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A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50315
P: 515-244-8603
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This Sunday, August 6, 2023 | |
Getting Serious About Unitarian Universalism | |
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Forum: Getting Serious About Unitarian Universalism
Please join us 30 minutes after our Sunday Service for a follow-up discussion on this week’s sermon “Getting Serious About Unitarian Universalism”. Meet new people and share and hear reflections on the service. We will provide you with three discussion questions at the forum and then create small groups for attendees to share their thoughts. Zoom attendees will be invited to unmute and participate in the discussion amongst themselves and then share with the large group.
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~11:00 a.m. in Griffin Hall & separate discussion via Zoom (Passcode: Griffin)
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Joys & Concerns for Sunday should be submitted by noon on Wednesday.
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
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Ellen Taylor is the Pastoral Care Associate available for this service time. Please email pastoralcareteam@ucdsm.org for assistance during the week. | |
Do You Support Our Congregation's Future... and Present? | |
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If you’ve found yourself saying “I wish there were more kids in our congregation!”, please consider supporting our Children & Youth Faith Formation programming this coming year by being a classroom co-facilitator.
We currently need a few more people to join our facilitators in the K-4 & 5-8 classrooms on Sunday mornings, and more hands make lighter work!
For more information please email our Faith Formation Coordinator, Birch Spick, at bspick@ucdsm.org.
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Kudos Korner from the Board | | |
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Satish Adepu is a new member of First Unitarian who has dived into his work with the Adult Programming Council with skill and gusto. His IT skills have proven invaluable in our coordination of forums and he was an enthusiastic worker in the Building Council’s recent work day. He is a treasure! | |
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Compassion and Choices Annual Meeting
Saturday, August 5
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Sacred Bridges CUUPS - Lammas Baking
Saturday, August 5
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Join Sacred Bridges CUUPS on Saturday, August 5th at 2:00 p.m. as we observe Lammas by rolling up our sleeves and baking together as a community!
Ritualist Gwen Hope will be leading everyone in baking her special sabbat/ritual bread in the newly-renovated kitchen space at First Unitarian Church of Des Moines. Bringing an apron or baking clothes is recommended!
Supplies to bring: large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, large spatula (mixing kind, not a pancake turner), whisk, apron (optional), disposable food service gloves (optional, dough is sticky).
Baking supplies will be provided for everyone to participate so please contact us by August 3rd if you want to make the gluten-free or vegan recipe. The main recipe does contain wheat, eggs, and dairy. If you are willing to donate any baking supplies, please let us know.
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** Book Group **
The Humanist book group has moved to 11:00 AM for the summer, right after coffee time. Our next meeting will be on August 6th. You can join in person at the church or via Zoom at https://humanistsocietyofiowa.org/bookclubzoom/. We will continue with chapters 8 and 9 of The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself by Sean Carroll.
** Watch Party **
Our watch party series will continue on Saturday, August 12th; starting at 2:00 PM at the Stine Barn in West Des Moines. We will watch and discuss two more episodes of James Burke’s Connections series – a look at how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and world events are tied together. Send a note to bookclub@humanistsocietyofiowa.org for more information.
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Women's Monthly Lunch
Tuesday, August 8: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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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).
Please note: We are changing location again this month!
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, August 8, 2023: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Where: FireCreek Grill - 800 S. 50th, WDM
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Do you want to be part of shaping Sunday services? Do you have a flair for the theatrical and enjoy public speaking? The Celebrant Team wants you!
Celebrants can expect to participate in services 5-6 times per year and attend monthly meetings. New celebrants will be trained at a retreat in early fall.
Please email celebrants@ucdsm.org or speak to Heidi Levine or Elliott Nassif to join or ask questions.
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Shared by our own Ingrid Alg:
August 18th, 10 am - 3 pm at the Sheraton Hotel, 1800 50th St., West Des Moines, IA 50266.
Donate blood or volunteer to help run the Sheraton Blood Drive! One donation can save 3 lives.
You are eligible to donate if you are:
- 17 or older
- Over 110 lbs
- In good health and have NOT donated blood in the last eight weeks
See all requirements and information here.
If you would like to donate, please sign up here by clicking on the Sheraton event. For questions or other inquiries, please e-mail.
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mUUvie Discussion Group
Sunday, August 20: 7:00-9:30 p.m.
