Assembly Information Page

2011 Assembly
Preliminary Assembly Information International Association of Women Ministers IAWM Annual Assembly - July 2011 in St. Croix, Minnesota The 2011 Assembly will be held july 25-28 at Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center on the St. Croix River in Marine in St. Croix, Minnesota. The theme will be, "Baptism and Our Call to Ministry." (near St. Paul, Minn.) Baptism and Ordination Are Focus of 2011 Assembly "Faith on Fire: Our Baptismal Call" is the theme of the 2011 IAWM Assembly which will take place at Dunrovin Retreat Center, about 12 miles from St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 25 to 28. Dr. Lois Malcolm, associate professor of Systematic Theology at Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, who is a laywoman, will lead the exploration. Asked to describe her development of the theme, she titled her presentations "Baptism into Christ.s Image and the Gifts of the Spirit." She said, "We will explore what it means to be baptized into Christ.s image. What does it mean to be baptized into Christ.s death and resurrection? What does it mean to be a child of God who has received Jesus. Spirit (Galatians 4:6)? How does the Spirit transform us into Christ.s image? Most important, how does the Spirit fill us with power and with gifts for service in the church and in the world." The choice of the Assembly theme arose out of issues raised at the last two IAWM Assemblies. At our 90th Anniversary Assembly in 2010 in Pittsburgh the Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund challenged us to ponder how IAWM.s needed focus on ordination over the years may have clouded our understanding of the common calling we have through our baptisms to proclaim the gospel During the Niagara Falls Assembly last year conversation around our common calling was a dominant side conversation. In our midst were a few women who are not ordained but are actively involved in ministry within their denominations. They pushed us to become more aware of how ordained women see lay women like them as colleagues and how we see the laity in our congregations as partners in ministry with us. Assembly Site Dunrovin Retreat Center, where these deliberations will take place, is located on 50 secluded acres on Minnesota.s side of the St. Croix River about 13 miles from St. Paul, Minnesota. The main building sleeps 46 adults in 38 single rooms, one double room and three suites. A cottage sleeps two and a newly renovated River Cabin sleeps two. The central building is handicapped accessible for day usage, but rooms are not wheelchair accessible. The center is air-conditioned. Executive Board Members of the Executive board will arrive Sunday afternoon. The board meeting will begin after dinner Sunday and continue on Monday morning and in the afternoon if necessary. Assembly Program The Assembly program planned by co-chairs Karen Zutz Rendall and Janet Shannon opens with registration at the center beginning at 3 p.m. Monday, July 25. Assembly begins with a dinner cruise on the St. Croix River, a National Scenic Waterway. Opening worship will follow at Dunrovin after the return cruise. Dr. Lois Malcolm will present three times on Tuesday morning and afternoon.. A brief business session will conclude the morning. On Tuesday evening a panel of lay women consisting of Doris Campbell, Rhonda Hill and Melinda (Mindi) Thompson will describe their ministries. During 51 years of marriage to a Presbyterian clergyman Doris Campbell has served on presbytery and synod Councils on Women and the Church and United Presbyterian Women offices. After being moderator of the Synod of the Covenant she joined its staff as Associate for Mission Interpretation and Stewardship in 1987 for 15 and a half years. She continues in many activities at the local and presbytery levels. Since earning a master.s degree in marriage and family therapy, Rhonda Hill works with individuals and families and helps to build effective relationships with congregations and non-profit agencies to strengthen communities. She has a special interest in couples. therapy, healthy relationship training and women.s issues and trained in EMDR, a method used to treat trauma victims. Her work with Urban Block Builders was recognized by Cardinal Strich as a "Sign of Hope." Currently she serves the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as assistant to the bishop and Director of Discipleship. Melinda (Mindi) Thompson serves as Director of Distance Education and assistant professor of Old Testament at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Before joining the UDTS faculty, she completed a Ph.D. in Scripture (Old Testament emphasis) at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the past year she changed her membership from the Independent Christian Churches/ Churches of Christ to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church which recently approved a measure allowing for women.s ordination in non-geographic presbyteries. Thompson presented material about preaching/homiletics to the IAWM Assembly held in Dubuque in 2007. Wednesday Activities The International Report will follow breakfast on Wednesday morning. Wednesday afternoon is free time. Among the activities from which to choose will be trolly tours in Stillwater (there are several different options), Antique Browsing, a trip to the Mall of America or to William O.Brian State Park. Swamping and boating are available on the Dunrovin River. St. Paul officers a famed Science Museum and other attractions. A list will be available and transportation will be arranged. Devotions will follow breakfast on Thursday morning. A business session precedes the closing memorial service and Holy Communion. Installation of officers and lunch conclude Assembly.. Assembly participants who complete their registration forms with details of their arrival plans will be met at the airport, bus or train station and driven to Dunrovin. Transportation to points of departure will be arranged on Thursday morning. Expenses The non-refundable registration fees are $95.00 full time or $50.00 for one day plus one meal. Cost of a room for three nights plus all meals is $250.00 per person. This includes the cost of the river cruise dinner on the first night but not expenses for free time on Wednesday. Wednesday dinner at Dunrovin Retreat Center is included. Anyone wishing to arrive a day early or stay an extra night at the end of Assembly may do so for $78.00 for room and meals. Single meals cost $7.00 for breakfast and $10.00 for dinner. A one day registration fee plus lunch or dinner costs $50.00. All costs are in U.S. dollars. Note any need for extra meals when registering. Driving Take Interstate 94 or highway 96 east to highway 95. Dunrovin Retreat Center is nine miles north of Stillwater, Minn. in Marine-on-St. Croix on route 95. Turn right at the second sign for it going north. Registration Form -- Click Here!

