Shared Vision at Christ UMC in Davenport

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” (Acts 1:8a)

Power consists of two elements, energy and direction. When the passions of a congregation – the energy of its members – is aligned in a common direction, great things can happen for the cause of Christ.

In fact, that’s precisely what happened at Christ United Methodist Church in Davenport. Some months ago on two consecutive Sundays they surveyed the congregation. The first week they asked people where they were volunteering their time beyond the church. The second week they asked where people were giving donations.

“Our giving was all over the place,” reported their pastor Mike Janes, “but our volunteering was crystal clear.” Several members were volunteering in the schools, helping disadvantaged children learn to read, among other things.

So Christ Church began to embrace children and poverty as their focus of ministry. Their website, www.acityonahill.com, features a shared vision of “Connecting Kids to God and Others: Our goal is to connect children to God by helping them to experience God’s love, first through faith in Jesus our Savior, and through our weekly ministry during services.”

As new ideas for outreach are considered, they are seen through the lens of children and poverty. If it’s a match, wonderful. If not, leaders develop ways the ministry can relate to their vision for ministry in the community.

Now the congregation has several local ministries related to children and poverty as well as a developing relationship in Haiti where they have sent work teams to rebuild schools after the earthquake in 2010.

Their experience is a powerful example of the promises of God as we read in scripture. What does God have in store for your congregation?

Justice for Our Neighbors

Columbus Junction, a rural community of less than 2,000 people, has become quite a cosmopolitan place in recent years due to the jobs available at the Tyson food plant on the north side of town. More than half of their residence are Hispanic, and a growing number have settled from the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar. Some of these Burmese refugees, who have fled the military government established there in 1989, have approached Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) for help in navigating the complexities of immigration law in the United States.

Gary Walters, the JFON attorney who staffs the monthly legal clinic hosted by the United Methodist Church in Columbus Junction, works with the support of several volunteers who greet clients and offer hospitality. Refugee status is granted to persons who fear persecution by their home government based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Applicants must live in the United States under refugee status for one year before being allowed to apply for legal permanent residence.

JFON is affiliated with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). District Askings gifts from United Methodist churches in southeast Iowa support this ministry. Learn more at their website www.iajfon.org.

The Art Project, QCA

Art and homelessness seem to be mutually exclusive subjects. Yet, in the Quad Cities Area, a new Art Project based at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Davenport is reaching out to homeless persons, using art as a tool for helping them move out of poverty.

Steve Braudt, a graduate student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, was inspired to begin the project when he visited a similar ministry at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. Since St. John’s UMC, where Steve’s wife serves as the lead pastor, already had an established homeless ministry, the Art Project was a natural extension of their outreach.

“The Art Project, QCA (TAPQCA),” their brochure reads, “is a place for spiritual health and self empowerment as a part of the ministry at The Center [a ministry outpost of St. John’s UMC], which will lead to facilitating the healing and transition of homeless men and women and at risk youth of the Quad Cities area through the discovery of the creative self and spiritual art experiences.”

The initiative is in its infancy, but an emerging ministries grant from the Southeast District, which is supported by District Askings gifts from local congregations, will help it become better established. Learn more at The Art Project website.

Engaging Conflict Well

“For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” (Matt. 18:20, CEB) I’ve associated this quote of Jesus with weddings for much of my life. Interestingly enough, it’s actually found in a discussion of forgiving each other when we feel wronged.

Conflict is never easy, and yet it is present frequently in our daily lives. The Southeast District Parish and Leadership Development team is sponsoring a workshop on Saturday, October 27^th, from 9 AM to 4 PM at the United Methodist Church in Washington, IA, to help us as church leaders “Engage Conflict Well.”

Stephanie Hixon will be joining us from the Just Peace Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation. She will offer insights into changing our attitudes about conflict as well as processes and skills to help us cope better as individuals, communities, and congregations in overcoming our disagreements.

Read the event brochure for registration information and make plans to join us. The registration cost is underwritten by our apportionments, and a price break is available to you for bringing three or more people from your church.