Thursday, April 01, 2004
April 2004 Newsletter
Sunday, April 4, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Angry Eyes"
Mark W. Harris
We often hear about road rage. Everyone seems to need a big vehicle which they drive very fast. Why is rudeness and anger so prevalent these days? How can we respond to the anger we feel in ourselves, and see in society at large?
Music by Florence Price, Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel. The Children¹s choir will sing.
Greeters: Ingrid Sayied, Mary Schlivek
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 11, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Resurrections and Relationships"
Mark W. Harris
Our Easter service will have very special music, and a story for all ages. The sermon will be on our UU understanding of the Passion of the Christ, which focuses less on power and more on relationships.
Guest musicians: Rebecca Thornblade, cello and Debbie Thompson, cello, who will play music by F. Handel.
Greeters: Martha Scott, Jody Shapiro
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 18, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Listening to Echoes"
Mark W. Harris
I sometimes feel like I do a poor job listening to others. Sometimes I want to get in what I have to say, but can't seem to hear what the other says. Sometimes I am off in my own world, and the other may as well be talking to themselves. How can I listen to the other in a religious way?
Greeters: Missy and Bob Shay
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 25, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Chaotic Balance"
Jim Sherborn
Sometimes it seems that one of life's biggest challenges is maintaining a modicum of stability and balance in the midst of chaos. This sermon will explore what it takes to maintain one's balance in the storms of life.
The First Parish choir is singing.
Greeters: Diane Shepard and Mary Snow
Social Hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
The Captain's Log
Mark W. Harris
I am supposed to be the Unitarian Universalist expert on Easter. I collected materials about this holiday for years, and then published an anthology with Carl Seaburg. I also wrote a UU Easter pamphlet, which is now out of print. We UUs have a lot of ambivalence about this holiday, and often don¹t quite know what to do about it. Andrea tells me this was easily solved in her old church in Atlanta. By Easter time the flowers have actually begun to appear, and they celebrated the flower communion. Meanwhile we sometimes have Easter snow and cold here in New England, and feel like we are still in the tomb. Never to rise again!
After the cold winter we are ready for the rebirth of something. But I probably always say that. Cold snow, barrenness, lack of contact with our neighbors. We feel in our bones that something needs to break loose even if the flowers are not quite there yet.
This is definitely my time of year for New Year's resolutions. I know I was supposed to do that in January, but who is going to change their ways as we enter the season of hibernation? Some of us consider mere survival a victory. Now I am thinking more seriously about those few extra pounds. Now I have the spirit to walk and feel good again. Now I am thinking about spending some time raking or planting seeds, or sprucing up the garden. Now I have the spirit to make things look good again. Who cares when everything is frozen in place?
Perhaps some of the UU ambivalence about Easter comes from our inclination to talk about religious things. We could argue Bible verses and the death and resurrection of Jesus until the cows come home. The bigger question is what we are doing to live this message of resurrection which seems to be entering the very marrow of our beings as spring fills the air. My boys are saying, let¹s go to the field, let¹s play ball. Let me out, it says. So if we are moping about our weight, or how things look, or all the wintertime loneliness and barrenness we feel, then its time to break out and live some resurrection in our lives. Break free of the little deaths! It¹s time to sing and play!
Some other church notes from Mark :
Want to join the church? Have you become active in the church, but have yet to sign the membership book, and be an official member? We invite you to make that commitment in the springtime of our church year. The membership book will be available for signing on Sunday mornings in April. Please see Mark about signing the book. Joining the church makes it possible for you to have a official voice in the way the church is governed, to serve on certain committees, and to show your commitment to this congregation and Unitarian Universalism.
Part of the process of settling back into the church after the construction has been to formulate a plan as to how we want the space to look. I have been working with Will Twombly on biographical name plates for many of the portraits. These have now been finished for the Arbella and the portrait of Watertown¹s founder Richard Saltonstall in the sanctuary, and the portraits of former ministers Weiss, Francis and Meredith, as well as Lydia Maria Child, all located in the conference room. Come take a look and learn a little more of our history. We have also recently had the original church covenant reframed. This was beautifully calligraphed in 1930 and given to the church by Helen Robinson Wright. The old frame was badly damaged by water, as was the calligraphy. In a recent correspondence with Helen Robinson Wright¹s grandson I have also learned that we are about to receive a framed picture of her. I strongly believe that we should care for and preserve these legacies from the past.
In the context of learning from the past, I invite all of you to participate in a class I am teaching on Transcendentalism. This is the most famous and enduring spiritual, literary and cultural gift our Unitarian ancestors have given to the world. The class begins on Sunday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Our church has a large number of books on Unitarian Universalist history located in the new church office. They are available for loan, if you are interested in learning more. In addition to the UU history materials, the office also includes worship materials and old hymnals. The Religious Education materials are now located in the Nursery/R.E. Director¹s office.
In this newsletter you will note that we have two separate warrants for annual meetings. Why? Our church bylaws require that our annual meeting be held in the month of April. Therefore, we must issue a call for a meeting this month. However, it is usually the last Sunday of the month to give us time to complete the fiscal year reports and the annual canvass, which helps us predict our resources for the year. This year the Harris/Greenwood clan is scheduled to be away on that day, April 25. Andrea¹s first church settlement was in Atlanta, and she has been invited back to preach there as part of a celebration of a church anniversary. This is the Sunday that worked out for both parties. Therefore we will adjourn a brief meeting on April 18 (when I will be here), and then have the ³real² annual meeting on Sunday, May 2, 2004.
Church Rummage Sale on May 1
Our annual rummage sale to benefit the church coffers is scheduled for Saturday, May 1. With spring comes spring cleaning, so start thinking about what you would like to clear out and donate. We sell household and kitchen items, small articles of furniture, electronics, sports equipment, toys, books, tapes, CDs, children¹s clothes. No adult clothes please. Jane Knuttunen and Meredith Montague are coordinating the sale this year. They will be soliciting your help in April.
NEW UU
Mark Harris and Jim Sherblom will hold a one session introduction to Unitarian Universalism on Sunday, April 4 at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to come learn all you ever wanted to ask about First Parish and UUism.
Spring Has Sprung - Annual Clean-up
Now that our church inside is so beautiful it is that time of year to help the outside as well. Our Annual Spring Clean Up is scheduled for Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. by the Building and Grounds Committee. Sign-up sheets for a variety of much needed work will be available at each social hour in April. Even if you can only come for a short time we will welcome the help. It is a fun time with refreshments provided. Hope to see you there!!
