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Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers April 6 & 7, 2023 —  Maundy Thursday and Good Friday By Rev. Bob Dean Some churches observe both holy days with congregational worship, others only one (perhaps joining in a community worship service on the other). To cover the two days, I’ve sought to give brief insight on each scripture lesson, along with ...

The Iowa Annual Conference's portion of the $30 million “Settlement Trust” ($526,252) will be sent whenever this fund is set up. ​ For Information, Contact Brandy Bivens – bbivens@gcfa.org  The Boy Scouts of America’s bankruptcy reorganization plan has survived its first appellate challenge. The General Council on Finance and Administration has provided a brief overview of what that means, and what might be next.  So, what’s the background? How did we get here?  In February 2020, The Boy Scouts...

Patrick Booth, a General Board of Global Missionary serving in Cambodia in Southeast Asia, will be visiting Iowa from May 1 through May 8, 2023. Booth co-directs Project ARK (Advancing Resilient Khmer). Project ARK’S mission is to tackle poverty as a culprit of human tracking by equipping and restoring livelihood and dignity through the construction trade. Patrick is passionate about his ministry and has stories to share of God at work in Cambodia. Although very short notice, Booth would like ...

Iowa ACEs 360 presented to clergy at the Iowa Conference’s Spring 2023 gathering of the Order of Elders, Order of Deacons, and Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Des Moines on March 30, 2023.  Iowa ACEs 360 provides research, tools, and a network to empower people—and the entire state—to take informed actions that help all individuals heal from trauma and thrive for generations to come. Working as a coalition, they research the problem, test...

By: Rev. Cindy Hickman I think the entire Easter event, the journey to Jerusalem, the Palm Sunday demonstration, the Last Supper, the foot washing, standing before Pilate, suffering, the cross, the tomb, and Easter morning, the whole thing is a story of love. If God is love, then the Easter Story is witness.  With that in mind, I decided that this year every day during Lent, I would ask myself, “what does love look like today?” and go looking for answer. Lenten practices are easily forgotten, so...

We lament the closing of this historic place of higher learning and hold staff, faculty, students, and the community of Mount Pleasant in prayer. Below is the announcement of the closing of Iowa Wesleyan University. Dear Iowa Wesleyan Community,   We have a difficult and painful decision to share about the future of our beloved Iowa Wesleyan University.    It is with deep sadness that we announce the Board of Trustees has made the decision to close Iowa Wesleyan University at the end of this ...

What a joy to gather in person for the first Laity Day in over three years! (Canceled by the pandemic and postponed when Bishop Laurie suggested we wait for our new Bishop to join us).   We will welcome Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai and have the opportunity to interact with her in a (relatively) small group. Bishop Kennetha will bring the message during morning worship, building on the theme of her installation, Remembering Who We Are. She will also lead the Communion Service at the close of the ...

Who we are supposed to be By: Rev. Ron Carlson Superintendent, Riverview Park District This is the fifth Sunday of Lent, if you are like me the Lenten journey has been at times a bit overwhelming. Work has been hectic. The weather is less than ideal, and you are ready for a change. This passage begins in a bad place too. A retelling of Ezekiel 37:1-14 Here in a valley with no name, everywhere you look all you see are piles of bones. As God leads me through the bones, I am amazed at how dry they...

Back in the Sabbath again By: Pastor Nate Mason Behold! My son, my beloved, in whom I am well pleased!   Noah Isaac Mason joined us this month.  As soon as we found out we were having another boy, we knew right away this was a Noah.  I’ve shared before that Noah was a surprise baby.  We had planned on having two, but then God laughed at our plans, so Isaac seemed appropriate. I now have the privilege of spending twelve weeks getting to know my new family.  Privilege shouldn’t be exclusive, but ...

Who we are supposed to be By: Rev. LaTonya Calderon Pastor and Director of Leadership Excellence & Inclusion Read: Matthew 5:13-16   I find the season of Lent to be the most challenging season in our Christian year. As Rev. Dr. Michel Lundula stated in his first Sunday of Lent devotional, "It is a season of penitence, praying, fasting, self-denial, and engaging in spiritual disciplines as we reflect on the passion of the Lord." Maybe it's just me, but that does not sound like a good time. I have...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers March 26, 2023 —  Fifth Sunday of Lent Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 By Rev. Dr. Gary Armstrong Graveyard hopes The lessons from the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospels for the Fifth Sunday in Lent cause me to pause and reflect on some of the most sobering memories of places I have ...

The 2023 Iowa Annual Conference Session will be held in a hybrid format on Friday, June 2, Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4. The session will take place in person at the MidAmerican Energy RecPlex in West Des Moines and will also be offered virtually for those who choose to participate that way. The Call to Order and Episcopal Address will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, June 2. Clergy Session will be earlier that morning at a time and location to be determined, and the Laity Session will be at ...

