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KANSAS-OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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K-O e-NEWS
January 17, 2011 |
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PLYMOUTH UCC, Lawrence, KS
Travels to India |
| |  | January 4, 2011
On January 4, a group from Plymouth UCC in Lawrence, KS will be heading to India. We will stay for three weeks, traveling through the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The group is, of course, excited to be going, and looks forward to sharing their experiences and adventures with the greater UCC and Disciples church through this blog:
http://theplyndiachronicles.blogspot.com/
Please check in and read often. And please keep us in your prayers.
This trip was conceived by Rev. Dr. Peter Luckey, who spent five weeks in India in 2008, as a part of his sabbatical. While in India, he was the guest of the Church of South India, visiting mission sites and praying with Indian Christians. His experience sent him home with new eyes and a deeper spiritual life. His congregation noticed the change in him immediately. His preaching had new fire and his love of the church new depths. Rev. Luckey wanted people in his congregation to experience what he had experienced. A plan for a mission trip to India was born.
The group traveling to India will follow in Peter's footsteps, staying as guests of the Madhya Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India, as well as the Family Village Farm (a UCC sponsored orphanage outside of Chennai, India). We see the spending of time with our brothers and sisters in the overseas mission as a beautiful and expansive way to build community and acquire new understandings of how God works in the world. Our greatest hope is that by building international relationships, we will work to spread the movement of peace in the world.
We have also set aside time for fun and sightseeing. We plan to take a boat ride through Kerala's backwaters, visit temples and go up into the mountains.
Here's the people going on the trip. It is an intergenerational group - three retired persons, three 20-somethings, and two in the middle. Plymouth UCC sees itself as a calling church and helped fund the trip for its younger participants.
- Rev Dr. Peter Luckey, Senior Pastor for 16 years of Plymouth UCC in Lawrence, KS, who in 2008 spent five weeks in India in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as part of his Lilly funded sabbatical experience.
- Heather Coates, Director of Christian Education. Heather is beginning the process of discerning a call to ordination in the UCC. She has a long time interest in India where she has traveled previously. She will be helping to bridge a connection between the children of Plymouth and the children in India.
- Karen Vespestad is a long-time Plymouth member and recently retired school district administrator, working with educational programs and grant procurement. Karen helped host Vatsala Vijayakumar, principal of the King's Matriculation School, during Vatsala's stay at Plymouth in May of 2009.
- Laura Munson is Karen's sister who hails from Arizona. She is a registered dietician and works as the Director of Nutrition Services at Ho Ho Kam Memorial Hospital on the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton, Arizona. She is an active member of Shadow Rock UCC in Phoenix, AZ.
- Marguerite Carlson is a long time UCC member and avid traveler. Marguerite has served in many leadership positions at Plymouth and on the Stewardship Council of the national UCC. Marguerite was married to the late Rev. Robert Carlson who served many UCC congregations.
- Laura Murphy is a PhD student in Archaeology at the University of Kansas. Laura has a deep interest in travel and understanding different cultures around the world. Laura joined Plymouth in 2009.
- Sarah Oatsvall teaches K-8 general music, choir and band at a Lutheran grade school, while pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Kansas. Sara has a passion for education and is eager to have a chance to see firsthand public and private schools in India.
- Sean Weston is a freshman at the University of Kansas majoring in Religious Studies and Spanish. Sean is active in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference, and currently serves on the Conference council. He is considering a professional path that would lead to pastoral ministry in the UCC.
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WEBINARS |
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Using Appreciative Inquiry to Activate Strategic Plans
Wednesday, January 12, 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Discover how Appreciative Inquiry (A.I.), a renewal philosophy that engages individuals within an organization, can help your congregation develop effective ministry plans. A.I. is unique in its "bottom-up" process that gets input from the entire congregation and even the outside community. Led by Rev. Gregg Carlson, Director of Online Learning for the Center Progressive Renewal, you will come away with practical resources and ideas to assist your planning process.
Meeting Your Neighbors
Wednesday, January 19, 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Rev. David Schoen will help you discover how to become a missional, relational, conversational church reaching out to our culture and community. Meeting Your Neighbors is an important step in any church's growth! Most recently, Dave, Minister and Team Leader for the Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team of Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ, was involved in restructuring a congregation's organizational life for mission in the 21st century and creating a team ministry that engaged in planning new worship opportunities through contemporary technology, multi-cultural music and generational outreach. |
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Online Courses |
Church Planting 101
Five-week course begins Monday, January 17
Led by Rev. Cameron Trimble, co-executive director and CEO of The Center for Progressive Renewal and one of the country's leading experts in the field, Church Planting 101 will provide a comprehensive overview in progressive church planting.
