Day 2 - Iowa Annual Conference

The main task of the Annual Conference this year has been looking at an overview of the ministry and budget of our conference. Our conference budget is over $13 million in apportionments. It seems as we move quickly through our legislation that as a whole the plan, vision and budgeting of our conference are firmly supported by the members of the Annual Conference. As we focus on our ministry of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world we are unified.
There are still areas of debate, but most have been kept from the conference floor and gives a much more positive feeling to the conference.
Another area of hope brought to our attention was the Bishop's Challenge to raise funds for Nothing But Nets. The Bishop's goal was for our conference to raise $100,000. Well, at the beginning of conference we were near $193,000. A challenge was made to get us over $200,000 by the end of conference. Each district was challenged to raise some funds and at last count our district, the East Central had raised of $2,000 as the top district so far. There was also a pleasant surprise of a check for over $1,000 given through a fund raising project done by the 8th graders of Mid-Prairie Middle School, which is near our home. So at our last count we were at $199,000. We will soon raise enough money to protect 20,000 families from malaria. That is a future with hope and we are a part of that.