Submitted by William R Fee On any given Tuesday morning, the lower level of Cedar Falls FUMC is overflowing with women sharing fellowship and treats as they happily cut, match and stitch quilt pieces. This is hardly your typical group of “Church Basement Ladies”; these are the Quilting Warriors of First Church! In 2022 alone, this band of sisters was responsible for approximately 230 quilts. They lovingly stitched over 80 youth quilts and distributed them to our partners in education school, to...

In January 2023, a 16-member Volunteers In Mission (VIM) group traveled to Panama to work at the Methodist Community Center in Cienaguita. The volunteers included twelve from Iowa, two from Illinois, one from Georgia, and another from Florida.  On the Sunday they arrived, Rhett Thompson, a pastor and the VIM coordinator, invited the group to worship at his church in Panama City. After worship, they headed on a long bus ride up to the Methodist Community Center in Cienaguita, their home and work...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers March 19, 2023 —  Fourth Sunday of Lent John 9:1-41 Rev. Mara Bailey What is true healing? I wasn’t going to do it. I was going to take the “easy road” this week (is preaching ever easy? I suppose some messages do come easier than others…) and share some recent thoughts on Psalm 23 and how it is a perfect ...

For years the Midwest Mission’s facility in Pawnee, Illinois, has been booked with volunteers—sometimes even one to two years in advance—and cannot add more space at its current site. Because of these restraints, their board of directors sought opportunities to expand their operations in the North Central Jurisdiction. They chose Jefferson, Iowa, as their new location because of Iowa’s Mission Ingathering and its strong historical ties to Midwest Mission. Midwest Mission is a Christian ...

Lent waits for no one! By: Rev. Melissa Drake Superintendent, Aldersgate District Read: Exodus 17:1-7 If you happen to be at my parent’s house on a Saturday morning when my niece and nephews are there, you have a 100% chance of getting “Oma’s Waffles” for breakfast. It’s the only thing the kids request for breakfast from my mother, because “Oma’s waffles” are the best waffles. And once the first waffle is ready, you will also have a 100% chance of hearing, “It’s time! Waffles wait for no one!” ...

In Mission Together (IMT) is looking forward to reading, celebrating, and sharing your mission stories of 2022. As you compile your mission accomplishments for the past year for the IMT Reporting (it was due February 15, but they are joyfully still receiving IMT forms), consider a simple write-up of your mission activities along with photos or video for posting and submit them to Sue Hattel, Conference Mission Education Chair at shattel220@aol.com. Your stories may be submitted throughout the ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers March 12, 2023 —  Third Sunday of Lent Exodus 17: 1-7   Psalm 95   Romans 5: 1-11   John 4: 5-42 Rev. Paul Wilcox  All wet The Old Testament and Gospel readings for this Sunday are all wet!  That is, they are linked by the image of water and our very basic need for it.  In Exodus, the Israelites grumble for ...

Just say the Word and I shall be healed By: Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon In Mark’s Gospel there is a story, repeated in Luke, of a man coming into the synagogue in Capernaum as Jesus was teaching. The scripture says the man had an “unclean spirit” and cries out, “What have you to do with us Jesus of Nazareth?” And Jesus goes on to rebuke the spirit, “Be silent and come out of him,” and the unclean spirit does leave the man immediately.  (cf. Mark 1: 21-28; Luke 4: 31-37)   Because the man ...

The Golden Valley District Tour with Bishop Kennetha began on Saturday morning, March 4, with a gathering of Circuit Clergy and Lay leaders and a tour of the Coralville Community Pantry that is adjacent to the Coralville United Methodist Church. The church generously gifted land to the pantry to build a new 5,000 sq. ft. building located on the empty lot attached to the church’s existing site that opened to the public on January 21, 2023. The pantry was previously operating out of the former ...

My favorite American Idol is J.C. By: Rev. Dr. Moody Colorado Superintendent, Pictured Rocks District Read: John 3:1-17 and Matthew 17:1-9 Is idolatry a sin? If it is, then, America will have to repent of its popular TV Show, The American Idol. The show has produced twenty idols after twenty years of singers competing before the camera. The American audience votes to decide who wins the title. The most popular one is of the music of the church, Carrie Underwood. Her song, “Jesus take the Wheel,...

What little I can do By: Rev. Lee Roorda Schott It’s my week to write this Exile to Hope post. My fellow writers and the Communications folks who send it out know I’m always later than I’m supposed to be in getting it sent off to them. I had two really good ideas for what I wanted to write this week. But priorities—good ones!—got in the way and here it is Wednesday already and I really must send something.   One of those priorities has to do with the bills being introduced in this session of the...

