Our beloved annual Christmas Pageant, adapted for the small screen with creativity, humor, and extra layers of meaning will remind you of what matters most in this extraordinary season, as 2020 draws to a close.

This year’s Pageant is born of the time and talents of so many, including: our children and youth, who will co-lead the service and act out our story; Aimee K. Bryant, Randy Buikema, Franco Holder, the First Universalist Choir, Seth Anderson-Matz, Andrew Tralle, Dave and Ani Peichel, several caroling families and our virtual children’s chorus, who crafted amazing music; and a great deal of technical wizardry from dedicated church members and staff.

Some say that the most unique element of Unitarian Universalism is its individualism - the idea that each one of us is an essential source of religious authority for our own spiritual journey. But individualism and personal authority are not all there is to it. Our faith requires community, and our faith communities call out the good - and the god - in us. This Sunday, we set one among us apart as we ordain Arif Mamdani to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Our faith community will call out the good - and the god - in him - and we will reaffirm our commitment to call out the good and the god in ourselves and each other.

Words of Welcome, Rev. Justin Schroeder (:30)

Story for All Ages, Seth Matz (2:29)

Hymn: Gather the Spirit, Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (7:38)

Homily, Rev. Jen Crow (10:30)

Act of Ordination, Bryana French and congregants (21:42)

Presentation of Stole (26:20)

Laying on of Hands, Revs. Janne and Rob Eller-Isaacs (31:00)

Hand of Kinship, Rev. Ashley Horan (35:45)

Charge to the Minister, Rev. Karen Hutt (39:33)

Charge to the Congregation, Rev. Meg Riley (46:10)

Hymn: For All That is Our Life, Fawzia Khan and Franco Holder (49:11)

Benediction, Rev. Arif Mamdani (51:14)

At First Universalist, we promise to give, receive, and grow together. Sometimes though, we don’t have a whole lot to give. What does it mean to engage in the spiritual practice of receiving? How can we lean into the strength of community, trusting that there is more than enough to go around, trusting that we will be held, and that there is so much to learn by receiving? 

Call to Worship- Satya Mamdani (:21)

Reading- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (4:41)

Sermon- Rev. Jen Crow (6:24)

Every Sunday we come together to remember who we are, revisit and affirm our values, understand our history, and practice the collectivity of building hope. This Sunday, we open our Annual Giving Campaign with messages of resilience, memory, and envisioning from our beloved Minister Emerita, Rev. Kate Tucker, senior minister at the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), Rev. Meg Riley, youth worship associate, Monroe Chumklang, and our Board of Trustees Treasurer, Keven Ambrus. With a sanctuary full of song and spirit, we join together to say, “We build hope!”

Call to Worship- Monroe Chumklang (:31)

Reflection- Rev. Meg Riley (3:31)

Reflection- Keven Ambrus (11:04)

Reflection- Rev. Kate Tucker (14:53)

The energy of breaking down and building up is an important part of our UU theological legacy. As we unpack what this means, we’ll explore the idea of God and how we might relate to it in the world we live in today. This Sunday, Arif Mamdani, Director of Membership and Adult Ministries, and Pastor Stephanie Vos help us enter more fully into February’s theme of “Breaking down and Building up.”

Call to Worship- Pastor Stephanie Vos (:21)

Reflection- Pastor Stephanie Vos (2:17)

Sermon- Arif Mamdani (9:36)

Every Sunday, we are invited to bring our whole selves into worship, to bring our joys and our sorrows, giftedness and woundedness, the smooth and the rough edges. This is a profoundly counter-cultural invitation. So often we are asked to prove the text our lives- that is, to only focus on the passages, the feelings, and the events that prove a point or justify a particular framing of our theology or worldview. What if we actually took our faith community up on its invitation and sat with the whole of our lives in the company of faithful companions? What if we “live in the layers, not on the litter” of this precious life?

Call to Worship- Daryn Woodson (:31)

Reading- The Layers by Stanley Kunitz (6:30)

Sermon- Living in the Layers, Rev. Ruth MacKenzie (9:08)

This month’s theme invites us to view our life as sacred text. What exactly does that mean? And how might we go about doing it? Arif Mamdani and Worship Associate Shawn Neel open up this question and explore how this theme might come alive in the text of our lives.

Call to Worship- Shawn Neel (:30)

Readings- Arif Mamdani (4:19)

Sermon- Arif Mamdani (6:02)

Ten more years of the century have passed. What have we learned about ourselves, our church, and our country?

Call to Worship- Arif Mamdani (:22)

Wisdom Story- Arif Mamdani and Rev. Karen Hutt (2:03)

Sermon- Rev. Karen Hutt (8:13)

In this season of darkness, we are invited to rest and be at home in the stillness and winter quiet, trusting that the light, birdsong, and blossoms will return. As the season turns, the darkness at this threshold moment holds both blessing and belonging. As we rested in such a moment, we welcomed our guests from Families Moving Forward, offered a blessing for Rev. Justin, Rev. Jen, and the entire congregation as they collectively prepared for Justin’s 6-month sabbatical. This Sunday, we readied ourselves for love to be born again in the world, and to be surprised and delighted by what the New Year brings. 

Call to Worship, Monique Wentzel (:21)

Reflection, Bryana French, (3:20)

Reflection, Rev. Justin Schroeder (7:43)

Sabbatical Blessing, Rev. Jen Crow (20:34)

Led by the music ministry of our choir and orchestra, we are held by exquisite voices and sounds, as we prepare our hearts to make our Holiday Gifts to BLUU (Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism.) Back on November 17, we invited the congregation to consume less this holiday season, to live into our core values, and to re-imagine what joy and justice might look like this holiday season. This Sunday, we pooled our gifts (from the money we didn’t spend this holiday season) to support the work of BLUU. 

Call to Worship by Holiday Giving Team Members (:31)

Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Part 1, Shelley des Islets, Libretto (2:12)

Holiday Giving Team Members Reflection (6:16)

Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Part 2, Shelley des Islets, Libretto (10:32)

Homily, Rev. Justin Schroeder (13:00)

Holiday Giving Offering to Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (23:00)

Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Part 3, Shelley des Islets, Libretto (26:22)