In this edition of GPconnect:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sign up today for a Big Hairy Audacious Education Caravan eventUnited Methodist Handbook survey invitation
Have you seen the new UMC Handbook?
EQUIP DISCIPLES
Leadership Institute 2014 super early bird registration ends tonight
Holy Land study tour scheduled for Feb. 9-19, 2015
NOMADS to gather in Branson, Mo., Sept 6-12 for annual meeting
Prayer retreat to be held Aug. 30 in Lincoln
A traditional tent meeting reaps community rewards
Cokesbury offers sale on flash drive hymnals
General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) offers tips
Newsletter link
Out-of-the-box ideas for using cell phones in worship
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Grow your Ministry workshop to be Sept. 6
MERCY AND JUSTICE
Nebraska Disaster Response and Recovery Summit to be held in August
Calvary UMC youth attend VBS: raise money for mosquito nets
Children are fleeing violence – how can we as disciples of Christ respond
Mourning the deaths of Palestinian and Israeli youth
United Methodist Global AIDS Fund conference Sept. 11-13
CLASSIFIED
Director of children’s and youth ministries needed in Omaha
First UMC in Salina seeks youth/young adult director
Graduate intern sought at Camp Horizon
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Sign up today for a Big Hairy Audacious Education Caravan event
Registration open for all three Kansas events
The Big Hairy Audacious Education Caravan will be rolling into three communities this month to heighten awareness for public education in Kansas where the primary season has begun. These events are meant to support the Great Plains Education Initiative. The key to our new initiative is church involvement with community leaders and schools.
Register your congregation's group today through the online registration form so appropropriate preparations can be made at each site. Our goal is to have every congregation bring 6-10 people or more to a caravan event.
•July 29: Garden City First UMC, 1106 N Main St.
Special guest: Dr. Rick Atha, superintendent of Garden City public schools (event on Facebook)
•July 30: Iola Wesley UMC, 301 E Madison Ave.
Special guest: Dr. John Masterson, president of Allen County Community College (event on Facebook)
•July 31: Topeka First UMC, 600 SW Topeka Blvd.
Special guest: Dr. Julie Ford, superintendent of Topeka public schools (event on Facebook)
Note the links to Facebook event pages for each location to make it easy to invite Facebook friends and share the information.
The July 31 event in Topeka will be livestreamed so congregations unable to participate at a scheduled location may also have small group meetings and participate in the initiative.
Registration for the caravan events in Nebraska will be available in August.
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United Methodist Handbook survey invitation
United Methodist Communications would like to hear what you have to say about the United Methodist Handbook. The information gathered will be used to help inform decisions for the next edition.
Please complete the survey by Wednesday, July 14. It should take less than 10 minutes. Survey results will be aggregated and your responses are confidential. If you have any trouble accessing the survey or have any questions about the project, contact UMComResearch@umcom.org.
Have you seen the new UMC Handbook?
The new United Methodist Handbook is now available in an easy-to-read and share digital format.
The Handbook is among the best resources for laity providing leadership, people new to The United Methodist Church and clergy who occasionally get stumped by a question. It includes:
•United Methodist teachings,
•church structure and organization,
•denominational initiatives,
•what it means to be a worldwide church,
•connectional giving information,
•a glossary of United Methodist terms … and much more.
You can also download the Handbook for off-line reading, print pages for new member classes, leader training and other events and send it to others. We've provided a 19 mb PDF as well as a 60 mb PDF which may be preferred for printing.
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Leadership Institute 2014 super early bird registration ends tonight
Register by midnight tonight for the 2014 Leadership Institute to get in on the super early bird rates. Register today to join more than 2,000 church leaders from across the world on Sept. 24-26 for three days of inspiration, worship, fellowship and practical ministry ideas at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan.
Each year, Leadership Institute brings together leaders from across the country who share a passion for renewing churches. Senior Pastor Adam Hamilton, Keynote Speaker Len Sweet, COR staff and guest speakers are eager to share practical, translatable ideas and proven strategies for dynamic and vibrant churches. Also you will select from more than 80 practical ministry workshops, experience radical hospitality and fellowship with other ministry leaders.
Check out the highlights video for more information.
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Holy Land study tour scheduled for Feb. 9-19, 2015
This tour is a unique opportunity for clergy and laity alike. The “Study Tour Trip to the Holy Land” has been planned with the help of the Methodist Liaison to Palestine/Israel, the Rev. Kristen Brown. In accordance with United Methodist resolutions concerning travel in the Holy Land, the trip will be led by Palestinian and Israeli guides to offer a “dual dialogue” look at the issues affecting this troubled land.
