Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Feb. 20

Read this week’s newsletter: The Weekly Liberal Feb. 13

The Nominating Committee is now recruiting candidates for leadership positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee for the 2020-2021 church year. It’s an exciting and important time to serve as we continue to build on the positive energy of our congregation! Serving on one of these bodies enables you to represent other church members to ensure that the church moves forward in step with congregational wishes. Members have unique opportunities to collaborate with our ministers and other lay leaders to advance the church’s mission! Below are brief descriptions of the different positions:

Member of the Board of Trustees: Trustees partner with the congregation and professional staff in shaping the vision and long-term goals of the church. They articulate these aspirations through policy and collaborate with the Senior Co-ministers to see they are fulfilled. A fuller description of the position is here. 

Member of First Universalist Foundation Board: Board members serve as stewards of the Foundation endowment. The solicit grant applications, review applications, and select grantees to be awarded funding. A fuller description of the position is here.

Member of Nominating Committee: Committee members screen and recommend candidates to the congregation for vacant positions on the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board, and the Nominating Committee. A fuller description of the position is here.

Requirements: You must be a member in good standing of the church. Elections occur at the Annual Meeting on May 31. Please consider either nominating yourself or encouraging a fellow church member to apply for this important work. 

Fill out the application form here. Applications are due by Tuesday, March 17, 2020. 

If you have questions or would like more information, please email nomination [at] firstuniv.org or contact any Nominating Committee member: Janet Avery (Chair), Pat Gottschalk, Greg Hoelzer, Cathy Manning, Sharon Ramirez, or Jim Ramnaraine. Thanks for your attention to this opportunity to serve this congregation!    

Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Feb. 6

Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Jan. 30

Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Jan. 23

Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Jan. 16.

First Universalist Church, Shir Tikvah, and Temple Israel are honored to welcome Eric Ward, a national expert and speaker on the relationship between hate, violence, and preserving democratic institutions, governance, and inclusive societies, to the Twin Cities for a jointly-sponsored series of speaking engagements over the weekend of Jan. 31 – Feb. 2. On Sunday, Feb. 2 at First Universalist Church, Eric Ward will lead a two-hour workshop on understanding and countering antisemitism and white nationalism; the workshop is free and open to the public. Eric Ward’s weekend in the Twin Cities also includes giving the sermon at Shir Tikvah on Friday evening, Jan. 31, leading Torah study at Temple Israel on Saturday morning, Feb. 1, and delivering the sermon in worship at First Universalist on the morning of Sunday, Feb. 2. First Universalist welcomes all to worship on Sunday mornings; more information about worship can be found at https://firstuniversalistchurch.org/worship/  

Community Workshop on Antisemitism and White Nationalism with Eric Ward

Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, 1–3 p.m.

REGISTER HERE

This two-hour workshop, led by Eric Ward, will focus on the relationship between white supremacy, white nationalism, and antisemitism, with an emphasis on how the dynamics of antisemitism are likely to play out in the environment of the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath. We’ll look at likely scenarios and how we might respond and gain an understanding of the ways in which white nationalism and white supremacy use racism and antisemitism as tools to keep our movements divided. Given the rhetoric we have seen and will likely continue to see as the election draws nearer, it’s imperative that we increase our capacity to recognize white nationalism and antisemitism and learn tools to counter it. A national expert on the relationship between hate, violence, and preserving democratic institutions, governance, and inclusive societies, Eric Ward brings nearly 30 years of expertise in community organizing and philanthropy to his role as Western States Center’s Executive Director.

Free and open to the public; advance registration is requested here.

About Eric Ward

Originally from Los Angeles, Eric began his civil rights work when the white nationalist movement was engaged in violent paramilitary activity that sought to undermine democratic governance in the Pacific Northwest. Eric founded and directed a community project to expose and counter hate groups and respond to bigoted violence with the Community Alliance of Lane County (1990–1994). With the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment (1994-2002), Eric worked with government leaders, civil rights campaigners, businesses leaders, and law enforcement officials to establish over 120 task forces in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. As one of a handful of prominent leaders of color working to counter this new manifestation of organized hate, Eric successfully encouraged some violent neo-Nazi leaders to renounce racism and violence. Joining the Center for New Community as National Field Director (2003-2011), Eric assisted immigrant rights advocates in addressing the growing influence of xenophobia on public policy.

As Program Executive for The Atlantic Philanthropies’ U.S. Reconciliation and Human Rights Programme (2011-2014), Eric led grantmaking in immigration and national security and rights. Eric’s grantmaking as a Ford Foundation Program Officer (2014-2017) supported efforts to combat inequality. Eric has consulted extensively with philanthropic institutions across the country, including the Open Society Foundation, and co-founded Funders For Justice (a project of the Neighborhood Funders Group). Eric has volunteered with numerous philanthropic and community-based organizations and is currently on the boards of The Proteus Fund and Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), a nonprofit agency that provides artists with strategy and support for their activism and philanthropy.

A contributor to the Progressive Media Project from 2008-2014, Eric has been quoted and cited extensively by national media and is the editor of three published works: Conspiracies: Real Grievances, Paranoia and Mass Movements; Second Civil War: States’ Rights, Sovereignty; and Power of the County and American Armageddon: Religion, Revolution and the Right.

Spiritual growth, learning, and connection await this winter at church!

