Dear Jenn,

I’m excited to invite you to consider applying to become a worship associate here at First Universalist, as we at once re-start a once vibrant program here and create its new place in our community from the ground up.

Worship associates are members of our community who serve as worship leaders with our current worship team. Associates participate in selecting worship themes throughout the year. They each contribute to the planning of worship services, having a voice in shaping what the community experiences together on Sunday mornings. Associates prepare words for different elements of worship and lead the congregation in service 2–4 times a year. They join the worship team in reflecting on what’s going well in our services and what ought to be improved. 

The term "worship associates" was developed at Oakland. The program was begun by Rev. Robert Eller-Isaacs, who was later joined by his wife Janne in co-ministry. The church formally adopted the program in 1988. 

"The sharing of power by the clergy and sharing the benefits of participation in the active ministry of the church is the real gift Unitarian Universalism has to offer its people," said Eller-Isaacs.

Here’s what former worship associates at First Universalist have said about the program:

“I have been speaking in public since I was 12 years old. I do it professionally. But it was always about someone or something else. Being a Worship Associate has given me a chance to speak my truth, to be vulnerable, and to share my heart.” – Ginger Murphrey

“More than anything else I’ve done at First Universalist, being part of the Worship Associates team made me feel a part of this church.” – Marion Dane Bauer

“The worship associate circle expanded my soul in ways that I could not have imagined. Gathering with such a wonderful group has made me feel more connected to the church.” – Benjamin Miles

Before the beginning of the church year, worship associates come together to get to know the worship planning and leadership process here at First Universalist, and to train in important skills like what makes a great worship theme, speaking in public, and writing for worship. Along the way of their terms of service, worship associates will work closely with me (as well as with our ministers leading worship), receiving feedback to encourage and strengthen their worship leading technique and help them to become steadily more comfortable and proficient on the chancel. 

Worship associates are a vital part of how the community helps to build its own worship experience. Associates are valued members of the worship team and leaders in the community. They represent our community’s diversity of age, race, socio-economic background, spiritual perspective, culture. Still, the team will be united by a common love for our community, an investment in its worship, and an earnest desire to help build it up. 

If you’re interested in becoming a worship associate here, I invite your application to the program for the coming year. Applications are being accepted now through June 14, 2023, with our initial gathering to happen in July. 

Peace,

Dr. Glen Thomas

Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout

Director of Worship Arts Ministries

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Intro

Worship Associates

Sunday Worship

Sunday, May 21, 9 & 11 a.m.: "Youth Sunday"

After Worship this Sunday

Sunday, May 14 Recording & Podcast: "Generation to Generation"

May 14 Cycle of Life

News & Features

Updated COVID Care Policies

What's Next for Lauren, Lóre, and Emma

Summer Sundays for Kids

Sanctuary Mural Image Ideas

Soup Cook-Off Judges Needed

Right Relations Workshop

Calendar

Community Dinner

Caregivers Group

Grief Group

May Board Meeting

BIPOC Dinner Church

Community Events & Affiliated Organizations:

AUW, 12-Step Spirituality

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Sunday, May 21 — 10 a.m.

"Youth Sunday"

Summer Sundays begin this Sunday, with a single worship service—in-person and online—at 10 a.m.

In our annual beloved Youth Sunday worship, our senior high youth offer a story, music, and reflections on our worship theme of "Carry the Flame." The service includes a Bridging Ritual to honor our graduating seniors, marking the end of their time as First Universalist youth and welcoming them into young adulthood in our church. Youth Sunday is a moving expression of our vibrant multigenerational religious community that you won't want to miss.

Worship leaders: First Universalist Youth, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Lauren Wyeth, Mark Caswell, Emma Paskewitz, and Franco Holder



ORDER OF SERVICE

IN PERSON AT 10 A.M. (masks welcome but not required)

This Sunday, we worship in person at 10 a.m. Masks are welcome but not required in the sanctuary; please review our newly updated Covid-19 Gathering Guidelines. Can you usher or greet? Sign up here!.

ONLINE AT 10 A.M.

This service is live-streamed 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

Childcare for Nursery through Pre-K starts at 9:45 a.m. Registered children and youth in K through 5th grade begin their morning in the sanctuary with their families before being dismissed to Religious Education Classes. Older youth join us for the entire service. All ages are always welcome in the sanctuary! Learn more here.

