Members: please mark your calendar and plan to attend our multi-platform (in-person and online) Annual Meeting of the Membership, scheduled for Sunday, June 11, 2023, from noon to 1:30 p.m., following our 10 a.m. worship service. This is an important meeting that requires 10% of our voting members to attend to reach quorum. Please make time to join us and be a part of this important congregational process.

Lunch will be served outside under the tent between worship and the annual meeting and all are welcome.

Friends and non-members are welcome to join us for the annual meeting as observers.

LOCATION

The Annual Meeting will be held in person in the Sanctuary and the meeting will also be live-streamed in meeting mode on Zoom for verified members and on YouTube for non-member observers. 

AGENDA

This year’s business includes: presentation of and vote to approve the proposed 2023-2024 Budget, election of members to the Board of Trustees, Foundation Board, and Nominating Committee, a review of the 2022–23 church year, and a look ahead.

• View the Meeting Agenda
• View the Slate of Candidates

REGISTRATION

Advance registration is requested/strongly recommended for members joining us in person and required for members joining us on Zoom. All members, regardless of plans to attend in-person or online, should register here.

Friends/non-members are welcome to join us to observe the meeting in person or view the livestream on YouTube and do not need to register.

CHECK-IN AND VOTING

Those joining us in person will need to check in and verify their active membership status in order to vote. Advance registration allows membership to be verified ahead of time and avoid the membership verification line at the meeting. Everyone who registers will receive a personalized meeting link after registration (pending verification of membership status) that will allow them to join the Zoom meeting and vote, and you’ll automatically have the option to attend either in person or on Zoom. 

A reminder that per our bylaws, only voting members (members in good standing) can vote at the annual meeting. There are two requirements to be a voting member: 1) you need to have officially joined the church,  and 2) you have made a pledge or gift in any amount to the current or upcoming annual operating fund or have a ministerial waiver. Please contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at 612-825-1701 ext. 124 or arif@firstuniv.org to inquire about a waiver. 

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONLINE ATTENDEES

Online Zoom attendees will vote using the Poll feature in Zoom. Therefore, each member needs to have their own device for voting – you can use a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. If you live in a household with multiple members, please have each member register separately, and attend the meeting from their own device so that every member can vote individually.

After registering and once your membership has been verified by staff, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom containing information about joining the Zoom meeting. Please save this, as you’ll need your personalized credentials to access the Zoom meeting on June 11. 

MEETING MATERIALS

• View the Meeting Agenda
• View the Slate of Candidates
• Annual Report 2023

This is a time when we celebrate a year of growth and challenges and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!

Thank you,

Daryn and Matt

Daryn Woodson, President, Board of Trustees
Matt Keller, Secretary, Board of Trustees

Members: please mark your calendar and plan to attend our multi-platform (in person and online) Annual Meeting of the Membership, scheduled for Sunday, June 5 from noon to 1:30 p.m., following our 10 a.m. worship service. Interested non-members are welcome to observe the meeting. The meeting agenda is available here. Lunch will be served outside under the tent at 11 a.m.

This is an important meeting that requires 25% of our voting members to attend in order for us to successfully call Rev. Arif as our Associate Minister. We will also be voting to adopt the 8th Principle, an important affirmation of our faith commitment to racial justice. Please make time to join us and be a part of these historic votes.

We will meet in person in the Sanctuary and will live stream the meeting on Zoom for members and YouTube for non-members. Advance registration and membership verification is required to join the Zoom webinar. Those joining us in person will need to check in and verify their active membership status in order to vote. 

Per our bylaws, only members in good standing (“voting members”) can vote at the annual meeting. To be considered a voting member, you need to have officially joined the church and have made a pledge/gift in any amount to the current or upcoming annual operating fund or have a ministerial waiver. Please contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at 612-825-1701 ext. 124 or arif@firstuniv.org to inquire about a waiver.  

This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work! This year our church business includes:

• calling Rev. Arif Mamdani as our Associate Minister,
• approval of the annual budget,
• the election of members to the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee,
• a proposal to adopt the 8th principle,
• and a proposal to amend our bylaws to institutionalize youth participation on the Foundation Board. 

Online Registration & Participation Information

Register in advance here. If you are uncertain whether you will attend online or in person, you are encouraged to register for the Zoom webinar. Please make sure you are registered no later than 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 5. We cannot guarantee access to the webinar for registrations received after 11:15 a.m.

We will count attendees based on who is logged in and vote using the Poll feature in Zoom. Therefore, each member attending online needs to register and be logged into the webinar on their own device, even if in the same household.

