See the Daily Messenger links BELOW from the last day of Annual Conference with a story about Don Messer's moving speech on Tues night, May 31 on the STIGMA of HIV AIDS! A spontaneous offering that night yielded $900 with an additional offering Friday -- and all totalling $4000 for Ministries directly through UM Global AIDS Fund around the globe and NE !
Let's double these June offerings in 2011 to $8000 by years end or better yet $10,000 with fundraisers all year and offerings Dec 4 weekend! Our initial challenge from General Conference in 2004 was $1 per member a year - that would be $78,000 a year in NE!
Thanks Don for coming to NE to ENLIGHTEN US and thanks for initiating the UM Global AIDS Fund in 2004 to start helping us to see persons we have never seen before and respond in faith!
Our new challenge: 20/20 Visioning an AIDS Free world by 2020 : giving $20 whenever possible!
Thanks to Bill Black for Introducing the Special Offering Friday June 3 for UM Global AIDS Fund at Worship 8:30 am at Annual Conference last week in Lincoln - we hope to share his opening words later this summer via email or blog - with fundraising ideas for UM Global AIDS Fund www.umcneb.org/AIDS for NE info and www.umglobalaidsfund.org
Give to the Summer Email Offering for NE Statewide Reconciling Network today : gifts to RMN and send to Maureen Vetter, 4422 Drake Lane, G island, NE 6880l Our goal is $250 !
We have a NEW Statewide Reconciling FACEBOOK that is more public -- Facebook archived our old one recently - Search Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network and add FRIENDS today - that is how we will grow the list of Friends by adding friends! Check out recaps of Annual Conference and summer events on our new blog : www.Nebraskarum.blogspot.com
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! SING A NEW SONG CONVO is coming this summer : www.RMNetwork.org Send prayers, gifts and go yourself! Believe out loud!
Open hearts, open minds, open doors! Another year of GREAT spiritual Awakenings!
PS See Becca Preisendorf, Grand Island, Trinity UMC : the recipient of the 12th MFSA Jimmy Creech Profile of Justice Award and Scholarship in NE on Jimmy Creech's Facebook for Adam's Gift his newly released book! Search on Facebook: Jimmy Creech, Adam's Gift
----- Original Message -----
From: Kathryn Witte
To: mvetter@charter.net
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2011 10:35 AM
Subject: Daily Messenger, June 4
Attached below are the Saturday, June 4 editions of the Daily Messenger and the Youth Daily Messenger.
Please note that all of the Daily Messenger editions will be archived on the 2011 Annual Conference Web page, www.umcneb.org/AC2011. Petition and Resolution results will be posted on this same page within the next day. Selected worship services and presentations that were streamed live will be archived on UMtube in the near future.
Daily Messenger, June 4 (PDF)
Youth Daily Messenger, June 4 (PDF)
Contact us
3333 Landmark Circle
Lincoln, NE 68504-4760
Phone: (402) 464-5994
Fax: (402) 464-6203
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Love and Do Not Judge
Robert Wheeler the author of this blog is the Reconciling Email contact in the North platte area (thanks for doing this Robert ) - his blog is entitled Love and Do Not Judge (see below). He expresses his views like this one below :
It’s a Matter of Choice
We often hear of objections to the GLBT community, “It’s a matter of choice – to sin or not to sin.” I believe the resolution of the conflict in the various Christian churches over full inclusion in the life of the church is a matter of choice, not of gender or sexual orientation, but of where we put our faith.
I note in the article concerning Rev. Amy DeLong, that it concludes that the trial is “incompatible with scripture . . . [and] with our larger Church Tradition . . .” I do support Rev. DeLong in this matter. But I think it is as mistaken to quote scripture as though it is definitive on loving inclusion of the GLBT community within our own as are the various biblical arguments for judgment and exclusion.
To some degree faith is a gift; but it also involves choice. I am reminded of Hans Kung’s book Does God Exist? He proceeds through the proofs of God and concludes that there is no ironclad proof of God’s existence. He then traces the proofs that there is no God to its ultimate conclusion of nihilism. He likewise concludes that it cannot be proven that there is no God, or that there is no purpose in life. As I interpret my recollection of the book, one is left with a choice: choose God or no God and take the consequences: meaning in life or no meaning.
