Dear Jenn,

As we prepare for our first in-person (and online too this year) Water Communion service since 2019, I can’t help but reflect on all that we’ve been through as a church, a community, and a country in the last three years. I’m noticing that even as I feel the hope and excitement of gathering in person with friends and family, at church and at school as the season changes—I also feel the loss. I notice who is not there—because the Covid risk levels are still too high for them to safely participate in person, because life events or this time of different connections has led them to make different choices about what feels most important to them, or because death or illness has come for them or those they love. I notice the absence and the empty space, and I feel the grief that so often lives with us now. 

The last three years have brought tremendous changes to our church community. I know that many of you have felt these changes and the hope and loss that has come with each of them. In many ways, the pace of change has been so fast we haven’t had the time or space or energy to pause and take stock of all that has happened, who we are, and where we are going now. I am so grateful that we are about to embark on a process of deep listening to each other, to our tradition, and to the future that is calling us forward as we create new Visionary Goals to guide our church for the next five years. All of you will be invited in— in-person and online—as we hear each other’s hopes and dreams about who and what we might become.  

But first, let’s pause and breathe. Let’s notice who is here and who is missing. Let’s remember that as individuals and as a community, we have been through a tremendous time of loss even as we have found our communal strength and resilience. And let’s remember that as our spiritual ancestor, Henry David Thoreau, once wrote: “There is no remedy for love but to love more.” 

So I choose to put my faith in love, as Rev. Kate Tucker wrote—to hold us, heal us, and lead us on. 

In gratitude,

Jen

Rev. Jen Crow

Senior Minister

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Worship

Sunday, Sept. 4, 10 a.m.

Recordings & Podcasts

Aug. 28 Cycle of Life

News & Features

Sept. 18 Community Choir

Celebrating Rev. Jen Crow

We Need Volunteers!

Families Moving Forward

Habitat Build Days Return

Visual Arts Flowers

Nature Photo Exhibit

Happenings

Welcome Week

Vigil at the Whipple Building

Women's Ritual Circle 

12-Step Spirituality

Sunday, Sept. 4 — 10 a.m.

"Homemade by the River"

Join us for worship this Sunday, Sept. 4 to explore what architects, masons, and the sound of water can teach us about crafting a home by hand. And what rivers remind us about living a life in motion and movement.

This Sunday's guest Matt Meyer is a musician and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston. Learn more about Matt.

Worship leaders (pictured above, left to right): Matt Meyer, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Jen Crow, and Lóre Stevens

ORDER OF SERVICE

IN PERSON AT 10 A.M. (masks required)

In person worship over the summer months is offered as a single service at 10 a.m. Masks are required indoors. Please review our current COVID-19 policies for gathering.

Can you help as an usher or greeter? Sign up here!.

ONLINE AT 10 A.M.

This service will live-streamed on Zoom and YouTube Live at 10 a.m. Join the Zoom livestream here (Webinar ID: 861 805 984) or watch on YouTube. The recording will be available here after worship.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

This Sunday, there is childcare for ages 6 months to 3 years. All ages are welcome to worship in the sanctuary.

Sunday, Aug. 28: "Ready? Set? Go!" Backpack Blessing Sunday

This multigenerational service offers children, youth, and adults of all ages the opportunity to reflect upon how we might carry the love of our church community and the tools of our faith with us wherever we go. In this season of returning and restarting, we affirm the boundless worth of each and every person, and encourage one another to act with integrity and compassion. Watch

Sunday, Aug. 21: "Air and Breath" Worship at the Lake Harriet Bandshell

Listen to the podcast from our recent Lake Harriet worship service here. 

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive 

We hold Marc Gorelick and his family in our hearts as they mourn the death of Marc’s mother, Phyllis Shaefer Gorelick, who passed away Thursday after a brief illness. Marc and his son were by her side and appreciate the care and support of this congregation.

We celebrate with Nattie and Paul Harstad on the birth of one more redeemer, baby Kenzo Banks Harstad, born on July 28. Older brother Kash is thrilled and all are in good health and happiness.

If you are experiencing a crisis or transition, celebrating a joy­ or marking a sorrow, please let us know. To be included in our Cycle of Life on Sunday in worship, or if you would like support, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701.

Join the Community Choir for Rev. Jen's

10-Year Celebration on September 18!

A note from Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries

We've got a big, big moment to celebrate in just a couple weeks as we mark Rev. Jen's 10 years as a leader at First Universalist. And one of the most beautiful ways a community celebrates is singing together. So, let's make a community choir! 

