Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Oct. 8

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In this week’s issue, Rev. Jen Crow, Co-Senior Minister, writes:

Sometime last month I read an article about preparing for Minnesota winter in this time of pandemic. The article had all kinds of good ideas, like: make sure you have some really comfy pants, take care of that nagging health issue you’ve been avoiding, do the final steps of setting up your work from home space (if you are working from home), and basically take care of anything that might be harder to take care of a few months from now when the weather is colder or pandemic restrictions become stricter again. All of that was good advice, but the line that really stuck with me was this one: If you are not already in therapy, get in now. 

Now I know that therapy isn’t the right thing for everyone and that the cost of therapy can be prohibitive, but the essence of the message was clear. Now is the time to cultivate additional layers of support so that when the harder times come, those connections are already in place. Maybe that looks like trying spiritual direction for the first time, or joining a group at church. Maybe it looks like making our Wednesday evening worship service a regular part of your week, or joining a recovery group. Maybe it looks like establishing or re-establishing that weekly Friday night Zoom call with friends or family, or joining an online exercise class. Maybe it means bookmarking the resources in this column and committing to using them in the months ahead. 

Whatever this looks like for you, I hope you will consider adding some extra layers of support as we move into the months ahead. As Minnesotans, we know the annual ritual of bringing out the bins of winter stuff and sorting through to see what still fits, what needs to be replaced, and what might need an upgrade. It’s time to do that same sorting and upgrading with our spiritual, mental, and physical resources, too. Think about it as layering up for winter. What practices, relationships, and routines do you need to add, upgrade, or reinforce with a few extra layers as we move into the months ahead? 

We don’t know how long this pandemic or this crisis in our democracy will last, but we do know that these are extraordinary times. We can make it together, letting our values shine through as we extend boundless love and care to ourselves and each other. Let’s layer up, friends. We’re going to need it.

In gratitude,
Rev. Jen

Resources: Caring for Ourselves and Each Other

You know that we are here for each other in times of crisis, but did you know we are here for each other all the time, too? Whether you are in an intense time of need or you could just use a little extra support, when one more layer might make the difference between shivering and struggling through on our own and feeling cozy and cared for, we are here for each other. Here are some of the ways you can layer up this winter:

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. 

Counseling – The Walk In Counseling Center offers free counseling by phone or computer. Find out how to “walk in” here.

Cycle of Life – Every Sunday we name the challenges and joys that we are experiencing. If you have experienced a loss, are living with a new or ongoing health concern, are celebrating a transition, or would like us to name your joy or sorrow in worship on Sunday, please let Rev. Jen know. (jen@firstuniv.org) 

Grief Kits – Have you or someone else you know in our congregation lost a loved one? Please let Rev. Jen Crow (jen@firstuniv.org) or Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) know so that a package full of love and support can be delivered to your home.

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 answer yes to any of these questions? If so, please let Rev. Jen Crow (jen@firstuniv.org) or Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) know so that a package full of love and support can be delivered to your home.

Meal Trains – Sometimes receiving a meal one time or over the course of a couple of weeks can be just the thing to lighten the load and remind us that we are loved. If you or someone you know at church would welcome a meal to help them through a difficult time, or if you or your family have experienced a loss or are living with an illness or injury and having someone else do the cooking for a bit would help, please let us know. You can contact Rev. Jen or Rev. Karen, or contact our Congregational Care Coordinators, Nick (nicholasnier@gmail.com) and Julia (jskow@fastmail.com) directly.

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 with any staff member. We have financial resources available, and we can get a confidential check to you quickly. Please contact Rev. Jen Crow (jen@firstuniv.org) or any of the ministers on staff. 

Winter Buddies – Would it help to get a regular phone call from someone who cares? What about a check-in over zoom or phone once a month, or once a week? Our Pastoral Visitors are a group of congregants who provide confidential companionship and support to fellow members and friends of the church. They offer compassionate presence through a one-time call or an on-going relationship. Please contact Rev. Karen (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) if you’d like to be connected with a companion.

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. 

Mental Health Navigators – If you are trying to access therapy or counseling services, navigate the insurance system, speak to a financial counselor, connect with housing services, or support loved ones with mental illness, a Mental Health Navigator can help. They journey alongside you to help remove barriers and complexity so that you can gain access to the right providers and resources for your unique situation. Navigation and follow-up services are free, confidential, and tailored to your individual situation. Learn more here: What Is a Mental Health Navigator? And get started here.

