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UMconnect 01/18/12

Want to submit a letter to the editor? Email Kathryn Witte at kwitte@umcneb.org.

For more information about events going on around the Conference, visit the events calendar.

To view job openings and items for sale, or submit a listing, visit the Employment/Classifieds page.

Click here for a printable version of UMconnect.

 

In this edition of UMconnect:

Nebraska and Kansas clergy gather in Topeka

More than 800 United Methodist clergy from Kansas and Nebraska are in Topeka Jan. 17-19 for a joint conference intended to bring all clergy together from both episcopal areas.

The opening worship service began with a drum circle and a dramatic interpretation of scripture.

Bishop Ann B. Sherer-Simpson gave the message. Sherer-Simpson commented on the energy in the room generated by bringing all the clergy together.

“In the midst of such joy, it is hard to pause and know that we are in the wilderness,” she said. “The wilderness is not a place that I want to go, at least not by myself. The wilderness is where I don’t know where the path is.”

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to view the video that was shown at the opening session.

Click here to view event photos on the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team’s Facebook page.

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Nebraska-Kansas Transition Team hosting listening sessions in February

Bishop Ann B. Sherer-Simpson and members of the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team are eager to hear from the laity and clergy of Nebraska regarding the recommendations from the Transition Team to become one new annual conference.

The first laity listening session will be held Sunday, Feb. 19, at Cozad First United Methodist Church, from 3-5 p.m. CST.

Another listening session will be held at the Conference Center in Lincoln, on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10:30 a.m. to noon CST.

Clergy will have an opportunity to voice questions during the 2012 Joint Called Clergy Session taking place this week in Topeka, Kan.

Several recommendations have come forward in the past few months. A summary of all recommendations that have been made and a brief recap of the history of the Transition Team can be found in the attached document, created by the Writing Dream Team.

Questions and comments continue to be accepted via email, at info@umcneb.org. All three conferences have informational pages on their websites; Nebraska’s can be found at www.umcneb.org/nebkan. Recent news releases and information are posted there as well.

For more information, contact the Rev. Dr. Carol Roettmer Brewer at crbrewer@umcneb.org.

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Expectations build for 2012 General Conference

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Every four years United Methodists develop high expectations that delegates to the top legislative body of the denomination will set policies and approve resolutions to address specific challenges in the church and society. Those expectations are building as the 988 delegates and 4,000 volunteers and observers prepare for the 2012 General Conference, meeting April 24-May 4 in Tampa, Fla. Interpreter Online takes a look at what is shaping up.

For quick information and to see how many days are left until General Conference, visit the new Countdown to General Conference page.

Click here to read more.

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Fifty-Four United Methodist bishops endorse United Methodist Global Aids Fund

Fifty-four United Methodist Bishops have endorsed the 20/20: Visioning an AIDS-Free World initiative by lending their personal and financial support. This effort by the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee seeks to mobilize the denomination to raise $5 million for HIV and AIDS education, prevention, care, and treatment around the world.

Retired Bishop Fritz Mutti, Kansas City, Mo., notes that “United Methodist episcopal leaders believe that global health is integral to the mission of Christ’s Church. They are committed to overcoming the stigma often associated with AIDS and fueled by some religious leaders.”

Each bishop not only lent their name to the fund-raising project, but also shared their own financial resources. Gifts range from $20 donations to $20 a month until 2020. Some have joined the “2020” club pledging $2,020.

The United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee recently recognized the top 11 giving Annual Conferences: Holston, Baltimore-Washington, Virginia, West Ohio, Louisiana, Kansas East, Central Texas, California-Pacific, Rocky Mountain, West Virginia, and Susquehanna. With the help of these and other conferences, plus many individuals, more than $3 million has been raised and distributed to over 200 programs in 38 countries.

The Rev. Donald E. Messer, chairperson of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee, thanked the bishops and hailed the leading conferences for their generosity. Messer reports that “Lives have been saved, orphans helped, infections prevented, and suffering eased. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ continues around the world.”

