Wednesday, October 12, 2016

The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States "GPconnect for Wednesday, 12 October 2016

The Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church of Wichita, Kansas, United States "GPconnect for Wednesday, 12 October 2016
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Download the printable version of the Oct. 12 issue of GPconnect.
In this edition:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
MERCY AND JUSTICE
ADMINISTRATION
OTHER
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Registration open for The One Event youth rally
Each year, the youth of the Great Plains Conference gather together to have fun, enjoy music and grow in their faith. This one event each year is appropriately named “The One Event.”
This year’s theme is based on Luke 15:32: “Lost & Found.” The One Event is scheduled for Jan. 14-15 at the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kansas.
Learn more about or register for The One Event at http://www.greatplainsumc.org/youth.
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Celebration service for Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. set for Saturday
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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UMCOR responds to Hurricane Matthew victims in Haiti, U.S.
As the humanitarian assistance agency of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Church, UMCOR is responding to the Hurricane Matthew disaster in Haiti and the East Coast of the United States on several levels. UMCOR has now, and has had from since the 2010 earthquake, a field office in Haiti. Azim Akhtar, UMCOR Haiti’s Head of Mission is experienced in humanitarian assistance. He and the rest of the UMCOR Haiti staff are already at work responding to this current disaster through an UMCOR grant that will provide emergency water and food rations, cooking pots, and other emergency supplies as needed.
One of our primary partners in Haiti over the last six years has been EMH, the Eglise Methodist d’Haiti (Methodist Church of Haiti). Through UMCOR’s support, EMH has already begun to provide food to the survivors of the hurricane. In the coming weeks, UMCOR will continue to explore and develop with EMH additional humanitarian responses.
In response to this disaster, UMCOR will also be working with partners with whom we have worked in Haiti or in other locations around the world. The first partner in this category with whom we have already engaged after Hurricane Matthew is GlobalMedic, a renowned provider of water purification equipment and training. In the coming weeks, we will explore response options with this category of partners.
As of now, there have been no requests for people to help other than via financial donations to UMCOR.
UMCOR Responds Quickly to Hurricane Damage in Haiti by Elliott Wright*, Atlanta, Georgia — The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) acted quickly in response to the destruction and death caused by Hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean, notably in Haiti.
The provision of emergency supplies, food, health kits, and other assistance builds on UMCOR’s sustained presence in Haiti, work that has continued since the disastrous earthquake in January 2010. More than 500 deaths in Haiti have been attributed to Hurricane Matthew, with the greatest loss and storm damage in the southern region.
Thomas Kemper, chief executive of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, the parent organization to UMCOR, assured Bishop Gesner Paul, leader of the Methodist Church of Haiti (Eglise Méthodiste d’Haïti (EMH), of both the prayers and the assistance of United Methodists as the island undergoes yet another disaster.
Bishop Paul and other contacts in Haiti reported on October 7 that a full assessment of the damage by Matthew was not yet possible because of the difficulties with communications and transportation.
The Rev. Jack Amick, senior director for disaster response at UMCOR, said the response will begin with the emergency supplies, a water purification program done in partnership with GlobalMedic, and an additional food-distribution program through the Haitian church. UMCOR has long collaborated with both GlobalMedic and the church. The initial financial outlay by UMCOR will exceed $150,000. “We are fortunate to already have an UMCOR staff on the ground in Haiti,” Amick said. UMCOR is the United Methodist humanitarian relief and assistance agency.
Donations in response to Hurricane Matthew can be made to either UMCOR’s international relief fund (Advance #982450) or the U.S. Disaster (Advance #901670).
UMCOR will also assist Bahamas Methodist Habitat with a grant in response to Matthew’s damage to that part of the Caribbean.
“These are initial responses,” Amick stated. “We will work with the Methodist Church of Haiti in considering more long-range programs there.” The church is a district of the autonomous Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas.
Amick said that one of the major needs after a hurricane is for clean drinking water, especially to stave off an outbreak of cholera. UMCOR has collaborated around the world with GlobalMedic in water purification. “GlobalMedic is already setting up in Haiti,” he said. “It provides filtration systems and teaches communities how to fit them out for use over a period of many months.”
Kemper’s letter to Bishop Paul noted that The United Methodist Church’s network of volunteers in mission are on the alert to possible post-hurricane service, but, at this point, the agency is advising volunteers not to head immediately to the stricken nation. The Global Ministries office of mission volunteers recommends that volunteer teams wait until the church in Haiti can work out a system for the most productive use of their work in the areas of greatest need.
