Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy logo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altoona, Iowa

            

 

Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy logo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altoona, Iowa

            

 

 

 

Important links: 

 

Stay connected with us as we worship online. We worship on Wednesday evenings at 7pm or Sunday mornings at 10:30am on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Click on one of the words below and they will link you to the correct website. You can worship with us on Facebook 

(click the word "Facebook" below).

Or you can worship with us on YouTube

(click the word "YouTube" below).

 

YouTube 

Facebook 

 

Find weekly worship bulletins, hymns, & previous worship services here

 

Have a prayer request? Email Pastor Dani or click here. 

 

Want to financially support Centennial UMC at Ivy online? Click here.

 

 

Update from may 20: 

 

After the CDC announced new regulations for fully vaccinated folks on May 13, 2021, 

Centennial UMC at Ivy will begin phasing quicker toward Green Phase status.

 See below for our new updates & how we will continue to phase 

toward Green Phase in the coming weeks:   

 

*MASKS ARE NOW OPTIONAL. In compliance with CDC guidelines and the Annual Conference recommendations, masks are optional within the building and in worship. In order to protect those with continuing vulnerabilities, we ask that adults who are not fully vaccinated wear masks and that all of us continue social distancing for now. While masks are optional, anyone who prefers to continue to mask in the building is always welcome to do so as they feel led.

 

*Only five pews in the sanctuary are sectioned off now for distancing. Our capacity in the sanctuary is now approx. 63 people. Two pews are open with one pew separating to help with distancing and in a few weeks, we’ll likely go back to full capacity.

  

*On Sunday, May 23, 2021 we will reinstate fellowship time! Servers have been identified through May and most of June, but you can sign up to serve at fellowship on the whiteboard in the narthex. Fellowship time until further notice has these restrictions:

-No full meals or potluck dishes. We will serve prepackaged or individually wrapped food items for now. (ex: cookies, mini bags of chips, crackers, brownies, small bags of popcorn, granola bars, crackers & cheese, carrots, etc. Homemade is ok if brought individually wrapped).

 

-Folks are welcome to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets to enjoy fellowship outdoors, otherwise please sit 4 seats to a table in the fellowship hall (we will increase this number in the coming weeks).

 

Click here to see our updated COVID-19 phases chart as of May 20, 2021. 

 

UPDATES FROM FEBRUARY 6:

 

Friends, after our most recent worship committee meeting, we have decided to begin trying in-person worshiop on Sunday mornings beginning on Sunday, February 14 at 10:30am. As you are likely aware, returning to worship will look quite different from the last time we worshipped together inside 11 months ago in March. We have certain guidelines to try and help keep us safe as we return. Please read the full set of guidelines attached to a PDF below before you decide to attend worship with us in person. Here are a few important reminders as we prepare to return: 

 

  • Ushers will begin seating you at 10:20AM and all who come to attend worship will need to be seated by an usher to help with physical distancing. 
  • Masks are required inside the church building (worship leaders may remove their masks during worship to sing/read/pray but will be more than 15 ft away from the first open pew when doing so). 
  • Worship online & on the radio in Ivy's parking lot will continue to be available.
  • Our sanctuary capacity is less than half at this point. We can only seat about 36 people. If you arrive after we meet our capacity, we can seat you in the narthex or the fellowship hall, or you can worship from your car on the radio.
  • Wednesday night worship will stay online for the time being. We will ccontinue to worship online and gather virtually for the near future.
  • Please be patient with us! We have never done this before and we will make mistakes-- but I can't wait to begin seeing you again soon. We will try our best to gather in safe & healthy ways and we will need your help, patience, and forgiveness along the journey!

Click here to read the full guidelines. 

 

Updates from november 20: 

 

Bishop Laurie Haller, the Bishop of the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church issued a directive to all Iowa United Methodist Churches directing all clergy and churches to cease in-person indoor activities and worship services until at least January 10, 2021 due to the rising cases of COVID-19 accross the state of Iowa. 

 

This means, we will have no indoor events or worship services until January 10, 2021. You can join us for worship on Sundays online or on the radio in our parking lot (tune to 88.5 FM) at 10:30am. And you can join us for Worship on Wednesday at 7pm online until further notice. Follow along on our website to find our specific information for particular Advent & Christmas events. 

 

To read the Directive and Pastoral Letter written by Bishop Haller, click here. 

 

----

 

Updates from October 1: 

 

Click here to find our building restrictions and regulations for all meetings and gatherings (both indoor & outdoor). 

 

Click here to find our plans to return to indoor Sunday morning worship, beginning Sunday, October 18. 

