Here's what's happening across our Conference, at least what I've heard about. Feel free to share this with anyone!
Hope Awakens started last Friday evening across our Conference. "We have over 1,500 guests, along with our members, regularly watching this." says Virgil Covel (Evangelism Coordinator). You can still join as well as invite your friends and family. The one-hour presentations take place each Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. (CT) and rebroadcast at 9:00 p.m. Go to hopeawakens.org shortly before the program to join.
Click here for a new message I've prepared for the Adventists across Kansas and Nebraska.
In this current crisis, is there really anything we can do?
"For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do." -- Hebrews 6:10
"We are thrilled to announce that Adam Littell has accepted our invitation to be the principal of Midland Adventist Academy beginning in July," says Jeff Bovee (Education Director). "A graduate of Southern Adventist University, Adam is currently the Vice Principal of Academics at Mt. Pisgah Academy in North Carolina and has been an Adventist educator since 2008. We welcome Adam & Nina to our Conference ministry team," says Jeff.
Tomorrow is Travis Forde's final message to his Wichita South congregation. Travis is a reserve chaplain for the US Army National Guard is being deployed for up to one year. The Fordes have served their congregation for over seven years and will be greatly missed. Please pray for Travis' safety as he ministers to our service men and women. Heather will be relocating to West Virginia to be closer to family.
Listed by Districts.... (questions? Contact your pastor)
Alliance, Bridgeport, Ogallala, Sidney will live stream from the Alliance Facebook page. at 11:00 (MT).
Beatrice, Lincoln Capitol View, and Fairbury – Sabbath School on Zoom at 9:30 a.m.; Worship at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook Live
Chadron, Crawford, Hemingford - ZoomSabbath school at 9:00 a.m. (MT) for Chadron and Hemingford, 11:30 a.m. (MT) for Crawford on Zoom.
Columbus and Norfolk – Sabbath School Skype for Columbus and Zoom for Norfolk at 9:30 a.m.; Worship on Church Norfolk Facebook page or Columbus Facebook page at 11:00 a.m.
Enterprise, Junction City and Salina – Sabbath School for district on Zoom at 9:30 a.m.; Worship service on Enterprise and Salina Church Facebook page at 11:30 a.m.
El Dorado, Eureka, Fredonia and Sedan – Sabbath School at 10 a.m. and Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom
Fairfield Community – Worship at 11:30 a.m. Click here
Fort Scott, Hepler and Pittsburg – Sabbath School at 10:00 a.m. and Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom
Garden City, Dodge City and Liberal English Churches – Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Garden City Church Facebook page live
Garden City, Dodge City and Liberal Hispanic Churches – Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Facebook Live.
Goodland, St. Francis, Norton, Colby - Worship at 10:00 a.m. on Facebook Live.
Grand Island, Lexington and Hastings Hispanic Churches – Worship at 10:50 a.m. on YouTube Live
Grand Island, Hastings, Aurora – Worship on Zoom on Sabbath at 11:00 a.m. Prayer meetings on Zoom on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Great Bend Hispanic – Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom
Harper – Sabbath School at 10:00 a.m., worship at 11:00 a.m. Zoom
Hays Chapel, Bazine, and La Crosse Churches – Sabbath at 5:15 p.m. Bible study, 6:00 p.m. worship, Monday Bible study at 1:30 p.m. on Hays Chapel Facebook page.
Iola, Chanute, Thayer, Independence, and Coffeyville - Worship service begins at 1100 a.m on Facebook.
Great Bend, Hutchinson and McPherson – Sabbath School at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom and worship service at 11:00 a.m. Email Pastor Trey for details Trsharp23@yahoo.com
KC Chapel Oaks – Sabbath School at 10:00; worship at 11:00 click here
KC Emanuel, Maranatha, and New Haven Hispanic – Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Maranatha Church Facebook page
KC New Haven – worship at 11:00 a.m. on New Haven Church Facebook page; For direct links on Facebookand Vimeo
Kearney, Holdredge, Broken Bow, Beaver City district – Sabbath School at 10:00 am, Worship at 11:00 a.m. Click here
Lincoln College View – interactive children's Sabbath School 10:00 a.m. and worship at 11:15 a.m. on Facebook and Livestream.
Lincoln Northside and Holland – Sabbath School at 9:30 and Sabbath Worship at 11:00 on the Northside Church Facebook page and YouTube Live or Zoom
Lincoln New Creation Community Church – Click here for worship at 11:30
Lincoln Hispanic – Prayer Meeting Wednesday 7:30pm; Sabbath School Lesson Saturday 10:00 am, Sermon Saturday 11:00 am - YouTubeorFacebook.
