October 6, 2009
Iowa Conference News
30 Years of Thanksgiving Ingathering
As we prepare to celebrate the 30th year of the Thanksgiving Ingathering, let us reflect for a moment how this all began.
In 1978, Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa began working to develop ways the college could be involved with the needs of the Third World within the United Methodist Church; Dr. Art Richardson and Mr. Bill Applegate began to develop an idea. In the Spring of 1979, Art, Bill and the pastors from the two United Methodist Churches in LeMars began the planning of what was to become this long line of Thanksgiving Ingatherings.
November 1, 1980, the campus at Westmar College was chosen to plan a day, giving the people the opportunity to share their abundance. The committee consisted of Bill Applegate, Dorothy Applegate, Allen Herrboldt, Dale Thomsen and Ernest Mueller. Credit is due June Goldman, one of the first members of the planning committee. On that day, people brought blankets and kits for Church World Service, animals and corn for Heifer Project. Bishop Clymer gave the keynote address. Records show more than 300 clergy and laity attended and raised $44,882 in cash and in-kind gifts.
These people mentioned above deserve a huge “THANK YOU” for the God-given inspiration to begin an amazing mission that would touch so many around the world. As you prepare for Ingathering Day, Saturday, November 7th, remember those who worked so hard to make this possible 30 years ago!
Watch for more Ingathering information in the weeks ahead.
In Christ’s Service,
Ranee and Gaylen Goettsch
Iowa Ingathering Coordinators
Morningside School for Lay Ministry Closing
After three years of struggling to get the attendance up at our Morningside School for Lay Ministry campus in Sioux City, we have made the tough decision to temporarily close this location after this term. The last class will be held the weekend of March 12, 2010. This decision was not made lightly but the Commission believes that it will be better for the School overall if we do this. The students who are currently attending Morningside classes will transfer to either Simpson or Cornell. Letters will be going out to each student in the next few days. They were told when classes started this year that this might be a possibility. This closing does not have to be a permanent closing. If in the future we feel that there are enough students to warrant holding classes at a third location again we will certainly look into this. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ginni Otto at ginniblue@yahoo.com or at 515-971-6303. We will try and answer any questions you might have.
Sincerely,
Ginni Otto
SLM Commission Chair
Norma Morrison
Conf. Board of Laity Chair
Making a Future Gift and Increasing Income
Did you know you can make a gift to your local church, a favorite ministry or mission, or any other UM agency while guaranteeing income for life? In fact right now is an excellent time to explore a Charitable Gift Annuity.
Examples of some of the current income rates are:
Age %
50 4.4%
60 5.0%
70 5.7%
75 6.3%
80 7.1%
For more information, e-mail kgowdy@iaumc.org and request a personalized example based on your specific situation.
Does Your Church Need a New Loan or to Refinance an Existing One?
The Iowa United Methodist Church Building Fund Trust makes loans to local churches for the purposes of building new buildings, renovation or additions to existing facilities, repairs, purchasing land or even buying a parsonage. The Trust also has refinancing options for high-interest loans.
Rates currently starting at 5.5% as of October 5, 2009
Please contact us for more information:
Iowa United Methodist Church Building Fund Trust
churchloan@iaumc.org
2301 Rittenhouse Street
Des Moines, IA 50321
515-974-8927
VIM Team to Honduras
Knowing the importance of Sunday School facilities in the life of our Christiana education, the Danli Methodist Church in Honduras is asking for volunteers. This growing but financially struggling congregation needs a second floor added to the church building to house the Sunday School classrooms. This mission opportunity to assist our Central American neighbors is from Feb. 6 – 19, 2010. Three more construction workers, plumbers, electricians or just plain handy persons are needed to complete the team.
A medical team is being scheduled for the same time period and same community where patients will be seen and treated.. A variety of health care professionals are needed including physician, pediatric doctor, dermatologist and registered nurses. Consider helping God’s people find shalom at Danli.
Contact Beverly Nolte, 515 266 4186 or bnmedical@aol.com for further information and application form which is due by Oct. 23. The trip cost from Des Moines is $1,425 per person. This is an opportunity to share your God-given skills in meaningful mission service.
Women’s Retreat at Wesley Woods
Are you in need of a relaxing weekend where you can fellowship with others, worship God, and have a little fun? Join us for just that!
Teaching sessions will be led by Rev. Celestyne DeVance. Worship will be led by the Grimes UMC Praise Band. Please feel free to take time during the day to spend in solitude with God. All activities are optional.
Call Wesley Woods at 515.961.4162, email: wesleywoods.camp@iaumc.org, or go to our website to register by October 23rd. $45 registration fee for weekend.
Screws and Nails
Walk into Lowe’s or Menard’s and you will find rows of different size and types of nails, screws, nuts and bolts. You have choices of roofing, cement and wood nails while the choice for screws might be hex, slotted, Phillips, torx or Robertson drive. For the various construction projects, digging of wells and installation of solar panels in Nigeria you don’t have the luxury of a Lowe’s or Menard’s. Hardware is removed from boards and roofs to be reused as needed because they are hard to find in Nigerian shops.
If anyone has a sack or bag of nails, screws, nuts and bolts and willing to donate them for work projects in Nigeria please contact me. Better yet, bag them up in sturdy boxes/bags/sacks, label them and take them to the Ingathering on Nov. 7. Roofing nails and screws are especially in short supply in Nigeria.
Cordless drills are welcome to be used at the various construction sites.
This project would be perfect for a UM Men’s group. We will gladly take any of the above items so we can raise the roof or at least nail it down in Nigeria. Monetary donations may be sent through your local church to the conference treasurer designated: INP #230, Screws/Nails.
