In this Week's Monticello E-News
Greetings from Pastor Rob Greetings from the Called Clergy Conference of the new Great Plains Annual Conference!! Pastor Erin and I have spent this week in Kearney, Nebraska, gathering with clergy from the current Kansas East Annual Conference, Kansas West Annual Conference, and the Nebraska Annual Conference. Change is ahead for us as a denomination Do you struggle with change? All of us do sometimes, even pastors. So, I want to share with you a bit of the change ahead for us. Back in June of 2012, lay delegates and clergy voted overwhelmingly to end the Kansas East, Kansas West, and Nebraska Annual Conferences begin a new Great Plains Annual Conference. This change takes place on January 13, 2014. But, the groundwork is well underway. Since the Annual Conference is the organization to which our churches are responsible and the organization which assigns pastors, this change impacts us in new ways. Here are a few examples: 1. The apportionment formula (or the amount we tithe as a church to the conference) will change. I'll share more about this at home. 2. Your pastors can be appointed to or from any location in Kansas or Nebraska. That opens a wider option for selection of pastors to fit each church. 3. The committees, boards, and mission organizations of the conference will all change. For those of you serving in that way, you can anticipate significant change, including the reduction of some boards/committees, the addition of others, and a mixture of people from 2 states serving on each. 4. What will NOT change is the mission we all hold dearly--to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And, as a denomination that has transformation in its mission statement, this change will ultimately bring transformation in each church too. I'll look forward to discussing this more with you when I get home. The Called Clergy Gathering this week in Nebraska was an opportunity for us to hear preliminary plans for the future of the Great Plains Annual Conference, discuss how it affects us as clergy, and discuss how it affects us as a local church. We also discussed the denomination as a whole, how we approach ministry, and left challenged to be a part of the United Methodist Church as it morphs into an even more effective ministry. We'll have some sessions coming up for you to learn more at church. But, the week has been a blessing to us both. Pastor Erin and I would love your prayers for safe travels home after a long week of conferences. We both look forward to being back home in worship with you all!! This Weekend in Worship This weekend, we continue our series called, "God at the Movies" as we look at our own faith journey. We'll use the movie, "The Wizard of Oz" in a fun way and discuss what it means to be on a search, or a journey, to connect more deeply with God. I hope you'll join us at 10:30am for worship, or join one of our new classes at 9:15am. Then, come back for the full movie at 5:30pm, complete with popcorn. It will be a great family evening! Learn more here. Free Farm Hands Concert Saturday--DON'T MISS!!! IT'S THIS SATURDAY!!! Bring the whole family!! The Farm Hands is a bluegrass quartet coming all the way from the Grand Ole' Opry in Nashville. They'll be here at Monticello for a live this Saturday, January 19, 2012. Join us, maybe even in your down home outfits for an awesome night of bluegrass music! A potluck starts the evening at 6:00pm and the concert begins at 7:00pm. Want to learn more or catch some photos or video of the group in action? Click here. It's Not Too Late to Join a Class!!! Monticello has taken a huge step forward in participation in small study groups. Through the last 10 years of recorded statistics, the average participation in Sunday morning classes has been between 9 and 17 each week. On our first week of our new classes, 56 attended. Last week, 62 attended. That is a huge leap forward in this congregation's faith journey. I'm proud of you as your pastor. Remember, it's not too late to join us!!! Just show up Sunday. We talk, study, and consider how we can support each other on the walk. You can sign-up at the Connection Point or just show up. Remember, 9:15am class options are:
Still Want to Pledge for 2013? Giving is a way we honor God by offering our first and best to the work of Jesus Christ in the world. And, each year, we engage in a pledge campaign to plan the next year's budget. As Christians, we work to give on a regular basis, and work toward the tithe, or 10% of our annual income. The Finance Committee will gather soon to compare the approved 2013 budget against the pledged amounts from those who give. It is our hope to continue with the budget as approved, but it's important we are good stewards and only plan to spend what is given. All the 2013 pledges have been calculated, but if you have not had a chance to pledge for 2013 yet, it's not too late. In fact, this is perfect timing right now. Just send your pledge to Kendra.Taylor@getGOD.info or call the church at (913) 441-1435. Every pledged dollar counts towards the annual ministry budget, so join us by offering a pledge today!! Moms--Connect with Others in Monticello Moms We're thankful to Laurie Powers and Amy Dill for organizing a group called "Monticello Moms." This is an opportunity for moms of all ages to get together, encourage and support each other, and also grow in their faith. Monticello Moms is gathering this Sunday, January 27, at 1:30pm in Fellowship Hall. As your pastor, I've visited Monticello Mom's once and found this to be a loving, caring group. Are you ready to connect with others? Join them on Sunday!! For more information or to join, just call the church office or email Cindy.Hedges@getGOD.info. Youth Event Coming Up! On Saturday, January 26, Our youth in grades 6-12 will be heading out on a great evening of devotionals, fun, fellowship, and ice skating!! Dave Hanson, our interim youth director, will lead this awesome event, but you need to register in advance. So, call the church, post it on the youth Facebook page, or email Cindy.Hedges@getGOD.info if you want to join us. Register soon!!! Learn more here. Last Chance for Directory Forms Last chance! The directory will be coming out soon. And, we need all those who want to be in the directory (or just want to be sure you are on our mailing list) to fill out a database form. You'll find them in worship this weekend and at the Connection Point. Order Your Dinner Theater Tickets (even better, be in it!) Join us on February 9 as Monticello presents the "award-winning" Dinner and Variety Show! The show is completely free and begins at 7:00pm. The dinner begins at 5:30pm and is catered, so tickets are necesary. Get them on our website here or at the Connection Point this Sunday. Who knows, maybe you can even join in the show? To sign-up for an act, just stop by the Connection Point too. Don't miss this big event from our Family Ministry Team, The Dinner and Variety Show, coming February 9!! Learn more about the Variety Show here. Mark these Special Dates Ahead
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