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May 28, 2020 | Vol. 7 No. 22
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My Heart Breaks with Yours Today
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Rev. Jen Crow |
Dear ones,
It has been a long day here in Minneapolis, and we know that this long day started a long time ago. The violence inflicted on George Floyd by the Minneapolis police on Monday night may have started this most recent uprising, but the violence that has been inflicted on Minneapolis' Black community has been going on for generations. Monday night's murder is simply, and sadly, racism's most recent public expression in our city and our state.
Many of you have been asking, "What can we do?," and "How can we help?" This afternoon I attended an interfaith gathering of clergy at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on 38th Street. I listened as Black community leaders and clergy told us exactly what they needed. Here's some of what they said:
Change the narrative. Shift the story from "I can't breathe." to "We can't breathe." When one of us is hurting, all of us are hurting. The violence did not begin on Wednesday night. The violence began on Monday night, when police killed George Floyd.
Now is the time to put down our divisions and be together shoulder to shoulder in the struggle for justice. Black and Brown and White. Christian and Jew and Muslim. There is an evil afoot that is so sinister that it will try to divide us. Do not let it. Do not let yourself be separated from each other in this struggle for justice.
We must articulate our goals with one voice. The shared goals are these:
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Sweep it up - get to work cleaning up the communities most impacted by the protests and the uprising.
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Secure it up - provide physical presence between protesters and the police so that people can stay safe
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Serve it up - provide food and resources to the communities most impacted
Rev. Jesse Jackson joined the group, and urged us to continue to protest until the police officers are charged. He also warned that we are dealing with a double threat, the threat of violence from the police and the threat of illness and death from contracting COVID-19. He urged everyone to protest with discipline, wearing masks and observing social distancing, so that we would not find the Black community and the protestors sick and dying in two weeks time.
These are just a few of the requests from just a few of the Black leaders in our city. We know that we will all need to show up in this struggle for justice in the ways that are right for us. We also know that this is a time of grief and trauma for us all. None of us can breathe right now. So I want to remind you to do just that. To take the time to feel what you are feeling. To let yourself breathe deeply, to let your breath and your tears and your rage catch in your throat. To let the feelings flow through you. And when and if you find yourself ready to rise into action, here are a few ways to connect to this struggle:
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Faith leaders and protesters will be gathering tonight beginning at 5pm at Lake and Minnehaha
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People will be gathering in small self-organized groups to clean up the community
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If you identify as white, you can join Rev. Meg Riley and Rev. Ashley Horan and other UU faith leaders for a one hour online Zoom gathering tonight at 7pm for white people seeking to dismantle racism within themselves and in society
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Look for ways to share your resources with the communities most impacted
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Join together in worship on Sunday at 10am, when we will gather as a whole church community to mourn and rage and find solidarity with each other
We believe that every person is whole and holy and worthy, each of us wanted and loved. This is the world we have imagined for generations, and this is the world we are building today. My heart breaks with yours today. May our hearts break open and reveal a new world of justice, just waiting to be born.
With love,
Rev. Jen
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Sunday, May 31 at 10 a.m.
 Flower Communion Sunday
MULTIGENERATIONAL WORSHIP
Connect to our live streamed worship online or by phone:
To join by phone (audio only), dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter the webinar ID.
AFTER WORSHIP:
~11 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour
After Sunday worship, join us for
virtual coffee hour (
Meeting ID: 212 168 092)
or dial: 1-312-626-6799 and enter the meeting ID when prompted.
11 a.m. BIPOC Virtual Coffee Hour for those who are Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, POC
Join here (
Meeting ID: 844 4648 4007.
Password: 201356)
1:30 p.m. Gatherings for 9th-12th Grade Youth (see Virtual Gatherings section below)
Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m.
WORSHIP
This midweek worship experience for adults and older youth is a brief time (20-30 minutes) of connection, centering, and reflection, to help us find and keep our balance during this time of pandemic and physical distancing.
To join by phone (audio only), dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter the webinar ID.
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Sunday, May 24: Youth Sunday Worship
 Grab your tissues, folks, for tears of laughter and bittersweet goodbyes. This year's Youth Sunday includes clever insights, creativity, talent, grace, and of course, wisdom from senior high youth of First Universalist. Their obvious dedication to seeking the truth in love, helping one another, and their heartfelt retirement farewell to our beloved Rev. Ruth will give you all the feels! Especially now, in an already-difficult era, and in the midst of a devastating week in Minneapolis, watching this service will likely leave you with deep hope in and gratitude for the power of our youth. Watch the recording from May 24 here.
