A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315 | P: 515-244-8603 |
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This Sunday, June 5, 2022 |
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Pentecost & an Ethic of Risk
with Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw
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As Unitarian Universalists, we are not often crowned with holy fire and sent out into the world. Or maybe we are. Join Rev. Amy Shaw in a service that examines the fire that sends us into the world, and the ethic which fuels it.
Also, help us welcome our new members!
Zoom Passcode: Safford
(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)
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Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday, June 5
11:00 a.m. in the Auditorium
(Also available via Zoom)
Join us for the Annual Congregational Meeting, where we will finalize the yearly budget, award the Unsung UU for 2022-23, and vote on our Faith In Action Partners. We will also discuss challenges and plans for the 2022-23 church year. Questions and comments are welcome, as always!
Notes: Please be patient, as this is our first hybrid (Zoom and live) Annual Meeting, so there may be some delays along the way as we sort out
technical issues.
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Live audience members, please wait for one of the wireless microphones to speak so that the Zoom attendees can also hear you.
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Zoom attendees, please make sure you are muted and that your camera is off unless you're speaking to help us conserve bandwidth.
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Passcode: Griffin
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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
- Pastoral Care – for support through a difficult time
- Senior Minister – for an acute need (515-244-8603, ext. 102)
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Pastoral Care: June 5 — 11 |
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Ann Mowery 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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Ministerial Transitions Update
June 3, 2022
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Our interim ministry search advisory committee, made up of members Scott Clair, Sally Boeckholt, Liz Bredeson, Mike Merritt, and Birch Spick have been working diligently in the past week to prepare to make recommendations to the board on whether they feel any of the applicants reviewed could be a fit for our congregation.
The board of trustees, which is charged with the responsibility to make a final decision on interim contracts, will meet in a private “executive session” on Sunday evening June 5, with advisory committee members to discuss the candidate(s) the committee has vetted and their recommendations. This meeting, due to the discussion of personal information regarding candidates and the privacy expectations of candidates at this stage of the process, will be open only to members of the board and the advisory committee. However, the decision on whether we have identified a potential fit, based on that conversation, will be communicated publicly after the discussion ends.
The next steps in the UUA interim ministry process calls for churches to declare their interest in any candidates privately in the UUA secure portal on Monday, June 6…and for interim minister candidates to express their interest in any churches with whom they have communicated to UUA staff. In cases where there is a matching interest, formal contract offers are expected to be extended by mid-day on Wednesday, June 8. Standard interim minister contracts establish a start date in early August on a one-year basis, with a one-year renewal option.
If we determine that there was not a potential fit among the applicants reviewed, that will be known by Monday, June 6. If we have identified a potential fit, the final result of the process will be known as soon as Wednesday, June 8, and no later than Friday, June 10. In any event, we should know by the end of next week whether we have an agreement with an interim minister in place for the coming church year OR if we will need to further discuss in the coming weeks other alternatives to fulfill ministerial duties for the church program year beginning at the end of summer.
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Please Note! Additional Board Meetings & Forums thru June 2022
from the Board of Trustees
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The Board of Trustees is hosting meetings and forums (listed below) on an adjusted schedule through June 2022.
- Forum: Saturday, June 4, at 10:00 a.m.
- Meeting: Tuesday, June 7, at 6:00 p.m.
- Meeting: Wednesday, June 29, at 6:00 p.m.
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Sunday Service June 26:
Live Broadcast of GA Sunday Service
11:30 a.m. in the Auditorium
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On Sunday, June 26, join us in the auditorium at 11:30 a.m. to watch the 2022 General Assembly Sunday Service, broadcast live from Portland, OR. People may also view this service via Zoom.
We will not be holding service at 9:30 a.m. as usual on this day. Check the Intercom in the coming weeks for more information.
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Food Fair News
from the FFFFF
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Special thanks to all involved in FFFFF #22! To the 25 individuals who helped throw the party and conduct the sale, to the 47 individuals who offered events and food items for sale, to the 70 individuals who purchased event tickets, to all the bidders (total unknown), and to the 24 winning bidders. Our total raised is yet to be verified, but should be well over $10,000!!
This year’s closing of FFFFF #22 is a bit more complicated than in years past with the added online bidding and multiple ways to pay. Your patience is very much appreciated as Alice and Elaine sort through all the details. Elaine has notified the winning bidders in the auction via email. If you have not received a winning bid notice you were most likely outbid. If you’d like to check for sure, please contact Elaine Imlau at foodfair@ucdsm.org. As Alice and Elaine verify bid payments Elaine will connect bidders with sellers. Elaine is also compiling guest lists for event hosts in chronological order. Again, please be patient with this process.
