A Congregation of Welcome in Ankeny
On a quiet stretch of Southeast Delaware Avenue in Ankeny, Iowa, Ankeny United Church of Christ has anchored its congregation for more than three decades in a building that was designed from the ground up to be accessible, air-conditioned, and open. Theologically the church is older still, with roots reaching back to 1898, and it carries that long history lightly, identifying today as a progressive, Open and Affirming community of faith. The words that frame its life together are simple: "No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here." Whether you are a lifelong churchgoer, a longtime skeptic, or someone who has not been to worship in years, that welcome is the first thing the congregation wants you to know.
A History That Spans Three Buildings
The story begins on January 13, 1898, when a small group gathered at Mary Campbell's house at 323 SW Walnut Street and committed to forming a Congregational Church in Ankeny. A charter membership of 41 people was signed on February 15 of that year, and the congregation soon built its first sanctuary at the corner of Cherry and Second streets.
On December 12, 1932, the church burned to the ground. The congregation did not let the loss slow it down; it acquired the old Church of the Brethren building at 224 SW Third Street and made that its home for the next several decades. In 1948, with the church's fiftieth anniversary approaching, the Rev. Joseph Steele, the original minister, returned to give the anniversary address. In 1957, the congregation took on its current name, Ankeny United Church of Christ, as part of the merger that formed the UCC from the Congregational Christian and Evangelical and Reformed traditions. The new name reflected the congregation's longstanding commitments to congregational autonomy and the freedom of each person in matters of personal faith.
By the early 1990s, the Third Street property was aging, and the congregation faced a choice between renovating and building new. Members chose to build, and on January 23, 1994, the first service was held at 602 SE Delaware Avenue, where the church still meets. The 1998 centennial was marked with a special service and a commemorative quilt, and the building itself has continued to evolve; recent years have brought an accessible remodel that created all-gender bathrooms as part of the church's commitment to radical inclusion.
Worship That Renews and Sends You Out
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and is built around the conviction that the true work of the church happens outside the sanctuary walls. To do that work well, the congregation believes, people need to be renewed first. Worship at Ankeny UCC is meant to fill spirits and restore weary souls so that members and visitors can carry more light into the world.
Each service includes hymns, prayer, and praise, along with thoughtful biblical exegesis and preaching. The style is a blend of traditional and contemporary, with the chancel choir singing most Sundays during the program year (summers off) and cantors leading the music at other times. The congregation is unusually participatory: members and visitors are invited to share joys and concerns during the service, and participation cards handed out with the bulletin invite worshipers to light the candles, read scripture, assist with the offering, or help lead the call to worship.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of every month, and everyone is invited to the table. The church takes seriously the open table of Jesus and welcomes all ages, church affiliations, and states of belief. Juice or wine is offered, and gluten-free bread is available.
There is no dress code, and the congregation is explicit about expecting no particular look. Visitors are welcomed as they are, greeted by name where possible, and invited to stay for fellowship afterward. Children are welcome to remain in worship with their families; a coloring and crafts table in the sanctuary keeps little ones occupied, and a staffed nursery is available each Sunday for parents who prefer it.
For those who cannot be present in person, the service is livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook, with a recent recording available for catch-up viewing and a digital bulletin that worshipers can follow along with from home.
Sunday Morning for Children and Youth
Children are not treated as the future of the church so much as part of its present life. Sunday School, or the education hour, begins at 9:30 a.m. for all students. Pre-K through fifth grade uses the Shine Curriculum, a program designed to engage young minds and lead them into faithful questioning. A rotation of teachers fills the classrooms, and the Sunday School doors are open throughout the year.
Older children and youth, sixth grade and up, meet on the last Sunday of each month after worship at Porch Light Coffee Shop in Ankeny. Led by a rotating group of adults, these gatherings move into deeper conversation about faith and daily life. They are meant to be a safe place for older students to question, grow, and be fully themselves without judgment.
Beyond Sunday morning, children and youth participate in the life of the whole congregation. They take part in the Children's Message during worship, work in the church's garden alongside adults, sing and ring bells as special music, join an ecumenical Vacation Bible School, and visit nursing homes. The phrase the congregation uses is a simple one: children are not the future, they are the present, here and now.
Adult Learning, Coffee Shops, and Theology on Tap
Adults at Ankeny UCC are encouraged to keep learning. Bible studies are offered at various points throughout the year and are designed for both first-time readers and longtime students. The church describes itself as taking the Bible seriously but not literally, exploring original contexts, authorship, and purpose.
Adult Education sessions are held periodically and cover a wide range of topics, from questions about the disciples to the various gods mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures. No question is off the table, and participants are invited to bring their questions, doubts, and convictions without checking their brains at the door.
