News

Submitted by: Julie Poulsen, Chair, Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries Our college chaplains and Wesley Foundation directors had a busy week last week as students moved in and classes started. If you have students from your church or town who are United Methodist or are looking for a place of faith and acceptance, please let the chaplain/directors know.  On freshman move-in day at Morningside University, there was a "Family Blessing & Sending" service to name God's promises and ...

The final numbers are in: Participants in Annual Conference 2023 raised a total of $19,294 for five ministries important to the Iowa Annual Conference. Offerings were taken throughout the weekend for the Clergy Sustentation Fund, Iowa United Methodist Camps, Iowa United Methodist Campus Ministries, The Diakonos, and Scholarships for students at Africa University. Breakdown of giving   Iowa UM Camps Iowa Campus Ministries Clergy Sustentation Fund Diakonos Africa University Scholarships ...

Rev. Julie Poulsen, Chair of the Iowa Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries, gave their report to the 2023 Iowa Conference Session, thanking the members for their apportionments that support six campus ministries in Iowa. They received $98,000 this year from apportionments. She introduced Rev. Dr. Soomee Kim, the executive director of the Center for Integrative Pastoral Practice at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), who offered greetings from its ...

Submitted by: Rachel Lamparek, Associate Pastor First United Methodist Church Iowa City First United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation of Iowa City is launching a fresh expression of campus ministry. By coming together as an intergenerational and fully inclusive faith community, its desire is to partner with God in transforming the world. The missional priorities are to be a place where young people can experience God’s grace and develop meaningful relationships in the community, grow ...

Greetings from the Ames Collegiate United Methodist Church, We are so excited to welcome new students to campus and embark on the journey of orientation days. During this exciting time of change, the Wesley Center, with its United Methodist Affiliated ministries, is excited to do its part in supporting and connecting students who make a special connection to their faith communities. We have a special ask of the Iowa Annual Conference to make the most of this season. Our Methodist churches have...

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 ...

The Simson Youth Academy (SYA) continues to gather, nurture, and send high school students as young adult disciples of Christ! SYA’s newest cohort of twenty-five youth gathered to live, learn, worship, serve, and reflect together during the June summer residency.   At the Simpson Youth Academy, we believe that young people have power and gifts that are essential for the healing of the world, not just in the distant future but now. Grounded in the Christian tradition and utilizing resources from ...

From: www.morningside.edu/news Morningside University Board of Directors taps experienced higher education and health care executive as the University’s 13th president The Morningside University Board of Directors has announced that Dr. Albert Mosley, senior vice president and chief mission integration officer for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, is the next president of Morningside University. He will become the 13th president of Morningside effective June 2022. "I am so thrilled to become ...

By: Rev. Julia E. F. Poulsen, chair, Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry An innovative and compassionate ministry is being led at Simpson College by Rev. Mara Bailey who is also a graduate of Simpson. Bailey is proud of her United Methodist heritage and training and helps Simpson College to maintain that connection to the United Methodist Church (UMC). Simpson has historically sent many of its students off to seminaries after college graduation. Bailey named four current Iowa United ...

The Iowa Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry chairperson Julie Poulsen has been able to visit each of our campus ministries through online meetings hoping to build a bridge between the Conference and the campus ministries. Rev. Bill Poland, Conference Director of New Communities of Faith and Director of Connectional Ministries, also visits when he is available. When visiting, they learn that each campus chaplaincy program is unique, fits the Gospel message to that particular...

The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries’ mission is to equip young adults to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ toward becoming spiritual leaders who will transform the church and the world through the Wesley Foundations at the United Methodist (UM) campus ministries on selected non-UM-related campuses. They are at Drake University, Iowa State University, The University of Northern Iowa, and The University of Iowa. The Wesley Foundation at Drake University has recently undergone a lot...

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry — For release Sept. 2, 2021 The Reverend Gerald C. Liu, PhD, Director of Collegiate Ministries, Initiatives, and Belonging and ordained elder of the Mississippi Annual Conference is pleased to announce ten Francis Asbury Award winners for the 2020 – 21 academic year on behalf of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) and the Annual Conferences who have supported them. The award recognizes and encourages outstanding support of ...

Simpson becomes nation’s third college to align with Reconciling Ministries Network United Methodist-affiliated college asserts commitment to diversity and inclusion   INDIANOLA, Iowa — The Simpson College Board of Trustees on May 14, 2021, voted to affiliate the College with Reconciling Ministries Network, a nonprofit organization seeking the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in both the policy and practices of the United Methodist Church. The decision to ...

For many decades, the Wesley Foundation at Drake University has been a ministry of the United Methodist Church of Iowa. Early adulthood is a season of life fraught with risk and rich with opportunity. It has been our aim to offer a mature, stabilizing, spiritual presence to the Drake University community. The Wesley House has been a beacon of radical hospitality and deep inclusion.  Investing in the spiritual and intellectual lives of young adults in higher education has been a hallmark of the ...

Rev. Dr. Catherine Quehl-Engel, Chaplain of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and member of the Iowa Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministries offers this video highlighting the importance of campus ministries and how it has impacted the spiritual life of Cornell students.  For more information on Cornell College's campus ministries, visit their website.  

Submitted by The University of Iowa Wesley Center The University of Iowa Wesley Center is a welcome place to creatively explore spirituality within an anti-racist, queer-led, intersectional, and justice-seeking community. Every week at the Wesley Center, students are open to ask deep questions and share their stories as they seek to grow spiritually at an important intersection of their lives.  During a shared meal at the Tuesday Table or through rich conversation at Wednesday Bible Study, they...