First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

March 5, 2023- Persisting with Love

This Sunday, we begin our March worship theme, Persistence, with a focus on advocacy. Congregants leading some of our legislative advocacy ministries will share their stories along with guest speaker Rev. Terri Burnor, Senior Movement Builder with Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light. We’ll also share a special blessing with and for our trans* beloveds and families who have been under recent attack by legislative measures.

Opening Hymn- The Fire of Commitment - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:50)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (4:19)

Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Terri Burnor (7:04)

Call to Worship- Peg Mitchell (9:25)

Blessing for our Trans* Beloveds- Kaden Colton, Lauren Wyeth, and Rev. Arif Mamdani (13:22)

Hymn- This Joy- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:32)

Prayers and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (28:36)

Reflections- Rev. Terri Burnor, Sara McMullen, Susan Willhite (32:46)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Karen Wills (56:25)

Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (59:20)

Benediction- Rev. Terri Burnor (1:00:04)

Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab

February 19, 2023- Universal-ish

You may or may not know that there have been multiple flavors of Universalism, some with caveats or some that were questionable. We can learn a lot about our own flavors of Universalism through the stories from our spiritual ancestors. As First U decides who we become next, it can be helpful to reflect on who we have been. 

Singing to Gather- Lead With Love by Melanie DeMore (:22)

Call to Worship and Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (7:40)

Story- Hosea Ballou and the Mud Puddle- Lóre Stevens (13:59)

Invitation to Visionary Goals Process- Ben Miles (21:20)

Prayer and Meditation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (26:48) 

Invitation to Giving and Receiving- Lóre Stevens (39:18)

Offertory- I Need You to Survive by Hezekiah Walker - Glen Thomas Rideout (39:18)

Message- Universal-ish- Lóre Stevens (43:21)

Hymn- Love Will Guide Us (57:20)

Benediction- Wake Into Love by Saretta Morgan - Lóre Stevens (59:06)

February 5, 2023- Accompaniment in Sanctuary & Resistance

The Sanctuary and Resistance Team at First Universalist Church works to accompany immigrants in the struggle within an immigration system which criminalizes migration, incarcerates immigrants in detention, and separates families. Since November 2016, we carry out this work as an emergent strategy team, and in conjunction with many community partners, by providing sanctuary space in the church, observing at immigration court, distributing financial resources, and resisting to change the system by advocating for policy changes, namely to make Minnesota a Sanctuary State.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, we explore and reflect upon how our UU faith and this congregation give us the courage, strength, and hope to accompany immigrant partners in the struggle for justice in our immigration system.

 

Opening Hymn- Come, Come, Whoever You Are- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (:23)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (1:47)

Land Acknowledgement- Karen Wills (6:14)

Call to Worship- Sara Adams (11:56)

Time for All Ages- Jeanne Guignon and Rev. Ashley Harness (13:36)

Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (21:48)

Reflection- Joan Naymark (23:47)

Singing Together- Courage, My Friend- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (27:09)

Prayer and Meditation- Lóre Stevens (29:08)

Reflections- Sara Adams and Heidi Romanish (35:45)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Karen Wills (49:44)

Offertory- Franco Holder (51:47)

Closing Hymn- Sanctuary- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (54:04)

Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (55:48)

Song for Going- Where You Go I WIll Go, Beloeved by Shoshana Jedwab

 

January 29, 2023- Who Said 70 is the New 50?

Music for Entering the Space- All People that on Earth Do Dwell (:20)

Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:12)

Singing Together- Lean On Me (5:36)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Ashley Harness (10:21)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (18:43)

Offertory- There is a Balm in Gilead - trad. Arr. Mark Hayes- Franco Holder (19:48)

Message- Who Said 70 is the New 50?- Rev. Karen Hutt (24:07)

Singing Together- Lady of the Season’s Laughter (49:03)

Benediction- Rev. Karen Hutt (52:17)

 

 

 

January 22, 2023- When’s Your Shift for the Revolution?

Hymn for Gathering- Building a New Way- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:27)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (3:31)

Call to Worship- Dallas Rising (8:31)

Time for All Ages- Stone Soup- Rev. Arif Mamdani (12:11)

Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:16)

Meditation Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (24:31)

Message- When's Your Shift for the Revolution? - Meleah Houseknecht (34:25)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Jeanne Guignon, Jeff Snyder (48:13)

Offertory- Sing Out, March On- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (55:02)

Hymn- The Fire of Commitment- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (58:05)

Benediction- Meleah Houseknecht (1:01:25)

 

January 15, 2023- Yesterday Teaches Tomorrow

Time and time again, in stories and scriptures and songs, ancestors have left lessons for building beloved community. Though they come in all languages and expressions, the wisdom persists: to resist materialism and hold on to what truly matters; to unshackle from habits of needless prejudice; to put down the weapons we store in our hands and hearts and study war no more. How much comfort can we take that we aren’t nearly the first generation to struggle to live into these communal ways? And what’s our part in the progress?

