Dear LFUU Members and Friends,
This week I am writing my Report from the Chair and preparing for our Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, so I am not writing a Message for the newsletter.
You should’ve received an email on Tuesday with the meeting information, agenda, and attachment. All are welcome to join us in-person or on Zoom: the Zoom link is below. Hope to see you on Sunday!
In Fellowship,
Laurie Gauer
Hi Lake Fellowship members and friends,
This Sunday, May 4th is the last Soup Sunday until we resume meeting in September. Maia Larson and family members from the children’s program will be bringing something yummy to share with us all. You remember how this works, you get something tasty to eat and you donate $$ to the charity of choice.
Thank you Maia and her band of busy little hands for the goodies, please show them your appreciation.
Dear generous Lake Fellowship members and friends,
Sunday, May 4th, is the last orange bag (NFP) non perishable food donation until September. You will hear about how much we donated (#’s of food, $$, personal items) over the past 8 months at the annual meeting, as well as plans to make donations easier starting this September. I will not be attending the annual meeting, so let me take this opportunity to thank you all for your giving spirit!
The Gun Violence Prevention Team at Unity Church–Unitarian in St. Paul invites Minnesota UUs to work together for realistic changes to our state’s gun laws. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children, and many in our communities have been personally affected.
Their team meets via Zoom and welcomes new participants from across Minnesota. Whether by contacting legislators, sharing personal stories, or showing up at the Capitol, we know our voices are stronger together.
Dear LFUU Members and Friends,
Every Monday morning, I set an intention for my mind to start working on my theme for this message. To review and process what’s been popping up over the past week and find a passion, purpose, or pattern. By Tuesday a theme usually reveals itself. This week my mind suggested “needs.” Right after that, I received Matthew’s blog post that started with this paragraph, which I decided confirmed my theme:
Nico Van Ostrand (they/them) offers confidential, spiritually grounded pastoral/spiritual care sessions to help hold anything in your life that is connected to your social justice work. Topics may include climate grief, navigating the news, direct impacts of new laws, but also family and parenting concerns, diagnoses, spiritual disconnect, and more. This is a spiritual support as you live your UU values in the world.
Dear LFUU Members and Friends,
This post showed up in my Facebook feed a few days ago:
The Unitarian Universalist Association has issued a powerful response to the recent presidential proclamation attacking trans and nonbinary youth and their families. Let us be clear: Trans people are sacred. Trans youth deserve safety, love, and affirmation—not stigma, criminalization, or hate.
This moment demands more than outrage. It calls us to deepen our solidarity, to protect one another, and to proclaim what we know in our bones: If you are trans, you were not made wrong. You were made sacred.
Dear LFUU Members and Friends,
In this polarized political climate, I’ve been questioning our two-party system. Questioning our binary - black and white - either/or - right or wrong - thinking. Wondering if it’s possible to collectively shift to “both and” thinking. To understand that even opposites can be true at the same time: I can feel grief AND joy at the same time.
Join us for this powerful 2-part series exploring how Unitarian Universalist congregations in Minnesota can respond to the call to sanctuary. Together, we’ll learn how we can act in solidarity with those under threat and resist efforts to detain and deport our neighbors.