A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315 | P: 515-244-8603
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This Sunday, April 15, 2018
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On the Spot
with Rev. Erin Gingrich
9:15 & 11 am
Our faith community emerges from our shared creativity and improvisation. Let’s give thanks for the many ways we each contribute, sharing our gifts to create something greater than we could ever achieve on our own.
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Faith Formation Classes for Pre-K - 8th grade
9:15 & 11 am
See the "Faith Formation" section below in this email for information on this week's classes.
Child care for infants and toddlers age 4 and under is available in Room 112 during both services.
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"The Balance of Charoset: A Love Poem from the Earth"
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Joys & Concerns for Sunday must be submitted by noon on Friday.
You may also submit a hand-written joy or concern on Sunday morning.
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Heritage & History Potlucks
This Sunday and Next (April 15 & 22)
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As part of preparing materials about First Unitarian for ministerial candidates, we are offering an opportunity for YOU to help. There are two potluck suppers remaining where you and your family can post the events that have happened in our church from 1970 to the present. We’ve put up a paper timeline in Channing Hall and provide post-its so you can add your events to it.
Each potluck begins at 4 pm. Sign up using the links below:
Please sign up, come for a good meal and add your historical nuggets to our timeline!
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Also this Sunday:
10:30 am:
UU Legislative Action Workgroup (Peace Conference Room)
12:15 pm:
Grounds Council Meeting (Peace Conference Room)
4 - 6 pm:
History & Heritage Potluck (Channing Hall)
6 - 8 pm:
High School Youth Group (Room 107)
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First Unitarian Pastoral Team Begins
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A new aspect of our caring community is the presence among us of 11 lay pastoral care associates. At the April 8 Sunday services, the ministers formally commissioned them as the Pastoral Team. They have completed special training, have agreed to meet monthly for additional training, and are committed to serving this congregation for the next two years as members of the First Unitarian Pastoral Team. They’ll be readily recognizable on Sunday mornings by the “Pastoral Team” ribbon on their name badges.
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Endowment REACH Grants
Submit your Application Today!
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The Endowment Development Committee facilitates the distribution of up to 85% of the net annual income of the Endowment Fund by awarding REACH grants to church members and groups for such uses as community outreach, educational opportunities for members, and equipment purchases. This is your and your group's chance to plan a program or event beyond the usual budget item constraints. Read the grant guidelines and access the on-line application here:
ucdsm.org/reach-grant-guidelines
Application deadline is May 15.
If you cannot access the online application or have questions after reading the online guidelines, contact Endowment Committee Chair Doug Hoffman (doughoff2@mchsi.com) with questions.
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Part-Time Bookkeeper Wanted
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First Unitarian Church of Des Moines is seeking candidates for a Bookkeeper position, 10 hours per week. Go to
ucdsm.org/job-openings-ucdsm for complete details. Resumes should be sent to Charles Lewis, Director of Finance & Administration at First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Ave (50315), or emailed to
director@ucdsm.org.
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Progressive Voices Concert Series Presents:
The Chapin Sisters
THIS SATURDAY, April 14, 7:30 pm
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The Chapin Sisters, Lily & Abigail Chapin, are singing, songwriting sisters known for pristine harmonies and haunting melodies. They’ve been compared to sister-acts of old and Appalachian family groups, yet their original songs and arrangements have a contemporary feel.
Tickets on sale now: $20 advance / $25 at the door
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Fabulously Fun Food Fair Fundraiser!
Offers due THIS SUNDAY!!!!
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WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???
The Fabulously Fun Food Fair Fundraiser #19 is almost here! See the displays in the Gathering Area for fun photos & to pick up a handout with all the info you need to participate in our annual Food Fair. Have fun! Meet great people! And raise money for the Church all at once!
As Becky Evans says,
“I LOVE FFFFF events! I have met or have become better acquainted with so many incredible people at the events over the years. The fact that I am contributing financially to our church is just an added bonus.”
NOW is the time to submit your offerings for events & silent auction items!
Submission deadline is Sunday, April 15. Go to
www.ucdsm.org/fabfunfoodfair for complete information and the online submission form.
The Sale & Silent Auction happen Sundays, April 22 & 29.
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Unity Circle Potluck and Presentation
Thursday, April 19 at 12 noon
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All church members are invited to attend the April Unity Circle potluck and to hear our guest speaker, Cynthia Ingham. Cynthia is a retired history professor who will speak on "Revolutionary Religion: Virginia’s Struggle over Religious Freedom". Cynthia is the history professor you always wished you had had. Bring a dish to share and enjoy a couple of hours of food for your body, spirit and your mind.
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Witchcrafting Workshop # 3:
Wise ways with herbs and essential oils
Saturday, April 21, 10:30 am - 2 pm
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Power up your earth-centered interconnected web in this final workshop led by Sacred Bridges CUUPs. At workshop #3 we will discuss wise ways to use herbs and essential oils.
