The first day of the murder trial for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, begins this Monday, March 8, with jury selection. This is a tender day for many of us, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and we need to support and care for one another. 

The community will gather in-person at George Floyd Square at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis beginning at 8 a.m. CST for a socially-distanced day of prayers and petitions from faith leaders and community members throughout the day, and will culminate in a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. CST. Portions of the day’s events will be live streamed, including the 8 a.m. Call to Prayer. The afternoon at George Floyd Square will be held as a sacred gathering space for Black and brown folks. 

We invite our community to participate either in person or by watching a live stream from the square, by sending mutual aid items, and in a few other ways outlined below. 

 

Image description: Still photo from a Zoom meeting showing Julica Hermann de la Fuente and First Universalist congregants Denise Konen, Sue Searing, David Bach, Pam Berry, Brian Eshult, and Cheryl Ritenbaugh holding signs with written messages of hope for justice for George Floyd.

Enter the Wednesday Zoom webinar here. (webinar ID: 117-312-320). To join by phone (audio only), dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter the webinar ID.

Post-service Care Companions space (7:30 p.m.): Join the Zoom gathering here.

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

February 28 Worship: "The Truth of Now"

Even with a regular meditation practice, it is difficult to be in the present moment. It is difficult to let the rawness of our current sensations and experiences fill our being, and it is hard to notice that we’re having those sensations and experiences at all. When we do not fully inhabit the present, it is easy for us to miss important moments—like our worship service on March 8, 2020. While it seemed like a fairly typical Sunday, March 8, 2020 was the last time that First Universalist congregants—and many worshipers around the country— would physically gather together for a long time. Perhaps you remember taking in the brightness or the smells of the sanctuary at First U, or the way that your mind and body settled—or didn’t—throughout the March 8 worship service. Maybe you remember the softness of a neighbor’s palm or shoulder while singing Go Now in Peace. Or maybe you don’t remember much at all. Maybe your attention was pulled away from the present by the particular anxiety of an election year, the images of mandatory quarantines across the globe, or wondering if you should stock up on toilet paper.

It has been almost a year since our last in-person worship gathering. How have you opened yourself to the truth(s) of Now since last March? In what ways have you become more awake to your life? In this Sunday service, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Franco Holder, and Lauren Wyeth guide us through story, poetry, music, and practice into the Truth of Now.

Listen to the podcast on Podbean or on Spotify, watch the entire service on YouTube, and find materials for further reflection in Sunday's Order of Service.

Image description: Still photo from the YouTube video showing Lauren Wyeth in mid-sentence, looking at the camera. Lauren is a white woman with short blond hair.

Our chalice lighting every Sunday ends with this promise we make to one another: “To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help (to care for) one another.”

In other words, we care for one another at First Universalist Church. We care about living our values and beliefs. We care about being engaged in the needs of the world and we care deeply about one another. Over the years, we have developed a ministry of the church that extends care services to its members in a variety of ways. We provide rides to the doctor, meal trains for families in a crisis, and grief kits when a loved one dies. Another important service is one offered by our Care Companions. Care Companions are trained individuals matched with a careseeker in the congregation that needs someone to talk with on a semi regular basis.

But care is not limited to trained professionals and trained volunteers. There are dozens of ways to care for one another and those in our community, and dozens of ways to be cared for. At its core, care is about compassion, the root of which means to “suffer with.” Care and compassion move us beyond sympathy to deep and profound empathy, to understanding and sharing the feelings of another, to suffering and rejoicing with another human being. This is the heart of caring. This month, we will explore the rich ground of how we give and receive care, and how we can take care of ourselves, avoiding burnout and caregiving fatigue.

During our worship service on Sunday, March 14, we will mark the one year anniversary of the pandemic, of lives lost, of the church closing and our ministry moving online, and the ways we have navigated these past twelve months.

We need your help! We would like to create several video montages to use in the service that highlight, month by month, the things we as a congregation have been through during this pandemic year. We welcome your submission of images, words, and video snippets that help tell the story of this past year.

We invite you to use this calendar to note key moments in your life and the life of your loved ones that have occurred over the past year. You can share that calendar with us electronically or you can take photos or scans of the relevant months. You may also submit standalone images/photos and short videos (~5 seconds) that represent moments/months during the past year. Please send your submissions to us at communications@firstuniv.org by Monday, March 8, at 11:59 p.m. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rev. Justin at justin@firstuniv.org.

You can learn more about this invitation and find more detailed submission info here.

The Faithful Action Council is happy to announce the revival of our monthly Faithful Action newsletter! This newsletter contains information about our Faithful Action Partners and provides concrete ways to get involved and take action through our Faithful Action Partner organizations. Each month, this newsletter will highlight invitations to volunteer, advocate, give, and learn with others at First Universalist and in our broader community through the work of our partner organizations.