Contributions are designated for the UMCOR Advance No. 982345 and gifts are given either through the local church or sent to UMCOR’s office at P.O. Box 9068, New York, New York 10087. When gifts are given through the local church, the annual conference may reserve 25 percent to use in AIDS ministry sponsored by the conference. The other 75 percent is administered by the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee.

For more information and to see the complete list of Bishops and Conferences pledged see www.2020AIDSFreeworld.org or e-mail 2020AIDSFreeworld@gmail.com.

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2012 Licensing School for Local Pastors information

Attention certified candidates who will be attending licensing school for local pastors this summer: The school will be held at Grace University in Omaha, Neb. The dates of the school are June 17-29, with registration taking place on the evening of the 17th.

Please note that the registration must be completed on both sides. It is to be signed by the pastor of the church making the recommendation for candidacy, the conference’s local pastor registrar, and your district superintendent.

The deadline for registration is Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Each student is responsible for paying $50 toward the cost of the school. The Board of Ordained Ministry will care for the rest of the costs.

This information is also located on the Nebraska Conference Board of Ordained Ministry Web page, www.umcneb.org/BOOM. If you have any questions, contact the Rev. Jane Florence at jane.florence@fumcomaha.org.

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2012 Nebraska Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation registration now available

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

If you are a 5-Day alum, you know better than anyone what your experience has been. If, like many, it was a spiritually meaningful time away, we hope you will prayerfully consider joining us again for the 2012 version, April 15-20. If past experience was not what you hoped for or expected, we hope you too will prayerfully consider coming in April. As with most events, no two 5-Day academies are the same. If you’ve never come, we hope 2012 will be the year you will become part of this spiritual blessing. 

Once again this year we have two excellent presenters: Sister Joan Delaplane and Rev. Im Jung. These two women might not be as familiar to you as some past presenters but the leadership team is confident you will find them to be excellent spiritual guides for our journey. For a more detailed bio on each, visit the Nebraska Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation Facebook page.

We have also attached an application for your convenience. The deadline is March 24, 2012. Please submit your application as soon as possible. Early application provides us a better opportunity to make this a great experience for all.

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Spring Wesleyan Live class to begin Feb. 7, register online

How do you like to study the Bible? If you appreciate studying not only the words and their meaning but also the context and history of the written record, you will enjoy this semester’s Wesleyan Live course: “What are the Sources of the Gospels and Why Should We Care?” It will be taught by Dr. David B. Peabody, professor of religion at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

This will be deep, serious study of the Bible, study about how the Gospels came to us, study that helps us understand their context and meaning for today. The class will look at the sources which led to the written record, at which texts were written first and how the others followed. Understanding how the sources came about, and when, gives insight into the meaning of The Lord’s Prayer, The Lord’s Supper, and Justification by Faith. Other topics include: The Faithful Witness of Women, God’s Special Commitment to the Poor, and The Keys of the Kingdom.

Peabody is a well-known biblical scholar who has focused especially on the order in which the Gospels were written and the sources of the material. He has lectured widely on the topic and has presented papers in the U.S. as well as internationally. Because his view is not the norm among many scholars, David has worked with special diligence to support his understanding. We are the beneficiaries of his focused research and study.

The class will meet at Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, 1800 N. 33rd St., Lincoln. Other participants may join online through the Nebraska Conference website, at www.umcneb.org/wesleyanlive. The first one-hour class will begin at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The class will continue each Tuesday for a total of six sessions. Cost for the class is $40, or $20 for retired clergy and spouses.

Participants may register online through the Nebraska Conference website, by calling Steph Nelson in the NWU University Ministry/Church Relations office at 402-465-2222, or by emailing Nelson at snelson3@nebrwesleyan.edu. 

Click here to view a video previewing the Spring course.

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Register now for the 2012 NUMB Ride

The 17th annual Nebraska United Methodist Bike Ride for Hunger (NUMB) will take place June 23-27, 2012. The four host communities for NUMB 2012 are Beatrice, Neb., Auburn, Neb., Sabetha, Kan., and Marysville, Kan.