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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 or suggestions for future events.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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.
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For a full list of upcoming meetings and events, please visit our church calendar. | |
News from Our New President, Kevin Boeckholt | |
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It’s a new year for the Board of Trustees and our July meeting started out strong. Natalie Mason, Kathryn Sutton and Walter Pearson are proving to be a great addition. Our new officers include me, your president; Jeremy Guenther, vice president; and Kathryn Sutton, secretary.
Our first meeting together was filled with discussion and planning for the coming year. Board members brought questions, concerns, research they had done on various topics, new ideas and a spirit of enthusiasm.
Board members want to get to know members of the congregation and what’s on their mind. Each of us on the Board is committed to reaching out to people we don’t know and we invite you to do the same with us. Sharing a beverage or a meal would be a great way to get started.
I want to be available to you and here is the best way to reach me: BoardOfTrustees@ucdsm.org.
The next Board meeting is Thursday, August 17th at 6:00 p.m. Come in-person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on our website here. Please join us.
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A Letter from Rev. Garmon | |
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Dear First Unitarian Church of Des Moines,
Grow spiritually and ethically. Serve justly. Love radically. That’s our mission here at First Unitarian Church of Des Moines. It’s also our covenant because Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal tradition (meaning that the members of our congregations are bound together by covenant rather than by a shared creed or canonical set of scriptures), and our covenant with each other includes mutual support of the congregation’s mission. Here at First Unitarian of Des Moines, then, we are in covenant to grow spiritually and ethically; serve justly; and love radically.
This is not merely a promise that we will each individually grow, serve, and love. You could make such a promise – if only to yourself – without being in a congregation. For a congregation to adopt a mission implies also the promise that its members will help each other realize that mission, the promise to carry out that mission jointly, as a congregation, rather than merely as independent individuals.
Grow spiritually and ethically. How are we doing at that? How have you grown spiritually in, say, the last couple years? How have you grown ethically? How have we collectively, the members of this congregation, grown spiritually? Ethically? It’s our purpose, i.e., our mission -- and our promise, i.e., our covenant -- that we do so. It behooves us, then, to vigorously apply ourselves to that task.
Many years ago, when I was still new to the preaching life, it began to dawn on me, to my disappointment, that merely listening to my sermons week after week was not, after all, sufficient to cause very much in the way of a congregation’s transformation toward greater and deeper wisdom, compassion, or peace. I continue to hope that Sunday worship services can assist in growth and transformation – but it’s clear that all by themselves they won’t do all that might be hoped for. Something more is required.
If we are to apply ourselves seriously to the task of growing spiritually and ethically, we need to show up for each other to reflect on the central issues of life. We need to do that on Sunday mornings because that’s when the largest number of us is all together – but we also need to do that in small groups designed to explore together. In small groups you can engage with life cognitively and emotionally – you can think your way through and feel your way through: not to any final answers, but to a greater wisdom, a deeper understanding.
Having talked this over with your Adult Programming Committee, we have decided to launch a major initiative this year with the aim that every member be in a small group that meets monthly to explore the Theme of the Month. Themes of the month this year will include: Covenant, Justice, Interdependence, Transformation, Pluralism, Equity, Generosity, Love, Courage, and Hope. Every member? Well, shouldn’t it be every member? After all, every member of this congregation promises to grow spiritually and ethically. Deepening our understanding of this year’s themes – as well as deepening our understanding of how other members think and feel about this year’s themes – is the best way we know of for doing that.
Yours in the faith we share,
Meredith
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Pastoral Care & Memorial Services
This Summer
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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.
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Griffin Gallery Artist
Kyle Beargeon
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Kyle Beargeon is an Indianola artist who paints on canvas and also on glass (windows of various sizes and types). These two approaches to painting incorporate opposite approaches, one (canvas) starting with the background, the other (glass) starting with the foreground.
He is always learning and growing, using these antithetical methods and usually working on five or six paintings at a time.
Learn more here.
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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
Families Forward | Let's Talk
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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: | |
Staff Office Hours & Contact Info | |
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Our Interim Minister, Rev. Garmon, will begin in August 2023. Contact information will be available soon.
Alice J. Stewart, Director of Finance & 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. 103
Off Mondays
Tuesday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hannah Notch, Office Manager & Childcare Coordinator
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
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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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