From the beginning, the goal of our capital campaign, "Not for Ourselves Alone: Building an Inclusive Future," has been to meet with all members and friends so that we can share in person the vision for the campaign and what our needs and opportunities are as a church.

Drop-in Capital Campaign Info Sessions are being held after services each Sunday now through Sunday, Oct. 8. If you haven't yet had a chance to sit down with a campaign volunteer - either individually or in a group - to learn about the campaign, please plan to attend one of these sessions!

When you attend, you will learn about our vision for the future of First Universalist - deepening our presence in the city as a place of action as well as worship - and our ideas for renovations and construction to repair, improve, and make more accessible our Dupont Avenue home. You will also receive a pledge card which you can use to inform us of your gift intentions. All gifts, in any amount, matter, and pledges can be paid over a period of five years. 

Now is a great time to give to the campaign! T hanks to the generosity of several congregants, we are delighted to have nearly $100,000 in matching funds available to us. N ew pledges (and additional gifts) to First Universalist's  capital campaign  will now be matched through this challenge grant! 

Help us wrap up the capital campaign on  Sunday, Oct. 15 by making a pledge before this date, and plan to join us after worship for festivities as we celebrate the campaign's successful completion!

Thank you to all those who have helped us raise  $5.3 million thus far toward our capital campaign  Not for Ourselves Alone: Building an Inclusive Future!  

What considerations are most important to the mayor's leadership role in addressing homelessness?      

Minneapolis mayoral candidates planning to be present include: Jacob Frey, Betsy Hodges, Raymond Dehn, Nekima Levy-Pounds, Tom Hoch, Al Flowers, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Aswar Rahman.

 

Candidates will be encouraged to demonstrate a depth of knowledge that shows their ability to be a leader in multi-agency efforts to address homelessness. Questions related to affordable housing will be deferred to a forum at Plymouth Congregational Church on Oct. 2,  sponsored by Make Homes Happen.

 

The  Star Tribune has reported that the 3,125 homeless people identified in Minneapolis this year represent an overall increase in homelessness by 231 people over the last 10 years. How did this happen, despite significantly intensified efforts to combat homelessness?

 

The Office to End Homelessness reports that the number of persons identified as chronically homeless in Minneapolis dropped from 919 in 2009 to 360 in 2016. What issues are at the base of chronicity and how should they be addressed?

 

Co-Sponsors:  First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, Street Voices of Change in collaboration with the Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness, BEACON Interfaith Housing Collaborative, Simpson Housing Services, The SAFE Group, Peace House Community, Our Saviour's Housing, St. Stephen's Human Services, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, and Hats for the Homeless.

	Ray Dillon & Dick Rueter

Meera brings rich skills and knowledge that will enrich our Religious Education programming for young children and their families. Look for her in the lower Religious Education hallway this Fall, where she will be supporting classroom volunteers, preparing lessons, and leading a brand-new Rainbow Chapel to start the morning with PreK through 1st graders.

Meera was born in New York but grew up surrounded by corn fields in South Dakota. She went back to New York to attend Vassar College, but completed her biology degree at the University of Minnesota in 2007. Since then, she's made a home in Minneapolis and dedicated her life to helping foster a love of learning in children. Prior to joining First Universalist, Meera was a teacher in Montessori schools, working with children from ages two to six. From her experience as a teacher, she has learned that adults have as much if not more to learn from young children, particularly when it comes to love and kindness. She believes that the best way to teach children is through our actions and the most important lesson we can teach is love for all living things. Meera is excited to be at First Universalist and to be a part of the young children's program. She wants to continue to help children understand the world around them and to know that they are beautiful and valuable just as they are.