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Tuesday, September 8, 2015 

In Messstetten, Germany, where a former military barrack serves as an initial processing center for asylum seekers, the town's 5,000 residents are coping with an influx of some 1,000 refugees.

It is part of a new wave of migration that has washed across Europe, increasing in volume over the past year.

Churches across America should make ending racism and race-based violence a priority, an African Methodist Episcopal bishop told a gathering of four historically African-American Methodist denominations in announcing a new initiative to fight racism.

When President Obama, the nation's first African-American president, was elected in 2008, many declared that the United States was entering a "post-racial era."  
Iowa News
2016 Lay Equalization info now available
Each charge receives one lay member to Annual Conference. A charge served by more than one clergyperson is assigned an additional lay member for each additional appointed clergy. However, additional persons appointed to a charge who are from another annual conference, another denomination, are supervised and/or certified laypersons, or who are Temporary Pulpit Supply are not considered clergy for purposes of equalization and will not be in the total clergy count for that charge. 
In the September issue of The REPORTER learn about how one church's Back to School Ministry reaches out to God's children and then get ideas and resources to use in your ministry. Also, read how Iowa's United Methodists are embracing the Change a Child's Story initiative and tell us their stories. Plus so much more!

Tuesday, September 15 | 10 am - 3 pm
Collegiate United Methodist Church/Wesley Foundation
2622 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014


"In our collegiality we'll focus our day, regardless of what we thinking we're bringing in our agenda, open to hear what each child of God is saying and hear the Spirit moving."  That, according to Rev. Linda Butler, is the hope for the gathering of the Orders of Elders, Deacons, and Fellowship of Local Pastors, set for September 15. 

Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr., episcopal leader of the Florida Area of The United Methodist Church, will be the presenter and preacher for the event, which will be held at Collegiate United Methodist Church/Wesley Foundation in Ames.  Carter, the president-designate of the Council of Bishops, is also a contributor to Finding Our Way - Love and Law in The United Methodist Church.
Charges have been filed in alleged incident at Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center
Charges have been filed by the Warren County Sherriff's Department related to an alleged incident of sexual assault at Wesley Woods Camp and Retreat Center that occurred in late July.  

The incident under investigation involved two adult staff members.  No other persons, children or adults, were involved or at risk.

At the time the allegations were made, Joni Mardesen, Director of Human Resources, conducted an internal review and appropriate supervisory actions were taken. 

The investigation by the Warren County Sherriff's Department is ongoing; the annual conference is cooperating fully with the investigation. 
2015 Iowa Conference Journal
The 2015 Iowa Conference Journal, Clergy Lay Address Directory, Book of Resolutions and Post Conference Manual are now available online at www.iaumc.org/Journal. If you have forgotten the login information for the Clergy Lay Address Directory please contact Jill Stanton at  [email protected] .
Seek the Welfare of the City Bible Study
Bible Study/Current Events with Rev. Bill Steward

Tuesdays - 10:30 am - Wesley Acres
3524 Grand Ave. Des Moines Community Room & Theater
Free 
September 15 - State Senator Matt McCoy
He will be reading from his book, "McCoy, You're Going
Straight to Hell: Heartfelt Letters to a Gay Senator on Marriage Equality" followed by Q&A.
September 22 - DSM Columnist Daniel Finney
He will share his take on the city he covers and the people he's met.
September 29 - Urban & Family Movement Direct Carmen Lampe-Zeitler
She will report on the welfare of our city's children including those who participate in the CFUM's programming at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Visit with Des Moines leaders who can help us understand our city and the various challenges confronting it.
Morningside 
Starts: Sept. 19-20, 2015 

Cornell

Starts: Oct. 10-11, 2015 

Simpson (Spanish available)
Starts: Nov. 7-8, 2015 

Are you ready to follow in Jesus' footsteps by serving? Then the School for Lay Ministry is right for you. The program provides supplemental leadership training to facilitate ministry in Iowa United Methodist Churches. We can be the best servants when we are trained, informed and well prepared.  
 
For more info, email Barb Mann or call 515-974-8905.   
For Spanish language classes, contact Barb Mann or Rev. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz, Associate Dean at Simpson or call 515-288-4056.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
8:45 am - 4:15 pm
Iowa United Methodist
Conference Center 
Cost: $125 for one person and 
$15 for each additional staff member.
 
All churches are encouraged to attend this event-large, medium or small! Invest a day on your whole ministry team...we know you won't regret it.
 
Being a part of a ministry team (this includes paid staff and unpaid volunteers who work with their pastor on a regular basis) has its own opportunities and struggles. Sometimes pastors find themselves as more of a boss than a pastor and need to learn how to be both in the settings they serve. Paid staff and volunteer members are also an important part of the dimension of church's ministries and need to learn how to work together and grow God's ministry!
This training will:
  • Empower each member, which empowers the entire team
  • Understand, value and appreciate the gifts each member brings to the team
  • Learn to recognize and capitalize on the unique behavioral styles of each member of the team
  • Develop communication techniques to accommodate each member of the team
Art Expression Retreats
Wesley Woods Camp

September 25 - 27
Landscape painting with Dr. Penelope Miller - $370
Bring your own supplies (suggested supply list available.) We will paint various scenes around the camp at different times of the day. We will take advantage of the full moon and paint at night, too. All media are welcome, but the instructor will be demonstrating oils on canvas board. You will need to set up your painting station in plien aire fashion, weather and sites permitting. 

October 16 - 18
Basics of Visual Thinking - $220
Learning the basics of using visual thinking in your devotion times, plus the added bonus of painting a few scenes full of fall colors on Wesley Woods campgrounds. You will take home a prayer journal, 1-3 watercolor paintings, and 1-3 acrylic paintings. The paintings will be guided and inspired by Wesley Woods areas. Art supplies will be purchased for you (and you will take them home!). 

You will be staying as a group in one of the buildings at the camp and will participate in devotions with camp staff or another group on the grounds. The camp kitchen will provide wonderful meals for our stay.  
 
TO REGISTER: Call (515) 961-4523 ext. 110 or email [email protected] 
November 5, 2015 
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Plymouth Congregational Church
4126 Ingersoll Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
$89 early registration, $99 after October 1, 2015

The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is pleased to host, nationally renowned expert in family systems theory and conflict resolution, Richard Blackburn, for a a one-day workshop,  Leadership and Anxiety in the Church The event will take place at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines on November 5, 2015. 
 
This seminar examines the challenges presented by the rising levels of anxiety in many churches today.  Participants will look at the role that self-differentiation leadership can play in calming anxiety.  Pastors, church leaders, pastor parish committees, and judicatory leaders will examine anxiety and ways to reduce it through the lens of the family systems theory.
 
Richard Blackburn is the executive director of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, where he has served since 1984. He is an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church and has led hundreds of workshops on conflict transformation and mediation skills.