A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315 | P: 515-244-8603 |
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This Sunday, July 10, 2022
9:30 a.m. in the Auditorium & via Zoom
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A Story About Jane
with Dylan Cue
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With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, our nation is poised to enter an era of legal repression not seen in decades. To survive, we must rediscover our histories and strategies of resistance. How do we keep each other safe in these dangerous times? We look to the example of those who came before, who understood what their moment required, and who put themselves into the work.
Zoom Passcode: Safford
(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)
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No Forum
Forums are over for the 2021-2022 church year. Please join us this autumn when we resume our regularly scheduled programming!
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Joys & Concerns for Sunday should be submitted by noon on Friday.
- Caring Ministry – for temporary assistance, such as meals or rides, or to volunteer
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Please note: the Caring Ministry phone number is now
- 515-244-8603 ext. 108
- Pastoral Care – for support through a difficult time
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Pastoral Care: July 10 – 16 |
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Gene McCracken is the Pastoral Care Associate available for the week beginning at
10:30 a.m. this Sunday. Email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for assistance or call the Associate's telephone number in the church directory.
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Please note: The office mailbox labels have been updated and moved to better reflect current group information for the 2022-23 church year. Feel free to stop in during office hours or on Sunday to find your group's new spot! |
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Ministerial Transitions Update
July 8, 2022
from Reba Eagles, Board President
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Albert Einstein was once asked what he thought was the most important questions of the day. His answer was, “Is the universe friendly?” After having a number of opportunities to speak with our new transitional contract minister, Rev Victoria Safford, I cannot imagine the answer being anything but YES!
We have already begun discussions about our transition and plans are beginning to form for how we will begin our walk together into our new future. Who have we, as a congregation, been in our history? Who are we now, and who do we want to be together in the months and years to come? These are just some of the questions we have been asking. Rev Victoria is very impressed with the radical trailblazers we have as the base for our congregational history. She is already confident in the strong foundation we have and is very excited to have the opportunity to help us facilitate our future.
The most recurring theme of our discussions have centered around kindness. I believe this theme will continue to surface as we all get to know her and begin our work together. Justice, equity, and compassion will definitely drive the work we will be doing in the coming year.
Dates have been set for her first visit to Des Moines, and this will begin the afternoon of Wednesday, July 13, when she will meet with the staff and board leaders. She plans to be available to individual congregants and committees from Thursday morning through Sunday afternoon. You can schedule an individual appointment via her Calendly, which can be accessed here. If you would like to meet with her as a committee or group, please contact boardoftrustees@ucdsm.org.
A Meet and Greet has been scheduled for Saturday evening, the 16 at 5 p.m. Come and enjoy getting to know your new minister! Please bring your favorite beverage, adult or otherwise, and an appetizer to share. Plates, napkins, silverware, and cups will be provided but please remember there are currently no serving utensils or knives available due to the kitchen remodel.
Rev. Victoria will also be attending the service on Sunday. While she will not be leading the service she will speak to us for a few minutes as an introduction and will share a few of her thoughts around joining our community.
Reba Eagles – Board President
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Thank You to Our Church
Cleaning Volunteers!
from First Unitarian Church of Des Moines Staff
Thank you to Lisa Houchins and Kathy Meitl, who stepped up to clean the church again this week!
Each cleaning slot is time-estimated with one person doing the cleaning, but more than one person is welcome to tackle each section! Please comment with the date and time you plan to clean for each slot so that church Staff can plan to let you into the building and lock up afterward.
Dates are shown as Wednesday of each week, but you can schedule yourself to clean on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of that week between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
A list of cleanup details and instructions will be posted in the church office on the bulletin board on the front counter across from the mailboxes.
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UU Women's Lunch July 12
from Barb Royal
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All UU (and UU-interested) women are welcome to join the monthly gathering of the UU Women’s Lunch Bunch (2nd Tuesday of every month at 11:30.
There’s always good food and lively conversation.
Please be sure to RSVP by the Saturday morning before the luncheon if you plan to attend: womenslunch@ucdsm.org
When: Tuesday, July 12, 2022: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Urban Cellar, 640 S 50th St., WDM
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Grease Interceptor Incoming
from the Kitchen Project Committee
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Check out the white lines on the photo above. That's where the concrete will be removed and the hole dug for the grease interceptor. This is a good spot to avoid the trees. The flowers will have to find new homes at least temporarily. Digging could start in July which will mean broken up concrete and dirt piles until the interceptor is installed and the concrete contractor does their work. The west entrance will be closed during this time. These are what we've been waiting for – active signs a new kitchen is on the horizon. Contact Ann Mowery if you have questions. |
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Let's Talk – Gearing Up for the
2022-23 School Year
from Faith In Action partner Let's Talk
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We are looking for additional community volunteers to join our program this fall. If you are interested, we are offering a Circle Training class on July 29, and a Mediation Training on August 1 and 2. These classes will run from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will cover the processes Let's Talk has developed to help and advocate for middle school youth in the Des Moines area.
This is not an 'ordinary' volunteer opportunity – these volunteer positions are currently paid hourly, and volunteers are placed on teams to divide the weekly work on a flexible schedule. Volunteers can expect to work 2-3 days per week, 3-6 hours per day, which allows them to reach the kids during school hours as needed.
