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

To Be Seen and Heard

In this month of Paying Attention, this Sunday we honor the power of being seen and heard. We’ll begin with a 30-minute service focusing on Trans Day of Visibility, and then move into small groups for an hour to support AMOS’ work to listen to what’s on the minds of “we the people” in Iowa.

Join our Livestream!

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

No Forum this week

Upcoming Services Previous Services

Church Calendar

  • Griffin Hall Construction

    March 23, 2026 - May 1, 2026  

    (not usable during carpet installation beginning April 17th?)

    See more details

  • Tai Chi

    March 26, 2026  9:30 am - 10:30 am
    Mary Safford

    See more details

  • Soul Matters Writer's Group

    March 26, 2026  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Stonewall Conference Room

    Facilitated by Sarah Lauer

    See more details

  • Book Group: Transforming Conflict: The Blessings of Congregational Turmoil

    March 26, 2026  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
    Stonewall Conference Room

    Join us for a thoughtful and engaging book group on Transforming Conflict: The Blessings of Congregational Turmoil, led by Faithyna Leonard and Sally Boeckholt.

    Together, we’ll explore practical and faithful ways to understand and transform conflict in our congregational life.

    Meeting Dates & Reading Schedule

    • March 26 – Introduction through Chapter 3
    • April 16 – Chapters 4–7
    • May 7 – Chapters 8–10 and Appendix

    Time: 6:00–8:00 pm

    Location: Stonewall Conference Room

    If Thursdays don't work for your schedule, we're also offering the same discussions on Saturday mornings from 9-11 a.m. for the following dates: March 28, April 18, and May 2.

    Please register in advance using the link below and order your book. Books can be purchased on Amazon or in the UUA Bookstore.

    If purchasing the book would be a barrier to your participation, or if you have any questions, please reach out to CongregationalLife@ucdsm.org. We would be happy to help. We hope you will join us for this meaningful conversation.

    See more details

  • UU Singers Adult Choir

    March 26, 2026  7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
    Griffin Hall

    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 livestream. 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 Team 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.