First Universalist Church Sunday Service Podcast: Recent Episodes
First Universalist Church
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis: in the Spirit of Love and Hope, We Give, Receive, and Grow
What happens when fascism creeps into the spaces between us? When disconnection takes hold—relationships fray, truth slips away, and isolation deepens—what then? Gathering more facts won’t close the gap. We need to meet face-to-face, to get in formation, to resist together. Beyoncé’s call to "get in formation" is a matter of survival, a reclamation of our power from the forces pulling us apart. The question isn’t whether we know enough. It's this: Will the future know us by our fear and frenzy in the face of the fascism of our days? Or shall we get our faith in formation and slay?
We come together from one body, each of us bringing what we can to create the Beloved Community—a place free of hate, poverty, and oppression, where all can thrive. As we push back against fascism, we practice love in action, standing strong in shared ministry. It’s not enough to put a hand or a foot in—we’re called to put our whole selves into this work, because building a world where everyone belongs demands nothing less. Together, we lean into our shared power, holding fast to what’s good and just. In the end, that’s what it’s all about: reshaping how we show up for each other, creating spaces where justice quietly but relentlessly weaves us together, making the Beloved Community not just possible, but inevitable.
This Sunday, August 25, is our 10 a.m. Summer Camp Sunday and Backpack Blessing worship service! At this special service, our campers will be leading us in song, story, play, and art created during our week together. We will also celebrate our annual Backpack Blessing. At this service, as we do every year, we will bless our students, teachers, staff, and all who are headed back to school and will share a small token with them to remember the love of the congregation. Please bring your backpack or book bag and plan to join us for this special Sunday!
Our annual Water Communion service is a ritual tradition we share with UUs around the world. The Water Ritual was created by leaders in the UU feminist movement more than four decades ago. Lucile Schuck Longview and Carolyn McDade (also the composer of our beloved song Spirit of Life) made this practice with water (an inclusive symbol of women’s spirituality), to help us all remember how deeply we are each connected to one another, and to all life.
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 whether the waters mingle and set a new year of community on its way.
We invite you to bring a small bit of water to the sanctuary with you. Some bring a bottle, others a few drops, some bring water they gathered from a special summer memory, others from the kitchen tap. It doesn’t matter how much or where from–all water is beautiful.
If you can’t collect your own water to bring (or if you forget yours on the counter at home), not to worry. We’ll have pitchers waiting here. We want you to be a part of this important time in our community, where wisdom and joy rush to greet us and show us the way to deeper love. See you there!
This Sunday we will celebrate the many gifts of growing old, the inevitable resetting and resettling of our hearts and bodies as we experience the physical and mental transitions of aging. Elders in our church will share experiences, insights, challenges, and the joy, sometimes with humor (an essential ingredient in the aging process) of this journey we all are on. There is not only one story–we are as different from each other at 80 as we were at 18, and our effort is to look forward even as we look back. As one wise woman said, “The goal is to get old,” so let’s all learn to celebrate it as we strive to age with acceptance, courage, and, yes, joy.
What hidden stories do photographs reveal? This Sunday, I invite you to join me, and John Steitz as we explore “See and Say” in the final week of our annual Art and Soul series. John, our talented sound engineer and celebrated photographer, will share his journey and the profound moments he’s captured through his lens. Together, we’ll ask: How does photography reveal hidden truths and balance power? What unseen details become visible through the lens? How do images evoke deeper connections and understanding? How can those without sight experience the essence of photography?
We’ll delve into how photography can deepen our understanding of social justice, environmental stewardship, and personal connection. Through John’s lens, we are invited to see the unnoticed, to feel the unspoken, and to connect with the world in new ways. This service promises to be a visual and reflective journey, inspiring us to look closer and appreciate the art in everyday life.
I also encourage you to visit the Social Hall after the service to view an exhibit of John’s work. This exhibit features powerful excerpts from his documentary collection of George Floyd Square. It captures moments of resistance and relationship in the wake of tragedy.
Come ready to be inspired and to see the world through a new lens. Together, let’s explore how photography can help us give, receive, and grow the beloved community.
- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Worship Arts Ministries
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant
Breathing together (1:27)
Singing, Breathing In, Breathing Out (2:50)
Singing, Meditation on Breathing (8:18)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship (11:54)
Making Art Together (19:36)
Singing - There Is A Love (30:56)
Prayer (33:00)
Art and Soul Presentation (45:20)
Closing Hymn (1:22:09)
Imagine life as a giant, ever-changing canvas, where colors shift and blend, sometimes beyond our control. This Sunday, as part of our “Art and Soul” series, we will explore this theme in our service titled “The Rest is Still Unwritten.” We’ll learn how to take life’s unexpected twists and turns and turn them into something beautiful. Our guest artist, Adam Podd, a talented pianist and music director from Brooklyn, will join us to share his experiences of making music a shared, communal joy, even during challenging times. We’ll also hear from Caren Stelson, an award-winning children’s book author, and Selina Alko, a gifted illustrator. They will share their insights on telling important historical stories to young ones with sensitivity and care, despite having completed their work independently. Through music, storytelling, and reflection, we’ll discover how to embrace the unexpected and create harmony from life’s dissonance. Join us for a family-friendly service filled with creativity, inspiration, and the promise that our story is still being written.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Ashley Harness
Singing to Gather (:23)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship (9:15)
Singing Together- This Little Light of Mine (10:53)
Story - Aimee K Bryant (21:08)
Prayer (32:15)
Art and Soul Presentation (45:00)
Offering (1:10:23)
Offertory (1:11:58)
Collaborative Musical Excercise (1:16:13)
Closing Hymn (1:30:20)
Benediction (1:32:03)
Father’s Day gives us a chance to reflect on the wisdom that often comes wrapped in humor from those who fill the roles of mentors, guides, or fathers. As we explore the lighter side of life, we’re reminded of the broader roles these figures play. Their playful approach teaches us resilience and reveals the human spirit in everyday moments. It shows us how, sometimes, the deepest wisdom is shared in moments of lift and levity, that joy is the vehicle for the strength we need to make change for good!
Worship Leaders: Paolo Debuque and Choir, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Ashley Harness
Singing to Gather (:31)
Opening Hymn- Though I May Speak With Bravest Fire (3:33)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship (6:04)
Singing Together- Guide My Feet (19:01)
Prayer (21:49)
Offering (33:35)
Offertory (36:09)
Message (40:13)
Closing Hymn (1:05:00)
Benediction (1:08:42)
This Sunday, we explore how ordinary people can create extraordinary change. Retelling the stories of Norbert Čapek and Waitstill and Martha Sharp, as well as the village of Le Chambon, we’ll reflect on the profound impact of simple acts of courage and compassion. By examining historical and modern examples of collective action and resilience, we’ll see how our community can support and inspire each other in the face of challenges. Join us to deepen our commitment to justice and compassion, to realize the extraordinary potential within each of us.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Katherine Harrell, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Ashley Harness
Opening Hymn- We Rise (:22)
Words of Welcome (3:09)
Call to Worship (9:51)
Singing Together- We Are Building a New Way (15:50)
Prayers and Cycle of Life (18:54)
Offering (28:24)
Reading- Courage by Anne Sexton (32:53)
Anthem- If I Can Help Somebody by Mahalia Jackson (34:30)
Message- Stop in the Name of Love (37:12)
Singing Together- Woyaya (59:45)
Benediction (1:01:32)
The opportunity has come again, as it has for a century (to say the least), for the flowers to remind us of the audacious beauty of collective action; to remind us to love differences that define and distinguish us; to keep our faith in the call of love in common.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Mark Caswell, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Ashley Harness, Barb Brooks
Opening Hymn: Come Sing a Song With Me (:23)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship (3:12)
Singing Together: We Would Be One (8:35)
Flower Communion Ceremony (11:26)
Offering Intro and Collection (22:42)
Offertory- This Little Light of Mine (26:16)
Flower Communion, continued (30:37)
Prayer and Cycle of Life (39:54)
Benediction (48:07)
What rituals and practices help us remember and bring care to the grief and loss we know as individuals and communities? How might we move it through our bodies, and what roles do beauty and singing and laughter have to play? How might we hold multiple stories and experiences within and among ourselves all at once? Join us on Sunday for shared song and story and searching as we explore the origins of Memorial Day and strengthen ourselves for the journey ahead.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Nancy Nyquist Potter, Allison Connelly-Vetter, Rev. Jen Crow
Opening Song- Hold Everybody Up! (:33)
Words of Welcome (4:57)
Singing Together (8:47)
Prayer and Cycle of Life (13:21)
Offering Recipient Intro (22:20)
Offertory (25:47)
Message- The Body Knows (29:07)
Closing Hymn (59:05)
Benediction (1:03:51)
Share in a celebration of life’s meaningful moments this Sunday at First Universalist. As we proudly honor our high school graduates moving forward into new adventures, we also widen our embrace to acknowledge all the transitions our community members are navigating. We welcome back the soul-stirring music of Ellis Delaney, to grace our gathering with stories sung to life. Big or small, each change marks a meaningful point in our journey. We offer a space for everyone to share their experiences, reflect on personal growth, and cross a symbolic bridge in supportive community. Join us to celebrate these transitions together, reinforcing the ties that bind us one with another, loving the stories that make each one of us whole.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Allison Connelly-Vetter, Ellis Delaney, Deb Keller
Opening Hymn- Where Do We Come From? (:33)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship (1:42)
Time for All Ages (6:51)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me (12:44)
Prayers and Cycle of Life (15:52)
Practice of Giving and Recieving (31:24)
Offertory (34:22)
Briding Ritual (38:24)
Benediction (58:23)
This Sunday, we are Navigating Transitions: From Loyalty to Legacy, a gentle exploration of the threads that connect one generation to the next. As we honor the voices of our Coming of Age youth and pause to lift up those who love and guide us as mothers of all kinds, we’ll weave together the timeless stories of loyalty and the quiet, steadfast acts that shape our stories. Come, be part of crafting a future rich with wisdom and guided by the cherished values passed down through the ages.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Kaden Colton, Coming of Age Youth, First Universalist Choir
Opening Song- There Is a Love (:27)
Words of Welcome (4:04)
Hymn- Lean On Me by Bill Withers (9:52)
Community Prayers- (13:33)
Practice of Giving and Receiving (21:44)
Offertory- Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder (23:51)
Reading- From Generation to Generation by Antoine de St.Exupery (28:47)
Anthem- 23rd Psalm (30:49)
Introduction to and Reading of Coming of Age Credos (34:12)
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us (55:50)
Blessing of Coming of Age Youth, Mentors, and Advisors (57:33)
Benediction (59:19)
This Sunday, First Universalist joyfully celebrates New Member Sunday, a testament to our community’s growth and resilience. Worship Leaders will guide us through a reflective conversation on the essence of openness. They invite us to examine how vulnerability, grace, and kindness are more than spiritual practices—they are vital for deepening our communal bonds. This service challenges us to dismantle the barriers that often lead to isolation, making every interaction a profound connection. As we celebrate this enriching occasion, reflect on your journey: What is your next step toward deeper engagement in our community? Join us for a transformative experience.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Meleah Houseknecht, Rev. Jen Crow, Liz Farmer, Matt Keller
Opening Hymn- Building Bridges (:27)
Call to Worship and Words of Welcome (4:37)
Wisdom Story (10:39)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me (20:14)
New Member Welcome Ritual (21:41)
Prayers and Cycle of Life (28:50)
Practice of Giving and Receiving (37:17)
Offertory- If You're Out There by John Legend (43:07)
Reading- Safety Net by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer (46:06)
Anthem- Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) by Diana Ross (47:18)
Message- A Community of Practice (49:35)
Closing Song- Love Will Guide Us (1:08:06)
Benediction (1:10:00)
This Sunday, we kick off a four-week Season of Gratitude, and immerse ourselves in the rich languages of love and gratitude. We warmly invite everyone to join us as we explore how these sincere expressions deepen our bonds and strengthen the fabric of our community. It’s an ideal moment to celebrate the diverse ways we can express our appreciation for each other’s efforts within our beloved community.
