One of my most reliable spiritual practices is a simple one. It started during a time of intense grief when it felt like the pain might never lift. I’d go about my business, making myself go to class or to the grocery store and on the way I’d walk by a particular tree. Every time I passed that tree, I’d make myself look at the branches and the tips where the buds would one day appear. I was looking for change, trusting that something I could not yet see would one day come to pass. Some days, the tree would look exactly as it did the day before, and other times I’d note a small shift - the reshaping of the branch tip, the way the ice held on and created a crystal to look through, the day the bud somehow emerged. 

Some spiritual teachers call this spiritual practice paying attention or mindfulness or being in the radical present. I like these names, and I’ll admit that for me to engage in a spiritual practice reliably I have to keep it simple. So I named this practice “noticing.” Noticing doesn’t sound intimidating to me. Noticing seems like something I can do even when I’m really busy. Noticing is simple and possible - and it turns out, it brings me great joy. 

Lately, I’ve been making time to walk the building and grounds at church each day. I notice the fresh smell of paint and the new ceiling grid that’s been installed in the social hall. I marvel at the grand open stairway into that welcoming space with its new beautiful wood and glass doors. I head upstairs and see the tile taking shape in the bathrooms, the bright red hearing loop installed in the floor of the sanctuary, the carpet covering it all, growing from a small blue patch in the corner to the rest of the room. I walk up on the chancel twice - using both the stairs and the ramp - imagining what new thing we’ll pull out of our hats for the Christmas Pageant choreography this year. Each change that I notice brings me joy.

It’s usually quiet when I move through the building, remembering your faces and the sound of our voices in the spaces we once occupied together, but yesterday it was different. Yesterday, I saw the fresh faces of children and teachers as Grace Neighborhood Nursery School welcomed kids to their classrooms for the first time. I heard joyful yells coming from the playground. And last night, when I let myself in through the side door off of 34th Street, instead of the usual silence that greets me, I heard music. The choir was rehearsing in the Cummins Room - masked and socially distanced - and their voices followed me as I made my rounds through our long empty space. I teared up with joy.

Change is coming, dear ones. Change is here, slow and steady and breathtakingly fast. Let’s keep noticing and caring for each other. And let’s let in the joy as our voices and our hopes mingle with the love and hope of our ancestors and all those who will come after us, one community wherever we are.  

Rev. Jen Crow

Senior Minister

Starting this Sunday, Sept. 12, and continuing into this church year, First Universalist will offer two Sunday services each week: one at 9 a.m. and one at 11 a.m. To make sure there is enough time between services for folks to transition in and out of the gathering space safely, these are slightly different worship times than in previous years.

For the next two Sundays, September 12 and 19, we will offer multigenerational worship in-person, offsite, in the church of the great outdoors, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

These services will also be available online by Sunday evening for on-demand streaming. More details are below!

A light-hearted moment with worship leaders Rev. Arif, Rev. Jen, Lauren Wyeth, and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout as they pose (spelling out the Y-M-C-A) at an onsite planning meeting at the Lyndale Gardens Amphitheatre, where we'll worship this Sunday!

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

Connect to the live stream on Wednesday, Sept. 15 between 6:55 and 7 p.m.: 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 celebrate with Judy and Ray Goebel on their 40th wedding anniversary on September 5th. They were married at the church (at our old location) and we are overjoyed to share in their celebration and happiness.

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.

As practitioners of a Liberal faith tradition, Unitarian Universalists do not shy away from questions. Neither do we shy away from finding and living out our answers to our most important questions. Our Unitarian Universalist Principles answer the question, “How shall we live?” And our UU Sources are answers to the question, "What guides us?” Each Sunday, through prayers and meditations, we are practiced at noticing what is. Homilies bring us along into questions like, “What is religion?” and “Do you know any prophets?” as we wonder about what might be. This time, we are invited into what immediately seems like a somewhat paradoxical consideration: what is not. What exists in space? What if god is in space? And not just meteors, planets, and moon phases, although those are common places to find god. But what exists in spaces? Between people, between seconds, between tears, between words. Is it empty? What is there, beyond our initial perceptions? 

Join the worship leaders in “loving the questions themselves” as you watch the service on YouTube or listen on the podcast on Spotify or Podbean. You can follow along with the worship service in our Sunday, Aug. 29 Order of Service.

With our faith and these principles as our guide, we have shifted our plans for in-person gathering for the fall. Construction delays, a reassessment of when we’ll realistically be prepared to offer a welcoming and gracious return to worship in the sanctuary, and concerns about reopening as a fourth wave of COVID-19 hits Minnesota, have led us to change our plans for when we will gather again in our sanctuary.