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Family Promise Hosting Week
June 12 – 19
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The Signup Genius is now up for our summer hosting week. We will be back on-site at First Unitarian and need a full slate of volunteers. New volunteers are especially welcome to join! Help us flip classrooms into bedrooms to host up to three families overnight, feed them evening dinners and Saturday breakfast, help entertain kids in the evening and transport them back and forth to the day center at Westminster Presbyterian, and clean up and do laundry after they move to the next church.
Hosts and drivers need to update (or complete, if new) background checks. Please see the church Family Promise web page for links to the signup and all background check forms and info. For assistance or questions contact Elaine Imlau at familypromise@ucdsm.org.
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Pride Parade – Volunteers Needed!
from the Transgender Action Group
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Help First Unitarian Church maintain its proud tradition of support for the LGBTQ+ community by marching with your fellow UU's in the Capital City Pride Parade on Sunday, June 12!
We invite all church members, both LGBTQ+ and straight/cisgender allies, and including adults, teens, and children, to meet in the parking lot of the Lucas Building at 321 E.12th St. (on the EAST side of the State Capital Building) at 11:30 a.m.
The parade starts promptly at 12:00 p.m., so give yourself ample time to get there and park. Parking will be available in the visitor lots just south of East Walnut & E. 12th Streets and also in the Judicial Branch lot at East 12th St. & East Court Ave.
Some signs will be available for you to carry in the parade if you wish, or you are welcome to make your own. We are especially encouraging people to make and bring signs that focus on transgender rights, protecting LGBTQ+ youth (e.g., stopping bullying, conversion therapy, and trans youth bans from sports), not using religion to justify discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, and not banning LGBTQ+ books and curricula from schools.
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mUUvie Night!
from the mUUvie Planning Group
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mUUvie Viewing & Discussion
When the Storm Fades – 1 hr 20 min
A genre-defying docudramedy starring a real Filipino family of typhoon survivors re-enacting their daily struggle as a well-intentioned, young Canadian couple help with recovery from the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan.
Sunday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m.
First Unitarian Church - location based on the number of RSVPs
RSVP to muuvie@ucdsm.org so we can gauge the number of attendees and send you a reminder message!
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Announcing: The Return of
Circle Suppers
from the Circle Supper Planning Group
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A recent survey of members showed that Circle Suppers were our top choice within the congregation. Here is your chance to start participating!
What are they?
Circle Suppers are a small group (4-5 households) of church members or friends who meet for dinner and friendly discussions for a limited time (usually 4-5 months). The purpose is community building by getting to know others in a more intimate setting. Each household usually hosts the group one time. The meals are potlucks arranged by the person having the dinner at their home that month.
How do I sign up?
Click here. This will be repeated as a sign-up form in the next several Intercom editions. A sign-up table in the lobby will be available after the next few church services.
For more details, check out ucdsm.org.
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"Share, Community, Action" Gathering
from Pachamama Alliance – Iowa
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Our next Gathering will be on Wednesday, June 22, 7:00 pm to 8:30 p.m. We’ll continue our discussion of the Paul Hawken book Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation. Our topic this month will be Indigeneity and the video The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code.
This will be a hybrid meeting. You are welcome to join us at First Unitarian Church, 1800 Bell Ave. in Des Moines (south doors, masks optional) or by Zoom. You can register for a zoom link.
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A Landmark Step This Week for the Kitchen Project
from the Kitchen Project Committee
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Remember the three concept drawings with sticky notes that hung in the sanctuary last October? Well, the Kitchen Project team has covered a lot of ground since then and are taking another big step this week. A notification will be going out announcing that our project is open for bids from general contractors. WOOT, WOOT!
This is a landmark step for all of us moving forward! Months of work moving sticky notes and concept drawings to final details and specifications preceded this big moment. Great work by all and we thank everyone who helped put this together.
Other pieces of the project are also close to happening. Karen Kraemer and her Aesthetics team are reviewing the bids submitted for the new kitchen cabinets and will be placing that order this week. Work has begun with Waldinger to put in place the necessary grease trap, AKA, interceptor. And, remember that pile of scrap metal (including the stainless steel counter that housed the old dishwasher) sitting in Al Powers’ driveway? Well, he hauled it off to a metal recycler and received $212.00 from the buyer which will be added to our KP fund account. Nice work, Al!
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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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First Unitarian Humanist Update
from First Unitarian Humanists
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Book Group
You’re invited to join the Humanist book group on the first and third Sunday of each month. We are currently reading Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. We will cover chapters 9 and 10 on June 12, followed by chapters 11 and 12 on June 26. The book group meets at the church at 11:00 a.m. Everyone is invited, either in person or via Zoom!
