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April 18, 2019 | Vol. 6 No. 16
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| A Good Friday Question: "How Are You?" |
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Rev. Justin Schroeder |
Have you ever listened to Nora McInerny's podcast, Terrible, Thanks for Asking? This has become a favorite in our household. I deeply appreciate how McInerny blows past the "How are you?" "I'm fine," social interactions we all too often engage in when we aren't fine at all. She keeps it real, talking about the death of her husband, the miscarriage of her child, and the death of her father, all in a period of a few months. In this country and culture we live in, so often our grief and despair is private, talked about in the privacy of a therapist's office, or a one on one conversation with a minister or with a trusted loved one, or perhaps in a Circle at church; there are very few public places to name and simply be with the loss, betrayal, death, and grief that is so often a part of our lives.
Good Friday is one of those places, and this year we are holding a service at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 19. We will gather to hold and remember in a ritual way the forces of crucifixion and death, collectively and individually. Join me, Rev. Ruth MacKenzie, and Pastor Stephanie Voss (a congregant helping to craft this service) for a counter cultural time of honestly being with our sorrows and honoring the ways we have been marked by loss and grief.
Though McInerny's podcast never says, "You can't get to Easter without going through Good Friday first," this reality is what makes her podcast so good. By descending into the valley of the shadow of death - that place of dimmed hope, of diminished light, of "I'm terrible, thanks for asking," we are engaging in the spiritual work necessary for us to move toward the celebration of Easter Sunday, with its promise of new life, with its promise of the stone being rolled away from the tomb.
I'll see you in church,
Justin
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Sunday, April 21, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
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Rev. Ruth MacKenzie |
"Rise Up"
Rev. Ruth MacKenzie
So often we are so tied up in knots by our fears, our heartache, and our attachments to certain ways of doing things that we don't recognize the promise of transformation that is right in front of us. The invitation into new life doesn't match the storyline we are looping over and over again in our head. The religious life asks us to move deeper and wider than the repeated storyline of either/or, good or bad, in or out. Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön says: "Feel the feelings, drop the storyline." How might this spiritual practice resurrect our lives? How might we open ourselves to the unexpected bits of grace that intersect with our lives every day? How are we called to rise up?
Join us for worship at 9:30 or 11:15 a.m. for a multi-generational Sunday of story, song, and spirit with the Soul Band and guest vocalist Aimee Bryant as we celebrate Easter and the call to life transformed!
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Sunday, April 28, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Lead Minister: Rev. Jen Crow
Choir-led Worship:
Mozart's
Requiem
Sunday, May 5, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Lead Minister: Rev. Justin Schroeder
Sharing Sunday
Sunday, May 12, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Lead Minister: Rev. Karen Hutt
Child Dedication
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April 14, 2019
"Asking the Right Questions"
Rev. Justin Schroeder
April 7, 2019
"The Third Body"
Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink
March 31, 2019
"It Takes a Village"
Me'Lea Connelly
Listen to the podcast
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| Rev. Justin: "Asking the Right Questions" |
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Co-Location Listening & Information Sessions
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As we explore whether co-location with Shir Tikvah at 3400 Dupont is the right path for us,
we ask that all members attend one of the following Co-location Information & Listening Sessions:
- Thursday, April 25, 7-8:30 p.m.
- Thursday, May 2, 10 a.m.-noon (rescheduled from April 11)
- Sunday, May 5, 1-2:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 8, 7:45-9 p.m. for the Choir
- Sunday, May 19, 1-2:30 p.m.
Ultimately, First Universalist members will be making the decision about co-locating or not, via congregational vote later in 2019 (likely in the fall). It's important to be informed and know what the implications of this decision are. This is your opportunity to learn about what either path will mean for the future of First Universalist Church, and to participate in the decision-making process.
At these sessions, we will share more detailed information about what co-location would look like and what the alternative is. You will have an opportunity to share hopes, concerns, questions, and ideas in small groups, and all of that input will be collected and compiled. You'll also be invited to share thoughts in writing at the end of the session. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, and we want as many voices as possible to be part of this conversation!
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Good Friday Service
Friday, April 19, 7 p.m.
On April 19, known as Good Friday by our Christian cousins, we will gather to hold and remember losses in a ritual in which we name the forces of crucifixion that we contend with all the time, collectively and individually.
