Because of the meeting restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church determined that to provide the safest experience for its members and staff, the majority of the 2020 Iowa Annual Conference sessions would be held virtually.
The AC2020 clergy, legislative and laity sessions were held via Zoom throughout the summer. Two Ordering of Ministry services were held in person with limited attendance that followed social distancing guidelines. Both were livestreamed through Vimeo and Facebook, so family and friends could watch online. Bishop Laurie Haller officiated all five.
The memorial and retirement services were prerecorded videos that premiered through Facebook and Vimeo.
Two town hall meeting Zoom webinars were offered before the legislative session. The purpose was to allow members to practice voting and to receive reports and presentations that would normally be presented in person during the annual conference session. Each town hall contained different presentations. Both were well attended, and feedback indicated that people would prefer to attend future pre-conference meetings through Zoom.
The laity session also was held last through a Zoom webinar.
The most memorable and impactful guest speaker at the AC2020 legislative session was the Rev. Cephas Z.K. Davis of Des Moines Easton Place United Methodist Church and chair of the Black Ministers Caucus of the Iowa Conference. He spoke about racism in America.
Davis began his presentation with a video clip from The United Methodist Church’s “Dismantling Racism: A Service of Lament.”
“When I'm given the time and allowed 10 minutes to talk about the history of Black and brown bodies in America, then I must echo the voice of our sisters and say, sometimes I feel like a motherless child. When we know that during the formation of our country that, ‘all men are created equal’ was not meant for Black and brown bodies and women — and the church remains silent — then I must shout in the voice of our sisters, and say, sometimes I feel like a motherless child,” said Davis.
Main actions enacted at AC2020:
Action Item #404 updated the responsibilities of the Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence. The updates to that position recognize the impacts of COVID-19 and other current events. The new responsibilities move the focus from the eight-year assessment to developing transformational leadership teams to “facilitate the Bishop’s Anti-Racism Initiative” and “work with local communities/leadership in leadership development and alignment of supports and resources that will include addressing social services which meet immediate symptoms of need and injustice and underlying root systemic causes of social injustice.”
One of the priorities for the Iowa Conference is to create an anti-racist conference. The Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck, Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence, is leading this effort.
This team has three primary tasks that were named at the legislative session:
• Build compassionate relationships that facilitate honest and courageous conversations about our racial identities and experiences.
• Equip clergy, laity and congregations to do anti-racism and equity work within their communities.
• Deepen our understanding of our own (individual and corporate) complicity in systems of oppression, and cultivate spaces and opportunities for learning, confession and action.
Action Item #701 was approved at AC2020. This item reduced the number of districts serving the churches of the Iowa Conference from eight to five. The reduction in districts will take effect on July 1, 2021.
The conference also stepped boldly into the future by setting an exciting new direction with circuit ministry. The Iowa Conference will initiate a rolling implementation of circuits starting Oct. 1 and will begin a new set of circuits every three months.
Those working on guiding this process include the Revs. Bill Poland, Director of New Communities of Faith; Plambeck; Dr. Jaye Johnson, Director of Congregational Excellence; Paul Wilcox, Transitional Superintendent; and Ryan Christenson, Associate Director of Congregational Excellence.
The AC2020 body also approved Action Item #105. Beginning with the 2021 budget, there will no longer be an allowance for unpaid apportionments. This allows the Iowa Conference not to be bound to pay 100% of General Conference apportionments. This change means that the primary decision to pay apportionments is up to the local churches of the Iowa Conference. All apportionment payments by local churches will be sent by the Council on Finance and Administration to the General Church. The council and cabinet are committed to paying 100% of the Iowa Conference’s General Conference apportionments, but this will require all of the Iowa Conference local churches and pastors to be equally committed to 100% payment.
The conference budget for 2021 was approved and included eliminating a line item for “uncollected apportionments.” This has the potential to lower apportionments for all local churches in 2021. However, the closure of churches and any local church decline in giving in the past year will affect how apportionments are shared among the Iowa Conference. The adoption of the 2021 budget also included additional reductions in conference mission and ministry expenses while attempting to recapture the depletion of the spent reserves of 2019 and 2020.
The total for the 2021 budget was approved at $9,724,498. It reflected a reduction of $3.4 million or a negative 25.9%.
At the two Ordering of Ministry services, Elad Shapira, Elizabeth Ann Bell, Courtney Renee Dake, Lisa Donita Schroeder, Derrick Festus Nii Okai Okine and Benjamin Alan Wedeking were ordained as elders. Keith Orland Pitts, Melinda Sue Stonebraker and Melody June Williams were commissioned as provisional elders. Patrick Henry Mulloy was commissioned as a provisional deacon. Danielle Marie Musselman and Catherine Amanda Stokes were commissioned as provisional members preparing for ordained ministry as elders.
Nathanael Tabelisma was recognized as a member of the Iowa Conference by transfer from the Philippines Central Conference. Rebecca Lazarte Tabelisma was recognized as a deaconess in the Iowa Conference by transfer from the Philippines Central Conference. Douglas Lee Amis and Jennifer Lynne Seylar were recognized as associate members. And Kim Annette Dewey, Steven Glen Swenson, Christy Lynn Ehrle, Neil Everett Hofer and Mark W. Morehouse were recognized as Course of Study graduates.
