NE Reconciling U Methodists and friends: Pass this on to friends!
During Lent and Easter : Seek out Spiritual Partners for your faith journey, renew yourself spiritually each week .. seek out marginalized friends or persons different from you to enrich your life! Find new ways to be inclusive in your local church, your faith group and friends!
Challenge: Another year of Spiritual Awakenings and Actions!
We are Taking Reconciling on the Road daily as you meetup with other reconciling friends, go to events, advocate for justice, go to events, lend support - You are Called to Witness and Believe Out loud as you sign up friends to be Reconciling United Methodists (online at www.RMNetwork.org) as you give to RMN and GLBT ministries ... and tell stories! Gather Rainbows of HOPE this spring and summer to share with others!
NEWS: Get involved in Pride events this summer in Lincoln and Omaha : give out info about your reconciling group!
Today - April 1 is the day that Jimmy Creech's new book is out - published through the Duke U Press! Go online to find this moving story and journey in the book :: "ADAM's GIFT" by Jimmy Creech - his story of struggle, pain, justice and hope! It is also our story together as people of faith! Adam's Gift has a longer title as a memoir! Read it as a group or SS class this summer or get a few friends to order it and share about it!
Nominations are due today April 1: for the MFSA Jimmy Creech Profile of Justice College Student Award / Scholarship!
Contact person: Zach Anderson : zachan85@gmail.com
Another book out: David Weekly as author: In From the Wilderness, his journey as a UMC transgender pastor -- go to RMN webpage www.RMNetwork.org or Church Within a Church for more info: www.cwac.us
Did you know that there are TWO Reconciling Congregations in Tucson, AZ? St Francis of the Foothills UMC and First UMC, Tucson!
Celebrate Reconciling Communities, Welcoming and affirming congregations and Reconciling Congregations like Omaha First umc who organize Horizons of Faith each year and do inclusive work faithfully -- and our four reconciling communities in NE: AWE Christ umc, Lincoln; RUMOLA Lincoln; Open Hearts Grand Island and NE statewide Reconciling community, our group email network of reconciling friends in NE
Go to RMN Facebook, to www.RMNetwork.org for info on Reconciling Ministries Network!
Go to our Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network Group FACEBOOK today.. or our new blog: www.Nebraskarum.blogspot.com
Thanks to Wendy Smith of Christ UMC, Lincoln for administering FB and our new blog!
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We hope that April showers bring May Flowers --- and June Rainbows of HOPE in your local churches!
Plan to gather Rainbows of HOPE this spring for art shows, Quilts and Fibers, Children's Rainbow art displayed, Rainbow Photos displayed, Rainbow Suitcases or baskets with Rainbow things to share with others as a fundraiser, Rainbow Tables, Rainbow Sunday, Rainbow Bake sales or Rainbow Movie night, Sign up party, RMN Rainbow Birthday Lunch Fundraiser or a Rainbow meetup for coffee!
If you want to bring Rainbows things (from origami to stoles, pins, ribbons to wear) to Annual Conference for the Reconciling table, bring them on June 1 to the RMN table at St marks UMC on 84th street south -- Betty Dorr of Omaha First UMC will be there at the RMN table of hope and rainbows, volunteer to help her out or bring info on a group or project, pride event for the Reconciling Table to affirm all God's children : bobcdorr@cox.net
If you want to donate Rainbow items to wear with the OPEN HEARTS Reconciling Community Rainbow Suitcase for the MFSA dinner and other Inclusive, GLBT events : you can bring items to Lincoln June 1 -- Rainbow ribbons, pins, stoles, scarves, jewelry, lapel pins, Rainbow leis, and things for people to wear at Annual conference to identify themselves as Rainbow People -- or create your own Rainbow Suitcase or Basket for worship at local churches, events, gatherings, movie showings, concerts for HIV AIDS -- contact maureen at mvetter@charter.net
Our Open Hearts group in Grand Island is hoping to start a Rainbow Suitcase for Gatherings and Reconciling on the Road events along with a Rainbow Crate of GLBT and allies RESOURCES -- like DVD's, music, books, magazines, book studies, GLBT studies for the group here --
THANKS for ALL THE DONATIONS this past winter! WE are very grateful! Seek out Resources at the Resource Center in Lincoln at Conference offices too! www.umcneb.org through Diane .. they have the DVD: Call Me Malcolm and other GLBT, faith resources! Donate to the Resource Center in Lincoln too!