Click here to register for the 2012 NUMB Ride.

Note: The ride is limited to the first 150 riders registered; there was a waiting list for the 2011 ride, so don’t procrastinate!

NUMB has contributed more than $519,000 to alleviate hunger in Nebraska and around the world since the first ride in 1996. Sponsored by the Risk-taking Mission and Justice Team, the ride is open to all interested cyclists.

Fore more information on the NUMB Ride, visit their official website, www.numbride.org or follow NUMB on Facebook, www.facebook.com/N.U.M.Bike.Ride.

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Online registration for 2012 UM summer camps now open

Online registration for the 2012 camping season is now available!

Click here to register online now!

If you would prefer to fill out a hard copy, a printable version of the form is attached below; mailing instructions can be found at the top of the form. Whether you register online or via mail, a camper health history form MUST be filled out and returned to the camp your child will be attending. The camping insert from the 2012 Winter edition of the "Nebraska Messenger" and the 2012 camping brochure are also attached.

Summer camp employment opportunities

Our Nebraska United Methodist camps are preparing and praying for an abundant harvest this summer, through our summer camp programs with the theme "The Secrets of the Kingdom — The Parables of Jesus." The quality of our hired staff largely lies with your words and actions through your referrals of qualified, generally college-aged applicants and sharing of this opportunity. Please give careful thought about qualified applicants and take the time to talk to them about this opportunity. Camps can be contacted for applications and further questions.

Click here for a flier you can print out and share with others.

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Help promote our UM camps, sign up for a camp Sunday 

Pastors and church leadership, call and reserve a Camping Sunday today for a camp director, summer counselor or board member to assist! Summer camps will be in session in about four months! Camp is a great place for the spark of faith in action to be ignited in your children. Generate some excitement in your church by hosting a camp Sunday! Involve your children and youth ministries! A camp representative can come and share about the programs and opportunities camp has to offer in 2012. Camp Sundays can be as simple as having the camp rep visit Sunday school classes or as involved as having camp songs for the service with a message and children's time led by the camp person.

Prime the camping bug by utilizing these “Ideas To Promote Camping In Your Church.” Contact camps for more resources and information. Host a camping Sunday every year and see youth leadership and excitement grow! Rethink church by utilizing your camps. Actively involve kids returning from camp in fellowship, study, prayer and mission. Contact your local camp today to make your reservation for a camp visitor (camp director, former camp counselor, or a board member) to help you with your Camp Sunday. Representatives may also be available for mid-week functions/events.

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Micah Corps applications online for summer 2012 internship

Risk-taking Mission and Justice Ministries is once again sponsoring the Micah Corps, a 10-week young adult summer internship program. This experience helps young adults deepen their walk with God, learn about connecting their faith with social justice, and practice leadership skills throughout the conference.

Click here to apply online. The application deadline is March 2, 2012.To learn about some of the exciting work of the 2011 Micah Corps interns, go to www.umcneb.org/micahcorps.

Photo: Learning new leadership skills, Rachel Lee, 2011 Micah intern, worked on immigration and was interviewed for Channel 10/11 television. Click here to read Rachel’s story.

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Applications for young adult mission work

NEW YORK (UMNS) — Young adults between the ages of 20 and 30 interested in linking their faith to justice work are invited to apply to the US-2 and mission intern programs of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. US-2s serve in the United States for two years. Mission Interns serve for three years, about half of the time abroad and half of the time in their home country. Applications are due Feb. 5, with training and placement to begin in the summer of 2012.

Click here for more information.

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Attention youth leaders: WEIRD senior high retreat coming up at Camp Comeca in February

All senior high age youth are invited to attend a conference-wide retreat Feb. 24-26, at Camp Comeca, located near Cozad.

Here’s a little more info about this event, being billed as WEIRD:

The world tells us one thing, the Bible something completely different. Teachers, coaches, friends, parents, brothers and sisters. It seems like everything we are exposed to in today’s world is about trying to get us to be something, to act normal.

