Don Justo Coffee Comes to Presbytery Meeting

Don Justo Coffee Comes to Presbytery Meeting

Don Justo Coffee Comes to Presbytery Meeting

Don Justo Coffee with Dignity will be available at the next Presbytery meeting on Saturday, October 21, for you to sample and purchase. Don Justo Coffee is a part of the Our Sister Parish Inc. mission of the Presbytery of Des Moines and is a mission with the people of Berlin, Usulutan, El Salvador. Don Justo Coffee with Dignity was established in 2002 with the sole purpose of making funds for the mission. You can be a part of this mission by purchasing this coffee for yourself or for your church. Your church can serve it, sell it, or do both. Remember that purchasing this coffee is spending mission dollars – it’s not just filling the kitchen cupboard.

If you would like to find out how you can order coffee with free delivery, you can find out more here. If you would like to order coffee and have it delivered to the Presbytery meeting, please place your order here or you may use the church bulletin order form. If you’d like to learn more about the Our Sister Parish Inc. mission, you may go to our website.

View Don Justo Coffee brochure

View Our Sister Parish Brochure

Free Webinar Opportunity

Free Webinar Opportunity

Free Webinar Opportunity

Do you only ask for gifts of cash or marketable securities from your church members or supporters?

Did you know there are billions of dollars in privately held interests owned by very philanthropically-minded individuals who would love to make a gift to your congregation or religious nonprofit?

Do you know how to encourage your church members and donors to consider those gifts or how to spot those who may hold these more complex assets?

Sign up for a FREE webinar to learn what to look for proactively and how to build trust with church members and supporters who can make these special gifts. Bryan Clontz of Charitable Solutions will be the guest speaker.

On Wednesday, September 20, at 11 a.m. CST, Bryan will join Greg Rousos of New Covenant Trust Company and James W. Murphy of the Episcopal Church Foundation to review how anyone can work with our programs to encourage and finalize gifts like these.

Register here

Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference

Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference

Presbyterians for Earth Care Conference

Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) is a national eco-justice network that cares for God’s creation by connecting, equipping, and inspiring Presbyterians. PEC is responding with a church-wide conference, “The Climate Crisis & Empowering Hope”. It will be held at Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center in Virginia, September 20 – 23, 2023 and at satellite gatherings in Arkansas, Minnesota, and California. Conference leaders are The Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, Executive Director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, and The Rev. Dr.Patricia K. Tull, an Old Testament Biblical scholar. The conference will also include 25 workshops.

Learn more

Simbolei Academy: A Mission Opportunity

Simbolei Academy: A Mission Opportunity

Simbolei Academy: A Mission Opportunity

by Shar Hulstein, UPC, Denison

The Denison United Presbyterian Church became involved in a mission that was begun by a past member of our church.  Dr. Andrea Bachmann Kaitany and her husband Dr. Richard Kaitany have set about fulfilling a dream to give back to the community that brought Richard to Iowa State.  His school and community in Iten, Kenya, honed his skills as a middle-distance runner, and he was offered a track scholarship.  They married and raised four children in Michigan while they began their dream of starting a girls’ high school in Iten called Simbolei Academy.  

After years of fundraising, refinancing, searching for land, building, and hiring staff, the Simbolei Girl’s Academy has been the boarding school and educational home for Form 1 and Form 2 (9th and 10th graders) for two years. The school’s goal is to add the next two grades as the sophomores advance. Each of the girls go to school on a full scholarship or partial scholarship provided by the school.  Many of the families are impoverished so the girls are thrilled with this opportunity for schooling.  We were told by one of the students, “At least half of us that go to school here wish to become doctors.”   

In June, Shar Hulstein, Mary Goettsch, and Ann Platt, former Denison-Schleswig teachers, along with Michigan volunteers went to Iten to work with the girls on literacy, drama, science and presentation, volleyball skills, and board games/puzzles for fun.  The Denison United Presbyterian Church sent luggage full of donations:  athletic shoes, paints, crayons, and colored pencils, notebooks, etc.   We also acquired a list of needs to send for future use.  Along with spending time at the school, Andrea and Richard provided an opportunity to see the city and the surrounding communities. While visiting another culture, we see how blessed we really are.  

 “Greet your people in grace and peace”, was a request from one of the girls. (Done) Andrea and Richard make this opportunity available to anyone!  They are very hospitable hosts and love to share the Kenyan culture and education. The students share their love of singing and sharing of their faith and fellowship. If you would like to help them continue their mission monetarily or travel to Kenya next summer, please see their website.  Next semester they will be adding 20 more students who will need scholarships! Any small gift would help them in their mission.