The dream has been alive for years – Beloved Community. A place, a people, a moment in time when we might truly be, as our Visionary Goal proclaims, “a multi-racial, multicultural, and intergenerational faith community of mutual caring and support where people bring all of who they are and welcome each other with joy. Our sense of who we are as a community of faith is ever expanding.” What does it mean to belong to that Beloved Community, and what will be required of us as we unlearn soul-killing patterns of oppression and practice liberating, life-sustaining ways? What does it mean to belong to this Beloved Community?

Music for Gathering- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:19)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (3:42)

Call to Worship- To Be of Use by Marge Piercy- Lóre Stevens (16:18)

Story for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (18:26)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (26:11)

Practice of Giving- Rev. Jen Crow (33:28)

Celebrating Rev. Jen's Ten Years- Rev. Sara Smalley and the Team (37:17)

Message- Belonging to Beloved Community- Rev. Jen Crow (44:30)

Music for Going- Love Will Guide Us (1:03:05)

We are water. 60% give or take, and about as salty as the ocean. So at least metaphorically, each of us is a body of water. When we gather in community, it is as if each of us is a drop in a larger body of water, held by the vessel that is our church. Our Water Communion and in-gathering service invites us to experience the truth of our interconnection through ritual, word, and song.

Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us (:30)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (2:36)

Invitation to Give- Lauren Wyeth (10:13)

Silence, Prayer, and Cycle of Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:45)

Water Communion Ritual - Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Jen Crow, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:42)

Singing Together- For the Earth Forever Turning (44:42)

Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (47:02)

piano- Franco Holder

What can architects, masons, and the sound of water teach us about crafting a home by hand? And what do rivers remind us about living a life in motion and movement? Join us for worship with guest worship leader, Matt Meyer.

Matt is a musician and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston.

Music for Gathering- Water Heal my Body by Coco Love Alcorn- Matt Meyer and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:30)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (1:38)

Call to Worship- from At the River Clarion by Mary Oliver- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:39)

Song- Put Your Roots Down by Molly Hartwell- Matt Meyer (12:33)

Story- Desmond Gets Free by Matt Meyer (17:45)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (25:53)

Invitation to Give- Lóre Stevens (32:45)

Offertory- Ilu Finu by Miriam Margles- Matt Meyer

Reading- 250 Things an Architect Should Know by Michael Sorkin - Matt Meyer and Lóre Stevens (36:26)

Song- There's a River Flowin' in my Soul by Faya Ora Rose Touré (39:14)

Message- Homemade by the River- Matt Meyer (42:50)

Song for Going and Benediction - Where You Go I Will Go by Shoshana Jedwab- Matt Meyer (59:36)

The First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randy Buikema, Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Jen Crow, and Lauren Wyeth will lead and inspire us through music, story, and message.

Music for Gathering- Where Do We Come From?- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (19:24)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (5:39)

Call to Worship- Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo (10:53)

Singing Together- Open the Window, Children (14:29)

Wisdom from the Choir (19:41)

Homily- Rev. Jen Crow (26:04)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow and Rev. Arif Mamdani (33:18)

Invitation to Give- Lauren Wyeth (39:13)

Offertory- Loving Will Lead Us On, by Linda Kachelmeier and Rev. Kate Tucker- First Universalist Choir (42:30)

Singing Together - Open the Window, Children; Where You Go I Will Go; (48:42)

Following a summer of Sundays exploring “The Bigger Story,” this Sunday we recognize the Biggest Story of all, the story of change, the story of transformation, the story of evolution. It’s a story that applies to living organisms, to communities, and even to patterns of worship. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Rev. Kate Tucker will invite us into that living, breathing Pause that dwells between what was (the No Longer) and what is yet to be (the Not Yet).

