About Us
from DISCOVERING AND CLAIMING OUR COMMON CALLING: OUR GUIDING VISION WITHIN COVENANT COMMUNITY
CORE VALUES
TRUST: Reflecting who God calls us to be, we commit ourselves to one another through transparent actions that keep faith with one another
ACCEPTANCE: Appreciating the gifts and perspectives of everyone, but particularly those whose thoughts, preferences, and approaches differ from ours
COMMUNITY: Fostering connections in the communities in which we are located, in the ecumenical church, and in cultures around the globe to share God’s love in concrete actions of ministry and mission
COLLABORATION: Thinking, conversing, worshipping, discerning, and working together for the common good
IMAGINATION: Dreaming together of new areas of service, new ways to relate, and new dimensions of our collective identity as the body of Christ
ENERGY: Displaying the vitality and passion of the Holy Spirit in our worship and our endeavors as servant leaders
JUSTICE: Recognizing that God’s creation includes fellow humans of all races, ethnicities, genders, classes, and stages of life, we minister beyond Presbytery boundaries to ensure justice for all people.
PRIORITIES
Our Vision, Identity, and Core Values lead us to prioritize the following dimensions of our lives together:
Congregational Vitality
Equipping congregations with resources and strategies that will enable them to effectively share God’s love in the world and joyfully live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ as communities of faith, hope, love and witness.
Leadership Development
Developing effective servant leaders who can model discipleship as they engage in missional relationships with discernment, commitment, sensitivity and passion
Building Bridges and Enhancing Collaborative Opportunities
Fostering congregational networks, ecumenical and interfaith partnerships, social justice networks and engagement with community agencies that enable us to meaningfully address issues affecting the communities we serve.
The mission of the Presbytery of East Iowa is to further the Realm of God by living and acting in covenant relationship with one another and with the whole of God’s creation to embody the Great Ends of the Church through
• Challenging presbyters and churches to continual missional learning, growth, experimentation, and engagement
• Faithfully stewarding our shared theological traditions, essential values, and resources
• Cultivating internal and external missional relationships and partnerships
• Calling and nurturing effective missional leaders
• Fostering creativity and excellence in all of our endeavors
Frequently asked questions
Presbyterians live in community within a particular form of church government in which ordered groups or “councils” make decisions about mission and ministry. The central council is the Presbytery, which discerns the mission and ministry God calls it to accomplish in this geographic area. The 68 congregations within the Presbytery of East Iowa are then sent out as expressions of the Presbytery’s mission and ministry, formed to live out this shared calling in the neighborhoods in which they are located. Pastors are the minister members of the Presbytery that serve as the presence of the Presbytery, moderating the ordered councils of congregations, which are called “sessions.” Sessions hold collective responsibility for “governing the congregation and guiding its witness to the sovereign activity of God in the world, so that the congregation is and becomes a community of faith, hope, love, and witness.” (G – 3.0201)
Here are the essential questions informing our collective vision:
- God is calling us to serve in this place as a covenant community of servant leaders. What possibilities for mission and ministry emerge as we think about this specific calling?
- How can we shift our primary collective energy from governance to mission, structuring our lives to be open, accountable stewards of all the resources that God provides?
- How can we value the gifts of covenant community to provide mutual nurture and support?
- How can we find ways to provide greater, more authentic access for younger members who are our emergent leaders?
For a complete list of all 64 congregations and a map of the Presbytery, click here.
A synod is a regionally based group of presbyteries. We are in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. Other presbyteries in our synod are:
We currently meet five times per year for stated meetings. From time to time, special called meetings are scheduled for specific items that must be addressed prior to the next stated meeting.
We now work remotely! Our mailing address is:
PO Box 5123
Coralville, IA 52241
Read about the Presbyterian Church USA by visiting their website.
http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/101/theology/.