Two informal gatherings extend that learning out into the community. Every Thursday, Pastor Arik hosts "coffee shop office hours" at a rotating local coffee shop; people can drop by for a drink, a meal, and conversation. Once a month in the evening, Theology on Tap gathers at a rotating local bar for fellowship and conversation that ranges from the philosophical to the local news. A book club meets periodically for small-group reading, most often around books related to faith and spirituality.
Following Jesus into the Community
The church's mission partnerships reflect a wide net of local and global engagement. Mission partners include the Ankeny Service Center, Joppa (which works on housing and homelessness in Des Moines), One Iowa, Global Ministries child sponsorship, Heifer International, the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), Impact Community Action Program, and the Native American Heritage Fund. A portion of the loose coins collected by children each Sunday rotates among ministries such as the Ankeny Ministerial Association Traveler's Fund, Heifer Project International, One Iowa, Joppa, Global Ministries, DMARC, and the Native American Heritage Fund.
Closer to home, a food pantry shelf sits outside the sanctuary and is regularly stocked with non-perishable items that go to the DMARC food pantry. The church regularly hosts a blood drive in its fellowship hall in memory of Pat and Rosa Lee Byrnes and partners with Hope Ministries on service trips such as the Bethel Mission meal program. Members also walk alongside the Ankeny Pride Event, the Juneteenth Festival, and the MLK Vigil, and they partner with other Ankeny congregations for events like Trunk or Treat and a combined Maundy Thursday service with Ankeny Presbyterian Church.
The congregation is also home to the TAKE (The Ankeny Klothing Exchange), a clothing closet that serves neighbors in need.
The Prairie Behind the Church
In 2019, as part of a capital campaign, the congregation replaced the turf grass on the back of its property with a native prairie. The re-established prairie has become a haven for native plants and pollinators and was recognized by Polk County's Rain Campaign, which featured the project in a rainscaping video. The prairie is well established and is open to the property's visitors as a quiet, living amenity.
PREP Preschool
For more than two decades, Ankeny UCC has been home to PREP Preschool, an independent preschool that uses the church's facilities. The school's mission is straightforward: children should have fun and build the social skills that prepare them for a lifetime of learning.
PREP offers a three-year-old program for children who are three by September 15 and toilet-trained, meeting two days a week on Tuesday and Thursday in either a morning or early afternoon block. A Pre-K program meets three days a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The school is led by Whitney Neumann and Sue Neumann, both veteran educators, and is reached at preppreschool@gmail.com or (515) 480-2500.
Pastoral Leadership and Governance
Pastor Arik Borstad joined the congregation in December 2024 and was installed in a special service. He also hosts the church's podcast, The Clergy Corner, which releases new episodes every Wednesday morning and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Libsyn.
The lay leadership includes Moderator Joan Moore and Vice Moderator Brian Holmes. Christian Education is led by Peg Colton. Music ministry is shaped by Organist Nancy Pingel, Choir Director Laura Beckwith, and Cantors Brad Church and Janet Ferrone. The congregation is served by several governing bodies: the Council, which provides financial oversight and high-level vision; the Trustees, who care for the building and grounds; the Deacons, who manage worship, Christian education, mission partner relationships, and fellowship; and the Christian Education team, which plans Sunday School and works with the pastor on youth programming.
Weddings, Funerals, and Life's Big Days
Ankeny UCC hosts both weddings and funerals and is happy to host religious services, non-religious ceremonies, and same-sex marriages. Wedding and funeral packets are available for non-members and walk through the process and costs clearly. Pastor Arik also presides at funerals for those who wish to hold a service in the sanctuary.
Giving, Records, and Staying Connected
Each Sunday, an offering plate is passed during worship; in addition to the regular plate, children take coin collection buckets around to support rotating special ministries. Pew cards allow those who give online to participate symbolically in the passing of the plate. A food pantry shelf outside the sanctuary collects non-perishable goods for DMARC. Online giving is available through the church's Church Center platform for one-time or recurring gifts, and giving designations can be selected for specific funds.
Members stay connected through an online directory hosted by Instant Church Directory, with iOS and Android apps available. A monthly newsletter keeps the wider community informed about upcoming events and activities, and recent issues are archived online.
Fellowship is woven into the year through events such as the Easter Egg-stravaganza, Trunk or Treat, the Blessing of the Animals service, the Chili Cook Off and Karaoke, Soup and Trivia Lunch, High Tea, the Radical Love Festival and Worship, a Murder Mystery Party, an Afternoon at the Arcade, an MLK Vigil, an Intergenerational Day Camp, a blood drive, and more. The church invites all of these gatherings to be shaped by the same values that mark its Sunday worship: open, generous, and unafraid of a little joyful noise.