As this past year of pandemic life has taught us, the only constant is change. Reflecting back over the past year, it’s difficult to even name all that has changed, externally and internally, for each of us. But in the midst of change, this past year has also taught us that we can hold fast to core values and spiritual practices that ground and sustain us even amidst the upheaval and change.

Over the course of this year, I have found joy, deep meaning, and a place to rest my spirit in two particular areas of church life: 1) our midweek Wednesday Worship service at 7 p.m., and 2) the Small Groups and classes that the church regularly offers. These are little jewels in my spiritual life, places that shine, delight, surprise, and sustain me. There are countless other jewels in our faith community, too: Sunday worship, Faithful Action Teams, Religious Education, and the choir, just to name a few.

For me, amidst the turmoil and change, the trauma and pain associated with the Derek Chauvin trial, and living through a pandemic, Wednesday Worship and Small Groups have felt like a calm, gentle, resting place. It has been a blessing to lead a number of Small Groups, as well as Wednesday Worship services. If you haven’t attended our Wednesday Worship service, I hope you’ll join me on March 17. And if you haven’t yet had the experience of the “soulful magic” of a Small Group, a group of 6-8 First Universalist folks committed to deeply listening and sharing, there’s still time to sign up for the next six week session, which will begin at the end of March. 

Even though I will be leaving this faith community soon (my last day is June 6), I am so deeply heartened by all that remains and sustains: your care for one another, your shared spiritual practices in worship and small groups, your justice efforts, and your steadfast commitment to dismantling white supremacy culture and building beloved community. Amidst all that changes, these jewels remain. What a blessing. 

I’ll “see” you in church,

Rev. Justin  

On Wednesday, March 17, we will conclude our three-part series on "Caring" by focusing on what it means to care for the world and for creation itself. Our own lives are full and complicated and rarely easy. Given this reality, how might we still practice holding all of creation — every being — in the circle of our care? We happens when we extend our care far beyond ourselves?

Enter the Wednesday Zoom webinar here. (webinar ID: 117-312-320). To join by phone (audio only), dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter the webinar ID.

Post-service Care Companions space (7:30 p.m.): Join the Zoom gathering here.

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, or if you would like support, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701.

Faithful Action is how congregants at First Universalist engage in justice work. Simply put, Faithful Action is where personal spiritual growth and working for justice intersect. In this service, you'll hear how First Universalist congregants express their spiritual commitment to justice both inside and outside the church and you'll learn how you can connect with Faithful Action work. Faithful Action Team Leads tell us how they first acted on their faith, how Faithful Action work impacts them and their community, where they find encouragement, and what they’re learning along the way. Find more information about our Faithful Action Teams and Partners in the March Faithful Action Newsletter.

Listen to the podcast on Podbean or on Spotify, watch the entire service on YouTube, and find materials for further reflection in Sunday's Order of Service.

Image description: Still photo from the YouTube video from worship on Sunday, March 7 showing Rev, Arif, Rev. Justin, Aimee K. Bryant, and care companion Hannah Mitchell in Zoom gallery view.

We care for one another at First Universalist Church. We care about living our values and beliefs. We care about being engaged in the needs of the world and we care deeply about one another. Over the years, we have developed a ministry of the church that extends care services to its members in a variety of ways, including through offering meals, rides, and Care Companions. There are dozens of opportunities to care for one another, and dozens of ways to be cared for. At its core, care is about compassion. Care and compassion move us beyond sympathy to deep and profound empathy, to understanding and sharing the feelings of another, to suffering and rejoicing with another human being. This is the heart of caring. This month, we will explore the rich ground of how we give and receive care, and how we can take care of ourselves, avoiding burnout and caregiving fatigue. You can learn more about our March worship theme of Caring and about our We Care Ministries on our website.

As we all know, goodbyes on so many levels have been difficult and complicated this past year due to the pandemic. That realization makes us even more grateful that we have the time and space to say a “good goodbye” to our Senior Co-Minister Justin Schroeder.

