Wednesday, March 01, 2006
The Arbella - Newsletter for March 2006
First Parish of Watertown
Arbella
March 2006
NOTE: For calendar listings / committee meeting dates, please refer to our online calendar at: www.fpwatertown.org
Sermons and Topics
Sunday, March 5, 2006 at 11:00 a.m
"The Habits of Caring" Robin Gray
There are practices that can transform despair and bring new awareness to our lives. We'll consider several habits that arise in adventurous hearts.
Our guest Robin Gray has been a Unitarian Universalist minister since 1987. She was first settled at The First Unitarian Society in Gardner, MA and since 1994 has been the Minister of The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford, MA.
Music: The Folk Song Society will perform.
Greeters: To be announced.
Social Hour: Kim LeBlanc and Lee Pierce
Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. -
"Till We Reach That Day" Darrick Jackson
Is Unitarian Universalism really ready for diversity, in all its forms? This sermon kicks off First Parish's Spring film series on Oppressions.
Music: A morning of music by women.
Greeters: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Social Hour: Valy McDonald and Susan Guidrey
Sunday, March 19, 2006 at 11:00 a.m
"Taking Risks" Mark Harris
Every spring I marvel at those early flowers like tulips that show their bulbs, and then are hit with a blizzard. I think of the risk they take in trying to flower under less than perfect conditions. Our willingness to take risks is often impeded by fear of failure. What would help us risk more?
Music: Guest musician, Kathy O'Donnell, flutist
Greeters: Diane and Thom Shepard
Social Hour: Ken Repp and Chris Johnson
Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 11:00 a.m.
"The Treat Goddess" Chris Johnson
Perhaps you've heard the provocative rhetorical question: "did God create us or did we create God?" Faith is the belief-in-something-beyond that helps us make meaning out of things we can't explain, and gives us comfort in trying times. How do faith, certainty and doubt connect with individual and communal human need?
Guest Musician: Frank Grimes, viola
Greeters: Marianne Collins and Deborah Stein
Social Hour: Judy and Roger Kamm
Captain's Log
My son Asher has been obsessed with magic recently. This is more than a passing fancy for Harry Potter stories or pulling rabbits out of a hat . This is born of a firm belief that magic really happens. We have more decks of cards than a Las Vegas card shark, and of course, all of them are trick decks. A deck that has ten copies of the 8 of diamonds may not help much when you are playing gin. He has been carving wands from every available piece of wood, and learning tricks from every magic book under the sun. One use of these wands is what he calls, 3club matches.2 We learned about these from a Harry Potter movie, where Harry and his arch rival Draco Malfoy stand on a table, bow to each other, and then spew forth nonsensical words while twirling their wands this way and that. Soon their bodies are flying about the room, as they try to best each other in this ritual standoff.
Asher and I can now be seen encountering one another in club matches. We take our wands and mimic the actions of these J.K. Rowling characters. Soon we are making up our own spells with words that sound ominous, but mostly are meaningless except that they always seem to end in 3ilus2 (as in trickilus) or depend upon some variation of ascend or spin. The problem comes after Asher has said his words and flashed his wand through the air. He will ask, 3Did you feel it?2 And I am compelled to say, 3A little.2 3I can see that,2 he says, after I have jumped, turned or almost fallen down. This has almost become a kind of yoga ritual, where I will move and shout and vent all the pent up energy in my body. Maybe magic does happen if I release some stress or unexpressed anger or frustration. I seem to feel different after these encounters.
As a child I always had some interest in things such as ghosts or superstitions. Anything out of the ordinary. Everyone of us is curious about the boundary between the mundane everyday occurrences of our lives, and those things that seem to be controlled by some greater force. It has been a long time since I believed in any magical powers that extend beyond the boundaries of human possibility. But what are those boundaries? The problem is we often don1t give enough credence to those mysteries that are unexplained or seemingly magical.
One benefit of all these hours spent reading magic books is that I have learned a few tricks. One of my favorites is the dollar bill and paper clips trick, where two unconnected paper clips are magically united in one unending linkage. Perhaps I can spice up a sermon some day with these tricks of mine. While Asher seems to feel that much of it is true, and like me, when I was his age, may not know where the boundary between real and magical actually lies, I still think I do. Yet when I take the specially folded dollar bill, and yank it open, and pick up the two separate paper clips that are now joined as one, I cannot help myself but say, Amazing! How does that happen? I don1t really want to figure it out. It is more fun just to marvel at this silly little trick.
Lent is that time period when Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days to contemplate all that he needed to do with his life to make it more spiritually whole. Almost like New
Year1s resolutions, we may say, I will walk more or eat less. This year as Easter approaches, I think I am going to say, make more magic. In difficult times like ours there is nothing like taking a few moments for a club match and pretend that you can soar through the air, and then try it a time or two. Then if you learn a magic trick, it can even seem like magic that you can make something soar through the air or disappear or join in magical ways. When we pretend we have magic, and learn some magic, it almost feels like magic. Maybe we don1t cross any boundaries of reality, but we do recall how much fun life is, and how much mystery there is to discover in the universe. And in the midst of Lent, we can say, Amazing!
Mark
Among Us
We were all overjoyed to hear the announcement that First Parish members, Martha Scott and David Morrison were to be married this fall at First Parish.
