Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
Arbella - Newsletter for February 2007
The First Parish of Watertown
The Arbella for February 2007
Sermons/Services
Sunday, February 4, 2007 at 11:00am
“Under the Spell of the Dragon”
Andrea Greenwood
I love old maps, and some of the ways uncharted or dangerous territories
were described: "There be dragons." At first, this may seem like a poetic
way of warning us away, but perhaps there is also a message about
opportunity. What are the dragons in your life?
Greeters:
Susan Lind-Sinanian and Peter Cudhea
Social Hour: Jean Merkl and John Gorman
Sunday, February 11, 2007 at 11:00am
“Grazing on French Fries” Mark W. Harris
One of my favorite pastimes is eating, but how much attention do I pay to
what I am doing? What kind of food should we eat, and where should it come
from? Remember when we were told, “you are what you eat? What if we took
that seriously? Reflecting on the book, The Omnivores Dilemma, we will
explore how we graze through our kitchens and restaurants and fields for
the food in our lives.
Music: First Parish Choir will be singing
Greeters: Norah and Paul Day
Social Hour:
Sue Kuder and Channing Mendelsohn
Sunday, February 18, 2007 at 11:00am
"Interconnections" Mark Caggiano
I will be preaching on the Seventh Principle (The Interdependent Web) and
the proposed new Social Action initiative, the Green Sanctuary Program.
Music: Debbie Thompson will be soloist on cello.
Greeters: Jeanne Cleary and Barry Greess
Social Hour: TBA
Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 11:00am
“Much Too Much” - Mark W. Harris
We often say that most people in our culture have much too much of
everything -houses, cars, furniture, stuff. What ever happened to
moderation in all things? At one time Universalists were active in the
temperance movement, but can we freedom lovers promote abstinence of any
kind? The first in a series of sermons on The Seven Virtues.
Music: Guy Urban will be playing piano.
Greeters: TBA
Social Hour:
Valy McDonald and Gretchen Brown
Captain’s Log
On the last Sunday in January I went to the installation service for the new
UU minister in Waltham. The minister who provided the charge to the new
minister told about how she had recently attended a seminar where all of the
Presidents of the United States were rated. She did not reveal who achieved
the lowest rating, but I think most of us had a certain agreed upon guess.
They were rated in three areas and although I don’t exactly recall what they
were, I think they were things like integrity, vision and competence. Some
had them and some did not. Some were downright corrupt, and helped their
cronies profit by wrongdoing (Harding) but others were less than forthright
in order to achieve a large goal for what the nation needed to do (FDR and
World War II). Roosevelt came out with a rating of great, while Harding was
one of the failures. The minister who spoke also compared these criteria to
what a minister needs to lead a congregation. More on that later.
We had a nice turnout from First Parish for the Martin Luther King Unity
Breakfast. I think there were approximately 25 members present. Sue Kuder
and Kathy Button played prominent roles on the Committee, and Will Twombly
and others helped out in many ways, and our own First Parish teenagers
provided the childcare. Our keynote speaker, Byron Rushing gave us his own
version of a Martin Luther King Barbecue. How would King have felt about
many of the issues of our day? I was especially struck when he said that
Martin would never have understood the term homelessness, as it did not
exist in his day. Can it be true that we did not have homelessness in 1968,
and yet a generation later it is an accepted part of our culture. We have
institutionalized it so much, Andrea tells me, that every town is mandated
to have a school liaison to homeless children to ensure that they are
educated. Does that mean we will test them, but we won’t give them shelter?
Speaking about some of the drawbacks of having a holiday to celebrate a
figure who fought for social change made us all reflect on how the day
should be celebrated. Rushing also mentioned how when he was growing up
there were two special Presidential holidays in February for Presidents
Washington and Lincoln, and now we simply have President’s Day to celebrate
the office itself. Rushing said they were quite a few Presidents he would
rather not have a holiday in honor of. I am sure be was thinking of those
who did not meet the criteria of integrity, vision and competence. Many of
us recall learning the great myths about these two Presidents - the cherry
tree that Washington purportedly chopped down and could not lie about, which
led to the cherry pies my mother made, to Lincoln walking for miles to
return a book. One thing the general holiday does is deprive us of the
personal inspiration and meaning, as it becomes yet another Monday to take
off.
The simple truth is that with Washington and Lincoln we have real people,
rather than an office. It is the people who must earn our loyalty and
respect, and not merely the office itself. This bears out when it comes to
ministry as well. In the service the minister said that ministers need
these qualities of competence , vision and integrity, too, but most of all
they need to let the people know that they love them and care for them and
the church. It is good sometimes for ministers to hear this reminder. The
sermons we give, the care we show, the hopes we have, all emanate from the
experiences of our lives, the relationships we have, and the dreams we share
that we can build a better world together.
The other holiday in February is Valentine’s Day These days our kids
receive class lists so that everyone gives and receives an equal number of
Valentines. This is a good thing so that no feelings are hurt. But of
course we don’t care for all of our classmates equally, just as we don’t
think all Presidents are equal. There are some who are special to us.
Valentine’s Day is an institutionalized reminder to tell those we care for
deeply how much we love them. I was reminded on Sunday that a ministry and
the life of the church must be built on love, too. You cannot serve just
any church based on competence and integrity and vision. There is a special
relationship between minister and congregation that must be founded in love.
I see this love among the people when one person speaks of feeling trust
here and another person who was threatened, reminds us that we are a place
of safety, compassion and comfort. In these cold February days it is nice
to be reminded that our deepest communities are built on love, and that
there are special days when we are called to express that love. One of those
is every Sunday.
Mark
Among Us
Thoughts are with Mary Schlivek who has been recuperating from a recent
illness.
Several members traveled to Kennebunk, Maine to help Harold Bejcek celebrate
his 90th birthday.
Our own John Portz received the Unity Award at the Martin Luther King Unity
Breakfast. A copy of the citation will be posted on the bulletin board.
Building and Grounds Work Request
Do you ever notice problems with the building that require some minor or
major attention? How about peeling paint, or a broken outlet? There are
now forms to fill out to let us know what is wrong. They can be found on
the office door in the plastic box. If you spy a problem, please fill out
the form and return it to the box. Thank you. Be an eagle eye for FPW
building issues!
Giving Boxes
The Giving boxes for January and February are Teen L.E. E. P. Books. We are
looking for donations of new or nearly new non-fiction books that the teens
can re sell at their bookstore in Waltham. Teen L.E.E.P. (Leadership,
Employment, Enrichment Program) is based at the Recovery House group home in
Arlington. Rediscovery House serves older adolescent males who are aging out
of the foster care system, and are preparing to live independently.
Fellowship Committee
Greetings from the Fellowship Committee!
Fellowship Committee is responsible for making sure that visitors and
friends get integrated into the First Parish community. We do this in
several ways, including organizing the “Ask Me” button program, where
members and friends serve as a source of welcome and information for new
folks, by hosting 2 Newcomer Breakfasts per year (one in Fall and one in
Spring), and by twice yearly introducing and welcoming publicly those
visitors and friends who have become members. Fellowship members also work
to get name tags for everyone and photos up (and updated!) on the board in
the Social Hall.
Name Tags
Speaking of name tags: do you know where yours is? Do you have one? Do you
want one? Do you remember to wear it on Sundays? Fellowship Committee can
help! Please let Aurora Sherman (roramich@care2.com) or Missy Shay
(missy@rpshay.com) know if you need a new or replacement name tag. Then,
join us at Social Hour to decorate yours if you wish.
And speaking of photos: is your smiling face on the board? Or is the
existing photo several years out of date? Any changes, additions and updates
can be taken care of with Carole Berney of Fellowship Committee
(csberney@rcn.com).
Members and friends are always welcome to join Fellowship committee, or to
sit in on a meeting, so please feel free to drop in. Next meeting is
February 8, at 7:30 p.m..
New Way to Join the Church
Would you like to become an official member of First Parish? There is a new
procedure for doing so. Previously, a person who had been coming for awhile
and decided this was their spiritual home would either ask the minister or a
member of the Fellowship Committee if they could join or be approached by
the minister who would ask them if they would like to join the church.
Joining was then achieved by signing the membership book, being affirmed by
the Parish Committee, and then being officially welcomed during a worship
service. Henceforth, NEW “Intention of membership” cards will be placed
in the pamphlet rack in the lobby, and on the information table in the
sanctuary. A person who wants to be a member simply has to sign the card,
and either place it in the office door or give it to the minister. This
name will then be affirmed by the Parish Committee so that they can be
welcomed at the next Sunday morning welcome. The difference is that now
they will sign the book as part of the Sunday morning celebration making it
more a ceremonial occasion.
Green Sanctuary Update
Those interested in the Green Sanctuary movement are invited to meet after
church on Sunday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. We have two sub-groups meetimg
already. One is an action plan group, and the other is an audit group. We
are looking for a chair or co-chairs for this effort.
Film Showing
We will be showing the video “Keeping the Earth” - Religious and Scientific
Perspectives on the Environment” by the Union of Concerned Scientists on
Sunday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. downstairs. This inspirational video
calls upon all Americans to serve as good stewards of the natural world.
Prominent scientists and religious leaders offer their perspectives on the
need to protect our environment and the diverse species that share it.
Discussion to follow.
Spiritual Practices Group
Please remember that the “spiritual practices” group is meeting every Sunday
morning from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. in the Youth Group room off the Parish
Hall. All members are invited for this time of meditation and reflection
Making a Mark
by Mark Caggiano, Student Minister
I am very thankful to have completed my exams and papers at Harvard for
the last semester, having done so through more than a bit of workplace
complexity. I recently conducted a lengthy trial in Lawrence Superior
Court- a case that was scheduled to last no more than three days stretched
into eight. This coincided with my final exams and laid waste to my
schedule. Thankfully, the professors were willing to offer me makeup exams,
as the
judge was less than inclined to give me the morning off to take a Latin
final.
During this rather stressful period, I drove down late one day to
Cambridge to drop off a paper. No one was around to accept it, to my
consternation, but I managed to find a doorway under which I could jam it
and declare it delivered. As I walked back to my car, I noticed that there
was a light on in a large meeting room at Andover Hall, a main building at
Harvard Divinity School. I entered thinking there might be a few classmates
there with whom I could touch base. Inside, I saw a group of 8 people, some
students and others staffers. The staff had set out for the students
toiling away in the library a hot meal of baked ziti, salad and hot coffee.
A student had brought in a sizable quantity of homemade beer. I knew
rationally that I had no time to sit and chat, while studies and cases were
left unattended, but I sat down and had a plateful of pasta and a long chat.
We sometimes get anxious over the demands of our lives and the tight
schedules that seem to weave around us. I must confess that before I
entered that warm, welcoming place, I was very tense and wholly
preoccupied.As I ate the food and drank the hot coffee, I was reminded of
the reason I
began going to a UU church so many years ago. I felt tense and preoccupied
and was looking for a place to think and to feel differently. I was not
looking for dogma and "isms" but sought a community where I could relax and
perhaps make a difference on some small level. To me, church is about
being in a place of comfort and support from which you might look around and
see what the world is all about, whether for good or for ill. At First
Parish, we call the worship area a "sanctuary" and that is more than a
sacred space. It is a place for rest and restoration away from the whirl of
everyday confusion. Hot coffee is not required, but it is most certainly
welcomed.
On a more topical note, I will be preaching soon on First Parish's new
initiative: the Green Sanctuary program. The purpose of this effort is
multifaceted, but one area for reflection is to examine how our church
implements the UUA's Seventh Principle, to affirm and to promote respect for
the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. In my next
sermon I will examine this principle as it relates to our congregation and
our country. I will also touch upon what other faith traditions are doing,
or not doing, regarding global warming. There is a saying that politics
makes strange bedfellows, and it might be surprising to some to take a look
under our environmental bedcovers to see who might be willing to join us in
this effort. More soon.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
Since I used my January column to talk about New Year’s resolutions, I
neglected to offer my usual mid-year evaluation of how things have been
going in our Religious Education programs. So I now offer that information
to you.
I am once again amazed by how fabulous everything is here at First Parish.
Just when I think things can’t get any better, you impress me more. To start
off with the basics, our registrations this Autumn hit an all-time high of
55 children and youth registered in our program. While that exact number
keeps changing with families coming and going, it is safe to say that we
have passed the 50 milestone. That is most excellent news! We have also seen
our weekly attendance records go up as we have an average of 39 kids on our
regular Sundays. More great news!
These numbers illustrate that we have excellent R.E. programs here at First
Parish. And that is ultimately thanks to you! From the offering of the
"Spiritual Practices Group" and other adult workshops to leading one of our
kids programs, many adults are taking a lead role in our programming here.
My favorite news for this year has been the amount of adults who have been
volunteering in our programs. Our volunteer jobs have sometimes been booked
one month in advance and we have had a few people wait for a turn to help.
This fact highlights the commitment many of you have to our Children’s
ministry. It’s all just incredible! Some of our most dedicated R.E. supporters are the members of the R.E.
committee. I sometimes think they are the unsung heroes at our church.
Quietly working behind the scenes to do the work vital to keeping our
programs running. And then I realize that all of the members of the First
Parish committees play similar roles, and should be recognized and
appreciated. So today I thank each and every person at First Parish who
helps make our congregation the special community it is. All of us come
together from busy lives, so the contributions you share here aren’t always
easy to make, but they sure do make an impressive difference.
