Adult Programming

Groups For Learning

Join discussion and practice groups for individual and community deepening.

Circle Suppers  Soul Matters Writer’s Group  Tai Chi  Politics and Policy Study Group

Soul Matters  Small Group Ministry  UU Talk of Iowa Book Club  Introduction to Meditation (November)

 

Affinity Groups

Find fellow enthusiasts and explore new interests!

Awakening Hearts Sangha  Bent Needles  Humanist Society of Iowa  mUUvie Discussion Group

Queer & Transgender Action Group (QTAG)  Unity Circle Alliance  UU Board Game Night  Centering Nature

Women Around the Table  Women's Wednesdays  Young Adults Spiritually Socializing (YASS)  Talent Limited

 

 

How to Start a New Group

Have an idea for a new Affinity Group? Great! Find a few other people who share your passion and get started. At your first meeting you may want to ask yourselves:

  • Who is this group for? (i.e., who is your target audience?)
  • What is the purpose of your group? A clearly defined purpose is behind the most successful, thriving groups!
    • What are you going to do/discuss when you meet?
    • Is there a clear need for this group in our community?
    • Is anyone else at the church already doing what you want to do? If so, would it make sense to join forces? Or can you distinguish a separate need that your group will fill?
  • How often do you want to meet and when? (Setting a regular schedule is usually best!)
    • If you are meeting during a time that the church isn’t regularly open, someone will need to be assigned an access key to the church and be trained on how to lock up the building.
  • How are you going to spread the word about your new group?
  • Is it really a class you want to hold at the church with a curriculum and limited number of meetings?

The next step would be to contact us so we can offer further suggestions for getting established and to let you know if others that might be interested.

How to Promote Your Group

Once a group is established, it’s important that you let others know about it and invite them in!

  • Make sure you have space reserved by emailing communications@ucdsm.org  so that you’re guaranteed a room, and so your group shows up on the church calendar. Upcoming events listed in our Intercom email newsletter and Sunday order of service are pulled from this calendar, so make sure your group is there!
  • If you would like to publicize your event, please email communications@ucdsm.org. Be sure to include exactly what you want communicated and a picture (not copyrighted) if you have one and let us know where you would like it communicated (social media, Intercom, Sunday service, etc). We would like all submissions by noon on Wednesdays. 
  • Signs can be posted at church on the “Community” bulletin board (for community events) on the main level near the restrooms or the “Church Events” bulletin board in the south entryway (for church events).
  • The best way to promote your event is with a personal invitation! This is a great reason to strike up a conversation with someone new at Sunday morning coffee hour or over dinner on Wednesdays. Find out what they’re interested in and let them know what you’re involved with. Then invite them to join you – and offer to join them!

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