Hello!

Welcome to the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines! We’re glad you’ve found us and hope you find a church home with us.

At First Unitarian, we’re brave, curious, and compassionate thinkers and doers. We’re people of many beliefs and backgrounds – people with a religious background and people with none; people who believe in a God and people who don’t, and people who simply let the mystery be. And while we represent a diversity of faith, ethnicity, history and spirituality, we agree that we want to do good work in the world.

So we welcome you – your whole self, with all your truths and your doubts, your worries and your hopes. Let us support you on your faith journey.

Learn More

Upcoming Service

Borders and Belonging

As a new wave of cruelty toward immigrants unleashes harms and anxiety, what is ours to do? Perhaps some guidance be found in an ancient story.

Join the live service on Zoom!

Zoom Passcode: Safford

(Please mute your mic before the service begins!)

Click here for the Order of Service (updates every Friday afternoon)

Forum: AMOS and Our First Unitarian Mission

Love Radically, Grow Ethically and Spiritually, and Serve Justly. Our mission as members of First Unitarian Church. But how can we do that? And with who? Our church supports the work of AMOS, and AMOS provides an opportunity for you to join in organizing for our local community. Please join us for AMOS, First U, and you Forum! We’ll do a brief teaching on AMOS and recent actions, alignment with First U mission, and help you explore your own self-interests (they are okay to have!). Please bring a side of curiosity 🙂 Love Radically, Grow Ethically and Spiritually, and Serve Justly.

February Theme: Borders and Boundaries

Join us each Sunday to hear a sermon on our monthly theme.

Sunday Services

9:30 a.m. Service

10:00 a.m. One Room Schoolhouse (Grades K-4)

and Crossroads (Grades 5-7)

10:45 a.m. Coffee and treats

11:00 a.m. Coming of Age (Grades 8-9)

11:15 a.m. Forum (starts 30 minutes after service ends)

 

 

 

Church Calendar

  • Morning Zen with Meredith (Zoom)

    February 7, 2025  6:00 am - 7:00 am
    Zoom Only

    Morning Zen with Rev. Meredith Garmon is now offered on Zoom every Tuesday through Saturday morning at 6:00 am.

    Detailed information can be found on One Earth Zen. For the chants and sutras, it will be helpful to have the booklet: "One Earth Zen: Sutras, Chants, and Songs." You may also pick up a copy in the church office.

    Format:

    Opening Chants

    25 minutes zazen (silent seated meditation)

    6 mins kinhin (walking meditation)

    9 min Sutra service (recitations)

    10 min dharma discussion

    Closing chant

    See more details

  • Morning Zen with Meredith (Zoom)

    February 8, 2025  6:00 am - 7:00 am
    Zoom Only

    Morning Zen with Rev. Meredith Garmon is now offered on Zoom every Tuesday through Saturday morning at 6:00 am.

    Detailed information can be found on One Earth Zen. For the chants and sutras, it will be helpful to have the booklet: "One Earth Zen: Sutras, Chants, and Songs." You may also pick up a copy in the church office.

    Format:

    Opening Chants

    25 minutes zazen (silent seated meditation)

    6 mins kinhin (walking meditation)

    9 min Sutra service (recitations)

    10 min dharma discussion

    Closing chant

    See more details

  • Connection Circle

    February 8, 2025  10:00 am - 11:00 am
    Stonewall Conference Room

    Led by Ellen Taylor & Martha Sherick-Shen

    See more details

  • Empowerment for Empaths (Outside Rental)

    February 8, 2025  10:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Room 114

    In this class, we will practice how to:

    • Develop and maintain effective boundaries
    • Protect your personal energy field via grounding, centering, and sheilding
    • Establish a quality connection to Source 
    • Dismantle disempowering belief systems surrounding the gifts of sensitivity 
    • Recognize and transmute energetic holding patterns rooted in survival mode 
    • Safely channel, integrate, and embody your Higher Self

    Students are encouraged to bring a journal, yoga mat, blanket, pillow, and eye covering for the meditation portion.

    To register, please contact Lacey Boles:
    Phone: (515) 779-5711
    Email: changingwomanretreats@yahoo.com

    Cash, check, card, and venmo are accepted
    https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3058386534924288533&created=1738096808

    Facebook event link
    https://www.facebook.com/share/19e9nsAC1Y/?mibextid=9VsGKo

    See more details

  • Facilitators Meeting

    February 8, 2025  10:00 am - 11:00 am
    Griffin Hall

    Zoom:

    https://us06web.zoom.us/s/4488750971?pwd=6bKCYEX40neh01UCHjSxCtCoEBzRqx.1

    See more details

View Calendar

I’m New Here

Ready to explore Unitarian Universalism and our church? We’re ready for you!

  1. Start by joining us for our Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. CT in-person or via Zoom. You can also click here for directions to our building!
  2. In the front lobby of our church, you’ll be welcomed by a Congregational Life Committee member, who will direct you to visitor information and UU information.
  3. Join us after the service for coffee hour! Enjoy a generous spread of delicious food and take the opportunity to connect, mingle, and meet new people in a welcoming atmosphere.
  4. Check out our Affinity Groups for adults. We also have programs for children, youth, and adults.
  5. And finally, explore our website! There’s a lot to see and we encourage you to reach out to the contact people listed throughout the site if you have questions or want to get involved.