Communique 278 - March 25,
2009
From Evelyn Fisher, Topeka
District superintendent:
Members of the ABIDE teams will be
reading “The Anatomy of Peace” by the Arbinger Institute next month.
Several people have expressed interest in borrowing a copy rather
than purchasing it.
If you
have a copy, please get it to your district office or to the
conference office. Make sure your name and address is in the book so
that it can be returned to you.
News
Churches celebrating 150 years to be honored at Annual
Conference
The Commission on Archives and History is
requesting information to honor churches that will celebrate a 150th
anniversary between June 1, 2009, and May 30, 2010. Send information
to the commission chairperson, Rev. Phyllis Garrett, P.O. Box 65,
Woodbine, KS 67492-0065 or e-mail to pjgarrett@kans.com chairperson,
so that these churches can be recognized at Annual Conference
session.
For more information, contact Garrett at the e-mail address above
or 785-257-3530.
Keep up with plans for 2009 Annual
Conference
Members of the Kansas East Conference and
others who are interested in keeping up with the plans for the 2009
Annual Conference have two new ways to receive updates as they
become available. You can join the Kansas East Conference Session
UMC group on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/, or follow us as KECUMC on
Twitter, http://twitter.com/.
UMs can apply online for scholarships,
loans
United Methodist students who need financial help
for college costs now can apply online for United Methodist
scholarships or loans. For the 2008/2009 academic year, GBHEM
awarded $4.57 million in scholarships to 3,371 students, and $1.95
million in loans to 430 students.
Allyson Collinsworth, scholarships administrator, said
applications are coming in much faster online than the paper
applications did.
“Scholarship deadlines vary for the more than 60 programs
administered by GBHEM, but the final deadline has always been May
15,” Collinsworth said.
In addition to online applications, students can now repay their
loans online.
To learn more about United Methodist loans and scholarships,
visit http://www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3475011/k.33E/Loans__Scholarships.htm.
Financial constraints on preschools in economic
downturn
Melanie Gordon, Younger Children's Ministries -
Discipleship Ministries Division director for the General Board of
Discipleship, has posted a blog entry about declining enrollment in
weekday United Methodist preschools.
Two situations seem to be fueling this decline:
- Parents, in hopes of trimming their spending are caught
between the choice of feeding their children or educating their
children.
- Parents are losing their jobs and homes due to the
extraordinary economic crisis and no longer have the resources to
keep children in preschool ministries.
Read more at http://blogs.gbod.org/younger_children/2009/03/22/financial-constraints-of-the-weekday-preschool-ministry-in-an-economic-downturn.
Survey looks at United Methodist clergy
spouses
Today’s clergy spouse, either male or female,
often has a graduate degree and a full-time job outside the
church.
That is one of the findings of a survey prepared by the United
Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women, in
collaboration with the denomination’s Board of Pension and Health
Benefits, Board of Discipleship and Board of Higher Education and
Ministry.
“As a body, clergy spouses have changed over the years and do not
fit what many of us have as a stereotype,” said M. Garlinda Burton,
the commission’s top executive.
Nearly 3,100 clergy spouses completed the survey, which was
distributed in several different ways. Most respondents – 78 percent
were female – learned of the survey through their annual
conference.
Learn more at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2433457&ct=6851825.
Mission updates
Tony Ikenberry, long-term
Volunteer In Mission serving in Bangladesh, sent an updates about
his work there. Read his latest newsletter from the e-newsletter
archives at www.kansaseast.org/newsletter_find.asp.
Classified ads online
Classified ads are
posted on the conference website, including:
- Worship leader, LifeBridge
See all the current classifieds in the News & Events section
at www.kansaseast.org/classifieds_find.asp.
Events
Earth Hour, March 28
Churches can take part
in Earth Hour this Saturday evening, March 28, from 8:30 p.m. until
9:30 p.m., when people all across the globe are asked to cut the
power or at least the lights.
Turning off steeple lights and other outdoor decorative lighting
as well as the power to all our appliances and indoor lighting
during this one hour is an opportunity to make a witness to the need
to think about our energy consumption every day.
To learn more, go to http://www.earthhour.org/.
Forest Park readiness days, April 4, May
2
Forest Park and Retreat Center, near Topeka, is
preparing for a busy spring and summer, and volunteers are needed
April 4 to perform work indoors and again on May 2 to work
outside.
Both workdays will begin at 8:30 a.m., and lunch will be
provided.
If you can help or can bring a group, contact the resident
managers at 785-234-8024 or buddychris@prodigy.net.
Visit
the retreat center’s website at http://www.forestparkretreat.com/.
