A Unitarian Universalist Church | 1800 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50315
515-244-8603
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Bill Brauch’s reflection on the pathway of his own free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
Join the live service on Zoom!
Zoom Passcode: Safford
(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)
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Forum:
A Long and Winding Road Less Taken
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Please join us 30 minutes after our Sunday Service for a follow-up discussion on this week’s sermon, “A Long and Winding Road Less Taken.” The following questions will be discussed:
1. What was your faith journey that led you to our church?
2. Have you ever second-guessed yourself on a major decision? Have you ever wondered what would have happened had you made a different choice?
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Visit the Caring Community Webpage for the following options:
- Caring Ministry – for temporary assistance, such as meals or rides, or to volunteer (515-244-8603 ext. 108)
- Pastoral care - for support through a difficult time
Check the news feed in Realm if you missed last Sunday's Joys & Sorrows.
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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.
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Singing Our UU Gratitude! | |
Please take a moment to share a thank you or kudos. Submissions will be shared on the board in Griffin Hall and in upcoming worship services. Please click the button below to fill out the form. | |
Our Congregation: Spotlights | |
As a reminder, the Sunday spotlights on Our Congregation are reserved for information from a church-recognized group (e.g., committee, Faith in Action partner) about church wide events and activities, or topics of urgency to the congregation. Spotlights should be written out and no longer than 2 minutes (approximately 250 words). To submit a Spotlight request please complete the Spotlight Request Form. Questions? Reach out to celebrants@ucdsm.org.
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Click the button below to submit an announcement or event for publication
Deadline: Wednesday at Noon
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First Unitarian Humanist Update | **A (FREE) Day at the Fair The Humanist group will be helping to staff the Better Ballot Iowa booth at the fair to promote and answer questions about rank choice voting. If you sign up for any 3 hour stint at their booth you can get a free fair pass for the day. | | | |
Talent Unlimited/A Monthly Reading Group
Sunday, August 11th, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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Our small group of would-be thespians has been meeting since June 2023 on the 2nd Sunday of each month. We invite you to join us on Sunday, August 11th, for a play chosen, directed, and read by our members. We gather at 5:00 p.m. for a potluck so bring your beverage of choice and something to share. The reading begins at 6:00 and we are usually finished by 7:00 p.m. The event is held in the party room at The Towers Club, 3663 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. All are welcome! | |
Grief Support Circle
Monday, August 12th, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
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The Grief Support Circle meets monthly on the 2nd Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Minister's Office. Our society is not great at confronting grief. As a result, there is abundant unhelpful advice, platitudes, and reactions out there. Perhaps even more unsettling, though, are the things we can’t talk about. What if you feel relief after someone dies? What if losing them also means losing a way of life for you? Let’s lay it all out on the table in a safe, judgment-free zone. Beyond losing a person, what else are you dealing with? What do you wish people would ask you? What do you wish they’d stop saying? We’ll extend ourselves – and others – a hefty dose of grace as we talk through this sticky topic. | |
UU Women's Lunch Bunch
Tuesday, August 13th, from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
at Fire Creek Grill
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Please join our monthly women's luncheon, held the second Tuesday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Fire Creek Grill, 800 South 50th Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265. It's a great place for lively conversation and connection. RESERVATIONS are required. Please email womenslunch@ucdsm.orgif you plan to attend. | |
Re-Scheduled Volunteering Training for Young Mom's Meals
Friday, August 16th at 12:30 p.m.
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Were you interested in volunteering to assist with the Young Moms meals once a month at the Young Women's Resource Center (YWRC)? There is still time to attend an orientation on August 16th at 12:30 p.m. in the Stonewall Conference Room. If you have questions, please contact Judy Davis or Nicole Cable, the co-champions for this Faith in Action service project.
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Birding for Life Walks
Saturday, August 17th from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
| Rev. LoraKim Joyner, our community minister will lead a Bird Walk at Saylorville Lake Visitors Center on Saturday August 17th, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. | | | |
Griffin Hall July-August Artist
Sarah Schroeder
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My photographs are shot on film and not digitally edited. I use multiple exposures and other techniques like soaking the film in household chemicals to create abstract images of common sights. I never truly know the results of a shoot until the film is developed. | |
For a full list of upcoming meetings and events, please visit our church calendar. | |
2024-2025
Faith in Action Partners
Young Women's Resource Center | Al Exito
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The Young Women's Resource Center and Al Exito are First Unitarian Church's Faith in Action Partners for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
The Young Women's Resource Center is a non-profit organization that supports, educates, and advocates for girls and young women ages 10-24. Through small groups and individual support, the YWRC provides programming for all young women, no matter what they may be going through. Girls and young women are defined as people who have been socialized and/or identify as female. Trans and nonbinary friends are welcome.
Al Exito is an organization that supports Latinx youth. It inspires, prepares, supports, and positions Latinx leaders from middle school through college for postsecondary attainment, career readiness, and civic engagement.
In the coming months, the Faith in Action team will have opportunities for you to support these two organizations. Please follow Intercom to find out what these will be.
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COMMUNITY AND OTHER EVENTS | |
Dissertation Study
Participants Needed
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Hello, church family. My name is Bryant Moore. I’m a psychology student at Antioch University New England and have been a UU since 2017. I am working on my dissertation and need adult participants to complete a short survey using the link below. I am doing this study to develop a measure of well-being based on existential theory, a philosophy that focuses on things like a person’s sense of meaning. For this research, I am looking at whether the measure of existential well-being is related to concerns people often have. You will be asked questions about physical, social, and psychological health, including your thoughts about mortality, isolation, meaning and purpose, depression, and anxiety. Participation is entirely voluntary and may be discontinued at any time. It should take approximately 10-15 minutes. Your answers are anonymous, and I will not know who has participated or be able to link you with your answers. All information you provide will be kept secure. There is no compensation for participation, but I would greatly appreciate your help.
You can click here for more information about the study.
Thank you for your time and help.
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Pride is all year, and there are plenty of events still occurring after June. Click here for more information about a few events that are coming up! | |
Missed a Sermon? Want to Re-visit? | |
Videos of past sermons can be found here.
The text of past sermons can be found here.
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Staff Office Hours & Contact Info | |
Rev. Meredith Garmon
Interim Minister
mgarmon@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 102
cell: 352-682-8492
Faithyna Leonard
Faith Formation &
Congregational Life Coordinator
fleonard@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 101
Off Mondays
Tuesday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Joah Hogan
Audio-Visual Technician
jhogan@ucdsm.org
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Tracy Aukes
Church Administrator
admin@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 103
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Zoom meetings available upon request
Hannah Notch
Office Manager & Childcare Coordinator
hnotch@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 107
Tuesday - Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Sally Boeckholt
Bookkeeper
bookkeeper@ucdsm.org
515-244-8603 ext. 109
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