Staying Informed and Connected During a Pandemic
Even though in-person gatherings are suspended, we can still band together in a variety of ways. We hope you find the information on this page helpful in maintaining those connections with fellow believers that are more important now than ever.
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Adventist Church Leaders move General Conference Session to St. Louis, Missouri
The Executive Committee (EXCOM) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted Wednesday, February 17, to move the 2022 General Conference (GC) Session, the quinquennial business meeting…
2020 General Conference Session Postponed Again, Now Set for June 2022
For the second time in 10 months, members of the Executive Committee of the global Seventh-day Adventist Church have voted to postpone the quinquennial session of the…
Evidence-based information combats COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
With a COVID-19 vaccine beginning to become available, many are deciding if and when they will be interested in taking it themselves. As the world…
Council Bluffs Church Delivers Christmas Gift Bags to Frontline Healthcare Workers
NAD President Offers Message of Encouragement as 2020 Draws to a Close
In a new video, North American Division president G. Alexander Bryant thanks church members and employees, and encourages Adventists in North America to reflect on…
CDC Guidance for Holiday Celebrations
On December 9, the Centers for Disease Control updated their guidance for celebrating the winter holidays. It is republished below in its entirety but can…
Finding Unity in a Time of Division
Conference president Dean Coridan and ministerial director Lee Rochholz discuss how to maintain a biblical focus on unity while navigating through a time of unprecedented…
St. Louis Central Church Thanks Local Healthcare Providers with Gift Boxes
Sunnydale Academy Delays School Opening Because of COVID-19
After evaluating recent developments within our community, the Sunnydale Academy executive committee voted to delay the start of the 2020-21 school year until August 24.…
2020 In-Person Women’s Retreat Canceled, Input Requested for Alternative Options
CDC Calls on Americans to Wear Masks to Prevent COVID-19 Spread
Americans are increasingly adopting the use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the latest science may convince even more to…
Special Offering for Local COVID-19 Response to be Taken July 11
When we wake up each morning, we hear the latest news about the vast numbers of people who have died after contracting the COVID-19 virus.…
Adventist Community Services Meets Critical Needs Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Food Relief As part of a $1.5 million initiative of the North American Division, the Iowa-Missouri Conference was recently awarded a $25,000 grant for local…
Join Us for Prayer and Praise each Monday on ‘im4Prayer’ Prayer Line
Join us each Monday evening on the “im4Prayer” prayer line. Anyone is welcome to join the call anytime from 7:00 – 8:30 pm to share…
KPOG Continues Weekly Prayer Focus on National Day of Prayer
What started as a response to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ statewide call to prayer on April 9 has turned into a weekly event for KPOG,…
The Chosen Series Offers First-Ever Multi-Season Look at the Life of Christ
The Chosen is the first-ever multi-season series based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ. Created outside of the Hollywood system, the…
Members from Kansas City Central Church Make Masks for Healthcare Professionals
Until recently, it seems, masks were largely seen in a negative context—as a way for one to disguise their true self. But the COVID-19 pandemic…
Iowa-Missouri Conference Officers Respond to States’ Decision to Lift Restrictions on Religious Services
On April 27, Iowa and Missouri’s governors both issued new proclamations (click here for Iowa and here for Missouri) that remove restrictions for religious services…
Golden Valley Church’s Mobile Food Pantry Serves Record Number During Pandemic
The Golden Valley church in Clinton, Missouri recently hosted their monthly mobile food pantry, serving one of their largest crowds to date—716 people representing 205…
Dean Coridan and Lee Rochholz Share Practical Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs
Conference president Dean Coridan and ministerial director Lee Rochholz discuss practical wisdom as found in the book of Proverbs (see chapters 8 and 9). What…
Church Members and Conference Staff Blanket Airwaves in Prayer
In response to Iowa Governor Kim Reynold’s official declaration of Thursday, April 9 as a statewide day of prayer, KPOG, an Adventist radio station in…
Camp Heritage Update – April 15
Here’s an update on this year’s summer camp season, from Camp Heritage director Denison Sager. In the video, he mentions a survey that will help…
West County Member Provides Handmade Masks to Local Healthcare Providers
Because healthcare providers are facing such a massive shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment), Rebecca Lawrence, head deaconess at the West County church in Chesterfield,…
Free On-Demand Streaming of Sight & Sound’s ‘JESUS’ During Easter Weekend
This Easter weekend only, Sight & Sound Theatres is offering their production of JESUS for free, exclusively on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) and the TBN…
Breath of Life Takes the Message of the Resurrection to ABC
Most Americans are inclined to visit a church on at least two holidays, Christmas and Easter. Nevertheless, “stay-at-home” and “shelter-in-place” orders have ensured that U.S.…
Mid-America Union President Offers Message of Hope and Encouragement During This Crisis
In an approximately 11-minute video, Mid-America Union president Gary Thurber offers words of hope and encouragement during this time of crisis.
