A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50315
515-244-8603
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Sunday, November 24, 2024 | |
The living tradition we share draws from many sources. One of them, explicit in the UUA bylaws adopted in 1985, is: "Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science and warn us against idolatries of mind a spirit." We'll celebrate our humanist heritage, exploring especially this warning against idolatry.
Join the live service on Zoom!
Zoom Passcode: Safford
(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)
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Forum
Inviting Your Ideas for the Capital Campaign
Join the capital campaign steering committee and help us dream about how we can prepare our building -- inside and out -- for the next generation and make it more welcoming and inviting for our congregation in the present. We'll be providing initial information on the project, and offering tours of our facilities, including the grounds outside if weather permits.
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Friendly Reminder: Don't forget to place your poinsettia orders by December 1st! So far, we only have four ordered, and we’ll need more to make the auditorium beautifully festive for the holidays. Let’s brighten up the season together Click here to place your order. | |
Room 114 is available as a Quiet Room during service. | |
Visit the Caring Community Webpage for the following options:
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Caring Ministry – for temporary assistance, such as meals or rides, or to volunteer (515) 423-0847 or email caring@ucdsm.org.
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Pastoral care - for support through a difficult time email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org.
Check the news feed in Realm if you missed last Sunday's Joys & Sorrows.
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Service Volunteers - November 24 | |
Celebrant: Louise Alcorn
Song Leader: Andy Curl
Spotlight: Adult Programming Team
Musicians: UU Singers
Pastoral Care Associate: Ana Davis Evans
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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. | |
CHILDREN & YOUTH
FAITH FORMATION
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It's getting chilly out there! When we go outside, we want everyone to stay warm and comfy. So, remember to dress in your warmest clothes:
Wear layers – shirts, hoodies, jackets – so you can add or take off clothes if you need to.
Hats, gloves, and scarves are awesome for keeping you toasty!
Warm shoes or boots are best for cold days, especially if there’s any rain or snow.
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Defend the Vulnerable, Speak Truth to Power, Take Care of Ourselves | |
With the next four years of hatred, divisiveness and fear, we could wander through dazed and confused, in despair. So much of what we care about is under threat or at-risk. Or we could take action with our allies.
How do we support our:
- Marginalized friends and neighbors
- Public schools and libraries
- Union workers
- Women
- The planet and numerous others
The Adult Programming Team will work with our minister to organize programs (Forums, classes, and groups) about how we can live our values and care for each other in the face of a political environment that is hostile to much of what we care about.
We want to invite congregants to join us as we plan for programs and cooperate with the many groups in the church and community that will equip us to defend the vulnerable, speak our truths to power, and care for ourselves.
This could mean learning about and possibly volunteering with groups that fit around our theme.
This will also mean programs that encourage our self-care and mutual sharing of the burdens of this time.
We can move from despair to joyful action.
You can join us as we plan for our robust future.
Sign up here to join our planning process!
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cUUriosity Conversations
Sunday, December 1, at 10:45am
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Join us after the service this Sunday, December 1 for cUUriosity Conversations! This is an open and welcoming time for visitors and friends to ask questions, share thoughts, and learn from one another about Unitarian Universalism and our congregation. We look forward to seeing you there! | |
Morning Zen with Meredith
Tuesday-Saturday, from 6:00-7:00 a.m.
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Morning Zen with Rev. Meredith Garmon is now offered on Zoom every Tuesday through Saturday morning at 6:00 am.
Detailed information can be found on One Earth Zen. For the chants and sutras, it will be helpful to have the booklet: "One Earth Zen: Sutras, Chants, and Songs." You may also pick up a copy in the church office.
Format:
Opening Chants
25 minutes zazen (silent seated meditation)
6 mins kinhin (walking meditation)
9 min Sutra service (recitations)
10 min dharma discussion
Closing chant
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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.
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COMMUNITY MINISTER UPDATE
Rev. LoraKim Joyner
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Upcoming Experience- Reserve Now!
March 14-16, 2025
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Join Rev. LoraKim Joyner and Rev. Meredith Garmon for a weekend in Kearny, Nebraska for a Bird Walk Experience entitled: Celebrating the Abundance of Birds and Life.
Plan on arriving Friday night, March 14 and getting up very early on the Saturday, March 15 to see the Sandhill cranes and other species. If you plan on attending, it’s best to reserve hotel rooms early. Click here for more information.
