By CHUCK OFFENBURGER DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 4, 2023 — Few visiting pastors who have preached at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ over its 165-year history have come with the global prominence – and past controversy too – that Rev. Paula Stone Williams will bring this weekend, Oct. 7 and 8. My wife Mary Riche…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER DES MOINES, Iowa, September 27, 2023 – Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, which is the church I attend on the near west side of our capital city, is about as urban as a church can get in Iowa. But over the last seven months in our beautiful sanctuary, big community rooms, study…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, Sept. 13, 2023 — On a chilly but sunny late-fall morning two years ago, I walked into Greene Bean Coffee in Jefferson just as Debi Durham, the state’s economic development director since 2011, was walking out. She was wearing some kind of trench coat and sunglasses and carrying her cup…
By DOUGLAS T. BATES III CENTERVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 4, 2023 — Donald Kenneth Sundquist died on August 27,2023. He was the two-term 47th Governor of Tennessee. Before that he served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the newly created 7th District. This district stretched from eastern Memphis all the way here to…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, Sept. 1, 2023 – Oh my goodness, it is working! Diversifying and growing our workforce and population is triggering economic growth here in Greene County, exactly like we were told and shown it would do. And exactly like we’ve been telling our good people that it would do. In fact, just announcing…