Hello All,
I am getting a number of comments about the Oasis Network.
Churches are welcome to join the network if the pastor and the board vote to be part of the network, AND they have a lay team willing to attend trainings and reach out to people who may or may not ever step foot in their church.
If a church was not asked it had nothing to do with the church, the pastor, and most certianlly was not a punishment of any kind.
Let me know if there are questions I can address.
Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Jaye Johnson Dir. of Congregational Excellence & New Communities of Faith Iowa Annual Conference
The Oasis Network is a group of churches that are firm in their conviction to remain United Methodist and have been selected by their district superintendent to provide a place for members who wish to stay in The United Methodist Church but whose church has disaffiliated.
Oasis Network Churches need to have lay care teams trained to reach out to those individuals, and both the pastor and the administrative board need to approve joining the network.
This does not mean that no other United Methodist churches are willing to welcome people from other churches.
“We assume that every remaining United Methodist Church in Iowa is willing to receive members from disaffiliated churches,” said Rev. Dr. Jaye Johnson, Director of Congregational Excellence and New Communities of Faith. "If your church was not selected, but another church in the area was, it is not a reflection on your church. We are thrilled so many people desire to be Oasis Network Churches and welcome members whose churches have disaffiliated. We just do not have the ability to train every church that wants to be trained at this point.”
If you have questions, please get in touch with Johnson by emailing him at
[email protected]
Iowa Conference Oasis Network Churches and Clergy
Adel - Elizabeth Bell
Algona, First - Russ Jacobsen
Ames, Collegiate - Mary Bellon
Arnold's Park, Calvary - Chris St. Clair
Boone, First - Adam Gordon
Carson - Mark Johnson
Cedar Falls, First - Scott Keele Kober
Cedar Rapids, Lovely Lane - Scott Meador
Cedar Rapids, Salem - Matt German
Cedar Rapids, St. Paul's - Jonathan Heifner
Cedar Rapids, Trinity St. James-Palo - Tyler Walker
Council Bluffs, Broadway - Alexis Johnson
Creston, First - Jodi Rushing
Danbury - Kristin Boysen
Denison, First - Mike Fillmore
Fairfield, First - Allen Coffin
Fort Dodge, First - Luke Fillmore
Fredericksburg - Delayed Appointment
Glenwood, Grace - Kimberly Bowles
Greenfield - Melinda Stonebraker
Independence, First - Paul Evans
Indianola, First - Tim Bonney
Iowa City, First - Heecheon Jeon
Iowa Falls, First - Erling Shultz
Jefferson, First - Heather Dorr
Long Creek - David Mixon
Maquoketa, First - Delayed Appointment
Marshalltown, Hope - Dani Musselman
Mount Ayr, First - Lorinda Hoover
North Liberty, First - Alecia Hilmer
Osage, First-St. Ansgar - Delayed Appointment
Osceola - Amy Johnson
Ottumwa, Grace Fellowship - Chris Childs
Panora - Jeremy Poland
Sanborn, St. Andrews - Delayed Appointment
Sioux City, Grace - John Christianson
Spirit Lake - Cindy Finn
Storm Lake - Kiboko Kiboko
Waukee - John Louk
West Des Moines - Andrea Kraushaar
West Des Moines, Valley - Lee Schott
Winterset, First - Mark Morehouse
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Correction:
An earlier version of this article listed Cedar Rapids, St. Paul's twice on the list of Oasis Churches. Forty-two churches are currently in the network, unlike an earlier reported number.