Registration required by April 14, as there is a supply list of suggested materials that will be emailed to registrants beforehand.
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Earth Day Presentation
Sunday, April 22 at 6:30 pm, Auditorium
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Come hear from Chris Woolery, a clean energy leader in Kentucky. He coordinates the Pay As You Save (PAYS) program for energy efficiency in Kentucky and is an activist leader with the powerhouse organization
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.
Chris will talk about how we can organize for a clean energy future for ALL Iowans, what has worked in Kentucky and how to overcome the fossil fuel industry and big energy utilities. Join us to discuss climate and clean energy solutions we can achieve in our communities and throughout the state. Bring a friend!
Hosted by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and sponsored by the Energy & Justice for All Group at First Unitarian.
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Library Team Seeking Short-Term Help
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Do you love books? Do you like organizing? Or maybe you relish the opportunity to use a label maker? If any of these are true, we would love you to help us for a couple hours! The Library Team is making progress on creating a well-organized and searchable library. Volunteers are needed to find and assign Dewey Decimal System numbers for books, and putting labels on books and shelving them. Please indicate your interest by filling out a short form on the church website:
ucdsm.org/library
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Poverty - Examining What We Think We Know
Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
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This class is open to anyone and especially welcomes and encourages Family Promise or FEDS volunteers to attend. Join Rev. Erin and Amy Knudsen for this 2 hour class to explore how our ideas and beliefs on class, poverty and homelessness have been shaped in the U.S. and the impact these ideas have on our interactions and responses the problem. For this class we will discuss the third section of the book,
Hobos, Hustlers and Backsliders by Teresa Gowan. Copies of the chapters will be available in the office soon.
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Upcoming Visitor and Membership Classes
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Pathway to Membership Class
Thursdays, April 26 & May 3, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Ready to join? In this two-part session, we discuss what it means to make commitments about how we are going to be together in religious community rather than requiring what we believe. This class articulates these commitments, as well as the rights and responsibilities of membership. People considering joining the church are encouraged to take the Introduction to the UU Journey class in addition to Pathway to Membership. At the end of the of Pathways, those wishing to officially join the church will be invited to sign the Membership Book. Child care is available upon request.
Newcomer Circle
Mondays, May 7 & 21, June 4 & 18, 6 - 7:30 pm
Whether you're reflecting on your own spiritual journey and where it is taking you, getting to know Unitarian Universalism on a deeper level, or looking to connect with more people at First Unitarian, Newcomer Circles may be right for you! Over four sessions we explore all of these topics utilizing short readings and sharing our own stories. These small groups (no more than 10 per group) utilize the "circle" format and are designed especially for those new to First Unitarian. (If you still feel new, you qualify!). Child care available upon request.
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Woods Work Day - Volunteers Needed
Saturday, May 5, 9 am - 2 pm
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Please come help us clean up our beautiful woods and Memorial Garden. We need lots of hands to help weed and clean up the gardens, maintain the trails, remove invasive plants, general cleanup and more tasks TBD.
Come anytime starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 5. We’ll work until around 2 p.m., rain or shine. Snacks, water, juice and lunch will be provided. All are welcome; children under 14 should be accompanied by an adult. Please email or call Diane Ford (below) if you are planning to come.
What to wear: sturdy shoes; gloves; hats; rain gear if needed
What to bring if you have them: weed/dandelion diggers; spades; pruners; wheel barrows
Your help makes a difference! Contact is Diane Ford, dianeford1231@gmail.com or 515-419-1761
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Des Moines Diversity Chorus & UU Singers Present:
Let Justice Roll Down
A FREE Concert on Monday, May 7 at 7 pm
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Join the UU Singers and the Des Moines Diversity Chorus for a FREE concert on Monday, May 7 at 7 pm in the Auditorium here at First Unitarian.
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Get Connected to the Larger Denomination!
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General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). With more than 175 options for workshops, lectures, sermons, and social justice witness & actions, we connect with UUs from around the world. In business meetings, delegates shape the agenda for the UUA in the years to come.
This year GA is in
Kansas City, MO, June 20-24. Anyone may attend GA. Early registration rates are available through April 30. There’s some great information for 1st-timers at:
www.uua.org/ga/registration/first-time-attendees
and you can pick up a cool GA Prep booklet at our
display in the Gathering Area.
For more information about the 2018 General Assembly, including links to information about housing, go to:
www.uua.org/ga
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Pronouns! Get your Pronouns Here!
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Many of us wear our church name-tags to make it easier to get to know each other. If you don't know anyone, the name-tag can help break down a barrier to conversation, and if you do know people, it can help you to remember their names, especially as the church grows. Wearing our name-tags help guests get to know us as well.
It would be awkward if only our guests wore name-tags, right? Could you imagine walking into a church, being asked to tell everyone who you are, but then looking around and seeing no one else's names prominently displayed?