A Place to Start

11 a.m. in the Chancel Room (meet at the front of the sanctuary)

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

Celebrating Emma Paskewitz

11 a.m. in the Social Hall

Join us to celebrate Emma Paskewitz, outgoing Youth Programs Coordinator, in the social hall after worship this Sunday. There will be treats and opportunities to share our gratitude.

Sunday, May 14: "Generation to Generation"

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote that “Love, like a carefully loaded ship, crosses the gulf between the generations.” In this service, love makes its way across the generations as we dedicate our children, welcome the wisdom of our Coming of Age youth, and care for each other in times of celebration and grief. 

Watch the May 14 service here

Listen to the May 14 podcast here

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive 

We celebrate with Loré Stevens, our Ministerial Intern. Next year, Loré will serve as Contract Minister for Foothills UU Fellowship, just outside her ometown of Knoxville, Tenn.

Our love is with Emma Paskewitz and Lauren Wyeth, as they prepare to leave their positions on staff. We bear witness their care and discernment, and to the love and presence they are bringing to this time of transition. May they feel the love and appreciation of this community and know our blessing as they go on to travel the next leg of their journey, and may we care for them and each other as we feel the particularity of this loss but also the not so distant echo of other losses we have known.

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.

This past fall, many of you participated in a survey to help us decide how we might continue to make our spaces as inclusive and accessible as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted to an endemic stage. Your Leadership Team combed through your responses, listening and learning as we went. We decided at that time to continue requiring masking in the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings to make it as inclusive a space as possible, and to move to masking optional in the rest of our spaces. We also promised that we would revisit this decision in the spring, and even though the weather often doesn’t feel like it—spring is here. 

After careful consideration of local and national health guidelines, which have continued to evolve over the past year, and ongoing monitoring of COVID levels in Hennepin County, we have decided to update our COVID Community Care Policies, effective this Sunday, May 21:

• Masking will be welcome, but not required, inside the church building—including the sanctuary—when Covid community/hospital admission levels in Hennepin County are Low or Medium. Masks will be required inside the building when those levels are High.
• High quality KN95/N95 masks will be available free of charge for anyone who wishes to use one when in the building.
• Creating an intentionally inclusive space where masking is respected and welcomed without question is all of our responsibility.
• 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 ask people to stay home if they are feeling sick. 
• We will continue to offer online and multi-platform opportunities for spiritual growth, and will continue to focus resources on further strengthening our online and multi-platform community. 
• We will work with congregants and families on an individual basis to address health and accessibility concerns, and to find creative ways to care for each other and connect. Please reach out to Rev. Ashley Harness to brainstorm together. 

We welcome your feedback as we continue to navigate new times and circumstances together, committed, as always, to caring for each other and our larger community with love.

No need to register for summer in advance—join us! 

Teens and babies under 6 months attend the worship service with their families. Younger kids are always welcome in the sanctuary, too, if they'd prefer to stay with their grownups.

Childcare for younger kids opens at 9:45 a.m. Drop off younger children in their classrooms on the lower level of the Religious Education wing before the service. Pick up from 11-11:10 a.m.

• Room 104: Nursery–Preschool, ages 6 months through 3 years, are cared for by attentive, loving youth and adult staff in a safe, bright and cheerful space.
• Room 102: Young Children, ages 3–7 years, gather for story time and creative play. Families of 5–7 year olds may choose to place them in the older age grouping, according to their child's interests and needs.

Elementary-Age Kids, ages 5–12 years, begin their Sunday morning in the sanctuary with their families. Sign them in at the table in the atrium on your way to worship. They will be excused partway through the service and staff will meet them by the doors as they exit the sanctuary. We’ll head out for crafts, games and active play on the playground and in the Cummins Room. Pick them up after the service, by 11:15 a.m. at the latest.

Submitted by Bette DeMars

Mural artist Melodee Strong will be creating two large canvas murals for our sanctuary. Please consider attending the Image Brainstorming Event on Saturday, June 10, from 10 a.m.–noon in the Cummins Room. This will be the only opportunity to offer your suggestions. Everyone is welcome!

The mural pictured above, located under a bridge along the Midtown Greenway, is one of many collaborative murals that artist Melodee Strong has created.

You are invited to attend an upcoming workshop led by Rev. David Pyle and Rev. Sharon Dittmar of the Mid-America Regional Staff. This workshop is part of our efforts to build the congregation’s skill in engaging conflict in more generative ways. It is also one of the recommendations from Rev. David Pyle’s report to our congregation.