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CYCLE OF LIFE & CONGREGATIONAL CARE
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Cycle of Life from Sunday, May 24
Our hearts are with Sydney Dunitz and her family. Sydney's 97 year old mom, Mary Irwin, has recently developed a fever and a cough and is being tested for Covid-19 at her memory care unit. No visitors are allowed and this is a very hard time for the family.
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; contact Rev. Ruth MacKenzie at
ruth@firstuniv.org. If you would like support, call the office at 612-825-1701 and follow the prompts for pastoral care on the recording.
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Annual Meeting of the Membership Is May 31
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Members: Please plan to attend our virtual Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2020, at 11:30 a.m., following our 10 a.m. worship service.
This year our church business includes approval of the annual budget and the election of members to the Board of Trustees and the Nominating Committee, as well as a proposal to approve Rev. MacKenzie as a Minister Emerita.
The annual meeting 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!
We will be meeting virtually via Zoom webinar, and while this will be different than gathering in person, we are confident that we have the mechanisms in place for meaningful democratic participation that are fully in line with the recommendations from the UUA.
Because of the virtual meeting,
it is really important that you register ahead of time
. We will vote using the Poll feature in Zoom. Therefore, each member needs to have their own device for voting - you can use a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. If you live in a household with multiple members, please have each member register separately, and attend the meeting from their own device.
A reminder that per our bylaws, only members in good standing can vote at the annual meeting. To be a voting member, you need to have officially joined the church and have made a pledge in any amount to the current or upcoming annual operating fund or have a ministerial waiver. Please contact Arif Mamdani at 612 825-1701 ext 124 or
arif@firstuniv.org if you would like to have a waiver from this requirement.
Members: Register to attend the annual meeting of the membership
here before Sunday.
(We will do our best to approve registrations day of, but cannot guarantee same day registration approval in cases where membership status may be in question.) After registering and once your membership has been verified by staff, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Non-members: Those who wish to observe the meeting may do so via YouTube live; the meeting live stream will show up on our
YouTube Channel at 11:30 a.m.
Relevant Documents and Information
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Celebrating Rev. Ruth MacKenzie
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 As has been announced, the Rev. Ruth Mackenzie will be retiring from her ministry at First Universalist on June 30th. Ruth's varied and dynamic ministry has been a profound gift to the entire congregation. Now it is time to celebrate her launch into a new life with all the energy and love she has brought to us over the last 10 years.
Here are some of the ways you can participate:
LETTERS/NOTES/CARDS:
Ruth would love to have letters, notes, and cards from congregants, actual items she can hold and re-read. Mail notes to the church marked Attn: Celebrating Ruth.
SPECIAL DONATION:
Consider making a special financial donation to a retirement gift fund for Ruth. We have some fun ideas for gifts for Ruth, but no church budget, so we need one-time, specially designated donations.
These are free will, as the spirit moves you, and not tax deductible as they are separate from ongoing church support. Electronic gifts can be made here. Checks may be sent or delivered to the church with "Ruth's Gift" in the memo line.
With gratitude for all Ruth has given us,
The Celebrating Ruth Team
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Do You Need Help with Advance Directives?
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While we do not like to think about it, we all need a plan.
A plan for the day we may find ourselves ill, in the hospital and decisions need to be made.
Preparing an Advance Directive for Health care is an important step in making sure your
wishes and desires for end-of-life decisions are respected by those you have designated to make decision on your behalf if you are unable to do so.
Even if you prepared an Advance Directive, it is useful to review it once a year to make sure you are still satisfied with a plan you may have made years ago.
If you need help, you can reach out to Rev. Karen Hutt to set up an appointment for a phone or zoom conversation. Set up a 30 minute meeting here:
https://calendly.com/khutt
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Submitted by Kit Ketchum
I'm excited about General Assembly this year, and I hope to inspire you too! It's the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists from around the world, and this year it is virtual, so it's more accessible than ever. June 24-28, in your own Zoom-space. Here are some of the events I'm personally excited about this year:
- Building Communities to Counter White Nationalism/White Power
This workshop addresses the dangerous rise of white nationalism, and how these groups utilize liberal language about free speech to gain a platform and propagate their message. Identifying good and bad-faith actions and discourse will help people identify and dismantle white nationalism in their own communities.
