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September 27, 2018 | Vol. 5 No. 39
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| Reflections on Today's Hearings in Washington |
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Rev. Jen Crow |
Like many of you, I imagine, I have spent the day tuned in to the testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford as she speaks to the Senate confirmation committee regarding her experiences with Judge Kavanaugh when they were high school students. I can't seem to stop listening, even though there is so much else to do, and even though I feel deeply unsettled with every question about her character, her memory, and her integrity. My heart ached for her as she detailed the death threats, invasions of privacy and accusations she has faced since coming forward. At one point, the prosecutor who is standing in for every Republican voice on the committee suggested that Dr. Ford might be a pawn of the Democrats, set up to destroy Judge Kavanaugh. Yesterday, at a press conference, President Trump suggested that behind closed doors Democrats were laughing at how gullible the American people are in believing Dr. Ford.
Then today, I hear Dr. Ford say that her most indelible memory of the night of her attack was the laughter of her attackers. How they were having a good time while she suffered not only that night but for many nights to come. Now she can add to that memory the disrespect of her President and so far, the blanket dismissal of many of our national leaders. I am a deeply optimistic and fun-loving person, and there is nothing about this situation that calls for laughter.
The president of our Unitarian Universalist Association, the Reverend Susan Frederick-Gray, is in Washington today, bearing witness to these hearings and bringing our voices with her. I've been on the phone with my senators today, asking them to insist on a full investigation of the now several accusations against Judge Kavanaugh. I've been reaching out to friends and colleagues who have experienced sexual assault, and I've been thinking about all of you.
These are difficult times in our national discourse. Deeply personal and systemic experiences of trauma and oppression are being debated publicly, often without much regard for the very real people who have been harmed.
My prayer today and every day is that we as individuals and as a nation might listen more carefully to the voices of those without power, to those who live on the margins, that their humanity and worth might be centered. And I pray for each of us who has experienced sexual violence, whether as the victim or the perpetrator or as a loved one offering support, that we might all find wholeness and a way forward grounded in healing and love.
If difficult thoughts or memories, feelings or questions are coming up for you, I hope you might reach out to any of us here at church or to someone else that you trust. You don't have to carry this burden alone.
In faith,
Rev. Jen Crow
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| SUNDAY WORSHIP AT FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH |
Sunday, Sept. 30, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
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"This Is What Democracy Looks Like"
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Rev. Karen Hutt |
Rev. Karen Hutt
Shake that malaise off!
Read our constitution with fresh eyes!
We still live in a representative democracy!
Join us for worship this Sunday, Sept. 30. Rev. Karen Hutt will be preaching and the First Universalist Choir will be singing in worship.
In August, Rev. Karen Hutt joined the First Universalist ministry team in a quarter time position as Adjunct Minister. Read more about Karen
here.
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September Worship Theme:
Here...Now...Start
In the Buddhist tradition there is a concept called "maitri." Buddhist nun and writer Pema Chödrön calls it the basis of compassion and the seed of joy. Maitri is a sanskrit word meaning an unconditional friendship with oneself. We spend so much of our time wishing we were someplace other than where we are, wishing we were something other than what we are. What if we made a steadfast commitment to be in friendship with where, what, and how we are, right now? When we are not so preoccupied with getting rid of our "bad" traits, or denigrating our ways of being, perhaps we would be able to see our defense mechanisms more clearly, or the ways in which our negative beliefs about ourselves manifest in our lives. Perhaps, we would also see our wisdom, our bravery and our kindness. What if we said: "Here is where we are. Now is what we have. This is how we start."
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Sunday, Oct. 7, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Sharing Sunday
Lead Minister: Rev. Justin Schroeder
Music: First Universalist Choir
Recent Sermon Podcasts
September 23, 2018
"Loving and Loathing a Miracle"
Rev. Justin Schroeder
September 16, 2018
"Start in the Middle"
Rev. Jen Crow
September 9, 2018
"Here. Now. Start."
