Dear Jenn,

I’ve been asking around the community: what comes to mind when I say the words of this month’s theme—”Carry the Flame”? 

“Hot!” said one, appropriately. 

“The Olympic Games” mentioned another, just before going on to teach us the old tradition that during the games, all warfare would cease fire.

In a conversation with some of our high-schoolers, several wanted to talk about “what it means to be a UU out in the world.” We talked about living through high school through a global pandemic, and what it’s like to be the only person in the room with the burning desire to speak up after a group of friends chuckle at a racially-charged joke, or a stranger commits yet another microaggression.  

This month, I’ll be spending a lot of time reading and re-reading the results of the music ministry listening sessions and survey. No doubt, most moments this month, I’ll carry a copy of the community’s dreams for music, some of its burning desires articulated and hopeful.

“Mothering.”

“With June just around the corner,” another mentioned “I can’t help but think of those of us who wear our queerness on our sleeves, in our hearts, in our walk…I think of what it takes to earn for yourself the pride that lets you carry all of who you are for the world to see.”

Our guest preacher this Sunday, and candidate for president of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the Rev. Sofia Betancourt has been thinking about the old Hebrew story where Moses encounters a bush completely aflame yet unconsumed. 

I shared that with another of us, who still had Earth Day deep in their heart: “When the whole world is on fire, what does it even mean to carry the flame?” Boom.

All these reflections lead me to a common place—that what it means to be able to carry the flame is for the hands to be both tender and tough. And if the whole world is afire, then those who carry the flame are called to tender toughness in all places—to remove the layers of distance between the earth and their bare feet in every moment, it all being holy ground. 

The chalice symbol of Unitarian Universalism has roots in the second World War. The Unitarian Service Committee would place the symbol of the flaming chalice in their window, so that those trying to escape Nazi persecution would know they had found a place that would work to keep them safe. This balance of tough and tender runs through our heritage and stories already. Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine one surviving without the other.

The church year is ending. Spring seems apparent in earnest (notice the cross-fingered wording). The time’s coming where school years give way to bike rides and long walks, to traveling adventures and summer novels inviting us to imagine other worlds without and within. What does it mean, then, to carry our faith with you into these moments? What does it matter to bring the values of community and grace and justice into what we encounter? What’s it take to live tender and tough in good and equal measure?



For May, worship’s theme is Carry the Flame, as we each set our sights on the seasons to come. Join the community in song and silence, in reflection and revival, as we journey with these questions to strengthen our hearts and our coming days.

Dr. Glen Thomas

Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout

Director of Worship Arts Ministries

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Dear ones,

Whenever I’m invited to join one of our new member gatherings and the question inevitably comes around to me, “Why did you first come to a Unitarian Universalist congregation, and why did you stay?,” I’m grateful to remember the answers that ground me, still. When I crossed the threshold of the Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, Massachusetts for the first time in the early 1990s, I went in tentatively hoping that what I’d heard was true—that there was a spiritual community that would welcome me as I was: young, queer, intellectually questioning, longing and doubting, struggling to get by, not yet solid in my sobriety. I had heard that other queer folks had found a home there, and that the community was serious about welcoming everyone—but I’d never experienced such a thing, and nothing in my prior experience had prepared me for the idea that of all the places in the world, a church would make good on the promise of truly welcoming all.

There were and still are bumps along the way, moments and interactions that hurt my heart as I and others try and fail—or simply fail—at making good on the central promise of Unitarian Universalism: that each and every one of us is whole, holy, and worthy, welcome and wanted exactly as we are. And still, this is the place where more often than not, I find myself and our communities trying, failing, learning, and trying again to experience ourselves and each other as worthy of dignity and joy. I remember that I never did commit myself to perfection, but to progress, in my spiritual journey, and progress is what I seek through my individual and our collective spiritual practice.  