Carol Garwood from St. Paul United Methodist Church in South Sioux City will be the Team Leader and point of contact for additional information regarding the trip. This will be Carol’s fourth trip to the Holy Land, her second serving as Team Leader. Carol said, “When Rev. Kristen Brown and I were discussing and planning for this trip, it was our hope that possibly people who may serve as delegates to General Conference in 2016 may be interested in participating, as well as pastors and lay leaders. However, the trip is open to anyone who would like to gain more knowledge of the situation in the Holy Land as well as to experience the Holy Sites.”
While participants will take some time to visit the traditional “holy sites,” such as the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee, much of the focus will be on interacting with local Christians (sometimes referred to as the “Living Stones”).
Download the flier for more information.
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NOMADS to gather in Branson, Mo., Sept 6-12 for annual meeting
NOMADS (Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service), provide volunteer labor for new construction, remodeling and repairs for churches, children’s homes, camps, colleges, outreach missions and disaster rebuilding throughout the U.S. Most NOMADS travel and live in their RV while volunteering.
The 2014 annual meeting will be held at the Branson KOA, Animal Safari Road. The annual meeting officially begins Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., with a memorial service. The NOMADS are honored to have Missouri's Bishop Robert Schnase leading the Sunday evening worship and communion service at 6:00 p.m., and Arkansas's Bishop Gary Mueller leading devotions on Monday at 7 a.m. The public is invited.
The week’s events include several great speakers, Bible study and devotions, business meetings, leadership training, various seminars, auctions, special meals together, great music and entertainment, tours to Crystal Bridges, College of the Ozarks and Branson Bell, plus fun and fellowship.
Those interested in knowing more about NOMADS may attend the annual meeting to meet NOMADS and ask questions. You can also find more information at nomadsumc.org.
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Prayer retreat to be held Aug. 30 in Lincoln
New Hope UMC in Lincoln, Neb., to host prayer retreat Come Away – to Pray. All are welcome to attend the retreat to be held on Aug. 30, from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at the Worship (Warren UMC) campus at 1205 N 45th St., in Lincoln, Neb. Cost is $5. Sally Ruggia-Haden, pastor at New Hope UMC, will lead the retreat. This is an opportunity to enrich your spiritual life with some early and new prayer practices. To register, call 402-466-5238 or 402-467-6351. Please bring a sack lunch or place an order with Jimmy John’s. Pray always – pray all ways.
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A traditional tent meeting reaps community rewards
Money raised for disaster response
June 29, 2014, was the fifth Sunday of June, a beautiful day with the Bassett and Springview, Neb., United Methodist churches worshiping together as a parish with the community invited for a time of prayer, worship, witness and fun.
The service began at 10:30 and was attended by members of both congregations. Then the real fun began as Jeff Maloun and Gary Saar began barbequing hamburgers and hot dogs and numerous others set about gathering the plates and cutlery, water and tea jugs. Salads and desserts were also offered to all who attended the free meal. It was open to the public and there was a free will offering taken with recent tornado victims in mind.
As the smoke rose from the grill, people gathered for a good meal and a good time. “We raised over $600 which was sent in by our parish treasurer from Bassett UMC on behalf of both churches and the two communities. We want to blow our horn a little out here in NW Elkhorn Valley District,” said Pastor Rod Heilbrun. The tent meeting brought the two churches and the communities together in a whole new way.
Ryan Stec arrived on the scene driving a team of horses pulling a wagon with some bales of hay; offering a scenic, open air, hayrack ride tour of Bassett. There were games for the younger set and on the tent meeting stage the Singing Seniors, local talent Randy Anderson and Finding (a local Christian band) sent their songs into the air.
Pastor Rod Heilbrun from the UM churches of Bassett and Springview; Pastor Melody Brink of the Bassett and Atkinson Lutheran churches; and several of the performing members of the groups gave witness to the word of God and the message of faith for all to hear.
More than 150 people enjoyed the outside event and others listened to the sounds traveling with the wind through the community.
The tent was a welcome haven from the sun and heat as was the tree shade on the front lawn of the Bassett UMC. “We thank all who came and gave a hand to the efforts needed to pull it all off and we thank God for the beautiful day,” said Heilbrun.