Working with the current members of the R.E. committee has taught me a lot
about effectively working in a group. Different committee members have
brought talent and passion to leading our groups. Their dedication has
allowed me the time and energy to dedicate to some new programs, such as
Coming-of-Age and our Meetings At the Moon group (for pre-teen girls and
their moms). When you add up the work of the committee members, it surprises
me to realize just how much they collectively do. What is most significant
is that their interests cover a wide spectrum of areas and their support of
the R.E. program is very far reaching. Some bring love, some bring sparkle,
some bring behind-the-scenes support ~ and each of these are important and
valuable gifts on their own. But together, they create a tremendous R.E.
program that our kids are thriving in.
The way their different interests and talents come together to create a
whole reminds me of the way our entire community works together. Members
select the work here that most matches their talents and interests. All
contributions in any area of parish life are significant. And when pieced
together with the work of people who have different talents and interests,
individual contributions have even more power.
With canvass season coming soon, it will be that time when we think about
how much the First Parish community means to us and how much we will be able
to contribute in the coming year. Our money and our volunteer efforts come
together to create something larger and more special than any of us could
ever dream of creating by ourselves. And there lies the magic of being a
part of this community. Blessed be.
February community service project :
We enthusiastically encourage all families to work with our Social Action
Committee this month to help support Teen Leep (Leep stands for Leadership,
Employment, & Enrichment program). Teen Leep provides business and
entrepreneur training and opportunities to youth in DSS custody. There are
two easy ways families can help! Go through your non-fiction books (adults
and kids) and pick out any books you don’t want. Then bring them to First
Parish any day in February and leave them in the Giving boxes for the Social
Action committee to deliver to Teen Leep. Another fun way to help is to go
buy something at their bookstore and art gallery, More Than Words, located
at 376 Moody Street in Waltham. For more information, check out
www.teenleep.org or call 781-788-0035.
Plan ahead to come to Ferry Beach this summer!
One way to survive these cold days of winter is to look forward to summer
arriving again. And one thing I always think of is going back to Ferry
Beach. There are many fabulous weeks at Ferry Beach for adults and children
alike. All weeks are filled with inspiration and connection! Check out their
website at www.ferrybeach.org for more details. This year, both Mark and I
will be coordinating conferences there (that means we are doing the planning
work). Mark is leading Heritage Week in August and Andrea will be guest
speaking. During the first week of July, I will be leading Different
Drummers (the camp for middle schoolers) and several First Parish adults
have signed up to be staff. So if your child is entering grades 7 to 9 next
fall (so currently in grades 6 to 8) and is looking for a great sleepover
camp experience, this is the perfect opportunity! (There are also camps for
younger and older kids happening at the same time that are worth checking
into. I don’t personally know the staff running the high school camp, but I
can say that the staff running the camp for kids entering 4th to 6th grade
are awesome.) So this is the year to try Ferry Beach if you haven’t already!
See me if you have any questions. Last year, Different Drummers filled up by
late February or early March, so be sure to register very early if you want
to do it.
An inspiring Youth led event for all ages
After church on Sunday, February 4th, Cody Urban and friends will share a
presentation about organic farming and his work with the Food Project. A
pizza lunch will be served.
Green Web workshop for middle and high school youth
On Sunday, February 11th at 5:30pm, we will host a Green Web workshop by
Promise the Children for our youth and other UU youth who live nearby. It
will be inspiring and a free spaghetti dinner is included!! All First Parish
youth are strongly encouraged to attend, especially considering the fact
that our congregation is considering taking the steps to become a Green
Sanctuary.
I-Ching workshop ~ Tuesday,
February 13th at 7:30pm
Come learn about I Ching ˆ the Chinese Ancient Book of Changes. Michael
Altamari will introduce us to a brief history, its prominence in Chinese
culture, the best translation to purchase, its use as an oracle, and the
proper way to cast a reading.
Thanks from our C.O.A. group!
Our Coming-of-Age group wishes to thank everyone who donated money through
their babysitting and bakesale fundraisers. Because of your generosity, they
will be going on a Social Action trip on February 23rd and 24th to New York
City to learn about and work with people who are homeless.
Thanks to everyone helped with the Children’s Social Action Fair!
BIG thanks to everyone who supported the Children’s Social Action fair in
January. From emailing friends about it or coming to shop yourself to
helping a child get their table ready, your help was vital to their success.
All kids were invited to participate in fundraising for the charity of their
choice. Kids and youth gathered books and toys they no longer wanted and
sold them at our Fair with all proceeds going to the charity of their
choice. The event was a huge success and the kids raised hundreds of dollars
for their charities. Also, Seneca Hart provided blank letters and collected
messages from children and adults to send to Gov. Deval Patrick. Many people
used this opportunity to tell the new Governor what they hope he will do for
Massachusetts. We hope to do another Social Action Fair next year.
Youth Group Activities for 2007 (Friday meetings usually start at 7pm unless
otherwise noted)
Friday, February 2nd to Saturday, February 3rd ~ Mini Con at Belmont UU
church
Sunday, February 4th after church (12:45) ~ Cody’s organic farming
presentation to entire First Parish community: pizza provided
Sunday, February 11th from 5:30 to 7:30pm ~ Green Web workshop & spaghetti
dinner
Friday, February 23rd ~ activity to be determined
Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th ~ Social Action Con at Brookline UU
church
Friday, March 9th ~ activity to be determined
Friday, March 23rd ~ activity to be determined
Friday, April 6h ~ activity to be determined
Friday, April 20th to Sunday, April 22nd ~ Watertown hosts Spirituality
Development Con
Sunday, April 29th ~ Coming-of-Age Sunday
Friday, May 4th ~ activity to be determined
(this one or next one will be a special event to welcome C.O.A. youth)
Friday, May 18th ~ activity to be determined
Friday, June 1st to Sunday, June 3rd ~ Con at place to be determined
Sunday, June 10th ~ Youth Sunday
Friday, June 15th ~ final meeting of year
* Eileen Ryan will help us with organizing these events, but we need
volunteers interested in leading a meeting or two or three. If you see one
that you'd like to lead, let Eileen or Roberta know. The youth have decided
to leave most of the meetings "open" in case any volunteer leaders had good
ideas for an activity to do.
For more R.E. information:
Check out my website, www.chalicedreamer.org, for up to date information
about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings,
Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Book for sale:
In December 2005, Elizabeth Tappan-deFrees, Elijah and friends read and
acted in a story written by Elizabeth’s father called Gift of the Animals.
As of a few weeks ago, this book has been published!!! It is a 16-page
children’s paperback and all proceeds go to a scholarship fund in
Elizabeth’s mom’s honor (Jane Holt deFrees Scholarship) in Rumford, Maine.
Elizabeth and Isabel have the books to sell if you’re interested; they are
$9.00.
Celebrate Your Commitment!
Canvass season is upon us! At this time of year, we have the luxury and the
responsibility to look at our church community, the things we would like to
continue and those we would like to change, and spend designated time
sharing these hopes and re-dedicating ourselves to the financial and
spiritual health of the church.
This is called Canvass Season.
The theme for 2007 – 2008 is
Celebrate Your Commitment!
You won’t miss it! There will be announcements, dinners, skits, articles, a
sermon, budget review, a fabulous Talent Show and, finally, the FPW Annual
Meeting. Celebrate YOUR Commitment to FPW! Sign up for and attend a
canvass dinner at one of your fellow parishioner’s homes or at the church.
Plan a monthly or quarterly pledge you can make to the church to make sure
it can continue to be our spiritual home. Dinners are potluck and the food
is FPW great! Attend the dinner with good food (it’s a potluck!) and an open
heart to talk about FPW with other FPWers.
On Sundays, February 4th and 11th, there will be 10 -minute information
sessions after church if you have questions about Canvass Season. These
will be led by a member of the Finance Committee. Please come talk to us if
you have questions!
“Celebrate Your Commitment” Canvass Timeline
2/4: Canvass Information Session
Sign up to attend Canvass Supper
2/11: Canvass Information Session
Sign up to attend Canvass Supper
3/1: Canvass Dinner (7- 9pm): Urban/Bethel, Watertown
3/2: Canvass Dinner (7–9pm): Collins, Watertown
3/3: Canvass Dinner (6– 8pm): FPW with childcare(hosted by the Swift-Hart family)
3/4: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Warrens, Lexington
3/7: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Tappan-deFrees, Waltham
3/9: Canvass Dinner (6– 8pm): Kohlenberg/Goodwillie (childcare will be available in their home), Watertown
3/10: Canvass Dinner (5:30–7:30pm): Johnson/Repp, Waltham
3/11: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Scott/Morrison, Watertown
3/31: Annual Talent Show and Dinner: Celebrate Your Commitment
4/29: Annual Meeting
There will be a table and sign-ups at Social Hour 2/4 and 2/11. You may
also contact John Portz to sign up by email: jportz@rcn.com or call him at:
617-924-1899. If you haven't signed up by 2/11, we will contact you to
invite you to a meeting!
Email newsletters
Just a reminder if you’ve recently gotten email or would rather spare your
mailbox the extra paper, please contact the church office
(fpwatertown@comcast.net) to receive the newsletter electronically rather
than by snail mail. Thank you!
What Can You Do?
Do you often feel overwhelmed by the most pressing issues of our time:
global warming, the Iraq war, the battles for same sex marriage, immigrants
rights and health care for all? So do I. But, I am grateful to have found
a wonderful group of like-minded people at First Parish of Watertown who are
as concerned as I am about our environment and social equality and justice
for all. I have come to believe in the power of small groups of individuals
(like you’ll find at First Parish) to become beacons of hope and refuge, to
act against the injustices in our society and the indifference towards the
world of nature that we have inherited.
At our Strategic Planning meeting in October, an enthusiastic group listed
many answers to the questions: “If you could make only 3 changes that would
significantly affect our ability to serve our congregation and the
community, what would they be?” At our recent, second Strategic Planning
meeting, we identified what we believe to be the top priority items for FPW
to focus on during the next 3 -5 years. Tops on our list of goals is Social
Action. We plan to start to address global warming by launching the Green
Sanctuary program, to enlarge our outreach in gay rights, to investigate
bringing Habitat for Humanity to Watertown, and to continue to support local
programs, like the Watertown Food Pantry. We are looking for support from
all of you in these efforts. Jeff Miller, chair of the Social Action
committee or I would love to talk with you about what you can do. Every
little bit helps!
Second on our list is to improve our Organization and Governance. Starting
last spring the Parish Committee, committee chairs, and an ad hoc Personnel
Policy Development Committee began working on ways to improve how FPW gets
its work done, and to create more effective internal communications between
all working committees. We realize that we need a strong organizational
structure to accomplish our goals.
Third on our priority list is to work on reclaiming and beautifying the
physical exterior of First Parish, including making our parking lot more
functional. We have a beautiful landscape plan to start our work on this.
You’ll be hearing more about this in the future.
Martha Scott
Chair, Parish Committee
New Member bios
At a recent Church Service several new members were welcomed: Aurora
Sherman shared Charmian Proskauer’s words and these bios were shared:
“While we welcome new visitors and treasure those who become part of the
life of this church as friends, it is a special occasion when a person takes
the step of signing the book and becoming a member. By becoming a member,
you are publicly expressing your commitment to the UU Principles and
Purposes, and offering your time, energy, skills and talents to this
congregation. New members help create and maintain this place as a
supportive community where all of us can search for meaning in our
individual lives, and work with others to make a difference in the world.”
Susan Lind-Sinanian lives in Watertown with husband Gary and son, Raffi. For
many years she has been a teacher at Perkins School for the Blind teaching
lifeskills to students age 13 to 22 in the Secondary program. She also
works at the Armenian Library and Museum of America in Watertown Square,
here she create exhibits, and cares for a collection of about 3,000
costumes, laces, and embroideries. She also organizes family day programs
and workshops to teach Armenian needlework.
Susan & her husband have also have taught Middle Eastern Folk Dance. Her
hobbies include playing the violin, hiking, sewing, scrapbooking, and yoga.
Susan has been a UU for about 7 years and came to FPW because she feels more
at home. She looks forward to sharing her love of culture, dance, and
needlework
Alethea Zack lives in Watertown with her grey cat, Mitts, though she is
originally from Concord, NH. She works for Tufts Health Plan as a Health
Care Analyst. Alethea’s name is derived from a Greek word meaning truth. Her
interests include traveling, scrap booking, & reading as well as yoga and
many outdoor sports. She is excited to be a new member of First Parish and
looks forward to getting to know other members and friends.
Anna Lombardo Anctil grew up in New Jersey and has lived in Washington DC,
as well as New York and Washington states. She somehow landed in the Boston
area, where she has lived for the past 12 years. Anna’s spouse Mike and
daughter Lizzy also attend FPW. She and her family moved to Watertown for
Lizzy to attend Watertown High.
Anna works for works for WGBH (Public Television and Radio) in Human
Resources and writes that she “lives vicariously through all the creative
people with whom I am fortunate to work.” Anna’s additional interests
include gardening, cooking, reading and cycling—but not all at the same
time! Anna says she has found FPW “to be a warm and caring community” and
she looks forward to getting more involved.
Mike Anctil was born in Berlin, NH (30 minutes north of Mt. Washington). He
spent 5 years of childhood in Washington, DC and 13 years in Berlin. He
earned his undergrad degree in Wisconsin, then lived in Minneapolis for10
years and completed an MS degree while there. He then returned to New
England, living in Belmont and Medford, now Watertown. His spouse Anna and
step-daughter Lizzy both attend FPW. Mike works as an Automation Engineer,
developing and supporting equipment that is used in manufacturing drugs @
Wyeth Bio Pharmaceuticals. His interests include music, cycling and
promoting eco-friendly living, aspects of these actually could be done at
the same time!