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Kate Tucker (:18)

Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:30)

Story for All Ages- The Rabbit Listened - Daryn Woodson (8:30)

Invitation to Give to the Offering Plate- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:34)

Offertory- Franco Holder 

Song- Return Again- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (17:57)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:46)

Homilies- Rev. Kate Tucker and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (30:22)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (59:43)

Poet Wendell Berry’s description of “The Larger Circle” as “the circle of all creatures/Passing in and out of life” takes on new meaning as we gaze at – and struggle to comprehend- the 13 billion light-year view of the earliest galaxies in the universe provided by the James Webb telescope. Are those faint smudges even connected to us? Do they matter? How? Or is the question, why?

Music for Gathering- Morning Has Broken- Aimee. K. Bryant, Franco Holder (:28)

Words of Welcome & Call to Worship- Rev. Kate Tucker (2:12)

Story for All Ages- The Stuff of Stars- Marion Dane Bauer (6:33)

Offering- Rev. Kate Tucker

Offertory- Turn the Word Around- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Hoder (11:55)

Prayer and Meditation- Aimee K. Bryant, Rev. Kate Tucker (15:18)

Message- The Larger Circle- Kathy Coskran (22:10)

Hymn- Blue Boat Home- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (39:30)

Benediction- Kathy Coskran (42:00)

Music for Going- Where You Go by Shoshanna Jedwab- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder

When we are faced with a difficult situation, it can be challenging to greet it, not necessarily with agreement, but to simply take it in and receive it as another truth. This is what Unitarian Universalist process theologian Bernard Loomer describes as the essence of the spiritual path—the practice of receiving rather than resisting reality in the fullest possible sense. Come explore how we can grow our souls together in light of the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade with guest preacher Rev. Andrea Johnson.

Song for Gathering- For All That Is Our Life- Aimee K. Bryant and Barb Brooks (:18)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (2:16)

Story for All Ages- Anger, a Buddhist Story- Emma Paskwitz (6:50)

Invitation to Give to Augsburg Fairview Academy- Rev. Kate Tucker (10:05)

Offertory- Aimee K. Bryant and Barb Brooks (10:51)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Kate Tucker (15:14)

Message- Growing the S-I-Z-E of Our Soul- Rev. Andrea Johnson (21:24)

Benediction- Rev. Andrea Johnson (37:29)

On Sunday, June 12, our choir and orchestra will take us on a journey that’s both deep and wide. We’ll celebrate the human spirit as it moves through struggle and sadness to healing and hope. It’s a journey of discovery, it’s a story of resilience, and it’s an offering to (and from) our community of faith. 

All music performed by First Universalist Choir and Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Randal Buikema

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:19)

Duel of the Fates by John Williams, arr. Keith Christopher and Eric Anderson (6:40)

Hymn for Hurting by Amanda Gorman- Lisa Weiland (10:42)

More Love by Jan Richardson- Nancy Gaschott (12:06)

Ein Deutsches Requiem, mvt. 1 by Johannes Brahms (12:35)

The Thing Is by Ellen Bass- Shelley Des Islets (22:07)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Kate Tucker (23:14)

Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver- LouAnn Lanning (26:26)

May I Reach by George Elliot- Gail Griffin (27:15)

Sogno di Volare by Christopher Tin (27:51)

High Flight by John Gillespie Maggie, Jr.- Ray Dillon (32:02)

Sure On This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen (33:09)

I Believe by Alok Menon- Libby Crawford (37:57)

This Sunday, May 8, we will celebrate the miracle that is at the center of our larger story and the cycle of life. We will welcome, name, and dedicate ourselves to the care of children in our congregation through a Child Dedication Ritual.

Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Jen Crow (:20)

Call to Worship- First Universalist 6th Graders (6:26)

Child Naming and Dedication Ritual- Lauren Wyeth, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani (10:58)

Hymn- Come, Come Whoever You Are- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (18:41)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (19:47)

Message- A Big Enough Story- Lauren Wyeth (27:11)

Invitation to Give- Rev. Jen Crow (39:31)

Benediction- Lauren Wyeth (42:05)