Lessons from Pandemics Past

One of the biggest disruptions in the life of the church in the past few decades was clearly the COVID-19 pandemic. I suppose you could make an argument that it’s still causing disruption.

The Congregational Excellence team of the Great Plains Conference wants to help clergy and laity process what has happened, come to grips with our current reality and, — and this is most important — realize there is hope for the future.

So in late April and early May, author Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter will be making a book tour with workshops in five Great Plains cities — North Platte and Columbus in Nebraska, and Ottawa, McPherson and Hays in Kansas.

Rebekah Simon-Peter is chief visionary for Rebekah Simon-Peter Coaching and Consulting Incorporated, which has a flagship program titled “Creating a Culture of Renewal.”

The event she is facilitating with us in the Great Plains is Lessons from Pandemics Past. Rebekah — whom some of you likely will remember from our episode previewing the Laity Summit in March — will be sharing some of the insights she learned from her work and from the research for her newest book, “Forging a New Path: Moving the Church Forward in a Post-Pandemic World.”

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CCLI: Enhance Worship While Protecting Your Church

CCLI and similar licensing services allow for churches to make song sheets, project lyrics and use other tools to enhance worship. Their efforts support the composers whose work we use while also protecting churches from copyright concerns. Todd talks with two representatives from CCLI, who explain how they work and what CCLI and other similar organizations do.

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Laity Summit 2023

One of the newer traditions in the Great Plains Conference is our annual Laity Summit. Guests in this episode include Lisa Maupin, conference lay leader, and Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter, our keynote speaker for this day dedicated to training and education specifically for laity. The 2023 edition is scheduled for March 18. And it’s completely online, using Zoom, so you can participate from anywhere in Kansas or Nebraska — or the world for that matter.

The theme this year is “And They Dreamed.”

You can learn more and register by going to www.greatplainsumc.org/laity-summit.

Download the episode.

Center for Pastoral Effectiveness

Our world today is filled with anxiety, and the church is not immune. The Rev. Bill Selby recognized that long ago and launched what is known as the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness. He has made it his ministry to help pastors better navigate anxiety and improve connections with congregants and their communities.

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Learn more about the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness.

South Central Jurisdiction Candidates for Bishop

The “In Layman’s Terms” podcast, hosted by Todd Seifert, Great Plains Conference communications director, has provided a short series of brief interviews involving the seven known candidates for bishop in the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church.
 
Each of the candidates was asked the same questions to help laity and clergy across the Great Plains and the jurisdiction get to know the candidates a little better prior to the elections Nov. 2-5 in Houston.
 
Each episode is 22 to 27 minutes in length.
 
Rev. Dee Williamston, director of clergy excellence and assistant to the bishop in the Great Plains Conference.

Rev. Dr. David Wilson, assistant to the bishop in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference.

Rev. Dr. Laceye Warner, associate dean for Wesleyan Engagement and the Royce and Jane Reynolds associate professor of evangelism and Methodist studies at Duke University Divinity School.

Rev. Dr. Eddie Rivera, provost of the New Mexico Conference.

Rev. Dr. Randall Partin, senior pastor of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rev. Laura Merrill, Capital District Superintendent in the Rio Texas Conference.

Rev. David Gilmore, Northwest District Superintendent in the Missouri Conference.

Future of the UMC — Where We Have Been

Our short series on the future of The United Methodist Church continues with a look at the history of the human sexuality debate within the denomination. Todd is joined this time by Rev. David Livingston and Randall Hodgkinson, who provide their perspectives and some historical context to what has happened since the first debate in 1972 through today.

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Future of the UMC — Where Things Stand

A new series looking at the future of The United Methodist Church kicks off with this episode that examines where things stand at this moment in the life of the denomination. The series kicks off with an interview with the Rev. Adam Hamilton, lead pastor of United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, the largest congregation in the denomination based in Leawood, Kansas, but with five campuses across the Kansas City area. He also is the leader of the Great Plains Conference’s delegation to General Conference.

This episode provides an overview of the current state of The United Methodist Church.

Download the episode.