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

515-244-8603

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Our November theme is Reason. We're not very good at it. We can train ourselves to be better at it, but do we want to?



Join the live service on Zoom!

Zoom Passcode: Safford


(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)

Forum

Faith in Action Partners


Please attend to learn more about how our Faith in Action partners, Al Éxito and Young Women’s Resource Center are supporting our community. Representatives from each organization will provide an overview with time for questions.


Upcoming Forum on

"Repentance and Repair"

November 17th

Every year, our Unitarian Universalist Association selects one book for UUs across the nation to read and engage. The Common Read selection for 2023-24 is:


Danya Ruttenberg, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World


This Common Read offers a glimpse into one of our faith’s foundational sources: Judaism. Readers follow the author, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, into a framework for making amends offered by the 12th-century Jewish physician and scholar Maimonides. Written for people of any or no faith tradition, On Repentance and Repair introduces practices for accountability that can bring us into wholeness and make a difference in our personal, community, and national relationships.


You can order the book from inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop.


We will have a forum on November 17th, which should give you time to get and read the book!


Here at UCDSM, we're a few months late in taking up the 2023-24 Common Read. We plan to catch up by attending to the 2024-25 Common Read in the spring.

Room 114 is available as a Quiet Room during service.

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) 423-0847 or email caring@ucdsm.org.
  • 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.

Submit a Joy or Sorrow

Service Volunteers - November 10th

Celebrant: Elijah Evans

Song Leader: Kellie Patterson 

Spotlight: Circle Suppers - Susan Seitz and Jo Fitz

Musicians: Chrissy Williams, Julie Murphy, Katherine Vance

Pastoral Care Associate: Barb Glass

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

CHILDREN & YOUTH

FAITH FORMATION

OWL Class Interest Check for Spring

If you would like your youth to participate in OWL this Spring or would like to facilitate a class, please email Faithyna Leonard.

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.


When you’re prepared for the weather, it’s much easier to focus on the fun stuff. Grab your cozy clothes and let’s make the most of the season!

ADULT PROGRAMMING

Join a Circle Supper

A small group (4-5 households) of First Unitarian Church members or friends will meet for dinner and friendly discussions starting in October 2024 for 4-5 months. The purpose is community building by getting to know other church members or friends in a more intimate setting. Each household usually hosts the group once, and the meals are potlucks arranged by the person having the dinner at their home that month. Meals in restaurants or at the church are available if you don't feel you can host. There is still time to sign up. Please register here.

CONGREGATIONAL LIFE

Morning Zen with Meredith

Tuesday - Saturdays, from 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m.

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

UU101 Class

Saturday, November 16th, 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. If you would like to attend the class, please RSVP by clicking here. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Faithyna Leonard.

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


COMMUNITY MINISTER UPDATE

Rev. LoraKim Joyner

Upcoming Bird Walk

Saturday, November 16th, at 9:00 a.m.

Community Minister LoraKim Joyner will lead us in our first Bird Walk of the winter season with the theme: Flying over Politics. how watching birds can connect us to life, allowing us to see beyond the divisions of politics and difference.


We will meet at the Easter Lake Garden parking area near the West Fore-bay Bridge inside the park (use the entrance on Watrous/Evergreen Avenue) To learn more about the event and to register click here.

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. 

CHURCH EVENTS AND NEWS

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

Deadline: Wednesday at Noon

Submission Form

First Unitarian Humanist Update

**Braver Angels Join the Humanist group for a discussion of "Antisemitism on the Rise: Confronting Prejudice and Defending Unity in America", with all views represented. The Braver Angels group meets at the Ames public library at 10:00 AM on Saturday, November 9th. Contact Al Powers if you are interested in car-pooling.

Read More

November 13th- 19th is Transgender Awareness Week. Together we celebrate our transgender friends and family, help to raise awareness for the community, and advocate for transgender issues.

Tracy will be out of the office Friday, November 8th - Tuesday, November 12th. If you need assistance, please contact Faithyna Leonard.

Our offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th for Veterans Day. Veterans, thank you for your service. Please arrange appointments this week with staff if needed as hours may adjust due to the holiday.

Election Decompression Reflection

We gathered for a service to process our feelings, find our grounding, and re-orient ourselves to move forward in love. We invite you to experience heartfelt reflections from our congregation (from those who wished to share publicly). Our thanks to everyone—those featured and those not—for your courage and vulnerability. You can watch the full video of the service here.


We also want to recognize the youth in our congregation, who may be experiencing a range of emotions as well. We are sharing A Love Letter to Children by Carla Shalaby to honor their voices. Please know that our youth voices are heard, too.

