First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

How do we prepare ourselves for a new year? A big transition? New experiences? With the help of stories and spiritual practices, our worship leaders will guide us through our annual Backpack Blessing ritual.

Music for Gathering- I'm On My Way- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Franco Holder (:25)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (4:46)

Time for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (11:13)

Song- There Is More Love Somewhere-Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Franco Holder (17:36)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (21:26)

Homily- Rev. Jen Crow (29:18)

Invitation to Give- Lore Stevens (41:02)

Backpack Blessing- Lauren Wyeth and Youth Staff (43:58)

Music for Going- I'm On My Way and Where You Go I Will Go (48:43)

The First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randy Buikema, Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Jen Crow, and Lauren Wyeth will lead and inspire us through music, story, and message.

Music for Gathering- Where Do We Come From?- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (19:24)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (5:39)

Call to Worship- Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo (10:53)

Singing Together- Open the Window, Children (14:29)

Wisdom from the Choir (19:41)

Homily- Rev. Jen Crow (26:04)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow and Rev. Arif Mamdani (33:18)

Invitation to Give- Lauren Wyeth (39:13)

Offertory- Loving Will Lead Us On, by Linda Kachelmeier and Rev. Kate Tucker- First Universalist Choir (42:30)

Singing Together - Open the Window, Children; Where You Go I Will Go; (48:42)

Following a summer of Sundays exploring “The Bigger Story,” this Sunday we recognize the Biggest Story of all, the story of change, the story of transformation, the story of evolution. It’s a story that applies to living organisms, to communities, and even to patterns of worship. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Rev. Kate Tucker will invite us into that living, breathing Pause that dwells between what was (the No Longer) and what is yet to be (the Not Yet).

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Kate Tucker (:18)

Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:30)

Story for All Ages- The Rabbit Listened - Daryn Woodson (8:30)

Invitation to Give to the Offering Plate- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:34)

Offertory- Franco Holder 

Song- Return Again- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (17:57)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:46)

Homilies- Rev. Kate Tucker and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (30:22)

Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (59:43)

 

How do we become the perfect leader? Is flawless leadership even obtainable for imperfect humans? Should we aspire for perfection or strive towards growth and learning in our leadership?

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:30)

Announcing the New Piano- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:02)

Invitation to Give to the Offering Plate- Rev. Kate Tucker (9:39)

Offertory- The Human Heart by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty - Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (20:32)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (25:06)

Homily- The Perfect Leader- Satya Mamdani (32:31)

Hymn- Come and Go With Me- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (45:03)

Benediction- Satya Mamdani (47:48)

 

Over the course of our 200-or-so-year history as a denomination, we Unitarian Universalists have undergone considerable change. That doesn’t mean that transformation has always–or ever–been easy. In the coming year, we are faced with the opportunity to be a part of the sacred task of renewing our faith as both a community and a movement. What can the transcendentalist revolutionaries of early American Unitarianism teach us about what it means to be a living faith tradition today? What is it that truly holds us together in sacred covenant now and into the future, and what are the outward manifestations of our shared faith that are ready to be transformed for a new age?

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:50)

Story for All Ages- Jill Braithwaite (6:04)

Invitation to Give- Rev. Kate Tucker (12:57)

Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Kate Tucker (14:50)

Message- Meleah Houseknecht (21:07)

Benediction- Meleah Houseknecht (42:48)

 

Piano throughout- Franco Holder

Vocalists- Fawzia Khan, Libby Crawford

Poet Wendell Berry’s description of “The Larger Circle” as “the circle of all creatures/Passing in and out of life” takes on new meaning as we gaze at – and struggle to comprehend- the 13 billion light-year view of the earliest galaxies in the universe provided by the James Webb telescope. Are those faint smudges even connected to us? Do they matter? How? Or is the question, why?

 

Music for Gathering- Morning Has Broken- Aimee. K. Bryant, Franco Holder (:28)

Words of Welcome & Call to Worship- Rev. Kate Tucker (2:12)

Story for All Ages- The Stuff of Stars- Marion Dane Bauer (6:33)

Offering- Rev. Kate Tucker

Offertory- Turn the Word Around- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Hoder (11:55)

Prayer and Meditation- Aimee K. Bryant, Rev. Kate Tucker (15:18)

Message- The Larger Circle- Kathy Coskran (22:10)

Hymn- Blue Boat Home- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (39:30)

Benediction- Kathy Coskran (42:00)

Music for Going- Where You Go by Shoshanna Jedwab- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder

 

Poet Marge Piercy writes that “a good anger acted upon is beautiful as lightning and swift with power.” Who teaches us about that kind of anger and power? How do we learn? What kind of inner transformation does it invite or require? 

Music for Gathering- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (1:17)

Story for All Ages- Zoe Mulvihill (5:56)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Andrea Johnson (14:00)

Message- Gather the Spirit, Harvest the Power- Rev. Kate Tucker (19:19)

Song- There's a River Flowin' In My Soul- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (40:09)

Benediction- Rev. Kate Tucker (42:07)

 

 

When we are faced with a difficult situation, it can be challenging to greet it, not necessarily with agreement, but to simply take it in and receive it as another truth. This is what Unitarian Universalist process theologian Bernard Loomer describes as the essence of the spiritual path—the practice of receiving rather than resisting reality in the fullest possible sense. Come explore how we can grow our souls together in light of the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade with guest preacher Rev. Andrea Johnson.

Song for Gathering- For All That Is Our Life- Aimee K. Bryant and Barb Brooks (:18)

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (2:16)

Story for All Ages- Anger, a Buddhist Story- Emma Paskwitz (6:50)

Invitation to Give to Augsburg Fairview Academy- Rev. Kate Tucker (10:05)

Offertory- Aimee K. Bryant and Barb Brooks (10:51)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Kate Tucker (15:14)

Message- Growing the S-I-Z-E of Our Soul- Rev. Andrea Johnson (21:24)

Benediction- Rev. Andrea Johnson (37:29)

 

 

On this Fourth of July weekend, we’ll hear different versions of the story of the United States of America. What kinds of stories build resilience and trust and what kinds build fragility and fear? This Sunday we’ll explore how the stories we tell create meaning.

Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:30)

Time for All Ages- Mark Caswell (5:49)

Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Kate Tucker (13:16)

Message- American Stories- Rev. Meg Riley (21:28)

Invitation to Give to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity (41:04)

Benediction- Rev. Kate Tucker (42:42)

This summer, as we explore the theme of The Bigger Story, we reflect on how we live in stories and also how stories live in us. Spiritual growth can mean giving up stories that have become too small.

 

This Sunday, join us for a message from Minister Emerita Rev. Kate Tucker, who will lead worship alongside Rev. Arif Mamdani, vocalist Aimee K. Bryant, and guest pianist Tim Kraack.

 

Music for Gathering- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Tim Kraack (:30)

 

Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (3:49)

 

Story for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani (9:36)

 

Hymn- Circle 'Round for Freedom- Aimee K. Bryant and Tim Kraack (15:54)

 

Prayer- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:14)

 

Message- The World Was Made to be Free In- Rev. Kate Tucker (29:37)

 

Invitation to Give to Our Justice- Rev. Arif Mamdani (50:25)