Dear Jenn,

A couple of weeks ago, my 11 year old daughter became immersed in a new book series. In the first pages of book one, an asteroid collides with the moon and knocks it off course, resulting in a domino-like series of climate catastrophes that cause mass death and destruction. Hearing her talk about the book, and then picking it up so we could read it aloud together, I couldn’t help but notice that the fictional experiences of the characters mirror the predictions scientists have been sharing for years about the impending results of climate change. I also can’t help but remember the online survival game that was all the rage among kids early in the Covid-19 pandemic. Often, we work out our fears and imagine how we might be through play, art, music, and stories. 

One of the most notable things about the characters in the books so far is the conflict between the teenage daughter and her mother. The mother, previously a person who taught the values of sharing and communal interdependence, has gone into full-fledged survival mode, collecting food and firewood and supplies, and shrinking the circle of who she considers “family” and worthy of care down to just a few people. While the daughter has some understanding of the danger everyone is in and the loss they are experiencing, her primary struggle is not with her hunger, but with the change she is witnessing in her mother. In this moment of greatest communal need, how can the mother who always shared what they had be acting so differently? Were those values she taught only for times that were easy— or are they for times that are hard, too?   

In times of stress, grief, and loss, the first response for many of us is to revert to our most self-protective of ways, even if we have spent years intentionally transforming those earlier patterns into more life-affirming ways that align more closely with our deepest values. It can often take some time for us to become aware of our return—or digging in—to those ways of being that ultimately harm us and those around us, and once that awareness arrives, to intentionally move in ways that are more consistent with who and how we want to be. In times like these, I am grateful for the familiar patterns and relationships, and even the policies, procedures, and processes, that we create and commit to together in the times of relative calm, centered in our values and grounded in our faith, that help hold us in alignment with our faith when times are hard.

Recently, I’ve been especially grateful for the policies and procedures we’ve put in place at church and the support of the UUA as we move through a time of conflict for some of us. Long before this moment, our congregation put policies and procedures in place to help support direct communication, conflict resolution, and accountability for staff. Procedures are also in place to hear and resolve congregant and volunteer grievances. When conflict rises to levels that would benefit from outside support, our UUA staff are there to help.

Several weeks ago, I requested support from Rev. David Pyle, the UUA MidAmerica Regional Staff Lead and our church’s Congregational Life Consultant, as our congregation continues to move through bumpy waters following the departure of our Choir Director. David and I have been talking regularly since he arrived in his role in 2019, and it was a joy to get to be together in person last week when he visited our congregation. As we talked, he offered a number of helpful points of information, including:

• Post-pandemic, all congregations are returning to each other with a greater level of tension than before. It is harder for us to care for each other in the ways we want to. Of the 13 MidAmerica congregations with 400 or more members, 9 of them have experienced significant conflict in the last 18 months.
• Any time a church staff member leaves, a grief reaction happens in the congregation. Our congregation has experienced multiple staff transitions over the past few years, and there is a lot of grieving going on.

I’m grateful for David’s leadership among us and for the process he will be taking us through together. At this point, I have moved out of the role of facilitator and have welcomed David to lead us in this process of listening and repair together. Here’s what we know about how that process will go: 

• Last Wednesday, Oct. 19, David led an in-person gathering that included choir members, myself, several board members, and two congregant observers who are working on our newly forming Right Relations Team and the restorative processes we are creating for future times of conflict. Everyone present was invited to share their experiences and perspectives. 
• David will lead an online meeting open to choir members that mirrors the format and experience of that first meeting on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. 
• David is also available and would like to hear from church members and staff one-on-one. Please reach out to him to share your experience and perspective by mid-November. You can reach David at dpyle@uua.org. 
• After these choir meetings and one-on-one conversations, David will share a report with the Board, offering recommendations and UUA support about how to work with this current conflict. This report will come at the end of November. 

As we move through these days with open hearts and a willingness to engage in self-reflection, deep listening, and repair, I return to the words of our chalice lighting and the faith I have in our shared commitments. I trust that “Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its law. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.” May this be our practice and our prayer.

