2011 Lunch & Learn Series is Set!

Here is the line up for our Des Moines Presbytery’s Lunch and Learn Series. We'll be changing to the 2nd Thursday of each month for 2011. The first one was Feb. 10, 2011 and we had two people in the Presbytery Office and two participated via web conference!

Pastors, church staff, lay leaders and volunteers are invited to join us. From Noon – 1 p.m. we’ll offer a communications and educational discussion/training to our congregations. If you currently work at a church, either as a pastor, staff member, volunteer or lay leader join us for an informal discussion and information sharing time each month.

Each month a topic has been identified around which the majority of the discussion will revolve. Participants are encouraged to bring questions, samples, and insights related to the topic. In addition, you’ll be able to network with others and share recent projects or accomplishments, or ask those “burning questions”.

For those who live far away, you can participate by Webconference and conference call with the proper computer and a separate phone line. Contact the office to receive instructions for your church.

All lunch sessions are free. Just bring your brown bag lunch and we’ll provide the beverages (a microwave and frig are available too). RSVPs are recommended, especially if you want to participate by Webconference. Here are the 2011 Dates and Topics:

• February 10 – Social Networking: Making it Work for Your Church. Kim Coulter, director of communications for the Des Moines Presbytery, recently spoke at the COM/CPM training for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and she’ll be recapping her presentation on using social media for church.
• March 10 – Web Sites: How to Make Your Church Presence on the Internet. Kim Coulter will give instructions and tips on creating a Web site or blog from scratch for free or little investment except time.
• April 14 – Transformed by Walking in Solidarity with Our Brothers and Sisters in El Salvador Kathy Mahler, the Des Moines Presbytery’s mission co-worker to El Salvador, will give us an update on the ministry of Our Sister Parish and Compañeros.
• May 12 – Advocacy Opportunities for Your Church in Iowa. Nancy Lister-Settle (Dallas Center, First) and Marcia McAdoo (Ankeny) went to Ecumenical Advocacy Days, March 25-28 in Washington, D.C.
• June 9 – Stories from a Nursing Home in Egypt. Denise England, PC(USA) mission co-worker to Egypt, will reflect on her work as a geriatric nurse and with the latest uprising in Egypt.
• July 14 – Iowa Religious Media Services shares some of their best Christian education resources. Executive Director Sharon Strohmaier will also give a sneak peek of the RE:image Conference on Sept. 17.
• August 11 – Session Clerks are the Back Bone of the Church. Polk Davison, clerk of session from the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines is one of the longest serving clerks in our Presbytery. Let’s pick his brain about the responsibilities of being a clerk!
• September 8 – Activate your Faith… what can it look like in your church? Rev. Jan Scott will show us what Covenant Presbyterian Church in West Des Moines has done to encourage their members and friends.
• October 13 – Communicating Multigenerationally. Dr. Matt Bruinekool, professor at Drake University, will talk about the experiences, values and expectations shaping the various generations within your congregation. Learn to take advantage of the opportunities provided in this diverse landscape of people.
• November 10 – What they didn't teach me in seminary: how to moderate the session, and run a congregational meeting. General Presbyter and Stated Clerk Phil Barrett will help us with Roberts Rules tips and more!
• December 8 – How to lead the ministry in administration.
Presbytery Office Manager Betty Dyer and Communications Director Kim Coulter will share what they learned at the recent Synod of Lakes and Prairies Administrative Assistants Retreat.

Lunch & Learn Sessions are Winding Down for 2009

The Communications' Lunch & Learn Series is winding down for 2009. Many members of our Des Moines Presbytery congregations have benefitted from attending these informational communication workshops, held monthly on the third Thursday from Noon - 1 p.m. If you currently work at a church, either as a staff member, volunteer or lay leader, you are invited to join us this Thursday, Sept. 17. Bring your brown bag lunch to our Presbytery office at: 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale, IA 50322. We’ll provide the beverages. The fee is FREE!

New option: Attend by Webconference and teleconference! If interested in this option, please call the Presbytery's Director of Communications Kim Coulter at 515-276-4991, to discuss whether your computer and phone are compatible. You'll then be given the passcode and login information in time for Thursday's Lunch & Learn Session.

This week's topic has been changed to "How to use Photographs in your Church Ministry". Participants are encouraged to bring questions, samples, and insights related to using pictures to tell your churches' stories or maybe using images in worship. In addition to the featured topic, there will be time to network and discuss off-topic items. Such as to share recent projects or accomplishments, or ask those “burning questions”.

2009 Dates and Topics:

September 17 – How to use Photographs in your Church Ministry
October 15 – Public Relations 101 – How to Get Church News Noticed
November 19 – Annual & Statistical Reports, Newsletters and E-announcements (bring samples)

Doing More with Less: Synod-wide Communicators Conference

Presbyterian communicators, pastors, congregation leaders, staff and volunteers – mark your calendars! You are invited to the attend the second Synod-wide Communicators Conference, Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 2-4, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Eagan, Minn.