Eric Fromm, in Psychoanalysis and Religion asserts that a healthy religion is necessary to mental health. Interesting coming from a person popularly
categorized as an atheist and a humanist. He defines religion as that which gives us an object of devotion and a sense of orientation. Have we idolized God into the form of our image or our purposes?
How does this apply to my view of GLBT issues? We must accept that the Bible can be used to support any position, no matter how disparate. We find the same of Jewish and Muslim scriptures. We like things to be black and white, right or wrong. But, as our world is a mixture, from our individual point of view, of good and bad, so is our scripture. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral recognizes this.
On my blog, Love and Do Not Judge, which may be found at http://lovejudgenot.wordpress.com/, I have attempted to set out the various biblical arguments used by some Christians to judge GLBT issues (sometimes politely distinguished as “discernment”) and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, I set out a homosexual’s biblical argument justifying his sexual orientation.
I suggest here and in the blog that we will not find clear, consistent answers in the Bible on the issues of gender, sexuality or sexual orientation. We are in the same position Hans Kung found himself on the issue of whether God exists: we must make a choice, and that choice will have practical effects: ranging from “life has meaning” to “it has no meaning;” or from, “I am the center and condition of all existence” to “life is bigger than me; “I am the author
of my fate” to “life is something that happens to you.” My father, Rev. Edgar F. Wheeler, once put it to me this way, “People think Christianity is all about dying and going to heaven. I say, ‘No. It is about living a life of eternal significance.’”
For my part I choose for my object of devotion and sense of orientation Matthew’s quotes of Jesus: “Inasmuch as you did it unto others, you did it unto me.” “By their fruits you will know them.” To paraphrase a great prophet in another day and another situation, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.” Life involves choice. It just does. Make your choice and see what kind of fruit it bears. Does it bear hatred and exclusion or love, respect and inclusion?
In this blog, I note the biblical contradictions and I suggest that if you can find an honest way to both judge and to love unconditionally, to both judge the act and love the “sinner,” and if it bears good fruit, do it. As for me, I must make a choice between the two. I can’t hold onto judgment of another’s gender or sexual orientation, whether by choice or circumstance, and still love the person. I choose to love unconditionally and share in the rich give-and-take of community.
It’s a Matter of Choice
We often hear of objections to the GLBT community, “It’s a matter of choice – to sin or not to sin.” I believe the resolution of the conflict in the various Christian churches over full inclusion in the life of the church is a matter of choice, not of gender or sexual orientation, but of where we put our faith.
I note in the article concerning Rev. Amy DeLong, that it concludes that the trial is “incompatible with scripture . . . [and] with our larger Church Tradition . . .” I do support Rev. DeLong in this matter. But I think it is as mistaken to quote scripture as though it is definitive on loving inclusion of the GLBT community within our own as are the various biblical arguments for judgment and exclusion.
To some degree faith is a gift; but it also involves choice. I am reminded of Hans Kung’s book Does God Exist? He proceeds through the proofs of God and concludes that there is no ironclad proof of God’s existence. He then traces the proofs that there is no God to its ultimate conclusion of nihilism. He likewise concludes that it cannot be proven that there is no God, or that there is no purpose in life. As I interpret my recollection of the book, one is left with a choice: choose God or no God and take the consequences: meaning in life or no meaning.
Eric Fromm, in Psychoanalysis and Religion asserts that a healthy religion is necessary to mental health. Interesting coming from a person popularly
categorized as an atheist and a humanist. He defines religion as that which gives us an object of devotion and a sense of orientation. Have we idolized God into the form of our image or our purposes?
How does this apply to my view of GLBT issues? We must accept that the Bible can be used to support any position, no matter how disparate. We find the same of Jewish and Muslim scriptures. We like things to be black and white, right or wrong. But, as our world is a mixture, from our individual point of view, of good and bad, so is our scripture. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral recognizes this.
On my blog, Love and Do Not Judge, which may be found at http://lovejudgenot.wordpress.com/, I have attempted to set out the various biblical arguments used by some Christians to judge GLBT issues (sometimes politely distinguished as “discernment”) and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, I set out a homosexual’s biblical argument justifying his sexual orientation.
