gray logoMay 6, 2010
E-Communique
Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ
A note from Ron Eslinger, Acting Conference Minister


Ron EslingerI like the language a German theologian used to summarize what it means to be the church.  He wrote that the church is to be a sign, foretaste, and instrument of the reign of God. Put into question form, we who would claim to be part of the church might ask ourselves, what are we doing as individuals and as a community to show the way or point to God's realm? Are we being a sign of God's reign? Are we experiencing a hint of it when we gather, or demonstrating what it might look like in the way we live and relate to others?  Are we experiencing a foretaste of God's kingdom?  And, how are we working for the peace and justice and well-being of all, what Jesus showed as the presence of God's kingdom?  Are we being instruments of God's kingdom?

These are all pretty basic questions.   And we need to be able to talk about them together because too often our living of the gospel is too timid to be noticed.  Some congregations are learning to talk to one another about difficult social issues - race, homosexuality, equality in marriage.  We need to make the church a safe place for those discussions, respecting that we can differ.  But underlying those difficult issues are these others that challenge us to discuss what it means for our church to be a sign, foretaste and instrument of God's realm.  Too easily we think that we all agree about what it means to be the church.  We all bring our expectations; hopefully we all bring our gifts; hopefully we all continue to ponder what God is calling me to be and do.  Let that be an ongoing conversation.  It might bring new energy and excitement to all of us.
Cool Congregations: An Earth Stewardship Program
People of faith across Iowa are caring for God's creation by reducing energy use in their own homes, reducing climate change pollution and saving money in the process! Bring a team from your congregation to a training workshop to learn how to get your faith community involved in a 'Cool Congregations' stewardship program.

Saturday, May 15th
9 am - 12 noon
Community of Christ
2121 South Ridge Drive
Coralville, IA 52241

Sponsored by Interfaith Environmental Action, and co-hosted by Community of Christ, Trinity Episcopal, Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City. Register online or contact Lisa Martin at 319-338-9930 or 319-330-4565.
Cool Congregations is a program of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, gathering people of faith to protect creation.

Shepherding the Shepherd:
Conference for Young Clergy in the UCC

With a rich program to refresh the minds and hearts of the UCC's younger generation of clergy, this conference on June 1-3 in Chicago includes workshops, small groups, worship and presentations by outstanding UCC leaders. Sponsored by the 20/30 Clergy Network.  Register here.


Women's Brunch June 11th at Annual Meeting
Elaine BlanchardRegister now for the Women's Brunch at the Annual Meeting.  We're watching for carloads of women from throughout the Iowa Conference.  The brunch will be held from 10:00 a.m. - noon on Friday, June 11th.  Free child care is available.  Women who won't be staying for the rest of the Annual Meeting may register for the brunch alone.  Cost is $9.00.  Registration materials are available from your church office or online at the Iowa Conference website:   www.ucciaconf.org.  Registration deadline is May 25th.
     Keynote speaker will be Rev. Elaine Blanchard, a dynamic storyteller and humorist who also supports women's ministries in the West Central Region of the UCC.  Her presentation, "The Sacred Story", focuses on the power of story in our faith and the power of our stories in passing our faith on to new generations.
     Women are invited to bring "show and tell" items (resources, ideas) from women's ministries in their congregations.  Plan to come home with a new idea, a new connection to the wider women's ministries of the UCC, and a new commitment to telling our own sacred stories.

Regional Youth Event
10 weeks and counting!  Regional Youth Event (RYE) in Parkville, MO is only 10 weeks away.  It is an outstanding opportunity for youth from the Midwest region to celebrate their faith together.  If you need an energy boost and a new appreciation for our UCC family of faith, sign up to be a part of this event.  Travel with the young people to RYE. Help lead a "family" group at the event. Be a mentor to a young person. For more information, go to the Iowa UCC youth page or give Nicole Havelka a call at 515-277-6369.  There is still time to register!

Support Youth Ministry in the Iowa Conference!
Have you ever spent nights listening to the chatter of young people excited to be on a mission trip? Have you ever given up your personal vacation time to accompany youth attending General Synod or National Youth Event? Then, you know how challenging and energizing youth ministry can be. The Iowa Conference believes that we are all responsible for supporting the ministry of these caring and patient adults by paying the entire cost of their registration fee to these events. So please donate to the Iowa Conference today online(click "donate now") or by sending a check to the conference office and designate your donations to "Youth Ministry Scholarships."

For I was a stranger and you welcomed me . . .
Are you concerned about our dysfunctional immigration system?  Here are some steps you can take this week, and a podcast about immigrants in Iowa that you can listen to:
 
Call on President Obama for leadership and to end enforcement of bad laws. 
866-956-8590 English or 866-584-3906 Spanish "My name is ____ from___. No more raids or deportations. We need you to lead on immigration reform now."

Call on Senator Grassley to get on board.
866-877-5552 English or 866-901-3139 Spanish "My name is___ from ___. I want you to support immigration reform in 2010."

Here is a link to an Iowa Public Radio show, "The Exchange," aired on Wednesday, May 5, with host Jeanene Beck and guests from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement who are behind the push for immigration changes on the local and state level.  Also joining the conversation is the Executive Director of the Iowa Minutemen Civil Defense Corps who argues against amnesty for illegal immigrants.

You can also read this reflection by the Rev. Craig Mousin at Chicago Theological Seminary, about the debate over immigration reform.