“Haiti has a special place in the hearts of United Methodists. We have worked with the Methodist Church there for many years, and constantly since the earthquake of early 2010,” Kemper said in his letter to Bishop Paul. “Be assured now of our affection and readiness to again be your partner in a time of pain wrought by the ravages of nature.”
* Elliott Wright is an information consultant working with the General Board of Global Ministries.
Read more about the response and how you can help.
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Fall boundary/ethics training dates set
All clergy serving churches in the Great Plains Conference are required to have Safe Gatherings certification. A second training that conference policy requires is called “boundary and ethics training.”
Boundary training focuses on developing healthy boundaries in ministry and is specific to the role of a clergy person. Of particular concern is the power difference between a person in a ministerial role and a member of his or her congregation or a person being counseled.
Boundary training also includes conversation about personal and professional health and the use of social media. Boundary training 101 have been scheduled across the conference for those who have not previously had training, primarily for new clergy, DSA or CLM. Boundary training must be renewed every four years and for those needing renewal.
Boundary 201, the renewal course for those who have previously had the 101, has been scheduled for November 2016. Boundary training must be renewed every four years.
If you have questions about your need for boundary training, please contact your district office. You may also contact the Rev. Nancy Lambert at nlambert@greatplainsumc.org or 402-464-5994, Ext. 126.
Boundary 101
There are currently seven 101 trainings scheduled, which are all listed below. All trainings begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. except for Ogallala which will be 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain time. The cost for lunch and the participant book is $25, but BOOM is covering a portion of this so your cost is only $10.
Register for any of these trainings.
  • Oct. 11: First UMC, 14410 Folkestone St., Waverly, Nebraska
  • Oct. 17: First UMC, 421 N Spruce St., Ogallala, Nebraska
  • Oct. 17: Faith UMC, 1623 Central Ave., Kearney
  • Oct. 18: Scott City UMC, 412 S. College St., Scott City, Kansas
  • Oct. 19: Trinity UMC, 1602 Main St., Hutchinson, Kansas
  • Oct. 21: Wamego UMC, 600 Lincoln St., Wamego, Kansas
  • Oct. 22: Yates Center UMC, 307 S Grove, St., Yates Center, Kansas
  • Boundary 201
There are currently seven 201 trainings scheduled, which are all listed below. All trainings begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. The cost for lunch and the participant book is $25, but BOOM is covering a portion of this so your cost is only $10.
Register for any of these trainings.
  • Nov. 1: Scott City FUMC, 4123 S College St., Scott City, Kansas
  • Nov. 3: Emporia FUMC, 823 Merchant St., Emporia, Kansas
  • Nov. 4: Wahoo FUMC, 714 N Beech St., Wahoo, Nebraska
  • Nov. 4: Holdrege FUMC, 604 West Ave., Holdrege, Nebraska
  • Nov. 12: McPherson FUMC, 1200 E Kansas Ave., McPherson, Kansas
  • Nov. 14: Countryside UMC, 3221 SW Burlingame Road, Topeka 
  • Nov. 17: Aldersgate UMC, 7901 W 21st St. N, Wichita
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Strengthen Biblical foundation at ‘Great Preaching for 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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Some summer 2017 internship applications ready
It’s barely fall, but it’s time for college students to be thinking about their plans for the summer of 2017.
The Great Plains Conference is opening up the applications for summer camp workers and internships beginning today. Read information about the internships for camps and apply for camps internships.
Information and applications for internships in other ministry areas will be available soon on the Great Plains Conference website, so check back later for more details.
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Camp Fontanelle planning upcoming fall, winter events
Camp Fontanelle, the Great Plains United Methodist Conference camp in east-central Nebraska, has a variety of fall activities on tap:
Search for Treats
On Sundays, Oct. 16 and 23, Camp Fontanelle is holding its annual Search for Treats in the Maze. Kids and adults can dress in costume, bring their treats bags and find their way through the maze looking for people giving out treats in the maze. Search for Treats will run from 2-4 p.m. There is no additional cost for this event, besides the entrance fee.
The U.S. Marines will be on hand collecting toys for their Toys for Tots campaign. Bring a toy valued at $5 or more and get a free pass. The Marines will be at the corn maze during Search for Treats.
Churches and businesses are still needed to help make this activity a success. Please consider being a treat giver in the maze. Contact Derek Bergman at 402-203-0782 and volunteer for the 16th or 23rd.
