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

P: 515-244-8603

A House of Possibility

with Rev. Victoria Safford

Anything is possible for our beloved congregation as this new year begins! We'll gather in community, hear the music of our wonderful choir, welcome our new Minister, Victoria, and celebrate the Water Communion. Please bring a small container with water from a favorite place, or from your garden hose or kitchen faucet. (And if you forget - no worries! We'll have plenty for everyone!)

Join the live service on Zoom!

Zoom Passcode: Safford

(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)

Forum: The Kitchen Project

with the Kitchen Project Committee

11:00 a.m. in Griffin Hall

& via Zoom (Passcode: Griffin)

- - - - - - - - -

The Kitchen Project Committee Chairs will be on-hand during this Sunday's Forum to present an update on the contruction schedule, and to answer ALL of your questions about the project! 

Equipment continues to be delivered and decisions made about colors, styles, textures, lighting, etc. There will be updates from Construction Oversight, Aesthetics, Furnishings/Logistics, and Budget/Finances. Samples will also be available for your perusal.

Be there or be square!

You can see current and past Kitchen Project announcements here.

Joys & Concerns for Sunday should be submitted by noon on Friday.

Click on the Caring Community webpage for the following options:

• Caring Ministry – for temporary assistance, such as meals or rides, or to volunteer 
• Please note: the Caring Ministry phone number is now
• 515-244-8603 ext. 108
• Pastoral Care – for support through a difficult time 

Laura Berardi is the Pastoral Care Associate available for this Sunday morning. Please email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for assistance during the week.

Please note: Pastoral Care

Starting this Sunday, Pastoral Care associates will be available only on the Sunday listed in the Pastoral Care section above. Please contact pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for any concerns during the week.

Celebrating Bob Glass

from Barb Glass

The memorial service for Bob Glass will be held at the church Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Due to COVID prevalence, masks will be provided and there will be no coffee following. Conversation and viewing of a display and memento gallery will be in the lobby and adjacent areas after the service.

Memorials may be sent to NAACP Des Moines Chapter, PO Box 5036, Des Moines, Iowa 50305. 

Join the service via Zoom. 

Passcode: Glass

Questions? Contact Susan Jellinger at memorialreceptions@ucdsm.org.

Celebrating Nicky Keller

From Barb Royal & Susan Jellinger

A service to celebrate the life of Nicole Keller will take place at church on September 17, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Nicky was a long-time, beloved member and leader in our congregation who died of COVID in December 2020. Nicky’s family is working with church volunteers to plan the celebration.

Join this memorial via Zoom

Passcode: Nicky

If you wish to help out with the reception after the service, please go to this SignUp Genius and volunteer to bring cookies and/or help with one of the three working shifts or tasks of doing table flowers, washing table cloths. Because of the kitchen remodel we do not have access to serving platters, so we ask those bringing cookies to have them on a serving tray or plate. Thanks in advance for your support.

Celebrating Roger Evans

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 15, at 2:00 p.m. for longtime member Roger Evans, who died on August 6. 

Please email memorialreceptions@ucdsm.org for more information.

September Board Meeting Rescheduled

from the Board of Trustees

In order to coordinate with Rev. Victoria's availability and the Executive Report data this month, the Board Meeting is rescheduled from September 15 to Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. 

The agenda, reports, and previous meeting's minutes will be available on the website as usual prior to the meeting.

Join this meeting via Zoom

Rev. Victoria Safford Availability

September 11 – 26

You may always reach me at vsafford@ucdsm.org or at 612-405-3318 (a cell number dedicated to church work). We can schedule a Zoom appointment when I am working remotely from St. Paul, or we can meet at church when I’m here in Des Moines. If you’d like to meet in person during an upcoming visit, please reach out to schedule an appointment!

Available times:

Sun. Sept. 11 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Mon. Sept. 12 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Fri. Sept. 23 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Sat. Sept. 24 from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Sun. Sept. 25 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Mon. Sept. 26 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Please come if you have a pastoral concern (a sadness or some issue weighing on your heart), a spiritual query, a question or something you’d like me to know about congregational life (church programs, committees, or the ministry transition), or just come to introduce yourself and say hello!

You may find my fall schedule, with in-person visits here.

Volunteers Needed!

K–5 Faith Formation

from Birch Spick, Faith Formation Coordinator

Do you care about nurturing the future of our congregation? Have you been looking for a way to support our Child & Youth Faith Formation program? This year, we are starting a new Faith Formation program, and we’re looking for 4-5 passionate volunteers to make it happen.

