The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church from Wichita, Kansas, United States "GPconnect" for Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Download the printable version of the July 27 issue of GPconnect.
In this edition:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Save the date: Celebration service for Bishop Saenz set for Oct. 15
- Support our new bishop by participating in 100 days of prayer
- Young preachers gather to learn at Church of the Resurrection
- Continuing education for our clergy in the Great Plains
- 100 Club celebrates successful barbecue dinner and auction
- Still time to sign up for Wesley Heritage Tour of England
- New at the resource center
- Early Response Team training set for Aug. 25
- Emporia church purchases, distributes school supplies
- Scholarships available to attend conference about climate change
- Micah Corps interns deliver letters to Capitol Hill
- Help make Kansas a welcome place for refugees
- Labor laws change on federal level
- General Board of Pension and Health Benefits shares activity
- Order business cards through conference office
- Mount Sequoyah Center, Inc. announces new ownership status
- Watch videos from the South Central Jurisdictional Conference
Save the date: Celebration service for Bishop Saenz set forOct. 15
The Great Plains Conference will host a Celebration of Assignment service for Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.
More details about the event will be shared as they become available.
The event will be broadcast via livestream via the conference’s website,www.greatplainsumc.org/livestream.
-------
Support our new bishop by participating in 100 days of prayerUnited Methodists across the Great Plains Conference are encouraged to lend a hand to Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. as he begins his ministry in Kansas and Nebraska by participating in 100 days of prayer, beginningSept. 1.
The Rev. Nathan Stanton, coordinator of New Church Development, and Corey Godbey, coordinator of Hispanic Ministry, assembled the prayers for transition, family, relationships, vision, wisdom, leadership, self-care, renewal, hope and boldness are broken down in 10-day increments.
Download the prayer card.
-------
Young preachers gather to learn at Church of the Resurrection
Whether experienced pastors or high school and college students trying to discern a call into the ministry, 138 people from 26 states gathered at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, last week for the second Young Preachers Festival and Conference.
Read the story.
Students, pastors get plugged into preaching at festivalPreaching, the Rev. Adam Hamilton says, has never been as important as it is now.
“The health of the church is highly dependent upon our doing our best to preach well,” the founding pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, said. “I think it’s the single most important thing we do in our life as a pastor, aside from tending our own souls and making sure we’re serving God ourselves.”
The Rev. Ashlee Alley, Great Plains Conference clergy recruitment and development coordinator, serves communion to Kristina Heinrich, a Great Plains VBS intern and Fort Hays State University student from Wilson, Kansas. Photo by David Burke
Church of the Resurrection hosted the second-annual Young Preachers Festival and Conference on July 21-22, and its 138 attendees represented 27 annual conferences in 26 states. Those at the conference were nearly evenly split between high school and college students, graduate and seminary students, and pastors already serving in local churches.
“There’s a passion in our church to see the church renewed, and to see the next generation of leaders being equipped,” said Debi Nixon, managing executive director of Church of the Resurrection and one of the festival coordinators. “We wanted to be a part of what God was doing to raise up the next generation of leaders for the church.”
The festival included keynote speakers Alyce McKenzie, professor of preaching and worship at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas; Olu Brown, lead pastor of Impact Church in East Point, Georgia; Matt Miofsky, lead pastor and founder of The Gathering UMC in St. Louis; Great Plains Bishop Scott Jones; and Hamilton.
“If you preach well, people come to faith in Christ. If you preach well, people grow deeper in their faith,” Hamilton said prior to his keynote speech on the first night. “If you preach well, people give their time in Christian service. If you preach well, they’re inspired to go out and serve Christ in the world. If you preach well, they’re inspired to give more of their time, talent and resources.”
Before his speech, Hamilton said pastors “need to up our game” to best communicate in a short-attention span, highly visual society.
“We have access to things no other generation of preachers ever had access to. We can get information at our fingertips, which means we ought to prepare better-informed sermons than we ever have before,” he said. “We have the ability to use technology to communicate. The use of video changes things – we can use it to tell the story. We live in a visual society where people want to see it.”
Besides the keynote addresses, workshops were conducted to discuss inclusive preaching, the use of pop culture and sharing personal stories.
There were also lighter moments, including a “Sermon Slam,” where volunteers competed to extemporaneously give their thoughts on a Bible verse chosen at random.
Grace Woods, a senior this fall at Tonganoxie High School in Kansas, volunteered to compete in the Sermon Slam – and then Hamilton was chosen as her opponent.
“I’m learning what it means to become a pastor – the scary parts and the parts that take a lot of work,” Woods said of the festival. “It’s opened my eyes to say, ‘Yes, I think I can do it.’”
The Rev. Lora Andrews, pastor of Grace UMC in Winfield, Kansas, said she looked at the festival as a refresher course from seminary.
“In seminary, it’s academics, but these are practitioners who are doing that work,” said Andrews, who said she is leaving the festival with the courage to start “switching things up” and improve her sermon preparation time.
A 35-year veteran of the ministry, the Rev. Jaime Farias of the Laurel UMC in Nebraska, said he was encouraged by the young people attending the festival.
