The Weekly Liberal: December 5, 2024 | |
NOTE: Some e-mail programs will not load the full content of this publication. Please click "View Entire Message" at the bottom if you see it! | |
There Is Another Way: First Universalist and the December Holidays | |
|
I’ve been walking home without my headphones lately, to release my usual vice-grip on the work day to feel the breeze cool my hand instead, and because I know deep down that nothing on my playlist will beat the soundtrack of the walk itself. It’s strange at first—how suddenly vivid the world always was when you stop just passing it by.
The trees stood bare and stark against the sky, their branches stretched wide like lines etched by a patient hand. I almost walked past them, but something made me stop. Their shape struck me—a rough outline, not unlike the human heart. The way their branches curved and split reminded me of the vessels deep inside the heart itself, carrying life through its chambers. Highways for the heart, laid open in wood and air.
I wondered: have the trees always been telling us this? Or is it the heart that borrowed its shape from them? These roots turned skyward, even stripped of their leaves, still carry what sustains the whole, even in the deepest cold. They whisper of strength in simplicity, how the essential remains even when all else falls away.
What do the trees teach when they stand like this? The leaves drop. The wind weaves through the branches. They bend, but they do not break. What they carry remains steady, quiet, unshaken. The heart, too, moves life this way—sending love through its fragile highways, keeping us alive, season after season.
This month, we explore the theme of Presence and Care, rooted in one of the visionary goals this congregation has shaped together: to provide meaningful presence to one another in times of joy, grief, and change. These goals ask us to live not just in ideas but in action—to weave connection, resilience, and care into the fabric of our shared life. The trees, standing bare and steady, seem to echo this call.
This pulse of care flows through so many parts of our community. At Community Dinners, a shared table becomes more than a meal—it becomes a place where stories root and relationships grow. In the choir, every voice carries its own line, but together they create a harmony that holds us all. We keep the discretionary fund full to meet our people with care in hardest times, the moment it’s needed most.
But presence and care aren’t always loud. Sometimes they live in the silences we share—at the Blue Holiday service, where grief and joy sit side by side without apology. Sometimes they flicker in the glow of candles on Christmas Eve, a flame passed from hand to hand until it becomes a shared brilliance. They glow in the smiles of parents at the pageant seeing their own little one become a star. And sometimes they gather in the quiet warmth of the Solstice ritual, as we keep each company in the dark, as steady as the light we know will return. (Holiday worship)
This rhythm mirrors our ongoing dance with the earth. When the cold deepens, we bring warmth through gatherings and firesides. When the nights stretch long, we answer with flickering light, candles, and ritual. This balance is no accident; it’s a response as ancient and as humanity itself. In a cold and dark season, the earth calls for rest and reflection, and we meet it with traditions that sustain us—honoring the cycles of life while kindling the flames that keep us connected.
I hope you’ll join us for worship and our holiday rituals–yes, as a gift to your heart; but just as much because you’re a flicker in the flame that comes to warm us all in glow. I’ve written you more to talk about our holiday tradition at First Universalist. But the gist of it’s this, dear one: so much of the modern world speaks a language of isolation, self-satisfaction, and happiness marked down from some imagined retail price. But the trees, patient and steady, tell a different story. Long before the lessons of conquest and consumerism, they were teaching us an old lesson that comes in a flash if you listen. This December, as we light candles and sit with the dark, as we kindle warmth in the cold, may we live into what the trees have always known: there is another way, and it leads us home.
| | | |
Winter Solstice Ritual
Friday, December 20 at 7 p.m.
In a time that races toward the light without pausing to honor the wisdom of the dark, the Winter Solstice calls us to linger, to sit with the questions that only the night can hold, and to trust the turning of the earth beneath us. This ceremony, created together as a community, weaves music, silence, and firelight. In the hush of the night, we share stories, light candles, and draw warmth from one another as we welcome the sun’s slow return.
All are welcome, but this contemplative ritual is best suited for youth ages 12 and older. Join us in the sanctuary or via YouTube Live.
| |
Christmas Pageant
Saturday, December 21 at 4 p.m.
