May / June 2015 - First Christian Church

Christian Church in Nebraska
(Disciples of Christ)
237 South 70th Street, Suite 221
Lincoln, NE 68510-2467
402.476.0359
[email protected]
www.disciples-ne.org
The Nebraska
Christian
MAY/JUNE 2015
Easter Offering
Rev. Katrina Palan
Intentional Interim
Regional Minister
[email protected]
Sharon D. Shields
Administrator of ELM
(Education for Leadership
Ministries)
& Regional Minister for
Leader Development
[email protected]
Sandy Denton
Minister of
Faith Development
[email protected]
Paul Few
Business Manager & Men’s
Ministries Coordinator
(Volunteer)
[email protected]
Karen Widdowson
Administrative Assistant for
CCN & Cotner College;
Editor
[email protected]
[email protected]
Teresa Olberding
Disciples Women’s
Ministries Coordinator
[email protected]
Pam Fairchild
Bookkeeper
People are
saying the
Church is in
decline.
Churches are
closing their
doors and people are closing
their hearts. The Church is dying. Is
that what you think?
The truth is we are living in challenging times, but there are great
things happening! We are adding to
the Church. Since 2001, the Christian Church (DOC) has started 850
new churches in the United States
and Canada and the numbers continue to grow! Because of the new
church movement, Disciples are
spreading the gospel to more than
60,000 individuals who may not
have had a relationship with God.
During worship, 28 languages are
spoken in Disciples congregations
every week. It is a Pentecost movement!
You can join this movement by
supporting the Disciples Pentecost
INSIDE:
Nebr. Disciples Men
Student IAS Trip
2
Letter from Katrina
3
Kamp Kaleo News
Disciples Women
4
Cotner Corner
All About ELM
Explorations in
Creative Praying
5
Emmaus Road
Discipleship School
6
Offering, which will be celebrated on
Sunday, May 24 in many churches.
The funds from this offering will
help Disciples establish 1,000 new
congregations by 2020. It also supports the Disciples New Church
movement by making it possible for
the Church to recruit, assess, train,
and coach new church leaders. One
half of your offering is dedicated to
our Region, and used for supporting
churches in formation (we have
three right now—in Columbus,
Kearney, and Omaha) while the other half is used by Hope Partnership
for Missional Transformation to support new church ministry.
Your gift to the Pentecost Offering is
vital to keeping our new church
movement alive and thriving. It
helps create God’s Church, inspire
the old to dream, and fill the young
with vision.
To give to this important offering,
you can also give online by using
this link:
http://bit.ly/
2015DOC_Pentecost_Offering
2015 General Assembly
The link below is where you can learn everything you
need to know about our General Assembly 2015, happening July 18 - 22, in Columbus, Ohio. Plan to attend and
hear outstanding speakers, worship with thousands of
fellow Disciples, participate in Learning Tracks, workshops and much more. There is even information about Youth at the
General Assembly!
Register soon at http://ga.disciples.org/
PAGE 2
Nebraska Disciples Men
Men’s RECHARGE — Igniting the Fire
• August 7 - 8, 2015; 4:00 pm Friday - 6:30 pm Saturday
• At Kamp Kaleo—46872 Willow Springs Road—Burwell, Nebraska
In all things God
works for the good of
those who love Him.
• Kaleo Work Project Opportunities:
Romans 8:28
one session has been designated for all to work on the projects
continuing on the work projects is an option instead of recreation for
those who prefer work to recreation
Stay over Saturday night for Sunday Work Project if you want
• Recreation opportunities include: Canoeing, Tubing, Sightseeing, Horseshoes
• Men’s Golf Outing: Friday, 1:00 pm at the Ord, Nebraska Golf Course; cost is the
course fee, payable when you play
I can do all things
through Christ which
strengthens me.
