Photos: (A) Chrism Mass at Trinity Cathedral, Davenport; (B) Episcopalians on the Hill at the Iowa State Capitol; Bishop's visitations at (C) St. Mark's, Fort Dodge; (D) St. Alban's, Davenport; (E) St. John's, Glenwood, joined by St. Paul's Council Bluffs. | |
Bishop Upcoming Visitations
Apr. 5: Trinity Cathedral, Davenport
Apr. 12: St. Thomas', Sioux City
Apr. 19: St. Paul's, Grinnell
May 17: St. Michael's, Mount Pleasant
see calendar for full schedule
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Good Friday Offering
Join Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe in giving generously to the Good Friday Offering, which supports the vital work and ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. Today, the need of the church in the Holy Land is greater than ever, particularly given the recent escalation of war in the Middle East.
| | | Upcoming Events & Opportunities | | | | | Join this panel discussion featuring Indigenous Episcopal Leaders discussing gratitude and reciprocity at 11am Central Time, hosted by United Thank Offering. | | This is a place where Midwest LGBTQ+ youth can come together, celebrate who they are, and find the support they deserve. If your school doesn't have a group going, join our Episcopal Youth Group! | | | | | | | Calling all 4th - 12th graders! This year's EPIC Summer Camp is June 15-19 at Lutheran Lakeside Camp, Spirit Lake. Take advantage of the early bird deadline and register by March 30th for a discounted rate. | | This year's conference welcomes the Rev. Dr. Regina L. Walton from Forward Movement and Harvard Divinity School. All active Episcopal clergy are expected to attend - check your email for more information and register by March 31st. | | | | | | | Join the Behavioral Health Ministry Team as we welcome Hannah Drey-Landgraf. Together we'll explore how the resurrection speaks to human distress and how we can embody hope in psychologically informed ways. | | Our spring meeting is April 29 at 6pm on Zoom. Every church is part of a Convocation, and all are welcome to attend (diocesan convention delegates & all in congregational leadership roles are especially encouraged). | | | | | | | Pathways to Serenity Retreat is for people in recovery from chemical dependency and those who love them. Many chances for Step work and for spiritual/ religious practice will be offered. All activities are optional. | | Evolving Summer Ministry School & Retreat | |
Our diocesan Summer Ministry School & Retreat was no longer serving our needs, so we're evolving!
Check out the "Episco-PALS" section below to learn more and join us May 9 & 10 in Boone!
| | | | | | | May 31 - June 3: this is a retreat centered on the experiences of women clergy. We explicitly invite everyone (trans, cis, nonbinary, gender fluid, agender, and more) who feels this is for them to attend. | | 2026 Calendar Highlights: | | |
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March 21: Creation Care "Called to Climate Action" conference, sponsored by Iowa Faith and Climate Network. Learn more & register here.
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April 3: LGBTQ+ Youth Conference. Register by March 27.
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April 5: Easter
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April 15-17: Iowa Episcopal Clergy Conference (Griswold, IA)
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April 21: Behavioral Mental Health Team Lunch & Learn. More here.
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April 25: Creation Care: National Faith and Climate Forum by Blessed Tomorrow. Learn more here.
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April 29: Convocations Meeting on Zoom
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May 1-3: Pathways to Serenity Retreat. Register by April 17. More here.
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May 9: Diocesan "Episco-PALS" Event in Boone. Learn more here.
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June 15-19: EPIC Youth Summer Camp at Lutheran Lakeside Camp, Spirit Lake; for 4th-12th graders, more info here.
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July 8-10: Provincial Youth Gathering (in lieu of EYE 2026); for ages 15-18, hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. More here.
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August 22: Convocations Meeting on Zoom
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September 1: Church Audits Due
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September 1-3: Clergy Retreat (Dubuque, IA)
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October 1 & 3: Pre-Convention Hearings on Zoom
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October 23-25: Diocesan Convention
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QPR Training
Saturday April 18, 11a-2p at St. Timothy's, West Des Moines
Learn the three simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Lunch provided. Questions - contact Amy Mellies. Register here.
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Art & Writing Exhibits
Now through April 17
Weyland Art Gallery at Divine Word Seminary and College
102 Jacoby Drive SW in Epworth
If you'll be in or near the Dubuque area, stop by the "Via Creativa: Art as a Spiritual Practice." Experiencing the exhibit is itself a spiritual experience, and you'll see the works of two Iowa Episcopalians: the Revs. Catherine Quehl-Engel and Lori Erickson. Read Catherine & Lori's artist statements, and learn more about the exhibit here.
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Palm Sunday Witness:
Standing with Our Neighbors
Sunday March 29
The Palm Sunday Public Witness is part of the Standing With Our Neighbors project. Shaped by the call in Matthew 25 to care for our neighbors, it is an action specific to Christian communities to leverage the power and privilege of Christians in our society and to take advantage of the Palm Sunday message around public witness. The Palm Sunday Public Witness will include a march, a gathering with elements of worship, and a sending forth with a Call to Action.