Worship Leaders: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Ashley Harness, Rev. Arif Mamdani
Singing to Gather- Morning Has Come (:18)
Call to Worship and Welcome (1:44)
Singing Together- Oh, We Give Thanks (12:15)
Community Prayer (13:23)
Stewardship Update (20:18)
Celebrating Volunteers (27:46)
Offering and Offertory (32:35)
Readings- from All About Love by bell hooks and What is Love? by Haddaway (36:23)
Message- Count the Ways (38:14)
Singing- Make Channels for the Streams of Love (54:29)
Benediction (56:08)
On Earth Day, we come together for a service developed in collaboration with our Environmental Justice Team. This day, we reaffirm our sacred bond with the Earth, confronting the environmental crisis with courage, creativity, and collective action. Stories of resilience from communities around the globe will guide us in redefining our relationship with the planet. This service is an invitation to reflect and find inspiration, a calling to realize our commitment to respectful relationship with the natural world. As one, we forge a path forward to notice our role in the delicate balance of life. Together, we honor our responsibility to shape a legacy of hope and healing for future generations.
Opening Hymn- Love's In Need of Love Today by Stevie Wonder- Paolo Debuque and Choir (:25)
Call to Worship- Nancy Potter (6:10)
Words of Welcome- Cathy Geist (11:43)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:30)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me- Paolo Debuque (25:05)
Invitation to Conversation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (26:53)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (32:15)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (38:55)
Reading from A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough- Stan Sattinger (49:10)
Anthem- This I Know- Paolo Debuque, Aimee K. Bryant, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (51:38)
Message- Reimagine That!: Earth Day - Rev. Arif Mamdani (57:04)
Closing Hymn- Blue Boat Home (1:23:00)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Bob Friedman (1:26:02)
This Sunday marks a special journey led by our high school youth group, as they invite us into an exploration of abundance and collective growth. They’ve crafted an interactive service that promises not just to engage but to weave our vibrant community energies into a living tapestry of action and shared dreams. With each of us contributing to a communal symbol of unity, we’ll reflect, give thanks, and envision a humanity grown in the spring of our collective efforts. Under the inspired guidance of our youth, we are sowing seeds of hope to nurture the garden of our gathered dreams.
Singing to Gather- Woyaya- Paolo Dubuque (:33)
Words of Welcome- Allison Connelly-Vetter (2:07)
Call to Worship- Willa Maynor (3:19)
Singing Together- Lean on Me by Bill Withers (7:57)
Story for All Ages- Henry at Home by Megan Maynor- Max and Bobbi (11:47)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Isla Mysenburg and Rev. Jen Crow (17:12)
Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (25:32)
Prayer and Meditation- Isla Mysenburg and Rev. Jen Crow (29:30)
Poem and Blessing- We Need Each Other by m jade kaiser- Rasana Mamdani (34:33)
Planting Together- Rasana Mamdani (41:44)
Singing Togther- Blue Boat Home (44:06)
Benediction- Rasana Mamdani (47:00)
We gather as a community, each of us a unique thread, ready to weave a tapestry that embodies our theme for the month: “Investing Together.” Imagine a morning where every one, young and old and in between, help us make a masterpiece. We’ll share stories with each other, sing melodies that weave through our shared spaces, and create a living mosaic of our collective spirit. This isn’t just about the art we create or the songs we sing; it’s a deeper call to explore the beauty and strength we unlock when we come together, each of us investing our piece of the puzzle. In this gathering, we celebrate not just the power of unity but the joy and growth it brings into our lives.
Singing Together- If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seger- Allison Connelly-Vetter (:30)
Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:38)
Singing Together- If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seger- Allison Connelly-Vetter (11:11)
Story Sharing- Allison Connelly-Vetter (12:31)
Singing Together- If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seger- Allison Connelly-Vetter (18:20)
Meditation and Cycle of Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (20:19)
Investing Conversation- Kaden Colton and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (31:36)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (37:29)
Offertory- We Are a Tower of Strength (39:16)
Singing Together- If I Had a Hammer by Pete Seger- Allison Connelly-Vetter (43:01)
Art Piece- Dallas Rising and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (44:45)
Closing Blessing- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Allison Connelly-Vetter (52:53)
This Easter, what if our affirmations served not only as testaments to our capacity to instigate meaningful change but also as prompts to engage deeply with every soul we encounter. Can we mine our shared experiences for tales of resilience or resignation? Will we amplify the echoes of triumph, or will we underscore the moments of faltering? This selection process crafts the larger narrative of our existence. In this season of reflection and renewal, what narratives will you choose to elevate? How will you demonstrate your belief in the boundless potential for peace, love, and justice in our world?
Opening Song- Allelujah- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Congregation (:34)
Story and Words of Welcome- My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart Rev. Arif Mamdani (4:21)
Singing Together- Sing and Rejoice! - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Congregation (14:54)
Time for All Ages- Allison Connelly-Vetter (19:17)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (29:28)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (36:17)
Offertory- I Am Light by India.Arie- Glen Thomas Rideout (38:20)
Reading- Mark 16:1-8- Mark Caswell (41:32)
Message- Rev. Jen Crow (43:49)
Singing Together- Sanctuary- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Congregation (53:53)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (56:06)
In the heart of our journey towards Easter, we turn to the second chapter in our three-part series, inviting you into a contemplative exploration of dying and the profound lessons it imparts on communal living. This service weaves together thought, music, prayer, and story, reflecting on our shared human experience and the bonds that sustain us through life’s transitions. Join us in this reflective exploration of the spaces between life and death, community and solitude, fear and hope, embracing the full spectrum of our existence with open hearts and minds.
Opening Hymn- Gathered Here- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:31)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Arif Mamdani (5:57)
Time for All Ages/Singing Together-The Universe Song- Allison Connelly-Vetter (16:46)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:01)
Prayer and Meditation- Meleah Houseknecht (23:49)
Practice of Generosity- Rev. Arif Mamdani (33:18)
Offertory- I am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (37:03)
Readings- from Wash Your Hands by Dori Midnight; John 13:1-5- Meleah Houseknecht (40:18)
Anthem- Take My Hand Precious Lord- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (42:42)
Message- Lessons from the Edge of Existence- Rev. Ashley Harness (47:07)
Closing Song- For All That is Our Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:08:41)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (1:10:51)
As we embrace this month’s theme of humility, we are called to reflect on our individual needs within the vast expanse of community life. Join us at First Universalist this Sunday for a journey that promises to deepen our collective wisdom, cultivate understanding and love, and reinforce our community’s bonds. This series is not just a retelling of age-old stories but a dynamic engagement with the themes that have shaped humanity’s spiritual journey across millennia.
Opening Hymn- Love Will Guide Us- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (:29)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (2:40)
Building Community- Building Bridges- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (7:54)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (12:25)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Ashley Harness (14:18)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness, Lynn Broaddus (24:14)
Offertory- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (31:49)
Readings- If bell hooks wrote I Corinthians by Tess Baumberger (34:42); poem by Aurora Levins Morales (36:47)- Lynn Broaddus and Rev. Jen Crow
Anthem- No One Is Alone by Stephen Sondheim- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (38:52)
Message- Willing Love- Rev. Jen Crow (42:18)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:03:11)
Join us for a transformative service led by our 8th-grade OWL youth, their advisors, and the worship team, as we explore the impactful journey through Our Whole Lives (OWL) program. “Embracing Humility, Fostering Love: Our OWL Journey” promises a heartfelt glimpse into the courageous conversations and learning experiences that shape our community’s approach to sexuality education. Celebrate the insights, growth, and stories of our youth, reinforced by the dedication of our OWL facilitators, embodying the values of respect, relationships, and responsibility.
Opening Hymn- Come And Go With Me- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (:33)
Call to Worship- (4:34)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Allison Connelly-Vetter (8:03)
Story for All Ages- This or That- 5th grade OWLs (14:14)
Singing Together- Make Channels for the Streams of Love- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (16:22)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (18:00)
Practice of Stewardship, Giving, Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow, Sarah Heuser, Jack Daniels (24:33)
Offertory- Kiss! by Prince- Aimee K. Bryant, Paolo Dubuque (30:33)
Anthem- People Help the People by Birdy (35:31)
Reading- The Masturbation Song by Claire Tralle (40:17)
Reflections- Jill Ferris, Claire Tralle, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (44:29)
Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:04:24)
Song for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
This Sunday, Rev. Rolenz will lead us in contemplating The Lost Art of Sacrifice, a timely reflection as we navigate the solemn periods of Lent and approach Ramadan. In a world often driven by the quest for instant gratification, Kathleen invites us to reconsider sacrifice as a source of spiritual nourishment and unexpected joy. Drawing on her experiences from serving in diverse communities and her profound understanding of liturgy, Kathleen’s sermon promises to be a compelling journey through the complexities of faith, community, and the sacrifices that bind them.
Join us in welcoming Rev. Kathleen Rolenz and immerse yourself in a service that promises not just to explore the depths of humility and sacrifice but also to celebrate the communal spirit that defines our congregation. Let’s gather together to discover the joy and enrichment that humility can bring to our lives and our community.
Music for Gathering- Woyaya- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:19)
Story for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, Nanette Stearns (4:03)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:00)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me (20:00)
Meditation and Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:19)
Practice of Sharing and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Karen Heegaard, Nanette Stearns (33:06)
Offertory- Barbara Brooks, piano (45:49)
Poem- Altar by Deborah Leipziger (47:45)
Message- The Lost Art of Sacrifice- Rev. Kathleen Rolenz (49:59)
Singing Together- Make Channels for the Streams of Love (1:09:34)
Benediction- Rev. Kathleen Rolenz (1:11:08)
Outgoing Song- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
This Sunday at First Universalist, we invite you to a special service, “Awakening Presence: A Journey From Numbness to Engagement,” as we explore the transformative power of reconnecting with our emotions and each other. Dive deep into the essence of presence, overcoming the barriers of emotional numbness that hinder our personal growth and communal vitality. Engage in a meaningful exploration of how mindfulness and empathy can not only enrich our personal journeys but also empower our collective commitment to justice and compassion.