Lincoln Piedmont Park Church – Sabbath school at 10:00 a.m., worship at 11:00 a.m. Church Facebook page: and/or YouTube
North Platte, McCook, and Gothenburg – Click here at 11:00 a.m.; Sabbath school, prayer meeting and other leadership meetings on Zoom
Omaha Memorial and Fremont – Sabbath school on Zoom at 9:30 a.m. Worship at 10:45 a.m. on OMC Facebook page and YouTube.
Omaha Golden Hills – Click here for Worship at 11:05 a.m. or Golden Hills Church Facebook page
Olathe New Life, Osawatomie and Ottawa – Sabbath School 10:00 a.m. and worship 11:00 a.m. on Olathe Church Facebook page
Omaha Karen – Sabbath School at 10:00 a.m.; worship at 11:00 am - Click here
Scottsbluff District – Worship on Zoom Pastor Bravatti’s Facebook page at 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Topeka Hispanic – YouTube Live
Topeka Wanamaker and Manhattan – Children and youth Sabbath school at 9:30 a.m., click here. Adult Sabbath school lesson begins at 10:00 a.m., click here. Worship service begins at 11 a.m. Click hereor YouTube.
West Lenexa and Leavenworth – Services begin at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom
Wichita Cornerstone – Sabbath School at 10:00 a.m., worship at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom
Wichita South – Adult Sabbath school class at 10:00 a.m., click here(osage). Worship at 11:00 a.m. on Church web site
Wichita Three Angels and Newton – Adult Sabbath School 10:00 a.m. on Zoom, same link at 11:00 a.m. for Worship Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. on Zoom
Valentine, Gordon, Hyannis, Springview – Worship service on Pastor Grant’s Facebook page at 11:00 a.m.
"I keep adding resources to our web site for parents, Sabbath school teachers, club ministry leaders, and pastors to continue virtual ministry in these crazy times," says Tim Floyd (Youth/Young Adult Director). "Please check out the page, there might be something there for you!" says Tim. Click here
"For tips on staying happy and hopeful during this time of quarantine be sure and check out our Women's Ministries web site," says Sue Carlson (Women's Ministries Director). Young women are home from school now and looking for answers to
difficult questions online! Gorgeous2god run by the North American Division Women’s Ministry Department is a SAFE place where they will be listened to and answered by a trained mentor, click here," says Sue.
"During the COVID-19 threat, the ladies in the Omaha Memorial Church are still looking for ways to serve others," says Pastor Delmar Austin. "One continuing ministry in the church has been the creation of 'Agape Blankets.' These tie blankets are donated as lap blankets to area nursing homes. Work also continues on blankets to distribute to emergency responders who serve the Douglas County Sheriff's Department," says Pastor Austin.
During this time of where our churches are not meeting, please continue to support the mission of Christ through your tithes and offerings. This be done in many ways.
Mail your gifts to the Conference office: 3440 Urish Rd, Topeka, KS 66614
We have the privilege to invest in God's kingdom even during the worst of times. Thank you for your faithfulness.
"Please check out the many resources for children at our Conference Children’s Ministries Website," says Sue Carlson (Children's Ministries Director). "You’ll find many resources from crafts, stories, family worship ideas, Sabbath School links, virtual field trips, articles on parenting and much more! This is updated weekly," says Sue.
The Scottsbluff Church is being very creative with their sign.
Three of our pastors were approved for ordination to the gospel ministry by the Mid-America Union Executive Committee on Thursday. Greg Bullion (Beaver City, Broken Bow, Holdrege, Kearney district), Deneil Clarke (Holland, Lincoln Northside district), Brien Wahlen (Alliance, Bridgeport, Ogalalla, Sidney district) were recommended by our Conference Ordination Committee and Executive Committee. The individual services will take place in one of their churches over the next few months. We are grateful for such committed pastors.
"Sabbath evening after live-streaming the service at Hays Chapel, we had a small group stay for a surprise birthday party," says Pastor Mitch Elrod. "Kenneth and Jackson turned 11. Then Sunday evening the Chapel had a kids movie night. Six kids came and got out of their homes to see 'Broken Road' We separated and had popcorn. Great time!" says Pastor Mitch.
"How do you teach kindergartners on line?" asks College View Academy kindergarten teacher, Kathy Cook. "Here's how we're doing it. Elliot reading to us in a closed face book kindergarten group from
his house. Kinsley labeling ABC things in her house. And then posting the picture in our private group for all to see. This is how parents are taking the kindergarten lessons that I send home and are helping me teach their sweet kiddos," says Kathy.
