I was ordained in 2009 and I'm an alumnus of Texas Christian University, the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago, and the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. My wife (Rev. Heidi Haverkamp) and I live in Bolingbrook, IL where she serves as an Episcopal priest. Photography, computers, the Bible are all great topics to use when starting conversations with me -- but I'm also especially partial to life stories. If you see me at an event, please say hello!
amfumw@gmail.com
http://www.adamfrieberg.com
Poster 1 (Click to Enlarge)
Poster 2 - (Click to Enlarge)
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Registration Form |
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Letter and Explanation |
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Information Station – Q and A |
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Bulletin Insert Registration Form |
For more Disciples Network Gathering info, you can also check out: http://www.uppermidwestcc.org/2010/09/08/disciples-network-gathering-promotions/
Submitted by Regional Moderator Tim Diebel
Vision Task Group: Presented a vision and process to lead us to a new structure that fully reflects the energy and spirit of what we have been experiencing as “Disciples Together.” This is possible now that our Line of Credit Debt is fully paid off. Will be listening and presenting with groups throughout the region with hopes to bring a proposal to the February regional board meeting.
Budget Management Task Group: Reported the exciting news that the 192,000 line of credit has been paid off. They continue to meet once a month with the task on continuing the responsible watch of our finances.
Camp Ministry: Registrations reach 1042 a decade high! A.D.a.M (Art, Drama and Music a major success in its premier outing.
Youth Unit: UmwYC (Regional Youth Council) coming together and beginning planning for the High School Youth Assembly in November and Youth events at the Disciples Network Gathering in October. Unit is also hosting the Youth Worker Interchange on September 10-11 with Mark Riddle.
Congregational Transformation: Sponsoring Clergy Sharing events in 8 different locations in the region in late October.
School for Congregational Learning: Shared that the event this year will be $10 less then last year, will move to West Des Moines Christian Church, has exciting practical workshops for all and will feature Jose Morales as the keynoter. All takes place on August 28th.
Commission on Ministry: Reported that they had a very productive meeting and continue to encourage and nurture people in and during ministry.
Ministers’ Institute: Planning the next gathering for January 24-26th with the theme of “Coaching in Congregations” with Tom Clegg as the keynote speaker.
New Church Unit: Shared that the new church in Rochester continues to grow in strength and that many churches in the region have chosen to support through above and beyond giving. Looking for new ways to use New Church funds to encourage congregations to explore new church ministries through a grant process.
Personnel Unit: Requested action to help modify the membership of the unit to make it more reflective of the diversity of the region particularly as it relates to age. The board gave authority to the moderator of the board to appoint some additional members. This was requested as they begin to prepare to initiate a search for the next settled Regional Minister and President.
Property Unit: Working on plans to update and replace buildings at the conference center and continue with the sale of the regional church center.
Regional Assembly Presents: Disciples Network Gathering: Continue to work on plans for the gathering on October 9th. There will be no charge for the event and the food booths will be sponsored by congregations with money going back to local mission. This will be an event that is a mix of a state fair and a family reunion with lots of fun for all.
Stewardship & Mission Interpretation: Preparing for final plans for the mission trip to Poland with another possible mission trip to Haiti being planned for next fall.
Upper Midwest Clergy are invited to “Re-Imagining the Church Together”, an opportunity to share congregational stories of change and transformation, as well as struggles and conflicts.
Event organizers write: “In sharing stories we hope to create an open and Spirit-led atmosphere where relationships, support, networking and ideas on congregational transformation can occur. Throughout the day there will be singing, prayer, reflection, food, fellowship, encouragement, networking, and sharing of resources.”
When: Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Who: Upper Midwest Clergy
Where:
Visit this page in coming months for registration forms. Please direct any questions to Mary Jane Button-Harrison (maryjane@fccames.org). The Congregational Transformation Task Group is creating and planning this event.
Pastor Gail Thiessen spent the months of January through March (2010) enjoying a sabbatical experience. She rested (keeping true to the Biblical sabbath roots of sabbaticals) and she also went to the remotest place she could imagine that still spoke the English language: New Zealand.