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Des Moines:
2:30 PM | March from Capitol Hill Lutheran Church (511 Des Moines Street, Des Moines) to the Iowa State Capitol.
3:00 PM | Grounded in Matthew 25, the public witness continues at the statehouse with music, the Word, and a Call to Action to Stand With Our Neighbors. Learn more here.
Iowa City:
2:30 PM | March from Iowa City Pentacrest (21 N Clinton St.) to the Ped Mall Stage area.
2:45 PM | Grounded in Matthew 25, the public witness continues at the Ped Mall Stage with music, the Word, and a Call to Action to Stand With Our Neighbors. Learn more here.
| | | | | | With our annual diocesan Summer Ministry School & Retreat no longer serving our needs, we are carrying forward the most valued aspect of that event - being together - into a new phase of experimental gatherings. We will explore new, sustainable ways to gather, connect, worship, learn, and grow together during this phase. These experimental gatherings will vary in location but have a common structure and purpose, and we hope you are able to join us. | | |
Episco-PRIDE
with Amy Mellies & Traci Ruhland Petty
Episco-PRIDE is a diocesan-wide ministry through which we seek to serve Christ in others by loving our LGBTQ+ neighbors and standing against the hatred that has become all too common to hear and has been solidified using laws in our state. We work with congregational teams from around the diocese to offer training opportunities, participate in community events, share learnings with each other, and build a community of evangelists that can lean on each other and show up together to spread God’s love in our communities. Grant funds are being used for evangelism materials for congregations taking part in Episco-PRIDE, trainings, event fees and materials for the diocesan team, shared kit upgrades for use at events, scholarships for youth to attend the Governor’s Conference on LGBTQ+ youth.
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Youth Pilgrimage
with St. Timothy's, West Des Moines
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church is organizing a week-long youth pilgrimage this June to Philadelphia and New York, and all Episcopal diocesan youth (6th grade+) are invited to attend. The primary purpose of this pilgrimage is to enrich youths’ spiritual formation, provide education, develop leadership skills and to foster community-building. We'll explore topics like the intersection of faith and civic life at the country’s founding and the role faith should play in a pluralistic democracy today. This pilgrimage is intended to be a spiritual journey that equips our youth to be active disciples and leaders within The Episcopal Church and the broader world around them. Grant funds will be utilized to provide financial scholarships to families in need and to lower the overall cost for all attendees by offsetting other expenses (lodging, transportation, food, etc.).
| | | From Our Formation Partners | | | | | Lay Leaders: Partial Tuition & Books Reimbursement | | | Whether you are interested in continuing education, personal enrichment, a lay license program, or discerning a call to the diaconate or priesthood, there is a course and a community for you to discover at Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. The diocese’s GILEAD grant will reimburse lay people for books and a portion of tuition, with approval. | | | |
Courses meting April 11-12:
- Christian History Survey: The Rev. Dr. Sean Kim
- Anglican History: The Very Rev. Dr. Don Compier
- Preaching 1: The Very Rev. Torey Lightcap
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Courses meeting May 9-10:
- Anglican Spirituality: The Very Rev. Dr. Don Compier
- Diversity, Justice & the Church's Mission: The Rev. Mary Margaret Saxon
- New Testament: Dr. Lynne Bahr
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Emails with Invoices Attached
Amongst the many scams making their way around, one we're seeing a lot of at the moment is getting an email that looks like it's from your church/priest/diocese, saying that an invoice is attached and/or overdue. Be extra cautious - you can always call or email your church office or the diocesan office directly, to verify whether it's legitimate before you click on the attachment or any links.
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Social Media Alert
"Episcopal Faith Leadership" is NOT a legitimate source - it's an AI content generated for profit site. Do NOT share their posts.
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Text Scam
Please be aware that there are text scams going around where someone will pose as your priest/bishop/clergy member/church admin - an initial text may not include an ask for money/gift cards but a second text may.
Be careful engaging with texts or email from phone numbers or addresses you don't know. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our office or your church's office if you receive a text/email you're unsure about.
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Faith in Action
Get involved with our advocacy & public policy ministry, Faith in Action. There are a lot of bills and things can move fast, so we recommend join the Faith in Action Facebook page - you can see bills we're paying particular attention to, calls to action, and other related events to the topics we follow. And find other advocacy resources on our webpage.
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Dismantling Racism: the Doctrine of Discovery
Check out this new offering from the Beloved Community Initiative (BCI) on the Doctrine of Discovery to support the dismantling of racism. It combines individual study materials with group discussion guides.
Learn more here
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Lay Preaching Network
The Episcopal Lay Preaching Network is a new initiative that exists to support, equip, and advocate for lay preachers across the Church by focusing on community, education and training, and advocacy.
Learn more
| | Have something to share? Submission information can be found here and is due the 2nd Thursday of the month; this enews letter comes out monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month. | | |
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