News

Conferences to consider constitutional amendments

United Methodist conferences around the globe will be voting on four amendments to the United Methodist Church’s constitution during annual sessions this year. Proposed Amendment I would change Division One, Article VI of the constitution to add the word “pray” to the list of actions the denomination will take in relationship to other Methodist and non-Methodist denominations around the world in its ecumenical efforts. Proposed Amendment II would change Division Two, Section...

Kansas East Conference joins anti-malaria campaign

The Kansas East Conference is one of 12 conferences joining the Imagine No Malaria campaign to end preventable malaria deaths in Africa. The announcement was made during the 2012 Kansas East Annual Conference session at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection June 6-9. Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones announced a goal of every congregation participating in raising funds for Imagine No Malaria by the end of 2013. “Every congregation can do something to fight this disease,”...

Imagine No Malaria initiative informs UMCOR work

Rev. Cynthia Harvey, associate general secretary at the General Board of Global Ministries in charge of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, was one of two keynote speakers at the Kansas East Annual Conference June 6-9 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Harvey focused on the church’s international health ministries as she spoke to the assembly, which was meeting under the theme “The Church United: Working for Wellness.” “”When the United...

Memorial Service honors clergy, spouses

Eighteen people were remembered at the June 7 Memorial Service at the Kansas East Annual Conference. Featured preacher, Rev. January Kiefer, gave an impassioned retelling of the passage in John where Jesus raises Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus, from the dead before delivering the sermon. “There are so many gifts in that story,” Kiefer said. “To me, it’s one of the richest stories in the gospels. Martha touches me.” Kiefer said the relationship between...

Church has important role in health care

Rev. Dr. G. Scott Morris’ conversation with a witch doctor in Zimbabwe drove home for him the reason why there will always be a role in health care for the church. Morris was one of two keynote speakers at the 2012 Kansas East Annual Conference session June 6-9 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. The conference met under the theme, “The Church United: Working for Wellness.” “Virtually every patient that I saw had already been to the ‘nyanga,’ or...

Kansas East members question transition team proposal before vote

Before taking a vote June 7, members of the Kansas East Conference spent nearly two hours discussing the motion from the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team to form one new annual conference Jan. 1, 2014. Following a brief history of the team and the process from Nancy Brown, a lay person from United Methodist Church of the Resurrection serving on the team, Rev. David Livingston got down to the nuts and bolts of the team’s plan. Livingston outlined the principles and...

Bishop, lay leader report on conference goals

Bishop Scott Jones, left, and Oliver Green, conference lay leader, talk about goals set for the Kansas East Conference. (photo by Britt Bradley) Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones and Oliver Green, Kansas East Conference lay leader, reported on the area-wide goals announced in 2009 during their State of the Conference address to the 2012 Kansas East Annual Conference June 6. Some of the goals were met, others...

Christians called to preach, teach, heal

NOTE: Rev. Dr. G. Scott Morris brought this message to the Retirement Service at the Kansas East Annual Conference June 6, 2012. Rev. Dr. Scott Morris encouraged members of the Kansas East Annual Conference June 6 to do what Jesus commanded—preach, teach and heal. Morris is founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tenn., and was one of two keynote speakers at the Kansas East Annual Conference June 6-9 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. “The Church United:...

Retirees reflect on ministry

Rev. Marcia Eaton, member of the 2012 class of Kansas East retirees, reflected that she never intended to be a pastor at the Retirement Service June 7. Members of the retiring class were invited to reflect on their ministries during the service. Eaton, Rev. Butch Ritter and Rev. Fritz Clark shared during the service. Rev. Young-Gil Bahng led the congregation in a Korean prayer practice called Tongsung Kido. “But then our pastor of [more than] 20 years retired, and we had a student...

Candidates urged to lose their minds

The Ordination and Commissioning Service blended traditional and contemporary worship styles as seven new elders were welcomed into full membership in the Kansas East Conference June 8. In addition, five candidates were commissioned for ministry and two candidates were welcomed into associate membership in the conference. Gateway Band from Olathe Aldersgate United Methodist Church led the gathering music, and a choir of members from across the conference performed. Rev. Cynthia Harvey,...