UUs in 12-Step Recovery – Want to build community and share support with other Unitarian Universalists in 12-Step recovery? Connect with Dick Young (dickyoung1@comcast.net) or Rev. Jen (jen@firstuniv.org) to learn more and join in.

Community Groups for Families:

1) Rainbow Kids and FamiliesTuesdays, Oct. 13 to Nov. 17, 7-8 p.m.LGBTQ+/Rainbow kids, parents and families gather for a chalice lighting and story, followed by a chance to get to know one another in three smaller breakout groups.

2) BIPOC/Multiracial Kids and FamiliesWednesdays, Oct. 14 to Nov. 18, 6-7 p.m.Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Multiracial kids, parents and families gather for a chalice lighting and story, and a chance to get to know one another in three smaller breakout groups.

3) Neurodiverse and Diverse Learners and their FamiliesThursdays, Oct. 15 to Nov.19, time TBDNeurodiverse and Diverse Learners gather for a chalice lighting and story, followed by a chance to get to know one another in three smaller breakout groups.

4) Single/Co-parenting/Solo Parents and Caregivers continue weekly meetingsTuesdays, 8 p.m.This group offers spiritual support, meaning-making and community. Facilitated by congregant and fellow single mom Sara Smalley.

More groups will be rolled out soon, including:

• Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators
• Spiritual Care for Parents and Caregivers who are struggling, or with kids who are struggling
• Skills for White Kids Building Beloved Community
• Antiracist Parenting

Our first round of these small groups for families will meet weekly for six sessions beginning next week. To participate, make sure you’ve registered your child(ren)/youth for Religious Education or email Lauren Wyeth, Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries at lauren@firstuniv.org.

Register for Religious Education here.

This year, recognizing the particular mental health challenges of this time, we’re expanding from a Mental Health Sunday to a Mental Health Week, which will include services on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Sunday, Oct. 11, and Wednesday, Oct. 14.  

We know that depression, anxiety, addiction, bi-polar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic, and so many other mental health conditions are with us, are a part of our lives, are a part of the lives of those we love. That is true. That is real. And this time we’re in – election, election debates, climate change, global pandemic, isolation – is not easy. 

In a society where mental illness is too often met with stigma, secrets, and fear, this upcoming mental health week and these three worship services embody our commitment to welcoming, affirming, and protecting the light in each human heart. 

We are here for you for spiritual and emotional care. If you’re struggling, please reach out to us. And please join us for any of our three worship services during our Mental Health Week: Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m., and Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

Information about connecting to our worship services can be found here.

Read this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal October 1

Read this week’s issue of our newsletter, The Weekly Liberal, here: The Weekly Liberal Sept. 24

Read this week’s issue of The Weekly Liberal email newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Sept. 17

Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal September 10

In this week’s issue, Rev. Justin Schroeder writes:

Greetings!

My father has a very compromised immune system, and as result, both of my parents have restructured their lives to minimize their chances of catching Covid-19. I’m extremely grateful for the backyard physically distanced visits we’ve been able to have this summer. On a recent backyard visit, my father shared with me that he’s not really worrying too much about Covid-19, as he is retired and fortunately, can minimize his chances of any exposure. What he is most worried about, what keeps him up at night, he said, is the upcoming election. Like so many of us, he is deeply worried about our democracy, the right to vote, voter suppression, and the possible chaos and confusion this is ready present and will certainly emerge after the election. 

Many of you feel the same way, and you want to put your faith to work – you want to “UU the Vote,” bringing your UU values to the sacred right to vote and to the election itself, probably the most important election of our lifetimes.     

Thankfully, the Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance (MUUSJA), is supporting UUs across a multi-state region with a get out the vote effort. There are postcards to write and text banks and phone banks to support. You can learn more at the resource list here and here. In the Twin Cities, MUUSJA has distributed nonpartisan lawn signs from the League of Women Voters for congregations and individuals to post, and has shared huge nonpartisan banners for Overpass Banner Brigades to remind commuters to vote. 

MUUSJA has a goal that 85% of individual UUs across our region will do #JustOneThing to get one other person to take action for voter engagement, whether they have 15 minutes to post a lawn sign or 15 hours to phone bank with one of our nonpartisan groups or with their favorite candidates. To learn more, and do #JustOneThing, go here.  

And if you’re interested in doing “UU the Vote” efforts with others from First Universalist, you can contact me at justin@firstuniv.org. We’ll convene a team and get to work – the election is less than 60 days away! Come to a UU the Vote workshop for First U folks with Karen Wills and Denise Konen, which will be held via Zoom here on Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. to find out more. 

