Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church "GP Connect News & Announcement & Death Notice 'Kathryn "Katy" Baker, 92'" for Wednesday, 19 & Thursday, 20 November 2014

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The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church "GP Connect News & Announcement & Death Notice 'Kathryn "Katy" Baker, 92'" for Wednesday, 19 & Thursday, 20 November 2014
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In this edition of GPconnect:
IN THE NEWS
Newsletters

Bishop's Round-Up benefits hunger ministries

Celebrating its 37th year, the annual Bishop’s Round-Up Against Hunger took place Nov. 15 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence, Kansas. The temperature stayed below freezing all morning as vehicles filed into a barn, hauling their bounty which was unloaded, sorted and then distributed to 17 agencies who will then deliver the donations to people in need across the Great Plains Conference. Items include food, health kits, layettes, diapers, paper items, HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves and socks) and bedding.

Donations of cash are distributed as follows:
  • 40 percent to alleviate hunger in Haiti
  • 40 percent to alleviate hunger in Mexico through Give Ye Them To Eat
  • 20 percent given in grants to local agencies within the Great Plains Conference whose main goal is alleviating hunger in their communities
Early estimates indicate more than $322,000 in combined money and donated supplies have been received so far. The final total will be announced later.
More than 100 youth attended and helped unload and load the donated items. The youth lock-in the evening before the Round-up is a highlight of the event every year.

Supporters gather at vigil for Dr. Martin Salia

The many who gathered Sunday night at Hanscom Park UMC, in Omaha, Nebraska, for a prayer vigil lifted up not only Dr. Martin Saliaand family, but all those suffering from Ebola, the medical workers and all those impacted by the disease.

The Rev. Dr. Dan Flanagan said on Monday, after learning of Salia’s death, “I thought the fact that 50 people came to the vigil with very short notice showed that people are concerned about people in the medical community who are serving in places around the world. I heard that a lot last night.”

Vigil attendee Betty Wiles, Missouri River District lay leader said after learning of Salia’s death, “While Salia’s fight with Ebola was a catalyst that brought us together for the prayer vigil, it only took a moment among those gathered to share the realization that world health is a concern for everyone.”

Flanagan and Omaha’s Hanscom Park UMC Pastor Zach Anderson led the special service as people braved the intense cold weather and gathered in the church to offer prayers, sing hymns and pray.

Those gathered lit candles to symbolize the light of Christ and the worldwide community of Christians coming together to pray for healing and wisdom for a global family fighting against Ebola.

Salia had worked as a surgeon at Kissy United Methodist Hospital in Sierra Leone and his family was left to pay for the expensive evacuation and travel by themselves.

Following the service, an offering was collected to support the Salia family’s expenses and many stayed to create hand-written messages of thanks to the Salia family.

Read an article from The Washington Post to read about the treatment Saila received.

Contributions for the Salia family can be made online or by sending checks to the Great Plains United Methodist Conference, 4201 SW 15th, P.O. Box 4187, Topeka, KS 66604. Please write “Salia family” in the memo line. 

Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation offers Certificates of Participation

The Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation Church Development Loan Fund has provided loans to Kansas United Methodist Churches, agencies and institutions since 1996. These loans are provided at competitive terms so that the Foundation continues to support the United Methodist witness through New Church Starts, Capital Improvements, Debt Refinancing, Property and Construction Loans. The Church Development Loan Fund is financed primarily through investments in Certificates of Participation purchased by United Methodist Churches and members of these churches in the state of Kansas.

The Certificates of Participation are designed for Kansas United Methodist churches, agencies and institutions who value the concept of helping grow the United Methodist churches throughout the state while earning exceptional rates. The Certificates of Participation have maturities of 12 months or 24 months. A minimum of $1,000 is required to purchase a Certificate. This statement does not constitute an offer of sale.

If you are interested in investing in a Certificate of Participation, please contact the Foundation’s office at 888-453-8405 or online atwww.kaumf.org for the current interest rates, updated application and Offering Circular.

