Greetings!
This year, many of us are reframing Thanksgiving in numerous ways, aren’t we? Some are re-imagining how we gather with friends and loved ones in a time of pandemic. Others are inviting Zoom guests into our homes and tables, and staying home to keep families, loved ones, communities, and health care workers safe. In different ways, many are re-imagining how we share love and care with each other and how we give thanks.
But Thanksgiving can be “reframed” in other ways as well. As part of a larger commitment that Unitarian Universalists made in 2016 at General Assembly, as we looked ahead to 2020, and took seriously the 400 year anniversary of the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, we made a commitment that has been fulfilled with a recent 6-week process that included various teaching and learning components, including a worship service, “Thanksgiving Reframed.” This is a worship service that centers indigenous voices and has new and profound learnings for all of us, as we all in different ways, depending on where we sit, reckon with the legacy and the mythology of the first thanksgiving, and our role (as Unitarian Universalists) in creating that mythology. Please worship with us on Sunday and help us fulfill our commitment to centering, honoring, and following the lead of indigenous voices, to do better when we know better, as Maya Angelou says.
Our service will use the pre-recorded worship service, “Thanksgiving Reframed,” on Sunday, so the service will be different than it normally is. Sharing this service is one of the ways we live out our racial justice commitment. And we know that it is important to have sacred spaces to name the grief and the gratitude of this time, so in addition to joining us in worship on Sunday for a learning experience, I hope you will join me next Wednesday, at our 7pm worship service, as we create a caring container to hold all that is our lives in this trying, tiring, heart breaking, and heart opening time. Our Director of Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression Ministries, Julia Hermann de la Fuente, will welcome folks to worship this Sunday and also be in the fellowship hour after the service to hold a pastoral space for people who are struggling during the Thanksgiving Holiday.
With love and care,
Rev. Justin
Rev. Justin Schroeder
Co-Senior Minister
First Universalist Church
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MULTIGENERATIONAL WORSHIP
Sunday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m.
"Thanksgiving Reframed"
Worship service produced by the Unitarian Universalist Association; sermon by Rev. Susan Frederick Gray
This Sunday's worship service is a rebroadcast of a UUA service offered last week as part of a 6-week initiative, “Harvest the Power.”
This is a worship service that centers indigenous voices and has new and profound learnings for all of us, as we all in different ways, depending on where we sit, reckon with the legacy and the mythology of the first thanksgiving, and our role (as Unitarian Universalists) in creating that mythology.
We will be broadcasting it over Zoom just like usual, with an introduction and welcome by Julica Hermann de la Fuente. After worship, please join the Fellowship Hour for a brief prayer and an opportunity to connect.
Connect to our live streamed worship between 9:55 and 10 a.m.:
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, NOV. 29
Follow along with our Virtual Order of Service, which contains information about the various elements of the service, Zoom information for post-worship gatherings, as well as extra resources.
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POST-SUNDAY WORSHIP MEETINGS (NOV. 29)
~11 a.m. Care Companions (formerly Pastoral Visitors) Space
We know that worship can take us into deep and surprising places. If you find yourself needing to talk with someone about what is stirring for you on a Sunday morning, please speak with one of our care companions in a confidential breakout room after the service. You can join here.
11:15 a.m. BIPOC Post-Worship Fellowship Space
A social space for those who identify as black, indigenous, people of color, and multiracial to connect. NEW: this space has moved to a breakout room in the Sunday Small Groups and Fellowship Hours zoom room below.
11:15 a.m. Sunday Small Groups and Fellowship Hour
This Sunday, Nov. 29, small groups and fellowship hours will funnel through one zoom space. We’ll begin the time with a short prayer and check in, then go into smaller breakout rooms.
Breakout room options are:
- Drop-In conversation about the worship service facilitated by Julica Hermann de la Fuente
- Six-Week Sunday Small Groups (pre-registration required)
- BIPOC-Multiracial Fellowship Hour
- All-Identities Fellowship Hour
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WEDNESDAY EVENING WORSHIP
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.
