Letters from the Lakeshore

Transcription

1 NORTHWEST DISTRICT IOWA ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 2017 Volume 11, Issue 7 Letters from the Lakeshore Inside this issue: FOM Notes 2 A Message from the District District Calendar September Field Outreach Minister Position 3 4 District Day Apart 7 Orders Event District Vision Day September 24 Again this year, your district team will be providing a video that can be used in local churches to encourage their work in casting a vision of God s preferred future. The theme for this year s video is: A Strategy for Making Disciples: From Numbers to Names. It will be about 12 to 15 minutes long so that it can be used as a message during worship or at any other setting that fits the local congregation. We encourage local churches to use the visioning video on or around September 24. It can be used as a preparation for the Visioning Events in local congregations or it could be used as part of the actual visioning event itself. Iowa Clergy Women s Convocation 9 The video, worship planning resources, and other materials on visioning will be available on the district website after September 5. If you need to have the video on a DVD, please contact Judi at the District Office Lay Servant Training 10 Details for Charge Conferences Have you checked this out? Every Monday on the NW District Facebook page we ask everyone to give us an example of difference makers. Log onto Facebook and check out the stories.and SHARE your story! Let us know where you have seen some one who is a difference maker! NorthwestDistrictOfficeUMC/ Instead of having cluster conferences this year, each charge will have an individual Charge Conference. Visioning Events may be a part of the charge conference but don t have to be. See Tom s article on page 3 to learn the difference between charge conferences and the visioning events. Each local church will be paired with a presiding elder, they can work together to decide the date and time of the Charge Conference. Elders will be assigned by August 22. Let the District Office know the date when it has been set. A checklist for all churches will be available after September 5 for the agenda and what needs to be mailed in or submitted online. There will be a training for elders who will be conducting charge conferences by a group Skype call on September 21st at 10:00 am. Information will be sent to all who will be conducting charge conferences on how to join the training. All elders conducting a charge conference will need to be trained in order to be prepared. We are trying something new and it really is a group effort. Let s have some fun with this as we all seek a vision of God s preferred future for our churches.

2 Page 2 Letters from the Lakeshore rc s notes Making Discipleship--Why, What, and How Most United Methodist leaders I know can repeat our Church s mission statement: Making discipleship of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Beyond that, I often hear crickets when it comes to the why, what, and how of disciple-making in the local church. Junius B. Dotson, in his booklet Developing an Intentional Discipleship System: A Guide for Congregations, poses two helpful questions to get the conversation started in the local church. What is a disciple anyway? How are disciples really formed? If you and your congregation haven t wrestled seriously with these questions recently, now s the time! For starters, Dotson goes on to suggest a cursory description of a disciple A disciple is one who knows Christ, is growing in Christ, serving Christ, and sharing Christ. Yet, each church will have a unique way of expressing discipleship in light of your unique place, unique people, and unique prompting of the Spirit. The Iowa Annual Conference has set the Wildly Important Goal (WIG) of each church having an intentional discipleship process in place by To help with this goal, we ve got a few opportunities. First, any church involved in the Healthy Church Initiative will discover more about the basics of intentional discipleship. Second, each pastor will receive a copy of Dotson s booklet at their professional interviews. Lastly, we ve invited Ken Willard to do our fall Day Apart training event focused on intentional discipleship pathways. See the info later in this newsletter. More than having a fancy process on paper, I think a church s work on intentional discipleship can lead to deep transformation in people s lives and in the church. It s like the way we tend to the garden doing our part while God s creation takes care of the rest. When we do our part to cultivate discipleship in our personal and church lives, God s Spirit has every opportunity to make disciples and transform the world! Peace, rc Ryan Christenson Field Outreach Minister Healthy Church Initiative New Healthy Church Initiative Groups Launch in January The process is designed to grow your church in faithfulness and fruitfulness. Learn more at Contact FOM Ryan Christenson to learn more or to take the next step!