Inventing Intentionally Transformational Emerging Worship
Five-week course begins Saturday, January 22
Led by author, emergent church planter and musician Troy Bronsink, and Joshua Case, community organizer and developer of the emergent Nick & Josh podcast, this course is designed to help you look at worship from a new perspective and to set the foundations for change. |
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WMC 2010 HIGHLIGHTS AND 2011 OUTLOOK |
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What an amazing year White Memorial Camp and Conference Center had in 2010. Here are a few highlights:
- A growth in UCC Summer Campers
- Meeting a balanced budget
- Having a truly blessed curriculum created by Pastor Debby Rains
- Updates to the Kitchen and Dining Hall
- New blinds in the Dining Hall
- A successful summer with the new staffing arrangements
- Additions of the following program areas, Archery, Water Trampoline, Disc Golf
- Updated and added to the Low Ropes Course
- Painted the Pool
- Got the sewer line cleaned and treated
- Updated internet capabilities at camp
- Updated the Labyrinth
- Repaired the pool drain system
- Repaired several water leaks
- Organized the Brown Shed to turn it into the Program Shed
- Built Shelves in the White Shed
- Cleaned the old pump house out
- Cleaned up the camp dump and we have it almost completely eliminated
- The wind generator is up and running and producing energy
- Had our 2nd Holiday Camp (we had 20 campers 18 of which were scholarship campers)
- Continue to update policies and procedures
2011 Plans and Outlook:
- We have started fundraising for 2011 and beyond.
- The first annual friends campaign has been started we have a little bit of response to that and hope that as people prepare their taxes they will remember a donation to White Memorial Camp and Conference Center is tax deductable.
- Continue to raise money for cabin updates
- Raising money for geo thermal heating and cooling
- Develop outreach programs
- Update office equipment
- Update Camp Vehicles
- Continued updates of camp maintenance equipment and tools
- Policies and Procedures complete so we can apply to ACA for a 2012 inspection *we have to have cabin update complete to be able to do this
WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED A $30,000.00 MATCHING GRANT FOR A HIGH ROPES COURSE.
We have already received pledges for $2000.00 of the $30,000.00 matching grant for the high ropes course.
The UCC Puritan Congregational Church in Drummond OK has given $1,000.00 and is challenging other churches to meet their donation.
Let's go and let's grow. If you would like more information or can help with any of these projects mentioned above please contact the office at 620-767-5165.
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That they may all be one... John 17:21
Good News White Memorial Camp and Conference Center has been awarded a matching grant of $30,000.00 from the Hopkins Foundation of Lyon County Kansas for a High Ropes Course.
Our challenge now is to raise the other $30.000.00 by the spring so we can have the course up and running before summer starts. The addition of a high course that accessible to all will enable the camp to be more self sustaining, enrich the lives or our camp family, and expand our conference participants.
Our challenge to you is to be part of this exciting addition to camp and help us reach this goal. Climb on! For more information call the camp office 620-767-5165 or send a check to the Conference office with "High Ropes Course" in the comment section. |
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White Memorial Camp 2011 Wish List |
| | | White Memorial Camp 2011 Wish List
o Gator 4x4
o Flat bed trailer to haul off recyclable metal
o Money for the Maintenance of camp
o Storage shed for the Dining Hall to set outside the door to put tables and chairs into.
o Replacement of Kitchen Stoves
o repair of chair cushions
o 6 ft and 8ft table clothes (any colors will do as long as we have 6 - 10 of the same color)
o Round Table Cloths (any solid colors will do as long as we have 15 of the same color)
o Point of Use water heater at the back sink in Kitchen
o Any good silverware is always welcome (butter knives, spoons, forks)
o Build 8 more picnic tables
o Large Electric Skillets, Griddles, Roaster
o New updated and clean furniture for cabins and basement
o Regular twin mattresses for lower bunks 60 total with plastic mattress covers
o New bathroom rugs with non slip bottoms on them (we have 20 bathrooms total)
o Non Slip surfacing put into HC Accessible Bathrooms
o New entry way rugs for each cabin and apartment ( 10 with a non slip bottom)
o Nice patio furniture
o Paint jobs inside and out for all camp buildings including site house
o Pool Furniture
o Water Toys (goggles, fins, diving rings, kick boards, beach balls)
o Deck Treatment for pool and all buildings
o A church to adopt the pool area
o Guttering for Site House
o Sidewalk to the basement
o Update the kitchen area replace old appliances in the basement
o A couple of churches to adopt the following buildings/ areas, pool, dock, court, sand volleyball area, ball diamond, and Big Red
o Entry way rugs and bathroom rugs with non slip surface on the bottom (6 total)
o Create a path that is more wheelchair accessible
o Put a rail on the back of the dock
o Install new floats on the dock
o Repair the canoe storage racks
o Repair the Swing set
o An adoptive family or small church group to make repairs to the benches at Vespers Point as needed.