Mike writes
“I am a reformed Catholic. After Anna, Lizzy and I became a family, the UU
community in Cambridge was our spiritual home. After deciding to relocate
to Watertown, First Parish was a logical choice. We visited several times
and have found a tight, spiritual community here. We are looking forward to
membership.”
Habis Obyat and Fatima Hussein (perhaps we can find a little more on Fatima
for a future issue)
Habis was born in the holy land in 1961 to a family which had a
long survival history in the holy land near Bethlehem. Finally his
grandfathers settled in Yasuf, a small village around Nablus city. He was
brought up in Kuwait where his father has lived and worked since the
fifties. Habis graduated from Kuwait College of technological studies.
As it should be in life, Habis’s family comes first. With his
better half Fatima, they have five wonderful kids.
One of Habis’s favorite jobs was working in the biggest
electrical generation and distillation plant in Kuwait. He and his family
moved to Jordan after the first gulf war, where he worked in different
factories, and then in the biggest electrical generation plant in Jordan.
Afterwards he practiced teaching for computer science and E.S.L., and
finally became a teacher and an instructor for electrical specialty with the
Vocational Training authority in Jordan.
His move to America with Fatima was essential to his family as a
survival chance for their son Abood.
Habis and Fatima are filled with hope as well as dreams of
settling here, and establishing themselves as good citizens serving to build
a good country. They also live with the hope that their other children will
be able to come to the United States
Now they feel that they are in the land of the free and the brave.
Special Thanks to:
Missy Shay for repairing the church banner.
Equal Marriage
Judi Fitts represented First Parish at a recent meeting with Mass Equality
at First Parish, Arlington. As we begin our new monthly offerings for
charitable causes, we would like to announce that Mass Equality is our first
recipient. The offering will take place on February 18, 2007. The next
offering will be on March 18 in support of the UU Ministry for Earth
Here is what Judi said about the meeting:
I was the lone representative last night.
May is the earliest possible time a vote in the House & Senate can be taken,
though it will likely not happen until the summer. A passing vote will put
a question on the 2008 ballot for “the majority to decide for the minority”
to amend the state constitution with a ban on same sex marriage. All civil
marriages performed before then will remain valid.
Two passing votes in two consecutive years are needed to put the question on
the ballot. The first yes was in 2006. Things look better with the 2006
election results and Deval Patrick, but we are still projecting 9 votes
short of passing - that’s assuming all presently committed officials don’t
change their minds in the mean time.
www.MassEquality.org is a great site for information. Start there to get
help writing a letter to the local paper or to your elected officials.
(Watertown’s officials are firmly on our side.) The next meeting of Mass
Equality is Tuesday, Feb 6 at the UU church in Arlington Center.
Gulf Coast Social Initiative
Hello, my name is Bev Freeman--I'm from the First Church in Belmont. I'm
writing because we've organized a Gulf Coast social initiative and welcome
participation from other UUs and townspeople.
We plan a trip to Turkey Creek ( www.turkey-creek.org
presently confirmed to go. We supply the air fare and ground transportation;
Turkey Creek supplies accommodations and food. I'm sure you know there is
much to do.
Participation by members of your parish in our planned trip is invited.
We're coordinating with Jinnie Trabulsi, a UU community minister, who is
assigning volunteers to the Gulf Coast area..
I anticipate there will be another trip in April-May. We're also linking
with Bridge to Biloxi of Concord, www.bridgetobiloxi.org and Wayland to
Waveland, Wayland, Mass., www.waylandtowaveland.org. There is strength in
numbers and in coordination of our efforts. Both have sent groups to the
area (or to New Orleans) and plan to do more. Hands on USA is another
excellent group, started by David Campbell from Carlisle, Mass.,
www.handsonusa.org.
I would be happy to supply more information.
Bev Freeman, email address: info@BevFreeman.com
P.S. Donations (by check) can be sent to Roger Gallagher, 207 Slade St.,
Belmont, MA 02478.
Family Concert
Saturday, February 10, 2007, at 3:30pm
Where: The First Parish of Watertown
The Freedom Trail Band is presenting a Family Concert at the First Parish in
Watertown. This concert of classical and popular music has been planned
primarily with young people in mind, from small children to teenagers, but
the program will contain something for everyone. The musical selections will
have appealing themes and subjects, such as nature, trains, and wild
animals; and many will contain interesting rhythms and unusual sound
effects. Fun and educational activities relating to the music and the
performance are planned for the younger audience members.
Cost: Free.
Contact (for publication):
Diane (978) 261-5065
freedomtrailband@yahoo.com
Learn How and Why to Protect the Environment!
The film - An Inconvenient Truth
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street, Watertown
FREE Sponsored by The Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee
Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety
Thursday, 1 February 2007, 6:30 p.m. Introductions, 7:00 Film (promptly)
8:30 – 9:00 Post Film discussion
Another opportunity to view the film:
Newton Free Public Library
Saturday 3 February, 2007, 1:00 p.m.
Coming Soon! "The Climate Project: Answer the Call! Presentation by Helen
Waldorf
Council Chambers Town Hall, Monday 12 February 2007, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
This is the updated slide-show by Al Gore, based upon the movie, "An
Inconvenient Truth" and will give participants an opportunity to discuss the
issues associated with global climate change.
Cherry Blossom B and B
A Bed and Breakfast experience will be hosted by the Cedar Lane UU Church on
the Washington DC beltway during the National Cherry blossom Festival (April
13-15) Transportation to and from the airport, Metro subway entrance, and
church service on Sunday is included. Package also includes dinner at the
church on Saturday, seats the Cherry Blossom parade, and a brief city tour
or Metro pass Cost is $250 for single or $500/couple. Registration must be
received by March 19. A flyer is posted or go to
www.cedarlane.org/cbfestival.
Notes on the UUSC
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is concentrating its
efforts this year to end the genocide in Darfur. As you know, Sudanese
government sanctioned militias have decimated villages in the Darfur region
of the Sudan. Over 300,000 people have been killed, and some 2.5 million
have been forced to flee their homes. The militias appear in a village,
burn houses and fields, slaughter livestock, brutally murder men and boys,
rape women, kill children and capture youth as slaves. The UUSC has
launched a Drumbeat for Darfur campaign. Some of the actions are pressuring
the White House, Congress, and the United Nations to make Darfur a higher
priority. They are calling for a U.N Force to provide protections in Darfur
as well as in camps of displaced persons. An easy way to sign a petition to
President Bush is to go to www.savedarfur.org You can find more
information, and also more actions, on the UUSC website at www.uusc.org
.
Celebrate Your Commitment!
Canvass Season is Coming
Sign up for a Circle Supper in early March
Mark your Calendar for the Annual Dinner
and Talent Show - March 31
The Arbella for February 2007
Sermons/Services
Sunday, February 4, 2007 at 11:00am
“Under the Spell of the Dragon”
Andrea Greenwood
I love old maps, and some of the ways uncharted or dangerous territories
were described: "There be dragons." At first, this may seem like a poetic
way of warning us away, but perhaps there is also a message about
opportunity. What are the dragons in your life?
Greeters:
Susan Lind-Sinanian and Peter Cudhea
Social Hour: Jean Merkl and John Gorman
Sunday, February 11, 2007 at 11:00am
“Grazing on French Fries” Mark W. Harris
One of my favorite pastimes is eating, but how much attention do I pay to
what I am doing? What kind of food should we eat, and where should it come
from? Remember when we were told, “you are what you eat? What if we took
that seriously? Reflecting on the book, The Omnivores Dilemma, we will
explore how we graze through our kitchens and restaurants and fields for
the food in our lives.
Music: First Parish Choir will be singing
Greeters: Norah and Paul Day
Social Hour:
Sue Kuder and Channing Mendelsohn
Sunday, February 18, 2007 at 11:00am
"Interconnections" Mark Caggiano
I will be preaching on the Seventh Principle (The Interdependent Web) and
the proposed new Social Action initiative, the Green Sanctuary Program.
Music: Debbie Thompson will be soloist on cello.
Greeters: Jeanne Cleary and Barry Greess
Social Hour: TBA
Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 11:00am
“Much Too Much” - Mark W. Harris
We often say that most people in our culture have much too much of
everything -houses, cars, furniture, stuff. What ever happened to
moderation in all things? At one time Universalists were active in the
temperance movement, but can we freedom lovers promote abstinence of any
kind? The first in a series of sermons on The Seven Virtues.
Music: Guy Urban will be playing piano.
Greeters: TBA
Social Hour:
Valy McDonald and Gretchen Brown
Captain’s Log
On the last Sunday in January I went to the installation service for the new
UU minister in Waltham. The minister who provided the charge to the new
minister told about how she had recently attended a seminar where all of the
Presidents of the United States were rated. She did not reveal who achieved
the lowest rating, but I think most of us had a certain agreed upon guess.
They were rated in three areas and although I don’t exactly recall what they
were, I think they were things like integrity, vision and competence. Some
had them and some did not. Some were downright corrupt, and helped their
cronies profit by wrongdoing (Harding) but others were less than forthright
in order to achieve a large goal for what the nation needed to do (FDR and
World War II). Roosevelt came out with a rating of great, while Harding was
one of the failures. The minister who spoke also compared these criteria to
what a minister needs to lead a congregation. More on that later.
We had a nice turnout from First Parish for the Martin Luther King Unity
Breakfast. I think there were approximately 25 members present. Sue Kuder
and Kathy Button played prominent roles on the Committee, and Will Twombly
and others helped out in many ways, and our own First Parish teenagers
provided the childcare. Our keynote speaker, Byron Rushing gave us his own
version of a Martin Luther King Barbecue. How would King have felt about
many of the issues of our day? I was especially struck when he said that
Martin would never have understood the term homelessness, as it did not
exist in his day. Can it be true that we did not have homelessness in 1968,
and yet a generation later it is an accepted part of our culture. We have
institutionalized it so much, Andrea tells me, that every town is mandated
to have a school liaison to homeless children to ensure that they are
educated. Does that mean we will test them, but we won’t give them shelter?
Speaking about some of the drawbacks of having a holiday to celebrate a
figure who fought for social change made us all reflect on how the day
should be celebrated. Rushing also mentioned how when he was growing up
there were two special Presidential holidays in February for Presidents
Washington and Lincoln, and now we simply have President’s Day to celebrate
the office itself. Rushing said they were quite a few Presidents he would
rather not have a holiday in honor of. I am sure be was thinking of those
who did not meet the criteria of integrity, vision and competence. Many of
us recall learning the great myths about these two Presidents - the cherry
tree that Washington purportedly chopped down and could not lie about, which
led to the cherry pies my mother made, to Lincoln walking for miles to
return a book. One thing the general holiday does is deprive us of the
personal inspiration and meaning, as it becomes yet another Monday to take
off.
The simple truth is that with Washington and Lincoln we have real people,
rather than an office. It is the people who must earn our loyalty and
respect, and not merely the office itself. This bears out when it comes to
ministry as well. In the service the minister said that ministers need
these qualities of competence , vision and integrity, too, but most of all
they need to let the people know that they love them and care for them and
the church. It is good sometimes for ministers to hear this reminder. The
sermons we give, the care we show, the hopes we have, all emanate from the
experiences of our lives, the relationships we have, and the dreams we share
that we can build a better world together.
The other holiday in February is Valentine’s Day These days our kids
receive class lists so that everyone gives and receives an equal number of
Valentines. This is a good thing so that no feelings are hurt. But of
course we don’t care for all of our classmates equally, just as we don’t
think all Presidents are equal. There are some who are special to us.
Valentine’s Day is an institutionalized reminder to tell those we care for
deeply how much we love them. I was reminded on Sunday that a ministry and
the life of the church must be built on love, too. You cannot serve just
any church based on competence and integrity and vision. There is a special
relationship between minister and congregation that must be founded in love.
I see this love among the people when one person speaks of feeling trust
here and another person who was threatened, reminds us that we are a place
of safety, compassion and comfort. In these cold February days it is nice
to be reminded that our deepest communities are built on love, and that
there are special days when we are called to express that love. One of those
is every Sunday.
Mark
Among Us
Thoughts are with Mary Schlivek who has been recuperating from a recent
illness.
Several members traveled to Kennebunk, Maine to help Harold Bejcek celebrate
his 90th birthday.
Our own John Portz received the Unity Award at the Martin Luther King Unity
Breakfast. A copy of the citation will be posted on the bulletin board.
Building and Grounds Work Request
Do you ever notice problems with the building that require some minor or
major attention? How about peeling paint, or a broken outlet? There are
now forms to fill out to let us know what is wrong. They can be found on
the office door in the plastic box. If you spy a problem, please fill out
the form and return it to the box. Thank you. Be an eagle eye for FPW
building issues!
Giving Boxes
The Giving boxes for January and February are Teen L.E. E. P. Books. We are
looking for donations of new or nearly new non-fiction books that the teens
can re sell at their bookstore in Waltham. Teen L.E.E.P. (Leadership,
Employment, Enrichment Program) is based at the Recovery House group home in
Arlington. Rediscovery House serves older adolescent males who are aging out
of the foster care system, and are preparing to live independently.
Fellowship Committee
Greetings from the Fellowship Committee!
Fellowship Committee is responsible for making sure that visitors and
friends get integrated into the First Parish community. We do this in
several ways, including organizing the “Ask Me” button program, where
members and friends serve as a source of welcome and information for new
folks, by hosting 2 Newcomer Breakfasts per year (one in Fall and one in
Spring), and by twice yearly introducing and welcoming publicly those
visitors and friends who have become members. Fellowship members also work
to get name tags for everyone and photos up (and updated!) on the board in
the Social Hall.