“Hopefully, our prayer is that they find opportunities to get involved in some seminary and be involved in participation,” he said.
Farias said he was learning how to connect with younger generations.
“I’m learning how to proclaim the message in a society that’s changing a lot,” he said. “I’m learning about using technology to spread the word of God.”
The festival concluded with the young pastors and students giving sermons from the same lectionary, with critiques by veteran preachers.
A grant helped fund the first two years of the festival, and Nixon said she hoped the event would be able to continue.
“Preaching is so important in our ability to retain people who might want to give us a try,” she said. “That preaching, that communication from the platform is important for people to connect with something that’s relevant and makes them want to come back.”
David Burke, communications coordinator, can be contacted at dburke@greatplainsumc.org.
-------
Continuing education for our clergy in the Great PlainsPreaching Rocks
Preaching Rocks is a workshop academy for sharpening skills in public speaking to effectively present the good news of Jesus Christ. Persons who can benefit from Preaching Rocks include:
Those who are new to the preaching experience.
Those who are aware that their preaching isn’t to the level they would like it to be.
Those who want to become the best preacher possible (which hopefully is every pastor).
The leader for Preaching Rocks is the Rev. Dr. Lew Kaye-Skinner. Lew, who has been teaching public speaking since the mid-1990s. He directs the Writing Center at Bryan College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, Nebraska, and teaches courses in public speaking, communications, writing and religion. He is an elder in the Great Plains Conference and has been practicing public speaking since childhood.
This preaching academy will rely on group learning, consultation and support for one another to increase individual skills in preaching and worship leadership. Each participant will be asked to complete a preliminary skills assessment and to invite members of their congregation and their district superintendent also to complete the assessment.
- Preaching Rocks group gatherings will be held every other month, beginning Sept. 16-17, at Grace UMC (1832 W Ninth St.) in Hastings, Nebraska. Individual conferences will be via Skype, GoToMeeting or Google Hangouts.
Leading Out of Drama
Does your church have drama? Most do, at some time or other. The question is whether or not the drama consumes the energy of everyone and takes over the mission of the church, or if people respond in ways to defuse it to a manageable level.
Lay people and clergy can benefit from a workshop called "Leading Out of Drama." Leading Out of Drama will help leaders transform the interpersonal and group dynamics that sabotage morale, engagement and productivity by helping to identify drama behaviors in self and others and increase self-awareness. This means that conflicts can be defused early on, leading to positive change.
Two Leading Out of Drama workshops are being offered this fall. Each consists of two one-day retreats.
Sept. 26 and Nov. 3, at First-Faith UMC in Grand Island, Nebraska, led by the Rev. Adam Barlow-Thompson
Sept. 20 and Nov. 1, at Chapel Hill UMC in Wichita, Kansas, led by the Rev. Phyllis Provost-Saas.
You can find the full information, including cost and registration link at greatplainsumc.org/leadingoutofdrama.
Experiencing Excellence
Experiencing Excellence, led by the Rev. Adam Barlow-Thompson, is an opportunity to receive an overview of the Process Communication Model (PCM). The assessment participants complete helps the individuals gain valuable self-awareness which can lead to greater missional effectiveness in the local church with further training and practice in PCM. This training is for clergy and lay members of local churches.
Three Experiencing Excellence trainings will be offered (you only register for one):
- Sept. 6 at First UMC (946 Vermont St.), Lawrence, Kansas
- Oct. 11 at First UMC (2123 Forest Ave.), Great Bend, Kansas
- Oct. 12 at First UMC (2710 14th St.), Columbus, Nebraska
Enhancing Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to a distinct combination of emotional and social skills and competencies that influence our overall capability to cope effectively with the demands and pressures of work and life. Professionals who have chosen to utilize it in their personal development report increased work and life satisfaction. The good news is that emotional intelligence can be grown.
EI is invaluable to a leader’s success as it enhances both personal and professional satisfaction. The EI assessment will provide participants with insight into their leadership strengths and potential areas for development.
In order to learn more about Emotional Intelligence, a webinar is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 23. Facilitators will share how understanding one’s emotional intelligence can lead to greater joy in work and life and greater effectiveness as a leader.
The Great Plains Conference is offering Emotional Intelligence to clergy at a reduced cost as an investment in the gifts and talents of pastors. Clergy who register for Emotional Intelligence will participate in a 360 assessment, which provides opportunity for others to give their feedback about the pastor. Following this there will be one to three feedback sessions for the pastor and at least one SPRC member to meet with one of the facilitators. An action plan will be developed, identifying areas for development. Additionally, there will be a one-day skill-building session for clergy and SPRC members to attend.
More information can be found at greatplainsumc.org/emotionalintelligence.
-------
100 Club celebrates successful barbecue dinner and auction
Randy Fleming would like to extend a thank you to everyone who attended and gave generously to the 100 Club barbecue dinner and auction! Money raised goes toward scholarships for Great Plains Conference students who are interested in serving in Christian leadership roles.
Special thanks went to Bette and Dwight Trumble for hosting the event this year and Jane Van Horn for making all the homemade desserts! A special thanks goes out as well to the Rev. Jim Corson for giving the invocation.
