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

P: 515-244-8603

A Certainty of Transformations

with Rev. Victoria Safford

Celebrant: Louise Alcorn

Pianist: Bruce Martin

Song Leader: Kellie Patterson

Choir: UU Singers

A/V volunteer: Bill Allen

Pastoral Care: Laura Berardi

Hospitality Coordinator: Terry Meek  

Join the live service on Zoom!

Zoom Passcode: Safford

(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)

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 

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

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.

Rev. Victoria Safford Availability

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:

Thurs. Oct. 13 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Thurs. Oct. 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 14 from 9:00 –11:00 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 15 5:00 p.m.

Sun. Oct. 16 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Mon. Oct. 17 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 schedule a personal meeting here.

Grief Support Circle Group

The Pastoral Care Team and volunteers from the congregation are re-forming a Grief Support Circle group for anyone who is processing the loss of a loved one and would like to have the care and company of fellow congregants for part of your journey. The facilitators – Suzanne Popson, Elliott Nassif, and Laura Berardi – would like to know what meeting time works best for those interested in such a group. You can fill out a quick poll here. For questions, more information, or to be put on the list to be notified when a meeting time is selected, email griefgroup@ucdsm.org.

Grounds Work – Volunteers Welcome

Saturday, October 8

from the Grounds Council

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

Help With Hospitality

from Birch Spick, Congregational Life Coordinator

Our Sunday morning Hospitality Teams restarted this summer - thank you to everyone engaged in this vital, welcoming part of our Sunday mornings! We can always use more help, especially finding people to serve as greeters to welcome everyone in our community, new and old alike. If you want to get involved or have questions, please contact Birch Spick, our Congregational Life Coordinator, at cloffice@ucdsm.org.

UU Women's Lunch Oct. 11

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

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

Potluck Under the Rainbow

from the Transgender Action Group

Saturday, October 15, 6 p.m.

Griffin Hall & Gathering Area

We are inviting all LGBTQ+ UU's of all ages, and straight/cis allies, too, to gather for a church potluck dinner! This will be a chance for the queer community in the church and allies to reconnect post-pandemic around some great food, conversation, and some other fun activities, too. Please remember that the kitchen is still unavailable (so no refrigerator, stove/oven, or microwave available) when you are thinking about what food you would like to bring. Please contact the Trans Action Group at tag@ucdsm.org with questions. 

First Unitarian Humanist Update

The Humanist book group will meet on Sunday, October 16, at 12:00 noon, right after the forum. We will be discussing the introduction and first chapter of Cosmos by Carl Sagan. Everyone is invited to participate, either in person or via Zoom.

Getting Closer But Still Waiting...

from the Kitchen Project Committee

Our Construction Oversight Committee and others met this past Tuesday with our architect Doug Wells. We are waiting on one subcontractor before the architect can submit a final request to the city for a building permit. The subcontractor promises to deliver this week and then it’s up to the City to issue the construction permit. Our contractor, Chuck Holmes, is very anxious to get started and promises to start the day the permit is issued. You might hear the celebrating when that occurs!

The first work to be done will be taking out the range hood that is currently in the kitchen (this will result in a hole in the roof) and then creating two more holes for the planned three skylights. Additional vent work will require at least one more hole to be created. After this work is well along, a masonry subcontractor will come in to enlarge the current pass-through opening in the east kitchen wall and create a new pass-through opening for dirty dish return. Those activities come first and will be clear statements that the construction is underway. Keep checking the kitchen as the start date remains uncertain and watch the Intercom for future updates.

As always, please check out the Kitchen Project page for more information.

Holiday Meals for Bidwell Riverside

from Carolyn Spencer

I have been in contact with Missy Reams, the director of Bidwell Riverside Food Pantry to find out more about their needs for the upcoming holiday season. She said turkeys have been donated by organizations and they have gotten around 600 in the past. That number may be different this year because of increased grocery costs. Bidwell does buy hams to complement the turkeys (for families who don’t have an oven big enough to cook a turkey or prefer something else). A ham costs around $10-12. Currently Bidwell is serving 2000 families per month and has been for a while now so any help is greatly appreciated. 

So, I am asking for the usual non-perishable food items and also cash to help Bidwell with the added costs for meat at Thanksgiving time. There will be a basket at the Hospitality Table to collect funds. Alice Stewart, our Director of Finance can then send the funds on to Bidwell.

Thank you for your generous food, personal care, and cash gifts to help our neighbors in need.

Love to all,

Carolyn Spencer

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.

UU & You: A Two-Part Class

Are you interested in learning more about our Unitarian Universalist history? Do you want to know more about membership in this congregation, and how you can join? Bring your questions and attend one – or both! – of these classes this fall.

Intro to Unitarian Universalism: Saturday, October 29, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Who is this for?

• Visitors & friends of the congregation who want to know more about our tradition
• Members who want to know about our tradition’s history

What will we discuss?

• Unitarian & Universalist Histories
• Our Living Tradition
• Our Congregation’s History

Pathway to Membership: Saturday, November 5, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Who is this for?

• Visitors & friends of the congregation considering membership and who have taken the Intro to Unitarian Universalism class
• Visitors & friends who have been part of other Unitarian Universalist communities

What will we discuss?

• Our Congregation’s Life
• The Role of Membership

Sign up here!

IMT Des Moines Marathon

Sunday, October 16

To view road closures and suggested traffic reroutes, visit the IMT Des Moines Marathon website, locate the Race Weekend tab, and click on Spectators. Course Maps can also be found with a turn-by-turn course description at desmoinesmarathon.com.

Please get in touch with the IMT Des Moines Marathon to discuss any concerns about the Marathon course and how it may impact traffic flow and reroutes in your area. We can also discuss ideas for your involvement with the race.  

Chris Burch, Race Director, at 515-288-2692 or cburch@desmoinesmarathon.com.

Save The Dates!

from AMOS

What: Seminars on How Community Land Trusts (CLTs) Create Permanent Affordable Housing

When: Wednesday, November 16, & Thursday, November 17

Why: CLT’s are a way to create affordable housing that stays affordable forever and looks like other properties in the neighborhood so it's welcomed by the neighbors! Whether you are hearing about CLT’s for the first time and want to learn more or are a seasoned advocate for affordable housing, plan to attend one or more of these informative trainings on November 16 and 17.

Email amosevents@ucdsm.org for more information.

October Griffin Gallery Artist:

Andrea Van Wyck

Andrea is a Pella artist and art educator. Her exhibit is a set of oil paintings depicting scenes from her travels in europe.

This exhibit captures her interest in architecture. She continues to study and photograph the architecture, nature, and culture wherever she goes. Her "paintings of architectural compositions highlight the rich culture that exists in the world and is begging to be explored."

IUUWAN Partnering with Iowans for Responsible Gun Laws to Defeat

Public Measure 1

IUUWAN is distributing Vote No Public Measure 1, Reckless Gun Amendment, to all Iowans across Iowa who join us in voting No. If you are willing to display a sign in your yard, please email iuuwan@ucdsm.org or pick up a sign and flyer from the table in the Gathering Area this Sunday.

More information

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