Washington, D.C.  — Council of Bishops President Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton will deliver a Mid-Term State of The United Methodist Church Address on March 2, 2023 at 1pm EST. The video presentation will launch on the official United Methodist denominational website at UMC.org/Renew and be shared on Facebook.com/UnitedMethodistChurch. The news comes on the heels of Bishop Bickerton’s Ash Wednesday message in which he encouraged United Methodists to "use the Lenten season to pray that God will ...

This first weekend of the Iowa Conference "Remembering Who We Are" tours with Bishop Kennetha began in the Riverview Park district on Friday, February 24, 2023. This tour included a visit to Wesley Woods Camping and Retreat Center, time with Simpson College students, a visit with the Smith Memorial Chapel chaplain and the Simpson Youth Academy program director, a reception at the Holy Grounds Coffee Shop, clergy and laity gatherings in Des Moines, and worship at Ankeny First United Methodist ...

Have you ever wanted to be a part of something bigger than the local church? Have you ever wanted to serve your church brothers and sisters in Christ? This opportunity might be for you! The Diakonos (Greek for a servant) Leadership Development program application is open for 15 high schoolers from around the state to assist during the Iowa Annual Conference 2023 session from June 1 – 4 at the RecPlex in West Des Moines, IA. Diakonos will help deliver communications, directions, aide and assist...

In January 2023, a team from the Bloomfield area returned to El Negrito and Subirana, Honduras. Clayton Eakins led this team of eight. Clayton, Marisela Sanchez, Mary Jo Johnson, Donna Olinger, and Linda Rowe were returning, and for the other three, it was their inaugural trip. The additional members were Clayton’s wife, Rhonda, Vince Tyson, and Rosalee Russell. The joy of the journey began the moment the van pulled up to the Honduran church when the children and adults came out of the woodwork ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers March 5, 2023 —  Second Sunday of Lent John 3:1-17; Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 By Rev. Rebecca Campney Carver At night The second Sunday in Lent, Year A offers up a rich collection of scriptures. Should a preacher focus on the call of Abram, combining it with the Romans passage on ...

Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Liz Winders Director of Communications (515) 974-8907 liz.winders@iaumc.org For Immediate Release Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai installed as Iowa UM Conference’s New Episcopal Leader February 19, 2023, Des Moines, Iowa —"This is the church Wesley envisioned when he said, 'Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike.'  Wesley said we may not be of the same opinion, but can't we be of the same heart? Can't we have hearts centered in ...

The Iowa Conference's newest district superintendent, Rev. Dr. Michel Lundula of the Camp Clear Lake district, discerned his first appointment earlier this month, saying that he feels blessed about being a part of the cabinet.    "Making appointments is a process that requires prayers and discernment, and I've been in that process today. I've been blessed as a district superintendent to make my very first official appointment. That came after a prayerful moment, after a moment of discerning and ...

A Journey of 40 Days By: Rev. Dr. Michel Lundula Superintendent, Camp Clear Lake District Friends, on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, we started our Lenten Journey. Lent is a season of 40 days, without counting Sundays, that begins on Ash Wednesday through Saturday before Easter. It is a season of penitence, praying, fasting, self-denial, and engaging in spiritual disciplines as we reflect on the passion of the Lord.  The season of lent reminds us of forty days of Jesus Christ praying and fasting ...

What does love look like today? By: Rev. Cindy Hickman Before you read this, a warning: Lent always flips me out, wrecks me.   Lent, our 40-day journey to Easter, begins this week. Our Easter story is an act of love none of us can ever fully comprehend. A man, filled to overflowing with God’s grace, offered himself wholly and completely to a world that did not know him or accept him. He poured his blood into our brokenness as a healing balm. During Lent, I experience that incredible sacrifice as...

By: Rev. Doug Cue Superintendent, Golden Valley District Today we observe the ashes.  Ashes are burned.  They are spent.  They are black and they are grey.  Ashes are also universal…all things when put to the fire, given enough heat, will turn to ash.  Not only are ashes universal…they are a reminder, a painful reminder, that in this world all things are temporary…including us.   In the book of Genesis, God tells Adam… you are dust, and to dust you shall return…(Genesis 3:19b).  Friends,there’s ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, has called on fellow United Methodists to use the Lenten Season to pray that God will create within us a clean heart and a renewed spirit. “There is no doubt that as we absorb the realities of splintering, disaffiliation, and post-Covid, it is time for us as United Methodists to make the pivot away from what was into new and concerted efforts to reclaim, revive and renew The United...

The Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church would like to extend our condolences to the family of the Rev. Dr. Dennis Gordon Tevis who passed away on February 6, 2023. A memorial service was held at the Hornick United Methodist Church on February 11, 2023. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the United Methodist Church of Hornick, Iowa, and to Jonathan Blum in the Institutional Advancement Office at Morningside University, 1501 Morningside Avenue, Sioux City, Iowa, ...