o A larger cross (the older cross fell over and had to be shortened to reuse)
o Have a family or church group adopt the Amphitheater area to spruce it up and make small repairs as needed.
o Tennis net needs replaced
o Sand Volley Ball court could use more sand
o The ropes course needs wood chips under all elements
o Would love for a church or family to adopt the Low Ropes Course area.
o 2 main fire rings. Could use some general upkeep. Would be nice to have a church or family adopt them
o It would be nice to have a family or church group adopt the Labyrinth area of camp to develop it more and help with upkeep of that area.
o Craft Items - Glue, scissors, markers, paint, paintbrushes, paper, clay, embroidery floss, newspapers, plaster, yarn, any other items are welcome
o 4 more Paddles for canoes
o 1 more Kayak paddle
o 2-4 paddle boats
o Tennis Racquets
o Basket Balls
o Soft practice baseballs
o Ball Gloves
o Bases for the ball diamond
o Golf Clubs (no putters please)
o Golf Pins for yard golf
o Volley Balls
o Hula Hoops
o Large Omni Ball
o Hooks, sinkers, bobbers, line
o PA System/Audio System
o High Ropes Course with a climbing tower
o Compasses
o Dutch Ovens
o Outdoor Cooking table
o Cast iron skillets
o Horses
o Horse Equipment
o Horse Barn
Money is always welcome J
Some of the items on this list are specific to our camp and our master site plan if you need prices or ideas on what to purchase or how to help please contact me. Email wmcucc@tetelco.net or 620-767-5165.
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NON-VIOLENT ADVOCACY IN A VIOLENT WORLD
CONCERT AND DISCUSSION |
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Non-violent advocacy in a violent world
Emma's Revolution coming to Tulsa for discussion, concert
Emma's Revolution, a musical duo whose songs focus on social justice and equality, will be in Tulsa on Saturday, Feb. 5, to perform and talk about non-violent advocacy.
The singers will lead a free discussion and workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. about ways to advocate for change without resorting to violence.
Emma's Revolution will perform at 7 p.m. that evening. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door.
Both events are at Fellowship Congregational Church, 2900 S. Harvard Ave. and are organized by Open Table UCC, Owasso. For more details, see www.OpenTableUCC.com.
The Concert
Emma's Revolution will appear in an intimate concert from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Fellowship Congregational Church.
Emma's Revolution members Pat Humphreys and Sandy O bring a sense of humor and hope to their music. They are inspired by Pete Seeger and others as they continue the legacy of music for social change.
The award-winning folksingers from Maryland have toured internationally.
Come prepared to laugh, cry and be inspired!
Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased at www.emmasrevolution.com or www.opentableucc.com.
The concert is a benefit for Open Table UCC in Owasso, a new open and affirming community of faith.
A pie auction and silent auction are planned during intermission. In addition, Emma's Revolution will have CDs and teeshirts available.
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NON-VIOLENT ADVOCACY DISCUSSION |
| | | Pat Humphreys and Sandy O use the power of music as advocates for peace and justice, the environment, human rights, women and LGBTQ issues. They will lead a discussion and workshop in how to advocate for change without resorting to violence.
Tulsa area advocates will join them to talk about their efforts to work for change in such areas as bullying prevention, local food insecurity and community development in Tulsa North.
The advocacy discussion is 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Fellowship Congregational Church at 2900 S. Harvard in Tulsa.
Both events are coordinated by Open Table UCC in Owasso. For more information, see www.OpenTableUCC.com or call Rev. Melinda Foster at 918-609-6292 or 918-693-0458.
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| 28th GENERAL SYNOD |
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 Planning on joining us? |
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NEW COLLEGIUM MEMBERS - NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED |
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Nominees for three new members of the Collegium have been announced by the national setting of the church. Pending approval at their respective national board meetings this spring,
the nominees will be presented for election at this summer's General Synod (Tampa, FL, June 30 to July 5).
Associate General Minister
The nominee is Mr. W. Mark Clark of Tuscon, AZ (Southwest Conference). He has since 1999 been President and Chief Executive Officer of CODAC Behavioral Health Services in Tuscon. Mark has served in a variety of Conference and national church offices. At last General Synod, he served as chair of the Committee of Reference. He was a member of the Office of General Ministries Board, chairing its Budget and Finance Committee. He represented OGM on the Executive Council. If elected, he will replace Edith Guffey, who was not eligible to run for re-election (term limit).