United Methodist and Other News
Applicants Sought for UMVIM trip to China
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and the North Central Jurisdiction Mission Discovery Program invites interested individuals to apply for this unique opportunity by December 15, 2009. Limited to 14 selected participants who have an interest in becoming future international team leaders for youth and young adult trips. Participants will receive “on the trip” training. Limited scholarship assistance is available from the Mission Discovery program to expand racial/ethnic diversity among team participants. To request an application, email umvim-ncj@brookings.net or call 605-692-3390.
Narrative Theory Resources for Pastoral Care & Counseling
Tuesday, October 13, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
McMillan Center, Strobel Room
The Narrative Counseling approach, highly influenced by various liberation theories, reflects an attentiveness to both culture and person. Narrative theory’s efficient and effective qualities, as well as the de-centering of the counselor in the counseling process, make this approach particularly well suited both to parish pastors and to specialist pastoral counselors and chaplains.
Fee: $60.00
Registration deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 6
Registration forms at www.unitedseminary.edu/Institute or contact Deb Olsen, 651.255.6168.
Crisis Care, Assessment and Referral
Monday, December 7, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
McMillan Center, Strobel Room
In this course we will explore three different kinds of crises – mental illness, addiction, and domestic abuse – and the potential role of the pastor in assessment, crisis intervention, referral, and ongoing supportive care. The course is designed with parish pastors particularly in mind but is also appropriate for chaplains and specialist pastoral counselors.
Fee: $60.00
Registration deadline: Monday, Nov. 30
Registration forms at www.unitedseminary.edu/Institute or contact Deb Olsen, 651.255.6168.
Free Resource for Church Leaders
Leading Ideas is a free bi-weekly e-newsletter delivering fresh perspectives, helpful resources, and new ideas for church leaders. Thousands of clergy and lay leader from around the US and the world have already discovered this resource. Your congregation needs your best leadership, become the leader that God is calling you to be. Learn more and subscribe to Leading Ideas today at www.churchleadership.com/resources/leading_ideas.htm
Bishop’s blog: Who cares?
Women throughout the developing countries suffer and die from means that could be alleviated, say Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn in their book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (Knopf).
They present overwhelming statistics on sex trafficking of girls; the high and growing maternal mortality rates in developing countries; the lack of education for girls, which influences poverty and the number of pregnancies that a girl will experience in her lifetime; and the violence inflicted upon women and girls in war-torn countries. Millions and millions of women and girls are suffering and dying—and we hear almost nothing about it. Many of our missionaries are working to help women take control of their economic and family lives. Yet these stories are rarely told in church.
Bishop Sally Dyck asks in her latest blog entry if we care about the precious lives of these children of God.
Her earlier blog entry about the church’s attitude toward homosexuality attracted many more responses than any of her entries. Do we care as much about violence and oppression against women and girls worldwide? If not, why not?
What do you think? Visit http://bishopsallydyck.blogspot.com, read her entry “What in the World Happened?” and join the conversation.
Christian Worldwide Annual Consultation
A public forum opens the first of three, annual consultations addressing worldwide Christian revitalization hosted by the Center for the Study of World Christian Revitalization Movements, Asbury Seminary, Wilmore, KY, October 2009.
The October 15 to 18 consultation, “Pentecost and the New Humanity: Assessing the Work of God,” incorporates key plenary addresses, shared worship, intentional table discussion and demonstrations of revitalization practices. Plenary speaker is Dr. Howard Snyder, renowned Christian renewal leader. The public forum will be held at 7 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 15, in Hughes Auditorium, Asbury College, Wilmore, KY. Click here for more information.
Christians at the Border
Immigration is one of the hot-button political, social, and economic issues facing the United States today, with tremendous bearing on the future of the country. It is also a matter of great ethical import and so requires thoughtful engagement on the part of both individual Christians and churches. Yet it is an emotionally heated and complex topic, one often informed more by ideological and economic commitments than by biblical values. Click here for more information on a new book by M. Daniel Carroll R. – Christians at the Border.
UMCom Presents Webinar Series
United Methodist Communications is pleased to announce the launch of Tuesdays @ 10am Central, a weekly Webinar series on communication ministry topics, tools, resources and tips. This free Webinar series is available as a live broadcast each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (central) or as an RSS subscription and podcast with Web-based resources. We hope you will join us!
Topics for October 2009:
For our debut month of Webinars, we are highlighting these topics:
October 6, Find-A-Church.org staff share the basics of updating your church's profile and taking advantage of this free, robust website to attract seekers and visitors to your church.
October 13, Cheryl A. Hemmerle (Manager, Communications Training for UMCom) walks you through the basics of developing a website for your church's Web ministry.
October 20, Dacia Gulledge (Director of Customer Services for Axletree Media) shares an introduction to sharing media on E-zekiel.tv.
October 27, Cheryl A. Hemmerle (Manager, Communications Training for UMCom) shows you how to create engaging PowerPoint slides and presentations.
Register for the Live Broadcast: We ask that you register just once to be able to access the live Webinar broadcast. After you register through our online registration center, you will be able to join each week's live broadcast using the same access information. Register now >>
Subscribe to the RSS: If you would prefer to subscribe to the RSS page for all archived Webinars or to follow up from a live broadcast you attended. visit our website for more information
The Disaster if Over…….But the work has just begun
With more than 60 years of experience, Church World Service provides free, online training to people who care about their communities and want to see everyone recover from disaster. Register online at www.cwserp.org
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mid-week update is a ministry of the Communications Ministry Team
of the Iowa Annual Conference