As we continue our stewardship campaign, remember that your support breathes life into the heart of our community, helping to revive the emotional nerve endings of our congregation. Join us in fostering a vibrant, engaged, and empathetic community, ready to embrace the full spectrum of life’s experiences together. Your presence and contribution are the keys to unlocking a more present, connected, and lively congregation.
Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:24)
Story for All Ages- Adaptation of a story by Leo Tolstoy- Em Herman-Johnson and the congregation (4:15)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me and What Wondrous Love is This?- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (16:35)
Community Prayers- Katherine Harrell (23:00)
Invitation to Give and Receive- Rev. Ashley Harness and David Leppik (30:37)
Offertory- I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free by Nina Simone- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (36:18)
Greeting One Another- Em Herman-Johnson (38:38)
Reading- Go to the Limits of Your Longing by Rainer Maria Rilke (40:48)
Message- Unshackling the Chains of Emotional Numbness- Rev. Ashley Harness and Dick Young (42:41)
Benediction- words by David Gate in memory of Nex Benedict (57:45)
Closing Song- Where You Go, I will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
In a world that often celebrates the individual, we invite you to explore the strength and beauty of choosing community. This week, we delve into the power of collective action and shared responsibility—a timely reflection in the wake of the pandemic’s challenges.
Discover how our choices can weave a stronger fabric of support, resilience, and interconnectedness. We’ll explore the transformative potential of moving beyond individualism to embrace the collective—highlighting that our financial contributions are more than just donations; they’re affirmations of our commitment to each other and the world we wish to build together.
Join us for this worship service, where every voice, every contribution, and every heart matters. Together, let’s illuminate the path from ‘me’ to ‘we’ and uncover the real power for social change.
Music, Intro, Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (:32)
Singing Together- Oh, We Give Thanks- Allison Connelley-Vetter (8:06)
Story for All Ages- Stone Soup- Allison Connelley-Vetter (11:15)
Sharing our Gifts- Rev. Arif Mamdani (19:38)
Blessings- Rev. Ashley Harness (26:55)
Testimonial and Offering- Janet Merrill, Rev. Ashley Harness (38:38)
Offertory- (43:29)
Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (45:27)
Message- From Me to We- Allison Connelley-Vetter (51:07)
Closing Song- This Joy by Shirley Caesar (1:02:05)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (1:07:05)
How does love find voice breaking from silence and unmasking its truer self? This Sunday, we delve into “Expression of Love: From Silence to Vulnerability.” Through twists and turns of human emotions, the burden of societal norms, and the lens of our digital existence, we explore. Posed with questions of love’s ferocity and authenticity, we ponder even further: How can those of us, unversed in the language of vulnerability, learn to speak it?
This Sunday, we invite a transformative exploration of love unabashed and free. Amidst this interconnected landscape, we collectively weave a tapestry of honest and vulnerable expressions of love. Let’s journey together in search for understanding. What we discover will surely challenge us to open our hearts and free our hands. Love keeps calling us anyway. Joy is waiting.
Opening Hymn- Lean On Me (:30)
Call to Worship and Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (2:20)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani (8:44)
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout & Paolo Dubuque (15:44)
Community Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (18:05)
Practice of Giving- Rev. Arif Mamdani and CT Neal-Herman (30:13)
Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (37:13)
Poem- by Gwendolyn Brooks- Rev. Arif Mamdani (41:35)
Message- The Love We Make- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (43:14)
Singing Together- Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire (56:28)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (58:42)
In a world too often transactional, we’ll explore the transformative power of a gift economy, where joy is the currency we trade and presence is our shared and most precious commodity. When we choose joy, our lifted spirits are just the first palpable sine of a wave that ripples outward in a wash of positive change throughout our whole community and far beyond.
Together, we’ll delve into the sacredness of intentionality in worship, the heartbeats that synchronize when shared narratives bind us, and the art of presence that turns a gathering into a congregation. This service is an invitation to experience the profound joy that arises when we offer our talents, time, and love as gifts to one another—gifts that nurture our communal well-being and empower us to co-create a church that transcends the ordinary. Come, be part of this joyous communion, and let us journey towards a more empathetic and collaborative world, one heartbeat at a time.
Opening Hymn- Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee- Aimee K. Bryant (:33)
Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Arif Mamdani (5:11)
Time for All Ages- Aimee K. Bryant (12:59)
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us (23:48)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Nanette Stearns (25:49)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (34:41)
Offertory- 'Tis a Gift to be Simple- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (44:22)
Reading from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer- Nanette Stearns (48:03)
Anthem- His Eye Is On the Sparrow by Civilla Durfee Martin- Aimee. K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (52:59)
Message- Tis a Gift to be Present- Rev. Ashley Harness (56:19)
Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love (1:15:19)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (1:16:56)
In the crucible of community, the unique vision of each individual not only reshapes our common goal but experiences a transformation itself. Picture a mosaic, where every piece is indispensable to the whole. Our shared dream materializes as we each offer a piece of our hearts, contributing to a greater design. This dance of unity within individuality beckons you to unearth your unique strengths, to learn how they can enliven our visionary aspirations. It’s about the breathtaking tableau we craft when we are harmonized in purpose and spirit, and how this sense of purpose threads through the tapestry of our everyday existence and builds through us a greater tomorrow. This is our collective mosaic–a pulsing, resonant manifestation of our faith community’s future.
Opening Hymns- Come, Come, Whoever You Are and Guide My Feet (:19)
Time for All Ages- Allison Connelly-Vetter (10:48)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (24:49)
Call to Worship- Deb Keller (31:22)
Reading- To Know Someone Deeply by Mark Nepo- Deb Keller (37:47)
Anthem- When the Storms of Life Are Raging, Stand by Me by Rev. Timothy Flemming- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (40:01)
Mosaic of Voices- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rasana Mamdani, Jeanne Guignon, Rev. Ashley Horan (43:47)
Closing Hymn- Be Thou My Vision (1:04:14)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (1:07:16)
Immerse yourself in this Sunday’s service, a journey into the heart of our interconnectedness. We will ponder the echoes of our third principle, discovering how it nudges us towards a deeper, more mindful communion with ourselves and each other. Prepare to be drawn into the dance of connection, a ballet of souls turning, reaching, growing. Unearth the profound truth that our shared spiritual practices are the glue that binds us into a resilient community. Witness the revelation that our messiahs walk among us, disguised as everyday leaders, ready to shepherd us into a soul-nourishing retreat. This Sunday, we’re not merely gathering – we’re igniting a beacon of blessing, illumination, and inspiration. Join us, and let the dance of turning transform you.
Opening Hymn- Hold Everybody Up- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:31)
Call to Worship and Welcome- Kaden Colton (4:07)
Time for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (13:49)
Singing Together- Standing Stone and Keep Your Heart Wide Open (23:17)
Community Prayers and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (33:06)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Lyann Broaddus and Rev. Ashley Harness (39:47)
Offertory- Paolo Dubuque and Glen Thomas Rideout (44:12)
Message- Making Space Face to Face- Rev. Arif Mamdani (48:00)
Closing Hymn- (1:08:31)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (1:10:02)
As winter’s stillness permeates our lives, we gather this Sunday for our annual Service of Remembrance, a sacred ceremony to honor those who have transitioned from our physical realm. Coupled with this, we also pay homage to the indomitable spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., inviting you to embrace the complex and demanding truth of his message beyond his popular portrayal. Through the ritual of candlelight, naming, and remembering, we keep the glow of their values and dreams alive, mirroring the humanist manifestation of eternal life.
In making space for these memories, we are reminded of our shared responsibility in creating and embodying legacy. As we honor Dr. King and our loved ones, we not only acknowledge their impact but also ignite the path for those to come. This act of remembering and making space, allows us to honor the fullness of each other’s stories. We come together this Sunday, to remember, honor, and recommit to this transformative work of making space.
Opening Hymn- Spirit of Life (:27)
Call to Worship and Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (3:38)
Time for All Ages- A Shelter for Sadness by Anne Booth- Rev. Arif Mamdani (9:13)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (14:11)
Offertory- Precious Lord, Take My Hand - Paolo Dubuque (16:52)
Remembrance Ritual and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Congregation (21:29)
Homily- To Remember and Revive- Rev. Arif Mamdani (38:55)
Closing Hymn- Oh We Give Thanks- Paolo Dubuque (46:49)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (48:11)
Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
In a world relentlessly demanding, it’s easy to feel like we’re never enough, that what we have to give may not make a dent. But when we peel back these layers of fear, we uncover a transformative truth: The act of showing up—of choosing to be present—is a radical catalyst for change. This is more than physical presence; it’s an emotional, spiritual commitment to bear witness, to engage, and to represent. It’s about standing in the face of the grind, against the status quo, and declaring, “I am here.” This conscious choice to show up breathes life into relationships, sustains religions, and builds compassionate communities. It’s the first, crucial step towards creating inclusive spaces. Remember, even when it feels like you have nothing left to give, your presence, your decision to show up, can shake the world.
Singing to Gather- Lean On Me by Bill Withers- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:29)
Welcome and Wisdom Story- Rev. Jen Crow (4:48)
Singing Together- Stand By Me by Ben King- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (13:10)
Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (15:25)
Foundation Board Announcement- Isabel Quast (25:53)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (28:39)
Offertory- You've Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (30:11)
Message- Making Space Starts When You Show Up- Rev. Jen Crow (32:35)
Closing Hymn- Sanctuary- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (57:02)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (59:28)
“No threshold need be a threat, but rather an invitation and a promise. Whatever comes, the great sacrament of life will remain faithful to us, blessing us always with visible signs of invisible grace. We merely need to trust.” – John O’Donohue
Join us as we cross the threshold of the new year together. We will slow down to greet the invitations and promises awaiting each of us with ritual stations. We’ll have opportunities to release what no longer serves us, remember our original belovedness, receive healing blessings and seek our next chapters of becoming with trust.
Music for Gathering- I Know This Rose Will Open- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:30)
Call to Worship and Chalice Lighting- Mark Caswell (2:42)
Singing Together- Dona Nobis Pacem- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:21)
Community Prayer- Rev. Arif Mamdani (14:45)
Reading- Thresholds by John O'Donohue- Mark Caswell (21:30)
Intro to Ritual Stations- Rev. Ashley Harness (26:08)
Ritual Stations (38:01)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (41:25)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (46:45)
Our minds are often full of thoughts, like a busy hive all abuzz? Have you ever wondered–Is meditation for me? What is meditation really? What if I am not doing it right? Here’s a revelation – meditation isn’t about making those thoughts disappear. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Our minds, much like our ears, are always receptive, picking up on myriad stimuli even when we aren’t consciously aware. Imagine if we didn’t fight against these thoughts but just listened to them and learned to live amidst them. That’s the real beauty of meditation. Together, we will delve into different techniques for meditation. This journey, like an enlightening expedition, leads us towards understanding ourselves better.