Recently, the Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt, who will be leading worship with us this coming Sunday, preached a sermon titled, “A Hard-Won Hopefulness” You can watch/listen to it here; the sermon begins at about minute 37 in the recording. In it she lays out some of the theological grounding she brings to her hoped-for presidency of the Unitarian Universalist Association. She quotes the Rev. Dennis McCarty from his blog, Thoughts from a Gentle Atheist, as he outlines the central values of Unitarian Universalism. He names:

• The worthiness of the human condition
• Investigation, reason, research, and intellectual growth
• and, Openness to change produced by intellectual research and investigation

as our most central shared values. These values are reflected both in how our core understanding of our faith has been named in the past, “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning,” and how it is suggested we might name them in our future, “a promise to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically; To learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”

Now, back to that question we began with. “Why did you first come to a Unitarian Universalist congregation, and why did you stay? I told you why I came—to find out if the all-embracing welcome I’d heard about and dreamt about might be real—but why did I stay? I stay, not because that promised all-embracing welcome was or continues to be perfect. I stay because here, I am challenged to learn and grow, because who I am and how I am and even what I believe in can change over time, because growth and change are expected, core ways of being in our faith. I stay because in this community revelation is not sealed, and our faith and how we live it out is ever-evolving. May this be a community where our faith comes alive as we learn, grow, and change with and for each other. 

Rev. Jen

Rev. Jen Crow

Senior Minister

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

Intro

May Theme: Carry the Flame

Why Do You Stay?

Sunday Worship

Sunday, May 7, 9 & 11 a.m.: "A Flame that Burns"

After Worship this Sunday

Sunday, April 30 Recording & Podcast: "All Beginners Here"

April 30 Cycle of Life

News & Features

Updated COVID Care Policies

Congregational Budget Meeting Recap

Right Relations Workshop

Congregational Care Team

Future of Music Report

DRUUMM Public Worship

Calendar

Church Grounds Cleanups

Young Adults Springtime Nature Experience

"What Is Abolition and How Can it Free Us?"

Daytime Connections

Community Events & Affiliated Organizations:

AUW, 12-Step Spirituality

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Sunday, May 7 — 9 & 11 a.m.

"A Flame that Burns"

Universalism calls us to become flame carriers in apocalyptic times. In community, with souls on fire, we reconstitute the world. Join us this Sunday, May 7, as we welcome guest preacher Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, candidate for president of the UUA.

The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt is a minister, educator, scholar, vocalist, poet, fiber artist, and change-maker. Her work in the world and her practice of Unitarian Universalism are informed by the belief that building mutual, accountable relationships with one another allows us to live our values more fully every day. As the child of immigrants from Panamá and Chile, and grandchild of a seventh-generation Unitarian, she knows the strength that comes from building lasting community at the meeting point of difference. She has served as a religious educator, a parish minister, a seminary professor, interim co-president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and countless volunteer roles within the Association, giving her a wide-ranging experience of our dynamic community. She is an unabashed Universalist. The teachings of unearned grace, an all-embracing love, relational accountability, and dignity that surpasses all violent forms of oppression lie at the core of her understanding of life, living, and service in faithful community. She currently lives in the Washington, D.C., area.

In November 2022, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Presidential Search Committee nominated the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt to be the next President of the UUA. The Election for UUA President will take place at General Assembly this June.

“Together we can serve one another, organize for justice, widen the circle of concern, collectively imagine new ways forward in community, and grow spiritually. Our nation and denomination are experiencing immense ideological struggles. Our congregations worry for their future existence, and our religious professionals and lay leaders are worn down to the bone. Yet ours is the work of hope in the world; Unitarian Universalism has a vital, liberating message for our time,” Rev. Betancourt writes. You can learn more about Rev. Betancourt and her campaign for UUA President here.

Worship leaders: Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Ashley Harness, Franco Holder



ORDER OF SERVICE

IN PERSON AT 9 & 11 A.M. (masks required in sanctuary)

This Sunday, we worship in person at 9 and 11 a.m. Masks are required in the sanctuary for ages 2 and up; please review our Covid-19 Gathering Guidelines (effective through May 20; update is below). Can you usher or greet? Sign up here!.

ONLINE AT 11 A.M.

This service is live-streamed at 11 a.m. Join the Zoom livestream here (Webinar ID: 861 805 984) or watch on YouTube. The recording will be available here after worship.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

Childcare for Nursery through Pre-K starts at 8:45/10:45 a.m. Registered children and youth in K through 12th grade begin their morning in the sanctuary with their families before being dismissed to Religious Education Classes. All ages are always welcome in the sanctuary! Learn more here.

A Place to Start

10 a.m. & noon in the Chancel room, Zoom option at noon (join here)

In this casual, 45-minute class, you'll learn some of the basics of Unitarian Universalism, as well as how to get connected to what you’re seeking here at church. Meet at the front of the sanctuary immediately after the service on a first or third Sunday.