Covenant Group
The Sunday Covenant Group will meet next on April 2 at 1:00 p.m. The topic for the day is: forgiveness. This group presently remains open to new members. We had six at our last meeting.
Film Series
Darrick and Mark will help facilitate a Lenten film series on oppressions. This group will meet on Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m., and we expect to show four films that depict various oppressions within our culture. These include: class, transgender issues, race and one more to be selected. Films will be announced. The film showing will be followed by discussion. The dates are : March 19, 26, April 2 and 9. Watch for emails and announcements.
Social Action
Please join us on March 18 for our annual benefit concert. A flyer is included with this newsletter. We will be asking for people to help out by making refreshments and to help sell tickets on Sundays March 5 and 12 and also to assist with both of these needs (refreshments and tickets) the night of the show.
Thank you to all those who donated books to the Teen L.E.E.P. program during January and February. Our March concert benefits a program at MCI Framingham called Girls Scouts Beyond Bars. We expect that our March and April Giving Boxes will help benefit another program at MCI Framingham. Details will follow.
Midshipman1s Musings
by Darrick Jackson, student minister
This semester, I am taking a class that is co-taught between Andover Newton and Hebrew College. We are looking at the biblical story known as the akedah or "the binding of Isaac." In this story, the Jewish Patriarch Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his son. This he prepares to do, and is stopped by an angel just short of the killing stroke. A ram then appears and is sacrificed instead.
Obviously, this text is disturbing, and yet it is one of the central texts of the Jewish faith. Every morning Jews are supposed to read or recite this piece as part of their prayers. With this in mind, the class is exploring what this text means in both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Furthermore, the sub text of the class is what does it mean to have a faith that is centered around issues of sacrifice.
One of the things that has really fascinated me was looking at how Judaism and Christianity meet. I did not realize that the formation of the Judaism we know today was being developed at the same time Christianity was being developed. Previously Jewish faith centered around the temple at Jerusalem. Once that was destroyed (for the second time) the Jewish leaders decided to create a manner of worship that did not rely on the temple.
And so two strands developed. One looked back to Abraham and Isaac as a reminder to be faithful to God. The other looked more recently to a man named Jesus, whose sacrifice brought redemption from sin. This is very different from my conception that Christianity was a spin-off of traditional Judaism. In reality, both traditions are spin-offs of an original Judaism that no longer functioned in its time.
As I think about these two ancient traditions that formed out of a need to respond religiously to the times, I wonder what it means for us now. When is tradition important, and when is it time to change? And will change happen with or without us? Does Unitarian Universalism need to change? What would happen if we do or don't? And are we ready to change if we need to?
Blessed Be
Darrick
First Parish 2006 Canvass Kickoff
It is once again time for the First Parish Canvass, that important time of the year when we take time to reflect on what First Parish means to us and our families, and with those reflections in mind make our commitments to support all the wonderful things First Parish will do in the year ahead.The First Parish Canvass Committee has created a plan for this year1s canvass that we hope will exceed the great success of last year1s program in terms of both fun and fund raising results.
In March we will have a series of canvass potluck dinners at people1s houses and at the Church, where we will enjoy one another1s fellowship, fine cooking and wit as well as talk about what our community means to us. These talks will be led by fellow church members, and the evenings will wind up with people filling out their pledge cards for the coming year. These dinners have become one of the highlights of the First Parish social calendar.
We have scheduled the dinners on successive weeks in early March in order to make it as easy as possible to find a date on which you can attend. This year's dates are:
Thursday, March 2 7:00 9:00 - Host: Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell, 1034 Belmont St., Watertown
Friday, March 3 7:00 9:00 - Host: Nancy Dutton & David Benson, 198 Bellevue St., Watertown
Saturday, March 4 5:30 7:30 at the Church, child care provided - Host: Mark Harris & Andrea Greenwood
Sunday, March 5 7:00 - 9:00 - Host: Will & Sue Twombly, 75 Marion Rd., Watertown
Thursday, March 9 7:00 9:00 - Host: Kathy & David Warren
Friday, March 10 7:00 9:00 - Host: Chris Johnson & Ken Repp,
39 Hawthorne St., Waltham
Saturday, March 11 5:30 7:30 at the Church, child care provided Host: David Morrison
Sunday, March 12 7:30 9:00 Host: Michael & Marianne Collins 105 Boyd St., Watertown
If you have not chosen a dinner, please e-mail your preference today to John Portz at jportz@rcn.com. Be sure to include how many will be attending (particularly for childcare days). Host: The host of the dinner that you choose to attend will contact you about your contribution to the potluck.
Once we have finished our pledging we all gather together to celebrate on Saturday, March 25 at 6:00 at the Church at our Annual Dinner. This will be a giant pot luck and feature entertainment by the many talented members and friends of FPW.
Check your calendars today and block out March 25 for the Annual Dinner.
Committees Need You!
It1s that time of year to think which church committee you might be interested in joining. Each committee supports and cares for the church in a unique way. If you would like more information on a committee or would like to join a committee there is an information sheet at church describing the work of each committee. You can also attend a meeting to see how it functions. There is a list of committees and their members on the first page of the First Parish Directory. Feel free to ask a member about the committee they are on. Details of the committee1s previous year work can be found in last year1s Annual Report. Jean Merkl is also available for questions.
All Points Bulletin for Dishtowels
The FPW kitchen1s supply of dish towels that has been on hand has dwindled. If you have taken some home to wash, thank you for doing this. Now it1s time to return them to the drawer to the left of the stove. Thanks!