Name Tags
Speaking of name tags: do you know where yours is? Do you have one? Do you
want one? Do you remember to wear it on Sundays? Fellowship Committee can
help! Please let Aurora Sherman (roramich@care2.com) or Missy Shay
(missy@rpshay.com) know if you need a new or replacement name tag. Then,
join us at Social Hour to decorate yours if you wish.
And speaking of photos: is your smiling face on the board? Or is the
existing photo several years out of date? Any changes, additions and updates
can be taken care of with Carole Berney of Fellowship Committee
(csberney@rcn.com).
Members and friends are always welcome to join Fellowship committee, or to
sit in on a meeting, so please feel free to drop in. Next meeting is
February 8, at 7:30 p.m..
New Way to Join the Church
Would you like to become an official member of First Parish? There is a new
procedure for doing so. Previously, a person who had been coming for awhile
and decided this was their spiritual home would either ask the minister or a
member of the Fellowship Committee if they could join or be approached by
the minister who would ask them if they would like to join the church.
Joining was then achieved by signing the membership book, being affirmed by
the Parish Committee, and then being officially welcomed during a worship
service. Henceforth, NEW “Intention of membership” cards will be placed
in the pamphlet rack in the lobby, and on the information table in the
sanctuary. A person who wants to be a member simply has to sign the card,
and either place it in the office door or give it to the minister. This
name will then be affirmed by the Parish Committee so that they can be
welcomed at the next Sunday morning welcome. The difference is that now
they will sign the book as part of the Sunday morning celebration making it
more a ceremonial occasion.
Green Sanctuary Update
Those interested in the Green Sanctuary movement are invited to meet after
church on Sunday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. We have two sub-groups meetimg
already. One is an action plan group, and the other is an audit group. We
are looking for a chair or co-chairs for this effort.
Film Showing
We will be showing the video “Keeping the Earth” - Religious and Scientific
Perspectives on the Environment” by the Union of Concerned Scientists on
Sunday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. downstairs. This inspirational video
calls upon all Americans to serve as good stewards of the natural world.
Prominent scientists and religious leaders offer their perspectives on the
need to protect our environment and the diverse species that share it.
Discussion to follow.
Spiritual Practices Group
Please remember that the “spiritual practices” group is meeting every Sunday
morning from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. in the Youth Group room off the Parish
Hall. All members are invited for this time of meditation and reflection
Making a Mark
by Mark Caggiano, Student Minister
I am very thankful to have completed my exams and papers at Harvard for
the last semester, having done so through more than a bit of workplace
complexity. I recently conducted a lengthy trial in Lawrence Superior
Court- a case that was scheduled to last no more than three days stretched
into eight. This coincided with my final exams and laid waste to my
schedule. Thankfully, the professors were willing to offer me makeup exams,
as the
judge was less than inclined to give me the morning off to take a Latin
final.
During this rather stressful period, I drove down late one day to
Cambridge to drop off a paper. No one was around to accept it, to my
consternation, but I managed to find a doorway under which I could jam it
and declare it delivered. As I walked back to my car, I noticed that there
was a light on in a large meeting room at Andover Hall, a main building at
Harvard Divinity School. I entered thinking there might be a few classmates
there with whom I could touch base. Inside, I saw a group of 8 people, some
students and others staffers. The staff had set out for the students
toiling away in the library a hot meal of baked ziti, salad and hot coffee.
A student had brought in a sizable quantity of homemade beer. I knew
rationally that I had no time to sit and chat, while studies and cases were
left unattended, but I sat down and had a plateful of pasta and a long chat.
We sometimes get anxious over the demands of our lives and the tight
schedules that seem to weave around us. I must confess that before I
entered that warm, welcoming place, I was very tense and wholly
preoccupied.As I ate the food and drank the hot coffee, I was reminded of
the reason I
began going to a UU church so many years ago. I felt tense and preoccupied
and was looking for a place to think and to feel differently. I was not
looking for dogma and "isms" but sought a community where I could relax and
perhaps make a difference on some small level. To me, church is about
being in a place of comfort and support from which you might look around and
see what the world is all about, whether for good or for ill. At First
Parish, we call the worship area a "sanctuary" and that is more than a
sacred space. It is a place for rest and restoration away from the whirl of
everyday confusion. Hot coffee is not required, but it is most certainly
welcomed.
On a more topical note, I will be preaching soon on First Parish's new
initiative: the Green Sanctuary program. The purpose of this effort is
multifaceted, but one area for reflection is to examine how our church
implements the UUA's Seventh Principle, to affirm and to promote respect for
the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. In my next
sermon I will examine this principle as it relates to our congregation and
our country. I will also touch upon what other faith traditions are doing,
or not doing, regarding global warming. There is a saying that politics
makes strange bedfellows, and it might be surprising to some to take a look
under our environmental bedcovers to see who might be willing to join us in
this effort. More soon.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
Since I used my January column to talk about New Year’s resolutions, I
neglected to offer my usual mid-year evaluation of how things have been
going in our Religious Education programs. So I now offer that information
to you.
I am once again amazed by how fabulous everything is here at First Parish.
Just when I think things can’t get any better, you impress me more. To start
off with the basics, our registrations this Autumn hit an all-time high of
55 children and youth registered in our program. While that exact number
keeps changing with families coming and going, it is safe to say that we
have passed the 50 milestone. That is most excellent news! We have also seen
our weekly attendance records go up as we have an average of 39 kids on our
regular Sundays. More great news!
These numbers illustrate that we have excellent R.E. programs here at First
Parish. And that is ultimately thanks to you! From the offering of the
"Spiritual Practices Group" and other adult workshops to leading one of our
kids programs, many adults are taking a lead role in our programming here.
My favorite news for this year has been the amount of adults who have been
volunteering in our programs. Our volunteer jobs have sometimes been booked
one month in advance and we have had a few people wait for a turn to help.
This fact highlights the commitment many of you have to our Children’s
ministry. It’s all just incredible! Some of our most dedicated R.E. supporters are the members of the R.E.
committee. I sometimes think they are the unsung heroes at our church.
Quietly working behind the scenes to do the work vital to keeping our
programs running. And then I realize that all of the members of the First
Parish committees play similar roles, and should be recognized and
appreciated. So today I thank each and every person at First Parish who
helps make our congregation the special community it is. All of us come
together from busy lives, so the contributions you share here aren’t always
easy to make, but they sure do make an impressive difference.
Working with the current members of the R.E. committee has taught me a lot
about effectively working in a group. Different committee members have
brought talent and passion to leading our groups. Their dedication has
allowed me the time and energy to dedicate to some new programs, such as
Coming-of-Age and our Meetings At the Moon group (for pre-teen girls and
their moms). When you add up the work of the committee members, it surprises
me to realize just how much they collectively do. What is most significant
is that their interests cover a wide spectrum of areas and their support of
the R.E. program is very far reaching. Some bring love, some bring sparkle,
some bring behind-the-scenes support ~ and each of these are important and
valuable gifts on their own. But together, they create a tremendous R.E.
program that our kids are thriving in.
The way their different interests and talents come together to create a
whole reminds me of the way our entire community works together. Members
select the work here that most matches their talents and interests. All
contributions in any area of parish life are significant. And when pieced
together with the work of people who have different talents and interests,
individual contributions have even more power.
With canvass season coming soon, it will be that time when we think about
how much the First Parish community means to us and how much we will be able
to contribute in the coming year. Our money and our volunteer efforts come
together to create something larger and more special than any of us could
ever dream of creating by ourselves. And there lies the magic of being a
part of this community. Blessed be.
February community service project :
We enthusiastically encourage all families to work with our Social Action
Committee this month to help support Teen Leep (Leep stands for Leadership,
Employment, & Enrichment program). Teen Leep provides business and
entrepreneur training and opportunities to youth in DSS custody. There are
two easy ways families can help! Go through your non-fiction books (adults
and kids) and pick out any books you don’t want. Then bring them to First
Parish any day in February and leave them in the Giving boxes for the Social
Action committee to deliver to Teen Leep. Another fun way to help is to go
buy something at their bookstore and art gallery, More Than Words, located
at 376 Moody Street in Waltham. For more information, check out
www.teenleep.org or call 781-788-0035.
Plan ahead to come to Ferry Beach this summer!
One way to survive these cold days of winter is to look forward to summer
arriving again. And one thing I always think of is going back to Ferry
Beach. There are many fabulous weeks at Ferry Beach for adults and children
alike. All weeks are filled with inspiration and connection! Check out their
website at www.ferrybeach.org for more details. This year, both Mark and I
will be coordinating conferences there (that means we are doing the planning
work). Mark is leading Heritage Week in August and Andrea will be guest
speaking. During the first week of July, I will be leading Different
Drummers (the camp for middle schoolers) and several First Parish adults
have signed up to be staff. So if your child is entering grades 7 to 9 next
fall (so currently in grades 6 to 8) and is looking for a great sleepover
camp experience, this is the perfect opportunity! (There are also camps for
younger and older kids happening at the same time that are worth checking
into. I don’t personally know the staff running the high school camp, but I
can say that the staff running the camp for kids entering 4th to 6th grade
are awesome.) So this is the year to try Ferry Beach if you haven’t already!
See me if you have any questions. Last year, Different Drummers filled up by
late February or early March, so be sure to register very early if you want
to do it.
An inspiring Youth led event for all ages
After church on Sunday, February 4th, Cody Urban and friends will share a
presentation about organic farming and his work with the Food Project. A
pizza lunch will be served.
Green Web workshop for middle and high school youth
On Sunday, February 11th at 5:30pm, we will host a Green Web workshop by
Promise the Children for our youth and other UU youth who live nearby. It
will be inspiring and a free spaghetti dinner is included!! All First Parish
youth are strongly encouraged to attend, especially considering the fact
that our congregation is considering taking the steps to become a Green
Sanctuary.
I-Ching workshop ~ Tuesday,
February 13th at 7:30pm
Come learn about I Ching ˆ the Chinese Ancient Book of Changes. Michael
Altamari will introduce us to a brief history, its prominence in Chinese
culture, the best translation to purchase, its use as an oracle, and the
proper way to cast a reading.
Thanks from our C.O.A. group!
Our Coming-of-Age group wishes to thank everyone who donated money through
their babysitting and bakesale fundraisers. Because of your generosity, they
will be going on a Social Action trip on February 23rd and 24th to New York
City to learn about and work with people who are homeless.
Thanks to everyone helped with the Children’s Social Action Fair!
BIG thanks to everyone who supported the Children’s Social Action fair in
January. From emailing friends about it or coming to shop yourself to
helping a child get their table ready, your help was vital to their success.
All kids were invited to participate in fundraising for the charity of their
choice. Kids and youth gathered books and toys they no longer wanted and
sold them at our Fair with all proceeds going to the charity of their
choice. The event was a huge success and the kids raised hundreds of dollars
for their charities. Also, Seneca Hart provided blank letters and collected
messages from children and adults to send to Gov. Deval Patrick. Many people
used this opportunity to tell the new Governor what they hope he will do for
Massachusetts. We hope to do another Social Action Fair next year.
Youth Group Activities for 2007 (Friday meetings usually start at 7pm unless
otherwise noted)
Friday, February 2nd to Saturday, February 3rd ~ Mini Con at Belmont UU
church
Sunday, February 4th after church (12:45) ~ Cody’s organic farming
presentation to entire First Parish community: pizza provided
Sunday, February 11th from 5:30 to 7:30pm ~ Green Web workshop & spaghetti
dinner
Friday, February 23rd ~ activity to be determined
Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th ~ Social Action Con at Brookline UU
church
Friday, March 9th ~ activity to be determined
Friday, March 23rd ~ activity to be determined
Friday, April 6h ~ activity to be determined
Friday, April 20th to Sunday, April 22nd ~ Watertown hosts Spirituality
Development Con
Sunday, April 29th ~ Coming-of-Age Sunday
Friday, May 4th ~ activity to be determined
(this one or next one will be a special event to welcome C.O.A. youth)
Friday, May 18th ~ activity to be determined
Friday, June 1st to Sunday, June 3rd ~ Con at place to be determined
Sunday, June 10th ~ Youth Sunday
Friday, June 15th ~ final meeting of year
* Eileen Ryan will help us with organizing these events, but we need
volunteers interested in leading a meeting or two or three. If you see one
that you'd like to lead, let Eileen or Roberta know. The youth have decided
to leave most of the meetings "open" in case any volunteer leaders had good
ideas for an activity to do.
For more R.E. information:
Check out my website, www.chalicedreamer.org, for up to date information
about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings,
Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Book for sale:
In December 2005, Elizabeth Tappan-deFrees, Elijah and friends read and
acted in a story written by Elizabeth’s father called Gift of the Animals.
As of a few weeks ago, this book has been published!!! It is a 16-page
children’s paperback and all proceeds go to a scholarship fund in
Elizabeth’s mom’s honor (Jane Holt deFrees Scholarship) in Rumford, Maine.
Elizabeth and Isabel have the books to sell if you’re interested; they are
$9.00.
Celebrate Your Commitment!
Canvass season is upon us! At this time of year, we have the luxury and the
responsibility to look at our church community, the things we would like to
continue and those we would like to change, and spend designated time
sharing these hopes and re-dedicating ourselves to the financial and
spiritual health of the church.
This is called Canvass Season.
The theme for 2007 – 2008 is
Celebrate Your Commitment!
You won’t miss it! There will be announcements, dinners, skits, articles, a
sermon, budget review, a fabulous Talent Show and, finally, the FPW Annual
Meeting. Celebrate YOUR Commitment to FPW! Sign up for and attend a
canvass dinner at one of your fellow parishioner’s homes or at the church.