Please share this information with anyone you know who might be interested. All adult age groups and demographics are welcome. Contact LetsTalk@ucdsm.org for the electronic application, as well as for training location details
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Family Promise of Greater Des Moines
Summer Celebration and Silent Auction!
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Please join us to celebrate the perseverance and success of families experiencing homelessness served by volunteers from our congregation and Family Promise of Greater Des Moines. Enjoy food, live music, and a silent auction as well as hearing from one of the families who succeeded in securing housing and stability while in our program.
Friday, July 22, 2022
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Giovannetti Shelter 9000 Douglas Avenue, Urbandale
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Submissions to the Intercom Weekly are due on Wednesday at 12 noon. Submissions after the deadline cannot be guaranteed a spot in that week's newsletter.
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For a full list of upcoming meetings and events, please visit our church calendar. |
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Mark Your Calendar Now For the Next mUUvie Nights!
from the mUUvie Crew
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Sundays, July 10 & August 14 at 7:30pm
First Unitarian Church - Griffin Hall/Gathering Space
RSVP to muuvie@ucdsm.org so we can gauge the number of attendees and send you a reminder message!
July 10 - "Imitating Life" - This film follows the unlikely but true story of photographer Suzanne Heintz, and an extraordinary act of defiance that catapults her life, and art, into the social media spotlight. She creates a mannequin family and embarks on a global crusade against societal pressure to conform, resulting in a raw, funny and intimate portrait of life through her lens. Part comedy, part drama, part real life – we witness it all.
August 14 - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - This award-winning New Zealand comedy features Ricky, a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together.
These are films that include public performance rights on Kanopy (not all films do), so we can gather and watch them together at Church without infringing on copyright laws.
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First Unitarian Humanist Update
from First Unitarian Humanists
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Book Group
The Humanist book group schedule will be adjusted for July to accommodate the holidays and other church activities, with gatherings on July 10 and 24 at 11:00 AM at the church. We will be back to our normal schedule of the first and third Sunday in August. We are continuing to read Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. Everyone is invited, either in person or via Zoom here.
IAF/Humanist Society meeting
Join the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers and the Humanist Society of Iowa for a catered picnic at the Stine Barn on Sunday, July 17 at 12:00 noon. There will be two wonderful speakers, Zerin Firoze and Harry Stine. Follow this link Sign-up and Info to sign up and for a map to the site. We are looking forward to seeing old and new faces.
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If you wish to add your meeting or event to our calendar, please contact: calendar@ucdsm.org
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Final Food Fair 2022 Stats
from Elaine Imlau
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Our total raised this year is $12,396 after paying the Bidding Owl bill of $202! Thanks to all who were involved including 47 donors of 41 events and 34 auction items, 72 buyers (half of whom were also donors), and the 25 volunteers who ran the sale and put on the dinner. Event tickets are still available and someone always cancels on events that are sold out. To purchase a ticket or signup for the waitlist email Elaine Imlau at foodfair@ucdsm.org or check the food fair page on the church website.
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Circle Suppers
from the Circle Suppers Team
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The circles are made of 4-5 households who come together once a month for as many months as there are members for a potluck dinner. The purpose is for church members to get to know one another better in an informal setting with the bigger goal of building a caring church community. The first round closed June 25th but interested people can register here for the next round of suppers starting soon. Organized by Susan Seitz and JoAnn Fitz.
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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 "Donation."
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Faith in Action Partners
Knock and Drop | Just Voices
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Our current partnerships run from September 2021 through August 2022. They were selected by our members at our June 2021 annual meeting. The organizations are: |
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Our Champion is Gene McCracken
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Our Champion is Harvey Harrison
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Staff Office Hours & Contact Info |
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Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw, Senior Minister
Alice J. Stewart, Director of Finance and Administration
515-244-8603 ext. 101
Mondays: by appointment
Tuesdays – Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fridays: by appointment
Zoom meetings available on request
Emily Petty, Communications Coordinator
515-244-8603 ext. 103
Off Mondays
Tuesday-Friday, Sunday: by appointment
Hannah Notch, Social Media and Executive Support Specialist
Tuesday - Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
To have an event or meeting added to the church calendar, email Hannah at calendar@ucdsm.org
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Intercom Weekly Submissions
Deadline: Wednesday @ 12 noon
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In the body of an email, please include a title, relevant dates and times, contact information, and a brief description of your event or announcement.
- Please proofread your article before submitting (or ask a trusted friend to proofread if you need help!) We try to check every article, but we still miss things.
- An image can help make your article stand out! Please feel free to attach an image to your email. (JPG or PNG files are preferred.) Note: images that violate copyright laws will be rejected.
- The Intercom Weekly is sent out to our mailing list on Friday at 12:00 p.m.
- We run announcements for no more than three consecutive weeks, so please plan accordingly.
- Per church policy, we do not share private email addresses or phone numbers in our communications. We will set up an @ucdsm.org email address for you as the contact person for your group which will automatically forward to your private email, so you won't have to do anything special to view it. (Please allow a few extra days for us to set up the email when you submit your announcement.)
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Text "UCDSM APP" to 77977 or toll free (833) 816-9022
to download our app
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