WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE

SPROUTS

November 12, 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, Kingman, KS – Youth Pastor (1/2 time)

News and Transitions

Derek King has been called as the Associate Pastor at Eden Mennonite Church, Moundridge, KS, to begin on February 1, 2014.

Weldon Martens began as Interim Associate Pastor of Faith Formation at Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton, KS on October 15.
WDC Announcements

1.  Pastors – remember that the registration deadline is this Friday (Nov. 15) for Pastors’ Day Apart – “Journey with Scripture” – with James Krabill from Mennonite Mission Network on November 21.  Pastors are encouraged to write a one-page summary of their own journey in preparation for the gathering.  A description of journey content, two examples, and online registration are available at:  https://mennowdc.org/pastors-day-apart-november-21-2013/.

2.  Looking forward to 2014!  The Camp Mennoscah 2014 calendar has some weekends that are open–just for you and your family or congregation!  Some of these weekends are newly available annual reservations, others are a one-year opportunity.  Don’t miss out on your chance to visit Camp Mennoscah and don’t forget the newly renovated Bluestem house.  It’s just the right size for small groups of up to 20-ish people.  Heated and cooled, the house is great for any time of the year!  Contact Camp Mennoscah at 620-297-3290 or campmno@mennowdc.org for more information.  We can’t wait to have you visit us!

3.  Going to Dallas?  WDC is storing items (folding chairs and tables, pew, large stage chairs) that need to be transported for churches in Texas.  If you can help, call for more information:  316-283-6300.

4.  Save the dates!  The 2014 WDC Annual Assembly will be held July 4-6 at Lakeview Camp and Retreat Center in Waxahachie, Texas (www.lakeviewcamp.net).  As more information becomes available, it will be posted at:  https://mennowdc.org/conference-life/annual-assembly/.

5.  Featured Resources from your Conference Resource Library:  Advent and Christmas Planning!  Now would be a great time to explore the 300 resources we have on Christmas and Advent at the WDC Resource Library. Need monologues or dramas?  Readings for the children?  Family reading and activities?  Services for Hanging of the Greens or Christmas Eve?  We really do “have it all.”    Call or email NOW to get the best selection of materials for your congregational planning or household reading.  Perhaps…you may even  want to order a Resource Bundle from the library for December reading.  I am happy to select 15 of our finest seasonal resources and mail them to you! –Marlene Bogard, crlib@mennowdc.org / 316-283-6300

6.  NEW – Beginning December 7, the Conference Resource Library will be open the first Saturday of each month from 10 am – 12 pm.  If you’re not able to get here during the week, this is a great chance to see the many (12,000 +) resources available.  Bring the kids too – we have a wonderful children’s library, and they can join for a short story time from 10:30-10:40 too!  Everyone is welcome!

7.  Grace Hill Mennonite Church invites you to a Nativity Display and Hymn Sing on December 1.  Join us in singing Advent and Christmas music at 6:30.  Guests may enjoy the nativity display prior to this from 5:30-6:30.  Following the music, we will have a fellowship time with refreshments and another opportunity to enjoy the nativity display.  Please join us as we celebrate Advent!  Grace Hill is located 7 miles east of Newton on First Street, 1 mile south and 1/2 mile east.  Questions may be directed to Pastors Katherine or Peter Goerzen at 799-2238.
Mennonite ChurchUSA Announcements

1.  From the AMBS Church Leadership Center:

Business Leaders and Pastors: Partners in Leadership and Ministry? (Southeast Iowa

Presenter: David B. Miller

Location: Parkside Activites Center, Wellman, Iowa

Saturday, November 23, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; optional lunch following

Get details and register by November 11

As followers of Christ, both business leaders and pastors want to work for God’s purposes in the world. Yet despite this common desire, business leaders and pastors sometimes encounter barriers to pursuing a shared vision. Join us for a conversation! Offered in partnership with the Center for Faith and Business, MEDA, MC USA and Everence.

Leadership Clinic: How Dare We Call Ourselves Anabaptist?

Monday, January 27

Presenter: Maurice Martin

Since most North Americans are not in danger of dying for their faith, nor have we been re-baptized, how dare we call ourselves Anabaptist? This clinic will trace the journey of Anabaptism from H.S. Bender to Stuart Murray and consider how we can invite our congregations to join us on this Anabaptist journey in our post-Christian, post-modern contexts. Get details

Leadership Clinic: Sex Offenders in My Church?

