Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames

06/19/2026

Juneteenth is more than a holiday.

It is a celebration of freedom, resilience, joy, and the enduring spirit of Black Americans.

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that more than 250,000 enslaved people were free. That day became known as Juneteenth and has been celebrated ever since as a milestone in the ongoing journey toward freedom and liberation.

Today, we honor the generations who resisted, dreamed, created, built community, and expanded the promise of freedom. We celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Black Americans and the legacy of hope that Juneteenth represents.

We encourage you to learn, reflect, and celebrate with the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Explore their Juneteenth resources at the link in the comments.

06/19/2026

This Sunday, we’ll relish in the joy of singing and making music together as we explore several new songs from Sing Out Love, the UUA’s new digital library of hymns and songs.

Add your voice to the chorus of new and familiar songs!

10:00 AM - Coffee fellowship, onsite
10:30 AM - Full service, onsite and live-streamed
11:30 AM - Short coffee & mingle

06/18/2026

Community isn't a thing that magically appears.

It's a thing we make – one conversation, one shared meal, one gathering at a time.

Join Team Pride this Saturday at 6 PM for our monthly LGBTQIA+ potluck.

Come share food, stories, laughter, and the simple joy of being together.

All are welcome.

06/17/2026

"The interfaith work of AMOS IOWA at the Fellowship and throughout central Iowa is active and engaging!

We are working toward our big 30th anniversary "We the People" convention on August 30th in Clive.

We want at least 1,000 people in the room to get commitments from candidates to work with us on five issues: water quality, immigration, education, emergency response times, and Silver Alert for vulnerable adults.

There’s lots of work to do between now and then: inviting candidates and elected officials to attend, beginning the research process to narrow the focus of some of these issues, engaging our congregations and organizations to turn out for the event, helping to set up carpools, etc.

If you think working for systemic change is a good use of your time this summer, and if we really believe we can make a difference rather than just feeling hopeless about the state of the world, we invite, encourage, and plead for your involvement and help."

-Rev. Kelli Clement

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the latest info, and mark your calendars for the important events below!

• June 27, Saturday, 9:00 AM - Webinar to learn how to invite candidates to the event

• August 30, Sunday, 3:00-4:30 PM - We the People event, Horizon Event Center in Clive

06/16/2026

Love is at the center of all we do – and sometimes that looks like a sanctuary full of waving Pride flags.

We celebrate that our community continues to grow in understanding, deepen in welcome, and honor the full diversity of human experience.

06/15/2026

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped at our booth during Saturday’s Juneteenth celebration!

We enjoyed spending the day meeting new people, reconnecting
with neighbors, and strengthening the ties that help our community thrive.

Thank you to the Ames/Story County Juneteenth Team and the NAACP AMES 4120 for organizing the event, and to everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello!

06/13/2026

We hope to see you at the Juneteenth celebration today!

🎉 Ames and Story County—it’s time to celebrate Freedom Day! 🙌🏾 Join us for the 2026 Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom, a summer celebration honoring African American culture, community, and joy.

Bring the whole family out for an incredible afternoon packed with live music, activities, and amazing food. Here is what we have lined up:

🎶 Live Music & Performances: Featured band Maxx G, T-Flip and The Party Rocks Dance Band, plus Gospel Soul Innovators (GSI), local spoken word artists, and tunes by RC Entertainment!
🎨 Kids Activities: A children’s mural painting event with local artist Jordan Brooks, a bouncy house, 9-Square, and line dancing.
🍔 Free Food: Delicious eats from Taste N See Catering, Kona Ice, the Dos Lemonade Bros, and HyVee Lincoln Center!

🗓 Saturday, June 13, 2026
⏰ 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
📍 Bandshell Park, Ames

🎟 This event is FREE and open to everyone. Tap the link in our bio for more details or drop your questions to [email protected]. See you there! ✨

06/12/2026

How much do you know about some or all of the letters in LGBTQIA+?

As expressions of gender and sexuality expand, so does our understanding and sense of inclusiveness.

Join us this Sunday as we explore and celebrate diversity, and share in the beauty of Flower Communion.

It's going to be a colorful morning!

10:00 AM - Coffee Fellowship, onsite
10:30 AM - Full Service, onsite and live-streamed
11:30 AM - short coffee & mingle

06/11/2026

A big thank you to Iowa State Daily for helping spread the word about Echoes of Resilience: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the U.S.

We're grateful for local journalism and community partners who help connect people with opportunities to learn, gather, and engage with one another.

We're excited for the summer series and another big thank you to our co-hosts!

Ames Pride
Collegiate Presbyterian Church (CPC)
Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation
One Iowa
Ames United Church of Christ
LGBTQIAmes
Ames Public Library
Ames Public Library Friends Foundation

A union of local organizations is partnering this summer to host “Echoes of Resilience: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the U.S.” Throughout the summer, these organizations are working together to present a community film and discussion series covering many important topics for the LGBTQ+ community. The s...