Exploring Dia De Muertos

Sunday, October 25, 1 pm

Rev. Krista Weber Huang

Join us this Sunday for our annual memorial service where we honor and remember those who have died. This year we'll be exploring the traditions of Dia De Muertos and how practitioners honor their ancestors. Please bring any pictures of loved ones you'd like to add to our alter, or Offrenda. You're also invited to bring a food your loved one(s) enjoyed.

In Person: UCCNB, 1000 Long Lake Road

Online: Merging Waters Zoom Room 

(If prompted for a passcode, enter "kindness". This seems to be more likely if joining from your phone.)

Rev. Krista's Office Hours

Due to developing meetings in preparation for democracy defense around the election, Rev. Krista will not have regular office hours for the next two weeks but is available by appointment to meet via Zoom or in person.

We Vote Together, Fri., Oct 23, 12pm

Spiritual Care Workshop, Sat., Oct. 24, 1-3pm

Exploring Dia De Muertos, Sun., Oct. 25, 1pm
First Thursday Feast & Fun, Nov. 5, 6pm

We Vote Together, October 23, 30

Looking for a powerful way to support democracy and stand up for Somali Americans? We are encouraging Merging Waters and UCCNB members to sign-up for this location so we will better be able to recognize one another as safe folks onsite:

Abu Khadra | 4056 7th St NE | Columbia Heights

You are invited a new Merging Waters community event! Beginning Thursday, November 5, the first Thursday evening of each month, we're gathering for a time of good eats and casual conversation or fun activities. There will be free food catered by a local, immigrant-owned restraunt -- Nov. 5 is a taco bar and horchata.There will be painting supplies for a bit of free-flow creative artwork. This monthly gathering is meant for a time of relaxed conversation and rejuvination together. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors! It's a family-friendly, inclusive event.

Scenario Planning for Before, During, and After the Elections—October 26, 6:30 – 8:00 pm MWUUC Zoom Room

Statements have been made by federal officials that raise concerns about risks of voter intimidation, voter suppression, and voter interference. Many progressive groups have begun planning possible responses to such actions to protect our democracy. Here at Merging Waters UU, we also need to be prepared.

Kathy Burek will host a scenario training based on materials from the Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light (WIPL), the Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance, and other sources. In this training, we will explore possible election scenarios and plan how we might respond, and what resources we can bring to bear. We will be inviting members of UUCNB to join us.

Please contact Kathy Burek at kpburek@comcast.net if you have questions.

Vote Early!

The best way to ensure your vote is counted is to vote early, in person. Your vote is recorded when you vote, so you don’t need to worry about a mail-in vote being received on time.

Early in-person voting is just like voting on Election Day, using the same check-in and voting machines. Voting early will avoid long lines on Election Day, which you can use to offer rides to the polls or vouch for neighbors who have just moved into your precinct. Early voting means your vote is better protected against possible election interference on Election Day.

To find your Early Voting Polling Place, contact the Secretary of State at https://www.sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/.

Sacred Sites Tours bring groups of people to three sacred Indigenous sites in the Twin Cities and offer knowledge and reflection on the history and importance of these sacred sites. During the tour, you'll learn about the history held in these places, reflect on your own role in the continuing systems of colonization and extraction, and develop a plan for future action on reparation and repair.

Spots are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. This tour is meant for individuals or groups, so please don't RSVP for more than 4 people. If you're interested in scheduling a tour for a larger group, please send an email to jimbear@mnipl.org.

October Sacred Sites Tour

Thursday, October 29 | 1 - 5 pm

St Peter's Catholic Church, Mendota Heights

Spiritual Care Workshop 
Saturday, October 24, 1-3pm (tentatively)

Cody Sanders, author of "Spiritual Care First Aid" is offering a workshop for congregants at small Unitarian Universalist Congregations who would like to learn more. It will be a two-hour online workshop on Saturday, October 24, tentatively from 1-3pm. With the hope of doing a day-long in-person workshop this Spring. Please let Rev. Krista know if you are interested in attending, all are welcome! revkrista@mergingwatersuu.org

October Worship Theme: Courage

Courageous people change the world. So many names fall easily from our lips: Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sojourner Truth, Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson. The list goes on and on.

We rightly honor such giants. But the problem is most of us aren’t that tall. Or are we? 

Here’s what we have to help each other remember: In addition to the heroic acts that alter history, there are also the daily choices that prevent history from altering us! 

-from Soul Matters Small Group Workbook

Mist Ranges is a grassroots ecological-restoration program in the Mount Elgon region in eastern Uganda. The combination of climate change and population growth has led many families to plant crops too close to the rivers, resulting in soil erosion and devastating floods. Mist Ranges grows and plants bamboo seedlings along riverbanks where its unique root structure can stabilize the soil and stem floods. Mist Ranges also strengthens the community fabric by offering steady income to the members of its team. They hope to expand their work to partner with local women’s groups to teach them how to grow kitchen gardens in the soil near their homes. This twin approach aims to restore the natural power of bamboo to the ecosystem while also empowering women to feed their families. David Weiss will share more about Mist Range’s unique mission during our October 18 service.

Merging Waters Women's Book Group

November 7, 9:30am

Online: Our Zoom Room

Book selected: Non-Fiction- The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World, by Riley Black

What happened in the days, the years, the centuries, and the million years after the impact, tracking the sweeping disruptions that overtook this one spot, and imagining what might have been happening elsewhere on the globe. Life’s losses were sharp and deeply felt, but the hope carried by the beings that survived sets the stage for the world as we know it now.

The Merging Waters Women's Book Group is a gathering of female (identifying as female/feminine, LGBTQ+ inclusive)) members and friends who meet the first Saturday of each month to discuss books written by female identified authors. The group alternates between fiction and non-fiction works recommended by one or more of the group members.  Contact Pat Ferrian (ferri004@gmail.com) to be added to the email list.

Meetings are held online via ZOOM, 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Unless otherwise noted, use the “Our Zoom Room” (Yellow Button) on the mergingwatersuu.org home page. 

Merging Waters Sunday Evening Book Group

November 8, 7pm

Sig & Marti’s

(The Residences at St Anthony Assisted Living)

Treats: Laurie

Book Selected:         

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. 304 pages. Published in 2025. Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.

The Merging Waters Unitarian Universalist Congregation (MWUUC) Sunday Evening Book Club meets the second Sunday of each month except in August.  Contact Pat Ferrian (ferri004@gmail.com) to be added to the email list or for questions.