Scary Maze Nights
Camp Fontanelle can be eerie at night. The rustle of the dry corn leaves, the hoot of an owl, or just your imagination, makes the perfect setting for Scary Maze Nights at Camp Fontanelle.
The corn maze will be open Saturdays, Oct. 22 and 29, and Friday, Oct. 28, from 7-10 p.m. with most of its regular daytime activities. Take a ride on the zipline in the dark, play laser tag in the maze or get that eerie feeling going through the corn maze. The short maze will just be dark, but in the long part of the maze there may be something scary jumping out to startle the maze walkers.
There will be movies running at the Petting Barn area from 7-10 p.m. In addition to the Scary Maze Nights, the pumpkin patch and corn maze will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-7 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 6.
Wilderness Run and Walk
The seventh Annual Wilderness Run will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29. This 5K run/1.25 mile hike will have participants going through the woods at Camp Fontanelle. Cross Buttermilk Creek, run/hike up to Christmas Tree Hill and head back to the 7:24 Shelter for a meal prepared by the Camp Fontanelle cooks. Check-in for the run will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the run/walk starting at 10:30 a.m.
All children younger than 14 years will receive medals and trophies will be given out at lunch. As well as lunch, participants will get a free pass for entrance to the pumpkin patch and corn maze. If registered by Oct. 18, runners/walkers will get a T-shirt. People at the race to cheer on their family and friends can get a meal for $5. Go to campfontanelle.com to register or phone Trent Meyer, 402-459-0686 for more information.
Culture of Call Youth Retreat
Camp Fontanelle is holding an overnight for teens who want to learn more about the different forms of ministry. The retreat, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 4-5, will connect interested youth with people in pastoral ministry, music ministry, children/youth/campus ministry, camping ministry and more.
The retreat is meant to allow teens to discern their call to the ministry and give them a resource to ask questions, get answers and direction on how to move forward in their call.
Camp Fontanelle is currently taking registrations. The cost is $20 and will include lodging, activities and three meals at Camp Fontanelle. Check-in will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday and the Culture retreat will end at3 p.m. Saturday.
Please share this information with a teen whom has an interest and passion for giving and helping others.
Christmas Camp at Camp Fontanelle
The third annual Camp Fontanelle Christmas Camp will be the weekend of Dec. 16. This special weekend is for 9- to 14-year-olds who need to find a little Christmas spirit.
Do you know of someone who has had a difficult 2016 because of family, emotional or financial reasons? Is there someone who could use time learning about the true meaning of Christmas and be reminded of the blessings we all receive because of the birth of or Savior? Christmas Camp may be just what is needed.
The weekend will be filled with laughter, worship, great food and fun camp activities.
Camp begins with check in at 4 p.m. Friday and will run through Sunday, ending at approximately 3 p.m. Please contact the camp at 402-478-4296 or fontanelle@greatplainsumc.org for more information about the camp or to register.
The camp is also looking for churches and individuals to adopt campers for the gift-giving. Donations will also be needed to fill the Christmas store where the campers will “shop” to take home a gift to a family member to give at Christmas. Please contact the camp for information about becoming a gift angel for a camper.
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New Advent resources at the Great Plains Resource Center
 
The season of Advent will soon be here and it is not too early to reserve your Advent study at the resource center.
There are several new Advent studies to choose from and over the next several weeks, several available from our Great Plains Resource Center will be highlighted.
“The Redemption of Scrooge” is a four-part Advent study that looks at Charles Dickens' Christmas classic through the lens of faith. From the ghost of Christmas past to the redemption of Christmas future, this Advent study offers to “bless us every one.” The four lessons are
Bah! Humbug!
The Remembrance of Christmas Past
The Life of Christmas Present
The Hope of Christmas Future
This study includes a worship resource flash drive and a youth study book along with the DVD, leader guide and participant guide.
This year rediscover the wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others.
“The Wonder of Christmas – Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible” is a four-week Advent study by Ed Robb and Rob Renfroe that finds inspiration in the stories of real people who reflect the light of Jesus not only at Christmas but all year round. The four lessons are:
  1. The Wonder of A Star – Be watching for your star!
  2. The Wonder of A Name – His name is Immanuel – God with us.
  3. The Wonder of A Manger – Jesus chose to be born among us.
  4. The Wonder of A Promise – We must be Christ’s presence in our world.
This study is an all-church study that includes a worship resource flash drive, a youth and children’s guide, a devotional for the season along with the DVD, leader guide and participant book.