Aliene Hammer celebrates 100th birthday at Grace UMC in Omaha, Nebraska

Aliene Hammer, who has been a faithful member of Grace UMC in Omaha, Nebraska, for more than 92 years, and who retired at age 95 after nearly 50 years as church secretary, will be honored at her 100th birthday open house reception at the church on Sunday, Nov. 30. It will begin at 11 a.m., in the basement fellowship hall following the 9:30 a.m., morning worship service.

During her tenure, Aliene also had the opportunity to serve as secretary for the former South Omaha parish (Aldersgate, Dietz, Grace, Lefler and Union) and enjoy relationships with Omaha District Superintendents and staff, United Methodist Ministries, Justice for our Neighbors and Big Brothers-Big Sisters personnel when their offices were located at Grace UMC. Until her retirement, she was always willing to take interested visitors on a historical tour of the church. Please help celebrate by attending or sending a card or a note c/o Grace UMC, 2418 E Street, Omaha, NE 68107.

Geneva UMC featured in “Interpreter”

“Interpreter,” a magazine from United Methodist Communications, ran an article on Geneva (Nebraska) UMC’s Advent VBS (vacation Bible school), in its November/December issue. You can read the article.
“Interpreter” is available in print and electronic formats. Read more from the November/December issue and find out how you can receive your own subscription.

United Methodist Student Day isNov. 30

Be ready to empower students in the name of Jesus on United Methodist Student Day on Nov. 30.  United Methodist Student Day calls the church to support students as they prepare for life in uniting faith with knowledge. Gifts on United Methodist Student Day support U.M. scholarships and the U.M. Student Loan Fund. Free supplies for this Special Sunday including bulletin inserts, offering envelopes and posters are available now.
United Methodist Communications also offers a sample email pastors can customize quickly and send in the days leading up to Nov. 30. Feel free to copy, paste, adjust and use the following email.
Dear Friends,
This Sunday, our congregation has a unique opportunity to water the dreams God has planted in the hearts of our students. We do this through our offering on Student Day, a Special Sunday of The United Methodist Church.
This offering provides scholarships for students, perhaps in our own congregation, and helps free them from the crushing burden of debt.
Click here to learn more about this special offering.
Will you help us join with thousands of United Methodist churches this Sunday to show God's love to students and shape the future?
Please bring your checkbook and an open heart! I am looking forward to this special opportunity to minister together this Sunday — and all year through our generous gifts.
Privileged to serve as your pastor,
[INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]

Scholarships benefit United Methodist students

Jacob Mogle received a scholarship from the Great Plains from United Methodist Student Day. Mogle is pursuing a degree in Communications at Baker University, one of our four United Methodist Colleges, with the aid of United Methodist loans and scholarships provided by Student Day offerings. Mogle is specializing in conflict and is a Foreign Service Candidate for Public Diplomacy. The United Methodist Church has helped him understand his faith and emphasize the importance of critical thinking and faith.
Before college, Mogle was involved in the youth group, District Council of Youth Ministries and Conference Council of Youth Ministries. He has applied for scholarships from the United Methodist Church since his freshman year with the encouragement of his home church pastor.

“College debt is very relevant to a college student so scholarships are invaluable. With the support of the United Methodist Church, I have a limited amount of debt. I appreciate the United Methodist Church believing in me through offering scholarships,” says Mogle.
Last year the Great Plains received $2300 in offerings for Student Day. This year November 30 is the official date for United Methodist Student Day to give congregations an opportunity to contribute for scholarships. Since this is also the first Sunday of Advent, churches may receive an offering at any time.
Does your church offer scholarships to college students? If not, here is an opportunity within our connection to contribute to Student Day and help make a difference in the lives of students. More resources for worship and promoting Student Day can be found at www.gbhem.org/article/support-um-student-day-nov-30th

Lay committee an enjoyable benefit to TiM associate pastor

The Transition into Ministry (TiM) Program is designed to assist young pastors in making the transition from seminary to effective full-time pastoral leadership. The TiM associates will offer weekly blogs sharing their experiences.
Pastor Emily Cannon is currently serving as a TIM associate pastor at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska (2013-2015). In this week’s blog, Cannon discusses the advantages she has discovered working with the Saint Paul UMC lay committee. Read Cannon’s blog.
Past articles authored by TiM pastors can be viewed on the Great Plains website. Learn more about the TiM Program.

