Ministerial Transition

The MSC will spend this Fall thinking with the congregation about “who are we?” This will consist of surveys, cottage meetings, and meetings with our groups. That will fuel our thinking about who should serve as our Senior Minister. The MSC will turn to the process of researching and interviewing prospective ministerial candidates in November and beyond. This process will conclude in the Spring with a candidating week in which the proposed new Senior Minister will preach one Sunday, meet with the congregation during the week, preach a second Sunday, and the congregation will then vote on calling the new Senior Minister.

To reach the MSC, email searchcommittee@ucdsm.org

Eileen Jackson

Committee Co-Chair, Surveys & Documents

Eileen (she/her) has been a member of First Unitarian of Des Moines since 2003.  She raised her two adult children with the church and has participated in the RE Council,  Small Groups and Soul Matters groups, both as a member and facilitator, is trained as an OWL facilitator, has supported our youth as a mentor in COA and is now a COA facilitator.  She enjoyed helping with Family Promise, she has served as a celebrant and has been a member and the chair of the Financial Oversight Committee in the last three years.  Professionally, Eileen is the Business and Human Resources Director of Business Publications Corp. which is the publisher of the Des Moines Business Record and dsm Magazine, giving her many years working with employees and hiring processes.  Additionally, she has received DEI training from the Society for Diversity/ Institute for Diversity Certification and has led an award-winning DEI team at BPC.  Eileen lives in the Gray’s Lake neighborhood with Devvy (25-They/Them), Elyas (22-He/Him) and Oswald (loved canine menace) and is passionate about fantasy / science fiction and musical theatre.

Becky Evans

Committee Co-Chair, Treasurer & Congregational Record

Becky (she/her) has been a member of First Unitarian Church for 16 years and has been involved in various roles throughout including Connections Circle Facilitator, Caring Ministry Coordinator, Financial Oversight Committee, Tomorrow Team, RE Council, hospitality, small group and soul matters participant. She is married to church member Steve Evans and they have two sons (Adam,19 and Sawyer,16).  Becky has had prior employment at Principal Financial Group and Everybody Wins! Iowa and currently with Des Moines Public Schools.  She enjoys her free time golfing, traveling, reading and participating in church activities.

Laura Berardi

Communications, Workshops & Congregational Record

Laura (she/her) has been a member of First Unitarian Church since 2012. Since then, she has served as a Soul Matters facilitator, on the Faith in Action Team, as a Celebrant, a volunteer with FEDS and various Faith in Action partners, on the RE/FF Council, and most recently as the Grief Support Circle facilitator and chair of the Pastoral Care Team. From 2015-2019 she was on staff for First Unitarian, first in the RE Assistant role, and then as Membership Coordinator. Laura currently works part-time for the Iowa Council of Foundations, a philanthropy-serving organization. She and her husband, Gianfranco, have two children. When they’re not at a band event or gymnastics practice with the kids, Laura is probably trying to figure out what new weed is growing in their yard, or what native plants she put where.

Ysandril Morrigan

Communications & Website/Media

Ysandril (they/them) is the former administrative officer of the Sacred Bridges CUUPs pagan group that meets in the church. Ysa is a member of the transgender action group, participates in social justice activities as they are able, and is currently a member of the Ministerial Search Committee as the communications liason. Ysa has been a member of First Unitarian since 2016 and has enjoyed contributing to the congregations welcoming congregation initiatives by providing their insight as a trans non-binary human and looks forward to an afforded opportunity to contribute in that energy to the future of First Unitarian.

Patricia Headley

Search Parties (Cottage Meetings)

Pat joined the church in the early 90s and has served on the Building and Grounds Committee, Chaired the Leap of Faith committee, served on the Board, and spent a bit of time in RE. She helped install lighting in both the auditorium and Griffin Hall, and has spent more than one morning on the roof cleaning leaves out of the gutters. Pat currently serves on a hospitality crew. Pat has directed summer camps, written grants for the Meskwaki Nation, worked in higher education, and just finished publishing her first book, currently working on book two. She looks forward to representing the congregation during this ministerial search.

Todd Lackmann

Recorder and Hospitality

Greetings fellow UUs. My time at First Unitarian began in 1997 and I officially became a member in 2001. During those 27 years I have actively attended, served multiple times as a youth mentor, OWL educator, Wellspring and small group facilitator, and member of the financial oversight and endowment fund committees. Additionally, I contribute at Camp UniStar as a youth camp counselor and work week attendee. I would be honored to serve as a Ministerial Search Team member. Thank you for your consideration.

Steve Stephenson

Negotiations

I have been a member of Unitarian churches for over 50 years in multiple states where Martha and I have lived. This has given me the opportunity to experience everything from large thriving churches in Sacramento, Bethesda and Fresno, to a small congregation in El Paso that met in member’s homes.  For 20  of our 21 years in the Des Moines congregation I have had a very time consuming professional life as a pediatric oncologist and executive at Blank Children’s Hospital and UnityPoint until retiring last year.  I also have served on numerous nonprofit boards including United Way of Central Iowa, where I was the founding chair of the Health Council and served on the Executive Committee.  I served years ago on the Personnel Committee (with Liz Bredeson) that helped Mark Springer restructure the leadership and staff.  Now that I have more time I am on the Adult Education Committee.  This is an exciting time for our congregation and I’m looking forward to working with all the members.