The Christmas Pageant at First Universalist is not a performance to watch but a story to enter—a tale that invites us to see ourselves as seekers, wanderers, and wonderers. Led by our children and youth, this beloved tradition tells the nativity as we know it to be: a celebration of hope, hospitality, and the transformative power of love. Come for carols that lift the room, costumes that sparkle with joy, and the beauty of youth rising into leadership (stardom?). After the performance, join us in the Social Hall for hot cocoa and cookies—a chance to savor the season’s simple joys in community.
The pageant is designed for all ages, especially families with young children. The pageant will be presented in-person only.
| |
Blue Holidays
Sunday, December 22 at 7 p.m.
The world often tells us that the holidays must be merry, bright, and perfect. Here, we hold space for the fuller truth: that joy and sorrow often walk hand in hand. Blue Holidays offers a tender gathering for those carrying grief, longing, or quiet reflection during the season. Together, we create a sanctuary where all emotions are welcome. Through poetry, shared song, and a candle-lighting ritual, we invite the gentle warmth of community to meet us where we are.
All are welcome, but this contemplative ritual is best suited for youth ages 12 and older. Join us in the sanctuary or via YouTube Live.
| |
Christmas Eve Candlelight
Service
Tuesday, December 24 at 7 p.m.
On Christmas Eve, we gather to hear an ancient story and to look toward the possibilities it still holds for us. The nativity, with its quiet courage and radical hospitality, reminds us of the power of love born anew in the world. In the glow of candlelight, we listen to scripture and poetry, sing carols that echo through generations, and hold moments of stillness that feel like a gift in themselves. This service is not a performance but a quiet act of hope, a reminder that even in the chaos of the world, there is another way.
All are welcome, but this candlelight ritual is best suited for youth ages 12 and older. Join us in the sanctuary or via YouTube Live.
| |
Seasons Greetings-- Literally! | |
If you plan to come to any of the holiday services this year, consider welcoming folks at the church entrances for them! It's an easy way (for all ages!) to hold space, together and for each other, during these important services and rituals. All that's required is arriving a bit early, smiling, saying hello, and occasionally providing directions around the building. You're already going to be here—heck, ya may as well sign up!
| |
Holiday Schedules at Church | |
The Church office will be closed Monday, December 23 - January 1.
Staff will be on holiday vacation from 12/24-12/27, and 12/30-1/1.
We will have two services each Sunday for the remainder of December, as well as holiday worship.
| |
|
There are spots left to take the IDI (Intercultural Development Inventory). The IDI measures intercultural competency.
The assessment takes about 20 minutes to complete. Your results will be part of an aggregate group report to the congregation. Your individual results are confidential and shared only with the qualified administrator who you will be meeting with to debrief (optional).
If you’d like to learn more about the IDI, here’s an introduction video to the assessment. You can also visit www.idiinventory.com to learn more.
| |
Sunday, Dec. 8: Healing from Trauma
How do we heal from the wounds we carry? Hold space for personal and collective healing, addressing the complexities of trauma within our lives and community.
Join us at 9 or 11 a.m. in person or via livestream at 11 a.m.
| |
|
|
Religious Education is in classrooms this Sunday.
Please check the website and the Children, Youth, & Families calendar for more information - different age groups frequently have different schedules or special events.
If you have not yet registered your family for this year of Religious Education, please register your family today. All families — new and returning, with babies through high schoolers — must register each church year.
| |
Last Sunday, Dec. 1: Radical Grace and Hospitality, Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address | | |
|
Video: The congregation shares the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address | |
Minnesota is a Dakota place.
In 2021, a settler-colonizer descendant asked the Tribal Council of the Lower Sioux Indian Community to accept this honor tax. You can read the Council’s resolution accepting the contributions here.
The honor tax is a voluntary contribution made directly to the Lower Sioux Indian Community by people who live, work, and learn within their traditional territory. Each individual decides how much to contribute, and the tax is unrestricted— the Community will use the funds for those essential governmental functions it determines are best for its people. The honor tax is a concrete recognition of the debts that settler-colonists have incurred on this land, the promises that the United States broke, and the enduring sovereignty of Dakota who continue to steward Mni Sota Makoce.
| |
Perfection is a myth.
Community is the truth.
Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries
| |
|
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. | |
Ways to Connect at Church | |
|
December Community Dinner
Weds, Dec. 11, 6:00 Dinner, 7-8:15 Breakout Groups
December Menu: Soups—squash, minestrone and chicken noodle. Fresh veggies and bread will be available at tables.
RSVP Here
We always offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, nut free, and kid-friendly options.
Swing by church for a delicious home-cooked meal at 6 p.m. in the Social Hall. After dinner, from 7-8:15 p.m. See below for breakout groups for all ages.
All are welcome and there is no charge. All church events are alcohol-free.
December Breakout groups:
Senior High Youth Group (grades 10-12)
Junior High Youth Group (grades 7-9)
Older kids games (grades 4-6)
Childcare (6 mos-3rd grade)
Parenting As A Spiritual Practice
A Place to Start
| |
Qigong for Liberation
Thursdays, Dec. 5, 12, 19, 4:00-4:45 p.m.–no meeting on Thanksgiving or December 26.
| |
UUs for Justice in The Middle East
Sunday, Dec. 8, 1-2 p.m. in Room 201
| |
"Life After Doom" Salon
Mondays through December 9, 7-8:30 PM, On Zoom only
| |
Improv for Elders
Wednesdays, Dec. 11, 18, Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29 (no gathering on Nov. 27, Dec. 25, or Jan. 1) 10:30 a.m. to noon
| |
Fall Grief group (online)
Sunday, Dec. 15, 4:00-5:30 pm
| |  |
|
Family Holiday Potluck
Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 6:30 p.m.
RSVP Here
Half holiday dinner, half Friendsgiving, you are invited to bring a favorite holiday or potluck dish to share if you are able, or just bring yourself and your family. Last year this was a delightfully kid-friendly potluck with great community energy, and we are truly looking forward to repeating it this year.
There will be Christmas Pageant rehearsals on either side of the dinner, but your family does not need to be involved in the Pageant to join for dinner.
All parents, caregivers, children, youth, and chosen family are warmly welcome. Come, build community and share a meal with us.
| |
Daytime Connections: Author Kao Kalia Yang
Thursday, December 19, 9:45 a.m. coffee, 10-noon program, Noon lunch
| |
Meditation Tuesday Mornings
On Zoom only
Every Tuesday, all year/every week; 9:00-10:15 a.m.; gather at 8:45;
Email Sara McMullen to RSVP: saramcminneapolis@gmail.com
| |
Winter/Spring Membership Class
2 sessions, both required: Sundays, March 16 & 23; Lunch 12:45 p.m., Class 1-3 p.m. in person at church
New Member ritual in worship April 6
| | |
|
Save the Date: All Ages Church Prom!
On Saturday, Jan. 18 from 5-8 p.m., bring your friends, family, and your groove, for a “Through the Decades” themed church prom. Kids, youth, and adults of all ages are invited to dance the night away, snack on yummy hors d'oeuvres, snap a pic in the photo booth, and buy a raffle ticket (or many!) for the chance to win a gift of time, talent, or treasure from our youth.
This prom is a fundraiser for First Universalist Church. Tickets will be available for a donation through our website, and raffle tickets will be available via a donation at the door.
This fabulous event is planned by our Youth Leadership Team with support from our Stewardship Team and our Senior High Youth Group. Join us for a wonderful evening of dancing, community, and fun!
| | |
For the most complete and up-to-date listing of Programs, Gatherings, & Events at Church, visit our church calendar, or view the Program Guide: | |
|
First U Stands with Trans Youth
From Transforming Families MN:
"The current political climate has created an uncertain future for trans youth across the United States, and there will likely be some tough circumstances to navigate in the new year. To prepare for what is to come, we are thrilled to announce the first round of members for our MN Strong 4 Trans Youth Coalition!
Sixty-eight organizations are committing to supporting trans kids in MN! Thank you to everyone who has participated so far! Our website is now updated.
