Photos: (A) Campers and staff at EPIC Summer Camp 2025; (B) Episco-PRIDE Teams from Trinity Iowa City, New Song Coralville, and JustChurch Iowa City at Iowa City Pride; (C) Episcopalian friends at Simpson Youth Academy's worship service led by youth scholars; (D) St. Andrew's Episco-PRIDE Team at Valley Junction Pride, West Des Moines. | | |
Bishop's Upcoming Visitations:
- Aug 17: St. Luke's, Cedar Falls
- Aug. 24: St. Alban's, Spirit Lake
- Aug. 31: Grace, Charles City
- Sept. 7: St. John's, Mason City
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Dear siblings in Christ,
When I first came to be your bishop, almost four years ago, many of you asked “what is your vision for the diocese? what is your plan? what are you going to do?”
Every time, I responded that we would, together, discern the vision, the plan, and what to do. That discernment has involved a lot of listening. I have listened to members of this diocese in every congregation on visitations, to leadership bodies when we gather, to the culture and world in which we live, and to God speaking through scripture and prayer.
Early this month I wrote to you about another listening opportunity, the Landscape Survey. This survey is intended for everyone in our diocese to participate. That includes every member of every congregation. I want to hear from everyone about your experience with the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, and I look forward to sharing the survey results with you and inviting you into deeper conversation about what those results show us.
If you haven’t yet taken the opportunity to complete the survey, please CLICK HERE for the survey in English, CLICK HERE for the survey in Dinka. When I completed the survey, I spent less than 15 minutes, although it is designed to take up to 20 minutes. Please know that this will be time well spent, because the results of this survey will help to inform the direction that our diocese will take in the coming years.
Finally, please continue to pray for this diocese, and for God to show us the path forward into the future that will enable us, collectively, to be a strong and effective witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the state of Iowa.
I hope you are able to find some time this summer to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate.
Yours in the abundant life of Christ,
+Betsey
Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
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Stragetic Staffing Assessment:
We value the future of our church, and we are committed to building a sustainable and strategic diocesan staff that will support the congregations, ministries, and dreams of the Diocese of Iowa. We have invited Ministry Architects to assist us in a strategic staffing assessment and plan with the hope of naming the best diocesan staff structure and supporting funding to live into our vision for the future.
Over the course of several weeks in July and early August, Ministry Architects will conduct virtual listening sessions with a variety of stakeholders whose input is valuable in understanding the needs of our diocesan staff. The outcome of those sessions, as well as a variety of other research, will inform a report that will guide us through a Strategic Staffing Summit in August or September. A multi-year strategic staffing budget and plan will then be presented at the Diocesan Convention. Our ultimate goal is a staffing plan to move into the future of our shared ministry.
We look forward to sharing the progress and outcomes with you as the process unfolds.
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| Upcoming Events & Opportunities | | | |  | Episco-PRIDE teams will be at these Pride events this month and next, letting everyone know that they are beloved and made in God's image. Stop by the congregation's booth and say hi! Check out the webpage to learn more about events and this important ministry. | | Care Partner Support Group | Connecting with other care partners who understand FTD can be a lifeline for emotional support, practical problem-solving, and finding resources. Join Rev. Bob Kem to take part in this life giving source of support for one another. Contact dioadmin@episcopal-ne.org or call 402-341-5373 for the Zoom link. | | | | | | | In August we'll welcome guest speaker the Rev. Eric Rucker. Join us as we explore the most important mental health challenges and needs named by the 200 teens who have participated in the Academy and the foundational practices and tools the Academy has developed for supporting teen mental health. | | St. Luke's is happy to host riders on their campus, free of charge! We have a good size lawn and parking lot (for sag wagons), bathrooms, and kitchen, will have some grab & go breakfast items, and are located less than 1.5 miles from downtown. Contact the church office (319) 277-8520 or office.stlukescedarfalls@gmail.com to RSVP, or if you have questions. | | | | | | | Learn about what's going on around the diocese. All are welcome; diocesan convention delegates & any in congregational leadership roles (clergy, vestry, wardens, communications, treasurer, etc.) are especially encouraged to attend. Register to receive the Zoom link. | | Small groups walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. Register by Sept. 1. To register and receive the Zoom link contact Ruth Ratliff at ruthratliff52@gmail.com | | | | | | | Project Resource equips stewardship teams with strategic training and flexible resources to design and execute annual stewardship campaigns which can be replicated and adapted in future years. Project Resource is dedicated to fostering cultural and systemic advancements around stewardship as a ministry. | | Grounded in The Episcopal Church's commitment to dismantling racism as essential to our formation as Christians, this ONLINE training is open to all, and it is required of all lay and ordained leaders in The Episcopal Church (including vestries, search committees, diocesan leadership, etc.). | | | | | | | Join the Behavioral Health Ministry Team (BHMT) on Zoom for their 3rd Tuesday of the month Lunch & Learns. September will feature President & CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Health, Central Iowa. Check back on BHMT's webpage for regstration information. | | The Planning for Wellness conference provides financial planning and education along with a focus on your physical and psychological well-being. All eligible clergy within the diocese should have received an invitation - your registration link is in that email. If you did not receive that email but think you should have, contact thamby@cpg.org | | | | | | | You are invited on a journey of discovery aboard an Underground Railroad (UGRR) pilgrimage - a journey exploring sites and history of the UGRR in SE Iowa and a journey within ourselves. Register by September 22, 10 spots are available. Download a flyer to share here. | | This retreat, to be held in DeWitt, Michigan, is 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. Watch for more information throughout the summer and fall. | | | | |
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Here’s what Iowa Christian leaders are saying about the ‘one, big, beautiful bill’
From Iowa Capital Dispatch
Bishop Betsey Monnot and the Rev. Lizzie Gillman, along with several of our ecumenical friends and colleagues, are featured in this article.
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Public piano unveiled outside of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
From Times-Republican, Marshalltown
St. Paul's "artist-in-residence" painted the piano, and Rev. Richard Graves led a brief unveiling and blessing ceremony.
| | | Episcopal Church Pilgrimages | | |
Pilgrimage to India
November 7–24, 2025
This once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage follows the footsteps of St. Thomas the Apostle, visiting places where he ministered and was martyred. Participants will:
- Encounter ancient sites of Christianity in India
- Meet faithful Christian communities doing transformative ministry
- Witness how diverse cultures intersect in a hope-filled search for peace
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Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
January 6–19, 2026
Pilgrims will:
- Walk where Jesus walked, from Galilee to Jerusalem
- Sail on the Sea of Galilee
- Meet local Christian communities and members of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem ministering faithfully in extremely challenging conditions
- Learn how faith leads to solidarity, justice, and renewed hope
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ENews Submissions:
Content is due the 2nd Thursday of the month and submission information can be found here. This eNewsletter comes out monthly on the 3rd Thursday of each month.
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