Dear Jenn,

Last month, we explored the worship theme of “You Can Count On This” together, and I shared how I approach making important decisions personally and as your Senior Minister. I start by asking, what do we know for sure? And then I lay out the principles or values that I want to guide the decision making process. Finally, I imagine a whole bunch of people, each with different life experiences and situations relevant to the decision, and I imagine what they might need or say, and if I can, I ask for their opinions and perspectives on the decision before I make it. Then I make the decision, sit with it for a bit, and share it. Then together, we live with the decision for a period of time, reevaluate it, and make room to change it as new information and experiences become available.

This fall, your Leadership Team (me, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Lauren Wyeth, Jenn Stromberg) have been considering if and how to update our Covid Community Care guidelines for our church. 

We started with what we know for sure:

• We know that Covid is still here, and that while we have been moving from pandemic to endemic, even with vaccines and boosters and increased exposure and immunity for many folks, people are still getting sick with Covid and people who live with certain health conditions are at greater risk of serious illness than others. 
• We also know that the health risks of Covid have decreased significantly for the majority of people and that mortality rates have gone down to next to zero. 
• We know that as has been true throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, risks of illness and death remain higher for marginalized communities. 
• We recently hired Rev. Ashley Harness-Jimenez as our half-time Assistant Minister with a focus on supporting our online community. 
• The CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health have made significant changes to their guidelines and recommendations over the last 6-12 months. With the development and widespread availability of effective Covid-19 treatments and the Covid-19 vaccine and booster series for all ages 2 and up, the CDC and MN Department of Health no longer require masking in public spaces, including schools and large public gatherings.
• At church, our Covid Community Care guidelines have included: Encouraging everyone who can receive the Covid-19 vaccine and boosters to do so. Requiring vaccination for all church staff and some volunteers. Ensuring updated technology for our HVAC system throughout both buildings so that airflow exceeds guidelines for risk mitigation in public spaces. Asking everyone to stay home if they feel sick. Requiring masking in the building at all times, except when eating or drinking, speaking from the pulpit or leading singing, or when the small group gathered has consented to moving to masking optional. 

Then we moved to the question, what values and principles will guide us as we consider changes? We asked:

• What outcome would we choose if we prioritized the needs of the most marginalized? Who is the “most marginalized” in this situation? 
• What outcome would best serve the mission of the church and the achievement of our visionary goals? 

We imagined who would be impacted by any decisions we might make, and we invited suggestions and feedback from the whole congregation via survey, asking folks who we believe to be most marginalized in this situation to identify themselves, so that we could listen specifically to their needs and concerns. 

Many of you responded to this invitation—191 in total—and many individuals and families who would be most impacted by any changes in our policy (about 25% of respondents) shared their perspectives and needs. Here’s some of what we heard:

• “I'm inclined for church to be more protective than other parts of society given our shared commitment to caring for one another and vulnerable populations.”
• “Many chronically ill/high-risk folks have expressed to me their disappointment at how mask-optional spaces have now become inaccessible to them. I would not like for First Universalist members in that situation to feel as though church had become an unwelcoming space for them.”
• “When considering the epidemic of loneliness faced by many in our community--namely elders and the immunocompromised--it is a structural assault to take away church as a place of connection.”
• “I want to keep everyone safe and like most I’m excited to see peoples faces (but not at the expense of their safety and feeling protected).”

After moving through this process, your Leadership Team decided to update our church Covid Community Care guidelines, effective Monday, Nov. 21:

• We continue to encourage all who can be vaccinated against Covid-19 to receive the initial vaccination and subsequent boosters to reduce the impact of Covid-19 for each person individually and for our wider community, collectively.
• We continue to require vaccination against Covid-19 for all church staff and some volunteers.
• We continue to ask people to stay home if they are feeling sick. 
• Our HVAC systems monitor occupancy via CO2 levels in all of our spaces, and are set to automatically bring in fresh air whenever certain thresholds are met. We’ve upgraded our air filtration to MERV-13, which captures Coronavirus particles, and our air exchange rates exceed standards for commercial spaces. 
• Masking will continue to be required in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings and for special services, and we will continue to livestream all worship services. This allows us to create an all-church space that welcomes everyone in our community. 
• Masking will be optional elsewhere on Sunday mornings—in the social hall, classrooms, hallways, and the Cummins Room (where the worship service is live-streamed)—and throughout the church building at all other times and for all other church activities, when Covid community levels in Hennepin County are Low or Medium, with the following exception:  
• Masking will be required in classrooms and small groups when a participant reaches out to Lauren Wyeth, Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages, in advance to make that request. Lauren will hold the name of the person making the request confidential, and will alert the group leader and participants that masks are required for that in person small group or class. 
• We will continue to offer many multi-platform opportunities for spiritual growth, and have put our resources toward further strengthening our online and multi-platform community. 

