Many of you may be planning a trip south to take in the adventure that is General Conference. As your Kansas Area director of communication, I will be coordinating daily General Conference e-mail newsletters. If you want to receive these daily General Conference bulletins, follow the sign-up information found in this edition of the Communique.

If you're planning to attend General Conference and would like to share your impressions with the Kansas East Conference, please e-mail me at Ldiehl@kswestumc.org.

Lisa Elliott Diehl
Kansas Area Marketing and Communications director

News

Sign up today for General Conference news
Receive the latest news and information on the 2008 General Conference Session right in your e-mail inbox.

The 2008 General Conference, which will meet April 23 - May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, is an important meeting in the life of our United Methodist denomination. Stay up-to-date with the latest on General Conference through a free, daily e-mail offered to you by the Kansas Area Marketing and Communications office.

This free daily e-mail will feature:

• Breaking news relevant to the Kansas East Conference
• Ability to track the progress of proposed legislation
• News of the day
• Photos
• Interviews and reflections from Kansas East Conference delegates

To receive this free e-mail in your inbox each day during General Conference (April 23 - May 2), sign at www.kansaseast.org/stay_connected.asp.

Only those who have subscribed will receive the e-mails.

To learn more about the United Methodist General Conference Session, visit www.kansaseast.org/gc2008.

General Conference to consider new, singable Social Creed
A proposed new Social Creed will be presented to the United Methodist Church General Conference during its meeting April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. This new creed, if adopted, will be the third Social Creed in the denomination's history. The current creed was adopted in 1972 following the 1968 union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

The proposed new creed reflects more current use of language and is more liturgical and poetic in its presentation than its predecessors, according to its drafters. It can be spoken and sung as a proclamation.

Find out more at www.umc-gbcs.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=3986263&ct=5142755&tr=y&auid=3516555.

?Bridges to the Future' pledges top $3 million
The "Bridges to the Future" capital campaign has surpassed the $3 million mark in pledges, reaching $3,122,950 as of March 31. Thirty-eight percent of churches in the Kansas East Conference have made pledges. The remaining churches in the conference, individuals and foundations will combine to help reach the campaign goal of $5.3 million.

Churches and individuals are encouraged to send in all church pledge cards by April 30 to the campaign office so pledges can be tallied and listed for publication at the campaign celebration at Annual Conference. If you have concerns about being able to send in a pledge card by April 30, contact the campaign director, Laura Murphy, at LMurphy@kansaseast.org or 913-393-4201.

Thank you to all the churches that have sent in pledge cards. Many of the congregations also have remarkable stories of how they have decided to give. Contact the campaign office if your congregation would like to share a story about raising pledges. The campaign staff enjoys sharing those stories with others to help make the campaign a success.

Visit www.kansaseast.org/page.asp?PKValue=1021#Ideas for ideas on raising money for pledges.

Health Ministry Fund survey ends April 7
A moment of your time can mean $5 for your favorite Kansas United Methodist agency or institution by giving your opinion of current Healthy Congregations programs sponsored by the Health Ministry Fund. In appreciation for completing a short survey, the Health Fund will make a $5 donation to a Kansas United Methodist agency you select from the list at the end of the survey.

The brief online survey can be reached at www.healthfund.org/hc/survey/start.php. The survey should be completed before April 7.

Innovation Funding Grants letters of intent due April 7
The Health Fund has authorized a special allocation of $500,000 for Innovation Funding grants in 2008. The funding is designed to attract and support new approaches to oral health, access to healthcare and healthy lifestyles in Kansas.

Applying for an Innovation Funding grant is a two-step process. An initial letter of intent must be submitted to the Health Fund by April 7. Those subsequently invited to submit a full proposal will be notified by May 26. The invited proposals are due by July 7.

Full details of the Innovation Funding Grants Request for Letters of Intent and the online Letter of Intent form are available on the Health Fund website, http://www.healthfund.org/.

If you have questions concerning a project or this funding opportunity, call Virginia Elliott or Kim Moore at 800-369-7191.

Leavenworth Trinity to celebrate 150 years
The congregation of Trinity UMC in Leavenworth will celebrate their 150 anniversary April 20 at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 20, with a performance of "Testament of Praise, A Celebration of Faith." The Trinity choir will be joined by Leavenworth First UMC and Southern Heights UMC choirs for this cantata of Joseph M. Martin's musical arrangements of Charles Wesley songs to be performed in Trinity's sanctuary.

Trinity UMC will have special activities and services throughout 2008. For more information, contact Pastor Don Almond at 913-682-8555 or trinityumcleavenworth@juno.com or visit http://www.trinityumcleavenworth.com/.

