Iowa Conference Conversations
The Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church is comprised of 767 congregations and nearly 158,000 United Methodists across the state of Iowa. This is our story!
Episodes
April 24, 2020 • 15 mins
Twelve families, including 19 children, aren’t going hungry over the weekends because of the generosity of the people of the Colfax United Methodist Church and other congregations in the community. “We just knew that there was a need,” says Rev. Terry Pollard, “and we’ll take care of it for however long it needs to be.” He was amazed when in just two sort days his church raised almost double the financial goal they’d set…and they...
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April 3, 2020 • 13 mins
“We’ve got to acknowledge that this is Holy Week, and that it’s going to be different, but that we’re still going to go through it together.” That’s how Rev. Nate Nims, Senior Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church describes the sacred journey from Palm Sunday to Easter. Even in a time of physical distancing the Grace community is connecting with each other, whether by children waving their colored palm activity sheets in their ...
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April 1, 2020 • 13 mins
“A record number of people have been cared for this month by the Grimes Storehouse,” reports Pastor Ben Wedeking…and he expects that the need will continue to increase. The Grimes Storehouse is “a community food pantry that feeds the whole person, and it does so partnering with other churches in the community. From sewing face masks to extending a helping hand with individual needs, Grimes UMC is poised, notes Pastor Ben, “to ris...
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March 26, 2020 • 7 mins
“Because pastoring can be a very isolating experience,” Rev. Terra Amundson notes, a chaplaincy program has been established on each district. “It’s a way,” she says, “that we can care for one another” and something she hopes can be a “new way of being.” Rev. Amundson is the Dean of the Appointive Cabinet of the Iowa Annual Conference.
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Good Idea webinars and opportunities for Unscripted Expressions of Encouragement and Support will begin this week for laity and clergy of the Iowa Conference. Rev. Dr. Jaye Johnson, Director of Congregational Excellence describes the twice-weekly Good Idea webinars that will feature topics of interest and best practices and the Unscripted Expressions that will provide opportunities to share concerns and hopes in our current uncert...
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March 19, 2020 • 5 mins
Through its compassionate outreach in the midst of the COVID-19 health crisis and the online worship presence, First United Methodist Church in Iowa City sharing the positive assurance that "hope is never going to be cancelled and the love of God is never going to be cancelled."
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March 10, 2020 • 36 mins
Transitional Intentional Interim Ministers are “responsible for the process, not the outcomes,” says Rev. Dianne Christopher. She and a team of three others led a seminar for twenty-six clergy who gathered for a training for ministry professionals to lead transitional congregations on an interim basis. The aim is to be able to provide pastoral leadership that guides, restores, and renews a congregation spiritually and procedurall...
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March 5, 2020 • 19 mins
Pre-Annual-Conference information sessions will be held on each of the eight districts in late April. In a wide-ranging conversation, Rev. Dr. Harlan Gillespie, Assistant to Bishop Laurie Haller, talks about how the gatherings will be an opportunity to have a voice in the future of United Methodist ministry in Iowa. He notes that the Bishop will be present at each event to receive questions, share hopes, hear concerns, and provide...
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March 4, 2020 • 30 mins
Registration for the 2020 Iowa Conference camping season is underway. In fact, according to Bryan Johnson, the Director of Camping and Christian Formation, interest is brisk this year. In our conversation, he talked about how camping can be a life-changing experience, something it was for him. A wide range of exciting experiences await 4-year-olds up to high school-aged youth. Creative, well-trained staff look after the campers...
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February 21, 2020 • 19 mins
Circuits will be the future of ministry in the Iowa Conference. Rev. Bill Poland, director of new communities of faith, says, “We want to become a movement again,” and the circuit model will “help to provide growing, gifted leadership for our largest to our smallest churches.” Through circuits clergy and lay will be able to grow in their faith, rediscover their sense of connection, and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the trans...
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February 20, 2020 • 20 mins
Rev. Dr. Barrie Tritle is a member of the Bishop’s Operational Team. He’s also the lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Iowa City. As the convener of the operational team, he’s helped to lead the Iowa Annual Conference in a process of adaptive change as it moves into a future focused upon supporting the ministries United Methodist congregations all across the state.
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February 4, 2020 • 15 mins
John Rothlisberger and Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck are two members of the Iowa Conference delegation to the 2020 General Conference. We recently traveled to Nashville for a briefing about the plans that will be presented to that worldwide decision-making body of The United Methodist Church in May. For Rev. Plambeck, there is “a call to do what feels faithful [which] is a good outcome.” John Rothlisberger felt that hearing represent...
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January 30, 2020 • 42 mins
Iowa conference Bishop Laurie Haller is the author of Wandering Into Grace: A Journey of Discovery and Hope. Drawing upon the chronicles of her 2018 Manaslu Trek in Nepal with her daughter, Bishop Laurie offers some guidance for a faithful life journey. Dr. Art McClanahan talked with her just prior to the book's release. Wandering Into Grace is a publication of Abingdon Press. (https://www.cokesbury.com/9781501896262-Wandering-I...
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December 20, 2019 • 8 mins
The Grimes Storehouse is a caring place that cares for the whole person, through food, including perishables, vegetables, and meat, and supplies, relationships and friendships, and prayer. A ministry of the Grimes United Methodist Church, and collaborative effort with friends and business in the community, the Storehouse is "just the beginning" of what Pastor Ben Wedeking sees a God-inspired mission vision.
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December 20, 2019 • 27 mins
The Christmas journey becomes complete for many who experience One Starry Night at Grimes United Methodist Church. To be immersed in the announcement of the angel, witness the struggle of Mary and Joseph and the Christ Child, to learn from the humble adoration of the shepherds is as personally rewarding for Phil Bargfrede, Grimes UMC's Director of Children's Ministry after nine years as it is for the first-time guest or even those...
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December 19, 2019 • 16 mins
Collegiate United Methodist Church/Wesley Foundation is committed to eliminating school meal debt in Ames by raising $47,000 through its Advent-Christmas offerings. This will help some 575 families move toward greater food security. An initiative of the congregation's Sending to Serve cluster, and in collaboration with anonymously-given gifts, the campaign is involving the Collegiate Wesley community, Iowa State students, and oth...
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December 13, 2019 • 17 mins
Fresh Expressions is a new way of taking the church to the people. Rev. Bill Poland, Director of New Communities of Faith for the Iowa Conference, talks about the impact of this people-centered, mission-focused experience. Learn more about a Fresh Expressions Vision Day, set for February 15, 2020, at https://www.iaumc.org/freshexpressions
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December 5, 2019 • 27 mins
Coming from a long line of United Methodist pastors, Rev. Dr. Moody Colorado is the new superintendent of the South Central District of the Iowa Conference. A prayerful preacher, he looks to build strong relationships with United Methodists of the district's faith communities.
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December 4, 2019 • 19 mins
Seeing himself primarily as a relationship builder, Rev. Doug Cue is a "what you see is what you get" pastor to the people of the southeast district as the new role as superintendent. He looks to help connect people and to their own faith-fulfilling ministries.
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November 3, 2019 • 2 mins
Pastor Robyn Plocher remembers the first Ingathering, which took place at Westmar College in 1980. She also talks about the excitement of meeting the truck that brought Ingathering-collected kits to the UMCOR depot and helping to unload what had been gathered in Iowa. She shares the memories with Dr. Art McClanahan
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