Wednesday, September 28, 2016

The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States "GPconnect" for Wednesday, 28 2016

The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, United States "GPconnect" for Wednesday, 28 2016
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Download the printable version of the Sept. 28 issue of GPconnect.
In this edition:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
MERCY AND JUSTICE
ADMINISTRATION
OTHER
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Celebration service planned for Bishop Saenz
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, 8550 Pioneers Blvd., in Lincoln.
This setting will provide for a worship-filled experience and will be followed by an opportunity to welcome our new bishop and his wife, Maye, to the Great Plains. A light lunch will be served during the fellowship time following the service.
Hotel rooms are available at a discounted rate at the Fairfield Inn and Suites (8455 Andermatt Drive, 402-325-6400) at $89 per night and the Holiday Inn Express and Suites (8801 Amber Hill Court, 402-423-1176) at $76 per night. Make sure to state the “United Methodist Conference” group to receive the rate.
The worship service will be broadcast via livestream on the conference’s website, www.greatplainsumc.org/livestream.
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Support our new bishop by participating in 100 days of prayer
United 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, beginning Sept. 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.
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Strengthen Biblical foundation at ‘Great Preaching for the Great Plains’
Pastors who want to strengthen their foundation for preaching are invited to take advantage of “Great Preaching for the Great Plains.
This five-session opportunity starts with a retreat Oct. 24-25 at Countryside United Methodist Church, 3221 SW Burlingame Road in Topeka, Kansas. The retreat begins at 1 p.m. Monday and ends at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The presenters will be Dr. Alyce McKenzie, LeVan professor of preaching and worship, Altshuler distinguished teaching professor, Perkins School of Theology, and Dr. O. Wesley Allen, Lois Craddock professor of homiletics, Perkins School of Theology.
This event marks the third year of the Great Preaching for the Great Plains Studio, which is being conducted in conjunction with The Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence at Southern Methodist University.
A lot of preaching these days focuses on human needs and problems, which is important. But as the presenters will point out, we don’t want to lose our Biblical and theological bearings on our weekly sermonic journeys. These workshops will explore approaches to preaching sermons that connect the profound insights of scripture and theology to both the pain and the promise of the human condition.
The studio consists of five sessions consisting of three two-day teaching retreats. The first session is Oct. 24-25. The remaining two sessions – scheduled for Jan. 30-31 and March 27-28 – will be gatherings of a small group of participants and one facilitator. These groupings will be geographically determined.
Christ-centered excellence in preaching and worship is one of the missional priorities of the Great Plains Conference. The Rev. Nancy Lambert, director of clergy excellence and assistant to the bishop, says that “Preaching is one of the most visible skills of a clergyperson. Each of us can improve our preaching no matter how many sermons we have already delivered.”
The studio will challenge clergy to refresh their preaching style and content, leading to more effective preaching.
The studio is limited to 30 participants. The cost to participate in Great Preaching for the Great Plains is $200, which includes meals for all sessions. Motel rooms (double occupancy) for those needing them also are included. The purchase of required books is the responsibility of the participant.
Register now.
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Pastoral Leadership interns share experiences
The Pastoral Leadership internship program is for young adults aged 18-22. This ten-week program will provide young leaders the opportunity to experience pastoral work in the most “hands-on” way possible while being supported by a mentoring pastor and a teaching congregation. Twice a week, interns will share their experiences.
On Tuesday, the experiences of Hannah Sipes, pictured here, were posted, and on Thursday, Jesse Gichuru’s will be shared. Over the summer, Sipes served at First UMC in Manhattan, Kansas, and Gichuru served at First UMC in El Dorado, Kansas.
Go to www.greatplainsumc.org/news to view the stories as they’re posted.
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Small Wonders conference to focus on young-adult ministries
Registration is open for the annual Small Wonders conference, which aims to help churches with fewer than 100 people in average worship attendance better live out the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
This year’s event will focus on presentations and conversations about young-adult ministry. Join us Oct. 7-8 at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina. The two days will be filled with worship, workshops and brainstorming about how to best participate in ministry to young adults in small churches in rural, urban and suburban settings. Young adults will be among our leadership for the conference.
The Peterson Brothers – from Assaria, Kansas – will perform their farm parodies of pop songs and talk about their faith. Learn more about the Peterson Brothers. And check out some of their parodies.
For more information on workshops, hotel options and registration, please go to www.greatplainsumc.org/smallwonders.
Contact the Rev. Micki McCorkle, coordinator of small-membership church ministries, at mmcorckle@greatplainsumc.org
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Deadline for Nebraska UM Foundation Ministry grants is Friday
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation awards a limited number of small grants to Nebraska churches and affiliated agencies of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference.