Thiessen is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Marshalltown, IA. While she tried to give shape to her “time away,” she took to heart the recent experiences of her congregation. The church had spent the last 14 years trying to decide how to re-orient its way of life. The church discerned that their mission, their calling in the community, even their worship space would be different. They had completely turned around and renovated their sanctuary. It was an 180-degree change. And as the congregation’s leaders reflected on their recent mission trips, they realized that the trips involved caring for God’s creation. They’d built wells; they’d helped sustainable agriculture. They knew their calling was tightly woven with the calling to tend human-to-human relationships and the human-to-creation relationship.
So Thiessen went exploring. Her question: “If my congregation is moving away from a dominion relationship with God’s creation to a ‘tending‘ relationship; and, if they’re wanting to avoid the polarizing effect that politics and religion have on their environmental stances, then I want to join them by asking ‘what’s possible?’”
Her answer sounds enormous: a change of heart.
Thiessen is not naive to the paralysis people feel when struggling with questions of how to care. “Changes of heart do not happen with logical or reasoned arguments. It does little good to point fingers or to give all of the reasons supporting or denying global warming, environmental change, or the reasons to use CFL light bulbs. Changes of heart happen with personal experience, and when people believe that change is possible, that it is good, and that it is bigger than themselves.”
Thiessen’s sabbatical journey was underwritten by the Lilly Foundation and was generously supported by her congregation. Thiessen has already led the Central CC leaders in some reflections and shared experiences from her time in New Zealand. ”The people who are the most excited about it are not the ones I expected. They’re not the environmentalists. The people with the most energy are the fence-riders, the ones are are committed to being stewards of God’s creation, but do not buy all of the political stances that have accompanied this conviction.”
Thiessen sounds like an evangelist, even though she’s the first to admit that it was her host culture in New Zealand who shared it with her. The diverse, almost completely “unchurched” culture in New Zealand whole-heartedly lived a more conscious lifestyle. ”They were aware that every decision they made would have some impact on their neighbor. The human-to-human relationship intertwines with the human-to-creation relationship.”
Thiessen developed a nine-week small group curriculum as well as a “teaser” version for her upcoming workshop at School for Congregational Learning on August 28th. She looks forward to seeing it offered in school groups, civic organizations, and in churches across the country.
Are you:
If so, please attend the worship on August 28th
Ask Pastor Gail questions at pastor.gail@centraldoc.org
On Saturday, August 14th, Adel has Sweet Corn Festival. First Christian Church participates and one of the big items is our 3-on-3 Basketball tournament.
3 on 3 Basketball Tournament
FCC Adel, Iowa: Nile Kinnick Drive N & Rapids Street
(515) 993-4514
Entry fee: $40.00 per team
Deadline: August 11, 2010
Boys and Girls – grades 6-7, 8-9, 10-12
Adults – over 18, over 30
Tournament Time – 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Food booth, homemade ice cream, and pie also available
Other community entertainment and schedule:
Editor’s Note: This story comes from a minister (and camp director!) at First Christian Church in Adel, Iowa. Look for more stories in future issues of the DT Express or on our Shared Spirit page — and, please submit your own stories
Author: Tony Thurston
Lisa and I just returned from our annual stint as Directors for JYF Camp #4 in Newton that ran from July 11—17. It was a Powerful, Rewarding, and Tiring experience again this year. Since 1998 we have directed this camp for 3rd thru 5th graders and we have enjoyed every minute of it. It seems that most of us who are involved with kids, either raising them or shepherding them, find that it isn’t very often that we get the opportunity to do “big picture” thinking with them. There just never seems to be enough time. We offer bits and pieces and snippets to them in our children’s sermons and Sunday School lessons and some short sit-downs with our children. But many times the kids are distracted and we’re lucky if we can just get one point across to them.
But church camp is different. While they are here the kids are removed from the T.V., PlayStations, and school activities, and they can focus and learn in a more leisure and fun atmosphere. At camp learning takes place through fun activities and relationships. This year we had 80 kids and 16 counselors together in a beautiful and fun camp setting. It was powerful and rewarding.