I suggest here and in the blog that we will not find clear, consistent answers in the Bible on the issues of gender, sexuality or sexual orientation. We are in the same position Hans Kung found himself on the issue of whether God exists: we must make a choice, and that choice will have practical effects: ranging from “life has meaning” to “it has no meaning;” or from, “I am the center and condition of all existence” to “life is bigger than me; “I am the author
of my fate” to “life is something that happens to you.” My father, Rev. Edgar F. Wheeler, once put it to me this way, “People think Christianity is all about dying and going to heaven. I say, ‘No. It is about living a life of eternal significance.’”
For my part I choose for my object of devotion and sense of orientation Matthew’s quotes of Jesus: “Inasmuch as you did it unto others, you did it unto me.” “By their fruits you will know them.” To paraphrase a great prophet in another day and another situation, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.” Life involves choice. It just does. Make your choice and see what kind of fruit it bears. Does it bear hatred and exclusion or love, respect and inclusion?
In this blog, I note the biblical contradictions and I suggest that if you can find an honest way to both judge and to love unconditionally, to both judge the act and love the “sinner,” and if it bears good fruit, do it. As for me, I must make a choice between the two. I can’t hold onto judgment of another’s gender or sexual orientation, whether by choice or circumstance, and still love the person. I choose to love unconditionally and share in the rich give-and-take of community.
A Whole New World: The Gospel of Matthew (book)
A WHOLE NEW WORLD by John Blackwell, forward by Molly Vetter
John was a pastor with molly at First umc San diego for a while - he is now Dean of the Chapel at Kansas Wesleyan U in KS
A Whole New World: The Gospel of Matthew - Paperback (June 1, 2011) by John Blackwell
Buy new: $13.95 $11.86
8 new from $11.25
1 used from $10.02
Get it by Thursday, June 9 if you order in the next 11 hours and choose one-day shipping.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Other Formats: Kindle Edition
John was a pastor with molly at First umc San diego for a while - he is now Dean of the Chapel at Kansas Wesleyan U in KS
A Whole New World: The Gospel of Matthew - Paperback (June 1, 2011) by John Blackwell
Buy new: $13.95 $11.86
8 new from $11.25
1 used from $10.02
Get it by Thursday, June 9 if you order in the next 11 hours and choose one-day shipping.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Other Formats: Kindle Edition
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Annual Conference--Next Steps
Although the Nebraska Annual Conference did not pass the GLBT related petitions to forward to the 2012 General Conference, anyone (individuals, churches, groups, etc.) can forward petitions to GC. Petitions from ACs carry more weight than those from individuals, but we can still send things along. I am planning to forward all of the GLBT related petitions to GC (Petitions 1, 3, and 4). If you want to sign your name, send me an email with your name & church, and I will add them on (wsmith28 at gmail dot com). You can find the petitions in the resource book: Scroll down and look for resource book, then around page 48
Annual Conference 2011 Recap
As a delegate to AC again this year, I was disappointed with a lot of the conference. We were supposed to be "table conferencing" about the resolutions and petitions, except all we got to do is go around the table to give a concern and affirmation about the one petition or resolution we were assigned. On the day when we talked about the proposal to become 1 new conference with the 2 Kansas conferences, my table group abandoned the prescribed format and had a real conversation, which was much better (but not what we were supposed to be doing).
The following are based on my notes from being at AC:
Petitions & Resolutions related to GLBT Issues
PASSED:
--Resolution that churches in the Annual Conference study the retired bishops' statement and engage in "holy conferencing" (passed by 6 votes out of over 400)
--Petition to include "civil unions, civil marriage" in the list of equal civil rights regardless of sexual orientation
FAILED:
--Resolution all-encompassing to embraces all GLBT into full church life
--Petition to remove the "incompatible with Christian teaching" from the Discipline
--Petitions to end prohibition against homosexual clergy
When the first of these resolutions was brought up, there was a motion to "refer" all of them until next year, to give more time to talk. This motion failed (barely), with the argument that we've been talking for years, and referring all of these effectively means defeating all of them since now is the time to forward petitions to General Conference 2012.
During debate on the last of the petitions, although we had already had 2 speeches for and 2 against (rules of debate), Jim Keyser stood up to say that he was offering a substitution to the motion--if we are going to be "scriptural" to ban GLBT clergy, then we should be consistent and ban divorced people from full church life, since Jesus does speak against divorce in the Bible.
