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

P: 515-244-8603

A Bigger Heart

with Sally Boekholt

Lay-Leader Bio:

Sally Boeckholt (she/her) started attending First Unitarian in 1997, and became a member in 1999. She is grateful to have discovered our church and a faith the includes her secular, questioning, joyful and curious way of being.

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 

Amanda Kruse is the Pastoral Care Associate available for this service time. Please email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for assistance during the week.

NEWS THIS WEEK

This section holds events happening this week, as well as articles submitted in the past 7 days. Be sure to continue scrolling to read about other upcoming events, church news, and social justice efforts!g

In Memoriam

Our beloved Florence Frette died on June 6 at 100 years old. A memorial service for Florence will be held at First Unitarian Church on Saturday, July 8, at 11:00 a.m. 

Florence's daughter, Linda Kenworthy, is accepting cards on behalf of the family. Please contact the Church Office or Pastoral Care for her address.

Please Note: Birch Vacation

June 23 – July 4

Coordinator of Faith Formation and Congregational Life, Birch Spick, is on vacation until July 5 with limited phone and email access. For assistance during this time, please email officestaff@ucdsm.org. Staff will promptly respond to or record your inquiries to be addressed upon Birch's return. Thank you for your understanding.

mUUvie Group

Saturday, July 8, 7–9:30 p.m.

Please join the mUUvie Discussion Group to view and discuss Encanto, winner of Best Animated Film of 2021. Encanto follows a multigenerational Colombian family, the Madrigals, whose children and grandchildren—except for Mirabel Madrigal —receive magical gifts from a miracle that helps them serve the people in their rural community called the Encanto. When Mirabel learns that the family is losing their magic, she sets out to find out what is happening, and save her family and their magical house.

We will meet in the "brown couch" room– 107 on the lower level of the church. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. 

RSVP to muuvie@ucdsm.org so we know you are coming, and if you have any questions.

Fall Classes Coming Up!

Don't forget to sign up for the classes offered by our Adult Programming Council this autumn!

The Wi$dom Path: Money, Spirit, & Life

Comprises twelve 90-minute workshops, arranged around three themes: Money and Self; Money and Society; and Money, Spirit, and Life. Participants build awareness of their own “money story” and explore their own attitudes and experiences with money.

This free course meets in-person at First Unitarian Church each Tuesday,

7:00 – 8:45 p.m. Starts September 12, ending December 12, 2023.

Read more

Led by Heidi Lackmann and Amanda Kruse.

Register here.

________________________________

Hindsight, Humor, & Hope: Who, Me, an Elder?

This free workshop series is designed to help participants plan their later years through reflection, discernment, soul stretching, and exploration of new life possibilities. The gift of extended years finds many people becoming elders with deep personal questions such as, Who am I now? and What will I do that is meaningful? We will think about What is ‘old?’ and What is an ‘elder?’

DATES: Tuesdays, August 22 through September 26 (6 sessions)

TIMES: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: First Unitarian Church (in person only)

FACILITATORS: Barbara Royal and Dagny Fidler

Max of 12 participants.

Sign up here!

Humanist Update

Book Group

The Humanist book group has moved to 11:00 a.m. for the summer, right after coffee time. We normally meet on the first and third Sunday of each month, but we will skip the 4^th of July weekend and meet on July 9 and 23. You can join in person at the church or via Zoom.  We will continue with chapters 4 and 5 of The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself by Sean Carroll on July 9.

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.

Want to publicize your church event? We have a form for that!

Visit our "Our Events" page to fill out the form.

Email communications@ucdsm.org with any questions.

A Letter from Rev. Garmon

Dear First Unitarian Church of Des Moines,

LoraKim and I are excited about coming to Des Moines. We haven't been there yet, but we've signed a lease on a house into which we expect to move in July. I'm so looking forward to meeting you all in person!

LoraKim and I are headed to Australia and New Zealand from Jul 24 to Aug 22– our first time venturing together outside the Americas. We are fans of women's soccer, and the Women's World Cup will be going on. We have tickets to five of the games -- and are also looking forward to seeing the parrots, penguins, and other sights. It's a trip we've been planning and looking forward to for a long time.

