First U Think is a podcast designed to feed your mind. I'm Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw, and along with some special guests, I'll be bringing you weekly talks about the topics that matter. Living with values. Caring about the world and the people in it. Making a difference. Learning about prophetic people and their work. Want to change the world? First you think. First U Think is brought to you by the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines IA.
Rev. Amy Petrie Shaw and guests
Send us Fan MailHow do our Unitarian Universalist commitments support us in this season of beginnings? Bring water to share in our annual Water Communion ritual, bring energy and curiosity to find something new to begin at the Community Faire after the service!Support the show
Send us Fan MailDr. Tim Knepper, Drake University Professor of Philosophy, director of the Comparison ProjectUpcoming events: https://comparisonproject.wp.drake.edu/events/ Support the show
Send us Fan MailAs a long-time agnostic secular and member of the Humanist Society, Paul Derrick doesn't rely on any God or gods to watch over and comfort him, to hear and answer prayers or to intervene in human affairs. So, where does he turn for strength, comfort, solace, support and consolation? This Sunday we welcome back the Westphals for horn duet music. Support the show
Send us Fan Mail11 Minute Meditation to Let Go and Forgive with Rev. Steve SieckSupport the show
Send us Fan Mail9 Minute Meditation to Understand our Feelings with Rev. Steve SieckSupport the show
Send us Fan Mail5 Minute Meditation for Awareness by Rev. Steve SieckSupport the show
Send us Fan MailAt First Unitarian we're in a season of big changes: to faith formation, service schedules, architecture, and more! How do we hold a sense of peace and community when everything is in flux? Join us this Sunday for a service of grounding and visioning.Support the show
Send us Fan MailFor many, the word politics has come to mean division, spectacle or partisan warfare. But, politics, at its best, is the work of the people for the common good. Come hear how ordinary people learned to turn private pain into public action, and believe that good power grows where people are connected and ready to act together.AMOS: https://www.amosiowa.org/with Elaine I., Eileen J., and Crystal L.Support the show
Send us Fan MailWhat if play is not something we outgrow, but something that helps us grow? This sermon explores the theology of play—the role of imagination, wonder, and joy in developing faith, strengthening mental health, and building beloved community. Through humor, personal stories, and Unitarian Universalist values, we'll consider how staying curious and a little silly can be a sacred practice.Support the show
Send us Fan Mail We joined together for a fully improvised service! With a few prompts from the audience, we created a story for all ages, along with meditations, sermons, and music. Support the show
Send us Fan MailJoin us as we celebrate the creativity within our own congregation. Support the show
Send us Fan MailThe Celebrant Team explores how space exploration, science, and spirituality intersect.Diane F., Faithyna L., and Louise A.Support the show
Send us Fan MailJoin us for “Attention is a Precious Resource” with longtime Iowa journalist Dave Busiek. Being an informed citizen these days demands a lot of our attention. To protect their sanity, too many people have tuned out the news. What should we pay attention to and how should we do so to stay aware but not overwhelmed?Support the show
Send us Fan MailOur theme for our July 5 service is America's 250th birthday. Listen to reflections by church members about what our nation's 250th birthday means to them.Todd L. and Oge N.Support the show
Send us Fan MailWhat does it look like for queer joy to flourish in our shared community? We take time this week to hear perspectives on the myriad ways that queer joy presents itself and how we can help it grow and thrive together.with Barb & Deidre, David & Walter, and JaycieSupport the show
Send us Fan MailWhat are the conditions necessary for flourishing? How do our pasts – even across generations – affect our capacity to flourish? Join us as we honor the Summer Solstice, Father's Day, and the deep work of nourishing and repairing the soil in which we growSupport the show
Send us Fan MailWhat does it mean to truly flourish? We'll explore three introspective personal stories that reveal the many ways people experience growth, purpose, resilience, and joy. Together, we'll reflect on how flourishing can look different for each of us—and how we might cultivate it in our own lives.Marsha Carty, Jim Carty, Elijah EvansIf you notice any differences in sound quality this week, please let us know! This was made using a new system. email- hnotch@ucdsm.orgSupport the show
Send us Fan MailWhat does it mean to Flourish Together? Join us for Annual Meeting Sunday as we explore the interplay of resources that makes a garden flourish, and celebrate the work our church does to love, grow, and serve.Support the show
Send us Fan MailThis Sunday we honor the 103rd annual ritual first designed by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek. How might this beloved tradition help us become more curious citizens in an interdependent world?Support the show
Send us Fan MailMemorial Day is a complicated holiday for many of us. How do we honor those who serve without glorifying war? How do we build a peaceful future for our children? This morning we will hear perspectives on military service and war from a variety of UU voiceswith Paige Shivvers, Megan Klee, David WitkeSupport the show
Send us Fan MailAs we explore our May theme, Awakening Curiosity, our youth take the lead in imagining a more fully inclusive, multigenerational church. Through their reflections, they'll share what helps them feel truly seen and valued—and what could help us grow. Come ready to listen, learn, and be inspired by their vision.Featuring Thea, Penny, and Simon.Support the show
