News

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...

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,...

Mount Olivet UMC helps fill neighborhood young's physical, spiritual needs

By Susan Cooper, Kansas Area Communications associate director Mount Olivet United Methodist Church is located in southwest Wichita in a working-class neighborhood that is sliding toward poverty. The loss of manufacturing jobs has had a significant impact on the area around the church. About 10 years ago, the congregation had no outward focus and was in some conflicts with their neighbors, according to the church’s pastor, Ed des Plas. “Kids were riding their bikes on the church...

New Covenant puts 'faith into action'

By Rev. Cathy Holley, special contributor The people of New Covenant United Methodist Church in Wichita, along with a crew from their sister church, Norwich UMC, skipped church one Sunday morning to “be” the church. A group of around 50 people performed several community-outreach projects on Faith in Action Sunday. During New Covenant UMC’s Faith in Action Sunday, children assembled hygiene kits to be given to...

Oberlin UMC partners in free after-school program

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director Three years ago, the pastor and a couple of key lay people at Oberlin United Methodist Church were asked to partner with nearby Lund Covenant Church to start an after-school program for children in grades 1 through 6. Today, the program averages 44 children each week. The program is free and open to all the children in the community. Children walk to the United Methodist church from the elementary school and meet in small, “family”...

Oberlin UMC partners in free after-school program

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director Three years ago, the pastor and a couple of key lay people at Oberlin United Methodist Church were asked to partner with nearby Lund Covenant Church to start an after-school program for children in grades 1 through 6. Today, the program averages 44 children each week. The program is free and open to all the children in the community. Children walk to the United Methodist church from the elementary school and meet in small, “family”...

Satanta UMC members provide warmth for community

By Ryan Burrows, special contributor When members of the Satanta United Methodist Church’s 21st Time adult Sunday-school class realized that many children at the elementary school in their community lacked a warm coat, they knew something had to be done. Coats purchased with donations from the Satanta UMC congregation are ready to be given to people in the community. (photo by Karen Burrows) ...

WaKeeney, Prairie Home inspired by Vital Congregations process

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director The members of WaKeeney and Prairie Home United Methodist churches are taking seriously the Vital Congregations challenge issued by Bishop Scott Jones and the Kansas Area Cabinet. “As part of the Vital Congregations process, both churches have looked at their context for ministry and began making spiritual commitments,” said Rev. Larry Danforth, pastor for both congregations. WaKeeney’s new mission statement is, “We...

WaKeeney, Prairie Home inspired by Vital Congregations process

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director The members of WaKeeney and Prairie Home United Methodist churches are taking seriously the Vital Congregations challenge issued by Bishop Scott Jones and the Kansas Area Cabinet. “As part of the Vital Congregations process, both churches have looked at their context for ministry and began making spiritual commitments,” said Rev. Larry Danforth, pastor for both congregations. WaKeeney’s new mission statement is, “We...

Lay people are heart of Zimbabwe church

By Lisa Diehl, Kansas Area Communications director One of the things that impressed a team of people from the Kansas West Conference visiting Zimbabwe in August was the strength and vision of the lay people in the many congregations visited. A team of 12 people from the Kansas West Conference visited the Zimbabwe East Conference Aug. 8 -23, spending time in each of the conference’s seven districts and attending annual conventions planned by the RRW women’s group, which is like...

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...

Ness City UMC hosts football dinners

A Thursday night dinner is a tradition for the Ness City football team, and when other locations weren’t working out, the United Methodist Church opened its doors to host the event. “My football members’ Moms asked if they could fix a meal on Thursday evening after practice before the Friday night games,” said Rev. Mark Chambers, pastor. The moms not only fix the meal, but they clean the space back to what it was before the meal. “This has shown the community...

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...

Atwood UMC reaches out to teachers, children

When Rev. Connie Wooldridge became the pastor of Atwood United Methodist Church, she shared a ministry idea from a previous appointment at Leon UMC. The Leon congregation fixed meals for teachers on in-service days. Like Leon, Atwood has few options for eating lunch out, so it seemed like a good idea. “Some of the [women] in the church liked the idea and called the school that afternoon to find out about our teacher in-service at the elementary school across the street from the...