In gratitude,

Rev. Jen

Rev. Jen Crow

Senior Minister

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Sunday Worship

Sunday, Oct. 30, 9 & 11 a.m.

After Worship Happenings

10/23 Recording: The River of Stars

Oct. 23 Cycle of Life

News & Features

UU the Vote Offering

Child Dedication

Racial Justice Rubric Listening Session

AFA Warm Clothes Drive

Indigenous Women Water Protectors Exhibit

Calendar

Family Halloween Parties

Pastoral & Community Care

Climate Conversations

Falling Upward Book Group

How to Raise an Antiracist Book Group

Being Black Book Group

Community Dinner

Planning Your Own Memorial

Some email programs truncate long emails; watch for "message clipped; view entire message" or similar at the bottom of this email if you don't see all contents listed.

Sunday, Oct. 30 — 9 & 11 a.m.

"Drawing the Circle"

As our monthly worship theme of “You Can Count On This,” comes to a close this week, we’ll turn our attention to the practices of Universalism. Our faith tradition claims a love so strong it will not let any one of us go and a circle so wide that everyone is included, but how do we put that faith into practice in our lives, our congregations, and our communities? You can count on this: the spiritual practices of our faith may not be easy, but they are liberating and life-giving.

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

Worship leaders: Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Ashley Harness, Aimee K. Bryant, 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.

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!

UU the Vote Letter-writing

Write non-partisan letters and postcards to folks in states with low voter turnout encouraging them to get out the vote on November 8! The First Universalist Election Action Team has a goal to send 20,000 letters and postcards as part of UU the Vote's Good Trouble Congregation challenge. Join the effort after both first and second services in the Social Hall or Cummins Room every Sunday through the month of October.

First U Recovery Community

1 p.m., Room 207  |  Details

Racial Justice Rubric Listening Session

1 p.m., Room 201  |  Details

Climate Conversation

1 p.m., Library  |  Details

Recording: "The River of Stars"

Sunday, Oct. 23: As we continue exploring October's theme, "You Can Count on This," we move from heart, body, and mind to…space? Many may wonder how the vast field of galaxies can be counted on. But our ancestors have always traced stories onto constellations. Humanity navigated dangerous waters using those reliable but distant stars. During our own times of loss and alienation, how can the mysterious, interdependent universe provide solace and hope?

Watch here

Listen to the podcast here

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive 

We hold in our love member Dallas Rising and her husband as they mourn the death of their beloved cat Milo. Milo was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and died last week after being a member of their intentionally interspecies household for 14 years. We hold them all in our care during this tender time of loss and memory. 

We hold Howard and Ann Hobbs. Howard's brother was killed in a bike accident this week, and they are in Tennessee with his family. We're sending our love with them.

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 Sunday, the offering we collected during worship went to support the efforts of the UU the Vote team here at church, who as of today have written 2,900 letters and postcards encouraging folks to get out the vote on November 8. Thank you for your gifts!

UU the Vote is a non-partisan program of the Unitarian Universalist Association, a campaign that mobilizes Unitarian Universalists across the country to get out the vote and fight for our values at the polls and to defend our democracy.

"May these letters remind their recipients of the power we have to shape the fate of this nation, moving us toward more justice, more freedom, more dignity of all." - Rev. Ashley Horan, affiliated Community Minister, blessing the letters before receiving the offering during the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, Oct. 23.

First Universalist Church will joyfully embrace and celebrate little ones with a Child Dedication ritual during both services on Sunday, Nov. 20.

In the ritual, the congregation pledges to partner with and support parents, caregivers and families in the religious upbringing of their children. The Child Dedication ritual takes place twice each each year, and infants and children of members and those on the path to membership at First Universalist Church may be dedicated.

To sign up for for the Child Dedication ritual, complete this form. Please reach out to Lauren@firstuniv.org with any questions.

We want your perspective!

The Change Team is a committee of the Board of Trustees charged with supporting the congregation in its journey to live into its values and commitment of being a racially just community.  

One of the ways the Change Team is doing this work is by using the Antiracism rubric for UU Congregations, created by Julica Hermann de la Fuente & Christina Rivera, to gather the perspectives of various members and friends of First Universalist on where we are currently as it relates to our antiracism journey.

