Ankeny UCC Weekly Update

A Welcoming Church Family:

Continuing Prayers
For teachers and parents and children going back to school. For everyone trying to figure out what to do as the numbers of COVID-19 cases continue to increase. For Jenn and all her family. For all who mourn. For all travelers. For reconciliation. For our creation, under well-known threats from us.

Exploring Progressive Christian Theology:
Update about Sunday School from Peg, Brandon, and our Christian Ed Team:
As warm as it is today, it is hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.  With that being said, we’re beginning to prepare for Sunday School. Our first Sunday of Sunday School will be September 12th.  
We will continue with the Shine Curriculum we began last year studying the stories of the Bible.  Classes will be K-3, 4-5, and 6-8. The nursery will be available for Pre School-age. Right now, we are planning to meet in person with an opening in the Sanctuary at 9:15 and classes going from 9:30-10:05/10:10. 
You can register by going to the church web page. The link is found under the Christian Education drop-down menu.  Or if you prefer, you can email me the name(s), age(s), grade level(s), and if willing, the birthday of your child/children. 
As always volunteers are always welcome and needed to make this possible. Please let me know if you are willing to help out by teaching one of the classes or leading the opening for a month or so. These kids are fun to work with and I’ve found myself learning right along with them. Meeting in person also provides opportunities to volunteer to provide individually wrapped snacks for the kids.  PLEASE email me to let me know if you want to help out. There will also be a volunteer sheet on the table with the bulletins at church.
Covid is a reality for us. Monitoring of the levels of infection in our area is continuing, and we will follow the policies of our regathering team and council. We will send out details of the meeting closer to September 12th and have plans in the works to hold classes in person, or back online if policy dictates.
Please feel free to send me any questions you have. We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Sunday School.

What were our delegates' experiences of General Synod 33? from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota Conferences of the UCC:
It has now been a month since the first day of General Synod 33 (GS33)! General Synod is a biennial gathering of representatives of conferences chosen from local churches of the UCC. Our Conferences send delegates to every General Synod. This year, we sent over 40 delegates to GS33! Over the course of a week, they participated in important decision-making and elections, attended worship services, participated in workshops, listened to keynote speakers, attended celebrations, and much much more.
With GS33 being on an entirely virtual platform there was a lot that was new. However, many delegates were still deeply moved by the experience and enjoyed the community that was created. Nebraska delegate Scott Pigsley shared, “Getting to know the people who represent the diverse backgrounds of those in our partner conferences in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota has opened my eyes to what we can accomplish together as a group.” 
As a celebration and exploration of the event, we gathered stories and reflections from our delegates. Read their testimonies to find out what it was like and let us know if you're interested in being a delegate next time! Learn more about your delegates' experiences here.


Caring Within:
Regathering Celebration by AUCC Council:
When: August 22, 2021, served immediately after church service
What: Catered meal by HyVee
Who are invited: Congregation and neighbors of the prairie invited
Purpose: Celebrate and Explore the Prairie and Celebrate the Church!

Photos by Connor Henzi:
Are you wanting some photos of yourself or your family? Then please sign up and have photos taken by me, Connor Henzi, a student at DMACC studying Photography. I am looking to improve my individual and family photo skills and hope at the same time I can provide some amazing individual and family photos for you to cherish. 
The photos will be outdoors at the Church on Saturday, September 11th (rain date 9/18), using the prairie and the church building/grounds as our backdrop.  We will have seating available for the photos as well.  All you have to do is sign up for a 45-minute slot and bring you and/or your family ready for some pictures.  I will be providing (watermarked) photos in which you can choose 5 photos that I will edit and send to you for your unrestricted use.  If you like more, we can discuss having more edited too. While I am not be charging a fee for my services, I would appreciate donations.  
Don’t forget to update your church directory photos with these!  You can sign up here. Questions?  Please email me.

Church's Policy Update from the Council:
Masks continue to be encouraged, but not required. CDC and Polk County Health Department guidance is for everyone to wear a mask indoors, and with IDPH releasing COVID numbers only weekly, it's hard to keep up with the current active cases.

Polk County Vaccines
We hear via AMOS that Polk County is offering referral incentives to churches. Have you not yet gotten vaccinated but want to? Did someone you know have a birthday? Go to the Polk County Health Department (if you live in Polk County), and earn $50 for Ankeny UCC! Details here.

