A Sioux City church is hosting an event to promote solidarity and equity through song tonight. In the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day tradition, a choir will sing songs of healing to honor his legacy. NAACP local chapter vice president Treyla Lee says the event is about uniting to recognize … [Read more...]
New Episcopal bishop for Iowa to ‘shatter’ the ‘stained glass ceiling’
The first female bishop of the 168-year history of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa will be ordained this weekend. Rev. Betsey Monnot will be the 10th bishop of the diocese. "That stained glass ceiling is breaking," Monnot says. "It is shattering and I want to say that in Iowa, more than half of our … [Read more...]
Annual ‘Blue Christmas’ service in Carroll this weekend
A coalition of churches in the Carroll area is hosting its annual "Blue Christmas" service this weekend. Reverend Terry Plocher is pastor of the United Methodist Church in Carroll, where the event will be held Saturday, December 11. "Anyone might find themselves in a place where they're … [Read more...]
Several Iowa churches hosting Blessing of the Animals services
The number of church services to bless pets started to grow in the 1990s. Some were held in Iowa last weekend. More are coming up this weekend. Sarah Ostlund, the pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Webster City, says this is the third annual Blessing of the Animals for her congregation. "We … [Read more...]
Bishop calls on churches to review accounting practices after embezzlement at Iowa church
The bishop for the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church is urging congregations to review their safeguards against embezzlement and fraud after a bookkeeper pleaded guilty to stealing $274,000 from a Mason City church. Melissa Noland has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered … [Read more...]
Iowa church listed on National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service has added a Catholic church in Des Moines to the National Register of Historic Places. The St. Anthony Parish was started as a Missionary Church to serve Italians who had immigrated to Des Moines. A priest assigned to the parish bought an old fire house and that's where … [Read more...]
Iowa native leaving leadership role in SNAP
The Iowa native who's been president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests -- known as "SNAP" -- is stepping down from the post. Tim Lennon has been SNAP's president for the past three years and a part of the group's board of directors for a decade. "During that time I've seen a … [Read more...]
Former Iowan calls AG report more progress in fighting clergy abuse
The former Iowan who pushed the Attorney General to investigate cases of priest abuse says the report just released by the AG is another positive step forward. Tim Lennon was living in Sioux City when he got involved in the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests or SNAP. "I think it's the … [Read more...]
Attorney General releases report on clergy abuse
The Iowa Attorney General's Office has released its report on clergy sex abuse within the Catholic Church. Attorney General spokesperson, Lynn Hicks, says the office started gathering information in 2018, and examined the records of 70 priests and 50 complaints. The statute of limitations has … [Read more...]
Demonstrators protest plan to consolidate Catholic churches in NW Iowa
More than a hundred protestors of all ages came to Sioux City on Tuesday to speak out against a plan in the Sioux City Catholic Diocese to combine smaller parish churches. Two busloads of people and several more in cars came from places like Carroll, Odebolt, Arthur and Kiron. Roger … [Read more...]