Networking with New Immigrants

June 12, 2009
Today, we began the day with worship under the Big Tent. The scripture lesson started with a passage from Mark 2:12, “We have never seen anything like this!” Over 1,500 attendees have come together to learn and network with other church leaders.

I had the opportunity to attend a workshop of the Presbyterian Communicator’s Network on the topic of "Care and Feeding your Website". Dana McMahan and Jonathan Dennis were the PC(USA) experts that gave us insight on how to update our web pages to reflect the state-of-the-art technology. Reminding us that we may just be one person, updating as many as 100 or 300,000 pages on the World Wide Web, but we do have a network that is supportive and can help with our learning of the new tools and web technology that's available.

Another highlight of my day is speaking for the New Immigrants Ministry Convocation. They asked me to speak on the topic of "Designing an Effective Network". I got the opportunity to present this workshop with Beth Newberry, PC(USA) Mission Communications Associate. She and I spoke to nearly 100 people about extending their network using tools available online and for relativity little money. Great questions and lively discussion was experienced with these people of faith. All trying to follow God's word of spreading the Good News through many tongues.

Pictured here is the Pal Craftaid booth in the Big Tent exhibit hall. The Rev. Stu Ritter, interim pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, is talking with Westminster member Connie DePond about the items of Palestinian crafts for sale. Also the Rev. Liz Knott (honorably retired) is seen helping a customer with a purchase.

-Kim Coulter, Director of Communications

News from the Big Tent

June 11, 2009
Despite the airplane delays on Wednesday due to rain storms, the Big Tent Multi-Conference began without a hitch Thursday morning. Church leaders from all over the United States descended into Atlanta, Ga., with the hope of learning about a variety of topics. The list is long, but conference attendees’ choices include classes and workshops in the following program areas of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A):

• Evangelism
• Healthy Ministry
• National Elders
• National Multicultural Church
• New Immigrant Ministries
• Presbyterian Peacemaking
• Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association’s Social Justice
• Presbyterian Communicator’s Network
• Racial Ethnic Ministries
• Stewardship and Investment

There are eight individuals from our Des Moines Presbytery attending the Big Tent event. Director of Communications Kim Coulter; Coordinator of Sudanese Ministries the Rev. Goanar Chol; Cindy Ray, intern at the Knox United Presbyterian Church; the Rev. Ross Blount, pastor at Allerton United Presbyterian Church, the honorably retired Rev. Liz Knott; the Rev. David Madsen, pastor of Cottage Grove Ave. Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, Connie DePond, a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines and their Interim Pastor Rev. Stu Ritter.

Pictured here are (right to left) the Rev. Stu Ritter, Matt and Kim Coulter. They attended the welcome reception held for the Presbyterian Communicator’s Network on Thursday evening in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta. Tomorrow will promise a chance to network with friends face-to-face and tour this great city in the Peach State.

-Kim Coulter, Director of Communications