The Rev. Sarah Moore-Nokes, associate executive presbyter in Winnebago Presbytery, opens the conference's first session – Google Tools – Wednesday evening. Participants are asked to bring their own laptop computer since WiFi will be available during the conference.

The Rev. Shane Whisler, communications director in the Synod of the Sun, will provide details about working with Presbyterian Neighbor News on Thursday morning, and Bethany Furkin will also address the conference about the Presbyterian News Service during that time. There is also a possibility that the executive director for the Committee on Local Arrangements for the 2010 General Assembly in Minneapolis will be on hand before Thursday's lunch.

Full registration is $100 and includes all sessions, accommodations, opening dinner, two breakfasts and a lunch. For those who do not need accommodations, registration is $40 for all sessions. Registration is easy, simply send an email to Duane Sweep, associate for communications at the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. The e-mail should include name and position for name tags. The registration fee can be mailed to Duane Sweep, Synod of Lakes and Prairies, 2115 Cliff Drive, Eagan, MN 55122. For conference details, you can read the complete brochure.

If you are interested in car-pooling from the Des Moines area, contact Presbytery of Des Moines Director of Communications Kim Coulter at 515-276-4991 as soon as possible to make arrangements.

Presbyterian Communicators' Network Conference - part of Big Tent

Presbytery of Des Moines pastors and communicators,

As a part of the Big Tent multi-conference PC(U.S.A.) gathering this June, the Presbyterian Communicator's Network (PCN) is presenting some great workshops and plenary speakers. Join us at the tent, June 11-13 in Atlanta, Ga., at the Hyatt Regency.

Workshops include:

• Social Media 101, lead by 218th General Assembly Moderator Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow [workshop]
• Reaching the Un-Churched and De-Churched [plenary session]
• Communicating with Different Generations [plenary session]
• Communications as a Ministry [plenary session]
• Church Newsletters: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly [workshop]
• Beyond Language: Multicultural Communication [workshop]
• Worth a Thousand Words? A Graphic Design Primer [plenary session]

There will also be offerings on photography, web design, worship technology and many others. This is 3 days you won’t want to miss packed with great speakers and time to network and share ideas. We are also planning, if you come to Big Tent with the PCN conference, a tour of CNN headquarters followed by a special Q&A session with a CNN insider.

Budgets are tight, but Big Tent is truly a great value. Participants can attend activities for the PCN conference or sample workshops from any of the other partner conferences (a total of 10 different partner groups). In addition, there are shared Big Tent activities that include inspiring worship, shared meals, and a great outdoor celebration event at Centennial Park. And bring the kids – there are special programs for children, youth and young adults.

Register soon and save! The first 100 individuals to sign up for the PCN conference will receive free hotel accommodations. That will save you $300 on your conference (see details on the attached flier). There is still time to be one of the first 100 if you register now. You don’t have to be directly involved with presbytery or church communication to register. We encourage all to sign-up. The “early bird” deadline has been eliminated, which means the early bird registration fee will not increase. There are reasonable day rates for those who live in the Atlanta area or those who can only attend a day or two.

Visit www.pcusa.org/comnet for more details and to register. See you at the Big Tent! If you have other questions please don’t hesitate to contact the Presbytery's Director of Communication Kim Coulter at 515-276-4991. If you decide to go, let Kim know so we can coordinate sessions to get our maximum dollars worth.

Communications Lunch & Learn Series is Free!

Mark your calendars! The Presbytery’s Lunch and Learn Series begins January 22, 2008, from Noon - 1 p.m., congregations in the Presbytery of Des Moines, are invited to attend these informational learning sessions at the Urbandale office. The fee is FREE!

If you currently work at a church, either as a staff member, volunteer or lay leader, you are invited to join these informal discussions and information sharing groups. On the third Thursday of the month bring your brown bag lunch to 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale. We’ll provide the beverages.

Presbytery of Des Moines pastors, church staff and volunteers have given their subject input. Each month a topic is identified around which the majority of the discussion will revolve. Participants are encouraged to bring questions, samples, and insights related to the topic of the day. In addition to the featured topic, each session will include time to network and discuss off-topic items. Such as to share recent projects or accomplishments, or ask those “burning questions”.

All lunch sessions are free. RSVPs are recommended by not required, just bring your brown bag lunch and be ready to participate! (A microwave and frig are available too.)

Time and Location:
Times for all lunches are Noon-1 p.m. at the Presbytery of Des Moines’ Conference Room, 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale, IA 50322. Directions and Parking.