Perkins School of Theology waives application fee as degree offerings expand

Fee of $50 waived for applicants in all degree programs through March 1, 2015

Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, is waiving the usual $50 application fee for prospective students through March 1, 2015. Financial aid is available for many students, with a Feb. 1, 2015, deadline to apply for merit scholarships, and a March 1, 2015, deadline to apply for need-based scholarships. Students who apply by the Nov. 21, 2014, early admissions deadline for fall 2015 will receive priority consideration for merit scholarships.
Perkins Waives Application Fee as Degree Offerings Expand
Inside Perkins Event at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University SMU, with Dr. Abraham Smith teachingDALLAS – Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, is waiving the usual $50 application fee for prospective students through March 1, 2015. Financial aid is available for many students, with a February 1, 2015, deadline to apply for merit scholarships, and a March 1, 2015, deadline to apply for need-based scholarships. Students who apply by the November 21, 2014, early admissions deadline for fall 2015 will receive priority consideration for merit scholarships.
Inside Perkins Event at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University SMU, with Dr. Abraham Smith teaching
Perkins students and guests enjoy a lecture by
Dr. Abraham Smith, professor of New Testament,
at a recent "Inside Perkins" event
Herbert Coleman, director of Recruitment and Admissions at Perkins, believes the waived application fee will inspire prospective students to learn more about the variety of opportunities for theological education and financial aid at Perkins. “We have degree plans and certification programs for full- or part-time ministry professionals as well as laypersons,” Mr. Coleman said. “For example, the expansion to five tracks in our Master of Arts in Ministry program offers more possibilities than ever. In addition to our Christian Education and Urban Ministry tracks, three other tracks in Theology and Social Justice, Christian Spirituality, and Evangelism and Mission are now available.” The goal of the M.A.M. program is to increase students’ knowledge about the church and its ministries and to foster their ability to serve meaningfully and creatively in a specialized area of ministry.
The waived fee is available for applicants to all degree programs at Perkins. For additional information, contact Herbert Coleman, hcoleman@smu.edu, 214-768-2139.
More about the expanded M.A.M. degree | Overview of all degree programs at Perkins
Learn about opportunities to visit Perkins | Refer a Prospective Student to Perkins
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Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

Mercy and Justice Team announces Volunteers In Mission (VIM) training dates

To engage as Volunteers in Missions requires more than just the willingness to serve others. It is important that we learn the best practices in missions and begin to work on projects that will lead to long term solutions that can be sustained by the local resources. This process includes building relationships, learning the cultures of those we are called to serve and identifying local assets. This is the focus of the Great Plains Volunteers in Mission training. The training will equip team leaders to create spirit-filled and culturally relevant mission experiences.
Dates
 Feb. 28Prairie River District, Gothenburg UMC, 1401 Lake Ave., Gothenburg, Nebraska, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
 March 7Wichita West District, Conway Springs UMC, 411 S 8th St., Conway Springs, Kansas, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
 April 11Missouri River District, First UMC, 7020 Cass St., Omaha, Nebraska, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
 May 9Blue River District, First UMC, 2723 N 50th St., Lincoln, Nebraska, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
 Aug. 1Blue River District, Centenary UMC, 608 Elk St., Beatrice, Nebraska, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
The cost is $30 per person, which includes lunch and training materials. The deadline for registration is one week before the event. For more information contact Kalaba Chali, kchali@greatplainsumc.org or 316-684-0266.

Pre-Training Request
Read at least one of the following books:
  • Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption by Claire Diaz-Ortiz and Sammy Ikua Gachagua
  • When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
  • Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It) by Robert D. Lupton
  • Cross-Cultural Servanthood by Duane Elmer
  • Ministering Cross-Culturally by Sherwood Lingenfelter and Marvin
Please pass along the flier to those in your congregation.