 

Click here to find our phased plans to return to worshipping and gathering together during this pandemic. We are currently existing in most of the recommendations from Yellow Phase 2. 

 

Updates sent on wednesday, june 24: 

 

 

It’s been over three months since we gathered for an in-person worship service in our beautiful sanctuary. I grieve the time we’ve not spent in-person worshipping and I also celebrate how creatively we have felt called to be the church throughout these months. Thank you for your continued patience, prayers, and support! 

 

On Monday evening, I met with the church committee chairs and we looked at plans of reopening. As time moves on and much of our city reopens, we still take seriously the guidance of our Bishop Laurie Haller who has committed to placing our Wesleyan values at the forefront of her guidance for the Annual Conference. All of that being said, we will continue to worship online until further notice. We will not host in-person indoor worship services in the month of July, however, the CDC determined outdoor gatherings are less risky. As a result, we hope to plan at least one outdoor gathering again in the month of July to encourage safe fellowship. We had an outstanding gathering over ice cream on Saturday, June 20 to celebrate the first day of summer and we look forward to hosting more similar events and gatherings. 

 

Click here for the CDC article on outdoor gatherings.

  

I’ll continue to meet regularly with the committee chairs to determine when the best time will be for us to return to in-person indoor worship. In our planning for reopening, we have and will continue to carefully consider the recommendations from health officials and the Iowa Annual Conference to determine how we can best safely gather. The Iowa Annual Conference recently created recommendations on phasing and the returning of worship and other gatherings. With the help of the communications committee, we are modifying these recommendations to a plan specifically for our community at Ivy. You will receive this document in the coming weeks to hopefully help you and your family consider how you plan to stay connected with our church in worship, small groups, events and gatherings, and more throughout this season. 

 

I continue to be in prayer for you, your safety, and your health in this time. I truly believe we are all doing the best we can and I experience God’s patience, support, and comfort in the moments where I witness the grace you generously pour out for one another. Thank you for offering this gift to each other, to our world, and to God. 

 

The love in you--which is the Spirit in you--always somehow says yes. Love is not something you do; love is something you are. It is your True Self. Love is where you came from and love is where you’re going. It’s not something you can buy. It’s not something you can attain. It’s the presence of God within you, called the Holy Spirit or what some theologians name uncreated grace.”
-Richard Rohr
 
With peace,
 
Pastor Dani Musselman
Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy

 

UPDATES SENT ON wednesday, may 27: 

Beloved people of Centennial UMC at Ivy,
 
I believe all of us at Ivy are longing to gather again in person as we miss gathering for worship, for hugs, and for delicious food and coffee around a shared table in the fellowship hall. I hope you know that you are missed and loved and remembered in this time and we all look forward to joining again when we trust it is safe for us to do so. Thank you for your patience and prayers as I work with church leadership to determine next steps toward returning to in-person worship. 
 
With the high number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in Polk County and with the recommendation of the Bishop, the leadership of Ivy and I have prayerfully decided to cancel or postpone all in-person worship events and services in our church building through June 30. You can find Bishop Laurie Haller's letter attached to this email. We will redetermine if July is appropriate for us to reopen our building on June 22 and will keep you posted as to what will be our next course of action. After reflection on the physical distancing recommendations from the Office of the Iowa Annual Conference concerning worship at this time and with the continued high level of COVID-19 cases in Polk County, the leadership and I felt it was best to wait a little while longer before returning to in-person gatherings. In this time, we are returning to the roots of those in the first church, remembered in Acts, who experienced and worshipped God not just in the temple, but also outdoors and in their individual homes (Acts 2:1-13; 43-47). 
 
We also want to hear from you! We want to know how you feel about returning to the church building for worship services, meetings, and events. So we will be sending out a survey soon which will help us at our next leadership meetings to determine when we feel it is best to return to in person worship and events. You'll receive this survey via email or in the mail. We hope you will take a few moments to take this survey and return it to us as soon as possible. 
 
I trust that this prayer will guide us as we enter another month of this pandemic, praying for those with the virus, for the safety of us all, and for the hope that we will return once again gathering together safely and with open and ready hearts:
 
Creator God, you show up in every place. We find you in our living room and on the sidewalk. We find you at the grocery store and in our driveways. In video chats with friends and phone conversations with loved ones. In cards we send to one another, just to say "hello."  God, be among us now, in every place we are and with every feeling we encounter. Among the feelings of frustration, may we find You in the smile we notice from our neighbor. Among the moments of loneliness, may we find You in the unexpected cardinal that stops to sit in our tree for a visit. Among the feelings of joy and celebration, may we find You providing us with peace and courage. 
This is our prayer, as we still wait to embrace one another again. 
May you give us the strength and courage to wait a little while longer,
praying that the waiting is what offers our care for one another. 
Amen.
 