But what is normal?

When we look around, we see people who are overworked, overstressed, exhausted and worn down. Normal friendships and relationships are strained at best, with people tiptoeing around trying not to offend. And when it comes to God, most people say they believe, but few ever allow God and teachings of the Bible to impact their lives. Simply put, normal isn’t working.

It’s time for something different. Something WEIRD!

In Romans 12:2, God invites us be transformed into something that looks different than the rest of the world.

Join together with high school students from around the Nebraska Conference for a weekend of discovering why God calls us to be WEIRD. This retreat will challenge you to consider what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ, encourage you to allow God to work in your life, and rethink your definition of WEIRD.

A student registration packet is attached — it includes a flier, a registration form and a health waiver. Attendees will fill out the forms and, along with a check for $75, turn them in to their church’s youth leader by Feb. 1.

Youth leaders will then aggregate all of their church’s registrants and submit the attached church registration form, along with a $25 non-refundable deposit per person (for both adult leaders and students), to the Conference Center (see form for the mailing address), to be postmarked by Feb. 3.

Individual registration forms need to be turned in at the camp the day the retreat begins. The balance of the cost of the retreat is due at that time.

Questions? Contact the Rev. Dr. Jesse Foster at jfoster01@umcneb.org.

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Youth Service Fund applications now being accepted

The Youth Service Fund is a unique ministry because it is completely by, with, and for youth. Youth contribute the money, they decide what projects receive the money and the projects supported are youth-designed, youth-led, and benefit youth. Youth Service Fund truly is youth in ministry.

Currently, only U.S. annual conferences fund the account. Money is raised at local youth events or by church youth groups. Seventy percent of the money raised is kept in the local community, while 30 percent is forwarded to the national portion of the Youth Service Fund. With that 30 percent, Young Peoples Ministries funds youth-designed and youth-led projects around the world. The youth of the Nebraska United Methodist Conference raise funds year-round through coin wars and other fundraisers.

If you are interested in applying, fill out the writable application form YSF12_distributed.pdf. The form can also be accessed via the following link: https://acrobat.com/?d=5bWsIgbvJrZ1ST*m69PMlA. You can use Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader* to fill in this form. When you are finished, click Submit to return your data to the form author. You do not have to use the submit by Email button.

The deadline to apply is March 20, 2012. This information can also be found on the Conference youth page, www.umcneb.org/youth.

*Get the free Adobe Reader 9 from http://www.adobe.com/go/reader. Questions? Contact the Rev. Dr. Jesse Foster at jfoster01@umcneb.org.

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RTMJ Team offering scholarships for ecumenical advocacy events in Lincoln and D.C. 

Scholarships available for ecumenical legislative Briefing Day, Feb. 11 at Lincoln Christ UMC

Legislative Day is an annual event sponsored by Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska, and is an opportunity for Nebraska Christians to come together to connect faith with public policy that impacts our communities. Workshop topics include: Advocacy 101, Domestic Violence, Health Care Reform, Aging Population, Rural Issues, Suicide Prevention, Bullying, Immigration, Environment and Young Adults as Advocates. Marcia Huff (pictured at right) of Lincoln will speak at the opening worship service.

For more information, visit www.interchurchministries.org/legislativeday.html. Scholarships will be given to the first 20 Nebraska United Methodists who apply by Jan. 20, 2012. To apply online, go to www.umcneb.org/RTMJ.

Scholarships available for Nebraska delegation to attend Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C.

A delegation of up to 12 people will be selected to represent our conference at the 10th Annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice, March 23-26, 2012.

For details and an application, go to www.umcneb.org/RTMJ. The application deadline is Feb. 13, 2012. Scholarships cover airfare, registration and lodging.