As we move through the sacred season, marked by the enduring light of Hannukah and the burgeoning anticipation of Advent, we’re invited into a unique space where the realms of time and eternity intersect. Here, every moment becomes an encounter with infinite potential. Amid the whirlwind of holiday activities, the understated power of rest emerges as a counterintuitive path to liberation, offering us a sanctuary within time itself. Taking a step back, we find ourselves attuned to the subtle, beautiful harmonies of our communal existence, appreciating the transitions and transformations that shape our collective journey. In the dance between who we are and who we aim to be, we see success as a delicate balance between progress and patience. Each Sunday becomes a vibrant heartbeat in our relentless pursuit of growth and spiritual elevation, and as the nights lengthen, our collective resolve only strengthens. We invite you to join us on this journey – to pause, reflect, and celebrate the sacred story we’re composing together.
Opening Hymn- Turn the World Around - Belafonte (:25)
Call to Worship and Words of Welcome- Deb Keller (6:52)
Chant- Be Still and Know- pagan chant (12:38)
Time for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (15:32)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me (27:01)
Prayer and Meditation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (28:09)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (37:02)
Offertory- Paolo Dubuque (38:42)
Poem- Mother to Son by Langston Hughes (40:59)
Anthem- Paolo Dubuque (42:24)
Message- Still in Motion- Rev. Jen Crow (45:22)
Singing Together and Benediction- One More Step (1:03:28)
Music for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go by Shoshana Jedwab
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)
This Sunday, the whole community, people of all ages, take a heartfelt journey to “Destination Gratitude,” as we immerse ourselves in the rich teachings of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address. Embracing the wisdom of the Turtle Clan, Wolf Clan, and Mohawk tribe, we acknowledge the importance of not just feeling gratitude but actively directing it toward each other.
This Sunday’s ‘Staying at the Table: Starts with Grace’ celebrates the joy of embracing new members, showcasing the grace that defines our community spirit across our whole lives long. As Thanksgiving approaches, bringing its complex weave of anticipation and anxiety around encounters with all kinds, we invite you to a service that rekindles the essence of connection through the simple, yet profound act of sharing grace.
Opening Hymn- Gathered Here - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:31)
Call to Worship and Welcome- Sherry Merriam (5:04)
Time for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (13:10)
Welcoming New Members Ritual- Jeff Snyder, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Liz Farmer (19:53)
Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (28:38)
Giving and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (36:01)
Wisdom Story- The Parable of the Lost Spoons- Sherry Merriam (40:31)
Amthem- Building Bridges- Paolo Dubuque and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (42:02)
Message- Staying at the Table Starts with Grace- Rev. Arif Mamdani (46:04)
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us - Paolo Dubuque and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:00:56)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (1:02:57)
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)
"The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live."
- Joy Harjo
Our spiritual gathering - much like a meal at a table, nourishes us, but also requires our participation. How does this 'meal' feed us and what does it ask of us in return? There might be instances that provoke us to consider leaving this 'table'. Yet, when should such a step become the necessary course?
Addressing our relevance in the contemporary world, why do we choose to belong to the church today? And how do we ready ourselves and our community for the church love calls us now to become? What do we do with our own resistance?
Our journey is about growing faith into real resilience, cultivating the skills we need to navigate challenging exchanges and open ourselves to evolving perspectives.
In worship this Sunday, we connect with our spiritual community to mutually nourish and learn from one another, to remember why we’re here, to gather the tools we need for a future arriving already and always. We warmly invite you to join us in this journey of self-discovery and collective growth. In staying at the table, we're choosing to make a difference, together.
Singing to Gather- We Are a Tower of Strength- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:30)
Introduction and Hymn- We Shall Not Be Moved- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:51)
Call to Worship and Welcome- Meleah Houseknecht (10:06)
Hymn- Somos el Barco- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (18:39)
Time for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:06)
Introducing the Contreras Family - Rev. Jen Crow (28:09)
Offertory- Ordinary People by John Legend - Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (35:44)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (40:34)
Wisdom Story- The Coal- Meleah Houseknecht (46:36)
Message- Staying At the Table Makes All the Difference- Rev. Jen Crow (49:48)
Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:08:27)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:09:56)
Outro Music- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
In a dynamic, multi-generational community, wisdom flows in every direction, reminding us to value the experiences of others to gain a broader understanding of life. It is important to break free from the belief that only older people have wisdom, as this limits our personal growth and potential.
Recently, our youth returned from a trip to Boston, a city rich in Unitarian Universalism history, and their fresh perspectives and thought-provoking questions are reshaping our understanding of our common faith. Through their encounters with our traditions, legends, and seminarians, their connection to our faith and our spiritual community deepens. Their reflections are sure to have a profound impact on your journey, too.
Opening Hymn- Centering Prayer by The Porter's Gate- Allison Connelly-Vetter (:32)
Call to Worship and Welcome- Nancy Nyquist Potter (5:34)
Boston Pilgrimage Introduction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:18)
Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Jen Crow (18:28)
Hymn- Lean On Me by Bill Withers- Ani Peichel and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, piano (19:53)
Story for All Ages- Rasana Mandani (23:40)
Prayer- Rev. Jen Crow (29:41)
Invitation to Giving and Receiving- Jo Murphy (37:05)
Homilies by Rasana Mamdani, Isla Mysenburg, and Max Rosielle (37:45)
Hymn- #1064 Blue Boat Home (50:22)
Benediction- Rasana Mamdani (53:13)
Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, piano
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
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
“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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Paolo Dubuque and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout talk about re-imagining musical ensembles and using collaborative music to change the world. We make music together for a finale of sorts we’re calling We are the ones, after June Jordan’s famous end to her poem, “Poem for South African Women.” Together, we make music as a community (that’s right–the featured artist is you! But shhhhh…it’s a surprise.), and we explore the rich relationships and stories of American singing over centuries, across cultures. You’ll hear reflections on the Music Listening Session results. And we embrace the calling of this new day–for communities of justice to know the power of their own voice, and to build up beauty in the world starting from within.
Music for Gathering- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:28)
Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (9:14)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (16:17)
Singing Together- The Way Knows the Way- Shelley Des Islets and Dr. GTR (18:41)
Singing Together- With You- Shelley Des Islets and Dr. GTR (25:55)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Ashley Harness (27:59)
Field Trip through our Hymnals- Dr. GTR (31:45)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (41:12)
Offertory/Singing Together- (43:28)
Regarding Choir- Dr. GTR (51:51)
Conversation with Paolo Dubuque- (1:05:54)
Benediction- Dr. GTR (1:20:00)
Each Sunday in July, worship will feature artists and musicians sharing their craft and some reflections on how their art is connected to their spirituality. We continue this worship series with musician, composer, and First U Member, Ellis Delaney. Ellis is at once funny and wise, thoughtful and uninhibited, with a captivating voice that is matched by tender, sometimes funny, uplifting lyrics. Their music is transformational; leaving audiences feeling better, with softened edges & opened hearts.
Music for Gathering and Words of Welome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:19)
Story for All Ages- Dinosaur Air by Rev. Nancy Shaffer (24:21)
Hymn- Building Bridges Between Our Divisions- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (26:15)
Meditation, Prayer, and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (33:08)
Message- "Art & Soul" with Ellis Delaney (39:44)
Transition Music- Prelude in C- The Well-Tempered Clavier (1:14:23)
"Art & Soul" with Ellis Delaney- Continued Conversation (1:18:55)
Each Sunday in July, worship will feature artists and musicians sharing their craft and some reflections on how their art is connected to their spirituality. We continue this worship series with two artists who meditate on rhythm, form, repetition, and healing in this world and in worlds beyond our initial perceptions: musician Davu Seru and sculptural basketweaver (and First U member) Martha Bird.
Singing to Gather- Now Let Us Sing- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant (:28)
Call to Worship- The Larger Circle by Wendell Berry- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (8:27)
Poem and Prayer- Bring Your Broken Hallelujah by Theresa I. Soto- Rev. Ashley Harness (14:56)
Message- Art & Soul with Martha Bird (19:59)
Practice of Generosity- Rev. Ashley Harness (42:25)
Offertory- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (44:27)
Message- Art & Soul with Davu Seru (46:47)
Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:13:06)
Each Sunday in July, worship will feature a different local musician sharing their music and some reflections on how their art is connected to their spirituality. Dean Magraw is a consummate guitarist, playing with wit and soulful abandon. A performer like no other, he is part-comedian, part-philosopher and all-around musical genius. This past Sunday, he and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout talked poetry, impressionists, and John Coltrane.
- Please note significant cuts and edits have been made due to poor original sound quality.
Opening Hymn- How Can I Keep from Singing? (:24)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:48)
Poem- Monet Refuses the Operation by Liesel Mueller (10:30)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (13:39)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (18:54)
Offertory- Dean Magraw (22:38)
Message- Art and Soul: Music and Conversations with Dean Magraw (23:09)
Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (48:51)
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)
On and on, the circle of love, welcome, learning and inclusion expands. What spiritual practices, orientations of the heart, imagination and shared work is needed if we are to move with and continue to stretch that circle? This Sunday, June 18, Lauren Wyeth, Director of Spiritual Growth for All Ages, shares stories and reflections on her learning, and her charge, for us as she prepares to depart.
Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:31)
Call to Worship- Rev. Jen Crow (10:06)
Time for All Ages- Aimee K. Bryant (16:41)
Prayer, Silence, Song- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (23:24)
Practice of Generosity- Rev. Arif Mamdani (33:31)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (34:52)
Preparing for the Message- Franco Holder, piano (37:24)
Message- Freedom to Move- Lauren Wyeth (40:55)
Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love (1:03:53)
Parting Blessing- Rev. Jen Crow (1:05:38)
Music for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
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)
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)
Our humanist roots encourage us to believe in “the common good” as reliably universal–a value that, deep down inside, we all share. What do we do when our experiences of life challenge this idea? The humanist influences of our faith date back centuries to African, Chinese, South Asian and European philosophers. But what kind of humanism do we need in America today?
Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:24)
Words of Welcome- Lóre Stevens (8:38)
Singing Together- Hold Everybody Up by Melanie DeMore- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:15)
Meditation and Prayer- Lóre Stevens (14:51)
Singing Together - Praise the Source of Faith and Learning- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:05)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (28:20)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (31:00)
Message- Hear the Earth Call: A New American Humanism- Rev. Karen Hutt (32:49)
Singing Together- Woyaya - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (58:22)
Benediction- Rev. Karen Hutt (1:00:32)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote that “Love, like a carefully loaded ship, crosses the gulf between the generations.” This Sunday, love will make its way across the generations as we dedicate our children, welcome the wisdom of our Coming of Age youth, and care for each other in times of celebration and grief.
