CROSS Ministries Video is Online

The video played at the Des Moines Presbytery's August 21, 2010 meeting held in Leon, Iowa, on the CROSS Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway may now be viewed online and/or downloaded. Scroll down through the photo icons and click on “School Giveaway 2010.”

There are also a few DVD copies, if you’d like one, contact the Des Moines Presbytery Office or the Rev. Dr. David Madsen, Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church in Des Moines at 515-279-8877 or cgpresby@mchsi.com.

CROSS Ministries Food Pantry to have Open House This Week

On Thursday, June 3, 5-7 p.m. CROSS Ministries will have an Open House at DMARC's new Food Pantry location at Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1050 24th St., Des Moines. Then a Grand Opening of their new Food Pantry will be held Saturday, June 5, 8-Noon.

The new food pantry is an outreach to working people who need to access emergency food outside of standard working hours. The new pantry will be open Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m.–7 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon. CROSS Ministries will continue to provide rent, mortgage, and utility assistance during standard business hours from Tuesday through Friday. Clients seeking food assistance through DMARC will still be directed to the closest Pantry within their geographic boundaries. However, if they are unable to go to that pantry because it conflicts with their work schedule, they will be directed to the CROSS Ministries/Cottage Grove Food Pantry. The pantry will be open to anyone living in the Greater Des Moines area. Routine intake procedures will restrict individuals from receiving food from more than one DMARC Pantry during a 30 day time period.

The new pantry, located at Cottage Grove Presbyterian Church, will operate with a volunteer staff, which means they need many dedicated folks to help. DMARC is providing the food. Other pantry site needs include:

• Several moveable room dividers
• Childproof gate to block stairway
• 2 new large ceiling fans
• Window air conditioner
• Carpeting or floor covering
• Curtains or mini-blinds for the windows
• Heavy duty 2 wheeled cart for carrying boxes of food
• Volunteers to prepare the pantry space
• Volunteers to work in the pantry

Please share these needs with your congregation, civic groups, etc. To volunteer in the CROSS Ministries/Cottage Grove Food Pantry contact Joyce Hoffman at 515-225-9868. For questions or donations contact: Dr. Roberta Victor, Executive Director of CROSS Ministries, 1050 24th St., Des Moines, 50311 or 515-279-8877.

For more information about the DMARC Emergency Food Pantry, which services 10 neighborhood pantry sites, contact Elisabeth Ballstadt, DMARC Food Pantry Director, 515-277-6969.

Presbytery PW Fall Gatherings set for Oct. 16 & 17

The Friday, Oct. 16 Gathering will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Audubon and the Saturday, Oct. 17 Gathering will be held at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Des Moines. Beginning at 9 a.m. each day with fellowship and the program Wonder of God’s Word with the Rev. Linda O’Connell and the 2009-2010 HORIZONS Bible Study – Joshua: A Journey of Faith.

Afternoon workshops include: Wonder of Mission – Columbia Accompaniment with Paul Walther at the Audubon church. Or Wonder of Mission – El Salvador with Betty Dyer, at Highland Park church.

Other workshops offered at both locations are: Wonder of Discipleship with Moderator Linda O’Connell, Historian Pat Summers, and Treasurer Angie Williams or Wonder of Presbyterian Women – A Report on the Churchwide Gathering by PW Correspondent Emily Seeger.

The worship offering will go towards CROSS Ministries and a local mission at each location. Local mission shower gift needs include: Audubon – the Women’s Crisis Center (personal hygiene items) and Highland Park – the Heart and Hand Mission (items for infants and medical supplies).

Lunch at both locations is $5 and reservations are due October 12. To make your reservations:

• Friday Oct. 16 at Audubon First Presbyterian Church, contact Angie Williams at 712-563-2213
• Saturday, Oct. 17 at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, contact the church office at 515-288-5703

Check Out CROSS Ministries New Website!

CROSS Ministries is proud to announce the unveiling of our new Web site designed to keep you more informed on this vital ministry to the poor! The home page offers our mission statement and some of the facts and figures identifying the many ways CROSS meets the needs of low and no income households throughout the Des Moines and Greater Des Moines communities.

If you look to the right on the top black bar on the home page, you will also find headers that lead you to four additional pages.

• The “Assistance” page advises families of the appropriate paperwork and documentation they need to bring to the CROSS office if they are seeking financial assistance for rent, rent deposits, mortgage or utility payments.
• The “What’s New” page shares current information on volunteers and other events in the life and work of CROSS Ministries.
• The “School Supplies” page gives an overview of our Annual Back to School Giveaway event.
• Last but not least, is the “Donations” page listing items that we need to fill our personal hygiene pantry or for the Back to School Giveaway. This page also offers a new opportunity for donating to CROSS. Simply click on the “donate” button so that you may use your credit card or even a PayPal account for a simpler, faster method of donating. We will send you an email “thank you” shortly thereafter as well as a year-end statement of your donations next January for tax purposes.

The work of CROSS Ministries, supported by the Presbytery of Des Moines, makes a difference in the lives of “the least of these.” We want to share that exciting ministry with you and this is just one more avenue to do so. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Roberta Victor,
Executive Director
CROSS Ministries