Black Lives UU: Trust & Believe!

Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism. BLUU. Illustration of raised fist attached to a lightning bolt arm.

October 2024

October Worship: Trust & Believe

I grew up hearing the common warning “trust and believe” when elders spoke of threats to our community. Whether it was jobs, politicians, or friendships, this advice provided the wisdom and analysis, but it also grounded us in our own knowledge and agency. As we grapple with the complexity of another historic election, we can name our power and determine how we move through this election trusting and believing that we can get to the other side of this moment whole and ready for what is next.

Join Nicole Pressley on October 13 for this timely and much-needed BLUU worship service.

 

Black Sacred Space:

BLUU’s online worship services are Black Sacred Space in their entirety – by and for Black people, with the words and voices of Black folks across the diaspora – and we hope that Black UUs and Black UU-adjacent folks (who share our values) from far and wide will join us!

For our non-Black siblings in faith, please DO share this invitation with Black folks in your life and community. Getting the word out about BLUU’s gatherings and other programming is one powerful way of lending your support, and we deeply appreciate it!

For all of our services, feel free to come into our BLUU Zoom Room as early as 15 minutes before the start of the service to get settled, say hello to the folks who are already gathering, and listen to the music softly playing as we all prepare for our time together.

Register Here

New 2 BLUU

New to BLUU or just looking for a refresher? Our monthly New to BLUU sessions have resumed. Join us to learn about the history of BLUU; our new operating structure; and how you can get involved today!
Register Today

UU Vigil for Gaza

Join us on October 6 for Still Here, a virtual vigil to honor the spiritual work toward ending violence. Through a litany of loss, outrage and resistance, we are still here. We honor the ongoing struggle for justice following the Solidarity with Palestinians Action of Immediate Witness, advocating for a ceasefire, release of hostages, humanitarian aid, and an end to military funding of genocide in Palestine and the world. Our UU Vigils for Gaza are open to all and are part of a series that invites us to grieve, learn, and hold space for one another.
RSVP Here

BLUU’s New Office

A safe space is a welcoming one, and BLUU’s recent move to the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis is proving to be an inviting new home for BLUU’s central office.

Click the link to read the full story about BLUU’s move to First Universalist Church.

View the Full Story

Work with BLUU

BLUU is hiring a full-time, exempt, permanent Development Director. We seek an experienced fundraiser, with specific experience fundraising within Unitarian Universalist communities, to create and help manage a fundraising plan in collaboration with the Executive Director. Salary is up to $95,000/year plus a generous benefits package including health, dental, long term disability, and retirement.

 

Visit https://bluu.bamboohr.com/careers/26?source=aWQ9MjM%3D to view the full job description.

Apply Here

Join the BLUU Membership Team

We’re creating a new BLUU Beloved Membership Team, and we need dedicated people like you who are committed to strengthening the future of our organization. As a committee member, you will play a role in fostering community connection and strategizing membership engagement. If you have ideas for how to build our membership, this team is for you!

Please contact Kimberly at Kimberly@blacklivesuu.org.

New Match for BLUU Housing Initiative

Thanks to a generous challenge donation by a member of Unity Unitarian Church for affordable housing and racial justice, donations of any amount to support the Housing Initiative will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000.

Take advantage of this match by donating now through the end of November!

Support BLUU Housing

Support BLUU Programming

Since our inception, BLUU has been a beacon for Black people seeking liberation and a deep, inclusive spirituality that honors their lived experiences. We want to continue to be a beacon, but we need your help to do so.

Donations from our UU community and aligned friends support programming, spiritual care, and advances social justice initiatives. BLUU provides spaces for Black folks to feel more connected, allowing us to collectively imagine more possibilities. BLUU Beloveds find strength to fight the systems of oppression and collectively work with our UU community to change them. We also work in solidarity with other marginalized groups across the world; we know none of us are free until we’re all free.

Will you support our efforts by donating today?

Donate to BLUU

BLUU Programming Proposals

Do you have a skill you want to share with other BLUU members? Are you looking for a way to contribute to the BLUU community?

Black community members are invited to submit a program proposal today to to present to the BLUU community during the 2024-2025 program year.

Submit Proposal

Become a BLUU Beloved Today!

A collage of Black Unitarian Universalists in worship or gathering together at meetings. Text says Become a BLUU Beloved
BLUU Beloveds are Black Unitarian Universalists and other Black spiritual people who want to deepen their connection with each other and their commitment to BLUU by becoming members of BLUU.
Become a BLUU Beloved
This has been a particularly rough season in our lives, our communities, and the world. So in addition to folks being able to leave a voicemail or text message on our pastoral care line, BLUU is reinstituting regular office hours to serve the needs of our community. This will be a set time frame during which a Black UU or Black person who shares our values can call into our Pastoral Care Line (984-219-8710) and speak to someone directly, or leave a message to schedule pastoral or spiritual care if the staff person on call is already speaking with someone else. Please note the following office hours:

Albie Johnson, Commissioned Lay Minister:

Fridays at 11a.m. – 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. – 12 noon CT

Rev. Mykal Slack, Community Minister:

Tuesdays at 2-4 p.m. ET/1-3pm ET

Pastoral care is a model of emotional and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. People who provide pastoral care offer support to people in their joys, sorrows, and uncertainties associated with specific life events occurring while part of the community in which pastoral caregivers serve. Spiritual care is a multi-faceted model of support in individuals’ search for meaning, purpose, wholeness, and connection in day-to-day life.

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  Youtube
Black Lives UU | BLUU 3400 Dupont Ave. S | Minneapolis, MN 55408 US