Photos by Evy Ost
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Cokesbury offers sale on flash drive hymnals
Cokesbury is taking orders for its new flash drive edition of The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, and Worship and Song. Advance orders are offered at 30 percent off plus free shipping. They are also offering 40 percent discount on Pew Editions now. More information and ordering available on the Cokesbury site at www.cokesbury.com/musicsale.
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The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) offers tips
Five ways you can better equip Vital Congregations newsletter
This GBOD resource is offered to help create vitality in local congregations. Subscription information is included.
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Newsletter link
•Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Update - July 9
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Out-of-the-box ideas for using cell phones in worship
What if we took advantage of that incredible little tool most people have at their fingertips? Read this short article from UMCOM.org to learn how cell phones can actually help people stay engaged and interact with worship services.
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Grow your Ministry workshop to be Sept. 6
"Grow your Ministry" workshop will be held in Wichita, Kan., on Sept. 6, 2014. Keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. James K. Wellman, author and lecturer. Other presenters are the Rev. Jay Ayers, Matthew Vaughan, the Rev. Zach Walker and the Rev. Amy Baumgartner.
Workshops include Religious Trends in America: Good News Folks!; Religious Revival for Disenchanted Liberals, Sobered Evangelicals and Depressed Atheists; Can These Bones Live? (exposition of the Exekiel text); Can These Bones Live? (application for church growth); Developmental Hurdles for Vital Youth Ministry; Supporting Adolescents with Systematic Planning; and Equipping Parents to Nurture the Spiritual Lives of their Children.
View the flier for more information and to register.
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Nebraska Disaster Response and Recovery Summit to be held in August
Pastors and spiritual leaders are invited to the Nebraska Disaster Response and Recovery Summit. The summit, to be held, Friday, Aug. 15-16, will be held at the Country Inn and Suites in Lincoln, Neb. Cost is $50. (Price includes breakfast and lunch on Saturday.)
This disaster recovery and response summit will cover the basic concepts and types of spiritual care; long-term recovery; collaboration with mental and emotional health personnel; self-care for providers; community resiliency; and preparedness training. Faith community leaders have an important role in disaster response and recovery. By preparing their congregations and themselves for disaster they contribute toward building resilient communities. Training is essential before disaster strikes.
You can register at www.lancasterfaith.org. Please view the brochure for further information.
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Calvary UMC youth attend VBS: raise money for mosquito nets
No More Malaria! That was the theme for the vacation Bible school, Calvary Connection Kids, at Calvary UMC in Fremont, Neb. The 13 children and four older (helper) youth read Bible stories, made crafts, played, sang songs and worshiped together — all relating to the theme. The lessons each day helped the children relate a Bible story with what they can do to help another child. During the week the children were asked to bring loose change to buy nets for “No More Malaria.” The children collected $110 — enough to purchase 11 nets.
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Children are fleeing violence – how can we as disciples of Christ respond
The following was submitted by Andrea Paret, Great Plains Peace with Justice coordinatorThe news has been full of reports about the high number of children, often unaccompanied, who are traveling north trying to enter the United States. There is concern, concern for people’s own children, families and communities. Concern for these children, youth and adults who are desperate to get away from gang violence and hunger, all of them beloved children of God, created in God’s image.
In an article from June 15 in the National Journal, Leslie Velez, senior protection officer at the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, explains: "The normal migration patterns in this region have changed. These people aren't coming here for economic opportunity. They are fleeing for their lives.”
The following question was posed to her: “I've been reading that these children are coming north on rumors that the United States will let them in, that the Obama administration has lax policies toward minors. Did you find that at all in your survey?”
Leslie Velez answered: “We interviewed 404 children asking extremely open-ended questions as to the reasons and the nature of having left and what they were expecting when they arrived. Out of the 404, only 9 of them mentioned any kind of possibility of the U.S. treating children well. Two said ‘immigration reform’; one said ‘I hear they treat kids well.’ It's very general and from the perspective of a child. But only nine out of 404 said anything about that.”
Church members have asked what can be done during this humanitarian crisis and how to be welcoming to all. Many are ready to take care of the immediate needs but there is also need to do the more difficult task of looking at the root causes and then acting to make changes. Through the involvement in the history and development of these countries and the ever growing globalization including many trade agreements, citizens of our nation are very involved in what is going on in other countries.
On July 31, several actions will be taking place around the nation with United Methodists and other faith groups taking part in them.
You are invited to join your United Methodist Women’s group, United Methodist Men’s group, your Sunday school class or other group to participate in a prayer vigil on July 31, or around that time. Or you can ask your pastor to include a special prayer in the worship service.