Benefit Concert for the Building Fund
It is time for Round Two of the benefit concerts. Early in April there will be a benefit for Renewal House, but FPW members Randy Rhoda and Michael McCarthy also have been busy organizing a special concert to benefit our beautiful refurbished building on Saturday April 17. See the flyer for the concert in this newsletter. We are in need of volunteers to cook/supply/sell food and drinks for the FPW Benefit concert to raise additional funds for the building renovation. Please contact Randy or Michael to help out.
Canvass Thanks
Wow! March was canvass month in many ways. We changed our usual canvass procedure this year, and it meant a full month of pledging and eating. The first two weekends of March we had seven suppers in private homes, where members acted as hosts and facilitators. Hosts were Martha Scott, Sue & Will Twombley, Deb Stein, Mark & Andrea, David & Kathy Warren, Bob & Missy Shea and David Morrison. Facilitators were Ken Vogel, John Portz, Sue Kuder, Michael Collins, Elizabeth deFrees, Charmian Proskauer and Jean Merkl. Thank you to everyone who made this a great success. Then on the last Saturday of the month we had our annual dinner, which was meant to mark and celebrate the end of the canvass rather than kick it off. This worked very well with lots of great pot luck dishes downstairs, and then our annual talent show upstairs. Special thanks to the Fellowship Committee members: Gretchen Brown, Bobbie Brown, Linda Weiss (and her family) and Deborah Stein (who arranged the flowers) for working so hard to make it a lovely dinner. Only the Sunday before this same committee along with fellow member Jane Knuttunen hosted a newcomer breakfast. This is a hard working bunch, and we owe them a lot! The talent show was arranged by Diane Shepard and Roberta Altamari.Thanks to Diane (and extended family members) for set up, and Roberta for being mistress of ceremonies. It was a great night with wonderful talent. Thanks to all who contributed in any way. Thanks to all who have pledged and to our hard working committee.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Roberta Altamari, REflections of a chaliceDREamer
Part 1: Time to work together
I¹m separating my column this month into two sections because of the significance of two topics I want to share. The first is about the importance of working together.
Last month, the children wrapped up their exploration of principle 5, which I call the principle of working together. I realize my presentation of it may seem different from other UU religious educators. Many of the children's versions of our UU principles focus on the honoring each vote and democratic pieces of this principle. I agree that it is important to honor each voice, but with the focus that it is a tool towards having empathy and understanding towards the other people. As for the democratic process, I think our younger children need to have a better understanding of "community spirit" before they can fully understand how a proper democratic process would work.
After several weeks of trying to highlight the joy inherent in working together and processing through some of the hard lessons that came up, the children tried having their own annual meeting. With the expressed goal of giving the children a formal forum in which they get to make important decisions, the meeting was a huge success. First, the children voted on what community service projects they would participate in this Spring. (Helping homeless people and animals were their top picks). And then they got to sign-up for volunteer "jobs" at church. I couldn¹t believe the overwhelming enthusiasm the children had for signing up to help. (Committee chairs take note - I have long lists of children eager to help you.)
I think the most significant piece of the children's annual meeting was the part that was unspoken. It was that feeling that children can be valuable and contributing members of our church community. We can talk to our children forever about the importance of sharing and helping others. And we can discuss the importance of balancing all their self-confidence and self-respect with the ability to work well with others. But no conversation can bring to life the lesson our children learn when they get to experience being productive members of our church family. So please, welcome their help.
Part 2: Bringing our RE inspirations home
I am often heard telling the children that religious words are ours to define. One of the great things about the UU faith is the freedom to discover and believe in our own religious definitions. From communion to God, there is no pressure to believe the definitions other people attribute to these words.
With Easter coming, I thought now might be a great time to send this message ³home². Easter can be a confusing time for some families ... particularly because of the religious meaning some people attribute to the Easter holiday. What do we believe? What do we not believe? What do we celebrate? What parts of the Easter story do we tell our children?
I will never forget the insightful articulation of one First Parish parent on this very subject. She told me that she wished to better understand the Unitarian Universalist celebration of Easter. She particularly appreciated how the UU faith transformed the Christmas message into a symbolic celebration of the birth of every child. But how do we transform the Easter message of death and resurrection?
I was all set to dedicate my April Arbella column to exploring historical information that would support a liberal understanding of the Easter holiday. Spending the holiday with Catholics sometimes leaves me ³walking on eggshells² around discussing the meaning of Easter. But then I found a book that did the exploring for me. We need to look no further than the book Mark wrote with Carl Seaburg called Celebrating Easter and Spring to find some comforting answering. Mark has a section (that can also be found in UUA pamphlet form) that does a eloquent job of introducing the many ways Unitarian Universalists can find meaning in the Easter holiday. Quite impressive is his ability to inspire us to reframe and redefine our understanding of ³resurrection² with examples from modern day life. Mark closes with, ³We can make the resurrection a reality in our lives ... The traditional cry of Œhe lives¹ becomes Œwe live¹.²
To further support my feeling that my Easter day need not be a ghost of the Christian celebration my extended family hosts, I looked to our Pagan ancestors. Books like Mrs. Sharp¹s Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach and Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill highlight that many pieces of the Christian Easter celebration are taken from Pagan rituals that were being celebrated long before Jesus was even born. The earlier festivals were held near Spring Equinox in honor of Eostre, the old German goddess of light, to celebrate the death of winter and the rebirth of Spring. The most popular Easter symbols (colored eggs and the Easter bunny) trace back to Eostre¹s spring festival.
With all these sources of valuable information, it leaves us liberal families with ample support to create an Easter holiday that matches our religious beliefs. One thing I¹ve learned from the children this year is that they hear way more information from their friends and playmates than I could have ever imagined. That leaves a certain amount of responsibility on us as parents and church friends to affirm that the true meaning of any religious holiday rests in our own hearts and souls ... ready to be discovered, defined, and celebrated in our own unique ways.
Many thanks to everyone who donated their spare change to the Chalice Children for their Spring community service projects! Thanks to you, the children received a nice amount of seed money to get their projects growing!!
Thanks, Kids!
The Sunday social hours are usually put together by the wonderful people who volunteer their time to serve on First Parish committees. There is one very special exception to this rotation -- R.E. month -- where the kids in Religious Education take a turn. We all want to use this opportunity to thank you kids for the great social hours in the month of March. Nice job! Many thanks also to parents and the R.E. Committee!