I’ll see you in church,
Justin

We are accepting that we’re in this COVID-19 reality for the long haul, preparing to lead virtual worship and virtual church programming through at least the spring of 2021, and perhaps even longer. As a whole staff team, part of the preparation for the year to come means catching our breath, and ensuring that we have some sustained down time before we really dig into the new church year and continue to imagine and roll out programming that helps us meet this moment – and the needs of our congregation – in a virtual space. 

To that end, church will be “closed” for one week plus Labor Day, Aug. 31 through Sept. 7, to allow for a break for staff after what has been an unusually intense several months. 

On the Sunday that falls during this time – Sunday, Sept. 6 – we invite you to take a virtual “road trip” and visit one of our neighboring congregations, or a congregation you’ve always wanted to check out, for worship. We’ve connected with our colleagues at First Unitarian Society, White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, and Unity-Unitarian Church and they’ve already extended a warm welcome to join them for worship on Sunday, Sept. 6.

While our church staff won’t be leading worship (Wednesday or Sunday) or programs, responding to email, or attending meetings during the week between Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, we will still be available to you for any urgent pastoral care needs you may be experiencing. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are in crisis or struggling in any way: call the church office at 612-825-1701 and follow the prompts for “pastoral care” to be connected to a minister. 

We’ll be back after Labor Day, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and will “see” you again for worship as we launch the new church year on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m.

Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal August 13

It is so good to be back with you all! I’m grateful to have been able to take a break from most of my regular work responsibilities in July, and I’m grateful to be returning, too. I missed you all and the many ways that this community grounds me and helps me live into my values. I’m back rested and renewed and ready to go. Thank you for this time away. 

While I was away, I stayed tuned in to all that is happening with our building renovation project, attending weekly coordination meetings, coming in for site visits, and helping with innumerable decisions small and large ranging from what kind of soap dispensers we want in the new bathrooms to what kind of beauty we can bring into our new entrance. I’m delighted to say that the project is proceeding in a timely way, on budget. Any of you who have participated in a renovation project know that this is no small thing. 

Entering the building these days, I am overwhelmed by joy in the midst of the chaos of banging hammers and dust everywhere. We have made so many big and small decisions together over the last several years – sharing our financial gifts, our time and talent and expertise, our hopes and dreams for how our building can serve the larger community and our own church needs. We’ve centered our commitments to racial justice, environmental repair, multi-generational community and inclusion in our decisions. And now, when you move through the physical space of our building, all of those decisions come alive. 

The space that is unfolding is intuitive, spacious, and well-thought out. The job site is full of women and Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the trades. Behind the walls, new heating and cooling, plumbing and electrical changes are reducing our environmental impact. New audio/visual equipment, restrooms, and a central accessible entrance communicate our wide welcome to all. The transformation of our physical space is not yet complete, but the transformation of how we do things – how we live out our values in decisions large and small as a community of faith – is well underway. I look forward to the day when we can share this space with our community and each other, and in the meantime, I love this experience of right now – when everything we’ve done is coming together to strengthen and build a new way of being. 

A more detailed update on the renovations, with photos, is available here.

In gratitude,
Rev. Jen Crow

This information was published in the July 30 issue of The Weekly Liberal. Read the full newsletter here.

In mid-March, the church suspended all in-person gatherings. This included Sunday services, small groups, committee meetings, and in-person, in-building work for the majority of staff. We went completely online in an effort to ensure the safety and health of the congregation and to do our part to ensure the church was not a vector for transmission of COVID-19. In the months since, staff and lay leaders have spent countless hours working to make church happen virtually. As a community, we can be proud of what we’ve accomplished in such a short period of time. We’ve shown each other patience, acceptance, creativity and grace, knowing that we’re all doing the best that we can in very difficult circumstances.

As we enter the final weeks of summer and look toward the Fall, we are writing to share some updates about how we’re moving with the reality of COVID-19 and its many impacts on our lives.

Commitment to Safety and Accessibility

Like many of you, we miss the joy and warm connection of gathering in person – and we miss being in our beloved sanctuary. What is also true is that in shifting to online church, we have opened up access to many people who previously had not been able to participate. Whether it was a move that took them out of state or health conditions that prevented their being physically present, we’ve heard from so many who are overjoyed to be able to join us in this online format.

As a faith community, we are committed to welcoming, affirming, and protecting the light in each human heart, and flowing from this commitment, we are reaffirming our commitment to remaining closed to in-person gatherings, including worship, small groups, and educational events, for the foreseeable future. We know that many parts of our state and the wider society are “opening up” – and we also know that cases of COVID-19 are on the rise. Very little has changed since March. The virus is still spreading in our communities. It still poses a real and significant risk. We will continue to monitor the situation, and if factors change, will revise our decisions, but for now we remain closed – and expect to be closed through at least the spring of 2021. 