Please see the announcements below on how to stay connected with our church as we continue worshipping, gathering, and being the church together online. 
Find all links, updates, & more at our website: ivycentennial.org 
 
Worship: Please join us for worship tonight (Wednesday) at 7pm for our last WOW (Worship on Wednesday) until the end of summer. Visit ivycentennial.org for links to worship services.
This Sunday we'll worship live on Zoom! You can join us on Zoom to see others who will be worshipping with you and to join us in a live worship service. We'll join for singing, prayer, a reflection, and live communion. Please come with your own gifts of bread and juice. 
Or, if you don't have the Zoom application, you can join the worship service by phone. Call this number at the time of worship: 312-626-6799. The Meeting ID # is 878 6950 6044. You'll be prompted to click the # button twice and then you'll join the worship service! I hope you'll join us! 
 
Small Groups: Since the pandemic began, we have continued to prioritize small group ministry opportunities, such as hosting game nights and Youth Group on Zoom, offering a Pie Baking Class on Zoom with the Education Committee, and more. We will continue prioritizing small group meetings online over the summer and new groups will be emerging soon. Keep on the lookout for new ways to get involved with a virtual small group or group event at Centennial UMC at Ivy. 
 
Supporting our ministries: As you consider how you'd like to continue financially supporting the ministries of our church and our community at this time, you're invited to send your gifts in the mail or to donate through our online giving page. You can also donate financial gifts to support Caring Hands Food Pantry in Altoona by sending your gifts to our church (with a note designating the gift for the Food Pantry) and we will forward your gifts to the food pantry each month. Your gifts to the church and the food pantry will show up on your giving statements. If you send your gifts in the mail, please send to: 9150 NE University Ave PO Box 624 Altoona, IA 50009 or by dropping the gift off in a basket in the narthex of the church. 
 
 
Again, I thank you for the love, support, and compassion you have shared with the church in new ways. Please know I am praying for you and your families and I look forward to seeing you again soon. 
 
With love & grace,

 

Pastor Dani Musselman
Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy
pastordanim@gmail.com

 

 

UPDATES SENT ON TUESDAY, APRIL 28: 

 

Friends and folks of Centennial UMC at Ivy,

 

I sit here behind the keyboard of my computer to greet you once again through email and inform you of more updates concerning our church in response to the continued spread of COVID-19 in our community and around the world. Most of our current ministries happen in front of our computers and behind our keyboards and it's been an interesting five weeks. I give thanks for your patience, support, prayers, and love. 

 

While our governor recently issued a proclamation concerning the reopening of some counties, businesses, and churches across the state of Iowa, our Bishop Laurie Haller, encouraged Iowa United Methodists to slow down before beginning in-person worship and events again. As a result and with the support of church leadership, all in-person events and worship services will be cancelled or postponed through the month of May and we will reconsider opening up in June on May 26. More information will be shared soon via email about how we hope to support and celebrate mother's for Mother's Day (May 10) and Graduates for Graduation Sunday (May 24).

 

Just as you have in your personal lives, we too have been adapting quickly to the ways of physical distancing, while continuing to be the church. None of us have been trained to exist and support one another in the midst of a pandemic so we need to keep in mind that we are all trying our best. I grieve that we cannot yet physically gather in good conscience, yet I give thanks for the ways in which we have all worked hard to stay connected and share the love of Christ whose love does not stop-- even for a pandemic. See below how you can interact with and join us in ministry at Centennial UMC at Ivy this week: 

 

Worship: Join us for worship on Wednesday at 7pm and Sunday at 10:30am. We post worship videos to Facebook and YouTube and you can find video links on our website: ivycentennial.org. Simply click on one of the links to find the videos for worship and more. 

 

Connections: We have asked folks to call, text, email, and simply check in on each other and we pray that you will continue to make this a priority in your life. While we cannot see one another at church right now, we are inviting you all to call one another to simply say hello. For some of us, it's returning to what we used to do more often, and for others, it's something we already do. Thank you for reaching out and praying for each other. 

 

Other ways to connect with the church include visiting the new page on our website called "Tell a Friend Tuesday." Every Tuesday we update you all with photos, videos, posts, and more on what your friends at Ivy are up to. Need a new book to read? Want to learn a new recipe? Click here to see this new page on our website. 