Rev. Chris Rothbauer, Dr. Sharon Welch, Andrew J. Mackay
- Social Class and Social Justice - Telling Our Truth to Build Bridges (UU Class Conversations) In this gathering, we will look at how class and classism and race and racism shape our lives, our social justice work and our UU organizations. We will do this by telling our own stories and looking at ways to build class caucuses to bring home to our home communities to continue this work. Denise Moorehead, Rev. Kimberly Johnson, Diane Pansire, Sky Stewart
- Featured Speaker: Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is a historian, writer, and professor emeritus in Ethic Studies at California State University. She is author or editor of 15 books, including the award-winning and 2019-2020 UU Common Read selection An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. Her most recent book is Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment. Forthcoming in 2021 from Beacon Press is Not "A Nation of Immigrants:" Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion.
- And the Sunday Morning worship looks AMAZING.
It's a lot more fun to attend events like this with people you know, to process and hang out as the week unfolds. If you're interested in experiencing all or part of GA as a congregational group, Kit Ketchum (kitketchum@hotmail.com) and Arif Mandami (arif@firstuniv.org) are working on ways we can connect during and after the week. Email one or both of us if you're interested in being part of the group that attends GA this year.
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First Universalist Foundation: 2020 Grants Awarded
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The First Universalist Foundation concluded the 2020 granting cycle in early May by awarding $105,000 in grants to 11 organizations. Awardees were among 25 worthy organizations and proposals submitted this year.
The process started in January when the Foundation asked congregants of First Universalist to nominate organizations that operate in the Twin Cities, address human rights at risk, racial justice and/or climate justice and whose leadership includes people of color, women and other underrepresented groups. By the end of January, we had 25 organizations. Nominated organizations were then asked to submit a grant proposal. Throughout the month of April, the nine Foundation committee members reviewed all the proposals. In early May, each proposal was discussed by the Foundation and awards were decided.
The Foundation is pleased to continue in the spirit of the original endowment by supporting projects at the forefront of racial, climate, gender and immigration justice, and for which our grant seems to truly make a difference in advancing the recipient organization's mission or project. The 2020 recipients and projects are:
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Alafia Foundation
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Black Visions Collective (Base Building and Program Outreach)
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Discapacitados Abriendose Caminos - The Emprendedores y Soluciones Legales program
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Honor the Earth - The Water Protector Education Campaign
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Joyce Preschool (Promoting Latinx Leadership & Advocacy)
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Lift Garage (Lift Community Emergency Fund) -
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Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (Deepening Relationships for Climate Justice)
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Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop (Updating Science Museum Exhibit)
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MN350 - The Missing and Murdered Indigneous Women project
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Navigate MN / Unidos MN (Organizational Resilience)
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Public Functionary - The Studio 400 program
We are grateful to First Universalist congregants for getting us off to a great start by nominating organizations. Thank you to Suzan Klein for her chair leadership and to committee members Leila Ambrus, Jill Anderson, John Bringewatt, Jared Cruz, Ginny Halloran, Rochelle Hammer, Roberta Haskin, and Anne McBean. The Foundation was strongly supported in its work by staff person Emma Paskewitz. A big thank you to Emma. We are pleased that the Foundation is able to support organizations that help make our church's justice goals real in the world. Thank you to all the organizations who were nominated for your great work.
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Gatherings for Children, Youth & Families
SUNDAY
There will be two gatherings for youth in 9th-12th grade this Sunday, May 31st at 1:30 p.m. via Zoom:
- The BIPOC/Multiracial Youth Group with Daryn, Sarah, and youth leaders, for youth who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color and/or multiracial.
- A gathering for white-identified youth with Lauren and Emma
Families who have 9th-12th grade youth and are currently registered for Religious Education will receive an email tomorrow with information about how to participate in these gatherings. If your youth(s) are not currently registered for 9th-12th grade Religious Education programs and want to attend these gatherings, please contact Emma Paskewitz at emma@firstuniv.org.
TUESDAY
8 p.m.