Music for Gathering- Come, Come Whoever You Are- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:29)

Words of Welcome & Call to Worship- Rev. Arif Mamdani (5:17)

Hymn- 'Tis a Gift to be Simple- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (13:05)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (15:20)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (22:29)

Offertory- We Shall Be Known by Ma Muse- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (23:22)

Message- Yesterday Teaches Tomorrow- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (26:11)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (52:30)

Music for Going- Return Again- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant 

 

January 8, 2023- Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is a yearly service in which we name and honor those we’ve lost in the congregation and the wider community. Through story, song, and ritual, this service invites us to name and make room for the loss, grief, and sadness in ourselves, within this community, and beyond in the wider world. This service includes an invitation to name with a neighbor, in-person or at home, any losses you’d like to hold in community, as well a candle lighting ritual in which we name and honor the deaths in our congregation this last year. Join us on Sunday to be and become the community of love and know that together, love can make every grief and suffering bearable for us all.

Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:20)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (5:45)

Time for All Ages- Making Room for Sadness- Lauren Wyeth (14:00)

Hymn- Come Sing a Song With Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:03)

Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Isabel Quast (26:02)

Poem and Cycle of Life - Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye- Rev. Ashley Harness (30:49)

Remembrance Ritual- Rev. Arif Mamdani (35:29)

Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (54:00)

Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab

 

January 1, 2023- Practicing Pause

Join us for a time of contemplation and intention setting as we gather on the turning of the year. Together, we’ll engage in the spiritual practices of pausing, noticing, settling and resetting—practices that serve us well in living lives of love, purpose and meaning in all the moments of our lives. We’ll also enjoy music by special guest Dean Magraw on this Sunday.

Words of Welcome- Lóre Stevens (1:13)

Singing Together- Breathing Meditation (5:21)

Time for All Ages- Slow Motion Freeze Tag- Aimee K. Bryant (7:33)

Music- Regeneration by Dean Magraw (12:18)

Meditation Prayer and Cycle of Life- Lóre Stevens (15:33)

Message- Practicing Pause- Rev. Jen Crow (19:44)

Practice of Giving and Receiving (42:29)

Offertory- Waterfall / May this Be Love by Jimi Hendrix - Dean Magraw (43:46)

Singing Together- My Life Flows On- Dean Magraw and Aimee K. Bryant (46:41)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (50:06)

Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go by Shoshana Jedwab - Aimee K. Bryant and Dean Magraw

 

December 18, 2022- Dreaming in the Dark

As we approach the longest nights of the year and the beginning of Hanukkah, we’ll explore the wonders that take place in the dark. Perhaps it is in our dreaming, in those times when the limitations that so often diminish our imagination drop away, that we can find healing and hope. Join us on Sunday as we claim our space in this darkest time of the year and trust in the generative power of our dreams.

Singing to Gather- O Come You Longing Thirsty Souls- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:20)

Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Jen Crow (2:48)

Story- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o (9:57)

Singing- Light One Candle - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (19:21)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Lóre Stevens (22:50)

Message- Dreaming in the Dark- Rev. Jen Crow (28:18)

Invitation to Give to Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (49:46)

Offertory- Wanderers Nachtlied II by Goethe/Schubert- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (51:38)

Singing Together- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (54:22)

Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (57:49)

December 11, 2022- The Ocean in One Drop

The everyday work of world change takes trust, patience, and faith. The individual steps it takes to progress a vision can look mighty different, more complex, smaller, even frustrating at times. It can be hard to see sometimes how what we’re doing even makes a difference in the world. Yet, this diligent faith is the very dream in action. 

This Sunday, December 11, Lena K Gardner talks with Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout about the bold work of BLUU (Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism). Come to worship this week with your heart wide open to sing, to learn, and to learn how our hands can help the dream.

Music for Gathering- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder, piano (:30)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (4:52)

Singing Together- Lean On Me (11:06)

Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (17:44)

Message in Conversation- Lena Gardner and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (23:20)

Hymn- The Fire of Committment (57:24)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:00:29)