Kansas West Conference office experiences fire
Updates regarding the fire in the Kansas West conference office can be found on their website. Pictures are located at "fire photos". Our prayers continue with the staff members who are trying to discover what can be salvaged and what is lost. As can be seen in the pictures, the Resource Center has been destroyed. If you have an item borrowed from the Resource Center please contact the Kansas East office for instructions on where to send those items as you finish using them.

Annual Conference Updates
News updates related to annual conference are posted on the KEC website at Annual Conference. Updates are also posted for the “Kansas East Conference Session UMC” group on Facebook and at “KECUMC” on Twitter.

Video explains proposed apportionment formula
Rev. Dr. Felix Burrows, president of the Council on Finance and Administration, and Conference Treasurer Russ Hinshaw explain the proposed new apportionment formula in an online video available at YouTube. Clergy and lay conference members will vote on this proposed apportionment formula at Annual Conference June 3-6 at Baker University in Baldwin City.

Bring UMCOR Birthing Kits to Annual Conference
Joe and Pastor Shirley Edgerton, General Board of Global Ministries long-term volunteers in La Gonave, Haiti, would like to encourage members of the Conference to make birthing kits available for VIM teams now and for the Bishop’s Round-up for Hunger event in November. Kits that are prepared before annual conference can be brought by pastors or lay members to the Mission Interpreter in Residence display and given to Judy Atwood to be sent to Haiti with the VIM team that is going in June.
On the island of La Gonave less than 10 percent of births are attended by a midwife or nurse; many mothers are younger than 17; and one out of 17 mothers die from blood loss or eclamptia, exhaustion and exposure. If the mother dies, generally the baby dies also. The kits can be made available to midwives and provide a “training moment.” Some of the more experienced community midwives ask at clinics for gloves and antiseptic solutions. The birthing kit, a recent item from UMCOR, provides all the necessary clean, new items needed to care for the infant at birth.
Complete the kit by placing the following items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

• 1 hotel-size bar of soap (1 oz. and up)
• 1 pair of clean latex gloves
• 1 square yard of clear 4 mil plastic sheeting
• 3 pieces of clean string each 12” long
• 1 clean single use razor blade (carefully wrap the blade in paper or plastic to protect it and keep it from causing injury)
• 2 flannelette receiving blankets, each 1 square yard

Please do not put any additional items, notes, money, etc. in these kits.

Annual Conference Voting Rights
The Sessions and Rules Committee would like to remind members of the annual conference that voting rights are determined by ¶ 602 of the 2008 Book of Discipline. Additional lay members have been granted the right to vote in compliance with the requirement for annual conferences to create an equalization formula for lay and clergy members. These additional member categories are printed in the Standing Rules (printed in the workbook). The only limitation on voting for members of the annual conference is that local pastors (part-time, full-time, student), affiliate members, associate members and probationary (provisional) members can vote on all matters except constitutional amendments, election of delegates to the General or Jurisdictional Conferences, and all matters of ordination, character and conference relationship of ministers.

The Invisible Church - Above and Underground
Worship in the style of "Shouting in the Hush Arbor," hearing the songs and stories of slaves on the run along the Underground Railroad. See, touch, and learn about codes and symbols used in African-American textiles. Walk a meadow labyrinth created on the land that bears the history of running to freedom.
This three-fold early morning experience will be held on Friday, June 5, 6:00-7:30 a.m. at Rev. Judy Long O'Neal's country WALKABOUT, located just 10 minutes north of the Baker University campus. Coffee, bottled water and a light 'carry away' breakfast, reminiscent of food made available to slaves on the run, will be provided at no cost. This event is co-sponsored by the Commission on Diversity and Advocacy and the Health and Wellness Committee. Detailed information and directions to the WALKABOUT are provided in a printed brochure included in your conference packet.

Can You Assist With Monitoring of Annual Conference?
The Commission on Diversity and Advocacy will be doing its annual monitoring of all Annual Conference business and worship sessions related to issues of diversity and inclusivity. Anyone who might like to help monitor or audit a session is invited to help. Contact Alice Purvis at pastoralice@rainbowtel.net or find the monitoring station in Collins between 12 and 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday at Conference. You will be provided with forms and instructions on how the monitoring is done.

Other News

Kansas East Seminarians Granted Awards
Saint Paul School of Theology is pleased to announce that the following Kansas East seminarians have received the following scholarships and awards for the 2009-2010 academic year:

• Sue Barham, was awarded the E. Dale and Frances W. Dunlap Scholarship for exhibiting excellence in the study of theology.
• Brenda Davids received the United Methodist Foundation Scholarship Award. The scholarship is provided by the Board of Higher Education and Ministry for a United Methodist student working toward ordination and entering their second year of study.
• Kathy Williams receive the United Methodist Seminary Award for proven leadership ability and above average academic achievement.

Looking for a Local Mission Project?
During the week of August 10-14 the United Methodist Campus Ministry (UMCM) at ESU will be having its first annual work week on the UMCM Center. UMYF, UMW, and UMM groups are encouraged to sign up for work times and specific projects. If the work week dates do not work for you please contact the UMCM center (620-342-5854) or Kurt Cooper's cell (620-757-7802) to schedule a summer work day project.

