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May 10, 2018 | Vol. 5 No. 19
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| A Call for Moral Revival: Showing Up for the Minnesota Poor People's Campaign |
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Rev. Justin Schroeder |
Beginning Monday, May 14 at 5 p.m., the Minnesota Poor People's Campaign will join with thousands of other activists, clergy and moral leaders in dozens of state capitals and Washington, D.C., for 40 days of moral action. The goal, according to the campaign, is "to awaken the moral conscience of our nation's leaders to address systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, and the war economy. We seek nothing less than to reclaim the moral narrative in this nation by building what Dr. King called a 'new and unsettling force' committed to collective action to transform the political, economic, and moral structures of our nation."
On Easter Sunday, I spoke about how this campaign was an embodiment of communal resurrection, a chance for entire communities to find new life and hope as we worked together to build the world we dream of. On Easter Sunday, over a hundred members of First Universalist pledged to be involved in this campaign. I hope that hundreds more will join us, starting on Monday, May 14, and continuing through Monday, June 11, when Minnesotans of faith and conscience will gather at the State Capitol, as we demand moral action to address the issues that impact the earth, and the lives of so many.
Here's the plan for the next five Mondays:
Monday, May 14: Somebody is Hurting our People and it's Gone on Far Too Long
A Rally for Women, Children, and Working Families
5 p.m. at the State Capitol
Monday, May 21: Connecting Systemic Racism and Economic Justice
A Rally for a Just Immigration Policy
5 p.m. at the State Capitol
Tuesday, May 29: War Economy and Militarism
A Rally for a Peace Economy that Values all of Humanity
2 p.m. at the State Capitol
Monday, June 4: The Right to Health-Ecology & Climate Change
A Rally for Ecological Justice
2 p.m. at the State Capitol
Monday, June 11: Everybody's Got a Right to Live
A Rally for a Living Wage and Economic Justice
TBD
According to this campaign, "We will amplify the voices of those who have been impacted by poverty, racism, environmental degradation, and the war economy to demand an overhaul in our state laws to address systemic injustice."
This is the work of our faith. This is the work of our church. This is
our
work. And in doing this work, may we be blessed and be a blessing.
I'll see you in church,
Justin
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| SUNDAY WORSHIP AT FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH |
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| May Worship Theme: Creativity |
Worship this Sunday
Sunday, May 13, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Child Dedication,
Coming of Age Recognition
Rev. Jen Crow
The cycle of life turns for us all if we are lucky - growing from child to adolescent to adult, experiencing the gift of new life and the hard ending of death, awakening to injustice and pain and joy. The cycle of life turns for us as long as we live. What if we strove not to know what will happen
next, but how we will be
next? What if the labor was for love - for ourselves and others - always?
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Sunday, May 20, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Youth Sunday
Worship led by Senior High Youth
Youth-friendly worship
Summer Sundays begin May 27! During the summer, we offer a single 10 a.m. service.
Recent Sermon Podcasts
May 6, 2018
"Open to New Life"
Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink
April 29, 2018
"Invocation and Dance"
Rev. Ruth MacKenzie
April 8, 2018
"Your Soul is Intact"
Rev. Karen Hutt, Rev. Justin Schroeder
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| May Worship Theme: Creativity |
Creation creates. This is the nature of being alive and a part of this world. To be human is to be a creator. To be an artist, you get conscious about creativity. An artist understands that everything is creating all the time. Artists purposefully stare at the blank page, stand before the empty canvas, or enter the quiet before a note is sounded. They consciously enter the flow of creation hoping something new, or inspiring, or healing will transpire. Artists consciously shape creation creating. To be a person of faith is to get conscious about creativity as well. We sit with open hearts, listening to where love is calling us next. We consciously enter the creating world, creating justice, creating community, creating islands of sanity in an insane world. The religious life is an artistic life. In this time when everything is in bud, when so much is becoming, we explore the nature of creativity and what it is to be alive.
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Pathway to Membership Class
Thursdays, May 17 and 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
If First Universalist is feeling like your spiritual home, then we hope you'll take part in the
Pathway to Membership! This new member class is a great chance to build community, explore Unitarian Universalism and our church's unique history, and learn how to get involved.
This class is offered as a two-part series on
Thursdays, May 17 & 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Sign up by emailing Sandy at
sandy@firstuniv.org
or calling 612-825-1701.
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Daytime Connections: Celebrate Spring!
Thursday, May 17, 11 a.m.