Thirty-four clergy retired and were recognized in the retirement services video.
Twenty-eight clergy, 20 clergy spouses and five closed churches were recognized in the memorial service video. None of the church closures was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or General Conference 2020.
We did not have elections at AC2020. Those elected in 2019 are:
Clergy:
1. Lanette Plambeck
2. Katie Dawson
3. LaTonya Calderon
4. Chad Jennings
5. Nathaniel Nims
6. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz
7. Andrea Kraushaar
8. Frederick Lewis
9. Tyler Schwaller
10. Joshua Steward
11. Sean McRoberts
12. Melissa Warren
Clergy alternates:
1. Barrie Tritle
2. Amy Johnson
3. Matt German
4. Scott Kober
5. William Ranney
6. Brian Oliver
Laity:
1. John Rothlisberger
2. Lynn Calvert
3. Lindsay Drake
4. Erica Shannon Stueve
5. Angela Hansen-Abbas
6. Nitza Dovenspike
7. Rachel Hollingsworth
8. Catherine Rohret
9. Alexe Johnson
10. James Baty
11. Michael Serface
12. Sally Hoelscher
Lay alternates:
1. Rebecca Nims
2. Kae E. Tritle
3. Patrick Mulloy
4. Kathi Mitchell
5. Anne Marie Webb
6. Prudence Klinger
In 2019, five young adults and two youth laity were elected. Of the clergy elected, three are under 35. The Rev. LaTonya Calderon is the first clergywoman of color to be elected to General Conference by the Iowa Annual Conference.
Iowa Annual Conference statistics for 2019
• Membership for 2019 stands at 150,732, down 3% from 2018.
• Worship attendance for 2019 stands at 44,453, down 5% from 2018.
• Total professing members reported at the close of 2019 stands at 150,732, down 3% from 2018.
• Total Christian Formation Group Participants for 2019 stands at 39,862, down 1% from 2018.
• The number of children who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 0-11) for 2019 stands at 12,834, down 3% from 2018.
• The number of youths who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 12-18) for 2019 stands at 6,912, down 1% from 2018.
• The number of young adults who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 19-30) for 2019 stands at 1,659, down 8% from 2018.
• The number of other adults who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 31+) for 2019 stands at 18,457, down less than 1% from 2018.
• The number of persons engaged in missions for 2019 stands at 26,945, up 10% from 2018.
Visit www.iaumc.org/ac2020 for more information about the AC2020 sessions.
— Liz Winders, director of communications
The AC2020 clergy, legislative and laity sessions were held via Zoom throughout the summer. Two Ordering of Ministry services were held in person with limited attendance that followed social distancing guidelines. Both were livestreamed through Vimeo and Facebook, so family and friends could watch online. Bishop Laurie Haller officiated all five.
The memorial and retirement services were prerecorded videos that premiered through Facebook and Vimeo.
Two town hall meeting Zoom webinars were offered before the legislative session. The purpose was to allow members to practice voting and to receive reports and presentations that would normally be presented in person during the annual conference session. Each town hall contained different presentations. Both were well attended, and feedback indicated that people would prefer to attend future pre-conference meetings through Zoom.
The laity session also was held last through a Zoom webinar.
The most memorable and impactful guest speaker at the AC2020 legislative session was the Rev. Cephas Z.K. Davis of Des Moines Easton Place United Methodist Church and chair of the Black Ministers Caucus of the Iowa Conference. He spoke about racism in America.
Davis began his presentation with a video clip from The United Methodist Church’s “Dismantling Racism: A Service of Lament.”
“When I'm given the time and allowed 10 minutes to talk about the history of Black and brown bodies in America, then I must echo the voice of our sisters and say, sometimes I feel like a motherless child. When we know that during the formation of our country that, ‘all men are created equal’ was not meant for Black and brown bodies and women — and the church remains silent — then I must shout in the voice of our sisters, and say, sometimes I feel like a motherless child,” said Davis.
Main actions enacted at AC2020:
Action Item #404 updated the responsibilities of the Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence. The updates to that position recognize the impacts of COVID-19 and other current events. The new responsibilities move the focus from the eight-year assessment to developing transformational leadership teams to “facilitate the Bishop’s Anti-Racism Initiative” and “work with local communities/leadership in leadership development and alignment of supports and resources that will include addressing social services which meet immediate symptoms of need and injustice and underlying root systemic causes of social injustice.”
One of the priorities for the Iowa Conference is to create an anti-racist conference. The Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck, Director of Clergy and Leadership Excellence, is leading this effort.
This team has three primary tasks that were named at the legislative session:
• Build compassionate relationships that facilitate honest and courageous conversations about our racial identities and experiences.
• Equip clergy, laity and congregations to do anti-racism and equity work within their communities.
• Deepen our understanding of our own (individual and corporate) complicity in systems of oppression, and cultivate spaces and opportunities for learning, confession and action.
Action Item #701 was approved at AC2020. This item reduced the number of districts serving the churches of the Iowa Conference from eight to five. The reduction in districts will take effect on July 1, 2021.
