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2023 MLK Freedom Bus Tour November 13-17, 2023   Costs:  $450/person (covers costs of travel, hotel stay, and museum admissions).  Food not included.   Participants engage in a week-long journey exploring iconic human and civil rights spaces in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma.  In addition to museums in most of the cities, we also visit the Lorraine Motel in Memphis; the  16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham; the Equal Justice Initiative’s new Lynching ...

The 2023 Annual Conference Laity Session was full of glorifying God, celebrations, recognitions, awards, and break-out sessions. Still, the session's highlight was the message from the Iowa United Methodist Church's resident bishop, Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai, who addressed the laity at Annual Conference for the first time. "I want also to recognize and say thank you to our lay speakers, those who have gone through the School for Lay Ministry, for all of our laity, and for how you serve our ...

Beginning January 1, 2023, Rev. LaTonya Calderon began serving half-time at Windsor Heights UMC and half-time as the Interim Director of Leadership Excellence and Inclusion.    With the election of Bishop Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck, Calderon will take on some of the responsibilities of the prior Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence role around leadership development while adding to it the Ministry of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility. She will collaborate with and...

Laity Day with the Bishop's programming focused on the goal of the Iowa Annual Conference to become an anti-racist conference. Hosted by Aldersgate United Methodist Church and held on April 15, 2023, this was the first time since 2019 that the annual event has been held. Bishop Kenntha led the morning worship and started off by asking those gathered to raise their hands if they had served communion before. "I want you to imagine being at your church or in a gathering like this and serving ...

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 ...

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...

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...

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. 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 ...

September 20, 2022 CONTACT: Jeehye Kim Pak, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing 202-495-2949 [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON – The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) is proud to announce a new cycle of the CORR Action Fund (CAF) grant program that will support creative initiatives that will transform the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the world. The 2022-2023 grant program will provide up to $10,000 to fund projects that increase ...

Talented artist Emijah Jones designed the logo for Peace Camp. She is studying graphic design at the University of Northern Iowa this fall. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids fostered partnerships to bring a community member’s dream of an antiracism camp for young children into reality.   “I kept circling back to the idea that the church has to be a force for liberation in the world; otherwise, we’re not doing what we should be,” said Rev. Jonathan Heifner, Associate Pastor of ...

Dynamic discussion and study of Jemar Tisby's "How To Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey toward Racial Justice" will be held weekly at the Jubilee United Methodist Church and Freedom Center from August 11 through October 13. Participants will engage in embodied participation as we grapple with the "fierce urgency of now." Primary facilitators will be Kathy Kratchmer and Abraham L. Funchess, Jr. While possession of the book is not necessary for participation in this weekly ...

The General Commission on Religion and Race is horrified and devastated by the recent shooting in Buffalo, NY. The white supremacist shooter acted with a violent and racist agenda against the Black community. This act of terrorism is a direct result of white supremacy and is unfortunately all too common in America. We grieve the victims of this senseless killing and stand in solidarity with the Black community of Buffalo and the United States. All our church and community leaders must act to ...

United Women in Faith is excited to announce the 2022 Faithful Climate Action Fellowship. This is a wondeful opportunity for young Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to grow as climate activists and connect with other young people of faith working on climate issues across the country.    If you are not a young person or do not meet other application criteria, would you help spread the word and encourage young people in your network to apply?     Are you or do you know a young person who is...

LIVING THE STORY OF FREEDOM Observing Juneteenth: An Invitation for Faith Leaders and Clergy   Juneteenth happens each June, but what is it? What is its origin, history, and purpose? How can faith leaders incorporate Juneteenth into sacred worship and gatherings in their communities of faith?    Faithful Voices for Racial Justice, a project of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, invites every faith community across Iowa to join in unity with other Iowa congregations and communities to observe ...

A community choir is coming together for the Iowa Juneteenth Gospel Celebration on Sunday, June 12, and we hope you'll help get the word out to your choir, your friends, your family. The first rehearsal was energizing and inspiring, and you have three more opportunities to join in, on Fridays at 7:00 pm on May 13, May 27, and June 10 at Faith Tabernacle C.O.G.I.C. in Valley Junction. Please consider it even if you can't make all the rehearsals or even the performance; you will be blessed by ...

2022 MLK Freedom Bus Tour - November 14-18 Presenting Sponsor:  MLK New Jerusalem   Costs:  $399/person (covers costs of travel, hotel stay, and museum admissions). Food not included. Payment deadline Oct. 1, 2022.   Participants engage in a week-long journey exploring iconic human and civil rights spaces in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma. In addition to museums in most of the cities, we also visit the Lorraine Motel in Memphis; the 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park in ...

The Iowa Conference UMW Charter for Racial Justice Committee has planned an amazing event for Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. until noon (Central time) via zoom called “Conversations to Build Awareness”.    Using videos from the East Ohio Conference Black Pastor’s Fellowship and the office of Multicultural Vitality to provide a framework, we will begin some discussions in smaller breakout sessions on moving towards racial justice. All are welcome to attend. We would encourage you to register by Feb. 19. ...

From The General Board of Global Ministries Additional Resources • Native American/Indigenous Ministries of The United Methodist Church • Native American Sunday • Impact on Iowa Native Americans • The History of Native American Boarding Schools • Federal Investigation Seeks to Uncover the History • Souix Tribe Host Prayer Services • Caravan Stops in Iowa with Remains of Native American students United Methodist leaders decry church sponsorship of U.S. abusive “Indian boarding schools” and ...