First Parish Talent Show - Calling All Star Search Wannabes
Our church family will be gathering this year for our Annual Dinner on Saturday March 25th. The theme of the dinner this year is "Coming Home to FPW". Izzy Tappan-deFrees is the scout for our traditional Talent Show. We invite all with hidden talents to step on stage with spirit! Young, old, family acts, classical, rock, poetry, dance, magic tricks - whatever makes you shine- here's your chance to share it all with your friends and family at First Parish.
Please let Izzy (izzyt@rcn.com) know as soon as you can if you are interested there's still time to refine your acts, but we1d like to get a sense soon of who would like to participate.
Church is the community that you make it!! See you there.
Women & Work
Next Meeting, Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Conference Room at First Parish of Watertown.
GUEST SPEAKER: Rev. Andrea Greenwood. Using Michael Pollan1s book The Botany of Desire as a starting point, we will explore the relationship between people and plants. We usually think of ourselves as manipulating the environment, but a case can be made that we don1t just enjoy plants, or get nourished by them -- we can actually be changed by them. Although we will certainly talk, we will be using our sense to explore as well. Pollan1s themes of control, intoxication, beauty and sweetness lend themselves well to some play with perfumes, flowers, and food.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Once again, my time with our kids has proved to be very inspiring for me. As many of you know, I usually have stories every week of thought-provoking sayings and heartwarming interactions the kids have shared with me. They consistently seem to get me to open my mind, my heart, and my soul more than I ever thought myself capable of.
A few weeks ago, we explored the subject of prayer. I know I have previously promoted the idea of "owning religious terms" and feeling confident in making them UUniquely ours. I tried it with communion and now I look forward to doing our annual jelly bean communion with the kids. Recently, I was thinking of trying it with prayer. I admit that I always thought of prayer as being directed at a God figure and since I'm not sure if I believe in any God, I never bothered to consider whether or not I wanted to try praying. After hearing a great talk by Ruth Owen at the Junior High Youth Con on prayer, I knew I had to adapt her prayer ritual for First Parish. It is intended to be a spiritual practice to do in private, but I demonstrated the steps for our kids last Sunday. The kids approached the exercise with so much openness and enthusiasm that my definition of prayer has permanently been changed for the better. It went so well that I wished more people had been with us to explore the ritual. So here it is for anyone who wants to try it at home.
A Ritual for UU Prayer - Here is a five-step method for one way to pray. 1. Open the space. Open your prayer box or bag (which may include 5 small rocks selected by you, a cloth, and anything special you'd like to add like candles, photos, etc.), and use the items inside to start creating an altar. Place things in front of you that are special to you - things that make you feel comfortable and good. Take your first rock ... rub it to warm it. Hold it as you breathe deeply and free your mind from outside thoughts. Focus on this prayer process. 2. Take your second rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Invite the spirit of that which is holy and sacred to you. What is holy to you? Is there a sacred spirit you want with you today as you pray? (Don't forget that UUs affirm the freedom to have different answers to these questions - spirit of love, God, Goddess, spirit of life, nature, animals, my inner light, and nothing are some of the many answers you may hear.) 3. Take your third rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Say what you want. Express the meaning for your prayer. In the many different religious traditions, people pray for similar reasons ... please (asking for something), thanks (gratitude for something), Oopps (sorry for something they did or didn't do), and why (asking questions). Take some time to say what you want. 4. Take your fourth rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Be open to a response. Simply be silent and listen carefully ~ a response to your words may come within you or from outside yourself. Be quiet enough to hear that response. 5. Take you fifth rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Close the space. Quietly say goodbye to your ritual. Put your special prayer items away. Breathe deeply as you prepare to return to your life. Blessed be.
Announcements:
Ferry Beach
Roberta is happy to answer any questions about the wonderful experiences she had visiting Ferry Beach last summer (a fabulous UU camp located in Maine). There are many very inspiring weeks for UU folks looking for a fabulous vacation. See the display downstairs or ask Roberta for more details. And some good news for families is that she will be returning to Ferry Beach as staff for the middle school camp (Different Drummers). While she will directly be working with the kids in the middle school grouping, there are camps running for 4th to 6th grade (kids for the earth) and high school youth at the same time (July 1st to 8th). So if any First Parish youth are considering a sleep away camp and would like knowing someone on the camp grounds, here's an excellent opportunity. See her for more info.
Sunny Bunny Pals are hopping back!
Want a wonderful way to share Spring warmth? Be a Sunny Bunny Pal! This fabulous program is returning and you can be a part of it. Folks of all ages are invited to sign up to be a Sunny Bunny Pal (and we try to connect you with someone you don't know very well). After you sign up, you will be given the name of someone to be the SECRET pal of. You will send them two anonymous cards in the mail (one the week of March 26 to April 2 and then a second one during the week of April 2 to April 9). Roberta will even send you reminder emails. Then you will make (or buy) them a very small gift to present to them on Easter Sunday (April 16th). A gift that celebrates the arrival of Spring. If you won't be here that day, just bring your gift the week before and Roberta will make sure your Pal receives it on Easter. While you are doing all this kind sharing, a secret Sunny Bunny Pal will be doing it for you. It was great fun last year, so don't miss out - sign up to participate with Roberta by March 23rd.