Don't read music? No problem—we're singing by heart! Never been in a choir before? Doesn't this sound like just the right excuse?

I'm inviting each one of our members, friends, friends of friends, families, newcomers, of all ages, courageous singers and timid, experienced and brand new, to sing in a pop-up community choir to honor Rev. Jen and this great decade together. 

There's just a one-rehearsal commitment (Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m.–noon in the sanctuary), and we'll sing for services at 9 and 11 a.m. the next day (Sunday, Sept. 18). You won't want to miss it.

There's nothing required to join except to sign up (https://tinyurl.com/jen10choir) by Thursday, Sept. 16!

See you there! 

Celebrating Rev. Jen Crow’s Love and Care

By Margit Berg

We are a caring community. We always have been, and generations of First Universalists have, in turn, both provided and appreciated each other’s care. As our former Minister the Reverend Ralph Johnson noted, “sometimes we need the ocean, sometimes we are the ocean.” When Jen arrived, she recognized this strength, but she knew we could build on it. And build she did! 

One of Jen’s first areas of ministry at our church was to direct the Pastoral Care program. She established a Pastoral Care Team. That team made more formal the lay visitor program which is now called Care Companions. These companions are partnered with a congregant in need of support and visit them on an ongoing basis—at least monthly, maybe more frequently. Jen created the training for that team. Over time the training was expanded to include crisis training. Each year these companions are “commissioned” as devoted to caring, thus acknowledging their willingness to serve and to provide the congregation with the understanding of how they can help.

At the same time, Jen encouraged our support be broadened. The team now offers meals on a short-term basis to families with newborns as well as people of all ages who need temporary support. Jen also made it okay to talk about mental health, grief, and marriage issues. She offered a program on planning your memorial service. From those giving birth to those dying and to all of those experiencing life’s critical times in between, our church now provides support. Pastoral care at First Universalist is truly intergenerational.

This has been aided by the example set by Jen and her family. Little did she know when she started this job that she would be beset by a devastating house fire. The book she wrote, Take What You Need: Life Lessons After Losing Everything, explores her reactions to this tragedy and how her personal struggles earlier in her life helped her understand that she and her family couldn’t cope with the aftermath alone. Not only did they get counseling, but they graciously accepted our love and our help for basic needs and for emotional support. They modeled being vulnerable and saying “yes, thank-you.”   

In talking about what makes it possible for some people to survive difficult experiences and others not, Jen talks about resiliency. Her theory is that “Maybe a little bit of love can accomplish more than any strategy or treatment plan.” Love is the foundation of pastoral care at First Universalist. Thank you, Rev. Jen Crow, for being our teacher. 

On Sunday, Sept. 18, both services will focus on honoring Jen’s ministry. We will be celebrating with cake after each service. We hope you’ll join us on this important day!

Sharing messages with Jen

Congregants (adults and youth) may share messages with Jen Crow as we celebrate her 10 years of ministry at First Universalist. Ways to contribute:

• Drop a note in a special box in the atrium or office
• Send a card to 3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408 with “Jen’s celebration” on the envelope
• Email a message for Jen to member Bette DeMars at jbdemars2@gmail.com  
• Bring your message to the celebration and place it in the special box  

We encourage you to keep reading the series of articles in the Liberal celebrating aspects of Jen's ministry. The articles began July 28 and will continue through September 15.

Cake cutters needed! 

Consider helping cut and serve cake for the celebration. Individuals will be needed during first service, after first service, during second service and after service. Please contact Bette DeMars at jbdemars2@gmail.com with the time frame that works best for you.

Submitted by Geoff Lenox

I volunteer because I find it to be an antidote to despair. When I am down, worrying about all the things in this world that seem to be in conflict with my values, volunteering— especially with a group working towards a common goal—gives me hope that my values will endure and that I am helping to work towards a better world. I find a purpose and involvement in something larger than myself.

Volunteerism has fallen off precipitously since the start of the pandemic and many organizations that rely on volunteers to fulfill their mission are in dire need today. This is a natural consequence of the isolation we all experienced and the fear of infection. Of course you must judge your level of risk to infection for yourself, but if you are feeling safer to engage again in the community, many organizations need your help.

Simpson Housing (one of our community partners) which prior to the pandemic provided 100% of evening meals for all its shelter guests through volunteer groups, can only find volunteers to cover less than 40% of those meals today. This puts financial strain on the organization because they need to pay caterers for those meals not covered by volunteers. Habitat for Humanity (another partner) has much fewer volunteers helping to build housing than they did prior to the pandemic and the result of this is fewer affordable homes being built.