Rev. Justin Schroeder
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.
Connect to our live streamed worship between 6:55 and 7 p.m.:
Post-service Care Companions space (opens at about 7:30 p.m.): enter here
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Sunday Service Recording & Podcast |
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Sunday, Nov. 22:
"The Seeds We're Planting"
Sermon by Rev. Arif Mamdani
Reflections & summary by Liz Farmer:
What do we do with tigers everywhere? This is the question Rev. Arif Mamdani, with the help of storyteller Seth Anderson-Matz, asks us in this Sunday’s service. Whether the “tigers” in your life are rising Covid-19 cases on your right, anti-maskers on your left, the prospect of a decidedly less festive Thanksgiving in front of you, and/or a precarious presidential transition all around you, there is no question that we’re all surrounded by tigers everywhere. What are we to do about them? Our answers could come from holding the Tigers story up to now.
There are many truths - some of them seemingly at odds - that we’re carrying right now - a lot to be with. A lot to unpack. And unpack we will, as we hold the story of Tigers Above, Tigers Below up to our lives like mirror images. This spiritual practice of seeing ourselves and our lives in sacred texts is one you can do with most any material as you ask important questions of yourself and the Divine. It is a practice of getting out of our “thinky minds” to listen to what our hearts and guts have to tell us about where a story may be reading our lives. In this Sunday’s service, Rev. Arif invites us to dwell in and explore this wisdom tale together.
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During the winter holiday season, we invite you and your family to join us in rethinking the meaning of gift-giving by making a gift to our selected Holiday Giving recipient. By redirecting a portion of our holiday spending to a local nonprofit that advances racial equity, we can each strengthen our community ties and rekindle the season’s true spirit.
Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) is our Holiday Giving Recipient this year. We are inviting congregants, as they are able, to reduce their holiday spending and to give what they save to BLUU. BLUU was formed in 2015, and strives to be a dynamic, nimble and responsive group of loving and fierce Black Unitarian Universalists, committed to supporting Black UUs, increasing power and capacity as Black UUs, and working for justice-making and liberation through our faith. We are in year two of a five year commitment to BLUU. You can make your gift here now or on December 13 during the worship service.
On Sunday, Nov. 15, we launched this year's holiday giving effort. In worship that Sunday, we heard from Lena K. Gardner, Executive Director of BLUU and a member of First Universalist Church, Rev. Justin Schroeder, and members of our intergenerational Holiday Giving Team. If you missed it, you can learn more about BLUU and this year’s Holiday Giving project by watching that service here!
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Time for a Healthy Congregation Checkup! |
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First Universalist is our beloved community, and we want to keep it healthy for everyone. One measure of our “health” is taking a look at how we relate to one another – both through our words and our actions.
How do we define healthy, respectful and productive relationships? Is there a set of base values we all choose to live by, and rely on, when acting in relation to one another? We may rely on these values in everyday activities and communications. We reach for our values in times of joy and in times of conflict.
In 2020, the First Universalist Board of Trustees formed the “Healthy Congregations Task Force,” a volunteer committee of church members, to study this very topic. The Task Force is led by Board Member Dan Moriarty and Eric Cooperstein. Jillian Gross Fortgang, Marie Listopad, Deb Talen, Velma Wagner, and Keith Washington are the other members and Rev. Arif is our staff liaison. We have begun by studying what other congregations do, and how other organizations define healthy relations (and conflict resolution) between one another.
Now we want to hear from you! Please take a short survey (est. 8 minutes to complete!), designed to get a sense of what congregants are experiencing in their interactions with each other and with staff, and give you a glimpse into our work. It is just one part of the Task Force’s work and not the last opportunity to get involved. After gathering this initial feedback, we are hoping to hold focus groups with congregants to discuss the issues in greater detail. You can access the survey here. Thank you!
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Take One Small Step
with First Universalist and Masjid An-Nur - Mosque of Light
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In a world rife with noise from news to social media feeds, StoryCorps understands the power of a one-on-one conversation. StoryCorps’ One Small Step provides a framework for people who hold different viewpoints to explore what they have in common and calls to Americans to take, “One Small step” towards fostering a culture of listening.
