Unity Church-Unitarian | October 29, 2026 | | Did Someone Say Pizza Party? | | Yes, Oscar did, at the 11:15 service on Sunday, October 25, if we meet the pledge goal by October 31! As of Wednesday at noon, we were 69% of the way there, with just under $525,000 left to raise. Pledge materials, including information about how you can help fully fund the church's mission and ends are available online. Please pledge by October 31 so we can build a balanced budget for 2027. Questions? Contact Laura Park at laura@unityunitarian.org. | | |
Minnesotans Love Our Neighbors
We stand together. We vote together.
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Friday, October 30 | Noon-2:30 p.m. | Registration
In response to the dangerous rhetoric from federal officials, Minnesotans are gathering outside local mosques during Friday prayer to show our support and look out for our neighbors. After prayer, Minnesotans will enjoy tea and sambusas, then go together to the polls to vote.
- Visit your local mosque during Friday prayers to stand in support of our Muslim neighbors. Please register.
- Bring a vest, whistle, and a sign.
- After Friday prayers, join others planning to vote by going to the polls together. Rides will be available.
| | Border CrosSing Puentes Concerts | | |
Friday, October 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Unity Church
Sunday, November 1 | 4:00 p.m. | Church of the Ascension
Details and Tickets
Celebrating the richness and diversity of the Latin American diaspora, We Are of a Tribe brings together contemporary choral works that speak to identity, belonging, and shared humanity. At its center is “We Are of a Tribe,” a setting of a wonderful poem by Alberto Rios that we commissioned from Colombian composer Nico Gutierrez. This is presented alongside music by composers of Latin American heritage from across the Americas and beyond. Through varied voices and musical traditions, the program offers a powerful meditation on connection, memory, and the communities we create across borders and generations.
| | Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1. | | |
Tolling of Bells
9:00 a.m. Sanctuary and Livestream | 11:15 a.m. Sanctuary
Order of Service | This Week at Unity
Join us for Unity's annual service of remembrance for the members of our community who have passed away in the last year. As we gather near the traditional observance of All Souls Day, we remember the stories of those who have gone before, and how they are intertwined with our own. Everyone will be invited to light a candle for someone they loved and lost in 2026.
In addition to Unity's tradition of lighting candles in memory of those we have lost, this year's Hallman Ministerial Intern Audrey McCann will share some of the history and context of the ofrenda from her Mexican-American heritage. Together as a community we will build our own ancestors' altar on this Sunday — you are invited to bring photos and/or mementos of any loved ones you have lost. Please place items on the altar before the start of the service.
The worship theme is Disorientation. To reflect on the theme, please see our spiritual practice packet.
Make a donation to the offering recipient, STAR House Nursery. Donations must be made online or received by the church by November 4.
Submit your joys and sorrows to be included in Sunday’s Embracing Meditation.
If you are attending the service online, join other Unity Church congregants for informal conversation at an online coffee hour. Contact Philippa Anastos at philippa@unityunitarian.org for the link to join each Sunday when the service ends.
Bring non-perishable food and other household items for the food shelf. Please, no dented cans or expired food. Donation baskets are located at the Holly and Portland Avenue entrances. Financial contributions are also gratefully accepted.
| | Disorientation Spiritual Practice Packet | The worship theme is Disorientation. A Spiritual Practice Packet is created for Unity's Chalice Circles and is available for use by anyone in the community who is interested in exploring our worship themes more deeply. | UUSC Partner Team Meeting | | |
Sunday, November 1 | 12:30 p.m. | Robbins Parlor
If you’re curious to learn about Unity’s connection to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), attend this meeting! The UUSC supports social justice initiatives in our country and around the world. Unity’s team is gearing up for Guest At Your Table — the UUSC’s key fundraising effort held in November.
| | Unity Church Is a Polling Place | The Parish Hall at Unity Church is a polling place. If you are coming to church on Election Day for reasons unrelated to voting, please use the Holly Avenue parking lot accessible entrance or the entrance at 732 Holly Avenue. Please avoid the Portland Avenue entrance unless Unity Church is your polling place and you are entering the building to vote. Individuals who are in the building and not voting are not allowed in the polling place. Thank you! | Join Unity’s Rapid Response Team for Election Protection | This action is a part of our partner ISAIAH’s state-wide mass mobilization campaign. There is growing evidence across the country that federal forces will be used to discredit and disrupt elections. Unity’s Rapid Response Team will use the Signal app to notify people if an election disruption activity occurs between now and January 2027. Please join this important effort by signing up for Unity’s Rapid Response Team on Signal. Download the free Signal app to your phone, then follow join using the link for Unity Rapid Response Team notices. Questions about this and other ISAIAH Actions? Stop by the ISAIAH table in Parish Hall after services on Sunday. | |
Wednesday, November 4 | 7:10 p.m. | Sanctuary and Livestream
Join us for a vigil the day after the election. Revs. Oscar, Shay, and KP will provide space to gather, reflect, and process the emotions of this pivotal moment. Whether you feel hope, uncertainty, or concern, we welcome all to come together as we collectively navigate the aftermath of the election.