This will be a service of singing, silence, naming, storytelling, and beauty.
Join Rev. Justin Schroeder, Rev. Ruth MacKenzie and Pastor Stephanie Voss for this counter cultural service of being with our sorrows, our endings, so that we might better understand the hints of resurrection.
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Seniors Hike with Daytime Connections
Thursday, April 25, 10 a.m.
Meet at: Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden at Theodore Wirth Park (map)
This month's seniors hike will be more of a gentle stroll through the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden at Wirth Park. The garden is located on Theodore Wirth Pkwy, between I-394 and Glenwood Ave. Parking is at a metered lot. Three lunch options are: Milda's, Breaking Bread, or Sammy's Avenue Eatery. Vote for your choice when you RSVP to Dick Kern at
KernwatchMN@aol.com. Will the beautiful Red Trilliums still be in bloom? The Marsh Marigolds? Join us and find out. This park is partly hilly so bring your hiking poles if you use them.
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Choir-led Worship: Mozart's Requiem
Sunday, April 28, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
The First Universalist Choir and Orchestra will perform Mozart's
Requiem
in worship on Sunday, April 28.
Between movements, there will be hymns, readings and meditations.
Mozart's
Requiem Mass in D Minor
was commissioned in mid-1791 by Count von Walsegg for a service to commemorate his wife's death. Mozart spent a couple of months working on the piece but had not completed it at the time of his own death - just months later - in December 1791. The
Requiem
was finished by composer Franz Xaver Süssmayr in March 1792, and has since been used in funerals and memorial services for numerous notable musicians, artists, and other figures, in addition to the woman for whom it was originally commissioned.
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Wellspring Info Sessions
Sunday, April 28, 1 p.m. in Room 200; Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m. in Room 203
Wellspring is a uniquely Unitarian Universalist program of spiritual deepening that offers the opportunity to learn more about ourselves and our faith through a year-long small group experience. It has five components: commitment to a daily spiritual practice, monthly spiritual direction, small group meetings, reading about the theological and historical foundations of our faith, and putting our faith into action. After a day-long opening retreat on August 24, 2019, Wellspring meets every other week through May 2020. Attendance at an info session is required if you wish to participate in Wellspring. Information sessions will be held on Sunday, April 28, 1 p.m. in Room 200 and Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m. in Room 203.
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Congregational Budget Meetings
Sunday, April 28, 12:45 p.m. &
Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 p.m.
The Board of Trustees will share a draft budget at Congregational Budget Meetings on Sunday, April 28 at 12:45 p.m. and Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cummins Room. After a presentation of the budget and its rationale, there will be an opportunity for questions. The board will prepare a final version of the budget for presentation to the Congregation at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 2 at 11:30 a.m.
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"The Human Element" Film Screening
The Environmental Justice Team invites you to a showing of "The Human Element" at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. This inspiring documentary follows environmental photographer James Balog on his quest to highlight Americans on the front lines of climate change. Be inspired to re-evaluate our relationship with the natural world!
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Easter Corsage Fundraiser This Sunday
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Youth in our Coming of Age class are gearing up for their annual pilgrimage to Boston. This Sunday, April 21, they will be making and selling beautiful corsages to raise money for the trip.
Please stop by the Social Hall after both services this Sunday to pick out a corsage to bring home or to your Easter Sunday gathering.
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Child Dedication Ritual May 12: Sign Up Now
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 Unitarian Universalists believe that every child brings new life and hope into the world. During the Child Dedication ritual, the congregation pledges itself to partner with and support parents and
families in the religious upbringing of the child.
Child Dedications take place during Sunday worship services twice a year. Infants and children of members and those on the path to membership at First Universalist Church may be dedicated.
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Letter Writing Campaign: Support the Green New Deal
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Our state and local representatives need to hear from all of us. Currently, the Environmental Justice Team is sponsoring a letter writing campaign in support of The Green New Deal. Our input will be hand delivered to our representatives . Our youth have been actively participating and we encourage you to join this effort as well. Please stop by the Environmental Justice table in the social hall on Sundays, April 21 or 28 for more information.
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Your fellow church community members are counting on you to do your part to help our ministry thrive!
