January 27, 2009
Iowa Conference News
2010 Trip to Iona Christian Faith Community, Scotland
Guided by Dr. Carolyn Jacobs, Dean, Smith College of Social Work and Active Leader in her Catholic Diocese, and by Dr. Mary Fraser, Director, Office of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Iowa Annual Conference.
The Iona Community on the island of Iona in Scotland and is an ecumenical faith community that engages in prayer and Christian praxis. From their webpage Iona describes itself as:"The Iona Community is a dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship. The Abbey Center is neither a retreat house nor conference centre, but offers a unique opportunity to live with people from all over the world and all walks of life. Guests and staff of the community share all aspects of life - meals, daily worship, program activities, chores and social events in a place which allows them to feel safe in exploring issues that challenge or concern them and to have space to reflect on their lives. Accommodation is mostly in bunk-bedded rooms for two, three, or four or five people." The website is: http://www.iona.org.uk/iona_community.php
We are looking at possible travel in May 2010 or late August 2010
Please let Mary Fraser know if you are interested. Cost and itinerary will be announced later.
This will be a joint program from The Office of Pastoral Care and Counseling and The Contemplative Practices in a Clinical Setting Program at Smith College of Social Work.
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New membership vows and ritual are now available
The new baptismal and professing membership vows of The United Methodist Church adopted by delegates to the 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, will take effect January 1, 2009.
The new membership vows and ritual are now available on the GBOD Worship Web site at: http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=46866&loc_id=9,824.
The resource includes the following information:
an explanation of the changes made by the 2008 General Conference;
a reminder that due to changes made at the 2004 General Conference to please use the vows of Baptismal Covenant III, and;
replacement texts for those portions of the Baptismal Covenant in The United Methodist Hymnal that were updated by 2008General Conference action.
GBOD’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. Visit www.gbod.org for more information or call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7017.
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Newly Passed Rummage Sale Law
Some of the churches in your conference sponsor annual consignment sales. Because of a newly passed law that prohibits the sale of children’s clothing containing high levels of lead, there has been some confusion about whether or not churches, consignment shops, and non-profits will be allowed to re-sell children’s clothing. Here is the link to the official statement from the US Product Safety Commission. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html
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United Methodist and Other News
Young Clergy Form February 8-11
Friends – we still have room for more young clergy to participate in this year’s GBCS Young Clergy Forum scheduled for the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill Feb. 8-11. We actually will start with breakfast on Monday Feb 9 and conclude with lunch on Wednesday.
Please pass this invitation along to young clergy who may be interested we would greatly appreciate it. Again, we are inviting two per conference but can take a maximum of 50.
Cost is $100 registration fee and travel to DC. We cover the rest of the cost for hotel (shared room), meals and program expenses.
Currently we have two Young Clergy registered from KY, LA, NE, VA, Wyoming conferences. Have one registered from Balt-Wash, Cal-Pac, Cent TX, IA, Kan East, MN, North Ala, Rio Grande, Rock MT, Troy,
Let me know if you have questions. You can register by going to www.umc-gbcs.org events section under “Young Clergy Forum”
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SOARING HIGH: Cooperative Ministries Changing Lives, Congregations and Communities” gathering in Huntsville, Alabama, October 15-17,2009
Keynote speakers are Bishop Minierva Carcano of the Desert Southwest Conference and Bishop John Schols of the Baltimore-Washington Conferences. Both of these younger creative bishops have a long history in the leadership and development of urban and rural cooperative parish ministries. Bishop Schols directed the Frankford Group Ministry in Frankford, Pennsylvania; designed and implemented the General Board of Global Ministries Shalom Initiative and served as Executive Secretary of the Office of Urban Ministries. His engagement of critical issues and strategies for implementing effective change in both congregations and communities is energizing and impelling. Bishop Carcano served as director of the South Albuquerque Cooperative Ministry in New Mexico and as chairperson of the National Leadership Team on Cooperative Parish Ministries. She has the destinction of becoming the first Hispanic woman bishop. She is a strong advocate and respected leader in seeking justice for pesons affected by immigration laws etc.. We are gratified that these leaders can set the tone and direction for the event and signal significant paths for us to be considered in engaging the issues , challenges and opportunities of our times.
Alongside, key leadership, the gathering will provide participants the opportunity to engage a variety of themes through “Ten Learning Curve” tracks. “Learning Curves” will offer insight from the staff of general boards and agencies along with practitioners. A sampling includes: “The Four Focus Areas of the UM Church for the quadrennium”; “ “Developing and Equipping Leadership for Cooperative Ministries”; “Development & Resourcing Communities of Shalom”; “Environmental Justice and Strategies”; “Worship in Changing & Diverse Context”; “Redefining Rural”; “Where do we go from here?” etc.
The event will be housed in the Embassy Suites with plenaries in the adjoining Von Braun Civic Center. Registration cost (includes lodging; meals; transportation to and from airport) is $440 (double occupancy); $575. (single); $395. (triple). prior to June 30, 2009. After June 30, 2009 a late registration fee of $50. will be added if space remains available.
A $125.00 (non-refundable) per participant deposit will hold places through June 30, 2009. Names of participants and additional information, will need to be submitted on a registration form available this Spring. Final payment balances will be due on June 30, 2009.
It is our hope that you will identify lay and clergy participants from across your conference that can both contribute and receive from the opportunities that will be offered in order that the power, love and presence of Christ can move among us in new ways.
The Gathering is sponsored under the auspices of The Rural Chaplains Association, a group of lay and clergy persons who feel called by God to live in, work with and advocate for town and rural churches and communities. The diverse gathering is expected to draw 300 or more participants from rural, urban and ecumenical settings, and to include several denominational leaders and international participants.
To reserve participant places, make checks payable ($125 each) to: Soaring High:Cooperative Ministries Gathering, P. O. Box 161, Dutton, Alabama 35744
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