 

Lastly, you can join us for a bedtime story every Thursday evening at 7pm. Each week, we have a new bedtime story read by Pastor Dani or someone in the community. The bedtime stories can be found by clicking here or finding links on our website to the church YouTube and Facebook pages.  

 

Giving: Please consider financially supporting Caring Hands Food Pantry who has a larger need for financial support at this time. You can send your financial gifts to the church and write Caring Hands Food Pantry in the memo line of your check or on a note with your gift.  The financial gifts you contribute for the food pantry will show up on your quarterly statement from the church. Please send your gifts to 9150 NE University St PO Box 624 Altoona, IA 50009. 

 

Stay updated: Continue to check your email regularly, read our newsletter on our website, check in with each other, and find updates on our website, too. It is our goal to get information to you as soon as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out to one another or to me via phone (515-447-0497) or email (pastordanim@gmail.com) if you have questions or concerns. 

 

With peace and grace,

 

Pastor Dani Musselman

 

 

Updates sent on tuesday, April 14:

 

Folks of Centennial UMC at Ivy,

 

As you are likely not surprised, our church building will be continue to be closed through April 30 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I grieve the physical distance between us, yet I am hopeful that we will gather soon enough and that when we do gather again, it will be a celebration as we remember to not take our physical gatherings for granted. 

 

See below to stay connected with the church in the coming week: 

 

Online Worship Videos: On Wednesdays at 7pm and Sundays at 10:30am, you can join us for worship! This Wednesday, April 15, there will be no Worship on Wednesday as we take a week to rest in the resurrection. So be sure to join us this Sunday for another worship service. If you haven't already, check out our Easter worship services! You can find all the links to our Facebook and YouTube pages on our website: ivycentennial.org 

 

Giving: Our church wants to faithfully support the Altoona community during this pandemic. We are asking folks to donate to Caring Hands Food Pantry by sending your financial gifts to the church and writing Caring Hands Food Pantry in the memo line of your check and we'll gather all the donations into one for the food pantry. The food pantry needs more support now than before as unemployment rises due to the pandemic. The financial gifts you contribute for the food pantry will show up on your quarterly statement from the church. You can also continue to financially support the church either by mailing in your offerings (9150 NE University St PO Box 624 Altoona, IA 50009) or by giving on our online giving page here. We will also have baskets available in the narthex of the church for financial offerings to the church or the food pantry if you'd rather drop the gifts off in person. If you need access to the church to drop off your offerings, please email ivycentennialumc@gmail.com. 

 

"Tell a Friend Tuesday": We have started "Tell a Friend Tuesday," which is a series of videos, posts, and pictures of what folks in the church are up to during our time of separation. You're invited to send recipes, photos and videos of the walks you go on, or the food you prepare, or the yard work you're doing. Each Tuesday, we'll post pictures and videos to a new page on our website and on our social media pages. This is an effort to keep one another connected and updated with one another.  If you have a recipe you want to share with folks at the church, a picture of your pet, a video of you with your family, etc. please send them to pastordanim@gmail.com and we'll add your post to the website and social media pages. And be sure to check out our website to stay updated with folks at the church. Click here to see this new page on our website. 

 

Bedtime Stories: Join us on Thursday evenings at 7pm on YouTube and Facebook for a new bedtime story each week. 

Prayer: As you likely already are, please continue to join us be in prayer for our church, our local community, and our world as we combat this virus and hopefully return to physical gatherings soon. We trust in the power of prayer and in the faithfulness of our incredible God. Remember the words from Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, "Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time. Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers." -Eph. 6:18.  


 

I pray that you and your families are all staying healthy and whole during this time.  The leadership at Ivy stays in prayer for you and we all look forward to gathering again as soon as possible. 

 

With peace & Eastertide blessings,

 

Pastor Dani Musselman

 

 

updates sent on wednesday, april 1, 2020:

 

Beloved people of Centennial UMC at Ivy,
 
We continue to live in an uncertain time as we receive news each day about the spread of COVID-19. It's only been a couple of weeks since we gathered last, but sometimes it feels like months! I'm praying that we will physically gather again soon. 
 
I met again this week via phone with some of our church leaders to make decisions for our church in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have prayerfully continued to cancel or postpone all in-person events, gatherings, and worship services at Centennial UMC at Ivy until Monday, April 13. We are choosing to make decisions concerning this pandemic only a couple of weeks at a time as we hold on to the hope of gathering again soon, while also realistically understanding we may not gather physically for some time. 
 
