Newsletter: april 2026
UMV 2026: Learning and Leading the Way
You are invited to our 3rd annual meeting on June 13 from 9am to 2pm at Sully First Reformed Church in Sully, Iowa! Breakout sessions are being finalized and there will be some good ones! Hear new Pathways Director David Rylaarsdam speak and meet Alliance Executive Director Greg Alderman. Our friends from Serge, Coram Deo, Vital Church, Thrive and Chemistry Staffing will be in attendance. We are also working with a new partner that can help churches with funding building campaigns and other financial needs.Pastors will also be invited to a learning opportunity on Friday, June 12th led by the UMV Ordination Team.There is no charge for the annual meeting and breakfast and lunch are provided as well as snacks, vendors, breakout sessions and the keynote speaker.All members, pastors, staff and Consistory members are invited. We have secured a block of rooms at Western Inn & Suites in Grinnell, IA but you need to call by phone to get the rate. Call 641-236-7888 before June 1st and mention UMV Network to get the special rate of $65 per night!We are asking all attendees to register for the annual meeting to help us plan, so please tap/click the button link below to let us know you’ll be there.
Conflict in our Lives & Churches
BY LUKE SCHOUTEN
Conflict is inevitable in our lives. It happens in our families, our workplaces, and yes, even churches. As a pastor I have experienced conflict within the church and have also discovered I have a lot to learn about resolving conflict. Conflict within the church has harmed relationships, moved pastors to leave ministry and even bring about the death of a church. People leave over conflict, people are painfully hurt by conflict and unfortunately most conflict doesn’t get resolved in a healthy manner.
The Tricky Nature of "Love" Offerings
Churches and leaders have long used "love offerings", retirement and thank you gifts as a way to "bless" a ministry or person. But, by IRS code, you have to do them correctly or the individual and/or church can face stiff tax penalties.This article from Church Tax and Law speaks to the correct way of doing "love offerings." If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
The Next Revitalization Mini Conference Ready to Go
Our first Revitalization Mini Conference was a success! We had 33 in attendance from eight churches! Reviews were wonderfully positive.Our next Revitalization Mini Conference for churches to explore new ways of looking at their communities and their churches will be Saturday, September 12th at New Life Community Church in Coralville, IA. This mini conference is for the East Central cluster churches.*This will be a unique approach to a “conference” where the actual conference will present and explore ideas through collaboration and relational interactions. We welcome Jeff Allen from Thrive Coaching Network as well as Network Leader Ron Fischer, OT Coordinator Thomas Cellilli and CKT Coordinator Luke Schouten as facilitators of our time.The mini conference is free and lunch is provided. Invitations to East Central churches will be sent with registration information when we get closer. We are asking that Consistory member attendance is most important!*East Central cluster churches are: Christ's Family, Northridge, New Life, Sully First, Trinity Pella and Cedar Hills.
New resources on the website
New resources have been uploaded to the UMV Network website. Specifically, there is now a link to a downloadable sheet for information on compensation surveys.
Recent UMV Network Articles
