First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis

Fall Equinox is about balance in the duality of life: light and dark, growth and release, joy and sorrow. Celebrate the season with a fun original play, “Humdrum and the Last Apple Tree.”

As we adjust to the arrival of fall and all the changes it brings, we take intentional time to appreciate the many gifts we receive from one another in community (aka volunteer appreciation!) Connection and belonging doesn’t just happen; everything we offer in service to one another matters deeply. 

It’s September, and today we renew our commitment to gathering in beloved community in common dedication to love and justice. A reflection from Rev. Jullan Stoneberg.

Pamela Zeller, director of WISE — which works to self-empower immigrant and refugee women and girls — will talk about the life lessons she has learned from her 38 years of working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These lessons reinforce the strength, resilience, and creativity of survivors.

Almost every person will tell you that they are good drivers, have a great sense of humor, and that they’re excellent listeners. Many of us have been taught the basic skills of how to be a good communicator. It can be a lot of work. Join us this Sunday as we play with a new […]

Boycotts are more than withdrawals—they are declarations. In this talk, Nekima Levy Armstrong reflects on how we, as conscious consumers and community members, can reclaim our power by refusing to fund injustice. Together, we’ll explore how discernment, protest, and hope can shape a more just and accountable world.

Martin Luther King said, “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.” Unitarian Universalists recently affirmed a new covenant among congregations which puts love at the center of our values. How do we ensure that our love is not sentimental and anemic, in a time when love with […]

Each of us is cradled in an invisible web of stories we tell, or are told, about ourselves, our world, and the cosmos. Finding ourselves in these larger narratives can help craft our individual and communal identities, reinforce the meaning we see in our lives, and provide a broader context in which to see our daily […]

Join us to reflect on the profound power of memory—specifically, the memories of the safe spaces we’ve encountered throughout our lives. Memory is not just a mental exercise; it is deeply embedded in our biology. Our muscles, our nervous system, even our heartbeats are attuned to our experiences, and they carry the imprint of the […]

The world needs to be reminded of humanism more than ever, as the anti-human policies of the current administration assault our dignity and intelligence. What will it take for us to engage the historical aspirations of classical American Humanism with the emerging movements that have similar goals for beloved communities? What will it take to […]

Love’s rumbling, pulsing, thumping nature powers justice. Our actions speak, but how can we meet the moment by answering love’s call even more loudly? A talk from Rev. Terri Burnor. Rev. Terri (she/her) is Executive Director of MUUSJA (the Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance). She also serves the St. Croix Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in […]

“What’s in a Name?” Names have power—they can enchant or disillusion, claim unwanted ownership or open the door to freedom. In this service, we’ll reflect on how the names we give to the sacred—whether shifting from “God” to “Cosmos,” or “prayer” to “contemplation” or “meditation”—reshape our experiences of meaning and mystery. How do name and […]

As we celebrate Father’s Day, let’s consider what it means to ‘live in this house’. One of our Unitarian Universalist values is Pluralism which encourages us to embrace both our differences and our commonalities with love, curiosity, and respect. Yet, we cannot be free when we experience difference as oppressive. Can diversity actually be liberating?

It’s Pride Month, and Juneteenth is just around the corner. At this time when so many corporations and institutions are back-tracking on their DEIB commitments (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging), we have a role to play in more boldly keeping ours. Responding to tyranny calls on us to stand out and shine a light!

We have entered a time in US history when the meaning of freedom is being debated even as its presence quietly fades into the background. How is this happening? Are we paying attention? We’ll look at this through the lens of Timothy Snyder’s book, “On Tyranny.”

As beloveds in our communities are scapegoated and attacked by the current administration, what does UUism call us to embrace and respond? As we turn toward Pride month, we will learn more about the UU commitment to pledge our collective faithful efforts to affirm and celebrate trans, nonbinary, intersex, and gender diverse people within and […]

Poet John O’Donohue suggested that “if our style of looking becomes beautiful, then beauty will become visible and shine forth for us.” A talk from Rev. Jullan Stoneberg.

Author and activist adrienne maree brown believes that all organizing is science fiction. “Trying to create a world that we’ve never experienced and never seen is a science-fictional activity.” On this morning, we gather to practice some collective imagining.

Let’s get real about how our joy can change the world, even as it co-exists with our pain, brokenness and curmudgeon-ness. How we can commit to inciting joy and making it more robust? Our theme for April is Living Love through the Practice of Joy

Some might question if there is any joy to be found in these times. How do we live holding the dual realities of despair and joy? How are these two things connected? As Shirley Ceasar’s song says, “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me…the world can’t take it away.

Trust is built at the speed of relationship, so it takes two (or more) to build trust! The ability to trust is a muscle of the heart that is exercised through the practice of covenant. It’s not always easy, and it doesn’t necessarily come naturally, but we can do it!

Science writer Ed Yong refers to the ways in which our screen-focused, fear-based society is impacting our scope of concern. He says we are currently being “crunched ever inward” and that it behooves us to get out and connect with others. Being in community is a beautiful way to uncrunch ourselves and stretch!

When things feel precarious and unpredictable, it’s crucial to know what there is that is trustworthy and dependable. What is it that reliably supports us and holds us up?

Holding us now – to hope, to courage, to clarity and to each other – is the radical love at the very center of Unitarian Universalism. It shows up as wonder (and grief) for our achingly beautiful world; it shows up as relentless respect and care for one another, resplendent in all our vulnerability and […]

There is internal tension in living our shared values. Can we live into pluralism while holding firm to equity and justice? When is belonging more important than individuality? And how do we get along with each other when our values differ?