Through these awards of grant dollars, The Foundation seeks to enhance and expand your ministries. The ultimate goal of these awards is to provide assistance, whether it be a one-time grant or a grant that will help a ministry become self-sustaining.
These grants are made only for programs and activities and include operating expenses and supplies necessary for those programs or activities. They are not made for building repair, replacement, or expansion.
The application deadline is Sept. 30, 2016. For application materials and more information, please visit www.numf.org/churches/grants.html.
Please review the criteria, information and application carefully before applying, and allow enough time to gather the necessary information.
If you have questions about the application process or would like to talk to The Foundation about how you can help fund these types of grants, please call us at 877-495-5545.
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Satellite congregation takes off in Wichita
By providing a mixture of traditional and modern, Aldersgate ReNew kicked off a new satellite campus recently in northwest Wichita with a block party and a contemporary worship service.
Positioned in the former At The Well congregation’s location, Aldersgate ReNew is planning to be a fixture in the area for many years to come.
With mix of old and new, Aldersgate ReNew opens in Wichita
From its sanctuary to its logo, the Aldersgate ReNew Campus in Wichita is determined to be a hybrid of the traditional and the modern.
“There’s a balance there,” said the Rev. Jordan McFall, pastor of the satellite campus that opened the weekend of Sept. 17-18 with a block party on Saturday night and a contemporary worship service, followed by pizza, on Sunday.
More than 160 adults attended the first service at Aldersgate Renew, 11215 W. 13th St. N.
ReNew takes place in the building that formerly housed At the Well, a United Methodist Church commissioned five years ago by the former Kansas West Conference. At the Well had its roots as a contemporary service at Aldersgate, then spun off into its own church.
The 29-year-old McFall, a native of nearby Rose Hill and business major at Kansas State University, has been associate pastor for two years at Aldersgate. He said ReNew is trying to balance the established parent church’s name with a creative flair to promote its new congregation.
“Aldersgate is well known in northwest Wichita, and its name carries some weight, so it’s good to use it,” he said. “There are also some people who have been burned out and hurt by the church – not Aldersgate, but the church in general – and when they hear ‘ReNew’ they might be interested in checking it out. With an established church they might be less likely.”
The church’s logo, a sprawling tree with sprouting leaves, includes the Aldersgate name on the tree trunk, and one of its branches forms a capital “A.” Wristbands promoting the church show the “ReNew” name in green on the top, with the Aldersgate name and the United Methodist cross-and-flame logo on the bottom.
“We’re still Aldersgate,” McFall said. “We’re still one church.”
ReNew’s worship center has an open-stage concept, but two traditional elements – a pulpit and a communion rail – have been added. The wood-and-steel design on each also includes wheels, so they can be pushed away or brought out as needed.
A survey of area residents, McFall said, shows that 45 percent of them wanted to have some sort of traditional elements in a church service.
The worship center has seats for 250, with chairs that have gone unused since At the Well closed in the spring.
“Our team spent hours with lint rollers,” McFall said. “It was pretty bad in there.”
When new lighting was installed, he added, team members realized there was still more cleaning that needed to be done on the seats.
The other new addition is a coffee bar in the church’s lobby, with two coffeemakers and a year’s supply of java donated by the Kwik Shop convenience store chain.
Smaller repairs to the outside doors and the heating and air-conditioning units have been made since At the Well closed, McFall added.
McFall said Aldersgate has discussed a satellite campus for several years, and he was in the Great Plains Conference’s Church Planter Incubator and Crucible training last year to gain strategy and inspiration in finding its second home in Wichita.
When At the Well, about 3 miles away from Aldersgate’s 21st Street location, became available, it seemed like a logical move.
“Our leadership team’s hope and prayer has been that being a satellite campus and having the support staff of 21st Street, having the healthy systems that are there being duplicated here rather than just doing our own thing,” McFall said.
Not only has he moved over from the main campus, but the church’s director of Christian education, Cynthia Rios, has been made full time and developed a Sunday school program for ReNew. In the Sunday school, youth are rotated to various stations week after week, using cooking and science, video and storytelling to convey a different Bible lesson each month.
ReNew is getting the word out in various ways. It blanketed the area with post cards inviting area residents to the Sept. 17 block party and Sept. 18 worship, spread yard signs throughout northwest Wichita and armed its startup staff with business cards promoting ReNew and getting their names and contact information for an email blast.
It will also have booths at community events, and will pass out foam “No. 1” fingers at a Goddard Eisenhower football game this fall, with the Tiger mascot on the front and ReNew’s logo on the back.