Justin will be ending his 12 year ministry with us, following Flower Communion and the annual meeting on June 6, as this season of his ministry nears completion and he follows his call to spend more time with his wife Juliana and sons Tucker, 12, and Jesse, 5. Although the pandemic will still limit how we say goodbye, it won’t keep us from acknowledging the many gifts of Justin’s ministry as we say goodbye to Justin and his family.

Justin’s Good Goodbye Team (fondly referred to by its members as “GG”) is planning a number of opportunities for congregants to say goodbye. You can join one of the zoom calls listed below, with Justin and other congregants. You can send Justin (and his family) a card at the church. You’ll be able to contribute to a good goodbye gift for Justin. On Sunday, June 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Justin (joined by his family) will be outside the front steps of the church for a drive, bike or walk-by (socially distanced, of course) goodbye. Watch the Liberal newsletter and the church’s website for more information.

Our congregation has been blessed with many excellent, dedicated ministers over our 162 year history. Through all of our changes in professional ministerial leadership, the congregation has remained strong and vibrant. Due in large part to Justin’s leadership, First Universalist is thriving today more than ever. We will miss Justin - and we will continue to be a vibrant, strong congregation. 

If you have questions or comments about the GG plans, please contact a member of the GG Team: Ginny McAninch, chair; Bette DeMars, Lena K. Gardner, Nancy Gaschott, Rich Jaeger, Frederic McDonald-Dennis, and Karin Wille. Ginny McAninch can be reached by email at ginny.mc1947@gmail.com. Together, we will create a good goodbye!

 Join the Zoom gathering here.

 Meeting ID: 875 6351 285; Passcode: 465132

Join the Zoom gathering here.

Meeting ID: 892 7317 6946; Passcode: 825136

Join the Zoom gathering here.

Meeting ID: 814 6743 2711; Passcode: 772008

Newcomer Circles are four-session gatherings of 6-8 participants who are new-ish to First Universalist. If you’ve been joining us for worship or participating in small groups or other gatherings for a few months, we invite you to consider signing up for a Newcomer Circle. This is a great way to deepen your connection to the church and to meet others who are also early in their journey with the congregation. The next Newcomers Circle will take place on Wednesdays, April 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 5 – 6:30 p.m. Register here. If you’re brand new to us or simply testing the waters, we invite you to start by attending First Step, a brief orientation offered every first and third Sunday of the month, by dropping into our post-worship fellowship hours, or by signing up for a Six-Week Small Group.

If you’re ready to officially become a member of the church, we invite you to sign up for an upcoming Pathway to Membership session. There are two options available:

Through a combination of individual, small, and large group activities, we’ll help you understand membership at church and what it means to join the river of faith that is our collective religious life. This session, in preparation for our April 25 New Member Ceremony, will be led by Membership Coordinator, Liz Farmer. Those registered will receive additional details and the Zoom information via email. Please reach out to Liz with any questions at liz@firstuniv.org. Register here!

An LGBT Spirituality Group is forming at First Universalist. In this group, participants will engage with one another on the topic of LGBT theology. The first meeting will be on Sunday, March 14 at 3 p.m. At this meeting, group members will be discussing how we this group can take shape and meet the needs of the group. This group will support members on their journeys with LGBT-specific theology and experiences. Register for the group through this form.

Come and sign the Yes 4 Minneapolis petition: a first step to let voters decide the future of policing in Minneapolis through community engagement. Learn more about Yes 4 Minneapolis on their website.

WHERE: The First Universalist Church parking lot (keep a COVID-safe distance: sign from your car or walk-up)

WHO: People registered to vote in Minneapolis

WHEN: Sunday, March 14, from 3–5 p.m. and Monday, March 15, from 4:30–6:30 p.m.

Yes 4 Minneapolis is a Black-led campaign composed of more than a dozen grassroots, community organizations that believe a people’s petition is the best path forward for implementing a new Department of Public Safety in Minneapolis.