The conference also stepped boldly into the future by setting an exciting new direction with circuit ministry. The Iowa Conference will initiate a rolling implementation of circuits starting Oct. 1 and will begin a new set of circuits every three months.
Those working on guiding this process include the Revs. Bill Poland, Director of New Communities of Faith; Plambeck; Dr. Jaye Johnson, Director of Congregational Excellence; Paul Wilcox, Transitional Superintendent; and Ryan Christenson, Associate Director of Congregational Excellence.
The AC2020 body also approved Action Item #105. Beginning with the 2021 budget, there will no longer be an allowance for unpaid apportionments. This allows the Iowa Conference not to be bound to pay 100% of General Conference apportionments. This change means that the primary decision to pay apportionments is up to the local churches of the Iowa Conference. All apportionment payments by local churches will be sent by the Council on Finance and Administration to the General Church. The council and cabinet are committed to paying 100% of the Iowa Conference’s General Conference apportionments, but this will require all of the Iowa Conference local churches and pastors to be equally committed to 100% payment.
The conference budget for 2021 was approved and included eliminating a line item for “uncollected apportionments.” This has the potential to lower apportionments for all local churches in 2021. However, the closure of churches and any local church decline in giving in the past year will affect how apportionments are shared among the Iowa Conference. The adoption of the 2021 budget also included additional reductions in conference mission and ministry expenses while attempting to recapture the depletion of the spent reserves of 2019 and 2020.
The total for the 2021 budget was approved at $9,724,498. It reflected a reduction of $3.4 million or a negative 25.9%.
At the two Ordering of Ministry services, Elad Shapira, Elizabeth Ann Bell, Courtney Renee Dake, Lisa Donita Schroeder, Derrick Festus Nii Okai Okine and Benjamin Alan Wedeking were ordained as elders. Keith Orland Pitts, Melinda Sue Stonebraker and Melody June Williams were commissioned as provisional elders. Patrick Henry Mulloy was commissioned as a provisional deacon. Danielle Marie Musselman and Catherine Amanda Stokes were commissioned as provisional members preparing for ordained ministry as elders.
Nathanael Tabelisma was recognized as a member of the Iowa Conference by transfer from the Philippines Central Conference. Rebecca Lazarte Tabelisma was recognized as a deaconess in the Iowa Conference by transfer from the Philippines Central Conference. Douglas Lee Amis and Jennifer Lynne Seylar were recognized as associate members. And Kim Annette Dewey, Steven Glen Swenson, Christy Lynn Ehrle, Neil Everett Hofer and Mark W. Morehouse were recognized as Course of Study graduates.
Thirty-four clergy retired and were recognized in the retirement services video.
Twenty-eight clergy, 20 clergy spouses and five closed churches were recognized in the memorial service video. None of the church closures was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or General Conference 2020.
We did not have elections at AC2020. Those elected in 2019 are:
Clergy:
1. Lanette Plambeck
2. Katie Dawson
3. LaTonya Calderon
4. Chad Jennings
5. Nathaniel Nims
6. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz
7. Andrea Kraushaar
8. Frederick Lewis
9. Tyler Schwaller
10. Joshua Steward
11. Sean McRoberts
12. Melissa Warren
Clergy alternates:
1. Barrie Tritle
2. Amy Johnson
3. Matt German
4. Scott Kober
5. William Ranney
6. Brian Oliver
Laity:
1. John Rothlisberger
2. Lynn Calvert
3. Lindsay Drake
4. Erica Shannon Stueve
5. Angela Hansen-Abbas
6. Nitza Dovenspike
7. Rachel Hollingsworth
8. Catherine Rohret
9. Alexe Johnson
10. James Baty
11. Michael Serface
12. Sally Hoelscher
Lay alternates:
1. Rebecca Nims
2. Kae E. Tritle
3. Patrick Mulloy
4. Kathi Mitchell
5. Anne Marie Webb
6. Prudence Klinger
In 2019, five young adults and two youth laity were elected. Of the clergy elected, three are under 35. The Rev. LaTonya Calderon is the first clergywoman of color to be elected to General Conference by the Iowa Annual Conference.
Iowa Annual Conference statistics for 2019
• Membership for 2019 stands at 150,732, down 3% from 2018.
• Worship attendance for 2019 stands at 44,453, down 5% from 2018.
• Total professing members reported at the close of 2019 stands at 150,732, down 3% from 2018.
• Total Christian Formation Group Participants for 2019 stands at 39,862, down 1% from 2018.
• The number of children who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 0-11) for 2019 stands at 12,834, down 3% from 2018.
• The number of youths who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 12-18) for 2019 stands at 6,912, down 1% from 2018.
• The number of young adults who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 19-30) for 2019 stands at 1,659, down 8% from 2018.
• The number of other adults who were Christian Formation Groups participants and leaders (ages 31+) for 2019 stands at 18,457, down less than 1% from 2018.
• The number of persons engaged in missions for 2019 stands at 26,945, up 10% from 2018.
Visit www.iaumc.org/ac2020 for more information about the AC2020 sessions.
— Liz Winders, director of communications
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