The Iowa Annual Conference extends its condolences to the family of A. Roger Witke, who passed away on February 19, 2023. Services will be held Saturday, February 25, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, located at 3700 Cottage Grove in Des Moines. The family invites you to join them for a visitation from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023, at Grace United Methodist. Roger practiced law for 45 years and was a very accomplished trial lawyer with Whitfield & Eddy Law ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers Feb 26, 2023 —  First Sunday of Lent Matthew 4:1-11 By Pastor Rosa María Rodríguez How to conquer temptations The temptations at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, historically remind us of the pilgrimage of the people of Israel through the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land.  And, before ...

TO: Iowa Conference Pastors, Treasurers, Finance Chairs and Church Secretaries/Admins RE:  2022 Annual Statistical Reports Dear fellow servants in Christ,  The end of the statistical report submission period is rapidly approaching.  We have just 13 days left for completion.  As of this morning 34% of you have not yet begun the entry of your statistical information and 41% have started but not submitted.  If you have not yet started the process, please make this a high priority! Deadline is ...

A matter of perspective By: Nate Mason Happy Transfiguration Sunday! It’s that time of year again, where liturgical preachers look at their calendar and say “Why is this a thing?”  Of all the non-Christmas and non-Easter holy days, this one stands out as the most puzzling.  We get Ash Wednesday.  Perhaps it’s the visual/tactile aspect that helps us connect.  We get Pentecost.  Fire, wind, speaking in tongues.  Perhaps we like a spectacle.  But this one tends to be a head scratcher.   Six days ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers Feb 22, 2023 —  Ash Wednesday Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Cor. 5:20b-6:10; Matt. 6:1-6, 16-21 By Paul I. Burrow  Journeying through Lent with our eyes on Jesus Often we think of the season of Lent as a long road that stretches out before us.  The season of Lent is a journey that we take each year.  It...

Emerging Leaders — By Faith Magazine Reprinted with permission   In most of our UMC conferences, there are young (primarily but not exclusively) persons who show great promise as future leaders for their churches and/or communities. Their ability to get things done and inspire others cannot be ignored. In a time of uncertainty as the UMC faces schism, membership and a growing skepticism, gifted, high-performing leaders will be mandatory. We are providing space in our magazine to honor these ...

Last night I got a call from our 15-year-old son, Kamden, who is with my husband as he finishes his 9th-grade year at East Lansing High School. This summer, he and my husband, Kee, will join me here in Iowa. Kamden called to tell me that he had been evacuated from an after-school basketball game, because there was an active shooter near the Michigan State University campus. He is safe and at home, with schools in the area closed today to allow kids and teachers the space and time to process what...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers Feb 19, 2023 —  Transfiguration Sunday (White or Gold) Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 99 (UMH 819); 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-19 By Rev. Charles J. Downing Top of the mountain First, “transfiguration”? What does it mean? Most of us have not used that word since the last time we read the scriptures for the Sunday ...

Each year on the first Saturday in November, United Methodists gather for the Mission Ingathering at five sites across Iowa to offer cash and other items for missions in Iowa and across the world. A portion of the funds collected is returned to Iowa Hunger Relief agencies throughout Iowa. If your church is involved with a hunger project or wish to begin a program, you may apply for a portion of those available funds by clicking the link below and submitting an application. 2023 Hunger Grant ...

A matter of perspective By: Nan Smith When I worked as an interpretive naturalist for Story County Conservation, I was always given most of the winter outdoor school programming. I was the one who was usually tagged to spend hours upon hours hiking in the snow and cold, in order to hopefully provide children with a positive experience of winter. So, you might wonder why was I the lucky one tagged?  Well, my colleagues reasoned that since I grew up in Minnesota, I was ”Minnesota hardy.” They ...

February 10, 2023 Dear Friends in Christ in the Iowa Conference,   The number of dead from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023, has already exceeded 20,000. That is not to mention the many injured, as well as the homes and infrastructure the quake destroyed. Let us hold all of the people of this region in prayer: prayers for those whose lives were lost and for their families—prayers for first responders and the medical workers trying to manage the crisis—prayers for those who...

Following Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai's installation service on February 19 at Ames Collegiate & Wesley Foundation, she will begin a tour of Iowa United Methodist Church's five districts.  Riverview Park district – February 24 – 26 Golden Valley district – March 3 – 5 Aldersgate district – March 18 – 19 Camp Clear Lake district – April 20 – 22 Pictured Rocks district – May 19 – 21 Bishop Bigham-Tsai's theme during this time and into the 2023 Annual Conference is Remembering Who We Are. Details...