Register now for MLK Day of Service

On Jan. 19, 2015, United Methodist Ministries will host teams of youth and youth leaders at the annual MLK Day of Service. This day of service is dedicated to honoring the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day "on" not "off."
Teams will engage in activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which celebrate Dr. King's teachings and look at justice issues that exist in our present day. The day will include service work at local agencies in the metro-Omaha area and education on race and poverty in local communities.
Transportation to sites will be provided. The cost to participate is $15 per youth which includes lunch, transportation to and from work sites and a commemorative T-shirt. Pre-registration is required by Jan. 12.
Register your group for the day of service or register as an individual.

UMC #GivingTuesday to be Dec. 2


The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) will match up to $1 million in gifts made online Dec. 2, to any project through The Advance as part of UMC #GivingTuesday.
GBGM directors approved allocating matching funds dollar for dollar this year up to the first $1 million in gifts to Advance projects received onlineDec. 2, between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. EST. To stretch the matching funds, a maximum of $2,500 per individual gift to a project will be dispersed as matching funds; a project may receive a maximum of $25,000 in matching funds.
Some of the more popular General Advances that those in the Great Plains Conference support are:
 Africa University#3021028
 CCIP – Zimbabwe#15120N
 Church World Service#982380
 Haiti#004831
 Haiti Relief#418325
 Heifer International#982532
 Imagine No Malaria#3021190
 Lydia Patterson Institute#531523
 McCurdy School#581479
 Redbird Medical Center#773724
 Redbird Mission#773978
 Redbird School#773728
 School Building Projects – Nigeria #3021640
 Stove Builders of Guatemala#3022040
 The Big Garden#3021107
 UM Global AIDS Fund#982345
For a complete list of the General Advances and their numbers, visit theGeneral Board of Global Ministries’ website.

The Big Garden’s second year participating in GivingTuesday

The Big Garden works to increase food security in areas where neighbors have limited access to healthy foods. These community gardens also have the unique ability to dismantle barriers of age, class, education, and race, strengthening the bonds of community. The Big Garden’s goal for this year’s #GivingTuesday is $8,000.
“During this season of abundance, we extend our deepest gratitude to all of our friends and supporters,” said Jaimee Trobough, director of marketing, communications and outreach at United Methodist Ministries. “We appreciate your support as we work to fight hunger and increase food security in our area.”

Wichita First UMC Guatemala Stove Project now general agency Advance

The director of advance projects for The United Methodist Church, Ellen Knudsen, has recently informed Bonnie Laycock, director of missions and outreach for First UMC in Wichita, Kansas, that the Stove Builders of Guatemala project, started in 2011 under Bonnie’s direction, has been selected as a general agency Advance. This opens the availability of this project to be viewed by all United Methodist churches across the United States and is a major step forward helping the project meet its goal of improving the quality of life for the native Mayan people of Guatemala.
Stove Builders of Guatemala started after a group from First UMC visited Guatemala for language school. Members of this group became very concerned about the health of the local Mayan women and children who work around and tend the wood-fueled cooking fires which are commonly built inside windowless rooms. Research found that while the Mayan people were also concerned about their health, they were in many ways powerless to resolve this issue themselves.
In 2011, a team from First UMC traveled to Guatemala to connect with two local men who had been trained by the American developer of a fuel efficient wood burning stove that vented the smoke to the outside. With the guidance from these two men the team learned how to build the stove and started to enlist other local Mayan men to continue the work after the team left Guatemala. All stove builders are paid for their work as they continue to build additional stoves and train more builders. Through this, the project is helping people help themselves by teaching them a trade, providing families with safe clean cooking environments, reducing the amount of deforestation and adding to the local economy as all supplies are purchased locally.
The cost of each stove is approximately $120. Each family receiving a stove has to pay the equivalent of $20, a sizeable amount where an average daily wage is equivalent to only about $6. In addition to the cost, the family must provide some of the labor. The remaining $100 for each stove comes from donators.
For additional information about this project or to be a donator, visitwww.umcmission.org/give (The Advance website) and type in project number 3022040. Members of the Stove Builders of Guatemala Advisory Board are also available to provide programs for church or civic groups. These requests are handled through Bonnie Laycock who can be reached at First UMC at 316-267-6244.