This high-impact event, sponsored by the ecumenical Christian community, is grounded in biblical witness and shared traditions of justice, peace and integrity of creation. The goal is to strengthen the Christian voice and mobilize for advocacy on specific U.S. domestic and international policy issues. Dynamic worship, workshops and lobbying on Capitol Hill are all part of the experience. For more details, visit www.AdvocacyDays.org.

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Correction: UMCOR Early Response Team Basic Course to be held at Hastings Grace UMC

A tornado strikes. You say: I want to go help, but HOW?

An UMCOR Training to be held Saturday, Feb. 25, will give you the knowledge, skills and certification to make it possible for you to respond quickly to a disaster with other United Methodists.

This basic training will be held at Hastings Grace United Methodist Church (not Hastings First UMC, as was reported in last week’s UMconnect). The eight-hour training led by UMCOR personnel will begin at 9 a.m.; registration and coffee will be available from 8-9 a.m. The cost is $10, which covers snacks and lunch. Please note that this is not a Volunteers in Mission (VIM) training. Please know that you will also need Safe Sanctuary certification in order to participate. That process is available on the Conference website at www.umcneb.org/safesanctuaries.

The mission of an early response team is to provide a caring presence in the aftermath of a disaster, under very specific guidelines that enable a team to be productive and caring while causing no further harm or being a burden to the affected community. Classes are taught by authorized UMCOR trainers, and team members are given ID badges as evidence of training.
Topics covered in the class include the who, what, when, where and how of doing ministry, as well as hands on experience in the specific tasks that early responders are expected to accomplish. Recertification classes for Early Response Team Members are also available.

Click here to register online for this event.

Contact the Rev. Cindy Karges at 402-463-5696 or the Rev. Roger Gillming at 308-836-2334 for more information. 

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2012 Marriage Encounter Weekend dates

What is a Marriage Encounter United Methodist weekend?

The purpose of the Marriage Encounter weekend is to provide the opportunity for a married couple to develop deeper knowledge of Christian marriage, a fuller understanding and acceptance of each other and the ability to communicate with each other in a significantly deeper and more fulfilling way.

The format of the Marriage Encounter weekend is designed specifically to enable a couple time to pause and focus on each other, their commitment and their relationship.

There are 13 presentations given by clergy and lay couples throughout the weekend. Couples are given the chance to explore the difference between ordinary conversation and intimate communication in marriage. Participants take a realistic look at the way they present themselves to others. They can compare the difference between living out the values of our society and living out God’s desire for married couples to live intimately and responsibly with one another. They will learn and practice listening skills. The weekend helps couples learn to live their marriages as a covenantal relationship.

This is a work weekend where couples are invited to respond and reflect on each presentation and privately share these responses with their spouse. There are no group discussions and couples are not required to disclose any aspect of their relationship to the group. The weekend is not intended for problem solving.

To register or receive more information and/or brochures, please contact Russell and Lanita Evans, Nebraska state registration couple, at 308-520-1491 or russellevans@internet-usa.net. Visit the official Marriage Encounter website, www.encounter.org.

2012 Weekends:

  • Feb. 24-26, in South Sioux City
  • April 27-29, at Camp Comeca near Cozad
  • Aug. 17-19, at Camp Norwesca near Chadron
  • Sept. 21-23, in Lincoln

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Nebraska UMW and RTMJ Team sponsoring immigration seminar in April

The Nebraska United Methodist Women and Conference Risk-taking Mission and Justice Team (RTMJ) are sponsoring an Immigration Seminar at St. Benedict's Center in Schuyler, April 13-14. Titled "Who is my neighbor?" this is a seminar for all men and women who have an interest in immigration's impact on Nebraska and how we can respond through a Christian perspective. Designing the seminar will be Jay Godfrey, a seminar designer for the United Methodist Seminar Program on National and International Affairs at the Church Center for the United Nations.

For more information, view the attached brochure/registration form.

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An invitation from the chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry to attend a spiritual guided retreat

As you know one of the primary characteristics and competencies needed for being an effective pastor is spiritual authenticity and a strong spiritual life.