I found it almost sad/pathetic that so many people stood up to oppose these resolutions & petitions; the gist of their argument was begging to be allowed to continue their discriminatory ways. Their reasons to continue discrimination were (a) tradition, (b) fear, and (c) willingness to pick and choose certain parts of the Bible to take literally and other parts not. The Wallace UMC was especially vocal with this fear--they seem to believe that their church will close if homosexuality becomes compatible with Christian teaching. There were many allies who stood up to speak in support of the various resolutions & petitions, but it wasn't enough for this year. The votes were closer this year than they had ever been, but close is still discouraging. During the table conferencing, I had to sit next to a pastor who said he still believes GLBT is a lifestyle choice and un-Biblical.
The budget was adopted nearly unanimously; it is 2% increase over last year. Several of us pointed out during the table discussions that the theme of this year's annual conference was that we need to change--we can't keep doing what we've been doing if we want to change the course of church decline. Yet, the budget represents doing what we've always been doing.
Other resolutions & petitions:
PASSING: Support immigration reform, fully fund the African universities; support 20/20: Visioning an AIDS free world ($20 per member per year, spend 30 minutes in local churches, spend 30 minutes at 2012 Annual Conference); study the UMC's involvement with RCRC; don't shorten the UMC mission statement
FAILING: withdraw from RCRC; stop endorsing abortion; allow churches to serve/sell alcohol (the alcohol one failed unanimously; no one stood to speak in favor of it, only against).
The Transition Team (7 people each from Nebr, Kansas East, Kansas West) has been meeting for 18 months. After all this time, they have advanced a "plan" for this year's AC to consider. However, the entirety of the plan is: create 1 new conference that covers the area previously served by Nebraska, Kansas East, and Kansas West. The new conference will be better. Period. They had lots of pretty words, but there was zero substance to the plan. Many people pointed this out. As recently as March, the goal had been for each of the 3 conferences to vote on becoming 1 conference at this point in time. However, there was enough push-back that instead we did a "five-finger vote" to indicate our level of support for the Transition Team to move forward to create a new Great Plains conference. 5=I am in full support of becoming one conference; 4=I am supportive of becoming one conference, however I have a few questions; 3=I am supportive of becoming one conference, but I have many questions; 2=I am opposed to becoming one conference, but am not willing to halt the process; 1=I am opposed to becoming one conference as it is currently presented. The vote was by ballot: mark one of the 5 boxes, then have space to write questions/concerns/affirmations. The results of the ballot won't be announced until all 3 conferences have had a chance to do this; the Transition Team meets June 13th, and will learn the results then, and post the results on the umcneb.org website.
I pointed out that there really is no plan to vote on. The "plan" is to be "bold," to "thrive not survive," to be "spirit-led," and "risk-taking and creative"; not to be "timid." The Transition Team had zero details to offer. They say the bishop would be freed to be visionary, but there was no plan (such as 4 more district superintendents per region) for who would take on the extra administrative duties. There were no details offered about "technical details"--such as health care, retirement/pensions, and mission shares/apportionments being quite different among the 3 conferences. These technical details aren't as fun as dreaming, but they are critical to the success of a single conference.
It is a done deal that in September of 2012, 1 bishop will be assigned to the 3 conferences. It is likely inevitable that the 3 conferences merge to become one new conference. However, if it took the team 18 months to decide to merge, then it seems highly unlikely that they will produce a viable plan in the next 6-9 months and release it in time for discussion and suggestions prior to a vote June 6-9, 2012. The timeline as currently presented seems unrealistic.
After the table conferencing conversations, one retired pastor told me that the things I said convinced him to vote much lower than he had intended to vote initially. Jim McChesney, Lavina Schwaninger, and I sent a letter to all of the lay delegates prior to the conference urging a vote of "1" to say that this is not a viable plan right now, so we should not support it.
On a different topic, we raised money for UMCOR, after being told that UMCOR is completely out of disaster relief funds for this year--the number of disasters is unprecedented, and the needs greatly exceed the budget. Over $6000 was raised to send to the Alabama tornado victims, and 4000 UMCOR kits were donated.