Seven new missionaries commissioned

On Sunday, Nov. 16, the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries commissioned seven new missionaries for service around the world. The new missionaries come from South Korea, the United States, Paraguay and the Philippines and will be serving in Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Honduras, the United States and Taiwan.
Please keep them in prayer as they complete three weeks of training in Quito, Ecuador, and prepare to be commissioned. Bishop Silvio Cevallos of the Evangelical United Methodist Church preached at the service. Financial support can be made through the missionaries’ individual bio pages. A video of the worship service will be available in the near future.
  • Home Conference: South Korea (Northern Illinois Annual Conference)
  • Placement: Director of Next Generation Ministry, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Home Conference: Georgia, U.S. (North Georgia Annual Conference)
  • Placement: Scout Ministry Coordinator, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
  • Home Conference: Paraguay Evangelical Methodist Church
  • Placement: Mission Administrator and Program Director, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
  • Home Conference: Paraguay Evangelical Methodist Church
  • Placement: Mission Superintendent, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
  • Home Conference: Philippines (East Mindanao Annual Conference)
  • Placement: Minister for Administration and Christian Education, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Home Conference: Philippines (East Mindanao Annual Conference)
  • Placement: Minister for Congregational Development and Pastoral Care, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Home Conference: Ohio, U.S. (East Ohio Annual Conference)
  • Placement: Mission Advocate for Young Adult Mission Service, New York City, U.S. (Global Ministries)

Connect with OUR young adult missionaries

The Great Plains Conference has two young adult Global Mission Fellows who appreciates everyone’s prayers and support. Both are serving two years in mission service sponsored and directed by the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church as part of its Generation Transformation programming.
Sarah Roemer is an active United Methodist from Emporia, Kansas. She is serving at Tacoma Community House in Tacoma, Washington.See more about Sarah.
Maria Niechwiadowicz is a recent graduate from Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln, Nebraska. Maria is serving in China with the Amity Foundation where she serves as an English teacher. See more about Maria. Niechwiadowicz has also been blogging about her experience which you can read on the Great Plains Conference website.

Jewish advocate for justice for Palestinians speaks

The following was submitted by Mary Spurgeon, First UMC in Omaha, Nebraska.
“Theology, Interfaith Politics and the Role of the Church in Bringing Peace to Israel and Palestine” was the title of the talk that Mark Braverman, executive director of Kairos USA, gave to more than 60 people gathered at First UMC in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday, Nov. 5. Kairos USA is a movement of US Christians representing the body of Christ in all its diversity who believe the time is right for decisive action to end the crisis in Israel/Palestine.
Braverman began by explaining his background being raised as a conservative Jew in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where, due to the experience of his grandparents and many others, to be Jewish and to embrace Zionism was a given. It seemed to be in his grandmother’s DNA, he said, that “Germans were rabble and Arabs would kill us if we didn’t have Israel.” As a result, there was created in his heart a wall of separation between his people and the “others.” In 2006, he traveled to Israel/Palestine and was transformed by witnessing the occupation of Palestine and by encounters with peace activists and civil society leaders from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities.
After being welcomed warmly by Palestinians, thanked for just being there and seeing the walls that separated Palestinians in their ghettos from the rest of Israel, he became aware of the wall that had been created in his heart. As he moved back and forth between the Palestinian enclaves and the Israeli occupied territory, he was overwhelmed with the awareness that where he felt most at home was with the Palestinians, in spite of the fact that he did not speak their languages and they were not of his religion. He realized that something had happened to cause his people to turn away from their own teachings. “We are back in a place where we must ask, what does it mean to follow God?”
Because Western Christianity contributed to the Holocaust, Christians have chosen penitence in the act of giving Israel to the Jewish people. In so doing they have caused another act of injustice that is escalating to genocide. In liberation theology, both the oppressed and the oppressor are freed. The rabbis who don’t talk about Israel are NOT friends of Israel. The Christians who don’t talk about Israel are NOT friends of Israel. This is NOT what Jesus wants you to do.
He went on to emphasize, “It is a mistake to allow efforts for interfaith understanding to disrupt, muzzle, or intimidate movements to address the injustice. We are not allowed to not resist. Say to Jewish brothers and sisters, ‘I love you. Stop sinning!’ It’s your job to be true to your baptism.”
Kairos USA, calls upon the churches and the international community to join the non-violent boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS) in taking economic, political and diplomatic measures against Israeli policy, similar to those that led to the end of Apartheid in South Africa. Additionally, it calls “Christians in the United States to advocate with our government for a foreign policy that demonstrates a commitment to justice for Palestinians and to a sustainable peace for all the peoples of the land.”
Mr. Braverman was brought to Nebraska by Nebraskans for Peace with the sponsorship of 10 other ecumenical and academic organizations. For more information, see www.Kairosusa.org andwww.markbraverman.org.