The 100 Club will host its 29th Annual Scholarship Dinner & Auction at5:30 p.m. June 7 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island, Nebraska, on the opening night of the annual conference session there.
-------
Still time to sign up for Wesley Heritage Tour of England
It’s not too late to register for the Wesley Heritage Tour, hosted by Earl and Eunice Higgins. The only change is that the price has increased to an all-inclusive rate of $3,646 per person.
Earl and Eunice Higgins are hosting this “spiritual journey” of England from Nov. 8 to 16, 2016. This is a great opportunity to connect with our roots as United Methodists. The group will learn about John and Charles Wesley and the early founders of our church. The group will have the opportunity to visit many places such as Epworth, Stratford, Oxford, Bristol and Wesley’s London.
In addition, the group will visit and learn about the Roman baths, Gotswolds and Gloucester, as well as the many important sights in London such as Buckingham Palace, the Marble Arch, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Abbey and Saint Paul’s Cathedral, where John Wesley worshipped.
Brochures are available by calling 402-438-6256 or by sending an email request to eehiggins@windstream.net. Or download the brochure now.
-------
New at the resource center
If you have always wanted to do a “Disciple Bible Study” but have been intimidated by the 34-lesson curriculum, Abingdon Press has just released the new “Disciple Fast Track” curriculum that is designed for busy people who want to fit a comprehensive study of the Bible into their time limited schedules. The new “Disciple Fast Track” has reduced the number of lessons to 24; 12 lessons for the Old Testament and 12 lessons on the New Testament. The time commitment is more manageable with only 3-5 chapters of the Bible to read each day and a recommended 75-minute class time.
The Old Testament video segments which run between 6-8 minutes are taught by Justin Coleman, and the New Testament lessons are taught by Jessica LaGrone. If you would be interested in previewing the new “Disciple Fast Track” for use this coming fall, please contact Diane Dunkerson at 800-435-6107 or ddunkerson@greatplainsumc.org.
If your interest is more in studying just one specific book of the Bible, the resource center has the full collection of the “Immersion Bible studies” as well as all the “Disciple Short-Term Disciple” studies. The “Disciple Short-Term” studies usually run between 8-10 sessions and include the studies of Genesis, Psalms, John and Romans. There are also an overview study of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
As fall fast approaches and study groups reassemble for the beginning of the church year, remember the Great Plains Resource Center would be glad to help you with finding just the right study for your group. To view a complete list of all the studies available, visit the online catalog atwww.gpresourcecenter.org.
-------
Early Response Team training set for Aug. 13
Early Response Team (ERT) training is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Iola, Kansas. Cost is $25. All ERTs must be Safe Gatherings certified in order to deploy and receive a badge.
Register for the training.
Please contact the Rev. Hollie Tapley, conference disaster response coordinator, if you have any questions, at htapley@greatplainsumc.org.
-------
Emporia church purchases, distributes school supplies
It’s that time of year for parents of schoolchildren when the back-to-school list starts to explode. But parents in the Emporia, Kansas, school district has a list of items checked off their lists, thanks to First United Methodist Church there.
Read the story.
Emporia UMC foots bill for school suppliesThanks to the local United Methodist Church in one Kansas community, many children already can cross a major item off the list of back-to-school chores.
First United Methodist Church in Emporia is providing school supplies to the approximately 4,500 students from pre-K through high school this fall.
School children will be the beneficiaries of a mission project at Emporia First United Methodist Church to provide school supplies to kids of all ages in the school district. Courtesy photo
“It has evolved into the whole district,” said the Rev. Jeannie Jensen, senior pastor.
The program began as part of the initiative by Great Plains Bishop Scott J. Jones several years ago to delve into church-school partnerships. It became a partnership in fundraising alongside the church’s capital campaign, Jensen said.
First UMC has worked with key staff members in the Emporia schools to find out what was most needed by students in the district, which includes one high school, one middle school, six elementaries, a learning center and an early childhood center.
“It’s a partnership that has been growing slowly,” Jensen said.
A mission outreach team worked with the school for cases such as a student who didn’t have shoes or a young family whose apartment had caught fire, she said.
But having school supplies overwhelmingly became the greatest need.
“It seems like they never had enough (three-ring) binders,” she said. “They kept breaking them and losing them, and a lot of (the money for) that came out of the teachers’ pockets.”
Money also was initially provided to help pay for graphing calculators for high school math students.
“It’s a very expensive item, and many of the students could not afford them,” said Jensen, whose church paid for 200 of them.
After buying supplies for high-schoolers for the 2015-16 school year, the church is expanding for this year into all age levels. The church’s Serve Team is asking for monetary donations rather than the items themselves.
“We won’t turn it down,” Jensen said, “but we felt like we could do a lot more if we get monetary donations and then do some very careful shopping.”
One member of the Serve Team negotiates with a local store and is able to buy in bulk to get a better bargain, the pastor said. The items will be distributed in August when school starts.
Even though big-box stores offer drastic discounts for back-to-school items, Jensen said she hopes it can spark a “pay it forward” effort to contribute elsewhere with the money that might have been spent on pencils, paper and crayons.