The theme for camp this year was “God is Bigger”, and we encouraged the kids to expand their concept of how they understand God. We based it on the old story about the six blind men who tried to describe an elephant that wandered into the village. One man felt a leg and said that and elephant was like a tree trunk. Another felt the nose and said an elephant was like a big snake. Another felt an ear and described an elephant like a large fan. And so on. The point of the story, of course, is that because the men could not see the whole elephant, they could not experience what an elephant was really like. Maybe if they sat down together and discussed their own experiences with the elephant, and combined them, they would have a more complete accounting of the creature called an elephant.
We all have our own experiences and descriptions of what we think God is like, and so do our children. But GOD IS BIGGER than all those human descriptions we have come up with to describe Him (Is God a “Him”?). At camp we tried to get the kids to think of God as a rock that we can build our life upon, a loving parent that we can listen and talk to, and a friend and companion that can walk with us through the green pastures and the dark valleys, and other ways we can look at and experience God.
Think about how you would describe your experiences with God, and talk to your kids about them. Maybe you might find that “GOD IS BIGGER,” and you will enlarge your understanding of God.
Submitted by: Nancy Brookhardt
Wednesday Night Church at Broadway CC in Council Bluffs
At Broadway Christian Church in Council Bluffs, IA we have a potluck meal, available to any and all every Wednesday night. It began in 2004 with 20-30 in attendance and we just served soup and crackers, but we got tired of making soup, so now there’s a great variety of foods. Some are made by our members, some by folks who were our guests and have become an integral part of our church. Some is pre-made foods from the local food bank or grocery stores.
The meal is advertised by setting a wooden sign on the church lawn. Folks from all walks of life come. Some are employed, some are not. Some have homes, some do not. Some have much, some do not. Some need a meal. Some enjoy good health, some have permanent physical and mental restrictions that require them to have full-time caregivers. Some need company. Some need a place to belong and a way to serve others. Of the 80-100 people who come each Wednesday, only about 15-20 are the folks who also come to Sunday morning worship.
This past month we have baptized two people who attend on Wednesday night and will be baptizing two more in the near future.
What we discovered is that this is not “Soup Supper”, but rather this is Wednesday Night Church. We pray, we gather around the table for fellowship, we break bread together. We have a Bible study following the meal. We began kid’s activities last fall.
The other amazing thing is that no matter how many people come, we always seem to have enough food. God provides and there is enough (the parable of the fish and loaves)!
Broadway CC: Wednesday Night Church
After 19 years in ministry at Indianola Heights Christian Church in Des Moines, IA, Jerry Crenshaw is closing his ministry. Sunday, May 30th was his last Sunday preaching and presiding at the Lord’s Table at Indianola Heights.
Such a transition could easily burden a minister with melancholy and sadness. After all, Crenshaw is losing a church family he led for nearly two decades. But while he will definitely grieve in the coming months over this transition, he also prepares for his next step with fervor.
Jerry Crenshaw is starting a “church without walls.” Actually, to call it a church – at this point – is a stretch. Crenshaw wrote to his congregation: “To put it simply, I am going out to relate to other children of God.” He plans a seven-year ministry where he will gather young adults together who are not necessarily affiliated or involved in a congregation.
“I just can’t sit back. I have problems with the “foxhole” mentality: drop in sometime and if you become like us, you’re welcome. We have to go out – and find out their values – and meet them!”
People recommend he find young adults in some of the funniest places: weekend softball leagues, the local bus system in Des Moines, even the Harley Davidson shop. “I didn’t expect that, but apparently the youngest and fastest group of Harley Davidson fans are young women under 35.”
His goal is to get them to work together at service projects and see what the group starts looking like as the fellowship grows.
Crenshaw decided to “get out and go” before he worked out all the details. He doesn’t know if it will just have one group or will have multiple small groups (that he would get to interact somehow). He humbly admits: “this segment of the population is the best at networking and structuring themselves. I’m going to suggest a church without walls and let them build it. We’re not building a building unless it’s in Haiti. We’re not building an institution.”
How financially can this happen? After a lifetime of ministry where churches paid into the Pension Fund, he’s now drawing a pension. “What better way to spend it than on young adults?!?”
This Sunday, June 6th, Crenshaw will receive the “retired ministers pen” at IHCC. (He even offered to sell it to any minister who wanted it at a cheap, bargain price). The afternoon of June 6th there will be a commissioning service and the start of Jubilee.
