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December 19, 2019 | Vol. 6 No. 51
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Rev. Justin Schroeder |
Dear First Universalist Church,
As my family and I prepare to leave on our six month sabbatical, this poem, "Clearing," by Martha Postlewaite, has been a guiding light:
Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worthy of rescue.
Creating a clearing is not a new practice for me; I have created small clearings through meditation, prayer, and journaling. All have been helpful. What is new is the length of time in which to truly create a sizable clearing in my life. I am imagining sabbatical as a time of creating and living into a generous, luxurious spaciousness, to discover what's really true in my life right now, and to notice what is lighting me up. My intention for sabbatical is to pay attention to what my life is asking of me right now.
And as I prepare to leave, I want all of you to know a few things:
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I promise to come back from sabbatical! Though six months feels like a long time, it will go quickly, and we will see each other again soon.
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The church is the strongest and healthiest I've ever seen it. With our Co-Senior Minister model, and a great working relationship with the Board of Trustees, we've created shared, collaborative leadership that is not dependent on a single person.
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I am taking this sabbatical time seriously, listening deeply to my inner wisdom and knowing, and listening deeply to the spirit of life/Love/God. I trust that this time away will strengthen my family, my own spirit, and my ministry. New clarity, insights, and commitments will emerge from this time away and shape the chapters to come at First Universalist.
While I am away, may the long time sun shine upon you, may all love surround you, may the pure light within you...guide your way on. May you be blessed and be a blessing. I love you.
With love and care,
Rev. Justin
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General Contractor Selected for Renovations
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We are excited to share that we have selected a General Contractor for our renovation project! We are delighted to be working with Flannery Construction, a woman-owned business that came in with the best price and the best responses to our vendor policy questions about equity and racial justice practices in their business. Flannery Construction has done a considerable amount of work with non-profits, including with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative.
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L to R: Chelsea Waters (owners representative), Jamey Flannery (contractor), Lucia Webb (staff), Rev. Jen Crow, congregants Cindy Marsh, Kristen Mengelkoch, Marnie Peichel, and Shawn Gaither, and Paul May (architect) gathered earlier this week to review detailed cost estimates from the contractor alongside previously developed design possibilities from the architect.
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With the selection of our general contractor, we are now moving into the next phase of our project as we make choices about what to include and exclude from the overall scope of the project. A team of staff and congregants have reconvened to work with our owner's representative, architect, and general contractor to evaluate the options, make choices, and develop plans and a project calendar.
In alignment with the goals of the capital campaign that raised funds for this project, we are using these guiding ideas:
- Make our building as accessible, welcoming, functional, and safe as possible
- Work within our budget
- Keep the mortgage paid off
- Attend in equal parts to deferred maintenance, sanctuary improvements, and other building improvements
We are moving forward with the expectation that all work will be completed this summer, between May 2020 and September/October of 2020.
We will be sharing more information in the new year and communicating regularly with the congregation as plans for renovations develop. Stay tuned!
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Sunday, Dec. 22, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
"Home: Blessing and Belonging"
Rev. Jen Crow & Rev. Justin Schroeder
In this season of darkness, we are invited to rest and be at home in the stillness and winter quiet, trusting that the light, birdsong, and blossoms will return. As the season turns, the darkness at this threshold moment holds both blessing and belonging.
This Sunday, as we rest in such a moment, we welcome our guests from Families Moving Forward, and offer a blessing for Rev. Justin, Rev. Jen, and the entire congregation as they collectively prepare for Justin's six-month sabbatical. This Sunday, we ready ourselves for love to be born again in the world, and to be surprised and delighted by what the New Year brings. Please, join us for worship at 9:30 or 11:15 a.m.
Please note: there is no childcare or Religious Education this Sunday
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Sunday, Dec. 29, 10 a.m. only
Rev. Karen Hutt
Sunday, Jan. 5, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Remembrance Sunday
Sunday, Jan. 12, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
Arif Mamdani
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Choir-led worship:
Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughan Williams
"Home: A Philosophical Problem"
- Rev. Karen Hutt
"I Will Light a Candle" -
Arif Mamdani
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On the Sunday Service Podcast:
Choir-led Worship & Holiday Giving Sunday
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Sermon summary & reflections by Liz Farmer:
A quick google search reveals that the word "worship" is derived from an Old English word meaning "worthiness or worth-ship" - to give, at its simplest, worth to something. Why do you come to worship? In this time of need and greed - especially leading up to the Holidays - what is valuable about worship? Is there worth in having a place to come as you are? To nurture your spirit weekly? To sing, pray, laugh, cry, listen, and be together? To have the chance to hold one another in a community grounded in love, justice, and the inherent dignity and worth-iness of each and every being? The First Universalist Choir and Orchestra, Holiday Giving Team, and Rev. Justin answer this question in abundance through music and reflections in this week's Sunday Service Podcast. Listen here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
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Solstice Open Labyrinth Walk
Saturday, Dec. 21, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 21, we'll host our 39th annual Winter Solstice Celebration. The Labyrinth in the Social Hall will be open between 5:30 and 6:45 p.m. for those who wish to walk the Labyrinth before the Solstice Ritual. You are welcome to arrive any time between 5:30 and 6:45; the last walk will begin at 6:45 p.m. Members of the Labyrinth Circle will be present to answer questions and offer guidance.
