► The May WELCA outreach will be a collection for the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). Some needs they have are: combs, brushes, children's DVD's or video tapes, disposal diapers and wipes, baby shampoo, men and women's deodorant, all sizes of socks, and feminine products. Please select one or more items and place in the boxes marked IHN near the office reception desk or in the hallway outside Neumann Hall. Your support is really appreciated!

► A big THANK-YOU to all of you generous ones who contributed items for Families and Children of Iowa/Violence Center throughout the month of April. They received these much needed gifts with a lot of appreciation!

► Vacation Bible School will be June 27-30 for Kindergarten - Sixth graders.  Find the VBS registration forms here.

► EAGLES will meet at noon on Friday, May 13th, at the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden on 15th Street between Grand and Locust. The group will enjoy lunch there, then take a guided tour of the test gardens. Following the tour, they will go to the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park just down the block for a tour. Cost: $10 per person. Call or e-mail Ginny Pauling at 285-4709 or rg.paul@att.net.

► Scrapbooking has been changed to Saturday, May 14, 9:30 to 3:00 in Valbracht.

► St. John's Moms: Moms & tots 3 and under are welcome to join us in a play date! Saturday, May 14, at 10:00 am in the nursery. Questions? Please contact Rachel Corron at (515)313-6645 rpcorron@gmail.com or Kirsten LaBlanc at (515)491-0907 k.lablanc@gmail.com

► Couples/Singles Group will meet on Saturday, May 21, 5:30 pm at the home of Bill & Darla Stiles for a backyard gathering. Bring an hors d'oeuvre. Cost: $5 per person. RSVP to the Stiles' at 515-225-3499 or darlastiles@stjohnsdsm.org.

► The St. John's Gardening Tour Schedule is set for spring/summer/fall of 2011. The first scheduled tour is May 24th (meeting at Loki's Gardens west of Des Moines). If you would like to be added to the Gardening small group e-mail, please let Darla know at darlastiles@stjohnsdsm.org.

► Baseball & Apple Pie is an all congregational event scheduled for Sunday, June 5. Sign up in the lounge now through May for tickets and/or the apple pie contest. There will be a picnic with the apple pie contest on the grass next to the parking lot at Principal Park between 11:30 and 1:00, then we will attend an I-Cub's game at 1:05. Cost for the I-Cubs ticket and picnic is $10/person.

The Fantasticks, the musical, is a presentation of A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy and StageWest Theatre Company. Performances will be at First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Avenue, Des Moines, May 5, 6 and 7 at 8:00 p.m. and May 13 and 14 at 8:00 p.m. To purchase the $20 general admission tickets, contact Bonnie Ekse (964-5929) or Diana Sickles (255-5055), or visit www.midwesTIX.com. We also invite your support for the St. John's ad to be placed in the Fantasticks program. These program books are widely distributed at AMOS events during the year. Please designate your contribution as "AMOS program ad."
All proceeds are to support the community-building work of AMOS. St. John's is a member institution of AMOS.

Protecting Faith and Freedom Award Reception

Thursday, May 19

Drake University, Olmsted Center

Des Moines

• 6:30 - 7:30 pm Reception includes heavy hors d'oeuvres & cash bar  
• 7:45 - 9:00 pm Award Program and Keynote Speaker
• Faith & Freedom Award Recipient - G. David Hurd  
• Keynote Speaker - Rev. Dr. Tex Sample

Various Host Levels available., Individual Reservations - $60 per person
All are welcome but reservations are necessary. Reservations and payment must be received by Friday, May 13. Reservations can be made by phone, mail or email. Payment can be made by credit card online or by check (by mail).
 

Please contact us by email at events@interfaithallianceiowa.org  or phone 515-279-8715.