On Sunday, April 4, First Parish of Watertown's Children's Ministry will be celebrating our diversity while helping others with their own Peace Day.
The children have been invited to bring a food contribution to church that day that represents their ethnic heritage.
They will separate their contributions into two portions ~ one small that they can share a sampling with the members of their First Parish small group, and the other bigger portion in a container suitable for donating to the kitchen of a homeless shelter (meaning their parents don't want it back).
Included in our delivery will be the fabulous bed and bath supplies that our Principle Activators (Cody and Giles) got for the shelter.
First Parish adults are of course welcome to donate food to this effort!
The Junior Friends of the Watertown Free Public Library is hosting an exciting event to help raise money for the building fund.
Join them on Saturday, April 24 at 7 p.m. (here at First Parish) for a wonderful night of music, story-telling, a silent auction, baked goods, and door prizes. Even though the Junior Friends are organizing this event, it is not a just for children event. Fun is guaranteed for folks of ALL ages! So save this date to help our library and have fun at the same time. For more information and to donate your talent or an item for the silent auction, contact Dominique Altamari or at [email removed].
AMONG US
Brian and Janie Howland and big brother Davis welcomed baby Julian, born on 3/10 at 7:33 a.m. weighing 8 lbs., 1 oz., 19" long. Everyone is doing well.
Congratulations to Diane Shepard who passed the nursing boards recently.
Paul Day was recently featured in a Globe article on digiticians. It is posted on the bulletin board downstairs.
Also the Mulvaney Day family participated recently in a family opera in Cambridge.
Our deepest sympathy to John Asare whose father died recently in Ghana. John is now back in the USA following the funeral.
Our healing thoughts to Evelyn Bejcek who was hospitalized recently for a few days.
Our healing thoughts to Rachel Benson who had a successful operation recently at Children¹s hospital.
First Parish Book Group
The First Parish Book Group will meet Sunday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in the conference room. The book is Small Wonder, a collection of essays by Barbara Kingsolver. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to join in the discussion.
According to the book jacket, Small Wonder is a ³hopeful examination of the people we seem to be and what we might yet make of ourselves.² Reviews indicate that the essays interweave post-September 11 political themes, ecological concerns, and musings on life as it is lived.
A Mariner's Missives
First Parish in Concord
and First Parish of Watertown
joyfully invite you to celebrate
the ordination of
James Peter Sherblom
to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry
Sunday, May 16, 2004
at 3:00 p.m.
at First Parish in Concord
20 Lexington Road
Concord, Massachusetts
Reception will follow the service
I would be delighted if everyone from First Parish of Watertown could come and be a part of my ordination service. The FPW choir has also been invited to join with the Concord choir in singing two anthems that afternoon, for which there will be a joint choir rehearsal on Wednesday, May 12 from 7:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jerusha Vogel has agreed to coordinate desserts from FPW for the reception to follow, with Concord offering many other tasty treats, so please offer your help to Jerusha with treats if you are able to bring some as well. This is the culmination of my five years of study and preparation and I would love for you to share it with me.
Jim
Warrant for Special Meeting
First Parish of Watertown
April 18, 2004
To: Michael Collins, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings:
You are hereby required to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting House on SUNDAY, THE 18TH DAY OF APRIL, 2004, after the service, to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to serve until the next Annual Meeting.
Article 2. To adjourn the meeting until Sunday, the 2nd day of May, 2004
Article 3. To transact such other business as may legally be brought before the meeting.
Given under our hands as of this 28th day of March 2004.
Parish Committee, Jean Merkl, Chair
Musical
Musings
I have enjoyed researching and practicing these compositions of women composers. I am still working on some of the more difficult pieces and will play them during April and May. The repertoire is very limited, not all had been published, but I find it all very interesting and often I think the music is certainly underrated. As a woman, I find the lives of these women musicians sometimes as interesting as their music. Being a woman often means living several persona at once (wife, mom, daughter, professional, etc.) and I am always eager to see how they manage it all!...this is why I like to talk about their lives. Today I will say a little about Clara Schumann, a fascinating woman whose life was like a soap-opera, and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn.
Clara Wieck Schumann (l8l9 - l896), was the second daughter of Friedrich and Marianne Wieck, both musicians. When Clara was five, her parents were divorced, leaving her in the custody of her father. He was determined that she would be a great pianist and began teaching her himself. With her father as her only teacher and also her manager (how intense this must have been), she gave her first concert at the age of nine. She was acknowledged as a child prodigy and pursued a successful career as a pianist for more than sixty years.
She met Robert Schumann in l835, she with an international reputation and Robert, an unknown composer. However, her father refused to accept the eventual engagement of the couple and Clara took him to court to get her independence. Following a legendary legal battle that lasted longer than three years, the court finally decided in Clara¹s favor and the couple was married just before her twenty-first birthday.
Between l841 and l854, Clara had eight children, but she had to keep working. Robert had a growing mental illness which had been a concern early on in their relationship. He attempted suicide in l854 and Clara had to commit him to an institution where he died two years later.
Although Robert strongly supported her efforts at composition, his work took priority over hers and for many years her composing and practicing were done at the times when her husband would not be disturbed. (She stopped writing after Robert¹s death.)
Clara Schumann¹s life was one of triumph and tragedy. One of her children died in infancy and three adult children predeceased her. Her one surviving son died in a mental hospital, where he had lived for forty years. For the rest of her life she supported her children and grandchildren by teaching and touring. Clara Schumann was considered peer of giants like Franz Liszt and Anton Rubenstein and was called Europe¹s ³Queen of the Piano.² She died of a stroke in l896.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (l805 - l847), was born to a prosperous Jewish family in Hamburg, granddaughter of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. She began studying right along with her younger brother, Felix. Her musical gifts were quite evident as a young child, but her accomplishments were limited by attitudes against women being professional musicians. ŒIn l828 Abraham Mendelssohn told his highly talented and creative daughter, ²Fanny, you must prepare more earnestly and eagerly for your real calling, the only calling of a young woman - I mean the state of a housewife.²¹ (from ³At the Piano with Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn² - Alfred Pub., l988). Her brother was supportive of her creative endeavors and often asked her musical advice, yet refused to help get her music published. As an adult, Fanny¹s musical activities focused around her family salon, where music was presented on a weekly basis. The Mendelssohn home was one of the major cultural establishments of Berlin, and Fanny composed the over-whelming majority of her music for these Sunday performances.
Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me in this endeavor!
Patty
Committees for the
New Church Year!
As many of you know, the church year begins April 1 and ends March 31. This is also the change for committee members. Luckily our committees here at First Parish are strong, yet new members are always needed to keep things going. This is a great way to meet people and become involved in the church. The more members on a committee the less work there is for each member! Generally meetings are monthly.
There was a list of committees and what role they play in our church life in last weeks order of service and there will be lists left out at church for the coming Sundays. There is also a list on the FPW website (fpwatertown.org). If you are interested in a committee please let me know. You can also feel free to attend a committee meeting to see what it is like (the dates and times are listed in the Arbella or you can call the church office). You may get asked if you are interested in joining a committee. If you can consider joining a committee that¹s great; if this is not the best time for you just let us know. Thanks, Jean Merkl. (xxx) xxx-xxxx or [email removed].
Personal Care
Attendants are Needed
Patty Richardson is the service coordinator at 100 Warren St., Watertown, run by the Watertown Housing Authority. The population of the building is elderly & young/disabled. There are many wonderful, trying to stay independent, medically involved folks who live there.
The need at present is for Personal Care Attendants. This is a paid position for people who are 18 yrs old, and could be for household cleaning, errands or personal care help. Patty is the contact for the Attendants.
Transcendentalism‹ Our Great UU Religious Legacy
Want to see Mark Harris¹ book come to life? The Transcendentalists, our most spiritual of UU forbearers will be discussed and experienced in a four session class beginning on April 4. The other sessions will be on May 2 and June 6, concluding with a trip on June 27 to Walden Pond, where we will experience the last of the Transcendental spiritual practices - Walking.
The rest of the schedule:
April Writing/Journal keeping - The Alcotts
May Spirit in Action/Educating for social change - Brook Farm/Thoreau¹s Civil Disobedience uune Reading/Reflecting - Emerson
Calling all Tablecloths!
Past experience suggests that the following ³unsolved mysteries² are related to non-church events. If you are connected with one of these, thanks for passing the word: We¹re looking for a few church tablecloths and dishtowels that may still be in someone¹s home laundry. (Thanks for helping out.)
Also, if anyone has seen the container of stainless steel spoons recently, please tell the Office or a Fellowship Committee member.
Warrant for Adjourned Annual Meeting
First Parish of Watertown
May 2, 2004
To: Michael Collins, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings:
You are hereby required to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting House on SUNDAY, THE 2nd DAY OF MAY, 2004, after the service, to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to serve until the next Annual Meeting.
Article 2. To receive the reports of:
the Minister;
the Treasurer;
the Director of Religious Education;
the President of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund;
the Chair of the Trustees of the Perpetuity Fund;
the Historian;
and all Committees heretofore appointed or elected,
and take any other action related thereto.
Article 3. To hear the report of the Parish Committee on the budget for the 2003-2004 Fiscal Year and the report of the canvass for pledges, grant such sums of money as may be found necessary for the use and expenses of the Parish for the ensuing year, direct how the money shall be raised, and take action relating thereto.
Article 4. To hear and act upon the report of the Nominating Committee and any nominations made from the floor, and to choose the regular Parish Officers, viz:
One Treasure and Collector for one year;
One Assistant Treasurer for one year;
One Clerk for one year;
One Historian for one year;
and to choose members of the Parish, Religious Education, Worship, Social Concerns, Fellowship, Auditing and Nomination Committees, and Trustees of the Perpetuity Fund, and such other committees as may be necessary and provided in the By-Laws; and to fill any vacancies in unexpired terms which may exist at the time of the Annual Meeting.
Article 5. To transact such other business as may legally be brought before the meeting.
Given under our hands as of this 28th day of March 2004.
Parish Committee, Jean Merkl, Chair
Benefit Concert for Renewal House
Last minute reminder to come to the Annual Benefit Concert sponsored by the First Parish in conjunction with the Folk Song Society. This year the concert will once again feature that dynamic fiddling group, Halali. Tickets will be available at church for $20. This great event will be held on Saturday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. The beneficiary of the proceeds will be Renewal House, the battered women¹s shelter of the UU Urban Ministry.
Join UUs from around the country in Niagara Falls,
July 18-21, 2004
Come experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities while being taken care of like royalty. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from every perspective. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural beauty around the Falls. For information visit our web site: http://www.uunex.net/
Boston Gay Men's Chorus to Perform at Belmont High School
The Boston Gay Men¹s Chorus will perform at Belmont High School¹s auditorium, Thursday, April 29, 7:30 p.m, in a first-ever combined choral event with 80 members of the BHS chorus. Seats are $10 adults, and $8 students and seniors. Tickets are available at The UPS Store, 464 Common Street; Herb Country, 63 Leonard Street; and the BHS Fine Arts office, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, call (xxx) xxx-xxxx or the BGMC office, (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
³This is an occasion for celebration. We are excited about bringing this superb music to the community,² comments Luke Bruffee, BHS art teacher and an organizer of the performance. The program is co-sponsored by the BHS Gay Straight Alliance, the Diversity and Tolerance Club, the Belmont Gay Straight Alliance Committee, and Grants for Peace.
Resurrection/Family drama
The St Patrick¹s Family Players present Resurrection, a Cantata/Family Drama by Bryan Jeffrey Leech. It will be performed here in Watertown on Saturday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick¹s Church on Main Street. See the bulletin board for complete details.
Doing Spring Cleaning? Save those unused bikes!
The Watertown Boys & Girls Club and The World in Watertown are sponsoring a Pedals for Progress bike collection. Bikes are collected and shipped to developing countries where bikes are used to get to work and school, to deliver goods and to obtain medical services. Since 1997 nearly 74,000 bikes have been shipped to partner charities in 20 countries.
Bikes will be collected in Watertown on Saturday, May 1 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Atrium School, 552 Main Street. A donation of $10 is required to cover shipping costs. Information about Pedals for Progress can be found at www.p4p.org. Questions? Call Sue Kuder at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Church Rummage Sale
Our annual rummage sale
to benefit the church is scheduled for
Saturday May 1
Please start thinking about what you would like to donate to the sale this year.
Set-up on Friday, April 30 - 6-9 p.m.
Sale on Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sign-ups to help in April.
11:00 a.m.
