Rethink Church coming to the Great West District, Sept. 10-11

What if church was a verb? Rethink Church. Be Church. 

Conference schedule for September 10-11 at Alliance United Methodist Church:

—Friday, September 10: Facilitation Training Day, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (MDT)

This day is intended for those who want to hone their ability to facilitate groups. The focus will be on learning and teaching styles as well as hands-on tips for getting the most out of a group gathering. Registration starts at 8 a.m., the workshop begins at 9 a.m. Participants will achieve a Communications Trainer Level I status from United Methodist Communications.

—Friday evening (5-9 p.m.) and Saturday, September 11: Rethink Church Conference

The Rethink Church Conference on Friday evening will focus on case studies presented in a panel discussion format. Attendees will be able to ask questions and learn from others who have implemented new and exciting ministries in their congregations. The session will continue into Saturday, with registration at 8 a.m. The Rethink Church conference is intended for those considering new ways of doing ministry in their congregations. Attendees will learn about connecting to the larger community, how to find out who is actually in our communities and how to get the discussions about change going in the local church. A tentative schedule is attached below, as is a list of lodging options in Alliance.

The cost is $40 per person; if you register for Saturday, Friday’s training day is free, however, participants of the training day must agree to facilitate at least two meetings in the next year using some of the Rethink Church materials provided.

The group rate is $125 for 4-7 people. Groups of more than 8 should contact Kathryn Witte at kwitte@umcneb.org to negotiate special pricing.

Online registration will be available beginning August 4. Be watching next week’s UMconnect for the PDF/printable version of the registration form.

• Rethink Church Alliance tentative schedule
• Lodgings in Alliance

Save the date — South Central Jurisdiction Women's Leadership Conference, March 22-25, 2011

The Women’s Leadership Team of the South Central Jurisdiction is preparing a “grand celebration and convocation” for women clergy of the Jurisdiction. Mark March 22-25, 2011 on your calendar! The conference will take place in New Orleans, La., at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center; the theme will be “Wade in the Water.”

Nebraska Area Bishop Ann B. Sherer-Simpson will be attending and she invites all of the women clergy members of the Nebraska Annual Conference to attend as well.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to spend time together as clergy women, getting acquainted with women from across the Jurisdiction and growing in our capacity to do ministry together in Nebraska and across the church," said Sherer-Simpson.

Further information and a registration form will be forthcoming.

2010 Appointments

Click here to download and view the 2010 Appointments list of clergy in the Nebraska United Methodist Conference.

Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team listening session schedule

There are two listening sessions left on the schedule; these sessions are being sponsored by the Nebraska-Kansas Episcopal Area Transition Team and led by Nebraska Area Bishop Ann B. Sherer-Simpson and Conference Lay Leader Tom Watson (Watson is also the leader of the Transition Team). Their purpose is to help the Transition Team learn more about the views and opinions regarding the new area. Questions and concerns raised during the listening sessions will also be addressed.

Please plan to attend one of the sessions; you do not need to be member of the district to attend. If you have questions or concerns regarding the new episcopal area, you will want to be sure and attend one of these sessions. The following schedule outlines the dates, times and locations; all times are Central Standard unless otherwise noted.

—Blue River District: Sunday, September 12, 5-8 p.m., Lincoln Horizons Community Church (Combined meeting of Listening Team/Fall Update)

—Elkhorn Valley District: Sunday, September 26, 4 p.m., Orchard UMC