We will revisit this decision in the spring, and are working to creatively identify solutions that go beyond the binary of “masks required for everyone” and “masks optional for everyone.” We’re sitting with feedback from folks in our most marginalized communities who have welcomed the chance to participate in an all-community space and who understandably have grown weary of being identified as “the problem” instead of as people to be included.

In faith,

Rev. Jen

Rev. Jen Crow

Senior Minister

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Sunday Worship

Sunday, Nov. 20, 9 & 11 a.m.

After Worship Happenings

Nov. 13 Recording: "The Company We Keep"

New Member Photos

Nov. 13 Cycle of Life

News & Features

Give to the Max Day

Digital Ministry Survey

Calendar

November Board Meeting

EJ & RJ on the Northside

Pastoral & Community Care

Dinner Church for BIPOC

Families with Babies & Preschoolers Meetup

Affiliated Organizations

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Sunday, Nov. 20 — 9 & 11 a.m.

"Becoming Together: Child Dedication Sunday"

This Sunday, Nov. 20, we will celebrate the miracle that is at the center of our larger story and the cycle of life. We will welcome, name, and dedicate ourselves to the care of children in our congregation through a Child Dedication Ritual. Together we will discern and practice the spiritual work of committing ourselves to the care of our youngest and making room for the people they will become over the course their lives. 

Please join us for worship this Sunday at 9 or 11 a.m.!

Worship leaders: Rev. Ashley Harness, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Lauren Wyeth, Lóre Stevens, and Franco Holder

ORDER OF SERVICE

IN PERSON AT 9 A.M. & 11 A.M. (masks required)

This Sunday, we worship in person at 9 and 11 a.m. Masks are currently required indoors for ages 2+. Can you usher or greet? Sign up here!.

ONLINE AT 11 A.M.

This service is live-streamed at 11 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

Childcare is available for Nursery-PreK kids, starting at 8:45/10:45 a.m. Religious Education classes for K–12th grade are in session; children and youth begin their morning in the sanctuary with their families before being dismissed to their classes. All ages are always welcome in the sanctuary! Learn more here.

A Place to Start

After both services in the Chancel Room

A Place to Start is a brief, casual orientation to Unitarian Universalism and First Universalist Church for those who are new. During this 40-minute class, participants will learn about the foundations of our faith tradition and opportunities to get involved.

Youth Fundraiser: Donuts in the Social Hall

After a two year Covid hiatus, our youth recently returned from a pilgrimage to Boston to learn about Unitarian Universalist history. Our youth will be selling donuts in the Social Hall after both services this Sunday to help fund the trip. The suggested donation is $2/donut. We look forward to seeing you all this Sunday!

The Intersection of Environmental and Racial Justice on the Northside

1 p.m. in the Cummins Room or on Zoom

Meet Kristel Porter, one of this year's First Universalist Foundation grantees, in a program sponsored by the Environmental Justice Team. Details in the Calendar section below.

From Sunday, Nov. 13: "The Company We Keep"

On Sunday, Nov. 13, we welcomed and celebrated the commitment of our newest members. In this service we invite you into reflecting on—and participating in!—membership as a creative, relational process, one in which we change and by which we are changed by the company we keep.

View photos and read a bit about our new members here.



Watch the Nov. 13 service here

Listen to the podcast here

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive 

Our love and care surrounds Susannah Marshall as she prepares to move to California tomorrow, Nov. 14. Susannah was offered and accepted a new job in a position that better aligns with her values and is grateful to the church for the care, support, and community she found here. 

Our hearts are with Jeanne Johnson, Marjie Smith, and all who knew and loved Fred Johnson. Last Sunday, we shared that Fred was receiving hospice care. We learned early this week that Fred passed away Saturday night. An obituary ran in Wednesday and today’s paper, and a service will be held at the Cremation Society on 71st and France on Friday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. 

Our spirits soar with the news of the birth of one more redeemer and with Lily Hosbein, William, and big sibling Zanna on the birth of baby Etta. May our love and care surround them as they settle into being a family of 4. 

And we hold Paula Goldade and family in our hearts as they accompany her partner’s father, Erv, who entered hospice earlier this week.

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.

Today is Give to the Max Day, and there is still time to make a gift! Please consider directing a portion of your charitable giving today to First Universalist Church. Your financial support allows us to offer inspirational weekly worship, innovative Religious Education for children and youth, thousands of hours of programming for church and community members, and more.

Each gift made to First Universalist via GiveMN.org on November 17 gives us a chance to win a "Golden Ticket" prize, with hourly and every-15-minute winners through midnight tonight.

Make your gift to First Universalist via GiveMN before midnight here. Of course, your financial gifts are always welcome directly through our online giving system as well.

A note from Rev. Ashley Harness:

Thank you for such a lovely welcome to this community since I started as your new Assistant Minister this past September. It’s been a joy beginning to recognize your faces in worship and hearing your stories! Listening is actually most of my job right now. 