Order your holiday poinsettias now! Dedicate your flower to the memory or in honor of a special person or event and take it home with you after the Music Service. Scan the QR code with your phone or click here to place your order. Orders are due December 1st.

Longtime member, Jon Royal, died on Friday, November 1st at the age of 76. A celebration of his life will be held in Griffin Hall on Saturday, November 23rd at 11:00 a.m. He asked that memorial contributions be made to the Endowment Fund of First Unitarian Church. Condolences may be sent care of his daughter, Sydney Royal-Welch.

Talent Unlimited/A Monthly Reading Group

Sunday, November 10th 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, 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, November 11th, 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.

Women Around the Table (Formally Women's Lunch Bunch)

Tuesday, November 12th, from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Women Around the Table 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.

Progressive Voices Concerts Presents

Alice DiMicele

Saturday, November 16th at 7:30 p.m.

Listen: “Live


Alice DiMicele is an Americana/ Folk Singer-Songwriter based in Southern Oregon. Her voice is rangy, sometimes soft and intimate, other times bold and brassy, evoking a distinct mood in every song she sings. Alice built a dedicated fan base as an independent musician with stirring live performances spanning a three-decade career. Her new album, Every Seed We Plant, is her sixteenth release, a snapshot of life in these times – gut-wrenching, hopeful, vulnerable, intense.

Where/When: All shows start at 7:30 p.m. in the First Unitarian Church auditorium.


Tickets: Single Tickets: $22 Advance /$27 Door Season Tickets:4 shows for $78

Save $10 off of the advance price and $30 off of the door price! 6 shows for $117 — Save $15 off of the advance price and $45 off of the door price!


Tickets available now online at Humanitix. Tickets are also available in person at church after services the four Sundays before each concert.


More information is also available online at www.ucdsm.org/concerts. Email questions to concerts@ucdsm.org.

Women's Wednesdays

Wednesday, November 20th, 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Join us in the Stonewall Conference Room for a discussion chosen by women, about women, and discussed by women.


**Please note, Women's Wednesdays will now be meeting on the THIRD Wednesday of the month.**

Unity Circle

Thursday, November 21st, at 12:00 p.m.

We will be meeting at noon on Thursday, November 21st, for lunch and a program. Our November topic is 'Aging in Place.' Our speaker will be Anne Nieland with Smart Senior Transitions, LLC. Please bring a dish to share, and your own table service and a cup for your beverage. Looking forward to seeing you there!


For November, we will be partnering with Faith In Action partner Al Exito in honor of the Mary Campos Scholarship Fund. Money contributions, if you wish to contribute, will get to Unity Circle members Dave Witke and/or Gene McCracken to deliver to Al Exito.

Griffin Hall Artists for November

Regina Lloyd and Saundra Devick

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.

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.

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

Google Calendar

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Help Celebrate Mary E Campos' 95th Birthday!

Thursday, November 14th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Join Gene McCracken and Dave Witke on Thursday, November 14th to volunteer at the Mary E. Campos Scholarship and birthday luncheon on November 14th at Mainframe Studios. They love volunteering at Al Exito events. As co-champions of Faith in Action partner, Al Exito, they are inviting you to join in this opportunity.


We're looking for 8 people to attend and assist as needed. Please sign up here.

Support the Mary E Campos Scholarship Program

A key part of our Faith in Action partnership with Al Exito is supporting the Mary E Campos Scholarship Program for outstanding Latinx youths. Contributions from individual church members are especially important. First Unitarian has a long history of support; let's keep it up!


Scholarships are awarded each spring. The November 14th luncheon celebrates Mrs. Campo's 95th birthday! Thanks for your support.


Please help our church live up to its commitment to Al Exito, our 2024 Faith in Action partner. Time is short to donate to the Mary Campos Scholarship Fund for Latinx youths. The luncheon deadline is Thursday, Nov. 14, and gifts are running a bit behind our totals of recent years.

Donate

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.


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.

Young Women's Resource Center

Our Champion is Judy Davis and

Nicole Cable

Al Exito

Our Champion is Gene McCracken and Dave Witke


Missed a Sermon? Want to Re-visit?

Videos of past sermons can be found here.


The text of past sermons can be found here.

CONNECT WITH US

Who Do I Contact for...?

Please refer to the corresponding email based on your request or inquiry.


Administrative, financial, and pledge requests: admin@ucdsm.org

Communication requests: communications@ucdsm.org

Building/room usage requests: hnotch@ucdsm.org

Calendar requests: calendar@ucdsm.org

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

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

MORE LINKS


WWW.UCDSM.ORG | Board of Trustees Business 

Caring Ministry | Staff Contact Information

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