Besides the mix of traditional and contemporary in its worship, McFall said that two concerns of those in the area were financial issues and health. ReNew is planning on a session of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (already a hit at the Aldersgate main campus) and will consider a “worship and yoga night” sometime in the future.
In its northwest Wichita neighborhood, McFall said, the two growing demographics are young couples with preschool and school-age children, and those 62 years and older – at or near retirement and downsizing into smaller homes in the area.
Aldersgate already has a healthy attendance at its three Sunday morning services. McFall said he wasn’t sure how the new congregation would be composed, between current Aldersgate members, formerly unchurched in the area, and those moving from other congregations.
“There’s this huge mixture,” McFall said, days before ReNew’s debut. “The biggest thing I have going for us is that I’m not doing this alone.”
He leads a 14-person team of volunteer lay member who are “leading in greater ways than I am.” They include Aldersgate members and three former parishioners from At the Well.
“There’s been a lot of prayer and a lot of discernment and a lot of work together as a team, envisioning a place where people from all walks of life can come and be comfortable and be together and leave renewed, experiencing Jesus and the Holy Spirit in their lives,” McFall said.
The Rev. Nathan Stanton, new church development coordinator for the Great Plains Conference, said that creating satellite campuses has become the preferred method of starting a new church rather than “parachuting in” and starting from scratch.
“You’re immediately able to replicate the healthy DNA of another church that is strong,” Stanton said. “Part of doing a satellite is assessing the strength of a potential parent congregation – their sense of mission, their strength of vision for their own community.
“There’s a sense that it fits,” he added.
Satellite campuses are generally found in larger cities, Stanton said.
“Finding healthy congregations nearby is a priority in urban areas. We want to work with those congregations and allow them to be those launch pads for new faith communities,” he said. “It allows us to know there’s a healthy congregation behind the plants that can really be there with a planter.”
Contact David Burke, communications coordinator, at dburke@greatplainsumc.org
Read the story and see a photo gallery.
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El Dorado UMC finds lessons in the pumpkin patch
As the leaves turn colors and the temperatures fall, we feel autumn in the air. And in many ways, that equates to pumpkins – cookies, muffins, pies, even drinks at Starbucks.
And there are lessons in those pumpkins. See how First United Methodist Church in El Dorado, Kansas, took this common symbol of autumn and turned it into a fun sermon series that taught as well as entertained.
El Dorado church finds lessons in pumpkins
It’s fall in the Great Plains, and that means that, from Starbucks to farmers markets, pumpkins are everywhere.
Including the First United Methodist Church in El Dorado, Kansas.
The church has concluded a five-week series, “Lessons From a Pumpkin Farm,” that is part of its annual “Discipleship Pathways” lessons, said the Rev. Andrew Conard.
“We try to look at discipleship more deeply and have some fun along the way,” said Conard, pastor at El Dorado since 2012.
The pumpkin idea first sprouted not long after Conard and his wife, Nicole – coordinator of young leadership for the Great Plains Conference – moved to El Dorado, when they discovered a pumpkin patch in a quest to catch some local flavor.
“Their farm is just north of here on Highway 77. They’ve got great pumpkin patches and things for kids to play on,” Conard said. “Each season, some days we’d be the last ones there and shut down the place.”
They got to know the pumpkin patch owners, Carroll and Becky Walters, and invited them to First UMC. The couple started attending about a year and a half ago, Conard said.
Noting that Jesus often used agricultural metaphors in his sermons – such as the sower sowing seed on good land, and God is the vine and we are the branches – Conard linked pumpkins to faith. Sermon topics included “Good Soil” (the importance of worship), “Stay Connected to the Vine” (how faith grows), “Planting for the Harvest” (giving and the Christian life), “Walking and Weeding” (the power of serving together) and “Harvest Time” (sharing a mission from God), which concluded the series on Sept. 18.
The sermons included video interviews with the couple, who shared their own leap of faith story about planting pumpkins on former cropland, including the skepticism of their neighbors. Their pumpkin patch has been named one of the best in the Midwest by Travel & Leisure magazine.
The Walters also gave an illustration in giving back, by donating their biggest pumpkin for the church’s annual Lord’s Acre supper and auction. On the Sunday services right before Halloween, church members will be given a free ticket to the patch and an invitation to a potluck dinner.
“We feel like we’re leasing (this land) from the good Lord. We’re blessed,” Carroll Walters says in one of the videos. “We’re just here to this earth to take care of this land.”
“People had a lot of fun” with the series, Conard said. “Certainly the metaphor was fun and looking at a different angle, as well as looking at this place that’s not too far from us.”