"Angry Eyes"
Mark W. Harris
We often hear about road rage. Everyone seems to need a big vehicle which they drive very fast. Why is rudeness and anger so prevalent these days? How can we respond to the anger we feel in ourselves, and see in society at large?
Music by Florence Price, Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel. The Children¹s choir will sing.
Greeters: Ingrid Sayied, Mary Schlivek
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 11, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Resurrections and Relationships"
Mark W. Harris
Our Easter service will have very special music, and a story for all ages. The sermon will be on our UU understanding of the Passion of the Christ, which focuses less on power and more on relationships.
Guest musicians: Rebecca Thornblade, cello and Debbie Thompson, cello, who will play music by F. Handel.
Greeters: Martha Scott, Jody Shapiro
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 18, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Listening to Echoes"
Mark W. Harris
I sometimes feel like I do a poor job listening to others. Sometimes I want to get in what I have to say, but can't seem to hear what the other says. Sometimes I am off in my own world, and the other may as well be talking to themselves. How can I listen to the other in a religious way?
Greeters: Missy and Bob Shay
Social hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
Sunday, April 25, 2004
11:00 a.m.
"Chaotic Balance"
Jim Sherborn
Sometimes it seems that one of life's biggest challenges is maintaining a modicum of stability and balance in the midst of chaos. This sermon will explore what it takes to maintain one's balance in the storms of life.
The First Parish choir is singing.
Greeters: Diane Shepard and Mary Snow
Social Hour: Helen Robinson Wright Committee
The Captain's Log
Mark W. Harris
I am supposed to be the Unitarian Universalist expert on Easter. I collected materials about this holiday for years, and then published an anthology with Carl Seaburg. I also wrote a UU Easter pamphlet, which is now out of print. We UUs have a lot of ambivalence about this holiday, and often don¹t quite know what to do about it. Andrea tells me this was easily solved in her old church in Atlanta. By Easter time the flowers have actually begun to appear, and they celebrated the flower communion. Meanwhile we sometimes have Easter snow and cold here in New England, and feel like we are still in the tomb. Never to rise again!
After the cold winter we are ready for the rebirth of something. But I probably always say that. Cold snow, barrenness, lack of contact with our neighbors. We feel in our bones that something needs to break loose even if the flowers are not quite there yet.
This is definitely my time of year for New Year's resolutions. I know I was supposed to do that in January, but who is going to change their ways as we enter the season of hibernation? Some of us consider mere survival a victory. Now I am thinking more seriously about those few extra pounds. Now I have the spirit to walk and feel good again. Now I am thinking about spending some time raking or planting seeds, or sprucing up the garden. Now I have the spirit to make things look good again. Who cares when everything is frozen in place?
Perhaps some of the UU ambivalence about Easter comes from our inclination to talk about religious things. We could argue Bible verses and the death and resurrection of Jesus until the cows come home. The bigger question is what we are doing to live this message of resurrection which seems to be entering the very marrow of our beings as spring fills the air. My boys are saying, let¹s go to the field, let¹s play ball. Let me out, it says. So if we are moping about our weight, or how things look, or all the wintertime loneliness and barrenness we feel, then its time to break out and live some resurrection in our lives. Break free of the little deaths! It¹s time to sing and play!
Some other church notes from Mark :
Want to join the church? Have you become active in the church, but have yet to sign the membership book, and be an official member? We invite you to make that commitment in the springtime of our church year. The membership book will be available for signing on Sunday mornings in April. Please see Mark about signing the book. Joining the church makes it possible for you to have a official voice in the way the church is governed, to serve on certain committees, and to show your commitment to this congregation and Unitarian Universalism.
Part of the process of settling back into the church after the construction has been to formulate a plan as to how we want the space to look. I have been working with Will Twombly on biographical name plates for many of the portraits. These have now been finished for the Arbella and the portrait of Watertown¹s founder Richard Saltonstall in the sanctuary, and the portraits of former ministers Weiss, Francis and Meredith, as well as Lydia Maria Child, all located in the conference room. Come take a look and learn a little more of our history. We have also recently had the original church covenant reframed. This was beautifully calligraphed in 1930 and given to the church by Helen Robinson Wright. The old frame was badly damaged by water, as was the calligraphy. In a recent correspondence with Helen Robinson Wright¹s grandson I have also learned that we are about to receive a framed picture of her. I strongly believe that we should care for and preserve these legacies from the past.
In the context of learning from the past, I invite all of you to participate in a class I am teaching on Transcendentalism. This is the most famous and enduring spiritual, literary and cultural gift our Unitarian ancestors have given to the world. The class begins on Sunday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Our church has a large number of books on Unitarian Universalist history located in the new church office. They are available for loan, if you are interested in learning more. In addition to the UU history materials, the office also includes worship materials and old hymnals. The Religious Education materials are now located in the Nursery/R.E. Director¹s office.
In this newsletter you will note that we have two separate warrants for annual meetings. Why? Our church bylaws require that our annual meeting be held in the month of April. Therefore, we must issue a call for a meeting this month. However, it is usually the last Sunday of the month to give us time to complete the fiscal year reports and the annual canvass, which helps us predict our resources for the year. This year the Harris/Greenwood clan is scheduled to be away on that day, April 25. Andrea¹s first church settlement was in Atlanta, and she has been invited back to preach there as part of a celebration of a church anniversary. This is the Sunday that worked out for both parties. Therefore we will adjourn a brief meeting on April 18 (when I will be here), and then have the ³real² annual meeting on Sunday, May 2, 2004.
Church Rummage Sale on May 1
Our annual rummage sale to benefit the church coffers is scheduled for Saturday, May 1. With spring comes spring cleaning, so start thinking about what you would like to clear out and donate. We sell household and kitchen items, small articles of furniture, electronics, sports equipment, toys, books, tapes, CDs, children¹s clothes. No adult clothes please. Jane Knuttunen and Meredith Montague are coordinating the sale this year. They will be soliciting your help in April.
NEW UU
Mark Harris and Jim Sherblom will hold a one session introduction to Unitarian Universalism on Sunday, April 4 at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to come learn all you ever wanted to ask about First Parish and UUism.
Spring Has Sprung - Annual Clean-up
Now that our church inside is so beautiful it is that time of year to help the outside as well. Our Annual Spring Clean Up is scheduled for Saturday, May 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. by the Building and Grounds Committee. Sign-up sheets for a variety of much needed work will be available at each social hour in April. Even if you can only come for a short time we will welcome the help. It is a fun time with refreshments provided. Hope to see you there!!
