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Contact Info
Jo Ordway
515-277-6369
Please call me or email me at jo@ucciaconf.org
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ADD TO YOUR NEWSLETTER MAIL LISTS - Both Printed and Electronic Formats!!
Any churches in East, Northeast, Southeast Associations, please add Jonna Jensen to your NEWSLETTER mail lists at 3675 67th St, Baldwin, IA 52207 or email jonna@ucciaconf.org.
Any churches in Northwest, Southwest Associations, please add Tony Stoik to your NEWSLETTER mail lists at 4557 Hamilton Blvd, POB 2142, Sioux City, IA 51104-2142
or email tony@ucciaconf.org.
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Keep up with the General Synod opportunities in "General Synod 28 Corner" - you will see this every week at the bottom right!!
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Our Common Life...Words from the Conference Staff
The First Prelude
Last Sunday I worshipped with our sisters and brothers at Edwards Congregational United Church of Christ in Davenport. The hour was filled with luscious offerings of music. Rev. Jean Norton poured praise and prayer from the organ. Sweet harmonies rose from the quartet "Promised Land". The Prayers of the People included the strong voices of the congregation singing, "You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore".
But the very most wondrous offering was the first prelude, 
offered in the narthex. Pastor Katherine Muhlhern and I had just put on our robes. We stood at her office door. We closed our eyes for a moment, sighing and smiling as we listened to the extraordinary music of the voices of the people of Edwards gathering for worship. We stood at a distance beyond words, hearing only the melody of voices. You've heard this prelude, too. It's a song of light, joy, vibrancy, love. It is a song of saints very glad to see each other. It is a song of saints very glad to be at worship.
This Sunday, listen prayerfully to the first prelude, to the music in the entryway. As you offer words of peace-filled greeting and tender blessing to your brothers and sisters, you'll be adding your own notes. May our offerings be pleasing to God.
Jonna Jensen
Associate Conference Minister for Eastern Iowa |
 Annual Meeting is COMING!
Dates: June 10-11, 2011 Plus: Youth events start on June 9th Watch for special communications with descriptions, schedules, and the opportunity to register as we join together in "Transforming Churches, Transforming Lives" at our very own conference! |
Developing Small Church Vitality...
Pastor Elizabeth Dilley from Red Oak First Congregational UCC is leading a webinar sponsored by The Center for Progressive Renewal. Explore with her about how to shape thriving, faithful ministries in smaller congregations! More info and registration for this January 31st webinar are available at |
"Standing on the Side of Love" Valentine Party!
Date: Saturday, February 5, 5:30-8:45pm
Where: First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Ave, Des Moines, IA
Party: a community-wide party celebrating the inherent worth of all families and love in all of its diverse expressions
For more information, contact Lori Emison-Clair at 515-244-8603 or dcl@ucdsm.org. |
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Iowa Conference UCC 2011 Pastor Retreat...
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A "23 hours of renewal" event for pastors! Conference staff will lead both brief and more extended worship experiences. Between worships, pastors can rest, read, pray, and enjoy the Prairiewoods space. Plus, the Conference staff will be available for conversation.
Dates: March 1 and 2, 2011
Registration must be completed by February 22nd. Online registration preferred at https://secure.accessacs.com/access/eventlink.aspx?id=9e%2b8W5WzqadDF2vAY5FLyg%3d%3d.
Phone registration to Mallory at 515.277.6369 also accepted.
For address, maps and other information about Prairiewoods located at 120 E Boyson Road, Hiawatha, IA 552233-1277, visit www.prairiewoods.org |
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...in the 21st Century
"Following Jesus in the 21st Century" Public lecture from Brian McLaren Live Music: Sara Kay Friday, March 4th at 7:00pm Zion Lutheran Church, 310 N. Johnson, Iowa City, IA Cost: FREE "Transforming Christian Community in the 21st Century" Worship with Brian McLaren Includes Worship in the Spirit of Taize Saturday, March 5th at 9:00am Zion Lutheran Church, 310 N. Johnson, Iowa City, IA Cost: $15 Brian McLaren is a best-selling author and leader of the Emergent Church movement. McLaren speaks with groups all over the US and the world. For more info, click here. Registration info. |
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"Hospitality in Changing Times "
30th Annual Rural Ministry Conference
Host: Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
Dates: March 6-8, 2011
Featured keynote: Tex Sample
An ecumenical event for pastors and lay leaders of small town and rural congregations to network with others in similar circumstances as well as discover creative and practical ideas. Register prior to February 7 for early bird opportunities.