…
Video: Dean Coridan and Lee Rochholz Discuss Isaiah 30:15 in Light of Pandemic
In a new 14-minute video, Iowa-Missouri Conference president Dean Coridan and ministerial director Lee Rochholz discuss the promise of rest, quietness and confidence found in…
Does Closing Churches During a Global Pandemic Display a Lack of Faith?
The most basic principle of Christianity and God’s eternal Kingdom is love for others. The core theological proposition of the faith of Jesus is to…
Update on Summer Camp at Camp Heritage
Camp director Denison Sager provides an update on this summer’s camp season.
…
Churches Share Ways to Stay Connected During Global Crisis
Pacific Press Temporarily Makes Weekly Children’s Publications Available Online
On March 23, Pacific Press Publishing Association issued the following press release. With many church buildings closed because of COVID-19, children aren’t able to pick…
General Conference Session Postponed Until May 2021
During a March 19 teleconference, the General Conference Executive Committee voted to postpone the 2020 General Conference Session until May 2021. The announcement, originally published…
Live Stream Services and other Media Resources for Sabbaths at Home
As churches everywhere suspend regular Sabbath services due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of you may be wondering where you can find services online. Below…
How to Return Tithes and Offerings When Church Services Are Suspended
As churches throughout our conference go through a period of suspended services due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of you may be wondering how to…
A Message from Iowa-Missouri Conference Leaders Regarding the Coronavirus Pandemic
Leadership of the Iowa-Missouri Conference is closely monitoring the rapidly changing impact of the coronavirus. The health and safety of church members, students, employees and…
- AdventHealth Coronavirus Hub
- Adventist Risk Coronavirus Resources for Churches and Schools
- CDC Resources for Community and Faith-based Leaders
- CDC Resources for Mass Gatherings
- Iowa Department of Health Coronavirus Guidelines
- Missouri Department of Health Coronavirus Guidelines
- Importance of Wearing Masks
Frequency Asked Questions
Where can I find information about the coronavirus?
See the “Coronavirus Resources” section at left (desktop) or above (mobile).
How are churches impacted by the pandemic?
We urge all of our churches to follow local, state and federal guidelines and restrictions regarding public gatherings. There are various resources above for maintaining connections while in-person services are suspended, including a list of churches providing Sabbath services online, ideas for connecting with fellow members in other ways, alternative methods for returning tithes and offerings, and more.
How are schools impacted by the pandemic?
School schedules for all 13 of our elementary schools, Sunnydale Academy, and Union College have been impacted by the pandemic but in differing ways. If you have questions about how a specific school is impacted, please contact the school directly. Contact information for our elementary schools can be found at imsda.org/schools.
How are conference events impacted by the pandemic?
The following events (as of April 2) have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Town Hall Meetings (Mar 17-29)
- TLT Spring Retreat (Mar 20-22)
- Sunnydale Youth Rally (Mar 27-29)
- Missouri Honors Weekend (Apr 3-5)
- Iowa Honors Weekend (Apr 4-5)
- Iowa-Missouri Music Festival (Apr 16-18)
- Iowa-Missouri Spring Camporee (Apr 30-May 3)
- Iowa-Missouri Camp Meeting (June 2-6)
Decisions have not yet been made about several events currently scheduled for this summer. Visit our online calendar at imsda.org/events for the latest information.
Does closing churches during a global pandemic display a lack of faith
Conference executive secretary Robert Wagley tackles this question here.
What if I have other questions?
Have a question not covered in the FAQ section above? Let us know.