Let us stand prayerfully with the people of Ferguson

United Methodist Social-justice agency calls for end to institutional racism in U.S.

“The General Board of Church and Society, as an advocate for justice and peace in the United Methodist connection, prayerfully stands with the people of Ferguson, Missouri, the Missouri Annual Conference, the state of Missouri and the nation as we await the grand jury decision concerning the shooting death of Michael Brown,” writes Wayne Rhodes, director of communications of the General Board of Church and Society.
“We pray for Michael Brown's family as it undergoes this trying situation. And, we also pray for police officer Darren Wilson and his family.”
“We believe ‘there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear’ (John 4:18). In the spirit of love, we denounce any actions or words that pander to fear and division in advance of a grand jury decision on the circumstances surrounding Michael Brown’s death.”
Photo: Photo by the Rev. Matt Miofsky - People hold hands and pray during a vigil near the site where Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri.

United Methodist Kairos Response launches boycott of settlement goods

United Methodist Kairos Response (UMKR) today announced a global boycott of six product lines produced in illegal Israeli settlements of the West Bank. These are Ahava cosmetics, Keter plastic products, Royalife linens, Ram Quality toys, SodaStream drink machines and Smart-Fab disposable fabrics. They are falsely labeled “Made in Israel” and sold in the United States by stores as diverse as Williams Sonoma, Home Depot, and Toys R Us. Often they carry the stores’ own brand names.
The UMKR boycott does not apply to goods produced by companies within Israel’s internationally recognized borders. It only targets products made in illegal settlements. For more information, visit the Kairos Response web site at www.kairosresponse.org or contactinfo@kairosresponse.org.
United Methodist Kairos Response is a global grassroots movement in the United Methodist Church responding to the urgent call from Palestinian Christians for action to end Israel’s occupation. With its interfaith partners, it seeks a just peace for all the people of the Holy Land.

Join United Methodist Women from across the U.S. in a call to action to end family detention