Our current Faithful Action Partners are Augsburg Fairview Academy, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, Habitat for Humanity, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, Simpson Housing, the Sanctuary and Resistance team, and The Alafia Foundation/the Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement (CLNE.) You can learn more about these organizations and about how to get involved in their work in our March Faithful Action Newsletter. 

A dear friend of mine grew up in a large Catholic family. Her mom was famous for saying to all of them: “Christmas does not just happen!” This was their reminder to get moving and help out to create the magic. Well, the same thing can be said at First Universalist: “Church does not just happen!” It takes many people, juggling many tasks, to create our beloved community.

I will be finishing my second term on the Board of Trustees at the end of June. I have found my time on the Board to be rewarding and I cherish the people I have worked with and the relationships I have formed over the years with fellow Board members, ministers and staff. We need people to step up and fill leadership positions on the Board of Trustees, the First Universalist Foundation Board and the Nominating Committee for the 2021–2022 church year. Please consider nominating yourself or encouraging a fellow church member to apply for this important work.

I will be dating myself here, but I always enjoyed David Letterman’s Top Ten Lists. So, in that spirit, I offer you the Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Consider a Leadership Position: 

10. You get to work with really amazing fellow congregants who care deeply about First Universalist.

9. You can shape the vision and direction of the church.

8. You learn a lot about things you never even knew you wanted to learn about! Everything from budgeting to evaluation to crafting an equitable vendor policy and more.

7. You have an excuse to eat more egg rolls on Sunday morning as you talk to congregants and get their perspective on how church is going.

6. Caring for and protecting our church can be a spiritual practice.

5. Talking about Policy Governance will ensure you are the hit of the party.

4.  Getting to know the ministers is really fun.

3. The work is challenging but also deeply satisfying.

2. You will be able to practice leaning into anti-racism and dismantling White Supremacy culture.

1. And the number one reason why you should consider serving in a leadership position at First Universalist is: You will get to heaven.  ... just kidding! As Universalists, we believe in universal salvation and you don’t get extra points for serving in a leadership role. But you should still consider serving!

The Nominating Committee is recruiting candidates for leadership positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee for the 2021-2022 church year. It’s an exciting and important time to serve as we move forward with our building project, navigate Rev. Justin’s departure, and live into new ways of being present to each other as the pandemic continues. Serving on one of these bodies enables you to represent other church members to ensure that the church moves forward in alignment with its visionary goals. Members have unique opportunities to collaborate with our ministers and other lay leaders to advance the church’s mission!

Member of the Board of Trustees: Trustees partner with the congregation and professional staff in shaping the vision and long-term goals of the church. They articulate these aspirations through policy and collaborate with executive leadership to see they are fulfilled. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website. 

Member of First Universalist Foundation Board: Board members serve as stewards of the Foundation endowment. The solicit grant applications, review applications, and select grantees to be awarded funding. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website.

Member of Nominating Committee: Committee members screen and recommend candidates to the congregation for vacant positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee. A fuller description of the position can be found here on our website.

Requirements: You must be a member in good standing of the church. Elections occur at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 6. Please consider either nominating yourself or encouraging a fellow church member to apply for this important work.

Fill out the application form here. Applications are due by Friday, March 19, 2021. 

If you have questions or would like more information, please email nomination@firstuniv.org or contact any Nominating Committee member: Jim Ramnaraine (chair), Sharon Ramirez, Pat Gottschalk, Cathy Manning, Ray Dillon, and Valerie Garber. Thanks for your attention to this opportunity to serve this congregation!

The Spring round of small groups will have two meeting options: six Sunday mornings, March 28 – May 2, or six Wednesday evenings, March 31 – May 5. 

Sign up for a Sunday morning small group here.

Sign up for a Wednesday evening small group here.

Registration for this round of small groups will be open until March 15. Find more information, details, FAQs and answers on our website.

First Universalist's annual State of the Church meeting, with Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Justin Schroeder, Board President Bryana French, and Board Treasurer Keven Ambrus, was held on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 11:30 a.m. The meeting included updates on the upcoming ministerial transition, finances, and phase 2 of the capital campaign and building renovations, as well as a question and answer session at the end. In case you missed the meeting, you can watch the video recording below.

Image description: still from Zoom recording of the State of the Church meeting. Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Justin Schroeder, Board President Bryana French, and Board Treasurer Keven Ambrus are pictured in "gallery view" mode.