A variety of Circles beginning in February offer opportunities for spiritual growth and connection; regular participation in circles is a key way to make and maintain meaningful connections within this community!

We’re also excited to offer a broad selection of workshops, classes, and films this winter/spring, many of which are focused around racial and environmental justice learning.

Membership and newcomer classes, book groups, programming for older adults (Daytime Connections), young adult lunches, and two Better Angels workshops hosted by our Peace Circle round out this season’s offerings.

Pick up a program catalog in church today or any of the coming few Sundays to learn more, or browse our website for details!

Registration for most Circles is open January 12 through February 2. Check individual listings for registration deadlines for other programming. Sign up online (see links below) or at the Info Desk in the Social Hall any Sunday between Jan. 12 and Feb. 2.

Winter/Spring 2020 Offerings

Soul Matters Circles: This small group curriculum encourages you to reflect more deeply on our monthly worship theme in small groups of 8-10.

Spiritual Deepening Circles, Classes & Workshops: Circles are groups of 8-10 participants who explore a spiritual practice together. Classes are an opportunity to engage in study of a topic or text. Workshops are designed to build your capacity to move a spiritual practice out of the church and into the world.

Games with Rev. Karen Hutt: Gather at church for the spiritual practice of play! Choose one or more of the seven sessions offered.

Newcomer Circles offer an opportunity to learn more about our liberal faith tradition, reflect on our spiritual journeys, and connect with others who are also getting to know First Universalist. Open until filled.

Book Groups: Join a book group at church this winter; topics are focused on racial and environmental justice.

Racial Justice Learning Opportunities: Workshops, Film Screenings hosted by the Racial Justice Education Team, and Book Groups.

Environmental Justice Workshops: the Environmental Justice Team invites you to  join them in finding new ways to undertake the spiritual act of protecting the Earth this winter/spring.

Better Angels Workshops: Better Angels is a national nonprofit that has developed and pioneered concrete, structured practices for dialogue across political divides. The Peace Circle is hosting two Better Angels workshops at church this season.

Daytime Connections: Through Daytime Connections, older adults at First Universalist empower each other to live intentional, joyful, purposeful, and spiritually fulfilled lives. Programs take place monthly on third Thursdays.

Young Adults Lunches: Join the First Universalist Young Adults group for lunch after the second service on third Sundays.

Pathway to Membership: This new member class is a great chance to build community, explore Unitarian Universalism and our church’s unique history, and learn how to get involved.

Registration for Circles (including book groups) is open through Sunday, Feb. 2 at firstuniversalistchurch.org/circles. See individual program descriptions (linked above) for registration information for our other offerings.

Childcare during most church programming is available free of charge by submitting this online form at least 7 days in advance.

Questions? Contact Arif Mamdani, Director of Membership and Adult Ministries, at arif [at] firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701 x124.

Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Jan. 9

In this week’s Liberal, Rev. Jen Crow writes:

Our building has been a hub of activity these past few weeks. We’ve hosted multiple holiday services from Solstice to Remembrance Sunday. We’ve been home to families experiencing homelessness, we’ve supported Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism, and we’ve cared for each other and our larger community. All of these things happened because hundreds of you put our Universalist vision of love and hope into action by sharing your time, talent, and financial resources within and beyond these walls. 

Our building is a bustling place, a resource for our congregation and our community, and as we’ve been doing the work of being the church, we’ve also been hard at work studying our spaces, deciding what changes we can make to our physical space that will allow us to be even more welcoming, accessible, and inclusive of both our First Universalist and larger Minneapolis community. 

Our building project, Not For Ourselves Alone: Building an Inclusive Future , is moving quickly now, and we are getting close to being able to share more concrete details. While things are always fluid with a construction project, there are a few things that are clear:

• We continue to keep our focus on fulfilling the original intent of our capital campaign – improving accessibility and hospitality, improving worship and religious education spaces, and securing our financial future. The money we have raised, which totals over $4.5 million, will allow us to do so much! 
• We expect to move out of our building in most ways after our annual meeting on May 31 and return to a fully remodeled space in time for Water Communion and the start of religious education classes in the fall.
• We have paid off our mortgage and do not intend to take out a new one. 
• We will complete many critical repairs (roofing, electrical, HVAC) and create a new, central accessible entrance.
• Our sanctuary will be refreshed – including new paint, flooring, lighting, electrical work, audio visual equipment, ceiling repair, the creation of an accessible chancel, and installation of a hearing loop. 
• We will be building and renovating with a focus on environmental and racial justice – looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our building and putting our vendor policy to work in the hiring of all contractors and subcontractors. 
• For the first time since we became a Sanctuary Congregation more than two years ago, we will have a living space designed to house individuals and families at risk of deportation, and will no longer need to rely on make-shift arrangements in a crowded building. 
• There will be work for us to do this summer! As we look at ways to save money and achieve more of our dreams, we will need to put in our time, energy, and resources. There will be opportunities for additional financial gifts to add in hoped-for improvements, and there will be lots of opportunities to help with packing, cleaning, moving, painting, and even some demolition. I’m looking forward to working with you as we make our dreams a reality. 

This is who we are, and this is what we do. We take the mission and vision of our church – sharing the Universalist spirit of love and hope – and we make it real. I’m so glad to be in this community, doing the work of the church with all of you.

In gratitude,
Rev. Jen
Co-Senior Minister