**Please consider taking a special donation on Sunday June 4, 2011 to support UMCOR. 100% of money donated to UMCOR goes directly to disaster relief, providing food, shelter, and other necessary supplies to victims of tornadoes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.**
One other task of the 2011 Annual Conference was to elect delegates to represent us at the 2012 General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference. Clergy elected clergy and laity elected laity.
General Conference delegates are: David Lux & Cindy Karges; Tom Watson & Lavina Schwaninger
Jurisdictional Conference delegates are: Charles Muritini & Nan Kaye-Skinner; Lisa Maupin & Katie Karges
Alternates are: Stephanie Ahlschwede & Galen Wray; Marilyn Zehring & Dave Mendyk
If you recognize the names, you can see that the clergy elected a far greater percentage of "progressive" people who will support causes that reconciling United Methodists believe in, than did the laity.
3 small churches are closing, and there are 3 new church starts. Churches are continued to be challenged to "rethink church" and devote more time to reaching out to the community (and have a broad vision of who "community" is).
The following are based on my notes from being at AC:
Petitions & Resolutions related to GLBT Issues
PASSED:
--Resolution that churches in the Annual Conference study the retired bishops' statement and engage in "holy conferencing" (passed by 6 votes out of over 400)
--Petition to include "civil unions, civil marriage" in the list of equal civil rights regardless of sexual orientation
FAILED:
--Resolution all-encompassing to embraces all GLBT into full church life
--Petition to remove the "incompatible with Christian teaching" from the Discipline
--Petitions to end prohibition against homosexual clergy
When the first of these resolutions was brought up, there was a motion to "refer" all of them until next year, to give more time to talk. This motion failed (barely), with the argument that we've been talking for years, and referring all of these effectively means defeating all of them since now is the time to forward petitions to General Conference 2012.
During debate on the last of the petitions, although we had already had 2 speeches for and 2 against (rules of debate), Jim Keyser stood up to say that he was offering a substitution to the motion--if we are going to be "scriptural" to ban GLBT clergy, then we should be consistent and ban divorced people from full church life, since Jesus does speak against divorce in the Bible.
I found it almost sad/pathetic that so many people stood up to oppose these resolutions & petitions; the gist of their argument was begging to be allowed to continue their discriminatory ways. Their reasons to continue discrimination were (a) tradition, (b) fear, and (c) willingness to pick and choose certain parts of the Bible to take literally and other parts not. The Wallace UMC was especially vocal with this fear--they seem to believe that their church will close if homosexuality becomes compatible with Christian teaching. There were many allies who stood up to speak in support of the various resolutions & petitions, but it wasn't enough for this year. The votes were closer this year than they had ever been, but close is still discouraging. During the table conferencing, I had to sit next to a pastor who said he still believes GLBT is a lifestyle choice and un-Biblical.
The budget was adopted nearly unanimously; it is 2% increase over last year. Several of us pointed out during the table discussions that the theme of this year's annual conference was that we need to change--we can't keep doing what we've been doing if we want to change the course of church decline. Yet, the budget represents doing what we've always been doing.
Other resolutions & petitions:
PASSING: Support immigration reform, fully fund the African universities; support 20/20: Visioning an AIDS free world ($20 per member per year, spend 30 minutes in local churches, spend 30 minutes at 2012 Annual Conference); study the UMC's involvement with RCRC; don't shorten the UMC mission statement
FAILING: withdraw from RCRC; stop endorsing abortion; allow churches to serve/sell alcohol (the alcohol one failed unanimously; no one stood to speak in favor of it, only against).
The Transition Team (7 people each from Nebr, Kansas East, Kansas West) has been meeting for 18 months. After all this time, they have advanced a "plan" for this year's AC to consider. However, the entirety of the plan is: create 1 new conference that covers the area previously served by Nebraska, Kansas East, and Kansas West. The new conference will be better. Period. They had lots of pretty words, but there was zero substance to the plan. Many people pointed this out. As recently as March, the goal had been for each of the 3 conferences to vote on becoming 1 conference at this point in time. However, there was enough push-back that instead we did a "five-finger vote" to indicate our level of support for the Transition Team to move forward to create a new Great Plains conference. 5=I am in full support of becoming one conference; 4=I am supportive of becoming one conference, however I have a few questions; 3=I am supportive of becoming one conference, but I have many questions; 2=I am opposed to becoming one conference, but am not willing to halt the process; 1=I am opposed to becoming one conference as it is currently presented. The vote was by ballot: mark one of the 5 boxes, then have space to write questions/concerns/affirmations. The results of the ballot won't be announced until all 3 conferences have had a chance to do this; the Transition Team meets June 13th, and will learn the results then, and post the results on the umcneb.org website.