Early Response Team (ERT) Training  — A Caring Christian Presence in the midst of Disaster   Now is your opportunity if you have felt called to volunteer after a disaster but didn't know how. An Early Response Team (ERT) training is being held Saturday, February 25 at Denison First United Methodist Church from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost of the training is $20, which includes lunch, materials, badge and background check. "This is great training to help people know what is the best and most ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers February 12, 2023 – Sixth Sunday After Epiphany Texts: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37 Rev. Katie Z. Dawson (katied@iumc.org) Weighing Our Choices Before we go any farther diving into the texts for today, I want to invite you to stop and pause and make a list.  Write ...

The mission of Iowa Methodist Camps is to allow our youth to explore Christ’s love in a safe and welcoming environment. Our annual campaign has become vital to the sustainability of our outdoor Christian faith experience for both our youth and adults. The annual campaign celebrates relationships both with God and with one another. It is an opportunity to share a camp story and the importance of continuing this ministry for our youth. Over the past three years, these stories have been shared ...

February 3, 2023   This is a friendly reminder that your local church’s statistical reports are due by Tuesday, February 28, 2023. As of February 2, there are 398 out of 729 churches who have not started their report.    Please visit the Statistics page on the conference website at http://www.iaumc.org/stats to read through the User Guide which has instructions including the Username and Password. (If your church is disaffiliating in June 2023, your report is due by February 15, 2023.)   If you ...

By Karlene Neal, Advocate for Immigrants and Refugees, Board of Global Ministries The State Department and the U.S. government are starting Welcome Corps, which is groups of ordinary citizens that will welcome refugees into their communities.  Each local group, made up of at least five Americans, will welcome and host refugee newcomers. They help in several ways: meeting the refugees at the airport, finding housing, employment, and furnishings, enrolling children in school, and finding ...

Skillful strings and loud shouts By: Rev. Lee Roorda Schott For many years my personal e-mail address has included a “333,” and not a single soul has ever asked me why. To the extent anyone would puzzle over this, I’ve guessed they’d think it’s connected to 666, the number of the beast, or the Antichrist, according to Revelation 13:8. Our collective knowledge of this reference probably comes more from the 1976 movie The Omen than from our careful reading and memory of the Bible. Who can forget ...

Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Liz Winders Director of Communications (515) 974-8907 liz.winders@iaumc.org For Immediate Release Installation Service for the Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church’s newest Bishop  January 31, 2023, Des Moines, IA —Bishop Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai’s installation service will be on February 19, 2023, at Ames, Collegiate United Methodist Church & Wesley Foundation at 3:00 p.m. There will be a reception following the service.   ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers Feb 5, 2023 — Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 581-9a (9b012); Psalm 112:1-9 (10); 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13016); Matthew 5:13-20 By Rev. Jim Purdue Your light shall break forth The theme of light permeates three of the four lessons for this Sunday, and it forms the background of the Pauline lesson: ...

By: Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon This last week I received the ashes I ordered as well as a cruet for our new campus minister Lewis Cox.  I also put together our Ash Wednesday service for Feb. 22.  As I was doing all of this preparing, I came across a poem I wrote for Ash Wednesday a few years ago. I had been driving somewhere and I heard a program on NPR talking about a company in Illinois or Indiana, one of those states, who were turning human cremains into diamonds that people could wear...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers Memo for Preachers: January 29th, 2023 (4th Sunday after the Epiphany) Micah 6:1-8  | Psalm 15  |1 Corinthians 1:18-31  | Matthew 5:1-12 By: Rev. Mara Bailey    “Who is God Calling, and How Shall They Come?” The lectionary texts for this fourth Sunday after the Epiphany seem to focus on a lot of “who’s” and “...

By Karlene Neal, Advocate for Immigrants and Refugees, Board of Global Ministries A recent surge of immigrants at the southern border of the United States has presented both Mexico and the United States with serious problems. In 2022 U.S. authorities stopped 2.8 million would-be immigrants at its southern border.  As a result, Biden announced some of his toughest sanctions yet: only 30,000 will be allowed in total each month from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Haiti, and Cuba, provided they do not pass ...

It is with great sadness that we have heard of the shooting that happened at “Starts Right Here,” an educational mentorship organization that helps at-risk youth in Des Moines.    Two students were killed, and the founder of the program, Will Holmes, was seriously injured. Please hold the families of these children, their classmates and friends, and the teachers and administrators of the program in prayer. Please also pray for Mr. Holmes and for those who are caring for him.    As United ...

Rev. Doug Cue Bishop Bigham-Tsai has announced her intention to appoint Rev. Doug Cue as the pastor at Newton First United Methodist Church beginning on July 1, 2023. Cue was appointed to serve as the Golden Valley District Superintendent in July of 2019. "I have only known Rev. Cue a short time, but it has been a joy working with him. He has a heart for the local church and a heart for Jesus," said Bigham-Tsai. "I am grateful for the excellent leadership he has provided for the Golden Valley ...