To reserve your Advent study, email your request to Diane Dunkerson at ddunkerson@greatplainsumc.org or call at 1-800-435-6107.
To see a complete listing of all the Advent/Christmas studies available at the resource center go to our online catalog at www.gpresourcecenter.org.
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Church of the Resurrection launches site with free resources
Church of the Resurrection – based in Leawood, Kansas – has developed a website filled with a variety of resources designed to help local churches reach their congregations, their communities and beyond.
And it’s all free for use.
The website – www.sharechurch.com – allows for free registration, which allows access to curriculum, children’s ministry tools, sermon series, training programs, administrative forms and materials for small groups.
The Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor at Resurrection, said in a Facebook post introducing the site that the site contains several hundred resources at launch, and more will be added.
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Bulletin insert offers death penalty information
In less than four weeks, Nebraska voters will decide whether to bring back the death penalty or keep life imprisonment without parole as the sentence for first degree murder.
The question posed by Referendum 426 is "Shall LB 268 be repealed?" A vote to "Repeal" will reinstate the death penalty. A vote to "Retain" will keep the Legislature's decision to end capital punishment in Nebraska.
The United Methodist Church strongly opposes capital punishment. Other churches sharing this view and urging their members to vote "Retain" include the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church (ELCA), United Church of Christ, Presbyterian Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and others.
Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty has prepared a bulletin insert summarizing the ways Nebraska's death penalty is too flawed to fix.
Please feel free to download, print and distribute it. For more information, please contact Rev. Stephen Griffith, griffith@nadp.net, 402-477-7787.
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Elders for the Earth learn about climate change
Elders for the Earth: A Retreat in the Spirit of Chautauqua drew a large crowd at Mahoney State Park near Ashland, Nebraska, Oct. 3-6. This four-day, three-night event was geared to those 50 years and older and focused on learning more about and acting on climate change.
"Only in the last few years did the science crystallize, revealing the urgency — our planet is in peril. If we do not change course soon, we will hand our children a situation that is out of their control," said James Hansen, climate scientist.
Those gathered brought their wisdom, energy and passion to "change course."
Thanks to generous financial support from the Great Plains Mercy and Justice Team and the Peace with Justice Sunday offering, costs to participants were kept low and scholarships were available so all who wanted to come were welcome.
First UMC’s (Omaha) Eco-Team also helped sponsor the event and the Big Garden led a workshop on seed saving as one of the many workshops/playshops offered.
The event was zero waste in that the event had at least a 90 percent resource recovery rate — which means participants reused, recycled and composted so 10 percent or less was sent to a landfill.
Stay tuned for more information and photos about the event and for concrete ideas you can take to work for climate justice. For updates, go to elders4theearth.com.

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GBCS general secretary to speak about poverty
The Great Plains Annual Conference’s Mercy & Justice Team is pleased to announce that Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe will be one of our keynote speakers at the “Let’s Talk” event on Oct. 29 at First United Methodist Church, Lincoln. The focus of this “Let’s Talk” event will be encountering poverty.
Henry-Crowe is the general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church. She has served as the social justice agency’s top executive since 2014, after 22 years at Emory University.
As Dean of the Chapel & Religious Life at Emory, Henry-Crowe conducted a ministry to and with a diverse constituency of 12,000 students and 2,400 faculty members. She focused on interfaith and ecumenical work, mentoring and vocational formation of a new generation for social-justice ministries, and stewardship and fundraising.
For 16 years, Henry-Crowe served as a member of the United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination’s “Supreme Court.” She is the first woman elected president of the Judicial Council, serving from 2008-2012.
Henry-Crowe was ordained an elder and continues to be a member of The South Carolina Annual Conference. In South Carolina she served in three pastoral appointments, and as associate director and then director of the Conference Council on Ministries.
Recipient of a master of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory, Henry-Crowe also holds doctor of divinity degrees from Wofford College and LaGrange College. She has served on the board of trustees for Claflin University, Columbia College and Santiago College.
In 2000, she was named Chaplain of the Year by the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry. She also has been recognized for her work in her commitment to social justice.
The “Let’s Talk” event will be held at First United Methodist Church, 2723 N. 50th St., Lincoln, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday Oct. 29. This event is priced to make it financially accessible to as many people as possible. The registration fee is a suggested donation of $5, which includes the day of programming and lunch. If the cost prevents you from attending, please contact the Rev. Kalaba Chali at kchali@greatplainsumc.org or by phone at 316-684-0266.
