News

Dealing with anxiety imperative for healthy churches

By Marvé Ralston, special contributor Rev. Bill Selby taught a seminar, Anxious Times Call for Non Anxious Leaders, for Five Rivers District Jan. 7 at Lawrence First United Methodist Church West Campus. Selby has been providing resources for clergy, church leaders, congregations and organizations since 1999. He formed The Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of The Rockies. At the seminar, Selby explained that anxiety is a real threat anytime anything new is presented or ventured. It can...

Youth 'recharge' at spiritual gathering

The Conference Council on Youth Ministries celebrated and renewed their walk with Jesus Christ at a gathering on Jan. 28 at Lawrence First United Methodist Church West Campus. After lunch, the RezLife youth band from Church of the Resurrection in Leawood led the 125 participants in worship. Pastor Jacob Cloud taught the group and led small-group study.  K-State Wesley and KU Wesley students were present to mingle and visit with the high-school students in attendance from all five...

Through change, keep eyes on God

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director Clergy from Nebraska, Kansas East and Kansas West were sent forth to do ministry following a closing service that included communion and a message from Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones. Jones and Nebraska Area Bishop Ann Sherer-Simpson led the communion liturgy together, and the district superintendents from the three annual conferences served the elements. Jones’ sermon encouraged pastors to keep their eyes up, focused on God. “I...

McLaren offers formula for evangelism

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director Change is inevitable. Adaptation is optional. Leadership is optimal. Those are the words Brian McLaren, author and public theologian, gave to the clergy of the Nebraska, Kansas East and Kansas West annual conferences in his second presentation Jan. 18. “Let the possibilities sink in,” McLaren said. “My vision and prayer is that your churches are full and overflowing with people of all ages who are inviting their friends. My...

McLaren: Everything must change

By Kathryn Witte, Nebraska Area communications director “Think garden, not tree,” began Brian McLaren’s third presentation at the Joint Called Clergy Session Jan. 17-19 in Topeka, Kan. Drawing upon the content of his book titled “Everything Must Change,” McLaren said we have to recalibrate more like spiritual directors and chaplains meeting diverse people who are seekers and who do not fit into the same slot as a parishioner. “None of us our owners we are...

Tricycles assembled by Nebraska, Kansas clergy given away

By Kathryn Witte, Nebraska Area communications director Tricycles were given away to 90 children of the Topeka Community Action Program’s Head Start on Jan. 18 as a result of a project partnership between United Methodist clergy from Kansas and Nebraska and Topeka’s North Westlake Hardware store. Clergy divided into 90 groups to assemble tricycles. The assembly of the tricycles was to help pastors from Kansas East, Kansas West and Nebraska United Methodist Conferences get to know...

Clergy build and give away tricycles

By Kathryn Witte, Nebraska communications director Tricycles were given away to 90 children of the Topeka Community Action Program’s Head Start on Wednesday as a result of a project partnership between United Methodist clergy from Kansas and Nebraska and Topeka’s North Westlake Hardware store. Clergy divided into 90 groups to assemble tricycles. The assembly of the tricycles was to help pastors from Kansas East, Kansas West and Nebraska United Methodist Conferences get to know...

Seeking hope in the face of change

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director While United Methodists in Kansas and Nebraska face significant structural change, Brian McLaren, keynote speaker for the Joint Called Clergy Session, said clergy need to understand “it’s not their fault.” “We might have to cope with change, but we don’t need to blame ourselves for it,” McLaren told the 800 clergy gathered at the Topeka Ramada Convention Center, on Jan. 17. Like a dramatic weather event, a...

God is with us in the wilderness

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director More than 800 United Methodist clergy from Kansas and Nebraska gathered Jan. 17, in Topeka, for a joint conference intended to bring all clergy together from both episcopal areas. The opening worship service began with a drum circle and a dramatic interpretation of scripture. Bishop Ann B. Sherer-Simpson gave the message. Sherer-Simpson commented on the energy in the room generated by bringing all the clergy together. “In the midst of...

Heritage UMC turns anniversary celebration outward

By Susan Cooper, Kansas Area Communications associate director To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Heritage United Methodist Church, the Overland Park congregation participated in a program dubbed “25 Ways of Giving and Serving.” The actual anniversary date was Oct. 16, but the program began in July and is concluding in January.  “The 25th Anniversary Team asked me to come up with a project that the church could support in celebration of the anniversary,” said...

