As the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, shared last Sunday in worship, the spiritual and moral leadership of First Universalist Church touches and transforms thousands of lives. In turbulent and uncertain times, First Universalist has been a steady, grounding presence, offering spiritual support and care and calling us to live ever more deeply with our values as we stretch and grow in our faith. Over the past four years, in partnership and collaboration with others, we’ve provided sanctuary to a family at risk of deportation, sponsored an asylum seeker, and deepened our commitment to dismantling white supremacy culture and to building the beloved community. 

We are one week into our “All-In” Annual Giving Campaign, as we raise money for our operating budget for the July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 fiscal year—and we need your support. Collectively, we need to raise $1.3 million in order to fund our return to in-person church as well as continue to support all that we’re doing online. In a congregation of about 1,100 adults, this means an average gift of $1,200 per adult (about $100 a month), will help us achieve this goal. Of course, we know that some of you can and do give much more than this, and that for some of you, this kind of giving isn’t possible right now. But it’s what we can do together that is truly inspiring! And so we're asking, would you consider increasing your gift by $6 to $33 a month this coming year? It’s easy to make your gift online if you don't currently have an ongoing gift set up or if you're new. If you already have an sustaining (ongoing) gift set up, please reach out to Chelsea Bertsch, our Finance Assistant, at chelsea@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701 x 107, to make changes and/or with questions. Please make your annual gift by Sunday, April 18.

Then, after you’ve made your annual gift, swing by the church between 1 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 18. Your staff, ministry team, and Annual Giving Team want to say “thank you” for your support, and share a small gift with you. Most importantly, in this year of separation, we want to share the gift of our presence with one another. So make your annual gift, mask up, and drive, bike, roll, or walk by the church in the early afternoon on Sunday, April 18. We’ll be there, excited to see you, as we wrap up our Annual Giving Campaign and begin to live into the future we dream of. 

With love and care,

Revs. Jen Crow and Justin Schroeder

Co-Senior Ministers

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Join Rev. Arif for a midweek worship experience for adults and older youth. This service is a brief time (20-30 minutes) of connection, centering, and reflection to help us find and keep our balance.

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.

We rejoice with Karen Larson on the birth of her first grandchild, Maria LeAnn Larson, born to Anthony and Samantha on February 16th in Minneapolis. 

Our hearts are with Peter Kimball and his family: Laura, Ari, Alex, and Sophia as they mourn the death and celebrate the life of Peter's father, Robert Kimball, who died on Thursday at the age of 87. May our love and care surround them during this tender time.

Our hearts are with Zoe Beck who is in the hospital recovering from a viral infection. She is not sick with COVID-19, and hopes to be home soon.

Our prayers for healing surround Maggie Collins as she recovers from recent surgery at Mayo Clinic. Maggie welcomes our prayers and appreciates the care and support of the congregation.

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.

First Universalist ministers teach that there are a number of ways to enter a sacred text and let it “read our lives.” One way is to imagine ourselves as each character in the story. We can ask, “Where do I see myself and my story in this story?” For example, Rev. Jen shares what happened to a young Howard Thurman at the train station on his way to high school half a state away. Without enough money to cover the cost of transporting his trunk, a stranger quietly pays the fare, never introducing themselves, and Thurman’s life is forever changed. As we let this story weave its way through our imaginations, it is in harmony with Thurman’s own description of a paradoxical truth: that we must know ourselves individually and as part of a larger community. We are at once of ourselves and of each other. In building the Beloved Community at First Universalist during our Annual Giving Campaign, we are responding to this question: "How do I know myself both individually and as a critical part of the whole of First Universalist Church — and beyond?" 

Find the story of Rev. Dr. Thurman at the train station — as well as other resources — in our Reflection and Listening Guide. You can make your annual gift here.

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 of Sunday, March 21 worship showing Rev. Justin, Rev. Jen, Aimee K. Bryant, and Care Companion Peter Brower in Zoom gallery view with the "play button" superimposed.

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. At its core, care is about compassion. 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 explore the rich ground of how we give and receive care, and how we can take care of ourselves, avoiding burnout and caregiving fatigue. You can learn more about our March worship theme on our website.

By Frederic MacDonald-Dennis, a devout 30-year UU who found his way to First U in 2011. Although he now lives in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, he remains closely connected to First U.

Dear Rev. Justin,

Congratulations on your decision to go where love is calling you next. When I first heard about your impending departure, I was surprised and deeply saddened. Then, I saw your video. It reminded me of what inspires me most about your ministry—your encouragement to be guided by our hearts, to go where love calls. I always loved when you preached this message and it is so powerful and instructive to see you embrace the calling of your own heart, to live into the wisdom of these words. While I remain sad that you won't be with us for much longer, your groundedness and confidence about your path assure me that you will be ok, that we will be ok.

Since moving away, I have missed our spiritual conversations over coffee, where we explored the big questions of life and you moved me to deep contemplation. Now that I am back at First U, I was looking forward to a return to our coffees virtually. Instead, I will have coffee, and I'll think of you, and I'll smile.