First Universalist Church accepts nominations for upcoming Offering Plate contributions. The Community Investment Team reviews nominations and recommends charitable organizations that live out our shared commitment to justice and equity. We encourage nominations of smaller nonprofits in one or more of the following categories: racial justice, environmental justice, economic and social equity, and organizations responding to a timely and critical problem. Fill out the nomination form here.

The care team at First Universalist is here to help in a whole lot of ways—from phone calls to say we’re thinking about you to a listening ear when you need someone to accompany you through whatever’s happening in your life. COVID-19 has changed some of the ways we provide care, but there is a lot we’re still doing. Here is one of the ways we’re here to provide support:

WE CARE Companions

Care Companions are members of the congregation who have been oriented toward the art and practice listening with a caring and confidential ear, and a loving and kind heart. Care Companions call and check-in on folks in the congregation. They are also here to accompany you longer-term if you’re living with a chronic illness or could use some ongoing support. To connect with a Care Companion (or to become one), contact Rev. Karen at karen@firstuniv.org.

To access any of our other caring resources, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org 

Advance registration is requested. Sign up using this form on our website.

We’re planning to offer Wellspring starting in the fall, and this info session is meant to help you decide if you’d like to sign up. RSVP here.

Join First U Environmental Justice team members Todd Pierson and Stan Sattinger as they introduce Hope Jahren’s book, The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here. Stan and Todd will explore Jahren’s unique analysis of humanity’s ever increasing demand for “more”— more energy, more food, more “stuff”— and the impact that pursuit of more is having on planet Earth. Jahren makes science and data come alive through stories and humorous perspectives on some pretty serious stuff. Register for the webinar here to receive the Zoom information.

You will come away from this webinar with new perspectives on how we humans got into the pickle we’re in and where we may go from here. You may be surprised by what you learn!

Join First U Environmental Justice team members Susan Keller, Steve Merrill, Stan Sattinger, and Todd Pierson as they explore Hope Jahren’s book The Story of More, in which Jahren offers a unique take on the climate crisis and where we go from here. These discussions will focus not only on the ever increasing demand for more and subsequent impact on the earth, but also explore solutions, personal and local as well as national and international. This book study will meet for two sessions, one on March 24 and one on March 31. One-hour discussions will be held at noon and 4 p.m. each day. Use this form to register for the book study.

From the cover of The Story of More: "Hope Jahren is an award-winning scientist, a brilliant writer, a passionate teacher, and one of the seven billion people with whom we share this earth. In The Story of More, she illuminates the link between human habits and our imperiled planet. In concise, highly readable chapters, Jahren takes us through the science behind the key inventions—from electric power to large-scale farming to automobiles—that, even as they help us, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like never before. She explains the current and projected consequences of global warming—from superstorms to rising sea levels—and the actions that we all can take to fight back. At once an explainer on the mechanisms of global change and a lively, personal narrative given to us in Jahren’s inimitable voice, The Story of More... will leave an indelible impact on everyone who reads it.”

The Story of More, copyright 2020, is available at local bookstores and the library. To borrow a copy from the EJ team, contact Todd Pierson at todd.pierson@gmail.com.

Hennepin Healthcare provided a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Simpson Housing’s shelter on February 8th.

An encouraging number of shelter guests and staff were able to receive the vaccine. This brings Simpson one step closer to having volunteers back in the building.

Simpson Housing’s shelter has the following current supply needs. You can purchase these items online via Simpson Housing’s wish list.

Spiritual Care - Your ministers and program staff are here for one-on-one confidential conversations of support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us to connect. 

Counseling - The Walk In Counseling Center offers free counseling by phone or computer. Find out how to “walk in” on their website.

Cycle of Life - Every Sunday we name the challenges and joys that we are experiencing. If you would like us to name your joy or sorrow in worship on Sunday, please let Rev. Arif know (arif@firstuniv.org)

Love Kits - Are you or someone you love ill? Is your family struggling? Do you live alone or feel isolated? Do you know someone else from church who might be? If so, please let Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) know so that a package full of love and support can be delivered to your home.

Meal Trains - If you or someone you know at church would welcome a meal to help them through a difficult time, loss, illness or injury — and having someone else do the cooking for a bit would help —please let us know. Contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org.

Minister’s Emergency Fund - For many of us, these are difficult financial times. If you need help with a car repair bill, making rent, a doctor’s bill, groceries, gas, a mortgage payment, affording your medication, a bus card, or any other financial situation - please be in touch. We have financial resources available. Please contact a minister/staff member. 

Mental Health Connect - www.mhconnect.org - Need help finding a therapist? Want to learn more about particular mental health conditions and resources? Check out Mental Health Connect, a local organization supported by congregations like ours, that provides community-based resources, support and education to improve access to mental health services and connect individuals and families with the services they need.