News

As the Iowa Annual Conference transitions from eight districts to five, the districts will be renamed to honor the legacy of the Iowa United Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Camp and Retreat Centers. The discernment of the new district names began in March 2020, and a small task force was officially named by the Bishop in March 2021. The new district names will be in effect on July 1, 2021. Central District will become the Riverview Park District Northeast District will become the ...

Submitted by Nancy Monthei, Office Administrator of Des Moines New Hope United Methodist Church New Hope UMC in Des Moines didn’t let the pandemic slow down its outreach to the community or connection with its congregation. The church continued to monetarily support the Urbandale Food Pantry and the Johnston Partnership in its community. New Hope also provides a monthly meal for Central Iowa Shelter and Services. Meal volunteers are more creative with the meal preparations and taken new ...

Submitted by Van Dickens, Monroe United Methodist Church “We are a friendly, faithful, loving family dedicated to sharing God’s love with our neighbor.” The Nurture and Outreach Committee of the Monroe United Methodist Church began Operation Face Mask on April 13 with the goal of providing free face masks to the community. We began by offering sewing kits with directions, fabric, elastic, etc., so individuals could make their own face masks. We also had no-sew kits with directions, fabric, ...

12 families, including 19 children, aren't going hungry over the weekend because of the generosity of the people of the Colfax United Methodist Church and other congregations in the community.   “We just knew there was a need, and we’ll take care of that need for as long as it needs to be,” said Rev. Terry Pollard of the Colfax United Methodist Church.   Listen to a conversation with Rev. Terry Pollard about the ecumenical outreach. Colfax has a backpack program, spearheaded by the Christian ...

A chaplaincy program has been established in each district of the Iowa Conference as a way clergy can care for one another during these unprecedented times. Rev. Terra Amundson, Dean of the Appointive Cabinet and Southwest District Superintended, hopes this can be a new way of being moving forward.   “We are in a very strange time and we have pastors that all of a sudden have to figure out how to do ministry in a different way than our normal day by day,” Amundson said. “When we're suddenly ...

Beginning April 1, 2020, our eight district websites will become four co-district webpages.    This decision was made because the Iowa Annual Conference has closed the district offices and transitioned from eight district administrative assistances (DAAs) to four. The merging of the web pages will help to streamline the work of the DAAs and reduce website hosting expenses.   Please bookmark your district in your web browser to make accessing them easier. You can also access them from here:  http...

Submitted by Linda Rowe*   A group of 11 Davis County residents led by Clayton Eakins returned once again to the area of El Negrito, Honduras, for a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) trip in January. Team members were: Eakins, Steve and Donna Olinger, Linda Rowe, Butch Priester, Steve Davidson, Penny Warren, Julie Griffin, Marisela Sanchez, Lynn Roberts, and Mary Jo Johnson.   “Sitting outside in a church service the last night we were there, I looked around at all that has happened...

The South Sudan is the newest nation in the world but has struggled as a fledgling country due to fighting among their leadership. The Mabaan speaking ethnic group occupies Mabaan County of the Northern Upper Nile State. In July 2019, heavy rainfall from a weather phenomenon called the Indian Ocean Dipole flooded the war-torn county and an estimated 420,000 people have been displaced.

You are invited to Vision 2032 II a follow-up conversation on what was heard during the Fall of 2019 at Vision 2032: All In Visioning Sessions with Bishop Laurie. It will begin with introductory remarks from Bishop Laurie and continue with ideas on plans for the Iowa Annual Conference to move forward in mission and ministry. Your participation is encouraged and you will be able to share in dialogue with those presenting. During the Fall of 2019, Vision 2032: All In gatherings were held ...

A New Way to Support Camping Iowa United Methodist Camps are excited to launch the Kindling Club, a new way to ensure the sustainability of camping across the state for the next generation of youth and adults. Okoboji, Pictured Rocks and Wesley Woods United Methodist Camps have impacted hundreds of thousands of lives over the past 100+ years. Many people, myself included, look at their time at camp as the single most formational faith experience of their lives. If you weren’t already aware,...