November 18, 2008
Iowa Conference News
Help with Your Personal Finances
$haping Up Your Finance$ reveals the principles and practices needed to cut expenses, to get out of debt and save for those important things in life. Based on the Biblical truths found in Proverbs, you will be able to change your financial situation. Every day you delay participating in this seminar you forfeit the opportunity to be financially secure and happy with what you accomplish with your money. To schedule a seminar call Dave Harner at 515-974-8928. The Iowa United Methodist Foundation offers this seminar at no cost.
Youth Strike for Christ
Publicity information about Youth Strike for Christ - a faith building experience for youth 7th through 12th graders – will be mailed to all Iowa United Methodist churches next week. Watch your mail! The early bird registration for Youth Strike is January 1, 2009. Scholarship assistance is available. For more information or to watch the Youth Strike promotional video go to www.youthstrike.com.
CORR Grant Funds
The Commission on Religion and Race has incubator Grant Funds for Start-Up Ministries and Projects directed to minority groups
To obtain a Word Document of the Grant Form click here
For additional information or questions please contact:
Rev. Kirk Seagren, CORR Administrator
Minority Group Self-Determination Fund
Redfield UMC, 715 Jefferson St, PO Box 267, Redfield IA 50233-0267
Phone: 515.833.2946 or Email: jags@netins.net
Make a Gift from Your IRA
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 also extends certain portions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 that expired on 12/31/2007. The centerpiece of the legislation from a gift planning perspective is the IRA Rollover.
In the years 2008 and 2009, an owner of a traditional or Roth IRA (who is 70½ years old or older) may instruct the trustee to distribute directly to a charity up to $100,000 without the distribution being included in taxable income. That distribution will count toward the IRA owner's mandatory withdrawal amount.
The donor must direct the IRA manager to transfer funds directly to a charity. A withdrawal by the owner followed by a contribution will still have to be reported as income.
Use this law to create a gift for your church or an endowment for a United Methodist ministry.
For more information contact Dave Harner – 515974-8921 or david.harner@iaumc.org.
United Methodist and Other News
UMC Clergy Spouse and Family Survey
November 1-30, 2008
http://www.gcsrw.org
Attention Spouses of United Methodist Clergy persons,
You are invited to complete a survey that will shape the future responses the UMC will make to our clergy spouses and families. We need to hear your voice!
Between November 1-30, log-on to www.gcsrw.org. Then click, under the Research area of the page, the Clergy Spouse Survey – Learn More menu button. To protect confidentiality, only one survey per computer is allowed.
Encourage other UMC clergy spouses to lend their voice! This survey can be made available by hard copy and will be mailed to you. Call The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women at 800.523.8390 or Email: gcsrw@gcsrw.org by November 20th. If emailing a hard copy request, please put Clergy Spouse Survey in the subject line.
mid-week update is a ministry of the Communications Ministry Team
of the Iowa Annual Conference