Nov. 20, 2014, is the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects children’s rights, including freedom from detention. Family detention violates international law, criminalizes women and children who should have refugee status or temporary protected status.
This past summer thousands of children, alone or with families, crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to seek safety in the U.S. They fled extreme violence and poverty in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and faced abuse and violence as they crossed Mexico. When the issue gained national attention, it became politicized by electoral politics — and the U.S. Administration stepped up enforcement, detention and deportation.
United Methodists responded with an outpouring of love, care and support. These children and families are indeed the faces of Jesus Christ in our midst. Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40), and United Methodists are living out that call, serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. The United Methodist Book of Resolutions states: “We are urged by God through Christ to love our neighbor and to do what we must to bring healing in the midst of pain, and to restore to wholeness those whose lives are shattered by injustice and oppression.”
United Methodist Women invite you to take action on this day and ongoing.
IMMIGRATION
Join Our Call to Action to End Family DetentionJoin Our Call to Action to End Family Detention
Contact Your Elected Officials and Ask for an End to Family Detention
Join Our Call to Action to End Family Detention
In McAllen, Texas, United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño reads letters with a boy who traveled from Guatemala with his mother.
This past summer thousands of children, alone or with families, crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to seek safety in the U.S. They fled extreme violence and poverty in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and faced abuse and violence as they crossed Mexico. When the issue gained national attention, it became politicized by electoral politics — and the U.S. Administration stepped up enforcement, detention and deportation.
United Methodists responded with an outpouring of love, care and support. These children and families are indeed the faces of Jesus Christ in our midst. Jesus said, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40), and United Methodists are living out that call, serving as the hands and feet of Jesus. The United Methodist Book of Resolutions states: “We are urged by God through Christ to love our neighbor and to do what we must to bring healing in the midst of pain, and to restore to wholeness those whose lives are shattered by injustice and oppression.”
United Methodist Women encourages you to contact your elected officials and the White House, asking to end family detention. It violates international law, it criminalizes women and children who should have refugee status or a temporary protection status due to the dangers in their home countries, and it subjects the detainees to fear, isolation, further hardship and abuse. These centers must be closed, not expanded.
Take Action
Join the Campaign to End Family Detention. On November 20, and ongoing, contact your elected officials to call for an end to family detention. November 20 is the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects children’s rights, including freedom from detention.
Find your senators and their phone numbers
Find your representative and call (202) 224-3121
What you can say:
"My name is _____ calling from _____. I am a United Methodist Women member. As a constituent, I oppose immigrant family detention. Families held in DHS custody are seeking protection from violence, trafficking and domestic violence. Children require specialized medical, educational and legal support that detention facilities cannot provide. The president and DHS are seeking $879 million in funding for 6,350 additional family detention beds. The Obama administration has not waited for this funding and has already expanded family detention by 1200% between June-August 2014. I hope you will publicly speak out against family detention and contact the White House to express your alarm over this practice. I want to see Karnes, Texas, Artesia, New Mexico, Dilley, Texas, and all other family detention centers closed.
You can also sign the online petition of the United Methodist Women partner organization We Belong Together. Sign the petition “No More Kids in Detention”
Join the Vigil
On November 20, join United Methodist Women and other advocates for a candlelight vigil calling for an end to family detention. The vigil will be followed by a forum held at the nearby Church Center for the United Nations.
Candlelight Vigil: 5:00-6:00 p.m. at Dag Hammerskjold Plaza (First Ave. and East 47th St., New York)
Forum: 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Church Center for the United Nations (First Ave. at East 44th St., New York). If attending the forum, please RSVP to slamour@unitedmethodistwomen.org
Co-Sponsor Organizations: American Friends Service Committee, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Destination Unknown, Detention Watch Network, Families for Freedom, First Friends, Immigrant Defense Project, International Detention Coalition, Justice Strategies, Loretto at the UN, New Sanctuary Movement, Reformed Church of Highland Park, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project, unicef, We Belong Together, Women’s Refugee Commission
A Brief History
Aside from the thousands of unaccompanied minors, thousands of Central American families have also been crossing the border. Many seek out Border Patrol when they first arrive to ask for asylum. Before the uptick in these asylum seekers made national news, families were often processed and then left at bus stations to make their way to a host family across the country, with a date for their immigration hearing. Once the surge in border crossings became politicized, the Administration was accused of maintaining “porous borders,” quickly followed by a marked increase of criminalizing Central American refugees.
Now families may get separated, with men held in detention and women and children released until their hearings. Some 500 Afro-Honduran women who arrived in the South Bronx in New York are forced to wear electronic ankle bracelets. Increasingly, women and children refugees are being jailed. This summer, the federal government re-instituted family detention centers on a massive scale, with facilities in Karnes, Texas (532 beds), Artesia, N.M. (672 beds) and a planned facility in Dilley, Texas (2,400 beds).
According to the White House, “We are surging government enforcement resources to increase our capacity to detain individuals and adults who bring their children with them and to handle immigration court hearings…as quickly and efficiently as possible while also protecting those who are seeking asylum. That will allow ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] to return unlawful migrants from Central America to their home countries more quickly… In FY 2013, ICE removed 47,769 individuals from Guatemala, 37,049 from Honduras, and 21,602 from El Salvador.
For more information contact: Carol Barton, Immigrant & Civil Rights Initiative, cbarton@unitedmethodistwomen.org, (212) 682-3633.

