Open Hearts Reconciling Community folks:
Here is the Oct and Nov news for our group.. Another great year of Spiritual Awakenings.. more info coming for fall and winter as times goes on.. I am just back from LIGHTEN THE BURDEN III in Dallas with Bill Black -- and hope to write a reflection in the next week or so!
Reconciling on the Road: Thanks to all persons and groups that donated with love gifts for bill black, trinity UMC and Maureen Vetter to go from NE! There were 168 persons who came from all over the world to learn and share stories .. the UM global aids fund launched the new 20 / 20 Campaign .. Visioning an AIDS FREE world!
Talk about hitting the road.. bill drove from Lincoln 12 hours each way to dallas and back to get us there and home yesterday ----- and i had fourteen hours in the car both ways leaving from G island to Dallas.. we met new people, heard many tough, heartbreaking stories, learned more what is happening with HIV AIDS in Africa and in the USA, around the world in the UMC.. many urgent challenges all over for those battling HIV AIDS -------- and we need to step our fundraising locally in local churches, start conversations on HIV AIDS whenever we can and wherever, start doing programs in our churches on Human sexuality again, empowering women and laity with HIV AIDS advocacy and human sexuality! Great curriculums available for all ages through Cokesbury publishing and time to work on AIDS prevention programs worldwide! We had spiritual awakenings all three days with inspiration, honest sharing and passion as we tried to LIGHTEN THE BURDEN at this third conference in the UMC.
Rev Steve Griffith attended the RMN Power Summit recently in Oct.. we look forward to hearing from him as well!
1) Believe out loud with events and gatherings: Oct 22, 23 and SATURDAY Nov 20: Inspiring Communities Conference is coming Oct 22, 23 Hastings College for safer communities in NE! SEVEN persons are going from Open Hearts on Friday night and FOUR persons going friday and saturday from our group! We will be carpooling over to HASTINGS COLLEGE BOTH DAYS -- and sharing about the conference Nov 20 at our first SATURDAY gathering for thanksgiving! Brian Whitecalf will TELL HIS STORY so come and lend support to him .. bring a snack to share and come at 1 PM to get started .. our meeting will run in the same place from 1 - 3 pm .. come early at 12:45 Nov 20 on SATURDAY if you are new to the Open hearts group to read the support group guidelines! Bring a friend and come together for inclusive community! We will take Thanksgiving offerings for RMN and do a fundraiser with CLAB Calendars.. also send in our yearly commitment to RMN.. sign up for new members and more! Come join us!
2) Nov 14: Reconciling takes to the road again and we anticipate Spiritual awakenings with the movie "INCOMPATIBLE WITH Christian teaching" at Saint Paul UMC, 2:30 PM on Sunday.. the movie maker will be there and discussion after. Saint Paul UMC is downtown and more info coming! Contact: Rev Steve Griffith at Saint Paul umc or go online or call. Let's pack Saint Paul UMC with this important movie . invite your friends and carpool to Lincoln!
3) World AIDS day coming Dec 1 with spiritual awakenings and responding in faith to those with HIV AIDS in our world :
UM Global AIDS fund special offerings in Local Churches Dec 5! If your church does not have an AIDS Ambassador to promote this offering, you can be that person! Remember the commitment to $1 per member in NE (2006) and that would be $78,000 for this Special offering! Offering envelopes are FREE at cokebury or create your own offering envelopes or fundraisers!
Write Maureen mvetter@charter.net or marta at martaw@hamilton.net or Andrew at NAP kearney to volunteer to be an AIDS Ambassador in the UMC and promote this Special offering in NE and around the world! casemanager2@kearneynap.org If you want more info on this offering and the TOOLKIT of resources go to : www.umglobalaidsfund.org today!
We need you to help us be the arms of love around the world for this LIFE GIVING offering. Send prayers and promote this offering in all local churches in NE!
