News

The first time Pat Fluhrer played the organ was when she was a newly married 19-year-old who knew she could contribute to the West St. Charles United Methodist Church’s Sunday service through her music. Now, 66 years later, she has played the organ for not only the Sunday services but countless weddings, funerals, adult and children’s choirs, and Christmas Eve services.  On September 25, 2022, Rev. Dr. Moody Colorado, Pictured Rocks District Superintendent, honored Fluhrer's dedication by ...

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 ...

A partnership with Little Sprouts Children’s Center and First United Methodist Church in New Hampton has recently eased a childcare deficit for a small Northeast Iowa community.   Almost every community in Iowa struggles with affordable childcare, particularly renovating a suitable space or building a new daycare, which is cost prohibitive. The New Hampton First United Methodist Church has a large building with an education wing and a parking lot that, until recently, mainly sat empty.   “The ...

About 24 pallets of turnout gear, helmets, hoses, air packs, masks and more were donated to Midwest Mission Distribution Center by fire departments across the state. Conference Disaster Response Coordinator Pastor Catie Newman reached out to Rev. Keith Pitts when she heard about the need to send equipment to El Salvador and Guatemala. Pitts, who pastors Delhi and Buck Creek United Methodist Churches, is also an EMT, rescue diver and firefighter for the Delhi Fire Department.  "The equipment ...

Palo UMC The food pantry in the Palo United Methodist Church was set up by Mike and Laura Wood the fall of 2020 with assistance from HACAP.  When Mike died unexpectedly in the spring of 2021, volunteers from the church took over the managing of the food pantry. HACAP was instrumental in assisting us to continue the food pantry. We met with HACAP staff to learn how to order food items from HACAP, how to pick up ordered items and the various regulations associated with running a food pantry. ...