Pasha Buck has had a varied career that included being a college English teacher, running a small business, being feature editor of a county newspaper, and designing/directing a program that brought older patients out of a state hospital (in PA) and helped reintegrate them into the community. Pasha has spent the last nearly 40 years teaching others how to pray in the silence, cope with stress, and how to use imagery in one’s prayer life. She has been both a retreat leader and spiritual director, as well as serving in two denominations as a pastoral minister. The choice to license her in 1998 to the Region, rather than to a congregation, emphasized both ecumenical ministry and ministry related to spiritual formation and growth. Pasha currently is a volunteer chaplain at The Village, a continuing care retirement community, in Indianola.

“The Studio,” where Pasha leads classes and retreats and gives spiritual direction, is located at 1005 North E Street, in Indianola, IA (50125). She lives at 1007 North E Street. Her email is: pashajb@wesleythevillage.net; phone is 515-962-4764. She says retreatants share space with a spinning wheel, a loom, and lots of clay, and that “playing with clay” is an option for those on retreat.

Pasha says: “All people have their own “appropriate truth” and often need help mostly in learning how to listen. I remember, years ago, clearly knowing that one of my directees did not need MY truth, but her own, but she needed me to help her get access to her own “signals.”

Julie Gibson, a retreat-goer of Pasha’s, notes: “Time with Pasha reminded me of the river of goodness that flows from God’s heart to mine. . . to everyone’s. She nudged me to trust my interior wisdom, to lean into that. She helped me to re-think an issue I saw as a problem,allowing me to see it as a blessing a gift. . . something I could be grateful for! Time spent with Pasha is powerful.”

Travel insurance for international mission trips.

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Contact: Marlene Hummel, Upper Midwest Region, Iowa Agent
mehummel@qwestoffice.net
712-243-6777 office

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Atlantic office

September 30 – October 2
Paynesville, MN
Retreat Leader: Rev. Gail Thiessen

Gail enjoyed a sabbatical to New Zealand early in 2010, and she will share 
with us from her experiences and things learned as together we see 
”Through a New Lens”

Retreat Flyer

Retreat Registration Form

Retreat Registration Form

Up to this point, the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest called these ministers “licensed ministers” and trained students by offering occasional workshops, a self-guided reading program, and an intentional relationship with a mentor.

We’re now structuring a curriculum to help commissioned ministers gain some foundational theological training that will help them in the congregations they are commissioned to serve. The curriculum is non-accredited (so students aren’t promised seminary credit for work done in these courses).

We know there will be many questions on the program, so look for information in the coming months (or email Jan Linn, the “Dean,” at spiritofjoy@spiritofjoymn.org). Here are the highlights:

• Curriculum will be offered in a 3-year sequence.
• One year will be Church History (2 courses)
• One year will be Bible (2 courses)
• One year will be Theology (2 courses)
• These courses will be offered as an online 10-week course with the first and last classes of each course being “in-person” in the best central location for the participants. Courses will be “pass/fail” and not for grades.
• There will also be a Practice of Ministry course taught by intensive Friday/Saturday retreats.
• The retreats will primarily be for Commissioned Ministry students; courses will be open to all clergy for continuing education credits.

So ideally a student in the Commissioned Minister program will have flexible scheduling during five years to take the six courses and to attend six of the Practice of Ministry retreats. They will also have more intentional activities with their mentors during their training.

All of these changes were decided by a team from the region’s Commission on Ministry. Jan Linn, currently co-pastor at Spirit of Joy Christian Church in Lakeville, MN, is serving as the program coordinator for this new curriculum. He can be reached at spiritofjoy@spiritofjoymn.org or at 952.406.2193.

Also, the first course will start in September — “Church History: New Testament to Reformation”, taught by Tim Diebel (Senior Minister of First Christian Church in Des Moines, IA).

Bob Green, Iowa Health System

Bob Green, Associate Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at Iowa Health System – Des Moines, was named at the Presidential luncheon of the national meeting of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education,inc. last week, as an Emerging Leader in the Organization. ACPE is the only HEW recogonized interfaith educational program in Clincal Pastoral Education. The program at IHS-Des Moines is the only program in the state of Iowa which currently offers all levels of education in CPE, including residencies. There are about 400 centers around the country and about 600 certified Chaplain Educators. Bob recieved this prestigious award for his work as Chair of the North Central Region Accreditation Committee (Seven midwestern States, 85 centers) and for his work on the National Accreditation Commission. He has been at Iowa Health System – DSM for five years and has greatly contributed to its residency program for chaplains.