First Universalist's Peace Action Circle, in partnership with Masjid An-Nur Mosque, is collaborating with StoryCorps. We invite you to participate in a virtual, recorded and facilitated conversation with another person in our community who you might not otherwise have the opportunity to talk with. We challenge you to engage in these crucial connections and to learn what we have in common that outweighs our differences. The partnership with Masjid An-Nur provides a unique opportunity to engage in an interfaith discussion about the stories that have impacted our lives.
In December, StoryCorps will begin thoughtfully matching community members for conversations that will take place in January. To sign up to participate, complete the online screening questionnaire by December 11.
Take, “One Small Step” towards fostering a culture of listening. We challenge you to engage in these crucial connections and to learn what we have in common that outweighs our differences.
Please indicate your congregation when filling out the survey and email TCPeaceLiteracyEduc@yahoo.com when you have completed it. We will be sending out individual invitations and encourage referrals to friends and associates outside our First Universalist community. Our goal is to recruit a diverse group.
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Virtual Meetings & Gatherings |
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Ongoing Meetings for Adults |
Every other Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (Nov. 29, Dec. 13 & 27)
Every other Tuesday, 7–8 p.m. (Dec. 8 & 24)
Do you identify as someone in 12-Step recovery? Would you like to build community at church and add a layer of support for yourself and others as we head into the winter? Join us for this weekly drop-in group for UUs in 12-step based recovery from all kinds of addiction and family dysfunction. We'll join in a time of silent meditation, explore a topic, and share our experience, strength and hope with each other. Participation in the meeting is confidential. Join us via Zoom here. (Meeting ID: 922 6965 4151 Passcode: 839388) For more information reach out to Dick Young (dickyoung1@comcast.net)
Weekly Meditation Group
Tuesdays, 9–10:15 a.m.
The Weekly Meditation Group is meeting by Zoom Tuesdays from 9-10:15 with an extended learning session once a month. Our time together contains seated meditation, walking meditation and sharing. Reach out to Martha Easter-Wells at mm3second@aol.com to sign up and for Zoom information.
Third Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.
Connect with fellow First U young adults (20s & 30s) as we gather monthly via zoom on the third Thursday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Please note the change in day. We'll have a different activity or theme planned for each gathering, starting with theology conversations with Rev. Arif Mamdani on November 19! We hope you can join us as we talk about some of the "big questions" of life. Join via Zoom here. (Meeting ID: 992 3538 3974; Passcode: 125529)
Thursdays, 10–11:30 a.m. (check in begins at 9:30 a.m.)
Led by congregant Pat Gottschalk, Chi-Gung meets via Zoom on Thursdays through 12/19 (except Thanksgiving). Meeting ID: 872 9181 2732
Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m. (weekly)
AUW members are staying connected via a weekly Zoom "Happy Hour."
Meeting ID: 834 7301 7986. Password: 557571
Saturdays, 9:30 a.m., weekly through the end of December
All people in or interested in 12 steps are welcome, this includes Al-Anon, Adult Children of Alcoholics, CODA, etc. The workshop includes meditation, Centering Prayer meditation instructions, a short talk and small groups. Meeting details available at 12stepspirituality.org
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Ongoing Meetings for Children, Youth & Parents/Families |
Single Parents Gathering
Tuesdays at 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. Email Sara to be connected to the group at smalley.sara@gmail.com.
Parents of Babies and Preschoolers (ages 0-4 years)
Parents/guardians of little ones gather with Lauren for mutual support and spiritual sustenance. Email Lauren at lauren@firstuniv.org to be connected to the group.
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Faithful Action Partner News |
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Seeking Winter Jackets for
Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) Students
We are holding a drive for new and/or gently used men and women’s winter jackets for Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) high school students (all sizes – small to extra large). Winter hats and gloves and warm socks (new only) also desired. Clothes must be clean, in good repair, (no broken zippers) and teen appropriate.