Plan a monthly or quarterly pledge you can make to the church to make sure
it can continue to be our spiritual home. Dinners are potluck and the food
is FPW great! Attend the dinner with good food (it’s a potluck!) and an open
heart to talk about FPW with other FPWers.
On Sundays, February 4th and 11th, there will be 10 -minute information
sessions after church if you have questions about Canvass Season. These
will be led by a member of the Finance Committee. Please come talk to us if
you have questions!
“Celebrate Your Commitment” Canvass Timeline
2/4: Canvass Information Session
Sign up to attend Canvass Supper
2/11: Canvass Information Session
Sign up to attend Canvass Supper
3/1: Canvass Dinner (7- 9pm): Urban/Bethel, Watertown
3/2: Canvass Dinner (7–9pm): Collins, Watertown
3/3: Canvass Dinner (6– 8pm): FPW with childcare(hosted by the Swift-Hart family)
3/4: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Warrens, Lexington
3/7: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Tappan-deFrees, Waltham
3/9: Canvass Dinner (6– 8pm): Kohlenberg/Goodwillie (childcare will be available in their home), Watertown
3/10: Canvass Dinner (5:30–7:30pm): Johnson/Repp, Waltham
3/11: Canvass Dinner (7– 9pm): Scott/Morrison, Watertown
3/31: Annual Talent Show and Dinner: Celebrate Your Commitment
4/29: Annual Meeting
There will be a table and sign-ups at Social Hour 2/4 and 2/11. You may
also contact John Portz to sign up by email: jportz@rcn.com or call him at:
617-924-1899. If you haven't signed up by 2/11, we will contact you to
invite you to a meeting!
Email newsletters
Just a reminder if you’ve recently gotten email or would rather spare your
mailbox the extra paper, please contact the church office
(fpwatertown@comcast.net) to receive the newsletter electronically rather
than by snail mail. Thank you!
What Can You Do?
Do you often feel overwhelmed by the most pressing issues of our time:
global warming, the Iraq war, the battles for same sex marriage, immigrants
rights and health care for all? So do I. But, I am grateful to have found
a wonderful group of like-minded people at First Parish of Watertown who are
as concerned as I am about our environment and social equality and justice
for all. I have come to believe in the power of small groups of individuals
(like you’ll find at First Parish) to become beacons of hope and refuge, to
act against the injustices in our society and the indifference towards the
world of nature that we have inherited.
At our Strategic Planning meeting in October, an enthusiastic group listed
many answers to the questions: “If you could make only 3 changes that would
significantly affect our ability to serve our congregation and the
community, what would they be?” At our recent, second Strategic Planning
meeting, we identified what we believe to be the top priority items for FPW
to focus on during the next 3 -5 years. Tops on our list of goals is Social
Action. We plan to start to address global warming by launching the Green
Sanctuary program, to enlarge our outreach in gay rights, to investigate
bringing Habitat for Humanity to Watertown, and to continue to support local
programs, like the Watertown Food Pantry. We are looking for support from
all of you in these efforts. Jeff Miller, chair of the Social Action
committee or I would love to talk with you about what you can do. Every
little bit helps!
Second on our list is to improve our Organization and Governance. Starting
last spring the Parish Committee, committee chairs, and an ad hoc Personnel
Policy Development Committee began working on ways to improve how FPW gets
its work done, and to create more effective internal communications between
all working committees. We realize that we need a strong organizational
structure to accomplish our goals.
Third on our priority list is to work on reclaiming and beautifying the
physical exterior of First Parish, including making our parking lot more
functional. We have a beautiful landscape plan to start our work on this.
You’ll be hearing more about this in the future.
Martha Scott
Chair, Parish Committee
New Member bios
At a recent Church Service several new members were welcomed: Aurora
Sherman shared Charmian Proskauer’s words and these bios were shared:
“While we welcome new visitors and treasure those who become part of the
life of this church as friends, it is a special occasion when a person takes
the step of signing the book and becoming a member. By becoming a member,
you are publicly expressing your commitment to the UU Principles and
Purposes, and offering your time, energy, skills and talents to this
congregation. New members help create and maintain this place as a
supportive community where all of us can search for meaning in our
individual lives, and work with others to make a difference in the world.”
Susan Lind-Sinanian lives in Watertown with husband Gary and son, Raffi. For
many years she has been a teacher at Perkins School for the Blind teaching
lifeskills to students age 13 to 22 in the Secondary program. She also
works at the Armenian Library and Museum of America in Watertown Square,
here she create exhibits, and cares for a collection of about 3,000
costumes, laces, and embroideries. She also organizes family day programs
and workshops to teach Armenian needlework.
Susan & her husband have also have taught Middle Eastern Folk Dance. Her
hobbies include playing the violin, hiking, sewing, scrapbooking, and yoga.
Susan has been a UU for about 7 years and came to FPW because she feels more
at home. She looks forward to sharing her love of culture, dance, and
needlework
Alethea Zack lives in Watertown with her grey cat, Mitts, though she is
originally from Concord, NH. She works for Tufts Health Plan as a Health
Care Analyst. Alethea’s name is derived from a Greek word meaning truth. Her
interests include traveling, scrap booking, & reading as well as yoga and
many outdoor sports. She is excited to be a new member of First Parish and
looks forward to getting to know other members and friends.
Anna Lombardo Anctil grew up in New Jersey and has lived in Washington DC,
as well as New York and Washington states. She somehow landed in the Boston
area, where she has lived for the past 12 years. Anna’s spouse Mike and
daughter Lizzy also attend FPW. She and her family moved to Watertown for
Lizzy to attend Watertown High.
Anna works for works for WGBH (Public Television and Radio) in Human
Resources and writes that she “lives vicariously through all the creative
people with whom I am fortunate to work.” Anna’s additional interests
include gardening, cooking, reading and cycling—but not all at the same
time! Anna says she has found FPW “to be a warm and caring community” and
she looks forward to getting more involved.
Mike Anctil was born in Berlin, NH (30 minutes north of Mt. Washington). He
spent 5 years of childhood in Washington, DC and 13 years in Berlin. He
earned his undergrad degree in Wisconsin, then lived in Minneapolis for10
years and completed an MS degree while there. He then returned to New
England, living in Belmont and Medford, now Watertown. His spouse Anna and
step-daughter Lizzy both attend FPW. Mike works as an Automation Engineer,
developing and supporting equipment that is used in manufacturing drugs @
Wyeth Bio Pharmaceuticals. His interests include music, cycling and
promoting eco-friendly living, aspects of these actually could be done at
the same time!
Mike writes
“I am a reformed Catholic. After Anna, Lizzy and I became a family, the UU
community in Cambridge was our spiritual home. After deciding to relocate
to Watertown, First Parish was a logical choice. We visited several times
and have found a tight, spiritual community here. We are looking forward to
membership.”
Habis Obyat and Fatima Hussein (perhaps we can find a little more on Fatima
for a future issue)
Habis was born in the holy land in 1961 to a family which had a
long survival history in the holy land near Bethlehem. Finally his
grandfathers settled in Yasuf, a small village around Nablus city. He was
brought up in Kuwait where his father has lived and worked since the
fifties. Habis graduated from Kuwait College of technological studies.
As it should be in life, Habis’s family comes first. With his
better half Fatima, they have five wonderful kids.
One of Habis’s favorite jobs was working in the biggest
electrical generation and distillation plant in Kuwait. He and his family
moved to Jordan after the first gulf war, where he worked in different
factories, and then in the biggest electrical generation plant in Jordan.
Afterwards he practiced teaching for computer science and E.S.L., and
finally became a teacher and an instructor for electrical specialty with the
Vocational Training authority in Jordan.
His move to America with Fatima was essential to his family as a
survival chance for their son Abood.
Habis and Fatima are filled with hope as well as dreams of
settling here, and establishing themselves as good citizens serving to build
a good country. They also live with the hope that their other children will
be able to come to the United States
Now they feel that they are in the land of the free and the brave.
Special Thanks to:
Missy Shay for repairing the church banner.
Equal Marriage
Judi Fitts represented First Parish at a recent meeting with Mass Equality
at First Parish, Arlington. As we begin our new monthly offerings for
charitable causes, we would like to announce that Mass Equality is our first
recipient. The offering will take place on February 18, 2007. The next
offering will be on March 18 in support of the UU Ministry for Earth
Here is what Judi said about the meeting:
I was the lone representative last night.
May is the earliest possible time a vote in the House & Senate can be taken,
though it will likely not happen until the summer. A passing vote will put
a question on the 2008 ballot for “the majority to decide for the minority”
to amend the state constitution with a ban on same sex marriage. All civil
marriages performed before then will remain valid.
Two passing votes in two consecutive years are needed to put the question on
the ballot. The first yes was in 2006. Things look better with the 2006
election results and Deval Patrick, but we are still projecting 9 votes
short of passing - that’s assuming all presently committed officials don’t
change their minds in the mean time.
www.MassEquality.org is a great site for information. Start there to get
help writing a letter to the local paper or to your elected officials.
(Watertown’s officials are firmly on our side.) The next meeting of Mass
Equality is Tuesday, Feb 6 at the UU church in Arlington Center.
Gulf Coast Social Initiative
Hello, my name is Bev Freeman--I'm from the First Church in Belmont. I'm
writing because we've organized a Gulf Coast social initiative and welcome
participation from other UUs and townspeople.
We plan a trip to Turkey Creek ( www.turkey-creek.org
presently confirmed to go. We supply the air fare and ground transportation;
Turkey Creek supplies accommodations and food. I'm sure you know there is
much to do.
Participation by members of your parish in our planned trip is invited.
We're coordinating with Jinnie Trabulsi, a UU community minister, who is
assigning volunteers to the Gulf Coast area..
I anticipate there will be another trip in April-May. We're also linking
with Bridge to Biloxi of Concord, www.bridgetobiloxi.org and Wayland to
Waveland, Wayland, Mass., www.waylandtowaveland.org. There is strength in
numbers and in coordination of our efforts. Both have sent groups to the
area (or to New Orleans) and plan to do more. Hands on USA is another
excellent group, started by David Campbell from Carlisle, Mass.,
www.handsonusa.org.
I would be happy to supply more information.
Bev Freeman, email address: info@BevFreeman.com
P.S. Donations (by check) can be sent to Roger Gallagher, 207 Slade St.,
Belmont, MA 02478.
Family Concert
Saturday, February 10, 2007, at 3:30pm
Where: The First Parish of Watertown
The Freedom Trail Band is presenting a Family Concert at the First Parish in
Watertown. This concert of classical and popular music has been planned
primarily with young people in mind, from small children to teenagers, but
the program will contain something for everyone. The musical selections will
have appealing themes and subjects, such as nature, trains, and wild
animals; and many will contain interesting rhythms and unusual sound
effects. Fun and educational activities relating to the music and the
performance are planned for the younger audience members.
Cost: Free.
Contact (for publication):
Diane (978) 261-5065
freedomtrailband@yahoo.com
Learn How and Why to Protect the Environment!
The film - An Inconvenient Truth
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street, Watertown
FREE Sponsored by The Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee
Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety
Thursday, 1 February 2007, 6:30 p.m. Introductions, 7:00 Film (promptly)
8:30 – 9:00 Post Film discussion
Another opportunity to view the film:
Newton Free Public Library
Saturday 3 February, 2007, 1:00 p.m.
Coming Soon! "The Climate Project: Answer the Call! Presentation by Helen
Waldorf
Council Chambers Town Hall, Monday 12 February 2007, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
This is the updated slide-show by Al Gore, based upon the movie, "An
Inconvenient Truth" and will give participants an opportunity to discuss the
issues associated with global climate change.
Cherry Blossom B and B
A Bed and Breakfast experience will be hosted by the Cedar Lane UU Church on
the Washington DC beltway during the National Cherry blossom Festival (April
13-15) Transportation to and from the airport, Metro subway entrance, and
church service on Sunday is included. Package also includes dinner at the
church on Saturday, seats the Cherry Blossom parade, and a brief city tour
or Metro pass Cost is $250 for single or $500/couple. Registration must be
received by March 19. A flyer is posted or go to
www.cedarlane.org/cbfestival.
Notes on the UUSC
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is concentrating its
efforts this year to end the genocide in Darfur. As you know, Sudanese
government sanctioned militias have decimated villages in the Darfur region
of the Sudan. Over 300,000 people have been killed, and some 2.5 million
have been forced to flee their homes. The militias appear in a village,
burn houses and fields, slaughter livestock, brutally murder men and boys,
rape women, kill children and capture youth as slaves. The UUSC has
launched a Drumbeat for Darfur campaign. Some of the actions are pressuring
the White House, Congress, and the United Nations to make Darfur a higher
priority. They are calling for a U.N Force to provide protections in Darfur
as well as in camps of displaced persons. An easy way to sign a petition to
President Bush is to go to www.savedarfur.org You can find more
information, and also more actions, on the UUSC website at www.uusc.org
.
Celebrate Your Commitment!
Canvass Season is Coming
Sign up for a Circle Supper in early March
Mark your Calendar for the Annual Dinner
and Talent Show - March 31
Arbella - Newsletter of January 2007
First Parish of Watertown
Arbella
January 2007
Please refer to the online calendar for January's schedule of events.
Sermon/Services
Sunday, January 7, 2007 at 11:00am
“The Universalist Balm” Mark Harris
I have just finished a book called The Sea Captain’s Wife. It is the fascinating story of a working class woman, who married a man who was a Universalist named Stone. Failing to make a living in Manchester, New Hampshire, they traveled South. He ended up in the Confederate army during the Civil War, and she went back North during the war. She barely survived financially, and eventually her brother who fought for the North, and her husband who was fighting for the South, both died in the war. After that she left New England to marry a wealthy black sea captain, and then . . . .her son died, and then . . . Well you get the picture. How was her Universalist faith a balm for such continuing experiences of despair? And even the one good thing, marrying the black sea captain, caused some of her family to disown her. Can our faith help us in bleak times?
