IN LAYMAN'S TERMS

Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month. We celebrate by talking with Bishop David Wilson, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation and also with Cherokee lineage. We also share some remarks and interviews from a U.S. Indian Boarding School Remembrance the Great Plains Conference hosted Sept. 28, 2024, at Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Sights and Sounds from Leadership Institute

Each September, Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, in Leawood, Kansas, hosts Leadership Institute. This time, Todd took along a microphone and recorded short interviews in hallways, in the backs of workshop rooms, in the corner of the sanctuary and even behind the chancel in an effort to give a snapshot of what participants experienced at this year's event. 

Public Service Series: Jeff Hart

We wrap up a three-part series on United Methodists serving in local elected offices with an interview with Jeff Hart, who has served on his village board in Lynch, Nebraska, for more than 20 years. He's also a school teachers and working toward becoming a licensed pastor in the UMC.

Orders & Fellowship Primer: Dr. Ashley Boggan

In a short episode of the "In Layman's Terms" podcast, Todd Seifert, communications director for the Great Plains Conference, interviews Dr. Ashley Boggan, general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History for The United Methodist Church. Dr. Boggan talks about what clergy will hear from her as she presents our plenary learning times during Orders & Fellowship on Oct. 28-30 at Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, in Leawood, Kansas.

Public Service Series: Robin Carlson

Todd continues his series on laity serving in public offices with a fun interview with Robin Carlson. She runs a nonprofit clinic in Courtland, Kansas, and she's also the town mayor. It's a story of a hometown girl who left for the big city and returned to make her United Methodist Church and community better.

New Church Development

New church starts can be difficult. The Great Plains Conference's New Church Development board has implemented some new strategies and is, literally, traveling the world to see how it's done elsewhere. Todd explores some of the new strategies being employed by the NCD board to help build new faith communities that will thrive.

In this episode, Todd talks with Rev. Dr. Gerald Liu, PhD, the conference's emerging faith communities cultivator; Amy Haines, a newcomer to the NCD board; and Rev. Changhyun Kim, who has started a new Korean-language faith community in Olathe, Kansas.

Public Service Series: Tyler Curtis

Todd starts an intermittent series on laity serving in elected office. With so much of the discussion focused on the presidential race, it's easy to forget that many more decisions that impact our lives are made at the local level. In this opening episode to the series, Todd discusses how faith and service intersect with Tyler Curtis. Besides his work with the Kansas Methodist Foundation, he recently was chosen to finish out a term left vacant by a death on the Emporia City Commission.

Disaster Response with Rev. Hollie Tapley

The Great Plains Conference's Disaster Response/Assistance Fund could use a boost. To explain how the fund helps individuals, Rev. Hollie Tapley, the conference's Disaster Response coordinator, shares some details about the fund, information about Disaster Response in general, and how you can participate with your financial assistance and time as a volunteer.

Learn more at https://www.greatplainsumc.org/disasterresponse.

Donate to the fund: https://gp-reg.brtapp.com/GPDisasterFund. 

Getting to Good: A book and discussion with Rev. David Livingston

We still struggle with some of the same problems as Jesus' first followers — and some problems they didn't have to face. In this episode, Rev. David Livingston, lead pastor at Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, Kansas, talks with Todd about his new book, "Getting to Good." David's first published book explores seven common struggles of contemporary life. Through scripture, contemporary examples, and personal stories, David shares the causes of these issues and some concrete steps to get to a good place of their own. "Getting to Good" doesn't attempt to wish away the problems we face. Instead, it confronts them head-on. Life is not and will not be perfect and free from difficulty. But we can get to a good place even with our inevitable challenges.

Catching Up With Bishop Wilson

We kick off recording in our new sound studio with a discussion with Bishop David Wilson. The bishop shares reflections on General Conference, the Great Plains Annual Conference session and the challenges facing delegates at the upcoming South Central Jurisdictional Conference.