A Welcoming Church Family:
Continuing Prayers
For Nancy and everyone recovering from COVID-19. For folks who are able to get vaccinated, and protect themselves and their families. For patience as we deal with the delta virus. Of thanks for Paul and for Ryan. For all our Sunday School teachers, and families trying to navigate this round of COVID-19. For democracy, and for a franchise that includes all citizens. For school administrators and teachers trying to do the right thing the best they can. For a week in which it's sometimes hard to remember that football is a game.
Exploring Progressive Christian Theology:
Our Sunday School Update from Peg:
We are hoping to meet in person with masks, but with the ever-changing levels of Covid infections, we will send out an email Thursday evening letting you know the final decision of in-person or online. If online, the links will be the same and materials will be dropped off at your homes before Sunday. You will receive the links and starting times in the Thursday email.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all. Look for the email with finalized info Thursday night. Thanks for being flexible with us.- Peg
Good questions (can change the world) by James Burklo, shared with us by Progressive Christianity:
"The Quakers are small in number. There are but a few hundred thousand of them in the United States. Worshipping in silence goes a long way toward maintaining their low profile in the public eye.
Early in their history, the Quakers chose to ask questions instead of making grand pronouncements. They called them “queries.” Their regional assemblies would carefully refine these queries and pose them to the membership of their local Meeting Houses. They would keep asking themselves these queries until, by consensus, they determined that it was time to ask different questions. The queries addressed topics of personal spiritual practice, the conduct of silent Meetings, and social and moral issues. The queries lit a fire in the consciences of individual Quakers and of the Society of Friends as a whole.
What would happen if other faithful people began to ask questions instead of arguing with answers they don’t like? What would happen if we followed St. Paul’s advice and stopped returning evil for evil? What would happen if we asked serious questions instead of behaving defensively in response to religious or political bombast?..." Click here to read the full article!
Caring Within:
Photos by Connor Henzi:
Do you want some photos of yourself or your family? Then please sign up and have photos taken by me, Connor Henzi, a student at DMACC studying Photography. I am looking to improve my individual and family photo skills and hope at the same time I can provide some amazing individual and family photos for you to cherish.
The photos will be outdoors at the Church on Saturday, September 11th (rain date 9/18), using the prairie and the church building/grounds as our backdrop. We will have seating available for the photos as well. All you have to do is sign up for a 45-minute slot and bring you and/or your family ready for some pictures. I will be providing (watermarked) photos in which you can choose 5 photos that I will edit and send to you for your unrestricted use. If you like more, we can discuss having more edited too. While I am not be charging a fee for my services, I would appreciate donations.
Don’t forget to update your church directory photos with these! You can sign up here. Questions? Please email me.
Church's Policy Update from the Council:
We are once again asking everyone to wear a mask inside the church. Due to IDPH's shift to only releasing COVID numbers midweek, keep your eyes on the weekly worship email for policy updates.
Upcoming Webinars by Mindspring:
Self-Care & The Impact of Mental Illness on Loved Ones | Thurs 9/9 | 12-1:00p CDT
The complicated nature of mental illnesses can make living or work with a person experiencing a mental illness especially taxing. Learn strategies to respond to problem behaviors, set boundaries, and manage your own stress in this one-hour webinar. Register here!
Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder | Tues 9/14 | 12-1:00p CDT
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is defined by negative self-evaluation and misperceptions about one’s appearance. Preoccupation and hyper-focus on perceived flaws can result in depression, anxiety, and social isolation -- and many people with BDD do not talk to others about it, which leads to further isolation, stigmatization, and suffering. Explore the diagnostic criteria, symptoms, common misconceptions in this one-hour session. Discuss treatment options and learn practical tips for managing symptoms and helping others with a licensed therapist. Register here!
Understanding Eating Disorders | Wed 9/15 | 12-1:00p CDT
Although our culture is decidedly preoccupied with food and weight, and disordered patterns of eating are very common, clinical diagnosis of eating disorders is less common. Even for professionals who have been treating them for years, eating disorders can be baffling and confusing illnesses. Explore the types of eating disorders, their signs, symptoms, risk factors, and treatment in this one-hour session. The webinar includes practical steps for supporting loved ones and tips for discussing this often-misunderstood topic. Register here!
