Join SMTF in an Interfaith Special Event on Palestine-Israel U.S. Policy!

What would eight million dollars-a-day do for our economy, our state, and our nation?Israel receives a free gift of $8.0 million a day from the U.S. government and our taxes. And it’s used for oppressive policies against the Palestinian people.
Come to the U.S. Policy in Palestine--Israel Conference, Oct. 14 and 15, in Ankeny, Iowa. More information and background on the critical issues in the Middle East will be provided and you'll learn how Iowans can make a change to U.S. policies.

An interfaith group under the umbrella of American Friends Service Committee, www.afsc.org/iowa, has brought together individuals from the Des Moines and Eastern Iowa areas to sponsor the conference, U.S. Policy in Palestine--Israel: Engaging the Faith Communities in Pursuit of a Just Peace, Oct. 14 & 15, at Our Lady of Immaculate Heart Church, 510 East First St., Ankeny.

The Presbytery’s Social Ministries Task Force is a contributor and member, the honorably retired Rev. Liz Knott, is one of the event planners and they have been planning for almost a year! There will be four plenaries and four tracks of workshops on various issues. Registration fee: $30 and includes three meals in the registration price. Friday and Saturday evening a Mediterranean meal will be served!

The keynote speakers will be spell binding!

• Phyllis Bennis of the Institute on Policy Studies and author of numerous books on the Middle East;
• Ali Abunimah, a first generation Palestinian-American and founder and executive director of the Electronic Intifada http://electronicintifada.net/diaries;
• Josh Ruebner of the U.S. Campaign to End The Occupationwww.endtheoccupation.org;
• Lynn Pollock of Jewish Voice for Peace www.JewishVoiceforPeace.org and
• Laila El-Haddad will have stories about the Gaza strip.

A complete program listing is available on the AFSC website.

Please encourage our Presbyterian members to come and learn. Brochures and registration materials are available from our Presbytery Office or go online to: www.afsc.org/document/palestine-israel-conference-iowa-october-2011 or www.afsc.org/story/iowans-focus-peace-palestine-israel

Deadline Extended for Submissions to Outstanding Older Adult Award



Last year's award presentation at the Downtown Marriot in Des Moines, Iowa. Nominees are recognized in the presentation and also given a certificate and meal with their family and friends during the Presbytery's stated meeting.

The OAM Task Force of the Presbytery of Des Moines invites your church’s Session to nominate one person for the 2011 Outstanding Older Adult Award, to be honored at the Des Moines Presbytery’s November 8th Stated Meeting in Oskaloosa.

Your nominee should be a person who is 65 years or older and should exemplify the art of growing older while deepening their faith. This person need not be actively involved in the church at this time in their life. Their record stands for the great work they have done while they were aging.

The submission deadline is Sept. 26, 2011. Submission deadline is now Oct. 18th.  The nomination forms and fliers are available online at: www.presbyteryofdesmoines.org/OlderAdultAwardNominationForm.pdf . 

It’s Time to Schedule PC(USA) Mission Co-workers Itinerating in Iowa

The Stewardship and Mission Interpretation (SMI) Committee of the Des Moines Presbytery will be hosting two missionaries in the next couple of months:

The Rev. Douglas and Dr. Elizabeth Searles have served since 1997 in international ministries in India, China and now Central Europe. They are jointly appointed by Global Ministries and Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and supported by three denominations: United Church of Christ, Christian Church/Disciples of Christ, and PC(USA). The Searles live in Lodz, Poland and their call is to walk with Kosciol Ewangelicko-Reformowany (KER), the Evangelical-Reformed Church of Poland, a minority and marginalized church. They work to support initiatives of evangelism, church growth, and ecumenical relations. A new area of outreach work supports Roma people – formerly known as Gypsies – residents of Europe for over 500 years. Stigmatized, loathed and persecuted, Sinti/Lovari/Roma face severe human rights challenges. The Searles have begun to build relations encouraging capacity-building, advocacy and other ecumenical efforts towards acceptance, access and inclusion for Roma. Their final itinerary dates with the Des Moines Presbytery are Sept. 26-Oct. 5. If you are interested in inviting the Searles to your church, contact SMI Committee Moderator Sandy Wagener or 515-964-3762.
The Rev. Cobbie Palm has served since 1989 with Presbyterian World Mission in the Philippines. He is currently director of spiritual formation at the Divinity School at Silliman University. Silliman University was founded by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 1901, and has evolved into a premier academic institution under the auspices of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). In this ministry, Cobbie designs and facilitates spiritual retreats and workshops, which are incorporated into the semester for each class, the faculty, and the whole seminary community. “I truly enjoy this ministry,” Cobbie writes, “we sing and perform, pray, reflect, and worship with such enthusiasm and joy knowing that for a refreshing change performance is not a grade point average.” As part of the annual 2011 Mission Connections Live!, Cobbie will be here in south central Iowa from October 1-5. If you are interested in having him meet with your church members, contact SMI Committee Moderator Sandy Wagener or 515-964-3762.

HOSTING IS EASY: Keep arrangements and meals simple. There is no need for fancy meals or lodging. Once you’ve established a specific date with the coordinator, it’s good to develop a 4-person team:

1. Advance liaison to let them know the entire “plan”
2. Presentation liaison for audio-visual and other set-up arrangements in the meeting space 
3. Host and transportation liaison for housing, meals, etc. 
4. Onsite event assistant to greet the guest at the site, help set-up and staff a display table, count heads, gather email addresses and contact info, clean-up and get stuff to the car, and generally help out.