• Retreat Registration Fees:
Philippians 4:5
Friday through Saturday – $71.00 ($76.00 after July 25th)
Private room, Friday through Saturday – $76.00 ($81.00 after July 25th)
ONLY four staff cabin rooms available on first come basis
SPECIAL! Age 21 and younger, Fri. - Sat. – $55.00
Saturday only – $55.00
• To register using early bird pricing, return completed registration (available
soon) and payment by Friday, July 24th
The Lord is the
strength of my life;
of whom shall I be
afraid?
Psalm 27:1
• Questions, contact Paul Few at [email protected] or at 402.326.7262
Full details, including registration form, will be in the brochure available on our
website SOON. You’ll find it with the calendar information here:
http://www.disciples-ne.org/mo/september
Faith Development News
Sandy Denton, Minister of Faith Development
402.890.2293 (c) [email protected]
International Affairs Seminar (IAS) —
STUDENT Trip is March 28 - April 4, 2016
Don’t let your
High School
Juniors & Seniors
miss out on this
opportunity!
All students who will be Juniors or Seniors in High
School during the 2015/2016 school year are invited to participate
in this trip. This has been a mountain top
experience for anyone who has ever gone.
Students will not only be immersed into the
life and culture of Washington, D.C. and New
York City, but will also form deep and lasting friendships
in addition to developing an understanding of how to consider faith-based action with current issues, exploring
them from all sides. Human Trafficking will be our topic
of study for this trip. Commitment deadline is Saturday,
August 1st!
Everything you need to know, including cost and a laundry list of great sights
and experiences are in the brochure on our website at
bit.ly/IAS_StudentTrip_March2016.
THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN – MAY/JUNE 2015
PAGE 3
A Letter from Katrina . . .
Dear friends,
“Isn’t it enough to give to my local church? We have enough trouble giving to our own
church. What do we need the region for anyway? You just want our money to help
keep yourself alive.” These are some of the questions and comments I have heard as I
have traveled around the region. They are good questions, so I wanted to take some
time to answer why you personally should give to the annual fund. I would like to give
you four good reasons to give to the annual fund.
Our mission and ministry is to care for congregations. The regional church
is in place to help care for congregations in the Nebraska Region. This means to be
a resource, to extend consulting services in areas such as search & call, problemsolving, conflict resolution, transformation and planning for the future. The Region also helps with celebrations of congregational life such as anniversaries, dedications, installations, and retirements. We get calls every week asking for assistance in these areas.
Happiness held
is the seed;
Happiness shared
is the flower.
Our mission and ministry is to care for Ministers and the Ministry. The
Region provides pastoral care for ministers and their families. The Region helps
promote healthy relationships between congregations and their leaders. The
Region assists with pastoral resources that individual congregations do not have
on their own.
Our mission and ministry is to call out and develop leaders. The region pro-
vides training and nurture for leadership in the congregations. Training which
takes the form of Kamp Kaleo for youth, IAS for youth and adults, men’s and
women’s ministries, workshops, and of course, educating lay leadership for work
within the congregation.
Our mission and ministry is to enable congregations to do things togeth-
er that cannot be done alone. The region provides opportunity for fellowship
groups, outdoor ministry, congregational transformation, new church starts, education for global mission, and events such as Regional Assemblies for sharing and
nurture.
All of these things and more, the Region does on your behalf. The region is funded by
your giving. Over the years since we have been the Nebraska Region, the Regional
Church has worked hard to be there for the congregations, to give support, and to help
you do your mission. As you know, you personally cannot do all of God’s work by yourself—you need to come into a fellowship to help with the works of ministry. Each congregation, also, cannot take on the entire mission of the Christian Church (DOC) in
Nebraska. It is when we work together that we do our best work.
We can spend a lot of time debating the differences between congregations in
Nebraska, or we can come together to share in the work that God has for us to do,
here in Nebraska. When you are strong, we are strong. The Region is not really an
office in Lincoln, but is made up of 50 congregations spread throughout the state of
Nebraska, held together by a shared goal of “being a movement for wholeness in a
fragmented world; being part of the body of Christ, welcoming all to the table, as
God has welcomed us.”
