Affinity & Activity Groups
First Unitarian members and friends enjoy a variety of social and service groups. The exchange of new ideas, interests and opinions stimulates minds and builds friendships. First Unitarian is a Welcoming Congregation for people of all races, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, class, nationality, or religion. These groups welcome any newcomer or congregation member. Please see the Calendar of Events for meeting schedules.
Contact information can be found in the church directory, or call the church office at 515-244-8603.
Bent Needles (on hiatus)
If you like to quilt, sew, knit, crochet, embroider, needle felt or if you’d like to learn, join us for light snacks, lots of conversation, and of course, some handwork. All are welcome: whether you are experienced or a novice, join us in the joy of handwork with friends. Let us know in advance if you’ll need childcare. Meets the second & fourth Thursdays from 6 – 8 pm in Room 103 (Large Activity Room). Contact: Theresa Miller, Fern Stewart or Liz Bredeson
UU Board Game Night
Please join fellow UU friends for a fun night of board games in Channing Hall. Bring your favorite game as well as any beverages or snacks you might want to share. Meets the second Friday of the month, 6-10 pm, in Channing Hall. Contact: Gianfranco Berardi
Dinner Discussion Groups
Looking for an opportunity to get to know other UUs? Groups of 6-8 adults who would like to meet for potluck dinners are invited to sign up for a “Dinner Discussion Group” to meet 4-5 times over 8 months. The members of each group will take turns hosting, and the host will provide the main dish; others will provide the rest of the meal for the potluck. While the events are to be primarily social in nature, some groups may want to have a discussion topic.
A sign-up sheet will be posted on the new “Connect with Others” bulletin board in Channing Hall in September & early October. If interested, sign-up the number attending and which evening(s) you are interested in (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). While all participants should be willing to host one potluck, please indicate if you’re willing to host the first event. By October 15, groups will be formed based on the meeting time choices. The host will be provided the names in the group and it will be up to the host to contact the other group members to arrange the first meeting. Contacts: Barb Glass or Bob Henderson
Food Still Matters Vegan Potluck
The goal of Food Still Matters is to share in a community vegan meal once a month to foster relationships in the veg community and try new vegan dishes! A vegan meal can be healthy, environmentally friendly and is compassionate towards animals. All are welcome to attend: omnivores, veg curious, vegetarian and vegan. Potlucks are kid friendly, adult friendly, 55+ friendly. If you can, please bring a vegan dish to share and a recipe to go along with it. We welcome you without a dish as well – all are welcome. Look us up on Facebook for the latest information: www.facebook.com/foodstillmatters. Meets monthly on the first Thursday. Doors open at 5:45pm; Potluck begins at 6pm. Contact: Amy Luebbert
Great Decisions
Great Decisions, a group that has met for many years at our church, is a discussion program produced by the Foreign Policy Association, New York City, and featuring a briefing book titled Great Decisions. The latest version of the book is available for purchase. Meets monthly on the fourth Sunday at 11 am in the Stonewell Conference Room (no meetings June-August, or December). Click here for a list of 2019 topics. Contact: Fred La Croix
Humanist Society of Iowa
The Humanist Society of Iowa, a chapter of the American Humanist Association, is an affiliate of First Unitarian Church of Des Moines. We emphasize a non-theistic life-stance which promotes caring, fairness, community and science. Join our book discussion group on the first and third Sunday of each month, following the first service. We also have a quarterly meeting on the third Thursday of March, June, Sept., and December, 7-8:30 pm, in Channing Hall. Meeting dates and times are posted on our Facebook group, Humanists of Iowa. Contact: Don Davis.