Greeters: Ann Bloom and Barbara Beck
Social Hour: Norah and Paul Day
Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 11:00am
“Turned Upside Down” Mark Harris
On the day before Martin Luther King Day, we ponder his legacy of creating a world of justice where so much racism exists. We will travel from early struggles in Boston to educate Black children, to the modern world of breaking color barriers in sport. We despair
over the continuing violence in Boston. Now,
there is hope with an African-American governor. Can the world ever change?
Greeters: Gretchen Brown and Judi Fitts
Social Hour: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 11:00am
“Just Shy” Mark Caggiano
"Just Shy" is the next installment in my personal introduction to the parish, explaining the life lessons that led a big firm Boston lawyer to study for the ministry.
There will be a new member welcome on this Sunday.
Greeters: Holly Cachimuel and Paula Chase
Social Hour: Joani Mountain and Lee Pierce
Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 11:00am
“Firstus with Faustus” Mark Harris
People are sometimes astounded to learn that Unitarianism began in eastern Europe in Transylvania and Poland. Just to mix it up a little, the key figure was an Italian named Faustus Socinus. Sozzini if you want the real Italian dressing. These early Unitarians in Poland were serious about the ethical implications of their faith. How must one live in the world, if you take Christianity seriously? They considered questions of pacifism and socialism and whether a person of faith can ever hold political office, and not be corrupted. What are the faith implications for us, in the world we live in today?
Greeters: Cornelia Janke and Goyo Carvajal
Social Hour:Julie Miller and Paul Dansereau
Captain’s Log (Rev. Mark W. Harris)
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had enjoyable holidays. A special thanks to those who sent cards or gave us gifts. We always appreciate your expressions of holiday affection. Please know that we, because of our positions as ministers for the whole church, do not send cards to individual members of the church. In fact, we did not send cards to anybody this year. We felt like we were caught in a bind. I knew I was behind schedule when it came to thinking about composing such a holiday missive as we usually do, and then we saw an editorial in the Globe which explained how all the holiday mailings were an incredible drain on the environment, and a significant cause of global warming. Now I was guilty if I sent the cards and guilty if I didn’t. Ahh, you just can’t win.
I am writing this on the national day of mourning for Gerald Ford. Ford, as I explained in my sermon on forgiveness was the only president I have ever seen in the flesh. What is interesting is how we have come to appreciate him in retrospect. At the time of his administration we were all angry for the pardon of Nixon, and remembered him as a clumsy guy who kept falling down. Now everyone is falling down saying what a decent and honorable human being he was. I agree. The problem seems to be that our expectations have taken a tumble, if we would just settle for a President who is merely decent. My how things can look good in retrospect!
My big personal news as I enter the new year, is something I have shared with the Parish Committee, but not with the congregation at large. It is my New Year’s resolution burden and glory all rolled into one. About two months ago Andrea and I signed a book contract with Cambridge University Press to write a book called, An Introduction to the Unitarian and Universalist Traditions. While I am ecstatic that this has taken place, and overjoyed that we can undertake such a project together, the prospect of actually writing this book while working full time and teaching part-time is a little daunting. We have four years to complete this work which is kind of a combination of history, theology, polity (church government), and current trends. It is also international, so we have to become especially familiar with European traditions, which are not exactly my strong suit. It is a big challenge, and a big thrill.
It is like a New Year’s resolution because it is something I know I need and want to do, but the problem is making the time and schedule to do it. More often than not this is the case with our resolutions. We say we will lose weight, or get more exercise, or finally get organized, but the bottom line is having the plan to do it. I have realized in my voiced resolution to lose weight that the resolution needs to have a comprehensive plan. I cannot exercise one day a week, or give up ice cream some of the time. It will never happen unless I figure out how to make it happen. I think it also helps to visualize the final result, and so it is good to experience small measurable gains along the way. How good it will feel to see this book, and so the plan must fall into place to write it chapter by chapter. How good it will feel to lose the weight pound by pound, and take note of it as I do. I also have someone to do it with, and so we can report to each other, as we make progress. I can say Polish Brethren are done, and Transylvanians are on the way. I hope.
I truly believe this is the only way resolutions can work. We need an organized plan. We need to experience incremental success. We need to have someone to check with on our progress.
I am excited about this book project of ours. What this also means is that you will be hearing some more about our Unitarian Universalist faith in the days ahead. We learn and embrace a faith journey, so that our understanding of eternal truths can be passed on to those who follow. We also must believe that the world needs to hear what our faith has to say. Our Polish ancestors asked such questions as: Can there be ethical behavior in government? How can we redistribute income so that we have a more equitable society? What kinds of words can we articulate to respond to the folly of wars and weaponry? These questions are increasingly relevant in 2007. Come find out what our faith teaches us about living ethically in the world today.
Mark
New Members
A warm welcome to those who have signed the membership book recently. Those new members include: Mike and Anna Anctil, and Susan Lind-Sinanian.
There will be a new member welcome on Sunday, January 21. If you are interested in joining Fist Parish, please speak to Mark.
Photos of Ghana
During the month of January, a photograph exhibit by our own FPW member, Chris Johnson will be on display at the Waltham Public Library. It is called, “Images of Ghana.” Check it out!
Obyat Family
During the past year, many members and friends of First Parish have helped sponsor the Obyat family during their difficult odyssey here in America. As you may remember, the parents, Habis and Fatima are here with their son Abood who suffers from a debilitating medical condition. Employment, medical and immigration issues have made mere survival difficult, and they also miss the rest of the family who are living back in Jordan. We hope those who have supported the family in the past will continue to do so in whatever way you can. If you have not helped out, and would like to do so (or would merely like to learn more), please speak to Will Twombly (who is the person most familiar with all the circumstances), or with Mark.
Thank yous
The church owes a tremendous amount of gratitude to David Benson and Michael McCarthy for installing the partitions in the two bathrooms downstairs. This took many hours of labor, and we are grateful to have our
“new” bathrooms.
Password for directory
Thanks to Kyle Hart’s good work (assisted by Sue Demb, Ken Vogel by phone,Nancy Dutton and Kyle Morton) we once again have our directory available online. The user name and password can be obtained from the office.
Social Action
Please see the bulletin board for letters of thanks from:
The Watertown Food Pantry for all our Fall donations
The Grow Clinic at Boston Medical Center for our annual toy drive for the children there. Despite the lack of time in soliciting donations
necessitated by the quick return for the Grow Clinic party this year, we were able to provide presents for sixty children. Thank you all for your generosity.
Giving Boxes for January and February,
For the Giving Boxes in January and February, we're gathering books for Teen Leep
Books. They're looking for books of all sorts in good condition:
http://www.teenleep.org/bookdrives.html.
Green Sanctuary
More than a month ago, five of us (David Morrison, Martha Scott, Jeff Miller, Mark Caggiano and Mark Harris) attended an informational meeting about Green Sanctuary, and the UU Ministry for Earth. In October we showed the film, An Inconvenient Truth, and hope to have more film showings in the new year. An Inconvenient Truth will be shown again at the Watertown Library on February 1 at 7:00 p.m.
We plan to have an information meeting in January about our congregation’s hopes and dreams to become a Green Sanctuary.
That meeting is scheduled for January 21 after church. We will offer pizza and drinks
There will be a brief announcement on January 7 letting people know that there will be this larger information session.
Monthly Offering for Social Action
Our parish committee has recently approved a proposal from our Social Action Committee, to designate one of our regular, loose Sunday offerings to be donated to charity. What does this mean? Every Sunday members and friends place checks and envelopes in the offering. These are for the payment of pledges and or special gifts to the church. Many members and friends also place a token amount of cash in the offering plates. Many of those people who pay their pledges by mail, for instance, may place a small donation in the offering boxes on a given Sunday. Visitors and others (those who have not pledged yet) often make a cash donation as well. This loose, undesignated offering usually goes to benefit the church, but in the future we plan on designating one Sunday per month (probably the first), as a Social Action Sunday, whereby the undesignated offering on that day will go to a particular charitable group. We also hope to have a representative from these groups present to explain their programs. Knowing in advance who the group is means you could write out a check to the specific group. Watch for future announcements.
Guest at Your Table - UUSC
Our final tally for the Guest at Your Table program from the UU Service Committee has been made. The total for this year is $1520.67, our best ever, and a good increase over last year’s total , which was $1349.50. Thank you for being so generous.
Making a Mark
By Mark Caggiano
First Parish recently held a strategic planning meeting, which is the first step in a longer process of self-reflection and discussion. For me, as the student intern minister, it was an opportunity to get to know people as well as to get a sense for the way people envision the church community. One person asked me if I felt able to participate in the conversation, being new to the community. The question was well intended but I was thoughtful of becoming part of something mid-stream, so to speak. While not a newbie to strategic planning efforts – this is either my third or fourth time for a nonprofit – I did not want to enter prematurely into matters best left to the more seasoned participants.
One major topic of discussion, however, was within my experience. Moreover, it will be an important part of my internship: Social Action. Participants in the strategic planning discussion consistently commented that social action was an important part of their view of the church and that it should be increased and emphasized. This was both an element of increasing a sense of community but also expanding the reach of First Parish beyond its four walls and into the broader community. Social action is a critical component of being UU, as reflected in our Seven Principles. Fostering efforts for social action is merely an extension of this sensibility.
In my studies, I am currently devising a curriculum for social justice work. As a part of a UU Religious Education class, I am preparing an adult religious education workshop for people interested in learning more about the mechanics of organizing for social justice work – think of it as the basic tool box rather than a description of what needs to be done. The idea is to get people interested by empowering them to understand what is needed to help make a change in policy, to support an initiative, or to resist an unwelcome project. I break the workshop down into organization, execution and avoidance of trouble – the last being a quite welcomed addition I have been told.
As an example, I describe an effort I undertook almost a decade ago to fight a trash plant that was to be built in my hometown. The developer was well funded, well lawyered, and not so well intended. The community historically had rolled over before such efforts and was saddled with two regional facilities, a regional incinerator and a sewage treatment plant. This new project was one more environmental burden and some in the community rose up against the effort. We were not well funded, initially lawyerless (not counting me), and I think very well intended. The organization and effort were difficult but ultimately successful. I do not mean to suggest that I was the crucial figure in this endeavor – there were others more dedicated, more capable and more pivotal to our success. In fact, the key observation I took from the experience was that ordinary people can effectively work for social justice with time, effort and careful planning. My hope is to share this experience and my observations with the workshop participants and in some small way to help people fulfill the broadly held view that First Parish needs to become more socially active.
Please feel free to let me know if you are interested.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Student minister
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
We made it ! Another New Year is here! I’m not usually into the whole New Year’s thing and normally I laugh at the idea of putting pressure on myself to make some resolution for a better me. But this year, I’m going to give the resolution thing a try. I pledge to be more courageously honest.
Honesty is a tricky thing to assess. We all would like to say that we are a 100% honest all of the time. But are we really? There are all these technical little details that come into account during a true evaluation. Sure, we don’t go around lying to our friends, family, and co-workers. Well, except maybe for a little white lie that protects a friend’s feelings and doesn’t hurt anyone. But do we come forward with the truth as we know it when it would bring us conflict?
An important part of social justice work is to speak our truths. And it is often the most challenging part of social justice work. Think about it. Isn’t it easier to lend a helping hand to the charity of your choice than to speak out that you think something is wrong? Who has the courage to stand up to confront someone who is doing something you think is not right? It’s not easy. And what if the people you disagree with make up a big group? What if they are the majority of people in your community?
There are many local examples that illustrate this example. One is the recent legislative vote on whether there should be a ballot question to decide if same sex marriage should be allowed in Massachusetts. The opponents of the ballot question challenge that constitutional rights should not be decided by a majority vote. There are plenty of times in history that the majority vote was unjustly implemented against the human rights of a minority group of people. I sincerely hope this won’t be one of them.
An interesting book by Dr. Seuss is "Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose". In it, the animals take advantage of a kind moose by inviting more and more friends to live in his antlers. I didn’t care for the ending, but I liked how the book illustrated the idea that a "majority vote" is not always the fair way to make a decision. Is it fair to hurt one person or a small group of people so that the majority of people can have something they want? How do you speak up when a significant majority is leading the group in the wrong direction?
Take the global warming issue as another example. More and more people are starting to notice and speak up about it, but those people are still a very small minority in America. People on the news often talk about how warm the weather has been lately, but I hardly ever hear someone mention or wonder why. My family recently watched Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth". As some of you know, it really inspired Mike into action. Up until that point, he felt like he couldn’t do anything about it. When the film made him realize that what we do (or don’t do) today will directly affect the lives of our daughters, he felt like he couldn’t NOT do anything about it.
As Unitarian Universalists, we value the freedom to find and speak our own truths. Being honest isn’t easy when the issues being discussed today are confusing and you don’t have the time to carefully consider what you think. Situations in life are sometimes so complex that it’s hard to figure out the truth and even harder to figure out what to do about it. But we must try our best. We must find the confidence and strength to stand up and speak out about those things that matter to us. If we don’t, who will?
Plan ahead to come to Ferry Beach this summer!
