Committees and Nominations

United Methodist laity and clergy in the Great Plains have many opportunities to serve on conference committees and teams. Below is a list laid out to follow the structure of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference (GPUMC). Read the 2021 nominations report.

Nominate potential leaders online. You are welcome to nominate yourself or someone else. The nominee will be contacted by the chair of the Great Plains nominations team.

Connecting Council (75 people)

The connecting council connects the various boards, committees, agencies and leaders of the GPUMC. It includes appropriate structure for developing spiritual leadership, creating vital churches and connecting disciples to transform the world. This structure supports our preferred future: a vision of great churches, great leaders, great disciples — transformed world. This structure is foundational to our purpose to equip and connect local churches. The structure is grouped into the following five areas:

• Episcopal Office
• Clergy Excellence
• Congregational Excellence
• Mercy and Justice
• Administrative Services

Purpose:

1. Review and evaluate the conference’s missional progress
2. Align major initiatives of the GPUMC
3. Enhance deep communication with all parts of the GPUMC
4. Take such actions between sessions of the annual conference as permitted

Membership:

1. Bishop as non-voting chairperson (1)
2. Directors (4)
3. District superintendents (17)
4. Lay leader(1) and associate lay leaders (4)
5. District lay leaders (17)
6. Representatives from teams (13): trustees, pensions and health benefits, council on finance and administration, lay leadership/vital congregations, new church development, youth ministry, camping, campus ministry, episcopacy committee, board of ordained ministry, mercy and justice, disaster response and archives and history
7. The United Methodist Women’s and United Methodist Men’s presidents or the designated representative from these two organizations (2)
8. At-large members for expertise and inclusiveness, 3 of whom are youth (17)

Meeting schedule: October and March, Friday afternoon and Saturday until 3 p.m.

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Episcopal Office

Episcopacy Team

Purpose: Duties include serving as Episcopal Residence Committee and fulfilling the function of the Commission on Communication. Responsible for connection to the General Commission on Communication.

Staff Liaison: Assistant to the bishop/director of clergy excellence

Membership:

1. 10 members, one-fifth of whom are appointed by the bishop, majority is lay members, one of whom is the conference lay leader
2. Additionally, the members of the Jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy serve ex officio

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Clergy Excellence

Board of Ordained Ministry

Purpose: Responsible for connection to General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. BOOM will organize itself with an executive committee and three teams: Covenant Team, Competency Team and Call Team.

Staff Liaison: Board of Ordained Ministry (BOOM) registrar

Membership: 51 people (full member elders or deacons, except as noted in b and c below) including at least:

1. 1 person from each district
2. 2 associate members or local pastors who have finished Course of Study
3. 11 lay people
4. 1 retired clergy person
5. 1 clergy serving in extension ministry
6. 2 deacons
7. 2 people under 35 years of age
8. 1 district superintendent

Administrative Review Committee

Purpose: as outlined in The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church-2012, ¶636.

Staff Liaison: Assistant to bishop/director of clergy excellence

Membership: 3 clergy in full connection and 2 alternates (may not be members of BOOM, cabinet or relatives of the above) nominated by the bishop and elected quadrennially by the clergy session of members in full connection

Investigation for Diaconal Ministry

Purpose: this committee is to fulfill the requirement of ¶2703.2 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church-2012.

Membership:

1. 4 diaconal ministers (or professing members) and 3 clergy in full connection.
2. 10 alternates, 5 clergy in full connection and 5 diaconal ministers or professing members
3. Nominated by the bishop in consultation with the Board of Laity and BOOM
4. Elected quadrennially

Transition into Ministry (TiM)

Purpose: this group provides oversight for the Transition into Ministry (TiM) process, currently funded by a Lilly grant. In the event the TiM process does not continue beyond the term of the grant, the team will be dissolved.