2009 Dates and Topics (the 3rd Thursday of each month except January):

• January 22 – Do Calendars Tell a Story? (please bring samples of your church’s calendars)
• February 19 – P.O.I.N.T. Tips and Tricks on Christian Education curriculums and VBS
• March 19 – (Re)Visioning Your Church
• April 16 – Web Site Writing and Optimization so Search Engines will find you
• May 21 – Evaluating your Churches Communications Efforts
• June 18 – Blogging 101 and Podcasting for Pastors
• July 16 – Learn about Khadamat Sudaniya’s Ministry
• August 20 – Social Networking Online with Youth (Facebook, MySpace and Twitter)
• September 17 – Annual & Statistical Reports, Newsletters and E-announcements (bring samples)
• October 15 – Public Relations 101 – How to Get Church News Noticed
• November 19 – How to use Photographs in your Church Ministry

Lunch and Learn Sessions continue in 2009

The Presbytery staff is in the mode of discerning topics for the 2009 Lunch & Learn session. (This communications educational series was offered to all pastors, church staff and volunteers in the Des Moines Presbytery during 2008.)

And we need your help! If you participated in this year's monthly series, we need to know what you liked or disliked. Also, we're asking for your topic ideas for 2009 sessions. These can be anything related to communications or our various committee's and their mission work? Only the sky's the limit (no pun intended).

Click here and fill out the online survey. It should take approximately 3 minutes to complete. Thanks for your time and thoughts!

Mark your calendars! They will be held on the third Thursday of the month normally (except January), for an hour, starting at Noon, at the Presbytery office, 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale, IA:

• January 22
• February 19
• March 19
• April 16
• May 21
• June 18
• July 16
• August 20
• September 17
• October 15
• November 19

Attend the 2008 PCN Regional Conference

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

Note: Please pass this on to the person(s) in your congregation responsible for church communications (such as the church newsletter and/or website) and technology.

Dear Friends in Christ,
As the Director of Communications for the Presbytery, I'd like to personally invite you to the 2008 Regional Conference being held August 25-27 at Stronghold Conference Center in Oregon, Ill. The purpose of these regional conferences is to help religious communicators at the church, presbytery and synod level learn how to improve their communications from leading experts in the field, as well as learning from each other.

The conference will include presentations on podcasting, social networking, designing websites, how to improve your writing and reaching the unchurched and “dechurched.”

Keynote speaker for the conference is Adam Walker Cleaveland, a recent graduate of Princeton Seminary and a candidate for ordination as Minister of Word and Sacrament. When he is not preparing to become an ordained minister, he does web design for various religious groups around the country. He will talk about “Web 2.0” and its impact on the church. (You can find out more about Adam by going to http://pomomusings.com/)

As many of you know, I participated in the National Conference held in Louisville, Ky., last summer. It was a great opportunity to fellowship with other communicators and learn new ways to enhance the communication within our Presbytery. Communicators, whether it is putting together the church newsletter, or working on a church website, is more than simply sharing information. It is also about being witnesses to Christ, of showing a "more excellent way" as the Apostle Paul once said. The conference helps remind and renew us to our common mission as followers of Jesus Christ. I hope you will consider attending this event. It is open to anyone who is interested in communication: pastors, chaplains, administrative assistants and communication volunteers. If you have financial needs, General Assembly has set aside some resources for scholarships.

To register online, go to the Presbyterian Communicators Network homepage (www.pcusa.org/comnet/events.htm). You can also download the scholarship application.

If you have any questions about the conference, or need a ride to the event, feel free to contact me at pbycommunication@qwestoffice.net or 515-276-4991.

– Kim Coulter, Director of Communications, Presbytery of Des Moines

Communications Lunch and Learn Opportunities

The Presbytery's Communications Lunch and Learn Series begins February 21, from Noon - 1 p.m., churches in the Presbytery of Des Moines, are invited to attend these informational sessions at the office at 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale, Iowa.

If you currently work at a church, either as a staff member or volunteer, you are invited to join these informal discussions and information sharing groups.

Each month a topic is identified around which the majority of the discussion will revolve. Participants are encouraged to bring questions, samples, and insights related to the topic of the day. In addition to the featured topic, each session will include time to network and discuss off-topic items; such as to share recent projects or accomplishments, or ask your “burning questions” (whether they are related to the topic or not).

All lunch sessions are free and no RSVP is necessary, just bring your brown bag lunch and be ready to participate! (A microwave and frig are available too.)

Time and Location:
Times for all lunches are Noon - 1 p.m. at the Presbytery of Des Moines Office, 2400 86th St., Suite 20, Urbandale, IA 50322
Directions and Parking

2008 Dates and Topics (the 3rd Thursday of each month, except June)
February 21 – Brochures (please bring samples of your church’s brochures)
March 27 – Newsletters & E-mail Announcements (bring samples)
April 17 – Writing and Distributing Press Releases
May 15 – Web Sites: Basic (design, troubleshooting, etc.)
June 26 – Watch LIVE Podcast of the 218th General Assembly from San Jose, Calif.
July 17 – Stretching Your Church Office Staff/Volunteers
August 21 – Maximizing Your Database for Church Marketing: To ACS or Not
September 18 – (Re)Transforming Your Church
October 16 – Annual Reports (bring samples of your annual reports)
November 20 – New Media: Blogs, Podcasts, Wikis and more