eVoice - April 28, 2015
Wage Gap Hurts Iowa Families
On average, Iowa women are paid just $0.78 for every dollar paid to men. Experts believe it will take at least 50 years to close this gap.

If the wage gap was eliminated, on average, a wage-earning woman in Iowa would earn $10,328 more per year, enough to pay for...

Read more about the wage gap at dmarcunited.org/services/hsf.
You recurring gift of $25 each month will provide one emergency meal for a hungry child each day for a year. Just $6.50 each week can help keep a family stably housed.
When the car breaks down or a child gets sick or the cupboard is bare and the paycheck doesn't stretch far enough, DMARC is there with short-term food, housing and child care assistance. Your support makes this possible...THANK YOU!
Douglas M. Woods "Challenge Hunger" Campaign Deadline
The deadline for the Douglas M. Woods "Challenge Hunger" Campaign is almost here! Until April 30, gifts contributed to DMARC that mention the "Challenge Hunger" campaign have been matched 50 cents for every dollar, up to a total of $20,000 given. Funds raised for the Challenge and not yet submitted to DMARC will be credited toward the Challenge if received by May 8.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to all of our great supporters who responded so quickly and have given so generously to the campaign!
WATCH: Meals from the Market
Get excited, the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market opens this Saturday, May 2! Once again, DMARC is partnering with Great Western Bank and the Des Moines Downtown Farmers Market for the Meals from the Market program.
Volunteers with the Meals from the Market program canvass the market booth to booth, asking vendors if they would like to donate any unsold produce at the end of the market. Once the market is winding down, volunteers then collect the donated produce, and load it into a Move the Food truck. The produce is then transported to the DMARC Food Pantry Network, where it is safely stored until it is distributed to the Food Pantry Network the following Monday morning.

Would you like to get involved volunteering with the Meals from the Market program? Contact Daniel Beck at [email protected] or 515-282-2026.
May's Donation of the Month
The Donation of the Month for May 2015 is peanut butter. Download a Donation of the Month - Peanut Butter PDF flyer to hang at your congregation or workplace.
RSVP for Red Barrel's 25th Birthday Celebration

25 years ago, on April 18, 1990, DMARC's Red Barrel Program was officially launched. Today, DMARC celebrates the lasting success of this program by inviting volunteers and partners to our Red Barrel Program 25th Birthday Celebration on Thursday, May 14, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Local Hy-Vee stores have generously offered to donate food, beverages and a birthday cake. Thank you, Hy-Vee! Please RSVP so we can get an idea on the number of expected attendees. 

The Comparison Project: Final Comparisons

In the final event of its 2013-2015 series on "religion beyond words," The Comparison Project's directors, Tim Knepper and Leah Kalmanson, will compare over the programming of the last two years, raising philosophical questions of meaning, value, and truth about ineffability in comparative religious perspective. Knepper and Kalmanson will explore the diversities of ineffability in nine religious traditions as well as the arts and literature, focusing on the distinctive means by which humans speak about things they say cannot be spoken. Ultimately, Knepper and Kalmanson will assess the ends toward which ineffability has been deployed in the practice and study of religion.

 

Timothy Knepper is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Drake University. He teaches and publishes in the philosophy of religion, comparative religion, late ancient Neoplatonism, and mystical discourse. He is the author of books on the future of the philosophy of religion (The Ends of Philosophy of Religion, Palgrave, 2013) and the sixth-century Christian mystic known as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (Negating Negation, Wipf & Stock, 2014).

 

Leah Kalmanson is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Drake University. She researches and teaches in the fields of Asian and comparative philosophy, continental philosophy, and postcolonial theory. She has published the co-edited volumes Confucianism in Context (SUNY 2010), Levinas and Asian Thought (Duquesne 2013), and Buddhist Responses to Globalization (Lexington 2014). 


The event is free and open to the public.
Des Moines Area Religious Council

1435 Mulberry Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

515-277-6969

Peanut Butter
Community Calendar
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May 2


May 3

May 10

May 11

May 14

May 20

May 21

DMARC does not require participation in religious services as a condition to receive assistance, and does not engage in religious proselytizing or counseling. DMARC practices non-discrimination in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations. All services and programs are provided to consumers without discrimination in regard to family size or structure, religious or cultural beliefs, race, gender, age,
or disability.

