Communique 285 - May 13,
2009
News
Spring storm destroys New Albany UMC
On
May 8, a severe storm swept through central and southeast
Kansas with winds of 80-110 mph, heavy rain and hail. Large
trees were split or uprooted by wind and saturated ground.
New Albany, in Wilson County, was perhaps the worst
hit. One death was reported and several buildings were
destroyed, including the United Methodist Church and the town
post office, the only two public buildings in
town.
Read more at www.kansaseast.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=511.
UM bishops combat poverty head-on during ‘Rethink
Church’ launch
The top spiritual leaders of The
United Methodist Church are rethinking the way they combat
poverty and rolling up their sleeves in the process.
On May 5, Bishop Scott Jones of Kansas joined more than 40
other United Methodist bishops to embrace the plight of
migrant workers by taking to the streets of the Washington,
D.C., area to serve the workers breakfast. The bishops also
prayed with and talked to the workers.
Find out more at www.kansaseast.org/news_detail.asp?pkvalue=509.
Bequest to UMCOR spurs challenge
A
successful United Methodist businesswoman from Michigan has
left a $1.7 million bequest to the United Methodist Committee
on Relief. Anne Ryckman, a lifetime and active member of St.
Paul's UMC in Grand Rapids. Mich., was known for quiet acts of
generosity throughout her life.
The first income generated from the bequest has been
designated to a $200,000 challenge grant for a new campaign to
provide every child in Sierra Leone under the age of 5 with an
insecticide-treated bed net to provide protection from
malaria.
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of Houston, UMCOR’s president,
announced the challenge grant, May 6. The challenge is to
United Methodist conferences and districts to match the
funds.
Read more at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=6987435&tr=y&auid=4841426.
United Methodist Web site opens church
doors
The United Methodist Church has launched a
new awareness campaign that is allowing people to think about
church, not as a building but as a doorway to service to the
world.
A new Web site, http://www.10thousanddoors.org/, focuses on
people ages 18-34. It uses doors, each opening to a new way to
connect to the church, to help reach new people, help people
rethink church and provide new thought to who United
Methodists are and what they do as a church.
Do we need Twitter in worship?
Time
magazine recently published an online article about ways in
which some worshipping communities are beginning to integrate
Twitter into Sunday morning worship. Time’s article describes
primarily contemporary or "emergent" worship settings, often
with additional screens devoted to posting the “tweets”
responding to what's going on at the moment.
Some congregations keep the “tweet screen” running
constantly throughout worship. Others seem to limit it to
specific times—such as offering prayer requests, responding to
a Scripture reading or asking questions during a sermon.
Rev. Taylor Burton-Edwards, director of worship resources
with the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, has written a
commentary on the use of Twitter in worship. He asked for
feedback from around the world about which circumstances using
Twitter as part of worship might be helpful and under what
circumstances it may do more harm than good.
Read the commentary at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=6968881&tr=y&auid=4829370.
‘The
Source’ event to become online offering
Because of
declining economic conditions in the United States, Young
People’s Ministries of the United Methodist Board of
Discipleship is shifting its regional leader development
program called “The Source” to a free online offering.
The change will provide an avenue for the content of "The
Source" events to be available to a much wider audience.
Find out more at www.gbod.org/youngpeople.
Register early for this year's Preaching from the
Center
Pastors, preachers and lay speakers are
encouraged to register for Preaching from the Center 2009. The
convention is being hosted along with the Biennial Convocation
of the Fellowship of United Methodist Musicians in Music and
Worship Arts (FUMMWA), July 13-16 in Orlando, Florida. The
early bird deadline is May 30.
Features of Preaching
from the Center include a one day pre-event with Dr. Barbara
Lundblad of Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and
instructional sessions with John Bell of the Iona Community,
Dr. Jana Childers of San Francisco Theological Seminary, and
staff of the Center for Worship Resourcing at the General
Board of Discipleship.
Visit http://fummwa.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=34
for registration information and details.
New Ikenberry update
A new
newsletter from Tony Ikenberry, missionary in Bangladesh, has
been posted in the newsletter archive on the conference
website.
To read the update, visit the newsletter
archive at www.kansaseast.org/newsletter_find.asp.
New lay speaking newsletter available
A
new lay speaking newsletter has been uploaded to newsletter
archive on the conference website.
To view the
newsletter, visit http://ke.brickriver.com/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/Current
Seminar_W4HF7CJI.pdf.
Featured
events
United Methodist Church - Kahbeah Fellowship
dedication, May 17
On Sunday evening, May 17, the
Conference Superintendent Rev. David Wilson of the Oklahoma
Indian Missionary Conference will preside over the dedication
of the restoration of UMC - Kahbeah Fellowship building, near
Horton.
There will be a potluck meal at 5:00 followed by the
dedication, worship services, and holy communion at 6:30
p.m.
Visit the event on the conference calendar at www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2834.
United Methodist Church - Kahbeah Fellowship open
house, May 29-30
UMC - Kahbeah Fellowship located
on the Kickapoo Reservation, near Horton is having an open
house on the weekend of May 29-31, 2009
The open house will
include a concert on Friday, a Veterans Honor Dance on
Saturday, and the first Sunday morning worship in 14
years.
For more information, visit www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2829,
www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2828,
and www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2830.
Clergy spouse breakfast for Annual
Conference
All clergy spouses are invited to the
Clergy Spouse Breakfast with Mary Lou Reece, wife of Bishop
Scott Jones, on Saturday, June 6, from 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. The
breakfast will be at the Collins House on the Baker University
campus.
RSVPs for the breakfast must be
received by Friday, May
15. Indicate your intention to attend by
contacting Marve' Ralston at fiverivers@embarqmail.com or
785-594-4804.
For more information, visit www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2827.
For a map of
the Baker University campus, go to www.bakeru.edu/images/pdf/TN_contact_us/CampusMap.pdf.
Lay speaking training, June 19-20
You
are invited to explore your call to lay speaking ministry. The
June Seminar will feature the Basic Course, and two advanced
courses. Rev. January Kiefer will lead a seminar on preaching
that you won't want to miss. Jada Hodgson will bring a course
on storytelling. We look forward to seeing you at Center of
Grace in Olathe June 19-20.
For more information, visit
www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2826.
‘Focus 2009’ conference, July 21-24
“Focus 2009,” the quadrennial conference for
those in ministry for children, will be July 21-24 in
Indianapolis, Ind. The conference will feature innovative
workshops, unique worship experiences, inspiring and dynamic
speakers, a resource center and activities for children and
youth.
Adult registration is $290, if received by May
31, or $330 after that date. Additional prices, more
information and online registration are available at www.gbod.org/ministries/children/focus2009,
or call Melanie Gordon toll-free at 877-899-2780 ext. 1762.
Visit the conference calendar at www.kansaseast.org/calendar.asp
for additional events.