February 16, 2010
Iowa Conference News
Iowa Churches Helping Haiti
At Doon First UMC, we took a special offering, kids from UMYF distributed buckets at some of the local businesses and church members put together 28 Health Kits for a grand total of $928.00 to help out with the disaster relief. Pastor Steve Swenson
Asbury UMC in Cedar Rapids has responded and is continuing to respond to the Haiti Earthquake in several ways. The day after the earthquake our UMYF decided to build kits to send. The youth were so excited that they talked about it at their schools and as a result, we have several schools working with us as well. We are working with the all the local churches to get the kits delivered to UMCOR.
The Sunday after the quake, our congregation collected over $10,900 for Haiti relief and it was put in the mail the following Tuesday, one week after the quake.
God's Peace and Blessings, Pastor Ed
Boone 1st UMC has partnered with a local retirement center to make 250 Health Kits for Haiti. The residents of the Eastern Star home in Boone will be assembling 250 kits to be shipped to Haiti. The OES Home is funding the contents of the kits, along with residents. This is a blessing for all involved.
Phil Webb
As we previously announced, the IOWA Board of Global Ministries Committee has set a goal of 10,000 kits to be delivered to Haiti. This includes Health kits and Layette Kits.
For more information on the kits themself, please refer to the UMCOR website but use IOWA GUIDELINES for monies. Please do not put money in boxes: Send $1 for toothpaste and $2 for postage to the Iowa Conference office with your monthly remittance form. Use number 222: Disaster Kits
Kits are to be placed inside sturdy boxes to be sealed/taped & labeled with name of kit and number of kits outside on the top of the box.
Box Weight. Each packed box cannot exceed 66 pounds
Credit for kits, money can be taken in the Yellow/UMCOR spectrum of the Rainbow Covenant. Credit will only be received if sent to the Iowa Conference office. Do not include money in boxes with kits, or in kits themselves!
Health Kits
Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
· 1 new, unwashed hand towel (15" x 25" up to 17" x 27", No kitchen towels)
· 1 new, unwashed washcloth
· 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized – no handles)
· 1 metal nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
· 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
· 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, No child-size brushes)
· 6 adhesive regular sized plastic strip sterile bandages
· (NOTE: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)
See video on how to assemble a health kit by clicking here
Layette Kit Items: Value: $35 per kit
· 6 new cloth diapers
· 2 new shirts or 2 one-piece body suits
· 2 new baby washcloths
· 2 new gowns or sleepers (Directions on UMCOR website)
· 2 diaper pins
· 1 new sweater open in the front
· 2 new receiving blankets
Bundle the items inside one of the receiving blankets and secure with the diaper pins.
Important Kit Assembly and other Information
· All items included in kits must be NEW items.
· All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations and are standardized so they can be delivered to any country.
· Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more. If one incorrect item in a shipment is found, the entire shipment is rejected.
· Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits.
· These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.
1. At this time people can reach me, Trish Burket at 712-427-9014 home
2. Email is: jpdburket@yahoo.com until a disaster email site can be made. Please send a message indicating the number of kits your church has sent out, regardless of how they were shipped. The Iowa Board of Global Ministries has set a goal of 10,000 kits for Haiti, so this information is very important to have!
Pastors: Do you know of a child that needs health insurance?
You may have families in your congregation who qualify with the updated income guidelines – and this could possibly save a mortgage…
Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (hawk-i) offers free or low-cost health insurance for children under 19 years old. The hawk-i program covers doctor visits, immunizations, hospital care, eye exams and glasses, prescription drugs, routine dental and much more. A family of four can make more than $66,000 and be eligible for hawk-i. To find out if your children qualify, go to www.hawk-i.org. You can even complete the application online to begin the eligibility process.
As one of the participating health plans, UnitedHealthcare hawk-i offers children the very best health care coverage. Call us today to learn more! 1-888-673-4157
I would be happy to provide a brief community presentation for church leaders interested in learning more about UnitedHealthcare hawk-i. We also have materials available in English or Spanish. Please contact me with questions, to request materials, or if you would like me to present.
Kindest regards,
Vicky Bauman
Marketing Specialist
UnitedHealthcare hawk-i
(Division of UnitedHealthcare AmeriChoice)
A proud partner in Iowa's hawk-i program
515-986-5869
vicky_m_bauman@uhc.com
Bishop Will Willimon Will Be in Pella
Bishop Will Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Annual Conference and for twenty years Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, will offer a special presentation entitled “Keeping At Ministry Over the Long Haul”, Friday, April 9, 2010 at the Vermeer Global Pavilion, in Pella.
The presentation will be all day, from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. There is a $25 registration fee for the event, preferred to be sent in advance, but can be paid at the door. To register or for further information, call 641-628-3141 or email avonkooten@vermer.com.
