A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50315

515-244-8603

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Railcar magnate George Pullman was a Universalist, born and bred. He had a certain recognizable Universalist idealism – but it went horribly, instructively, awry. As a result, we have Labor Day.

Join the live service on Zoom!

Zoom Passcode: Safford

(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)

Forum

Our theme for the month of September is “Radical Hospitality.” We’ll be exploring that theme throughout the month, including in our Connection Circles – and in this Forum. In what ways is hospitality transformative to the guest? To the host? How can we develop greater hospitality to others? To parts of ourselves?

Water Communion

Sunday, September 8th, at 9:30 a.m.

Join us on September 8th at 9:30 a.m. for our annual Water Communion, also known as the Water Ceremony. This special service, first introduced in Unitarian Universalist worship in the 1980s, is a cherished tradition in many congregations, including our own. We invite all members to bring a small amount of water from a place that holds meaning for you. Whether it's from your home tap or a distant journey, your water will join others' in a powerful symbol of our shared experiences and unity as a community.

Click to view past sermons on our YouTube channel!

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The quiet room during services is located in Room 114.

Joys & Sorrows

Visit the Caring Community Webpage for the following options:

Caring Ministry – for temporary assistance, such as meals or rides, or to volunteer (515-244-8603 ext. 108)
Pastoral care - for support through a difficult time

Check the news feed in Realm if you missed last Sunday's Joys & Sorrows.

Submit a Joy or Sorrow

Pastoral Care September 1st

Ana Davis Evans is the Pastoral Care Associate available for this service time. Please email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for assistance during the week.

Singing Our UU Gratitude!

Please take a moment to share a thank you or kudos. Submissions will be shared on the board in Griffin Hall and in upcoming worship services. Please click the button below to fill out the form.

UU Recognition Form

FAITH FORMATION

Youth Faith Formation

Parent Orientation

Sunday, September 15th, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Parents are welcome to come hear about the class structure for this year's youth offerings and tour the rooms for your child(ren)'s classes! For any questions, please contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org.

Children & Youth

Adults

Adult Programming

Our Adult Programs webpage has our exciting Fall courses and groups. Be sure to register now!

Circle Suppers- Starts Oct. 2024
Connection Circles - Starts Sept. 2024
Metaphysical Awakening Book Group - Starts Sept. 26th
UU Wellspring: Crises of Life - Begins Sept. 11th
Soul Matters Writer's Group - Starts Sept. 2024
Tai Chi - On-going
Bird Walks - Fall 2024 - Sept. 29th and Nov. 2nd

Call for Facilitators:

Enhance Our Youth Programming

We're still in need of facilitators for this year's programming! Facilitators play a crucial role in ensuring the success of our events, and having additional support allows us to offer better rotation and coverage for our youth programs. If you're interested in contributing, please contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org. Let us know what you'd like to facilitate, and we'll be happy to discuss how you can get involved.

CONGREGATIONAL LIFE

Connection Circles are

Starting in September

Connection Circles are starting again this September and will continue through June. Our first topic is Radical Hospitality. Sign up to join a Connection Circle here. If you have any questions, please contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org.

UU101 Class

Saturday, September 21st, from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Come learn about First Unitarian history within our church and the denomination as a whole. UU101 is structured to help new prospective members and visitors learn more about Unitarian Universalism. Here is a great video to watch prior to the class to get a history overview: First Unitarian History Overview If you like to attend the class, please contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org.

Our Congregation: Spotlights

As a reminder, the Sunday spotlights on Our Congregation are reserved for information from a church-recognized group (e.g., committee, Faith in Action partner) about church wide events and activities, or topics of urgency to the congregation. Spotlights should be written out and no longer than 2 minutes (approximately 250 words). To submit a Spotlight request please complete the Spotlight Request Form. Questions? Reach out to celebrants@ucdsm.org.

CHURCH EVENTS AND NEWS

Click the button below to submit an announcement or event for publication

Deadline: Wednesday at Noon

Submission Form

How to Make Your Contact Information Visible in the Realm Directory

Have you tried to find a church member in the Realm directory and couldn't find them? Realm automatically sets the privacy of your contact information to "private" when you first create your profile. If you don't change the privacy setting to be visible to "anyone" in Realm, then your information will not be visible in the church directory.

Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to change your privacy settings so you are visible in the church directory to all Realm members.

If you would like to learn how to do this using the app, contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org.

First Unitarian Humanist Update

**Book Group Our next book will be God's Debris: The Complete Works by Scott Adams, which we will start reading on Sept. 22nd. We will be discussing a short article on Sunday, Sept. 8th starting at noon in the Stonewall Conference room, or you can join on Zoom at this link.

Connection Circle Facilitator Training

Saturday, September 7th, from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

If you are currently facilitating or interested in facilitating a Connection Circle this year, you are invited to attend a training session led by Rev. Garmon in Room 114. This training will provide you with valuable tools and resources to support your role. To register, please contact Faithyna Leonard at fleonard@ucdsm.org.

Civic Engagement Opportunity

with Vision Leads and the Metro

League of Women Voters

Sunday, September 8th, at 3:00 p.m.