Change Collection
During the entire month of March, we will be collecting your spare change (in jars and the giraffe bank located in the Social Hall). All funds raised each year are divided for two purposes. Half the money is used to purchase supplies for the kids to do various social action or service projects during the coming season. The other half is donated directly to charity - a charity selected by majority vote at the Children's Annual Meeting (to be held on March 12th this year). Last year's charitable funds were divided and donated to American Cancer Society, Watertown Library's building fund, Trees for Watertown, Ocean Conservancy, and Habitat for Humanity. Please be very generous with your change this year!!!
Intergenerational Sewing Club
Kathy Warren is willing to lead us in a sewing circle. Please join us at 10 am on Sunday March 12, 26, and April 2 and 9 for fun, connection, and time to sew together. What we sew will be determined by group interest.
Wish list :
Working sewing machines, fabric, fabric remnants, stuffing (for making pillows)
Blessing Ways
Roberta is willing to lead a unique Blessing Way ceremony for First Parish members and friends who are celebrating special milestones in their lives (such as entering womanhood, having a baby, starting menopause, etc.). Contact her for examples of ceremonies she has done and to answer questions about creating your own unique celebration.
Save the date
Sunday, April 30th at 1pm - State of the Youth Conversations - an important discussion about how our church community can continue to welcome and empower our youth members.
Worship Survey This Month
The First Parish Worship Committee has developed a survey to gather your thoughts, experiences, and visions concerning our worship service. It1s been several years since we1ve conducted a worship survey, and we want to hear your ideas and feelings. The survey will be introduced in church on Sunday, March 5. Hard copies will be circulated then. The survey will also be sent out via e-mail. You can fill it out either way. The deadline for completed surveys will be Sunday, April 2.
Taylor Branch at First Church Roxbury
The UU Urban Ministry's Jack Mendelsohn Forum and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities Present . . . Taylor Branch, the renowned national authority on America1s Civil Rights movement. This special appearance will be this coming Sunday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Church in Roxbury (John Eliot Square, 10 Putnam Street). Branch will be introducing his recent book, At Canaan1s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968. This is the third volume of his history of the Civil Rights movement. Volume one Parting the Waters won a Pulitzer Prize. This is a free event. A reception will follow. Mark Harris will be attending. If you would like to go, please speak to him. Otherwise, directions can be found at www.uuum.org or by calling 617-318-6010, ex. 203.
Mass Bay District Annual meeting
The Annual Meeting & Colloquium 2006 of the Mass Bay District (of which First Parish is a member) will take place on Saturday, April 8 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at
Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, MA. The keynote speaker will be
Gini Courter, Moderator of the UUA Board of Trustees -3Issuing a Challenge to a District Poised for Change2 . Workshop topics include religious education, UU identity, stewardship, leadership issues, and growth. Lunch is provided. Jean Merkl and Mark Harris are already planning to attend. We are entitled to three delegates. Please speak to Mark or Jean if you are interested.
4 Anderson Windows for Free
Bob and Missy Shay are having construction done and have 4 Anderson windows,
double glazed available for free to anyone who wants them. They are:
1 double window with screens, both sides opening, with each side measuring
roughly 24"x43"
1 single window with screen, opening, measuring 18"x 40"
1 fixed window measuring 18"x36"
1 fixed window measuring 36"x 40".
They are 25 years old, but still in very good shape.
Whoever wants them can have them for free, just take them away, on a first
come first served basis.
Wellfleet Vacation
Are you looking to get out of town for the Fourth of July at a quiet retreat in Wellfleet? We currently have one week for rent left in season, July 1-8 at $1200 per week. We also have Labor Day weekend available in season. There are reduced off season rates and times available as well.
Our house is a fully equipped, single level home in South Wellfleet. It is located on a dead-end, quiet street on the bayside and has a large deck overlooking a salt marsh. It sleeps 6 in three bedrooms and has 2 full bathrooms. You can take advantage of beautiful Wellfleet beaches or the National Seashore with access to the bike trail, fishing, clamming, nature walks, whale watches, art galleries and more..
If interested contactl Nancy Dutton or David Benson, email ndutton@msn.com.
Early Childhood Information Fair
An Early Childhood Information Fair will be held on Saturday, March 18th 2006 beginning at 9:30 AM Admission is FREE ,Watertown Middle School, Waverly Ave. Watertown Discover the many educational and recreational opportunities for you and your young child. FREE Family Concert with Peter and Ellen Allard at11:30 am This Fair is sponsored by the Watertown Early Childhood Services Council of the Watertown Public Schools
El Salvador Sister City Report and Update
The Watertown - El Salvador Sister City Project will have an update and report on its sister community, Nueva Esperanza, in the basement of First Parish on March 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
In February 1990, the Watertown Town Council voted to create the sister city relationship. Since then, a group of Watertown and area residents have been working to help the community rebuild after the civil war in El Salvador and to support their farming efforts and the education of their children. Most recently, support has included monies to pay tuition, books and uniforms for students attending an area school, and monies for a project to improve accessibility to water in the community.
Susan Klaw and Dean Stevens, who have been visiting Nueva Esperanza frequently, will talk about the families in the community as well as the project's plans and hopes for the future. They also will show pictures from the community.
Come to learn more about the sister city. A light supper will be served, and there will be crafts from El Salvador for sale. Any contribution to support the projects' work will be appreciated.
For more information, contact John Portz at 617-924-1899.
