Newsletter: September 2026
UMV Outing at the Alliance Gathering in Zeeland Michigan
Well over 30 persons from the Upper Mississippi Valley Network attended the recent Alliance Gathering in Zeeland, Michigan in mid-August. Filled with time for worship, equipping, fellowship and relationships, those who attended were blessed with the time with our national denomination.
Network leaders from the UMV, Horizon (NW Iowa) and Light for the Nations (mostly NE churches) thought it would be fun to do an outing to enjoying the area and get to know others in the Alliance. We visited a local ice cream shop called Captain Sundae (amazingly fast service) and then went the "the beach" at Tunnel Park. Over 50 persons from the three networks attended! We had a lot of fun.
Solitude, Silence and Prayer: Pastor's Retreat
Fourteen pastors took time to rest, recover and connect with God and each other from September 9-11 in Walker, Iowa at the Ridge Haven Cono Retreat Center. We focused on Solitude, Silence and Prayer guided by Henri Nouwen's The Way of the Heart. Jeff Allen also provided tools for prayer and how we think about our times with God in prayer. We had great meals, times of rest, we're well cared for and had a lot of fun at activities after dinner. We played a version of volleyball where the balls get increasingly larger, archery tag and floor hockey! Other than some sore muscles, we all had a lot of fun.
East Central Cluster Revitalization Mini Conference
The East Central Cluster* took part in our second Revitalization Mini Conference on September 12th. Seventeen pastors and Consistory members from Cedar Hills, Northridge, Trinity Pella and New Life Coralville heard from Network Pastor/Leader Ron Fischer, Pastor Thomas Cellilli, Pastor Luke Schouten and Thrive Coaching Network Pastor Jeff Allen on a variety of topics as we look to the future of what is coming and focus on Jesus' heart to love and make disciples.
Our next Revitalization Mini Conference is scheduled for November 14th in the Valley Cluster** at Crossview Church in Fulton, IL. More information for those churches will follow.
*East Central Cluster is made up of churches from Northridge, New Life Coralville, Trinity Pella, Cedar Hills and First Sully
**the Valley Cluster is made up of churches from Emmanuel Morrison, Ebenezer Morrison, Crossview Fulton, First Fulton, Spring Valley Fulton, New Life Fenton, Thorn Creek South Holland and Grace Community Clinton.
2027 Cost of Living Recommendation
Our friends from the Midwest Network produce an excellent report each year on "Cost of Living" recommendations and we wanted to pass this on to you for your consideration. Tap/click the button below to download a one-page pdf with
Dear Clerks and Consistories:
The Midwest Network Admin Team is providing the following guide to assist your team to make appropriate adjustments to compensation. There are several factors to consider:
Performance - We strongly encourage the leadership at your church to have a conversation about compensation that is based on performance, a clearly defined job description and mission. If you need assistance with this, please contact us.
Cost of Living (COL) - A cost-of-living increase is intended to maintain the buying power of the base salary. (See explanation below)
Generosity - Performance and COL are related to “fairness.” As Christians we must also ask if we’re being generous. Does your Pastor feel fairly treated or blessed? (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
Other - It is also appropriate to consider increased or decreased responsibilities, church growth or special circumstances.
Our process for evaluation of compensation includes study of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) using figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for July 2026 and discussion with compensation specialists in our area. We then collectively make our best evaluation on the probable values at the end of the year. The overall rate recognizes all factors, including housing and utilities. Based on the data analyzed, a cost-of-living increase of 3% would be appropriate for 2027.
Based on the data analyzed, a cost-of-living increase of 3% would be appropriate for 2027. Tap/click below to download the full cost of living recommendation PDF.
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