WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE
SPROUTS
March 3, 2015
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)
WDC Announcements
- Ervin Stutzman, Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA, invites Western District Conference delegates to Kansas City 2015 to a meeting at Faith Mennonite Church on March 27 at 7 pm. The purpose of the 90-minute meeting will include:
- briefly sharing the vision for the future of Mennonite Church USA, focusing on Jesus as the center of our faith, community as the center of our lives, and reconciliation as the center of our work
- providing a guide that outlines the delegates’ overall responsibilities at the assembly
- explaining how the results from the online delegate survey shaped the Executive Board’s decisions about the agenda
- distributing an agenda for the delegate sessions, and explaining the specific decisions which delegates will be invited to make
- providing handouts which delegates can use in congregational study groups
- engaging in a time of feedback and discussion
Interested pastors and members who are not serving as delegates, but would appreciate a first-hand briefing, are welcome as well. If you would like to connect via the internet for this meeting, notify Nancy Funk at wdc@mennowdc.org or 316-283-6300.
- Thank you to all who participated in Marlene Bogard’s farewell on March 1. Here is a summary of some of the changes for the immediate future in Western District Conference as a result of her resignation:
- Jeanette Roberts is serving as Interim Resource Librarian. She will be in the library on Thursdays and available by email any time at crlib@mennowdc.org. The library will continue to be open Monday through Friday during office hours.
- The WDC office will be closed over the noon hour from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.
- A Safe Sanctuaries Task Force of Diana Schunn (Grace Hill Mennonite Church), Ruth Mueller (First Mennonite Church, Halstead), and Kathy Wiens (First Mennonite Church, Newton) is available to help congregations and pastors with Safe Sanctuaries programs and child protection policies. More information available at: https://mennowdc.org/committees-task-forces/.
- Katherine Goerzen is heading up the team planning the Anabaptist Faith Formation – Growing in Christ Launch, June 12-13. She may be reached at: katherine@complete.org.
- The Minister of Christian Formation position will be filled after the appointment of a new Executive Conference Minister and an evaluation of future staffing.
- The WDC Basketball Tournament will be held the week of March 16-21 at Bethel College in North Newton. BUT you must register your team by this Friday, March 6. It will then be determined if enough teams are ready to play, so don’t delay registering! Register online at: https://mennowdc.org/wdc-basketball-tournament/ or call 316-283-6300.
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Thank you for your patience! We think that we’re really close to having the Camp Mennoscah online registration up and running, and we’ll be sure to post it on Facebook and yell it from the mountaintops when it is. And once it’s ready, we thank you for your grace and mercy and understanding and even more patience for any snags and confusion.
5. It’s a trip worth taking! The Retirees Relaxation Retreat at Camp Mennoscah will be headed to Ukraine on April 27-29. The “Ukraine Revisited” retreat will have sessions from the past to the present, a bit of this and that, and coffee breaks in great quantity. See! You won’t miss your daily fellowship and cup of coffee or tea. Brochures will be sent soon and are also available by calling Camp Mennoscah at 620-297-3290.
6. The early volunteer gets the free tee shirt! Camp Mennoscah is looking for volunteer kitchen staff for almost all of our summer youth camps. Kitchen volunteers receive the highly sought after free camp tee shirt and the option of a camper discount of up to full camp fees. We’d love to talk to you about the wonderful opportunities that await our kitchen staff, so give us a call at 620-297-3290 or send us an email at office@campmennoscah.org. It’s a rootin’, tootin’ good time!
- Marlene Bogard’s personal contact information: 316-285-2438; harderbogard@gmail.com.
Mennonite Church Announcements
- Come join with doctors, nurses, dieticians, therapists, chaplains, mental health workers, and many other healthcare workers and their families from around the world! It’s the Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF) Annual Gathering, July 19-21, immediately prior to Mennonite World Conference Global Assembly in Harrisburg, PA. The theme is “Walking Together for Healthy Communities.” Plenary presenters include Ted & Company, Shane Claiborne, and Dr. Ann Thyle from India. Grants are available for students, volunteers, and those from outside the U.S. and Canada.
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