2011 Assembly

Preliminary Assembly Information
International Association of Women Ministers

IAWM Annual Assembly - July 2011 in St. Croix, Minnesota

The 2011 Assembly will be held july 25-28 at Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center on the St. Croix River in Marine in St. Croix, Minnesota. The theme will be, "Baptism and Our Call to Ministry." (near St. Paul, Minn.)

Baptism and Ordination Are Focus of 2011 Assembly

"Faith on Fire: Our Baptismal Call" is the theme of the 2011 IAWM Assembly which will take place at Dunrovin Retreat Center, about 12 miles from St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 25 to 28. Dr. Lois Malcolm, associate professor of Systematic Theology at Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, who is a laywoman, will lead the exploration.

Asked to describe her development of the theme, she titled her presentations "Baptism into Christ.s Image and the Gifts of the Spirit." She said, "We will explore what it means to be baptized into Christ.s image. What does it mean to be baptized into Christ.s death and resurrection? What does it mean to be a child of God who has received Jesus. Spirit (Galatians 4:6)? How does the Spirit transform us into Christ.s image? Most important, how does the Spirit fill us with power and with gifts for service in the church and in the world."

The choice of the Assembly theme arose out of issues raised at the last two IAWM Assemblies.

At our 90th Anniversary Assembly in 2010 in Pittsburgh the Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund challenged us to ponder how IAWM.s needed focus on ordination over the years may have clouded our understanding of the common calling we have through our baptisms to proclaim the gospel During the Niagara Falls Assembly last year conversation around our common calling was a dominant side conversation. In our midst were a few women who are not ordained but are actively involved in ministry within their denominations. They pushed us to become more aware of how ordained women see lay women like them as colleagues and how we see the laity in our congregations as partners in ministry with us.

Assembly Site

Dunrovin Retreat Center, where these deliberations will take place, is located on 50 secluded acres on Minnesota.s side of the St. Croix River about 13 miles from St. Paul, Minnesota. The main building sleeps 46 adults in 38 single rooms, one double room and three suites. A cottage sleeps two and a newly renovated River Cabin sleeps two. The central building is handicapped accessible for day usage, but rooms are not wheelchair accessible. The center is air-conditioned.

Executive Board

Members of the Executive board will arrive Sunday afternoon. The board meeting will begin after dinner Sunday and continue on Monday morning and in the afternoon if necessary.

Assembly Program

The Assembly program planned by co-chairs Karen Zutz Rendall and Janet Shannon opens with registration at the center beginning at 3 p.m. Monday, July 25. Assembly begins with a dinner cruise on the St. Croix River, a National Scenic Waterway. Opening worship will follow at Dunrovin after the return cruise.

Dr. Lois Malcolm will present three times on Tuesday morning and afternoon.. A brief business session will conclude the morning.

On Tuesday evening a panel of lay women consisting of Doris Campbell, Rhonda Hill and Melinda (Mindi) Thompson will describe their ministries.

During 51 years of marriage to a Presbyterian clergyman Doris Campbell has served on presbytery and synod Councils on Women and the Church and United Presbyterian Women offices. After being moderator of the Synod of the Covenant she joined its staff as Associate for Mission Interpretation and Stewardship in 1987 for 15 and a half years. She continues in many activities at the local and presbytery levels.

Since earning a master.s degree in marriage and family therapy, Rhonda Hill works with individuals and families and helps to build effective relationships with congregations and non-profit agencies to strengthen communities. She has a special interest in couples. therapy, healthy relationship training and women.s issues and trained in EMDR, a method used to treat trauma victims. Her work with Urban Block Builders was recognized by Cardinal Strich as a "Sign of Hope." Currently she serves the Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as assistant to the bishop and Director of Discipleship.

Melinda (Mindi) Thompson serves as Director of Distance Education and assistant professor of Old Testament at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Before joining the UDTS faculty, she completed a Ph.D. in Scripture (Old Testament emphasis) at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. During the past year she changed her membership from the Independent Christian Churches/ Churches of Christ to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church which recently approved a measure allowing for women.s ordination in non-geographic presbyteries. Thompson presented material about preaching/homiletics to the IAWM Assembly held in Dubuque in 2007.

Wednesday Activities

The International Report will follow breakfast on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday afternoon is free time. Among the activities from which to choose will be trolly tours in Stillwater (there are several different options), Antique Browsing, a trip to the Mall of America or to William O.Brian State Park. Swamping and boating are available on the Dunrovin River. St. Paul officers a famed Science Museum and other attractions. A list will be available and transportation will be arranged.

Devotions will follow breakfast on Thursday morning. A business session precedes the closing memorial service and Holy Communion. Installation of officers and lunch conclude Assembly..

Assembly participants who complete their registration forms with details of their arrival plans will be met at the airport, bus or train station and driven to Dunrovin. Transportation to points of departure will be arranged on Thursday morning.

Expenses

The non-refundable registration fees are $95.00 full time or $50.00 for one day plus one meal. Cost of a room for three nights plus all meals is $250.00 per person. This includes the cost of the river cruise dinner on the first night but not expenses for free time on Wednesday. Wednesday dinner at Dunrovin Retreat Center is included. Anyone wishing to arrive a day early or stay an extra night at the end of Assembly may do so for $78.00 for room and meals. Single meals cost $7.00 for breakfast and $10.00 for dinner. A one day registration fee plus lunch or dinner costs $50.00. All costs are in U.S. dollars. Note any need for extra meals when registering.

Driving

Take Interstate 94 or highway 96 east to highway 95. Dunrovin Retreat Center is nine miles north of Stillwater, Minn. in Marine-on-St. Croix on route 95. Turn right at the second sign for it going north.