First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

Dec. 3, 2023- Whispers in the Dark: Embracing Advent’s Transformative Stillness

This Advent, let us gather with intention, embracing these ancient narratives not as tales of dread but as prompts for introspection and growth. Together, in our sacred space, we shall seek out the divine amidst the shadows and find within ourselves the ember of transformative hope. Through our listening and reflection, may we uncover that within the darkness, there is not an ending, but the hushed promise of new beginnings.

 

Music to Gather- It is Love- Ellis Delaney (:33)

 

Call to Worship- Meleah Houseknecht (6:09)

 

Lighting the Advent Wreath and the Chalice- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (14:49)

 

Time for All Ages- Rev. Jen Crow (23:19)

 

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (32:19)

 

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (38:42)

 

Offertory- Right on Time- Ellis Delaney (42:49)

 

Poem- by Rainer Maria Rilke- Meleah Houseknecht (47:05)

 

Anthem- 500 Crows- Ellis Delaney (48:04)

 

Message- Whispers in the Dark: Embracing Advent's Stillness- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (52:54)

 

Singing- Ordinary Love- Ellis Delaney (1:10:32)

 

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:14:13)

Nov. 12, 2023- Scooching Over

As a kid and now as a parent, the word “scooch” carries at least two meanings. It can mean scooch, as in move along and get out of here, and it can also mean scooch, as in scooch over and make room for whoever might be joining us. This Sunday, we’ll explore the spiritual practice of scooching over to make room as one way of embodying our Unitarian Universalist belief in the worth and dignity of every person.

Music for Gathering- We Are Creators- Paolo Dubuque (:26)

Call to Worship and Welcome- Katherine Harrell- (6:38)

Singing Together- We All Do Better- Paolo Dubuque (17:21)

Time for All Ages- Rev. Jen Crow- (21:01)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (25:51)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (32:10)

Offertory- Give Yourself to Love by Kate Wolf - Paolo Dubuque (35:26)

Poem- by Joy Harjo- Rev. Jen Crow (39:37)

Message- Scooching Over- Rev. Jen Crow (42:06)

Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us (1:02:31)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:04:36)

 

Oct. 22, 2023- Your People Are My People

Each week we sing, “Where you go I will go, Beloved” to end our worship service and send each other back into the world remembering we do not go alone. This week we’ll dig a little deeper into that song: how do we actually travel with each other as Beloveds and make real the idea that “your people are my people?" In this multigenerational service, we’ll experiment with building a spiritual practice of solidarity that begins with listening to our own bodies’ stories and moves outward playfully and meaningfully into family, church and wider and wider circles of community.

Opening Hymn- I'm On My Way - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Barbara B., piano

Call to Worship- Emberly Herman-Johnson (4:29)

Singing Together- There Is a Love- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Barbara B., piano (11:38)

Wisdom Story- Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney (15:12)

Prayer and Settling into Our Bodies- Rev. Ashley Harness (18:49)

Sharing and Perspective Taking Practice/Message- Rev. Ashley Harness (24:48)

Singing Together- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved (39:57)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (40:59)

Offertory- Barbara B., piano (47:12)

Singing Together- Woyaya (51:23)

Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (54:06)

Singing- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab

October 15, 2023- Mental Health Sunday

Our mental well-being is deeply linked with the relationships we cultivate and the social networks we are part of. By learning to understand and nurture each other in deeper ways, we can gain insight into our own mental health and well-being.

Just like our Earth thrives on diversity, so do we. The diversity of our connections and experiences make us stronger. However, to tap into this strength, we need to be open to giving and receiving wisdom, even when it's uncomfortable or challenging. 

Along this enlightening journey to worship and wisdom, we will also create a simple ritual of candlelight–a time to honor our individual and collective mental health journeys, to learn and remember that we can navigate these journeys together, as a community. 

There is space for hope if we break down the walls of communication and stigma that often separate us. This service promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of how we are part of each other's health, and an invitation to the heart to honor the many truths of each unfolding story.

 

Singing to Gather- Open the Window, Children - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Paolo Dubuque, piano (:29)

Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (6:43)

Mental Health Sunday Ritual Intro- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:45)

Singing Together- This Little Light of Mine-Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Paolo Dubuque, piano (20:21)

Lighting Candles for our Mental Health- (23:51)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (31:48)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (37:48)

Offertory- Paolo Dubuque, piano (43:10)

Message- Katherine Harrell (51:47)

Anthem- Lean On Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Paolo Dubuque, piano (1:07:19)

Benediction- Katherine Harrell (1:08:24)

 

 

Oct. 8, 2023- Rules of Engagement

We know that listening deeply to each other changes both the speaker and the listener – but what are the rules of engagement for how and when and who we listen to, and who we speak to? Who controls the expectations of how we will be with each other in society and relationships, and what happens when the limits change? What role might grace play in all of this? 

Singing to Gather- Oh, We Give Thanks (:25)

Call to Worship- Deb Keller- (2:14)

Singing Together- Building Bridges- Paolo Dubuque (9:45)

Story for All Ages- Red by Michael Hall- Rev. Ashley Harness (13:50)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (20:35)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (26:57)

Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (28:23)

Poem- Saving Grace by Rosemary Wahtola Trommer (31:24)

Message- Rules of Engagement- Rev. Jen Crow (33:16)

Singing Together- Blue Boat Home (52:19)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (56:26)

 

Oct. 1, 2023- Loosen, Loosen, Baby

A single cylinder of interlaced bamboo strips seems delicate around two pointers–at least at first. But soon, they’ll want out. Without thinking, the digits back away from their closeness and find themselves stuck in place. Neither force nor frenzy will help; not twisting, not waiting, not pulling apart. The mind will need to calm to think of something beyond what’s worked before. The hands will need a wiser, more elegant idea to get free from the finger trap.

