Groups and Gatherings to Support Your Spiritual Practices

A Year to Live: Reflection and Sharing, facilitated by Harlan Limpert

Mondays, Feb. 19, March 18, April 15; 2 p.m. on Zoom Registration Closed

Using questions inspired by the book, A Year to Live by Stephen Levine, you’ll be invited to reflect upon particular aspects of your life and share personal stories. The focus will be on positive stories of what you’ve done or could do to overcome fear, forgive others, express appreciation, and live authentically. (Registration capped at 20.)

Art Making, facilitated by Kate Guin and Denise Konen 

Sundays February through March, last gathering on Sunday, March 24, 1 p.m.  in person at church (Feb. 18 at noon) Registration Required

Creating art as a spiritual practice is similar to other meditative practices. The goal is not the output, but to bathe the mind and soul. We will support each other in using creativity on a regular basis to increase wellness and spiritual connection. 

Circle Suppers 

Saturdays, Feb. 3, March 2, April 6; 6 p.m. at congregants’ homes 
Registration Closed – You can sign up for the Circle Supper Alternates list, in case someone has a seat open up at their table and you can show up on short notice.

Circle Suppers bring together people across our church community for a potluck dinner on the first Saturday, February through April. Sign up to host once or simply be a guest. A treasured part of our community prior to Covid, we hope you will join us in restarting this rewarding experience, where you get to know fellow UUs on a more personal level. Registration closes Jan. 26 at 5 p.m.

Cultivating Joy, facilitated by Bee Harrison

Mondays, Feb. 26, March 25, April 29, 7-8:30 p.m. in person at church Registration Required

“May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses,” writes John O’Donohue. Through a variety of heart-centered practices like storytelling, (gentle) movement, meditation, music, mindfulness, and more, we will explore how we might invite, reveal, and experience greater joy in our lives by connecting deeply to our inner worlds. In these monthly meetings, we’ll share our own practices and support one another in cultivating joy. 

Centering Prayer, facilitated by Dick Young 

Sundays, Feb. 11, March 17, April 21; 1-2:30 p.m. in person at church Registration Required

Centering Prayer is a meditation practice that opens you to your higher power. It has the power to heal you while also opening you to characteristics that separate you from your higher power.

Deep Winter #Joyspotting

Join/participate as you’re able, February-April RSVP Requested to receive email prompts

This is an online practice that will include weekly email prompts. Joy is not just a feeling, but a spiritual practice. Join a group of us seeking and spotting joy as a spiritual practice in the depths of winter. We’ll offer weekly email and social media prompts to help you cultivate joy and we invite you to share your “joyspotting” via social media with each other and our wider community with the hashtags #deepwinterjoyspotting and #FirstUnivPractice

Knitting, facilitated by Merinda Brayfield

Sundays, Feb. 4 & Mar. 3 at 1 p.m. Apr. 7 at noon (March and April dates subject to change). In person at church  RSVP Requested

Knitting can be soothing and meditative. It invites us to slow down and take things one stitch at a time. It teaches us patience as well as trust and faith in your own abilities. 

Mindfulness during Times of Grief and Loss, facilitated by Pam Berry on zoom 

Tuesdays, April 9, 16, 23, 30; 6:30-8 p.m. on zoom Registration Required

This mindfulness course is for folks who are experiencing or have experienced loss and or grief in their lives. Topics will include mindfulness of breath, body, thoughts and emotions. Each session will also include a meditation practice 

Pam‘s personal experience with chronic pain and the untimely loss of her sister inform her practice and teaching. 

Meditation, facilitated by Nancy Nyquist Potter

Sundays, Feb. 18, March 24, April 28; 1-2:30 p.m. in person at church – attend one or all sessions Registration Required

The meditation practices we will explore draw on a variety of resources including Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach, insight meditation, Thich Nhat Hahn, Christina Feldman, and ourselves. Along the way, we will explore virtues such as lovingkindness, self-compassion, joy, generosity, forgiveness, and other ideas that will move us in our spiritual paths. All levels of experience welcome.

Quilting, facilitated by Chris Chiros 

Sundays, Feb.4, March 3, April 7; 3-5 p.m. on Zoom. Sundays, Feb. 18, March 17, April 21; 3-5 p.m. In person at church. Registration Required

Chris writes: Quilting is a spiritual practice for me in multiple ways. The creativity fills my cup and thus is an act of self-care. And, it connects me to the greater community. Many of the quilts I make are donated either to the individuals I know (or know of) who are struggling and perhaps don’t have a loved one who can make a quilt for them to cocoon into like a warm hug, or to organizations that are asking for quilts. I appreciate that my spiritual practice may bring comfort to another.

Sacred Sweeping: Exploring Spirituality in Cleaning Together, facilitated by Dallas Rising 

Thursdays, Feb. 8, 22, March 7, 21, April 4, 18; 10-11:30 a.m. on Zoom Registration Closed

Through shared intentions and gentle practices, we come together to create an environment that fosters peace, balance, and connection. Our gathering will be a blend of mindful cleaning time, meaningful discussions, and shared exploration around cleaning as spiritual practice. Whether you love to clean or it’s something you avoid at all costs, there is a place for you in this group.

Tuesday Meditation (online and in-person)

Weekly Practice: 8:45-10:15 a.m.; monthly learning session, 10:15-11 a.m.

You are invited to meditate with our lay-led practice group. None of us are experts. Our practices come out of our own experiences, and we share inspiration from many sources including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Tara Brach, Tai Chi, Loving Kindness, poetry and more. We don’t follow one method or another, but we do share what we learn with each other. After meditation we practice deep listening to hear from each person, if they choose. No registration required. Email Sara McMullen (saramcminneapolis@gmail.com) for zoom details.

Writing Your Spiritual Journey

Fridays, Feb. 9, 23, March 8, 22, April 5, 19; 1:30 to 3 p.m. Library at church Registration Closed

Before each session, you will receive a range of quotes on topics from “Suffering and Struggle” to “Gratitude and Joy” followed by questions to consider as writing prompts. When we gather, each participant will share either a portion of your written response to the questions or whatever thoughts the topic may have brought up for you. (Registration capped at 10 participants.) 

You Might be a Transcendentalist if…, facilitated by Dale Schwie and Rev. Arif Mamdani

Sundays, Feb. 4, March 24; 1:30-3 p.m., April 28; 4-5:30 p.m. in person at church Registration Closed

This group will explore Transcendentalism through engagement with one of its best known works, Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism is an important thread within Unitarian Universalism and deeply influenced and continues to inform how we view religion and the practice of what we know today as Unitarian Universalism. In other words, chances are good that you’re at least ¼ Transcendentalist, whether you know it or not. 

Is there a practice you’d like to facilitate that’s not represented here? Please reach out to ashley@firstuniv.org.