“Hopefully they’ll find some other way to support the community,” Jensen said. “Hopefully it’ll inspire them to think of other ways in which they can contribute.”
Learn more about how your church can get involved with an area school.
Contact David Burke, communications coordinator, at dburke@greatplainsumc.org.
-------
Scholarships available to attend conference about climate change
"A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion,” said Mahatma Gandhi. That is why each year the Interfaith Peace Conferences at Lake Junaluska are happening.
Current global climate models fail to take into consideration the evaporation taking place on small islands, says a new study. One of the speakers at this year’s conference, United Methodist Bishop Ciriaco Francisco of the Philippines, is familiar with life on a threatened island.
For information and registration, go to lakejunaluska.com/peace or tohttps://www.facebook.com/LakeJunaluskaPeaceConference
For information about the scholarships available through the Great Plains Conference, contact Andrea Paret, Great Plains Peace with Justice Coordinator, at amparet08@yahoo.com.
-------
Micah Corps interns deliver letters to Capitol Hill
During the mission luncheon at the annual conference session in Topeka in June, Micah Corps interns Abi Franks and Maria Penrod invited participants to write letters to our senators from Kansas and Nebraska urging them to support global food aid and making it more efficient. One way to do this is to purchase emergency food at nearby local markets instead of shipping it from thousands of miles away. This can be critical when children are in danger of starving.
Later in July, while in Washington, D.C., for a seminar at the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), the interns were able to hand-deliver 64 letters to the offices of Sen. Jerry Moran and Sen. Pat Roberts from Kansas and Sen. Deb Fischer and Senator Ben Sasse from Nebraska. In two offices, it was a quick handing over of the letters, in the other two, interns were able to visit with a staff person or an intern for a few minutes.
Children in poverty/food security was one of the issue areas the Micah Corps interns focused on over the summer. The Micah Corps, based on Micah 6:8, emphasizes God’s call for us to “do justice.” That means we need to work toward changing unjust structures, laws and trade agreements that make it impossible for some families to provide enough healthy food for their children here and around the world. Bread for the World (BFW), one of the General Board of Global Ministries Advances (#982325), is a Christian voice helping congregations and individuals to work on just that.
In Kansas, one in six households doesn’t know where the next meal is coming from, and in Nebraska it is one in seven. Individuals and congregations across our conference are partnering with BFW to speak up together with and on behalf of those God calls us to care for, the poor and hungry and most vulnerable. Being able to make visits on Capitol Hill was a powerful experience for the interns as part of their work over the summer, raising the issue of hunger and food security when visiting congregations across the conference.
Another issue area the interns focused on was immigration. The seminar at GBCS included a session with Melissa Bowe, program and advocacy manager at National Justice For Our Neighbors (NJFON). Besides offering legal immigration services for low-income immigrants, the Justice For Our Neighbors network, including Justice For Our Neighbors-Nebraska, offers educational workshops and advocates for better laws so that all people are treated with human dignity. NJFON made appointments with staff in the offices of Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Rep. Brad Ashford, both of Nebraska. Several interns were able to participate in these meetings to voice their thoughts and concerns regarding how we welcome and treat immigrants and refugees living or arriving in our communities.
Read Mackenzie Carlson's reflections.
Help make Kansas a welcome place for refugees
Our ministry with immigrants and refugees in Kansas has been a little more difficult to get up and running than we had hoped. After the announcement from Gov. Sam Brownback about limiting immigration to the state, I spoke with two agencies in Wichita that were just defeated and not sure if they were going to continue their efforts of working with individuals. We are blessed to have Lacey Studnicka with Lutheran Family Services in Nebraska who is connecting churches with families. She and I have spent a lot of time talking and emailing about what direction to take for Kansas.
I met Musa Rashid, who came to Wichita as a refugee from the Congo and has made Wichita his home for six years. Musa has an informal organization to help refugees beyond their initial 90 days of refugee resettlement support. His “board of directors” are from Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Burma, Burundi and Eritrea. He told me “Refugees are suffering in Wichita.” Since Studnicka has been so gracious to help us get the ball rolling in Kansas, she met with Musa a couple of weeks ago to help discern his thoughts on where we can help the most.
Knowing that we needed others who can bring some much-needed legal advice, while Studnicka was at a meeting in Washington, D.C., she met just the right person to fill that need! Selena Sujoldzic is an attorney in Wichita with Arn, Mullins, Unruh, Kuhn and Wilson, LLP. She was resettled in Wichita when she was 12 years old from Bosnia. Selena now sits on the board of directors for the National Office of Lutheran Immigration Refugee Services (LIRS).
Sujoldzic, Musa and I connected, and we are meeting next week to begin our new journey together. It has taken longer than I had anticipated, yet now I know why: The right players had to come together in the right time to be able to make the most difference. Our team is ready, and I am excited about this journey that we are on together.
View a video providing instruction about the refugee settlement process filmed July 20 in our Lincoln, Nebraska, studio.[Submitted by Rev. Hollie Tapley, disaster response coordinator]
-------
Labor laws change on federal levelOn May 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) “white collar” overtime exemption rules. The "Final Rule" strengthens overtime protections for workers.
