WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE

SPROUTS

December 10, 2013

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

Congregational Information Forms can be viewed at:  www.mennowdc.org (Pastoral Openings)

Hope Mennonite Church, Wichita, KS – Pastor

Kingman Mennonite Church, KS – Youth Pastor (1/2 time)

News and Transitions

Gail Graber, Associate Pastor of Visitation at Eden Mennonite Church in Moundridge, KS, has resigned effective December 31.  Gail will be continuing and expanding her role as chaplain at Bethesda Home in Goessel, KS.

Rachel Siemens has been called to be the pastor at Faith Mennonite Church, Newton, KS, beginning March 1, 2014.

Our sympathy to Cynthia and Roger Neufeld Smith, Pastors at Southern Hills Mennonite Church in Topeka, KS, upon the death of Cynthia’s mother, LaVera Neufeld, in Bluffton, OH on December 1.
WDC Announcements

1.  Pastors and worship planners save the date: Saturday morning January 18, 9:30-11:30, at Tabor Mennonite Church, Newton, KS – Lent and Easter worship planning!  Call WDC at 316-283-6300 to reserve your spot.

2.  First Camp Schedule Change–Whoops!  Sorry, folks.  Camp Mennoscah is making a change to the 2014 summer youth schedule.  Our First Camp for those going into 3rd and 4th grades in the fall of 2014 is now scheduled for July 10-12, 2014.  (It was previously in June.)  Check and change your calendars, alert your friends, and send us a good nose-thumbing for our hasty declaration of the schedule.  Contact us at 620-297-3290 with questions.

3.  Finished your holiday preparations?  Great!  That means that you can look ahead to the spring and register for one of Camp Mennoscah’s Scrapbooking Retreats.  The preregistration forms for the 2014 March Scrapbooking Retreats are available at http://campmennoscah.org/camp-retreats/  Just a cautionary statement–last year these retreats filled up.  Contact us at campmno@mennowdc.org with any questions.

4.  Camp Mennoscah sweatshirts, mugs, and other souvenirs available!  It’s just the right temperature to snuggle up with your Camp Mennoscah mug in your Camp Mennoscah sweatshirt (with camp tee underneath) while munching on your favorite Camp Mennonite treat!  We know you know how to get Camp Mennoscah souvenirs during the summer, but did you know that you could get them in the winter, too?  Yep.  Just call us at 620-297-3290.

5.  “Five Times Harder,” the family music ensemble featuring Tom and Lois Harder and their three daughters, will perform their annual Christmas Concert at the Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita, KS, on Sunday December 22 at 4:00 p.m.  Their program will feature an eclectic mix of Christmas favorites in bluegrass, folk, classical, and jazz styles.  A free-will offering will be collected to benefit the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams.

6.  The WDC office will be closed December 24 through January 1.

Mennonite Church USA Announcements

1.  2 weekends of deep Bible study in the midst of inter-generational community?  2 weekends of simulations, case studies and surprising historical background?  2 weekends discussing how to use biblical texts in worship and preaching?  Learn about the Psalms, Epistles and 1st Corinthians with Michele Hershberger and other pastors, lay leaders and college students.  It’s all at Hesston College during these weekends:  January 24-26 and March 20-23 (includes Thursday evening).  Call 620-327-8290 for more info, special rates and to register.

2.   Reading the Bible in an Instagram World  is the theme for this year’s Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series, Feb. 21 to 23, 2014, on the Hesston College campus in Hesston, Kan. In today’s social media-saturated world, we hunger for something real, lasting and relevant. Connecting with the Mennonite Church USA Year of the Bible, this year’s conference will provide a fresh take on the college’s Biblical Literature curriculum with presenters Michele Hershberger, Marion Bontrager, Ted Swartz and Jeremy Kempf.  Program, presenter and registration information can be found at www.hesston.edu/avds. Excited? Call the Alumni and Church Relations Office at 620-327-8109 or toll free at 866-437-7866 to register.

3.  “Christian Attitudes Toward War, Peace and Revolution” will be a three-credit (or audit) course meeting Thursday evenings, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. spring semester beginning Feb. 6 at AMBS – Great Plains Extension in the North Newton classroom.  Instructor is Justin Heinzekehr.  Register online by January 6 and receive $50 discount.Contact Dorothy Nickel Friesen, 316-283-7098 or dnfriesen@ambs.edu.


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