AHA Annual Conference
The American Humanist Association annual conference will be held June 24-26. There are a number of excellent speakers lined up, including author Andrew Seidel and several who will address the issue of separation of church and state. Our group will be watching the activities on Saturday, June 25, at the Stine Barn. More details will be coming, but mark your calendar now for this event.
IAF/Humanist Society meeting
There will be a joint meeting of the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers and the Humanist Society of Iowa on July 17 at the Stine Barn, starting at noon. There will be a guest speaker. Zerin Firoze, an advocate for secularism from Bangladesh will be our guest speaker. She is an ex-Muslim atheist asylum seeker. She has fearlessly spoken out against extremism in spite of the threats against her life and is currently seeking asylum in the United States.
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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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Info on Responsible Behavior Policy
May 25, 2022
from Bill Brauch
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At the May 19 Board of Trustees Meeting, Rev. Shaw notified the Board that they, as Senior Minster, had appointed me to Chair a Committee to be formed pursuant to the Church’s Policy Regarding Responsible Behavior. A link to the Policy is below. The Policy was adopted in 1997. The Policy applies to “disruptive behavior of an individual” and explicitly addresses situations, “[w]hen any person’s physical and/or emotional well-being or freedom to safely express his or her beliefs or opinions is threatened…” Soon, the Committee will form, will determine a process to follow, and then will learn about situations which gave rise to Rev. Amy triggering the Policy. I’m very pleased our church has such a policy, as protecting those who come within our walls or visit us virtually is vital.
Note that the focus of the Policy is the conduct of individuals. Since Amy’s announcement, some members have questioned what gave rise to triggering the policy as they weren’t aware of any such incidents. Personal interactions are not necessarily conducted out in the open and folks don’t always talk publicly about what they’ve experienced. Rather, they may take it to the Senior Minister, and that is not only their right but, in many cases, may have been the right thing to do under the circumstances.
But because the focus is on individual conduct, it doesn’t appear that a Committee created under this Policy is the best venue for addressing systemic issues within the church. Rather, that may be best left to those we elected to represent us in conducting the business of this Church – the Board of Trustees. I can tell you that this Committee will strive to be as transparent as we possibly can be, but we must also be able to honor requests for confidentiality from those who may bring matters to our attention. I am certain we will, to the greatest extent possible, strive to resolve any interpersonal disputes through mediation and agreement. The Committee will move carefully and deliberately as it performs its role. We will appreciate your support and patience. I am happy to visit with anyone regarding this.
Bill Brauch
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Countdown to Lift Off!
from Al Powers
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The last day the old lift will be in service is Memorial Day. Removal of the old lift will start later that week, with the installation of the new one the following week. The lift will not be available from May 31 – July 1, 2022. |
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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 Nominees
from the Faith in Action Coordinating Team
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Four nonprofit organizations serving our community will be on the ballot at our annual meeting on June 5, 2022. Two organizations will be selected by the congregation membership; each will receive one-fourth of the Sunday collection for the next church year. The nominees are as follows:
Al Exito
Al Exito’s mission is to accelerate Latinix youth’s academic achievement and leadership capacity through transformative opportunities for youth and their families to fully participate and thrive in Iowa’s communities. Their vision is to advance Iowa’s prosperity through Latinx excellence. Learn more at alexitoIowa.org.
Champion: Gene McCracken
Hawthorne Hills
The mission is to establish and operate housing programs for homeless families with children that help them obtain permanent housing and provides services to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. Learn more at hawthorn-hill.org.
Champion: Sally Boeckholt
Let’s Talk
AMOS Let’s Talk was formed to address the school to prison pipeline for students of color. A mediation group was formed to address the fact that students of color in Des Moines and across the nation are disproportionately suspended and referred to the Juvenile Justice System.
Champion: Ellen Taylor
Just Voices
Just Voices is a movement about speaking truth and seeking justice by raising the voices of Black people who have experienced racially-biased policing in Des Moines. Seven values form the platform which educates, advocates, and collaborates in order to end racially-biased policing in Iowa.
Champion: Harvey Harrison
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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
Sunday: Service 9:30-10:30, 11am-2pm by appointment
Monday: Sabbath
Tuesday: 11am-5pm
Wednesday: 11am-1pm and 3pm to 5pm (1-3pm slot is available for drop-in visits)
Thursday: 11am-5pm
Friday: Writing Day
Saturday: By appointment
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
Devon McClurken, Director of Faith Formation
Off Mondays
Tuesday-Friday, Sunday: by appointment
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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