A spiritual guided retreated will be held Saturday, Feb. 11, at Sheridan Lutheran Church, in Lincoln.

Seeking the Spirit Within is one of the event sponsors; they are connected with the Nebraska ELCA Synod. Three of us from our conference are currently taking the spiritual formation training offered by the Institute and it is excellent.

On behalf of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, I wanted to offer you this rich opportunity. Please see the attached brochure/registration form for details.

Blessings,

Sally Ruggia-Haden, Conference chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry

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Workshop to focus on the importance of the sermon in the 21st century

The role of the homily in worship is changing. Often contemporary worship focuses on music to the near exclusion of the sermon. For others, the sermon is the most significant portion of the service. Dr. Alyce McKenzie (pictured) is professor of homiletics at Perkins School of Theology. She will be in Nebraska March 9 and 10 to make a case for the importance of the homily in the 21st century.

She will preach at a worship service at Papillion Saint Paul’s UMC on Friday night at 7 p.m. and then offer a workshop for worship leaders Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with a lunch offered. The event is free and will also take place at Saint Paul’s UMC in Papillion. Reservations are required; call 402-339-3308 or fill out and mail in the attached form.

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UNL’s campus ministry hosting basketball tourney to benefit cancer foundation

Time Out United Methodist Campus Ministry needs your help to soften to blows delivered by cancer. This semester, the students of Time Out would like to support the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation (JAJF) in their effort to grant lasting memories to families facing a disease that impacts the entire family. JAJF provides "WOW! Experiences." These experiences are provided by national resources for families, where the Mom or Dad, has the diagnosis of a limited life expectancy cancer. The WOW! Experience allows to families, with a direct focus on the children, to take a timeout from cancer to create new lasting memories in the precious time remaining.

The concept of the WOW! Experience is different in that it is created by a national pool of donated resources. Companies across the United States donate everything imaginable to make this happen. From travel and transport to the WOW! destination – to every planned activity along the way, with the journey ending with the family’s return home. But, even with all that is given – the Jack and Jill Foundation must help to offset the cost of each and every trip. The cost per family is $1,500 and Time Out UMCM would like your help in providing a family with one last chance to make memories before time is no longer an option.

The Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation fundraiser needs your assistance to be successful. Donations to the JAJF can be made out to the Conference Treasurer. Please include the special project number of 2726 in the memo line of your check and mail to the Nebraska Conference Center, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE  68504.

As a thank you for supporting this effort, Time Out is hosting a 3-on-3 double elimination basketball tournament on Saturday, March 31. We hope that you will join us on this day of fun by forming a team to play.

Click here to register and become a part of one family’s lasting memories.

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United Methodist youth honor Dr. King’s legacy

On Monday, Jan. 16, nearly 100 youth and youth leaders celebrated the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by spending the day in community service at Omaha’s social service agencies as part of United Methodist Ministries’ (UMM) annual MLK Day of Service. Teams gathered in the morning at Tri-Community United Methodist Church for welcome events where they were encouraged to think of it as a day “on,” not “off.”

The Rev. Charlotte Abram, pastor of Tri-Community UMC, shared her reflections on Dr. King’s famous “Drum Major Instinct” speech given shortly before his death. Abram echoed King’s words, saying, “Anybody can be great because anybody can serve.”

Teams departed for volunteer sites that included Together Inc., the Open Door Mission, Blue Flamingo, Stephen Center, and Youth Emergency Services (YES). Teams organized food donations, painted, cleaned, sorted clothing, and performed other miscellaneous tasks.

Teams represented several local United Methodist church groups including Clair Memorial, Faith Westwood, Water’s Edge, St. James of Bellevue, Hanscom Park, Tri-Community, Minden, and Gretna. At the end of the day, teams returned to Tri-Community UMC for closing remarks and sharing their experience.

Chad Schuchmann, youth director at Faith-Westwood and Water’s Edge United Methodist Churches, was featured in a WOWT news story about volunteers as the Open Door Mission. Click here to see this news story.