Join Daytime Connections for a fun and relaxing celebration of spring! Enjoy tips from a master gardener plus energizing, spirited movement to promote insight with Interplay leaders, Barbra Wiener and Hannah Mitchell. Includes a picnic style lunch and
a Maypole tree. Wear spring colors and join others in dancing around the Maypole. Dessert lovers are invited to bring their favorite sweets to share
Register by May 13 with Sandy at 612-825-1701 or
sandy@firstuniv.org
. $5-10 suggested lunch donation (lunch follows the program at 1 p.m.).
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Refugees & U.S. Asylum Seekers: Uncertain Shelter in the Age of Trump
Sunday, May 20, 1-2:30 p.m.
Every day, policies of President Trump, coupled with an atmosphere of unchecked xenophobia, are making life harder for refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom are also survivors of torture (as many as 44%).
Join us for a presentation by Curt Goering, Executive Director of the Center for Victims of Torture, including a briefing about what life is like for the survivors they work with and a discussion on the current political policies impacting them. Learn what you can do to support torture survivors, refugees and asylees in our community.
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Artist's Reception with Bri Moses
Sunday, May 20, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Photographer Bri Moses will be in the Social Hall after both services on Sunday, May 20 to talk about her work and to offer additional photographs for sale. A selection of her photographs are currently on display in the social hall in an exhibit called "Macro Nature," through June 24. Bri's images reflect the process and patterns of nature, in addition to how it is changing. By examining the subjects from a different point of view, she gains a deeper understanding of the relationship we share with our ecosystem and the delicate balance we rely on.
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Seniors Hike with Daytime Connections
Thursday, May 24, 10 a.m.
Join us for a spring hike with fellow seniors!
Meet at 10 a.m. at the Bloomington home of Roxy Knuttila and Frank Janezich, who have
again graciously invited the group to their home to begin and end the hike. If you would like to stay after for lunch and conversation, please bring your own bag lunch.
Roxy and Frank live near the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and we will walk a 3-4 mile (total out and back) section of the woodland trail in the river valley.
RSVP to Tom Saterstrom:
saterstromtom@yahoo.com
or 952-239-3629. Meeting location address and more details available here.
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Annual Meeting of the Membership
Sunday, June 3, 11:30 a.m.
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, June 3, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. This year our church business includes approval of the annual budget and the election of members to the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee, as well as approving revised bylaws. This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting - please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!
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| Calling All Members, Bylaws Wonks & Proofreaders! |
At the Annual Meeting on June 3, 2018, the Board of Trustees will ask the membership to approve substantially revised bylaws of the Church. Our existing bylaws are outdated, sometimes confusing, and lacking in the flexibility that is needed to operate our vibrant Church.
The most recent draft of the new bylaws can be found
here. A narrative comparison of the old and new bylaws, with notes about any substantive changes, will be posted on our website
here soon. If you're really into this, you can find our current bylaws
here.
At the Board of Trustees meeting on May 24, 2018, the Trustees will approve a final draft of the bylaws for presentation to the congregation at the annual meeting. The Trustees are interested in your thoughts and comments, from policy considerations right down to ferreting out typos or sentences that may not seem completely clear.
So have at it! Written comments may be sent to
boardchair@firstuniv.org.
An informal meeting with President Eric Cooperstein and other Trustees will be held on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. to answer questions and consider input regarding the proposed bylaws.
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| May Board Meeting Scheduled for May 24 |
The Board of Trustees generally meets the third Thursday of every month (except July). However, the May board meeting will take place on the fourth Thursday of the month: Thursday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. Board meeting materials may be found on our website. Meeting materials are generally made available online two days prior to each board meeting.
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2018 Habitat for Humanity Summer Work Week
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Please join in First Universalist's Habitat for Humanity Summer Work Week, and help a hardworking family in our community achieve the joy and stability of homeownership. The dates are
Monday, July 30 through Friday, August 3
. Our build
site is in North Minneapolis in the Jordan neighborhood.
We need 65 volunteers in all (13 per day). Volunteers must be over sixteen years of age, and sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. The work day is from 8:15 a.m. until 4 p.m., and lunch will be provided.
Concerned that you don't know much about building or how to use tools? No worries! Your fellow volunteers and our Habitat site supervisor, Jake, will help you.
Hope to see you this summer!
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Get Inspired, Get Connected: Summer Programming at First Universalist
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New to First Universalist? You're invited to join a Newcomer Circle! These gatherings of 6-10 newcomers offer a chance to get to know Unitarian Universalism, reflect on our spiritual journeys, and connect with others who are new to church.
