Slowing into Sacred Time

Dear Ones,

“Sacred time is not the opposite of profane time. Sacred time is the opposite of fleeting time. Fleeting time is the kind of time in which we are distracted, racing around and trying to catch up as we fall further behind; it's working at the computer while a friend talks to us on the phone. By contrast, sacred time is noticing a shift of tone in a person's voice and asking what's wrong; it's full presence, paying attention in the moment. It's what happens in a [church small] group when we discover how to stay present to life again.” - Rev. Dr. Thandeka, UU Theologian

Beloveds, I don’t know about you, but my default is too often “fleeting time.” It takes practice in our culture to drop into the holy presence of the moment. As a person who is generally happy to live in the top 3 inches of my head, I often need spiritual practices that land me in my body, that draw my attention down to my belly or my toes. How about you? What is your default? And what counter-balance of practice do you need to slow you into the sacred time that allows us to feel and know ourselves and each other better?

Also, it turns out, I can’t do this whole spiritual practice thing alone, as much as I like to think I can. I need the accountability and joy of a small band of fellow travelers. I need people who keep me honest, who nudge me gently and lovingly into my best self, who make me laugh along the serious way of learning new habits. This is the power of faithful small practice groups.

We are heading into a season of spiritual practice small groups for just this reason here at First Universalist. Our first major opportunity is in retreat together on the afternoon of Sunday, January 21st. We have a practice group for you - yes, you - whether your particular mind and heart and body find grounding through movement, crafting, breath, visual arts, writing, laughter, or meditation. In fact, you will get to try on a couple different practices that afternoon across the two sessions.

In addition, we will have about a dozen spiritual practice small groups available for February, March and April, whether or not you can attend the retreat. Many of these groups will be extensions of what’s offered at the retreat and there will be some new ones too. You’ll be able to sign up next week when our winter/spring program guide is released (yahoo!). 

Let’s meet each other in sacred time as we weather the cold and make space for what is growing within and among us. Only then can we truly find the healing and joy that make transformation in ourselves and in our aching world possible.

In peace,

Rev. Ashley Harness-Jimenez

Assistant Minister (and retreat organizer!)

Intro

Slowing into Sacred Time

Sunday Worship

"Making Space to Remember and Revive"

This Sunday, Jan. 14,

One service ONLY at 10 a.m.

No Low-sensory space

Service Recordings

Cycle of Life

Winter Programs

January Programs

Daytime Connections

Saturday Sprouts

Congregational Retreat

Circle Suppers

Sign-up Sunday

Meditation Group

Pastoral & Community Care

Grief Group

Caregivers Group

Faithful Action

Habitat for Humanity

News

May Festival Planning

Congregational Mtg

Foundation Nominations

Community Events & Affiliated Orgs:

Death with Dignity, Brain Health Event, Hats for Unhoused People, AUW, 12-Step Spirituality

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Making Space to Remember And Revive

As winter's stillness permeates our lives, we gather this Sunday for our annual Service of Remembrance, a sacred ceremony to honor those who have transitioned from our physical realm. Coupled with this, we also pay homage to the indomitable spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., inviting you to embrace the complex and demanding truth of his message beyond his popular portrayal. Through the ritual of candlelight, naming, and remembering, we keep the glow of their values and dreams alive, mirroring the humanist manifestation of eternal life.



In making space for these memories, we are reminded of our shared responsibility in creating and embodying legacy. As we honor Dr. King and our loved ones, we not only acknowledge their impact but also ignite the path for those to come. This act of remembering and making space, allows us to honor the fullness of each other's stories. Let's come together this Sunday, to remember, honor, and recommit to this transformative work of making space.

Join us for All-In worship this Sunday, January 14, when we will have ONE service in-person and livestreamed at 10 a.m.

How to Participate This Sunday, Online & In-Person

For those of you joining us online this Sunday, we invite you to submit your loved one's names and photos via online submission form here. Please submit one form for each beloved HERE.

For those of you attending in person, you are invited to bring a photo of your beloved for our community altar.

Worship Info

IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT 10 A.M.

This service is also live-streamed. Watch the livestream here. 