BIPOC Gathering with Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt

1 p.m. in the Cummins Room (RSVP by Friday)

First U congregants and staff who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) are invited to an informal time of care and conversation with Rev. Dr. Sofia after worship. Lunch will be provided, and masking is requested if possible. Please RSVP by Friday, May 5 to Rev. Jen. There will be vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and omnivore options available for lunch, and children and youth are welcome. 

Sunday, April 30: "All Beginners Here"

The Zen practice of shoshin calls us each to bring a “beginner’s mind” to every day we live. In this service, as we celebrate how our community has grown with new members, we are reminded to bring this same spirit to our relationships with one another. We can know each other more deeply with fresh curiosity. We can deepen our bonds with fresh compassion. We can build a stronger “we” when each of us takes every opportunity to “tell our story from deep inside and listen with a loving mind.”

Watch the April 30 service here

Listen to the April 30 podcast here

Podcast Archive | Recording Archive 

We hold Cathy Manning in our care as she recovers from surgery this past Wednesday. She appreciates our well wishes and care.

Our hearts are with Parker Holmboe and family as they mourn the death of Parker’s father who passed away last Monday. 

We celebrate with members Rev. Andrea Johnson and Jill Braithwaite. This afternoon United Theology Seminary will confer the Dr of Ministry Degree to Rev Andrea and Jill will receive her Master of Divinity degree. 

And our hearts reach out to our Muslim siblings in the Twin Cities and beyond. This past week, two mosques in our city were set afire in an act of religious hatred. In one instance, 100 people were present in the building, including 50 children in the mosque’s day care center. Our houses of worship should be spaces where we can feel safe. We share in grief that someone tried to rob families of that feeling of security, and we are grateful that these fires were extinguished before anyone was hurt. We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community and unequivocally denounce xenophobia, bigotry, and white supremacy. Horrific acts like the ones committed against Masjid Al Rahma and the Mercy Islamic Center here in our community tear at the fabric of society and create division where there should be unity, mistrust where there should be understanding, hate where there should be love.

If you are experiencing a crisis or transition, celebrating a joy­ or marking a sorrow, please let us know. To be included in our Cycle of Life on Sunday in worship, or if you would like support, contact Rev. Arif Mamdani at arif@firstuniv.org or 612-825-1701.

This past fall, many of you participated in a survey to help us decide how we might continue to make our spaces as inclusive and accessible as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted to an endemic stage. Your Leadership Team combed through your responses, listening and learning as we went. We decided at that time to continue requiring masking in the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings to make it as inclusive a space as possible, and to move to masking optional in the rest of our spaces. We also promised that we would revisit this decision in the spring, and even though the weather often doesn’t feel like it—spring is here. 

After careful consideration of local and national health guidelines, which have continued to evolve over the past year, and ongoing monitoring of COVID levels in Hennepin County, we have decided to update our COVID Community Care Policies, effective Sunday, May 21:

• Masking will be welcome, but not required, inside the church building—including the sanctuary—when Covid community levels in Hennepin County are Low or Medium. Masks will be required inside the building when Covid levels are High.
• High quality KN95/N95 masks will be available free of charge for anyone who wishes to use one when in the building.
• Creating an intentionally inclusive space where masking is respected and welcomed without question is all of our responsibility.
• We continue to encourage all who can be vaccinated against Covid-19 to receive the initial vaccination and subsequent boosters to reduce the impact of Covid 19 for each person individually and for our wider community, collectively.
• We continue to ask people to stay home if they are feeling sick. 
• We will continue to offer online and multi-platform opportunities for spiritual growth, and will continue to focus resources on further strengthening our online and multi-platform community. 
• We will work with congregants and families on an individual basis to address health and accessibility concerns, and to find creative ways to care for each other and connect. Please reach out to Rev. Ashley Harness to brainstorm together. 

We welcome your feedback as we continue to navigate new times and circumstances together, committed, as always, to caring for each other and our larger community with love.