A year of... By: Pastor Nate Mason New Toys   I got a new toy for Christmas: The Wok: Recipes and Techniques by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. This cookbook is great! It has recipes from all across the Asian world: various regions of China, South Korea, Thailand, and so many other countries that I had to google when I read the recipe. This new toy pushed me to spend a Saturday afternoon exploring the various Asian groceries in the greater Des Moines area.   These various cooking styles are just so ...

As you get ready for another year of worship and giving planning, don't forget to publicize The United Methodist Church Special Sundays. Here is a list of resources for your church. A video to share during worship or on social media. UMC Giving partnered with UM Communications to create a simple video all about giving and Special Sundays in The United Methodist Church. "Together, we do more." A PDF calendar of Special Sunday Dates. This calendar includes short descriptions of each of the ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers January 22, 2023 Third Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23 By Rev. Paul I. Burrow The power of the cross In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul makes what had to be a strange reference at the time.  “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim ...

Rev. Karen Horan led Bishop Bigham-Tsai, members of her extended cabinet, and 33 Iowa pastors through an onboarding process on January 9 and 10, 2023. Because Bishop Bigham-Tsai began leading Iowa in January instead of September, using onboarding with an outside consultant can help fast-track her understanding of the Iowa Conference and its leaders.   Onboarding has been adapted for ministry settings by Claire Bowen, a human resource specialist and longtime member of Peachtree Road United ...

By Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Thompson   When I was rostered as a teaching artist with the Iowa Arts Council, one of my programs centered around the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  I was dismayed when asking students what they knew about him the number of times I heard “he was the one who freed the slaves.”    The third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service, is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service—a "day on, not a day off." King believed life's most persistent and ...

A year of... By: Cindy Hickman A few weeks ago, I was sitting at the pharmacy waiting for a vaccination. A woman sat down in line behind me, and a man joined in line behind her. I’ve stopped calling people “elderly” since I have begun to feel little “elderly” myself, but we all probably fit that label. We joked a bit about being brave as we waited to get our shots. The woman opened up a conversation by turning to the man and asking if he had always lived in this community. No, he and his wife ...

The Candidacy Retreat, a requirement of the candidacy process, is an opportunity to further discern your call to ministry, learn more about the process, meet others on the journey, hear from those serving in different ministries and have a chance to ask questions. The next Candidacy Retreat will be Saturday, February 11, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. via Zoom. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. Please learn more and register here.

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers January 15, 2023 Second Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 49:1-7 By Rosa María Rodríguez A Holy Calling Jesus, from his birth, was called by the Lord.  “Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!  The LORD called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.” This ...

Iowa ACEs 360 will present at the 2023 Spring event, which will be held on Thursday, March 30, 2023. They are a coalition that provides research, tools, and a network that will help guide those in attendance on taking informed actions to help individuals heal from trauma and thrive. It will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Des Moines. Iowa ACEs 360 research problems, test solutions, identify best practices and advocate for system changes to address incredibly ...

The Jeweled Tears By: Nan Smith Over this past weekend, I put Christmas away for another year and I must say I was more than ready to do that. I share this with you because, this year, Christmas has been very hard for me. You see my 98-year-old mother passed away at the end of October and so this was my first Christmas without her loving presence. I found that all the traditions I celebrated with family were chock full of so many memories of her and Christmas’ past. I found in this time of ...

By: Kae Tritle, RN; Well-Being Coordinator   January seems to be the month when we all take a collective sigh of relief and catch our breath.  All of the Christmas hustle and bustle has finished, and the spring events have yet to be planned.  Because January is the first month of the calendar year, it seems to be a month of beginnings.       But, there can’t be beginnings without endings. Over the past year, external events or experiences may have impacted or greatly changed our lives, disabling...

In Mission Together is looking forward to reading, celebrating, and sharing your In Mission stories of 2022. As you compile your mission accomplishments for the past year for the In Mission Together Reporting (due February 15), consider a simple write-up of your In Mission activity (along with photos if available) or video for posting and submit to Sue Hattel, Conference Mission Education Chair (shattel220@aol.com). Your stories may be submitted throughout the year!                              ...

Epiphany By: Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon? Enlightenment has always been gradual for me -  I remember what happened, for example, after my children were born, how I came to know who I was now: each day a little more room in my heart, in my knowing, as they grew, as their aliveness gathered something more: to grip, to smile, to turn over, to crawl, to walk, to speak. It was all this gathering that taught me:    Enlightenment is gradual like the sun rising even if you just suddenly see it and...

This Year's Gifts By: Rev. Lee Roorda Schott  As I look ahead to the gifts I’ll give and those I’ll open on Christmas morning, it occurs to me that I’ve already received some gifts I’m savoring. This year, 2022, for all its challenges, has brought me some gifts that have been unexpected and sweet. I wonder if that might be true for you, too. I’ll share a few of mine. Maybe my reflection will prompt you to think, too, about gifts this year has brought you and yours.   Returning to something like ...