Where: Indianola Heights Christian Church, 3139 Southeast 8th Street, Des Moines, IA
When: July 6th, 2010 – 2pm
Can’t attend? “Chime in” virtually by clicking at the top of this screen or by sending Jerry an e-mail (jubileelite@gmail.com) with prayers and encouragement. You can also chime in to receive ongoing e-mails about the ministry of Jubilee.
A.D.a.M. Camp (July 5th – 9th, 2010)
Not all church camps are the same. And with a name like A.D.a.M. camp, you can expect this one to be an original – a classic.
This camp is for those who don’t fit the “camper” mold. This camp is for you:
Directors Scott Stillwell and Anne Gregory have lined up experts to come in each day and teach about their artistic medium. We already have a visual artist, a dance instructor, a singer/songwriter ready to come in and help with the camp. We are thrilled that the Christian Conference Center is giving us this GIGANTIC space inside to fill with creativity. You should be prepared to create anything and everything. Every night we’ll have a performance or showcase — a “gig,” if you will — and then a cast party where we celebrate God’s inspiring gifts to us from that day.
The camp is in honor and memory of Adam Barnett, a young man who tragically died in February 2008. Adam was a camper at the Christian Conference Center and his family and friends have pooled money to help underwrite this camp and to continue helping others realize – on Holy Ground – the gifts God gives them.
This “Letter of Calling and Agreement” for Interim Ministers should be completed by the Chair of your Search committee and affirmed by the Church Board. The original copy of this agreement is for your Interim Minister. The congregation keeps a copy. Please make a copy for your Regional Minister; The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest; 5064 Lincoln Street, Newton, IA 50208.
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Template – Letter of Calling and Agreement for Interim Ministry |
This “Letter of Calling and Agreement” should be completed by the Chair of your Search committee and affirmed by the Church Board. The original copy of this agreement is for your Minister. The congregation keeps a copy. Please make a copy for your Regional Minister; The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest; 5064 Lincoln Street, Newton, IA 50208.
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Template – Letter of Calling and Agreement |
If you’re volunteering or serving in ministry with the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest, you undoubtedly pay for ministry expenses and expect reimbursement. For expenses that have been approved and budgeted for, please fill out this expense voucher and send it to Connie Derby Dicks at cddumw@gmail.com
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Upper Midwest CC Expense Voucher |
Here I Am: Christian Youth Leadership Experience at Culver Stockton College
June 11-13, 2010
Want to serve the church? Already serving but want to learn how to continue? Come to Here I Am: A Conference in Christian Leadership. High school students completing grades 10, 11, and 12 are invited to come to a weekend of leadership development, worship, food, and fun!
Here I Am begins Friday evening, June 11th, and runs through Sunday morning, June 13th. The keynote speaker is Rev. Todd Adams, Associate Vice-President of the Christian Church (DOC); featured preacher is Rev. Dr. Christal Williams, Associate Regional Minister in IL/WI region; music provided by Paul Svenson, www.dadsongbook.com. To register, go to www.culver.edu/hereIam. The cost is $75. Please register by May 23rd. If you have further questions, please contact Chaplain Brent Reynolds at 573-288-6420 or breynolds@culver.edu
From Dennis C Duvall
This past Sunday 04/25 this note was passed to Pastor Mike Armstrong. Today Sunday April 25, 2010 for the month of May the Disciples Men’s Group, the Disciples Women and the Duvall family have combined to purchase (37) $ 10.00 gift meat certificates for the Sacred Heart Food Pantry 14th & Brady Davenport, Iowa.
For the year of 2010 to-date (86) of these $ 10.00 gift meat certificates, will have been given to the food pantry. Last year a record (96) of these certificates were given out. As you can see we are excited, that we are on course for another record year by far.
Thanks to the Disciples Women, Disciples Men, and all the known and anonymous individual donors
A Little Background
Many years ago Nancy, my wife and I were giving a gift at our anniversary, which is Thanksgiving time. Years married x our 3 children. One year we ask our pastor (at the time Fred Marsh) what else we could to help. He directed us to the local food pantry which at the time was at The Sacred Heart Cathedral, thus the name Sacred Heart Food Pantry. It seems there was a niche that was not being filled. They had very little freezer space especially during the holidays. The idea: gift meat certificates redeemable at local grocery stores was a need. At the time there we no plastic gift cards, only paper, and the food pantry could stamp the cards “meat only”, and the cards took very little space at the food pantry.