Single Parents Gathering with Rev. Sara Smalley - Parents/guardians who are single and/or co-parenting gather for mutual support and spiritual sustenance. (Meeting ID:
984 9990 9070;
Password: connection)
THURSDAY
8:15 p.m.
Parents of Babies and Preschoolers (ages 0-4 years) with Lauren - Parents/guardians of little ones gather for mutual support and spiritual sustenance. (Meeting ID: 273-644-536
; Password: 446240)
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Virtual Gatherings for Adults
No Meeting June 2; will resume June 9
Begin your week with spiritual grounding and sustenance with Rev. Ruth, taking time to connect with your breath, your heart, your woundedness and your joy, in this half hour interactive session in which we will check in with others, and engage with a spiritual practice.
No Meeting June 3; will resume June 10
In the Calming Circle, hosted by Rev. Ruth MacKenzie and Pastor Stephanie Vos, we check in with one another, engage in a somatic experience of spiritual practice (stretching our bodies, and our spirits) and then gather in prayer and spiritual practice, holding one another in compassion and kindness.
Wednesday, May 27 at 7:30 p.m.
The Young Adults group (for those in their 20s and 30s) is now gathering on a weekly basis. Connect with fellow First U young adults after Wednesday worship for conversation and fun.
Thursday, June 4 at 9:30 a.m.
The Chi Gung spiritual practice circle led by Pat Gottschalk is now available online Thursday mornings through June 4. This is a great opportunity to explore gentle movements with a focus on our personal energies. Wear comfortable clothing. You can adapt any movements to your own needs, including sitting if that's what your body needs. All are welcome.
Join here (Meeting ID: 898 0699 8491, Password: 693625)
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Association of Universalist Women
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AUW members are staying connected via a weekly Zoom Social Hour. Please join us to check in and share whatever is on your mind. We often use the "breakout room" feature to share in small groups.
Thursdays, 5 p.m.
(ending time is flexible - you can leave any time).
Join here.
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12 Step Spirituality Workshops, which had been hosted at First Universalist one Saturday per month, continue every Saturday (weekly!) on Zoom. The workshop begins at 9:30 a.m. and will run on this weekly basis - now extended through October 2020. All people in or interested in the 12 steps are welcome. The workshop includes meditation, centering prayer meditation instructions, short talks, small groups and more. Join here at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. The meeting ID number is 392-510-399. Visit www.12stepspirituality.org for more details instructions on how to join. If you have any questions call Dick Y. at 952-893-1188.
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Online Coffee Hour Hosts Needed
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This is the leadership opportunity you've been waiting for: be an online coffee hour host!
This has been a difficult week for us all, and one of the things that helps in times like these is the opportunity to gather in community. If you're someone who can create a welcoming space and facilitate conversation, please apply to be an online coffee hour host. Since moving church online, coffee hour has also moved online and as we settle into the ways we'll connect online for the foreseeable future, we're reaching out to recruit folks to help make coffee hour a place of connection for the church. There's a job description that outlines what it means to be a coffee hour host and we hope you'll consider applying. Questions? Contact Arif - arif@firstuniv.org or 612.825.1701 x124.
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Beware of Email Phishing Scams Targeting Churches
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In recent times, churches across the country have been targets of email phishing scams, in which scammers pretending to be ministers ask congregants (via email) to purchase gift cards for a worthy cause.
The frequency of these phishing emails seems to have increased over the last two months. We can assure you that nothing has been hacked - the email addresses used seem to be mined from our website - but please be aware of this trend and don't fall for a phishing scam! If you receive an email that looks like it's from one of our ministers but seems suspicious, it probably is.
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Thank You for Supporting Augsburg Fairview Academy
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Thanks to all congregants who donated food for community partner Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) students and their families this spring. Some of you dropped off bags of groceries and many donated food through Amazon Prime.
Our contributions supplement the government allotted meals that are delivered to students by AFA staff. Donations are not needed after May 26 and will resume again in the fall.
Thank you for your generosity! Know that you made a difference for students and families experiencing economic, housing and food insecurity.
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Join the Healthy Congregations Task Force!
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The Board of Trustees has established a "Healthy Congregations Task Force" to explore the ways in which congregants interact with each other and with church staff. The task force will be led by Board Members Dan Moriarty and Eric Cooperstein with support from Arif Mamdani, Director of Membership and Adult Ministries.