Masks are welcome but not required in the sanctuary; please review our Covid-19 Gathering Guidelines. 

CHILDREN & YOUTH

This Sunday, January 14: We will have childcare for children in PreK and younger. There are no Religious Education classes.

If you have not yet registered your family for this year of Religious Education, please register your family today. All families — new and returning, with babies through high schoolers — must register each church year.

AFTER WORSHIP

Coffee Hour in the Social Hall

Visit with old friends and meet new ones over coffee and cookies in our social hall.

LOW-SENSORY SPACE

The low-sensory space will not be open this Sunday.

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive | Sermon Archive

We offer our prayers and care for Jeanne Guignon and Tom Allen as they bring Julie Allen home from Memory Care on Jan. 11th for her end-of-life journey. Family and friends will be holding vigil with Julie, with the support of their end-of-life doula and hospice team.

A Caring Bridge site is at Julie K. Allen. 

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.

Daytime Connections

Minister Emerita Rev. Kate Tucker on “Unfinished Business”

Thursday, Jan. 18, 9:45 a.m. coffee; 10 a.m. program (Social Hall and Zoom); noon lunch available, or bring your own.

Register here by Monday morning, January 15, to facilitate planning.

What “unfinished business” have you been putting off? It’s a very human thing to do; we all can benefit from taking a good look at that question. Beloved minister emerita Kate Tucker will offer her personal reflections and encouragement as together we name and explore some of our unfinished business in different areas of our lives. Bring your stories, your successes and failures into this supportive community.

Please note the corrected registration link and other details for this event.

Saturday Sprouts

Saturday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-noon RSVP requested

Saturday Sprouts is a new seasonal opportunity for families to be nourished in community, deepen relationships, and grow together in our First U values and faith. It includes time for family worship, parent & caregiver support, and play and creative time for our kids and youth. Children in grades 5 and younger are welcome to join, as are parents and caregivers of children and youth of all ages. Both adult and kid programming will connect with our Winter worship theme: “Responding to Cold with Connection.” Bagels and beverages provided for all ages. Please join us!

Spiritual Practices Congregational Retreat

Sunday, Jan. 21, 1-5 p.m.

Register here

Visit the website for details

Welcome the new year by starting or deepening your spiritual practice life with the support of this community. We’ll each have the opportunity to experience two practice sessions facilitated by practitioners within our congregation. View detailed list of practices that will be offered.

Participants will also have the chance to join on-going practice groups meeting regularly in February, March and April.

Circle Supper Kick-Off Potluck!

Kick-off Potluck - Sunday, January 21st at 5pm - immediately following the Spiritual Practices Congregational Retreat

Register here--scroll down to bottom of form to RSVP for supper only

First Saturday of the month in February, March and April

Join us as we re-launch a beloved First U tradition of rotating small group meals in each other's homes for the first time since the pandemic began. Carol Gilbert and Welcome Jerde have generously offered to lead this effort and invite you to consider if your home would welcome dinner guests or if you are interested in attending these gatherings. These suppers are a wonderful way to begin or deepen connections within this beloved community.

Sign Up Sunday

Sunday, Jan 28, between services in the Cummins Room



Learn about the variety of ways to get involved and get connected at church through volunteering, justice teams, and other opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth. Members from our justice teams, church committees, and our small group leaders will be excited to chat with you about what they’ve got going on and how you can join them.

Tuesday Meditation Group

Weekly Practice: 8:45-10:15 a.m. online and in-person

You are invited to meditate with our lay-led practice group. None of us are experts. Our practices come out of our own experiences, and we share inspiration from many sources including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Tara Brach, Tai Chi, Loving Kindness, poetry and more. We don't follow one method or another, but we do share what we learn with each other. After meditation we practice deep listening to hear from each person, if they choose. No registration required. Email Sara McMullen for Zoom details.

Fifth Grade OWL Registration Open

Fifth Grade OWL

5th grade OWL (Our Whole Lives) at First Universalist is an opt-in class. If you choose not to opt-in and specifically register your child, they will continue to attend their regular RE programming. There is a mandatory parent/caregiver registration for 5th grade OWL on Saturday, March 2, 2024. 5th grade OWL classes will begin Sunday, March 3, 2024, and conclude Sunday, May 12, 2024. There are no RE classes on Sunday, March 31, 2024 nor on Sunday, April 7, 2024. A calendar of classes will be shared at the parent/caregiver orientation. Registration for 5th grade OWL is NOW OPEN! Registration can be found HERE. Please email Claire Tralle (claire@firstuniv.org) with any questions. 