So our plans are:

- Drive with moving truck into Des Moines, about July 14 or so (that's Bastille Day, but I'm hoping we won't have to storm anything). For the week thereafter, I'll be unpacking and also available for church meetings.

- Fly to Australia on Jul 22.

- Arrive back in Des Moines on Aug 23.

While away in Aus-NZ, I'll have some limited availability to respond to emails, but probably not much. So, as Rev. Victoria's last day was Thu Jun 15, I'd like to get started today, Fri Jun 16, on hearing from UCDSM folks and planning for the year ahead. From here in NY, I can have Zoom meetings with people, and I invite any UCDSM member to email me with thoughts and questions. (Just be sure to identify yourself as connected with UCDSM.)

If you'd like to schedule a video meeting with me, please text me at 352-862-8492 to schedule that. Otherwise, email me at mgarmon@uuma.org.

Let the fun begin!

Yours in the faith we share,

Meredith

Pastoral Care & Memorial Services

This Summer

Between the end of Victoria’s time with us on June 15 and the start of Rev. Meredith Garmon’s ministry in August, we will be without a minister. Rev. Garmon’s contract with us begins on August 1. He will be on vacation (on a previously scheduled trip to Australia) and begin his full-time presence with us on August 23rd. With requests for Pastoral Care during the interval, please reach out to Ann Mowery, Pastoral Care Chair. (Ann will be away June 11-June 24; during that time, please contact Barb Glass using the same email address linked above).

Victoria has arranged for on-call officiants to be available for members’ memorial services between her departure date and Rev. Garmon’s contract date; memorial services may be arranged by calling the church office: 515.244.8603.

Don't Forget To Sign Up!

Hindsight, Humor, and Hope: Who, Me, an Elder?

This free workshop series is designed to help participants plan their later years through reflection, discernment, soul stretching, and exploration of new life possibilities. The gift of extended years finds many people becoming elders with deep personal questions such as, Who am I now? and What will I do that is meaningful? We will think about What is ‘old?’ and What is an ‘elder?’

Dates: Tuesdays, August 22 through September 26 (6 sessions)

Times: 1:30–3:30 p.m.

Read more 

Register here!

Survey: Children & Youth Faith Formation 2023-24

Dear First Unitarian Families,

Our current church year has been a year of trying new things, including moving all children & youth programming to Sunday mornings after service. With nearly a whole programming year over, we know this works well for some families and less-well for others. We'd like to know what works best for you and your family, so please take the time to fill out this survey by June 30.

Griffin Gallery Artist June

Sean Abramowitz

Making Tree Soul Portraits is my way of saying, “I see you. I see all the jagged, incongruent, weird, uncategorizable parts. I see the parts that you don’t feel like you are allowed to show. I see the parts you find ugly and embarrassing. I see the parts you have forgotten.

Trees are a powerful symbol for me because they don’t have any consciousness around the directions they are growing. They don’t try to be this way or that way or fit themselves into some kind of a box or role. They just respond to their environment and grow in the most effective ways to survive. And they always turn out beautiful.

-Sean Abramowitz

Next Family Promise Hosting Week

July 9 – 16

Help us feed, entertain, transport, and house 3 families on-site in our church for one week as they work their way back into their own homes: July 9-16. A variety of positions are available, including providing meals, evening host, overnight host, van driver, setup, takedown, and laundry. First-time hosts and drivers must complete a background check process.

Sign up here! (New link 6/23)

Contact Elaine Imlau at familypromise@ucdsm.org.

Thank you for your consideration!

Faithify Fundraising – LGBTQ+ Rights

To add moxie to the challenge of restoring LGBTQ rights in Iowa, the Iowa UU Witness Advocacy Network starts a Faithify funding campaign on Monday, June 5^th.  This campaign will enable IUUWAN to provide outreach and support to the Iowa LGBTQ+ community and allies through training, shared resources, and networking strategies.  Fighting for justice now is crucial!  All contributions will make a difference.  A UU funding source will match donations!  Go to the fundraising website, Faithify.org, and look for the pink flamingo from now to July 5.

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

Our Interim Minister, Rev. Garmon, will begin in August 2023. Contact information will be available soon.

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