Water Communion Sunday
Rev. Justin Schroeder
September 2, 2018
"Seen and Heard"
Rolf Lowenberg-DeBoer
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| Tonight: Paul K. Chappell Talk About Peace Literacy |
Waging Peace: Building Blocks in the Foundation for Peace with Paul K. Chappell
Thursday, Sept. 27, 7-9 p.m. in the Sanctuary
Rev. Ruth says: "Drop everything and get to church tonight!"
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Members of the First Universalist Peace Circle with Paul K. Chappell (center). |
Several ministers and staff had lunch with Paul K. Chappell today, hosted by the Peace Circle, and got to experience first-hand the inspiration, knowledge, and wisdom this international peace educator has to impart.
We are excited for his talk at church tonight and hope that as many people as possible are able to come and hear him speak!
Event details:
Paul K. Chappell will introduce the concept of Peace Literacy over the course of this two-hour forum, which is free and open to the public. Peace Literacy is a new paradigm for gaining a deep and practical understanding of extremism, trauma, and the nature of human happiness. To solve our national and global problems of the 21st century and beyond, we need a realistic and pragmatic model of the human condition that helps us understand our human needs and the tangles of trauma. Free and open to the public!
If you can't make it tonight, Paul will be speaking again this Sunday evening. See details below.
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Workshop with Paul K. Chappell:
"A New Peace Paradigm: Our Human Needs and the Tangles of Trauma"
Saturday, Sept. 29, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
In this workshop, international peace educator Paul K. Chappell will delve further into Peace Literacy by examining our human needs, trauma, aggression, and technology as they all relate to his vision of a new paradigm for peace.
The cost for the workshop is $40 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and a copy of one of Paul's books. A limited number of student scholarship tickets are available for $20.
Registration is required.
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Peace Literacy: A New Foundation for Racial Justice with Paul K. Chappell
Sunday, Sept. 30, 7-9 p.m.
Growing up a racial outcast in Alabama, the son of a half black and half white father and a Korean mother, Paul has worked through the trauma of racism & mistrust to hold a new vision for Racial Justice, which he'll share at this forum. He will also discuss technology's past, present, and future relationship with racism and racial justice, with an emphasis on emerging technologies.
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"All on One Plate" Author Talk for Parents of Young Children
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"All on One Plate: Cultural Expectations on American Mothers" with Dr. Solveig Brown
Saturday, Oct. 6, 10-11:30 a.m. in the Cummins Room
Come learn about the latest research on everything today's parents have to deal with such as: managing screen time; promoting achievement; work-life balance; and feelings of pressure and guilt while managing everything on one's plate. Dr. Solveig Brown is the author of "All On One Plate: Cultural Expectations on American Mothers," an anthropological study of 140 mothers.
This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to come together to talk about the joys and challenges of parenting. The discussion will be aimed at parents of young children, birth to age 5. Parents of older children are also welcome to come and participate.
This is a free event sponsored by Congregational Care's Welcome New Child Team. Dr. Brown will have copies of her books for sale for $15.
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Introducing Seth Matz, Young Children's Program Assistant
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Seth Matz
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We are pleased to introduce and welcome Seth Matz to the Religious Education staff in the role of Young Children's Program Coordinator. Seth will be responsible for our Nursery to 1st grade classrooms and will lead the weekly Rainbow Chapel with our Kindergartners and 1st graders.