Upcoming classes by Mindspring:

The Psychological Origins of Stigma & Bias | Thurs 8/12 | 12-1:00p CDT
How does cultural bias impact treatment, prevention & recovery? This one-hour session includes a discussion of the origins of understanding mental illness, how misinformation is spread, and how stigma impacts individuals and families. Learn tips for correcting negative perceptions in this one-hour session. Register here!

Creating a Low-Stress Environment & Minimizing Crises | Tues 8/17 | 12-1:00p
Families are susceptible to strain from a number of sources including work and school obligations, illness, finances, interpersonal conflict, and more. Learn strategies to create and maintain a low-stress environment, how to identify & respond to ‘red flags’, and tips for communicating in times of crisis with a licensed therapist. Register here! 

Setting Healthy Boundaries in Relationships | Wed 8/18 | 12-1:00p CDT
Maintaining a balance between taking care of loved ones and setting healthy boundaries for yourself can be challenging. Learn how to express your own needs without guilt, strike a healthy balance between caregiving and self-care, and tips for negotiating compromises with a licensed therapist. Register here!

Conflict Management & Problem Solving in Relationships | Thurs 8/19 | 12-1:00p CDT
Confronting problems can be challenging. Heightened emotionality, irrational thinking, impaired judgment, impulsivity, and distorted perceptions interfere with our ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Learn strategies for effective problem solving and conflict management in this one-hour session. Register here! 

Mowing:
It's mowing season. We lost one of our great mowing servants last year, so we'll have many more openings and need for lawn care this year. The good news is that you don't have to worry about the prairie! Sign up here! Thanks to the people that have signed up so far, including Tom Broadbooks, Tom Rupp, and Gale Gilbert.

Serving Beyond:

Our Garden Update (August 9, 2021):
Just another great morning in the garden! Harvested 8 boxes of tomatoes(82 lbs). Most were larger than a baseball and none were cracking or splitting. Also got a box that consisted of green peppers, sweet peppers, cucumber, and 2 sandwich bags of cherry tomatoes(6 lbs) for a total of 88 lbs today! Delivered 4 boxes of tomatoes to River Place and the other 5 boxes went to Impact. 
After returning from delivering, I pruned all the tomato plants of low growth, yellowing, and brown growth. I also did a little weeding. I  plan to harvest again Wednesday evening so things can be delivered on Thursday morning.- Gale



Limited-Edition Bee Mug from Heifer International:
This week only, when you send a hive of bees to a Heifer family in need, you will ALSO receive our brand-new bee mug! 
Every sip from your new mug will remind you that you're helping provide nourishing food for children who once went hungry. You see, your gift of a hive of bees provides a steady income through sales of honey, wax, and pollen, which hardworking farmers can sell so they can afford food, medicine, and school fees for their children. Plus, bees help improve crop yields — providing an abundance of nutritious fruit and vegetables for growing children. 
Your generous gift today will lift families out of poverty and will also protect the world's food supply, helping people everywhere. 
That's why bees are so important and why your gift to Heifer today is so crucial. Not only will your gift go toward helping families in need, but your newest bee mug will show the world that you're committed to ending hunger and poverty with Heifer. Click here to donate!

Meals from the Market: DMARC Needs Your Help!
Calling all volunteers who love being outdoors, enjoy interacting with people, and have a passion for fighting food insecurity in the Greater Des Moines metro! DMARC is recruiting individuals and groups to assist with the Meals from the Market program during the 2021 Downtown Farmer's Market! We need more help to finish out the season!
 There are two shifts every Saturday, now through the end of October:
1) The first shift of volunteers (2 volunteers from 8 am-10 am or 10 am-1 pm) will be responsible for handing out market maps and materials about DMARC’s food pantry network and associated programs.
2) The second shift of volunteers (12 volunteers from 11 am-1 pm) will be responsible for helping with our food rescue efforts, gathering donations from vendors for our food pantry network.
Sign up for shifts here. To learn more contact Nisha Kishor.

Autism Society of Iowa Hosts Iowa Virtual Statewide Walk:
When: July 5 - September 1, 2021
Join the “Au-Some 54 Day Challenge” virtual event that started recently! It’s not too late to get involved.  ASI challenges you to walk, ride, swim or run for 54 days. OR, pick your own activity and track your miles! Participate alone or create a team.
According to the CDC, 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with autism, so the goal is to walk, ride or run for a combined 540 miles throughout Iowa to signify helping those with autism in Iowa! Register here today.

Our weekly coin collection:
Our coin collections August will go One Iowa. One Iowa advances, empowers, and improves the lives of LGBTQ Iowans statewide. Click here to learn more about their vision and their mission.