Thank You Note for February 21, 2010
Iowa Nigeria Partnership
Click here to read this week’s Thank You note
New On-Line Print Resource Available for Iowa Churches
Your Communications Ministry Team has been working with Koch Brothers Printing to provide an on-line resource for your church stationery needs that coordinate with the new Iowa Conference logo. The design work has been done for you in advance!
Orders can be placed on-line for stationery, envelopes, business cards, FIT Challenge brochures (a very popular item!) door hangers, etc. The process is easy, we have worked out great pricing for you and you simply enter the information that you want for the particular item(s) you need and Koch Brothers Printing will ship and bill you directly or you can use a credit card and pay when you place the order. The Communications office will receive a message once an order is placed to confirm that it is a legitimate/appropriate order before they print the order. For example, we will need to confirm with Koch Brothers that you are approved to order church stationery, but not Episcopal Office or District Office stationery, etc. Normal turnaround time is 7days to print + delivery time. It is certainly not mandatory that you order from this resource – and we do not receive a commission or any type of compensation for your orders. We want to offer churches an option in case you are in need of a print service.
We have placed a link on our website to make it easy for you to access this on-line service. To get into the site directly, you need to use the following link:
http://www.printstorefront.com/kochbrothers/
User Name: IowaUMC
Password: Wesley
If you have any questions about this service please feel free to contact us!
Schedule crazy…
No time and No support…
Body out of Shape…
Eating out of control…
TAKE TIME TO CARE FOR YOURSELF
and
LEARN A DIFFERENT WAY
Clergy, Spouses & Conference Staff
A Resource of the General Board of Pensions
Servant Leadership Self-Care
Retreat
February 28-March 1, 2010
5 pm to 5 pm at Wesley Woods Cost: $50
Leader: Kae Tritle, RN Wellness Coordinator
Register at bktritle @msn.com by Feb. 19, 2010
Sponsored by the Iowa Annual Conference Wellness Program
How to Get More Members
(Moving Members to Missionaries), with Jim Griffith
30% of all people are drawn into church via the “attraction model” – which leaves 70% who will never cross the threshold of your church doors no matter how fantastic your worship or music or youth ministries may be. So how will you reach this 70%? The answer requires finding ways to go to them.
That’s exactly the focus of one of the best training experiences you and your church can participate in, here in Iowa, in 2010. Jim Griffith, nationally known coach and trainer for new and turnaround churches, will lead us in the “How to Get More Members” (Moving Members to Missionaries) event, April 17-18, at the Iowa Conference Center, in Des Moines.
Here’s just some of what you will receive:
- You will be among a vital “can do” learning community of churches and church leaders who are ready to reach out in Christ to their communities.
- You will learn practical, hands-on skills and strategies necessary for your church to reach out to unserved/underserved populations within your mission field.
- You will participate with a team of folks from your church (pastor and at least three lay persons) so that together when you get home, you’ll be ready to “hit the ground running”.
- You will be able to participate because of the low cost – through your apportionment support, holding the registration fee down to only $300/church.
- You will be provided ongoing coaching after the workshop, to help you implement what you learned and get results.
- You will laugh. You will be inspired. You will come away ready to do ministry in a whole new exciting way.
This is a “first come, first serve” event, limited to the first 20 churches (already about half full). Be certain to get your registration in as soon as possible. Upon registration, information will be sent you to make about a block of hotel rooms already reserved for you, at a reduced rate.
For more information, see the attached flyer or contact Scott Hibben, your Leadership Development Minister for evangelism and new ministry, at scott.hibben@iaumc.org /
515-974-8926.
United Methodist Student Merit Day Scholarships
are provided by the Iowa Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry. Churches in the Iowa Conference are invited to make one nomination per church for this scholarship. Guidelines and an application (due by March 15, 2010) are available at www.iaumc.org (follow the links under “Ministries” and then “Youth and Young Adult Ministries”. United Methodist Student Merit Day Scholarships are funded each year through the United Methodist Student Day Offering (celebrated on Sunday, November 28 in 2010). Other scholarship assistance is provided through the Iowa United Methodist Foundation (www.iumf.org) and through the United Methodist Division on Ministry with Young People, United Methodist Board of Higher Education and United Methodist Higher Education Foundations (www.gbod.org/youngpeople).
Are you Plugging In without Shorting Out?
April 16 – 18, Des Moines Marriott
Churches using new technology and social networking are getting the upper hand on attracting members. Workshop speakers will help congregations embrace technology without blowing up the church!
Small and rural church members are encouraged to attend. See attached brochure for more information.