Singing to Gather- Gather the Spirit- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder (:29)
Call to Worship and Words of Welcome- Lauren Wyeth, Rev. Jen Crow, Lóre Stevens, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (4:11)
Hymn- Come, Sing a Song With Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder (8:43)
Child Dedication Ceremony- Lauren Wyeth, Rev. Jen Crow, Lóre Stevens (12:14)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (15:24)
Chant- I Will Be Your Standing Stone- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:31)
Coming of Age Spiritual Statements- Lóre Stevens, Max, Isla, Rasana, Rev. Jen Crow (26:38)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Lóre Stevens (46:25)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (49:52)
Singing Together- Make Channels for the Streams of Love- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (52:32)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (54:29)
Music for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
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)
The Zen practice of shoshin calls us each to bring a “beginner’s mind” to every day we live. This Sunday, as we celebrate how our community has grown with new members, we are reminded to bring this same spirit to our relationships with one another. We can know each other more deeply with fresh curiosity. We can deepen our bonds with fresh compassion. We can build a stronger “we” when each of us takes every opportunity to “tell our story from deep inside and listen with a loving mind.”
Opening Hymn- When Our Heart Is In a Holy Place - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:27)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Ashley Harness (2:59)
New Member Welcome- Come, Come, Whoever You Are- Liz Farmer, Matt Keller, Daryn Woodson (9:04)
Singing Together- Turn the World Around - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (22:03)
Meditation Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (26:28)
Message- All Beginners Here- Liz Farmer (35:54)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (45:31)
Offertory- Franco Holder (47:28)
Singing Together- The Fire of Committment - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (49:17)
Benediction- Liz Farmer (52:38)
Song for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
The Environmental Justice Team from First Universalist Church leads us through an Earth Day service that invites us to consider what it is that we love in this natural world, and why and how we might get more involved in fighting for it. Join us this Sunday as the team ministers to us through music, story, and personal narrative, and helps chart a pathway of hope for how we might more fully live into our interdependence with the web of existence of which we are a part.
Opening Hymn- For the Beauty of the Earth- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder, piano (:30)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (2:53)
Land Acknowledgement- Susan Keller (9:16)
Call to Worship- Bob Freidman (10:39)
Time for All Ages- Cathy Geist (13:53)
Singing Together- Wake Now My Senses- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder, piano (20:59)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:33)
Invitation to Give- Stan Sattinger (31:02)
Message- Hot for Climate- Alix Dvorak (32:56)
Closing Hymn- The Oneness of Everything- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder, piano (55:11)
Benediction- Alix Dvorak (59:10)
Outro Music- Where You Go Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
62 years ago this week, the first human being went to outer space! Our perspective as Earthlings has never been the same. Life on Earth is the part of the cosmos which relentlessly resurrects. How can we become more responsible stewards of the seeds of Life, both on and beyond Earth? This Sunday, April 16, We invite you to bring the seed paper and annual giving commitment cards which you received in your annual giving campaign packet to share blessings and aspirations!
Opening Hymn- Blue Boat Home (:18)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Lóre Stevens (1:31)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani and Lauren Wyeth (6:09)
Hymn- This Little Light of Mine (18:03)
Silence and Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:07)
Practice of Giving and Receiving (28:55)
Offertory- by James Williams; Franco Holder, piano (29:46)
Hymn- Rising Green (31:49)
Message- Only We Are Earthseed- Lóre Stevens (34:42)
Hymn- Touch the Earth, Reach the Sky (49:05)
Benediction- Lóre Stevens (51:26)
With and without our permission and participation, life is forever seeking resurrection. Relentlessly, life finds a way in the harshest of circumstances, and even out of death comes new life. How might we join with this turning toward life? And how might we rebuild and resurrect ourselves, our relationships, and even this church in the shape of beloved community through our everyday actions? Join us on this multigenerational Sunday as we lean into these questions through story, song, and ritual.
Opening Hymn- Morning Has Come- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:30)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Ashley Harness (4:40)
Singing Together- Allelu, Allelu- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (10:07)
Meditation and Prayer- Rev. Ashley Harness (16:45)
Invitation to Give and Receieve- Rev. Ashley Harness (19:23)
Offertory- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (20:22)
Ritual Stations- Rev. Jen Crow, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, and Aimee K. Bryant (23:52)
Benediction- from The Book of Delights by Ross Gay- Rev. Jen Crow (46:16)
Postlude- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab (
As we make the sometimes slow and halting turn toward spring and the emergence of new life, we continue our journey of pausing to pay attention. Together, we pick up the practice of noticing and naming the changes and losses among us and tentatively begin to trust again the turning and motion that life offers. This Sunday, April 2 we join each other in the collective practice of letting go as we do our part to make room for all that is about to emerge.
Opening Hymn- Open the Window- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (:22)
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Jen Crow (5:11)
Story for All Ages- Little Mole Finds Hope by Glenys Nellist (12:47)
Singing Together- There's a River Flowin' in my Soul - Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (17:09)
Poem- The Thing Is by Ellen Bass- Rev. Jen Crow (20:03)
Singing- A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (21:20)
Message- Trusting Life- Rev. Jen Crow (25:47)
Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (42:45)
Reflection on Giving- Kerstin Beyer Lajuzan (51:23)
Offertory- Franco Holder (59:32)
Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (1:01:31)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:03:06)
Postlude- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
This isn’t a crisis, this is your life.
These wise words arrived at my mental doorstep a few weeks back, and they stopped me in my tracks. How might I – and we – make space to breathe and reflect, to name and collectively acknowledge the losses and changes that have impacted us all in different ways over the last three years?
Opening Hymn- Come Sing a Song With Me(:29)
Words of Welcome & Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:02)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Jen Crow (7:51)
Breathing Meditation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (17:47)
Message- This Isn't a Crisis; This is Your Life- Rev. Jen Crow (23:11)
Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (52:28)
Reflection on Stewardship- Shelley des Islets- (57:14)
Invitation to Give and Receive- Rev. Ashley Harness (1:03:18)
Offertory- Light of a Clear Blue Morning by Dolly Parton- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:04:13)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:08:51)
As Unitarian Universalists, we make covenants all the time. Our relational faith is built on covenant. Join us as we explore what it means to make horizontal and vertical promises to each other and to the oneness of mystery.
Prelude- Seasons of Love, Franco Holder, piano (:23)
Opening Hymn- Gathered Here- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:14)
Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Jen Crow (5:35)
Story for All Ages (11:40)
Meditation and Cycle of Life - Rev. Jen Crow (16:30)
Hymn- For the Earth Forever Turning (23:13)
Reflection on Annual Giving- Ginny MacAninch (26:16)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Jen Crow (30:21)
Offertory- The Lovers’ Celebration by James Williams- Franco Holder, piano (32:03)
Reading- from The Sacred Depths of Nature by Ursula Goodenough (34:13)
Anthem- What Wondrous Love is This, setting by John Carter- Franco Holder, piano (37:05)
Message- Guest Minister (39:47)
Hymn- Woyaya (54:04)
Benediction (56:49)
Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
Robin Wall Kimmerer says that our deepest longing is to belong to each other and to belong to the larger community of life. She says that this longing is expressed in the idea of tending a garden, which is itself an expression of belonging on many different scales. There is a persistence in this belonging—one that speaks to us of our lives here, together at church, and of the audacity to plant seeds that will nourish the generations that come after us, knowing that we have been fed by work of the generations that came before. This too is tending a garden, and is itself an expression of belonging and extending belonging. As we continue with this month’s theme of persistence, we’ll journey with stories of planting and harvesting, wondering about which part of this collective garden we tend, and what seeds we’re planting for our future.
Music for Gathering and Opening Hymn- Gather the Spirit (:24)
Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Arif Mamdani (4:18)
Story for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:26)
Centering Prayer and Meditation- from Robin Wall Kimmerer- Rev. Ashley Harness (15:40)
Singing Together- Morning Has Broken (19:18)
Annual Giving Reflection- Meleah Houseknecht (21:36)
Invitation to Give and Receive- Rev. Arif Mamdani (24:09)
Offertory- Garden Song by John Denver- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (25:47)
Message- The Seeds We Plant- Rev. Arif Mamdani (29:12)
Singing Together- Blue Boat Home (44:43)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (47:52)
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
This Sunday, February 26, we close our February worship series on “Commitment” with a focus on what our bodies have to teach us. We will commit to practicing embodying our original Belovedness and also sit with the inevitable vulnerability of bodies– our own and each others’. As a part of these practices, we will also honor the anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death and the founding of the Movement for Black Lives.
Singing to Gather- Breaths(1:21)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Ashley Harness (6:27)
Invitation to Visionary Goals Process- Christa Anders (8:51)
Call to Worship- Rev. Ashley Harness (11:56)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Arif Mamdani (14:00)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (25:49)
Practice of Generosity- Rev. Arif Mamdani (34:53)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano (37:00)
Message- Embodying Belovedness- Rev. Ashley Harness (41:15)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (59:06)
Singing Together- Where You Go, I Will Go by Shoshanna Jedwab
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)
Multiple choice question:
Who said: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”?
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Theodore Parker
- None of the above
This Sunday morning we learn the answer, not just for this question but more so for what these ministers and theologians had to say to Unitarians and Universalists in the past, and what their words say to us today. In particular, how do their words point us toward two essential movements in our spiritual and religious lives and what do they call us to today?
Music for Gathering- by composer Robert Glasper- Franco Holder (:22)
Welcome - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (4:50)
Singing Together- Guide My Feet (9:17)
Reading- Practice by Omar Bronson- Rev. Ashley Harness (15:19)
Hymn- My Life Flows on in Endless Song (18:12)
Loving Kindness Meditation- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (26:47)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (36:08)
Offertory- Franco Holder (37:16)
Message- Are We Sleeping Through a Revolution?- Rev. Arif Mamdani (40:43)
Hymn- Make Channels for the Streams of Love (1:08:52)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (1:10:19)
Music for Going- Where You Go, I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab
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
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)
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)
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
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
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
Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Cummins Ministerial Intern Lóre Stevens, and Rev. Arif Mamdani invite you to Christmas morning at church, where our worship leaders will be gathered by the fire opening presents together—presents we are gifting to ourselves and to the church as we work to bring the spirit of these winter holidays into the day-to-day of our lives all throughout the year.
Music for Gathering- For Each Child That's Born- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:24)
Words of Welcome and Story- Rev. Arif Mamdani (1:09)
Singing Together- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (7:58)
Prayer and Meditation- Lóre Stevens (10:09)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (12:25)
Offertory- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout
Reading- Relentless by Sean Parker Dennison- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (14:42)
Giving and Receiving Gifts- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Lóre Stevens, and Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:47)
Singing Together- Say Amen- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (41:07)
Benediction- Now the Work of Christmas Begins by Howard Thurman- Lóre Stevens (42:58)
Music for Going- Where You Go I Will Go, Beloved by Shoshana Jedwab- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout
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)
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)
Winter is a time of turning inward, a time where the nights are longer and so too is our time for dreaming.