We hope for an in-person and online celebration of our renovated building and our re-gathered community on Sunday, Nov. 7. Religious Education classes for grades 6 and under will likely begin that Sunday, too.

Over the upcoming weeks and months, Religious Education programming will begin in a staggered fashion for our children, youth, and families. As we plan for the months ahead, the needs of our younger kids, who are ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, are at the center of our conversations.

Religious Education for our 7th–12th graders will begin in person on Sunday, Sept. 19 at our Minnehaha Park service, and will continue in person (at church starting Sept. 26) through the year unless new direction from the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health directs us differently. Until further notice, everyone in the classroom will be masked, and all church staff and Religious Education volunteers will be fully vaccinated. Registered families and youth in 7th–12th grades (including 7th grade Neighboring Faiths and 8th–9th grade OWL) have received or will soon receive an email with more information about class times and schedules. The Senior High Youth Group will work together with Emma to develop their in-person meeting schedule and calendar. You can contact Emma at emma@firstuniv.org with questions or for more information.

We know that beginning youth programming before in-person worship at church is an extra lift in terms of transportation for most families, so we'll provide some space at church for family members who wish to stay on site while their youth are in class.

It is our hope that nursery through 6th grade Religious Education and Childcare will begin later this fall as soon as church is fully re-opened. From mid-September through the month of October, you will find resources for Religious Education at home for K-6th graders in the Weekly Family E-News.

As we look forward to returning to our building and to another season of programming in-person and online, we invite you to consider where and how you’d like to co-create and engage with adult programming at church.

First, know that all church policies and practices regarding COVID-19 apply to adult programming. Any in-person programming will require that participants observe appropriate spacing, masking, and any other requirements as per the current guidelines that the church is following.

The last year+ of online programming has taught us a lot and significantly increased our comfort with running programming on zoom. While it isn’t a replacement for in-person connection, we also know that not only can online connection be quite good, it offers some unique benefits that just aren’t possible in person.

Some groups will only meet online, some groups will only meet in person, and some groups will be both in person and online. In person and online groups will start on or after September 19, 2021.

Online only groups: online only groups will meet online using church Zoom accounts as we have been since March of 2020.

In-person only groups: In-person groups will meet at the church and make use of our newly renovated classroom space, the Cummins Room, or the Social Hall for meeting space. Room assignments will be made based on availability and group size. Participants will be asked to follow COVID-19 precautions including distancing and masking.

Both online and in-person: So far, there are two versions of this “multiplatform” option for adult programming, and we may develop more as we gain experience:

Expect a list of programming and registration info to be available later this month.

If you have questions or concerns about the different formats for meeting, please be in touch with Rev. Arif Mamdani or Liz Farmer. Both can be reached at 612.825.1701.

Now that we know how we’ll gather and when, I want to make a special invitation to you to get in touch with program ideas and to apply to be a small group leader.

Adult ministry small groups are one of the most important ways that the congregation creates and builds kinship at church. These facilitated groups offer a guided journey through a set of reflection questions that invite you to share within a small, supportive community how your spirit is moving and how the themes we’re considering as a church are taking shape in your life. They are one of the ways we give, receive, and grow together. Church staff and ministers provide training and support for group facilitators. Facilitating a small group is a learnable and transferable skill, you don’t have to be an extrovert, and it is often a deeply rewarding experience in itself. Apply here to be a small group facilitator.

And please be in touch with your ideas too! Whether a program idea becomes a program that the congregation can register for depends on a lot of things, including alignment with the church’s mission and vision, availability of facilitators, and timing. Let us know what programs you’re interested in this year! Groups/programs can be based on a desire to learn or share a spiritual practice, a shared identity, a specific conversation and question you want to hold in community, or a significant past or present life experience. Not sure about your idea? We’re here to listen and help discern!

With care,

Rev. Arif Mamdani

Submitted by Cheryl Ritenbaugh for the EJ Team:

We are thrilled to announce that the solar panels on the Religious Education roof are now installed, as you can see from the pictures below.  A small group (Bill Elwood, Todd Pierson, and Cheryl Ritenbaugh) met with the contractor and engineer from Impact Power Solutions on Wednesday, and learned about the progress. Harlan Limpert and his drone joined us for these wonderful pictures.

Next steps include the full wiring of the panels, connection to the inverter and to Xcel's grid, and then the switch will be thrown and the energy production will be live. We look forward to a formal dedication of the roof installation in the coming months.

We are deeply grateful to all who contributed to Phase 2 of construction and to the solar panels! This is one more step toward a zero emissions church that demonstrates our commitment to the UU 7th Principle of respect for all of creation.