When: 9 - 11 a.m. (please note time change) on Wednesday, Dec. 2
Drop Off Site: AFA school building at 2504 Columbus Ave. So., Mpls. 55404 (Columbus is one block east of Park Ave. - near Abbott Hospital and Swedish Institute). Park in front of the school building, and leave clothing in the bins outside the school entrance.
You may also drop off donations at the home of church member Cindy Marsh before December 2. Please contact Cindy Marsh at cindy.marsh2588@gmail.com for details and to make arrangements.
AFA, a long standing First Universalist Faithful Action Partner, is a public charter high school established to support underserved students in a safe and welcoming community. Many of the 100 African American, Somali, and American Indian students experience housing and food insecurity during the school year. First Universalist has provided clothing and food support for the past seven years; this year, we also support AFA’s participation in Every Meal (formerly The Sheridan Project).
Thank you for your ongoing generosity!
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Simpson Shelter Needs Our Help
Meals by volunteer groups at Simpson, one of First Universalist's Faithful Action Partners, are still not happening through 5/31/21. Meals are currently being provided by caterers who are contracted to that date. First Universalist has been contributing to that effort by donating our money for any meal we were scheduled to provide. In the future there may be opportunities to prepare meals offsite in our home kitchens and deliver those meals to the shelter for the shelter staff to serve.
If you can help, Simpson has put out a request for other items needed by shelter guests. Here is a list of Simpson Supply Needs:
- New heavy-duty winter gloves, hats, scarves (no hand knit)
- New thermals for men and women - all sizes
- Hand warmers
- A new set of TV trays for the women’s space (we only need one set, so please contact me if you are able to provide this item.)
- New boxers- sizes L, M, and S
- New women’s underwear - sizes L, M, and S
- Razors
- Shaving Cream
- Shampoo, lotion and conditioner - travel size
- Textured and curly hair supplies
- New women's socks
- Blankets- gently used or new
- Twin size sheets- gently used or new
- Bath towels - gently used or new
Christina Giese, Simpson Housing Services
2740 1st Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
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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” here.
Cycle of Life - Every Sunday we name the challenges and joys that we are experiencing. If you have experienced a loss, are living with a new or ongoing health concern, are celebrating a transition, or would like us to name your joy or sorrow in worship on Sunday, please let Rev. Arif know (arif@firstuniv.org)
Grief Kits - Have you or someone else you know in our congregation lost a loved one? Please let Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) know so that a package full of love and support can be delivered to your home.
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 answer yes to any of these questions? 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 - Sometimes receiving a meal one time or over the course of a couple of weeks can be just the thing to lighten the load and remind us that we are loved. If you or someone you know at church would welcome a meal to help them through a difficult time, or if you or your family have experienced a loss or are living with an illness or injury and having someone else do the cooking for a bit would help, please let us know. You can contact Rev. Jen or Rev. Karen, or contact our Congregational Care Coordinators, Nick (nicholasnier@gmail.com) and Julia (jskow@fastmail.com) directly.
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 with any staff member. We have financial resources available, and we can get a confidential check to you quickly. Please contact any of the ministers on staff.
Winter Buddies - Would it help to get a regular phone call from someone who cares? What about a check-in over zoom or phone once a month, or once a week? Our Pastoral Visitors are a group of congregants who provide confidential companionship and support to fellow members and friends of the church. They offer compassionate presence through a one-time call or an on-going relationship. Please contact Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) if you’d like to be connected with a companion.
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.
Mental Health Navigators - If you are trying to access therapy or counseling services, navigate the insurance system, speak to a financial counselor, connect with housing services, or support loved ones with mental illness, a Mental Health Navigator can help. They journey alongside you to help remove barriers and complexity so that you can gain access to the right providers and resources for your unique situation. Navigation and follow-up services are free, confidential, and tailored to your individual situation. Learn more here: What Is a Mental Health Navigator? And get started here.
UUs in 12-Step Recovery - Want to build community and share support with other Unitarian Universalists in 12-Step recovery? Connect with Dick Young (dickyoung1@comcast.net) to learn more and join in.
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