One way to survive these cold and dark days of winter is to look forward to summer arriving again. And one thing I always think of is going back to Ferry Beach. There are many fabulous weeks at Ferry Beach for adults and children alike. All weeks are filled with inspiration and connection! Check out their website at www.ferrybeach.org for more details. This year, both Mark and I will be coordinating conferences there (that means we are doing the planning work). Mark is leading Heritage Week in August and Andrea will be guest speaking. During the first week of July, I will be leading Different Drummers (the camp for middle schoolers) and several First Parish adults have signed up to be staff. So if your child is entering grades 7 to 9 next fall (so currently in grades 6 to 8) and is looking for a great sleepover camp experience, this is the perfect opportunity! (There are also camps for younger and older kids happening at the same time that are worth checking into. I don’t personally know the staff running the high school camp, but I can say that the staff running the camp for kids entering 4th to 6th grade are awesome.) So this is the year to try Ferry Beach if you haven’t already! See me if you have any questions. Last year, the youth camps filled up by March, so be sure to register very early if you want to do it.
important dates:
Spiritual Practices group starting ... Sunday mornings at 10am
A small group of us have been exploring ideas about a time for meditation, and for sharing things that we find to be spiritual resources. We are thinking about meeting from 10 am to 10:45 on Sundays, starting each session with one person sharing something that "takes us deep" -- a poem, reading, art, piece of driftwood or anything else -- then having something like 20 minutes for silent meditation, and then some time to talk about what we've shared. Some of us have meditated before, some not -- we'll have an intro to meditation and it will be user-friendly. If you are interested in taking part, and/or would like to help clarify this idea, please let one of us know by phone or email. We will start on January 7th. Child care is not a given, so it would help to know how many would need child care if they were to attend. Contact Lee, Tesi, or Roberta for more details.
Save the date for a Women's Book Group ...
Tuesday, January 9th at 7:30pm will be a Women's Circle to discuss the book, "Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman's Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life" by Abby Seixas. Lee Pierce has a couple copies she's passing around for anyone interested in reading the book who doesn't want to buy it. See Lee or Roberta for more details.
C.O.A. group fundraising
Our Coming-of-Age group will be going on a Social Action trip on February 23rd and 24th to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless. They need your help as they fund raise to cover the costs of this trip. Their fundraising efforts will include selling First Parish of Watertown chalice t-shirts and some delicious baked goods at a few Social Hours in January. Then watch for their Valentine’s Special coming in February!
Children’s Social Action Fair : Saturday, January 20th from 10am to Noon
All kids are invited to participate in fundraising for the charity of their choice. Kids and youth, gather any old books and toys you no longer want and sell them at our Fair with all proceeds going to the charity of YOUR choice. This is a great way to use your unwanted stuff to make our world a better place. Let Roberta know by January 14th if you want a table at the fair. Even if you don’t want to sell, please come to the fair to buy stuff for a worthy cause. And don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and neighbors!
Youth group happenings!
The Youth Group will be meeting on Thursday, January 4th and Friday, January 18th at 7:30pm. There will also be a district Con (short for youth conference) during the weekend of January 12 to 14th that all youth ages 14 and older are invited to. This one has the theme of Social Action. If you know any youth interested in attending our meetings or the Con, please let Roberta or Kyle Morton know.
Great stuff coming up to watch for:
* late January: Cody’s organic farming presentation to First Parish community
* All middle school and high school youth: save the date:
Sunday, February 11th at 5:30pm for a Green Web workshop by Promise the Children. A free spaghetti dinner is included!
Your help is needed :
Season 2 in our R.E. program starts January 7th. Your help is needed ... contact Roberta today. For more information about openings and what the activities are, see www.chalicedreamer.org
For more R.E. information:
Check out my website, www.chalicedreamer.org, at for up to date information about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings, Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Intergenerational Chorus
The Greater Boston Intergenerational Chorus will present a free public concert on Tuesday evening, January 16th, 7:00-8:00 at the First Parish Church, 35 Church St, Watertown. Directed by Joanne Hammil, this non-auditioned community chorus is open to all who love to sing, ages 10-110.
Come enjoy an eclectic mix of beautiful and fun songs: folk, South African music, oldies, rounds, pop…all in wonderful harmonies, with many brief solos.
Check it out and think about joining this unique, exciting group! For information about this concert or about enrolling for 2nd semester, contact Joanne Hammil: 617-923-8448; joanne@joannehammil.com; www.joannehammil.com
Annual Unity Breakfast:
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the World In Watertown, the Watertown Ministerial Association and No Place For Hate will once again sponsor the annual Unity Breakfast on Monday, January 15, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave, Watertown. Byron Rushing, representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1982 and Second Assistant Majority Leader will be the keynote speaker. Rep. Rushing has been a staunch advocate for human and civil rights, and promises to be a dynamic speaker.
Other highlights include music by the Watertown High School A Cappella Chorus, the annual awards presentation to an individual who has worked in Watertown to preserve, protect and promote diversity and non-discriminatory practices, and essays by middle and high school students on topical subjects. The breakfast will be preceded by an interfaith worship service at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $7.00 (free for children 12 and under), and childcare will be provided for pre-schoolers. The Hellenic Cultural Center is handicap accessible. For reservations, RSVP to our church at 617 924-6143 by January 8.
UU’re Home
Do you dream of inexpensive vacation travel to interesting destinations where you can stay in the homes of friendly people who share your ideals and are happy to provide directions and advice for their area?
The UU bed and breakfast directory UU’re Home (formerly Homecomings) can fulfill your dream. For 27 years, we’ve provided a network of hosts in the United States (and a few abroad) who enjoy meeting new friends and who are happy to open their home to like-minded people.
You can also become a host and be listed in the directory. Contact us at 828-281-3253 or at info@uurehome.com, and we will gladly send you information about listing your accommodations.
Host listings on the UU’re Home website at www.UUreHome.com
Jambalaya Benefit to Support New Orleans: Food, Jazz, and Fun!
Don’t miss Jazz and Jambalaya! At Arlington Street Church, Boston, Saturday, January 27th, 6PM-9PM. Tickets are $35. ($25 for students and seniors). An evening of New Orleans music and food provided by Boston musicians and chefs to benefit the rebuilding of First Unitarian Universalist Church, New Orleans. Poetry and art by local artists will add to the "Big Easy in Beantown" experience. You can get tickets by sending a check to Arlington Street Church, 351 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-3399 (Attention: Jazz & Jambalaya). All checks should be made out to: Arlington Street Church, with a note in the memo line that it is for “Jazz & Jambalaya.” You will pick up your tickets at the will call table at the event. For further information, go to www.ASCBoston.org
Strategic Planning Ahead!
Are we going to proceed with - - - - - - - - - - - New chairs for the sanctuary?
Becoming a Green Congregation? A beautiful outdoor space?
What will it be, and when?
Come on Saturday, January 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
and make your wishes known!
Arbella
January 2007
Please refer to the online calendar for January's schedule of events.
Sermon/Services
Sunday, January 7, 2007 at 11:00am
“The Universalist Balm” Mark Harris
I have just finished a book called The Sea Captain’s Wife. It is the fascinating story of a working class woman, who married a man who was a Universalist named Stone. Failing to make a living in Manchester, New Hampshire, they traveled South. He ended up in the Confederate army during the Civil War, and she went back North during the war. She barely survived financially, and eventually her brother who fought for the North, and her husband who was fighting for the South, both died in the war. After that she left New England to marry a wealthy black sea captain, and then . . . .her son died, and then . . . Well you get the picture. How was her Universalist faith a balm for such continuing experiences of despair? And even the one good thing, marrying the black sea captain, caused some of her family to disown her. Can our faith help us in bleak times?
Greeters: Ann Bloom and Barbara Beck
Social Hour: Norah and Paul Day
Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 11:00am
“Turned Upside Down” Mark Harris
On the day before Martin Luther King Day, we ponder his legacy of creating a world of justice where so much racism exists. We will travel from early struggles in Boston to educate Black children, to the modern world of breaking color barriers in sport. We despair
over the continuing violence in Boston. Now,
there is hope with an African-American governor. Can the world ever change?
Greeters: Gretchen Brown and Judi Fitts
Social Hour: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 11:00am
“Just Shy” Mark Caggiano
"Just Shy" is the next installment in my personal introduction to the parish, explaining the life lessons that led a big firm Boston lawyer to study for the ministry.
There will be a new member welcome on this Sunday.
Greeters: Holly Cachimuel and Paula Chase
Social Hour: Joani Mountain and Lee Pierce
Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 11:00am
“Firstus with Faustus” Mark Harris
People are sometimes astounded to learn that Unitarianism began in eastern Europe in Transylvania and Poland. Just to mix it up a little, the key figure was an Italian named Faustus Socinus. Sozzini if you want the real Italian dressing. These early Unitarians in Poland were serious about the ethical implications of their faith. How must one live in the world, if you take Christianity seriously? They considered questions of pacifism and socialism and whether a person of faith can ever hold political office, and not be corrupted. What are the faith implications for us, in the world we live in today?
Greeters: Cornelia Janke and Goyo Carvajal
Social Hour:Julie Miller and Paul Dansereau
Captain’s Log (Rev. Mark W. Harris)
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had enjoyable holidays. A special thanks to those who sent cards or gave us gifts. We always appreciate your expressions of holiday affection. Please know that we, because of our positions as ministers for the whole church, do not send cards to individual members of the church. In fact, we did not send cards to anybody this year. We felt like we were caught in a bind. I knew I was behind schedule when it came to thinking about composing such a holiday missive as we usually do, and then we saw an editorial in the Globe which explained how all the holiday mailings were an incredible drain on the environment, and a significant cause of global warming. Now I was guilty if I sent the cards and guilty if I didn’t. Ahh, you just can’t win.
I am writing this on the national day of mourning for Gerald Ford. Ford, as I explained in my sermon on forgiveness was the only president I have ever seen in the flesh. What is interesting is how we have come to appreciate him in retrospect. At the time of his administration we were all angry for the pardon of Nixon, and remembered him as a clumsy guy who kept falling down. Now everyone is falling down saying what a decent and honorable human being he was. I agree. The problem seems to be that our expectations have taken a tumble, if we would just settle for a President who is merely decent. My how things can look good in retrospect!
My big personal news as I enter the new year, is something I have shared with the Parish Committee, but not with the congregation at large. It is my New Year’s resolution burden and glory all rolled into one. About two months ago Andrea and I signed a book contract with Cambridge University Press to write a book called, An Introduction to the Unitarian and Universalist Traditions. While I am ecstatic that this has taken place, and overjoyed that we can undertake such a project together, the prospect of actually writing this book while working full time and teaching part-time is a little daunting. We have four years to complete this work which is kind of a combination of history, theology, polity (church government), and current trends. It is also international, so we have to become especially familiar with European traditions, which are not exactly my strong suit. It is a big challenge, and a big thrill.
It is like a New Year’s resolution because it is something I know I need and want to do, but the problem is making the time and schedule to do it. More often than not this is the case with our resolutions. We say we will lose weight, or get more exercise, or finally get organized, but the bottom line is having the plan to do it. I have realized in my voiced resolution to lose weight that the resolution needs to have a comprehensive plan. I cannot exercise one day a week, or give up ice cream some of the time. It will never happen unless I figure out how to make it happen. I think it also helps to visualize the final result, and so it is good to experience small measurable gains along the way. How good it will feel to see this book, and so the plan must fall into place to write it chapter by chapter. How good it will feel to lose the weight pound by pound, and take note of it as I do. I also have someone to do it with, and so we can report to each other, as we make progress. I can say Polish Brethren are done, and Transylvanians are on the way. I hope.
I truly believe this is the only way resolutions can work. We need an organized plan. We need to experience incremental success. We need to have someone to check with on our progress.
I am excited about this book project of ours. What this also means is that you will be hearing some more about our Unitarian Universalist faith in the days ahead. We learn and embrace a faith journey, so that our understanding of eternal truths can be passed on to those who follow. We also must believe that the world needs to hear what our faith has to say. Our Polish ancestors asked such questions as: Can there be ethical behavior in government? How can we redistribute income so that we have a more equitable society? What kinds of words can we articulate to respond to the folly of wars and weaponry? These questions are increasingly relevant in 2007. Come find out what our faith teaches us about living ethically in the world today.
Mark
New Members
A warm welcome to those who have signed the membership book recently. Those new members include: Mike and Anna Anctil, and Susan Lind-Sinanian.
There will be a new member welcome on Sunday, January 21. If you are interested in joining Fist Parish, please speak to Mark.
Photos of Ghana
During the month of January, a photograph exhibit by our own FPW member, Chris Johnson will be on display at the Waltham Public Library. It is called, “Images of Ghana.” Check it out!
Obyat Family
During the past year, many members and friends of First Parish have helped sponsor the Obyat family during their difficult odyssey here in America. As you may remember, the parents, Habis and Fatima are here with their son Abood who suffers from a debilitating medical condition. Employment, medical and immigration issues have made mere survival difficult, and they also miss the rest of the family who are living back in Jordan. We hope those who have supported the family in the past will continue to do so in whatever way you can. If you have not helped out, and would like to do so (or would merely like to learn more), please speak to Will Twombly (who is the person most familiar with all the circumstances), or with Mark.
Thank yous
The church owes a tremendous amount of gratitude to David Benson and Michael McCarthy for installing the partitions in the two bathrooms downstairs. This took many hours of labor, and we are grateful to have our
“new” bathrooms.
Password for directory
Thanks to Kyle Hart’s good work (assisted by Sue Demb, Ken Vogel by phone,Nancy Dutton and Kyle Morton) we once again have our directory available online. The user name and password can be obtained from the office.
Social Action
Please see the bulletin board for letters of thanks from:
The Watertown Food Pantry for all our Fall donations
The Grow Clinic at Boston Medical Center for our annual toy drive for the children there. Despite the lack of time in soliciting donations
necessitated by the quick return for the Grow Clinic party this year, we were able to provide presents for sixty children. Thank you all for your generosity.