More information available at http://www.wartburgseminary.edu/template_Centers.asp?id=368. |
Certification School in Progressive Christian Youth Ministry...DEADLINE!!!!!
Save the dates: May 22-27, 2011 and November 4-6, 2011! This opportunity will take place in Alexandria, Minnesota and there are early registration incentives; the price will be only $2,000 if registered by February 1. A scholarship form is attached if you wish to apply. SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 15. APPLY NOW! Anything received after February 15th is questionable as to whether scholarships will still be available. This is an opportunity - don't miss it! |
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The Gospel of Mark Alive!
Sub-title: The whole Gospel, beginning to end, as it might have been told in the early years of the Jesus Movement
Told From Memory By: Rev Bert Marshall. He works for Church World Service and is a graduate of Yale Divinity School.
Date: April 3, 2011
Time: 2-4 PM, with time for fellowship and questions and answers with Rev Marshall afterwards
Place: Congregational UCC, 111 N Taft St, Humboldt, IA
A free will offering will be taken to help defray Rev Marshall's travel costs. For further information about Rev Marshall, visit his website at www.gospelofmarkalive.com |
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Pastor Dack to New York...
We said "Good-bye" but New York said " Welcome" to Pastor Michael Dack in December 2010. Pastor Michael, ordained in California in 1981, has traveled across the nation. He stopped for 15 years in Iowa with 1996-2010 at Newton Congregational UCC. |
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New Congregational Resource Guide (CCRG)...
Project of the Alban Institute and funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc - this is a free gift to the congregations. You may sign up for the CRG, (sign-up for our weekly newsletter) to ensure that you are abreast with the changes.
Examples of what you will find in the new CRG site:
- In-depth resourcing pieces that deliver a range of materials to aide you in your work.
- A robust search feature that will quickly identify the resource materials you desire by name, type, title, or keyword.
- Classic CRG features produced in easy-to-use PDF format.
- Resource pages that provide useful descriptions of the materials and a range of related materials.
- An advisory board of six individuals-all working ministers or former ministers.
- A blog, Creative Resourcing, has been added to our site, allowing you to engage CRG staff and our advisory board about the most important issues facing congregations.
- Real-time Twitter feeds to keep track of the stray resource gems that are posted on Twitter ahead of producing fuller treatment on the CRG site.
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General Synod 28 Corner...
1) Attention all youth and young adults. Take the plunge and immerse yourself in Synod!
At this year's Synod (June 29th- July 6th, 2011), you'll have the opportunity to come together in fellowship and fun while growing spiritually and obtaining leadership experience.
Be on the look out for future details regarding pre-registration and travel. It will be a blast!
See you in sunny Florida!
2) PIE. UCC will again honor several who exemplify "excellence in teaching" at General Synod in Tampa, Florida, this summer. Online nominations may be made by visiting http://www.ucc.org/education/excellence-in-teaching-awards.html on the UCC web. Deadline for submitting nominations is March 2, 2011.
3) A contest just for you! Churches are invited to submit an idea or vision that you have "imagined" and then worked to make possible. Maybe a mission project, a new worship service, a new way of working with youth, a challenge to the congregation in which the congregation stepped up and you pulled it off!
Each region will have a winning church and the pastor and a lay person from one church out of each of the six regions win an expense paid trip to General Synod 28 in Tampa, Florida on July 1-5 and will be honored.
Details: http://www.ucc.org/synod/contest.html. |
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Conference-wide Book Reading
First WebEx is scheduled for February 7 from 4-5pm. ACM Jonna Jensen is our leader and will be at the Clarence St John's UCC Church. Feel free to join her there or join her through WebEx. Invitation details will be posted in next week's communique - don't miss them!
 What book???
Who is the author???
How do I join???
Where is the book???
How do I obtain the book???
The answers...open
Conference-wide Book Reading and join the fun.
Schedule of the chapters - click here.
What can we share about Chapters 7 & 8 this week?
We look forward to your comments as we read together!! |
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January 28, 2011