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Communiqué 429 – June 13, 2012
From Libby Oberdorf, Flint Hills District:
The Flint Hills District is pleased to announce we have hired Crystal Fore as the new administrative assistant, effective July 1. Although new to the United Methodist connection, Crystal has spent her whole life in the church. She grew up as a pastor’s daughter and has worked many positions in churches. She studied business management and leadership at K-State University as a non-traditional student, having stayed home with her three children when they were young. Crystal, her husband, Ryan, and their three children live in Junction City.
From David Toler, Kansas East Conference United Methodist Men:
The Society of St. Andrew rescued more than 60 truckloads of sweet potatoes during the month of May, and volunteers delivered them to food pantries in a large section of the United States. Thanks for all the volunteers and agencies that made this possible.
The Kansas East Conference UMM were able to secure three of the loads, and we were able to help deliver more than 100,000 pounds of sweet potatoes to area food pantries in the Greater Kansas City area as well as to the Topeka and Flint Hills districts. A special thank you for the men at Wamego UMC for coming down to pick up sweet potatoes to deliver to these to districts.
Featured events
Agape Ringers concert, June 25
The Agape Ringers, Chicago's premier handbell ensemble, will perform a concert June 25 at 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s UMC, 6422 Santa Fe Drive in Overland Park. This concert is part of an eleven-day Midwest tour.
The June program encompasses a wide variety of musical styles including transcriptions of classical works, hymn arrangements and original compositions for handbells.
A free will offering will be received.
Get the details at www.kansaseast.org/events/detail_ke/4224.
Learn more about the Agape Ringers at www.agaperingers.org
Youth workers gathering, July 7
The annual youth-ministry gathering, Refresh, Rejuvenate, Re-engage, will be July 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City.
The theme will be “Environments of Nurture.” Mike King, president/CEO of Youthfront, will be the keynote speaker and facilitator. The cost is $30 per person.
Get the details at www.kansaseast.org/events/detail_ke/4173.
K.C. Royals UM Family Night, July 13
The 21st annual United Methodist Family Night will be July 13 at 7 p.m. The Royals will face the Chicago White Sox. The Kansas and Missouri United Methodist Men are hosting the family event with discounted concessions and special activities.
Order tickets through your local church or UMM member. The order deadline is June 22.
Download an order form.
Extravagant Generosity training, Aug. 1-3
The National Association of United Methodist Foundations will host an event for people interested in knowing more about the Extravagant Generosity Program. The training will be Aug. 1-3 at First UMC in Richardson, Texas.
Get more information at www.gbod.org/2012StewardshipEvent.
KAUMRF visioning conference, Aug. 24-25
The Kansas Area United Methodist Rural Fellowship, with assistance from several Nebraska pastors and laity, will present a visioning conference to begin a new rural caucus for the new, combined conference. The event will be Aug. 24-25 at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina and will be led by the national United Methodist Rural Advocates President Roger Grace of the Ohio West Conference.
The visioning conference is open to all laity and clergy, whether they previously have been members of the rural fellowship or not.
Get more information at www.kansaseast.org/events/detail_kw/4586.
Holy Land trip, Nov. 5-17
Chapel Hill Fellowship UMC in Wichita is sponsoring a trip to Israel and Jordan Nov. 5-17. The cost is around $4,500 per person for all expenses with a few minor exceptions. All Kansas United Methodists are welcome to join the trip.
For more information, go to http://chfumc.org/?p=7550 or contact Dr. Paul Longhofer at plonghofer@cox.net or 316-684-4762.
News
Results announced from one-conference vote
Members of the Kansas East Conference voted June 7 during the Annual Conference session on the proposal to merge the two Kansas conferences with the Nebraska Conference.
Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones and Nebraska Bishop Ann Sherer-Simpson announced the results of the votes from the three conferences on June 9.
Find out more at www.kansaseast.org/news/detail/765
Annual Conference news
Watch for articles about the 2012 Kansas East Annual Conference in the news section of the conference website at www.kansaseast.org/news.
DVDs available from Annual Conference
Eight DVDs of worship, plenary and special events at the Kansas East Annual Conference are available for order. Get all eight DVDs for $65 or order individually.
Worship and plenary sessions are $10 each: Opening Worship, Ordination and Commissioning, Rev. Dr. G. Scott Morris address, Rev. Cynthia Harvey address, Retirement Worship, Sending Forth Service and Baptism, and Memorial Worship. The Imagine No Malaria presentation is available for $5.
Order online at www.kansaseast.org/registrations/register/4.
Annual Conference photos online soon
Photos taken at the 2012 session of Kansas East Annual Conference will be available by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 15. You will be able to download and use the photos for presentations about the 2012 Annual Conference session.