Another Local Mission Opportunity
Fellowship & Faith Ministry, Inc. of Topeka needs outdoor work done on Saturday, June 6th starting about 8:00 a.m. The work includes exterior building painting, shrubbery work, and general clean up. If you bring supplies or tools (i.e. - ladders, 3/4" nap rollers, paint brushes, yard tools, etc.) be sure to put your name on them. Donations for paint and supplies will also be appreciated.
From 11 a.m. to 12 noon that day there will also be a giveaway of potatoes distributed at the Annual Conference early that morning. Any volunteers around can also help give out the bags of potatoes to those who come from around the neighborhood.
If you have questions, please contact Erika at the office of Fellowship & Faith Ministry, Inc. at (785) 354-7262.

Doctoral Research Project Request
Andrea Harvey, an Ordained Deacon in full connection in the New England Conference is working on her doctorate in “Ministering to the Post-Modern Generations”, and is investigating a catechesis for the United Methodist Church as her thesis project. She would be interested in knowing what you consider to be the ‘non-negotiable essentials’ that you feel every United Methodist should know. She has prepared a quick survey on “Survey Monkey” that she would invite both clergy and laity to complete. The survey can be accessed by going to Survey Monkey.
The Kansas East Conference office staff has verified the authenticity of this request through Andrea’s own conference office.

Find-a-Church is most visited, dynamic feature of 10thousanddoors.org
Nashville, Tenn.— Since the launch of http://www.10thousanddoors.org/ on April 20, 2009, more users have accessed the Find-a-Church feature of the Web site than any other section, according to tracking devices. The Web site is featured prominently in The United Methodist Church’s new Rethink Church advertising.
“Getting viewers of our advertising to visit http://www.10thousanddoors.org/ and to use its Find-a-Church feature is a major goal of our campaign,” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. “Our advertising says that local United Methodist churches offer countless opportunities for persons to become engaged with the world around them, and Find-a-Church is where a visitor to http://www.10thousanddoors.org/ sees those opportunities at the local level.”
Hollon says it is critical for local churches to update their Find-a-Church profiles with their program offerings and schedules, a personal welcome, Web site links, and more. Even churches with Web sites should keep their Find-a-Church profiles updated, as the profile is a tool for directing people to the church’s Web site, via Find-a-Church’s involvement opportunity search criteria. Hollon offers an example of why that is important.
“One of our television spots highlights The United Methodist Church’s commitment to improving global health,” said Hollon. “If that spot resonates with a viewer down the street from your church, who then visits http://www.10thousanddoors.org/, then that viewer has an opportunity to search for your church’s involvement in medical missions – if your church’s profile has been updated to include that.”
Hollon likens Find-a-Church profiles to a virtual “welcome mat” for United Methodist churches. “Find-a-Church is where people come to us, seeking out opportunities within our churches,” said Hollon. “But they’ll never know what those opportunities are if they aren’t listed.”
Updating your church’s Find-a-Church is as simple as logging on to http://www.find-a-church.org/ and clicking on Update Your Page Now. No Internet programming knowledge is required, and “Help” icons are available throughout the site. If you have questions about updating your Find-a-Church information, contact United Methodist Communications at FAC@umc.org, or call 1-800-251-8140.

Web Ministry Training This Saturday in KC
“Ministry 2.0: Unpacking the Possibilities of Web in Ministry” is this Saturday in Kansas City! If you have not registered and would like to attend, you can still get a discount! The organizers have extended the 10% off coupon code through this Friday and would love to see you there. Use the following code to get 10% off any ticket ordered: EMAIL522. Register now at http://ministry2kansascity.eventbrite.com/ . For more Information go to http://www.ministry2.org/KansasCity .

Health association offers prescription cards
VANDALIA, Ohio (UMNS)--The United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries has joined forces with PS Card, a free prescription drug discount card that offers uninsured consumers access to discounted pricing for prescription drugs and diabetic strips, to offer economic assistance to many of the 32 million people served by the association annually. Free PS Card membership will be offered through more than 105 association-affiliated local outreach centers, including soup kitchens, job training centers, and family service centers, as well as through the Web site and many local congregations. Regardless of medical conditions, income level and even citizenship status, a consumer can obtain immediate discounts off the retail pricing for FDA-approved drugs at virtually any pharmacy in the United States using a PS Card, according to Mearle Griffith, president of the association.

Social Principles study guide available
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)--"The Social Principles of The United Methodist Church 2009-2012," a 64-page study booklet on the denomination’s statements on issues in the contemporary world, is available through Cokesbury, a division of United Methodist Publishing House. The booklet contains the official text of the Social Principles from the denomination's 2008 Book of Discipline along with study exercises for individuals or small groups, a topical index, and "Our Social Creed." The booklet is a product of a cooperative effort with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society and the United Methodist Publishing House. The new Social Principles booklet is available online through the Cokesbury website.