First Universalist Church of Minneapolis Sunday Service Podcast

It starts early and remains complicated, lovely, weird, fun, scary and joyous. Our relationships with our mothers are at the root of our lives and they can not be ignored or celebrated lightly. Sermon: Rev. Karen Hutt

Rev. Justin writes: Nearly 10 years ago, I preached a sermon on an episode of the show “Lost.” The title of the Sermon was “The Constant.” I was reminded of this sermon in a conversation with a congregant two weeks ago. It had stuck with him all these years. I soon as he mentioned it, I also remembered the sermon, and thought, “as we begin our May exploration of ‘Thresholds’, let’s explore what, i...

First Universalist Choir sings Mozart’s Requiem, a piece shrouded in mystery. Commissioned by a (then unidentified) stranger, possibly written for his own funeral, and eventually completed by Mozart’s student, the work is just as intriguing as its story. This podcast includes First Universalist Choir & Orchestra performing Mozart’s Requiem and Rev. Jen Crow’s sermon, “Ours to Complete.” Please see...

So often we are so tied up in knots by our fears, our heartache, and our attachments to certain ways of doing things that we don’t recognize the promise of transformation that is right in front of us. The invitation into new life doesn’t match the story line we are looping over and over again in our head. The religious life asks us to move deeper and wider than the repeated story line of either/or...

Joining Rev. Justin in the service will be the LaPointe family, a Lakota family that First Universalist has been in relationship with for a number of years. The LaPointe Family shares some reflections on the importance of relationship in organizing, the Earth, and spirituality. Then, Rev. Justin weaves a homily with the themes of the LaPoint family's work. What if the question is not “what do we d...

Our promises transform us. Being unwavering in our commitment may feel static, but it will shape us. Transformation will happen. – The Third Body, by Robert Bly. Wisdom Story: Life Itself, by Rev. Kristin Maier; read by Lauren Wyeth Sermon: Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink  

Me'Lea Connelly has a compelling spiritual, moral, and economic vision for a black-owned credit union in North Minneapolis. Learn more about how this vision came to be and how we can support it. Call to Worship: Rev. Justin Schroeder Sermon: Guest Speaker, Me'Lea Connelly

Unitarian Universalists are being called in this moment to live more powerfully and boldly into a vision of Beloved Community. What does this look like and how do we answer “Yes” to this calling in our lives and in our congregations? Call to Worship: Rev. Jen Crow Sermon: Guest Minister & UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

What if sacrifice is more than a matter of giving something up? What if sacrifice moves us closer to what is essential, to what is holy and whole? What if in the act of sacrifice we move into the great exchange, where giving becomes receiving and offering transforms into blessing? What if the dynamics of sacrifice mean staying close to what is relevant — the “real” of reality? What if we quit pagi...

Sacrifice is an evocative word. We have immediate images when we hear the word. What role has sacrifice played in creating value? What does sacrifice in our culture teach us about agency and destruction? How do we challenge the the doctrine of American sacrifice as people of faith? Worship Associate: Taylor Putz Sermon: Rev. Karen Hutt Piano music: Franco Holder

This month we consider what the theme of sacrifice might mean for us as Unitarian Universalists. In a world where sacrifice has so often meant the destruction of the less powerless for the pleasure or salvation of the powerful, what value can this concept possibly hold for us? Come join the conversation as we consider stretching the circle of "I" to include a much larger "we." Wisdom Story: Rev. J...

Guest preacher Rabbi Michael Latz, senior Rabbi of Shir Tikvah in Minneapolis, gives a sermon about history, co-location, and Vision.  Worship Associate: Jason Berry Sermon: Rabbi Michael Latz

In 2011, Rev. Justin preached a sermon called “The Purpose Driven Church.” Now, eight years later, he's preaching part 2, as we explore our theme of “Vision” and the deeper purposes of faith community. As Oscar Romero said, “A church that doesn’t provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of...

Meditation has taught me that each breath is new and unique, and worthy of my full attention. My Unitarian Universalist faith teaches me that this is true for each interaction with another human being. When I am deeply attentive, not assuming I know what my breath or the person in front of me is going to do, I open up to the holy, to the possible. All of a sudden, my assumptions, “shoulds,” and ex...

As we move into our new worship theme of “Vision,” we’ll consider all that our lofty goals and aspirations give to us, and what we can do when we lose our way. What happens when that clear idea of what was right comes into contact with the realities of our lives or the discomfort that moving toward our ideals might bring? How do we find our way again when we are lost? Wisdom Story: The Most Magnif...

  Our bodies ain’t what they used to be. Our bodies have a history of collective change. Our bodies are the repositories of science in motion. Our bodies are an amazing biological story of adaptation. Come and celebrate human potential while taking a deep dive off the cliff of mystery and change. Call to Worship: Drew Rosielle Sermon: Rev. Karen Hutt Piano: Franco Holder  

In his 1967 speech, “Where Do We Go From Here?”, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave clear instructions. “We must massively assert our dignity and worth.” On this MLK Sunday, we will do as Dr. King instructed us, exploring his words and his work as we learn to love our bodies as an act of resistance – especially if we are people who live within marginalized identities. Call to Worship:...

“All our bodies are fundamentally good and lovable (Rachel Martin).” What do you feel when you read this statement? What wells up in your consciousness, in your body? Does your breath come a little easier? Does your jaw relax? This Sunday we explore the goodness of our bodies no matter what shape, size or color, and the ways in which our bodies might teach us a deeper kind of interconnectedness an...

Wisdom Story: Badger's Parting Gifts, Susan Varley- Lauren Wyeth Reading: My Mother's Belly, Sonya Renee Taylor - Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink Homily: Rev. Justin Schroeder Guest Musicians: The OK Factor

Call to Worship: Youth Cultural Exchange Homily: Rev. Karen Hutt Piano: Franco Holder

Creating and finding sanctuary are spiritual survival skills. In this time when so much is broken and so many of us feel broken, how can we create sanctuary for ourselves and others? Come and know again the light that can shine through the broken places in us all. Call to Worship: Janell Hill Sermon: Rev. Jen Crow Piano: Franco Holder

First Universalist Choir, directed by Dr. Randal Buikema, lead this worship service with a performance of Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi, with "Stories of Sanctuary" in between movements. Hidden inside this seasonal classic is a story of sanctuary. Vivaldi wrote Gloria for Ospedale della Pieta’, a charitable institution established in the 14th century to house and care for orphaned and abandoned childr...

Sanctuary is a holy refuge, a place of worship, and a hiding place for migrants. But what if you keep looking for sanctuary and you can’t find it? What if sanctuary is elusive to you? What if your sanctuary is on fire? Where do you go for safety? Call to Worship: Leila Ambrus Sermon: Rev. Karen Hutt Piano: Franco Holder  

As we witness migrants in crisis on our southern border and within our own community, As we witness the myriad ways that humans are in need of safety and greater wholeness, As we remember the times that we have needed sanctuary ourselves—which may be this very moment- We ask ourselves: What does it mean to give and receive sacred refuge? How do we practice sanctuary? Wisdom Story: Lauren Wyeth Ser...

All month we’ve been exploring the non-negotiables in our lives. We end this month’s theme by turning to “The Big Non-Negotiable,” that thing that every human being shares as an ultimate non-negotiable, no matter age, gender, race, culture, class, religion, or education. On this Sunday, facing our own mortality, we will fully immerse ourselves in the present moment of life. Call to Worship: Juliet...