Additionally, Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Justice Alliance is encouraging #CandlesOnCorners on the evening of the election and will offer a Post-Election Gathering on Thursday, November 5, at 7:00 p.m. The Unitarian Universalist Association will offer The Gathering: Declarations of Democracy Election Round Up on Monday, November 9, at 7:00 p.m. CST.
| America Has More Guns Than People | |
Wednesday, November 11 | 7:10 p.m. | Parish Hall & Zoom
Unity's Gun Violence Prevention Team will welcome a local representative to provide a legislative perspective on gun violence and possible legislation in the 2027 session. Ideas for effective citizen actions will be discussed.
| Congregational Survey Results | |
Wednesday, November 11 | 7:10 p.m. | Robbins Parlor
Join Bill Etter to discuss the results of the 2026 congregational survey. We'll look at the analysis and discuss how the board uses this information in its role of monitoring progress with our ends. Questions welcome!
| Lectio Divina: A Spiritual Practice to Feed Your Soul | |
Wednesday, November 11 | 7:10 p.m. | Zoom & Gannett Room
Is it poetry? Is it meditation? It’s a bit of both — Lectio Divina! Come experience the alchemy that occurs through focused reflection on an inspirational text. Many people find Lectio Divina sessions to be a time of rejuvenation and insight. Led by Shelley Butler and Lisa Wersal; facilitated by your own heart.
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Wednesday, November 11 | 7:10 p.m. | Body Room
Experience a gentle, nervous system-informed yoga practice designed to help you pause, tune into yourself, and release tension stored in the body. Through mindful movement, breath, and awareness, this class supports nervous system regulation, balance, and deep relaxation. The class is accessible to anyone comfortable sitting on the floor, and you’re encouraged to bring a yoga mat, blanket, or blocks for added comfort. Led by Dr. Tamara Kraft, a somatic psychotherapist and holistic health coach.
| Moving from Guilt to Activation: Owning Our Racism | | |
Four Wednesdays: October 14, 21, 28 and November 11
7:10-8:45 p.m. | Ames Chapel
Newcomers are welcome. Participation in previous sessions is not required.
Topics include: The Masks We Wear, The Necessity of Discomfort, Expanding Our Heart Center
Unity’s Racial Justice Team will follow last year’s Beloved Community Staff Team exploration of The Interconnected Roots of Oppression and expand on Unity’s Double Helix model with a series of Wellspring Wednesday experiences. Interconnected Roots taught us how racial capitalism informs political, economic and social systems. Moving from Guilt to Activation: Owning Our Racism will help us recognize and reckon with somatic dimensions of our white racist heritage. Circle conversations will be used to share insights that potentially “break us open and allow us to be transformed.” Follow-up programming on activation will be offered in early 2027. Please attend two fall sessions in preparation for spring sessions.
| | Active Hope and the Five Gifts of Uncertainty | | |
Saturday, November 14 | 9:00 a.m.-Noon | Robbins Parlor | Registration
Joanna Macy, creator of Active Hope, believed that when we open ourselves to the unknowing that comes with uncertainty, we open ourselves to possibilities. To help us get there, she outlined five gifts that can come out of uncertainty: the present moment, befriending our pain, solidarity, the immensity of time, and intention. In this workshop, participants will use practices related to these five gifts to move around the Active Hope Spiral. Whether you’re familiar with Active Hope or not, register today and come and explore the alchemy of uncertainties becoming gifts.
| Learn About Unity's Christmas Pageant | Join Unity's Christmas Pageant Team for a meet and greet on Sunday, November 15, after both services in Parish Hall. Come ask questions, learn about this year's intergenerational casting (adults can be acolytes!), and find out how you can get involved. The pageant team includes Kelley Loughrey, Teresa Schicker, Jackie Smith, Hannah Franco-Isaacs, and Kyra Shrake (along with staff members Heidi Birkholz and Martha Tilton). | Fall Concert with Mila Vocal Ensemble | |
Sunday, November 15 | 2:00 p.m. | Unity Church Sanctuary
Mila invites you to an afternoon of cozy Eastern European harmonies. Advance tickets are available on Mila’s website; use this code for a ticket discount: community. Tickets are also available for purchase at the door.
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Saturday November 21 | 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. | Foote Room
You are invited to join Unity’s Evergreen Quilters to make a One More Redeemer Quilt! It will be displayed in the Sanctuary when we celebrate the new babies in the congregation. Whether you are a complete beginner or have done some sewing, you are welcome. Evergreen Quilters will be there to guide you through the process of making simple blocks and assembling them into a quilt top. All materials and equipment will be supplied. Interested? Contact Rose Allen at allen027@alumni.umn.edu with questions or if you plan to participate.
| Unity Band Concert and Sing-a-Long | | |
Fundraiser for Unity Church
Sunday, November 22 | 2:00 p.m. | Sanctuary
Join the Unity Band for a concert of their favorite tunes with treats and a sing-a-long at the end. Purchase your tickets today: $20 per person and $50 per family. Reserve childcare by email to katrina@unityunitarian.org at least one week in advance.
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