Live Well Classes: Overcoming Anxiety Or Depression:
Learning how to reduce our anxiety and alleviate any depression with proven
Methods would help each of us recharge after recent stresses. If you, or anyone you know, has experienced either of these debilitating conditions, please join us.
After completing one of these confidential, supportive, separate 8-week classes, you will have developed six healthy lifestyle habits and will join the 90% who maintain a major reduction in symptoms.
Please invite others to join you at our orientation Mon Sept. 20th, 6:30 pm at OLIH Catholic Church, Room 10, 510 E. 1 st St., Ankeny. Weekly Mon. evening classes will be Sept.27th – Nov.5th. Cost: Only $5.for a notebook. For more info or to reserve your seat, contact facilitator Jim
White at 313-3701 or jcjlwhite@live.com.
AMOS' Delegate Assembly, shared with us by Sue:
This assembly is open to any and all! We will have in attendance some of the county leaders who worked with AMOS to make the new children's services a reality. We will celebrate the work they've done and gather commitments from them for continued work. The preliminary work of the Civic Academy team will be presented. A formal agenda will be coming. There will be a Zoom option that will be like streaming but without interaction with the in-person group. Click here to register for either. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Affordable Housing:
As Ankeny has been identified as an affordable housing desert, the team is looking for additional people interested in serving on the team, either short-term or long-term. If you have an interest or just further questions, contact me: sbroadbooks@gmail.com.
Mowing:
It's mowing season. We lost one of our great mowing servants last year, so we'll have many more openings and lawn care needs this year. The good news is that you don't have to worry about the prairie! Sign up here! Thanks to the people that have signed up so far, including Tom Broadbooks, Tom Rupp, and Gale Gilbert.
Serving Beyond:
Our Garden Update (September 7, 2021):
I delivered the tomatoes and peppers I had picked a few days ago, then harvested and delivered basil, kale, and salad tomatoes later in the morning. It was 13.4 pounds on the early delivery (I'd say 1.4 pounds peppers and 12 pounds tomatoes) then 14.2 pounds of basil, kale, and the salad tomatoes being most of the weight. The total was 27.6 pounds between the two deliveries to IMPACT 9/7/21.- Trina R.
P/S: The other half of the kale needs to be trimmed. Also, there are regular tomatoes and peppers to pick but the quantity is way down from the last few weeks.
Appeal for Hurricane Ida Relief by the UCC:
The UCC has launched a ‘Special Storms 2021’ appeal to take donations for Hurricane Ida relief. Gifts can be made online using this page on the UCC website. In addition to financial gifts and prayers for the people in the hurricane zone, making emergency cleanup buckets is a hands-on way for churches to respond. More information about that is on the webpage as well.
Fall Trips - Registration open, Camp Courageous Travel Program for Campers announces!
Camp Courageous’ Travel Program is gearing up for the fall season. Trip registration for September and October trips began Thursday, August 12th, for campers. Please visit here for more information on the camper trips available.
See all trips available by clicking here!
To register, log into your camper's account and make your trip selection. Please note that a 2021 camper application is required before registering for trips. If you are new to camp, contact travel@campcourageous.org to get your camper account set up!
Meals from the Market: DMARC Needs Your Help!
Calling all volunteers who love being outdoors, enjoy interacting with people, and have a passion for fighting food insecurity in the Greater Des Moines metro! DMARC is recruiting individuals and groups to assist with the Meals from the Market program during the 2021 Downtown Farmer's Market! We need more help to finish out the season!
There are two shifts every Saturday, now through the end of October:
1) The first shift of volunteers (2 from 8 am-10 am or 10 am-1 pm) will be responsible for handing out market maps and materials about DMARC’s food pantry network and associated programs.
2) The second shift of volunteers (12 volunteers from 11 am-1 pm) will be responsible for helping with our food rescue efforts, gathering donations from vendors for our food pantry network.
Sign up for shifts here. To learn more, contact Nisha Kishor.
Our weekly coin collection:
Our coin collections in August will go One Iowa. One Iowa advances, empowers and improves the lives of LGBTQ Iowans statewide. Click here to learn more about their vision and their mission.