Arbella
March 2006
NOTE: For calendar listings / committee meeting dates, please refer to our online calendar at: www.fpwatertown.org
Sermons and Topics
Sunday, March 5, 2006 at 11:00 a.m
"The Habits of Caring" Robin Gray
There are practices that can transform despair and bring new awareness to our lives. We'll consider several habits that arise in adventurous hearts.
Our guest Robin Gray has been a Unitarian Universalist minister since 1987. She was first settled at The First Unitarian Society in Gardner, MA and since 1994 has been the Minister of The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford, MA.
Music: The Folk Song Society will perform.
Greeters: To be announced.
Social Hour: Kim LeBlanc and Lee Pierce
Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. -
"Till We Reach That Day" Darrick Jackson
Is Unitarian Universalism really ready for diversity, in all its forms? This sermon kicks off First Parish's Spring film series on Oppressions.
Music: A morning of music by women.
Greeters: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Social Hour: Valy McDonald and Susan Guidrey
Sunday, March 19, 2006 at 11:00 a.m
"Taking Risks" Mark Harris
Every spring I marvel at those early flowers like tulips that show their bulbs, and then are hit with a blizzard. I think of the risk they take in trying to flower under less than perfect conditions. Our willingness to take risks is often impeded by fear of failure. What would help us risk more?
Music: Guest musician, Kathy O'Donnell, flutist
Greeters: Diane and Thom Shepard
Social Hour: Ken Repp and Chris Johnson
Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 11:00 a.m.
"The Treat Goddess" Chris Johnson
Perhaps you've heard the provocative rhetorical question: "did God create us or did we create God?" Faith is the belief-in-something-beyond that helps us make meaning out of things we can't explain, and gives us comfort in trying times. How do faith, certainty and doubt connect with individual and communal human need?
Guest Musician: Frank Grimes, viola
Greeters: Marianne Collins and Deborah Stein
Social Hour: Judy and Roger Kamm
Captain's Log
My son Asher has been obsessed with magic recently. This is more than a passing fancy for Harry Potter stories or pulling rabbits out of a hat . This is born of a firm belief that magic really happens. We have more decks of cards than a Las Vegas card shark, and of course, all of them are trick decks. A deck that has ten copies of the 8 of diamonds may not help much when you are playing gin. He has been carving wands from every available piece of wood, and learning tricks from every magic book under the sun. One use of these wands is what he calls, 3club matches.2 We learned about these from a Harry Potter movie, where Harry and his arch rival Draco Malfoy stand on a table, bow to each other, and then spew forth nonsensical words while twirling their wands this way and that. Soon their bodies are flying about the room, as they try to best each other in this ritual standoff.
Asher and I can now be seen encountering one another in club matches. We take our wands and mimic the actions of these J.K. Rowling characters. Soon we are making up our own spells with words that sound ominous, but mostly are meaningless except that they always seem to end in 3ilus2 (as in trickilus) or depend upon some variation of ascend or spin. The problem comes after Asher has said his words and flashed his wand through the air. He will ask, 3Did you feel it?2 And I am compelled to say, 3A little.2 3I can see that,2 he says, after I have jumped, turned or almost fallen down. This has almost become a kind of yoga ritual, where I will move and shout and vent all the pent up energy in my body. Maybe magic does happen if I release some stress or unexpressed anger or frustration. I seem to feel different after these encounters.
As a child I always had some interest in things such as ghosts or superstitions. Anything out of the ordinary. Everyone of us is curious about the boundary between the mundane everyday occurrences of our lives, and those things that seem to be controlled by some greater force. It has been a long time since I believed in any magical powers that extend beyond the boundaries of human possibility. But what are those boundaries? The problem is we often don1t give enough credence to those mysteries that are unexplained or seemingly magical.
One benefit of all these hours spent reading magic books is that I have learned a few tricks. One of my favorites is the dollar bill and paper clips trick, where two unconnected paper clips are magically united in one unending linkage. Perhaps I can spice up a sermon some day with these tricks of mine. While Asher seems to feel that much of it is true, and like me, when I was his age, may not know where the boundary between real and magical actually lies, I still think I do. Yet when I take the specially folded dollar bill, and yank it open, and pick up the two separate paper clips that are now joined as one, I cannot help myself but say, Amazing! How does that happen? I don1t really want to figure it out. It is more fun just to marvel at this silly little trick.
Lent is that time period when Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days to contemplate all that he needed to do with his life to make it more spiritually whole. Almost like New
Year1s resolutions, we may say, I will walk more or eat less. This year as Easter approaches, I think I am going to say, make more magic. In difficult times like ours there is nothing like taking a few moments for a club match and pretend that you can soar through the air, and then try it a time or two. Then if you learn a magic trick, it can even seem like magic that you can make something soar through the air or disappear or join in magical ways. When we pretend we have magic, and learn some magic, it almost feels like magic. Maybe we don1t cross any boundaries of reality, but we do recall how much fun life is, and how much mystery there is to discover in the universe. And in the midst of Lent, we can say, Amazing!
Mark
Among Us
We were all overjoyed to hear the announcement that First Parish members, Martha Scott and David Morrison were to be married this fall at First Parish.
Covenant Group
The Sunday Covenant Group will meet next on April 2 at 1:00 p.m. The topic for the day is: forgiveness. This group presently remains open to new members. We had six at our last meeting.