I hope you're learning and adapting alongside me as we try out new ways to stay connected with one another. I pray that folks are reaching out to you, that you're reaching out to others, and that you're staying connected to our online worship either through our YouTube or Facebook pages. Find all of our links and find updates on our website: ivycentennial.org. Join us for worship tonight Wed, April 1 at 7pm and this Sunday, April 5 at 10:30am for Palm Sunday. We post other videos and updates on our website, YouTube, and Facebook, including a new Bedtime story on Thursdays at 7pm. 
 
As you consider continuing to financially support the ministries of Centennial UMC at Ivy, know that you can by sending your gifts via mail to: 9150 NE University Ave PO Box 624 Altoona, IA 50009 or on our new online giving page found on our website or by clicking here
 
We are all trying our best to keep one another updated and connected. If you have questions, always feel free to reach out to one another or to me via email (pastordanim@gmail.com), or text/call 515-447-0497. I give thanks for the prayers and messages folks have already sent my way! Our leaders and I continue to keep you and your families in our prayers. 
 
With gratitude for you,
 
Pastor Dani Musselman

 

Supporting Heifer International:

 

One of our missions projects during this time of year is to support Heifer International. You can still support them in a few ways:

 

     1. You can learn more about their ministries here. 

 

     2. You can download a Read to Feed coloring book for you and your families to learn more about their ministries here.

 

     3. Donate to their ministries on their website.

 

     4. Pray for the ministries and people who make the ministry happen at Heifer International.

 

 

updates sent on tuesday, march 17, 2020:

 
Beloved people of Centennial UMC at Ivy,
 
Each day, we're receiving more information about the spread of COVID-19, the importance of social distancing, and more. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and isolated at this time. Our leadership has been in prayer for you and your families.
 
A group of church leaders and I met last night to discuss how we will continue to be in community with one another during this time. After prayer and thoughtful reflection, we are cancelling all in-person gatherings, events, and worship services between now and March 31. Our leadership plans to meet again on March 30 to determine if we will continue our April events, but as you know, we will have to wait and see how our country and our world continues to react to the spread of the virus. 
 
While we are not meeting in person, we are still connected. Our church building may be closed, but our church is not. We are simply learning new ways to be the church in this time and I invite us all to be thinking creatively about how we can stay connected. Here are some of the things we'll do to stay connected: 
 
Online worship: 
This past Sunday, we Live-streamed our worship service to the church's Facebook page and so far have had over 150 views. I'm grateful for the in person and online presence we had this past Sunday. We will continue to post online worship experiences to our Facebook page and to YouTube. You can find the links to our worship services on our church website: ivycentennial.org. You'll be able to find any links mentioned in this email through our new page on the church website titled "Updates about Centennial UMC at Ivy amid COVID-19." 
 
I will continue to post worship devotions, prayers, and sermons for Wednesday evenings at 7pm and Sunday mornings at 10:30am. You do not need a Facebook account to access the livestream if you click on the link at the time of worship and you do not need a YouTube account to access the video links at any time. You can join us at the time of worship on Facebook or Youtube or anytime afterwards on the YouTube page. To join us, you'll find and click on either the Facebook or YouTube link on our website. 
 
Hospitality team: 
Last night, we also began assembling a hospitality team, which is a group of at least eight of us who will be focused on staying connected with one another during this time. The hospitality team will have someone dedicated to contacting your household each week via email, phone, card, or some other form of communication. That person will reach out to see how you are, find out ways to pray for you, and offer to run an errand for you if they feel well enough to do so. Please let Pastor Dani know if you're interested in supporting the church by serving on this hospitality team.
 
There are many ways for you to inform us of your prayer needs. If you have a prayer request you'd like said during the online worship service or for the pastor, please inform the person from the hospitality team who has contacted you, send an email to pastordanim@gmail.com, text or call 515-447-0497, or fill out our request form on our website.
 
Your support:
While we are reducing some costs related to our church building in the weeks to come, many of the expenses of the church will continue even if no meeting or event is held in the building for two weeks. Please consider the church in your continued prayers and giving. We invite you to mail in your offerings to 9150 NE University Ave PO Box 624 Altoona, IA 50009 or to begin offering online. You can find our new online giving page on our website when you click "Give Now" in the website menu or you can use this link:
 
In times such as this, we know that all plans are subject to change. The leadership and I want to keep you as informed and connected as possible in the days and weeks to come. I don't know when we will gather in person again as a community, but I do know that during this time: 
 
We will continue to care for one another.
We will continue to pray for each other.
We will look out for our neighbors and the Ivy community. 
And God is and will be with us through the journey. 
 
With peace and grace,
 
Pastor Dani Musselman
Centennial United Methodist Church at Ivy