Beloved Community

Meet Jacque Warming

Beloved Community was a dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to create a world in which all people live in peace and harmony. “We Are The Beloved Community” is an affirmation of who we are and a call to better ourselves, our community, our city, the nation and the world. Our goal is to create a beloved community, which will require a qualitative change in our souls and a quantitative change in our lives.

~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Under Pastor Rachel Thorson Mithelman’s (Senior Pastor from 2005 - 2020) leadership, St. John’s Beloved Community was established, combining multi-generational dinners, learning, and music, open to all in Des Moines and the surrounding areas.

Rev. Elton Richards, who served as Senior Pastor from 1989 - 1997, also strengthened the congregation’s arts emphasis, introducing midweek noonday music recitals, now known as the Midweek Music Series, a highlight for all who attend St. John’s and many community partnerships such as Grand View University.

From the inception of Midweek Music Series and Beloved Community, there’s been a shining star and staple of our community, most of you know as Jacque Warming. What you may not have learned was even as a young woman, she and her father prepared a light luncheon for attendees when Midweek Music recitals first began. She and her husband also cooked dinner for Wacky Wednesday, which was only for confirmands in those days. Jacque has always been a volunteer and loves cooking and baking. So, she combined the two!

Providing hundreds of meals and volunteer hours over the years, Jacque and others have led this ministry by menu planning, grocery shopping, and finding friends and volunteers to prepare meals. They have all put tremendous work into cooking at times for up to 100 –150 people weekly, sometimes twice a week helping to build our Beloved Community. Even now, they’ve been instrumental in starting this time-honored tradition back up, post-COVID, strengthening the connection among peers and parishioners as we go.

Jacque always encourages people to be on the team and come to cook! She often gets the names of new members, inviting them to connect to build lasting friendships.

Some of her fondest memories are inviting and working with kids in Weertz Kitchen! She loves teaching young people to cook, always welcoming Confirmation students to join and learn. She has guided new students and members of St. John’s in the kitchen, helping them adjust to a new church and city.

The name of her cooking team is the Happy Cooks. Jacque is always interested in new recipes and willing to try anything new! She will often use a new recipe for meals at St. John’s, saying, “Some are good, some are okay, and some can be chalked up to a learning experience.” She’s always willing to share recipes and learn new ones too!

If you’ve been trying to find a way to connect, Beloved Community or the Midweek Music series, or really anything surrounding Jacque Warming, this how to do it. She holds a special place in the hearts of all who come in contact with her and has the gift of finding a place for anyone who wants to participate, whether at the front of the line or in the background. You’ll meet new people, learn new skills, and can have a good time doing it.

Enjoy one of her favorite recipes, Cranberry Chicken. Remember her special ingredient that you’ll find in all her creations, Love.

Cranberry Chicken

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts*

1 (14 oz.) can Whole Berry

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup Western Dressing

1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a baking dish

Mix the cranberries, dressing, and soup mix.

Pour over the chicken.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

*You can also use pork chops.