Local Church Ministries Executive
The nominee is the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, who serves currently as the UCC Director of PIC (Publishing, Identity and Communication). He has served on the national UCC staff for more than 10 years (various positions) and before served as local church Pastor for twelve years of Zion UCC in Henderson, KY. He replaces the Rev. Steve Sterner, who is not seeking re-election.
Wider Church Ministries Executive
The nominee is the Rev. Jim Moos, Senior Pastor of Bismarck UCC (Northern Plains Conference). Jim is currently a member of the Executive Council and former chair of the Executive Council. He is a part member of Wider Church Ministries. He has been deeply engaged with Global Ministries in support of its partnership of the Protestant Church of East Timor.
If elected at General Synod these new members of Collegium will join the Rev. Geoffrey Black (General Minister and President) and Rev. Linda Jiramillo (Justice and Witness Ministries Executive Minister) to form the five member Collegium, leadership team of the national UCC. The terms for new Collegium members will begin on October 1, 2011.
Detailed information about the new nominees can be found on the UCC website
www.ucc.org
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PRAYERS OF SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT |
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We offer our prayers to Larry and Dean Young as they grieve the death and celebrate the life of Larry's mother, Lila, who died on December 25, 2010. She was 84 years old and died at the Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood, KS. A memorial service was held at Immanuel UCC, Ellinwood on December 30, 2010. If you would like to send a sympathy card, their address is: Larry & Dean Young, 629 North Fritz, Ellinwood, KS 67526. |
| K-O PRAYER CALENDAR |
| | | Congregation of Immanuel UCC, Herndon, KS
Bethany UCC, Hiawatha, KS - Rev. Shane Spangler and Congregation
St. Peter's UCC, Inman, KS - Rev. Dr. James Nelson and Congregation |
| UCC CALENDAR OF PRAYER |
| K-O INTERIM CONFERENCE MINISTER'S SCHEDULE |
| | | January 23 Congregational UCC, Haven, KS
January 30 Grace UCC, Abilene, KS
Krista would be happy to visit your congregation. Call her at 316-686-4331 to schedule a date. |
| K-O CHURCHES IN TRANSITION |
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Cathedral of Hope, Oklahoma City, OK Rev. Joe Meinhart is interim pastor
Congregational UCC, Carrier, OK Rev. Gordon Epps is interim pastor.
Community Congregational UCC, Gaylord, KS Rev. Linda Kemp is interim pastor.
Fairmount UCC, Wichita, KS Rev. Monte Gravenstein has resigned as interim pastorand his last Sunday leading worship is January 30.
Federated Church, Kingfisher, OK Rev. Sam Steele is interim pastor.
First Congregational UCC, Anthony, KS
First Congregational UCC, Centralia, KS Pastor Scott Caulley is supply pastor.
First Congregational UCC, Great Bend, KS Rev. Stan Crawford is interim pastor.
First Congregational UCC, Goltry, OK
First Congregational UCC, McPherson, KS Rev. Constance Lunn is interim pastor
First Congregational UCC, Onaga, KS Pastor Scott Caulley is supply pastor.
First United Church of Christ, Newton, KS Pastor Jerry Scribner is supply pastor.
Highland Trinity UCC, Newton, KS Pastor Sheree Boman has resigned and her last Sunday leading worship is January 23
Immanuel UCC, Ellinwood, KS Rev. Larry Young has resigned and his last Sunday leading worship is March 13.
St John UCC, Baldwin City, KS Rev Lewis Hinshaw is supply pastor
St. Paul UCC, Eudora, KS Pastor Rodney Nitz is interim pastor
St. Peter's UCC, Inman, KS Rev. Jim Nelson has resigned and his last Sunday leading worship is February 27
United Church of the Good Shepherd, KC, KS Rev. Art Foster is supply pastor.
United Church of Norman, Norman, OK Rev. Warren Jensen is interim pastor.
Zion UCC, Junction City, KS. Rev. Patty Brown-Barnett is interim pastor |
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| QUICK LINKS |
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Rev. Krista Betz, Interim Conference Minister
Kansas-Oklahoma Conference 1245 Fabrique
Wichita, KS 67218
800-880-6466
Sara Shaw, Camp Director
620-767-5165 (Camp Office)
620-202-0311(Cell)
620-767-7244 (Fax)
1271 South 1050 Road
Council Grove KS 66846-8520
wmcucc@tctelco.net
Nancy A. Wolfe, Conference Communications Coordinator
3020 SE Virgo Ave
Topeka, KS 66605
785-806-4580
Our Church's Wider Mission is the lifeblood of ministry and mission in the United Church of Christ. Your contributions to this offering make this weekly e-communication and much, much more possible. Thank you for your generous support! Our covenant as local churches, associations, conferences and the national setting of our denomination is made evident through this mission together. |
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