Generally, in order for a worker to fall within the scope of the “white collar” overtime exemptions, the worker’s pay must exceed the standard salary level. Through the adoption of the Final Rule, the DOL has increased this salary level to equal the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers from the lowest wage Census Region. This change raises the salary level from its previous amount of $455 per week (about $23,660 per year) to $913 per week (about $47,476 per year). The Final Rule also raises the compensation level for highly compensated employees subject to a more minimal duties test from $100,000 to $134,004 annually.
These changes take effect on Dec. 1, 2016. The Final Rule also establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years, with the first update to take place in 2020.
To see how this could impact your church and resources from the Department of Labor, go to greatplainsumc.org/laborlaws.
-------
General Board of Pension and Health Benefits shares activity
The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of The United Methodist Church is now Wespath Benefits and Investments, as of July 18.
Wespath has shared the following sustainable investment activities:
Wespath Receives Global Recognition — Wespath ranks third in the U.S. and 15th globally for sustainable investment related to climate change, according to the 2016 Asset Owners Disclosure Project (AODP). The AODP annually ranks 500 of the world’s largest investors based on how they manage climate risk and invest in low-carbon solutions. We were commended for ranking among the top 3% of asset owners in the world, and specifically for our engagement activities, where we placed seventh globally. We firmly believe engagement helps create more sustainable companies and investments.
Wespath Files Climate Change-Related Shareholder Resolutions — Wespath collaborated with global sustainable investors for the 2016 proxy voting season by filing and supporting strategic shareholder resolutions aiming to improve company responses to the threat of climate change. Results from this year’s proxy season—which has seen a record number of climate-related resolutions—indicate an important shift in investor engagement and in company responses to the transition to a lower carbon economy. The resolutions filed with Anglo American and Rio Tinto passed with overwhelming support, including from company management. The resolutions filed at Chevron and Occidental Petroleum did not have the support of company management, however they received more than 40% of total votes—a significant show of support for first-time filings.
Wespath’s Strategic Approach to Climate Change —Wespath’s Avoid-Engage-Invest framework helps us prepare for and support the transition to a lower-carbon economy by identifying and prioritizing where climate change-related risks and opportunities are likely to occur. Click here to read more about our efforts to tackle climate change while promoting the long-term sustainability of the funds we manage on behalf of our clients.
-------
Order business cards through conference office
Scholarships available to attend conference about climate change
"A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion,” said Mahatma Gandhi. That is why each year the Interfaith Peace Conferences at Lake Junaluska are happening.
Current global climate models fail to take into consideration the evaporation taking place on small islands, says a new study. One of the speakers at this year’s conference, United Methodist Bishop Ciriaco Francisco of the Philippines, is familiar with life on a threatened island.
For information and registration, go to lakejunaluska.com/peace or tohttps://www.facebook.com/LakeJunaluskaPeaceConference
For information about the scholarships available through the Great Plains Conference, contact Andrea Paret, Great Plains Peace with Justice Coordinator, at amparet08@yahoo.com.
-------
Micah Corps interns deliver letters to Capitol Hill
During the mission luncheon at the annual conference session in Topeka in June, Micah Corps interns Abi Franks and Maria Penrod invited participants to write letters to our senators from Kansas and Nebraska urging them to support global food aid and making it more efficient. One way to do this is to purchase emergency food at nearby local markets instead of shipping it from thousands of miles away. This can be critical when children are in danger of starving.
Later in July, while in Washington, D.C., for a seminar at the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), the interns were able to hand-deliver 64 letters to the offices of Sen. Jerry Moran and Sen. Pat Roberts from Kansas and Sen. Deb Fischer and Senator Ben Sasse from Nebraska. In two offices, it was a quick handing over of the letters, in the other two, interns were able to visit with a staff person or an intern for a few minutes.
Children in poverty/food security was one of the issue areas the Micah Corps interns focused on over the summer. The Micah Corps, based on Micah 6:8, emphasizes God’s call for us to “do justice.” That means we need to work toward changing unjust structures, laws and trade agreements that make it impossible for some families to provide enough healthy food for their children here and around the world. Bread for the World (BFW), one of the General Board of Global Ministries Advances (#982325), is a Christian voice helping congregations and individuals to work on just that.
In Kansas, one in six households doesn’t know where the next meal is coming from, and in Nebraska it is one in seven. Individuals and congregations across our conference are partnering with BFW to speak up together with and on behalf of those God calls us to care for, the poor and hungry and most vulnerable. Being able to make visits on Capitol Hill was a powerful experience for the interns as part of their work over the summer, raising the issue of hunger and food security when visiting congregations across the conference.
Another issue area the interns focused on was immigration. The seminar at GBCS included a session with Melissa Bowe, program and advocacy manager at National Justice For Our Neighbors (NJFON). Besides offering legal immigration services for low-income immigrants, the Justice For Our Neighbors network, including Justice For Our Neighbors-Nebraska, offers educational workshops and advocates for better laws so that all people are treated with human dignity. NJFON made appointments with staff in the offices of Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Rep. Brad Ashford, both of Nebraska. Several interns were able to participate in these meetings to voice their thoughts and concerns regarding how we welcome and treat immigrants and refugees living or arriving in our communities.