Giving Boxes for January and February,
For the Giving Boxes in January and February, we're gathering books for Teen Leep
Books. They're looking for books of all sorts in good condition:
http://www.teenleep.org/bookdrives.html.
Green Sanctuary
More than a month ago, five of us (David Morrison, Martha Scott, Jeff Miller, Mark Caggiano and Mark Harris) attended an informational meeting about Green Sanctuary, and the UU Ministry for Earth. In October we showed the film, An Inconvenient Truth, and hope to have more film showings in the new year. An Inconvenient Truth will be shown again at the Watertown Library on February 1 at 7:00 p.m.
We plan to have an information meeting in January about our congregation’s hopes and dreams to become a Green Sanctuary.
That meeting is scheduled for January 21 after church. We will offer pizza and drinks
There will be a brief announcement on January 7 letting people know that there will be this larger information session.
Monthly Offering for Social Action
Our parish committee has recently approved a proposal from our Social Action Committee, to designate one of our regular, loose Sunday offerings to be donated to charity. What does this mean? Every Sunday members and friends place checks and envelopes in the offering. These are for the payment of pledges and or special gifts to the church. Many members and friends also place a token amount of cash in the offering plates. Many of those people who pay their pledges by mail, for instance, may place a small donation in the offering boxes on a given Sunday. Visitors and others (those who have not pledged yet) often make a cash donation as well. This loose, undesignated offering usually goes to benefit the church, but in the future we plan on designating one Sunday per month (probably the first), as a Social Action Sunday, whereby the undesignated offering on that day will go to a particular charitable group. We also hope to have a representative from these groups present to explain their programs. Knowing in advance who the group is means you could write out a check to the specific group. Watch for future announcements.
Guest at Your Table - UUSC
Our final tally for the Guest at Your Table program from the UU Service Committee has been made. The total for this year is $1520.67, our best ever, and a good increase over last year’s total , which was $1349.50. Thank you for being so generous.
Making a Mark
By Mark Caggiano
First Parish recently held a strategic planning meeting, which is the first step in a longer process of self-reflection and discussion. For me, as the student intern minister, it was an opportunity to get to know people as well as to get a sense for the way people envision the church community. One person asked me if I felt able to participate in the conversation, being new to the community. The question was well intended but I was thoughtful of becoming part of something mid-stream, so to speak. While not a newbie to strategic planning efforts – this is either my third or fourth time for a nonprofit – I did not want to enter prematurely into matters best left to the more seasoned participants.
One major topic of discussion, however, was within my experience. Moreover, it will be an important part of my internship: Social Action. Participants in the strategic planning discussion consistently commented that social action was an important part of their view of the church and that it should be increased and emphasized. This was both an element of increasing a sense of community but also expanding the reach of First Parish beyond its four walls and into the broader community. Social action is a critical component of being UU, as reflected in our Seven Principles. Fostering efforts for social action is merely an extension of this sensibility.
In my studies, I am currently devising a curriculum for social justice work. As a part of a UU Religious Education class, I am preparing an adult religious education workshop for people interested in learning more about the mechanics of organizing for social justice work – think of it as the basic tool box rather than a description of what needs to be done. The idea is to get people interested by empowering them to understand what is needed to help make a change in policy, to support an initiative, or to resist an unwelcome project. I break the workshop down into organization, execution and avoidance of trouble – the last being a quite welcomed addition I have been told.
As an example, I describe an effort I undertook almost a decade ago to fight a trash plant that was to be built in my hometown. The developer was well funded, well lawyered, and not so well intended. The community historically had rolled over before such efforts and was saddled with two regional facilities, a regional incinerator and a sewage treatment plant. This new project was one more environmental burden and some in the community rose up against the effort. We were not well funded, initially lawyerless (not counting me), and I think very well intended. The organization and effort were difficult but ultimately successful. I do not mean to suggest that I was the crucial figure in this endeavor – there were others more dedicated, more capable and more pivotal to our success. In fact, the key observation I took from the experience was that ordinary people can effectively work for social justice with time, effort and careful planning. My hope is to share this experience and my observations with the workshop participants and in some small way to help people fulfill the broadly held view that First Parish needs to become more socially active.
Please feel free to let me know if you are interested.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Student minister
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
We made it ! Another New Year is here! I’m not usually into the whole New Year’s thing and normally I laugh at the idea of putting pressure on myself to make some resolution for a better me. But this year, I’m going to give the resolution thing a try. I pledge to be more courageously honest.
Honesty is a tricky thing to assess. We all would like to say that we are a 100% honest all of the time. But are we really? There are all these technical little details that come into account during a true evaluation. Sure, we don’t go around lying to our friends, family, and co-workers. Well, except maybe for a little white lie that protects a friend’s feelings and doesn’t hurt anyone. But do we come forward with the truth as we know it when it would bring us conflict?
An important part of social justice work is to speak our truths. And it is often the most challenging part of social justice work. Think about it. Isn’t it easier to lend a helping hand to the charity of your choice than to speak out that you think something is wrong? Who has the courage to stand up to confront someone who is doing something you think is not right? It’s not easy. And what if the people you disagree with make up a big group? What if they are the majority of people in your community?
There are many local examples that illustrate this example. One is the recent legislative vote on whether there should be a ballot question to decide if same sex marriage should be allowed in Massachusetts. The opponents of the ballot question challenge that constitutional rights should not be decided by a majority vote. There are plenty of times in history that the majority vote was unjustly implemented against the human rights of a minority group of people. I sincerely hope this won’t be one of them.
An interesting book by Dr. Seuss is "Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose". In it, the animals take advantage of a kind moose by inviting more and more friends to live in his antlers. I didn’t care for the ending, but I liked how the book illustrated the idea that a "majority vote" is not always the fair way to make a decision. Is it fair to hurt one person or a small group of people so that the majority of people can have something they want? How do you speak up when a significant majority is leading the group in the wrong direction?
Take the global warming issue as another example. More and more people are starting to notice and speak up about it, but those people are still a very small minority in America. People on the news often talk about how warm the weather has been lately, but I hardly ever hear someone mention or wonder why. My family recently watched Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth". As some of you know, it really inspired Mike into action. Up until that point, he felt like he couldn’t do anything about it. When the film made him realize that what we do (or don’t do) today will directly affect the lives of our daughters, he felt like he couldn’t NOT do anything about it.
As Unitarian Universalists, we value the freedom to find and speak our own truths. Being honest isn’t easy when the issues being discussed today are confusing and you don’t have the time to carefully consider what you think. Situations in life are sometimes so complex that it’s hard to figure out the truth and even harder to figure out what to do about it. But we must try our best. We must find the confidence and strength to stand up and speak out about those things that matter to us. If we don’t, who will?
Plan ahead to come to Ferry Beach this summer!
One way to survive these cold and dark days of winter is to look forward to summer arriving again. And one thing I always think of is going back to Ferry Beach. There are many fabulous weeks at Ferry Beach for adults and children alike. All weeks are filled with inspiration and connection! Check out their website at www.ferrybeach.org for more details. This year, both Mark and I will be coordinating conferences there (that means we are doing the planning work). Mark is leading Heritage Week in August and Andrea will be guest speaking. During the first week of July, I will be leading Different Drummers (the camp for middle schoolers) and several First Parish adults have signed up to be staff. So if your child is entering grades 7 to 9 next fall (so currently in grades 6 to 8) and is looking for a great sleepover camp experience, this is the perfect opportunity! (There are also camps for younger and older kids happening at the same time that are worth checking into. I don’t personally know the staff running the high school camp, but I can say that the staff running the camp for kids entering 4th to 6th grade are awesome.) So this is the year to try Ferry Beach if you haven’t already! See me if you have any questions. Last year, the youth camps filled up by March, so be sure to register very early if you want to do it.
important dates:
Spiritual Practices group starting ... Sunday mornings at 10am
A small group of us have been exploring ideas about a time for meditation, and for sharing things that we find to be spiritual resources. We are thinking about meeting from 10 am to 10:45 on Sundays, starting each session with one person sharing something that "takes us deep" -- a poem, reading, art, piece of driftwood or anything else -- then having something like 20 minutes for silent meditation, and then some time to talk about what we've shared. Some of us have meditated before, some not -- we'll have an intro to meditation and it will be user-friendly. If you are interested in taking part, and/or would like to help clarify this idea, please let one of us know by phone or email. We will start on January 7th. Child care is not a given, so it would help to know how many would need child care if they were to attend. Contact Lee, Tesi, or Roberta for more details.
Save the date for a Women's Book Group ...
Tuesday, January 9th at 7:30pm will be a Women's Circle to discuss the book, "Finding the Deep River Within: A Woman's Guide to Recovering Balance and Meaning in Everyday Life" by Abby Seixas. Lee Pierce has a couple copies she's passing around for anyone interested in reading the book who doesn't want to buy it. See Lee or Roberta for more details.
C.O.A. group fundraising
Our Coming-of-Age group will be going on a Social Action trip on February 23rd and 24th to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless. They need your help as they fund raise to cover the costs of this trip. Their fundraising efforts will include selling First Parish of Watertown chalice t-shirts and some delicious baked goods at a few Social Hours in January. Then watch for their Valentine’s Special coming in February!
Children’s Social Action Fair : Saturday, January 20th from 10am to Noon
All kids are invited to participate in fundraising for the charity of their choice. Kids and youth, gather any old books and toys you no longer want and sell them at our Fair with all proceeds going to the charity of YOUR choice. This is a great way to use your unwanted stuff to make our world a better place. Let Roberta know by January 14th if you want a table at the fair. Even if you don’t want to sell, please come to the fair to buy stuff for a worthy cause. And don’t forget to spread the word to your friends and neighbors!
Youth group happenings!
The Youth Group will be meeting on Thursday, January 4th and Friday, January 18th at 7:30pm. There will also be a district Con (short for youth conference) during the weekend of January 12 to 14th that all youth ages 14 and older are invited to. This one has the theme of Social Action. If you know any youth interested in attending our meetings or the Con, please let Roberta or Kyle Morton know.
Great stuff coming up to watch for:
* late January: Cody’s organic farming presentation to First Parish community
* All middle school and high school youth: save the date:
Sunday, February 11th at 5:30pm for a Green Web workshop by Promise the Children. A free spaghetti dinner is included!
Your help is needed :
Season 2 in our R.E. program starts January 7th. Your help is needed ... contact Roberta today. For more information about openings and what the activities are, see www.chalicedreamer.org
For more R.E. information:
Check out my website, www.chalicedreamer.org, at for up to date information about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings, Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Intergenerational Chorus
The Greater Boston Intergenerational Chorus will present a free public concert on Tuesday evening, January 16th, 7:00-8:00 at the First Parish Church, 35 Church St, Watertown. Directed by Joanne Hammil, this non-auditioned community chorus is open to all who love to sing, ages 10-110.
Come enjoy an eclectic mix of beautiful and fun songs: folk, South African music, oldies, rounds, pop…all in wonderful harmonies, with many brief solos.
Check it out and think about joining this unique, exciting group! For information about this concert or about enrolling for 2nd semester, contact Joanne Hammil: 617-923-8448; joanne@joannehammil.com; www.joannehammil.com
Annual Unity Breakfast:
In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the World In Watertown, the Watertown Ministerial Association and No Place For Hate will once again sponsor the annual Unity Breakfast on Monday, January 15, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave, Watertown. Byron Rushing, representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1982 and Second Assistant Majority Leader will be the keynote speaker. Rep. Rushing has been a staunch advocate for human and civil rights, and promises to be a dynamic speaker.
Other highlights include music by the Watertown High School A Cappella Chorus, the annual awards presentation to an individual who has worked in Watertown to preserve, protect and promote diversity and non-discriminatory practices, and essays by middle and high school students on topical subjects. The breakfast will be preceded by an interfaith worship service at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $7.00 (free for children 12 and under), and childcare will be provided for pre-schoolers. The Hellenic Cultural Center is handicap accessible. For reservations, RSVP to our church at 617 924-6143 by January 8.
UU’re Home
Do you dream of inexpensive vacation travel to interesting destinations where you can stay in the homes of friendly people who share your ideals and are happy to provide directions and advice for their area?
The UU bed and breakfast directory UU’re Home (formerly Homecomings) can fulfill your dream. For 27 years, we’ve provided a network of hosts in the United States (and a few abroad) who enjoy meeting new friends and who are happy to open their home to like-minded people.
You can also become a host and be listed in the directory. Contact us at 828-281-3253 or at info@uurehome.com, and we will gladly send you information about listing your accommodations.
Host listings on the UU’re Home website at www.UUreHome.com
Jambalaya Benefit to Support New Orleans: Food, Jazz, and Fun!
Don’t miss Jazz and Jambalaya! At Arlington Street Church, Boston, Saturday, January 27th, 6PM-9PM. Tickets are $35. ($25 for students and seniors). An evening of New Orleans music and food provided by Boston musicians and chefs to benefit the rebuilding of First Unitarian Universalist Church, New Orleans. Poetry and art by local artists will add to the "Big Easy in Beantown" experience. You can get tickets by sending a check to Arlington Street Church, 351 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-3399 (Attention: Jazz & Jambalaya). All checks should be made out to: Arlington Street Church, with a note in the memo line that it is for “Jazz & Jambalaya.” You will pick up your tickets at the will call table at the event. For further information, go to www.ASCBoston.org
Strategic Planning Ahead!
Are we going to proceed with - - - - - - - - - - - New chairs for the sanctuary?
Becoming a Green Congregation? A beautiful outdoor space?
What will it be, and when?
Come on Saturday, January 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
and make your wishes known!