In gratitude,

Rev. Jen, Rev. Arif, Lauren Wyeth, and Jenn Stromberg

This past Monday, May 1, several members of the Board of Trustees and Rev. Jen Crow led a Congregational Budget Meeting online to share information about our current and proposed Annual Operating Budget. We had over 35 church members in attendance, with important questions and feedback to share. We hold this meeting annually, in between the April and May Board meetings, so that the Senior Minister and the Board can share their current thinking and receive feedback from the congregation before the Board approves an annual operating budget at their May Board Meeting. This year, the Board will meet and approve next year’s annual operating budget on Thursday, May 25 at 6:30 p.m. This Board-approved budget will then go to the congregation for final approval at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 11. If you have questions or feedback to share about the proposed budget, please reach out to Rev. Jen Crow or Treasurer, Ben Miles, prior to the May Board meeting. 

If you’d like to view a recording of the meeting, you can do so here. You can also read the notes and background for our conversation here. You can explore a range of financial facts about our congregation here, and you can view a draft of the 2023-24 Annual Operating Budget here.

Here are some highlights from our meeting:

• This is a time of bridging and change not only in our congregation, but in faith communities around the country and in Unitarian Universalism at large. We are in a time of great transition as we adjust and re-build post-Covid 19 pandemic and as we try to more deeply embody our commitments to environmental stewardship, racial justice, and full inclusion across racial, gender, generational, and economic difference. Church is changing, and it must change to continue evolving and thriving.
• Congregations around the country are experiencing:
• Decreased attendance since 2020
• Attendance at services is rebounding, and giving increasing, but not yet fully returned to pre-pandemic levels.
• Challenges in funding, resulting in deficit spending and/or decreases in staffing.

While First Universalist is unique in the strength of our religious education program and in our stable membership over the last few years, unfortunately we are just like so many other congregations when it comes to our budget. We, too, are facing significant deficits both this year and next as costs continue to increase and giving is yet to fully rebound. We need each other as we re-build and transform as a community of faith. If you haven’t made your financial commitment yet for the upcoming church year, please do so here. If you’d like to make an additional gift to this year’s budget to help reduce our projected deficit, please do so here (select one-time donation). Together, we build and rebuild Beloved Community.

What do you think is the nature of being human?

What do you think happens when we die?

How has First Universalist Church shaped you as a person of faith?

What do you think God is or is not?

These are some of the questions that our 9th graders have grappled with throughout the year in Coming of Age class. Coming of Age is a beloved tradition in Unitarian Universalism. Instead of asking our youth to sign on to a particular creed or dogma, we charge them with discerning for themselves what they hold dear, using our UU principles and values as a guide. To round out the Coming of Age experience, each youth is asked to distill their core beliefs about life, God, and humanity into a personal statement of belief.

The yearlong Coming of Age journey will culminate in a Coming of Age ceremony on Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m. During the ceremony, each youth will share their spiritual statement with family, friends, and community members. Coming of Age youth have put a great deal of time and thought into their statements. On May 13, our congregation has an opportunity to honor and celebrate the thoughtfulness of an incredible group of young people. All are welcome and warmly invited to attend.

The ceremony will be held in the sanctuary and will also be livestreamed. Zoom webinar information will be shared next week in the Liberal.

You are invited to attend an upcoming workshop led by Rev. David Pyle and Rev. Sharon Dittmar of the Mid-America Regional Staff. This workshop is part of our efforts to build the congregation’s skill in engaging conflict in more generative ways. It is also one of the recommendations from Rev. David Pyle’s report to our congregation.

This workshop—scheduled for Saturday, June 3 from 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. at Unity Church - Unitarian in St. Paul—is held in collaboration with Unity Church - Unitarian and White Bear UU Church. It is a step in the longer process of developing congregational teams that can help our churches engage conflict in productive ways. Because space is limited, we’re asking members to apply to join this workshop and will respond to applicants by May 24.

Each church can bring up to 30 participants. As a participant in this workshop, you are not committing to be part of the team that is created and trained to help to hold conflict productively. You are saying that you want to be part of larger efforts to change the culture of conflict in our congregations here at First Universalist, and beyond. 

As Rev. Pyle notes: This is something we need because “Unitarian Universalist Congregations have a higher expectation for how to engage with, support, and care for one another than does much of society. Practicing Right Relationship is in many ways counter-cultural, and it takes some support, especially during times of conflict and change. Right Relationship Teams help provide that support to congregations and their members during times where it can be difficult to remember our commitments to one another.” 

Applications will be reviewed by members of the Commitment to Beloved Community Team and Rev. Arif Mamdani. 

Questions? Contact Rev. Arif: arif@firstuniv.org. Fill out the application here.