Rural Ministry Conference to be held in Dubuque
In addition to the spiritual refreshment and networking relationships this opportunity provides, pastors of small town and rural churches are looking for practical ideas that assist them in building the health of their congregations in a rural setting, a setting that often brings with it limited resources.
To register for the 2010 Conference, download the a conference registration pdf form or click here to register online.
Iowa VIM Training Event
Saturday, April 17, 9:30 a.m. - 2:300 p.m.
First UMC
405 Prairie St
Guthrie Center, Iowa
641-332-2408
Contact: Pastor Ann, ette Kruse
Instructors: Dan & Jean Houston
This is for all planning a VIM trip in the near future!
United Methodist and Other News
Do you wish you could deepen your faith,
but you’re just too busy to attend a class or join a small group?
Get connected with Wesley Ministry Network ONLINE!
Through a partnership with The Richard and Julia Wilke Institute for Discipleship, Wesley Ministry Network is beginning to offer its acclaimed lay education courses on-line. Three courses begin on February 22: Simply Christian, Devotion to Jesus, and Religion and Science: Pathways to Truth.
Each course features streaming video segments and on-line discussions with other students and experienced Wesley Ministry Network teachers. Courses are open to everyone, and CEUs are available for pastors.
Connect with other Christians to deepen your faith and grow in discipleship. Learn more and register at http://www.beadisciple.com/wesleyministrynetwork.html
Play Movies with Purpose and Legal Permission
It is no wonder religious leaders use movie clips to illustrate their sermons. After all, audiences are conditioned by memorable movie moments that seem to span generations.
The tricky part is using the poignant imagery of a movie scene without running afoul of copyright laws. The Federal Copyright Act of 1976 stipulates that prerecorded videocassettes and DVDs be authorized for personal home use only, unless permission is granted for a public performance. That permission process can be time-consuming and costly. Click here to read the article.
Use surprise, illusion for memorable worship
Pastors and leaders hope worshippers will go home with a message. How can you make your message touch congregants’ hearts and minds? How can you breathe the spirit into their souls, energizing and inspiring them?
Try incorporating illusion and surprise into your worship to tell a story, illustrate a point, or simply serve as a visual memory of the service. Click here to read the article.
UMCOR Work Plan Emerges: Three Phases, Five Years
UMCOR’s recovery effort in Haiti is projected to span at least five years, according to a team of UMCOR executives who spent two weeks in the Caribbean nation assessing damages and needs following the January 12 earthquake.
Melissa Crutchfield, an UMCOR executive for international disaster relief, refers to the plan as a “living document,” one that provides a roadmap of recovery in three phases while also taking into account emerging needs as relief efforts progress.
According to the Haitian government, in addition to the 200,000 people who died in the disaster, at least three million in the country have been impacted directly or indirectly, including 500,000 survivors who are internally displaced.
The Emergency Phase of the UMCOR plan stretches through April and includes the start of the rainy season in March. It addresses the most immediate needs of access to food, clean water, temporary shelter and emotional and spiritual support.
It will be followed by a medium-term transition phase and a long-term rehabilitation phase, in which structures and infrastructures (homes, schools, medical facilities and churches) will move to more permanent buildings and systems.
Your support will be critical throughout the implementation of the plan. Gifts to Haiti can be made online by visiting www.umcorhaiti.org. For gifts by mail, please make checks payable to UMCOR and mail to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Please indicate Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325 on the memo line of your check. One hundred percent of gifts made to this advance will go to help the people of Haiti.
UMCOR has received over 350,000 health kits to date.
Thanks and keep on sending them. Tom Hazelwood, Associate General Secretary for UMCOR has asked that layettes and birthing kits may also be made and sent in.
The Five Jurisdictional UMVIM Coordinators had their Thursday conference call with UMCOR Thursday evening. The Methodist Church of Haiti has invited us to attend their annual conference the end of February in Les Cayes. Plans are being finalized for that trip. We will also work on some team logistic assessments with the hope of being able to start scheduling teams as soon as possible.
Please continue to register online to go on a future team to Haiti, even if I already have your name as the data base includes more information.
GBOD Seeks Director for Stewardship, Discipleship Ministries Division
The General Board of Discipleship is seeking your assistance in finding the right person for a vacancy, Director of Stewardship for our Discipleship Ministries Division. If you could share information about this opening with persons who you think may be interested in applying for the position, we would be grateful. The deadline for receiving applications will be March 5, 2010. The job description and appendix are attached.
Persons wishing to make inquiries should send their resume to recruit@gbod.org or they may call 615-340-7108 or 615-340-7107 if anyone wishes to discuss the position. The General Board of Discipleship is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
mid-week update is a ministry of the Communications Ministry Team
of the Iowa Annual Conference