You can do fundraisers too this fall or winter for UM Global AIDS fund too! we hope to do Baskets of LOVE for the two HIV AIDS funds (global fund and our local emergency fund for NAP kearney) if you want to participate in Baskets of love Dec 5 and Dec 12 with a Silent Auction both weekends at worship -- let Maureen know atmvetter@charter.net .. we will be sending ideas for fundraisers this winter!
25 % of all offerings that are sent to NE Conf offices to the Conference Treasurer go to LOCAL AIDS projects for Working for an AIDS Free World Grants set up by our new NE UMC HIV AIDS Task Force a year ago! Applications for these Grants are due Nov 1 .. you find the Grant to apply on the Conference website: www.umcneb.org and then go to Ministries in Action, then to Risk taking mission and find it on the Risk taking mission and Justice team page!
4) Star City Pride events : attached info on events and tell your friends.. hit the road and connect with new friends.. collaborate with other GLBT groups!
5) Go online to Foundry UMC, Washington DC for news about doing same sex unions in an all church decision in September.
6) Check out other Reconciling congregations around the USA and get inspiration! www.RMNetwork.org Go to Pacific Northwest Conference a Reconciling Conference as well! First UMC Tucson is voting soon to become a Reconciling congregation! You can start a Reconciling community with two more folks or an established group at your church!
7) Sign up to be a Reconciling United Methodist today and join over 300 persons in NE now -- we hope to reach 400 RUM's this year.. start a Reconciling support group in your area at a coffee shop, at a Sunday school class, at a book study or book group, at a youth group, at a community group, at a choir or movie group..
Check out the book "Voices from the KINGDOM" by beverly cole or "COMING OUT as Sacrament" by Chris Glaser, "Change the World" by Mike Slaughter or Transformal Journal.. there are also many books by Bishop Spong who is coming as the Theologian to HORIZONS OF FAITH Conference in Omaha late march for the 10th Anniversary!
Go to www.horizonsoffaith.com "
Start a project for writing down your SACRED stories on paper as a booklet to share in your local group and congregation this winter, put together Awakening our spiritual stories, Believe out loud stories or go to the new Blog to share your stories: www.nebraskarum.blogspot.com
8) A brand new book is available for groups entitled
9) OUTREACH, Missions in G Island : The movie THE 800 Mile Wall this wed, oct 20 with FREE Admission at the Grand Theater, Grand island, NE downtown! Juan Carlos frey the movie maker will be there and the keynote speaker at the Multicultural Conference Thurs Oct 21 at the Midtown Holiday Inn, Grand island, NE~ learn how to be involved in diversity projects.
The Literacy Council Fundraiser Nov 4 at the Saddle Club, G Island, Call Kelly Outson at the Literacy council today for tickets! Volunteer to be a Literacy mentor today! Literancy volunteers are needed in G Island! Sudanese Ed time for children each sunday is another MISSIONS project at TUMC! Volunteer to be a sub or helper, do snacks today.. call Jan coghlan at TUMC, family ministries! Kelly OUTSON the Director of Literacy council is sharing at our Friends for the Journey forum, Sunday Nov 21 along with upcoming books preview! Celtic Light Circle is Nov 7 and MS support group info in G Island all at 10 am on sundays in Nov in Gollagher chapel at TUMC, Trinity UMC.
10) More coming about "Another year of Spiritual Awakenings" this winter! Reflect on your spiritual awakenings! Share your spiritual awakenings! We hope to find ways to share some rainbows next year locally, do uplifting meet ups for signing up folks, movies, books, fundraisers for birthdays and collaborating with other GLBTQ groups ....... building partnerships.. starting support groups of friends and growing the circle of reconciling in NE and beyond! Open hearts events for 2011: january coffee time, Feb meeting on Sunday Feb 20, Horizons of faith March 25 - 27, Saturday meeting April 16 with Marta wheeler sharing about her brother and HIV AIDS, with pride events rainbows, movies and meet ups in summer!~
Maureen Vetter, Wendy Smith, PRN contacts, Main Email contacts, local contacts and friends around NE
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