September 2018
Grace and peace! As summer winds down, the long Labor Day weekend signals the beginning of a new season in the school year as well as the church year. I trust that you have been able to enjoy time outside over the past several months, reveling in the beauty of God’s world. I was able spend some renewal time away from the office this summer and will share some of my experiences with you in the coming weeks through my weekly blog,  Leading from the Heart , which will begin again on Tuesday, September 4 .  You may subscribe to the blog at  www.lauriehaller.org .

Transition in the Episcopal Office
For the past eight months, Rev. Bob Burkhart has served as the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop after Rev. Bill Poland left that role in order to become the Director of New Faith Communities. Bob’s previous experience in this role and his willingness to come out of retirement has been a great blessing to our conference. Thank you, Bob!

On September 1, Rev. Harlan Gillespie, who previously served as the North Central District Superintendent will become the new Clergy Assistant to the Bishop. Welcome, Harlan! 

July Tornadoes
Thank you to everyone who helped in any way in the aftermath of multiple tornadoes in Iowa on July 19. Marshalltown, Pella, and Bondurant were especially hard hit. Thank you to the hundreds of people who assembled clean-up buckets and hygiene kits, received volunteer training, donated, or prayed for all those affected. If you would like to assist the relief effort, please make your check payable to Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and in the memo line write Disaster Ministries Advance #223. Send to: Iowa Annual Conference , 2301 Rittenhouse Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50321. 

We would prefer donations by check so that we do not incur the 2.75% credit card processing fee.

Mental Heath Training
One of our current emphases in the Iowa Annual Conference is mental health. Iowa ranks very poorly among states in resources for those suffering from mental and behavior health issues. 

The chair of our conference Mental Health Task Force is Rev. Len Eberhart, and co vice-chairs are Rev. Lee Schott and Erica Shannon-Stueve. Mental Health First Aid Training workshops have been held in every district this summer, you can learn more about the Mental Health Task Force work and register for an upcoming training at www.iaumc.org/mentalhealthinitiative.

Trainings are open to anyone who is called to learn more about mental illness and substance use/abuse. You may attend a training in a district other than your own. Each training is limited to 30 participants and clergy are eligible to receive .8 CE’s.

Commission on a Way Forward
We have scheduled Fall 2018 Commission on a Way Forward gatherings on each district this fall. Mark your calendars for the upcoming dates:

We strongly encourage all clergy and laity to attend one of the eight meetings. I, along with our lay and clergy delegates to the called 2019 General Conference in St. Louis in February 2019, will be present at each 90-minute gathering. You can access information on the three proposals  here .
 
September Schedule
Right after Labor Day I will be chairing a meeting of the Ministry Study Commission in Atlanta. On Saturday, September 8, the Bishop’s Operational and all of our District Operational Teams will gather at the Conference Center.  The next week takes me to Chicago where I will preach for the opening worship service of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. I will return to Chicago the third week for a College of Bishops meeting and a gathering of all bishops and General Conference delegates and first alternates of the North Central Jurisdiction. The appointive cabinet will be meeting several times this month.
 
Make a Difference!
The best way that you and I can honor and serve our Lord is to make a difference in the lives of others on a daily basis. To whom can you show Christ’s love today? How will you be a witness to faith and hope today? In what ways can you advocate for justice and mercy for all of God’s children today? How can you make a difference today?