We are exploring ways that we might be able to invite folks to walk/roll/drive by church at staggered intervals in a way that minimizes risk, similar to Rev. Ruth’s goodbye from the steps of the church. With some creativity, we can preserve and even build upon some of the important rituals we share, such as Water Communion, Backpack Blessing, and welcoming new members. Stay tuned as we move into the new church year.

Commitment to Supporting Each Other

We know that the current state of physical separation and distance is extraordinarily difficult for many of us. In conversation with members of our community, we’ve heard that this is a particularly difficult time for folks living alone, single parents, and others who are acutely feeling the impact of lack of in-person contact on their mental health. If you count yourself among this group, we want to support you. Please reach out to Rev. Karen Hutt (revkarenhutt@gmail.com) and let her know what’s happening with and for you. We’re exploring the possibility of one or more groups that would meet online and be a space for support and connection for those of us who are experiencing a sense of isolation.

Anecdotally, we know some folks are getting together in informal groups for physically distanced backyard gatherings or walks in ways that adhere to MN Department of Health guidelines for gathering. We know that these gatherings invite a kind of conversation and negotiation of boundaries and consent that not all of us are practiced at. Much as we teach our children to negotiate boundaries and consent in Our Whole Lives (OWL) sexuality education classes, now we all need to engage in conversations about the personal, nuanced decisions necessary in this time. Please reach out to a minister or staff if you need a listening ear and support as you discern your needs and how to navigate conversations and boundaries.

We are making a turn. It seems likely that here in the United States we will be living with the reality of COVID-19 for quite some time. As this understanding becomes more deeply integrated into our hearts and minds and bodies, as a church we are making a turn from enduring to embracing. What we once felt we needed to endure until it was over – physical distancing, limited in-person contact, absence of in-person gatherings, etc – we are now turning to embrace, and we’re asking ourselves, “If this is how things are, what is the very best we can make with what we have?” We look forward to exploring these questions and answers with you as we continue to make our way forward, together.

Warmly,

Justin, Jen, Lauren, Arif, Karen, and Jenn S.

Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal July 16

This week, Rev. Justin Schroeder writes:

In addition to everything else that’s happening right now, we are in the midst of an uprising against police and state brutality against Black, indigenous, and people or color – that calls us to do deep theological reflection, and to respond from that place. Our Unitarian Universalist theology offers a framework for making sense of the time we’re in, and points us toward actions that bring our values alive in the world.

Theology is defined as the study of religious belief, or the study of the nature of the Divine/God/Spirit of Life. If you’ve ever experienced yourself or another as broken, and thought about what helps you “heal” and feel “whole” again after you’ve been hurt or harmed, you’re doing theology. If you’ve thought about what evil is, and how it shows up in the world, you’re doing theology. If you’ve thought about what good is, and how that is present in the world, you’re doing theology. In fact, you’re really doing theological reflection, which is reflecting on your experiences in light of your faith, in light of the Principles of Unitarian Universalism , including the proposed 8th Principle , which calls us to “spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” 

Unitarian Universalism has a “big tent” under which people with many different beliefs can gather. We do not have to adhere to a statement of belief in order to be accepted in this faith. Instead, Unitarianism points to an underlying unity at the heart of creation. Unitarianism posits that we all come from the same source, call it the big bang, God, the Cosmos, or the Spirit of Life. Universalism suggests that we all share a common destiny. Universalism – the claim that everyone is created whole and holy and is worthy of love, and that we all ultimately return to love – demolishes notions of saved and unsaved, worthy and unworthy. Universalism claims no one is disposable; we are all connected and dependent on one another.

How then, does this framework inform our racial justice and anti-oppression efforts? There are many responses. One response is that any hierarchy that suggests one group of people (based on race, gender, ability, class, or anything else) is better than another group of people is in direct opposition to our faith. In fact, racism (and any of these other false hierarchies), distort the underlying truth of our oneness, and compromise our faith. Using this theological framework, we naturally begin to reimagine policing, because policing as it currently exists treats some people as having less worth, value and dignity than others, which is in direct opposition to our faith.

The value of theological reflection is that it can invite us to begin to find deeper alignment between our faith and our actions. In doing this, we move closer to living an undivided life, which can be a source of joy and delight.
How is your faith shaping your response to these times we are living in?

I’ll see you in virtual church!

With care,
Rev. Justin