On Sunday, March 27, we celebrated the release of Senior Minister Rev. Jen Crow’s new book, “Take What You Need: Life Lessons After Losing Everything.”

The event features a conversation about the book between Rev. Jen and Minister Emerita Rev. Kate Tucker, who accompanied Jen on her book writing journey as a sounding board and reader.

The book is a moving and vulnerable account of loss following the house fire that Rev. Jen and her family experienced in 2016—and a testament to the transformative power of love. In it, Jen invites us to explore the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take—and all the ways we can pay attention to what we truly need to survive the painful moments and live a life of meaning. Survival guide, spiritual companion, and a light in the dark, Take What You Need offers hope, humor, and real-life spiritual tools to meet the hardest moments of our lives.

View the recording from the event here:

More about the book:

What do we truly need to face the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take?

Jen Crow’s transformation was triggered, quite literally, by a bolt of lightning. That jolt, which destroyed her home in a subsequent fire, forced her to consider what she really needed as she looked to rebuild her life.

Take What You Need : Life Lessons After Losing Everything (March 22, 2022) opens new perspectives for all of us looking to understand our past, our unexpected suffering, our failures, so we too can begin charting a course forward—one drawn from resilience and hope. We see with the immediacy of someone who nearly lost it all that our possessions won’t carry us. Our responses to the regrets, losses, separations, addictions, and unexpected twists and turns of our lives are shaped by the spiritual values that sustain us and the people who support us.

Crow invites us to explore the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take—and all the ways we can pay attention to what we truly need to survive the painful moments and live a life of meaning. Survival guide, spiritual companion, and a light in the dark, Take What You Need offers hope, humor, and real-life spiritual tools to meet the hardest moments of our lives.

Please join us in the sanctuary or via livestream on Sunday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate the launch of Rev. Jen Crow’s new book, Take What You Need: Life Lessons After Losing Everything.

Connect to the live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvKMLVsdeRk

The book is a moving and vulnerable account of loss following the house fire that Rev. Jen and her family experienced in 2016—and a testament to the transformative power of love. In it, Jen invites us to explore the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take—and all the ways we can pay attention to what we truly need to survive the painful moments and live a life of meaning. Survival guide, spiritual companion, and a light in the dark, Take What You Need offers hope, humor, and real-life spiritual tools to meet the hardest moments of our lives.

The event on Sunday, March 27 will feature a conversation about the book, its meaning, and its message, between Rev. Jen and Minister Emerita Rev. Kate Tucker, who accompanied Jen on her book writing journey as a sounding board and reader. Jen will also read aloud excerpts from her book, answer questions, and be available to sign books after the formal part of the program is done.

Books will be available for purchase at the event, and proceeds benefit First Universalist Church.

This event, which will also be live-streamed, is free and open to the public.

About the book:

What do we truly need to face the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take?

Jen Crow’s transformation was triggered, quite literally, by a bolt of lightning. That jolt, which destroyed her home in a subsequent fire, forced her to consider what she really needed as she looked to rebuild her life.

Take What You Need : Life Lessons After Losing Everything (March 22, 2022) opens new perspectives for all of us looking to understand our past, our unexpected suffering, our failures, so we too can begin charting a course forward—one drawn from resilience and hope. We see with the immediacy of someone who nearly lost it all that our possessions won’t carry us. Our responses to the regrets, losses, separations, addictions, and unexpected twists and turns of our lives are shaped by the spiritual values that sustain us and the people who support us.

Crow invites us to explore the expected and unexpected turns our lives can take—and all the ways we can pay attention to what we truly need to survive the painful moments and live a life of meaning. Survival guide, spiritual companion, and a light in the dark, Take What You Need offers hope, humor, and real-life spiritual tools to meet the hardest moments of our lives.

