urbandale united church of christ
3530 70th Street, Urbandale, Iowa 50322 | phone 515.276.0625
fax 515.276.2451 | e-mail: staff@urbucc.org

community action opportunities | groups currently meeting |
building usage policy

community action opportunities

Churches United Homeless Shelter Meals:

On a regular basis, members of the congregation serve dinner at the Churches United Homeless Shelter. This is an emergency shelter in downtown Des Moines for homeless women and men. Volunteers are needed to bake/provide food, transport food from the church to the shelter and serve the meal. We often need money for the meal; donations may be put in the offering plates marked "Churches United Meal." Also, look for sign-up sheets on the Narthex table to make food and bring items for the meal.

If you would like more information, directions to the shelter or a ride to the shelter, contact the Community Concerns Team.

Interfaith Hospitality Network

Hosting Week: (March 16-23, 2008)
Urbandale UCC has officially joined the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) as a host church. IHN host churches provide food and shelter to homeless families as an alternative to area shelters, which are forced by limited resources to separate husbands from wives and parents from their
opposite-sex children.

As a host church, we will be offering evening meals, warm beds, and good breakfasts to 2-3 families for one week, four times per year. Volunteers will be needed to set up sleeping quarters for our guests, provide prepared food for the evening meals, serve meals, and spend the night in the church building. Your children will be welcomed playmates, and teenagers make great homework helpers!

Anyone who will be interacting with our guests (serving meals, spending the night) should attend a brief training session. If you have any questions, contact Tom Rendon at tom.rendon@urbucc.org.

The Community Concerns Team will hold a training for all volunteers on Sunday, February 24 from 6:00-8:00 pm. If you have been wondering how IHN works or what are the simplest ways you can make a difference in the lives of homeless families, plan on joining us for a light supper followed by a 90-minute training session. During the training we will, 1) review the purpose and organization of Interfaith Hospitality Network, 2) present the different kinds of volunteer opportunities and how to do each job, 3) study our hospitality rules, and 4) unveil our plans for new buddy system. If you have ever wondered how to get more involved in IHN, this will answer all your questions and open the door to what one member said: “When we do this, we are being the church.” For more information, contact Tom Rendon at tom.rendon@urbucc.org.

Hunger Hike:

From the 2006 Hike, more than $40,000 went to service agencies: missions, shelters, disaster areas, garden projects, senior centers, etc. “We walk that more may eat.”

The Giving Tree

Beginning in Advent, a tree will be in the narthex with gifts ideas for individuals and projects in the community that provide relief and friendship. The season of giving becomes a reminder to include people who are poor, broken, homeless, struggling to put their lives back together on your Christmas list.

Don Justo Coffee

UUCC sells coffee directly from El Salvadoran farmers at a "fair trade" price that benefits the farmers and their community. The cost is $8/pound.

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community groups currently meeting at UUCC

Alcoholics Anonymous (each Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.)
Alzheimers Support Group (4th Monday each month, 1 p.m.)
Cub Scouts Pack 206
Diversity Chorus
Lyme Disease Support Group (3rd Tuesday every other month, 7 p.m.)
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Parents Anonymous (each Wednesday, 4 p.m.)

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building usage policy
(new policy will take effect Mar. 1, 2008, download PDF)

from the Church Building and Premises Usage Agreement, effective through Feb. 29, 2008

The Urbandale United Church of Christ is happy to make its church premises available for your group's use. Please read the following terms and conditions carefully, and sign to indicate that you agree to be bound:

1. Your group is a guest at our church. We have the right to withdraw permission for your use at any time.

2. You are responsible for the actions of your members and other participants while using the church premises. At the conclusion of your meeting, you will clean the church of all litter left by your group and return chairs and other items to their original positions. You will reimburse the church for any damages to church property.

3. The church is not liable for any injury or damage in or about the premises to persons or property of any nature or sort whatsoever. You agree to hold the church harmless and indemnify us against all lawsuits, demands, claims and expenses resulting from your use of the premises, including any claims by your members or participants for injuries to property or persons resulting from accident or other happening on the premises. The Church is not responsible for lost or stolen articles of any kind.

4. Use of the church premises at times other than your usual meeting time should be arranged in advance with the church office.

5. Use of the church phone for outgoing, urgent calls is allowed. However, groups using the facility should NOT answer incoming calls. Incoming calls will be answered by the voice mail system or a staff member only.

6. Smoking is not allowed within the church building. Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed on church property.

7. All persons using the church must provide proof of insurance upon request. (A copy to be filed with this agreement.)

Accepted on ______________________, 20 _____
Group Name: ______________________________
Contact (Print): ____________________________
Signature of Contact: ________________________
Phone (day): _______________________________
(eve): _______________________________

Date of use: _________
Building Fee: ________
Amount Paid: ________
Date Rec'd: _________
Rec'd by: ___________
(Initials of Church Representative)

Policy Amended 11/8/1999

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