Ankeny UCC is an organizing congregation and, as of 2018, a member institution of A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS). By listening to our neighbors, we build relational power to pursue justice in our community.
The Bible tells us that, after Peter professed his love for Jesus, Jesus instructed him to “feed my sheep.” We know that all people on earth are loved children of God, and so we look for ways to live that love in our communities and beyond. We were an early supporter of the Ankeny BackPack Project, supporting hungry kids in the Ankeny Schools with backpacks filled with food, and a charter member of the Des Moines Area Religious Council, which runs 16 food pantries in greater Des Moines, including in Ankeny.
Bounty from our garden
Our Sunday School frequently visits local retirement communities (like Mill-Pond, across the street) to sing and visit with residents, and we have a community garden that produces fresh fruits and vegetables for people living on fixed incomes. For those we know have need of tangible symbols of the love of God, we offer prayer shawls.
In the fall, we actively participate in the annual Hunger Hike and every quarter we host a sandwich club to supply lunches for the Bethel Mission in Des Moines, which is also a lot of fun! Check out the photos at the top of the page.
Our commitment to the state and national settings of the United Church of Christ leads us to support UCC camps at Pilgrim Heights in Montour, to respond to calls from the UCC’s Global Ministries for help across the globe, and to be one of the UCC’s proud Five for Five churches, participating in each of the five denominational offerings every year.
We are Five for Five!
But we know that opportunities to serve sometimes strike us suddenly, and so we are always listening for the voice of God inspiring us to do something new. This past year, that has manifested itself in raising funds for Heifer International
, Doctors Without Borders, and
UCC Global Mininstries’ work in Zimbabwe. Come, serve with us!
