The national office of Interfaith Alliance is culminating their election year work with a whirlwind bus tour from Omaha through Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and ending in Pennsylvania — all parts of the country pivotal in the upcoming election. The non-partisan bus tour will stop in Des Moines next Tuesday, October 29, emphasizing voter turnout and spotlighting the critical religious freedom issues at stake in our state.

You are invited — and urged! — to join us and use your voice!

A week out from the election, it is important to be mindful that voting is a right and a responsibility in a strong democracy. Christian nationalism has impacted our state and harmed its people. Iowan’s rights are on the ballot: reproductive freedom including access to abortion; LBGTQ rights; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and other racial justice issues; public schools; and more. We achieve democracy when we work together as diverse communities ensuring every voter has the opportunity to vote and the rights of every person are protected.

Achieving Democracy Together

Press Conference & Gathering
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2024
10:00 AM
Location announced soon!

Speakers (invited):

• Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO, Interfaith Alliance
• The Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Iowa
• Sally Frank, member, Des Moines Jewish community; Board Chair, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund
• Rev. Rob Johnson, community faith leader and activist; Board Member, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa
• Mazie Stilwell, Director of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa
• Keenan Crow, Director of Policy and Advocacy, One Iowa
• Connie Ryan, Executive Director, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa

Join us and help us in achieving democracy together!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10
2:00 PM
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Waveland Hall
4126 Ingersoll Ave, DES MOINES

A conversation with Amanda Tyler

Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and lead organizer of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign, will offer insights from her new book, How to End Christian Nationalism. She will share from the book and draw on her experiences, conversations with pastors and laypeople, research, her Baptist convictions, and her work as a constitutional law expert to help us confront Christian nationalism.

Ms. Tyler's book will be available for purchase at the event through Beaverdale Books.

This event is free, but registration is required. You will receive a confirmation email with the information you'll need to attend.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
ST. PAUL'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1340 3rd Ave SE, CEDAR RAPIDS

in-person and virtual options

Thunder From the Prairie: The Life of Harold E. Hughes

Presenter:
James Harrington, Author and Public Relations Manager (retired)

Harold Hughes of Ida Grove, Iowa, was an activist governor of Iowa in the 1960s and an influential U.S. senator from 1969 to 1974. A born-again Christian who was a charismatic political liberal, Hughes oversaw a dramatic transformation of Iowa government to meet mid-20th century needs, often boldly acting on issues others feared to touch. As a senator, he opposed the Vietnam War and, as a recovered alcoholic, established the first national effort to aid alcoholics. Author Jerry Harrington will review Hughes' life based on his book, Thunder From the Prairie: The Life of Harold E. Hughes.

There are three ways to attend Intersections. Registration is required for all three:

• Attend in person (with lunch) by clicking here. Three boxed lunch options are available: turkey, ham, and vegetarian; boxed lunches are $15 each (new cost). You must pre-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Tuesday, October 29. Late orders or walk-in requests for lunch will not be available.
• Attend in person (no lunch) by clicking here. There is no cost for this option, but we do need your RSVP to ensure we have enough seating.
• Watch via YouTube by clicking here. This virtual presentation will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

Intersections is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Waveland Hall
4126 Ingersoll Ave, DES MOINES

in-person and virtual options

Good, Bad, or Ugly? A Post-Election Analysis

Presenter: Rachel Paine Caufield, Drake University

The 2024 elections – presidential, congressional, Iowa Legislature – are toss-ups.
But the outcomes of the 2024 election are monumental. Rachel Paine Caufield,
Co-Chair of the Department of Political Science at Drake University, will break it all down and share her analysis of the 2024 elections and the impact on our nation
and state. You won’t want to miss this one!

There are three ways to attend Crossroads. Registration is required for all three:

• Attend in person (with lunch) by clicking here. Four bag lunch sandwich options are available for $15 (new price): turkey, roast beef, ham salad, and vegetarian. You must pre-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Wednesday, November 13. Late orders or walk-in requests for lunch will not be available.
• Attend in person (no lunch) by clicking here. There is no cost for this option, but we do need your RSVP to ensure we have enough seating.
• Watch via YouTube by clicking here. This virtual presentation will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

Crossroads is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Des Moines.

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa is committed to both the education and advocacy necessary to positively impact all our issues and move forward our mission. Dismantling Christian nationalism is a key part of that work.

There is much information about Christian nationalism available through various sources — documentaries, videos, books, articles, and more. We compiled a resource guide about Christian nationalism to help you navigate that information and learn what it is, the history that brought us to this point, and its impact.

Please share the CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: A THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY resource guide with those in your faith community, community groups, networks, friends, and family. Our sole purpose in creating and distributing the guide is to educate folks in Iowa and beyond about Christian nationalism and the threat it is to our democracy and its people. And to encourage everyone to Take Action.

TUESDAYS in NOVEMBER
7:00 - 8:00 PM
Zoom (online)

Every Tuesday in November, Past Present Future Publishing (PPFP) will host a virtual book club for (Re)Present: Racism & Resistance in Iowa. You are invited to participate and help spread the word.

About the book: Are you outraged that it's currently against the law in Iowa to teach students in public schools that the state or the nation is "fundamentally or systemically racist or sexist"? Are you disturbed by school board members' gross ignorance and abuse of power as they ban books? Are you tired of state and local leaders attacking marginalized, vulnerable youth and teachers?

PPFP brought together historians, community leaders, activists, and educators to write a book. And not just any book, but a stunningly illustrated, engaging, story-packed resource designed specifically for young adults in Iowa and beyond to learn about the complex diversity within the state, be inspired by the longstanding resistance to systemic racism in Iowa, and be equipped to become the next generation of leaders guided by facts, curiosity, and compassion.

Before the first week of the book club, be sure you have your copy of (Re)Present: Racism & Resistance in Iowa. It's available at local bookstores, libraries, or the publisher's online store (www.ppf-publishing.com).