Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Arbella - Newsletter for March 2007
The Arbella
Newsletter for March 2007 -
The First Parish of Watertown
Click on Calendar at www.fpwatertown.org to see the monthly calendar dates
Sermons/Services
Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 11:00am
“Afraid of the Dark” Mark W. Harris
Were you afraid of the dark as a child? This year we are changing the clocks sooner with the hope to save energy, but this means we will also have less time for darkness. Close your eyes and embrace the darkness.
Greeters: Sue Demb and Beth Parsons
Social Hour: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:00am
“Can’t” Mark Caggiano
I will explore the meaning of purpose and possibilities, caste and predestination, through the Bhagavad-Gita and stories from the Ramayana, religious writings from the Hindu tradition.
Greeters: Teo Ellsworth and Jim Felty
Social Hour: TBA
Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:00am
“Dear Prudence” Mark W. Harris
Prudence is the second in our series on the Seven Virtues. Prudence has to do with how you spend your money, and this sermon will be on how the church gets its money, and hopefully spends it. Dear Prudence was a Beatles song, and dear is an English word for something that costs a lot. I’ll bet we can afford just what we need.
Music: FPW member, Karen Allendoerfer will play the viola.
Greeters: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Social Hour: Jane Knuttunen and Sachie Karmacharya
Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 11:00am
“All Our Losses” Mark W. Harris
Every day we suffer a loss in our lives. A parent may die, a friend may move away, or something may be lost. Our whole life is beginnings and endings. Spring reminds us that new life comes from death. What do we learn from our losses?
Music: Kathy O’Donnell, flutist will be our guest musician.
Greeters: Anna Glover and Anne Harrington
Social Hour: Roger and Judy Kamm
Captain’s Log - Rev. Mark W. Harris
During school vacation week my family had the opportunity to visit New York for three days. My children had never been there, and Andrea and I were last there sometime before they were born. I had never seen Ground Zero. One of the effects of that fateful event, and the abiding fear of terrorism was the heavy security at the Statue of Liberty we experienced. As I explained in a recent sermon there was one security check to go to the island (here Dana was searched with a wand), and another to be able to go inside the statue (we all went through a machine that puffed air at us). We had a successful trip, although the boys were a little overwhelmed at first by the size of the city and the number of people.
Our First Parish Coming of Age class also had a trip to New York over the vacation. While my family’s purpose for our trip was cultural (to see some of the great museums of the world) and friendly (to stay with the minister who conducted our wedding) , the Coming of Age class went to learn about homelessness, and work in a homeless shelter. By all accounts their trip was a moving experience, and there will be an opportunity to learn more about it on Sunday, March 5 at 6:00 p.m. I hope many of you can make it.
Even though these trips were different in focus, they remind us all of the challenges of life in the 21st century. Fear has been an abiding factor in our lives over the past few years, and I believe it has sometimes been used for political ends, while we have suffered through the means. Its use in this way has not been helpful in dealing with real fears, and for many people those center on how difficult it is managing to survive in a country where there have been increasing differences between rich and poor. More and more people are homeless, or don’t get enough to eat, or have adequate shelter or health care.
Perhaps one benefit of these concerns about the state of the world is that people seem to be increasingly hopeful about what they can gain from being part of a religious community. We now have 116 official members at First Parish, probably the highest total in the past 80 years. As a leader of this community, I am always torn about what to emphasize about our mission. A church needs to be a nurturing and supportive shelter from the storms of life, but it also needs to be a place where we are challenged to take what we believe about life back into the world so that we might transform it to become a place of love, compassion and justice. I suppose we are in a constant dance of inward reflection and outward action.
One aspect of our religious vision that seems to capture the heart of many of you is the effort to become a Green Sanctuary. We expect that there will be many components to this effort in the months and years ahead - energy audits, films, walks, cleanups, etc. Have you filled out your green pledge card yet? (See Mark C’s column). It was heartening the other night to see Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth win an Oscar for best documentary, while the original song by Melissa Etheridge, “I Need to Change,” also won in its category.
I Need to Change is something that guides much of my religious perspective, and my preaching. Change is not as easy as going out and buying a bunch of new light bulbs, even though that is a great thing to do. It may mean completely altering our eating habits or our driving habits. It may mean becoming more politically active, and sacrificing something that we are used to doing. Habits don’t change overnight. Are we willing to drive less or consume less? When I write a sermon I am addressing it to myself, as well as to all of you. If it is a sermon like my most recent on temperance, then probably I am challenging myself to be more temperate in something I do in my life that I am struggling with. I look upon my faith journey as series of challenges to become a more loving, more present, more involved person who seeks to help build
a community of justice and caring.