Hubris would teach us to limit our trust to the ideas we already know. Panic for the problems around us will tighten our grip on what’s familiar. Living from fear for the future will only make it harder to remember the wisdom in the generations. To make space for what we’ve not imagined, we’ll need to release some of what we have. To get free will mean to decenter a lot of what we think we can control, what’s common, what’s cozy, what’s currently clear.

To grasp what love needs from us now, how can we relieve the tensions which trap us? To get to freedom, what would happen if we found the way to loosen up and let go?

Singing to Gather- Woyaya- Aimee K. Bryant (:31)

Call to Worship- Dallas Rising (3:26)

Singing Together- Loosen, Loosen, Baby- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:45)

Story for All Ages- Aimee K. Bryant (14:59)

Prayer and Meditation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (24:40)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (35:25)

Offertory- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (38:23)

Reading- Generous Listening by Marilyn Nelson- Dallas Rising (42:19)

Anthem- Aimee K. Bryant (44:09)

Message- Loosen, Loosen, Baby- Rev. Jen Crow (48:29)

Hymn and Benediction- (1:06:09)

Sept. 24, 2023- Tough Love

The experience of being welcomed with open arms can change us, rooting us in communities of care that transform individuals and society. Practicing this kind of love requires a tough mind and a tender heart, Dr. Martin Luther King once wrote, urging us to develop the characteristics that can ground us in transformative love.

Opening Hymn- My Life Flows On In Endless Song (:25)

Call to Worship & Words of Welcome- Nanette Stearns (6:43)

Singing Together- Lone Wolf- Shelley Des Islets and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:59)

Time for All Ages- Allison Connelly-Vetter (20:48)

Prayer & Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (28:44)

Practice of Giving and Receiving - Rev. Jen Crow (36:42)

Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (38:21)

Reading- from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (41:34)

Singing Prayer- Standing Stone - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (45:23)

Message- Tough Love- Rev. Jen Crow (47:39)

Singing Together & Benediction (1:06:31)

September 17, 2023- Every Last Drop: Welcoming All People

Spiders catch water from thin air and store it in the web. There’s no need to go and find it; they are quenched simply by the water the web holds. Spiders build webs to pull raindrops in toward the center which, in turn, make more room on the edges for new drops to arrive. 

What if entering the beloved community were a continuing cycle of coming out from the rain, closer and closer to each other? And what if welcoming those on the edges were the action at our core? 

Drops of water and wisdom await us on the web. The more we welcome well, the healthier we all are. What would it take to welcome all people? What would we have to lose? What’s not to gain?

Call to Worship- Rev. Arif Mamdani (:42)

Singing Together- Come, Come, Whoever You Are and Make Channels for the Streams of Love - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (2:38)

Lighting the Chalice (7:27)

Singing Together- Hold Everybody Up! - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:17)

Time for All Ages and Blessing for RE- Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:05)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (25:09)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (30:59)

Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (36:14)

Reading- What We Need Is Here by Wendell Berry (39:54)

Sermon- Every Last Drop: Welcoming All People- Rev. Jen Crow (41:45)

Benediction and Singing- Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (1:02:04)

 

 

September 3, 2023- Lessons for Future Ancestors

“Let us measure success by how many of us can say: I am living a life I don’t regret. A life that will resonate with my ancestors…” -adrienne maree brown. This Sunday, we reflect on heavy suitcases, surprise turning points, and opening to welcome, even when the people are complicated and the path is unclear.

 

Singing to Gather- Enter, Rejoice, and Come In and Bright Morning Star- Matt Meyer (:27)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (7:28)

Reading- by adrienne maree brown - Matt Meyer (12:09)

Singing Together- Wake Now My Senses- Matt Meyer (13:03)

Story for All Ages- Redefining Success- Matt Meyer (17:06)

Singing Together- Anthem, words by Leonard Cohen - Matt Meyer (24:37)

Community Prayer- Rev. Arif Mamdani (28:24)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (35:37)

Offertory- Not Heavy by Faya Ora Rose Toure- Matt Meyer (37:08)

Reading- What You Missed That Day You Were Absent in Fourth Grade by Brad Aaron Modlin- Rev. Arif Mamdani (40:40)

Homily- Lessons for Future Ancestors- Matt Meyer (44:04)

Benediction and Closing Songs- We Are the Ones by Bernice Johnson and Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab (59:19)

 

August 20, 2023- Lake Harriet Worship

Rev. Ashley Horan, Aimee Bryant, and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout lead worship with you at the bandshell at Lake Harriet. By the waters, we’ll embody the joy and talk the truths of willful change we can make to the ways we do community. We’ll live a little of love’s post-pandemic, not-far-along-enough-yet call. Truth be told, it has more to do with play and laughter and loving yourself than we’ve often understood. And the possibilities, when we’re willing to untether from the needful, are more wonderful even than we could have dreamed.

Singing to Gather- Rev. Ashley Horan, Aimee Bryant, and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:30)

Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:55)

Singing Together- Morning Has Come (7:03)

Poem- I Thank You God - e. e. cummings (8:07)

Singing Together- Morning Has Come (10:23)

Singing Together- Breathing In, Breathing Out (14:42)

Reading- Building a Common Life by Elea Kemler- Allison Connelly-Vetter (22:39)

Community Prayer- Rev. Ashley Horan (28:55)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Horan (40:09)

Offertory- Light of a Clear Blue Morning by Dolly Parton- Dr. GTR (42:45)

Reading- Touched by an Angel by Maya Angelou (47:07)

Anthem- Home by Diana Ross- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. GTR (48:36)

Message- To Change What We Know- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (52:06)

Singing Together- We Are the Ones (1:02:35)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:06:50)