A Faux Pax in the Pew: What to Do?

Amy Dickinson has heard it all. In her syndicated advice column that appears across the U.S., "Ask Amy," she advices about everything from bad etiquette to nasty neighbors. She also gets her fair share of emails from church members fed-up with the behavior of certain pew neighbors. Read how Amy believes these annoyances can be used as teachable moments.

 

Native American Ministries Sunday on April 19th reminds United Methodists of the contributions made by Native Americans to the church as well as to society.

The financial gifts benefit Native American ministries, help preserve a rich cultural heritage and empower local outreach within annual conferences and across the United States. They also provide seminary scholarships for Native Americans.


 
Download your resources from UMCgiving.org.

 

Creating world-transforming communities of faith...

United Methodists from across Iowa will gather together at the Iowa Events Center's Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines from June 6 through June 9 for the 172nd Iowa Annual Conference Session of the United Methodist Church.

 

We have created a special section of the Conference website exclusive to keeping you informed with everything you want to know! Bookmark  Everything You Need to Know About the 2015 Iowa Annual Conference page and visit often.


Mentor Trainings

Mentor trainings will be happening in all districts. Clergy that wish to be or to continue to be candidacy or clergy mentors must attend one of these trainings. By attending the whole training event you will be able to receive .5CEU's. All clergy are encouraged to attend even if you don't want to formally be a candidacy or clergy mentor. The training will include:  

*  basics of mentoring

*  candidacy/licensing/ordination process

*  requirements for licensing/ordination, etc.

*  specifics of candidacy mentoring

*  specifics of clergy mentoring.

 

Dates and locations for the mentor training events are as follows with more to be announced. You do not have to attend the training that is in your district but you must attend one of these trainings if you want to be a clergy or candidacy mentor. Click here to see dates, locations and times.


The Center for Family Process invites clergy of all faiths and denominations to the 2015-16 Post Graduate seminar focusing on the three emotional systems: the clergy's family of origin, the parishioner or congregation family and the congregation, itself, as an emotional system. 

For more information, contact: Myrna Carpenter at
(410) 799-7774, [email protected] or 
Mickie Crimone at (301) 299-7475, [email protected].


Tuesday - Thursday
September 29 - October 1, 2015
January 12-14, 2016
May 10-12, 2016
9 AM - 4:30 PM
Bethesda, Maryland
$1,650


Please read the newest Thank You notes: Paige Jensen, a junior at the University of Northern Iowa from Hedrick, will be working as a summer assistant for Mobile United Methodist Missionaries (MUMMS), a rural ministry in the southern half of the Iowa Conference.
Equipping transformational leaders...
LAITY DAY with BISHOP TRIMBLE
Saturday, April 25, 2015 
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Aldersgate UMC, 3600 75th St. Urbandale, IA  50322-3096

Bishop Trimble will have two topics, Five Marks of a Methodist, based on a new book of the same title by Steve Harper, and in the afternoon, Poverty to Opportunity.  Bishop Trimble is eager for dialogue and questions from laity and there will be time allowed for that.

There will be worship, communion and music to inspire!

Additionally, there will be three special presentations about exciting ministries:

  • Women at the Well (prison congregation) with Rev. Lee Schott
  • Justice for Our Neighbors (legal help for immigrants) with JFON attorneys Brynne Howard and Ann Naffler
  • Human Trafficking with Teresa Downing, UMW resource person and ISU faculty

Morning coffee and lunch at noon will provide time for fellowship and sharing ideas. 


Cokesbury bookstore will have a display and all books purchased or ordered that day will have a 30% discount plus free shipping. Register today!

Adel United Methodist Church Presents the 25th Anniversary EVENING OF LOVE SONGS
Saturday, April 25, 2015 | 5:30 pm and 6:45 pm
Cavatelli Dinner

Sunday, April 26, 2015 | 2:00 pm
Desserts to follow
115 South Tenth St., Adel, IA
Reservations required: (515) 993-3791
 

2015 Iowa UMC Camp Challenge-'Best. Week. Ever."

Power up with the Holy Spirit! The Iowa UMC Camp & Retreat Team challenges you to send more youth for our Summer Camping Season! Two lucky winners will be given a FREE fun-filled afternoon at one of our camps this next fall or spring. To qualify you will have the largest percentage growth of campers from last camp season or the church who sends the biggest increase in camper numbers from the previous year. Please contact one of your camp team members about the new Iowa UMC Camp Challenge. Dave or Vonnie 1-800-765-1651.


The General Board of Church and Society encourages fellow Iowa clergy to sign-on to this letter urging Senator Grassley not to shut the door on criminal justice reform and allow reform legislation like the Smarter Sentencing Act to be considered in committee.

 

Later this month a group of clergy and lay people will meet with Senator Grassley at his offices here in D.C. we would love to have over 100 signatures by that time to take with us.

 

Thanks for your help and support. See letter here.


The Start a Fire Tour with Unspoken, JJ Weeks Band and Jonny Diaz
Friday, May 1, 2015
7 pm | Oakwood UMC
400 NE 56th St. Pleasant Hill, IA  $15: Click Here for tickets or call Kris at 515-707-1549 for more information. Oakwood UMC is pleased to announce that they will we hosting an exciting evening with some of today's top contemporary Christian music artists!

Prayer Stations and Labyrinth for National Day of Prayer
May 7, 2015 | 7am-7pm
Immanuel UMC
Come and spend time in prayer at Immanuel United Methodist Church. 

Our Faith Hall will be open for the National Day of Prayer. A 36' labyrinth will be set up indoors and various prayer stations will be available. You can come and go as you please. All are welcome and invited!

Immanuel UMC | 2900 49th St in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Questions? Call 277-1100 

May 19, 2015
8:45am - 3:30pm

Collegiate UMC/Wesley Foundation
2622 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014

Rev. Katharine Yarnell, Field Outreach Minister for the North Central District, will present her workshop, Office Dynamics. In other words, "Why won't they do what I want?" Observing patterns can give us another way to look at work flow, chronic conflict, and repeating issues. We will also take time to find out what specific needs or questions you may have in regards to your church office and how we as other administrators may assist each other. 
Register deadline is May 10th. 
Email: Natalie Rekemeyer, [email protected] 
Cost: $20 (box lunch from The Caf� included) 
Make checks payable to: PAUMCS 
Mail checks to: Natalie Rekemeyer, Collegiate UMC 
2622 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50014

Animal Crackers is an educational resource to help children, youth and adults see themselves as part of the global family and gain a deeper appreciation of the ways in which Heifer helps people, animals and plants live in harmony as God's good creation.

Support the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (a cooperating depot with UMCOR Relief Supply Network) by filling their truck with relief kits and supplies. The truck will be parked in Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center (Veteran's Auditorium) parking lot during the Iowa Annual Conference June 6 through June 9.

This year, Midwest Mission Distribution Center is asking for kits of all types but especially need these supplies: 

  • clean-up buckets
  • parts of clean-up buckets
  • new onesies for 0-3 month old infants
Visit Midwest Mission Distribution Center website for an updated list of kit supplies.

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

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

 

In This Issue...
Quick Links
Iowa Conference, UMC 
2301 Rittenhouse St | Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 289-1331