First Unitarian Church of Sioux City, Iowa

09/03/2026

Very interesting article.

I hear the same list from people who left religion and people who never had it. All four have it backwards.

08/30/2026

Good Afternoon Everyone,
As a reminder for those who missed the announcements in church the last two Sundays, tomorrow is a 5th Sunday, and we will be joined by the other churches at First Unitarian as we are hosting the 5th Sunday this time; we will be exposing them to a Unitarian forum tomorrow, and will have a few breakout topics for attendees to participate in along with some reflection time. Following the service we will be having a potluck in the basement and folks are encouraged to bring a dish to share. Service will start at 11am as per normal time. This evening we are hosting the joint game night and social hours at the church in the basement and snacks and drinks will be provided, people from the area churches have been invited, and games will start at 6pm, attendees are welcome to bring games, or play those that we have in our inventory.

Looking Forward to next week, we will be having a potluck picnic inside in the church basement instead of going to an offsite location. So two Sundays of Potlucks. Feel free to call or text myself (320-287-2757) or Shannon (712-204-3725) if you have any questions in regard to the 5th Sunday.

Enjoy The Weekend,

08/26/2026

Quote from article: “This Christian nationalist movement that I had seen growing so much stronger and more militant during my time in Congress erupted in plain view,” Huffman, 62, says by phone from his home in Marin county, California. “I truly believed January 6 would be the wake-up call our country needed to confront this movement to understand it and to hold it to account.”

“Unfortunately, the country went back to sleep and many of my own colleagues who the mob wanted to kill that day didn’t even seem to notice the religious elements of the group that was trying to kill them.”

“That is a big part of why Huffman is now deciding to sound an alarm of his own with a new book, No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism. Contending that the US has a “Bible-sized blind spot”, it argues that the theocratic insurgency has only grown more powerful after Trump’s return to power and is now the country’s most dangerous political movement – a greater threat to science, education and freedom than most people realise.”

“No one is better qualified to make this case than Huffman, the only current member of Congress to admit he does not believe in God. He grew up in Independence, Missouri – the home of former president Harry Truman and historic headquarters of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (now the Community of Christ), an offshoot of Mormonism. A devout Christian, Huffman was ordained into its priesthood.”

“Huffman insists the fight is still winnable but will require a broad coalition that includes moderate Christians, non-Christians and secular Americans. “We need to reckon with our Christian privilege problem, our Bible-sized blind spot when it comes to just speaking without fear or favour about this movement that poses as Christian. We’ve got to get more comfortable working across different faith perspectives in a pro-democracy coalition.”

In his new book, congressman Jared Huffman argues that theocratic insurgency has only grown more powerful after Donald Trump returned to the White House

08/20/2026

Quote from Liz Bacar

“Belonging is something you receive. It’s a feeling that happens to you when you walk into a room and the room is glad.”

“Community is different. Community comes with a set of obligations. Real community is built on the thing you do not want to go to on a Saturday afternoon but you go anyway. Sometimes it is work.”

https://lizbucar.substack.com/p/i-can-bring-the-casserole-i-cant?r=17kq0j&utm_medium=ios

08/10/2026

Quote from article: “After Republicans passed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Johnson did an interview in the chapel and claimed he had been down on his knees praying every day. He said the passage of this bill was God’s will and God’s plan. There are so many of these things, each of them standing alone might feel like not much. But when you take it together, I feel that the wall of separation is in real trouble.”

Representative Jared Huffman of California, the only self-declared “humanist” in Congress, writes in a new book that the separation of church and state is in grave danger.

08/04/2026

Sioux City Journal today

08/02/2026

If you only read one review of Odyssey, this is it. Here is an excerpt:

“Odysseus and his men were not fighting the barbarians; they were the barbarians. And their actions led to more barbarity.”

“So, too, has the political movement that rose promising to make Western civilization great again betrayed its inheritance. The world now looks at America and sees us as the barbarians: the country obliterating the global order, the country that takes what it wants and demands tribute from those who cannot resist.”

“And what the political opposition has to do now is recognize what Nolan recognized: That it is an affirmation of our civilizational values to say that cruelty is a weakness. That only compassion and reciprocity build a durable and decent society. That order is necessary but order without ethics and restraint is perversion or authoritarianism. That there is both beauty and wisdom in the injunction to avoid inflicting on others what we would not see turned against us and in remembering that we were strangers in the land of Egypt, too.”

Then he turned toward Stephen Miller.

08/02/2026

continues to address some of the myths our clients face this week.

Did you know that without your ID, you can't vote, apply for housing, apply for loans/credit/bank account, apply for a job, or for most types of assistance?

Did you know that without an address, internet access, or ID, almost all forms of assistance and job applications are difficult to receive?

One of the many things Women Aware does week after week is work with our clients to make sure they have their baseline- ID, social security card, birth certificate- then work on things like applications for assistance, resume building, job applications, and so much more! We even have partners to help get clothing for those job applications- or even to replace clothing lost or damaged due to health, time, weather, or accidents. It's hard to apply for a job or show up to important appointments if you don't have everything prepared! That is one of the many examples of how Women Aware serves our John and Jane Does every day.

08/02/2026

Congratulations to the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) on 40 years of building community, nurturing Earth-centered spirituality, and expanding the religious landscape of Unitarian Universalism. 🌿🔥

Since 1985, CUUPS has created welcoming spaces for Pagan-identified UUs, strengthened interfaith relationships, defended religious liberty, and helped bring greater recognition to Earth-centered traditions within our faith.

Today, more than 100 local chapters offer worship, seasonal celebrations, education, and spiritual community across the country.

We celebrate all who gathered in Salem for the 40th anniversary Convocation—and everyone whose care and leadership have sustained CUUPS across four decades.

Read more at the link in the comments.