News
Organ Concert for northwest Iowa Flood Relief
On Friday, October 18, 2024 at 7:00 PM, we will be hosting an organ concert to benefit flood relief in Northwest Iowa. This will be a great opportunity for you to hear world-renowned organist, Kent Tritle. Kent is the Director of Music and Organist at St. John the Divine in New York City. He is also the organist for the New York Philharmonic.
A $20 minimum donation is requested, payable at the door. Parking will be available in the lot on the north side of the church. All proceeds will be given to the Clay County Community Foundation. This organization provides grants to those struggling to recover from the recent floods.
Welcome to our new Pastor!
We are delighted to announce that after an extended search, God has answered our prayers.
District Superintendent Ron Carlson has advised Des Moines First Church that the Bishop and her cabinet have appointed Rev. LaTonya P. Calderon to Des Moines First United Methodist Church, as our next Pastor, effective July 1st, 2024. Reverend Calderon is currently serving as Director of Leadership Excellence and Inclusion and as Pastor at Des Moines Marquisville.
The Bishop has discerned that Reverend Calderon is a missional match for our congregation, has the gifts, and has the abilities to continue our missional priorities. Pastor LaTonya will help Des Moines First Church continue with our vision, which is to be a church that demonstrates justice, love, and inclusion for all. She will also help us with our mission which is to connect with people of God, to build a welcoming and inclusive community that serves our neighbors through actions of justice and love, and to develop disciples of Jesus Christ. District Superintendent Ron Carlson and Des Moines First Church ask that you keep Pastor LaTonya, Pastor Edgar, their families, and our congregations in your prayers during this season of transition.
Please join us in welcoming Pastor LaTonya and her family to our church family.
iowa Annual Conference announces new Director of Connectional Ministries
Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai announces that Rev. Edgar F. Solís will be the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (IAUMC) Director of Connectional Ministries beginning July 1, 2024. Solís is currently serving at First UMC in Des Moines.
Rev. Edgar F. Solís began his ministry as a youth leader and worship minister in his local church. Pastor Solís has devoted years to designing and implementing outreach and evangelistic programs such as children, youth, and family camps, concerts, and conferences in different parts of Latin America and the USA. He has been a missionary in Mexico, Central America, and Southeast Iowa. He has devoted his ministry to connecting people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds to develop God’s mission and expand the presence of the UMC in the communities he has served. With a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago, he is now in the last stage of writing his Doctor in Ministry dissertation on “Church revitalization in downtown churches.”
“Rev. Solís will be a wonderful asset to our annual conference. I welcome his worldwide perspective, his heart for ministry here in Iowa, and his vision of God’s beloved community,” said Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai. “I look forward to Rev. Solís bringing his gifts and graces to this role.”
Rev. Solís is an elder ordained in 2019 in the Iowa Annual Conference and is passionate about preaching the good news of Jesus Christ to all people, making new disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, church growth, and developing initiatives and programs to connect our congregations with the community.
He is married to Laura, a Health team lead at Proteus, a community service organization that provides agricultural workers and their families with affordable health care, education assistance, and job training. They have three adult children: David, Yoshua, and Denalyn.
“It is truly an honor and a blessing to be called by God through our Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai to serve our beloved church in this position,” said Solís. “I have always loved to meet and interact with people to explore new and exciting possibilities for connecting people with God, building relationships, breaking barriers, and promoting holy and honest dialogue among people of faith who love God and their neighbors.”
Solís continued by saying Bishop Kennetha’s invitation is an excellent opportunity to collaborate to expand God’s vision for our church in our faith communities, and he feels grateful to put all his energy, gifts, and talents into service for our beloved Annual Conference.
