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July 18, 2019 | Vol. 6 No. 29
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Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m.
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Rev. Karen Hutt |
"Squirming with Jesus"
Worship Leader: Rev. Karen Hutt
Unitarian Universalism is rooted in the radical reformation of Christianity. Yet, many of us seem to squirm when we consider the historical constructs and events that undergird our faith. Some of us do so because we do not know; and others would prefer not to know - because they trigger emotions about how we have experienced Christianity. Let's set the record straight about our history and explore what it means to be a UU in 2019 rooted in the Christianity of 1519.
Please join us for worship at 10 a.m.!
Sing in Summer Choir this Sunday!
The Summer Choir will sing in worship this Sunday, July 21. There's just one 45-minute rehearsal at 9 a.m. the morning of the service. Anyone interested is welcome to be part of the summer choir - simply show up for the rehearsal! It's a great way to enjoy the experience of singing in choir without a longer commitment. Questions? Contact Randy at
randy@firstuniv.org
.
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Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m.
"Where Is the Lost and Found?"
Worship Leader: Rev. Karen Hutt
Sunday, Aug. 4, 10 a.m.
Worship Leader: Rev. Ashley Horan
Sunday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m.
Worship Leader: Arif Mamdani (incoming Director of Membership & Adult Ministries)
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July 14, 2019
"The Congregation Is the Curriculum"
Lauren Wyeth
July 7, 2019
"In the Middle of It"
Rev. Justin Schroeder, Asylum Support Team
June 30, 2019
"The Work We Need to Do"
Rev. Ruth MacKenzie and Isha Caldwell
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On the Podcast: Lauren Wyeth's July 14 Sermon
"The Congregation Is the Curriculum" |
Sermon recap & reflections by Liz Farmer:
When I was in school to become a teacher, my classmates and I were taught to observe the "hidden curriculum" in schools. That is, what are we teaching that is not in any formal curriculum or official state standards? We would notice how school buildings were designed and what that communicated to students. During the school day, we would notice who talks and moves the most, in what ways, and what that might teach students.
More importantly, we noticed what those things communicated about who has power - and whose needs were prioritized.
What do the halls, walls, and unspoken words at First Universalist teach? What social and physical structures can we put in place to truly be a "community of communities," shifting power from the "seductive simplicity of majority rule" to the needs (and assets) of the various communities in our church?
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| Summer Worship Theme: "Yes, And" |
We live in a society of either/or, us or them, this or that, winning or losing, success or failure. Yet, what we are beginning to understand in our sciences of living systems, physics, and metaphysics is that this world was created, creates, and recreates in the mysterious dance of relationship. Interactions upon interactions are the creating drivers of this world. Wisdom teachers from Lao Tzu, to adrienne maree brown, to indigenous peoples around the globe have said as much: This world is more "Yes and..." than "either/or." In the months of summer, when creativity and emerging life is hard to miss, we will explore the spiritual imperative of
Yes, and. How do we engender curiosity and listening as our default response? What kind of spiritual practices might buoy our hearts, and create our capacity for joy? How might this community of faith make our shoulders strong, keep our hearts open, and join together as an island of sanity and solidarity? Join us in the
Yes, and...
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Seniors Hike with Daytime Connections
Thursday, July 25, 10 a.m.
Meet at Richardson Nature Center (map)
Join fellow seniors for a hike at Hyland Park Reserve!
Meet at 10 a.m. at Richardson Nature Center, 8737 E. Bush Lake Rd in Bloomington. The nature center is located in the NW section of Hyland. The park reserve
contains a diverse combination of savanna, small lakes, wetlands and hardwood forests that support a wide variety of birds and wildlife including osprey, pileated woodpeckers and humming birds. The group will hike for about 1.5 hours on wood mulch and dirt trails which are moderately hilly.
Optional post-hike activity is lunch at
Willy McCoy's
.
RSVP to Tom Saterstrom at 952-239-3629 (cell) or
saterstromtom@yahoo.com.
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Young Adults Movie Night: "Best in Show"
Monday, Aug. 5, 8 p.m. in Loring Park
Meet at Dunn Brothers, 329 W. 15th St.
Join other folks from First Universalist in their 20s and 30s for an outdoor screening of "Best in Show," the 2000 mockumentary about dog shows and the eccentric people who participate. Meet at 8 p.m. at Dunn Brothers at 329 W. 15th St, Minneapolis, and walk together to Loring Park to enjoy the film. According to one reviewer, Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink, this is "objectively one of the best movies of all time." Contact Gordon Loery at gloery945@gmail.com with questions.
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Newcomer Circle
DATE CHANGE!