I pointed out that there really is no plan to vote on. The "plan" is to be "bold," to "thrive not survive," to be "spirit-led," and "risk-taking and creative"; not to be "timid." The Transition Team had zero details to offer. They say the bishop would be freed to be visionary, but there was no plan (such as 4 more district superintendents per region) for who would take on the extra administrative duties. There were no details offered about "technical details"--such as health care, retirement/pensions, and mission shares/apportionments being quite different among the 3 conferences. These technical details aren't as fun as dreaming, but they are critical to the success of a single conference.
It is a done deal that in September of 2012, 1 bishop will be assigned to the 3 conferences. It is likely inevitable that the 3 conferences merge to become one new conference. However, if it took the team 18 months to decide to merge, then it seems highly unlikely that they will produce a viable plan in the next 6-9 months and release it in time for discussion and suggestions prior to a vote June 6-9, 2012. The timeline as currently presented seems unrealistic.
After the table conferencing conversations, one retired pastor told me that the things I said convinced him to vote much lower than he had intended to vote initially. Jim McChesney, Lavina Schwaninger, and I sent a letter to all of the lay delegates prior to the conference urging a vote of "1" to say that this is not a viable plan right now, so we should not support it.
On a different topic, we raised money for UMCOR, after being told that UMCOR is completely out of disaster relief funds for this year--the number of disasters is unprecedented, and the needs greatly exceed the budget. Over $6000 was raised to send to the Alabama tornado victims, and 4000 UMCOR kits were donated.
**Please consider taking a special donation on Sunday June 4, 2011 to support UMCOR. 100% of money donated to UMCOR goes directly to disaster relief, providing food, shelter, and other necessary supplies to victims of tornadoes, fires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.**
One other task of the 2011 Annual Conference was to elect delegates to represent us at the 2012 General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference. Clergy elected clergy and laity elected laity.
General Conference delegates are: David Lux & Cindy Karges; Tom Watson & Lavina Schwaninger
Jurisdictional Conference delegates are: Charles Muritini & Nan Kaye-Skinner; Lisa Maupin & Katie Karges
Alternates are: Stephanie Ahlschwede & Galen Wray; Marilyn Zehring & Dave Mendyk
If you recognize the names, you can see that the clergy elected a far greater percentage of "progressive" people who will support causes that reconciling United Methodists believe in, than did the laity.
3 small churches are closing, and there are 3 new church starts. Churches are continued to be challenged to "rethink church" and devote more time to reaching out to the community (and have a broad vision of who "community" is).
Thursday, June 2, 2011
NE Statewide Reconciling Network : Summer Giving just like fruit trees! Nine + ways to give!
If you have ever had a fruit tree or a rhubarb plant or a garden, you know how they give in abundance if you care for them or even if you don't care for them sometimes - you can give this summer for a more inclusive world -
Giving opportunities this summer: Spiritual Awakenings!
1) Star City PRIDE, Lincoln is rapidly approaching and we need your help to make it an amazing event. We want to continue to make this a free event, but in order to make this happen we need your donations. If every friend of SCP on Facebook gave $10 we would be able to fully fund the event and continue the tradition of having a bigger and better PRIDE each year.
Please submit your donation to the PO Box 6549 Lincoln, NE 68506 or bring it to The Panic.
Give to Heartland Pride in Omaha this summer - visit their website! Find ways to help support Pride events, NAP and other groups that help others to be affirmed. www.nap.org - AIDS walks are coming sept 18 in NE!
2) Summer Email Offering for our NE Statewide Reconciling network of friends : for our yearly commitment to RMN which is $250 minimum. Our Email network is an OFFICIAL RECONCILING COMMUNITY of friends sharing info and news -
All Giving goes directly to RMN as we do not have a Budget per se and we have no account - we do all of our Inclusive work IN HOUSE and with FOLKS WHO LOVE JUSTICE and EQUALITY for all persons -Thank your email volunteer today by Giving to this Summer Email offering ! We have $95 so to get it started!