United Methodist Ministries holds the day of service in conjunction with nationwide events honoring Dr. King.

UMM Executive Director the Rev. Stephanie Ahlschwede said, "Our partnership with the national MLK Day of Service seeks to help youth experience faith in action and empower them to continue to make decisions that make a difference in our communities."

“The theme of 'make it a day on, not a day off' speaks to the importance of remembering the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." said Ahlschwede. "While not all students have the day off, we feel it is important to offer those who are out of school an opportunity to learn more about his legacy and practice putting their faith into action."

United Methodist Ministries’ next day of service is Global Youth Service Day on April 21. Registration materials will be available in early February. Click here for more information.

Photo: Youth MLK Day participants sort donations at the Open Door Mission.

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Lincoln First UMC member, former mayor of Lincoln Coleen Seng honored with MLK humanitarian award

The legacy and spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. were celebrated Jan. 13, at an event in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda. Coleen Seng, former mayor of Lincoln and active Lincoln First UMC member, received an humanitarian award.

Seng, who was described as a "servant leader" in her award introduction, said in her acceptance remarks, "I believe Dr. King was a community organizer. He believed in the beloved community and that's what we need to be about too. We are all children of God. Our beliefs may vary, but we are all children of God and we need to care for each other."

Click here to view more photos from this event on the Nebraska Conference’s Facebook page.
 

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Former conference lay leader Schwaninger celebrating 80th birthday, husband celebrating 90th

The Hallam United Methodist Church is planning an open house on Sunday, Jan. 29, in celebration of former conference lay leader Lavina Schwaninger's 80th birthday, and her husband Loren's 90th birthday. The open house will be from 2-5 p.m.; your gift is your presence.
 

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Schuyler Christ UMC finds creative ways to fulfill the commitment to Mission Shares

The following was submitted by the Rev. Fay Hubbard, pastor of Schuyler Christ UMC.

In January 2011, some people who attend Christ United Methodist Church in Schuyler approached their pastor and made a suggestion for completing the commitment to Mission Shares.

Their thought was that we could divide the amount needed by 12 and then attach that amount to a Disciple of Jesus Christ. They decided to call this Anonymous Disciple because there would be no names of people recorded in public. For 2011, the entirety of Mission Shares has been given by the church. They are so pleased that this has been done.

The Mission Shares are important because they represent the work Jesus Christ does around the world. Some goes to orphanages, some goes to help people who are homeless, some goes for medical care, some goes to assist in job training, some helps with legal immigration, some goes to provide literature to those who have not experienced the word of Jesus Christ, and some goes to our Conference.

Just as God brings the ripening of plants in the fields of Nebraska, our Mission Shares help to gather those who are in need of hearing the words of Jesus Christ. Our first disciple up last year was Andrew. He brought much to Jesus and yet, he was not at the Transfiguration; he was not near when Jesus performed many of his miracles. And yet, Andrew was among the first to follow and he brought his brother, Simon, to Jesus. The picture of Andrew is already on another wall indicating that this church will continue in its love and generosity for our God and Christ. There are many wonderful things about Anonymous Disciples, but the greatest one is that the thought came from people in the church, not from the pastor or from anyone else.

People in all of our churches are so creative! It is pleasant to watch the workings of the Holy Spirit among them.

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Some tips for keeping spam from clogging your inbox

Unwanted commercial email, also known as "spam," can be annoying. Worse, it can include bogus offers that could cost all of us time and money. Our conference technology specialists work hard to limit the amount of spam that makes it to your inbox. However, no system is 100 percent foolproof; there will be times when spam will end up in your inbox. At that point, there are some additional steps that you can take to help alleviate future occurrences. Watch this brief video that will help you with some of the “techie” stuff you can do. In addition, here are some other things that you can do to prevent it from happening.

Thanks,

Jesse Foster
Director of Christian Leadership Development
 

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UMconnect, other sections of website now available by RSS feed

We are excited to announce that some of our informational pages are now available via RSS feed. Click on any one of the available feeds listed below to subscribe, or visit the RSS feeds page, found under Resources.