3 Page 3 A Message from your District Superintendent As a district, we ve made the leap and we aren t going back. A few months ago I introduced the idea that we will not be conducting our annual Charge Conferences in cluster groups like we have done for the past several years. While many people have expressed support for that decision, there have also been questions about, then what will we do? In addition to this, a goal was lifted up in our district report to: Encourage and coordinate a visioning event in each local church in the fall of What is a visioning event? It is an event for the whole congregation that celebrates what God has been doing and casts the vision of where the congregation is going so that every member knows how they can support the effort. It is a time to clearly share the mission, values and vision of the church so that people can be united and energized to make a difference for God in their community. Previously I had encouraged that the visioning event and the charge conference be combined as one event. But now after meeting with pastors and more prayerful consideration, we re coming to realize that they do not have to be combined and may indeed be two separate events. Since the visioning event is meant for the whole congregation, it should be conducted at a date and time that will reach the most people. Sunday morning is a likely possibility, perhaps during worship or right afterwards. For the Charge Conference, the Book of Discipline only requires the participation of the Church Council ( 246.2). A smaller group allows more flexibility for when it can be held. The scheduling challenge has always been how one District Superintendent can conduct 80 charge conferences for 100 churches. That is why the cluster conferences emerged. The point of the visioning event is for the whole congregation to celebrate and anticipate the work of God through the church. The solution this year will be to have other elders assist me in conducting the charge conferences. What is evolving is that I will lead several of the charge conferences, but most will be assigned a presiding elder who will conduct the charge conference on my behalf. Since presiding elders will have only one or two, they should be able to work out a time before November 12 that works well for the local church. The point of the visioning event is for the whole congregation to celebrate and anticipate the work of God through the church. The point of the Charge Conference is for the leadership of the church to care for the supporting details such as setting the pastor s compensation, receiving reports, electing leaders and setting goals. So once a local church is paired with a presiding elder, they can work together to decide the date and time of the Charge Conference. This is something new we are doing together as a district. I encourage pastors and church leaders to consult with leaders from other church and share ideas. I am hoping that there will some creativity and even fun involved in our attempt to discern and share what God is asking of us next. Follow Tom on Follow his blog at moonshadowprea cher.com As a district, the leap that we have made is to keep getting better at helping each other to see Jesus and become more like him. That means change and trying new ways to be more effective in making disciples. That s the only way we learn. I m excited to see how this will all turn out and I trust that God will have some important things to teach us in the coming months. In Christ,

4 Page 4 Letters from the Lakeshore September 2017 September Birthdays & Anniversaries Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat District Visioning Day OFFICE CLOSED Tom Cabinet Professional Interviews Staff Planning Retreat Ryan FOM meeting Professional Interviews Professional Interviews Professional Interviews Professional Interviews Tom SLI Cabinet District Staff Meeting Judi vacation Tom & Ryan Leadership Team Retreat Judi-vacation Ryan HCI Consultation District UMW Annual Meeting Operational Team Lay Servant Training Kim & Ron Dewey Carl & Sharon Klein Chad Lierman Tom & Nelva Petersen Marcia Sangel Ron & Kathryn Rice John Newman Ed & Kris Frank Roger Madden Dave & Opal Finley Dean Shelly Karen Berg Please keep Kathy Sides in your prayers. Kathy has been having health issues. She is the pastor at Rock Rapids. Please keep Todd and Beth Schlitter and their family in your prayers. Beth s mother passed away unexpectedly in July. Todd is the pastor at Sioux City, Wesley. Fall Youth Rally Information will soon be available on the Lake Okoboji United Methodist Camp and Retreat Center s social media sites. Please keep connected to see what is being planned. You can find the Camp s Facebook page at

