Communique 271 - Feb. 4,
2009
From Bishop Scott Jones, president of the Kansas East
Conference:
No special session on Feb. 14
There will be
no special session of the Kansas East Conference in February. After
the review of the mail ballots submitted by members of the annual
conference, I have been advised that the vote count is as
follows:
Total votes: 523
Approval of mail
ballot process: 93.7 percent
Against mail ballot process: 6.3
percent
In favor of capping apportionments and using growth
grant funds: 95.0 percent
Opposed to capping apportionments and
using growth grant funds: 5.0 percent
Thus, I am declaring that the mail ballot was valid and that the
proposal from the Council on Finance and Administration is
approved.
I have been advised by the secretary of the annual
conference that the number of votes received far exceeds the number
of votes cast in any written ballot during the 2008 session of
Annual Conference. In some ways I would have been happy to have seen
all the members of conference on Feb. 14, but this means we may
spend the day in other ways without the time and expense of
addressing these issues in that way. Thank you for participating in
this process.
News
In Step with Bishop Jones: Environmental care is
Christian action
Christians should be leading the way in
environmental awareness.
Four different events have conspired to show the way forward on
caring for our environment in ways that make a difference.
Read more at www.kansaseast.org/bishop_column_recent.asp.
New Healthy Congregations programs grants deadline is
March 1
For 12 years, the Health Fund has supported
health ministries through Healthy Congregations grants, annual
retreats, and a recognition program.
The new Healthy Congregations programs offer three participation
options, including $100 or $1,000 grants, to fit churches at
different stages of health ministry development and commitment.
Find out more at www.healthfund.org/newsletters/hfn_2009-01special.php#hc2
or call 620-662-8586.
New service scholarship offered at Simpson for UM
students
Simpson College, a liberal arts college in
Indianola, Iowa, is now offering a new grant for United Methodist
students.
The United Methodist Service to Community Grant ranges from
$12,000 to $15,000. In return, students will perform 10-15 hours of
service a week.
The new grant is an opportunity for incoming first-year or
transfer students who are already involved in service or are
interested in becoming involved in the community.
Get more information at www.simpson.edu/financial/umservice.html.
New leadership book available from Upper
Room
A new book is available from Upper Room Ministries
to help conference and church leaders in leadership development and
job descriptions. "Job Descriptions and Leadership Training in the
United Methodist Church, 2009-2012: A Leader Development Guide," by
Betsey Heavner explores biblical roots and dimensions of leader
development and includes new thinking based on field research in a
variety of settings. Each job description in the book includes
information on responsibilities, expected results, helpful spiritual
gifts and qualifications, getting started, and resources.
For more information or to order, go to https://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=636802&whichBarItem=authors&category=285&sub_category
or call 800-972-0433.
UM agency announces 2009 legislative
priorities
The United Methodist General Board of Church
& Society (GBCS) has set its legislative priorities for the
111th Congress. The six priorities address issues as sweeping as
overcoming global poverty to as specific as increasing spending for
international family planning. Systemic reform, however, stands out
as the lynchpin holding all of the priorities together.
The six legislative priorities for 2009 are reform of the U.S.
health-care system; just, humane immigration reform; strengthening
the social safety net; investing in a “green-energy” future;
overcoming global poverty; and increasing levels of U.S. spending
for international family planning.
Read more at www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2433457&ct=6646203.
Education scholarships available from
GBHEM
The scholarships office at the General Board of
Higher Education & Ministry is now accepting online applications
for scholarships. In 2009 the Scholarships Office awarded more than
$4.5 million to 3,200 plus students. A record number of applicants
is expected this year, and students are strongly encouraged to
complete the application process early, rather than waiting until
the deadline date.
Go to www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3842007/k.6E59/Scholarship_Applications.htm
to complete an application online.
Classified ads online
Classified ads are
posted on the conference website, including:
Accompanist, Bristol Hill UMC in Kansas
City
See all the current classifieds in the News & Events section
at www.kansaseast.org/classifieds_find.asp.
Featured events
Good $ense Budget Course trainings
As a part
of the Kansas Area’s response to the current economic situation all
clergy are invited, and strongly encouraged, to attend one of the
six Good $ense workshops. Some of you have already participated in
one of these and even have introduced the program in your
congregation. But if you haven’t we want to encourage you to attend
for two different reasons.