To be more loving, or more present or more understanding, I need to change.It is not to make myself a whipping boy, but to acknowledge that there is a human longing to be more connected and more fulfilled as we build our relationships with one another. Our coming of age group deepened their knowledge of others and themselves, and probably grew in compassion because of their trip to New York. They know now that the society needs to change, that they need to be more understanding of injustices, and act to prevent them. Even though we did not go to a homeless shelter, our trip to New York resulted in some of the same things. All the security and fear we saw reminds us that the society needs to change. And the museums reminded us of the beauty people can create, or the heritage we need to preserve if are to understand ourselves and others. Our coming of age group now understands another group of people they did not understand before. Their eyes were opened. That’s what change is. We see something that opens our eyes. That’s what church needs to do. Open our eyes to ourselves. Open our eyes to others. Then we strive for change - to understand ourselves more deeply, and then be able to give to others more deeply. In the end we are changed, and that is what religion is - to bind us together in ways that we were not seeing or experiencing before. I need to be changed.
Mark
Among Us
Our deepest sympathy to Holly Cachimuel whose father died recently.
Our sympathy also to Karen Allendoerfer whose last living grandparent died recently.
The quilting of our own FPW member Missy Shay is part of an exhibit by members of the Rising Star Quilters Guild on "Interpretations of Nature." It is being held at the Arlington Center for the Arts, 41 Foster St., Arlington from February 19 to March 30, 2007 in the Gibbs Gallery (M-F, 9-5)
Anne Harrington, member of our congregation, has a solo photography exhibit at the Wellesley Public Library, on view for the month of March. The photos on the main lobby wall are from her two years in China (2002-2004). There are also several photos on the side wall that are primarily of flowers (and one of Monhegan Island, Maine) digitally manipulated to achieve a painterly effect.
New Members
A warm welcome to these four people who recently were voted into membership
by the Parish Committee. They will be officially welcomed at a ceremony in church on May 20. Peter Cudhea ; Diane (Dede) Dussault ; Raz Mason; Wendell Refior.
Personal
Habis Obyat recently shared in church that he now has a social security number and official permission to work. He has received an H 1 B form. He continues to seek a sponsor for a job. He is an electrical engineer by training, and could also work translating technical data. If you know any leads, please speak to Will Twombly or Mark.
Handyman - for hire - Very Flexible - I will gladly do your:- home repairs, carpentry, fixing-its,- light plumbing inside and gutters, etc outside - painting, spackling, wall & door needs
- inside & outside, yard issues - hauling, moving, cleaning, scraping, etc.- attics and basements, and more...- no job is too high, or too low.- I have tools, and know-how. Please call Randy Rhoda, any time (617) 924-8852.
Fellowship Pictures
The Fellowship Committee invites you to have your photo taken for our membership and friends photo board in the downstairs social hall. Please sign up on the photo list posted there, and Carole Berney, Fellowship Committee Photographer, will arrange to take your picture on a Sunday morning convenient for both you and her (we promise it will be quick and painless!). Families are encouraged to have group photos taken; new members and friends are invited to have their photos added to the board; and those members whose photos are no longer “up to date” are asked to sign up for a more recent portrait.
Yard Sale
This is a reminder to please start saving items (we are especially inviting large items this year, including furniture) for our spring yard sale to be held on Saturday, May 5, 2007. Our co-chairs are Sue Kuder and Jane Knuttunen.
Free Bach Concert
FPW member Randy Rhoda wanted to alert us to this free concert: The Bach Well Tempered Clavier by Jerome Rosen Piano offers a free concert on March 9 and 10, 2007 at the Goethe Institut, 170 Beacon St., Boston. ( The German Cultural Attache Building) The event is at 8:00 p.m. both nights.
Celebrating Your Commitment!