Giving to the Annual Fund helps to further this shared goal to a world who desperately needs us to be what we are called to be—The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
You may make your donation payable to:
Christian Church in Nebraska
237 S 70th St Ste 221
Lincoln NE 68510-2467
In Christ,
In happy moments,
praise God.
In difficult moments,
seek God.
In quiet moments,
trust God.
In every moment,
thank God.
Happiness is only
real when shared.
Be so happy that
when others look at
you they become
happy too!
Katrina M. Palan, Intentional Interim Regional Minister
MAY/JUNE 2015 – THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN
PAGE 4
Kamp Kaleo Happenings
David Ridings, Facility Administrator
Kamp Kaleo—46872 Willow Springs Road—Burwell, NE 68823
308.346.5083 ▪ [email protected]
It’s Not Too Late! Register for Camps NOW!
www.kampkaleo.com
Online Registration for summer camps for children and youth is
available online—go to www.kampkaleo.com for full details.
Adventures in Community 1 & 2: May 26-29 & July 7-10 For adults with
developmental disabilities (18 years old and up)
Senior High: May 31-June 5 For students entering 9th through 12th
grades, plus returning Seniors!
Junior High: June 7-12 For students entering 6th through 8th grades
Junior 1: June 14-18 For students entering 4th and 5th grades
NOTE: The Adult Spiritual Retreat scheduled for June 19-21 has been cancelled
Lions: June 21-26 For visually impaired, privately held camp
Canoe Quest: June 25-28 For students entering 6th through 12th grades
Primary AND Little Kritters: June 28-30 For students entering Kindergarten thru 3rd
grades, plus one adult; NOTE: Children will be split into two groups: K-1st AND 2nd–3rd
Faith and Fine Arts: July 12-17 For students entering 6th through 12th grades
Junior 2: July 19-23 For students entering 4th and 5th grades
Kamp Need: Kaleo is in desperate need for a new/used front mount zeroturn lawn mower. If you are upgrading your mower this season and your old
one is still in good shape, please consider donating it to Kamp Kaleo. They can
come get it! If you can help, contact David (info above).
No one made a
greater mistake than
he who did nothing
because he could
only do a little.
~Edmund Burke
The thing we fear
most is having
lived our lives
pleasantly, but
to have made
no measurable
difference whatever.
~Lloyd John Ogilvie
Kamp Kaleo Fundraiser: Rental Space for Sellers, and
Accommodations for Sellers & Shoppers during Junk Jaunt
Did you miss out on our state’s Junk Jaunt last year? Didn’t think about it
because Kamp Kaleo wasn’t doing it as a fundraiser? Well, this year, as a
fundraiser, Kamp Kaleo is opening Kamp accommodations to those who will
be selling and those who will be shopping, and will also rent booth space to
sellers! Junk Jaunt takes place September 25-27, 2015. A flyer with full
details and pricing is on our website at:
http://bit.ly/2015_Sept_KaleoFundraiserDuringJunkJaunt
Disciples Women’s News
Teresa Olberding, Disciples Women’s Ministries Coordinator
402.245.5053 (h) 402.801.1787 (c)
[email protected]
Please contact me anytime with questions/suggestions for our women’s ministries.
Mark your calendars for a One-Day Spiritual Retreat on Saturday, August 8th,
at the First Christian Church in Grand Island. Details in our next newsletter.
Operation Christmas Child (shoeboxes filled with toiletries, school supplies,
toys and small gifts for children around the world), is the service project for
2015. Boxes will be collected in November at various sites around the state, so
participating churches should plan to have their boxes ready. More info soon.
THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN – MAY/JUNE 2015
PAGE 5
The Cotner Corner
Katrina Palan, Executive Director of Cotner College
(and Intentional Interim Regional Minister)
237 South 70th Street, Suite 221—Lincoln, NE 68510-2467
402.474.3207 ▪ [email protected]
Believe you are
destined to achieve.
Retirement Announced! Celebration Planned!