Tuesdays, July 24, 31, August 7 & 14, 7-8:30 p.m.
Ready to Become a Member? Join us for the Pathway to Membership, a class exploring Unitarian Universalism, the history and mission of the congregation, and the experience of membership. We ask that all those who wish to become members take this class (two sessions = one class.) We'd love to welcome you as a new member!
Sundays, August 19 and 26, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Racial Justice Learning and Praxis:
Racial Justice & Our UU Faith Workshop
Join us for an interactive, reflective workshop exploring a framework and tools for understanding race, racism, and whiteness and the spiritual imperative that drives our racial justice work. This is a two-part workshop led by Clemma Muller and Susan Schultz.
Tuesdays, June 12 & 19, 6:30-9 p.m.
Brave Conversations: Interrupting Systemic Bias and Racism
Do you know how to respond when a relative at the dinner table or a neighbor at a block party says something that you think is biased? At this workshop you will learn strategies for approaching people you are in relationship with like family, neighbors, realtors, friends, coaches, and teachers. You will have an opportunity to learn with others who are facing the challenges of speaking up and knowing what to say. There will be time to practice responding with directness and respect. This workshop will be led by Denise Konen, Susan Block Johnson, and Jeff Sylvestre.
Sunday, June 24, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
To register for any of these opportunities, contact Sandy at Sandy@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701.
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| Robin DiAngelo and Resmaa Menakem: Experiencing the Racial Body and Mind |
First Universalist is co-sponsoring a rare opportunity to address both sides of the "dance" of racism: "
Robin DiAngelo and Resmaa Menakem:
Experiencing the Racial Body and Mind" on
Friday, June 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at
Unity Church Unitarian in St Paul. More event details are available here.
Resmaa Menakem, a social worker specializing in trauma, will explore the inherited trauma of white supremacy that affects all of us.
Dr. DiAngelo will describe the way race shapes the lives of White people, explain what makes racism so hard for White people to see, and identify common White racial patterns that prevent us from moving towards greater racial equity.
Together Resmaa and Robin will connect the mind and the body within the system of white supremacy and offer a map for healing.
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Annual Giving Update: 75% IN and Counting
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This year, our goal is to achieve
100% participation/response
- All In! -
in our Annual Giving Campaign. Annual giving funds more than 80% of our work, and it's important that we hear from everyone so that we can budget and plan for the coming year!
As of May 9, we've heard from 75% of the congregation about their plans for giving during the 2018-19 fiscal year. Thank you so much to those who are "in" thus far!
If we haven't heard from you yet, please help us by letting us know your plans as soon as possible.
- give us a call at 612-825-1701,
- email Andrea at andrea@firstuniv.org,
- set up your giving online (you must have a MyFirstU account set up),
- or mail in/bring in/fill out a giving card in church!
Thank you for your support and for being
All In!
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| Sanctuary & Resistance Rummage Sale Canceled |
Last week, we shared that a rummage sale was in the works to support Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi Mohamed - known to his family and friends as Abdi - a native citizen of Somalia who has been in the United States since 1996 and who is now being detained and threatened with deportation.
Unfortunately, the rummage sale that our Sanctuary and Resistance team was planning for June 1 and 2 with Abdi's family and friends has been cancelled. P
lease contact Gordon Loery at
gloery945@gmail.com for more information or if you have any questions.
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| ART for Action: Create Fabric and Fiber Landscapes |
Have fun while raising funds for the First Universalist Sanctuary and Resistance Immigrant Fund! On Saturday, June 9 from 1-5 p.m., c
ome create a painted-looking landscape with unique printed and textured fabrics and fibers in the Chalice Room at First Universalist. Learn new techniques and art making approaches with Rev. Laurie Bushbaum and Denise Konen in an absorbing afternoon of art making.
Suggested donation: $50.
Funds raised will support immigrant families facing detention and deportation. Space is limited. Register with Denise Konen at
denise@netgains.net
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Recognition for Sean Sherman of The Sioux Chef
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Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef, with whom we share our church kitchen, has been recognized in multiple places this year! He is a 2018 Bush Fellowship Winner, and his cookbook, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, written with Beth Dooley, has just been named one of the country's best cookbooks at the James Beard awards.
Also, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and the founders of The Sioux Chef announced last fall they intend to partner on a restaurant at Water Works, a proposed park that will form between the Stone Arch Bridge and the Third Avenue Bridge, in the location where the Fuji Ya Restaurant once stood. Beside The Sioux Chef restaurant, the Water Works structure will feature a public lounge, restrooms and a flexible room for small-group activities. The restaurant pavilion is slated to open in 2019, and will be open year-round.