Merry Christmas By Rev. Ronald Carlson Jr. Dean of the Cabinet and District Superintendent of Riverview Park District  “Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them.” - Luke 2:18 (CEB) In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went ...

Christmas Eve By Rev. Ronald Carlson Jr. Dean of the Cabinet and District Superintendent of Riverview Park District  Read Isaiah 9:2-7 and Luke 2:1-14 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people.” (Luke 2:8-9 CEB) Birth stories are important in our family. Every year ...

After 20 years in the camping program, the Iowa Conference announces the resignation of Bryan Johnson. Johnson has served as the Director of Camping and Retreat Ministries since 2016. His last day will be December 30, 2022. “My first position with Iowa United Methodist Camps was as a Summer Staff member in 2002,” said Johnson. “I’ve been blessed to serve as a seasonal staff member, Program Coordinator, Site Director, and now as the Director of Camps for Iowa. So much of who I am today is a ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers December 24 and 25, 2022 By Rev. Bob Dean (retired elder)  The back-to-back Christmas Eve and Sunday falls periodically and creates a challenge each time. Do you focus on one, or offer both? My experience, and of most pastors I’ve talked with, experience a large attendance at Christmas Eve service(s) and a ...

Dear Church Leader, The Episcopal Office of the Iowa Annual Conference has created a full worship service for pastoral leaders and worship teams to use for Christmas. This worship service has been planned for your inspiration and encouragement while providing a moment of rest for our local church leaders. Merry Christmas! Bishop Laurie and the Appointive Cabinet View on our website Bulletin Video - Mp4 with Captions Video - Mp4 without Captions Audio - Mp3

What's In a Name? By Rev Dr. Jaye Johnson Director of Congregational Excellence &  Interim Director of New Communities of Faith  My full complete name is Jaye J Johnson. The initial J is my full middle name, so I do not put a period behind it. I tried to convince Amy that our first boy should be called Jaye J Johnson, Jr. but Amy thought that was just one too many J's for any kid. Amy has some relatives, and the boys in that family are named William. There is William Black, William Black Jr., ...

By: Kae Tritle, RN—Wellness Coordinator Here is an opportunity for becoming the YOU that you are meant to be!  Introducing Wondrhealth, a health-full eating/activity and behavioral skills program for improving well-being and weight. This all-digital health-fullness program is being offered to clergy, conference employees and their spouses who are currently participating in our health plan. With the Wondrhealth program, we’re giving you the opportunity to learn how to lose weight and improve ...

My Christmas List By: Rev. Cindy Hickman I want BIG GIFTS this Christmas. That may sound selfish and greedy. If you are one of the people obliged to give me a Christmas present, you may be wondering what you are in for. A Caribbean cruise? A luxurious car with a big red bow sitting in the driveway on the morning of the 25th? Let me explain.  These big gifts I am hoping for are not the kind of gifts we can buy with money. I once heard a pastor say: “You can’t outgive God.” I think that’s true. ...

The School for Lay Ministry (SLM) is more than a 12-course program to inspire, equip and encourage lay people; it is an education in worship planning, congregational care, doctrine and history, that will benefit not only you and your local church but will impact your life.   You can enroll in the complete SLM program or take only classes that interest you.   SLM is the basis to become Certified Lay Speaker, Certified Lay Servant, and Certified Lay Minister, and by completing SLM classes, you can...

ViaFaith McCullough is currently an ImpactOK2 Resident in the Oklahoma Annual Conference. She reflects on how the GBCS Ethnic Young Adult Internship helped her to live out her faith boldly. Read her Reflection. Church and Society’s internships are designed for people interested in educating, advocating and connecting in the intersection of faith and social justice. The Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) internship program is designed for young justice seekers wanting to unpack their faith and identity ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers December 18, 2022 Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year A Matthew 1:18-25 By Rev. Dr. Gary Armstrong God is with us Some images relative to the Advent/Christmas story are fixed in my mind because of numerous repetitions through the years. They relate the birth narratives of Jesus and how the story has been part of ...

A new book study, “Just Peace,” will begin on January 17th and will last four weeks. It is a very inspiring book about a very gifted young boy with a terminal illness. His goal in life was to find peace within himself and peace in the world. One of his greatest desires was to meet Jimmy Carter, who he considered the ambassador of peace in the world. Well, he did meet Jimmy, and together they wrote the book. Dates: Tuesday, January 17, 24, and 31, and February 7. Virtual meeting from 6:00 – 7:30...

The Rev. Dr. Lyle William Lieder, currently of Rochester, Minnesota, died on Tuesday,  December 6, 2022, of old age. His wife of 78 years and their four remaining children were by his side singing to him as he took his last breath. He was 100 years old.   He was born on March 22, 1922, to Virginia and Harry Lieder on their farm near Millersburg, Minnesota. He was the oldest of three children and was a beloved son, nephew and brother.  He attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where ...

