by adminuucm

From the Board: April 2020

Each month, a member of the board will share a reflection on the Soul Matters monthly theme and the state of the church. The Soul Matters theme for April is Liberation. This month’s post is offered by Melissa Martinson.

The theme for April is “liberation” – the act of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; release.  If ever there were a good time to for all of us to feel empathy for those who struggle to be liberated, it is now.

The current health crisis has many of us under a “shelter-in-place” order from the governor.  The loss of the freedom to move about as we like or to congregate with whom we like has us feeling a bit like prisoners in our own homes.  While there are many downsides, we are fortunate to know that it is not a permanent situation.  One positive aspect is that it gives us the opportunity – however briefly – to walk a mile in the shoes of those whose freedoms are always curtailed.  Continue reading →

by adminuucm

In the Interim: 3/27/20

terri-burnorAt midnight, Minnesota moves into another phase of our collective response to the pandemic. Most of the state, except for those providing critical services, are now expected to stay at home and avoid contact with others unless necessary.

Even if you’ve largely been doing this already, how does this shift feel? Is your heart heavier or lighter? Is there a layer of grief? Confusion? Are you relieved? Are you mad?

For me, these last two days have been filled with a sense of urgency to “take care of things.” That’s okay. I rolled with the waves between the necessary and the extraneous. Ok, that’s the more sanitized way of describing what happened. The reality was a bit more frantic. Still okay. Just not so poetic and much more like jarring potholes!

Today I woke up differently. My dreams last night reminded me of this familiar prayer: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

We are in a moment when we must bless the imperfect. That’s a good mantra for life in general, but is particularly important in times of anxiety and fear and deep uncertainty. Continue reading →

by adminuucm

New Minister Board Update: Week 10

A few Board Updates back, we had started discussing the four developmental ministry goals in more depth. This week we are exploring Goal #3 – “Imagining the Future:  What is the congregation going to need over the next 15 years?”

This question takes on added poignancy now as we face an uncertain future.  As one of our board members said earlier this week, “I’m overwhelmed, as is everyone.” How can we extrapolate out fifteen years when we see how much has changed in our lives over the timeframe of the past few weeks?

And yet, our faith provides guideposts to help us prioritize what is important – the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity and compassion in human relations; our values will endure. The question before us right now is “what does our faith call us to do in this moment?”

And our answer, in this last week has been to close the church. To heed the direction and advice of our elected officials and public health experts as they direct us to practice physical distance to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. The good news in this moment is that hard as this time has been and will continue to be, we are fortunate to have three interim ministers who are experts in using the internet to connect with far-flung congregants. They are giving us crash courses in using Zoom video conferencing, the church and UUA websites, webinars, possibilities of streaming worship services, music, small group meetings, so much more to stay connected during this time of physical distance but perhaps even increased social and emotional connection.

This time period ahead of us will not be easy, but we will get through it together.

by adminuucm

UUCM’s Facebook Page & Possible Facebook Group

You don’t need to be on Facebook to see the church’s Facebook Page. It’s public and viewable on any browser. Simply go to https://facebook.com/uucmtka/. If you have a Facebook account, please like our UUCM page. So that you don’t miss a post, you can turn on notifications. You can also choose to see our posts first in your news feed. Click here for help.

Possible Facebook Group
We are also exploring creating a private Facebook Group for members and friends. This would be a place where anyone in the group could start conversations or share things with other group members. Unlike a Facebook Page, groups require you to be a Facebook user to participate. If you are interested in being a moderator (we’re looking for 3-4 volunteers) or would like more information, please contact Terri at revterri@uucmtka.org.

by adminuucm

How to Use Zoom

Zoom is a conferencing tool that UUCM is using for worship, small groups and all the ways that we are gathering together online. Once you have the Zoom app installed on your computer or mobile device, all you have to do is click on the meeting link provided or manually enter the meeting ID.

If you’re new to Zoom or would like some extra help, we’ve created an instruction document that take you through how to install and use Zoom. We also have assembled a Zoom Tech Team that can provide one-on-one support over the phone.

If you need immediate assistance on Sunday, please text ‪(612) 486-2656‬ and include your name. We have a UUCM Zoom tech team ready to help!