Monday, September 9th, at 3:00 p.m.

Our Peace, Justice, and Democracy Team invites anyone interested to orientation and training sessions on September 8th and 9th at 3 PM in Griffin Hall. You can read about the voter turnout and registration initiative at Vision Leads Community Connect.

Talent Unlimited/A Monthly Reading Group

Sunday, September 8th, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Our small group of would-be thespians has been meeting since June 2023 on the 2nd Sunday of each month. We invite you to join us on Sunday, September 8th, for a play chosen, directed, and read by our members. We gather at 5:00 p.m. for a potluck so bring your beverage of choice and something to share. The reading begins at 6:00 and we are usually finished by 7:00 p.m. The event is held in the party room at The Towers Club, 3663 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. All are welcome!

Grief Support Circle

Monday, September 9th, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

The Grief Support Circle meets monthly on the 2nd Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Minister's Office. Our society is not great at confronting grief. As a result, there is abundant unhelpful advice, platitudes, and reactions out there. Perhaps even more unsettling, though, are the things we can’t talk about. What if you feel relief after someone dies? What if losing them also means losing a way of life for you? Let’s lay it all out on the table in a safe, judgment-free zone. Beyond losing a person, what else are you dealing with? What do you wish people would ask you? What do you wish they’d stop saying? We’ll extend ourselves – and others – a hefty dose of grace as we talk through this sticky topic.

Young Mom's Meal Train

Monday, September 9th

The Young Mom's Meal Train had its first run on August 8, 2024. The next run will be on September 9, 2024. We served 20 moms and their children, mostly babies. The Young Women's Resource Center (YWRC) is one of two non-profit organizations our congregation is supporting for 2024-2025 Faith in Action. Twenty-one volunteers have signed up to participate. Thank you for what you will be doing. There were five volunteers who either cooked or provided $5 for whole milk. The YWRC reported that the Young Moms were very excited about the meal and are looking forward to the next one. We were told that dessert was key! If you would like to volunteer or ask questions, contact Judy Davis.

God and Country Showing

Thursday, September 12th, at 6:30 p.m.

Join us in the auditorium for a showing of "God and Country." This 2024 American documentary film is based on Katherine Stewart's book The Power Worshippers. It discusses the emergence of Christian nationalism and its close relationship with far-right politics in the United States, exploring its perceived threat to democracy and the politicization of Christianity.

God and Country

Follow Up Discussion

Monday, September 16th, at 6:30 p.m.

Please consider coming to the discussion in the auditorium if you've already seen the film. The moving showing and discussion session is in conjunction with the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa. Want to watch the documentary at home? It streams on a few services. Currently, it is available on Amazon Prime at no charge.

Unity Circle

Thursday, September 19th, at 12:00 p.m.

Welcome to our first meeting of the season! We will be meeting at noon on Thursday, September 19th for lunch and a program. Our speakers will be Jan Kaiser and a representative of Annie’s Foundation on the topic of banned books! Should be really good. Please bring a dish to share, and your own table service and a cup for your beverage. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Save the Date!

All Church Climate Justice Revival

Saturday, October 26th, from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

For the first time in…ever, the entire UU ecosystem is organizing for climate justice action. As a member of the UU ecosystem, and with gratitude for the work of UUClimateJustice.org, First Unitarian is hosting our All Church Climate Justice Revival on Saturday, October 26th. Registration and more details to come!

The First Unitarian

Church of Des Moines

Community Faire 2024

Tapestry: Weaving Our Community Together

Saturday, September 28th, from 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Come share food and bring a beverage of your choice (including wine and beer), and learn ways you may become a thread in our rich tapestry of service to our church and the wider community. Children and youth activities will be included, and childcare will be provided. You may win a prize!

Griffin Hall Artists for September

UU Women's Art Show

This month, our Art Wall will feature a vibrant collection of works by the talented women within our congregation. We invite you to explore an array of mediums and artistic expressions, each piece reflecting the unique creativity of the artists who contribute so much to our community. Don’t miss this opportunity to appreciate the diverse talents of the women who help make our church a richer, more inspiring place.

For a full list of upcoming meetings and events, please visit our church calendar.

Google Calendar

SOCIAL JUSTICE

2024-2025

Faith in Action Partners

Young Women's Resource Center | Al Exito

The Young Women's Resource Center and Al Exito are First Unitarian Church's Faith in Action Partners for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.

The Young Women's Resource Center is a non-profit organization that supports, educates, and advocates for girls and young women ages 10-24. Through small groups and individual support, the YWRC provides programming for all young women, no matter what they may be going through. Girls and young women are defined as people who have been socialized and/or identify as female. Trans and nonbinary friends are welcome.

Al Exito is an organization that supports Latinx youth. It inspires, prepares, supports, and positions Latinx leaders from middle school through college for postsecondary attainment, career readiness, and civic engagement.

In the coming months, the Faith in Action team will have opportunities for you to support these two organizations. Please follow Intercom to find out what these will be.

Young Women's Resource Center

Our Champion is Judy Davis and

Nicole Cable