In preparation for our formal building reopening and return to two services (9 & 11 a.m., with a livestream option at 11 a.m.) on Sunday, Nov. 7, we’re hosting an open house-style “soft reopening” this Sunday, Oct. 31, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with an online option offered via Zoom at 10:30 a.m. If you’re joining us in the building, we invite you to drop in for a “build your own adventure” time of activities for all ages, tours, co-creation of an altar, and a short ritual (a mini worship service with a musical meditation at the center) in the sanctuary. You can be in any space for as long or as little as you like. If you’re joining us online, we’ll take you on a tour of our newly renovated spaces and then bring you into the 11 a.m. ritual in the sanctuary. 

Rituals

Instead of our usual hour-long worship service, we invite you to join us in the sanctuary for one of three 20-minute rituals—at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon—with a musical meditation by Franco Holder on piano as the centerpiece. Our hope is that this short meditative time will help you ease back into being in the sanctuary, allow you time to take in the changes (like new carpet and an accessible chancel!) that were made during renovations, and help us all navigate and adjust to what it means to be back in our sanctuary together while still navigating a global pandemic. Masks are required and we ask that you keep a distance of three feet from those not in your household (more on COVID safety measures and policies here). 

In the Cummins Room, Julica Hermann de la Fuente will share a sacred part of her heritage as we co-create an altar in the tradition of Dia de los Muertos. Together we will make a beautiful space that marks this season when the veil between the worlds is thin and many cultures honor their ancestors. You are invited to bring and leave on the altar a copy of a photo of a loved one you’re remembering. (If you do not have a copy you feel comfortable leaving, you can use the photocopier in the office.) The altar we create together during the Open House will be part of our Wednesday evening worship service on November 3. If you would like to participate but are not comfortable in a crowd, you can make a 15-minute private appointment between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. here.

Multigenerational Activities

In the Education Wing, we’ll have crafts and activities for preschoolers through 6th graders and their families (bring some colorful Fall leaves to contribute to a shared project if you can!), a dedicated space and activities for 7th–12th graders (in our lovely new Senior High lounge!), and board games. Families with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are invited to gather, play, and acquaint themselves with our bright new spaces for our littlest ones. Rev. Karen Hutt will be leading active social games for all ages in the Social Hall.

For BIPOC Folks

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) folks of all ages are invited into the space that has been designated as “BIPOC priority space” (Room 201) to help articulate the vision for the space and to co-create what the space might look/feel/be like. We have a lovely blank canvas; how shall we honor our cultural heritages?

Tours

You are welcome to explore the spaces on your own between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For those who would like a guided experience, tours will be offered at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. You’ll learn about the changes that were made during renovations to improve the accessibility, radical welcome, and sustainability of our building and have an opportunity to ask questions. 

We are looking forward to welcoming many of you back into our newly renovated spaces beginning this Sunday!

“Mending the Web…with the Light of Healing and Hope”

1. Preparing for the Solstice (read first)

2. Winter Solstice Ritual Script

Winter Solstice is one of the seasonal points on the Wheel of the Year. It is often celebrated in an earth-based meditative ritual practiced around the world in a variety of ways, adapted to the culture, beliefs and creativity of those participating. Walking a labyrinth, singing chants and doing the Spiral Dance are part of our ritual at church.

Our ritual is a journey, a slow walk to know the dark, and a slow walk to rejoice in the returning light. Whether you are young or old, living alone, with family or have “pod-mates” doing this ritual with you, we hope you enjoy the gifts that it offers in this season of illumination.

You’re invited to celebrate the launch of First Universalist Church’s capital campaign with a party for all ages on Saturday, March 11!

It’s FREE, family-friendly, and for everyone in our community. We want you with us!

RSVP Now

Please join us on Saturday, March 11, 5–11 p.m., for dinner & entertainment at Minneapolis Event Centers (212 2nd St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414) as we gather to celebrate all we’ve accomplished in the past and all that we envision for the future. Special guests include the Revs. John Cummins & Kate Tucker; and we’ll enjoy live music by Ann Reed and GiveGetSistet.

