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

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Urbandale United Church of Christ
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small groups

for more information, see the Guide to Small Groups (PDF, 130KB)

alzheimer's support group | bible exploration | book club | bowtie boyz |
church bridge | evening women's group | food for the body/soul |
parenting together | pastoral caregivers | prayer circle |
prayer shawl ministry | women's fellowship |
young adults dinner conversation | youth time


alzheimer's support group

We provide a supportive, confidential discussion of caregivers’ needs with information and education regarding Alzheimer’s Disease and its progression. If you are a caregiver wanting/needing support of others who have similar experiences, this group might be for you. We give lots of hugs!

Meets the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00 pm. in Fellowship Hall.

For more information, contact Neita Derrough or Ann Riesenberg at the Greater Iowa Chapter Alzheimer’s Association, 515-440-2722.

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bible exploration

Does the thought of reading the Bible intimidate or overwhelm you? This group will discuss strategies for approaching scripture reading and address some of the roadblocks the might prevent people from reading scripture. All you need to bring is a desire to read the Bible, a notebook/paper and a writing utensil.

This first group, called "Be Bold—Interact with Your Bible," is short term, but is the first in a series of Bible exploration groups. Contact Lee Hood.

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book club

The Book Club normally meets on the SECOND THURSDAY of the month at 7 p.m. at Chapter’s Café (Mustards) at the Urbandale
Library. Occasionally we may meet in someone's home. The group is open to anyone who enjoys reading and/or is interested in listening to a discussion on a specific book. Books are chosen ahead by the group.

Upcoming book selections are:

  • April 10: The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs
  • May: Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett

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bowtie boyz

The men's fellowship group, the Bowtie Boyz, meets for breakfast every 2nd Saturday at 9:00 am in Fellowship Hall. Contact Steve Rebelsky for more information.

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church bridge

The Church Bridge group gets together to play bridge in the players’ homes. If you know how to play Bridge, join us the second Saturday of each month, from September through May. For locations, contact Ruth Rasmussen.

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evening women's group

The Evening Women's Fellowship meets the third Sunday of the month at 6 pm in members' homes. It is open to all women at UUCC. Contact leaders Wendy Sontag or Linda Grathwohl for dates and locations.

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food for the body, food for the soul

The purpose of this small group is to gather monthly for a themed-gourmet potluck to feed the body. The group will also discuss a "spiritual" book to feed the soul. Leader is Randy Jedele.

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parenting together

Parents of young children are invited to learn about children’s faith development and parenting, as well as to spend time getting to know other parents in the congregation. Recent topics have included talking with kids about challenging issues like death and creating meaningful holiday celebrations. Free child care is provided, and dinner too, as part of Wednesday Night Alive. Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:45 pm. in the Preschool classroom, second floor of the education wing. Leaders are Jennifer Gardner or Carmin Bullock.

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pastoral caregivers

There is a group of Pastoral Caregivers serving the members of the church who are ill, have suffered the loss of a loved one, are confined to their homes, or have special needs. Several caregivers are involved in a “phone pals” program. These caregivers are paired with a church member who lives alone. Each day, the caregiver calls at a pre-arranged time, resulting in companionship and reassurance. Caregivers also assist the pastor in serving communion to those unable to attend church.

This group of caregivers meets with a pastor on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 9:30 am to report on the care and needs of church members. Other caregivers serve on an as-needed basis. Church members who want to become a part of this group of caregivers should contact Jo Lilley.

More on caregiving ministries at UUCC.

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prayer circle

This Small Group is unique—the Prayer Circle does not meet in person. Rather, they communicate by phone or email about prayer requests of the community. All you need to join this group is a desire to pray for those who request it. Requests are kept confidential within the circle. Contact Joyce Bixby.

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prayer shawl ministry

The UUCC Prayer Shawl Ministry was started in the fall of 2003 to provide Prayer Shawls to people experiencing a difficult circumstance, such as: a serious illness, recovery from major surgery, the loss of a loved one, or going through a transitional period in life. Our purpose is to “blanket our church family who are suffering with love, comfort and healing and to extend this love into the community.”

Persons who know how to knit or crochet are welcome to participate. Prayer Shawl makers have the option of making prayer shawls on their own time and/or once a month with a group at the church. The group will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month in the church library. Please contact the church office for more information.

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women's fellowship

The purpose of Women's Fellowship (WF) is to provide not only fellowship for the women of the church, but also to offer personal and spiritual growth.
WF also provides service to the church and the wider community. Members volunteer for needed work in the church—e.g., collating The Call and getting it ready for mailing. A Birthday Party is held yearly for children at Moulton School.

All women in the congregation are eligible for membership. WF usually meets at 1:00 p.m., in Fellowship Hall, the second Wednesday of the month, in September, October, December, January, February, April, and June. (The other months, we join Church Women United for ecumenical events: World Community Day, World Day of Prayer, and May Friendship Day).

Group members take turns leading. Contact Miriam Cline for more info.

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young adults dinner conversation

This group’s purpose is to meet once a month to talk about history, politics, religion, current local/world events, or anything of interest over and after dinner. The idea of this sprung from Tyler Reihmann’s experiences in college where a group of friends would get together with good intentions of talking about a particular topic, and end up talking and learning about something completely different.

Contact Tyler Reihmann for more information.

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youth time

Youth ages 8th-12th grade are welcome at YouthTime gatherings, where youth get together to work on exciting projects or just to have fun together. Recent YouthTimes have included the planning and performance of a Las Posadas service during Advent, and bowling nights at Merle Hay Lanes. YouthTime activities are planned by the new Youth Team, so this is truly a small group created for youth, by youth!

They usually meet Sunday Evenings—watch the CALL and bulletins for announcements. Adult facilitators are Scott Gardner, Ken Hanson, Jessica Roberts, and Pastor Emily, emily.g.fries@urbucc.org or 515-276-0625.

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