Peace with Justice coordinator, Andrea Paret, receives honor

The following was written by Stacy Anderson, executive director of Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Every year Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (NADP) holds our annual Reception and Silent Auction. During this event, we also get the chance to honor fellow Nebraskans who went that extra mile to help the cause. This year we were so thrilled to be able to honor Andrea Paret with the Angel of Mercy award. This award typically goes to a community activist who gives of his or her time, influence and talent to spread the message that the death penalty is a failed experiment that needs to go.
While we have many supporters worthy of such an award, we felt the time was right to publicly thank Andrea for her years of active support. Because the United Methodist Church has such a strong statement in support of repeal, we have always considered UMC an ally. Still as NADP staff it can be hard to know which churches might be willing to host an event in key areas of the state. Andrea was always willing to help us find the right person to talk to and often made the first contact with the church on our behalf.
For a small staff like ours, having that kind of active support is absolutely critical and we are confident that our many speaking tours around the state would not have been as successful without Andrea’s help. It is the Angels like Andrea that make me confident that Nebraska will see an end to the death penalty sooner rather than later and we are truly grateful for all that Andrea does to advocate for life and justice.

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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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Kathryn "Katy" Baker, 92, the widow of a Great Plains Annual Conference clergy member died Nov. 15, 2014, at the Washington County Hospital, Washington, Kansas.
Funeral service was held Wed., Nov. 19, 2014, at the United Methodist Church, Washington, Kansas. A private burial was held at Abilene, Kansas.
On Nov. 24, 1921, Kathryn “Katy” was born to Oscar and Abigail (Whinery) Shafer in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from high school in Kansas City and decided to become a WAVE during WWII. She met John Baker at the Olathe Naval Air Station and they later married there. They were the first all-Navy wedding in the chapel on the base.
John was a Methodist minister and they served churches in Wakefield, Delphos, Glasco, Washington, Phillipsburg and Jetmore all in Kansas. They retired to Abilene, John’s home town, and lived there until he passed away in 1987. Katy moved to Washington, Kansas in 1989 to be near her daughter. Katy was a member of the United Methodist Church and the Modern Pioneers Study Club. It was Katy’s idea that the Methodist Church have a bell choir and was instrumental in getting it started.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, the Rev. John Baker; two brothers; and four sisters. Survivors include her children, John (Vicki) Baker, Ft. Collins, CO, Charles (Nancy) Baker, Casa Grande, AZ, David (Cheerie) Baker, Council Grove, KS, Dan Baker, Washington, Mary Nelson, Leawood, KS, Ruth Ann (David) Fischer, Washington; a brother, Paul Shafer; grandchildren, Travis (Misty) Kier, Julie (Kevin) Carter, Andrew (Heather) Fischer, Rebecca Fischer, Susan (Ryan) Bruna, Hali (Collin) Bielser, Elizabeth Baker, Haley (Josh) Butler, Clay (AJ) Miller, Michaela Miller; great-grandchildren, Logan Kier, Hunter Kier, Lauren Fischer, Adam Fischer, Zoe Carter, Emma Carter, Ian Carter, Charlie Bruna, Lenore Butler, Sadie Butler, and Addy Butler.
A memorial fund has been established to the United Methodist Church, KSDS, or to the donor’s choice. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home, Washington, Kansas.
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