Our Sunday services are at 9 and 11am, in-person and on Zoom, 

followed by in-person and Cyber Social Hour, immediately after both services.

Our current protocol strongly encourages (though doesn't require) wearing masks at the church. Read WBUUC's Current COVID Protocol

Church-Related Closings & Weather Notifications

Sunday, March 26 | Possibility in Times of Change with guest preacher, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, Unitarian Universalist Association President and live music from Mary Duncan

As a nod to the recent celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Accords in Northern Ireland, Mary will share some Irish tunes with us this Sunday!

Sunday, April 2 | Correct Pronouns: an Act of Love with Rev. Jack Gaede and live music from the WBUUC Choir, directed by Becky Pansch

Sunday, April 9 | Easter Sunday with Rev. Roger, Rev. Jack Gaede, Amy Peterson and Nico Van Ostrand

If you are visiting for the first time or bringing a guest or returning after an absence, feel free to register below so that our welcome teams can prepare for your arrival.

https://wbuuc.org/sunday-worship/.

The Nursery is available during worship to care for children ages 6 months through 3 years. Registration is required: https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/22-23RE

Thank you to all who have made your pledge! We're off to a good start, but have quite a ways to go to reach our goal. We hope that WBUUC members and friends who are able will consider raising their pledges by 5% or 10%, but any amount is helpful. A solid financial foundation will propel us into the next chapter for WBUUC!

Also, if you make your pledge during the pledge drive, you will the greatly lessen the time-consuming follow-up efforts done by volunteers and staff.

You can pledge quickly online here:

https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/pledge2023-24

If you prefer to pledge in a different way or have any questions,

contact the office: office@wbuuc.org or (651) 204-8224.

Pledging is a promise of partnership to each other, this congregation, and its future. Please make your pledge today!

Watch Helen, Shawn, Riley and Audrey Gallagher share why they give to WBUUC.

How we're doing so far...

This Saturday, Mar. 25 | 9:30am | In-person (Wheatley) & on Zoom

Join Rev. Roger to check in on where you are and what you are holding in your heart through all the changes – including Victoria’s departure as well as other staff, changes to our services and how we gather (in-person and virtually), the effects of the pandemic on our lives, the upcoming changes with our new, settled lead minister… This will be an open and safe space to process your feelings individually and, if you’re comfortable, to share freely. 

To register: https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/lossandgrief

For those joining virtually, the Zoom link will be included in the confirmation email after you submit the registration form.

Some of you may be looking for the Circle of Laments service that has happened at WBUUC on Thursday during the Christian Holy Week. I'm writing to say that we're not doing the service this year. I personally enjoyed being part of it last year but noted that we had very low attendance–less than 10 total virtually and in-person. It represented a lot of work for staff with little participation from members. Given this and the fact there's no shortage of things going on as well as our staff motto this year of "Do Less, Better," we decided to skip the service this year. It's possible the new settled Lead Minister and the rest of the staff will decide to do it in a similar or different format next year–or not do it. Part of my interim work is clearing the deck where possible so the new settled Lead Minister has some leeway about what to do and not do. The annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony is another example of this–the ceremony hasn't taken place during the interim but could return...or not.

As always, please get in touch if you have questions or concerns!

Rev. Roger Bertchausen

Interim Lead Minister

revroger@wbuuc.org

We're happy to announce that the dates for candidating week with our next lead minister have been confirmed! We will welcome our Ministerial Candidate to join us April 29 - May 7 with the congregation voting on this individual at the end of this time. Watch for upcoming announcements and information on this very exciting week!

Click here to see the Winter/Spring 2023 Supper & Soulwork Schedule

Join us for an upcoming Supper & Soulwork – these Wednesday night evenings of fellowship and food provide all-ages with a chance to connect mid-week, share a meal, participate in various activities and/or special programming, and most importantly, be together.

Next Supper & Soulwork is next TONIGHT!

Click here to see the Winter/Spring 2023 Supper & Soulwork Schedule

We have two specific asks...

1. We would like your help finding a better job for one of our Afghan friends. An electrical engineer in his 60's needs daytime work. Could be an assistant to an electrician or other trades related field. Limited English but can use Google translate. Hard worker, single dad, now doing menial labor at night.

2. Are you a retired psychologist or therapist who could help us and our families understand the effects of trauma, or just be a friend and listening ear? No therapy.

If you can help with either of these requests, please contact Lori Gordon, lorigordon54@gmail.com or 651-433-5443

3 years ago, life as we knew it changed dramatically when we learned about the COVID-19 pandemic and the world shut down. Then, on March 15, 2020 WBUUC offered our first-ever Zoom worship service. (This photo shows the behind-the-scenes set up we used for those early virtual services.) As a staff, we have been reflecting on our pandemic experiences and sharing our stories about these pandemic years. We'd like to hear your stories–what would you like to share with us about your experiences during the pandemic? https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/Stories

“…the world is not on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures, and beyond that threshold, climate disaster will become so extreme people cannot adapt.” (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, March 20). To avert disaster, we must stop burning fossil fuels, shut down oil and gas wells and coal mines and reinvest in renewable energy with battery storage. Every dollar invested in additional solar collectors on the church roof by members offsetting their carbon emissions from vacation travel will help defuse the climate time bomb.

Learn more and calculate your carbon offset at www.wbuuc.org/solar/

Apr 2 | 12:30-2 pm | In-person & on Zoom

In the second of our two-part membership class series, we'll talk about the history of our congregation, the importance of covenant, and the expectations and rewards of membership. The class ends with a small ceremony of membership for those ready to become members.

Register here: https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/2022-23-membership2

Questions: revjack@wbuuc.org

*Zoom details will be emailed to you upon registration.

We’re so excited that the UU Office at the United Nations (UU@UN) is coming to Minneapolis for their Intergenerational Spring Seminar, April 1-3, 2023, to explore “Demilitarization & Abolition: Resisting Policing and Empire.” The seminar will take place at First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, with online participation options, and is a collaboration between UU@UN, UU College of Social Justice, and the UUSC. Mark your calendars and learn more here.

The White Bear Area Food Shelf saw a 40% increase in visitors in 2022 over 2021. Current economic conditions are causing more new people to visit food shelves that haven’t needed this support before and we have volunteer opportunities for every age and ability and a wide variety of options. Specifically, we are looking for people to help us meet the increased demand at our curbside market and to help us utilize more food from local grocery stores, preventing food waste and increase the variety of food we can offer people. To learn more or to volunteer, contact Carol at carol@whitebearfoodshelf.org or 651-433-7286 or visit whitebearfoodshelf.org. Thank you!

Click to read the WBUUC Relational Covenant Rev. Roger spoke about on Sunday

If you would like to have a joy, a sorrow, or a life event shared in our time of meditation and prayer in the Sunday service, please complete this form. You may also use this form to request prayers, ask for support from the congregation, and just to let us know what is going on with you. https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/MeditationRequest

Meeting with Ministers

We invite you to contact us directly to make an appointment for an in-person or Zoom meeting. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the days on which we concentrate appointments though we will also make available other times if these weekday times don't work for you. Questions or to make an appointment with one of us, contact us.

Building Hours

Tue/Wed/Thurs: 10am – 5pm

Fridays: often open – best to confirm before arriving

Mondays: typically closed or open by special arrangement only