December is a month in which we experience ever shorter days, the longest night, and then the turning toward the long days of summer again. It is also a month in which some amongst us share stories about a light that held out against hope and others tell of the coming of a singular light to the world.
As we begin this time of beginnings, as we enter this month of waiting, of dreaming, of telling stories and remembering in our bones the turning of the earth, the turning of the seasons, and the turning of our tradition, we gather on Sunday to start at the beginning. We’ll revisit beginnings, wonder about what came before the beginning, where we’re situated in the line of beginnings and endings, and incline our hearts toward what we hear when we’re dreaming in the dark.
Singing to Gather- Come Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing (:30)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (1:20)
Time for All Ages- Rev. Jen Crow (8:58)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (16:18)
Message- Waiting for the Coming Dreams- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:21)
Holiday Giving Introduction- Isabel Quast (44:55)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano
Hymn- Blue Boat Home (50:41)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (53:38)
On this multigenerational Sunday, our shared attention will turn to the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, a practice created and shared by the indigenous people of the Turtle Clan, Wolf Clan, and Mohawk tribe. This practice invites us to begin and end our days with gratitude, and together we will experiment and wonder about how we might choose to begin and end our days, and how we and our relationships might be changed by our practices.
Intro- Ashgrove (Welsh Tune)- Franco Holder, piano
Hymn- We Give Thanks (1:43)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:19)
Singing Together- The Welcome Table (7:42)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (11:36)
Gratitude Ritual- Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address- Rev. Jen Crow, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, members of the congregation (17:54)
Practice of Giving- Rev. Jen Crow (40:11)
Offertory- You Matter to Me by Sara Bareillis- Franco Holder, piano (44:56)
Singing Together- For the Earth Forever Turning
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (49:58)
This Sunday, Nov. 20, we will celebrate the miracle that is at the center of our larger story and the cycle of life. We will welcome, name, and dedicate ourselves to the care of children in our congregation through a Child Dedication Ritual. Together we will discern and practice the spiritual work of committing ourselves to the care of our youngest and making room for the people they will become over the course their lives.
Singing to Gather- Come, Come Whoever You Are
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (2:21)
Child Dedication Ritual- Lauren Wyeth, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Ashley Harness (7:47)
Silence, Meditation, Prayer- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (15:09)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (22:46)
Offertory- Glen Thomas Rideout (25:36)
Message- Becoming Together- Rev. Ashley Harness (26:56)
Benediction- Rev. Ashley Harness (42:13)
We are members of many things: families, gyms, affinity groups, and faith communities. Our culture likes us to think of “membership” as an administrative task: a series of tasks that lead us to checking off a box. This Sunday, November 13, we welcome and celebrate the commitment of our newest members of First Universalist, and invite you into reflecting on- and participating in!- membership as a creative, relational process, one in which we change and by which we are changed by the company we keep.
Hymn for Gathering- Morning Has Come- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:29)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (7:52)
Time for All Ages- The Messiah Lives Among You- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (14:46)
Hymn- Woyaya- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (20:37)
Prayer, Meditation, Cycle of Life - Rev. Jen Crow (25:49)
Offertory- What Wonderous Love is This- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (35:27)
New Member Ceremony- Liz Farmer, Rebecca Slaby, Daryn Woodson (38:35)
Singing Together- Come and Go With Me- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (45:24)
Homily- The Company We Keep- Liz Farmer (48:12)
Singing Together- Be Thou My Vision- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (57:04)
Benediction- Liz Farmer (1:03:02)
This Sunday, November 6, we open the theme of “Giving, Receiving (as love shows us how).” We’ll enter the theme through the Tonglen practice, a Buddhist practice that invites us to open our hearts and spirits to giving and receiving and in doing so, soften our hearts and live more deeply into the experience of our interdependence. Drawing on the work of rev. angel Kyodo Williams and Lama Rod Owens, we’ll have time for practice, song, and reflection as love leads the way.
Opening Hymn- Wake Now My Senses- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (:21)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (2:32)
Time for All Ages- Aimee K. Bryant (6:00)
Meditation and Prayer- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Rev. Ashley Harness (11:13)
Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Ashley Harness (19:12)
Mesage- The Practice of Giving and Receiving- Rev. Arif Mamdani (22:49)
Tonglen Practice- Rev. Arif Mamdani (33:38)
Singing Together- Filled with Loving Kindness- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (44:42)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (47:43)
As our monthly worship theme of “You Can Count On This,” comes to a close this week, we’ll turn our attention to the practices of Universalism. Our faith tradition claims a love so strong it will not let any one of us go and a circle so wide that everyone is included, but how do we put that faith into practice in our lives, our congregations, and our communities? You can count on this: the spiritual practices of our faith may not be easy, but they are liberating and life-giving.
Singing to Gather- Breaths by Ysaye M. Barnwell- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (:30)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (6:42)
Hymn- Hold Everybody Up by Melanie Demore- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (14:35)
Embodyment Practice- Aimee K. Bryant (17:53)
Song- Circle 'Round for Freedom- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (27:02)
Story and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness (30:09)
Practice of Giving- Rev. Ashley Harness (36:36)
Offertory- Ordinary People by John Legend (37:41)
Message- Drawing the Circle- Rev. Jen Crow (42:43)
Singing Meditation- There Is a Love by Elizabeth Norton- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (55:57)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (58:35)
As we continue exploring our monthly theme, "You Can Count on This," we move from heart, body, and mind to…space? Many may wonder how the vast field of galaxies can be counted on. But our ancestors have always traced stories onto constellations. Humanity navigated dangerous waters using those reliable but distant stars. During our own times of loss and alienation, how can the mysterious, interdependent universe provide solace and hope?
Singing to Gather- We Are- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder (:29)
Poem by Nancy Scaffer (3:34)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (5:18)
Story for All Ages- Quilatzli and the River of Stars- by Lóre Stevens, inspired by Aztec and Greek mythology (10:38)
Body Meditation- Michael Tangen (16:02)
Body Prayer- Lóre Stevens (20:04)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Ashley Harness-Jiminez (22:25)
Invitation to Give - Rev. Ashley Harness-Jiminez (27:33)
Offertoty- Into the West by STØLACE- Michael Tangen (31:35)
Homily- A River of Stars- Lóre Stevens (40:44)
Hymn- A Firemist and a Planet - Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (50:43)
Benediction- Lóre Stevens (53:57)
This Sunday, October 16 is Mental Health Sunday, a service where we commit ourselves to creating a world where struggles with mental health are normalized and where seeking mental health care is destigmatized. Through word, song, and ritual we will make visible these commitments of our hearts, bodies, and minds, knowing that mental health care is something we all need access to, and that while not all illness can be cured, in community, we all can find healing.
Opening Hymn- Come Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:28)
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (3:17)
Story for All Ages- Rev. Ashley Harness-Jiminez (9:56)
Hymn- I've Got Peace Like a River- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (17:43)
Meditation and Message- Rev. Arif Mamdani, Carol Jackson (22:14)
Ritual (32:14)
Song- Sending You Light by Melanie DeMore- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (49:55)
Singing Together- For All that is Our Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (53:26)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (56:08)
As we continue our exploration of the theme, “You Can Count On This,” we turn our attention to our bodies this week. Sources of ancient wisdom carried deep within our bones, sources of comfort, pleasure, pain, joy, grief, and frustration – our bodies hold so much. Through story, prayer, music, poetry and shared breath, we’ll explore the wisdom of the body this week.
Singing to Gather- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder (:51)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (7:26)
Story for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (13:07)
Singing- This Little Light of Mine-Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder (19:54)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Jen Crow (23:43)
Practice of Giving- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (31:07)
Message- What We Need Is Here- Lauren Wyeth, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Rev. Jen Crow (35:55)
Chant- What We Need Is Here- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (55:48)
Benediction- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (1:00:20)
As we begin our exploration of the monthly theme, “You Can Count On This,” we’ll start with our hearts. What do our hearts tell us, and how do we listen? Where and with whom do we place our hearts? And what do we do with the inevitable heartbreak that comes? We’ll explore all of these questions and more through stories, songs, meditation, and prayer together.
Singing Together- Circle 'Round for Freedom (:28)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (1:35)
Story for All Ages- Rev. Ashley Harness (8:54)
Hymn- Lean On Me by Bill Withers- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (14:33)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (23:02)
Practice of Giving- Rev. Jen Crow (37:45)
Offertory- Franco Holder, piano
Message- The Heart Left Open Will Heal Itself- Rev. Jen Crow (42:50)
Benediction- Rev. Jen Crow (1:01:39)
Outro- Franco Holder, piano
Rumi and Jung agree on at least one thing: paradox is our greatest spiritual gift.
As Rumi notes:
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn’t make any sense.
And isn’t that what we long for – that space of paradox, out beyond rightdoing and wrongdoing, beyond belonging where event the phrase each other doesn’t make any sense?
This Sunday, we explore the topography of belonging and the paths that may or may not get us where we long to be.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:40)
Story- The Green Grass Grows All Around- Lóre Stevens (7:38)
Prayer and Silence- Rev. Arif Mamdani (10:41)
Practice of Giving: Beacon Interfaith Housing- Lóre Stevens (19:32)
Message- A Topography of Belonging- Rev. Arif Mamdani (22:41)
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us- Franco Holder, piano (38:43)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (40:22)
The dream has been alive for years – Beloved Community. A place, a people, a moment in time when we might truly be, as our Visionary Goal proclaims, “a multi-racial, multicultural, and intergenerational faith community of mutual caring and support where people bring all of who they are and welcome each other with joy. Our sense of who we are as a community of faith is ever expanding.” What does it mean to belong to that Beloved Community, and what will be required of us as we unlearn soul-killing patterns of oppression and practice liberating, life-sustaining ways? What does it mean to belong to this Beloved Community?
Music for Gathering- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:19)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (3:42)
Call to Worship- To Be of Use by Marge Piercy- Lóre Stevens (16:18)
Story for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (18:26)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (26:11)
Practice of Giving- Rev. Jen Crow (33:28)
Celebrating Rev. Jen's Ten Years- Rev. Sara Smalley and the Team (37:17)
Message- Belonging to Beloved Community- Rev. Jen Crow (44:30)
Music for Going- Love Will Guide Us (1:03:05)
We are water. 60% give or take, and about as salty as the ocean. So at least metaphorically, each of us is a body of water. When we gather in community, it is as if each of us is a drop in a larger body of water, held by the vessel that is our church. Our Water Communion and in-gathering service invites us to experience the truth of our interconnection through ritual, word, and song.