Read Mackenzie Carlson's reflections.
Be A Lobbyist by Mackenzie Carlson, Micah Corps Intern
July 2016
During my time in Washington DC, I discovered something that I should have already known. We need to be active in politics. I do not mean that we need to initiate arguments about elections. What we need to do is create a space which allows people to be advocates and to be, dare I say it, lobbyists.
Dictionary.com defines a lobbyist as, “A person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest.” It then defines an advocate as, “a person who pleads for or in behalf of another.” The connotation of a lobbyist tends to be negative. We think of corporate lobbyists who lobby for a company trying to make money. When we think of an advocate, we think of protesters, a positive connotation for most people. I would like to think of myself as both.
I want to speak for those who are marginalized and oppressed; I want to be an advocate. But, I also want to change the laws which make them marginalized and oppressed; I want to be a lobbyist.
While listening to presentations from people who identify themselves as lobbyists and advocates, I learned how any citizen of the United States can be a lobbyist and an advocate. Firstly, in order to be an advocate, a person must want to help a group of people. This can be in the struggle with racism or advocating for gender equality. Secondly, in order to be a lobbyist, a person must be in contact with their legislators at all levels of government.
As an advocate, we must realize that our advocacy is not only the big acts we accomplish but happens within our everyday language. We must stand up for our beliefs in conversations with every person, not just when we are engaged in argument. When we see discrimination, we have to let our voice be known and help the transgressor to understand their mistake. Being an advocate is not just pointing out discretions, it is also helping people to understand and change their words and actions.
As a lobbyist, we have to participate in politics. This does not mean we have to know everything about each politician and all policies, although this is very helpful in lobbying. What we must know is that politicians want to hear from their constituents. Even if you do not agree with what your politician believes, they want to hear what you believe and why you believe it.
Although your opinion might not change their voting, when enough people are speaking with them with a differing view, it can change their vote. We also must not be afraid to elect someone who actually votes the way we want. Reelecting incumbents every election is not valuable if they do not value your opinion.
It is our opportunity as voting citizens of the United States of America to let our voices be heard. We must value our gift of democracy and use it to help those who are experiencing injustices. We must be advocates and lobbyists.
The photo shows Micah Corps interns meeting with Nebraska Representative Ashford and one of his staff at his Washington D.C. office. We thanked Congressman Ashford for his support of immigrants and refugees.
Read Eric Muyumb's reflections.
Our Time with National Justice For Our Neighbors and
Our Visits on Capitol Hill by Eric Muyumb, Micah Corps Intern
July 2016
Speaking with our state representative was not one of the things that I ever dreamed I might do in my life, but going to Washington D.C. gave me the opportunity to do that. By doing this it makes me want to do this more and more, because I know that speaking with the representative I get to connect with them personally. I can tell them the issues that are going on in our community while hearing them say what they are doing to try to resolve the issue. To hear this directly is helpful. I know sending letters to the representative is good or making a phone call to them is good but going there in person is best.
We had a visit from National Justice For Our Neighbors during our seminar at The General Board of Church and Society. Melissa Bowe, Program and Advocacy Manager, talked about a lot of things. Immigration is one of the Micah Corps’ social justice issues. Bowe informed us about bills that we could bring up in our conversations with our Nebraska representatives. It was an eye opening experience. Bowe even told us how to talk to the representatives and what to say to them, what kind of questions to throw their way and the most common answers to those questions.
On our last day in Washington D.C., we went to visit two of our Nebraska representatives. We met with Denise Fleming (Congressman Ashford’s office) and Emily Sissell (Congressman Fortenberry’s office) to talk about the issues of immigration. I was glad that they agreed to talk to us, since the meeting was kind of a last minute thing. The fact that we never got to talk with the representatives themselves was a downer for me but being there and lobbying about immigration reform with my fellow interns was great for me, a once in a life time experience. We were lucky to get to shake hands with Congressman Ashford.
-------Help make Kansas a welcome place for refugees
Our ministry with immigrants and refugees in Kansas has been a little more difficult to get up and running than we had hoped. After the announcement from Gov. Sam Brownback about limiting immigration to the state, I spoke with two agencies in Wichita that were just defeated and not sure if they were going to continue their efforts of working with individuals. We are blessed to have Lacey Studnicka with Lutheran Family Services in Nebraska who is connecting churches with families. She and I have spent a lot of time talking and emailing about what direction to take for Kansas.
I met Musa Rashid, who came to Wichita as a refugee from the Congo and has made Wichita his home for six years. Musa has an informal organization to help refugees beyond their initial 90 days of refugee resettlement support. His “board of directors” are from Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Burma, Burundi and Eritrea. He told me “Refugees are suffering in Wichita.” Since Studnicka has been so gracious to help us get the ball rolling in Kansas, she met with Musa a couple of weeks ago to help discern his thoughts on where we can help the most.