Write checks to RMN and send them to Maureen Vetter, 4422 Drake lane, Grand Island, NE 68801 - Maureen will record the donations, donors and send them on to RMN this summer! With General Conference coming in 2012 there are many needs at the RMN offices and ministries like SING A NEW SONG CONVO this summer!
To learn more about SING A NEW SONG Convo in August sponsored by MFSA and RMN - go to www.RMNetwork.org So far we have ONE person going from NE that we know about - Zach Anderson!
Let us know if you are going! mvetter@charter.net wsmith28@gmail.com
Thanks for giving like fruit trees - we all want to bear good fruit with justice and mercy for others!
3) Sign on as a Reconciling United methodist on the website : www.RMNetwork.org
Become a member of Church Within a Church and other groups that bear fruit for others : www.cwac.us Sign the statements of inclusion!
4) Become an AIDS Ambassaor and promote the UM Global AIDS Fund at your church or as a faith community leader! Give yourself to UM Global AIDS Fund during the year : Send all gifts to Advance # 578 Global AIDS to the Conference Treas, UM Conference Offices, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504 Contact: Andrew andrewb@nap.org to sign up as an AIDS Ambassador in NE! For info: www.umcneb.org/AIDS
Send giving to Lincoln: 25 % of gifts/offerings stay in NE for local AIDS projects!
5) Plant something and watch it grow : tomatoes, a fruit tree, rhubarb..... a garden, think about a community garden or community orchard! (Christ UMC Lincoln just planted thirty trees for a Community garden! congratulations!)
6) Giving through Service and Rainbows of HOPE: Do some service, share Rainbows and music with others, or organize a RAINBOWS OF HOPE art exhibit! Christ UMC Lincoln is putting up a Rainbows of HOPE Art Show this weekend - see it all of June at 4530 A Street, Lincoln, NE - special thanks to the CUMC ART EXHIBIT COMMITTEE with Betty Newhouse as Chair.
7) Visit the Reconciling and UM Global AIDS Fund tables and booths this week at Annual Conference June 1 - 4 in Lincoln, St marks UMC on S 84th Street - Volunteer for an hour - Bring UMCOR health kits -- go to www.umcor.org to learn how you can help with the latest storms in the SE and MO, OK and other places in the world!
To GIVE your time and volunteer at the tables/booth : Betty at RMN table : bobcdorr@cox.net or the UM Global AIDS fund table - contact Bill : biobb@bellsouth.net Take Reconciling on the Road this week and to events this summer!
8) Get a ticket for the NE MFSA Dinner Tues May 31, Lincoln, Trinity UMC : susansouldesires@aol.com Don Messer speaker, awards, scholarships, info!
9) Give to the new GSA (Gay Straight Alliance, GISH, G Island)
Make Love Gifts / Checks to :
GSA, Grand Island Senior High : send to Maureen Vetter 4422 Drake Lane, Grand Island, NE 68801 We have a lunch June 4 noon as a fundraiser too!
Place: 313 Cafe and Cream, 313 3rd Street, Grand Island (old blue moon cafe)
Have a GREAT SUMMER Growing and Giving - planting things and watching them grow!
Read books, make music, paint and draw, make new friends, write Awakening Stories to share, start a movie group, start a reconciling coffee group or discussion group with the book -"Adam's Gift" by Jimmy Creech or other social justice books on the RMN website : www.RMNetwork.org
Maureen and Wendy, NE contacts
ps Become a friend on our new public Facebook this week : Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network is the Facebook name and our new blog : www.Nebraskarum.blogspot.com (see the archives to the side)
Sing a new song ! Believe out loud www.RMNetwork.org
Giving opportunities this summer: Spiritual Awakenings!
1) Star City PRIDE, Lincoln is rapidly approaching and we need your help to make it an amazing event. We want to continue to make this a free event, but in order to make this happen we need your donations. If every friend of SCP on Facebook gave $10 we would be able to fully fund the event and continue the tradition of having a bigger and better PRIDE each year.
Please submit your donation to the PO Box 6549 Lincoln, NE 68506 or bring it to The Panic.
Give to Heartland Pride in Omaha this summer - visit their website! Find ways to help support Pride events, NAP and other groups that help others to be affirmed. www.nap.org - AIDS walks are coming sept 18 in NE!