Monday, January 27

Presenters: Jeanette Harder and Nancy Kauffmann

Whether we acknowledge it or not, people with sex offense histories are already attending our churches. This clinic will offer guidance for how churches can maintain the congregation as a safe and healing community while dealing with persons who have committed sexual offenses. Get details

Gathering for New Pastors

Sunday evening, January 26, Monday, January 27, and lunch Thursday, January 30

Presenters: Terry Shue and Karen Martens Zimmerly

Pastors in their first years of ministry face many questions. In this clinic pastors in their first three or four years of ministry will talk with each other and with leaders from Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA about the challenges and gifts of early ministry. Get details

Curso Breve en la Red, en Espanol: Historia y Teología Anabautista

Jamie Pitts

12 de febrero-25 de marzo

Conectado en la Red, no por credito, duracion: seis semanas

En este curso estudiamos el nacimiento y desarrollo de los movimientos anabautistas en el siglo XVI, dando énfasis al contexto teológico, social, y político. El curso da un resumen de la historia y la teología de los primeros anabautistas y, además, investiga varias respuestas al gran reto actual de cómo entender y vivir como “anabautista”  hoy en día. Los estudiantes serán desafiados a buscar conexiones entre el siglo XVI y sus propias vidas. Obtenga mas informacion e inscribase aqui.

2.  Mennonite Church USA and several of co-sponsors invite Mennonite women from across the country to come together in Leesburg, Virginia (near Washington D.C.) February 20-22, 2014 for a conference, titled “All you need is love: Honoring diversity in women’s voices in theology.” In a spirit of grace, participants will together contemplate what it means to love as Christians in the midst of a world rife with struggle and oppression. The gathering will include time for theological work in several creative forms. It will provide space that encourages strong relationships between women in the church and honors various vocations from which theological work is done: academic, pastoral, community organizing, etc.  Women’s unique voices and perspectives will be explored. Capable hearts and minds will together contemplate the gifts and challenges that diversity presents to the church and how we might engage these while remaining committed to one another in love. Ideas and relationships that will be important to the future of the church will be shared and nurtured. Space will be offered for worship, storytelling, theological reflection, For more information and to register– http://www.mennoniteusa.org/executive-board/women-in-leadership-project/womens-conference-all-you-need-is-love/.

3.  The Bethel College Women’s Association will be participating in the Newton area “Five Places of Christmas” on Saturday, Dec. 7.  The event will feature 100 nativities in the hallway of the Fine Arts Center (handicapped accessible) on the Bethel campus.  It will be open from 10 am – 4 pm.  Cinnamon rolls, coffee, baked goods and candy by the pound will be available for sale.  We invite donations of candy, baked goods and other ethnic Christmas delicacies for the bake sale to allow the BCWA to continue to financially support Bethel College.  Questions can be addressed to Judy Schrag 316-283-0608.

4.  Pastors, are you interested in seeing more clearly?  In seeing Jesus more clearly?  If so, please consider attending Pastors Week at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana!  Check out www.ambs.edu/pastorsweek for more information on the speakers and preachers you’ll hear January 27-30, 2014.  Pastors Week is an opportunity to study, pray, worship and reflect on the church and your ministry.  If you’re interested in carpooling to Elkhart, contact Nancy Funk (316-283-6300; wdc@mennowdc.org) at the WDC office to add your name to the list.

5.  AMBS – Great Plains Extension asks each congregation to tap potential students on the shoulder with encouragement to take a seminary class.  The course offerings are now posted for the rest of the academic year at AMBS.edu.  Contact Dorothy Nickel Friesen at 316-283-7098 or dorothynf@ambs.edu with contact information.

6.  Eastern Mennonite Seminary School for Leadership Training is offering “Discerning ​Together, ​Shaping ​the ​Future”, January 20-22, 2014.  May wise discerners increase! ​The ​goal ​is ​to​ offer ​both ​theory ​and ​practice, ​examples ​and ​opportunities ​of ​ the ​many ​lights ​we ​can ​shine ​in ​the ​fog ​and ​discern ​how ​to ​ find ​our ​way ​in ​our ​time. ​Church leaders, lay persons….all ​ are welcome.  Our full and rich program includes keynote addresses from two writers who offer conclusions in their recent books: Ruth Haley Barton and Ervin Stutzman. A practitioner from the Center for Justice & Peacebuilding at EMU, David Brubaker, guides us through three actual case studies and invites our thoughts. Eastern Mennonite Seminary faculty put themselves in the fishbowl as we watch them wend their way through a current issue. The SLT worship team guides us in naming the “elephant in the room” and seeking Spirit-comfort. Seven workshop leaders help us explore scripture, personal experience, spiritual disciplines and family systems as resources for our discernment.  Come be with us!  Learn…Contribute…Worship…Mingle…Practice being the church at its discerning best.  Full information at:  http://www.emu.edu/seminary/slt/.

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