It is time! The past forty years of working with and for Cotner College have been
life-giving and life-changing for me and hopefully for others, but now it is time for
someone else to take the helm of this ministry and start a new and more modern
path for Cotner College. The future is open and it needs new life and new models
to keep its place in the educational service to the church.
As of June 30, 2015, my role with Cotner and with Education for Leadership
Ministries (ELM) will come to a close, as on July 1st, I’ll begin my retirement
years. It has been a privilege to have been called to this ministry and I have many
people and moments to cherish in the years to come. Thank you for that, and
thank you for the acceptance, support, and love that you have extended to me. It
has been quite a ride! THANK YOU!
Don't look for perfect,
look for potential.
Sincerely,
Sharon Shields
NOTE: Everyone is invited to attend a retirement celebration for Sharon on
8th,
at 2:00 pm, hosted by Bethany Christian Church, Lincoln, at
Saturday, August
1645 North Cotner Boulevard. Plan to come and wish Sharon a happy retirement!
Dream and pray;
add drive, patience,
and hope = Success.
All Things ELM (Education for Leadership Ministries)
Preach-a-Thon!
Sharon D. Shields, Administrator of ELM
(a program of Cotner College)
Our ELM 8 Class is getting closer and
closer to their October graduation!
Mark your calendars now, so you won’t
miss their Preach-a-thon on Saturday,
June 13th, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm at
First Christian Church in Hastings,
located at 1201 Sheridan Drive.
Everyone is invited to
come and show support for our
ELM students as they strut their stuff
and practice preaching before a sanctuary full of people.
If you're lucky enough
to grow old, you
should celebrate it!
Explorations in Creative Praying
◈ Led by artist Glenda Dietrich Moore, ordained minister with the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
◈ Thursday, June 11th, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
◈ Knowles Mercy Spirituality Center—2304 Campanile Rd—
Waterloo, NE 68069
◈ $40 fee includes lunch and art supplies
◈ Full details and registration form are in the flyer on our website at this link:
http://bit.ly/ExploreCreativePrayerJune2015
◈ Questions? Call 402.359.4288
Nothing ever
goes away until it
teaches us what
we need to know.
~Rema Chodron
MAY/JUNE 2015 – THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nebraska
237 S 70th St Ste 221
Lincoln NE 68510-2467
Address Correction Requested
Emmaus Road Discipleship
School (ERDS)
The Emmaus Road Discipleship School (ERDS)
is now accepting applications for the 2015-2016
year. ERDS has just successfully completed its
first year, with 12 Seekers experiencing a deeper, richer relationship with the Lord. The
Seeker group will now progress to their Pilgrim
year, and we are building a new class of
Seekers for 2015-2016. Space is limited, so if
you have parishioners interested in this exciting
new opportunity to experience and explore a
relationship with God, please have them contact
the program director, Charlotte Liggett, 402430-2149, as soon as possible. You or the interested person can also find additional information on the ERDS website:
http://www.emmausroaddiscipleship.com/
Here are just a few of many quotes from the
current Seeker group that demonstrates the
value that ERDS is bringing to people’s lives—
“For as long as I can remember, I felt like there
was something missing when I prayed. I talked
to God and I read Bible verses. However, I didn’t feel like I truly connected to God. I didn’t feel
like God was talking to me. But now I’ve learned
to experience the true presence of God …
learned to slow down, stop talking, quiet my
thoughts … I’ve learned to be open to the living
presence of God.”
“One of the things I discovered when I started
Emmaus Road Discipleship School was that I
could have a relationship with God, just like I
can have a relationship with another person.”
“My son has not been doing well for the past
four years and I realized I was having some control issues. Because of Emmaus Road Discipleship School, I’ve been able to ‘turn him over to
God’ and relinquish my need to control. He is
starting to do better.”
Moving? Changing e-mail?
Notify us of your new mailing or email
address! Call 402.476.0359 or 800.580.8851,
or email us at [email protected].
MAY/JUNE 2015 – THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN
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