Grief Group (online)

Sunday, January 21, 4-5:30 p.m. on Zoom

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 on any or all dates. We will be here for you. Facilitated by Mark Caswell (he/him/they/them), a member of First Universalist Unitarian Church of Minneapolis and an aspirant on ordination track within the UUA. He attends United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and lives in Minneapolis. He finds grounding in meditation, poetry, watercolor painting, and practicing deep listening. He also holds a BFA in Theater Design from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Email Rev. Arif Mamdani for Zoom details.

Caregivers group (online)



Sunday, January 14 on Zoom, 1-2:30 p.m.

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. Come as you are, when you feel moved to attend on any or all dates. Email Rev. Arif Mamdani for Zoom details. Facilitated by Rev. Arif Mamdani.

Habitat for Humanity

We have three work days scheduled, all at

219 James Avenue N, Minneapolis

January 27, 2024

February 10, 2024

March 16, 2024

Sign up here.

Our Plans for Working with Habitat for Humanity in 2024

We begin 2024 with three work days scheduled for January, February, and March. We will be working on the Harrison project, a timely and innovative set of townhomes at 219 James Ave, North. Because of the amount of inside finishing work needed (flooring, sheet rock, painting, finish trim), we are asked to provide 20 volunteers for each of the three days. No experience is required; you’ll be taught what you need to know. For a short informative description of this project, click here.

If you’re interested in volunteering on January 27, click here.

If we are able to fully staff three work days with 20 volunteers in January, February, and March, we will add another work day in April and consider scheduling a “work week” next summer. Committing to a work week is a tall order; we’d be expected to staff five days with 15 volunteers each day. Those of us who have participated in past work weeks know the value of the experience; a sense of accomplishment with a measurable result. Have a look at the two photos below from a past work week. The first is the home at the start of our week, the second, what the home looked like at the end of our week. And, most of us had never built a birdhouse …much less helped build a home.

Please consider joining us in January.

If you have questions, contact Chuck Coskran at chuck4199@aol.com

Help Plan Our May Festival!

May is a time when we celebrate the return of spring - a time for fun, festivities, and community. Our own spring festival will be on Saturday, May 18. AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you love picking a theme, planning a party, helping with an auction, hanging festive decorations, cooking up food treats, delighting children with magic and song...the Stewardship team wants YOU. We're starting the dreaming and planning to make our May 18 gathering a time of joy and promise for the church. It will be an opportunity to support our community and celebrate its vitality.

Please come on board for the adventure. Everyone wanted; everyone welcome. To join the band of merry First Us, email Stewardship team member Velma Wagner at vwyoga@yahoo.com. Or give her a call at 612-877-1436 with any questions. Please let us know of your interest by Friday, January 26. Planning meetings will be online so participation is easy.

Mid-Year Congregational Meeting

Sunday, Jan. 28 - after-worship meal followed by meeting at 1 p.m.

Save the date. Registration and final agenda available in January. 

Members of First Universalist Church are invited to the Mid-Year Congregational Meeting. Topics will include a Congregational update from Rev. Jen, as well as updates from the Finance, Stewardship and Governance committees of the Board, and the team working on finalizing our proposed Visionary Goals.

First U Foundation - Nominations Open

The First Universalist Foundation Board is accepting nominations through this form until Sunday, February 4, 2024 from First Universalist congregants (regardless of membership status) and senior high youth in the church. One (1) person must submit a nomination backed by two (2) co-signers. Nominee organizations that are selected will then be sent our grant application.

The Foundation is soliciting nominations of organizations that address racial justice, climate justice, and human rights. We are also interested in organizations whose leadership includes Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), women, or individuals from disenfranchised communities. This year we are particularly interested in supporting organizations with smaller budgets (for whom our grant may make a significant difference) and newer organizations or initiatives which are addressing the disparities that recent events have laid bare. Organizations that have not applied for a Foundation Board grant in the past are encouraged.