The task force is also seeking four to six church members to join the task force and to help make recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
The work of this task force flows directly out of our mission to welcome, affirm, and protect the light in each human heart. How we relate to each other is a direct expression of that mission, and so we are particularly interested in making sure that BIPOC and/or LGBTQ members of the congregation are part of this task force.
The charge of the task force is to:
- Study how the congregation interacts with each other and with staff and identify any deficiencies or concerns;
- Evaluate the role of other church-related outlets such as the CyberCoffee Hour listserv and the Church Facebook page, in congregant interactions;
- Consider how congregant relationships and communications may reinforce white supremacy within the congregation;
- Determine whether First Universalist Church would benefit from adopting a Congregational Covenant or Code of Conduct, and, if so, draft language for consideration by the Board of Trustees for presentation to the congregation at a meeting of the membership;
- Consider mechanisms for interrupting congregant conduct that may be inconsistent with the congregation's covenants for being in relationship with each other and with staff; and
- Make other recommendations to the Board of Trustees as the task force deems appropriate.
The Task Force has been asked to report back to the Board regarding its progress in the fall of 2020, with a goal of presenting final recommendations to the Board by March 2021.
If you think you might be interested in joining the Task Force, please send an email to
ericcooperstein@mac.com by June 1, 2020, and share your responses to these questions:
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How have you been involved at First Universalist Church?
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What do you think are the common characteristics in healthy relationships in a community?
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On a scale of 1 to 5, how healthy are congregant-to-congregant and congregant-staff relationships at First U now and why did you pick that number?
If you're interested, please be prepared to participate in virtual meetings using Zoom or other video communications software.
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Mental Health Connect's Virtual Breakfast of Hope
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First Universalist Church is a member of Mental Health Connect, a faith cooperative that provides Mental Health Resources and information to members on a call in basis. On Tuesday, June 2, the Cooperative is having a virtual breakfast to raise funds for the next year:
Virtual Breakfast of Hope
Mental Health Connect
Tuesday, June 2, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. via YouTube Livestream
Learn about what Mental Health Connect is doing in the Twin Cities for people with Mental Health concerns, and leave with resources to help you, your friends and loved ones.
Special Guest Michael Maddaus will speak about resiliency. We will learn critical habits that lead to optimal physical, mental and emotional performance.
Funds raised from this event will support the mission of Mental Health Connect, providing community-based resources, support and education to improve access to mental health services and to connect individuals and families with the services they need. Register:
https://bit.ly/2yXGRKs
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Supporting the Church Financially
If you are able, please continue to honor your annual gifts and make your capital campaign contributions. If you are not a sustainer and have not yet let us know your intentions for our 2020-2021 fiscal year, or if you're a sustainer and would like to make a change to your commitment,
please get directly in touch with Finance Assistant Chelsea Bertsch at
chelsea@firstuniv.org
instead of filling out the giving card.
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We offer several options for making donations online, whether it's a contribution toward the offering plate, your annual or capital gift, or for a specific project for which we're raising funds.
Text to Give
To make a donation via credit card, use your smartphone to text "
firstuniv" (without quotes) to the number
73256. You'll receive a link to a secure form where you can enter your information. Select the appropriate fund from the dropdown menu.
Square Cash
Make a contribution using a debit card via the Square Cash app. Download this free app (
iPhone or
Android) and set up your account - you'll need your debit card and a $cashtag (user name). Then:
- Enter the amount you want to donate
- Click "pay"
- In the $cashtag space, enter $FirstUniv
- In the For space, let us know what it's for - the Sunday offering plate? Your annual gift?
- Click "pay"
ACS (our online giving system)
Make a one-time gift using the secure form located on our website
here. Make sure that you've selected the correct fund (such as offering plate) if it's not an annual gift.
It's also okay to mail checks to the church, even though the office is closed. We are still receiving mail, though we are only collecting it once per week. It will likely take us longer than normal to process check payments, but you are welcome to send checks if you prefer!
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A Quick Guide on Where to Direct Commonly Asked Questions:
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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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The church office is closed until further notice.
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Weekly Liberal Submissions
We encourage you to submit news!
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Contact Us
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First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
3400 Dupont Ave. S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55408
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First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
3400 Dupont Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-825-1701
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