What is RSS? RSS (Real Simple Syndication) is a way of sending content from a website to a user who wants to receive that content. A website that wants to allow people to read some of its content without visiting its site creates an RSS document and registers the document with an RSS publisher.

A user that can read RSS-distributed content can use the content on a different site, or read it with a program that converts the document to a readable format. Syndicated content includes such data as news feeds, events listings, news stories, headlines, project updates, excerpts from discussion forums or even corporate information.
 

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Papillion St. Paul's UMC offering live Web worship

Papillion St. Paul’s United Methodist Church recently added a new worship experience during its 10 a.m. worship service.

Since Christmas Eve they have been live streaming one worship service every week. St. Paul’s decided to offer the service for a couple of reasons. One was the hope in reaching new people with the message of God’s love, and the second was to connect with the members of the church who are in the military.

Associate Pastor Zach Anderson explained, “We wanted to offer a way for those who are deployed to feel connected to their church family by offering them the chance to worship with us through the Web.”

Along with the live streaming, the worship services are archived by sermon series in order to go back and view past services at the viewer’s convenience. St. Paul’s also has found it to be an asset for community events. In December they were able to offer a communitywide Christmas carol concert to viewers who couldn’t be physically present. Word was received from people who watched from Chicago and Vermont.

If you can’t make it to your church for some reason, you are invited to join St. Paul’s every Sunday at 10 a.m. CST by going to http://www.saintpaulsumc.net and clicking on “Live Stream” on the main page.
 

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Spotlight on Lenten resources at the Resource Center

As you consider what type of spiritual journey you would like to take during this Lenten season, consider doing a study with Ray Vander Laan in the Holy Land.

Vander Laan”s study entitled “Faith Lessons: The Path to the Cross” is filmed primarily in the wilderness areas of Israel where Jesus as well as John the Baptist and early Christians spent time walking with God and learning obedience and trust in God. It is often in the “wilderness times” of our lives when God can be the most visible and closest to us. In the 5 sessions we walk the paths in the deserts of the Holy Land with the Essenes, John the Baptist and finally with Jesus from the temptations to the “spiritual wilderness” of Passover and Gethsemane. The five sessions are 1) The Way of the Essenes; 2) The Way of John the Baptist; 3) Into the Desert to be Tested; 4) The Last Passover; and 5) The Fifth Cup.

Another Vander Laan study that will lead your group on a pilgrimage in the Holy Land from the desert sites of Masada and Qumran to the great ruins of Herod’s palace, Herodian and a Crusader castle at Belvoir and finally to the beautiful Mount of Beatitudes and the lovely oasis of En Gedi, is the third volume of the Faith Lessons series. In the eight sessions of “Faith Lessons: The Life and Ministry of the Messiah” we discover not only how the events of Jesus’ day impacted his life and ministry, but how they can also impact our lives today. The sessions are 1) In the Shadow of Herod; 2) My Rock and My Fortress; 3) The Time Had Fully Come; 4) No Greater Love; 5) The Rabbi; 6) Language of Culture; 7) Misguided Faith; and 8) Living Water.

To view a complete list of our Lenten and Easter studies go to www.umcneb.org/ResourceCenter or email Diane Dunkerson at ddunkerson@umcneb.org for other recommendations and suggestions.
 

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January edition of MyCom eNewsletter

MyCom is a monthly e-newsletter from United Methodist Communications and is chock full of information, tips and tools. Recent articles include:

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Need business cards?

Nebraska United Methodist Conference Communications will be printing business cards in the coming month. If you would like a "Nebraska United Methodist Conference" branded business card, please contact Roxie Delisi at rdelisi@umcneb.org and provide the information you would like on your card, including church or agency affiliation, address, phone numbers, fax, e-mail, website, etc.

The cost is approximately $35 or less for 500 cards, depending on the number of people who choose to purchase cards. Deadline for submitting information is Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

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