Staff Liaison: TiM coordinator

Membership:

1. 2 lay people
2. 2 district superintendents
3. 2 pastors of local churches
4. 2 representatives from the BOOM
5. Assistant to the bishop/director of clergy excellence
6. Bishop

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Congregational Excellence

Vital Congregations Team

Purpose: to equip and connect local congregations so that they may become more vital and effective in the mission of the church. The team will give special attention to the development of lay leadership, ministries with ethnically diverse people and the ministry of small membership churches.

Fulfills purpose of Board of Discipleship, Board of Laity, Disability Concerns, Parish and Community Development and Young Adults. Responsible for connection with General Board of Discipleship.

Staff Liaison: Director of congregational excellence, ex officio (without vote)

Membership:

1. Vital congregations coordinator, ex officio (without vote)
2. Small membership church coordinator, ex officio (without vote)
3. Conference lay leader, or designee, ex officio (with vote)
4. Conference director of lay servant ministries, ex officio (with vote)
5. 12 other members, including at least four from ethnic local churches and four from small membership churches (average attendance fewer than 50)

Great Plains New Church Development

Purpose: this corporation was formed by merging the existing church development entities from the conferences of Kansas East and Kansas West, and oversees aspects of new church development (NCD) throughout GPUMC in cooperation with the district superintendents and the bishop. It not only administers conference funds for NCD but may also purchase and sell property and undertake such financial obligations as are necessary to its mission.

Staff Liaison: Coordinator of new church development, ex officio (without vote)

Membership: 12 members of the board of directors, serving 4-year terms, and elected in classes of 3. The board can add non-voting consultants, as needed, to accomplish its work, i.e., experts in real estate, finance, construction. The treasurer of the GPUMC will serve as the treasurer of the corporation.

Conference Council on Youth Ministry

Purpose: this council coordinates the conference-wide youth events and is responsible for connection to General Board of Discipleship’s Division on Ministries with Young People

Staff Liaison: Coordinator of local church youth ministry, ex officio (without vote)

Membership:

1. 2 youth from each district (with one alternate)
2. Up to 9 adults, representing diverse geography.
3. CCYM may select up to 4 additional youth in order to allow for ethnic and geographic diversity as well as allowing active youth to continue serving when they move outside the bounds of their district.

Great Plains United Methodist Camps

Purpose: this corporation was formed by merging the existing camping entities. The board of directors coordinates the vision and standards for camps of the GPUMC and administers conference funds for the camps. It will hold camping ministry accountable to the mission of the annual conference.

Staff Liaison: Coordinator of camping ministry, ex officio (without vote)

1. The treasurer of the GPUMC will serve as the treasurer of the corporation
2. Board of directors:
   1. Site directors, ex officio (without vote)
   2. The chair of each local site council, ex officio (with vote) (up to 6 members)
   3. 2 additional directors nominated by the site council and elected by the GPUMC (up to 12 members)
   4. 6 at large directors, nominated by the GPUMC nominating committee
   5. The directors designated above, excepting those serving ex officio, is nominated in classes to serve 4-year terms.

Great Plains United Methodist Campus Ministry

Purpose: This corporation was formed by merging the existing United Methodist campus ministry entities, and fulfills the functions of the Conference Board of Higher Education and Ministry. The board of directors provides direction and support to the campus ministry sites within the GPUMC and administers conference funds for campus ministry. The directors may provide grants to local churches, UM colleges and universities, or ecumenical campus ministries. The board may establish additional sites, with the approval of the connecting council.

Staff Liaison: Young adult leadership coordinator, ex officio (without vote)

1. The treasurer of the GPUMC shall serve as treasurer of the corporation.
2. Board of directors:
   1. Campus pastors (including campus pastors of UM colleges) shall serve ex officio (without vote)
   2. 18 additional directors, elected in classes to serve 4-year terms

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Mercy and Justice

Mercy and Justice Team

Purpose: this team has the primary purpose of helping local congregations transform the world through ministries of mercy and through ministries of justice that address systemic issues. It fulfills the functions of the Conference Board of Global Ministries, the Conference Board of Church and Society, Christian Unity and interfaith organizations, relates to our global mission partnerships (Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Haiti), Volunteers in Mission (VIM) and criminal justice and mercy ministries.