Benefit Concert for the Building Fund
It is time for Round Two of the benefit concerts. Early in April there will be a benefit for Renewal House, but FPW members Randy Rhoda and Michael McCarthy also have been busy organizing a special concert to benefit our beautiful refurbished building on Saturday April 17. See the flyer for the concert in this newsletter. We are in need of volunteers to cook/supply/sell food and drinks for the FPW Benefit concert to raise additional funds for the building renovation. Please contact Randy or Michael to help out.
Canvass Thanks
Wow! March was canvass month in many ways. We changed our usual canvass procedure this year, and it meant a full month of pledging and eating. The first two weekends of March we had seven suppers in private homes, where members acted as hosts and facilitators. Hosts were Martha Scott, Sue & Will Twombley, Deb Stein, Mark & Andrea, David & Kathy Warren, Bob & Missy Shea and David Morrison. Facilitators were Ken Vogel, John Portz, Sue Kuder, Michael Collins, Elizabeth deFrees, Charmian Proskauer and Jean Merkl. Thank you to everyone who made this a great success. Then on the last Saturday of the month we had our annual dinner, which was meant to mark and celebrate the end of the canvass rather than kick it off. This worked very well with lots of great pot luck dishes downstairs, and then our annual talent show upstairs. Special thanks to the Fellowship Committee members: Gretchen Brown, Bobbie Brown, Linda Weiss (and her family) and Deborah Stein (who arranged the flowers) for working so hard to make it a lovely dinner. Only the Sunday before this same committee along with fellow member Jane Knuttunen hosted a newcomer breakfast. This is a hard working bunch, and we owe them a lot! The talent show was arranged by Diane Shepard and Roberta Altamari.Thanks to Diane (and extended family members) for set up, and Roberta for being mistress of ceremonies. It was a great night with wonderful talent. Thanks to all who contributed in any way. Thanks to all who have pledged and to our hard working committee.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Roberta Altamari, REflections of a chaliceDREamer
Part 1: Time to work together
I¹m separating my column this month into two sections because of the significance of two topics I want to share. The first is about the importance of working together.
Last month, the children wrapped up their exploration of principle 5, which I call the principle of working together. I realize my presentation of it may seem different from other UU religious educators. Many of the children's versions of our UU principles focus on the honoring each vote and democratic pieces of this principle. I agree that it is important to honor each voice, but with the focus that it is a tool towards having empathy and understanding towards the other people. As for the democratic process, I think our younger children need to have a better understanding of "community spirit" before they can fully understand how a proper democratic process would work.
After several weeks of trying to highlight the joy inherent in working together and processing through some of the hard lessons that came up, the children tried having their own annual meeting. With the expressed goal of giving the children a formal forum in which they get to make important decisions, the meeting was a huge success. First, the children voted on what community service projects they would participate in this Spring. (Helping homeless people and animals were their top picks). And then they got to sign-up for volunteer "jobs" at church. I couldn¹t believe the overwhelming enthusiasm the children had for signing up to help. (Committee chairs take note - I have long lists of children eager to help you.)
I think the most significant piece of the children's annual meeting was the part that was unspoken. It was that feeling that children can be valuable and contributing members of our church community. We can talk to our children forever about the importance of sharing and helping others. And we can discuss the importance of balancing all their self-confidence and self-respect with the ability to work well with others. But no conversation can bring to life the lesson our children learn when they get to experience being productive members of our church family. So please, welcome their help.
Part 2: Bringing our RE inspirations home
I am often heard telling the children that religious words are ours to define. One of the great things about the UU faith is the freedom to discover and believe in our own religious definitions. From communion to God, there is no pressure to believe the definitions other people attribute to these words.
With Easter coming, I thought now might be a great time to send this message ³home². Easter can be a confusing time for some families ... particularly because of the religious meaning some people attribute to the Easter holiday. What do we believe? What do we not believe? What do we celebrate? What parts of the Easter story do we tell our children?
I will never forget the insightful articulation of one First Parish parent on this very subject. She told me that she wished to better understand the Unitarian Universalist celebration of Easter. She particularly appreciated how the UU faith transformed the Christmas message into a symbolic celebration of the birth of every child. But how do we transform the Easter message of death and resurrection?
I was all set to dedicate my April Arbella column to exploring historical information that would support a liberal understanding of the Easter holiday. Spending the holiday with Catholics sometimes leaves me ³walking on eggshells² around discussing the meaning of Easter. But then I found a book that did the exploring for me. We need to look no further than the book Mark wrote with Carl Seaburg called Celebrating Easter and Spring to find some comforting answering. Mark has a section (that can also be found in UUA pamphlet form) that does a eloquent job of introducing the many ways Unitarian Universalists can find meaning in the Easter holiday. Quite impressive is his ability to inspire us to reframe and redefine our understanding of ³resurrection² with examples from modern day life. Mark closes with, ³We can make the resurrection a reality in our lives ... The traditional cry of Œhe lives¹ becomes Œwe live¹.²
To further support my feeling that my Easter day need not be a ghost of the Christian celebration my extended family hosts, I looked to our Pagan ancestors. Books like Mrs. Sharp¹s Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach and Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill highlight that many pieces of the Christian Easter celebration are taken from Pagan rituals that were being celebrated long before Jesus was even born. The earlier festivals were held near Spring Equinox in honor of Eostre, the old German goddess of light, to celebrate the death of winter and the rebirth of Spring. The most popular Easter symbols (colored eggs and the Easter bunny) trace back to Eostre¹s spring festival.
With all these sources of valuable information, it leaves us liberal families with ample support to create an Easter holiday that matches our religious beliefs. One thing I¹ve learned from the children this year is that they hear way more information from their friends and playmates than I could have ever imagined. That leaves a certain amount of responsibility on us as parents and church friends to affirm that the true meaning of any religious holiday rests in our own hearts and souls ... ready to be discovered, defined, and celebrated in our own unique ways.
Many thanks to everyone who donated their spare change to the Chalice Children for their Spring community service projects! Thanks to you, the children received a nice amount of seed money to get their projects growing!!
Thanks, Kids!
The Sunday social hours are usually put together by the wonderful people who volunteer their time to serve on First Parish committees. There is one very special exception to this rotation -- R.E. month -- where the kids in Religious Education take a turn. We all want to use this opportunity to thank you kids for the great social hours in the month of March. Nice job! Many thanks also to parents and the R.E. Committee!
