There are no hands but ours

Some of you gardeners out there may already know the answer to this question…When is the best time to plant a tree? Ten years ago. 

When is the next best time to plant a tree? Today. 

One hundred and sixty-five years ago, our religious ancestors planted a tree in Minneapolis. They brought their belief in a loving, not a vengeful, God, that included everyone in its caring embrace. They came believing that the hands of that loving God had to be theirs. Heaven and hell were states of being they already knew here on earth, and they knew that something better, something more, than the division and hate, suffering and fear they saw all around them was possible in the here and now. They believed in each other and those that would come, they pooled their resources, and grounded in love and hope: they founded this church. 

Generations later, I still hear their hopes, their stories, their love and sacrifice—and their learning—in our present. I hear them when we, too, say that another world and another way is possible. I hear them when we proclaim a love so powerful that it can transform lives and communities. I hear them when we say that love is an action word, that love is what does, that there are no hands but ours to make love come alive in the world. I hear them when we name each and every person and being as whole and holy and worthy, welcome and wanted, and all with room to grow. I hear them when we say that there must be guidance beyond our government in how we will be and who we belong to and where we will place our trust. 

We live in the shade and the harvest of the sturdy tree our spiritual ancestors planted. And it is up to us to tend it, and to keep on planting for the times we know now, and for times we shall never see, trusting each generation to come to live in the shape of love and hope in the days ahead. My hope is in that ever-expanding active love—now and for whatever comes next.  

This Sunday after church (around 1 p.m.), the board and I will be hosting a meeting to discuss the church’s budget for the fiscal year ahead that begins on July 1. As of now, we have a little over $1.2 million in pledges, still around $100,000 short of our goal. If we cannot meet our goal, we will need to make even deeper reductions in staffing that will be detrimental to our programming, our mission, and ultimately our beloved church community. There are urgent follow-up efforts ongoing by the Stewardship team, and perhaps when people see the impact there will be some additional pledges. We can hope so.

But as they say, hope is not a plan. so I am asking every member and friend of this faith community to consider an increase to your pledge if you have not already done so. Many of you have already done this. Thank you. Many of you have yet to seriously consider whether this is possible. We need you now. There are no hands but ours, no wallets but ours, no one else to send to make the love we put our faith in come alive in the world. We are grateful for the tree of love and hope our ancestors planted and its shade and harvest we get to enjoy, it is up to us now to tend it, and to keep planting, so that its shade and harvest might extend in purpose and promise, to each and all. 

If you have already pledged and you would like to increase your pledge, please send an email to our bookkeeper, Jie Wronski-Riley (jie [at] firstuniv.org), and let them know how much you would like to increase your commitment for the coming church year, which begins on July 1, 2025.