on June 10-11, at Seward UMC in Seward, Neb. More than a dozen people attended with the goal of developing skills in case management and subsequently serving as volunteer case managers in Beaver Crossing and the surrounding Seward County area of Nebraska. As these individuals offer themselves to help disaster survivors recover from the May 11 tornado and storms, we give thanks to God for their open hearts and willing spirits and for the support of our connectional UMCOR organization. Truly, their efforts are a key step in identifying the unmet needs and launching repair projects in July.
Please hold all volunteers, site managers in Beaver Crossing and Baxter Springs, Kan., UMCOR and disaster survivors in your prayers as we work to put our faith into action addressing the unmet needs in both areas over the coming days, weeks and months.
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 United States
(316)686-0600
Topeka Office:
4201 SW 15th Street
PO Box 4187
Topeka, KS 66604 United States
(785)272-9111
Wichita Office:
9440 E Boston, Suite 110
Wichita, KS 67207 United States
(316)684-0266
Lincoln Office:
3333 Landmark Circle
Lincoln, NE 68504-4760 United States
(402)464-5994
--------
No comments:
Post a Comment