About AMOS

The History of AMOS

From the website of the First Christian Church in Des Moines:

AMOS: A Metropolitan Organizing Strategy. In January of 1996, leaders of five religious denominations in Des Moines formed a sponsoring committee and initiated a contract with the Industrial Areas Foundation to assist us in building a congregational based community organization in the metro area. Bishops from the United Methodist, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran traditions joined Rabbis from local synagogues and pastors from the Disciples of Christ to form the sponsoring committee.

Since that beginning, AMOS has been organizing within congregations and the community at large to help "re-weave" the social fabric of metropolitan Des Moines. Together with congregations across Des Moines and its suburbs, we are building an effort that is:

• Broad-based and cuts through the lines that divide us, such as race, socioeconomic status, geography and religious denomination.
• Multi-issued, responding to a variety of concerns that are identified through intentional conversations in local congregations and communities. The agenda of AMOS is emerging as hundreds of leaders in local congregations engage thousands more in house meetings and one-to-one conversations that enable them to tell their stories.
• Starting to take action on the issues and concerns that are emerging. Through public action hundreds of people will reenter the public square and reclaim responsibility for the future of the Des Moines metro area. AMOS is non-partisan and does not endorse candidates.
• Focused on the development of leaders in local congregations and communities. Seeking to exercise the power of organized people in a relational and responsible way. It will seek out allies in the public and private sector to address the issues and concerns that affect the common good of the community