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Click here to listen to Rev. LoraKim speak about her ministry in parrot conservation and how birds help us see the beautiful and the tragic in this recently released podcast with Species Unite. | |
Click the button below to submit an announcement or event for publication
Deadline: Wednesday at Noon
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Offices will be closed November 28-29 for Thanksgiving. | |
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, UU Bell Ringers will not be practicing on Wednesday, November 27 and UU Singers will not be meeting on Thursday, November 28. | |
We've transitioned to Realm (Vanco) for online giving and are no longer using PushPay. If you have recurring payments in PushPay, watch for details soon to how to switch over. To give online, scan the QR code or text right from your phone. | |
First Unitarian Humanist Update | Book Group: The next book group meeting will be Sunday, Nov. 17. You're invited to join us at noon in the Stonewall Conference room or by Zoom at this link. We will continue the discussion of God's Debris: The Complete Works by Scott Adams, with the chapter titled "Holy Lands". | | | |
Jon Royal Celebration of Life
Saturday, November 23 at 11:00 a.m.
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Longtime member Jon Royal died on Friday, November 1, at the age of 76. A celebration of his life will be held in Griffin Hall on Saturday, November 23, at 11:00 a.m. He asked that memorial contributions be made to the Endowment Fund of First Unitarian Church. Condolences may be sent in care of his daughter, Sydney Royal-Welch. | |
mUUvie Discussion Group
Saturday, November 23, from 7:00-9:30 p.m.
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Please gather together to watch and discuss the 2022 film, "Silent Night in Algona." The film is based on a true story set in Algona, Iowa, in 1944. The film captures the resilience of a small town during WWII when a young farmer with a debilitating back injury devises an unconventional plan to save the corn harvest using German POWs. Fear and resentment spark tensions among the people and could stand in the way.
We will meet in Room 107. Popcorn will be provided. Bring your own drink. RSVP to mUUvie@ucdsm.org to let us know that you're coming!
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Check the Lost & Found Before December 1 |
Have you misplaced something? Be sure to check the Lost and Found located in the coat rack area. All unclaimed items will be cleared out after Sunday, December 1 to make space for the new season.
Please take a moment to see if any of the treasures left behind belong to you. Thank you!
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Coffee With the Board
Sunday, December 1, from 10:45-11:15 a.m.
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Please join us for Coffee with the Board on Sunday, December 1, after service in the Stonewall Conference Room.
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Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) Workshop
Saturday, December 7, from 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
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On Saturday, December 7, First Unitarian Church of Des Moines will participate in the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) workshop offered by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) for congregations involved in the search for a new minister. The Ministerial Search Committee invites all congregational leaders, members, and friends to participate in this workshop. The workshop will be in-person from 9 am - 2:30 pm, with lunch provided. RSVPs requested to plan for food and child care.
The UUA designed the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) program to promote inclusive thinking and help prevent discrimination in searching for a new minister. This program includes a three-hour B4 workshop and a Sunday morning service with a facilitator trained by the UUA. In the workshop, attendees will:
- Consider the hopes, expectations, and concerns they have for a new minister
- Learn more about the ministerial search process, and
- Explore how creating categories and putting people in them interferes with choosing the best candidate.
Please join us on Saturday, December 7 at 9 am in Griffin Hall to participate in this UUA-sponsored workshop led by Rev. Patrice (PK) Curtis. RSVP for the event here.
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Fellowship, Food, and FUNds | |
Next year will be the 25th anniversary for Fellowship, Food and FUNds. (aka Fabulous Food Fundraiser).
We want to extend a huge thanks to Barb Royal for her 20 years of hard work, and now to Elaine as she continues this ministry. Breaking Bread is Community Building!
We want to celebrate this exciting anniversary by hearing your favorite recollections and memories from the past so we can recruit folks to do them again. Please send an email to foodfair@ucdsm.org with your favorite event memories and photos.
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Talent Limited/A Monthly Reading Group
Sunday, December 8 from 5-7 p.m.
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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, November 10th, 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, December 9, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
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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. | |
Women around the Table
Tuesday, December 12, from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
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The UU Women’s Lunch Brunch will meet at the church in Griffin Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All women are invited for conversation and connection. Morning treats will be provided, but participants are reminded to bring their own beverage. | |
AMOS, First U, and You!
Saturday, December 14, from 9-10:30 a.m.
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Love Radically, Grow Ethically and Spiritually, and Serve Justly- Our mission as members of First Unitarian Church. But how can we do that? And with whom?
Please join us for AMOS, First U, and you in the Mary Safford Room! How does it fit together?