May God help everyone to welcome immigrants as we have been welcomed by Christ.
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Mourning the deaths of Palestinian and Israeli youth
The following was submitted by Andrea Paret, Great Plains Peace with Justice coordinator
Prayers are with the families of everyone who lost their lives in the violence of the past few weeks. Our hearts go out to those living in this troubled area with both sides facing daily terror. In several reports, the names of the three Israeli youth are listed whereas the seven Palestinian youth stay mostly unnamed. But let’s remember all of them: Ahmad Fahmawi, Mahmoud Atallah, Yusef Abu Zaga, Mustafa Hosni Aslan, Mahmoud Dudeen, Ahmad Sabareen, Mohammed Abu Khudair, Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrah.
Emilia Truluck, a social-justice intern in the peace with justice work area at the General Board of Church and Society, writes in her article Retributive Punishment Does Not Lead to Peace: “Until Palestinians and Israelis are valued equally by the international community, and until all civilians in Israel and Palestine are treated justly and given equal rights, there will not be peace or security for anyone in the Middle East….The fight is not fair when daily battles are waged with rocks thrown at tanks. The continued illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories will never create peace.”
And she continues: “The shedding of any child’s blood is cause for deep mourning, and my prayers are with the families of everyone who lost their lives in the violence of the past few weeks. I also mourn the fact that, according to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, 1,384 Palestinian children have been killed by the Israeli military since 2000, and 127 Israeli children have been killed by Palestinians. We must keep those families in our thoughts and prayers at this time as well.”
Where is hope in this troublesome area of God’s world? Hope comes as everyone learns about families of murdered Israeli teen Naftali Fraenkel and murdered Palestinian teen Mohammed Abu Khdeir coming together to draw comfort from each other. Other Palestinians from the Hebron area also came to the Fraenkel family to comfort the bereaved. In an article from The Jewish Daily Forward on July 6, one of the Palestinians says: “Things will only get better when we learn to cope with each other’s pain and stop getting angry at each other. Our task is to give strength to the family and also to take a step toward my nation’s liberation. We believe that the way to our liberation is through the hearts of Jews.”
We need to ask ourselves what we are called to do in this situation. How can we get involved in making our voices heard when our government policies and media reports are so often one-sided and unfair and not treating all involved as human beings of sacred worth?
Thus says the Lord:
A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. - Jeremiah 31:15
Read the General Board of Church and Society’s Faith in Action story.
3 Israeli teenagers’ deaths mourned
World Council of Churches calls for justice, not collective retribution
July 03, 2014
GENEVA, Switzerland — World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has expressed deep sorrow over the killing of three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were recovered June 30.
“We pray for their families, all their friends and the extended community that grieves their loss,” he said in a pastoral letter issued July 1.
No parent, of any creed or country, be it in Israel or Palestine, … should have to experience such anguish.
No parent, of any creed or country, be it in Israel or Palestine, or in the neighboring countries of Syria and Iraq, should have to experience such anguish, according to Tveit. “And yet the violence continues, with inadequate steps toward the resolution of conflict and the prevention of needless death,” he said.
Justice must prevail
Tveit declared that justice must prevail. He said all acts of violence and terror must be investigated and prosecuted according to law. “Collective retribution is not justice, nor will it lead to peace,” he said.
Collective retribution is not justice, nor will it lead to peace.
“Our heartfelt prayers are with all who are affected by the tragedy that has got the attention of the whole world,” Tveit said, “and we continue to pray for the establishment of peace with justice for all.”
Tveit’s pastoral letter follows:
Pastoral letter on the death of three Israeli teenagers
On behalf of the World Council of Churches, I again express the sorrow we feel, a sorrow felt across national borders and differences in religion and culture, at the suffering and loss of life in Israel and Palestine. Our heartfelt prayers are with all who are affected by the tragedy that has got the attention of the whole world, and we continue to pray for the establishment of peace with justice for all.
The prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15 bears witness to the depth of grief that is being experienced today:
Thus says the Lord:
A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more.
No parent, of any creed or country, be it in Israel or Palestine, or in the neighboring countries of Syria and Iraq, should have to experience such anguish. And yet the violence continues, with inadequate steps toward the resolution of conflict and the prevention of needless death.
We mourn today the three Israeli teenagers whose bodies were recovered on June 30, Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrah. We pray for their families, all their friends and the extended community that grieves their loss.