This class is for children in grades K-5 who are not enrolled in OWL. Facilitators will use a thematic curriculum, with a new theme each month matching the Soul Matters curriculum. Each session will have opportunities for youth to talk with each other about what the themes mean, to create art together, play together (outside if the weather permits!), engage in movement, dance, and/or music. Facilitators may draw from a variety of activities for each session in order to engage the different ages of youth and the talents of our facilitators.

Facilitators will be required to complete a background check through the church office prior to approval.

To learn more about volunteering for this opportunity, please contact our Faith Formation Coordinator, Birch Spick at ffoffice@ucdsm.org.

Building Alarms

from DFA Alice J. Stewart

 As we increase building usage, we increase security hiccups. We have had a few instances of the alarm system being set off and the alarm company showing up unnecessarily. I have changed the alarm response so that all the telephones in the building ring if the alarm goes off. If you are in the building and have set off the alarm, please answer the phone and confirm that there is no need for the alarm company to send a team to check on the building. This saves us over $50 every time the alarm is set off!

In addition, please make sure to check in with any Staff in the office, especially if you are planning to be in the building after 5 p.m. This will help ensure that Staff do not set the alarm when they leave for the day.

   Al Powers has adjusted the South Entrance doors so that they shut more securely, but it's still very important that you give them a good push from the outside to make sure they're shut... otherwise, the alarm goes off after you have walked away from the building.

   Instructions for setting and disabling the alarm are posted above the alarm keypad in the South Entryway, along with the phone number of the alarm company. If you notice the alarm going off and the office phones are not ringing, please call that number to let them know that we don't need a team to check on the building.

Event Childcare: By Request

from First Unitarian Staff

We happily provide childcare for children aged 0-4 free-of-charge for church meetings, adult classes and workshops, and other church-wide programming. With events and programming starting up again as autumn begins, please remember to request childcare at least 10 business days before the applicable event using the following criteria:

• A minimum of three families OR a total of five children need childcare
• The request is made at least 10 business days in advance using the form on the Childcare page

In addition, please remember:

• If, after signing up, you find you are unable to attend, please notify our Childcare Coordinator at childcarecoordinator@ucdsm.org at least 24 hours in advance
• If this is not possible, please notify the person leading your event ASAP
• Please be sure to pick up your child within the agreed upon time frame

Tim Wicker Gallery Display

from the Art Gallery Committee

Tim Wicker is an abstract artist from Des Moines. He says that he is " Just another lost soul who found purpose in creating art. I found a spiritual awakening. All roads lead to God, I suppose. My works are my stepping stones throughout this journey," His work will be displayed in Griffin Hall this month and again in November.

See more of his work here.

International Day of Peace

co-sponsored by First Unitarian Church of Des Moines

First Unitarian Church of Des Moines has agreed to co-sponsor a Celebration of International Day of Peace, organized by Des Moines Faith Committee for Peace.

This Celebration of Peace is to be held on Wednesday September 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Peace Garden at Cowles Commons. The theme for this year's event is entitled "End Racism, Build Peace" featuring Dr. Ksho Scott as the keynote speaker, with special music provided by the Heartland Youth Choir's Chamber Choir. The service will explore the natural link between waging war and racism and will express a vision of peace and a position against war shared by all faith traditions.

Grounds Works – Volunteers Welcome

Saturday, October 8

from the Grounds Council

Mark your calendar. Grounds works day Saturday, October 8, 8:00 to 12:00 (ish). Long sleeves & pants are strongly recommended. We will be focusing on the area between Bell Ave & the steps from the lower parking lot.

Unity Circle Resuming!

Thursday, September 15, 12:00 p.m.

in Griffin Hall

Unity Circle meetings are resuming Thursday September 15. Please bring a dish to share and your own table service and beverage. We’ll eat at noon.  Dr. Steve Herwig will be speaking about preparing for the final journey – advance health care planning.  

Join a Soul Matters Sharing Circle

from the Adult RE Committee

You are invited to join a Soul Matters Sharing Circle for the 2022-2023 church year! Soul Matters participants cocreate safe, open space where to welcome one another and to connect with each other, with our deepest selves, and with the world. Engaging the themed curriculum and being fully present at the monthly 2-hour meeting will give your spirituality a boost and loneliness a warm salve.

There are four groups to choose from:

·        Third Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Judy Davis’s home (1537 44th St, Des Moines), facilitated by Elaine Imlau and Judy Davis

·        Third Tuesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., church, facilitated by Tracy Beck

·        Fourth Tuesday of the month, 10:00 am. Jo Fitz’s home (3825 127th St. Urbandale), facilitated by Jo Fitz and Susan Seitz

·        Fourth Saturday of the month, 10:00 a.m., church or TBD, facilitated by Hilary Hippen-Leek

Soul Matters Sharing Circle registration has begun! Join us for small group conversations and reflections on the monthly themes. Find more information here and register HERE. 