If you know of an organization that would like to participate, please let us know."
| |
|
Think Ahead--UUA General Assembly
June 18-22, 2024
In Baltimore and also Virtual
General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Please join us Wednesday, June 18 through Sunday, June 22, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and/or online for this 5-day immersive experience where we participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops, reconvene with friends and colleagues, and explore our bustling exhibit hall. GA is an unforgettable experience for the thousands of UUs who attend. Meet us online or in Baltimore and you’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share with your congregation and community-at-large!
| |
Holiday Art in The Sanctuary | |
The Visual Arts team brought contrasts of light and dark into the sanctuary by creating sparkling stars on a field of dark blue for the chancel this holiday season. Developing a concept and leading the committee this year was new member Nikki Townsend. The Visual Arts Team hopes this year’s decorations will brighten your holiday season. | |
Photo shows Nikki at the bottom and Steve Oakley at the top. His job was to be on a tall ladder hanging everything while Nikki and others helped direct him. | |
|
From Bette DeMars:
We hung dark blue satin from the chancel as a backdrop. The stars were made by gluing wooden dowels to different sized wooden circles. A backing of a shiny material was attached to each circle. On top of that we added tiny stars onto the circles. Everything was enhanced with glitter and paint to make them shine. We also added a few strands of mirrors.
| |
Community & Affiliated Org Events | |
|
Pink Haven Coalition Information and Organizing Session
Thursday, December 12 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm CT
As many of you know, our trans and gender-expansive beloveds are under attack and being criminalized in many US states right now. This is so serious that they fit the criteria to be designated as internally displaced people (IDPs) by the United Nations. The UUA and UUSC are partnering directly with frontline trans-led organizing to create networks of safety and direct support for beloveds who need to relocate, access healthcare across state lines, or stay as safe as possible where they are. Join MUUSJA to learn more about what is happening and how you can organize for trans liberation, safety, and joy on December 12. This event is free and virtual, and we encourage multiple people from each congregation or fellowship to attend.
You can share our Facebook Event or register directly here.
| |
12-Step Spirituality
Visit the website for details.
First Saturday of each month through May 3, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
In person – at First Universalist Church
And on Zoom - get the link here.
These meetings are for people who are actively working any 12-step program.
The meetings focus on the 11th step, prayer and meditation, by using the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation.
We teach Centering Prayer Meditation, meditate for 20 minutes, visit in small groups and practice two other forms of prayer.
| |
|
Association of Universalist Women
Visit the website • Join or renew membership • AUW Facebook Group
Hiking Group: For questions or to get on the hiking group mailing list, contact: Marie Sorensen, 612-419-3620, mariefsor@aol.com or Lynn Richardson 612-323-2776, Kalelynn19@gmail.com.
December 7, 1pm Saturday Normandale Lake, 8416 Chalet Road, Bloomington, MN. Park in the big parking lot on the west side of Chalet Road. Meet at Normandale Lake Sign across from the parking lot.1.9 miles around once.
December 14, 1pm Saturday Wood Lake Nature Center, 6710 Lake Shore Drive, Richfield. Meet in the parking lot by the entrance. Flat paths with wood chips
December 21, 1pm Lakewood Cemetery. 3600 Hennepin Avenue South, Mpls. Meet by small round Chapel. Park on side of the driveway. Walk is on asphalt. Slight hills depending on the way we go. Mileage depends on the group.
Bonus: Wood Lake Nature Center offers a New Year's Eve event called Candlelight and Ice on the evening of December 31. Entrance is by ticket only. Admission is $8 per person. A limited number of tickets are available here. Tickets MUST be purchased in advance. If there is interest in meeting up as AUW members, coordinate through the new AUW Facebook Group.
Game Group
December 12, 7-9 p.m. at church
Contact: Anne Frenchick
Women Who Read
Mon., Monday, January 27, 2025, 7 p.m.
Topic: An Invisible Thread: the True Story of An 11-year-old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and An Unlikely Meeting With Destiny by Laura Schroff.
RSVP for location: Abbie Finger
The Sandwich Project Potluck and Service Project
Saturday, January 25, 6 - 8 pm First U Social Hall
Bring a dish to share, something to tie back/cover your hair, and willing hands.
Monetary donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the sandwich items.
Questions: Contact event sponsors, Beth and Sandy at bumble9lol@gmail.com.
REGISTER NOW: May 2-4, 2025 - AUW Spring Retreat at Camp Courage
| | | | |
