News

Bishop makes 360 free throws to help end malaria deaths

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director Great Plains Area Bishop Scott Jones made 360 of 1,000 free-throw attempts in an hour and 40 minutes Feb. 23 to raise funds to end deaths as the result of malaria on the continent of Africa. Great Plains Area Bishop Scott Jones shoots free throws at Wichita Calvary UMC for a Shoot for No Malaria fundraiser. (photo by Lisa Diehl) ...

Transition team presents draft organization plan

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director The Great Plains Transition Team presented a draft plan of organization for the new annual conference to clergy at the 2013 Joint Called Clergy Session Jan. 16. “It’s a work in process,” said Rev. Gary Brooks, team member and Wichita East District superintendent. “The draft posted online last week is our best guess of where we need to be headed right now.” ...

Transition team releases draft organization plan

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director United Methodists in Kansas and Nebraska are getting a first look at the plan of organization for the new Great Plains Annual Conference. A draft of the plan was posted to the Great Plains Episcopal Area website Jan. 10. Key areas addressed so far include mission shares (apportionments), structure and staffing in addition to naming missional priorities and the call of the new annual conference. Opportunities for feedback are scheduled throughout...

Churches should stop begging, start telling their story

By Susan Cooper, Kansas communications associate director Rev. Clif Christopher, author of “Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate,” believes most churches ask for money in completely the wrong way. Instead of showing the value of donating to the church’s ministry, they give a “doom and gloom” picture of the budget and even how close the church is to closing the doors for good. Rev. Clif...

Bridges expands new-church development

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director Bridges to the Future has helped extend the reach of the New Church Development budget for the Kansas East Conference. Disbursements from Bridges to the Future have assisted Living Water, a new church start in western Kansas City near Piper, and LifeBridge, a new church in Shawnee. Rev. Kent Melcher said both congregations are improving stewardship among members and attendees, which is enabling the conference to continue to reduce the financial...

Bridges work nears completion at Camp Chippewa

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director It was a busy year of improvements at Camp Chippewa thanks to the Bridges to the Future capital campaign. In 2007, the Kansas East Conference committed to raising funds for camping, campus ministry and church growth and development. More than $5 million was pledged by churches and individuals for the efforts. The campaign should be wrapped up by the end of 2013. Camp Chippewa was a major recipient of funds from the campaign. Grants totaling...

Change dominates 2012

By Linda Bloom, Barbara Dunlap-Berg and Heather Hahn for United Methodist News Service Around the world, 2012 was an eventful year. Major events included the summer Olympics and the presidential election. Storms, floods and earthquakes brought devastation. Fighting in the Middle East and economic instability often made headlines. The United Methodist Church, too, dealt with many issues during 2012. General Conference Delegates...

Take a fresh look at small-group ministry

By Susan Cooper, Kansas communications associate director It’s time to re-examine how churches do small-group ministry, according to Carol Krau, Adult Formation and Discipleship director for the General Board of Discipleship and author of “Keeping in Touch: Christian Formation and Teaching.” Carol Krau, General Board of Discipleship, believes using metaphors and associated imagery as themes for small groups is...

KEC disaster-response trailers ready to roll

By Steve Burnett, special contributor The shower trailer has three complete bathrooms with a shower, sink and toilet in each one. (photo by Steve Burnett) The shower trailer has a heated and cooled area for people waiting to take a shower. (photo by Steve Burnett) The shower trailer includes a...

Shoot for No Malaria website launched

It’s not often you have the opportunity to save lives by shooting hoops, but this February, every church in the Great Plains Episcopal Area is encouraged to do just that. Bishop Scott Jones has called for every United Methodist church in Kansas and Nebraska to be involved in the challenge, Shoot for No Malaria, by hosting or participating in an event during the month of February. Churches are invited to be creative. Events primarily will be basketball-themed affairs, such as free-throw...