Online registration is available, or www.greatplainsumc.org/register. You can also register by calling the Conference Office at 316-684-0266.
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Grant applications accepted for poverty-alleviation initiative
The 2016 Great Plains Annual Conference session voted to create the Poverty Alleviation Initiative, which has as one of its goals the plan to provide seed money to initiate sustainable and relationship-based programs that address poverty.
Grants are now available to help churches do the necessary work. While Circles, Networx and Bridges Out of Poverty training have been suggested models, churches are not limited to initiating these programs with the grant money.
These grants are available prior to congregations incurring any costs. The deadline for applications is Nov. 30. Grants may be as large as $6,000 to be distributed each January over a three-year period.
While the dollar amount may not allow for the creation of a robust program by itself, the funds can be a catalyst for securing resources necessary to continue to grow an effective poverty-alleviation program.
Download the grant application as a fillable Word document.
Download the grant application as a PDF.
Instructions for submitting the applications can be found on the forms themselves.
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Bringing Forth the Kingdom: a conversation about poverty
Poverty doesn’t go away, and the Poverty Education and Advocacy Team (PEAT) of First United Methodist Church in Omaha and Clair Memorial United Methodist Church continue to explore ways to improve access to information and resources; facilitate awareness and conversation among service providers; and advocate for seamless access to the systems that aid families living in poverty.
Annually, the churches co-sponsor a forum to better inform our churches and other citizens. On Saturday, Nov. 5, from 8 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Tim Clark, Drew Pauly, Tracie Tibbs and David Thomas will be present at First UMC, 7020 Cass St. These leaders come from diverse backgrounds, all focusing their energy on how to help.
PEAT and Clair have worked diligently to assess the needs and to recruit leaders who can take a broad look at the spectrum of poverty as experienced in Omaha. The forum is free to all who attend.
Please register by going to http://fumcomaha.org/kingdom so the churches have adequate materials and handouts.
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Omaha pastor among leadership of Commission on Religion, Race
The United Methodist Church's agency charged with challenging, leading, and equipping lay members and clergypersons to become more interculturally competent, to ensure institutional equity, and to facilitate vital conversations about religion, race, tribe and culture has elected Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe as president of its board of directors for the next four years. Among the leadership of the executive team is the Rev. Zach Anderson, pastor of Hanscom Park UMC in Omaha, as the finance chairperson.
Board members affirmed three priorities for the work of the General Commission on Religion and Race:
To focus on supporting local congregations by creating training, worship, Biblically based study, and other resources "to impact the ministry of people in the pews."
To expand relationships with and ministries with United Methodists beyond the United States, learning about and engaging to counter tribal strife, xenophobia and "fear of the other."
To be proactive and creative in envisioning and proposing ideas about how the work of GCORR should be positioned in a new global church structure.
Great Plains pastor among leadership of Commission on Religion and Race
Erin Hawkins, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race
speaks May 10 to the United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by
Mike DuBose / UMNS
The United Methodist Church's agency charged with challenging, leading, and equipping lay members and clergypersons to become more interculturally competent, to ensure institutional equity, and to facilitate vital conversations about religion, race, tribe, and culture has elected Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe as president of its board of directors for the next four years.
Bledsoe, episcopal leader of the Northwest Texas-New Mexico Area of The United Methodist Church, took the helm of the board of the General Commission on Religion and Race on September 29. The agency, one of 13 international churchwide agencies of the 12-million-member United Methodist Church, also elected the Rev. Stephen Handy of Nashville, Tenn., as vice president, and Rosie Rios, a student at the University of California at Los Angeles, as secretary.
Also named to the agency's executive team were: the Rev. Alka Lyall of Chicago, at-large member; Framer Mella, a laywoman from the Mindanao province in the Philippines, as chairperson of the board governance committee; and the Rev. Zach Anderson, pastor of Hanscom Park UMC in Omaha, Nebraska, finance chairperson.
In a separate action, the 22-member board of directors – which includes lay and clergy members from Europe, Africa, the Philippines and the United States – unanimously re-elected Erin M. Hawkins as chief executive officer for another four years. Hawkins had earlier announced plans to leave the post; however, when discerning what God was calling her to do in this time in the life of the church, the board invited her to remain general secretary.