Film Series
Darrick and Mark will help facilitate a Lenten film series on oppressions. This group will meet on Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m., and we expect to show four films that depict various oppressions within our culture. These include: class, transgender issues, race and one more to be selected. Films will be announced. The film showing will be followed by discussion. The dates are : March 19, 26, April 2 and 9. Watch for emails and announcements.
Social Action
Please join us on March 18 for our annual benefit concert. A flyer is included with this newsletter. We will be asking for people to help out by making refreshments and to help sell tickets on Sundays March 5 and 12 and also to assist with both of these needs (refreshments and tickets) the night of the show.
Thank you to all those who donated books to the Teen L.E.E.P. program during January and February. Our March concert benefits a program at MCI Framingham called Girls Scouts Beyond Bars. We expect that our March and April Giving Boxes will help benefit another program at MCI Framingham. Details will follow.
Midshipman1s Musings
by Darrick Jackson, student minister
This semester, I am taking a class that is co-taught between Andover Newton and Hebrew College. We are looking at the biblical story known as the akedah or "the binding of Isaac." In this story, the Jewish Patriarch Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his son. This he prepares to do, and is stopped by an angel just short of the killing stroke. A ram then appears and is sacrificed instead.
Obviously, this text is disturbing, and yet it is one of the central texts of the Jewish faith. Every morning Jews are supposed to read or recite this piece as part of their prayers. With this in mind, the class is exploring what this text means in both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Furthermore, the sub text of the class is what does it mean to have a faith that is centered around issues of sacrifice.
One of the things that has really fascinated me was looking at how Judaism and Christianity meet. I did not realize that the formation of the Judaism we know today was being developed at the same time Christianity was being developed. Previously Jewish faith centered around the temple at Jerusalem. Once that was destroyed (for the second time) the Jewish leaders decided to create a manner of worship that did not rely on the temple.
And so two strands developed. One looked back to Abraham and Isaac as a reminder to be faithful to God. The other looked more recently to a man named Jesus, whose sacrifice brought redemption from sin. This is very different from my conception that Christianity was a spin-off of traditional Judaism. In reality, both traditions are spin-offs of an original Judaism that no longer functioned in its time.
As I think about these two ancient traditions that formed out of a need to respond religiously to the times, I wonder what it means for us now. When is tradition important, and when is it time to change? And will change happen with or without us? Does Unitarian Universalism need to change? What would happen if we do or don't? And are we ready to change if we need to?
Blessed Be
Darrick
First Parish 2006 Canvass Kickoff
It is once again time for the First Parish Canvass, that important time of the year when we take time to reflect on what First Parish means to us and our families, and with those reflections in mind make our commitments to support all the wonderful things First Parish will do in the year ahead.The First Parish Canvass Committee has created a plan for this year1s canvass that we hope will exceed the great success of last year1s program in terms of both fun and fund raising results.
In March we will have a series of canvass potluck dinners at people1s houses and at the Church, where we will enjoy one another1s fellowship, fine cooking and wit as well as talk about what our community means to us. These talks will be led by fellow church members, and the evenings will wind up with people filling out their pledge cards for the coming year. These dinners have become one of the highlights of the First Parish social calendar.
We have scheduled the dinners on successive weeks in early March in order to make it as easy as possible to find a date on which you can attend. This year's dates are:
Thursday, March 2 7:00 9:00 - Host: Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell, 1034 Belmont St., Watertown
Friday, March 3 7:00 9:00 - Host: Nancy Dutton & David Benson, 198 Bellevue St., Watertown
Saturday, March 4 5:30 7:30 at the Church, child care provided - Host: Mark Harris & Andrea Greenwood
Sunday, March 5 7:00 - 9:00 - Host: Will & Sue Twombly, 75 Marion Rd., Watertown
Thursday, March 9 7:00 9:00 - Host: Kathy & David Warren
Friday, March 10 7:00 9:00 - Host: Chris Johnson & Ken Repp,
39 Hawthorne St., Waltham
Saturday, March 11 5:30 7:30 at the Church, child care provided Host: David Morrison
Sunday, March 12 7:30 9:00 Host: Michael & Marianne Collins 105 Boyd St., Watertown
If you have not chosen a dinner, please e-mail your preference today to John Portz at jportz@rcn.com. Be sure to include how many will be attending (particularly for childcare days). Host: The host of the dinner that you choose to attend will contact you about your contribution to the potluck.
Once we have finished our pledging we all gather together to celebrate on Saturday, March 25 at 6:00 at the Church at our Annual Dinner. This will be a giant pot luck and feature entertainment by the many talented members and friends of FPW.
Check your calendars today and block out March 25 for the Annual Dinner.
Committees Need You!
It1s that time of year to think which church committee you might be interested in joining. Each committee supports and cares for the church in a unique way. If you would like more information on a committee or would like to join a committee there is an information sheet at church describing the work of each committee. You can also attend a meeting to see how it functions. There is a list of committees and their members on the first page of the First Parish Directory. Feel free to ask a member about the committee they are on. Details of the committee1s previous year work can be found in last year1s Annual Report. Jean Merkl is also available for questions.
All Points Bulletin for Dishtowels
The FPW kitchen1s supply of dish towels that has been on hand has dwindled. If you have taken some home to wash, thank you for doing this. Now it1s time to return them to the drawer to the left of the stove. Thanks!
