Lenten Resources from Global Ministries

Global Ministries has a gathering of dates, devotionals, and other resources centered on the Lenten season available for churches including ideas such as creating banners made from fabrics from the world to place around your worship space during Lent. The colors and textures of the fabrics will be a wonderful addition to your worship space. You can create the banners quickly with just a few supplies!

Claflin University

In conjunction with Black History Month, a new video features the accomplishments of Claflin University, one of the oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. The video, which highlights the 20-year tenure of the university's president, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale and Alice Carson Tisdale, the first lady, also gives evidence to the continued relevancy of HBCUs in the ever-changing higher education landscape.

Clafin University is one of the 11 historically black colleges and universities supported by The United Methodist Church's Black College Fund. Learn More.

Creating world-transforming communities of faith...

The General Board of Discipleship offers Webinars for Local Churches

Equip your leaders with the tools they need through Webinars providing by GBOD. Webinars available include faith formation, vital churches, stewardship, and audits.

Ministry Milestones

Date: March 4, 2015

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Creating a forum for sharing "best practices," this interactive webinar will provide children's ministry leaders, families, pastors, and other interested people an opportunity to share and glean insight, wisdom, and ideas from one another. Join us as we discover ways to celebrate the children in our community throughout their entire faith journey. Register online.

Local church resources from the General Council on Finance and Administration

The General Council on Finance and Administration coordinates and administers financial resources, safeguards the legal interests and rights of the Church, and provides administrative resources to enable the fulfillment of the mission of The United Methodist Church. They provide local church resources including:

* Accountable Reimbursement Policies

* Disciplinary and Church Issues

* Politics and the Pulpit

and much more.

Faith and Leadership - New Forms of Church

The Gathering in Fargo, North Dakota, is a year-old United Methodist congregation that doesn't have a building to call its own. What it does have, says its pastor in an interview, is a desire to welcome people who don't feel comfortable in traditional church.

THANK YOU NOTES: Prison Ministry Offers Grace in Mitchellville

People like "Marcie" receive the support of Christian community through the ministries of Women at the Well, a United Methodist church located within the walls of the prison in Mitchellville just east of Des Moines. Marcie has repeatedly told her pastor, Lee Schott, that she regrets "the tragedy that I brought upon my family" which led to her imprisonment.

Equipping transformational leaders...

Finding Aliveness in the Midst of Chronic Illness & Pain

Friday, March 13, 2015 | 9 - 3:30 pm | $50

First Christian Church, 2500 University Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa

If you and/or someone you care about faces chronic illness and pain - physical, emotional or spiritual - you can find peace, purpose, meaning and joy in everyday life. In this professional development day for health professionals, caregivers, pastors, counselors, and spiritual directors, learn approaches for companioning others with health challenges. Individuals with chronic illness and pain are also encouraged to participate.

The School for Lay Ministry Advanced Class: How to Lead a Meeting- Effective Leadership

The final advanced class being offered this winter is on

Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, 2015 at the Cornell College Campus. This class is

open to all clergy, laity or anyone interested. If you are interested in attending Register Here and download the pre-class assignment.

Iowa United Methodist Men Annual Meeting

All men and Pastors of the Iowa Annual Conference are invited to attend the annual meeting on

March 28, 2015 at the Altoona UMC, 602 5th Ave SW, Altoona, IA. Registration begins at 9:00 am, worship at 9:30. Please bring used hearing aids

for The Hope of Hearing mission to Haiti.

Registration fee: $20. Pre-registration requested. Contact Jim Smith

School for Ministry - Moral Trauma

The Iowa UM School for Ministry is pleased to announce that Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Dr. Pamela Lightsey and Dr. Kristen Leslie have agreed to speak on the topic of Moral Trauma at our 2015 School, which will be held on April 21-24, 2015 at Honey Creek Resort State Park. Register today!

Lent and Easter Resources

UMC.org provides resources for the season of Lent including those for devotion and inspiration, learning and doing, family, worship and multimedia.

UMC Daily Digest Free Subscription

Keep up with United Methodist news from around the connection with a free subscription to the News Service Daily Digest.

2015 Revised Common Lectionary-Sundays & Special Days Only

The Rev. Cynthia T. Hinson, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Conroe, TX, offers this 2-page listing of Revised Common Lectionary readings for 2015, noting Sundays and Special Days.

Aligning our resources...

Communication Strategies from UMCOM

6 questions every church social media policy should answer

You've probably already implemented a safe sanctuaries policy to ensure your church is a safe place for children, youth and elders to experience fellowship and the abiding love of God. Consider developing a complementary social media policy.

Moving your newsletter into the digital age

Not only are the costs of printing and mailing rising; many in our congregations are growing accustomed to receiving these types of information in their email inboxes rather than their physical mailboxes. Don't worry; you don't have to sell the copier quite yet, but take a moment to think through the various steps you might take to bring this stalwart of communication into the digital age.

Does Your Church Need a New Loan of Refinance and Existing One?

The Iowa United Methodist Church Building Fund Trust makes loans to local churches for the purposes of building new buildings, renovation or additions to existing facilities, repairs, purchasing land or even buying a parsonage. The Trust also has refinancing options for high-interest loans.

Rates currently starting at 4.50% for new loans as of February 16, 2015

Please contact us for more information:

Iowa United Methodist Church Building Fund Trust

info@iumcbft.org or call 515-974-8927

Looking for a Longer-Term Investment for Your Church's Endowment or Reserve Funds?

Are you looking to earn income and/or grow your long-term funds and endowments at current market rates while still maintaining the Social Principals of The United Methodist Church? Since 1981, the Iowa United Methodist Foundation began offering pooled investment options that do just that. We have grown to offer several investment options that can be invested in according to your committee's governing documents or we can help create a custom plan for your church's goals and objectives.

Opportunities...

Visit the classifieds section of the website for job postings and related opportunities within Iowa Conference congregations