The Iowa Conference’s United Methodist Women will host their annual meeting on Zoom Livestream or in-person at the Cherokee United Methodist Church on Saturday, October 2, 2021. Coffee and registration will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. This year’s theme is Ignited for Justice. It will feature a video drama called “Grace Notes,” and notable speakers are Flora Lee from Sioux City, Iowa, and Sue Ritts, from Shesler Hall. Registration ends September 24, ...

Waterloo Freedom Bus TourSM Presenting Sponsor ALLEN COLLEGE  November 8 - 12, 2021 Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma Cost $399/person Please make checks/money orders out to MLK New Jerusalem  with MLK Freedom Bus Tour in the memo line For more information and registration for the trip, please contact Shelly Burch or Abraham L Funchess at 319-291-4441 Participants engage in a week-long journey exploring iconic human and civil rights spaces in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, and ...

President Joe Biden signed legislation into law on Thursday, June 17, 2021, officially marking June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, which will now be a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.   Juneteenth is the oldest national commemoration marking the end of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended...

Video Transcript: Hello, My name is Lanette Plambeck and I am your Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence here in the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church. And I am Lisa Steel Director of Ministerial Service & Journal Editor. In a few moments, you will hear reflections from members of the Iowa Conference Antiracism Team regarding our charge given at our formation last summer, which has guided our work this past year. Much of this work has been held within our group as we grew ...

10-11:30 a.m. CST, Sat., May 22 via Zoom  As Iowa United Methodist Women explore Racial Justice, we asked Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. to lead this event. His presentation is: America is Changing: #StayWoke The session will challenge the audience to examine and explore issues related to bias, privilege, supremacy and #BecomingAntiRacism.  Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. is the Founder/Program Director for the White Privilege Conference (WPC). In 2014 Dr. Moore founded The Privilege Institute (TPI) which engages ...

The effect of righteousness will be peace and the result of righteousness, quietness, and trust forever. Isaiah 32:17, NRVS    The words of Isaiah are on my heart as I search my soul for peace and understanding during this time of deadly tensions, the COVID-19 pandemic, political divisiveness, and racism. This afternoon we heard the announcement of the conviction of Derek Chauvin on all counts in the death of George Floyd.      The tragic, racially charged, and unnecessary death of Floyd at the ...

Dear clergy sisters and brothers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent and all members of the Iowa Conference,  I am writing to you during this Holy Week with a word of encouragement and hope. I give thanks for the amazing ministry that each one of you has in the Iowa Annual Conference. Your deep faith and your fervent desire to share the love of Jesus with all of God’s children is making a difference in communities across the state. At the same time, I lament with you the increasing violence we...

Members of the Antiracism Leadership Team will be contributing personal narratives in a series of articles about the importance of helping The Iowa Annual Conference to become fully antiracist at all levels of ministry. By: Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck, Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence and member of the Antiracism Leadership Team As United Methodists, our baptismal vow calls us to “resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” As members of Christ’s...

"If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated." - Carter G. Woodson 2020 witnessed many tragedies and hardships. The global pandemic caught us all off-guard and left us all struggling to be alone together. Political divisions not only in the United States but around the world divide(d) us along lines of "us" verses "them." And here in the United States, George Floyd, Breonna...

By: Nitza Dovenspike, member of the Iowa Annual Conference Anti-racism Leadership Team Complicity is defined as an involvement in a crime or something that is wrong. The word is sometimes confused with complacent which is more about going along with the current situation, the status quo. Perhaps complacent is a softer adjective or noun the complicit. And it may be difficult for us to see ourselves as complicit in doing harm.     One of the goals for the work of the Iowa Annual Conference ...

Rust College is the oldest of 11 HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) related to the United Methodist Church. The Iowa Annual Conference has had a special relationship of encouragement and support with Rust College for many years and would like to introduce or reintroduce the Iowa United Methodist family to why Rust is so unique.      Rust is located in northern Mississippi and serves a student body where a significant percentage of students are the first in their families to ...

Siblings in Christ of the Iowa Annual Conference:   In recent weeks, we have seen the escalation of hate crimes and violence across Iowa. In the small community of Stuart, a family discovered racial epithets spray-painted on their home. Near the college town of Grinnell, authorities are investigating an apparent homicide after witnesses discovered the body of Michael Williams, a Black man, burning in a Jasper county ditch. Too frequently, we receive reports from laity and clergy around our state...

August 21, 2020 To the saints of God in the Iowa Annual Conference, Grace and peace in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Where did the summer go? It’s getting toward the end of August, and our children and youth have already begun or are about to return to school in a variety of configurations due to COVID-19. After the conclusion of our Iowa Annual Conference Clergy and Laity Sessions, the Legislative Session, two Orders services, and several town hall meetings, we have all needed ...

Believe. Serve. Grow.   "We aim to empower young people as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ, to nurture their faith development, and to equip young leaders." - Young People's Ministries of The United Methodist Church.  On Monday, July 27th, Madeline St. Clair and Grace Kiboko – two young leaders of the Iowa Conference – joined Bishop Laurie Haller, members of the Appointive Cabinet and a “live audience” of their family and friends for a conversation on race. Watch the conversation with ...

Bishop Laurie introduced ​The UMC Black Ministers Caucus presentation saying, “We need our church to say something. We need our church to do something. I give thanks to the Iowa United Methodist black minister caucus for the advocacy. Thank you for the Anti-Racism Task Force that we have begun here in the Iowa Annual Conference.  Pastor Cephas Z.K. Davis of the Des Moines Easton Place United Methodist Church and chair of the Black Ministers Caucus of the Iowa Annual Conference began the ...