A people’s petition is how Minneapolis residents can directly shape our city’s future. Here’s what it looks like: everyday community members from all 13 Wards come together and pose a question for all Minneapolis residents to vote on in the next election. Yes 4 Minneapolis' petition will give Minneapolis residents the choice to vote for keeping the Minneapolis Police Department as it is or to vote for creating a new Department of Public Safety.

Last week The Faithful Action Council re-introduced the First Universalist Faithful Action newsletter! This newsletter contains information about our Faithful Action Partners and provides concrete ways to get involved and take action through our Faithful Action Partner organizations. You can learn more about our partner organizations and about how to get involved in their work in our March Faithful Action Newsletter.

The Nominating Committee is recruiting candidates for leadership positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee for the 2021-2022 church year. It’s an exciting and important time to serve as we move forward with our building project, navigate Rev. Justin’s departure, and live into new ways of being present to each other as the pandemic continues. Serving on one of these bodies enables you to represent other church members to ensure that the church moves forward in alignment with its visionary goals. Members have unique opportunities to collaborate with our ministers and other lay leaders to advance the church’s mission!

Member of the Board of Trustees: Trustees partner with the congregation and professional staff in shaping the vision and long-term goals of the church. They articulate these aspirations through policy and collaborate with executive leadership to see they are fulfilled. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website. 

Member of First Universalist Foundation Board: Board members serve as stewards of the Foundation endowment. The solicit grant applications, review applications, and select grantees to be awarded funding. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website.

Member of Nominating Committee: Committee members screen and recommend candidates to the congregation for vacant positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website.

Requirements: You must be a member in good standing of the church. Elections occur at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 6. Please consider either nominating yourself or encouraging a fellow church member to apply for this important work.

Fill out the application form here. Applications are due by Friday, March 19, 2021. 

If you have questions or would like more information, please email nomination@firstuniv.org or contact any Nominating Committee member: Jim Ramnaraine (chair), Sharon Ramirez, Pat Gottschalk, Cathy Manning, Ray Dillon, and Valerie Garber. Thanks for your attention to this opportunity to serve this congregation!

The care team at First Universalist is here to help in a whole lot of ways—from phone calls to say we’re thinking about you to a listening ear when you need someone to accompany you through whatever’s happening in your life. COVID-19 has changed some of the ways we provide care, but there is a lot we’re still doing. Here is one of the ways we’re here to provide support:

WE CARE Zoom Room

Sometimes after a worship service you might find yourself stirred up and wanting to talk. Care companions are here after services to meet with you one on one and you can find us in this zoom room. You can find the Zoom information for our post-worship Care Companions space above, under the heading "Post-Worship Gatherings" (for Sunday Care Companions space) and under "Wednesday Evening Worship" (for Wednesday Care Companions space).

If you have questions about the Care Companions Zoom space, or if you would like to access any of our other caring resources, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org 

The Spring round of small groups will have two meeting options: six Sunday mornings, March 28 – May 2, or six Wednesday evenings, March 31 – May 5. 

Sign up for a Sunday morning small group here.

Sign up for a Wednesday evening small group here.

Registration for this round of small groups will be open until March 15. Find more information, details, FAQs and answers on our website.

We’re planning to offer Wellspring starting in the fall, and this info session is meant to help you decide if you’d like to sign up. RSVP here by Saturday, March 13.

Join First U Environmental Justice team members Todd Pierson and Stan Sattinger as they introduce Hope Jahren’s book, The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here. Stan and Todd will explore Jahren’s unique analysis of humanity’s ever increasing demand for “more”— more energy, more food, more “stuff”— and the impact that pursuit of more is having on planet Earth. Jahren makes science and data come alive through stories and humorous perspectives on some pretty serious stuff. Todd and Stan will be drawing excerpts from a book talk with Barbara Kingsolver and and author Hope Jahren. Here is a short two minute video of the two of them talking about the art of good science writing. Register for the webinar here to receive the Zoom information.

You will come away from this webinar with new perspectives on how we humans got into the pickle we’re in and where we may go from here. You may be surprised by what you learn!