Wednesdays, Aug. 7, 14, 21 & 28, 6:30-8 pm
Are you new to First Universalist? Whether you are a recent visitor or a new member, you're invited to join a Newcomer Circle. These four-session gatherings of 6-10 newcomers offer a chance to get to know Unitarian Universalism, reflect on our spiritual journeys, and connect with other folks who are new to church. To register, contact Sandy DiNanni at sandy@firstuniv.org or call 612-825-1701.
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Pathway to Membership Class
Tuesdays, Aug. 13 & 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Is First Universalist feeling like your spiritual home? Join us for The Pathway to Membership, a class exploring Unitarian Universalism, the history & mission of this congregation, and the experience of membership. Participants are invited to share and reflect on their own spiritual journeys and values. We ask that all those who wish to become members take this class (two sessions = one class),
led by Arif Mamdani, who will be joining us as Director of Membership and Adult Ministries in August.
To register, contact Sandy DiNanni at
sandy@firstuniv.org
or 612-825-1701.
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Worship and Potluck at Lake Harriet:
Sunday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m.
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Join us for an energizing intergenerational worship service and potluck picnic at the Lake Harriet Bandshell on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m.!
We'll enjoy music, inspiring messages and stories, and a delicious potluck picnic together afterwards.
Please bring a dish and/or beverage to share, as well as chairs or blankets to sit on. Bring plates, cups and eating utensils for everyone in your party.
This is part of an annual outdoor worship series at the Lake Harriet bandshell with about 15 neighborhood congregations participating.
Please note: this will be our only worship service on Sunday, Aug. 18 (no worship at 3400 Dupont).
Ice cream buckets needed!
A special request from Sandy DiNanni:
Always, in the past, there has been a
supply of ice cream buckets, kept at the bandshell, in which to gather the collection. This year, the
buckets disappeared, so we need to take some ourselves.
If you save the ice cream buckets at your house, or if you're planning a massive ice cream party
before August 18th, would you share your buckets with us? Email Sandy at sandy@firstuniv.org if you can help!
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Important Update on Co-Location Conversations
& Work Happening this Summer
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Our June 2 Annual Meeting of the Membership saw record attendance (at least in recent memory!), driven in large part by the desire of so many to participate in and be informed about conversations about the possibility of co-location (campus sharing) that First Universalist and Shir Tikvah are currently engaged in.
One critical issue identified focused on whether or not co-location would enhance or distract from our racial justice mission and our support of our POCI congregants. These concerns were raised at the Annual Meeting, and small group discussions focused on several related questions about the impact of possible co-location on our racial justice mission and our People of Color/Indigenous (POCI) congregants. Board of Trustee members facilitated these groups; input from these sessions will be discussed at upcoming Board meetings.
Though things slow down at church during the summer due to vacation schedules, leadership has been working to review and evaluate all of the feedback, identify and discuss issues that have been raised, and determine what needs to be researched further and how to share additional, more concrete information.
Critical work is happening this summer on several fronts during this "quiet period."
- Our architecture firm is working with a joint First Universalist and Shir Tikvah Building Committee as they develop specific building plans and more specific cost estimates for our potential shared campus. This work will allow us to provide you with a much clearer understanding of the costs of the renovation and a much clearer picture of what the building would look like if we decide to co-locate. The architects fees for this work are being divided equally between First Universalist and Shir Tikvah.
- The Legal and Financial Foundations Committee is working on a memorandum of understanding which outlines all of the potential agreements around governance and operating principles. The document will outline a process to come to closure on issues that are not yet decided. This document should provide additional clarity around some of the questions around governance.
- Others with operations expertise are looking more carefully at potential annual operating costs of a shared campus. Included are staffing models and costs of shared staff in a co-located building. This group is also looking at space requirements of both congregations in more detail, building on the analysis already accomplished.
- A Parking Committee was formed and will launch at the end of July. This Committee will build on the work of a Parking Committee that provided considerable research and some good suggestions in 2016. Parking is frequently mentioned as a challenge for First Universalist; this is important work for us whether or not we decide to move to a shared campus.
At the Annual Meeting, we communicated our commitment to continue deep discernment about the implications for co-location and our racial justice work and visionary goals. As a result of the congregation's feedback, questions and requests, we also see a need to provide more education and understanding of Jewish racial identity and the relationship of white supremacy to anti-Semitism, anti-Blackness, and Islamophobia. Also requested are more opportunities to learn about and engage with the Shir Tikvah congregation. Much of this work will occur in the coming church year; the next opportunity to engage with Shir Tikvah will be at our August 18 Lake Harriet service and picnic.
We will communicate a comprehensive communication plan early in the new church year. There will be a great deal of additional information to communicate and digest, and the work related to our visionary goals, needed education, and learning more about each other will extend over the church year.
As a result, our discernment will continue over the 2019-20 church year with the final vote occurring at our Annual Meeting in 2020.