According to Sean Sherman's partner, Dana Thompson, "This location has been a sacred site of peace and well-being for the Dakota and Anishinaabe people for millennia. We plan to leverage this wonderful partnership with the Minneapolis Park Board, through our aligned mission of nutritional, physical, and spiritual health for all, as well as to create food access and education about the rich history of the [Native American] people in this beautiful area."
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| Call for 2018-19 Worship Associate Applications |
Worship Associates open our worship services every Sunday with stories that move us. Each associate seats the worship theme in the particular of their own life, grounding each service in the reality of lived experience. Our worship services are rich with stories: a cowardly lion finding courage in community, a truth left unsaid, a mother who hears the most tender words from her adult son from his hospital bed.
Do you love worship? Do you have a flair for writing? Does your heart open when you're telling a story about your own spiritual journey? Please consider applying to be a Worship Associate this year.
Worship Associates speak 2 or 3 times during the church year in our worship services, September through May. Associates and Rev. Ruth MacKenzie gather during the year to discuss themes for upcoming months, talk about writing for oration, review how to layout a manuscript and practice public speaking.
If this interests you, please apply:
We will hold a Worship Retreat on
Sunday, Aug. 26 from 11:30-3:30 p.m.
Then the group will decide on a monthly meeting date to form a Soul Matters group for our Worship Associates. We will discuss upcoming worship themes, spiritual deepening, and support one another.
You must be able to attend the Worship Retreat on August 26 in order to be considered.
The Worship Team will be choosing applicants that represent the multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-racial congregation we are becoming.
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| Seeking Delegates to UUA General Assembly 2018 |
General Assembly
(GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).
Part liberal religious meet-up, part UUA business meeting, GA is a jam-packed few days with amazing people, seminars, worship services, Robert's Rules, and even a dance or two.
Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process.
This year's conference is
Wednesday, June 20 to Sunday, June 24, in Kansas City, Mo
. Registration info and more is available here.
Anyone may attend GA. To attend as one of First Universalist Church's official 20 delegates, please talk to someone on the Nominating Committee or email
(
nomination@firstuniv.org
)
before June 1st.
You must be an active member. Delegates need to be officially approved by the congregation at our annual meeting.
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| RESOURCES & CONTACT INFORMATION |
Building & Renovations
In 2017, we raised more than $5.5 million in our Capital Campaign, Not for Ourselves Alone: Building an Inclusive Future
, for renovations and new construction that will improve our church's accessibility, hospitality, and welcoming presence, add much-needed space for education and meetings, allow us to address deferred maintenance, and improve the worship experience through enhancements to the sanctuary.
Our architectural team from Miller Dunwiddie presented
Schematic Design
(preliminary) drawings to the congregation in a meeting on March 25, 2018. You can read more, get the latest updates, and view the schematic design drawings on our website.
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Congregational Care: Caring Corner
Write a note to a congregant who could use support! There are cards available in the library, which is located off of the Social Hall. You are welcome to stop by and write a card at any time. Just leave it in the basket and the church will mail it for you. Learn more about congregational care on our website.
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Planned Giving & the Heritage Circle
Please let us know
when you designate First Universalist Church as a beneficiary in your will or estate plan so we can thank you for your generous commitment and welcome you to the Heritage Circle. The church office and the Planned Giving Committee can help you. Learn more on our website.
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Cycle of Life and Pastoral Care
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Let Us Keep You in Our Thoughts and Prayers
If you are experiencing a crisis or transition, or celebrating a joy, please let us know. To be included in our Cycle of Life each Sunday in worship, contact Sandy DiNanni at
sandy@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701. If you would like support, call the office at 612-825-1701 or contact any member of our
Pastoral Visitors Team.
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Join Our Mailing List
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here.
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Church Office Hours
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Sundays
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Mondays-Thursdays
8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Closed Fridays and Saturdays
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Weekly Liberal Submissions
We encourage you to submit news!
Do you have an announcement that you'd like published in
The Weekly Liberal? Fill out our
online submission form. Edits for length and/or content may occur.
The Weekly Liberal
is compiled and edited by Communications Manager Jenn Stromberg. Past issues, deadlines, and policies can be found on our
website
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Contact Us
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First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
3400 Dupont Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-825-1701
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First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
3400 Dupont Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-825-1701
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