The photo galleries will be posted at www.kansaseast.org/ACPhotos.
People who participated in the Ordination Service or Retirement Service or baptism during the Sending Forth service will be emailed links to high-resolution photos in the coming weeks.
Topeka First members help make over school hallways
A volunteer at State Street Elementary School, who is also a member of Topeka First UMC, helped spruce up the school hallways by bringing more than 25 members of the church to the school to help paint.
Read more at http://news.topekapublicschools.net/2012/05/hallway-make-over-at-state-street.html.
Kansas East member receives Kopke Award for distinguished teaching
Rev. Dr. Susan Emel, Kansas East Conference elder and professor of communication at Baker University, received the Jennie Howell Kopke and Verda R. Kopke Award for Distinguished Teaching during Baker’s commencement ceremonies on May 20 at the Collins Center.
The award recognizes a faculty member, without regard to rank or years of service, who has a record of excellence in teaching and in transforming students into scholars, who brings honor to the University and who exhibits good moral character.
Find out more at www.bakeru.edu/news/5703-communication-professor-receives-kopke-.
New wrinkle in guaranteed appointments
The action by the General Conference on May 1 to end guaranteed appointments for elders is coming up against contradicting interpretations. While one part of the Book of Discipline was changed by the denomination’s top lawmaking body to eliminate guaranteed appointments, another paragraph allowing for this guarantee was left intact.
The result, according to the General Conference secretary, is that the 2012 Book of Discipline “does not eliminate the security of appointments for elders.”
Learn more at
www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=11798635.
Haiti programs need medical volunteers
United Methodist volunteer medical teams are now welcome to schedule mission service to the denomination’s existing partner health programs in the Port-au-Prince area, including King's Hospital, Partners in Development, Grace Children's Hospital and the TB clinic at Hospital General. Volunteers also can work at one of the nine Methodist Church of Haiti clinics or participate in the church’s mobile clinic pilot project.
Download more information at http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103380378215-164/Medical+Volunteer+Team+Protocol%2C+June+2012.pdf.
How should the church respond to the tragedy of maternal mortality?
Healthy Families, Healthy Planet, an initiative of The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society, will host training sessions this fall on how the church should respond to the tragedy of maternal mortality.
The program is seeking advocates to participate in the trainings to address this question. Selected participants will build advocacy skills and strategize ways to engage their local communities.
The training sessions will be Sept. 26-28 in Columbus, Ohio, and Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. All costs (transportation, lodging, meals, materials, etc.) will be covered by the project.
For more information and to download the application, visit www.umchealthyfamilies.org or email Katey Zeh at kzeh@umc-gbcs.org. Applications are due by July 15.
CBS profiles interfaith AIDS response
A CBS television special to be aired June 17 will include an interview with a United Methodist elder who believes faith communities can lead the way in ending discrimination associated with AIDS. June is national AIDS Education Month, and June 27 has been set aside as national HIV Testing Day.
Find out more at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=11775771.
Five new ideas from GBOD newsletter available
The June issue of the General Board of Discipleship’s Five New Ideas to better equip vital congregations features:
- Explore your faith with special devotions prepared by young adults.
- Learn about several options for new church planting with resources from GBOD’s New Church Starts (Path 1).
- Join others and feed your spirit.
- Provide guidance for parents on child baptism.
- Develop leaders for your congregation.
Read the latest newsletter.
E-newsletter for church musicians
Resources for Church Musicians is an occasional email resource of music and worship items intended to support the ministry of music and worship planners and leaders.
Send an email to music@gbod.org and request to be added to the mailing list.
Health and Wellness bulletin inserts
The Kansas Area Health and Wellness Committee is providing information on a different health topic each month that can be used as a bulletin insert or copied and pasted into church newsletters, onto church websites or into church bulletins.
The most recent insert is “Thriving for God.” The inserts can be downloaded at www.kansaseast.org/pages/detail/1360.
New Parish Papers posted
New issues of The Parish Paper have been posted:
- July 2012: “What Message Are We Sending About Giving”
- August 2012: “Keys to Growing a Small Church”
Issues of The Parish Paper are available from the e-newsletter archive at www.kansaseast.org/enewsletterarchives.
Classified ads online
Classified ads are posted on the conference website, including:
- Church secretary/media specialist, Tecumseh UMC
See all the current classifieds at www.kansaseast.org/classifieds.
The submission deadline for the next issue of the Communiqué is 5 p.m. on Monday, June 18.
If a live link in this newsletter does not work correctly, you can copy and paste the URL—or Internet address—directly into an Internet browser window.
Issues of the Communiqué are available to read anytime at www.kansaseast.org/enewsletterarchives.
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