I
f you are one of the more than 150 individuals/families that we have yet to hear from about plans for financial support next year, please be in touch. Give us a call (612-825-1701), fill out a yellow giving card next time you're at church, or set up your giving
online
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Join First U Members at Habitat on the Hill April 29
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Each year, a group from First Universalist travels to St. Paul to join others from around the state to advocate for affordable housing and to eliminate homelessness as part of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity's annual Habitat on the Hill Day.
Join Rev. Justin and others from our congregation on Monday, April 29 for Habitat on the Hill starting at 9 a.m.! Minnesota has among the largest racial homeowner and wealth gaps in the nation. We can do something by asking that our state do its part to address decades of systemic racial bias by funding affordable housing and housing services across the state. Lunch is provided.
Twin Cities Habitat is one of our six Faithful Action partners. We build houses with Habitat, but we also play a meaningful role in legislative advocacy. Habitat on the Hill is a meaningful day on so many levels - learn, laugh, be inspired, and join a small group to tell your elected officials about why affordable housing makes a difference.
Questions? Contact Joan Naymark at jnaymark@gmail.com.
Register here
and send an email to Joan so we know who is attending from First Universalist. Car pooling can be arranged.
Our Religious Education kids wrote advocacy postcards to Gov. Walz in February. One child said it best: "It is important to me that everyone I know and don't know has a safe place to live! Please support homes for all on your budget."
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Habitat for Humanity Summer Work Week: Sign Up Now!
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Deb, Shannon, Patsy and Leslie became friends in a circle group at church and decided to volunteer together at last year's summer work week. |
Please join in First Universalist's Habitat for Humanity Summer Work Week, June 24-28, and help a hardworking family in our community achieve the joy and stability of homeownership.
Volunteers must be at least 16, and 16- and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. The work day is from 8:15 a.m. until 4 p.m., in Richfield, and lunch will be provided.
Many hands make light work - and they make for a fun work site, too. Please consider joining in!
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Board of Trustees Meeting Tonight
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The First Universalist Board of Trustees has its April meeting this evening, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. The Board typically meets the third Thursday of every month (except July). Board meeting materials can be found on our website here.
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Apply to Serve on the Holiday Giving Team
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The 2019 Holiday Giving Team is currently accepting applications for new team members. Do you like giving away money to local organizations doing work aligned with our Unitarian Universalist values? Are you interested in living in the intersection of generosity and spiritual growth? If so, please apply to serve on the Holiday Giving Team! Families and youth are particularly encouraged to apply.
The team, working closely with Rev. Justin Schroeder and our Faithful Action Council, will select a local organization to be our 2019 Holiday Giving Recipient. The Team will begin its work this spring, selecting a recipient in the early fall. The ideal recipient will operate with a racial justice lens, and be an organization that our entire congregation can get behind.
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Seeking Delegates to the UUA General Assembly 2019
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General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to send voting delegates. General Assembly 2019 will take place in Spokane, WA, (and online) June 19-23.
If you wish 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 by May 27
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In order to be a delegate, you must be an active member of First Universalist Church.
Delegates need to be officially approved by the congregation at our annual meeting on June 2.
Registration info and more is available here.
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Donations for Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) Prom
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The AFA Prom will be held in our Social Hall on Saturday, May 18. Donations of dresses (long and short, all sizes including large sizes) and men's suits and dress shirts (all sizes) are welcome.
Bring items to the Information Desk on Sundays. You may drop off clothing during the week; bring clothing on hangers to the coat room at the right of the stairs or neatly folded on the shelves labeled for AFA by the 34th Street entrance. Thank you for your generosity!
First Universalist is the primary sponsor of Food and Clothing Closets at
Augsburg Fairview Academy
(AFA), a public charter high school located within two miles of church. The 100+ high school students come from diverse backgrounds including African American, Somali, and Native American, and many are homeless or marginally housed during the school year.
Items for the Food Closet and Clothing Closet continue to be needed through the end of May. Thanks to the many congregants who have generously donated food and clothing to AFA - you make a difference!
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Space Reservations for Meetings and Events
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Are you responsible for reserving meeting space for a church committee you serve on? Are you a volunteer planning a church-sponsored event?
Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and requests must be communicated to Events Coordinator Lucia Webb.
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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
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 9
a.m.-8 p.m.
Closed Fridays and Saturdays
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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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