5 essential behaviors for vitality

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director Vital congregations, whether large or small, share five congregational behaviors, according to Rev. Jorge Acevedo. Acevedo is the senior pastor at Grace Church in Fort Meyers, Fla. The church has four campuses—the main campus where 2,000 people worship each weekend, two smaller congregations and a community center. “ Rev. Jorge Acevedo shares five congregational...

Bridges funds spur growth for campus ministries

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director The Fort Hays State University’s United Methodist Campus Ministry received Bridges to the Future funds to improve curb appeal and construct a storage shed to store tools for yard work. (photo by Steve Johnson) Bridges to the Future funds will be used for several projects at Emporia State University’s Campus...

Awareness first step to improving women's health globally

By Marvé Ralston, special contributor A recent three-day training event in Fort Worth, Texas, provided an opportunity for 27 women to become better educated about women’s maternal health in the world. The Healthy Families, Healthy Planet project is a program initiative of the General Board of Church and Society and is funded through a grant from the United Nations Foundation. The goal of the training was to educate and mobilize an additional group of advocates for international...

Round-up continues meeting needs of many

By Charlene Bailey, special contributor Cars, vans and trucks loaded with donations began arriving in the early morning hours Nov. 17 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence for this year’s Bishop’s Round-up for Hunger. Bishop Scott Jones greets participants at the 2012 Bishop’s Round-up for Hunger in Lawrence. (photo by Charlene Bailey) ...

Clergy health DVD sets tone for healthier congregations

Clergy health is an issue that increasingly presents challenges for The United Methodist Church. Studies have shown that United Methodist clergy experience more severe health problems than the general population, even taking into consideration age, geography and other factors. The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund has a new training resource to help create awareness in congregations of the unique issues clergy face in maintaining and improving their physical, emotional, social, financial...

Leadership Team approves $162,757 in Bridges disbursements

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas communications director The Kansas East Conference Leadership Team approved more than $167,000 in disbursements from the Bridges to the Future capital campaign at its Oct. 13 meeting at First United Methodist Church in Topeka. The majority of the disbursements will be paid monthly throughout 2013 for new church development and support of the Center for Small Membership Churches for the administration of the Certified Lay Ministry program. Rev. Gary Beach reported that...

Churches come together to aid Harveyville UMC's reconstruction

By Susan Cooper, Kansas communications associate director After Harveyville United Methodist Church was destroyed by a deadly tornado in February, the people in nearby communities were quick to help. But the pastor and members of Auburn UMC wanted to extend their assistance. What resulted was a dinner dubbed “Unity in the Community” held Sept. 22 at the Auburn Community Center. The event was attended by more than 350 people, four Christian-music acts performed, and $2,200 was...

Youth take action in Chanute

Youth from 13 churches came together for the 2012 Christians in Action event in Chanute. (photo by Laura Ramsey) More than 85 Kansas East Conference youth and adults participated in a day of mission in Chanute Oct. 6. The 2012 Christians in Action event was hosted by Rev. Dyton Owen, pastor at Chanute First United Methodist Church, and the youth pastor, Cindy Findley. The youth washed windows at an adult-care...

Evangelism is topic of fall festival

By Charlene Bailey, special contributor More than 100 people attended the Five Rivers District’s annual event, the Fab Five Fall Festival and Fellowship event. The festival was Oct. 6 at Worden United Methodist Church. As District Superintendent Dennis Ackerman welcomed attendees, he reminded them the topic of the day was evangelism, which is not a dirty word. All congregations need to share their faith with others. Otherwise, borrowing a line from Bishop Scott Jones, Ackerman said,...

Jones' assignment to Great Plains Area celebrated

By Martha Gadberry A service celebrating the assignment of Bishop Scott Jones to the Great Plains Episcopal Area was ushered in with bells, choirs, lay people and pastors from across the new area at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 29. Jones served the Kansas Area for eight years before being named bishop of the new Great Plains Area. The podium rocked with a praise band from Lincoln Trinity UMC, as nearly 375 Kansans and Nebraskans raised a joyful noise unto...