5 Page 5 Field Outreach Minister Responsibilities in Flux In case you missed it, Bishop Laurie and the Executive Cabinet initiated some cost-saving measures this summer, including not filling two vacancies in the Field Outreach Minister (FOM) positions in the North Central and East Central Districts. In a positive way, this is forcing us as a conference to revisit the most critical work of the FOMs moving forward. Recently, the job responsibilities of the FOM have focused on being a part of the District Team with the Superintendent, coaching churches (helping leaders find and take a next step), consulting (providing insight and feedback about strengths and opportunities), and teaching (Healthy Church Initiative and School for Lay Ministry). As we move forward, what do you appreciate most and believe should be the highest priority for a Field Outreach Minister? Please share your thoughts and ideas with Tom Carver and Ryan Christenson. Here s a copy of Bishop Laurie s June 30th letter: Grace and peace! In this season, when clergy are beginning new appointments in Iowa as well as around the UM connection, we pray for all those who are moving as well as for congregations who are receiving new pastors. May God bless all of you in this season of new beginnings. I want to share with you a staffing decision that was made this week by the Extended Cabinet, which includes our eight district superintendents, Conference Treasurer, Director of Human Resources and Benefits Officer, Director of Communications, Assistant to the Bishop for Connectional Ministries, and Assistant to the Bishop for Administration. We will continue with the hiring process for the Director of New Faith Communities. We will not, however, fill the two open Field Outreach Minister positions at this time. In a meeting with the Extended Cabinet and the Field Outreach Ministers this week, we affirmed the outstanding ministry that the FOM s are doing in each district to build momentum around our conference mission, vision, and strategic priorities and help our local congregations achieve their highest potential. We are beginning conversations with the other six FOM s about ways to creatively resource all our districts. The time is right to take this opportunity to reframe the role of the FOM. Several weeks ago, at our Iowa Annual Conference session, Conference Treasurer Maggie Biggs and Council of Finance and Administration chair Jon Disburg gave reports on the current status of our Conference budget and apportionment giving. As of the end of May, our actual receipts were less than expected. If the current trend continues, our budget shortfall could be significantly larger than projected. There are several factors that may be contributing to our financial challenges. We recognize that many congregations continue to experience declining attendance and membership, leaving them with fewer financial resources. In addition, when older members die, it takes more new members proportionally to replace the financial resources that are no longer available. Some declining congregations have yet to right-size their budgets to reflect their changing realities which means that almost all of their financial resources go to paying bills and smaller amounts remain available to support their apportionment giving. Some of our clergy and congregations are making the decision to withhold apportionment payments to protest those who advocate for full inclusion of LGBTQ people in The United Methodist Church. This intentional action weakens our mutual covenant to be in ministry together here and around the world despite our differences. (continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Letters from the Lakeshore Field Outreach Minister Job Responsibilities in Flux (continued from page 5) The Extended Cabinet of the Iowa Annual Conference is of one mind that our covenant commitment to each other and to the common ministries we support is a core value of what it means to be United Methodists. At the same time, as we work diligently to right-size our Conference budget, we also call upon all United Methodists in Iowa to become difference makers through our collective ministry of apportionment giving. These staffing decisions have been made so that we can be faithful to our mission, vision, and strategic priorities as well as to be good stewards of our financial resources. Over the next several months, apportionment receipts will be closely monitored to discern what further actions may need to be taken to address revenue shortfall. Your support of the mission and ministries of the Iowa Conference, through connectional giving, makes possible the growth that s being experienced by nearly one-third of our congregations. Because you give, some 170 churches have been experienced the positive impact of the Healthy Church Initiative, a program primarily led by our Field Outreach Ministers; twenty-eight lay persons have grown as leaders in their communities of faith through the School for Lay Ministry; 2,168 seeds of faith were planted through Conference camps; 427,000 people were served by community ministries for outreach, justice, and mercy; 27,691 people were engaged in mission; and there was a 58% increase in multi-racial memberships. World-wide missions and ministries of The United Methodist Church will reach 1 million children with lifesaving and health-promoting measures; new clergy are nurtured in denominationally-related theological schools and clergy already serving in Iowa, and their congregations, gain from continuing education; UMCOR brings direct and long-lasting disaster response; and the lives of countless people on the African continent are positively impacted by the medical professionals, agriculture experts, and future civic leaders who are educated at Africa University. Please hold your Conference leaders in prayer during this challenging time, as we covenant to pray for each of our congregations. If you would like resource information on apportionments, please visit the Conference website for apportionment resources, watch for Hope Made Real, a 2018 narrative budget resource, or contact Maggie Biggs, Conference Treasurer (mbiggs@iaumc.org), or Arthur McClanahan, Director of Communications (amcclanahan@iaumc.org). Blessings, Bishop Laurie Haller Resident Bishop, Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church IMPORTANT!!!!! Change of Dates!! The Ministry Ethics Training Events that were scheduled for April 19 and 21, 2018 have been rescheduled due to School for Ministry which is scheduled April Please mark your calendars for Thursday, March 8 at Sioux City, Wesley or Saturday, March 10 at Spencer, Grace.