First Parish Talent Show - Calling All Star Search Wannabes
Our church family will be gathering this year for our Annual Dinner on Saturday March 25th. The theme of the dinner this year is "Coming Home to FPW". Izzy Tappan-deFrees is the scout for our traditional Talent Show. We invite all with hidden talents to step on stage with spirit! Young, old, family acts, classical, rock, poetry, dance, magic tricks - whatever makes you shine- here's your chance to share it all with your friends and family at First Parish.
Please let Izzy (izzyt@rcn.com) know as soon as you can if you are interested there's still time to refine your acts, but we1d like to get a sense soon of who would like to participate.
Church is the community that you make it!! See you there.
Women & Work
Next Meeting, Tuesday, March 28, 2006, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Conference Room at First Parish of Watertown.
GUEST SPEAKER: Rev. Andrea Greenwood. Using Michael Pollan1s book The Botany of Desire as a starting point, we will explore the relationship between people and plants. We usually think of ourselves as manipulating the environment, but a case can be made that we don1t just enjoy plants, or get nourished by them -- we can actually be changed by them. Although we will certainly talk, we will be using our sense to explore as well. Pollan1s themes of control, intoxication, beauty and sweetness lend themselves well to some play with perfumes, flowers, and food.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Once again, my time with our kids has proved to be very inspiring for me. As many of you know, I usually have stories every week of thought-provoking sayings and heartwarming interactions the kids have shared with me. They consistently seem to get me to open my mind, my heart, and my soul more than I ever thought myself capable of.
A few weeks ago, we explored the subject of prayer. I know I have previously promoted the idea of "owning religious terms" and feeling confident in making them UUniquely ours. I tried it with communion and now I look forward to doing our annual jelly bean communion with the kids. Recently, I was thinking of trying it with prayer. I admit that I always thought of prayer as being directed at a God figure and since I'm not sure if I believe in any God, I never bothered to consider whether or not I wanted to try praying. After hearing a great talk by Ruth Owen at the Junior High Youth Con on prayer, I knew I had to adapt her prayer ritual for First Parish. It is intended to be a spiritual practice to do in private, but I demonstrated the steps for our kids last Sunday. The kids approached the exercise with so much openness and enthusiasm that my definition of prayer has permanently been changed for the better. It went so well that I wished more people had been with us to explore the ritual. So here it is for anyone who wants to try it at home.
A Ritual for UU Prayer - Here is a five-step method for one way to pray. 1. Open the space. Open your prayer box or bag (which may include 5 small rocks selected by you, a cloth, and anything special you'd like to add like candles, photos, etc.), and use the items inside to start creating an altar. Place things in front of you that are special to you - things that make you feel comfortable and good. Take your first rock ... rub it to warm it. Hold it as you breathe deeply and free your mind from outside thoughts. Focus on this prayer process. 2. Take your second rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Invite the spirit of that which is holy and sacred to you. What is holy to you? Is there a sacred spirit you want with you today as you pray? (Don't forget that UUs affirm the freedom to have different answers to these questions - spirit of love, God, Goddess, spirit of life, nature, animals, my inner light, and nothing are some of the many answers you may hear.) 3. Take your third rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Say what you want. Express the meaning for your prayer. In the many different religious traditions, people pray for similar reasons ... please (asking for something), thanks (gratitude for something), Oopps (sorry for something they did or didn't do), and why (asking questions). Take some time to say what you want. 4. Take your fourth rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Be open to a response. Simply be silent and listen carefully ~ a response to your words may come within you or from outside yourself. Be quiet enough to hear that response. 5. Take you fifth rock and rub it to warm it as you ... Close the space. Quietly say goodbye to your ritual. Put your special prayer items away. Breathe deeply as you prepare to return to your life. Blessed be.
Announcements:
Ferry Beach
Roberta is happy to answer any questions about the wonderful experiences she had visiting Ferry Beach last summer (a fabulous UU camp located in Maine). There are many very inspiring weeks for UU folks looking for a fabulous vacation. See the display downstairs or ask Roberta for more details. And some good news for families is that she will be returning to Ferry Beach as staff for the middle school camp (Different Drummers). While she will directly be working with the kids in the middle school grouping, there are camps running for 4th to 6th grade (kids for the earth) and high school youth at the same time (July 1st to 8th). So if any First Parish youth are considering a sleep away camp and would like knowing someone on the camp grounds, here's an excellent opportunity. See her for more info.
Sunny Bunny Pals are hopping back!
Want a wonderful way to share Spring warmth? Be a Sunny Bunny Pal! This fabulous program is returning and you can be a part of it. Folks of all ages are invited to sign up to be a Sunny Bunny Pal (and we try to connect you with someone you don't know very well). After you sign up, you will be given the name of someone to be the SECRET pal of. You will send them two anonymous cards in the mail (one the week of March 26 to April 2 and then a second one during the week of April 2 to April 9). Roberta will even send you reminder emails. Then you will make (or buy) them a very small gift to present to them on Easter Sunday (April 16th). A gift that celebrates the arrival of Spring. If you won't be here that day, just bring your gift the week before and Roberta will make sure your Pal receives it on Easter. While you are doing all this kind sharing, a secret Sunny Bunny Pal will be doing it for you. It was great fun last year, so don't miss out - sign up to participate with Roberta by March 23rd.