Project Transformation - KC
Project Transformation - KC is close to filling 15 intern positions. The program is expanding to three site churches in Kansas City. These Kansas City area churches are partnering with the program in 2008 by providing intern stipends, volunteers, meals and/or children's books:

• Central United Methodist Church
• FirstLight UMC
• First Lawrence United Methodist Church
• First Manhattan United Methodist Church
• Heritage UMC
• Lenexa UMC
• Monticello UMC
• Napoleon UMC
• One Spirit UMC
• St. Luke's United Methodist Church
• Trinity UMC

To schedule a presentation about Project Transformation with your congregation, contact Katie Trinter, program director, at 785-550-1152 or ktrinter@gmail.com.

To learn more about Project Transformation, visit http://www.projecttransformationkc.org/.

Watch Project Transformation's promotional video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dupbs8uBdRU.

Alban Institute's e-Newsletter, ?The Alban Weekly'
Alban Institute has a free, weekly electronic newsletter to click through to timely information and to find Alban books, seminars and other resources in a concise format.

The most recent issue featured "Vital Worship, Healthy Congregations." An excerpt: "As living organisms, congregations are by definition in a constant state of change. Whether the changes are in membership, pastoral leadership, lay leadership, the needs of the community, or the broader culture, a crucial mark of healthy congregations is their ability to deal creatively and positively with change. The fast pace of change in contemporary culture, with its bias toward, not against, change only makes the challenge of negotiating change all the more pressing for congregations."

The entire article can be read online at www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=5894.

Sign up to receive the e-newsletter at www.alban.org/albanweeklysignup.asp.

Baker School of Nursing receives Certificate of Excellence
Baker University's School of Nursing has received a Certificate of Excellence from the Kansas Board of Nursing for its 97.3 percent pass rate.

Read the full press release at www.bakeru.edu/index.php?module=articles&func=display&aid=2628.

?Simply Enough' DVD features Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo, educator, author, humanitarian and speaker, has teamed up with Shane Claiborne, author, speaker, activist and co-founder of The Simple Way community, on the new DVD, "SIMPLY ENOUGH: Straight Talk from Tony & Shane About Simple, Just Living." The DVD has six 12-minute segments of heartfelt and hopeful dialog. Topics include basics like Lifestyle, Money, Stuff, Food, Justice and Celebrations, including weddings. The DVD provides solutions to the self-indulgent consumerism rampant in today's world.

The DVD may be used for free public showings, for libraries and resource centers, for classroom use and for broadcast.

To learn more or order the DVD, visit www.simpleliving.org/indexoth.php?place=SimplyEnough.php.

Gospel Colors website gets make-over
Gospel Colors, the company that does the decorations for the Kansas East Annual Conference, have relaunched their website. The Kansas City company supplies stoles, banners, paraments, etc. The company's website is http://www.gospelcolors.com/.

Thinking about a New Hymnal #4
There were significant political, cultural, ecumenical, theological and liturgical changes during the life of the 1966 Methodist Hymnal, and these were all considered in putting together the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal. There have been fewer of these types of changes in the church during the life of the 1989 hymnal, but there have been many other significant changes in liturgy, worship style, musical style and technology. Many of these are behind the proposal to General Conference to approve a new hymnal for the UMC in the USA. The fourth article in the series discusses those changes and reasons.

Read the article at www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=46133&loc_id=17,823.

Featured Events

Passing on the Faith 2008 April 5
Recharging faith is a must for Christian leaders and educators. Workshops designed to impact lives, build relationships, gain skills and deepen spirituality will be offered at "Passing On the Faith: Dwelling Together as Stranger, Host and Guest" April 5 at Calvary UMC in Wichita.

Workshop topics will include "Boys and Girls Learn Differently," "Labyrinth: A Path to Transformation," "What Every Teacher Needs to Know," "Social Networking" and "Helping People in Uncertain Times."

Walk-up registrations are welcome. The cost will be $50.

Find out more and download a registration flier at www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2178.

Native American Ministries Sunday
April 6 is Native American Ministries Sunday. Money collected for this special offering is used to provide scholarships to Native American students attending college and to support ministries with Native Americans.

For more information, visit www.umcgiving.org/content/sundays/NAMS_nav/native.asp.

Church historians event registration deadline April 7
"Tracing and Nurturing Our Roots," an event for local church historians and archivists, will be April 12 at First UMC in Hutchinson. The event will feature workshops and displays on knowing what to keep, documenting significant events and using church records to learn personal histories.

Registration is $25 person, which includes lunch.

Registrations must be received by April 7.

Download a registration form at www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2165.