Meditation Group
The Meditation Group meets each Sunday from 10:30 – 11 am (11:15 – 11:45 am during the summer) in Room 108 to explore various types of meditation together. The room remains open for another half hour for those who wish to remain in silence. Please join us—no previous experience with meditation needed! Contact: Karen Massetti Miller
Play UU Parenting Group
Play UU is a parenting group at First Unitarian for parents & caregivers with children age infancy to high school. Activities are varied and include: monthly playdates/gathering, family outings and parent-nights out (childcare provided). Playdates are usually the second Saturday of each month, 9-11 am, in the lower level of the church. See the Calendar of Events or the Intercom Weekly email for the latest scheduled events, or join our Facebook group! Contact: Chelsea Hayes
Sacred Bridges CUUPs
Sacred Bridges chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Univeralist Pagans hosts Earth-based rituals and social gatherings to create a safe, positive, and uplifting space where pagans and people who are curious about paganism can meet and learn. In addition, we gather monthly for event planning and discussion about involvement and group growth. We encourage participation in Unitarian Universalism, but membership is not required to participate in events. The chapter supports both pagan and UU paths and works to help one another and grow as a community, linking pagans together and giving others the chance to explore Earth-based spirituality. Contact: sacredbridgescuups@gmail.com.
Small Group Ministry
A continuation of the Small Group Ministry format that began in 2002. The first hour is an opportunity for members to share recent events in their lives. The second hour is a discussion around a chosen topic from the Small Group Ministry collection. Members meet the first and third Mondays of the month, 10am – Noon, in the Game Room at Scottish Rite Park (2909 Woodland Ave, DM). Contacts: Carol Henderson or Jill Moser
Circle Groups
These small, relational groups made up of six to ten people led by trained facilitators meet once a month to establish and nurture themselves in this community, to explore and engage monthly religious service themes in more depth, and to reconnect with their deepest selves, life’s gifts, and needs greater than their own. Click here to learn more about Circle Groups.
Thursday Talks at 12:30
A group of UU women gathers on the first Thursday of each month at 12:30 pm to talk about topics of interest to the group. All women of the First Unitarian Church are invited to join us in the RE gathering space (downstairs). Sometimes the topic is pre-selected by a member of the group and sometimes we deviate from that. And sometimes the topic is continued for several meetings.
Please join us and don’t forget to bring your “brown bag” lunch! Contact: Winnie Williams
UU Book Club
Do you love to read and look for an opportunity to discuss what you’re reading with others? Books are selected by group members from the West Des Moines Library’s book club series. The UU Book Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at Java Joes (50th & Douglas, DM). See the Calendar of Events or Intercom Weekly email for the latest information. Contact: Jean Tauber
Unity Circle – Alliance
Unity Circle-Alliance (often referred to as “Unity Circle”) began as a women’s service group at First Unitarian in 1879. The group has a very proud heritage of contributions over the years to our church, our city, our state, and our national American Culture. From the Women’s suffrage movement, to social issues in early Des Moines, through post-World War II support for war refugees via the national Unitarian Service Committee and into the current group’s speakers of the month, the organization has worked to improve church life and the lives of others.
Today the group is a merger of two women’s groups, Unity Circle and Evening Alliance, and now admits men into its membership. Unity Circle meets the third Thursday of most months, with a potluck at noon and a program at 1 pm. Our speakers are always related to something of current interest. The yearly dues are $10 per person, however, anyone is welcome to come and enjoy the lunch and the speaker. (Our informal motto is: we eat well, talk much, sit long, and laugh lots!) Click here for more information on Unity Circle program topics. Contact: Theresa Miller
Women’s Meals Group
This group of women love to visit over a shared meal. All self-identified women are welcome, and invited to bring a dish to share. Generally meets once or twice a month on Tuesdays; participants take turns hosting. See the Calendar of Events or Intercom Weekly email for the latest planned potlucks. Contact: Pat Winters
Young Adult Group (Ages 21-35)
We are a group of 20-30-somethings who are brought together by our shared Unitarian Universalist values. Throughout the year we meet up at social gatherings in and outside of the church as well as share a small-group ministry. We aim at having two social meetups per month at varying locations and times. Please check the Intercom Weekly email for upcoming events, or check our Facebook page. We are welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people as well as people of any religious, ethnic or economic background. Contact: Kathryn Sutton