The DVD: FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO is a great one to donate to a Resource Center, your church library or share in local groups or start a Rainbow Crate with Resources locally! *
*At Open Hearts we could use a copy of the DVD "INCOMPATIBLE with Christian Teaching" when it goes
on Sale if someone wants to donate it -- and a copy of the movie "The Kids are All right" or other notable GLBTQA movies, documentaries!
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Petitions and Resolutions:
1) Omaha First UMC and the HIV AIDS task force in NE have sent in Petitions to
NE Annual Conference for 2012 General Conference on GLBT Legislation
2) The UM Global AIDS FUND and HIV AIDS Task force for the NE UMC has submitted a Resolution to Annual
Conference for the 20 / 20 Campaign of Visioning an AIDS Free World by 2020 -- giving $20 whenever possible to eliminate HIV AIDS by 2020 as we respond in faith to persons battling HIV AIDS in NE and beyond!
Send Gifts for UM Global AIDS Fund to the NE Conf Treas : ADVANCE # 578 Global AIDS - so that 25 % of offerings and gifts stays in Ne for local AIDS projects! see the new URL: www.umcneb.org/AIDS
See the NE UMC Workbook for Annual conference coming out for Petitions to General Conf 2012 as legislation -- and the HIV AIDS Resolution -- all to be voted on by our NE UMC Annual conference.
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Spring Events:
We have some Spring events coming for Reconciling groups and check for PFLAG
meetings, other Inclusive faith groups in your area ------ Collaboration is a good way to build alliances and allies:
April 8: Take Reconciling on the Road: 7 PM Friday night is the 3rd Annual HIV AIDS Benefit Concert at
TUMC, G island at 5th and Elm. Four musicians from Central NE will SHARE their SONGS, time and talents to raise funds for the TUMC Emergency HIV AIDS fund! This fund needs to be replenished each year as it gives assistance for medical emergencies at NAP Kearney in Central NE. There are Waiting lists in 21 states for medical emergencies at AIDS centers! NE is one of them!
April 8 : Come early at 6:30 PM to get info on HIV AIDS in the Gathering Place at TUMC and testing sites in the area! We celebrate the new TESTING Site through Trinity UMC in GI with Central Health Center two times a month! KNOW YOUR STATUS : come get tested the first thurs of each month (am) and the third Thurs of the month (afternoon). There are many other testing sites across NE and through NAP in five sites in NE (NE AIDS Project .. www.nap.org -- or go to STOP AIDS NE or other online resources!
We will have an Intermission at the HIV AIDS Benefit Concert too and musicians will bring DVD's to sell .. bring cookies if you want to help that way with Intermission and if you want to help with washing coffee mugs etc! We brew Equal Exchange coffee at TUMC now.. We hope that this fund brings hope to those battling HIV AIDS in Central NE! Bring new blankets of love too or household items, cleaning items, personal items to replenish the caring cupboard at NAP kearney to serve clients in 36 counties!
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April 10 : Open Hearts Reconciling Community and Support Group.. 3 PM with fellowship time at 2:30 PM in the Gathering Place, TUMC, 5th and Elm, Grand Island, NE.
Program: Sharing stories, Writing up our Stories: Spiritual Awakenings, upcoming events for GLBT justice and support! Contact Mvetter@charter.net for info or Mena ottomine1971@gmail.com Bring a snack to share and meet new friends!