Send us Fan MailThis Sunday we honor all those who are or have been mothers. How might the experience of motherhood help us all awaken our curiosity for the world and one another?Support the show
Send us Fan MailAs we begin this month's theme of “Awakening Curiosity”, we take this Sunday to honor Vesak and the Buddha's quest to understand suffering in the world. How might the Buddha's journey help us to become more curious and wise?Support the show
Send us Fan MailIt takes preparation, stamina, and patience to embrace possibility. In a world that seems to measure possibility in quarterly earnings, how do we reclaim the perspective to plant trees whose shade we will not be here to enjoy?Support the show
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Send us Fan MailThe Green Sanctuary Team is highlighted as we celebrate the upcoming Earth Day 2026 and our church's commitment to environmental action.Slides:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sUSN080hWFqv2uSb1Ux-IZrp-6LEvU1L/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115773222253600430449&rtpof=true&sd=trueSupport the show
Send us Fan MailWe've been meeting some of the amazing people out in the city of Des Moines doing the good work. This episode we're keeping it local, meeting with an amazing person right here on our church staff doing the good work!Support the show
Send us Fan MailSometimes difficult experiences in life teach us to be cautious of embracing possibilities. Join us for a powerful service focusing on the work to nurture a trauma-informed community. Support the show
Send us Fan MailWe've been meeting some of the amazing people out in the city of Des Moines doing the good work. This episode we're keeping it local, meeting with an amazing person right here on our church staff doing the good work!Support the show
Send us Fan MailIt takes courage to see which possibilities might emerge out of present challenges. Join us for an Easter service that explores abundance as a mindset, the art of improv, and the power of radical acceptance.Support the show
Send us Fan MailIn 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.Support the show
Send us Fan MailSpeaking: Aaron RosenfeldWhen we cultivate our capacity to pay attention, we may start to notice patterns in ourselves or our relationships. How can this practice support us in growing ethically and spiritually together?Support the show
Send us Fan MailHow does our work of paying attention affect our relationships with others? How might the practice of attention deepen our capacity to love one another?Support the show
Send us Fan MailWe are drowning in input to compete for our attention. How do we navigate the constant distractions of contemporary life to steward our attention where we want it to go?Support the show
Send a textWhat we choose to attend to is where we direct our time, energy, and love. How can we be good stewards of the resource of our attention?Support the show
Send a textWhat does resilience look like in community? Join us this Sunday as we explore stories of communities that have faced remarkable challenges and found ways to spring back, let go, and transform. Support the show
Send a textAge, wisdom, experience, with reflections from the congregationSupport the show
Send a textAs we deepen our exploration of resilience, what role do our expectations play in our ability to adapt and respond to life's challenges? Support the show
Send us a textAs we begin our February theme of Embodying Resilience, we look at the nature of resilience and how it differs from resistance. In a world that frames most conflicts in win-lose zero-sum terms, how might embodying resilience improve our lives? Support the show
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Send us a textJoin us as we honor Rev. Dr. King and lift up the ongoing work to build the Beloved Community. As we work to resist racism, what might each of us have to change?Support the show
Send us a text https://www.amosiowa.org/Upcoming Events: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QezrU0h9kXqJM4gUL19j6QqAYN2AUwpEHiYp_jU8wjU/edit?usp=sharingSupport the show
Send us a textIn the abstract, it's always right to resist injustice or harm. In reality, it can often be risky, even dangerous, to resist. How do we navigate these daily decisions? How might our UU values guide us through the thorny calculus of resistance?Support the show
Send us a textAs we begin our January theme of Practicing Resistance, we acknowledge that “resistance” is a term and set of practices used by many different people to justify many different actions. What makes resistance good or bad? This service includes a special Turning of the Year ritual to release 2025 and welcome 2026.Support the show
Send us a textHope – and despair – are ‘contagious'. We usually feel more or less hopeful depending on how those around us feel. Join us this Winter Solstice Sunday to claim the power of Active Hope together, to celebrate that even in the darkest time of the year, the sun still shines.Support the show
Send us a textTo donate or volunteer: https://ubfmdsm.com/donate-volunteer Support the show
Send us a textIf the future is unknowable, why choose hope? What value does a hopeful outlook bring to our lives? Join us for a celebration of possibility.Support the show
Send us a textVolunteer: https://www.dmymca.org/locations/supportive-housing-campus/volunteerDonate: https://tinyurl.com/4au85ndmSupport the show
Send us a textIs the glass half-full, half-empty, or twice the container for the volume required? Join us this Sunday as we explore how gratitude helps us see the world more clearly and shake us from habitual resentment. Support the show
Send us a textDonate to 26 For Her: https://thebeacondm.org/26forher/Volunteer: https://thebeacondm.org/volunteer/ Support the show
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