Join the 2012 Clergy Wellness Program

The Clergy Wellness Program is open for enrollment for 2012. The program is designed to empower United Methodist clergy in Kansas to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles that will provide a foundation for a balanced, sustainable life of ministry. The program begins with a two-day wellness retreat, during which participants meet with professional consultants for comprehensive wellness assessments and receive recommendations for a customized personal wellness plans. Following the retreat,...

Rossville UMC steps up to help area food bank

Rossville UMC members Larry Ross and Lois Lacock help hand out food at the Harvesters distribution in Rossville Dec. 28. (photo by Lori Schwilling) Rossville is one community served by Harvesters, a Topeka-area food bank. Last November, it appeared that food distribution in Rossville would be suspended during the winter months because of a lack of volunteers. Ray Kahrs, a Rossville resident and Harvesters...

Topeka churches help family become first-time homeowners

A Topeka family will have their own home for the first time thanks to the efforts of a dozen Topeka area United Methodist churches. The home is the first rehab project of Topeka Habitat for Humanity. Participating Topeka churches included First, Countryside, Big Springs, Berryton, Highland Park, Stull, Lowman, Susanna Wesley, Kansas Avenue, University, New Hope, St. Peters and Meriden UMC. The house blessing for the home of Steve and Loretha and their grandchildren was Dec. 10. Mayor Bill...

United Methodist Church looks inward, reaches out in 2011

By Heather Hahn, Linda Bloom, Kathy L. Gilbert and Joey Butler, United Methodist News Service There has long been urgency for The United Methodist Church to bring more young people into its pews and its pulpits, and this year there is evidence that it may be happening. More than 650 young adults attended Exploration 2011 Nov. 11-13 in St. Louis, Mo. The event was for young people feeling called to ministry. (UMNS...

Pastor writes study for becoming 'caring congregation'

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area communications director Providing care to parishioners when life gets messy and painful is one of a pastor’s primary responsibilities. But for many congregations with part-time pastors or a handful of staff, it’s difficult to provide adequate care to every person who needs help facing life’s toughest circumstances. United Methodist Church of the Resurrection has developed a model for the ministry of congregational care that can be adapted to...

Renewing the county seat church

By Rev. Michael McKee, special contributor About 50 clergy and lay people gathered at Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville, Ark., for two days in early November to learn how they might begin to help bring renewal to their local churches. The common denominator for the group was the context of their local churches in county seat towns. The two-day workshop was co-led by Rev. Marvin Arnpriester and Rev. Dr. Doug Anderson. Ministry and the county seat context County seat congregations need to assess...

Roeland Park UMC works to attract young families

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director The size of the congregation and average age of the members of Roeland Park United Methodist Church isn’t keeping the congregation from making strides in attracting young families to the congregation. Rev. Tim Hutabarat, retired elder, is the pastor. “We are not doing that great yet, but I have some plans to move forward,” Hutabarat, who serves the congregation part time, said. “My goal is to help the church grow...

Roeland Park UMC works to attract young families

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director The size of the congregation and average age of the members of Roeland Park United Methodist Church isn’t keeping the congregation from making strides in attracting young families to the congregation. Rev. Tim Hutabarat, retired elder, is the pastor. “We are not doing that great yet, but I have some plans to move forward,” Hutabarat, who serves the congregation part time, said. “My goal is to help the church grow...

Faith facilitators can help churches make a difference

By Sue Dondlinger, special contributor Is your church located in an area where social, economic, physical or mental-health issues affect a large number of neighboring residents? If your church members were trained to deal with tough leadership challenges, you could make a difference in your community. The Leadership and Faith Transforming Communities program has trained faith facilitators who can come to your church and work with your congregation on the necessary skills for successful...

Help stop human trafficking

By Susan Cooper, Kansas Area Communications associate director Breaking through pre-conceived ideas of human trafficking, Nita Belles, author of “In Our Backyard,” said children, youth and adults are being trafficked right here in Kansas at a recent workshop at College Hill United Methodist Church in Wichita. Nita Belles, advocate and author of “In Our Backyard,” speaks about human trafficking at College...