Outreach Programs

Highland Park has a long history of outreach to others.

Clothes Closet

This program serves anyone who is in need of clothing. Every Monday and Friday morning it is staffed by church volunteers.

Food Pantry

The congregation collects cash donations, and non-perishable food items, personal care items and paper products. These are taken once a month to a central distribution center and are dispersed at various sites in the Des Moines area to help families in need.

Church Van

Members who need transportation are picked up by the van for Sunday school and worship services. It is used by the congregation and youth groups for various activities.

Drake University Head Start

Drake's Head Start program for three and four year olds is held in our church each week day. In addition, Head Start uses our church for the area-wide Head Start teacher's meetings, and training, district family meetings, and we provide an office for their family counselors.

Non-Profit Organization Meetings

Many outside groups use our church for regular meetings. These groups include H. P. Garden Club, Antique Auto Club, Modelaires, Dulcimers, Boy Scouts, Brownies, Tai Kwon Do, Easter Seals, Habitat for Humanity monthly board meetings and the adult clinic provided by Visiting Nurse Services. It is a voting site for elections and an Oak Park School safe haven and emergency shelter.

Dorcas Group

Several women meet once a month to sew and quilt blankets. The blankets are sold on Blanket Sunday with the proceeds going to Church World Service which distributes blankets to third world countries. The Dorcas ladies also mend clothing for the clothes closet.

Nursing Home Visitation and Communion

Each Sunday, the worship service is video taped. These videos are taken to retirement homes and shut-ins and are also available to other members. The deaconesses visit our shut-ins each month. Quarterly, our elders, deacons, and deaconesses take communion to members who are homebound or in nursing homes.

Ramsey Home

Our church is a strong supporter of Ramsey Home. We help by donating canned goods and money at holiday times, support the Fellowship of John and other fund raisers, and provide Sunday worship services.

Sponsor of Bosnian Families

In the 90's, our congregation sponsored two Bosnian families and their three children. Several committees of volunteers helped them to resettle in Des Moines. We continue to help support them in any way we can, although they became self supportive in a very short period of time.

Live Nativity

Each Christmas season we present an outdoor nativity scene which includes real camels, donkeys, and sheep, with actors playing the roles of Mary and Joseph, the wisemen and shepherds, inn keeper and angels. People come from all over Des Moines and the surrounding areas to see this live display.

Vacation Bible School

As soon as school is out for the summer we hold our Vacation Bible School. Between 35 and 50 children (including children from the neighborhood as well as our own youth) attend each year.

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