"Hays Chapel went out and filled their food pantry with the money given to them from North American Division," says Pastor Mitch Elrod. "We shopped and stacked. We will be continuing to feed those in need in Hays," says Pastor Mitch.
"Ladies, please join us for some fun and fellowship on Tuesday mornings, from 9:00 to 10:30 am May 5 through June 23!" says Sue Carlson (Women's Ministries Director). "We’ll be meeting via Zoom for our online women’s Bible study group using One in a
Million…journey to your promised land, by Priscilla Shirer. We’ll be watching the video presentations together then discussing what we watched. If you’d like to join us, contact me at scarlson@ks-ne.org. You can purchase your participant’s study guide from our ABC (402-488-3395).
"My church made the local news," says Pastor Doug Elsey (New Hven). "Our Renewed Hope Mobile Food Pantry is serving literally thousands of people each week. Click here to watch the report on one of our KC's stations. Around 40 volunteers were there on Tuesday to serve the community. If you'd like to help, go to our church web site to sign up," says Pastor Doug.
Social Distancing is tough for everyone, and I think students, parents, and teachers have had an extra tough time with it," says Aubrey Asher (teacher, Wichita Adventist Christian Academy). "I miss my students. I miss greeting my kids each morning and starting off each day with over a dozen hugs from happy kids that thought going 12 hours without seeing me was a long time. I miss praying with my students multiple times
a day. I miss being able to have "safe circle" moments where we would sit on the floor and talk about real stuff. After just one week of social distancing, I was looking for a way to see my kids. How could I get closer to my students? Zoom does not fix an extrovert's need to be around people. I felt alone and several other students
felt the exact same way! There had to be something I could do. Borrowing a couple face masks from my dad’s painter’s supplies was the beginning point for me to do distance teaching in a whole new way. It started with a student who wanted to borrow the next book in a series she was reading from my personal kids'
library. After that, it was a couple students who needed paper copies because they didn't have a printer. Then, it was kids who could use math manipulatives to help them understand fractions better. And the newest one was a couple of students who wanted to use my paints and left over canvases to help kill boredom. For weeks now, Brady and I have been making a few stops here and their to drop things off at students' houses. The students usually come out to my car to grab the items that we are dropping off, or to give back something else that they had previously borrowed. Most times, with us in the car and the student across the lawn a ways, we talk and talk. Students catch us up with what is happening in their lives and tell me anything that is on their minds. Sometimes the visit lasts only a couple of minutes, while others last a half hour. We may not be able to give high fives or hugs, but it is way better than only seeing our students through a computer screen!' says Aubrey.
"I am extremely thankful for and proud of our team of teachers at Midland Adventist Academy!" says Richard Young (principal). "They have gone above and beyond, in this challenging time, to give continuous education to our students. Whether they are teaching on Zoom, recording YouTube videos, offering help sessions on Google Meet, or making packets, our teachers continue to teach. Thank you, teachers for thinking outside the box and finding ways to show you care about your students," says Richard.
The Mid-America Union Executive Committee voted on Thursday to return 1% of Conference tithe each month, beginning in April through at least October. That 1% over seven months is equivalent to about one pastor's or teacher's annual wages. Nearly all church workers across our Union territory are employed by the local conference. We
employ about 120 full-time pastors and teachers. A drop in tithe because of member unemployment and other unavoidable factors during this pandemic could greatly impact vital local ministries. We are grateful for the sacrifice our Union will make to keep our workers engaged in the mission of the church.
Summer Camp .... YES!!! (we hope)
"Our theme this summer is 'You Are Here' which focuses on the unpredictability of life and yet God is faithful through it all," says Tim Floyd (Youth/Young Adult Director). "What better message for our young people (and staff) than to spend dedicated time focusing on how God is in control and His will is always fulfilled in our lives! I'm in need of a few
more staff. If you know someone who is at least 16 years old when camp starts (May 24) please send them my way! Camper and Staff registrations can be found by clicking here. Or, for more information, call or text me at 828-707-6542," says Pastor Tim.
The Conference office is closed through May 3because of the "Safer at Home" order for Topeka. All non-essential businesses are closed. Our staff will be working from home and are still eager to serve you. Leave a phone message at 785-478-4726. Messages will be retrieved daily.
The offering this Sabbath is for our Kansas-Nebraska Conference Advance. This regular offering supports ministries that affect our entire Conference such as evangelism, summer camp and Adventist education. "A few years ago, a man met a milestone when his 1964 Porsche 356 C reached an astonishing one million miles driven."Read more...
**If you know something that you think would be of interest to other Kansas-Nebraska Adventists, please let me know. I am trying to keep everyone on the "cutting edge" by sending this out each Friday.