Historically the Foundation Board has given out grants ranging from $5,000 - $20,000.

Please note our mission statement and giving criteria below which heavily informs our decisions.

Nominate an organization here: First Universalist Foundation Nomination Form

Mission Statement

First Universalist Foundation acts as a catalyst for social change by promoting and supporting the development of emerging leaders, youth, young adults, and/or disenfranchised communities through monetary grants to nonprofits working in those communities.

Giving Priorities and Criteria

1. Demonstrate the potential to address one or more causes or forms of injustice.

2. Work to engage youth, young adults, and/or disenfranchised communities in the work of social change.

3. Have a commitment to measuring the impact or success of the funded program.

4. Focus on the Twin Cities community.

5. Organizations with annual budgets of less than $1,000,000 will be given greater priority.

6. Organization leadership and/or board members reflect the community that the organization wishes to serve (BIPOC, women, individuals from disenfranchised communities).

7. Organizations that have been funded 3 times in the last 5 years may be considered lower priority.

Questions?

Please email foundation@firstuniv.org.

Take Action for Death with Dignity

Join other Minnesota UU Congregations in the 2024 effort to pass legislation that gives Minnesotans a choice about death with dignity.

Two Training Sessions to Promote-End-of-Life-Options (EOLO) legislation

Session 1

Understanding your values about dying, autonomy and choice 

Wednesday, January 10, 7:10 pm

Rev. David Breeden, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Society, Minneapolis 

Unity Church Unitarian 732 Portland, St. Paul and online via Zoom: 

In this session participants will learn about and discuss points of view that illustrate the concerns of those who oppose the legislation. Through wrestling with the arguments against medical aid in dying, we will engage in clarifying our values about human life, death fears, and autonomy. 

Session 2

Acting on your values about dying, autonomy and choice 

Wednesday, January 17 7:10 pm

Reverend Harlan Limpert, and Dr. Rebecca Thoman, Program Director for Doctors for Dignity, Compassion and Choices

Unity Church Unitarian 732 Portland, St. Paul and online via Zoom: 

In this session participants will learn about the history of EOLO in MN, the legislative process, and predictions for 2024. We will prepare to support EOLO by learning how to work together, how to tell our stories, how to contact legislators and how to organize the logistics of lobbying and being involved in hearings. 

Event: Brain Health, Cognitive Decline, Social Isolation

Saturday, January 27, 1-3 p.m. at church

First Universalist Church, in partnership with Friends & Co., presents “Fortune Cookies,” a free community outreach event that shines a light on the importance of brain health and will help raise awareness about cognitive decline and social isolation. This event is designed for intergenerational audiences.

There will be a short play followed by facilitated conversations to advance

the efforts in the Twin Cities as part of a broader age-friendly, dementia-friendly region. The event begins with social time, including light refreshments, and is followed by the play and community conversation.

More info on The Remember Project.

RSVP for the event here.

Hats for Unhoused People

Think big, warm, and wooly! Are you a fiber artist who knits/crochets/weaves/felts? Donate your handmade hats at First Universalist, October through January. Donated hats will be distributed to local schools, shelters, and community service agencies that serve people in need. Sizes requested: Large and XL,

Time frame: October - January, Drop-off site: Basket by the elevator (see photo), Contact: Barb Melom • More Info

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

Save the Date: Monday, February 12, 2024 11 a.m. rally at the Minnesota state capital rotunda to demand passage of Minnesota’s equal rights amendment with updated, inclusive language in 2024.

Early Bird Registration is OPEN for the AUW Spring Retreat until January 15!

AUW Spring Retreat

April 26-28, 2024

Camp Courage, Annandale, MN

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CLOSES JANUARY 15

Igniting Change

The Light we Carry in a Barbie World

“I believe that each of us carries a bit of inner brightness, something entirely unique and individual. A flame that’s worth protecting. When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it. When we learn to foster what is unique in the people around us, we become better able to build compassionate communities and make meaningful change.”

- Michelle Obama

This is why we gather. To investigate, stretch, and grow ourselves. To rest and recharge, to protect our flame. To revel in the glow of the community around us. To catch sparks from each other, and to build together.  