This week begins our Canvass season! Our theme this year is Celebrate Your Commitment. We began with First Parish Players thanks to Paul Day's script-writing wit and now we're having canvass dinners which begin this week. What is a canvass dinner? It is a time to get together with other First Parish members and friends to share good food and good company. During dinner, there is time to talk about hopes and dreams for First Parish and make a financial commitment to support the church. If you have not had the opportunity to sign up, please send an email to the church: fpwatertown@comcast.net . Later in the month will come a special Sunday service (March 18). Our FABULOUS Annual Dinner and Talent Show will be March 31 (see sign-ups downstairs in the social hall and watch for announcements). The culmination of this process is our Annual Meeting on April 29 after church when we review and approve the budget, and conduct any major business. There will be more information about that in the next newsletter. Since about 40% of the church's income comes from pledges, it's important to consider this time to be a reflective one to think about how you can make a financial impact on the life and the work of the church and our continuing ministry to the community and one another.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
Being a religious educator is fascinating and inspiring work. Every so often, I write about the ways that the children and youth of First Parish open my mind and my heart to new possibilities. From light-hearted fare like taking time to enjoy music together to heavy material like looking at the ways we hurt ourselves when we are fighting with someone, the kids of First Parish have taught me a lot.
Even though this is my fourth year as your DRE, this is my first year leading our Coming-of-Age program. In some ways, I feel like I’m going through the process with our youth. Having been raised Protestant Congregational, our version of coming-of-age was called "confirmation" and it was a year long program of making sure the youth knew exactly what they were supposed to believe. I remember it as boring and the only good part was that I wouldn’t have to go to Sunday School once I finished the program.
One of the main reasons I was attracted to First Parish when I first visited about 9 years ago was the Coming-of-Age program. I loved the inherent ideas that our youth should think for themselves and that we don’t tell them what they should believe. Even though my oldest daughter was just a baby at the time, I immediately knew that I wanted her to be a part of this type of program someday. Then I discovered that all of the Unitarian Universalist religious education programs are based on these self-respecting and free-thinking philosophies. I was immediately hooked and you know the rest of my story.
Now I’m getting to explore one of my favorite programs first hand. It is just as awesome as I had imagined. We are taking time to explore the big important questions. Who am I (separate from my relationships and what I do)? Why am I a Unitarian Universalist? How do I carry my UU values into my other communities? What is meaningful and most sacred to me? What are my hopes and dreams for the future?
For the last few months, we have been exploring the injustice in our world today. We learned about economic injustice with the films "30 Days", "Classism in America: People Like Us" and the book "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America". We looked at economic and racial injustice with the film "Freedom Writer’s". This all built up to the youth going on a trip to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless. The trip was transforming and impressive. I can’t wait to hear what the youth say about their experience during a presentation on Sunday, March 4th at 6pm.
The next part of the Coming-of-Age program will include deeply exploring their own spirituality, revisiting UU theology, and creating their credos (their personal belief statements) which they will share with us on Coming-of-Age Sunday on April 29th. How much will all this exploration of social justice issues influence their beliefs? Will it inspire them to appreciate their own lives more?
Just being a witness to all this has inspired me in many ways. One came as we were wondering about something in the "Nickel and Dimed” book. Why do the working class poor sincerely look out for each other while the middle and upper classes look out more for themselves. The working poor in the book would live together, share resources, and take care of each other in ways that many middle class people in mainstream America would never consider. Why is this? What is it about Americans that people don’t help each other more often?
I continued to ponder this after I facilitated a workshop on money management for Watertown Community Housing. The people at the workshop were the working poor of Watertown. And they too look out for each other in ways I don’t see too often in other classes. One woman picks up supplies at the Food Pantry for several families. Babysitting swaps are commonplace, as are many other versions of resource sharing. A family new to the group was immediately welcomed and told to contact one of the other women if she needed anything. This was amazing to me. I came home from all this with gratitude. Gratitude for the affirmation that a community focused spirit of "working together" is meaningful and significant even though American society devalues and minimizes it. Gratitude for the people in my life who share resources with me. Gratitude for what I have in my life. I can easily get swept up in thinking about how challenging my life is. It is good to have my eyes opened to these different worlds.
Presentation by C.O.A. group
The Coming-of-Age group invites First Parish folks of all ages to attend a potluck dinner on Sunday, March 4 from 6 to 7:30 during which they will share a presentation about their trip to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless.