Children, Youth & Family Ministries at First Universalist is hiring a Program Assistant. Find the job description here. We need a diverse pool of qualified applicants in order to move forward in our hiring process.

While it is the church's policy to not hire church members for staff positions, we would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word about this opening. Do you know someone who would enjoy working at First Universalist Church? Please share the position announcement and encourage them to apply!

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

The First Universalist Church Board of Trustees typically meets the third Thursday of each month, August through June.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. The September Board meeting will be held in-person in the Cummins Room and on Zoom.

Board meeting materials will be posted here on our website the week of the meeting.

Women (cis and trans) as well as non-binary folks who find their home in women-centric spaces who are interested in earth-based and pagan spirituality are invited to the upcoming open rituals of the Under Northern Skies Women’s Ritual Circle. The circle is open to newcomers on Wednesday, Sept. 20; Wednesday, Oct. 6; and Wednesday, Oct. 20. Fo people who choose to join the circle, there will be a commitment ritual on Thursday, Nov. 4, after which the circle will close to new members until fall of 2022. The circle currently hold rituals via Zoom, beginning promptly at 7:30 p.m. and meeting for about an hour. Contact Beth at belovedporcupine@gmail.com for more information and Zoom information if you would like to attend.

Tom Saterstrom will lead the September Senior Hike in Bloomington along Nine Mile Creek, starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23. The group will meet at Moir Park (address: 10320 Morgan Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55431), and have lunch at Willie McCoy’s Restaurant after the hike. Willie McCoy’s is located at 10700 France Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55431. Since attendance at some recent hikes has been unpredictable we ask that all who plan to join this hike please notify Tom (saterstromtom@yahoo.com) ahead of time so that we can provide a head count to the restaurant.

Wanting to connect with other young adults (20s and 30s), but unsure of how to do so as COVID continues to change? Feeling a little lost as you decide what might feel best on a given day: social time? alone time? screen time? face to face time? Cool! We’re right there with you! So let’s talk about it!

Here’s what we know for sure:

We want to be together! Young Adults (and honorary Young Adult, Rev. Arif!) will gather on Sunday, Sept. 26 after the live-streamed service from 12–1:30 p.m. for conversation and fun. We’ll discuss how we’re all navigating this time: what ways of connection feel both energy-giving for our spirits and healthy for our bodies? How might we want to be together as a group in the future? We’ll follow recommendations as given by CDC, MDH, and First U surrounding masking, distancing, etc. In addition, please let us know what additional guidelines or practices will help you feel most comfortable.

Here’s what we will determine together:

We intend to gather with food available at an outdoor space in Minneapolis, and that exact location will depend on how many folks wish to join us. So, please let Angela Bowles Edwards (angelambedwards@gmail.com) know if you’re interested! Also, please pass along any suggestions you have of a good location! We’ll confirm the location by Thursday, September 23rd, and will provide updates on any COVID-related precautions via email if/when they are announced.

Reconnect with UU friends (kids welcome!) at our fourth backyard potluck at the Richfield home of Carol and Liz. Relax and enjoy yummy plant-based dishes and a short educational interlude (stay tuned!). Sponsored by First U’s Environmental Justice Food Solutions team, part of a fast-growing movement of Americans (now 30 percent) eating less meat and more plant foods to reduce climate warming and improve animal and human health. For directions, RSVP here by September 26.

Bringing H.O.P.E. (Health Outcomes of Positive Experiences) to Those Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Feeding Hope Series Webinar from Mental Health Connect

After a challenging year of fighting the global pandemic, social unrest and so much change, we are all looking forward to life slowly getting back to "normal." But how have we been impacted by what has happened, and what have we learned from our experiences? How can we take what we’ve experienced and use it to help us heal and grow?

As we look with hope towards the coming months, we examine these questions in this continuing education webinar series— a collaborative effort between M Health Fairview Interfaith Health, AccentCare Fairview and Ebenezer. This event features Mental Health Connect's Board Co-Chair Ann Ellison, Interfaith Health, M Health Fairview. Sign up for the Zoom information for this webinar here and learn more about this event here.

Mental Health Connect is a free community resource to help you, or someone you know, find the resources needed for improved mental health. For free, confidential help with navigating resources contact the Mental Health Connect Navigator: call or text 612-312-3377, or email navigator@mhconnect.org.

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.” To get set up with a ride or to access any of our other caring resources, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org 

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. 

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. 

Counseling - The Walk In Counseling Center offers free counseling by phone or computer. Find out how to “walk in” on their website.