I’m writing to let you know about an exciting opportunity for Disciples in the Upper Midwest. The Congregational Transformation Task Group is sponsoring 10 full paid scholarships to a summer musical summit of UCC and Disciples, “A Musical Summit for the Progressive Christian Movement.” Please see the attached forms for more information about registration, and visit the link below to learn more about THE SHIFT. If you are interested in going and receiving one of the scholarships, please email me at pwitmer@covenant-christian.org. The commitment we ask for in return is for you to be willing to share some of what you learn with the rest of the region, through gatherings, worship, workshops (SCL) as it seems appropriate. Let me know if you have questions and/or interest. And please pass this information along to other musicians and worship leaders.
Peace, Paul Witmer

http://www.shiftmusic.org/ShiftMusic.org/Welcome.html

	Event Information
	Registration Form

- They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
- Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
- All who believed were together and had all things in common;
- they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
- Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

New churches don’t just form out of nothing. Lots of love, care, and gifts go into these new communities. Gifts of money, prayer and energy that other congregations can often share. One of these new communities in our region is Open Source Rochester in Rochester, MN.

Feel free to use this video when talking about new churches forming in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smJD0K0An8

Thanks to Rebecca Haney of Open Source Rochester for the video.  And extra-special thanks to Amy Spangler-Dunning for creating this video.  (Amy is a member of the New Church Unit for the region.)

On Tuesday last week I was walking with Jill Michel, the senior pastor of South Joplin Christian Church. We were visiting some of her members’ homes — at least the places where they once stood. We came to the home of Avis Stiles, 91 years young. Her children, Amy Duell of Colorado and Richard Stiles of Kansas City, were at the home, looking through the splintered wood that once made up her walls and the shattered furniture they used to sit on during their visits home.

We stood in a circle, sharing stories of how “Mother” tried to make it to the bathroom during the tornado in search of a safe space. All of a sudden, however, the front door disappeared and the walls crumbled.

When she realized where she was, she was almost waist deep in the remains of a shattered home. …

Read the rest of Mike’s reflections in the PDF Week of Compassion Update

Of the two Disciples congregations in the Joplin area, South Joplin Christian Church had damage to their sanctuary, fellowship hall and basement. 600 gallons of water pumped out of basement following the storm. First Christian Church thankfully didn’t have damage. The first night it served as an emergency shelter, but once the better emergency shelters were setup, it served as a supplies depot to coordinate the “things” people needed following the storm.

Many people ask, “what can I do?!?”

For now, the best way that you can respond is to “Pray, Pay, and Stay”: pray for all of those affected, that they might find healing, hope, and support. Provide a donation to Week of Compassion’s response fund, which will go to meet immediate needs and long-term recovery initiatives. Finally, wait. There will be opportunities to lend a hand. However, now is not the time for unskilled volunteers.

Week of Compassion already has responded with solidarity grants for the Joplin community. To learn more about how your gifts through Week of Compassion can make a difference to those affected by the storms, go to: www.weekofcompassion.org

Here is an invitation that I hope you can’t resist! You are warmly invited (encouraged, urged) to attend the Senior Adult Retreat, Christian Conference Center, Newton, IA – Sunday, September 11– Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The retreat theme is “Renew Your Mind”, and we will be learning a great deal from our keynote speakers (Roslyn Gunnick, Sue Woods, Adam Frieberg, and Julie Gibson). Thanks to medical advances we live longer and healthier. As we live longer lives, how do we keep our minds fresh? Join us as we learn together about the brain and aging, life long learning, spiritual practices, and the tools of technology we can use today.

We’ll have interesting keynotes, meaningful worship, and great singing. Add to that, lots of fellowship activities, leisure activities, wonderful food, comfortable lodging, and an optional work project to benefit the Conference Center. What a grand 48 hours!

And here is good news: The cost is $100 to stay in the Lodge at the Conference Center (2 nights & 6 meals). What a deal!

We will be collecting an offering at our closing worship to help us raise funds for “camperships” (camp scholarships) to help our young people attend church camp next summer. This Holy Ground has been a blessing to many, and we would like to help others experience God in this place.

Our planning committee has been working hard to provide a retreat that will enrich our lives and deepen our spiritual growth. We hope that you will make this event a high priority ~ and plan to attend!

We are really looking forward to being with you on Sunday, September 11 – Tuesday, September 13. Hope you will put those dates on your calendar right now, then fill out a registration form and send it to the Conference Center.

Peace to you,

Sue Woods (College Ave CC, Des Moines)
Suzanne Stout (First Christian Church, Des Moines)
Karen Fausch (First Christian Church, Nevada, IA)

2011 Retreat Co-Coordinators