Change Collection
During the entire month of March, we will be collecting your spare change (in jars and the giraffe bank located in the Social Hall). All funds raised each year are divided for two purposes. Half the money is used to purchase supplies for the kids to do various social action or service projects during the coming season. The other half is donated directly to charity - a charity selected by majority vote at the Children's Annual Meeting (to be held on March 12th this year). Last year's charitable funds were divided and donated to American Cancer Society, Watertown Library's building fund, Trees for Watertown, Ocean Conservancy, and Habitat for Humanity. Please be very generous with your change this year!!!
Intergenerational Sewing Club
Kathy Warren is willing to lead us in a sewing circle. Please join us at 10 am on Sunday March 12, 26, and April 2 and 9 for fun, connection, and time to sew together. What we sew will be determined by group interest.
Wish list :
Working sewing machines, fabric, fabric remnants, stuffing (for making pillows)
Blessing Ways
Roberta is willing to lead a unique Blessing Way ceremony for First Parish members and friends who are celebrating special milestones in their lives (such as entering womanhood, having a baby, starting menopause, etc.). Contact her for examples of ceremonies she has done and to answer questions about creating your own unique celebration.
Save the date
Sunday, April 30th at 1pm - State of the Youth Conversations - an important discussion about how our church community can continue to welcome and empower our youth members.
Worship Survey This Month
The First Parish Worship Committee has developed a survey to gather your thoughts, experiences, and visions concerning our worship service. It1s been several years since we1ve conducted a worship survey, and we want to hear your ideas and feelings. The survey will be introduced in church on Sunday, March 5. Hard copies will be circulated then. The survey will also be sent out via e-mail. You can fill it out either way. The deadline for completed surveys will be Sunday, April 2.
Taylor Branch at First Church Roxbury
The UU Urban Ministry's Jack Mendelsohn Forum and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities Present . . . Taylor Branch, the renowned national authority on America1s Civil Rights movement. This special appearance will be this coming Sunday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Church in Roxbury (John Eliot Square, 10 Putnam Street). Branch will be introducing his recent book, At Canaan1s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968. This is the third volume of his history of the Civil Rights movement. Volume one Parting the Waters won a Pulitzer Prize. This is a free event. A reception will follow. Mark Harris will be attending. If you would like to go, please speak to him. Otherwise, directions can be found at www.uuum.org or by calling 617-318-6010, ex. 203.
Mass Bay District Annual meeting
The Annual Meeting & Colloquium 2006 of the Mass Bay District (of which First Parish is a member) will take place on Saturday, April 8 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm at
Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, MA. The keynote speaker will be
Gini Courter, Moderator of the UUA Board of Trustees -3Issuing a Challenge to a District Poised for Change2 . Workshop topics include religious education, UU identity, stewardship, leadership issues, and growth. Lunch is provided. Jean Merkl and Mark Harris are already planning to attend. We are entitled to three delegates. Please speak to Mark or Jean if you are interested.
4 Anderson Windows for Free
Bob and Missy Shay are having construction done and have 4 Anderson windows,
double glazed available for free to anyone who wants them. They are:
1 double window with screens, both sides opening, with each side measuring
roughly 24"x43"
1 single window with screen, opening, measuring 18"x 40"
1 fixed window measuring 18"x36"
1 fixed window measuring 36"x 40".
They are 25 years old, but still in very good shape.
Whoever wants them can have them for free, just take them away, on a first
come first served basis.
Wellfleet Vacation
Are you looking to get out of town for the Fourth of July at a quiet retreat in Wellfleet? We currently have one week for rent left in season, July 1-8 at $1200 per week. We also have Labor Day weekend available in season. There are reduced off season rates and times available as well.
Our house is a fully equipped, single level home in South Wellfleet. It is located on a dead-end, quiet street on the bayside and has a large deck overlooking a salt marsh. It sleeps 6 in three bedrooms and has 2 full bathrooms. You can take advantage of beautiful Wellfleet beaches or the National Seashore with access to the bike trail, fishing, clamming, nature walks, whale watches, art galleries and more..
If interested contactl Nancy Dutton or David Benson, email ndutton@msn.com.
Early Childhood Information Fair
An Early Childhood Information Fair will be held on Saturday, March 18th 2006 beginning at 9:30 AM Admission is FREE ,Watertown Middle School, Waverly Ave. Watertown Discover the many educational and recreational opportunities for you and your young child. FREE Family Concert with Peter and Ellen Allard at11:30 am This Fair is sponsored by the Watertown Early Childhood Services Council of the Watertown Public Schools
El Salvador Sister City Report and Update
The Watertown - El Salvador Sister City Project will have an update and report on its sister community, Nueva Esperanza, in the basement of First Parish on March 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
In February 1990, the Watertown Town Council voted to create the sister city relationship. Since then, a group of Watertown and area residents have been working to help the community rebuild after the civil war in El Salvador and to support their farming efforts and the education of their children. Most recently, support has included monies to pay tuition, books and uniforms for students attending an area school, and monies for a project to improve accessibility to water in the community.
Susan Klaw and Dean Stevens, who have been visiting Nueva Esperanza frequently, will talk about the families in the community as well as the project's plans and hopes for the future. They also will show pictures from the community.
Come to learn more about the sister city. A light supper will be served, and there will be crafts from El Salvador for sale. Any contribution to support the projects' work will be appreciated.
For more information, contact John Portz at 617-924-1899.