There’s a Soul Matters group especially for writers! Click here for more information.

UU Women's Lunch Sept. 13

from Barb Royal

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, September 13, 2022: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Where: Urban Cellar, 640 S 50th St., WDM

First Unitarian Humanist Update

from the First Unitarian Humanists

Book Group

The next meeting of the Humanist book group will be on Sunday, September 18, at 11:00 a.m. at the church, when we will finish Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

Tour of the Metro Recycling Center

Join the Humanist group and the Green Team for a tour of the Metro Area Recycling Facility at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20. See the “Upcoming Events” section of today’s Intercom for more details, or talk to Warren Stine or Al Powers.

Iowa Justice Action Network

Fall 2022 Conference

from IUUWAN

Iowa Justice Action Network will be holding their fall conference entitled "Advocating for Change: Stemming 50 Years of Mass Incarceration" at Valley Methodist Church in West Des Moines (also on Zoom) on Thursday September 29 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

The conference, which is in partnership with The Sentencing Project, and supported by IUUWAN, features Ms. Alexandra Bailey as their keynote speaker. Richard Allen Hays, a UU from Cedar Valley UU, Cedar Falls is co-chair of Iowa Justice Action Network and has done great work advocating for change. The cost of the workshop is $25.00. Attending would be a great way to network and build relationships across Iowa to help change our "cradle to prison" pipe line. 

To register, go to iowajusticeactionnetwork.org and click on the "Fall Conference" button, The registration opens from there.

You are also welcome to email iuuwan@ucdsm.org for more information.

"Let's All Fall Together"

from the Ministry of Fun

What: A time to come together, eat, and play, and enjoy the best time of the year in Iowa!

When: Sunday, September 25th, 2022 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Where: Pete Crivaro Park

This event is brought to you by the Ministry of Fun, an invention of ours after our meetings with Reverend Pyle when we asked what leadership could do for our congregation and he said bring them together and help them have fun. Challenge accepted!

We want to picnic and party as a church! Expect a potluck of sides and desserts, and lots of great company.

Churchwide Coffeehouse!

Saturday, October 8, 6 – 8 p.m.

from Karen Kraemer

Do you like to sing, give a reading, lead a meditation, dance, play an instrument? Drop in and share your talent with us on this open-mic night, and enjoy the wall of art on display in Griffin Hall created by our members!  Do you enjoy music and art but try to avoid the limelight of the stage? Please plan to come and just be entertained! 

No advanced sign-up is required. A stage and microphone will be provided as well as snacks and munchies, but please BYOB. 

Come and let's spend a fun night celebrating music and the arts together! Because childcare is not available, this is a tween to adult low-key "chill" event. Inquiries or questions? Contact Karen Kraemer at choir@ucdsm.org.

mUUvie Night September 11

Sunday, September 11, 7:30 p.m.

First Unitarian Church - Griffin Hall/Gathering Space

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.

Note: This film was not shown when it was scheduled in July - our apologies for the inconvenience.

RSVP to muuvie@ucdsm.org so we can gauge the number of attendees and send you a reminder message!

Tour of Metro Area Recycling Facility

from Green Sanctuary and the Humanist Group

Ever wonder what happens to the cans and bottles that you put into your recycling bin? Here's your chance to find out! The Green Team and the Humanist Group are sponsoring a tour of the new Metro Area Recycling Center on Tuesday evening, September 20.

This recycling facility was opened last year at 4185 SE Beisser Dr. in Grimes and is expected to process 30,000 tons of residential single-stream recycling each year. The recovered cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, and metal is sorted, packaged and sold to be used to make new products. This reuse saves energy, reduces pollution, and reduces the strain on our landfills. The facility uses advanced technology such as optical scanners to help the employees efficiently sort the incoming material and reduce contamination of the recovered material.  

There will be a short presentation with time for questions, and then we will go out onto the sorting floor to see the equipment. We will all meet for discussion over supper after the tour at VIVA Mexican Restaurant at 4531 86th St. in Urbandale.

Send a note to Humanist@ucdsm.org to let us know that you plan to attend, as we need a head count for both the tour and dinner. Talk to or email Warren Stine at Humanist@ucdsm.org or Ron Heideman at green@ucdsm.org if you have any questions.

Calling all writers!

from the UU Writers Group

Sally Boeckholt and Sarah Lauer will be facilitating a UU Writers Group on the 3rd Monday each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Stonewall Conference room at First Unitarian, from September 2022 through June 2023. 

UU Writers Group explores the monthly Soul Matters themes and engages in spiritual discernment through the art of creative writing. 