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Winter Solstice Celebration
Saturday, Dec. 21
7 p.m. doors open, 7:30 p.m. ritual
Honor the darkness of the longest night of the year and rejoice in the returning of the sun at our 39th annual Winter Solstice Celebration.
The ritual begins at 7:30 p.m. and includes chants, solstice heritage & wisdom, calling the directions, 12 minutes spent in darkness accompanied by a drum beat, musical guests, and the Solstice Witch to brighten the celebration. Spiral dancing and ginger cookies in the social hall follow.
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Christmas Pageants
Sunday, Dec. 22 & Tuesday, Dec. 24, 4 p.m.
Our annual Christmas Pageant is a beautiful telling of an ancient story. It is a tale of hope and hospitality, a reminder that every child is born a redeemer, a story that speaks to us all of what it means to be a seeker, a star, a wise one, a wanderer.
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Tuesday, Dec. 24, 9:30 p.m.
The Candlelight Service at First Universalist is a time of mindfulness, meaning making and music. This service is a weaving of scripture readings, poems, musical offerings, silence, and lighting our hearts and spirit with the candlelight and hope.
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 Please help us give a warm welcome to Aj Williams (she/they), who joined the First Universalist
staff in late November as our new Evening and Sunday Host!
Aj is responsible for staffing the office
reception desk on weekday evenings, Monday through Thursday 5:30 to 8 p.m. Beginning in mid-January, Aj will be at the Hub in the Social Hall on Sundays to greet visitors and answer questions. They are also providing some administrative support for membership, adult ministries, and hospitality.
Aj is originally from Evanston, IL, and most recently called Holden Village, Washington, home before moving to Minneapolis. Aj graduated from Lawrence University in 2017, and had the opportunity to study film and earth sciences. Outside of First Universalist Church, Aj works for Twin Cities Public Television as a videographer and freelances as a documentary artist. The things most near and dear to their heart include family, focaccia, live music, and her long-term foster cat, Nairuz.
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A Note About Staffing Changes
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With any staff transition comes the opportunity to evaluate and reassess systems and how responsibilities are allocated and shared between staff (and volunteers). In the wake of Sandy DiNanni's retirement, we have been working to do just this. As you can likely imagine, after 18 years at First Universalist, Sandy had collected a wide variety of responsibilities!
A fair amount of the adult ministries administrative work that Sandy was responsible for is now being done by Liz Farmer, our fabulous and super capable Administrative & Adult Ministries Assistant. Our new staff member Aj is focused on providing a welcoming presence in the office and social hall on weekday evenings and Sundays. Other tasks have been spread out between operations and facilities staff and Arif Mamdani, Director of Membership and Adult Ministries.
Please keep this in mind as we all adjust to modified roles and new systems!
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Families Moving Forward:
Can You Help with Our Families' Christmas Wish Lists?
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Our Families Moving Forward hosting weeks (Dec. 22 - Jan. 5) are just around the corner!
Thanks to all the volunteers who attended Tuesday's volunteer orientation session; together, we'll soon be setting up bedrooms, preparing meals, building gingerbread houses with our guests, decorating the tree, playing music and games, and volunteering as overnight hosts to ensure the comfort and safety of our guests.
We have just received Christmas wish lists from the families who will be staying with us. Could you help fulfill any of these wishes?
View the wish lists and sign up for an item or two here. Please drop off the item(s) you've committed to in Room 208 no later than 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22. Thank you!
Families Moving Forward, a program of
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, provides temporary housing for families experiencing homelessness. Over 60 congregations in the Twin Cities rotate on a weekly basis to create shelter space at their sites.
Learn more
here
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Holiday Giving: Thank You!
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Together, we have been reimagining what real joy and true justice look like this holiday season. At the invitation of our multigenerational Holiday Giving Team, many of you made the choice to
reduce your holiday spending in order to better care for the planet, reduce clutter and say no to frenzied consuming. Many of you also accepted the invitation to re-direct the money saved and contribute it toward a collective gift for our Holiday Giving Project recipient, Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU).
We are thrilled to share that so far we have collected almost $20,000 for BLUU!
If you didn't have a chance to make your gift yet, there is still time! You may make a gift here, or deliver/mail a check to the church, made out to First Universalist Church with "Holiday Giving" in the memo line.
Thank you for your generosity!
And, if you haven't already, check out the Holiday Giving display in the social hall! The display goes into detail about why we've selected Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism as the recipient of our holiday gift, and shares some approaches to reimagining joy and justice and putting our values at the center of our holiday celebrations in this season.