Sunny Bunny Pals are Coming Back
Spring is hopping here soon and we’d like to help spread the warmth of the season. Be a First Parish "Sunny Bunny Pal"! Each participating Bunny will send at least 2 cards, drawings, or notes to their secret pal during the few weeks between Spring Equinox and Easter. On Easter Sunday (April 8th), all of the secrets will be revealed and each Bunny will give their pal a very small gift that symbolizes the beauty of Spring. RSVP to Roberta by Sunday, March 18th if you would like to be a "Sunny Bunny Pal". Folks of ALL ages are encouraged to be Pals (as we will try to make matches across the generations.)
Donations needed for Youth Field Trip
Our UU Travelers and Principle Activators will be traveling to the Boston Museum of Science on Sunday, March 18th to see the Darwin exhibit and hopefully see the Omni film, "Hurricane on the Bayou". If you are a museum member and have those "free passes" to the exhibit halls and/or Omni shows that you are willing to part with, we’d greatly appreciate it! Please give the passes to Roberta (or leave them in her mailbox in the church office) next time you come to church. Thanks!
Youth Group Activities for March, 2007 (Friday meetings usually start at 7pm unless otherwise noted)
Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th ~ district Social Action Con (with Randy Rhoda as advisor)
Friday, March 9th ~ Sacred Shopping for supplies for Transitions Baskets
Friday, March 23rd ~ activity to be determined
* Eileen Ryan is our interim Youth Advisor and is helping to organize 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, at for up to date information about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings, Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Calling All First Parish Members
The Parish Committee needs to put together a slate of candidates to serve vacant slots on our FPW committees. This slate of nominees is presented at the annual meeting. At the end of March there will be sign-ups for all the Committees - Social Action, Worship, Finance, Religious Education, Building and Grounds, Fellowship, and Helen Robinson Wright. We would like a co-chair for the adhoc Green Sanctuary Committee. We are looking for people with energy and interest, and new ideas and skills. We cannot do the work of the church without you. If you want to know more, please speak to Martha Scott or Mark Harris today.
Social Action and Green Sanctuary News
We used to look at environmentalism as a hobby for the high-minded. But conserving energy and living a “green” lifestyle is actually the most patriotic thing you can do today. It fights global warming, protects nature, shrinks our dependence on foreign oil, and makes America a model others want to follow. Green is the color of patriotism. Green is the new red, white and blue.
-- Thomas Friedman
Author of The World is Flat and New York Times columnist.
Benefit Concert
Our Benefit Concert on March 24 has the Charles River Watershed as its beneficiary. Our concert this year features Jaded Mandolin, who play old music in a new way. This is American folk music and bluegrass originals. The concert will be held in our church on Saturday, March 24 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $9 for students, with $32 for families. You will have a chance to buy tickets beginning this Sunday. We also need people to bake for this event, and to help out selling tickets or refreshments. Watch for sign-ups this month.
Film - The Great Warming.
On Sunday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. we will be showing the film, The Great Warming. How can liberal religionists and evangelicals unite? Saving the Earth is a common religious and ethical demand that unites religious folk of all stripes. Narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morisette, the film was made by liberal Canadians, but the it turns to fisherman , farmers and others who are suffering personally from global warming, rather than politicians and scientists to impart its message. Scientists are reaching out to evangelicals, and some of those conservative preachers tell us why they want to stop global warming. Do we want to get everybody on board to save the earth? Come see this film, which was featured in the Boston Globe Ideas section in October. Laura Kern of the New York Times wrote in early November, “The Great Warming should be required viewing by all. Future generations’ lives, and maybe even ours, depend on it.”
Walk for the Earth
March Social Action project
All First Parish families, members, and friends are encouraged to join the Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue, Northampton to Boston, March 16-24, 2007. Let’s call for swift, bold, and comprehensive political action to address global warming. You can walk for an hour, an afternoon, a weekend, or the whole nine days. You can walk as an individual, a family, or a team from your community, school, or congregation. (On Friday, March 23rd, they will be walking from Newton to Cambridge right through Watertown.) By the time they get to Boston on Saturday March 24, they expect the largest global warming demonstration in the history of the United States. We will hope to organize a group from First Parish to go to the Saturday event! We will meet at First Parish at 9: 00 am and head to Cambridge to meet the group by 10: 00 am to walk into Boston, where there will be an interfaith worship service followed by the big demonstration at 3: 00 pm. (Contact Mark or Roberta to sign up to join.) To learn more, walk, help, donate, or organize a team, please visit www.climatewalk.org.