Originally we used the Eagles just north of the church on East Locust, and we only bought a few at Thanksgiving. Later we included Christmas. A few years went by at we moved up to a quarterly basis, About this time Eagles, Hy-Vee and Fareway switched to plastic gift certificates and they would not designate meat only items. A change had to be made. We visited Ye Ole Smokehouse at Marquette & West Locust, a ma & pa type business. We made the switch. By this time we were up to $ 7.00 per certificate and purchased 6 every other month. A year went by and one day the business, they informed us that the owner (St. Ambrose University) would not renew their lease. The search was on to find a replacement. In our minds we still needed the old paper type certificates, because we did not want the recipients to be able to purchase tobacco, liquor, or pet products. We wanted to stay with the original thought of supplying meat products and still taking up no space in the pantries freezer.
In November of 2008 a new home was found to purchase these gift certificates Golick’s Meat Shop corner of East High & Bride, just to the S.W. corner of Genesis East Hospital here in Davenport. During that time the Duvall family had moved to 6 $ 7.00 every month, then 8 $ 8.00 certificates monthly. Last year 2009 the family moved to (8) $ 10.00 certificates sometime during the fall of the year. Just prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday 2009 word got out in a bigger way that this mission excited. Only a few in the congregation new of its existence prior to that. Since Thanksgiving 2009, the Disciples Women and Disciples Men Groups have each promised and are delivering in their promise of (50) $ 10.00 gift certificates each. Many individuals have purchased 1, 2, or more certificates. I have had anonymous gifts, which were left at the church office or other places.
From a humble beginning this mission, which was quite small in its beginnings may top more than (110) $ 10.00 gift Meat Certificates in 2010. I am grateful that the needy and hunger of Davenport, Iowa benefit, if only in a small way of our Gift Meat Certificates.
Respectfully
Dennis Duvall
Member
First Christian Church, Davenport, Iowa
[Editor's Note: This story comes from a member of First Christian Church in Davenport, IA. If you want to read more stories like this, visit our Shared Spirit page -- and, please submit your own stories]
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Regional Prayer Calendar |
Special thanks to JoAnn Thomas for organizing and publishing the calendar for you and your congregations to use in your weekly and daily prayer life.
Submitted by Mary Jane Button-Harrison
Alan Roxburgh will present three webinars in 2010. The first two webinars are for pastors and church leaders. Each webinar for pastors and church leaders will be offered one time and not repeated. The webinars are scheduled on the following dates:
Tuesday, May 25 @ 2:30-4:00 pm CST. Title, “Leading in an Unthinkable World”
Monday, June 7 @ 2:30-4:00 pm CST. Title, “Forming Missional Community, Practical Steps”
The connection link for the webinar is http://www.bethanyseminary.edu/webcasts/Roxburgh
The focus of the webinars is on developing leadership in order to transform congregations into missional communities.
No fee for the event.
Bio
Alan Roxburgh is a pastor, teacher, writer and consultant with more than 30 years experience in church leadership, consulting and seminary education. Alan has pastored congregations in a small town, the suburbs, the re-development of a downtown urban church and the planting of other congregations. He has directed an urban training center and served as a seminary professor and the director of a center for mission and evangelism. Alan teaches as an adjunct professor in seminaries in the USA, Australia and Europe. His books include: Reaching a New Generation, Leadership, Liminality and the Missionary Congregation, Crossing the Bridge: Leadership in a Time of Change, The Sky is Falling – Leaders Lost in Transition, The Missional Leader(co-authored with Fred Romanuk), Introducing the Missional Church (Baker, Nov 09) and Missional Map Making (Jossey-Bass, Jan 2010). He was also a member of the writing team that authored Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America.
Alan Roxburgh leads the Roxburgh Missional Network team (RMN), a diverse group of men and women with years of experience in pastoral leadership, teaching, consulting, psychology and publishing. RMN is committed to resourcing missional leaders with the best training, consulting and hands-on resources for innovating missional life in local congregations and communities of faith.