The Congregational Care Team is accepting applications to join the many caring ministries at church. Congregational Care includes everything from sending cards to folks at church who could use some words of support, to making meals, to being a listening and compassionate companion for congregants when life gets "lifey"—and so much more. 

Apply here to be part of the team that extends the care of the church to those who need it —and remember, we all need care. 

Do you live in 55419, 55406, or 55410? Do you have a car? Sign up to be on the team of folks who occasionally help congregants by giving rides to/from church, or to/from medical appointments or grocery stores. 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been seeing an uptick in requests for rides support, and our list of volunteer drivers is a bit low for 55419, 55406, and 55410. If you can help out by giving a neighbor a ride, please let Rev. Arif know: arif@firstuniv.org. 

Thanks for helping to make this a congregation of generosity, care, and kindness.

First U will again host the Augsburg Fairview Academy (AFA) Prom in our social hall on Saturday, May 6, from 7 to 10 p.m.! We are seeking a few congregants to be greeters beginning at 6 p.m. when AFA staff arrive. We need folks in the 6–7:30/8 p.m. time frame, although you are welcome to stay for the entire event. (The students tend to arrive slowly with many coming later in the evening). We’d also welcome any help with clean up at 10 p.m. (AFA staff and our custodian do a great job). 

You are not needed to supervise the student attendees; the entire AFA staff turn out and there is plenty of adult supervision.

AFA is a public charter school serving high school students in the Phillips neighborhood. AFA is a long standing Faithful Action Community Partner. Due to the generosity of our congregation, we have supported student Food and Clothing Closets for over 10 years and hosted spring proms in 2018 and 2019.

If interested, please contact Cindy Marsh at cindy.marsh2588@gmail.com. Thank you!

Thank you, dear community. You invested in First Universalist’s music ministries with your insight and your voice. You were candid, expressive, reflective, and earnest. You welcomed the newest among us into dear memories and beautiful stories. And together, we journeyed with possibility and emerged with hope refreshed. In total, 130 of you (about 13% of our congregation) showed up in-person and online, through surveys and snowstorms, to dream about our music ministries’ future.

The organizing team for our listening sessions worked to treat all that you shared with respect and grace. We consciously made time for deeper, honest conversations in the planning process. We made space to go further than our first impressions. We approached this process with intention and moved at the speed of consensus. 

The resulting document captures the imaginings of the community. It represents some of the dreams for our music ministries as they are. For some of you, this was a chance to lift up musical experiences here that we loved and imagine their return. Many of you imagined all kinds of possibilities our community’s never seen! 

Our conversation about First Universalist’s music ministries is a shared and ongoing one. Your collected insights will be one of the key documents to inform our music leadership—along with the church’s Visionary Goals, the principles of our faith, and our music leaders’ ongoing discernment.

The reflections represented here will help to shape our community’s vision for vibrant music ministries as the next chapter unfolds. Still, only your participation, your willingness to be a part of what we build will bring any of this to life. Music ministry at its heart is people-powered! 

We offer this reflection back to you, now: we asked you to imagine, and this is what you told us. Journey with care through this work of yours. You’ll hear our hearts, our history, and our hope calling in the data. They are asking us how we plan to help the community we love realize its life-giving dreams.

You can read the Listening Session & Survey Summary here.

Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries

and the Listening Session-Survey organizing team:

Shelley des Islets, Ann Kay, Shelley Thron, and Lou Quast

Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m. Central, online

DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries) is the oldest and largest Unitarian Universalist People of Color ministry and anti-racist community organization based in North America. Every year, they host a DRUUMM-led worship service that is open to all. First Universalist Church of Minneapolis is pleased to sponsor this event this year, and we encourage you to attend!

About the service: Shine on resilient and beautiful people with DRUUMM for their annual public worship on Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m., featuring a festival of Black and Brown joy and resilience through original works of music and preaching. Musical director Amanda Thomas and guest minister Rev. Katie Romano Griffin are joined by gifted black and brown colleagues from across UU-verse to help bring some shine to your day including The Rev. Dr. Kristen Harper, Nasreen Khan, and Cassie Montenegro. We will feature original works of music, prayer, and poetry.

Learn more and register to attend here. Free & open to all; register to receive Zoom/livestream information.