We'll do a brief teaching on AMOS and recent actions, alignment with First U mission, and help you explore your own self-interests (they are okay to have!).
*Light refreshments and coffee will be provided. Please bring a side of curiosity :)
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Minister's Discretionary Fund Report | |
Thanks to the generosity of UCDSM members, since Aug 1 this year, I have given out $4,900 — $100 at a time, 49 times — to our homeless or financially struggling neighbors who have come to our church looking for help.
If you can contribute to keep this help going, please use the envelopes marked "Minister's Discretionary Fund" on the back table in our auditorium sanctuary. Then drop the envelop in the offering basket.
Gratefully,
Meredith
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Griffin Hall Artists for November
Regina Lloyd and Saundra Devick
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Regina Lloyd began her lifelong interest in art a young age through the Des Moines Art Center. She continued to develop her skills as a multimedia artist and historian while studying in Florence, Italy and traveling Europe during her teenage years. To learn more about Regina, please look at her artwork and read her biography, which is located in Griffin Hall.
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Living in Iowa her whole life, raising five children, and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature are the ingredients to Saundra Devick's love of painting. Saundra has drawn and painted a wide variety of subject matter in almost exclusively oil, pastel, and watercolor. To learn more about Saundra, please look at her work and read her biography, located in Griffin Hall.
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Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Program
Thursday, December 5, from 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
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You're invited to the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa program: Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System in Cedar Rapids.
Hear Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson report on efforts to integrate mental health and criminal justice services, followed by Q&A. Sheriff Thompson shares his experiences and envisions Iowa’s future with proper mental health care for all. His goal is to simply champion the message that change must happen. And we can all be those champions of change.
There are three ways to attend Intersections. Registration is required for all three:
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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, December 3. Late orders or walk-in requests for lunch will not be available.
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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.
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Watch via YouTube by clicking here. This virtual presentation will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.
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Interfaith Alliance: Meet My Religious Neighbor
Sunday, December 8, at 5:00 p.m.
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Join the Interfaith Alliance for a Christmas holiday soup supper and caroling at Plymouth Congregational Church. The "Meet My Religious Neighbor" series is sponsored by CultureALL, Des Moines Area Religious Council, The Comparison Project, and Interfaith Alliance of Iowa.
Free will offering suggested to help cover the cost of the soup.
Email Tim Knepper with questions.
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Al Exito Forum Follow Up! | |
Click here to learn more about the Iowa Latinx Project, Dawn Martinez Oropeza spoke about during last Sunday's Forum.
Former member, Brian Campbell (Moved to Asheville 😞), interviewed Dawn in 2020 when he was on faculty at Central College. The podcast was titled Divided by Difference. A wonderful, surprising story! Yes, it's about 40 minutes but if you can find the time, most of you will thoroughly enjoy it!
There is still time to contribute to the Mary E Campos Scholarship fund. Thanks for your continued support of our 24-25 Faith in Action partners.
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2024-2025
Faith in Action Partners
Young Women's Resource Center | Al Exito
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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.
The Faith in Action team will offer you opportunities to support these two organizations in the coming months. Please follow Intercom to find out what these will be.
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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Connection Circle (Zoom - Bowers) | |
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Celebration of Life - Jon Royal | |
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Sunday Forum
Coming of Age
Coming of Age Parent Group
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Connection Circle - Martha Stephenson & Barb Martin | |
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Ministerial Search Committee | |
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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Leadership Group Training | |
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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One Earth Zen, Meditation with Meredith, Zoom | |
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Art Wall Set Up/Take Down | |
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Sacred Bridges CUUPS: Desserts and Divination | |
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Forum
cUUriosity Conversations
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For a full list of upcoming meetings and events, please visit our church calendar. | |
Missed a Sermon? Want to Re-visit? | |
Videos of past sermons can be found here.
The text of past sermons can be found here.
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Staff Office Hours & Contact Info | |
Rev. Meredith Garmon
Interim Minister
mgarmon@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 102
cell: 352-682-8492
Faithyna Leonard
Faith Formation &
Congregational Life Coordinator
fleonard@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 101
Off Mondays
Tuesday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Joah Hogan
Audio-Visual Technician
jhogan@ucdsm.org
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Tracy Aukes
Church Administrator
admin@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 103
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Zoom meetings available upon request
Hannah Notch
Office Manager & Childcare Coordinator
hnotch@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 107
Tuesday - Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Sally Boeckholt
Bookkeeper
bookkeeper@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 104
Jamie Seitz
Communications Coordinator
jseitz@ucdsm.org
communications@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 105
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