At our Spring Retreat we will have three sessions of workshops led by AUW members. During each session, there will be at least one breakout focusing on a different chapter of Michelle Obama's book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (November 2022, Crown Publishing). These include: Starting Kind (led by Carol Gilbert), The Whole of Us (led by Alison Kemlitz), Decoding Fear (led by Mary Helmin), and My Kitchen Table (led by Judith Grittner). Obama wrote this memoir after the pandemic, during which she found herself stuck in fear, in powerlessness. She was struggling to find her flame. The book is in some ways a guidepost to building our own toolboxes of resilience for difficult times, and together we will explore this in breakouts. 

Whether you choose to attend these particular workshops, others, or none at all, we hope that you will join us as we appreciate what is unique and wonderful within ourselves and in each other, strengthening beloved community. Register here!

Save the Date: AUW Winter Event is coming up on February 17, 12 noon - 2 pm. A light lunch buffet will be served. Admission to this event is free to members and $10 for nonmembers. The AUW Board is offering attendees the opportunity to help select this year's recipient nonprofit that will receive a $1000 donation from AUW. The candidates are: Cornerstone Advocacy, Family Tree Medical and UnRestrict Minnesota.

ACTION: Contact your legislators to request their vote on ERA Bills early in 2024 Session so ERA can be on the General Ballot for all voters in November 2024.

Hiking Group: Meets most Saturdays at a park or trail head. Hikes begin at 2 p.m. For questions or to get on the hiking group mailing list, contact: Marie Sorensen, phone / email, or Lynn Richardson phone / email. Note: Hikes begin at 2 pm.

January 13 - 2pm. Wood Lake Nature Center. 6710 Lake Shore Drive. Richfield, MN. Can meet inside Building or just outside building. Bathrooms, exhibits. Path is usually packed down. Flat. Wood Lake Nature Center is where AUW hikes started in January of Covid. So cold out, but everyone came to see people in person, not ZOOM! Maybe 15 people came? Look for Marie with a Red Jacket

January 20 - 2pm Westwood Nature Center, 8300 West Franklin Avenue, St Louis Park. Can wait inside Nature Center. Exhibits before or after if you like. Bathrooms. Fun boardwalks to walk on. Lynn will lead (Marie will come, too).

January 27 - 2pm  9 Mile Creek. Morgan and 104th Street. Moir Park. Use bigger Parking lot near Penn just before Penn Avenue. No inside waiting place. Meet in Parking lot. May not be cleared as well for walking. Stairs to get down and back up at begin and end of trail. But delightful trail with deer/birds and possibly still Creek running. A special place for me. Look for Marie with a Red Jacket.

Game Group: Meets at the church on the second Thursday of each month to play board games and socialize. You are welcome to bring snacks to share and a game you would enjoy teaching others. To receive email updates, contact Anne Frenchick. The next game night is January 11. If no one responds to Anne that they are coming, the Game Night will be canceled early that day. Please let Anne know if you plan to attend.

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. The next meeting will be Monday, January 22. We will be discussing Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Location of the in-person meeting is available to those on the mailing list. The Zoom version of the meeting convenes online at 7:00 pm.

Give or Take a Book!

To share books we love and build more literary connections, we are going to start a new project. If interested please bring 1-2 books (no more!) to share with someone at the monthly book club. Pick a book to take home. To help make connections pls put a post-it note on the book with your name and the reason you liked the book. (Post-it notes will be available). If a book you brought is left over please take it home or it will be donated to a Free Little Library. Any questions or ideas contact Nora Whiteman.

These meetings are intended for people who are actively working any 12-step program. The program is focused on the 11th step and the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation. 

Weekly on Zoom

and

First Saturdays of each month, 9:30 a.m. to noon, in person at First Universalist

In-person 12-step spirituality meetings gather in the church on the 1st Saturday of each month, ending on May 4, 2024.

In-person and Zoom meeting details are available here.



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.

Based on ongoing monitoring of COVID levels in Hennepin County, masking is welcome, but not required, inside the building—including the sanctuary. Learn more about our Covid and Community safety policies on our website.