Knowing that we needed others who can bring some much-needed legal advice, while Studnicka was at a meeting in Washington, D.C., she met just the right person to fill that need! Selena Sujoldzic is an attorney in Wichita with Arn, Mullins, Unruh, Kuhn and Wilson, LLP. She was resettled in Wichita when she was 12 years old from Bosnia. Selena now sits on the board of directors for the National Office of Lutheran Immigration Refugee Services (LIRS).
Sujoldzic, Musa and I connected, and we are meeting next week to begin our new journey together. It has taken longer than I had anticipated, yet now I know why: The right players had to come together in the right time to be able to make the most difference. Our team is ready, and I am excited about this journey that we are on together.
View a video providing instruction about the refugee settlement process filmed July 20 in our Lincoln, Nebraska, studio.[Submitted by Rev. Hollie Tapley, disaster response coordinator]
-------
Labor laws change on federal levelOn May 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) “white collar” overtime exemption rules. The "Final Rule" strengthens overtime protections for workers.
Generally, in order for a worker to fall within the scope of the “white collar” overtime exemptions, the worker’s pay must exceed the standard salary level. Through the adoption of the Final Rule, the DOL has increased this salary level to equal the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers from the lowest wage Census Region. This change raises the salary level from its previous amount of $455 per week (about $23,660 per year) to $913 per week (about $47,476 per year). The Final Rule also raises the compensation level for highly compensated employees subject to a more minimal duties test from $100,000 to $134,004 annually.
These changes take effect on Dec. 1, 2016. The Final Rule also establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years, with the first update to take place in 2020.
To see how this could impact your church and resources from the Department of Labor, go to greatplainsumc.org/laborlaws.
-------
General Board of Pension and Health Benefits shares activity
The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of The United Methodist Church is now Wespath Benefits and Investments, as of July 18.
Wespath has shared the following sustainable investment activities:
Wespath Receives Global Recognition — Wespath ranks third in the U.S. and 15th globally for sustainable investment related to climate change, according to the 2016 Asset Owners Disclosure Project (AODP). The AODP annually ranks 500 of the world’s largest investors based on how they manage climate risk and invest in low-carbon solutions. We were commended for ranking among the top 3% of asset owners in the world, and specifically for our engagement activities, where we placed seventh globally. We firmly believe engagement helps create more sustainable companies and investments.
Wespath Files Climate Change-Related Shareholder Resolutions — Wespath collaborated with global sustainable investors for the 2016 proxy voting season by filing and supporting strategic shareholder resolutions aiming to improve company responses to the threat of climate change. Results from this year’s proxy season—which has seen a record number of climate-related resolutions—indicate an important shift in investor engagement and in company responses to the transition to a lower carbon economy. The resolutions filed with Anglo American and Rio Tinto passed with overwhelming support, including from company management. The resolutions filed at Chevron and Occidental Petroleum did not have the support of company management, however they received more than 40% of total votes—a significant show of support for first-time filings.
Wespath’s Strategic Approach to Climate Change —Wespath’s Avoid-Engage-Invest framework helps us prepare for and support the transition to a lower-carbon economy by identifying and prioritizing where climate change-related risks and opportunities are likely to occur. Click here to read more about our efforts to tackle climate change while promoting the long-term sustainability of the funds we manage on behalf of our clients.
-------
Order business cards through conference office
If you are in need of business cards, send your name, church or agency affiliation, address, phone numbers, email and website to Roxie Delisi atrdelisi@greatplainsumc.org.
She will be placing a bulk order in the next few days, so now is a great time to place your order and receive your business cards quickly. The cost is approximately $35 for 500 cards.
An example – in this case, from Todd Seifert, conference communications director – accompanies this item so you can see the design of the cards.
-------
Mount Sequoyah Center, Inc. announces new ownership status
After 94 years of owning and operating Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center, located in Fayetteville Arkansas, the South Central Jurisdiction voted to turn the assets and operation of the center over to Mount Sequoyah Center, Inc. With this move, Mount Sequoyah has a bright future, and the independent status opens many new opportunities to serve northwest Arkansas. The center is now an independent non-profit entity still located on Mount Sequoyah, overlooking Fayetteville.
"The Board of Trustees at Mount Sequoyah has secured an agreement with the South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ) of the United Methodist Church to acquire the Mount Sequoyah assets and continue to operate in the Wesleyan tradition as an independent non-profit corporation," said Dewitt Smith, chair of the board of trustees. "This allows the mountain to further expand its ministry ecumenically to the local faith-based community, and also focus more directly on the broader needs of the Fayetteville and northwest Arkansas communities."
"The formal separation from the SCJ is an exciting new opportunity for Mount Sequoyah and those we host," said the Rev. Jess Schload, CEO of Mount Sequoyah. "The northwest Arkansas area will now be served with vital new religious and educational programs for adults, families and children as well as having a beautiful site for church retreats, weddings, family events and more. Our hope is that this special place overlooking the city will continue to be an important resource for the community. We will be seeking partnerships with churches, religious organizations and non-profits to continue to serve this region."