In Mission Together (IMT) encourages United Methodist Churches to prayerfully support the United Methodist Church's mission on a local, conference, national, and international level through giving, and sharing in a relationship, to fulfill Matthew 25, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me” and Matthew 28, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” In Mission Together involves building relationships in shared ministries with people, programs, and/or projects. Partnering may ...

Mary’s Hymn Advent Devotion for 12/11/2022 Rev. Melissa Drake, Aldersgate District Superintendent  Mary’s Magnificat, her hymn of praise, is one of the original eight hymns of the ancient Christian church. It has been foundational for Christian worship for centuries: meant to be sung or prayed every day, working its way into the spirit and down into the very bones of disciples as the very essence of the kind of work that God is up to. It is the longest speech any woman has in the New Testament. ...

Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, her husband Kee, and her son Kamden made a quick trip to Iowa on December 6-7, 2022, before she begins residency in January 2023. During their visit, they toured the episcopal residence, visited high schools, met the appointed cabinet, and attended a farewell Christmas celebration hosted by Bishop Laurie and Rev. Gary Haller at the Iowa Conference Center.   Bishop Kennetha is already falling in love with Iowa after touring Des Moines, saying it reminds her a lot of ...

“What I learned over the course of my ministry is that I embrace all of the various caucus groups in our conference and denomination. I understand that we don’t all see eye to eye around various theological issues. And I’m not bothered by the variety of beliefs held by United Methodists because that’s the glory of the big tent that is United Methodism,” said Bishop Laurie Haller at her Celebration of Retirement Service on December 4, 2022. See a gallery of images from the celebration.  |  Watch...

How the Grinch can just take Christmas… Please… By: Pastor Nate Mason The older I get, the more I identify with the Grinch. I mean the old school, Dr. Suess original or even the 1966 TV movie featuring Boris Karloff. The modern incarnations of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the Jim Carey or Benedict Cumberbatch versions) try to make the Grinch a tragic character to make him seem relatable. I find that completely unnecessary. The OG Grinch didn’t like Christmas. I get it. All the Who girls and...

Dear Clergy in the Iowa Annual Conference, As we have for a number of years, the Appointive Cabinet is posting open churches where announced and approved retirements or leaves of absence are known. Our intention is to invite you to prayerfully discern whether you have the gifts and graces to serve in any of these communities and churches. You will note that each open appointment will list three to five clear missional needs identified by the district superintendent in consultation with the ...

December 4, 2022 By: Rev. Doug Cue, Golden Valley District Superintendent   Read: Isaiah 11:1-10,  Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord   If you listen, you can hear it. No…it’s not the sound of the holiday Muzak pumping through the store speakers. No…it’s not the sound of the “hustle and bustle”…or the urgency and preference and unawareness all rolled up into one. Nor is it the conscious and verbal sighs that sneak past our lips as they find ...

November 27, 2022 By: Rev. William Poland, Interim Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries    Read: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 Come, house of Jacob, let’s walk by the Lord’s light. —Isaiah 2:5 CEB        The invitation to walk in the light is at the heart of our passages today from Isaiah and Romans, along with the warning to pay attention to the time in Romans and Matthew’s Gospel. Both themes are important for us to remember as we enter Advent and...

Openness By: Nan Smith So there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen generations from the exile to Babylon to the Christ. (Matthew 1:17 CEB)   There is a hiking trail that follows a river that I have walked upon since I was a wee one. A place so familiar, that my feet just know the right way to go without me having to really think about it. It is a terrain that has been etched into my very being. I know what to ...

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers December 11, 2022 Third Sunday of Advent - Year A Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 1:47-55, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11? By Martha Dalton Ward Active Waiting Waiting is hard – especially in Advent.   I admit it’s somewhat easier now than when I was an impatient child wondering when Christmas would ever come so I could ...

To read the November 2022 UMW Connection, click here.

Would you like to write for the Memo? We are looking for new writers and would love to have you join the team. Please email Rev. Bob Dean and include a writing example.  Memo for Preachers December 4, 2022 Second Sunday of Advent - Year A Isaiah 11:1-10 By Rev. Mara Bailey, Simpson College Chaplain Can peace be so simple? The week before Thanksgiving our daughter had her third grade music concert. The theme was based on the book “If Kids Ran the World” by Leo and Diane Dillon. In between each ...

Sharing life, beyond words By: Rev. Dr. Mary Lautzenhiser Bellon This is a bit of poem about how sometimes we know each other more in our shared silences and quiet observations of one another than we do in the ongoing chatter.  How that can be a deeply held way of knowing. How that can remind us of how God’s great silence wraps us in abiding love together through time.   Sharing Life, Beyond Words   Everyday there is wanting to tell you the story that cannot be spoken, and to ask about your ...