This workshop—scheduled for Saturday, June 3 from 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. at Unity Church - Unitarian in St. Paul—is held in collaboration with Unity Church - Unitarian and White Bear UU Church. It is a step in the longer process of developing congregational teams that can help our churches engage conflict in productive ways. Because space is limited, we’re asking members to apply to join this workshop and will respond to applicants by May 24.

Each church can bring up to 30 participants. As a participant in this workshop, you are not committing to be part of the team that is created and trained to help to hold conflict productively. You are saying that you want to be part of larger efforts to change the culture of conflict in our congregations here at First Universalist, and beyond. 

As Rev. Pyle notes: This is something we need because “Unitarian Universalist Congregations have a higher expectation for how to engage with, support, and care for one another than does much of society. Practicing Right Relationship is in many ways counter-cultural, and it takes some support, especially during times of conflict and change. Right Relationship Teams help provide that support to congregations and their members during times where it can be difficult to remember our commitments to one another.” 

Applications will be reviewed by members of the Commitment to Beloved Community Team and Rev. Arif Mamdani. 

Questions? Contact Rev. Arif: arif@firstuniv.org. Fill out the application here.

Wednesday, May 24, 6 p.m. (5 p.m. Family Pre-Party)

RSVP Requested

The weather is warm and we're back outdoors! Join us for a delicious home-cooked meal under the tent in the parking lot at 6 p.m. All are welcome and there is no charge.

We’ll be serving Loaded Nachos: corn chips with toppings including chicken, beans, rice, lettuce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. We always offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, nut free, and kid-friendly options. All church events are alcohol-free.

Come early for a Family Pre-Party on the playground from 5–6 p.m. Chalk, bubbles, and general merriment for kids from babies to elementary school and their grown ups.

Following dinner, you're welcome to continue to socialize under the tent or join a smaller breakout group from 6:45–8 p.m.

BREAKOUT GROUPS:

• What's Article II Anyway? For nearly three years, First U young adult Satya Mamdani has been a member of the Article II Study Commission, charged with considering updates to the section of the UUA Bylaws that describe our association's covenant, principles and sources. Come hear the fascinating feedback they gathered from thousands of UUs across the country, and take a look at the recommendations they'll bring for a vote at our annual General Assembly, next month in Pittsburgh.
• Young Adults Conversation with a Minister What’s on your heart and mind as you navigate your 20s and 30s as spiritual beings having a human experience? Bring your burning questions and let’s “geek out” on religion, spirituality, and theology with Rev. Ashley Harness and ministerial intern Lóre Stevens.

Sunday, May 21, 1–2:30 p.m. on Zoom

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

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. When we gather, we’ll light a chalice, have time for introductions, and share a reading, then move into deeper sharing, support, and reflection. Facilitated by Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister

Sunday, May 21, 4–5:30 p.m. on Zoom  (date change)

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. Karen Hutt, Community Minister

Thursday, May 25, 6:30–9 p.m.

The First Universalist Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, May 25, in person and on Zoom. The board's meeting packet will be posted here next week.

Sunday, May 21

Youth Sunday; switch to one service at 10 a.m. for the summer

A Place to Start

Caregivers Group

Afternoon with the Environmental Justice Team

Grief Group (rescheduled)

Wednesday, May 24

Community Dinner

Thursday, May 25

Board of Trustees Meeting

Sunday, May 28

Grief Group

Wednesday, May 31

BIPOC Dinner Church

Sunday, June 4

Flower Communion worship

Soup Cook-Off

Sunday, June 11

Annual Meeting of the Membership

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. For questions, contact Marie Sorenson. May 20, 10 a.m. Westwood Nature Center, 8300 Franklin Avenue, St Louis Park. Nice walk through the woods. They have a good display inside Nature Center. Marie will be there in red. May 27, 10 a.m. Normandale Lake. Bloomington. 84th and Chalet Road. There is a big parking area if you continue down Chalet Road. Meet by Normandale Lake sign by Lake. There are some office buildings part of way around lake, but also a small waterfall. 1.9 mile loop, you can’t get lost. 

Game Group: Meets at the church on the second Thursday of the month to play board games and socialize. Request an invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email to Anne Frenchick. Next date: June 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 invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email address to Abbie Finger. This month's book is "Madam" by Phoebe Wynne with a meeting on May 22. Kit has offered to host this month. Please RSVP at kitketchum@hotmail.com In Person Potluck at 6:30 p.m.; discussion at 7:30 p.m. Zoom Discussion at 7 p.m.; join here.

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.