WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE

SPROUTS

 October 10, 2017 

A weekly communication for:

WDC Churches and Pastors

WDC Executive Board, Commission, Committee and Task Force members

Any content may be used in bulletins and newsletters and

 forwarded to congregational leaders and members.

WDC Sprouts is also available at:  www.mennowdc.org (Publications)

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Pastoral Openings

*News and Transitions

*Announcements

Pastoral Openings
First Mennonite Church, McPherson, KS – Pastor

News and Transitions

Our sympathy to Eldon Epp, Pastor at Ransom (KS) Mennonite Church, upon the death of his mother, Tena Epp on September 12 in Buhler, KS.

WDC announcements

  1. Leadership Lunch!Our next Leadership Lunch (bring your own sack lunch) is scheduled for Thursday, October 19 from 12-1:30pm at the WDC offices. Each month, we are discussing a different Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) competency and how it relates to scripture, Anabaptist theology and practice, and our own areas of ministry. This month, we will focus on “Hold to Purpose.” All pastors and ministry leaders from both WDC and SCC are welcome even if you haven’t attended a KLC training or one of the previous Leadership Lunches. We hope that these lunches will encourage and empower each of us to exercise more leadership for the common good in our churches and communities. As a new option, if you’d like to Zoom in to join us, please let Nancy Funk know by Tuesday of that week, so she can arrange a Zoom meeting.  If you have questions, please contact Kathy Neufeld Dunn (kathynd@mennowdc.org), Rachel Siemens (rsiemens@sbcglobal.net) or Phil Schmidt (pschmidt@tabormennnonite.org).
  1. Please join us for our annual Mission Supper at Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church (43 13th Ave, Inman, KS) Saturday, October 21 from 5-7 pm. Proceeds will benefit rebuilding projects of Mennonite Disaster Service and Camp Mennoscah playground replacement project. For a free will donation, menu is baked sausage, mashed potatoes, creamed peas, applesauce, rolls and homemade pie. For more information contact the church office at 620.585.6733 or Facebook at Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church.
  1. On October 22 at 7 pm, the West Zion Mennonite Church (101 S Washington Ave, Moundridge, KS) Concert Series continues.  Featured performers include Ken Rodgers, Organ; the McPherson Community Brass Choir directed by Jerry Toews; Jonathan Schrag, Baritone Vocalist; Hopeful Blues instrumental quintet; and Donna Stucky, Piano.  No admission charge, but a free-will offering will be received during the concert.  After the concert, there will be a time of fellowship and refreshments.   Members of the brass choir are Richard Guse, Sam Claassen, Darren Hendricks, John Duerksen, Winona Godfrey, Christie Hopkins, Seth Schoming, Laurel Kenny, Fred Bohnenblust, Jerry Voth, Eric Goering, Al Renner, Kelly Long, Ty Kaufman, Greg Nickel & Gary Casebeer.  Members of Hopeful Blues are Eldon Chlumsky, Galen Fast, Leon Greaser, Rod Kremer & Laurie Regehr. (Churches near Moundridge, please run this announcement in your October 15 and 22 bulletins.)

Camp Mennoscah announcements

  1. Camp Mennoscah at Bethel College Fall Fest!  Stop by the booth (right there at the NE corner of the Schultz Student Center) to say hi and buy a tee shirt, sweatshirt, travel mug and who knows what else.  We’ll also have MONSTER cookies (approx. 5 1/2″ huge) and bottled water.  Come see us on Saturday, October 14!
  1. Thank you to the many people who came to Camp Mennoscah to help take out the dam!  We had a great group of people who both helped and cheered.  We had a blast and the weather was absolutely wonderful.
  2. It’s three days of amazing people, astounding make-n-takes, and astronomically grand times!  Grab your photos and crafts–and a friend or two–and come to Camp Mennoscah’s Scrapbook and Crafts Retreat, November 17-19!  Register online at campmennoscah.orgor give us a call at 620-297-3290!  We’re here to help you join in the fun!

Mennonite church announcements

  1. Resonate calls for visual art submissions for new hymnal – New collection to feature visual worship resources:  As the Resonate team gathers material for a new hymnal, they are rolling out a call for a first-of-its-kind feature within Mennonite hymnals: a vision to include visual images that complement the musical and verbal rhythms of worship found in the collection.  “In recent decades, North American Mennonite churches have grown in our understanding of the visual aspects of worship,” said SaeJin Lee, member of Resonate’s Worship Resources subcommittee. “We hope visual art will serve as an expression of and invitation to acts of worship, and as a visual telling of God’s story.” The introduction of visual art is one way the Resonate team seeks to draw in worshipers of diverse languages and ages, who learn and express themselves in different ways.

The Resonate team is calling for visual artists to submit content to be considered for inclusion in the new collection. Artists are encouraged to explore the “Theological Inspirations and Possibilities” and to take seriously the “Aspirations for the Use of Visual Imagery” outlined in the “Call for Submissions of Visual Art” available atMennoMedia.org/Resonate. Important technical requirements are also delineated there. Artists may submit a single image or a series of pieces. Submissions are welcome between October 2017 and February 2018.  “As we receive submissions we will continue to discern whether the visual elements chosen will draw from several artists or focus on a single contributor’s work,” said general editor Bradley Kauffman. “We’re excited about how visual art can offer new ways to draw us into God’s presence.”  The 13-member volunteer committee, working under the name Resonate Team, is discerning content for the 2020 release of a suite of new worship and music materials to be published by MennoMedia in cooperation with Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA.   For more information or to schedule an interview, contact LeAnn Hamby at 540-908-3941 or emailLeAnnH@mennomedia.org.

  1. MCC is responding to disasters taking place around the world. Even before the most recent natural disasters from hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, MCC was running extremely low on comforters and relief kits.  Our goal is to ship 83,000 relief kits by March 2018 and we need 7,000 comforters by November.  Visit mcc.org/mrc/kits for full kit information and from there click through to our Amazon Wish List for easier shopping and shipping. Just bring or ship kit items to MCC Central States 121 E. 30th St. North Newton, KS 67117. It’s not too early to start thinking about holiday giving projects like a relief kit collection drive! Call MCC with questions at 316-283-2720.
  1. Hurricane Relief Grants:  Congregations in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey:  Everence Financial has funds available to assist individuals within your churches, as well as community members in need.  Learn more at:  www.everence.com/living-the-values/everence-sharing-fund/hurricane-relief-grant. 

Western District Conference

2517 North Main, PO Box 306

North Newton KS  67117

316-283-6300; FAX:  316-283-0620

Email:  wdc@mennowdc.org

Website:  www.mennowdc.org