Western Kansas District UMC

06/03/2026

The latest Western Kansas District UMC newsletter is out. Click on the link below to see a recap of Annual Conference and more!

In the GPconnect that was released Wednesday afternoon, there is an announcement about a change in a cabinet appointment. DS Karen Rice Ratzlaff is returning to the local church on August 1st. In the same announcement, Bishop Wilson announced interim District Superintendent assignment for the North....

05/30/2026

Friday afternoon at Annual Conference was a full schedule. We were welcomed back from lunch with a video about serving joyfully featuring our very own St. Francis UMC and the amazing work they do through their thrift store. We followed with addresses from our conference lay leader and conference youth. Our reporting time finished up with Great Plains Campus Ministries. Next came a time of holy conferencing around submitted resolutions and church closings which featured approval of a yearly special Sunday offering for Disaster Response.

We finished the afternoon with special recognitions and commissioning. The inaugural BeUMC awards were given out and Western Kansas Lay Servant Director Cindy Heller from Hanston UMC received the award for laity. Congrats Cindy! Next we commissioned a missionary from our conference as he departs this summer to his mission work in Switzerland. Then conclusion of our afternoon featured recognition for our retiring clergy.

05/29/2026

Friday morning at Annual Conference 2026. Morning worship was lead by the youth of our conference representing the around 50 youth who are here. We also heard from Dr. Ashley Boggan (General Secretary, General Commission on Archives and History) about Serving Joyfully from a Methodist historical perspective.

05/28/2026

Opening day of Annual Conference. We gathered for a District Brunch, recognized pastors being commissioned and ordained, had opening worship, and started with some business and reports.

Pastors being commissioned on Saturday are Geoffrey Iringo and Benjamin Simba. Pastors being ordained on Saturday are Jacques Kambol and Mark Fillmore. Congratulations!

05/21/2026

Happening Tonight — 7:00 p.m. CT!

Our Pre‑Conference Briefing will cover key details and provide an orientation to the business of the annual conference.

Clergy are encouraged to download the BAC here: https://www.greatplainsumc.org/2026bac

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/96951678502

05/20/2026

Check out this week's Western Kansas District UMC newsletter...It's full of information including next week's Annual Conference, Retirement Announcement from Hollie Tapley, Office Hour changes for next two weeks, Camp Lakeside pool campaign, and more!

Conference and district offices will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day. Offices also will be closed on Monday, June 1.

05/20/2026

Fresh swag that we will have at the District Brunch during Annual Conference next Thursday. If you didn’t sign up for the meal, there will be room for you to join the conversation even if you aren’t eating.

05/20/2026

For nearly 12 years with the Great Plains Conference, Rev. Hollie Tapley's philosophy has been "Keep my soul clean and my boots dirty!"

And the Alabama native has done that with dedication, holiness and gusto as the conference disaster response coordinator.

But this January, Tapley will hang up those boots, announcing her retirement today.

“She loves what she does with disaster response and has made a great impact not just in the Great Plains but across our connection,” Bishop David Wilson said. “She is a person that is in love with Christ, and I know that has inspired her work. She knows the work of disasters so well and is connected with so many who respect and value her work and ministry.”

https://www.greatplainsumc.org/newsdetail/disaster-response-leader-hollie-tapley-to-retire-in-january-19740018

05/17/2026

Today is the day, Miracle Sunday! If you miss the opportunity to give during a special offering at your church, you can read more about the campaign and give on the following page:

https://www.greatplainsumc.org/miracle-sunday

The Great Plains Conference invites our church leaders to join 30,000 congregations and their pastors across the globe in the Miracle Sunday Initiative, a six-week, churchwide emphasis that culminates on May 17, 2026.

As part of this emphasis, congregations will also be invited to receive a special offering that will help support 500 students each year as they prepare for pastoral ministry throughout Africa, Europe, and the Philippines.

The Great Plains Conference invites our church leaders to join 30,000 congregations and their pastors across the globe in the Miracle Sunday Initiative, a six-week, churchwide emphasis that culminates on May 17, 2026.

05/15/2026

Rev. Rodgers Chishiba, pastor at Colby United Methodist Church in western Kansas, joins Todd for a conversation about Miracle Sunday, an effort from the Council of Bishops to raise funds for an endowment for theological education outside the United States. Rodgers explains why it's an important effort and how participation is a reflection of our worldwide connection as United Methodists. https://inlaymansterms.podbean.com/e/miracle-sunday/