On Sunday, April 4, First Parish of Watertown's Children's Ministry will be celebrating our diversity while helping others with their own Peace Day.
The children have been invited to bring a food contribution to church that day that represents their ethnic heritage.
They will separate their contributions into two portions ~ one small that they can share a sampling with the members of their First Parish small group, and the other bigger portion in a container suitable for donating to the kitchen of a homeless shelter (meaning their parents don't want it back).
Included in our delivery will be the fabulous bed and bath supplies that our Principle Activators (Cody and Giles) got for the shelter.
First Parish adults are of course welcome to donate food to this effort!
The Junior Friends of the Watertown Free Public Library is hosting an exciting event to help raise money for the building fund.
Join them on Saturday, April 24 at 7 p.m. (here at First Parish) for a wonderful night of music, story-telling, a silent auction, baked goods, and door prizes. Even though the Junior Friends are organizing this event, it is not a just for children event. Fun is guaranteed for folks of ALL ages! So save this date to help our library and have fun at the same time. For more information and to donate your talent or an item for the silent auction, contact Dominique Altamari or at [email removed].
AMONG US
Brian and Janie Howland and big brother Davis welcomed baby Julian, born on 3/10 at 7:33 a.m. weighing 8 lbs., 1 oz., 19" long. Everyone is doing well.
Congratulations to Diane Shepard who passed the nursing boards recently.
Paul Day was recently featured in a Globe article on digiticians. It is posted on the bulletin board downstairs.
Also the Mulvaney Day family participated recently in a family opera in Cambridge.
Our deepest sympathy to John Asare whose father died recently in Ghana. John is now back in the USA following the funeral.
Our healing thoughts to Evelyn Bejcek who was hospitalized recently for a few days.
Our healing thoughts to Rachel Benson who had a successful operation recently at Children¹s hospital.
First Parish Book Group
The First Parish Book Group will meet Sunday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. in the conference room. The book is Small Wonder, a collection of essays by Barbara Kingsolver. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to join in the discussion.
According to the book jacket, Small Wonder is a ³hopeful examination of the people we seem to be and what we might yet make of ourselves.² Reviews indicate that the essays interweave post-September 11 political themes, ecological concerns, and musings on life as it is lived.
A Mariner's Missives
First Parish in Concord
and First Parish of Watertown
joyfully invite you to celebrate
the ordination of
James Peter Sherblom
to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry
Sunday, May 16, 2004
at 3:00 p.m.
at First Parish in Concord
20 Lexington Road
Concord, Massachusetts
Reception will follow the service
I would be delighted if everyone from First Parish of Watertown could come and be a part of my ordination service. The FPW choir has also been invited to join with the Concord choir in singing two anthems that afternoon, for which there will be a joint choir rehearsal on Wednesday, May 12 from 7:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jerusha Vogel has agreed to coordinate desserts from FPW for the reception to follow, with Concord offering many other tasty treats, so please offer your help to Jerusha with treats if you are able to bring some as well. This is the culmination of my five years of study and preparation and I would love for you to share it with me.
Jim
Warrant for Special Meeting
First Parish of Watertown
April 18, 2004
To: Michael Collins, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings:
You are hereby required to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting House on SUNDAY, THE 18TH DAY OF APRIL, 2004, after the service, to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to serve until the next Annual Meeting.
Article 2. To adjourn the meeting until Sunday, the 2nd day of May, 2004
Article 3. To transact such other business as may legally be brought before the meeting.
Given under our hands as of this 28th day of March 2004.
Parish Committee, Jean Merkl, Chair
Musical
Musings
I have enjoyed researching and practicing these compositions of women composers. I am still working on some of the more difficult pieces and will play them during April and May. The repertoire is very limited, not all had been published, but I find it all very interesting and often I think the music is certainly underrated. As a woman, I find the lives of these women musicians sometimes as interesting as their music. Being a woman often means living several persona at once (wife, mom, daughter, professional, etc.) and I am always eager to see how they manage it all!...this is why I like to talk about their lives. Today I will say a little about Clara Schumann, a fascinating woman whose life was like a soap-opera, and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn.
Clara Wieck Schumann (l8l9 - l896), was the second daughter of Friedrich and Marianne Wieck, both musicians. When Clara was five, her parents were divorced, leaving her in the custody of her father. He was determined that she would be a great pianist and began teaching her himself. With her father as her only teacher and also her manager (how intense this must have been), she gave her first concert at the age of nine. She was acknowledged as a child prodigy and pursued a successful career as a pianist for more than sixty years.
She met Robert Schumann in l835, she with an international reputation and Robert, an unknown composer. However, her father refused to accept the eventual engagement of the couple and Clara took him to court to get her independence. Following a legendary legal battle that lasted longer than three years, the court finally decided in Clara¹s favor and the couple was married just before her twenty-first birthday.
Between l841 and l854, Clara had eight children, but she had to keep working. Robert had a growing mental illness which had been a concern early on in their relationship. He attempted suicide in l854 and Clara had to commit him to an institution where he died two years later.
Although Robert strongly supported her efforts at composition, his work took priority over hers and for many years her composing and practicing were done at the times when her husband would not be disturbed. (She stopped writing after Robert¹s death.)
Clara Schumann¹s life was one of triumph and tragedy. One of her children died in infancy and three adult children predeceased her. Her one surviving son died in a mental hospital, where he had lived for forty years. For the rest of her life she supported her children and grandchildren by teaching and touring. Clara Schumann was considered peer of giants like Franz Liszt and Anton Rubenstein and was called Europe¹s ³Queen of the Piano.² She died of a stroke in l896.
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (l805 - l847), was born to a prosperous Jewish family in Hamburg, granddaughter of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. She began studying right along with her younger brother, Felix. Her musical gifts were quite evident as a young child, but her accomplishments were limited by attitudes against women being professional musicians. ŒIn l828 Abraham Mendelssohn told his highly talented and creative daughter, ²Fanny, you must prepare more earnestly and eagerly for your real calling, the only calling of a young woman - I mean the state of a housewife.²¹ (from ³At the Piano with Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn² - Alfred Pub., l988). Her brother was supportive of her creative endeavors and often asked her musical advice, yet refused to help get her music published. As an adult, Fanny¹s musical activities focused around her family salon, where music was presented on a weekly basis. The Mendelssohn home was one of the major cultural establishments of Berlin, and Fanny composed the over-whelming majority of her music for these Sunday performances.
Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me in this endeavor!
Patty
Committees for the
New Church Year!
As many of you know, the church year begins April 1 and ends March 31. This is also the change for committee members. Luckily our committees here at First Parish are strong, yet new members are always needed to keep things going. This is a great way to meet people and become involved in the church. The more members on a committee the less work there is for each member! Generally meetings are monthly.
There was a list of committees and what role they play in our church life in last weeks order of service and there will be lists left out at church for the coming Sundays. There is also a list on the FPW website (fpwatertown.org). If you are interested in a committee please let me know. You can also feel free to attend a committee meeting to see what it is like (the dates and times are listed in the Arbella or you can call the church office). You may get asked if you are interested in joining a committee. If you can consider joining a committee that¹s great; if this is not the best time for you just let us know. Thanks, Jean Merkl. (xxx) xxx-xxxx or [email removed].
Personal Care
Attendants are Needed
Patty Richardson is the service coordinator at 100 Warren St., Watertown, run by the Watertown Housing Authority. The population of the building is elderly & young/disabled. There are many wonderful, trying to stay independent, medically involved folks who live there.
The need at present is for Personal Care Attendants. This is a paid position for people who are 18 yrs old, and could be for household cleaning, errands or personal care help. Patty is the contact for the Attendants.
Transcendentalism‹ Our Great UU Religious Legacy
Want to see Mark Harris¹ book come to life? The Transcendentalists, our most spiritual of UU forbearers will be discussed and experienced in a four session class beginning on April 4. The other sessions will be on May 2 and June 6, concluding with a trip on June 27 to Walden Pond, where we will experience the last of the Transcendental spiritual practices - Walking.
The rest of the schedule:
April Writing/Journal keeping - The Alcotts
May Spirit in Action/Educating for social change - Brook Farm/Thoreau¹s Civil Disobedience uune Reading/Reflecting - Emerson
Calling all Tablecloths!
Past experience suggests that the following ³unsolved mysteries² are related to non-church events. If you are connected with one of these, thanks for passing the word: We¹re looking for a few church tablecloths and dishtowels that may still be in someone¹s home laundry. (Thanks for helping out.)
Also, if anyone has seen the container of stainless steel spoons recently, please tell the Office or a Fellowship Committee member.
Warrant for Adjourned Annual Meeting
First Parish of Watertown
May 2, 2004
To: Michael Collins, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings:
You are hereby required to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting House on SUNDAY, THE 2nd DAY OF MAY, 2004, after the service, to act on the following articles, viz:
Article 1. To choose a Moderator to serve until the next Annual Meeting.
Article 2. To receive the reports of:
the Minister;
the Treasurer;
the Director of Religious Education;
the President of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund;
the Chair of the Trustees of the Perpetuity Fund;
the Historian;
and all Committees heretofore appointed or elected,
and take any other action related thereto.
Article 3. To hear the report of the Parish Committee on the budget for the 2003-2004 Fiscal Year and the report of the canvass for pledges, grant such sums of money as may be found necessary for the use and expenses of the Parish for the ensuing year, direct how the money shall be raised, and take action relating thereto.
Article 4. To hear and act upon the report of the Nominating Committee and any nominations made from the floor, and to choose the regular Parish Officers, viz:
One Treasure and Collector for one year;
One Assistant Treasurer for one year;
One Clerk for one year;
One Historian for one year;
and to choose members of the Parish, Religious Education, Worship, Social Concerns, Fellowship, Auditing and Nomination Committees, and Trustees of the Perpetuity Fund, and such other committees as may be necessary and provided in the By-Laws; and to fill any vacancies in unexpired terms which may exist at the time of the Annual Meeting.
Article 5. To transact such other business as may legally be brought before the meeting.
Given under our hands as of this 28th day of March 2004.
Parish Committee, Jean Merkl, Chair
Benefit Concert for Renewal House
Last minute reminder to come to the Annual Benefit Concert sponsored by the First Parish in conjunction with the Folk Song Society. This year the concert will once again feature that dynamic fiddling group, Halali. Tickets will be available at church for $20. This great event will be held on Saturday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. The beneficiary of the proceeds will be Renewal House, the battered women¹s shelter of the UU Urban Ministry.
Join UUs from around the country in Niagara Falls,
July 18-21, 2004
Come experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities while being taken care of like royalty. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from every perspective. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural beauty around the Falls. For information visit our web site: http://www.uunex.net/
Boston Gay Men's Chorus to Perform at Belmont High School
The Boston Gay Men¹s Chorus will perform at Belmont High School¹s auditorium, Thursday, April 29, 7:30 p.m, in a first-ever combined choral event with 80 members of the BHS chorus. Seats are $10 adults, and $8 students and seniors. Tickets are available at The UPS Store, 464 Common Street; Herb Country, 63 Leonard Street; and the BHS Fine Arts office, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, call (xxx) xxx-xxxx or the BGMC office, (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
³This is an occasion for celebration. We are excited about bringing this superb music to the community,² comments Luke Bruffee, BHS art teacher and an organizer of the performance. The program is co-sponsored by the BHS Gay Straight Alliance, the Diversity and Tolerance Club, the Belmont Gay Straight Alliance Committee, and Grants for Peace.
Resurrection/Family drama
The St Patrick¹s Family Players present Resurrection, a Cantata/Family Drama by Bryan Jeffrey Leech. It will be performed here in Watertown on Saturday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick¹s Church on Main Street. See the bulletin board for complete details.
Doing Spring Cleaning? Save those unused bikes!
The Watertown Boys & Girls Club and The World in Watertown are sponsoring a Pedals for Progress bike collection. Bikes are collected and shipped to developing countries where bikes are used to get to work and school, to deliver goods and to obtain medical services. Since 1997 nearly 74,000 bikes have been shipped to partner charities in 20 countries.
Bikes will be collected in Watertown on Saturday, May 1 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Atrium School, 552 Main Street. A donation of $10 is required to cover shipping costs. Information about Pedals for Progress can be found at www.p4p.org. Questions? Call Sue Kuder at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Church Rummage Sale
Our annual rummage sale
to benefit the church is scheduled for
Saturday May 1
Please start thinking about what you would like to donate to the sale this year.
Set-up on Friday, April 30 - 6-9 p.m.
Sale on Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sign-ups to help in April.