Seth has served as a youth worker in schools and organizations throughout the Twin Cities for the past six years. He's spent the past year establishing a freelance career as a facilitator and teaching artist, recently completing a residency through Free Arts Minnesota with the PreK-10th graders of the YWCA Transitional Housing Program in St. Paul. Prior to this year, Seth served as PreK & Collaboration Teacher at St. Paul's Childhood Center in St. Paul, AmeriCorps Promise Fellow at Minnesota Internship Center High School in North Minneapolis, and Teaching Artist at the Sabes Jewish Community Center in St. Louis Park. In his teen years, Seth worked as a youth consultant and media representative for several major LGBTQ youth organizations, including GLSEN, the Trevor Project, and Advocates for Youth. He also served as the Lead Youth Organizer for the National Equality March in Washington D.C. in 2009. In addition to youth work and activism, Seth is a working artist in the Twin Cities theatre community. He is currently in rehearsals for "The Laramie Cycle" with Uprising Theatre Company, set to open in late October. He lives in Uptown with his partner, Jenn, and their three cats. Seth feels a tremendous spiritual and vocational call to serve, lead, and support young people in their social, emotional, and spiritual development. He is beyond thrilled to continue this journey with the children and families of First Universalist Church.
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Twin Cities UU Churches
Celebrate Solar Garden Project Completion |
Submitted by Stan Sattinger
More than 40 subscribers celebrated the startup of the 3.5-megawatt UU Community Solar Garden near Clearwater, MN in a special ceremony on Sept. 16. This unique event underscored the strategy of combating climate change with clean energy and honored the strength of our UU faith community in coming together to act on our values.
Featured were talks by management personnel and solar farm experts from Cypress Creek Renewables, the present owners of the garden project, some of whom traveled from their home office in California to participate. J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director of St. Paul-based Fresh Energy, provided words of inspiration, support, and appreciation for the work of the UU sponsors in bringing this project to life. Kelli Clement, First Unitarian Society's Social Justice Minister, spoke of the significance of this combined UU action against climate change.
The entire area around, between and under the solar panels had been seeded with native plants and flowers that will attract bees, birds and butterflies. Addressing these enhancements were representatives of Bolton Bees and Minnesota Native Landscapes.
The UU churches represented in this 25-acre project include: First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis; Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship of Bloomington; Unity Unitarian Church of St Paul; and First Universalist Church of Minneapolis. Over 100 subscribing UU households are represented in the project. Principal organizer for this celebration was Bill Elwood of the First Universalist Environmental Justice Team.
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| Art Sale on Sunday, Oct. 13 |
Submitted by the Visual Arts Committee
Great stuff at rock bottom prices!
In an effort to follow the practice of the three R's...Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...the Visual Arts Committee is offering you an opportunity to purchase fabrics, vases, holiday décor, art prints and more from our collection.
Stop by the social hall stage before or after services on Sunday, Oct. 14. Cash or checks only.
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| Volunteer for TC Habitat with a First U Crew this Fall |
First Universalist has three Habitat for Humanity work days this fall/winter, and we'd love to have you join us on the crew! The dates are Thursdays, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 13. All are tentatively scheduled at Minneapolis sites.
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. Worried that you don't know much about how to use tools? No worries! Your fellow volunteers and the site supervisor are there to help.
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LGBTQ Fetal Infant Loss Support Group
Thursdays, Oct. 11- Nov. 8, 2018, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
After the death of a baby or loss of a pregnancy, it can be challenging to find and receive the kind of support you need from family, friends and your community. Their efforts may be well-intentioned, but they may lack a depth of understanding gained only through personal experience. This support group is designed to provide a safe, confidential environment for LGBTQ parents to process their loss with others who have similar experiences.
The group setting will provide opportunity for conversation and reflection. It will cover a variety of topics: relationship grieving differences, holidays and anniversaries and the journey of healing. The hope is to offer you tools for better understanding your grief and memorializing your baby.
The group is limited in size, free of charge, and open to the public. Parents are welcome to come alone or together. For more information or to register contact Jane McCormick at 952-993-6050.
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| RESOURCES & CONTACT INFORMATION |
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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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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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Join Our Mailing List
Subscribe to
The Weekly Liberal
here.
Sign up to receive our weekly Children Youth & Family Ministries news
here.
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Church Office Hours
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Sundays 9
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
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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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