The Des Moines Presbytery Leadership Council met Tuesday, June 9, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Des Moines. Here are some highlights of that meeting:

• As we do at every meeting, it began with a brief devotional and prayer. For the last several months we have been studying characters in the Bible who have had to discern God’s will.  We have looked at Nehemiah, Gideon, the apostle Paul, and this month we discussed Ruth.

• We reviewed the recent Presbytery meeting in Newton.

• A new task force called the Congregational Vitality Task Force was formed to look at the congregations in our Presbytery and report back to Leadership Council and COM.

• Each of the 3 Discernment Teams (Communication, Administration and Mission Values), reported on their progress as we continue to move forward with seeking God’s will if the 3 presbyteries should unite into one.

• The 3 moderators of the councils of the 3 presbyteries along with our staff, are planning for the All Iowa Gathering on Saturday, August 29, at the Northminster Church in Ames. A key component of this event will be to update all participants on where we are in the discernment process.  There will also be a variety of workshops for people to attend.  If at all possible, please try to attend!

• The moderators and staff are also planning an event for an in-person gathering of all 3 councils the day before in Ames.

All students who have completed grades 1-12 are invited to join us July 8 through July 11 for Fun and Friends Camp! Camp is held in Indianola, IA at Camp Wesley Woods. Registration is open now using the forms below.

The cost is $300; limited scholarships are available. Payment is due upon arrival at camp. Checks made out to “Presbytery of Des Moines” can also be mailed with the registration forms.

Forms should be printed and completed, then mailed to:

Rev. Tim Maxa
401 W. Michigan St.
Lenox, IA 50851

Forms

• 2026 Camp Permission Slip
• 2026 Camp Release of Liability

Stated Clerk Rev. Annika Lister Stroope will be available by Zoom anytime between 12 PM and 7 PM on Wednesday, June 3, and Thursday, June 4, for helpful feedback and guidance to ensure your congregation’s records are in order. No registration is needed. Simply join using the links below. You can also reach out to Annika at ANY TIME with questions. You do not need to wait for one of these Zoom sessions. The Session Minutes Review Form can be found here. You may send in this form at any time. 

• Wednesday, June 3
• Thursday, June 4 

The 227th General Assembly is coming. We’re here to help you not only follow it — but share it.

• Bulletin inserts for before and after GA: make the work of the assembly clear, accessible and meaningful for your whole congregation. Order the bundle and save.
• Your complete GA toolkit: we’re offering more ways than ever to stay informed and engaged — all in one place. Explore all GA227 resources.