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Work of First Universalist's Environmental Justice Team Recognized in the Southwest Journal
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"Making Space for Environmental Justice"
by Mira Klein, Southwest Journal
Excerpts from the article, published in the
Southwest Journal
on July 3, 2019:
The crowd had gathered for a "Community Conversation on Environmental Justice, " an event co-organized by First Universalist's environmental justice team and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar's office.
Omar was joined on the panel by attorney and Honor the Earth National Campaigns Director Tara Houska (Couchiching First Nation), state Rep. Frank Hornstein (District 61A) and high school climate justice activist Juwaria Jama. The panelists in turn addressed a range of questions from urban forestry to organizing fatigue.
It was the congregation's environmental justice (EJ) team that originated the idea for the panel. Recognizing Omar's vocal support of a sweeping package of environmental proposals known as the Green New Deal, the EJ team composed a letter to her staff in April offering First Universalist as a space to galvanize support in Omar's home district.
Stan Sattinger is team lead of First Universalist's environmental justice team, which was founded in 2015.
He views First Universalist as a natural vehicle for building strong environmental movements. "I think spiritual [and] religious organizations are the great hope that I have for the revolution of values that will get the public pulling in the right direction," he said. "It has to be values-driven, and that's where religious organizations come in."
Over the past several years, Sattinger has worked alongside a committed group of congregational EJ team members to strategically leverage their community activism toward addressing environmental justice and the climate crisis. Serving as event hosts is one of those strategies.
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Please Respond to the 2019 Congregational Survey
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How are we doing? How can we do better?
Every few years the First Universalist Church Board of Trustees takes a survey of the congregation to determine how well the church and the ministers are making progress towards our visionary goals.
We sent out our 2019 Congregational Survey on Monday, July 1, and thus far we've received responses from just over 200 people - thank you!
If you have been involved at First Universalist during the past two years and have
not yet filled out the survey, please do. The survey data provides important information that helps church leadership assess and work to improve our progress toward our goals. Thoughtful comments and feedback about your recent experiences are encouraged! Please take a few minutes of your time to
respond to the survey if you haven't yet done so.
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MidWest Mixed Conference Art Exhibit on View
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Work by twelve artists, all of whom identify as people of mixed race and/or are transracial adoptees, is on view in the social hall as part of an exhibit organized for the 2019 MidWest Mixed Conference: Disrupting the Single Story, hosted at First Universalist Church July 12-14. Curated by artist and MidWest Mixed leadership team member Leslie Barlow, the exhibit will remain on view for two weeks following the conference, through July 28.
The exhibit showcases artwork related to themes of race, identity, and personal narratives, and includes pieces by twelve different emerging and mid-career artists from the Midwest.
The exhibit gave conference attendees another way to approach the subject matter. Exhibit curator and conference organizer Leslie Barlow says: "I believe that visual art is another way that people connect to their identity and access the complexity of the conversations we're having at the conference."
MidWest Mixed works to bring thoughtful programming for mixed race people and families to the Twin Cities community, working to expand understanding of race and identity through courageous conversations, arts engagement, educational outreach, and a biennial conference.
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Community Event: Hear About MIRAC's Trip to the Border
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Submitted by Denise Konen
There is so much interest and concern from First U folks about the travesty of injustice happening at the U.S. Mexican border. If you would like to hear first hand from people who were there recently - here's your chance!
Attend a report back from a delegation from MIRAC (Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee) that took a trip there in April.
Date & Time: Monday, July 22, 7-9 p.m.
Location: 4200 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
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In July and August, office open hours will temporarily be shortened on two days per week. The office will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This change will not affect any currently scheduled meetings or events. Building doors and phones will not be monitored outside of office hours, however, so please plan accordingly.
July & August Office Open Hours
Mondays & Thursdays: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fridays: CLOSED
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Registration for 2019-2020 Religious Education is Now Open
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Registration for Sunday morning childcare and Religious Education in the 2019-2020 church year is now open. Register online today!
- The church year starts Sept. 8, 2019 and runs through May 17, 2020
- All families - new or returning - with children and youth in Nursery through High School must register
- There is no fee for Religious Education or childcare
- Programs for children, youth and families are an essential ministry of First Universalist, funded by the annual gifts of the members and friends of the congregation
- Our model is a cooperative one, with families learning and growing in religious community together.
- Visit the Class Descriptions page to review curriculum for each age and grade level.
- Childcare and RE class sizes are limited and are filled on a first-come first-served basis - the safety of our kids, the capacity of our volunteer teams, and the quality of the church experience for everyone guide our enrollment policies.
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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. If you call outside of office open hours, follow the prompts for pastoral care on the recording.
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Join Our Mailing List
Subscribe to
The Weekly Liberal
here.
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here.
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Summer Church Office Hours
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Sundays 9
a.m.-1 p.m.
Mondays & Thursdays
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 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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