2) Summer Email Offering for our NE Statewide Reconciling network of friends : for our yearly commitment to RMN which is $250 minimum. Our Email network is an OFFICIAL RECONCILING COMMUNITY of friends sharing info and news -
All Giving goes directly to RMN as we do not have a Budget per se and we have no account - we do all of our Inclusive work IN HOUSE and with FOLKS WHO LOVE JUSTICE and EQUALITY for all persons -Thank your email volunteer today by Giving to this Summer Email offering ! We have $95 so to get it started!
Write checks to RMN and send them to Maureen Vetter, 4422 Drake lane, Grand Island, NE 68801 - Maureen will record the donations, donors and send them on to RMN this summer! With General Conference coming in 2012 there are many needs at the RMN offices and ministries like SING A NEW SONG CONVO this summer!
To learn more about SING A NEW SONG Convo in August sponsored by MFSA and RMN - go to www.RMNetwork.org So far we have ONE person going from NE that we know about - Zach Anderson!
Let us know if you are going! mvetter@charter.net wsmith28@gmail.com
Thanks for giving like fruit trees - we all want to bear good fruit with justice and mercy for others!
3) Sign on as a Reconciling United methodist on the website : www.RMNetwork.org
Become a member of Church Within a Church and other groups that bear fruit for others : www.cwac.us Sign the statements of inclusion!
4) Become an AIDS Ambassaor and promote the UM Global AIDS Fund at your church or as a faith community leader! Give yourself to UM Global AIDS Fund during the year : Send all gifts to Advance # 578 Global AIDS to the Conference Treas, UM Conference Offices, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504 Contact: Andrew andrewb@nap.org to sign up as an AIDS Ambassador in NE! For info: www.umcneb.org/AIDS
Send giving to Lincoln: 25 % of gifts/offerings stay in NE for local AIDS projects!
5) Plant something and watch it grow : tomatoes, a fruit tree, rhubarb..... a garden, think about a community garden or community orchard! (Christ UMC Lincoln just planted thirty trees for a Community garden! congratulations!)
6) Giving through Service and Rainbows of HOPE: Do some service, share Rainbows and music with others, or organize a RAINBOWS OF HOPE art exhibit! Christ UMC Lincoln is putting up a Rainbows of HOPE Art Show this weekend - see it all of June at 4530 A Street, Lincoln, NE - special thanks to the CUMC ART EXHIBIT COMMITTEE with Betty Newhouse as Chair.
7) Visit the Reconciling and UM Global AIDS Fund tables and booths this week at Annual Conference June 1 - 4 in Lincoln, St marks UMC on S 84th Street - Volunteer for an hour - Bring UMCOR health kits -- go to www.umcor.org to learn how you can help with the latest storms in the SE and MO, OK and other places in the world!
To GIVE your time and volunteer at the tables/booth : Betty at RMN table : bobcdorr@cox.net or the UM Global AIDS fund table - contact Bill : biobb@bellsouth.net Take Reconciling on the Road this week and to events this summer!
8) Get a ticket for the NE MFSA Dinner Tues May 31, Lincoln, Trinity UMC : susansouldesires@aol.com Don Messer speaker, awards, scholarships, info!
9) Give to the new GSA (Gay Straight Alliance, GISH, G Island)
Make Love Gifts / Checks to :
GSA, Grand Island Senior High : send to Maureen Vetter 4422 Drake Lane, Grand Island, NE 68801 We have a lunch June 4 noon as a fundraiser too!
Place: 313 Cafe and Cream, 313 3rd Street, Grand Island (old blue moon cafe)
Have a GREAT SUMMER Growing and Giving - planting things and watching them grow!
Read books, make music, paint and draw, make new friends, write Awakening Stories to share, start a movie group, start a reconciling coffee group or discussion group with the book -"Adam's Gift" by Jimmy Creech or other social justice books on the RMN website : www.RMNetwork.org
Maureen and Wendy, NE contacts
ps Become a friend on our new public Facebook this week : Nebraska Statewide Reconciling Network is the Facebook name and our new blog : www.Nebraskarum.blogspot.com (see the archives to the side)
Sing a new song ! Believe out loud www.RMNetwork.org
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