First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

April 3, 2022- Yeast, Baking Powder, and Other Ways We Rise

Things rise and fall every day: not just baked items in the oven but energies, emotions, commitments, willingness. Though the idea of ‘onward and upward forever’ has been long proven to be a lie; most of us use our days trying to create more of what we want in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our world. What are some of the obstacles and what can help us to rise, even a tiny bit?

Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (:29)

Call to Worship- David Bach (7:59)

Story for All Ages- Grandmother Spider Weaves the World (12:53)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:56)

Reading- The Butterfly Effect by Rev. Theresa I. Soto- Rev. Arif Mamdani

Sermon- Yeast, Baking Powder, and Other Ways We Rise- Rev. Meg Riley (29:21)

Piano throughout- Franco Holder; Vocals throughout- Aimee K. Bryant

February 20, 2022- black magic

BlackLivesMatter. Self-care. Intersectionality. The Underground Railroad. Fractal world change–the power in communities of communities. “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” pleasure activism. Warrior poetry. Stonewall, and the countless other times a drag queen gets her life, and saves another.

Women are powerful and dangerous, Audre Lorde writes.

Thank goodness.

We’re conjuring a joyful celebration of the million ways black female and trans pioneers make justice and love more real, every day and night.

 

Prelude- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:29)

Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Arif Mamdani (2:10)

Call to Worship- Rev. Arif Mamdani (4:33)

Story for All Ages- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (8:48)

Interlude- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (18:13)

Community Prayer and Cycle of Life- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (22:35)

Message- black magic- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (29:10)
Dr. Rideout's message was interspersed between clips from this video. 

Offering- Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism- Rev. Arif Mamdani (41:21)

February 6, 2022- Here We Are (Again)

Join us this Sunday for a service of prayer and renewal led by Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Karen Hutt, Lauren Wyeth, and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout.

Prelude- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:21)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Karen Hutt (1:31)

Interlude- In My Soul- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (11:52)

Time for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (12:55)

Interlude- More Love- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (19:00)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:34)

Poetry by Langston Hughes- Rev. Karen Hutt (31:17)

Homily- Rev. Jen Crow (34:00)

Singing Together- lead by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (43:32)

January 9, 2022- Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is an annual service that is a time to remember and reflect on our losses over the past year and to honor those we love who have died. This service can also be a time to mark other significant losses in the life of your family, such as a separation or divorce, saying goodbye to friends who’ve moved away, or any number of other things.

 

Words of Welcome, Announcements, and Land Acknowlegement- Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Isabel Quast (:22)

Call to Worship and Chalice Lighting- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Will, Alice (10:21)

Story for All Ages- The Buddha and the Mustard Seed Medicine- Lauren Wyeth (11:54)

Poem- Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye- Margit Berg (17:58)

Sharing Our Loss and Lighting the Candle of Impermanence- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:02)

Hymn- Aimee K. Bryant (25:08)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (26:41)

Reading- Blessing For the Brokenhearted by Jan Richardson- Janet Merrill (32:14)

Naming Ritual and Lighting the Candle of Memory- Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Rev. Arif Mamdani (34:05)

Song- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (38:21)

Homily- Rev. Arif Mamdani (40:47)

Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (46:30)

 

Piano throughout- Franco Holder

 

 

December 12, 2021- Community that Holds it All

In these tender times, we turn to our communities to help us hold it all. This Sunday, Lena K. Gardner, Executive Director of Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU), joins Rev. Jen Crow in leading our service as we practice being and building the world we dream about.

 

Calling Our Ancestors- Rev. Jen Crow (:20)

Hymn- Lift Every Voice and Sing- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (7:06)

Prayers and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (8:52)

Message- Community That Holds it All- Lena K. Gardner (20:13)

Holiday Giving- Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism

 

November 7, 2021- Building a New Way

We continue to build a new way of being together as a church community. The choir will sing – with some guest appearances you won’t want to miss; children and youth will be with us and we’ll share in a story for all; we’ll join in meditation and prayer and care, and we’ll ask each other – Can you feel a brand new day? Is today a day when you can feel it? Is today a day when you feel something else – worry or fear or sadness or grief? Is today a day the community can hold the hope of a brand new day with and for you? Does this day – like all days – hold it all?

Words of Welcome- Rev. Karen Hutt (:28)

Calling Our Ancestors- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (4:38)

Anthem- Everybody Rejoice from “The Wiz” by Luther Vandross (arr. Pete Eklund) - First Universalist Choir and Band, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor (12:06)

Story for All Ages- Where Are You From?- Lauren Wyeth and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (16:38)

Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (22:20)

Message- Building a New Way- Rev. Jen Crow (33:50)

Music for Going- Sing Out, My Soul by Marques L. A. Garrett- First Universalist Choir and Band, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor (46:15)

 

October 24, 2021- Be Your Note: Journeys into Prayer

“…sometimes, it can take a long time to sound like yourself.” -Miles Davis

This Sunday, Oct. 24, we lead a journey of creative prayer practices. There is no one way to pray, or a specific word you must remember. There are many ways to focus the mind and tune the heart to love.

We’ll share music and stories. We’ll have fun together, making space to call the wisdom in each of us, until we hear the singing from within.

 

Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:21)

Story- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (2:37)

Hymn- Standin' in the Need of Prayer (6:27)

Invitation into Prayer- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (9:09)

Silence, Community Prayer, and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:00)

Poems, Prayers, Meditations- Be Your Note- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (25:39)

 

September 12, 2021- Backpack Blessing/What We Need Is Here

This multigenerational service of song, story, and strength as we remember that no matter what is going on around us or within us, when we are in it together – what we need is here. Backpacks will be blessed for those who carry them, and all of us will come away with the joy of community and a grounding in our deepest commitments.

Worship leaders: Rev. Jen Crow, Lauren Wyeth, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Karen Hutt

August 15, 2021- Lessons from Canada Geese- First U Worship Team

This Sunday, we worship at the Lake Harriet Bandshell! Worship leaders Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Julica Hermann de la Fuente, Rev. Jen Crow, Lauren Wyeth, and Rev. Karen Hutt will lead and inspire us through music, story, and message, and challenge us to consider what we might learn from — among other things — Canadian geese.

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)

Story for All Ages- Sue Searing (7:08)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (12:26)

Reading- Lessons from Canada Geese- Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Rev. Karen Hutt (21:51)

Song- What Wonderous Love- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (24:54)

Message- Rev. Karen Hutt and Lauren Wyeth (27:39)

July 4, 2021- Owning Our Stories- Rev. Jen Crow

Whole-hearted spiritual living invites us to learn how to tell our stories with honesty, humility and care - celebrating our learning and joy while simultaneously acknowledging the places we still need to grow. This Sunday we'll explore how we might own the fullness of our stories as individuals and as a nation. 

Prelude- Aimee K. Bryant (:30)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (2:28)

Story for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani (7:15)

Music- A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cook- Aimee K. Bryant (12:51)

Reading- Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes- Yahanna, Aliana, Satya (15:44)

Musical Response- Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson- Aimee K. Bryant (22:51)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (25:13)

Message- Owning Our Stories- Rev. Jen Crow (33:01)

Outro Music- Respect by Aretha Franklin - Aimee K. Bryant (49:16)