Singing Together- Love Will Guide Us (:30)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (2:36)
Invitation to Give- Lauren Wyeth (10:13)
Silence, Prayer, and Cycle of Life- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (12:45)
Water Communion Ritual - Rev. Arif Mamdani, Rev. Jen Crow, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:42)
Singing Together- For the Earth Forever Turning (44:42)
Benediction- Rev. Arif Mamdani (47:02)
piano- Franco Holder
What can architects, masons, and the sound of water teach us about crafting a home by hand? And what do rivers remind us about living a life in motion and movement? Join us for worship with guest worship leader, Matt Meyer.
Matt is a musician and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston.
Music for Gathering- Water Heal my Body by Coco Love Alcorn- Matt Meyer and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:30)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (1:38)
Call to Worship- from At the River Clarion by Mary Oliver- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (10:39)
Song- Put Your Roots Down by Molly Hartwell- Matt Meyer (12:33)
Story- Desmond Gets Free by Matt Meyer (17:45)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (25:53)
Invitation to Give- Lóre Stevens (32:45)
Offertory- Ilu Finu by Miriam Margles- Matt Meyer
Reading- 250 Things an Architect Should Know by Michael Sorkin - Matt Meyer and Lóre Stevens (36:26)
Song- There's a River Flowin' in my Soul by Faya Ora Rose Touré (39:14)
Message- Homemade by the River- Matt Meyer (42:50)
Song for Going and Benediction - Where You Go I Will Go by Shoshana Jedwab- Matt Meyer (59:36)
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)
The equation for calculating price per unit is a simple one, handy for finding the best value at a store. Yet trying to fit our values and Principles into that equation complicates it quite a bit. In this time of rainbow capitalism, performative activism, and faltering progress, let us double check our trajectory. Are we on our way to the heaven on earth Universalists dreamed of, or do we need a new equation? Join us this Sunday as we welcome guest preacher Nico Van Ostrand, who will lead worship along with Rev. Kate Tucker, Lauren Wyeth, Aimee K. Bryant, and pianist Barb Brooks.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:30)
Time for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (4:13)
Hymn- Gather the Spirit (7:45)
Reflection and Prayer- Rev. Kate Tucker (8:54)
Message- BOGO Worth and Dignity- Nico Van Ostrand (12:39)
Invitation to Give to CLNE- Rev. Kate Tucker (26:26)
Benediction- Rev. Kate Tucker (27:28)
On Sunday, June 12, our choir and orchestra will take us on a journey that’s both deep and wide. We’ll celebrate the human spirit as it moves through struggle and sadness to healing and hope. It’s a journey of discovery, it’s a story of resilience, and it’s an offering to (and from) our community of faith.
All music performed by First Universalist Choir and Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Randal Buikema
Words of Welcome- Rev. Kate Tucker (:19)
Duel of the Fates by John Williams, arr. Keith Christopher and Eric Anderson (6:40)
Hymn for Hurting by Amanda Gorman- Lisa Weiland (10:42)
More Love by Jan Richardson- Nancy Gaschott (12:06)
Ein Deutsches Requiem, mvt. 1 by Johannes Brahms (12:35)
The Thing Is by Ellen Bass- Shelley Des Islets (22:07)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Kate Tucker (23:14)
Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver- LouAnn Lanning (26:26)
May I Reach by George Elliot- Gail Griffin (27:15)
Sogno di Volare by Christopher Tin (27:51)
High Flight by John Gillespie Maggie, Jr.- Ray Dillon (32:02)
Sure On This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen (33:09)
I Believe by Alok Menon- Libby Crawford (37:57)
99 years ago, almost to the day, Rev. Norbert Capek led the first Flower Communion ritual. He developed it then, and we observe it today, as a ritual of giving and receiving, of connecting with the beauty in each of us, and the bigger story of that beauty when we come together in community, in fellowship, and in the spirit of love that is this church. We’ll have music from Dean Magraw and his band, and a special guest vocalist, Thomasina Petrus.
Prelude- Feelin' Good by Nina Simone- Dean Magraw, guitar; Thomasina Petrus, vocals; and the band
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (3:13)
Time for All Ages- Saying Goodbye to Julica (12:18)
Flower Communion Ritual- Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:15)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (28:51)
Homily- Rev. Jen Crow (31:42)
Invitation to Give- Rev. Jen Crow (38:28)
Benediction- Summertime by Miles Davis- Thomasina Petrus, Dean Magraw and the band (41:15)
Almost 30 years ago, First Universalist Church dared to dream of a physical space that might mirror our mission – a place where there would always be room for one more, where our sense of who we are is ever-expanding, a building that might embody a love that will not let anyone go. This Sunday, May 15, we celebrate the completion of our capital project, Not for Ourselves Alone: Building an Inclusive Future, as we welcome everybody in and say thank you to our past, present, and future selves.
Music for Gathering- Everybody In- Peter Mayer (:30)
Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Arif Mamdani (5:19)
Wisdom Story- Rev. Jen Crow (12:02)
Meditation and Prayer- Peter Mayer and Rev. Arif Mamdani (20:59)
Message- Everybody In- Rev. Jen Crow (33:49)
Gratitudes and Celebration- Rev. Jen Crow (39:41)
Invitation to Give- Rev. Jen Crow (55:23)
Music for Going- The Wonder- Peter Mayer
This Sunday, May 8, we will celebrate the miracle that is at the center of our larger story and the cycle of life. We will welcome, name, and dedicate ourselves to the care of children in our congregation through a Child Dedication Ritual.
Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Jen Crow (:20)
Call to Worship- First Universalist 6th Graders (6:26)
Child Naming and Dedication Ritual- Lauren Wyeth, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani (10:58)
Hymn- Come, Come Whoever You Are- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (18:41)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (19:47)
Message- A Big Enough Story- Lauren Wyeth (27:11)
Invitation to Give- Rev. Jen Crow (39:31)
Benediction- Lauren Wyeth (42:05)
This Sunday, May 1, we celebrate the culmination of Earth Week and honor the mutual commitment between members and community in the ongoing story of this congregation. Join us to explore the sacred trust we hold to create a sustainable future for our children and our children’s children, and to celebrate how our collective breath, prayer, activism, and meaning making reflect the roots of our community, like those in a forest, deeply intertwined. And don’t miss the next installment of the acorn story, “The Wood Wide Web.” The young acorns in our community will welcome new members, and keep encouraging us all to sprout and grow together.
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Meg Riley, Dallas Rising (:30)
Anthem- Earth Song by Frank Ticheli- First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randy Buikema, conductor (2:52)
Time for All Ages/New Member Ceremony- Liz Farmer, Daryn Wodson, Rev. Meg Riley (6:32)
Hymn- Blue Boat Home (15:17)
Message- Our Sacred Trust- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (18:22)
Song- What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (44:34)
In Unitarian Universalism, our congregations, and specifically the members of our congregations, are the only body that can ordain a minister, calling out and lifting up one whose ministry is formally recognized and named in the act of ordination. This Sunday, we gather to formally lift up the ministry of Stephanie Vos. Through word, song, and story, we’ll share some of her journey, tell a bigger story about what ministry can be in the world, and formally ordain Stephanie to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Join us for this joyous and celebratory service.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:31)
Interlude- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder
Call to Worship- from Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer- Cedar Schimke (6:39)
Time for All Ages- Toolbox of Faith- Lauren Wyeth (9:24)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (16:42)
Homily- Rev. Jen Crow on behalf of Rev. Karen Hutt (21:06)
Invitation to Give to the Living Tradition Fund of the UUA (34:47)
The Ordination of Stephanie Vos- Daryn Woodson, Rev. Jen Crow, Rev. Arif Mamdani (37:08)
Hymn- Wake Now My Senses (51:30)
Benediction- Rev. Stephanie Vos (53:16)
This Sunday, April 17, we will rise in the fullness of our community – inviting people in every age and stage of life to join together as one body. We’ve designed an Easter church experience with elements to engage the imagination and spirit of every age, with music, rituals, art, and movement that will help us all consider what boulders stand in the way of the flow of love in our life, and how we might remove them, together. Guest musicians Dean Magraw, Ian Young, and JT Bates will join our own Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder as they lead us in soulful songs familiar to young and old.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:20)
Wisdom Story- Stephanie Vos (5:57)
Invation to Ritual Stations- Rev. Jen Crow (8:32)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Lauren Wyeth (17:37)
Homily- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:20)
Chant- We Rise (28:54)
Invitation to Give & Receive- Rev. Arif Mamdani (32:08)
Music Throughout - Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Dean Magraw, Ian Young, and JT Bates
Folks in organizing circles say that Power requires Organized Money and Organized People. This congregation does an excellent job of organizing its money every Sunday, and sharing generously with important partners. What else is possible if we organize our people similarly? What would it take for us to take our organizing and mobilization to the next level? Join us for a dialogue with poets and movement mediators to explore what else might be possible as we get stronger and clearer together. (And don’t miss the next installment in the story series, As The Acorn Sprouts, where our acorns learn to organize!)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Poem- The Butterfly Effect by Rev. Theresa I. Soto (4:09)
Hymn- Come and Go With Me- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (6:40)
Call to Worship- Nancy Jones (9:48)
Story for All Ages- The Acorn Saga continues! (13:03)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (27:04)
Message- Organized People- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (33:29)
Postlude- Building a New Way- Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder
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
We talk a lot about love here. A love that will not let us go. A love that draws a circle so wide that everyone is included. A love that works to end oppression in all of its forms and build beloved community. The Universalist spirit of love and hope. But what does it mean to live a life through the lens of love? This Sunday, as author bell hooks would say in her essential text, it’s all about love.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:20)
Hymn- This Little Light of Mine- Aimee K. Bryant (6:09)
Call to Worship- Peter Kimball (8:03)
Story for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (12:00)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:30)
Sermon- Living Through the Lens of Love- Rev. Jen Crow (22:43)
Piano Throughout- Barb Brooks
In this bigger togetherness, what do you need promised to you?
In this bigger togetherness, what do you promise to those around you?
In this bigger togetherness, what aspirations stretch you to who you want to be?
This Sunday, March 20, let’s talk about covenant and the promises we make, the promises we want made to us, and what it is that we’re reaching for when we covenant together in this ever bigger togetherness.
Words of Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Rev. Arif Mamdani (:30)
Call to Worship- Liz Short (5:01)
Story for All Ages- Worship Leaders (9:01)
Interlude- Come and Go With Me- Libby Turner, Franco Holder (14:43)
Connecting with One Another- Rev. Karen Hutt (17:10)
Message- The Covenant of Covenant- Rev. Arif Mamdani (22:50)
Offertory- Imagine by John Lennon, revised- Libby Turner, Franco Holder (39:38)
Sometimes the swirl of the world, our communities, our lives, is just too much. Rest and stillness are part of the story – and so is change. This Sunday, March 13, we’ll explore what it means to let go of perfection and live in full progress – risky, messy, beautiful becoming.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Celebration of 10 Years with Lauren Wyeth (3:39)
Call to Worship- Liv Dalby (8:17)
Story for All Ages- Acornology, part 2 (15:03)
Interlude- Right on Time- Ellis Delaney
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:26)
Reflection- Todd Pierson (30:33)
Reflection- Claire Tralle (36:38)
Invitiation to Give- Rev. Arif Mamdani (42:17)
All Interludes and Outro music- Ellis Delaney
As we live into new and more expansive ways of being together, what will we hold on to, and what will we release? What fierce and holy imagination will guide us as we drop the ways of being that weigh us down, taking only what we need into a future full of justice, liberation, love and joy for the generations to come?