The Change Team invites you to an in-person Listening Session, at which we'll invite your perspective using the Antiracism rubric for UU congregations to help us gauge where we're at on our antiracism journey as a congregation.

Please join the Change Team for this important work on Sunday, Oct. 30, 1–2:30 p.m. You can join in person (meet in room 201) or online via Zoom. Please sign up here.

In addition to this open meeting, the Change Team is also gathering with various small groups that are active in the church.

This “baseline” self-assessment will help us identify areas of church life where we are farther along on our antiracism journey, and areas where we might need to focus going forward. It will also help to uncover where perspectives across various identities and experiences in the church may differ. 

We will use the information we gather during this process to support the development of our new Visionary Goals, as well as to guide the work of the change team and the racial justice priorities of the church over the next few years.

We will collect winter jackets and gloves, scarves and hats for Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) students on Sundays, Nov. 6 and 13 in the Social Hall. Men’s and women’s clothing in all sizes (small to extra large) is needed.  

Toiletries such as men’s and women’s deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, lotions and sanitary products are always needed as well. You can bring items to the church on November 6 or 13 or donate online.

AFA is a public charter high school located in the Phillips neighborhood serving students  facing housing and economic insecurity.  AFA is a long standing First Universalist Community Partner; we have served as the primary supporter of AFA’s Hope Clothing and Food Closets for more than 10 years. 

Volunteers are needed to help collect clothing and bring donations to AFA. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Cindy Marsh at: cindy.marsh2588@gmail.com  Thank you for your generosity!

A new exhibit by photographer John Kaul is in the Social Hall Universal Gallery. John photographed and interviewed Native American women about why they work to protect water.

John says that he participated in a Line 3 protest in Park Rapids. Jane Fonda was there, but the faces that riveted his attention were those of the indigenous grandmothers who came to peacefully protest an oil pipeline that violated the terms of a treaty signed many decades ago and ignored just like the other 409 treaties with Native Americans. That day he decided that he would create a portrait exhibit honoring these indigenous women. Each portrait is accompanied by a brief biographical sketch that explains who the water warriors are, what motivates their involvement in protecting water, and something about their lives. 

This exhibit will be on display in our Universal Gallery through Nov. 27. John will be at church after both services to talk about his work on Sunday, Nov. 13. That day he will also be with one of the water protectors to provide a program sponsored by the Environmental Justice and Visual Arts teams.

Our Fall Program Guide contains dozens of opportunities to participate and connect at church this fall. Some upcoming opportunities are listed below, but there are lots more online! Read about everything we have coming up here.

Saturday, Oct. 29 in the Social Hall

RSVP requested

Come celebrate Halloween and the joys of Fall with the younger members of our church community!

• 9–11 a.m. Families with babies through 1st graders are invited for simpler crafts and a light brunch. Older siblings are welcome.
• 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Families with 2nd-5th graders are invited for games, crafts and pizza lunch. Siblings are welcome.

Join us for games, music, crafts, and a Halloween costume parade. Enjoy a meal and some coffee or cider, as well as some delicious seasonal treats. Eat, drink, and be scary! This is a wonderful way to connect with other families while your kids make some awesome memories and deepen their ties to their church community. Hosted by Hirut Hedge, Spiritual Growth Programs Assistant, and Lauren Wyeth, Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages

First U Recovery Community

Sundays, Oct. 30 and Dec. 4, 1–2 p.m. in Room 207

Folks in recovery from alcohol and other drug use have voiced an interest in gathering at church for a chance to be in and build community and know they’re not alone. Let’s meet up to get connected and imagine ways of being together that would be spiritually nurturing. All who are involved in recovery from substance use—or wish to be—are welcome to join us. No RSVP required. Facilitated by Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister

Divorce Small Group

Schedule to be determined by group. Sign up here.

Are you recently divorced or going through a separation or divorce? Would it be helpful for you to meet with others and work through some questions to help you process and harvest the meaning out of this challenging experience? If so, this group might be just what you are looking for. We are currently collecting signups for the next round of the group, which will likely launch in November or January. If you’re wondering if this is the right place for you, it probably is. Please let us know you’re interested by signing up today.