Fri, May 7, 2010 7:00 PM – Sat, May 8, 2010 4:00 PM
$15 covers everything except lodging cost. To register please call or email Dave Clark, Dean of the LMEP, Ankeny Christian Church: davedayna@gmail.com or 515-964-1083.
Please mark your calendar, and let Dave know if you are interested in attending or helping to organize this event! If any of you have any musical skills you’d like to share such as playing the guitar or piano for the worship times, please let Dave know.
This will be a very practical, “nuts and bolts” session on preaching. We will discuss various forms for effective sermons, resources for preaching, preaching weddings, funerals and holiday and how to use new technology in sermons. How does one develop his or her own style as a preacher? You will also learn how to better listen to sermons and offer meaningful feedback to other preachers.
The most exciting part of this workshop is that you will be invited to prepare and preach a 7-10 minute sermon (so we can hear everyone and to practice our focusing skills). You will receive positive feedback and insights on the things you are doing effectively and gain some insight into how you can take your preaching to a higher level. In addition to the preaching workshop, we will also have conversation about the LMEP program, what we might do for the remainder of the year and the changes that are in store for Licensed Ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Update (8/25/2010): Important things to remember for Saturday:
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Schedule for the Day |
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Map |
Update (6/30/2010): Registration forms, workshop schedules and promotional documents are all available!
Update (4/14/2010): while the planning team still finalizes the workshop offerings / schedule for the day, we wanted to share another of the videos Jose Morales (our keynote speaker) prepared for the event. “Living in the Hyphen”!!!
Jose Morales – Living in the Hyphen from Adam Frieberg on Vimeo.
This event is still being planned. We have Jose Morales confirmed for our keynote speaker / worship leader / workshop teacher. Jose is the Transitional Regional Minister for the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As the video below shows, he will being some promising (and challenging) words for us as we continue to try and be Disciples Together
Jose Morales – School for Congregational Learning from Adam Frieberg on Vimeo.
Check this page in the coming months for a workshop schedule, promotional posters for your congregation, registration options and more videos from Jose.
- The Upper Midwest Regional staff and the Congregation Vitality Unit
We’ve uploaded the new regional Remittance Form – so that you can fill-in the PDF fields before printing (for those who prefer typing rather than physically writing the amounts).
The form is downloadable by clicking on the link below:
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Upper Midwest Remittance Form |
Please contact us if you have any questions/problems, and once again, thank you for your gifts!
Submitted by Mary Jane Button-Harrison
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities – Fall Convocation – September 24, 2010
I received information about this upcoming event at United Theological Seminary in the Twin Cities the end of the month. I particularly noted the subject matter because it gets to some of what I have been trying to communicate about the idea of “proclamation” and my interests. This phrase from the UTS website says it this way:
How do we tell the Christian story in a changing landscape?
I think I will be going to this event. Anyone else interested?
Mary Jane Button-Harrison
maryjane@fccames.org
Submitted by Sarah Webb
All across Iowa people are caring for God’s creation by starting a Cool Congregations program in their faith community. Cool Congregations is an Earth Stewardship program that invites participants to work in small groups to reduce their impact on the earth by measuring their carbon footprint and taking simple steps towards fulfilling a faith-based pledge to cut their energy use, saving money in the process.
Bring a team from your congregation to a training workshop to learn how to get your faith community involved in a ‘Cool Congregations’ stewardship program. Saturday, April 24 at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola and Saturday, May 15 at Community of Christ Church in Coralville. Register online at iowaipl.org/calendar Cool Congregations is a program of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, gathering people of faith to protect creation.
Contact Sarah Webb at coolcongregations@iowaipl.org for more information:
Sarah Webb
‘Cool Congregations’
An Earth Stewardship Program
A program of
Iowa Interfaith Power and Light
www.iowaipl.org
coolcongregations@iowaipl.org
319-277-0024
319-273-2038
Do you or your church give bread to new visitors?