Format and Approach

Monthly packets contain options for a personal warm up and 3-4 writing projects/exercises centered around the month’s theme. 

Participants pick one of the writing exercises and work on it in advance of the group meeting. In the meeting, facilitators guide the group through a warm up exercise, sharing the pieces group members have written and a closing ritual. 

The Vision

Writing is a long-loved path to personal insight, spiritual discernment and self-expression. By bringing the practice of writing to the exploration of our monthly themes, we hope to provide participants not only with another channel of self-discovery, but also with the gift of being witnessed in a new and precious way. 

This packet provides a good example of what to expect each month. 

Sign up today to join us on our journey of creative writing and spiritual exploration

Mask Policy Update

from the Board of Trustees

The board, at its regular meeting on August 18, voted to amend the mask policy. Masks are now optional everywhere in the building including the auditorium. Much research has proved the efficacy of single masking, so you are always free to mask if you prefer.

The only exception is in the staff office area, where staff has the option of modifying this policy to reflect their level of comfort. Please watch for signs on the office doors to see if they have modified this policy before you enter, and mask if required.

As always, if you believe you've had a recent Covid exposure, or if you're experiencing symptoms, please consider staying home until you feel better and test negative.

Youth Faith Formation

Moving to Sundays

from the Board of Trustees

In their August 18 meeting, the Board of Trustees appointed an ad hoc committee of program staff and congregants to consider moving children's & youth Faith Formation programming to Sunday mornings. On August 25, committee members discussed and approved this recommendation. Starting this fall, 5 – 6 Grade OWL, 7 – 8 Grade OWL, Coming of Age, and YRUU will meet on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. following the service. Be on the lookout for upcoming registration information.

Building Reservations

from First Unitarian Staff

The Church Office is thrilled to see more activity in the church building over the last few months. If you will be using any portion of the church building, please check with the office to make sure it is available. The office maintains a list of building reservations.  

Contact Alice and Hannah to get your gathering on the list. Thank you!

Request: Food & Personal Care Items for Local Food Pantries

from Carolyn Spencer

I have been a volunteer at the Urbandale Food Pantry for over nine years. In this time I have seen the pantry grow from being in operation three days a week to now five days a week. The actual space of the pantry has also doubled in that time. I don't have the numbers of clients that used the pantry each month nine years ago but the numbers now are about 1200 families each month. The increase in the last few months has been almost double. The reasons for this increase are the lost of SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), USDA has reduced distribution by 30 percent and increased gas prices.

No one should have to choose between going hungry and paying rent, gas for the car or utilities. Each month the local pantries give out groceries to families that include milk, eggs, cheese, meat items, fresh fruits and veggies and several canned and boxed items so they have enough food for a week. Some personal items such as toilet paper, laundry soap, body wash and diapers are also given out.

I am asking for help in filling our Red Barrel with non-parishable food items and personal care items to be distributed to local food pantries. Bidwell Riverside Food Pantry, located withing less than two miles from our church and Urbandale Food Pantry are the two largest and most utilized pantries in the Greater Des Moines area and will be among the pantries where our donations will go.

I am asking you to please remember the many folks in our community that rely on pantries to stretch their food budget each month and bring an item or two or three each week you come church and I will see that they go to a local pantry.

Thank you for caring and giving what you can.

Our current partnerships run from September 2022 through August 2023. They were selected by our members at our June 2022 annual meeting. The organizations are:

Hawthorn Hill

Our Champion is Sally Boeckholt

Let's Talk

Our Champion is Ellen Taylor

Rev. Victoria Safford, Transitional Contract Minister

vsafford@ucdsm.org

Office phone: 515-244-8603 ext. 102

Cell: 612- 405-3318

Rev. Victoria's Fall 2022 Calendar

Alice J. Stewart, Director of Finance and Administration

director@ucdsm.org

515-244-8603 ext. 101

Mondays: by appointment

Tuesdays – Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fridays: by appointment

Zoom meetings available upon request

Birch Spick, Faith Formation Coordinator

& Congregational Life Coordinator

FFOffice@ucdsm.org

CLOffice@ucdsm.org

515-244-8603 ext. 106

Off Mondays

Tuesday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Emily Petty, Communications Coordinator

communications@ucdsm.org

515-244-8603 ext. 103

Off Mondays

Tuesday-Friday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

To submit an item for the Intercom, email communications@ucdsm.org by Wednesday at noon.

Hannah Notch, Social Media and Executive Support Specialist

hnotch@ucdsm.org

Tuesday - Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm

To have an event or meeting added to the church calendar, email Hannah at calendar@ucdsm.org