Jones: United Methodists called to 'heal whole people'

Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones sent members of the Kansas East Conference home from the annual conference session, charged with following Jesus’ example of healing the whole person. The Kansas East Conference met June 6-9 under the theme, “The Church United: Working for Wellness.” “Jesus was interested in healing whole people,” Jones said. “When Jesus was healing physical illnesses, he was forgiving sins. He was curing the dis-eases people had.” A...

Offerings raise more than $13,000

Five offerings and a tip jar at the 2012 Kansas East Conference raised more than $13,000 for six causes. Offerings raised totaled $13,197.11. The Closing Worship offering raised $2,595 for United Methodist Women’s efforts to end human trafficking. An offering for the Haiti Partnership raised $1,615.97. The Global AIDS Fund will receive $1,523.97 from an offering. The Youth Service Fund offering raised $1,720.03. Funds are split between the conference and denominational youth...

Opening worship focuses on love

The Kansas East Annual Conference met around the theme “The Church United: Working for Wellness” June 6-9 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. Rev. Portia Cavitt, an elder in the Nebraska Annual Conference, brought the message at the opening worship June 6. “This morning, we need love,” Cavitt said. “We have to learn how to show love as kindness, affection for one another. For love, truth and courage to do what is right should be our...

Nebraska, Kansas United Methodists approve one-conference proposal

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director, and Kathryn Witte, Nebraska Conference communications director On June 9, Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones and Nebraska Bishop Ann Sherer-Simpson simultaneously announced the results of a vote to combine the current three United Methodist conferences in Kansas and Nebraska into a new conference Jan. 1, 2014. Susan Brown and Rev. Kenton Van count the results of the ballots cast...

Speakers announced for Annual Conference worship services

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director Rev. Portia Cavitt, an elder in the Nebraska Annual Conference, will preach at the Opening Worship Service June 6. She is a strong advocate for children, education, justice and community involvement. A native of Little Rock, Ark., Cavitt was raised in St. Louis, Mo. She is a graduate of Wilberforce University with a bachelor of arts in Liberal Studies, and the Interdenominational Theological Center (Turner Theological Seminary) with a master...

UMCOR official, Church Health Center founder named keynote speakers for 2012 Annual Conference

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director Rev. Cynthia Harvey, deputy general secretary of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the General Board of Global Ministries, will be one of two keynote speakers at the Kansas East Annual Conference June 6-9 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. The conference theme is The Church United: Working for Wellness. Harvey will speak Friday morning and preach at the Ordination and Commissioning Service June 8 at 7:30...

Rendle shares context for team's recommendation

Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle, senior consultant with the Texas Methodist Foundation and consultant to the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team, set the stage for the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team’s report in his second plenary at the 2011 Kansas East Annual Conference. Rendle was the featured speaker at the conference June 8-11. “A reasonable place for me to begin is with the Council of Bishops’ Call to Action,” he said. “The Call to Action is...

Bishop offers essentials of effective spiritual leadership

Five new elders were ordained, one associate member was recognized, and nine were commissioned into ministry in the United Methodist Church at the Kansas East Annual Conference June 10 at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Sue Barham was commissioned for the work of a deacon. Kyle Butler, Hyun-Jin Cho, Andrew Hargrove, Cathryn Love, Kenneth Mestemacher, Nicole Schwartz, Blair Thompson and Robert Walters were commissioned for the work of an elder. Pauline Clugston was recognized as an...

End of life brings assurance of heaven

The ministries of 25 clergy and clergy spouses were celebrated during the Memorial Service at the 2011 Kansas East Annual Conference. Pastor Karla Woodward, an associate pastor at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, was the featured preacher. Woodward is assigned to the Silver Link ministry with older adults at Church of the Resurrection. Clergy who were honored during the Memorial Service include Walter Brant, Paul Deever, Dwight Dussair, Richard Johnson, Wendell Johnson, Clyde...

344 years of service celebrated

The Kansas East Conference celebrated 344 years of service completed by 11 people who were retiring from ministry. Charles Benton, June Caler, Earl Detweiler, Don Foster, Harvey Foyle, Nancy Gammill, Bill Hemmen Jr., Piet Knetsch, Jim Stigall, Francis Stockton and Camille Sutton participated in the service. Lee Domann, extension ministry, Norma Patterson, associate at Olathe Grace, and Dan Waters, Bonner Springs United Methodist Church, also retired from the conference at this session. Bishop...