First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

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)

Sept. 10, 2023- Water Communion

Water Communion is a very special tradition we celebrate each year at First Universalist. All are welcome, whether it’s your first or fortieth time! Come and be a part of this joyous time where the waters mingle and set a new year of community on its way.

Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:29)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (7:11)

Story for All Ages- Worship Leaders (14:26)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Allison Connelly and Rev. Arif Mamdani (24:20)

Offertory- Peace Like a River (28:24)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (31:13)

Water Communion Ritual- Worship Leaders (40:43)

Singing Together and Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:03:46)

 

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 27, 2023- Backpack Blessing

As summer comes to an end, don’t miss our annual Backpack Blessing and worship service this Sunday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. The multigenerational service will offer children, youth, and adults of all ages the opportunity to reflect upon how we might carry the love of our church community and the tools of our faith with us wherever we go.

Singing to Gather- I'm On My Way (:31)

Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:19)

Singing Together- Oh We Give Thanks (10:33)

Story for All Ages- The Invisible String by Patrice Karst- Allison Connelly-Vetter and Willa (12:08)

Community Prayers - Rev. Ashley Harness (20:51)

Homily- I Carry Your Heart- Rev. Jen Crow (27:34)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (34:20)

Backpack Blessing- Allison Connelly-Vetter and Rev. Jen Crow (37:46)

Singing Together- You've Got a Light (44:53)

Celebrating and Saying Goodbye to Franco- Rev. Jen Crow and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (48:19)

Singing Together- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab (52:06)

 

August 13, 2023- Why Stop Now?

We often exclaim church to each other as a place, a sanctuary, a place away from other places. Isn’t it at least as much a moment we make special together? A present-day prophet, the Black science fiction writer Octavia Butler describes “God is change.” How would your relationship with holy things shift if you were looking not for things that have become divine, but instead were on a hunt for the becoming itself in progress? Would that change what goodness you discovered in you?

This Sunday, we explore the ways the divine expresses in units of time. Guided by the ancient Hebrew practice of sabbath-keeping, we reflect on the special moments of life that keep us in motion. And we ask ourselves and each other: What will stop to have time for what’s holy? What gets a no, so you can be present to what’s right in front of you?

Music for Gathering- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:29)

Words of Welcome & Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:51)

Story for All Ages- The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:49)

Meditation on Breathing- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:43)

Community Practice & Prayer- Rev. Ashley Harness (26:26)

Reading- from A Look to the Future (1957) by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (34:17)

Anthem- Amazing Grace- Franco Holder on piano (37:22)

Message- Why Stop Now?- Rev. Ashley Harness (40:52)

Giving and Receiving- (1:02:11)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:07:41)

August 6, 2023- Backing Into the Big Questions

Shifted schedules, evening sunshine, produce that doesn’t fit anybody’s plan for the week, movies and music and sunsets that take our breath away and demand that we stop and pay attention. As summer stretches into August, the Big Questions call to us. ThisSunday, August 6, we ask: what are yours and ours, and how might we respond?

 

Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:32)

Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (7:16)

Story for All Ages- What the Road Said by Cleo Wade- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:56)

Singing Together- Blue Boat Home (23:51)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (27:05)

Reading- The Path to the Milky Way Leads Through LA by Joy Harjo- Rev. Jen Crow (32:09)

Message- Rev. Jen Crow (34:50)

Offering- Rev. Jen Crow and Offertory- Franco Holder (54:33)

Hymn- Wake Now My Senses (58:39)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:01:44)

July 2, 2023- ”Art & Soul” with Aimee K. Bryant

Each Sunday in July will feature a different local musician sharing their music and reflection on how their art connected to their spirituality. Sunday, July 2, we begin our July worship series with our own vocalist in residence, Aimee K. Bryant.

Worship led by Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant, and Sally Reynolds on piano

Singing to Gather (:26)

Words of Welcome (4:49)

Time for All Ages (13:23)

Singing Together- Just As Long As I Have Breath (19:26)

Prayer, Poetry, Silence (21:44)

Practice of Giving and Receiving (32:16)

Offertory- Open the Window, Children (36:10)

Message- Art and Soul: Song and Conversation with Aimee K. Bryant (40:13)

Benediction and Singing- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved (1:13:55)

 

June 11, 2023- Freedom- Not for Ourselves Alone

In these days when the circle of who has autonomy over their body and what history we can teach in our classrooms grows smaller and smaller, we are called to remember that freedom is not freedom if it is for the individual, alone. Freedom is individual and collective—a personal experience and decision, and a collective commitment, experience, and responsibility. Universalism invites us to draw the circle wide, and draw it wider still. What does our faith require of us when the circle of freedom is shrinking in our society?

Opening Hymns- Circle 'Round for Freedom and Woyaya- Aimee K. Bryant- (:32)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (8:45)

Story for All Ages- The Stonewall Inn- Rev. Ashley Harness (15:12)

Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love- Aimee K. Bryant (26:33)

Song, Silence, Meditation- Lóre Stevens (28:18)

Practice of Generosity- Rev. Ashley Harness (36:23)

Offertory- Franco Holder (38:24)

Reading- by Marge Piercy- Lóre Stevens and Rev. Jen Crow (41:13)

Anthem- Aimee K. Bryant- (43:24)

Message- Freedom, Not for Ourselves Alone- Rev. Jen Crow (46:39)

Benediction- Freedom is Coming- Aimee K. Bryant and Rev. Jen Crow (1:05:48)

 

June 4, 2023- Flower Communion

This coming Sunday, June 4, we’re celebrating Flower Communion, and we could use your help! Bring a flower to share with the community (don’t worry: we’ll have more flowers available if you don’t have one). We’ll make a beautiful arrangement with whatever flowers come! At the end, we each get to take a different flower with us as a gift and reminder of beauty in our unity and difference. This special ritual has been performed for years here at First Universalist. And this year marks the 100th anniversary of the very first Flower Communion ever!

Singing to Gather- Come, Sing a Song with Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:29)

Call to Worship- Rev. Jen Crow (2:26)

Introduction to Flower Communion- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (7:07)

Hymn- We Would Be One- (10:35)

Flower Communion Ritual- Rev. Arif Mamdani (14:57)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (36:33)

Celebrating Lauren Wyeth- Revs. Jen Crow and Arif Mamdani (41:55)

Practice of Giving and Recieving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (47:29)

Offertory- This Little Light of Mine (52:18)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (55:03)

 

May 7, 2023- 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 for worship with special guest and candidate for UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt as we begin our May worship theme, Carry the Flame.

Opening Hymn- This Little Light of Mine- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:33)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (4:05)

Story for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Rev. Jen Crow (9:11)

Singing Together- Building a New Way- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:00)

Prayer and Blessing- Rev. Ashley Harness (24:11)

Practice of Giving- Rev. Ashley Harness (30:15)

Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (34:37)

Reading by Rupi Kaur- Rev. Dr. Sofia Betancourt,  (36:25)

Anthem- Franco Holder (37:59)

Message- A Flame that Burns- Rev. Sofia Betancourt (40:54)

Hymn- The Fire of Commitment - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (58:46)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow and Rev. Sofia Betancourt (1:02:00)