7 Letters from the Lakeshore Page 7 Creating a Discipleship Pathway for Your Church Seminar Monday, October 2, :00 am to 3:00 pm Cherokee, St Paul s UMC, 531 W Main St, Cherokee, Iowa Cost $15 per person (includes lunch and materials for the seminar) Register online by September 25. John Wesley once said, The way to keep a Methodist alive is to keep him (or her) moving. It is time to recapture this simple, yet profound, truth and get back to the basics of making fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Ken Willard is an author, Christian leadership coach and church consultant. He is the owner of Leadership4Transformation ( Every pastor is highly encouraged to attend this seminar. It is also suggested that you bring members of your congregation with you. If you are unable to attend, it would be worthwhile to send a member or several members of your congregation. You will need to bring your Bible, a listing of current ministries and an open mind!! Plan on joining us in Cherokee. If you are unable to attend the Monday event, other Districts hosting Ken Willard, check out the Events Calendar to see how to register. Saturday, September 30, 10 am to 3 pm Southwest District Carson UMC Sunday, October 1, 2 pm to 8 pm North Central District Webster City Asbury UMC Tuesday, October 3, 10 am to 3 pm South Central District Chariton First UMC

8 Letters from the Lakeshore Page 8 To register go to: Cost of the event is $40. Hotel Information can be found at:

9 Page 9 Letters from the Lakeshore The Conference Commission on Ministry with Persons with Disabilities Pastor Leila Blackburn The Conference Commission on Ministry with Persons with Disabilities thanks the churches that work to make their facilities and programs accessible to persons with disabilities. Thank you to churches who provide what is needed so that those with special needs can join in church activities. And a special thank you to those churches who give offerings for the Disabilities Commission. These gifts enable our Commission to give grants to help other churches become more accessible. Donations are always happily received because The Commission receives NO Apportionment funds. The Commission has a page on Just go to "Connections"', then "Ministries" then to our page. There you can find worship resources, our membership information, an Accessibility Audit, and our Seed Grant Application Form for those churches who are working to become more accessible. The Commission welcomes and encourages more grant applications! Thanks to you, thus far in 2017, the Commission has been able to help three churches meet their accessibility goals. Thank you again to all the local churches who do what they can so that everyone can participate fully in the life of the church! Iowa Clergy Women s Convocation Sunday, November 12, 6 PM to Tuesday, November 14, 11 AM Ames, First UMC Bishop Laurie Haller preaching The Annunciation: Celebrating our Call For more information, contact Sarah Rohret (sarah.rohret@iaumc.net)

10 Northwest District Iowa Annual Conference 701 Seneca, Ste 2 Storm Lake, Iowa Phone: Fax: Helping each other see Jesus, and become more like Him. Bishop Laurie Haller District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Carver tom.carver@iaumc.org Field Outreach Minister Rev. Ryan E. Christenson ryan.christenson@iaumc.org District Administrative Assistant Judi Calhoon judi.calhoon@iaumc.org Lay Servant Training Saturday, September 30 Anthon United Methodist Church 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Basic Lay Servant Training Advanced Class: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts Advanced Class: Leading Missional Small Groups More information is on the Events Calendar on the District web page. Cost of registration will be $15. Registrations due by September 12. Another Opportunity!!! Aging and Ministry in the 21st Century Sioux City, First United Methodist Church will be offering a class starting Wednesday the 20th of September, at 6:00p.m. and lasting one hour at Sioux City, First United Methodist. The class will last 8 weeks and end on the 8th of November. Those who wish to take the class would recieve credit for re-certifation on their lay servant status. Cost would be $10.00 (make checks payable to the Iowa Annual Conference). You will be responsible for ordering your own book. The name of the course is: Aging and Ministry in the 21st century. The book is written by Richard H. Gentzler, Jr. Also, this class will be offered at 11:00 in the morning, same days, Wed. if they would want to take it then. Register by September 13. Link to registration is on the Letters from the Lakeshore webpage.