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Winter in Minnesota has gotten off to an icy start this year! As always, our Facilities staff are working hard to keep our sidewalks and parking lot as clear and safe as possible. Even so, please allow yourself extra time to safely navigate your way into the church building! If you use traction cleats such as Yaktrax, remember that they are extremely dangerous to wear indoors on our smooth floors. There are benches just inside almost every entrance to the church (except for the parking lot door) - please have a seat and remove your traction cleats before venturing further into the building. We wish everyone a safe winter season!
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Reminder: No Parking in Handicapped Transfer Zones
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Earlier this year, at our request, the city added a second Handicapped Transfer Zone for us, in front of the 34th Street Entrance, which is a Sunday-only entrance. This is in addition to the Transfer Zone located in front of the Dupont Avenue atrium main entrance.
Please be aware that both Handicapped Transfer Zones are strictly No Parking zones at all times, and are to be used for drop off and pick up only.
If you have a handicapped parking permit, please park in one of the designated parking spots in our parking lot or - on Sundays - in the on-street handicapped parking zone located behind the Transfer Zone on 34th Street.
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Holiday Ushers & Greeters Still Needed!
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Thank you so much to the folks who have already answered our call for ushers and greeters! If you've been sitting on the fence, this is your opportunity to answer the call as well: Please consider volunteering some of your time at church this holiday season! We could still use some volunteer ushers and greeters for the Solstice Celebration at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, and Christmas Pageants at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Dec. 24. We currently have a particular need for folks to help at the 9:30 p.m. Christmas Eve service, and for the Singing Sunday service at 10 a.m. on December 29, so if you were already planning to attend either of those services, perhaps you'll consider coming a bit early to help welcome folks or serve as an usher?
Ushers greet people at the entrance to the sanctuary, hand out orders of service, and pass the baskets to collect the offering during services. To sign up to usher, contact usher coordinator Karen Larson at karentischlerlarson@gmail.com.
Greeters arrive in advance of the service and welcome folks as they are entering the building. If you can help as a greeter, email Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org.
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Winter Clothing Drive for Local Immigrant Community: This Week Only!
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 Angelica and Samantha, two young leaders at MIRAC (Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee), have asked First Universalist to help them with a winter clothing drive - with our local immigrant community in mind.
Here's what we need: Clean gently used or new winter coats, snow pants, scarves, hats, mittens and boots for children and adults, all ages and sizes. We will be collecting donations this Sunday, Dec. 22, only. Please bring your donations to the coat closet in the lower narthex (if you are facing the social hall it will be on the right with a big sign).
For those in the First U community who would appreciate some warm winter wear, please come to the lower narthex coat closet and look for what you need to keep yourself warm.
Volunteers are needed to accept donations at the closet and make sure no one stores their coats there on Sunday, Dec. 22. Email Denise Konen
denise@netgains.net if you can help.
Thank you for your generosity!
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Habitat for Humanity 2020 Spring Work Day
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First Universalist has just one Habitat for Humanity work day coming up this spring, and we'd love to have you on the crew!
The date is:
Thursday, January 9 - Bloomington
Volunteers must be over 16 years of age, 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.
, and lunch will be provided.
For more information contact Ingrid Young (
ingrina99@yahoo.com
).
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Holiday Office Hours & Year-End Giving
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Calendar year 2019 is quickly coming to an end. If you would like to make a financial gift prior to the end of the year, donations must be transferred, postmarked, made online or dropped off at the church office no later than Tuesday, Dec. 31. Please be aware that the church office will be closing early at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23 and will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 24 through Wednesday, Jan. 1. Contributions can be dropped off in person with a staff member at the information desk in the social hall before or after services on Sundays, Dec. 22 and 29. If you have questions, contact Chelsea Bertsch at 612-825-1701 ext. 107 or chelsea@firstuniv.org. Thank you to all for your ongoing support and generosity to First Universalist Church!
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Donations Needed for Augsburg Fairview Academy
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 During the school year, we collect donations for the Food and Clothing Closets at Augsburg Fairview Academy, one of our six Faithful Action partners.
Most needed items for Hope Clothing Closet: warm gloves and texting gloves for men and women, warm socks for men and women, teen appropriate winter jackets (dark colors preferred). Clothing should appeal to teens, be appropriate for the season (please, no summer clothes now) and be in good repair: clean, no broken zippers, no tears.
Most needed items for Hope Food Closet: winter toiletries such as chapstick and lotion; single serve microwavable meals like chili and stew.
Please bring items to the Info Center in the Social Hall on Sunday or leave on the shelves for AFA by the 34th St. entrance.
Thank you for your generosity!
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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 Rev. Ruth MacKenzie at
ruth@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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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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Join Our Mailing List
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The Weekly Liberal
here.
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here.
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Church Office Hours
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Sundays 9
a.m.-1 p.m.
Monday - Thursday
9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Closed Fridays and Saturdays
Closed Dec. 24 - Jan. 1
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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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