1) Many of us as clergy have been struggling with debt or with
making ends meet even in a good economic climate, many more are
struggling today. Here is an opportunity to learn how we can better
manage the resources God has provided for us.
2) Even if your financial “house” is in order, we suspect that
many of your church members and certainly others in the community
around your church are not. We want clergy to be exposed to this
program so that you might enthusiastically take it back into your
church as a ministry option that could serve well the needs of many
who are struggling.
Three one-day workshops, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., are scheduled
in the Kansas East Conference:
Feb. 13 at Valley View UMC, 8412 W.
95th St. in Overland Park, registration deadline: Feb. 6 www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2681
March 21 at Chanute First UMC, 202 S.
Lincoln Ave., registration deadline: March 13 www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2678
April 18 at Topeka First UMC, 600 S.W.
Topeka Blvd., registration deadline: April 10 www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2679
Continental breakfast, lunch and childcare are provided at no
cost.
To register online for a workshop or to download a brochure,
click on the link from the above calendar listing, or call the
Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation toll-free at
888-453-8405.
Episcopal area reduction listening event, Feb.
21
The South Central Jurisdiction is part of a mandate
from the 2008 General Conference to reduce the number of bishops in
the jurisdiction by one. To accomplish this, the South Central
Jurisdiction must restructure the areas its bishops serve. This
could include combining two or more conferences or redrawing the
boundaries between conferences.
Events are being held throughout the jurisdiction for Kansas
United Methodists to share their views and concerns on this process.
The Kansas East event will be Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at First
UMC in Topeka.
For more information, go to www.kansaseast.org/event_detail.asp?PKValue=2440.
Faith-sharing event, Feb. 28
The Kansas East
Conference and Kansas City District boards of Discipleship and
UMMKCK are hosting an event on faith-sharing at Lowman UMC Feb. 28
in Topeka. Dr. H. Eddie Fox and Dr. George E. Morris from the World
Methodist Council will present on the topic of Evangelism.
Registration for the event is $20 for adults, and $5 for children 12
and under. The deadline to register is Feb. 14.
To learn more about the event and Drs. Fox and Morris, download a
brochure at http://ke.brickriver.com/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/Faith_sharing_event_2009_PUTAUDF3.pdf.
Confirmation Retreat at Camp Chippewa, March
7-8
The Confirmation Retreat and Spiritual Spendover at
Camp Chippewa will be March 7-8. Just as people in the outdoors use
a compass to find their way home, Christians need to discover their
"true north" in order to find their way through life's maze. This
year’s retreat will center around compass activities to help youth
find ways to use their Christian faith in living what they
believe.
Read more about the event and register at www.kansaseast.org/page.asp?pkvalue=530.
Small Church Leadership Institute, March
9-13
The Kansas Area Revitalization Task Force is
co-sponsor of a special event March 9-13 at Mount Sequoyah Retreat
Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The focus of the event is equipping
laity and pastors of small churches with the knowledge and skills
for leading their church into the future.
To encourage participation, the Kansas Area Task Force is $200
scholarships to each to the first five people in each conference who
apply for them. Each of the five scholarships must go to individuals
from different congregations.
To apply for a scholarship, contact Gary Beach, director of
Connectional Ministries, at gbeach@kansaseast.org or
877-972-9111.
For more information and registration on the leadership event, go
to the list of events at www.mountsequoyah.org/www.mountsequoyah.org/Programs_%26_Events.html
or call 800-760-8126.
Church Leadership & Effective Management Conference,
March 24-27
Leadership Nexus will host a church
leadership conference March 24-27 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The
event will feature national speakers, including Bishop Robert
Schnase, author of “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.” There
also will be workshops, panel discussions and visits to area
churches and ministries. This event will earn 2.6 CEU credits.
Get more information at www.leadershipnexus.net/Arlington.html, or call
918-477-7549.
The 'Source, May 29-30
Young People's
Ministries will host a series of leadership development workshops
called The 'Source in each jurisdiction during 2009. “Spiritual
Formation” is the theme for the events. The Source targets church
leaders who work with youth and young adults.
The cost will be $59, which includes lunch, snacks, handouts and
materials.
The two South Central Jurisdiction events will be May 29-30 at
Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo., and Dec. 11-12 at
Munholland UMC in Metairie (New Orleans), La.
The events begin on Friday at 6 p.m. and end Saturday evening at
5:30 p.m.
For more information and registration, go to www.gbod.org/thesource or call Blake Thornell
toll-free at 877-899-2780 ext. 1780.