Sunday, Oct. 30, 1–2:30 p.m. at church or Monday, Nov. 14, 7–8:30 p.m. on Zoom

Registration required

Join a 90-minute small-group conversation to discuss your feelings of grief, frustrations and fears, as well as your hopes and dreams, around the climate crisis and to explore personal and communal actions to save us from climate catastrophe. Come with your questions, passions, knowledge, and experience to help grow our congregation’s commitment to seeking and implementing solutions to the climate crisis. Bring a willingness to share and to listen, to problem-solve and to question, to exchange ideas and build on one another’s enthusiasm. Facilitated by guides from First U’s Environmental Justice Team

Wednesdays, Nov. 2, 9 and 16, 10:30 a.m.–noon at church

Registration required

In Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, Father Richard Rohr offers a new way of understanding one of life’s profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on wisdom from many sources, he explores the two halves of life to show that those who have “gone down” are the only ones who understand “up.” Rohr takes us on a journey to give us an understanding of how the heartbreaks, disappointments and first loves of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half of life has in store for us. Book available to borrow or purchase in advance at church. Facilitated by Rev. Meg Riley, First U member

Sunday, Nov. 6, 1–2:30 p.m. in the Cummins Room; Thursdays, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, 7–8 p.m. on Zoom

Registration required

The tragedies and reckonings around racism that are rocking the country have created a specific crisis for parents and caregivers: How do we talk to our children about racism? How do we teach children to be antiracist? How are kids at different ages experiencing race? How are racist structures impacting children? How can we inspire our children to avoid our mistakes, to be better, to make the world better? We’ll begin by watching a short interview with author Ibram X. Kendi, then break out into groups based on our kids’ developmental stages and our racial identities for guided conversation. Those attending the workshop will be invited to read the book after we meet, and join two optional follow up discussions on Zoom. Book available to borrow or purchase in advance at church. Facilitated by Lauren Wyeth, Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages

Sunday, Nov. 6, 1–2:30 p.m. in Room 201

Registration required

In this elegant, practical book, Rev. angel Kyodo Williams combines the universal wisdom of Buddhism with an inspirational call for self-acceptance and community empowerment. Written by a woman who grew up facing the challenges that confront African-Americans every day, Being Black teaches us how a “warrior spirit” of truth and responsibility can be developed into the foundation for real happiness and personal transformation. BIPOC church members and friends are invited to read the book before we gather, then join us to talk about the ideas and concepts within, how they did or didn’t speak to us, and what they mean for our lives and practices as Unitarian Universalists individually, in the community, and here at church too. Book available to borrow or purchase in advance at church. Facilitated by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries, and Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 6–8 p.m.

RSVP Requested

Swing by church for a delicious home-cooked meal at 6 p.m. in the Social Hall. All are welcome and there is no charge. Menu available on our website, a week in advance. We always offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, nut free and kid-friendly options. All church events are alcohol-free. Following dinner, stick around and join a breakout group to learn more about one of the many opportunities for deeper engagement at church. Get details about available breakout groups here.

Thursdays, Nov. 10 and Dec. 1, 9:30–11 a.m. in the Cummins Room or on Zoom

Registration required

When the time comes, your loved ones will want some guidance about how you’d want your life to be remembered and celebrated. In this two-part workshop, we’ll provide support for planning your own memorial service. We’ll share the basics of what UU memorials typically include (and why) and some of the technicalities (like costs, musicians, content, etc.). We’ll also provide some guidance on navigating these important but difficult conversations with your loved ones, so there is less stress and uncertainty – and more closeness and clarity – between you today. Participants are requested to attend both sessions, as our second meeting will build on our first. Led by Rev. Arif Mamdani, Associate Minister, Lauren Wyeth, Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages and Lóre Stevens, Cummins Ministerial Intern

AUW sponsors activities for those who identify as women, non-binary and/or gender fluid. Current regular activities include a hiking group, game group, weekly "happy hour," and women who read book group. Details.

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.

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.

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.