It’s an example of “the power of peoples’ testimony and people sharing their story,” Conard added.
Contact David Burke, communications coordinator, at dburke@greatplainsumc.org.
#WeAreMore series continues with profile of a young man seeking faith
Gabe Kreifels is a seeker. He wants an active faith, and that is what drew him to Urban Abbey, a campus ministry and community-based church in a bookstore and coffee shop in Omaha.
Watch a video sharing Gabe’s story as part of our #WeAreMore series. Beyond our differences on a number of social issues, United Methodists of the Great Plains and beyond recognize we share a commitment to Christ and the values of loving others that he taught us.
Do you have a faith story you think would be interesting to share? Send your idea to Todd Seifert at tseifert@greatplainsumc.org.
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Mercy & Justice team invites you to a learning event
All are invited to spend a day learning about how to make progress on the challenges of race, gender, poverty alleviation, environment and the health of our families.
Event date, time and venue: Saturday Oct. 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 2723 N. 50th St., Lincoln
For clergy: This event will count toward your continuing education.
Cost: This event is priced to make it accessible to as many people as possible. The registration fee is a suggested donation of $5. If the cost prevents you from attending, please contact the Rev. Kalaba Chali at kchali@greatplainsumc.org or by phone at 316-684-0266.
Register here.
One of the panelists will be the Rev. Mark Holland, pictured here. He was elected April 2, 2013, as mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, and mayor/CEO of the unified government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas. He began his political career as a member of the Board of Commissioners, elected to At-Large District 1 in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.
He is a fourth-generation Wyandotte County resident and a third-generation clergy in KCK. He has served as the senior pastor at Trinity Community United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Kansas, since 1999. He continues to serve the church in a part-time role.
Mark is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he earned a bachelor’s of science degree in anthropology and a bachelor’s of arts degree in philosophy. He earned his master’s of divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver and was ordained in The United Methodist Church. He later earned his doctorate of ministry degree from Saint Paul School of Theology in the Kansas City area.
Mark is married to Julie Solomon, and they have four children: Daniel, Gabriel, Luke and Esther.
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United Methodist Church launches ad campaigns, provides tools to churches
The United Methodist Church launched a four-part advertising series across the U.S. this week, offering an invitation for seekers to connect with local churches. The ads are present on television, billboards, digital platforms and mobile devices.
The first set of ads, running now through mid-October, highlights the church’s role in disaster response and the importance of staying involved in recovery efforts until they are complete. The next two series of ads will focus on the denomination’s work in education and hunger relief.
“This campaign is an opportunity to tell the story of the good work that is happening throughout The United Methodist Church,” said Jennifer Rodia, chief communications officer at United Methodist Communications. “We hope that people will see these ads and gain a sense of how United Methodist churches offer opportunities to connect with their community and grow in their faith.”
In December, the campaign will shift to the Advent theme of finding the true meaning of Christmas: lending a hand to a neighbor in need, encouraging joy in the lives of others, and giving the gifts of time and care.
Local churches can take part in the campaign during the Advent season by utilizing customizable outreach tools, available in English and Spanish, which carry the national advertising message.
Resources available at UMCom.org/advent include:
  • Up to 10,000 direct mail postcards for which churches only pay the mailing and postage costs
  • Free door hangers and invitation cards
  • Indoor and outdoor welcome banners and signs
  • A free downloadable resource package, which includes videos, worship and social media graphics, and a printable bulletin cover, door hanger, postcard and invitation card
The national campaign is part of the Rethink Church ministry of The United Methodist Church, a movement to encourage local church congregations to look outside of their four walls, identifying needs in the community and then rising to meet them.
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Insurance questionnaires past due for workers’ comp insurance
Insurance questionnaires are past due for the Conference-wide Workers’ Compensation Insurance and also for the mandatory Property and Liability Insurance Program for the former Kansas East Conference churches.
Please complete these immediately and send them to Assured SRA.
You can fax directly to 913-831-4730 or scan and email to any of the following individuals:
Sue Courtney – sue_c@srains.com
Ally Diel – ally_d@srains.com
Karen Hoskins – karen_h@srains.com
If you cannot locate your application, here is the link to the applications on our website: http://www.greatplainsumc.org/workerscompensation .
It is extremely important that these forms are turned in to our broker, Assured SRA, immediately so that the insurance rates can be calculated for the upcoming year.
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Across the ConnectionLouisville, Kansas, church to celebrate 150 years of ministry
Louisville United Methodist Church in Kansas will celebrate its 150th anniversary in ministry to Christ and his people on Oct. 23. The worship service begins at 9 a.m. with a hymn sing, memory-sharing time and reception to follow.