On Sunday morning I was driving home to the suburbs of Chicago. I was in Iowa for the weekend for the Tex Sample – “Come Sample Simply Stories” event at First Christian Church in Ames. Planning where I would be on Sunday morning was no easy task. First: we have a lot of Disciples congregations along the I-80 corridor! Second: I needed to time my departure from my parents’ house and my arrival home in Illinois so that I wasn’t leaving too early or too late to get to worship.
This month’s congregation along the way: First Christian Church, Coralville, IA. Their 10:00am worship service and their location was just right. What was even more right, however, was the celebration of ministry taking place during worship.
Bette Klein was one of two ministers licensed that morning. (Dennis Arnold was the other; more on him below …) Don Hiscox, Regional Minister for Congregational and Clergy Care led a short, informal certificate presentation. He highlighted how Bette finished the LMEP program in rapid time; no one at FCC Coralville seemed surprised by this. Bette will continue serving FCC Coralville as their Youth Minister.
Revs. Don Hiscox, Bette Klein, John McKinstry
But as great of a celebration as Bette’s certification is – I want to celebrate the ministry of hospitality that FCC Coralville shows to their visitors. Dennis Arnold, a member at FCC Coralville, is part of their bread-baking team that regularly make loaves of bread for newcomers. He also went through the LMEP program to do licensed ministry in the Upper Midwest. Sunday morning at their 9am service, Don Hiscox went through the same ritual with Dennis at the congregation in Solon, IA (about 10 miles north of Coralville/Iowa City).
Even though I missed Dennis on Sunday morning, I can still witness to his incredible hospitality because of the bread he made. Dennis, Bette, and all of the ministers (= all those baptized!) at First Christian Church in Coralville, IA are companions with those who stop in along the way. True to the most literal meaning of “companion” — bread fellows – they extend hospitality to those they knew were coming and those who stopped in unannounced.
Thank you all for a great Sunday morning worship experience.
(PS – The bread was part of an amazing sandwich for lunch today. I don’t let such good food go to waste …)
[Editor's Note: This story comes from a member of First Christian Church in Des Moines, IA. It was shared through the "Come Sample Simply Stories" event on March 20, 2010. Look for more stories from that event to show up on our Shared Spirit page -- and, please submit your own stories]
Author: Terri Holmgren, windyhillt@aol.com
In December, just a few days before Christmas, an 84 year old man from our church was a victim of an attempted carjacking. He was knocked down, from behind, on his way out of a local grocery store. He refused to get in the car with the attacker. His attacker drove off, went a couple of miles, pulled over, and shot himself in the chest, committing suicide.
The attacker was 37 years old and left a wife and a couple of small children. Our church member immediately opened up a fund to help his attacker’s family. Less than a week later, he was in church, making a request for our members to help fill the fund for this man’s family. He started the fund with $500.00 out of his own pocket. That is a lot of money fro someone who is 84 years old. Our fund resulted in nearly $6000 for his family.
Our church member said, “I feel sorry for him. He must have had reasons for going through all of this. My line of thought is that he probably was a decent person and he needed some money, fast.”
This man is a perfect example of our church’s ministry philosophy. If someone needs help and we can help them, we do. We endeavor to find a way to love them the way Jesus told us to.
Update 4/23/2010: Video from event:
Tex Sample – Find the Yes Beneath the No from Adam Frieberg on Vimeo.
Update 4/19/2010: Pictures from the event are online at: http://picasaweb.google.com/amfumw/ComeSampleSimplyStories#
Saturday, March 20, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.,
First Christian Church, Ames, Iowa
- Come tell and hear stories of how God is transforming our congregations.
- Write a story (no more than 250 words) to be shared with others. The story can be of an event, or you can use a symbol to help frame your story. You might use a character (from your congregation or the Bible) to help tell the story of God’s transforming Spirit in your church.
- Please attend even if you do not bring a story or symbol. -Motivation, ideas, and encouragement can occur when listening to stories of God transforming our congregations.
While we’re still doing tests — we can thankfully say that the site is now live. I’m off to visit Jose Morales, our keynote speaker for the August 28th School for Congregational Learning. We’re going to shoot some promotional videos before Jose leaves Chicago to become the Transitional Regional Minister for the Central Rocky Mountain Region.
An avid photographer [me] + a hot DJ [Jose] = a video miracle or a recipe disaster. Check back later to find out which …