Sunday, May 7 after both services

The Climate and Environmental Action Team is sponsoring a Clean-Up Sunday on May 7 after each service. Bags will be provided to collect trash, and if you could wear some old washable gloves to protect your hands, that would be great. This is a great family activity and we can notice all the new green plants coming up through the earth. We may even see some bugs! Please meet members of the Team in the parking lot to get directions. Thank you for your help!

Thursday, May 18, 10 a.m. program in the Social Hall / on Zoom

Salad & Soup Lunch follows at noon

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Daytime Connections programs begin at 10 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month, from October through May. They include fabulous presenters about fascinating topics, a delicious lunch, and an opportunity to meet new people and rekindle old friendships. On Thursday, May 18, we’ll explore the topic of charitable giving.

Ross Levin and Dan Berg will help us understand why we should consider giving away what we can while we are still alive. Participants will consider how giving impacts other things we want to do in our lives, and learn how to:

• Create a charitable mission statement
• Vet charities
• Be tax effective
• Determine how much to give

Ross and Dan are both well-known in the First Universalist Community. Ross is the founder of Accredited Investors Wealth Management, is a past chair of the University of Minnesota Foundation, and also writes a regular column in the Business section of the StarTribune. Dan was for 18 years Philanthropic Advisor at the Minneapolis Foundation and has made many contributions to congregational life.

Sign in and coffee at 9:45 a.m. Soup & salad lunch follows program at 12 p.m.: $5-15 sliding scale (more if you can; less if you can’t; no one will be turned away for lack of funds). Registration is requested a minimum of four days in advance.

Sunday, May 7

Young Adults Group Springtime Nature Experience

A Place to Start Visitor info session

BIPOC Book Group Cancelled so that BIPOC community members can attend the post-worship gathering with Rev. Sofía (details above in the worship section)

Thursday, May 11

Abolition Circle Begins

Saturday, May 13

Coming of Age Ceremony

Sunday, May 14

Grief Group

LGBT Spirituality

Thursday, May 18

Daytime Connections

Sunday, May 21

Youth Sunday; switch to one service at 10 a.m. for the summer

A Place to Start

Wednesday, May 24

Community Dinner

Thursday, May 25

Board of Trustees Meeting

AUW sponsors activities for people who identify as women, non-binary and/or gender fluid.

Hiking Group:  Meets most Saturdays at a park or trailhead. For questions, contact Marie Sorenson. May 6, 2 p.m. Roseville Central Park, 2540 Lexington Av N, Roseville. Go to the parking lot off Lexington Avenue North. Free parking. Option to walk around the Lake. Marie will not be there. May 13, 10 a.m. (note time change for summer) Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden at Theodore Wirth Park, #1 Theodore Wirth Parkway, Mpls. If you use a Map Finder, you may have to drive to next open driveway to get to official sign and driveway. Pay lot. If you want free parking, you can park at Beach Building. It is several blocks from the main entrance. There are some hills, but other options too. Wildflowers and birds. Marie will not be there. May 20, 10 a.m. Westwood Nature Center, 8300 Franklin Avenue, St Louis Park. Nice walk through the woods. They have a good display inside Nature Center. Marie will be there in red.

Game Group: Meets at the church on the second Thursday of the month to play board games and socialize. Request an invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email to Anne Frenchick. Next date: May 11, 7 p.m.

Weekly Happy Hour: This online Zoom gathering is a way to stay connected with AUW friends. We meet at 7 p.m. every Thursday. Hosts are Liz and Carol. Here is the Zoom info to tune in: Evening Happy Hour

Women Who Read: We read books written by women. We host an in-person and a virtual meeting on the fourth Monday of each month. Request an invitation to our next meeting and be added to our email list by sending your name and email address to Abbie Finger.

First Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.–noon in person at church

12 Step Spirituality meetings will gather in our church on the 1st Saturday of each month beginning on Oct. 1, 2022 and ending on May 6, 2023. The meeting focuses on people who are actively working a 12 step program. It is focused on the 11 step to the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation. Meeting details are available at 12stepspirituality.org.

Saturdays, 9:30–10:45 a.m. online via Zoom

This weekly online meeting focuses on people who are actively working in any of 12 Step programs. It is focused on the 11th step through the practice of Centering Prayer Meditation. Meeting details are available at 12stepspirituality.org.

Church Office & Building Access

The church office is open on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The door bells are not monitored outside of this time. Access to the building at times on other days can be arranged by contacting Jim Poulter, Building & Office Manager, at jim@firstuniv.org.