Community Announcements
Disclaimer: The Des Moines Area Religious Council makes every effort to provide accurate and useful general information in its eVoice, but accepts no liability for the use of the material by individuals or organizations. We gladly distribute information from member or partner individuals, congregations, and other agencies, but our inclusion of such material should not be construed as being sponsored or endorsed by DMARC. Undated general announcements and employment opportunities are included for one week unless requested to be included for a longer period of time.
Mack Wilberg Conducts the Choral Society and Workshop
World renowned composer, arranger, and conductor Mack Wilberg from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir visits Des Moines and conducts the Choral Society on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at First Christian Church (7:30 PM). In celebration of our 35th Anniversary, this is one concert you won't want to miss!
The Des Moines Choral Society also invites local choir conductors and their singers to spend a morning with Mack Wilberg. The morning will include a group sing-through of selected songs with Mack Wilberg conducting and discussing how he works with singers in his own choir. A Q&A Session will follow with Mack. This is a free event for the community, but an RSVP is required! Please contact [email protected] or call us at (515) 273-5255 to RSVP.
Free Iowa Cubs Game with Food Donation this Sunday
This Sunday, May 3, donate 3 non-perishable food items and receive one free general admission ticket to the Iowa Cubs home game against the Oklahoma City Dodgers!

DMARC partners with the Iowa Cubs to offer this promotion at each Sunday home game during the summer. Find a full list of the Sunday home games on our website.

We are still looking for volunteers to help gather donations at the games! If interested, please contact Daniel Beck at [email protected] or 515-282-2026.
2015 Protecting Faith and Freedom Annual Awards Dinner
The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa is hosting its 2015 Protecting Faith & Freedom Annual Award Dinner on Monday, May 11, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Iowa Events Center.
Speaking at the event will be Sally Steenland, Director of the Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative at the Center for American Progress. Zach Wahls will M.C., and awards are being presented to Rev. Dr. Larry Sonnera retired pastor in the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church and Rep. Mark D. Smithstate representative from Marshalltown.
The Road to Freedom: A Response to Ferguson
The Des Moines Diversity Chorus, along with Tina Haase Findlay, presents "The Road to Freedom: A Response to Ferguson" on Monday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1548 8th Street in Des Moines. The concert is free and open to the public.
Prayer Stations and Labyrinth for National Day of Prayer

Immanuel United Methodist Church

2900 49th Street, Des Moines

 

Come and spend time in prayer at Immanuel United Methodist Church. The Faith Hall will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on May 7 for the National Day of Prayer. A 36' labyrinth will be set up indoors and various prayer stations will be available. You can come and go as you please. All are welcome and invited! Questions? Call 277-1100 or email [email protected].

Job Opening: Office Coordinator at Urbandale United Church of Christ
Urbandale United Church of Christ is seeking an office coordinator. The office coordinator is responsible for the administrative tasks and day to day operation of the church office. It is a 30-35 hour per week position, with pay and benefits commensurate with experience and training.

Responsibilities:
  1. Coordinate activities of the church office, including telephone, mail, scheduling, communication and maintenance.
  2. Prepare publications needed by the church, coordinate mailings, and maintain church records, including church bulletins, monthly newsletter and calendars.
  3. Provide administrative and worship support to the Pastor, staff and congregation.
  4. Provide a communication link between the Pastor, staff and church family and outside groups.
  5. Other duties as assigned by the Pastor.
Education:
  • A high school diploma is required.
  • Knowledge of computers and word processing is required.
  • Excellent communication, time management and organizational skills are required.
  • Preference will be given to a candidate proficient in desktop publishing and database management.
Qualifications:
  • Excellent communication skills (written, oral, telephone, and e-mail).
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Ability to learn, use and maintain computer programs, database, publishing, word processing and other software.
  • Ability to function and adapt in a flexible and diverse work environment with minimal supervision.
  • An ability to effectively use the church computer and other office equipment.
  • An ability to prioritize tasks.
To Apply:
Send or email resume and cover letter to Pastor David Sickelka, Urbandale United Church of Christ, 3530 70th St., Urbandale, IA 50322 or [email protected].

Who Are We?

The Des Moines Area Religious Council is an interfaith organization with a core membership of over 130 congregations from four faith traditions. Recipient of the 2012 LIVE UNITED Advocate Award from the United Way of Central Iowa, DMARC provides a common means of responding to basic human needs and a context for interfaith dialogue.

 

The DMARC Food Pantry Network consists of 12 separate pantry sites, a centralized warehouse, and numerous community partners. It is the largest food pantry network in Iowa. Pantry sites are located in West Des Moines, Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, and eight sites in Des Moines. In 2013, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted more than 34,000 individuals in the greater Des Moines community; half of whom are children and youth.

 

MovetheFood is a DMARC-led initiative to address the entire food system in Greater Des Moines, building on nearly 40 years of the Food Pantry Network, catalyzing fresh generations, and engaging new constituencies to further support a vision for a day when everyone in Polk County has enough to eat.
Disclaimer: The Des Moines Area Religious Council makes every effort to provide accurate and useful general information in its eVoice, but accepts no liability for the use of the material by individuals or organizations. We gladly distribute information from member or partner individuals, congregations, and other agencies, but our inclusion of such material should not be construed as being sponsored or endorsed by DMARC. Undated general announcements and employment opportunities are included for one week unless requested to be included for a longer period of time.