We also grieve for those Palestinians who have been killed or wounded as a result of measures taken to find the kidnapped boys, as a consequence of resistance to those measures, as a feature of daily confrontations that haunt Israel and Palestine.
Justice must prevail. All acts of violence and terror must be investigated and prosecuted according to law. Collective retribution is not justice, nor will it lead to peace.
In this highly tense situation, we call on all parties to condemn all kinds of violence and to refrain from using it. We urge them to be wise and to find a way towards a restoration of the peace process that has been so badly stalled in recent months, for the sake of the victims and all who could become victims of an escalation of violence.
The fellowship of churches represented by the World Council of Churches continues to work to improve relations and the conditions necessary for justice and peace.
Meanwhile, we remain in prayer for healing and ultimate reconciliation.—Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
General Secretary
World Council of Churches
July 1, 2014
Editor's note: The World Council of Churches (WCC) brings together churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million Christians. Its members include most of the world's Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches. At the end of 2013, there were 345 member churches.________________________________________
United Methodist Global AIDS Fund conference Sept. 11-13
Deadline for scholarship applications extended to July 25
Bishop Cynthia Harvey from the Louisiana Conference will provide a clarion call to action to those gathered Sept. 11-13, 2014, in Denver, Colorado, and we hope you can join us! Bishop Harvey is the episcopal leader in a conference that believes the AIDS pandemic must be eradicated and has taken action to make that happen.
Over the years, the Louisiana Conference, even in the wake of Katrina, mobilized thousands of dollars to support life-saving ministries around the globe through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund in partnership with UMCOR. Bishop Harvey and other church and community leaders will provide education, inspiration and advocacy for our work on AIDS.
We hope every annual conference is represented at this conference to take on the call to action. No longer can we be silent in the midst of this ongoing health crisis. We need your help to make this happen.
As you know, one of the tracks offered at this conference is the Training the Trainer track. We will be training people to expand their current AIDS efforts through education, advocacy and fundraising. Partial scholarships will be offered for this track.
We also have scholarship funding for two additional tracks for Native American and Latina high school youth. Scholarship applications are available for these two tracks, too.
Please prayerfully consider being with us. The deadline for accepting scholarship applications has been extended to July 25. The deadline for registering for the conference itself is August 15. Download the draft schedule.
For more information, or to request other scholarship applications, contact Linda Bales Todd at joylab47@yahoo.com or call 937-306-8445.
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Director of children’s and youth ministries needed in Omaha
St. Luke UMC in Omaha, Neb., is searching for a full-time director of children’s and youth ministries. St. Luke UMC is moderate in its theology with a well-established presence in Omaha. The birth to graduation team (leadership of the children’s and youth ministries) has been working for over a year to create infrastructure and bring sustainability to an already strong program. This group of dedicated volunteers will partner with the new staff member to achieve the goals and vision for both ministries.
The director of children’s and youth ministries will be responsible for welcoming children and youth into a community that encourages and develops discipleship, worship, mission and outreach while serving as the spiritual leader and role model, implementing the mission and vision of St. Luke UMC’s children and youth ministry program. The position will directly supervise and equip the children’s and youth ministries’ support staff and volunteers.
Qualified candidates should have a bachelor's degree in education or youth ministry (or comparable field). This is preferred but the search team will consider other experience; Christian education training is a plus. Those interested in applying should also have three or more years of experience leading a children and youth program in an education setting or in church ministry.
Please send a cover letter and resume to sherrie@stlukeumc.com.
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First UMC in Salina seeks youth/young adult director
First UMC in Salina, Kan., is a strong and active downtown congregation seeking to fill a full-time position in youth and young adult ministries. This person will move into a strong program with tremendous congregational support. They will give leadership to the program with the goal of helping youth and young adults to know Christ and make him known through mission and service.
This is a 40 hour/week salaried position to begin as soon as possible. Salary and some benefits. To apply, send letter of introduction along with resume and professional references to davidw@salinafirst.com.
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Graduate intern sought at Camp Horizon
Camp Horizon, near Ark City, Kan., is looking for a graduate intern beginning in August. If you know of any recent college graduates who are passionate about camping ministry please have them contact Joel Wilke at joel.wilke@horizoncenter.org or 620-442-5533.
View the complete position description.
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Editorial Policy: The content, news, events and announcement information distributed in GPconnect is not sponsored or endorsed by the Great Plains Methodist Conference unless specifically stated.
Want to submit a letter to the editor? Email Kathryn Witte at kwitte@greatplainsumc.org
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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
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