Join First U Environmental Justice team members Susan Keller, Steve Merrill, Stan Sattinger, and Todd Pierson as they explore Hope Jahren’s book The Story of More, in which Jahren offers a unique take on the climate crisis and where we go from here. These discussions will focus not only on the ever increasing demand for more and subsequent impact on the earth, but also explore solutions, personal and local as well as national and international. This book study will meet for two sessions, one on March 24 and one on March 31. One-hour discussions will be held at noon and 4 p.m. each day. Use this form to register for the book study.

From the cover of The Story of More: "Hope Jahren is an award-winning scientist, a brilliant writer, a passionate teacher, and one of the seven billion people with whom we share this earth. In The Story of More, she illuminates the link between human habits and our imperiled planet. In concise, highly readable chapters, Jahren takes us through the science behind the key inventions—from electric power to large-scale farming to automobiles—that, even as they help us, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like never before. She explains the current and projected consequences of global warming—from superstorms to rising sea levels—and the actions that we all can take to fight back. At once an explainer on the mechanisms of global change and a lively, personal narrative given to us in Jahren’s inimitable voice, The Story of More... will leave an indelible impact on everyone who reads it.”

The Story of More, copyright 2020, is available at local bookstores and the library. To borrow a copy from the EJ team, contact Todd Pierson at todd.pierson@gmail.com.

Julie Neraas, spiritual director and author of several books will be leading a series of four workshops on hope: what it is, how to cultivate it, and how to sustain it. As she writes, “Hope is a stupendous human quality, and in this challenging time in our complicated world, it may be our greatest need, its viability our greatest question."

Everywhere we look there is tumult and change, and if we are to have a future we must dramatically revise our ways of living. For hope to thrive, people have to feel as though they have a future. This is the anguish and urgency many young people — and others — feel. We need to embody an active and engaged hope.

This series is co-sponsored by the Association of Universalist Women (AUW) and the Young Adult group. To help defray costs, we’re inviting participants to contribute as you’re able: no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. We will be recording the workshop and it will be available to those who register in case participants are unable to attend all four sessions.

Hope might be one of the most important spiritual disciplines we can cultivate right now, so please do sign-up for this series here.

Did you know that March 30 is World Bipolar Day? On March 30 each year, the world comes together to raise awareness of a mental health disorder that affects nearly 6 million Americans, each in a distinctive way. Bipolar disorder has an impact that goes far beyond numbers. Combat social stigma by reading the entire story here. Want to read personal stories? Marjorie Schaffer, PhD, RN, am ambassador with Mental Health Connect, has a website called Family Stories of Bipolar Disorder.

Mental Health Connect's Breakfast of Hope will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2021, from 8:30–9:30 a.m. This event will feature Kelli Nielsen, The Grief Guru, and Joe Davis. You can learn more about this event at the Mental Health Connect website.

Spiritual Care - Your ministers and program staff are here for one-on-one confidential conversations of support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us to connect. 

Counseling - The Walk In Counseling Center offers free counseling by phone or computer. Find out how to “walk in” on their website.

Cycle of Life - Every Sunday we name the challenges and joys that we are experiencing. If you would like us to name your joy or sorrow in worship on Sunday, please let Rev. Arif know (arif@firstuniv.org)

Love Kits - Are you or someone you love ill? Is your family struggling? Do you live alone or feel isolated? Do you know someone else from church who might be? If so, please let Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) know so that a package full of love and support can be delivered to your home.

Meal Trains - If you or someone you know at church would welcome a meal to help them through a difficult time, loss, illness or injury — and having someone else do the cooking for a bit would help —please let us know. Contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org.

Minister’s Emergency Fund - For many of us, these are difficult financial times. If you need help with a car repair bill, making rent, a doctor’s bill, groceries, gas, a mortgage payment, affording your medication, a bus card, or any other financial situation - please be in touch. We have financial resources available. Please contact a minister/staff member. 

Mental Health Connect - www.mhconnect.org - Need help finding a therapist? Want to learn more about particular mental health conditions and resources? Check out Mental Health Connect, a local organization supported by congregations like ours, that provides community-based resources, support and education to improve access to mental health services and connect individuals and families with the services they need.