The Weekly Liberal: September 4, 2025 | | 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! | |
Begin Again: Return & Resilience | |
My grandparents used to show up unannounced at the door of my second-grade class (and third, and fourth, I think) to take me out of class mid-morning (the class my grandfather had just walked me to, by the way—they were masters of the art of throwing you off the scent of a surprise). However unannounced their presence, their presence came with an announcement: that school was over for me that day, forty-five minutes after it started. They left the rest to a wink and anyone’s guess, even my teacher’s. They did this many times, leaving just enough distance between the surprise spring-out for me to forget about it. Then one day again, there they were. I learned to smile a big bright grin at the sight.
I never knew where we were headed in the ’90s-era slick Buick Grand Riviera they’d borrowed for the day from my granddaddy’s best friend. And looking back, I’m confident they weren’t interested in being sure about it either. What I remember is laughter, and windy rivers in the air of vanishing cigarette smoke. I remember Motown melodies as smooth as the engine coasting the Bay Bridge. And I remember stopping sometimes at beaches, sometimes parks full of trees, sometimes fantastical shops selling a million things I’d never heard of in Baltimore. I remember wherever we wound up was always clear on the other side of the state, and felt like an entirely other world.
I don’t know about you, but I know this is exactly where I heard myself utter that classic phrase of youthful impatience. It sprang out of me like I’d known it before birth, like it were whispered to me in the womb by the generations of children on road trips gone before:
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SmorgasBoard: A message from your Board of Trustees | Your First U Board of Trustees is doing good work—read more here: | | | | Want to join the Sanctuary & Resistance team? | There will be an open meeting on Sunday, September 7, from noon to 1:30, in Room 209 and online. First Universalist Church has been committed to a ministry of Sanctuary and Resistance since the 1980’s, and here we are again. This team works on the direct support of immigrant and trans/gender-expansive folx who we are accompanying in their journeys. We also work on indirect support (advocacy) for those folx. At our next meeting, we will welcome new and interested members and talk about what we are doing now, and how you can get involved. Contact kit@firstuniv.org if you want an invitation to the online meeting. | |
Faith Leaders Join Moms Demand Action Calling for Assault Weapons Ban | |
Friday, September 5 at 1 p.m.
Directions to the Capitol
Join Rev. Ashley and Board President Marc Gorelick at this event:
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September at First U: The seasons are shifting and so is the church schedule | Mark your calendar for Sunday worship-and more-at First U in September: | | | | Sunday, September 7 | Water Communion | |
We invite you to bring a small bit of water to the sanctuary with you. Some bring a bottle, others a few drops, some bring water they gathered from a special summer memory, others from the kitchen tap. It doesn’t matter how much or where from–all water is beautiful.
If you can’t collect your own water to bring (or if you forget yours on the counter at home), not to worry. We’ll have pitchers waiting here. We want you to be a part of this important time in our community, where wisdom and joy rush to greet us and show us the way to deeper love. See you there!
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SUMMER: Religious Education is in worship through September 7. All ages and voices are welcome in the Sanctuary! Childcare will be available for ages 6 months through PreK in Room 104.
Registration is open for the upcoming 2025-2026 church year, which will begin in September. All families — new and returning, with babies through high schoolers — must register each church year.
| | Last Sunday, August 31 | Worship & Picnic at Lake Harriet | | You can see past worship services and other video content: | | |
We are praying with the Annunciation school community, with our trans beloveds, and with all affected by gun violence. Thank you to the Visual Arts team for delivering our cards and prayers this week.
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. Laura Smidzik at pastoralcare@firstuniv.org or (612) 405-5583 (call or text).
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We “Hold This Together” by Cooking Meals and Helping Each Other During Life’s Marker Events
Cook a Meal
We have several congregants in need of support during life events. Below are links to requests, please read the instructions carefully so that you can provide the type of meal that will bring the families the most comfort. Contact Rev. Laura if you are in need of meals to help you through a transition.
Current Mealtrain Requests:
Doug Hicks and Susan Shonfeld
Zion, Jera, and Baby Violet
Help with Rides, Chores, or Companionship During Worship
On occasion, we receive requests from congregants for distinct needs. If you are willing to help with any of these needs, email or text Rev. Laura at laura@firstuniv.org or 612-405-5583.
- General chores (lawn moving, cleaning) post surgery and when congregants are struggling.
- Rides—sometimes to church and other times to doctor appointments.
- Companionship during worship for congregants with cognitive impairment who need a buddy when in the building.
| | Ways to Connect at Church | |
Featured Programs
Coming up soon:
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Fall Connection Points for Families | Mark your calendar and RSVP—where requested—for the many Fall Connection Points for families at church: | | | |
Wednesday, September 10: Community Dinners Resume! | |
September Menu: Make-your-own burrito bowl, rice crispy bars for dessert
Dinner 6-6:45; Breakout Groups 7-8:15 p.m.
Every second Wednesday of the month, swing by church for a delicious home-cooked meal at 6 p.m. in the Social Hall. After dinner, choose a drop-in breakout group to connect with others.
Note: We will update the RSVP forms with Breakout groups as they come together:
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Daytime Connections: Reconnecting and Welcoming New Folks
Thursday, September 18, 9:45 a.m. coffee, 10-noon program, Noon lunch
How does the quality of relationships impact health and overall life happiness? View a TED talk by psychologist Robert Waldinger highlighting 80+ years of research on this topic followed by small group conversation. Zoom will not be available for this session.
Daytime Connections empowers older adults to live intentional, joyful, purposeful and spiritually fulfilled lives, by building a vibrant community and providing engaging programming that promotes conscious aging and fosters personal and spiritual growth.
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Training: Responding to the Anti-Trans Movement
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 • 6:00-8:00 PM CT
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 • 6:00-8:00 PM CT
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 • 6:00-8:00 PM CT
Virtual/Online
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UPDATED: Be a part of our Children, Youth, and Families programs! | Service opportunity: Play and explore with our children and youth at First U | | | |
The Sunday Sermon Podcast - Rev. Kate Tucker sermons | A deep bow of gratitude to First U member, Ray Dillon, who has given his time and energy to upload many audio recordings of sermons from our Minister Emerita, the Rev. Kate Tucker. Thank you so much, Ray, for this beautiful offering that will now be accessible to the wider community! You can access the sermon recordings on our First U podcast website: | | | | |
The Woodlands
First Gathering: Sunday, September 7, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has announced the launch of The Woodlands, a new all-ages virtual pastoral care program for trans people and their families, beginning this fall.
The Woodlands is a monthly online gathering designed for trans children, youth, and adults—as well as the parents and caregivers of trans people. Each session will begin with a shared message and grounding ritual, followed by breakout rooms tailored to different communities within our circle, and we come back together for a release. Sessions will be about an hour and a half.
Each breakout room—co-facilitated by two chaplains—will offer space for meaningful check-ins where we can honor our grief, celebrate our joy, and support one another. The spirit of each room will reflect the people within it.
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12-Step Spirituality
Visit the website for details.
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.
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Association of Universalist Women
AUW sponsors activities for people who identify as women, non-binary and/or gender fluid.
| | Need to make a connection or ask for care?Find what you need here. | |
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
3400 Dupont Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-825-1701
firstuniversalistchurch.org
For staff contact information, please visit our Ministers and Staff page.
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Weekly Liberal Submissions
We encourage you to submit church news! To do so, email your content to Rachel Rott: rachel@firstuniv.org. Edits for length and/or content may occur. The deadline for submissions is noon on Wednesday the week of publication. Past issues can be found on our website.
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