This team fulfills the purpose of the Commission on Religion and Race and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women. This team is esponsible for connection to General Board of Global Ministries, General Board of Church and Society, General Commission on Status and Role of Women, General Commission on Religion and Race.

Staff Liaison: Mercy and justice coordinator, ex-officio (without vote); conference secretary of Global Ministries, ex-officio; peace and justice coordinator, ex-officio

Membership: 17 members, no more than 7 clergy

Disaster Response Team

Purpose: this team oversees training of disaster response volunteers, emergency preparedness efforts in local churches, and response to disasters.

Staff Liaison: Disaster response coordinator, ex officio (without vote)

Membership: 12 members, no more than 5 clergy

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Administrative Services

Annual Conference Session Planning Team

Purpose: this team is responsible for planning and coordinating all aspects of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference Session. It may enlist people with particular expertise as needed for fulfilling its tasks.

Staff Liaison: Assistant to the bishop/director of clergy excellence

Membership:

1. Other staff ex officio (without vote): communications director
2. Conference secretary
3. Lay leader (or associate lay leader)
4. Six additional members, lay or clergy

Nominations Committee

Purpose: this team is responsible for designing and implementing a process that will identify and recruit qualified, passionate leaders for the GPUMC.

Staff Liaison: Director of congregational excellence

Membership: 2 members from each of the three former conferences (including one transition team member from each conference)

Archives and History Team

Purpose: this team fulfills the functions of the Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History and is responsible for our connection to General Commission on Archives and History

Membership:

1. Archivist from Kansas
2. Archivist from Nebraska
3. Four people from the state of Nebraska
4. Four people from the state of Kansas

Personnel Team

Purpose: this team develops and maintains personnel policies for the GPUMC, makes recommendations regarding compensation and benefits, approves the overall staffing plan and consults with the bishop and directors regarding personnel matters. They also oversee equitable compensation policies and funds.

Staff Liaison: Treasurer/director of administrative services, ex-officio (without vote)

Membership:

1. Other staff, ex-officio (without vote): human resources officer/senior benefits officer
2. 1 district superintendent, ex-officio (without vote)
3. Assistant to the bishop/director of clergy excellence, ex-officio (without vote)
4. 5 additional members (3 laity and 2 clergy recommended)

Pensions and Health Benefits Team

Purpose: this team fulfills the functions of the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits and is responsible for connection to General BOP.

Staff Liaison: Treasurer/director of administrative services

Membership:

1. Other staff: human resources office/senior benefits officer, ex officio (without vote)
2. 1 district superintendent, ex officio (without vote)
3. 7 lay people
4. 5 clergy, 1 or 2 of whom are retired

Board of Trustees

Purpose: this team fulfills the functions of the Annual Conference Board of Trustees.

Staff Liaison: Treasurer/director of administrative services

Membership:

1. Other staff: property manager, ex officio (without vote)
2. 8 lay people
3. 4 clergy

Council on Finance and Administration

Purpose: this team fulfills the functions of the Annual Conference Council on Finance and Administration. The team oversees an Audit Review Committee and is responsible for connection to General Council on Finance and Administration.

Staff Liaison: Treasurer/director of administrative services, ex officio (without vote)

Membership:

1. Other staff: director of congregational excellence, ex officio (without vote)
2. The bishop, ex officio (without vote)
3. 1 district superintendent, ex officio (without vote)
4. Any members of the General Council on Finance and Administration, ex officio (with vote)
5. 6 lay people
6. 3 clergy

Nebraska Retiree Health Care Team

Purpose: this team oversees the assets and money raised for the subsidy provided to assist retirees with health care. It will recommend to the Nebraska clergy members and lay members meeting each year the action for the following year. Of the 5 members, 1 will be a member of the Great Plains Council on Finance and Administration and 1 will be a member of the Great Plains Board of Pensions and Health Benefits. None of the 5 (except for the retired clergy) will have an immediate family member affected by the team’s recommendations.

Membership:

1. 3 lay people
2. 1 active clergy
3. 1 retired clergy