• Dinner will be provided (including gluten-free and vegetarian options); cash bar.
• Free ride sign up will be available to make this event as accessible and easy to attend as possible for all.
• Adults gather in the 1858 Grand Room for fellowship, dinner, music, and dancing.
• There will be a separate, adjacent space for children and youth, with a kid-friendly buffet, free childcare for children up to age 5 until 9 p.m., and fun, supervised activities and games for school-aged children and youth until 10 p.m.
• There will be no pledges solicited at this event; it’ll be a time of celebration!

RSVP is requested by March 1. Register now!

You’re invited to celebrate the launch of First Universalist Church’s capital campaign with a party for all ages!

Saturday, March 11, 2017, 5 – 11 p.m.
at Minneapolis Event Centers
(212 2nd St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414)

Please save the date and plan to join us at the Minneapolis Event Centers as we gather to celebrate all we’ve accomplished in the past and all that we envision for the future.

This event is FREE and for everyone in our community. We want you with us!

• Dinner will be provided (including gluten-free and vegetarian options).
• Valet parking for those who need it and free ride sign up will be available to make this event as accessible and easy to attend as possible for all.
• This is not a time to collect pledges; it’s a time to celebrate!
• Adults gather in the 1858 Grand Room for fellowship, dinner, music, and dancing.
• There will be a separate, adjacent space for children and youth, with a kid-friendly buffet, childcare for children up to age 5 until 9 p.m., and supervised activities and games for older children and youth until 10 p.m.

Members and friends – watch for a formal invitation with more details in your mailbox in February – we’ll be asking all to RSVP online here by March 1.

Plan now to attend so we can all celebrate together on March 11!

Friends,

This morning, no matter our particular political leanings, many of us were stunned that the country elected Donald Trump as our next president. You have been reaching out, sharing the weight of the sadness, fear, anger, and worry that you are holding today. Much of this has been happening on social media, and while that can be helpful, we need the physical presence of one another. This is no time to be alone.

Tonight, we invite you to join us for a service of silence, music, prayer, poetry and spiritual practice. The sanctuary will be open tonight beginning at 6:15 p.m., with a short service beginning at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome – friends, family, and children.

We will come together to hold all that we are feeling and to rest in the presence of one another. We will remember that we are not alone. We are here for each other and our neighbors, and we are all connected to one another and the larger web of life. This story is not finished.

Our community has multiple opportunities to gather: Shir Tikvah Congregation is hosting aMulti-Faith Post Election Gathering for Hope at 7pm on Thursday, and of course, come to church on Sunday. Bring your neighbors, friends, and family. This is a time to be together. We look forward to being with you.

In faith,

Justin and Jen and the First Universalist Ministry Team

Come see ‘Hands Up Don’t Shoot Our Youth Movement’ here at church.

It’s a documentary filmed in Ferguson on the day of Michael Brown’s funeral, by Ralph Crowder III. We’ll be screening it on Tuesday, March 24th at 6:30 in the Social Hall, and you will have a chance to meet the filmmaker.

Contrasting with the mainstream media coverage and speculation of the events leading up to his death, you will see, hear and feel the perspective of African Americans there about how he died.

Have you struggled with talking to friends, family or co-workers about how we at First Universalist are beginning to understand how racism really works? Invite them to join you for the film. Because the film deals with a widely covered event, it will help deepen your conversations with them about the white privilege that most of us have been so blind to.

Click on the POSTER to expand!

Join us Saturday night, January 31, 2015 for Winter Warm-up!

This is a live-music event featuring First UU’s own Rock Band.  We’ll have dancing and light appetizers with beverages, featuring beer from Lake Monster Brewery and wine from Hennepin Lake Liquors, available for purchase.    Dancing starts at 8pm.

Stop by on your way home from the Loppet and help warm-up the social hall at 2015’s first congregational fundraiser of the year!

Suggested donation for admission is $10-$20 but no one will be turned away based on ability to pay.  If your budget allows it, consider paying more to support others.  Visit this URL to buy your tickets in advance:http://winterwarmup.bpt.me/

Tickets are also available for purchase on Sundays in the Social Hall between services.