First Universalist is not immune to this problem. We are having a much harder time getting volunteers to greet and usher on Sundays, do grounds work, and help with memorial services. Building the supportive community we all want at our church and in the wider community takes more than good wishes, it takes work. Please consider volunteering when the church and our community partners reach out for volunteers. They can’t fulfill their missions without us.

By the way volunteering benefits you as well! What benefits do you get personally by volunteering?

• Brings fun and fulfillment into your life. Participating in volunteer opportunities can help you achieve a sense of fulfillment. 
• Provides you with a sense of purpose. 
• Helps counteract the effects of stress, anger, and anxiety. 
• Allows you to overcome challenges. 
• Helps you stay physically healthy. 



We have many volunteer opportunities at our church and with any of our community partners. Please consider volunteering and help to build the beloved community we all want. Get involved!

Geoff has compiled a great list of some of our current volunteer needs and opportunities. Find that on our website here.

Families Moving Forward is a program of Beacon, an interfaith housing collaborative, which provides temporary housing for people seeking permanent shelter. During a two week period between September 4 & 17, First U volunteers will provide prepared meals and snacks for families housed in a local hotel. Sign up to help pick up groceries, cook at home or church, or deliver prepared meals. 

Submitted by Karen Parson and Bill McTeer

Karen Parson and Bill McTeer met while working on a Habitat project (she says she spent all day chasing him up a ladder and it led to love). Many other long-term friendships have developed through work on Habitat as well. If you have the time on a Habitat work day, put on your grubby clothes and come get involved with other church members. No special skills or experience required, but some very satisfying fun and work will be had. Maybe you'll get to meet the family who will occupy the home!

Our church is re-starting its long history of working with Habitat for Humanity. On Monday, Oct. 3, 15 church volunteers will spend the day (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) helping build a home for a family in need. We hope you're among them.

Interested in being part of the team on October 3? Sign up here!

Submitted by Marjie Smith:

Visual Arts is again able to create arrangements in honor of occasions, individuals and/or rites of passages to be displayed at our Sunday services. If you would like to mark an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion or person with a floral arrangement please contact me at: marjiesmith1@gmail.com or 612-825-1125

In the Social Hall through Sept. 4 is an exhibit featuring photos taken by congregants, collected by the Climate & Environmental Justice Team.

The images, which were projected during the 2022 Earth Day celebration, are now on display in the Social Hall. Photographers share where their photos were taken along with a brief description of how nature inspired them. 

All of the photos are for sale with profits going to our church’s climate and environmental justice work. In these final weeks of the exhibit, photos are half price!

WHEN: September 9-18th, Multiple times and events

WHERE: Multiple venues across Minnesota

WHO: Contact MUUSJA, director@muusja.org or Karen Wills kwmuusja@gmail.com

DETAILS: https://muusja.salsalabs.org/welcomingweek2022

We would particularly like to invite all UU congregations in the Twin Cities greater metro area to join us if you can on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7:30-8:30 a.m., for an early morning vigil for immigration justice with Rev. Arif Mamdani & UUs from various congregations & ICOM (Interfaith Coalition on Migration) outside the deportation courts at the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. More details are below.

Women (cis and trans) as well as non-binary folks who find their home in women-centric spaces who are interested in earth-based and pagan spirituality are invited to upcoming open rituals of the Under Northern Skies Women’s Ritual Circle. We will meet in room 209 in the First Universalist building on the following dates:

Saturday, Sept. 10

Sunday, Sept. 25

Sunday, Oct. 9

Tuesday, Oct. 25

We gather at 7:15 pm and promptly begin an hour-long ritual at 7:30 p.m., with time for questions and socializing to follow. For members who choose to commit to the circle, the commitment ritual for this cycle will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8, after which the circle will close to new members until September 2023.

Please contact Ann Hobbs at g.annhobbs@gmail.com with any questions.

Saturdays, 9:30–10:45 a.m. online via Zoom

This weekly online meeting focuses on people who are actively working in any of 12 Step programs. It is focused on the 11th step through the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation. Meeting details are available at 12stepspirituality.org.

Church Office & Building Access

The church office is open on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The door bells are not monitored outside of this time.

Access to the building at times on other days can be arranged by contacting Jim Poulter, Building & Office Manager, at jim@firstuniv.org.