I’m listening to staff talk about ALL the amazing programming offered in and by the congregation so we can ensure an inclusive future across platforms (in person and online). I’m listening to my digital ministry colleagues across the country talk about ideas they have for nurturing multi-platform communities of true belonging. I’m beginning to listen to congregants—you—talk about your experience of our online ministry since the pandemic began.

Now I’m hoping to “listen” to more of you through a survey because YOU are the ones who actually know what you need in this next chapter of our collective life. Would you be willing to take 5-10 minutes now and let me listen to you? I want to know: No matter if you worship online or in person, where do you hang out online? In terms of our online worship, what’s feeding you or what has fed you in the past? If you have worshiped in person on Sundays in the past, what about that experience do you miss in the online worship experience? 

Please fill out this survey by November 23. Together we are building a sanctuary, a community, a new way of being in relationship across platforms that has never existed before. As we experiment with this newness, we are going to get it wrong - a LOT. And we are going to keep growing and deepening together because that’s what we do. Please join me in this leap of growth and newness. 

Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30–9 p.m. on Zoom

The First Universalist Board of Trustees meets on the third Thursday of most months. The November meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30 to 9 p.m., and will be held on Zoom. The November board packet with the Zoom information can be found here.

Sunday, Nov. 20, 1–2:30 p.m. in person or on Zoom

Registration required

Kristel Porter is a First Universalist Foundation grantee this year. Join this conversation to hear how our support is helping Kristel implement Solstar, a low income solution for rooftop solar on Northside homes. Kristel is a neighborhood organizer, Executive Director of MN Renewable Now, and environmental activist leading the Energy Revolution team at MN Interfaith Power and Light (MNIPL). She will share with us an action we can take immediately related to Xcel’s proposal to increase our electricity rates by 21%. Sponsored by First U’s Environmental Justice Team

Caregivers Group

Sunday, Nov. 20, 1–2:30 p.m. on Zoom

REGISTER HERE

Caring for a family member who needs special care is a demanding and often unseen or unacknowledged role. Whether you’re caring for an aging parent or a child with a chronic health condition, join the Caregivers group for mutual support, connection, and community building. Facilitator: Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister

Grief Group

Sunday, Nov. 20, 4–5:30 p.m. on Zoom

REGISTER HERE

A gathering for those who are grappling with the web of feelings associated with loss. A group of souls who share, listen and care. A community interested in exploring new life invitations. Come as you are, when you feel moved to attend. We will be here for you. Facilitator: Rev. Stephanie Vos, Community Minister and First U member

Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6–8 p.m. in the Cummins Room

Registration required

What’s Dinner Church? Pretty much what it sounds like—we’ll have a meal together while creating a worshipful experience together with music, words, and opportunities to share what’s on our hearts and minds. You’ll be fed in body and spirit while helping to create and sustain the community we all need. We gather on the last Wednesday of each month, November through May (no meeting in December). BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) members and friends of the church are invited. Kids are welcome and encouraged to attend, and childcare staff will be available to support parents and caregivers. Hosted by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries, Lóre Stevens, Cummins Ministerial Intern, and Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister

Sunday, Dec. 4, 12:30–2 p.m. in Rooms 102-104

RSVP requested

Join us for a holiday-themed meet up after church on Sunday, Dec. 4. There will be snacks, a craft, and plenty of opportunities to chat with other parents/caregivers while little ones play. Families with babies through preschoolers are invited; older siblings are welcome. Hosted by Hirut Hedge, Spiritual Growth Programs Assistant

AUW sponsors activities for people who identify as women, non-binary and/or gender fluid.

Hiking Group:  Meets most Saturdays at a park or trailhead. To get on the mailing list, send your name and email address to Linda Hammersten. Upcoming dates: Nov. 19, 2 p.m.; Nov. 26, 2 p.m.

Game Group: Meets at the church on the second Thursday of the month to play board games and socialize. Request an email invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email address to Anne Frenchick. Upcoming date: Dec. 8, 7 p.m.

Weekly Happy Hour: This online Zoom gathering is a way to stay connected with AUW friends. We meet at 7 p.m. every Thursday. Hosts are Liz and Carol. Here is the Zoom info to tune in: Evening Happy Hour

Women Who Read: We read books written by women. We host an in-person and a virtual meeting on the fourth Monday of each month. Request an email invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email address to Abbie Finger. Upcoming date: Nov. 28 – The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

First Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.–noon in person at church

12 Step Spirituality meetings will gather in our church on the 1st Saturday of each month beginning on Oct. 1, 2022 and ending on May 6, 2023. The meeting focuses on people who are actively working a 12 step program. It is focused on the 11 step to the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation. Meeting details are available at 12stepspirituality.org.

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.