May your memories of First U give you strength when times are hard and bring joy to your soul always. May you and your family be held in a love that never lets you go. Now go forth and keep loving the hell out of this world. May it be so.

Carrying you in my heart always,

Frederic

If you have questions or comments about the Good Goodbye (GG) plans, please contact a member of the GG Team: Ginny McAninch, chair; Bette DeMars, Lena K. Gardner, Nancy Gaschott, Rich Jaeger, Frederic MacDonald-Dennis, and Karin Wille. Ginny McAninch can be reached by email at ginny.mc1947@gmail.com. Together, we will create a good goodbye!

This week, Rev. Jen had an essay published on the Collegeville Institute's "Bearings" blog. In this essay, Rev. Jen reflects on her experience with virtual worship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rev. Jen writes,

You can read the full essay from Rev. Jen on the Collegeville Institute's "Bearings" blog, and you can find a recording of the worship service she references—one of the church's very first virtual services from back in March 2020—on our YouTube channel.

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 Rides

Though we’re not currently driving folks to medical appointments and the like, church is happy to help with an Uber or Taxi ride. As a member recently said, “I broke my foot last year, and wouldn’t you know it, it was my right one and my doctor wouldn’t let me drive with my left! Thank goodness the rides ministry at church was there to help.” 

If you would like to receive a ride, or if you would like to access any of our other caring resources, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org 

 Join the Zoom gathering here.

 Meeting ID: 875 6351 285; Passcode: 465132

Join the Zoom gathering here.

Meeting ID: 892 7317 6946; Passcode: 825136

Join the Zoom gathering here.

Meeting ID: 814 6743 2711; Passcode: 772008

Tangled Blessings is a weekly grief group where participants are invited to bring their whole selves and whatever grief they may be carrying. Through sharing, silence, ritual, and reflection, we will offer each other support and companionship. You are welcome to attend one or all of the sessions. Registration is requested. You can register here.

If you’re ready to officially become a member of the church, we invite you to sign up for an upcoming Pathway to Membership session. There are two options available:

Through a combination of individual, small, and large group activities, we’ll help you understand membership at church and what it means to join the river of faith that is our collective religious life. This session, in preparation for our April 25 New Member Ceremony, will be led by Membership Coordinator, Liz Farmer. Those registered will receive additional details and the Zoom information via email. Please reach out to Liz with any questions at liz@firstuniv.org. Register here!

Julie Neraas, spiritual director and author of several books, is leading a series of four workshops on hope: what it is, how to cultivate it, and how to sustain it. As she writes, “Hope is a stupendous human quality, and in this challenging time in our complicated world, it may be our greatest need, its viability our greatest question."

This series is co-sponsored by the Association of Universalist Women (AUW) and the Young Adult group. To help defray costs, we’re inviting participants to contribute as you’re able: no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. We will be recording the workshop and it will be available to those who register in case participants are unable to attend all four sessions.

Hope might be one of the most important spiritual disciplines we can cultivate right now, so please do sign-up for this series here.

Newcomer Circles are four-session gatherings of 6-8 participants who are new-ish to First Universalist. If you’ve been joining us for worship or participating in small groups or other gatherings for a few months, we invite you to consider signing up for a Newcomer Circle. This is a great way to deepen your connection to the church and to meet others who are also early in their journey with the congregation. The next Newcomers Circle will take place on Wednesdays, April 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 5–6:30 p.m. Register here. If you’re brand new to us or simply testing the waters, we invite you to start by attending First Step, a brief orientation offered every first and third Sunday of the month, or by dropping into our post-worship fellowship hours.

Would you be interested in a low-commitment opportunity to connect with other adults who raised or are raising LGBTQ+ youth? Gather for conversation and encouragement as we seek to celebrate and support our kids in being themselves and navigating the world.

This will be a confidential meeting space. We'll meet on Zoom for our second gathering on Sunday, April 11 at noon. To join, please email lauren@firstuniv.org.

You can find ways to get involved with our Faithful Action Partners in our March Faithful Action Newsletter. The newsletter contains opportunities to connect through volunteering, donating, advocating, and learning. Our Faithful Action Partners are community organizations that share our vision of love and justice. We work through Faithful Action Partnerships in order to leverage our energy, commitment and expertise. You can find more information about our Faithful Action Partnerships on our website.

Did you know that March 30 is World Bipolar Day? On March 30 each year, the world comes together to raise awareness of a mental health disorder that affects nearly 6 million Americans, each in a distinctive way. Bipolar disorder has an impact that goes far beyond numbers. Combat social stigma by reading the entire story here. Want to read personal stories? MHC’s very own Ambassador Marjorie Schaffer, PhD, RN has a website called Family Stories of Bipolar Disorder.

Save the Date! Mental Health Connect's Breakfast of Hope will be held on Thursday, May 20, 8:30–9:30 a.m. and will feature Kelli Nielsen, The Grief Guru, and Joe Davis.

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.