During their organizing meeting for their work for the 2017-2020 quadrennium, commission members visited the new National African American Museum of History and Culture and discussed their experience there. They then spent time discussing the current state of the church and the world, and how the agency might best help United Methodists around the world to develop greater intercultural competency and understand and relate to their ministry context-especially laity and clergy who are in leadership in local churches.
In her opening address, Hawkins asserted that the work of the agency is not just about dismantling racism, but also helping people form right relationships with God and one another.
"When we are in right relationships, then we will work for justice. We will engage in leveling the playing field so that bias against people by race, culture, tribe, and ethnicity is no longer an issue. When we are in right relationships, we will tear down walls of division and be about addressing imbalance of power," she said.
Board members affirmed three priorities for the work of the General Commission on Religion and Race:
To focus on supporting local congregations by creating training, worship, Biblically based study, and other resources "to impact the ministry of people in the pews."
To expand relationships with and ministries with United Methodists beyond the United States, learning about and engaging to counter tribal strife, xenophobia, and "fear of the other."
To be proactive and creative in envisioning and proposing ideas about how the work of GCORR should be positioned in a new global church structure.In addition to training and educational resources, the Commission also oversees the CORR Action Fund of nearly $600,000 for grants to support local-church-based ministries of racial justice, intercultural understanding, and witness.
Board member Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda affirmed the dire need for the church to intervene and help build understanding and paths of reconciliation for people divided around the world. Episcopal leader of the Eastern Congo in Africa, Unda described his own ministry among people divided by tribal strife.
"I come from a context where people are killing one another because we come from different places, not realizing that we share a common humanity and right to exist," said Unda, who has been a member of the Commission since 2013.
"Our congregations everywhere need resources that reflect the reality in a constant changing world and help us remember the promises we made to God with our baptism. We have a lot of homework to do and an obligation to approach this work," he added.
Read more about the recent meetings.
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Open enrollment for clergy health insurance going on now
Open enrollment for clergy health insurance in 2017 is currently going on. Enrollment will be open Oct. 3 to Oct. 21.
The Great Plains Conference will be using PlanSource again, an online enrollment and support software for all optional benefit plans which began Oct. 3, 2016. You must use PlanSource to update any personal information (address, phone number, earnings, etc.) and to enroll or make changes to coverages you selected last year.
View more information including premiums and how to enroll at www.greatplainsumc.org/healthinsurance. Be sure to select the information under 2017 Clergy Health Insurance Information.
Open enrollment dates for conference clergy and lay staff and camp employees will be announced at a later time.
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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 at rdelisi@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.
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Across the Connection
After 105 years, Nebraska parsonage finds new home
Several months ago it became apparent to the administrative board of the First United Methodist Church in Osceola, Nebraska, that its current parsonage needed a major renovation.
After much discussion and investigation into the cost of stripping it down to the two-by-fours and basically rebuilding the interior, it still would not comply with the standards of what a modern-day parsonage needs to be.
Much prayer and discernment went into the decision to give the house away with the stipulation that it must be moved off of the lot where it was built in 1911, right next to the church building.
Several months came and went as did several “lookers.” And then the miracle happened! A young married couple and his parents looked at the home multiple times. They found a house mover who said it could be moved. It was agreed upon that the selling price of the house would be for zero dollars, knowing that price of moving the house would be very costly.
The morning of Sept. 28, 2016, the old parsonage began its journey to its new location on an acreage approximately 20 miles away. While there were some lumps in the throats of longtime church members, everyone is so thankful that the “old parsonage” will be the forever home for this young family.
Twenty-eight pastors and their families have lived in the parsonage over its 105-year history. Current members remember attending membership classes and Christmas open houses at the parsonage. Others reflected on the time spent scrapping wallpaper, painting, cleaning and making the house ready for the arrival of the next appointed pastor.
The congregation raised the entire amount of money needed to purchase a 20-year-old home where the current pastor resides.
Most of all we recognize that without God’s blessings and guidance, none of this would have happened. We take this as a sign that God has plans for the future ministry of the Osceola First United Methodist Church.
St. Paul UMC Wichita garage sale Oct. 20-22
St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1356 N. Broadway in Wichita, will have its annual garage sale Oct. 20-22. More information is available here.
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In Other News
Newsletters
Blogs and Opinion
In Layman's Terms: Todd Seifert, conference communications director, encourages United Methodists to use the presidential race political scandal involving “locker room talk” to help us shine a light on issues related to women.
Classifieds
To view these and other classifieds, go to greatplainsumc.org/classifieds.
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