Prelude- Gather Together- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Franco Holder
Welcome and Call to Worship- Rev. Jen Crow (2:25)
Story for All Ages- Acornology- Lauren Wyeth and the Worship Team (9:19)
Interlude- Building A New Way- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Franco Holder (13:52)
Prayer and Meditation- Rev. Arif Mamdani (16:16)
Message- A Bigger Togetherness- Rev. Jen Crow (28:47)
The first humanists in the United States were people of African descent. They brought with them a philosophy that is rooted in every attempt America has made to envision a more perfect union. This Sunday, we will explore two moments where explicit and implicit humanist constructs informed the movement of human dignity.
Words of Welcome and Call to Worship- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:20)
Community Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (7:53)
Interlude- What's Going On? by Marvin Gaye- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (15:03)
Message- Humanism is Black- Rev. Karen Hutt
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)
In Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown invites us to imagine a future in which we humans have gained the ability to move akin to a flock of starlings, each of us attuned to those around us, able to shift and move in concert with the community(ies) of which we are a part. This Sunday, February 13, we wonder about the wisdom of starlings and how they might inform our lives, and we’ll celebrate and lift up those in the community who volunteer their time and energy in the multidimensional dance of church, making this community the vibrant and radiant place that it is.
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (:30)
Wisdom Story- Lauren Wyeth (7:43)
Ritual of Community Acknowlegement (12:19)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:20)
Homiy- Murmurations- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:17)
Piano throughout- Franco Holder
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)
Guest speaker Vicki Elliott, Executive Director of Mental Health Connect, joins our team of worship leaders this week to talk about her own journey with mental health, how it’s impacted her family, and why it matters that faith communities work to destigmatize mental illness and ensure that everyone has access to the mental health care resources they need.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Call to Worship- Rev. Karen Hutt (9:42)
Blessing for Spiritual Growth- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (18:21)
Paryer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (21:22)
Message- Vicki Elliott, E.D. of Mental Health Connect (27:09)
Vocals throughout- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout
The poet, Audre Lorde, is famous for saying, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Building on this truth, we’ll explore how caring for each other – and allowing ourselves to be cared for by others – can help us expand our ideas of survival and joy beyond the individual and into the community.
Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Story for All Ages- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (9:38)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:31)
Message: Where the River Meets the Sea- Rev. Jen Crow (24:50)
piano and voice- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout
This Sunday, join Rev. Ashley Horan and Julica Hermann de la Fuente for a conversation about the lessons and ongoing challenges in our racial justice work, discussed through the lens of MLK’s legacy. As we once again meet online only to help each other and our broader community stay safe, we will leverage the chat in Zoom and talk with each other about this important work. In the first half of the message, Julica and Ashley will have a conversation with each other, and then you will be invited to share questions via the chat. Children and youth will also have a chance to share their thoughts during the time for all ages. Join us on Zoom for this interactive service as we continue to center the liberation and joy of Black and Brown people.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (:29)
Call to Worship- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (3:46)
Time for All Ages- Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Rev. Ashley Horan (6:42)
Song- We Are- Aimee K. Bryant and Franco Holder (15:23)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (17:52)
Question Box Message - Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Rev. Ashley Horan (24:49)
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
This Sunday, December 19, we enter into the heart of this question: what does Unitarian Universalism have to say when it all hits the fan? How can our faith and the commitments we hold in common help us to hold together when it all feels like it’s falling apart?
Words of Welcome and Calling Our Ancestors- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Story for All Ages- Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch- Rev. Arif Mamdani (8:19)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:11)
Message- What Does UUism Say to Our Suffering?- Lauren Wyeth (34:52)
voice- Aimee K. Bryant; piano- Franco Holder
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
As we turn into the longest nights of the year, what commitments will shine like stars, helping us navigate through these troubling times? What if we aimed to keep our hearts soft, our hands open, and our boundaries clear? Together we’ll explore how these ways of being might help us live in alignment with our Universalist faith in the spirit of love and hope.
Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:30)
Story for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (8:35)
Anthem- A Christmas Round by John Tavener- First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor (12:49)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Karen Hutt (14:42)
Message- Soft Heart, Open Hands, Clear Boundaries- Rev. Jen Crow (20:57)
piano throughout- Franco Holder
Rev. Jen Crow, Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Isabel Quast, Franco Holder and Aimee K. Bryant lead an intergenerational service of story and song as we invite each other into the spiritual practices of giving and receiving and growing. Come find out more about Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism and our annual Holiday Giving project, and leave lifted up by our collective power that comes together when each of us shares what we can.
Humming Meditation- Aimee K. Bryant (:27)
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (9:48)
Music- Wake Now My Vision- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (18:17)
Story for All Ages and Calling our Ancestors- Rev. Jen Crow (20:12)
Music- Wake Now My Vision- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder (28:45)
Meditation and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (30:16)
Message- Giving, Receiving, as Love Shows Us How- Rev. Jen Crow and Isabel Quast
Outro Music- Aimee K. Bryant and Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout
We celebrate the miracle that is at the center of the larger cycle of life. We welcome and name and dedicate ourselves to the care of nine children in our Child Dedication Ritual – and as we bear sacred witness to these unfolding lives, it is our hope we will see ourselves and each other anew. Each of us born whole and holy and worthy. Each of us important and ordinary and unique. Each of us in need of the larger community of this earth and this church to hold us in rhythm, each with the other.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Karen Hutt (:20)
Story for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (7:27)
Calling Our Ancestors- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (13:23)
Child Dedication Ceremony- Lauren Wyeth and Rev. Karen Hutt (16:52)
Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (22:25)
Anthem- Children Will Listen by Stephen Sondheim, arr. Brymer, First Universalist Choir, Franco Holder, piano, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor (28:23)
Message- Rev. Jen Crow (31:52)
This Sunday, November 14, we welcome new members into our company. Our new members will be formally welcomed during our second service while our first will offer a renewal of membership and a blessing to those joining. Both ceremonies are included on the podcast Whichever service you attend, we invite you to “re-member” what it means to cast our lot with this congregation, day after day, week after week, as we affirm again the threads of connection that bind us to those who came before, and make and remake our faith for the world that is coming.
Words of Welcome- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (:30)
Calling the Ancestors- Julica Hermann de la Fuente and Rev. Arif Mamdani (3:06)
Story for All Ages- The Perfect Club- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (7:58)
Meditation Practice and Cycle of Life- Rev. Arif Mamdani (14:46)
Renewal of Membership Ceremony (9 a.m. service)- Liz Farmer, Daryn Woodson, Rev. Arif Mamdani (23:32)
New Member Ceremony (11 a.m. service) - Daryn Woodson, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Liz Farmer (34:53)
Message- Rev. Arif Mamdani (43:29)
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)
Instead of our usual hour-long worship service, we invite you to join us for a ritual with music by Franco as the centerpiece.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow
Ritual- Franco Holder, pianist
“…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)
We are coming ’round the mountain – heading toward a critical city election, toward more church gatherings possible in person, toward fall and the winter holidays, through another cycle of life. How might we relax into this familiar rhythm and circle round the mountain, orienting ourselves toward what matters most as we travel through unpredictable terrain? We let story and song and the wisdom of the indomitable Nina Simone guide us.
Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:29)
Celebrating 10 Years with Dr. Randal Buikema, Director of Choral Arts (12:23)
Community Prayer and Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (21:38)
Anthem- The Us of Me by David L. Brunner- First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randal Buikema, Franco Holder, piano (27:00)
Message- The Demand of Wholeness- Rev. Jen Crow (33:23)
No matter how many times we make our way through the changes life brings, we may still find ourselves wondering if there isn’t some other way around the mountain. This Sunday, October 10, we explore the cycles and spirals of life while challenging ourselves to grow in compassion and commitment each time we make our way through.
Prelude and Words of Welcome- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (:35)
Story for All Ages- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (14:20)
Song- Break Not the Circle- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout (21:25)
Community Prayer & Cycle of Life- Rev. Jen Crow (25:16)
Message- Are We There Yet?- Rev. Jen Crow (33:37)
Benediction and Postlude (49:08)
Risk is an inherent part of what it means to be human and alive. As we go about our daily lives, we regularly engage in almost automatic calculations where we assess the risk of a particular action and its reward. We try to achieve a balance between perceived benefit and perceived safety. But what happens when we’re confronted with something new? This Sunday, October 3, join your worship team for an exploration of risk and reward and how we can stay open to wisdom, creativity, and possibility even in the face of new challenges.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (1:21)
Hymn- Blue Boat Home,First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor, Franco Holder, piano (5:46)
Story for All Ages- Lauren Wyeth (9:37)
Collective Prayer - Rev. Jen Crow (16:23)
Anthem- O Light, Awaken by Mark Patterson- First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randal Buikema, conductor, Franco Holder, piano
Message- Risking Balance- Rev. Arif Mamdani (25:48)
If we’ve learned anything these last 18 months, we’ve learned that try as we might, we cannot always control how things turn out. If control cannot carry us, then what can? Unitarian Universalist theologian Dr. Sharon Welch suggests that an ethic of risk may be at the center of what allows us to persist in building the world and the lives of love and justice we long for, even in the face of partial victories and continued defeats. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Franco Holder, Julica Hermann de la Fuente, Rev. Arif Mamdani, Dr. Randy Buikema, and the First Universalist Choir lead the service.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Arif Mamdani (:30)
Story for All Ages- Julica Hermann de la Fuente (4:43)
Anthem- The Road Home by Stephen Paulus- First Universalist Choir, Dr. Randal Buikema- conductor
Message- When Control Can't Carry Us- Julica Hermann de la Fuente
Vocalists: Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant
Pianist: Franco Holder
Gathering in person at Minnehaha Falls, we immerse ourselves in the imagery of water and the power of the river as we remember the strength of the stones in the banks we build, and the well-worn groove of the river bed that waits for us, whatever the season. We remember the ritual of Water Communion and the symbolic ingathering it represents and we will intentionally hold back the waters for now, waiting with each other, for the fullness of our hoped-for return to our building in November and the joy it will bring. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Aimee K. Bryant, Franco Holder, Lauren Wyeth, and Revs. Arif Mamdani and Jen Crow lead the service.
Words of Welcome- Rev. Jen Crow (:29)
Song- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout and Aimee K. Bryant (7:10)
Time for All Ages- Aimee K. Bryant (9:47)
Body and Community Prayer- Lauren Wyeth and Rev. Arif Mamdani (15:40)
Message- Rev. Jen Crow (26:35)
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