For transgender people, it can often be a challenge to ensure that people refer to them with the gender they identify with. To help with that challenge, displaying the pronouns they use, such as he/him/his, she/her/hers, and they/them/theirs, among others, helps the people they meet.
It would be awkward if only trans people displayed their pronouns, right? So we're asking cisgender people to take advantage of the option to affix a pronoun label to their church name-tags. If you are interested in helping make the church more welcoming to trans people, we have a table in the Gathering Area between services throughout the month of April where you can get your own pronoun label for your name-tags.
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March / April Outreach Partner
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In March and April, First Unitarian is partnering with Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. PPHeartland envisions communities where sexual and reproductive rights are basic human rights and where every person has the opportunity to lead a healthy and meaningful life. Our mission is to provide, promote and protect reproductive and sexual health through health services education and advocacy. Learn more at
www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-heartland
Get Involved!
April Collection: We will be collecting needed items for health centers and education. Lists will be available. Examples include: Dry erase (low odor), Mr. Sketch markers, post-it notes, index cards, blue tape, pens, copy paper, cleaning wipes, air fresheners, crossword and other puzzle books, coloring books and crayons, individual packs of crackers, cookies, fruit snacks, individual juice boxes, pads, tampons, Kleenex, baby wipes, apple and android chargers.
Volunteer at the PPHeartland Book Sale: April 19 - 23. Go to
desmoinesbooksale.com to learn more and sign up!
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If you'd like to set up a regular (weekly or monthly) contribution to our social justice activities,
click here
and enter the dollar amount for "Social Justice Outreach".
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Applications for Community Outreach Partnerships
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Your Faith in Action Community Partnership is coming into our 4th year of offering opportunities for you to share your time and treasure. We have partnered with over a dozen different 501(c)(3) organizations in the Greater Des Moines area, dispersed over $35,000 and hundreds of volunteer hours were joyfully given to our partners. Now it is your turn for you and your organization to be considered as our next Partner.
Visit
ucdsm.org/faith-in-action
to review the application process, criteria and the Roles & Responsibilities.
The application deadline is May 1, 2018 at 11:59 pm.
If your organization has been a partner before, please feel free to reapply. Please reach out to the Faith in Action team at
faithinaction@ucdsm.org
if you have any questions or concerns.
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We recognize the great gifts volunteers offer our church through their time and talent.
THANK YOU to
Misti Craig and her family for their work with planning, shopping, cooking, and cleaning up for all the Wednesday night dinners!
Thank you to our
YRUU High School group,
Gene McCracken and
Dana Stuehling for putting on the Easter Egg hunt for our children on Easter Sunday!
Thank you to
Martha Stephenson for her donation of blocks and toys for our classrooms!
Thank you to
Janine Choudhury, Kim Gunnes, and
Ken McCann for teaching our K-1 Our Whole Lives Class this semester!
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THIS WEEK in Faith Formation
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Classes for Children and Youth
Child care for infants & toddlers 4 and under available in Room 112 during both services
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9:15 am:
Grades PK-3: Spirit Play
"Charles Darwin"
Grades 4-5: Toolbox of Faith
"Flexibility"
Grades 6-8: Small Group
Ministry
"We Come From Different Places"
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11 am:
Grades PK-5: Spirit Play
"Charles Darwin"
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Youth Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) is First Unitarian's high school youth group. All youth in grades 9 - 12 are invited to join us!
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First Unitarian Youth Coordinator:
Volunteer Youth Advisors: Gene McCracken, Scott Stilwell, Julie Brown & Ben Spadt
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4/15 - YRUU (6 - 8 PM) - Dana's last Sunday
4/22 - YRUU (6 - 8 PM)
4/29 - YRUU (6 - 8 PM)
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Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Dinner service from 5:30 - 6:15 pm
BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Corn, Slaw, & Vegan Potato Bake
(prepared by Misti Craig)
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Tracy Beck
Director of Religious Education
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Megan Irey
R.E. Assistant
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More Upcoming Meetings & Events
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If you wish to schedule a meeting or event,
We do not list rentals, closed groups and committee meetings in this email.
For a FULL list of upcoming meetings and events, click on:
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For Sunday, April 15 events please see top section of this email. Events from the Announcements section above are NOT repeated below.
Apr 13 |
NEW!
Alzheimer's Support Group Planning Meeting, 2 pm, Channing Hall
Meets every week on Tuesday
Apr 19 | AMOS Tax Research Team, 6 - 7 pm, Mary Safford Room
Apr 21 | Energy & Justice: Interfaith Green Coalition, 1-3 pm, Channing Hall
Meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays; to learn or work on projects involving fabric, yarn or thread.
April 28-30 | Coming of Age Spring Retreat
one week early this month
May 5 | Coming of Age Celebration Dinner, 6 pm, Channing Hall
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When you buy from amazon.com, use
this link and a % of the sale is donated to First Unitarian.
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