Flint Hills District Superintendent Claudia Bakely will provide the message, and music will be provided by Roger and Donna Eaton, members of St. John's Bluegrass Ensemble and son-in-law and daughter of long-time members Owen and Reva Stratton.
All are invited to join the church for a fun time and wonderful celebration.
Cunningham UMC hosts first triathlon
On Aug. 13, the Cunningham, Kansas, United Methodist Church’s EPIC youth group and Cunningham Child Care hosted the first Youth Triathlon. Participants in this event swam, biked and ran different distances according to their age grups. The age groups were divided into four waves: 3-5 year-olds, 5-7, 8-10 and 11 and older. Tiffany Schnittker, EPIC founder, said 66 youth participated and 21 adults volunteered. There were also 27 business and family sponsors.
“God is My Coach” was the theme of the triathlon. The picture shows Cunningham pastor, the Rev. Abby Caseman, awarding medals to participants with her husband, Rev. Patrick Broz of Kingman UMC, at her side.
Parsons District gathers for celebration
Something beautiful. Something good — that is what happens when the Parsons District comes together in a worship celebration. Sunday, Aug. 28, more than 125 people from across the district gathered together for a time of celebration, praise, worship and fellowship.
The gathering began with lively praise music led by Judy Thompson, laity from the Dennis UMC, and Ken Weaver, pianist from Parsons Faith UMC and Hamilton Chapel UMC. This praise set a joyful tone for the service.
Celebrating those who serve the Parsons District is a long-held tradition. District Superintendent Kibum Kim introduced 11 pastors who are new to Parsons District or have a new appointment within the district: Michael Ricci-Roberts, George Kibler, Keunsik Lee, Myron Stover, Shin Hyo Lee, Mark Demas, Earl Haggard, Pauline Clugston, Ryong Jae Jung, Terry Hatfield and Hyunsook Kim.
Sharing interesting tidbits about their lives, each pastor was met with warm greetings and loving laughter. Prayers were offered for these individuals and their congregations as well as the additional 34 pastors currently serving in the district and those who have served and moved to new appointments elsewhere.
“See Only Jesus” and “Shine, Jesus, Shine” echoed through the sanctuary as a choir comprised of the district’s Korean pastors and spouses blessed the gathering with special music. The fourteen individuals sang in Korean and English, accompanied by piano and acoustic guitar.
The worship service included a moving sermon by Rev. Gary Beach, treasurer and director of administrative services for the Great Plains Conference. Beach reminded the southeast Kansans of their heritage of faith and the great courage it takes to follow God’s call to uncharted territories. Beach was met with a chuckle when he said we might not take the next step if we knew what it entailed. Oh how true! Yet we answer the call and take those steps into the unknown as we serve.
An offering was collected for the Parsons District Scholarship fund, raising $500 to help pay for district youth attending camp and institute.
The celebration’s mission project was bringing non-perishables for Wesley House. Wesley House has served more than 25,000 duplicated clients in 2016 and continues to see an increase in clients each month. The need is real, and the ministry is thriving. During this event, 374 items were collected for Wesley House.
The celebration transitioned to a potluck dinner and fellowship that lasted well into the evening. The district event was sponsored by the Parsons District Office, the DCOM Exec, and the Parsons District Care and Share. Parsons Wesley Youth served as ushers, acolytes and served the meal.
There is something special, beautiful, and good about being part of the Parsons District![The Rev. Dorcia Johnson, Galena UMC]
Prairie Village Asbury to host transgender issues forum
“Wide is God's Welcome-Kansas City,” a consortium of United Methodist in the Kansas City area, will present an informational forum titled “What Does It Mean to be Transgender?”
This forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at Asbury United Methodist Church, 5400 W. 75th St., in Prairie Village, Kansas.
The program will feature three panel members, all on staff at Children's Mercy Hospital, including Dr. Jill Jacobson, M.D. (endocrinology); Rachel Bartel, social worker; and Beth Sonneville, chaplain.
The forum is designed to educate and inform persons regarding what it means to be transgender and is not intended to be a political forum.
In other news ...
Below is a list of stories from United Methodist News Service and other sources on topics United Methodists may find of interest:
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Newsletters
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Opinion
In Layman’s Terms – Todd Seifert, communications director, gives his spin on the first presidential debate. His initial thought: At least Darth Vader was genuine.
Reflections on protests and truth from Charlotte: The Rev. James Howell of Myers Park UMC shares thoughts on the casualties from the unrest in the Charlotte area.
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Classifieds
To view these and other classifieds, go to greatplainsumc.org/classifieds.
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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
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