After registering and once your membership has been verified by staff, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom. Please save this, as you’ll need your personalized credentials to access the webinar on June 5. Non-members will be able to view the meeting on YouTube live but will not be able to ask questions or vote. 

Meeting Materials

2022 Annual Report
The meeting agenda is available here.
The Slate of Candidates is available here.

We look forward to seeing you in person or online for our Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 5!

Thank you,

Daryn and Sarah

Daryn Woodson
President, Board of Trustees

Sarah Hedge
Secretary, Board of Trustees

Dear Members:

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our virtual Annual Meeting of the Membership, scheduled for Sunday, June 6, 2021 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., following our 10 a.m. worship service.

We will be meeting via Zoom Webinar again this year. Please register here.

This year our church business includes approval of the annual budget; the election of members to the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board and the Nominating Committee; a proposed Racial Justice resolution; a proposal to amend our bylaws to institutionalize youth participation on the Board which has been successful this past church year; and saying goodbye to our beloved Rev. Schroeder.    

Annual Meeting Agenda
Slate of Candidates
Racial Justice Resolution
Bylaws Amendment
Financial Report & Budget
Annual Report 2020–2021

Because it is virtual, it is really important that you register for this meeting ahead of time. We cannot guarantee access to the Zoom webinar for day-of registrations. 

We will vote using the Poll feature in Zoom. Therefore, each member needs to have their own device for voting – you can use a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. If you live in a household with multiple members, please have each member register separately, and attend the meeting from their own device.

A reminder that per our bylaws, only voting members can vote at the annual meeting. To be a voting member, you need to have officially joined the church and have made a pledge in any amount to the current or upcoming annual operating fund or have a ministerial waiver. Please contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at 612-825-1701 ext. 124 or arif@firstuniv.org to inquire about a waiver. 

Accessibility: If you are a member who would like your vote recorded, but do not have access to a device that will allow your participation in the Zoom Webinar and/or polling feature, or need any other accommodations in order to vote, please contact Liz Farmer at 612 825-1701 ext. 100 or liz@firstuniv.org by Wednesday, June 2.   

This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!

Register in advance here.

After registering and once your membership has been verified by staff, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom containing information about joining the webinar. Please save this, as you’ll need your personalized credentials to access the webinar on June 6. Non-members will be able to view the meeting on YouTube live but will not be able to ask questions or vote. 

After the Annual Meeting, please join us for Rev. Justin’s Socially Distanced Goodbye! On Sunday, June 6, from 4 to 6 p.m., Rev. Justin and his family will be on the steps of the church for congregations to say a socially distanced goodbye. You may drive by, walk by, or roll by, as long as you’re six feet away!

Bryana French
President, Board of Trustees

Christa Anders
Secretary, Board of Trustees

P.S. Some of you may have questions about just how this will all work. So for those of you who want more information:

• All members who register will get their own personalized link that will allow them to connect to the Zoom webinar and vote
• We will be sharing documents on the screen so people can see them
• You will be able to see the presenters (Ministers and Board members)
• We will have a parliamentarian 
• We will be using the built-in polling software of Zoom that will allow you to vote using your device (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone)
• Results of each poll will be displayed for everyone to see and announced verbally
• Questions will be taken via the Q & A feature and answered verbally by the presenters
• If something comes up that needs more attention than just the written Q & A, we have the option to make anyone in the audience a presenter so they can be seen on screen and ask their question via audio and/or video
• The Board Secretary will take minutes of the meeting and they will be available online after the meeting
• We will be sharing the Zoom Webinar, in real time, on YouTube Live, so interested non-members can observe the meeting

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our virtual Annual Meeting of the Membership, rescheduled for Sunday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m., following worship.

2019-2020 Annual Report

Annual Meeting Agenda

Slate of Candidates

Proposed 2020-2021 Operating Budget

This year our church business includes approval of the annual budget, the election of members to the Board of Trustees and the Nominating Committee, and a proposal to approve Rev. Ruth MacKenzie as a Minister Emerita.  

We will be meeting virtually via Zoom webinar, and while this will be different than gathering in person, we are confident that we have the mechanisms in place for meaningful democratic participation that are fully in line with the recommendations from the UUA. Because of the virtual meeting, it is really important that you register ahead of time. We will vote using the Poll feature in Zoom. Therefore, each member needs to have their own device for voting – you can use a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. If you live in a household with multiple members, please have each member register separately, and attend the meeting from their own device. 

