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Tuesday, October 06, 2015 
"Prayers of mercy and comfort for those in Roseburg, Oregon." But is that all we can do?

As United Methodist Christians, we mourn with the families of the teachers and students of Umpqua Community College who will never return home. We grieve with those who were wounded physically and emotionally. We pray for the family of the gunman who will wonder if there is anything they could have done to avert these heinous acts. But should we do more? Can we do more?

"When we bless animals in the church, what we are saying is, 'You are a gift from God.' And we are remembering our covenant with God and with one another and with the rest of creation." United Methodist children's minister, the Rev. Tanya Eustace, feels pets can be part of a richer spiritual life. And she credits her own therapy-dog-in-training for helping her spread that message.
The October issue of The REPORTER 

The October issue of The REPORTER is all about thanksgiving. From the Thanksgiving Ingathering that makes difference locally and across the world, to appreciation for a "God-Powerful experience" at our camps, to a 5K run sponsored by an emerging congregation that supports ministry to homeless youth, to an ELL program the "changes live." 
Plus ideas, information and resources for Change a Child's Story and so much more.
October 2015 issue of The REPORTER - Read ONLINE or as a PDF. You can read previous issues or download a pdf to print from  The REPORTER Archive section of our website.
Iowa News
Child Care Center awarded Native American Sunday special offering
Pastor Audrey Westendorf Young, Chairperson for Mission Education of the Iowa Conference Board of Global Ministries has announced that Grace United Methodist Church in Sioux City has been awarded over $39,000. Grace UMC houses the Native American Child Care Center.
Church members from Sheldahl and Slater joined together recently to initiate outreach to residents living in a local trailer court. Both churches had identified serving the community as an important focus for their ministry after completing consultations with the Healthy Church Initiative.
Reading Rockets is a great resource for information about literacy. Highlighted here is a resource page specifically for downloading easy to use reading tips. The website provides PDFs of the information in many languages and for many age levels. Check it out!

If you have just 20 seconds we ask that you click on this LINK and vote for Aerial Adventure Course at the Lake Okoboji UM Camp. The Wellmark Foundation is awarding 35 separate $10,000 grants to awesome projects across the Midwest. You can help by simply voting for this project every day. With your help we can complete construction in time for camp in 2016.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
8:45 am - 4:15 pm
Iowa United Methodist Conference Center 
Cost: $125 for one person and ONLY $15 for each additional staff member.

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!
  • 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
First UMC in Ankeny, IA 
Women at the Well, a United Methodist congregation inside the walls of the women's prison in Mitchellville, Iowa, is partnering with Prison Congregations of America and the Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church to host a weekend of presentations and workshops designed to inspire, equip, and empower churches to connect with folks we might have missed. The Right Next Door conference will include presentations by noted speakers, including our keynote speaker, Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking. The conference will also include various workshops addressing prison ministry, advocacy, mental illness, domestic violence, addiction, how to reduce barriers in your home church, and more. For more information, a schedule of events, and to register, visit RightNextDoor2015.org.
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.
November 5, 2015 
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Plymouth Congregational Church
4126 Ingersoll Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
Registration $99

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.