From Rev. Julienne Judd, pastor at Sullivan Chapel:

Sullivan Chapel, an Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference congregation in Topeka, needs volunteer help from two certified professionals: a plumber, to provide a cost estimate for hooking the parsonage to the city sewer system, and a heating and air specialist, to provide an estimate for replacing the furnace with an energy-saving heat-and-air unit for the sanctuary.

If someone in the Kansas East Conference would help our congregation, the members would be ever so grateful.

Contact Rev. Julienne Judd at jjudd53@msn.com or 785-842-2477 if you can help or know someone who can.

News

Resources for Holy Week available from GBOD
The General Board of Discipleship has posted an extensive list of resources for planning Holy Week services at www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=733,32,49&act=nav_loc.

Health & Wellness survey
Health ministries are the healing attitudes of Christ’s love, summed up with open doors, open hearts and open minds. Health ministries are the work of all Christians and include acts of body-mind-spirit service for the care of all of God’s creation.

Since all churches come together at Annual Conference, it is an excellent time to mentor and model our mission as we care of ourselves and each other.

A short survey has been compiled for all people in the Kansas East Conference to take. The survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IgXHjAZuqow7hwD7EMp2rQ_3d_3d.

A pdf version of the survey is available to download and print for people who do not have Internet access at http://kesite.brickriver.com/page.asp?PKValue=499#survey.

If you know someone who will be attending Annual Conference but does not have access to the Internet, please download the pdf version and print it for them.

Reporting unrelated business income tax
Should your church earn more than $500 in gross receipts from unrelated business activities, you are required to file federal form 990-T. Unrelated business income comes from sources and activities that are not related to your primary charitable-exempt purpose.

Examples of such income include renting the church parsonage, charging building-use fees for non-church related activities and renting out vacant land to a farmer.

Federal Form 990-T may be accessed online at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f990t.pdf and instructions for the 990-T at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i990t.pdf. The 990-T is due no later than May 15, 2009.

Church-run preschools must file nondiscrimination form
If your church operates, either independently or as part of church programs, a preschool or other secondary-education program, you are required to file federal form 5578, Annual Certification of Racial Nondiscrimination for a Private School Exempt from Federal Income Tax.

The form is available at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5578.pdf and is due no later than May 15, 2009.

Churches must file annual corporate reports to secretary of state
Every church should be incorporated and maintain active status of such incorporation. To maintain an active status the church must file the mandatory annual report to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office. To file electronically, go to https://www.accesskansas.org/ssrv-annual-reports/index.do.

To find out if your church is incorporated and whether the incorporated status is active, do a name search or ID number search at www.accesskansas.org/srv-corporations/search.do.

32 Amendments to be considered by 2009 Annual Conference sessions
Voting members of 134 annual conferences around the world will consider 32 amendments to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church as they meet in the coming months. The 62 U.S. annual conferences will begin meeting in May.

Twenty-three of the 32 amendments result from a 2005-2008 study by the Council of Bishops' Task Force on the Global Nature of the Church.

That report said the denomination's present structure makes it appear to be a U.S. church with appendages in Africa, Asia and Europe. At the same time, the number of United Methodists outside the United States is increasing and may soon be 40 percent.

Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones, chairperson of a study committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church, said that the creation of a U.S. regional body would not change General Conference's authority over all matters distinctly connectional.

Learn more at www.interpretermagazine.org/interior.asp?ptid=43&mid=13368&tr=y&auid=4670143.

Find-a-Church expands online presence
Find-a-Church is the most used feature option on http://www.umc.org/. The tool offers United Methodist churches a free online profile but its success depends on local churches providing accurate information, and keeping it updated.

A new Find-a-Church menu prompts the user to provide a multi-dimensional look at a congregation’s mission and ministry.

More information, including updating Find-a-Church information, is available from United Methodist Communications by e-mailing FAC@umc.org or by calling 800-251-8140.

Buy fair-trade chocolate for Easter, agency says
When June Kim says she’d like everyone to buy a ton of chocolate for Easter, she isn’t kidding. But she is very specific about the type of chocolate it should be.

Kim is in charge of the yearlong 100-Ton Challenge of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which ends on May 9, World Fair Trade Day. The challenge was started to increase awareness of fair trade, which helps small farmers and their communities through the UMCOR Coffee Project with Equal Exchange. Fifteen cents of every pound of product sold through the project supports farmers through UMCOR’s Sustainable Agriculture and Development Program.

More information about the 100-Ton Challenge and ordering instructions is available at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072529&ct=6859859&tr=y&auid=4664577.

United Methodists address Red River threat
From sandbagging to evacuating, United Methodists have helped address the flood threat along the Red River Valley in North and South Dakota and Minnesota.

Rev. Rich Zeck, pastor of First UMC in Fargo, was exhausted after spending the last 10 days bagging sand for the emergency dikes.

“We are tired but the saying here is ‘God is good and so is Advil,’” he said when reached by telephone. “Everyone is tired, but I am amazed that whenever a call is put out for volunteers, we have more than we need and we keep responding.”

Read more at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=6866413&tr=y&auid=4683220.

Classified ads online
Classified ads are posted on the conference website, including:

• Part-time Christian education position, Tonganoxie UMC
• Director of children's ministries, Heritage UMC in Overland Park
• Part-time student pastor, Heritage UMC in Overland Park

See all the current classifieds in the News & Events section at www.kansaseast.org/classifieds_find.asp.

Events

Camp readiness days, April 4, 18, May 2
Camp Chippewa and Forest Park are preparing for the camping season and could use your help. The following work dates have been scheduled. Lunch will provided at both sites.

April 4: Camp Chippewa, 8:30 a.m.; Forest Park, 9 a.m.
April 18, Camp Chippewa, 8:30 a.m.
May 2, Forest Park, 9 a.m.

To volunteer, contact Camp Chippewa at 785-242-6797 or office@campchippewa.org or Forest Park at 785-234-8024 or buddychris@prodigy.net.

Handbell concert, April 19
St. Mark’s UMC, 6422 Santa Fe Dr. in Overland Park, will host a Laudate Ringers handbell concert April 19 at 5 p.m.

The Laudate Ringers from Countryside UMC of Topeka, under the direction of Jane Anderson, are an advanced ringing choir of trained musicians.

There is no charge for the concert, and childcare will be available at no cost.

For more information, contact Janet Carter at 913-722-2310.

Retreat offers health, wellness sessions, May 1-2
The eighth annual Healthy Congregations Retreat will be May 1-2 at Rock Springs 4-H Center near Junction City. Anyone who wants to initiate new health and wellness ministries in their congregations is encouraged to attend.

The retreat is offered at no charge; a $25 refundable registration deposit will be returned during check-in.

Get more information and a link to online registration at www.healthfund.org/hcar.php.