Mount Sequoyah Center provides Christian hospitality (lodging rooms, meals and meeting spaces) to church retreat groups and other religious and nonprofit organizations, as well as providing summer camps, swim programs, tennis lessons. It is also a wonderful site for family events, weddings and special events for the region. They also provide growth programs for adults and children on the region. For more information on Mount Sequoyah, go to www.mountsequoyah.org or call 479-443-4531.
--------
Watch videos from the South Central Jurisdictional Conference
If you couldn't attend the South Central Jurisdictional Conference from July 13 to 16 in Wichita, Kansas, or if you want to see key moments from the meetings again, you can do so on the Great Plains Conference's website.
Check out our page dedicated to jurisdictional conference news with stories, photo galleries and videos of key moments, such as the election of three bishops, the memorial service featuring a sermon by Bishop Scott Jones and the consecration service for new Bishops Ruben Saenz Jr., James "Jimmy" Nunn and Robert "Bob" Farr, as well as a sermon by retiring Bishop Robert Hayes Jr. Most of our videos have been posted, but please note there are more to come over the next few days.
-------
Newsletters
Classifieds
-------
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.
To submit a letter to the editor, send it to info@greatplainsumc.org.
Want More?
Episcopal Office: 9440 E Boston Suite 160 Wichita, KS 67207 316-686-0600
Topeka Office: 4201 SW 15th Street PO Box 4187 Topeka, KS 66604 785-272-9111
Wichita Office: 9440 E Boston Suite 110 Wichita, KS 67207 316-684-0266
Lincoln Office: 3333 Landmark Circle Lincoln, NE 68504-4760 402-464-5994
---------------------
She will be placing a bulk order in the next few days, so now is a great time to place your order and receive your business cards quickly. The cost is approximately $35 for 500 cards.
An example – in this case, from Todd Seifert, conference communications director – accompanies this item so you can see the design of the cards.
-------
Mount Sequoyah Center, Inc. announces new ownership status
After 94 years of owning and operating Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center, located in Fayetteville Arkansas, the South Central Jurisdiction voted to turn the assets and operation of the center over to Mount Sequoyah Center, Inc. With this move, Mount Sequoyah has a bright future, and the independent status opens many new opportunities to serve northwest Arkansas. The center is now an independent non-profit entity still located on Mount Sequoyah, overlooking Fayetteville.
"The Board of Trustees at Mount Sequoyah has secured an agreement with the South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ) of the United Methodist Church to acquire the Mount Sequoyah assets and continue to operate in the Wesleyan tradition as an independent non-profit corporation," said Dewitt Smith, chair of the board of trustees. "This allows the mountain to further expand its ministry ecumenically to the local faith-based community, and also focus more directly on the broader needs of the Fayetteville and northwest Arkansas communities."
"The formal separation from the SCJ is an exciting new opportunity for Mount Sequoyah and those we host," said the Rev. Jess Schload, CEO of Mount Sequoyah. "The northwest Arkansas area will now be served with vital new religious and educational programs for adults, families and children as well as having a beautiful site for church retreats, weddings, family events and more. Our hope is that this special place overlooking the city will continue to be an important resource for the community. We will be seeking partnerships with churches, religious organizations and non-profits to continue to serve this region."
Mount Sequoyah Center provides Christian hospitality (lodging rooms, meals and meeting spaces) to church retreat groups and other religious and nonprofit organizations, as well as providing summer camps, swim programs, tennis lessons. It is also a wonderful site for family events, weddings and special events for the region. They also provide growth programs for adults and children on the region. For more information on Mount Sequoyah, go to www.mountsequoyah.org or call 479-443-4531.
--------
Watch videos from the South Central Jurisdictional Conference
If you couldn't attend the South Central Jurisdictional Conference from July 13 to 16 in Wichita, Kansas, or if you want to see key moments from the meetings again, you can do so on the Great Plains Conference's website.
Check out our page dedicated to jurisdictional conference news with stories, photo galleries and videos of key moments, such as the election of three bishops, the memorial service featuring a sermon by Bishop Scott Jones and the consecration service for new Bishops Ruben Saenz Jr., James "Jimmy" Nunn and Robert "Bob" Farr, as well as a sermon by retiring Bishop Robert Hayes Jr. Most of our videos have been posted, but please note there are more to come over the next few days.
-------
Newsletters
- Global Ministries: connectNmission
- Wespath: Center for Health
- UMC Development Center: Spiritual Giving
- Great Plains Administrative Services: July 2016
- MyCOM: July 2016
- Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Leading Ideas
Classifieds
- Louisville UMC seeks Surf Shack VBS items for 2017
- G-Force VBS items available to church in need
- Garden City UMC seeks children's ministry director
- Wisconsin Conference seeks treasurer, director of administration
- GBHEM seeks senior communications specialist
-------
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.
To submit a letter to the editor, send it to info@greatplainsumc.org.
Want More?
Episcopal Office: 9440 E Boston Suite 160 Wichita, KS 67207 316-686-0600
Topeka Office: 4201 SW 15th Street PO Box 4187 Topeka, KS 66604 785-272-9111
Wichita Office: 9440 E Boston Suite 110 Wichita, KS 67207 316-684-0266
Lincoln Office: 3333 Landmark Circle Lincoln, NE 68504-4760 402-464-5994
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment