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.

All Iowa Presbyteries Affected By Recent Flooding

According to the Aug. 16 map released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all six presbyteries with all or portions of their geography in Iowa have a county with a federal disaster assistance designation for either public or individual assistance. In total, 19 of the 25 counties in the Presbytery of Des Moines received disaster assistance designation, 11 of 19 in Prospect Hill, 11 of 24 in North Central Iowa, six of 16 in East Iowa, four of six in John Knox, and three of seven in Missouri River Valley.

A total of 32 counties in Iowa are now eligible for individual federal assistance to help communities recover from recent severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, according to an Aug. 17 FEMA announcement. Assistance may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties may register for assistance anytime at the FEMA Web site. (Reprinted from the August 23rd, Synod of Lakes and Prairies Keeping In Touch e-newsletter. To subscribe, contact Editor Duane Sweep, dsweep@lakesandprairies.org.)

Prayers are needed for church members in the Des Moines Presbytery who experienced water damage:

• Ankeny Presbyterian Church
• Knox United Presbyterian Church in Des Moines
• First Presbyterian Church in Monroe
• First Presbyterian Church in Newton
• United Presbyterian Church in Newton
• First Presbyterian Church in Oskaloosa
• East End Presbyterian Church in Ottumwa
• First Presbyterian Church in Ottumwa
• Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ottumwa
• First United Presbyterian Church in Winterset

If you know of others who are suffering and are having a hard time cleaning up water damage from either floods or excess water after the rains in July and August, please contact the Presbytery of Des Moines Office at 515-276-9991, pbydesmoines@presbyteryofdesmoines.org. There are teams standing by to help clean and muck out.

We are also willing to store clean-up buckets at our Presbytery Office. If you have any, you can bring them to 2400 86th St., Ste. #20, Urbandale, IA 50322. The ‘recipe’ is online at: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/pda/making-gift-heart-kits/#bucket or www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kits_emergency.

Church Mission Giving Resource Packet Coming in September to You

Each church in the Des Moines Presbytery will receive a packet for pastors, Mission committee chairpersons, and clerks of Session in late September from the General Assembly Mission Council of the PC(USA). This packet will have materials to help sessions make decisions about their mission giving in 2011.

Included in this year’s stewardship promotional materials are:

• a printed World Mission Giving Opportunities catalog
• a flier promoting Shared Mission Support at all levels of the church, which also explains how the General Assembly Mission Council uses its portion of Shared Mission Support
• a flier promoting resources for congregational giving campaigns from our partners at the Ecumenical Stewardship Center
• a flier with information from the Presbyterian Foundation on long-term giving opportunities
• a cover letter explaining the packet and providing instructions on accessing the online searchable listing of giving opportunities.

Watch the Seconds for Stewardship box weekly in The Wider Circle E-news, and pray for ways you can help the church ministry and mission, both regionally and nationally.

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.

Dont' Forget Spring Clean-up at Cottage Grove Avenue Church

Celebrate spring by helping our Sudanese neighbors at Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church with some Spring Cleaning!

The church has just come through a very cold winter without heat for much of the time, but a new boiler has recently been installed. Now, they are ready to begin sprucing up their beautiful building, but they could use some help. As good neighbors, you can organize a group from your church and come to Cottage Grove Avenue Church to help with Spring Cleaning! Details Below:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

• Up to 20 workers – youth and/or adults


• 1 supervisor/coordinator from your church

TASKS INCLUDE:

• Clean out and throw out trash/debris from various rooms in the church. (Includes sorting and carrying items upstairs/downstairs to an outside dumpster.)


• Sort books and items for future rummage sale.


• Sweep and clean up rooms after items have been removed.

DATE/TIME/LOCATION:
Pick a Saturday morning this spring from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Options include:

• April 24, 2010


• May 1, 2010


• May 8, 2010 (CANCELLED)

Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1050 24th St., Des Moines. Park in the north parking lot of Cottage Grove Avenue Church and enter the north doors.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Work gloves


• Brooms and dustpans


• Hefty garbage bags

FUN PERKS:

• Free lunch, Pizza and pop provided


• Great exercise and a sense of accomplishment!

SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS:
E-mail Ginny Hancock at ginnyvah@aol.com with the date you want to reserve from the options listed above. In the e-mail, please note your church name, contact person, contact information (e-mail and phone) and number of participants. Your date will be confirmed within a week of your request.

THANK YOU!

Monroe Church Walks Shoes Down the Aisle for Hope Ministries

For the last few weeks, the Monroe Presbyterian Church has been the drop off point for the “Share A Pair” project for Hope Ministries. This unique project allowed them to give both new and not-so-new shoes to Hope Ministries as they have plans to do three things with the shoes. First, they will distribute them to Hope Ministries guests and residents.

Secondly, they will sell them at the Hope Bargain Center in Pleasant Hill. The shop allows community members to purchase affordable shoes and gives Hope Ministries an income to continue their ministries with the homeless. Finally, if the shoes are not fit for giving or selling, they will be recycled and the proceeds will again benefit the ministry to the homeless.

On Sunday, March 14, the high school and middle school kids of the Monroe church arranged a portion of the shoes to “walk” the aisle of the sanctuary. While no official count occurred of shoes received, a van load of shoes made its way to Hope Ministries.

Now that’s a lot of shoes!

Monroe Church Helps Warm Students

Through an interesting set of twists and turns, people from Monroe Presbyterian Church learned that the Mitchellville Elementary School has a rate of 60% of students on free and reduced lunch. This fall, Principal Joe Nelson sent out a notice asking if any child needed outerwear for the season. The response was amazing to the invitation to receive warm weather clothing. The distance from Monroe and Mitchellville is short, yet the knowledge of this need was news to the Monroe church members.

Monroe, with a population of about 1,800, and Mitchellville, with a population of 1,700, are approximately 20 miles apart. Both are within the bounds of Des Moines Presbytery and located less than 50 miles east of the city.

On Sunday, Dec. 13, the Sunday School kids did their annual Christmas program. It is a custom to receive a special offering during this service with the funds going to a family or a cause. This year the Christian Education Committee supported having the Mitchellville Elementary Clothing Fund as the recipient of our offering.

Principal Nelson presented a moment for mission on Sunday, Dec. 6 as a part of making the congregation aware of the need in this near-by community. In addition to the monetary offering, members and friends of the church gathered hats, scarves, mittens, other head gear as well as some coats and other warm weather gear.


On Friday morning, Dec. 18, the delivery of the items took place along with a check for just under $300 for the clothing fund. Principal Joe Nelson thanked us profusely for the gifts and told us an amazing fact, “By 3:30 p.m. today, all of these hats, scarves, and mittens will be gone. For some of these kids, this will be one of the few Christmas gifts they receive.” Nelson went on to explain they don’t have any storage for these winter items as there isn’t a need to store them. The items are immediately used.

Mission Dollar Challenge Consultation is Oct. 27

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. The Stewardship and Mission Interpretation and the Budget and Finance committees are looking into rescheduling this event.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, church session members are invited to attend the Mission Dollar Challenge Consultation 2010, from 1-4 p.m. at St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 6426 Merle Hay Rd., Johnston. This workshop is sponsored by the Stewardship and Mission Interpretation and the Budget and Finance committees of the Des Moines Presbytery.

For many congregations, financial support has been limited by a current income situation affected by the economy, increased pension dues, higher operating costs and rapidly aging buildings in need of repairs. Our committees believe that the condition has not prevented a great deal of mission from being done locally that the presbytery as a whole has not been made aware. We are asking you to come to the consultation prepared to share the outreach mission of your congregation with session members of other churches in the presbytery. We also want to provide an opportunity for us to be challenged in our giving locally and globally.

Churches are asked to send 1-2 session members and have them bring the 2008/2009 church annual budgets. Participants will return prepared to help sessions set goals for funding 2010 mission work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). To RSVP, contact the Presbytery Office, 515-276-4991.

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

Synod School, Day 4

When it rains it pours, and this afternoon ended with glorious drops of baptizing water. Despite being stuck inside, everyone is shining. Mostly from the great fellowship of being together in this connectional church. But we also have brightness coming from the clothes.

Yes, I said the fabric of our lives this week are literally glowing from tie dye! Every day after lunch, during craft time, you can choose to silk screen a t-shirt or fabric item of your choice. Then in the evenings, after worship, you can choose to tie-dye these same items.

The Synod School committee offers a multiude of fun craft and art classes, including: Stained Glass, Introduction to Figure Drawing, Surface design Techniques for Fabulous Fabrics, Beginning Wheat Weaving, Scrapbooking 101, Wade in the Water: A Pre-introduction to Watercolor Painting, Acoustic Music Jam and Song Share, Knitting: the Next Step, and Basket Weaving 101.

This year, a new class being offered is "Kumihimo: A Three-fold Cord and Beyond." Pictured here is KayLynn Coulter and Esther Chol (Des Moines Presbytery) and Amanda Miller (Minnesota Valleys Presbytery, St. Cloud, MN), showing off their Kumihimo projects. This three-fold braid is very durable and can be worn as jewelry or for used as a lanyard for name tags or ids.

There are also opportunities for lay leaders and pastors to further their education and ministry with the following: Newly Ordained Clergy Reunion Seminar, Listening and Healing, Preaching for Commissioned Lay Pastors, Is It Time to Go? Exploring Vocational Transitions, Spirituality 101 & 201, Bible Study for Dummies, Praise and Prayer, Responding to Disaster, Perambulating Presbyterian Polity, Creative Worship, Why We Believe What We Believe, One Nation Under (insert your deity here) Separation of Church and State in American History and Law, Good vs. Evil: Movie Heroes and Villians and Biblical Ethics, Learning to Worship with Children, Transforming Conflict: Dealing with Difficult People in Your Congregation, Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar, Planning Worship as a Team, God at the Box Office, Developing Healthy Congregations, Horizons Bible Study: Joshua, Care for the Caregiver, Intersectionsof Science and Religion, Practicing the Art of Reconciliation, The Darkness and the Light, Creating a De-Stress Toolbox, Learning to Love the Old Testament, Spiritual Conversation: Sharing our Souls, Making Peace with Resource Choices, and Biblical Storytelling. Whew! And that's not all of them.

If your days are't full enough, there are also mini-course's offered in the evening: Form of Government Task Force, What is Spiritual Direction? PW Triennial Gathering Update, Yoga: Vacation Style, Star Trek, Left Behind, Cup Cake Decorating, Greek Dancing (pictured here), Conversations with Sara Lisherness, Improvisation, Happy Birthday John Calvin, AA Meeting, Hair Braiding, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Board of Pensions Update, What are Web 1.0 and Web 2.0? and a Mission Track including: Marion Medical Mission, Prospect Hill Presbytery and the Living Waters for the World, Missouri River Valley Czech Mission Network, and Des Moines Partnership with El Salvador.

Maybe next year, you'll find time to travel this way and join in the week-long fellowship of Synod School, July 25-30, 2010?

Kim Coulter, director of communications

Opportunity to Host El Salvador Missionary

Our El Salvador mission co-worker Kathy Mahler is back in Iowa for a visit and would like to spend time visiting either your church’s mission/social justice leaders and/or congregation regarding the Des Moines Presbytery’s mission in El Salvador. Kathy will be in Iowa July 22 - Aug. 7, 2009. She has several open dates for possible ‘talks’ which could be structured informally over a cup of coffee or in a ‘classroom’ type setting. Here is her calendar with events and the dates she is available:

• Thursday, July 23, PM meeting, the South Central Regional Partnership hosts at First Presbyterian Church, 301 E. 1st St., Leon. Kathy’s presentation will follow a 6 p.m. potluck supper. Table service and drinks are provided. Child care for the evening is available. Everyone interested in this vital mission of our Presbytery is invited to attend. RSVP’s are not required but would be appreciated. Contact Rev. Jack DePond or Mary Ellen Stanley at 641-446-6179 or grandme@grm.net.


• Friday, July 24 – afternoon open and PM meeting with Intern


• Saturday, July 25 – AM and PM meeting


• Sunday, July 26 – AM worship at Heartland Presbyterian Church in Clive, and PM traveling to Synod School, Storm Lake


• Monday, July 27 thru Friday, July 31 – Synod School class, Hope on the Mountain


• Saturday, Aug. 1 – morning open and PM meeting


• Sunday, Aug. 2 – AM worship at Douglas Avenue Presbyterian Church, Des Moines and afternoon and evening are open


• Monday, Aug. 3 – AM and PM meeting in Parkersburg


• Tuesday, Aug. 4 – AM and PM meeting in Parkersburg


• Wednesday, Aug. 5 – AM and PM meeting


• Thursday, Aug. 6 – available morning and early afternoon ('til 3 p.m.), PM meeting with Two Rivers Regional Partnership, TBD

Kathy will also be presenting a class at Synod School at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake July 26-31. The Hope on the Mountain class will be the second morning session each day from 10:45-11:45 a.m. There are also plans for her to hold a ‘mini’ session one evening during the week. Another option while at Synod School is to find her at meal times for an informal chat or more in depth if you wish.

To request a visit, go the Our Sister Parish Web site and submit your request using the online form or e-mail Kathy directly.

Some of the Extras

While Linda O'Connell and Emily Seeger have been taking care of business, I've been enjoying forums and workshops and some of the extras associated with the Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women.

I went to a forum on immigration led by Julia Thorne--she's an attorney-turned-director of the Office of Immigration Issues in the Office of the General Assembly. All of us learned a lot about the history of U.S. immigration policies since the 1830's--the relocation of Native Americans, criminalizing aid to runaway slaves, barring entry to the country for Chinese, and moving the Japanese to internment camps. Presbyterians have responded to immigration issues through the years, and Julia helped us to understand the issues of the day. We heard stories of undocumented immigrants, each ending with the statement: ...and I am a Presbyterian.

I went to a workshop led by the author of the 2009-2010 Bible study on Joshua. Mary Mikhael is on the faculty of the Near East School of Theology in Beirut and brings a very contemporary perspective to the study. There was a lively Q&A time and Mary offered stories from her life in the Middle East as illustrations for the sometimes difficult passages in the Old Testament scriptures.

Another workshop was led by Eva Clayton, former US Congresswoman from North Carolina who now works as a consultant to the UN on world hunger issues. We talked about Ordinary Women Serving as Agents of Justice. More of a round table discussion, everyone offered stories from their own experience and Eva kept pointing out the extraordinary things that ordinary women were sharing.

When I'm not in worship, workshops or the dining hall, I'm usually in either the book store or the Great Room. And the Great Room is my favorite place to explore. There are areas for learning about all the ways Presbyterian Women are at work in the world. There are areas full of resources to take home. There is a Global Garden where we can meet our international guests. There are lots and lots of Presbyterian booths, as well as booths for Heifer Project, Bread for the World, Alternatives for Simple Living, and lots more. There area areas to relax, areas to be creative, and areas to play games. And there is the Global Marketplace where we can learn about fair trade and development projects and support them with our purchases. The Great Room is a very busy place--I still haven't experienced it all, even after several visits.

During the Monday evening plenary, 22 mission personnel were commissioned for new postings, one of them my friend, Nancy Collins. Nancy was the facilitator in Egypt for our Joining Hands partnership and she is now the Regional Liaison for East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia). She invited me to the reception for these new mission workers afterwards, and it was a treat to meet some of the people and their families who will soon be serving the church worldwide.

Attend the 7th Annual Heroes of the Heartland Breakfast

The American Red Cross, Central Iowa Chapter will hold it’s Seventh Annual Heroes of the Heartland Breakfast on Thursday, March 5 at 7 a.m. The Honorably Retired Rev. Robert Cook will be awarded the International Impact Award for his work with mission in Berlin, El Salvador. The Rev. Cook currently is serving as interim pastor for the Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Des Moines.

When asked about the award, Rev. Cook said he feels honored and is receiving it on behalf of all the people who made the Our Sister Parish project happen the many years he served in El Salvador as the designated missionary.

The annual breakfast will be held at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. To make your reservation, contact Cailin Stock at 515-246-6307.

Day 8 - El Salvador to Iowa

We actually made it out of bed at 4:45 a.m. and we were ready to go when Alfredo came to pick us up one last time in the dark blue microbus with Becky's Tours on the side. Alfredo is a small handsome man of small stature (pictured here with Kathy Mahler). If he was lucky, he came up to Larry's armpit... (and Larry Lepper is 6'5") But sweet? Oh my, what a nice man. He takes good care of all of Kathy Mahler's delegations and also of Kathy. And that's good to know.

The day was not too eventful... other than traveling back home to Iowa – only (lots of) miles. We went through every checkpoint – I couldn't seem to get my act together at the first security stop and had to be reminded to take my shoes off and then set off the alarm when I forgot my phone was in my pocket. The next time I did a better job. Mary (MacKenzie) got stopped at Customs to check her bag. That was after they confiscated her hot sauce that she was taking home. I guess she might have gotten it through in her checked bag, but after Blair's (Lawson) experience with the flavoring on the way down, could you imagine all of Mary's clothes smelling like hot sauce when one of those bottles broke?

Larry (Lepper) and Blair also got pulled aside to have their shoes checked after they declared that they'd been on a farm, or spending time with cattle. Larry actually got his shoes washed, but Blair didn't. I guess they didn't figure Blair had been doing as much serious cattle rustling as Larry, since Larry had on his cowboy hat and Blair didn't (don't think he has one).

It was a rude awaking to come home to 30 mph NW winds after the warm temps we'd experienced. I guess it's back to reality... huh?

But, before I close, I just want to say a few thank yous. Thanks to my Trinity United Presbyterian Church friends for planning a trip of which I could be a part. I was the last to join and they very bravely took me under their wings and showed me all I needed to know to not look too unintelligent this past week. Being the only rookie didn't prove to be too challenging with all of their help.
There was Larry Lepper, our financial guru who kept close track of all our money. He spoke much Spanish and was not afraid to jump right in and try to speak to anyone. He wanted very badly to just blend in with the natives, but at 6'5' which white hair, he wasn't too successful. He was a huge asset to the trip and this was his second. Thanks, Larry.

There was Dave Endriss, our fearless pastor. He kept a quiet profile all week and only stepped into his pastoral role when asked. Otherwise, he made us all feel his equal – just 6 Trinity folks wanting to learn all we could. Thanks for your quiet leadership and friendship to all and lots of balloon fun! Thanks, Dave.
There was Blair Lawson, long time friend and our quiet, insightful one. He always had the interesting questions. I've lost track of the number of times he's been to El Salvador. He knows much about what goes on there. He will soon be president of the Indianola Rotary Club, so was taking lots of notes for them regarding the water filter project. Thanks, Blair.

There was Denise Core, a long time friend... the organized one. This was her third trip(?), so she knew a bit about what to expect and kept me informed when need be so that I'd look halfway intelligent. Always had anything we'd forgotten to pack. Thanks, Denise.

And then there was Mary MacKenzie, also a long time friend... her second trip. She's the strong and steady one – never afraid to try anything new. She was right there every time we went anywhere in the back of the truck with the guys hanging on for dear life. But, she was there. Thanks, Mary.

And Kathy Mahler... what can you say about Kathy? What a rock of a mission co-worker! She's there. She's wherever she needs to be. She does whatever she needs to do. And she's doing it well. And I enjoyed so much being able to see her there in her own world. I'd heard all about it, but now, I've been able to experience it. Thanks, Kathy.

And to Compañeros... my deepest thanks for making this trip happen for me. I come home with new insight into the El Salvador mission. I've been there and I've seen it. Not only have I seen my Casa de Zinc brothers and sisters with my own Trinity brothers and sisters, but I've seen El Tablon and El Recreo. I was close to Virginia, San Francisco, Las Delicias, Corazol, Munosis, San Felipe (I either saw the names on signs or Kathy would say, we're now in.) I couldn't make it to all of them, but I've seen what you're doing there. I've been there. I thank you with all of my heart for allowing me this experience.

And thanks to Nancy Lister-Settle and Kim Coulter for planting the seed... two months' ago, this trip wasn't even on my radar screen.

–Betty

(Pictured left to right) Milagro, Mary MacKenzie, Betty Dyer, Denise Core, Blanca, Kathy Mahler, Idalia, Larry Lepper, Otilia, Dave Endriss, Cecelia, Blair Lawson.

Day 2 - San Salvador to Berlin

We are having strong winds at the moment here and it's unseasonably cool. But, it was a beautiful morning with the bluest of blue skies. We sat on the porch with coffee and the best of company. Rev. Bob Cook was also staying at the Los Pinos guest house, so we got to visit with him, also! It was great to see him in the place where he's so happy - here in El Salvador. As usual, he was arranging something for himself and for someone else who needed something and he was going to be sure that they got it and someone else heard about someone where he might be able to get it...and as usual, he lost me... But, if you know Bob, you know that he's always trying to help someone and he'll find a way to make anything and everything happen for anyone who needs it. We said our goodbyes after a refreshing fruit breakfast and left for a morning in San Salvador.

During the morning, we drove past the American Embassy, and we got a quick picture through the window of the microbus, as pics aren't allowed. We saw the place where a mudslide had happened in 2002 and Denise Core and Dave Endriss had been here right after it happened. They were able to see how it looked now, after having seen it at its very worst at that point in time. We went to the chapel where Monsignor Oscar Romero was shot and saw the modest home where he had lived before he was assassinated. We saw the war memorial and all the names and a mural where Kathy Mahler was able to give us a brief history of El Salvador. It was a very meaningful morning for all of us.

On our trip through the curvy streets of the San Salvador area, we nearly lost Blair... his stomach had had enough as were pulled into the shopping area parking lot. I won't go into details, but let's just say that we all gave him credit and thanks for his aim and Alfredo was especially pleased! There wasn't much to clean up as he literally lost his breakfast. But, he was hungry for lunch about 15 minutes later and had no problems the rest of the day!

While eating lunch we were surprised to see Bob again and Daniela and so we had to say our goodbyes all over again! It was good to see her beautiful smile that always brightens any room where she is.

We hit the small shops pretty hard nearby and got the shopping bug out of our system, as this was our one chance. Everyone was so excited to see the gringos walking from shop to shop! We bartered and changed our minds and bartered some more. But, we were done by about 1:30 p.m. and piled back into the microbus. Alfredo claimed that we'd probably not make it up any hills now, as we'd packed the microbus so full of stuff!

It was now time for us to "head home", as Kathy said. And I was excited to finally be on that route. After a couple of hours, we came to Berlin... the town that we've all heard about for years. If you've ever had a delegation come here, or ever heard anyone in the Des Moines Presbytery give a talk about El Salvador in the last decade, you've heard them talk about the Casa Pastoral in Berlin. That's where a group of wonderful human beings work and some stay while taking care of all the delegations who come to visit. It's where Kathy lives and works.

For me, well, arriving here is hard for me to put in words. In fact, when we actually sat down and met with these wonderful women and everyone had to put into words what they wanted to say to the whole group, well... I know all of you who know me will find this very hard to believe, but I had no words. I found myself literally speechless. I know that has to be extremely hard for all of you to believe, but it's the honest truth.

After hearing about this place for close to 10 years and for the past 3 years; wiring funds, sorting coffee, paying bills for flavoring, paying bills for various other things, talking to Bob on the phone and by e-mail, talking to Kathy on e-mail from here... and on and on and on... actually finding myself sitting with the people who's names I have heard about and I've talked about... well, it was so overwhelming that I found myself in a state that I'm not sure I've ever experienced.

God was in that room with all of us – I felt him so strongly – telling me to pay attention because these wonderful women who do so much every day of the year were in my presense and I should sit up and take notice. I had finally found myself in this place that I'd only heard about and it was so real... finally.

Well, I guess I should sign off now. I just really can't say any more or add anything to it. These faithful women have touched me in a way that you couldn't know unless you've actually been here. It's only Day 2 and I'm already a different person. I thank God I'm having this experience. And I look forward to the next 5 days with wonderful anticipation. I'll write more tomorrow.

– Betty

Day 1 - Des Moines to San Salvador

I am traveling with the Trinity United Presbyterian Church delegation from Indianola - 5 of my good friends - Mary MacKenzie, Denise Core, Larry Lepper, Blair Lawson and my pastor, Rev. Dave Endriss. This is a trip of a lifetime for me... having my airfare paid by Compañeros. My continued thanks goes to all of them for giving me this opportunity.

We were about a half hour late leaving Des Moines, after having our plane de-iced (remember - it was 1 degree that morning!) and then having to wait for the batteries in the plane to reach a certain temp. Really??? I guess even big planes have problems starting in the nasty Iowa weather!

After a long afternoon in Houston and 6 hours of walks and naps, we finally headed for San Salvador. We arrived on time and went right through Customs and got our luggage with no problems. We got out to the street to hugs waiting from our Mission Co-worker to El Salvador, Kathy Mahler - a wonderful welcome! However, something smelled funny when Blair was the last to join us... it seems as though we got to be the very first ones that had problems transporting coffee flavoring to El Salvador.

Those of you waiting for more Snickeroo coffee may have to wait a little longer, as a goodly part of that bottle ended up on Blair's clothes and soaked up his suitcase! Actually, we didn't lose too much... thank heavens, but it was a smelly ride to the guest house in San Salvador. (I think our driver, Alfredo, in the dark blue micro-bus marked Becky's Tours wondered what on earth Kathy had gotten him into! At the guest house, we were welcomed warmly by someone with a great name... Beti. It was a wonderful place and after some cold adult beverages, we were off to bed after a long day.

-Betty Dyer
Des Moines Presbytery Office Manager
and a member of the Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola

Attend the Care for the Caregivers Training, Sept. 10

Many of our Presbytery churches have planned mission trips to the areas devastated by the tornados and flooding. Volunteer teams usually report that upon arrival they see a noticeable degradation of emotional stability of the victims and their families as well as those coordinating the mission teams due to the severe stress of the situation. The pastoral care needs in these situations are more than all of the pastors in Iowa can provide. Most flood victims are in a state of mourning. Normally, when we have a loss, family and friends rally together in support on our behalf. In the case of a natural disaster of this magnitude, the entire community is in mourning, and the healing is a long, drawn-out process. So, we need to reach out to them in this time of need.

The Des Moines Presbytery and PC(USA)’s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance are sponsoring a Care for the Caregivers Training to be held at the Presbytery Office, 2400 86th St., Suite #20, Urbandale, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. Pastors, laypersons and mission coordinators are encouraged to sign up and attend this three-hour training from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., lunch will be provided.

The presenters for the training are Rev. Bruce Wismer, pastor of Pine Shores Presbyterian Church in Sarasota, FL; Meg Scott-Johnson, Kerrville, TX, a licensed clinical social worker, trained in Critical Incident Stress Management by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and Trained Spiritual Director at the San Francisco Theological Seminary; and Rick Turner, of Greer, SC, who is trained as a Certified Pastoral Care Provider by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

This is an opportunity to help others with spirituality during crisis. If you are interested in attending, contact Betty Dyer at 515-276-4991 or pbydesmoines@qwestoffice.net with your contact information and how many will attend by Monday, Sept. 8. This will reserve your spot and lunch while giving us an exact number of attendees in case we need a larger venue for the training.

National Health Ministries MOM Visit a Success

The Health Mission on the Move van rolled into Des Moines June 15, and ‘set up shop’ in the parking lot of the Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church – the church attended by the majority of the areas Sudanese population. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, over 15 adults and well over 30 children were served by doing Health Assessments, blood pressure checks, and blood glucose testing, followed by a discussion of those findings.

Darlene Shepherd (Oskaloosa First) and Kim Coulter (DM Westminster) coordinated the efforts of our Presbytery volunteers. Those who helped were: Denise England RN (Audubon First); Melissa Schnucker RN (Clive Heartland); Rev. David Madsen, Jaden Oriho RN, Ikram Kachu and Batul Chol (DM Cottage Grove); Lisa Whitmarsh Peterson (DM Park Avenue); Rev. Adam Nardini and Sarah Mapes LPN (DM Union Park); Nancy Hampton RN, Karen Sanders RN and Jan Siwinski RN (DM Westminster); Dru McLuen (Indianola, Trinity United) and Judy Harvey.

The Sudanese population struggles to obtain adequate medical aide, as well as their daily needs. The Health Assessments done through the National Health Ministries and our area volunteers was an invaluable ministry.

Originally funded by the Birthday Offering of Presbyterian Women of PCUSA, National Health Ministries receives no direct support from congregations or offerings. The funding comes through Extra Commitment Opportunities (ECO).

To learn more go online to: www.pcusa.org/nationalhealth.

2008 Flood Relief Update

The PC(USA) Presbyterian Disaster Assistance volunteer team has been in the Des Moines Presbytery office now since Monday, June 16. The three representatives have taken their assessment and will be establishing their headquarters in Iowa City starting Thursday, June 19. There they will meet with East Iowa Presbytery’s Disaster Response Task Force to set in motion their response plan for Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area, where the need is the greatest.

Thank you to all who have called and e-mailed offering help. We truly appreciate knowing that we are in your prayers. At this time we are unaware of any of our Des Moines Presbytery churches that have been affected by the floods or tornadoes. If you know of an issue, please contact our office immediately at 515-276-4991 or pbydesmoines@qwestoffice.net.

Do you need help?
If you need help or are in touch with church members or others that need immediate assistance with clean up, housing, replacement of necessary household items, contact one of the following:

• The United Way of Central Iowa, http://www.unitedway.com/ or call 2-1-1


• The Iowa Concerns Hotline, 800-447-1985


• Department of Human Services, http://www.dhs.iowa.gov/ or 877-937-3663


• Federal Assistance Hotline, 800-462-9029


• Federal Emergency Management Agency, http://www.fema.gov/ or 800-621-3362

What can you do to help?
Financial Contributions
Church sessions are encouraged to prayerfully consider asking for funds from their congregations. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has available both a postcard and a bulletin insert at the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance web site. Use these to contact your church members for financial help.

If you would like to donate directly to the flood relief effort, you can mail checks to:

Presbytery of Des Moines
Attn: 2008 Flood Relief
2400 86th St., Ste. 20
Des Moines, IA 50322-4306
Memo line should include “2008 Flood Relief”

Or

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
Memo line should include special account info–North America Disaster Response & Relief (DR000162)

The PDA designated account supplements the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering to enable a significant response to communities impacted by the heavily-active 2008 season of tornadoes, storms, and floods in the United States. Donations can be made online as well.

Individuals can also donate financial contributions for flood relief to the American Red Cross Central Iowa Chapter, or the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation. Checks may be made payable Greater Des Moines Community Foundation (or GDMCF) with a memo of: 2008 Flood Relief & Recovery Fund.

Volunteer Help
The Presbytery of Des Moines is working with the Iowa Disaster Resource Council, a group of faith traditions, non-profit relief agencies and government agencies which is working to set up a volunteer coordinator to which we will all refer people. One note from the Resource Council is: DO NOT SEND CLOTHES. There will be some specific clothing needs articulated, but right now clothes are not needed.

Currently, in the Des Moines area, volunteers are asked to register with the Iowa Governor’s Web site to get scheduled for placement.

If you want to volunteer and help immediately this weekend – contact the United Way Volunteer Relief Center by going online to register. Or go to the United Way Human Services Campus at 1111 9th St., Des Moines, to sign up. Residents without access to the Internet should call 2-1-1- to register their contact information.

If you are interested in sending a work team to help with the clean-up and have scheduled specific weeks your group is available, contact the national Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Call Center, 866-732-6121 or pdacallcenter@sbcglobal.net. They are handling all work team calls and will be keeping a database of available teams, dates and accommodations. You’ll eventually be plugged in to help at a future date in various locations throughout the midwest.

Other Contributions
Mucking out homes and businesses are the first step in returning lives to normal. To learn more about assembling clean-up buckets, go to the PC(USA) PDA Web site. Here are the items to include:

How to make a Clean-Up Bucket

• 1 — 5-gallon bucket with resealable lid
• 5 — scouring pads
• 7 — sponges, assorted sizes
• 1 — scrub brush
• 1 — pkg. cleaning towels (18 reusable, like Easy Wipes®)
• 1 — box dry laundry detergent, 50-78 oz.
• 1 — liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol®), 12 oz.
• 1 — bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn®), 25 oz.
• 50 — clothespins
• Clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.
• 5 — dust masks
• 2 pair — latex gloves (like Playtex®)
• 1 pair — work gloves
• 1 — 24-count roll heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon)
• 1 — bottle insect repellant (drops or lotion, not aerosol), 6-14 oz.

Please purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Put all items in the plastic bucket and pack securely. (Please call the church first for delivery specifications.)

Des Moines Presbytery Bucket Drop Off Sites:
Park Avenue Presbyterian Church
3120 S.W. 9th St.
Des Moines, IA 50315-2205
515-282-8309

Or

Highland Park Presbyterian Church
321 Euclid Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50313-4349
515-288-5703

East Iowa Presbytery Bucket Drop Off Sites:
First Presbyterian Church
2701 Rochester Avenue
Iowa City, IA 52245
319-351-2660

Or

First Presbyterian Church
802 12th Street
Marion, IA 52302
319-377-7309

PDA Responds to Floods and Storms in Iowa

Five items of importance for you to note:

1. Our General Presbyter Rev. Phil Barrett coordinated a conference call Friday morning, June 13, of ecumenical leaders and denominational disaster relief which has lead to an improvement in communication and coordination for Iowa disasters. A website is being set up that all faith communities will link to and provide information. More word on this will come later this week.

Also, our PC(USA) Presbyterian Disaster Assistant person in Iowa, Don Hampton (Indianola, Trinity United), informs us that the Iowa Disaster Resource Council, a group of faith traditions, non-profit relief agencies and government agencies is working to set up a volunteer coordinator to which we will all refer people. It is also possible that a PDA staffer will be coming to Des Moines to coordinate PDA work state-wide. The main thing to know is that we are working with our other faith tradition partners right now. Our biggest needs will come as the water recedes. This will be a long haul and require lots of volunteers. One note from the Resource Council is: DO NOT SEND CLOTHES. There will be some specific closing needs articulated, but right now clothes are not needed.

2. Also, the North Central Iowa Presbytery Office Disaster Assistance Coordinator Kaylene Hoskins is helping coordinate volunteer workers in Parkersburg with the F5 tornado cleanup. On Wednesday, June 11, the Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola sent 11 volunteers to help with cleanup in the Parkersburg/New Hartford area. They reported that it will take a long time for recovery in the area. (See photos.)

3. Two documents for disaster assistance information to download and share:

• Homeland Security Emergency Management FEMA information flyer for home owners, renters, businesses, private non-profit org affected by sever storms, tornadoes and flooding.
• American Red Cross Disaster Services Recovery Information Flyer – The Storm has Passed… now what?

4. How can you help? The immediate need in Iowa is for buckets to help clean up after the floods. Learn how to build buckets at: www.pcusa.org/pda/response/usa/2008winterspringstormsfloods-index.htm. Send buckets to:

First Presbyterian Church
802 12th Street
Marion, IA 52303

First Presbyterian Church
2701 Rochester Avenue
Iowa City, IA 52245

5. Finally, if you are interested in contributing monies, contact your Presbytery Office for procedures on sending funds towards disaster aftermath in Iowa and surrounding states. In Des Moines, e-mail pbydesmoines@qwestoffice.net or call 515-276-4991. A bulletin insert is available at: www.pcusa.org/pda/resources/usfloodbulletin.pdf.

Reminder: Do not send clothing at this time.

Please share these pieces of information with whomever may need them! Thank you for your prayers!