A reminder that per our bylaws, only voting members can vote at the annual meeting. To be a voting member, you need to have officially joined the church and have made a pledge in any amount to the current or upcoming annual operating fund or have a ministerial waiver. Please contact Arif Mamdani at 612 825-1701 ext 124 or arif [at] firstuniv.org if you would like to have a waiver from this requirement. If you are a member who would like your vote recorded but do not have access to a device that will allow your participation in the Zoom webinar, please contact Liz Farmer at 612 825-1701 ext 100 or liz [at] firstuniv.org.  

This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!

Register to attend the annual meeting of the membership here. After registering and once your membership has been verified by staff, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Non-members who wish to observe the meeting may do so via YouTube live; the meeting live stream will show up on our YouTube Channel at 11:30 a.m.

We agree with the words of Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray in a recent letter to UU congregations:  “[We] believe congregations who continue to lean into their mission and life-saving ministry will find ways to thrive in this time. Ministry is so deeply needed. As is moral leadership rooted in community care and in science. May we keep offering this to our communities.” 

We need you on June 14 so we can continue our collective mission as a faith community.  Please register and we will “see” you there.  

Bryana French, President of the Board

Christa Anders, Secretary of the Board

P.S. Some of you may have questions about just how this will all work. So for those of you who want more information:

• All members will get their own personalized invitation that will allow them to connect to the Zoom webinar
• We will be sharing documents on the screen so people can see them
• You will be able to see the presenters (Ministers and Board members)
• We will have a parliamentarian 
• We will be using the built-in polling software of Zoom that will allow you to vote using your device (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone)
• Results of each poll will be displayed for everyone to see
• Questions will be taken via the Q & A feature and answered verbally by the presenters
• If something comes up that needs more attention than just the written Q & A, we have the option to make anyone in the audience a presenter so they can be seen on screen and ask their question via audio and/or video
• The Board Secretary will take minutes of the meeting and they will be available online after the meeting
• We will be sharing the Zoom Webinar, in real time, on YouTube Live, so interested non-members can observe the meeting

160th Annual Meeting of the Members
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
Sunday, June 2, 2019
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. read more

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, June 3, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

This year our church business includes approval of the annual budget and the election of members to the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee, as well as approving revised bylaws and ratifying a transition to a senior co-ministry model.

This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!

We look forward to seeing you on June 3!

Eric Cooperstein
President of the Board

Christa Anders
Secretary of the Board

159th Annual Meeting of the Members
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
Sunday, June 3, 2018
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Read the 2017–2018 Annual Report

View the Detailed 2018–2019 Proposed Operating Budget

View the Annual Meeting Agenda

View the Nominating Committee’s Slate of Candidates

View the 5/24 draft of the proposed revised Bylaws

View the FAQ About Bylaws Revisions

View the Letter from the Board President Regarding Co-Ministry

View the Resolution Regarding Co-Ministry

View the FAQ About Co-Ministry

Every year, the Board of Trustees shares a draft budget with the congregation at meetings in late April/early May. The board prepares a final version of the budget for presentation at our Annual Meeting, which this year is scheduled for Sunday, June 3 at 11:30 a.m. (following the one 10 a.m. service). You can view the proposed operating budget narrative and summary here: 2018-19 Proposed Operating Budget.

Our 2016–2017 Annual Report is now available online!

The annual report includes detailed information about the 2017-2018 operating budget, bios of candidates elected to the Board of Trustees, First Universalist Foundation Board and Nominating Committee, reports from Board President Eric Cooperstein, Board Treasurer Dick Niemiec, Senior Minister Rev. Justin Schroeder, the Foundation, and AUW, and a broad overview of the past year at church – in pictures and in words.

Read the Annual Report here.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend our Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, June 4, 2017, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. This year our church business is limited to approval of the annual budget and the election of members to the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee. This is a time when we celebrate a successful year and conduct the business of this church that only church members can do. We need a quorum to conduct the meeting – please give us the gift of your time so that we may complete this work!

We look forward to seeing you on June 4!

Eric Cooperstein
President of the Board

Christa Anders
Secretary of the Board

158th Annual Meeting of the Members
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
Sunday, June 4, 2017
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

View the Annual Meeting Agenda

View the Nominating Committee Slate

View the Proposed Operating Budget 2017–2018

Additional budget details can be found in the May Board Packet.

Every year, the Board of Trustees shares a draft budget with the congregation at meetings in late April/early May. The board prepares a final version of the budget for presentation at our Annual Meeting, which this year is scheduled for Sunday, June 4 at 11:30 a.m. (following the one 10 a.m. service). Below, you’ll find the presentation from the budget meetings, the proposed budget narrative, and the proposed budget summary.

Congregational Budget Meeting Presentation

2017-2018 Proposed Budget Overview

2017-2018 Proposed Budget Summary