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June 1 - 4, Reconciling Table at NE UMC Annual Conference: Share Rainbow
things you might have or create at this table! Betty Dorr and folks from
Omaha First UMC will staff the table or volunteer : bobcdorr@cox.net today!
June 1 - 4, Special Offering June 3 at 8:30 Worship for UM Global AIDS fund and HIV AIDS / UM Global AIDS fund Info at the Risk Taking Mission Table, St Marks UMC, Lincoln, if you want to help at the table signing up
AIDS ambassadors and info contact : mvetter@charter.net or biobb@bellsouth.net
You receive a FREE UMC HIV AIDS Toolkit if you sign up as an AIDS Ambassador at the Table at Annual Conference (as long as supplies last) or download the TOOLKIT today at www.umglobalaids.fund.org
Support the Resolution for the 20/20 Campaign for UM Global AIDS fund in the NE UMC Annual Conference along with the challenge of $1 per member yearly approved in 2006 in NE UMC.
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Join us by becoming a Reconciling UM in NE -- join the 300 folks in NE by signing up today : www.RMNetwork.org
If you want to do a Signup party / MEETUP at Annual Conference, movie night get together, you can organize an events in your local groups and then let us know~ Thanks to all Local Contacts and Main Email contacts for keeping the news flowing in NE as volunteers! We have no budget per se and all our work is in house and through volunteers like YOU ... all of our fundraising goes to RMN for ministries (chicago offices) and a more fully Inclusive UMC!
See info about SING A NEW SONG the next CONVO for RMN at the website! www.RMNetwork.org
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Important Gathering: Town Hall in Lincoln APRIL 18.. see below:
LGBT TOWNHALL MEETING in Lincoln, April 18, Saint Paul UMC, downtown
FREE PARKING
Enter parking garage on
11th Street, between M
and N Streets. Also ample
street parking.
LGBT COMMUNITY
Physical, Mental, Social & Sexual Health
TOWNHALL
Monday, April 18, 7–8:30
Saint Paul United Methodist
1144 M St, Room 155, Lincoln
Join Dr. Christopher Fisher and Dr. Jay Irwin for preliminary data
from their current research on health issues in the LGBT community,
and a community discussion about how the information should be
analyzed and reported.
What information do you want to see?
How do you want to see the data presented?
What will be most useful for you, LGBT organizations and allies?
The Midlands LGBT Community Needs Assessment was launched at
Omaha Pride 2010. Over 750 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
Midlanders who live, work, and play in Nebraska answered questions
about their physical, mental, social, sexual health and the health of the
LGBT community.
Results will be released at Omaha Pride 2011
Dr. Fisher, Assistant Professor of Health Promotion, Social and
Behavioral Health at UNMCs College of Public Health, is the lead investigator.
Co-investigators are Dr.Irwin, UNO Assistant Professor of Sociology, and Dr. Jason Coleman, UNO
Assistant Professor of Health Education. All three have conducted previous research with LGBT populations in Indiana, California, Alabama, and South Carolina. Team also includes UNMC and UNO graduate students. Research sponsored by the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health.
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Support RMN or Reconciling Ministries Network - become a Reconciling UM today! www.RMNetwork.org
Maureen Vetter and Wendy Smith, Statewide Contacts for Group email and Group Facebook & our new blog!mvetter@charter.net and wsmith28@gmail.com, Main Email Contacts, PRN contacts and Local Contacts!
Recruit Youth and Young Adult Contacts in your local groups!
Become a local Reconciling contact or start a reconciling coffee group,
book group, Sunday school class, choir, UMW or UMM or support group today!
Let us know : mvetter@charter.net or wendy at wsmith28@gmail.com
For info on the UM global AIDS fund : contact Maureen mvetter@charter.net and Bill black biobb@bellsouth.net
Co chairs of the NE UMC HIV AIDS Task force going for two years Fall 2011.
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