Laity School of Theology, April 18
The final
class of the 2008-09 Laity School of Theology will be April 18. The
class will be "Growing Closer to God: Some Advice from John Wesley"
by Dr. Henry Knight III at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas
City, Mo.
The cost is $35 per person, which includes lunch.
For more information and registration, go to www.spst.edu/site/laity_school.php.
‘A River Deep and Wide,’ April 20-25
"A River
Deep and Wide," will be April 20-25 at the Scarritt-Bennet Center in
Nashville, Tenn. The conference is sponsored by The Academy for
Spiritual Formation, a ministry of The Upper Room.
In an increasingly multicultural and interreligious world, some
respond with fear. However, as people of faith, we know that
differences can lead to discovery. Diversity is an invitation to
dialogue. The conference will be an opportunity to learn, grow and
relate to one another, overcoming divisions and discovering our
oneness in community.
Registration for the full conference is $275 per person.
For more information, go to www.upperroom.org/river.
‘Youth Ministry for a Technological World,’ April
24-25
“Youth Ministry for a Technological World” will be
from Friday, April 24, at 3 p.m. to Saturday, April 25, at 3 p.m. at
Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo. This is a
gathering for youth ministers and youth workers from various
denominations to learn and share ideas through lectures, worship and
break-out sessions.
The event will feature Dr. Peggy Kendall, author of “Rewired:
Youth Ministry in an Age of IM and MySpace” and professor of
Communications at Bethel University.
The registration cost is $60 per person and includes three meals.
Continuation education credits are available.
To register and for more information, go to http://www.youtheology.com/, or contact Dr. Claire
Smith at 816-245-4865 or claire.smith@spst.edu.
Ecumenical Campus Ministries lectures, April 25, 26,
27
Each year, Ecumenical Campus Ministries joins with
other campus ministries and congregations in Lawrence to bring the
academic and faith communities together with an acclaimed speaker to
address issues and questions of faith.
The 2009 Theologian in Residence is Dr. Peter Gomes. He will give
lectures in Topeka and Lawrence:
- Lecture 1: "Beyond the Bible: Recovering the Gospel," April 25
at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union, Washburn Room at Washburn
University in Topeka
- Lecture 2: "Transformation and Non-conformity: A New Christian
Identity," April 26 at 2 p.m. in the Lied Center at the University
of Kansas
- “Conversation with Peter Gomes,” April 26 at 7 p.m. in the
Sunflower Room of Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont
Street in Lawrence
- Lecture 3: "Being Who you Are," April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the
ballroom of Kansas Memorial Union at the University of Kansas as
part of the annual Awards Ceremony of Religious Studies at the
University of Kansas
The lectures are open to the public without charge, but all
attendees are asked to make reservations through the Religious
Studies office at 785-864-4664.
For more information, go to http://groups.ku.edu/~ecmku/theologian.shtml.
Tallgrass retreat center fundraiser, June
13
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center is having its
first fundraising event, “Tallgrass Treasures and Tennessee Tunes,”
June 13 at College Hill UMC in Wichita.
The event will
feature Celia Whitler, a singer, songwriter and author from
Tennessee, and a silent basket auction.
Retreat center
director Rev. Billie Blair would like UMW groups to donate cookbooks
for a basket of cookbooks to be auctioned.
To learn more about the event, visit www.tallgrassretreats.com/TallgrassTreasures-TennesseeTunes.html.
‘Missional Church Convocation 2009,’ July 16-18
“Missional Church Convocation 2009” will be July 16-18
at the Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center in Chicago. The theme
will be “In Good Company: Becoming Faithful Readers and Doers of
Scripture.” The featured speaker will be Dr. Stephen E. Fowl.
The basic registration cost is $245 per person by April 30, $275
after that date.
For more information, including group and student rates, go to www.missionalchurch.org/pages/convo.html.
‘2009 School of Congregational Development,’ July 29 -
Aug. 1
The 2009 School of Congregational Development
will bring together hundreds of clergy and lay leaders looking to
renew their congregations and create new ones. Jointly sponsored by
the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship and the General
Board of Global Ministries, this year’s main event will take place
in the Chicago area July 29 through Aug. 2.
“… we believe that every congregation can be vital and vibrant,”
said Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, top executive for GBOD. “Every leader
can lead in an excellent way in any congregation—be it new or
existing. … The School of Congregational Development provides an
opportunity for training and reflection on best practices for church
leaders at all levels.”
The full event cost is $375 per person by May 1, $425 through
June 15 and $475 after that date. The weekend-only cost is $100 per
person.
For more information and online registration, go to www.gbod.org/scd, or
call Deborah Carvin toll-free at 877-899-2780 ext. 7051 or e-mail dcarvin@gbod.org.