Making a Mark
by Mark Caggiano
I preached on February 18th about the Seventh Principle, specifically the interconnected nature of modern society. Our behavior, no matter how small or localized, can greatly affect the environment. Global warming as an abstract topic is hard to manage but is it not so hard to pinpoint its causes. Our choices as consumers contribute to, and in fact primarily cause, climate changes. The major U.S. contributors to greenhouse gases are farm animals, transportation and electricity production. Meat, cars and personal electronics are therefore directly related to the problems with which we now wrestle.
Does this mean we all become vegans, bicycle to work and live by candle light? Not necessarily, and not likely, but we can consider those practices as larger scale examples of limiting our personal impact upon the world around us. This is not a single issue, but a set of concerns that have many facets. We can eat less meat, for health reasons as well as for the environment. We can walk and bike places, to get exercise as well as to use less petroleum. We can switch to compact fluorescent bulbs and more energy efficient appliances, because this will save us money as well as limit our use of fossil fuels. The hidden secret behind many of these environmentally conscious decisions is that it is more economical in the long run to make the changes.
At February 18th service, the Social Action Committee passed out green pledge cards. The purpose of the cards is for both adults and children to undertake some effort to improve the environment. Everyone, every man and women, every girl and boy, should take a pledge to do something. You can take the bus to work or take all that card board to the recycling center or, even better, join the Social Action Committee. Kids can remember to use both sides of the paper when they draw, close the door rather than let heat out or remind Mom and Dad to keep their pledges. I replaced bulbs in my house with compact fluorescents – and they were on sale at Home Depot. Keep the card on your refrigerator or bulletin board as a reminder. Later this spring, Social Action will come to a Sunday service (probably Earth Day Sunday) and ask people to come forward and share what they have done.
I also made a specific challenge to people – pick one day between now and April 8th, which is Easter this year. This day will be for you a gas fast. On that day, do not drive. Do not use your car. You can use the bus, you can walk, you can use a bike. But do not use gasoline in a car, on a lawnmower or for any other reason if you can help it. See if you can do it. Now some of us work on weekends, so this might be hard, but we could try to do it another day. Next step, tell other people about the gas fast. The more that do it, the fewer gallons of gasoline will be used over the month. You might even take the few dollars you save and give them to Social Action or to the Sierra Club or to some other good use not involving an oil company. One day is not too much to ask, but if many people fast and many people find out about it, it can be just as powerful as a march on Washington.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Giving Boxes for March / April
Thank you for your generous donations of books to TEEN LEEP during January and February. Our Giving Box for the next two months is Renewal House. Renewal House is a shelter for women and children who are suffering from domestic violence. Renewal House is a program of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, based at First Church, Roxbury. Please be generous.
Wish List for Renewal House
*Comforters and/or nice THICK blankets for twin beds
* Dish Sets/Silverware sets (different colors – so we can tell whose is whose)
* Dishwashing Detergent/Dishwasher soap
* Laundry Detergent
* Non-perishable food items
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Glass cleaner
Dish soap and scrub sponges
Pots and pans
Tupperware
Razors
Sanitary Pads/Tampons
Deodorant
Toothpaste:Toothbrushes (children and adults)
Baby wipes and baby soap/shampoo
Size 3,4 and 5 diapers
Women’s and children’s underwear and socks
Wash cloths/Towels
Single sheet sets; pillows
* Greatest need
Share Your Perspective and Insight!
We were all so moved last December when Martha Urban, Kyle Hart and Carol Berney shared with us their perspectives on being a UU. This was so well received that we plan to have a “Why I’m a UU” lay service every year. But, the Worship Committee is also planning something much sooner. We would like to invite others to come forward and share some of their spiritual insights, but this time on a somewhat different topic. We are planning to have another lay-led service on April 1, focusing on our concern for the environment. With the increasing attention (thankfully) that global warming is beginning to receive, and with our new parish endeavor to be a Green Sanctuary, this seems to be a good time for us to discuss our concern for the environment.
What compels you to save the environment?
What drives your personal passion to be part of the solution?
What concrete steps are you taking that you could share with us?
How are you being a “change agent”?
How did “An Inconvenient Truth” affect you?
What lessons were you taught as a child that are even more meaningful to you now?
How does being a UU inform your actions?
Why is being a Green Sanctuary congregation important to you?
If you’re interested in sharing your perspective on any of these questions – or on questions that we haven’t thought to pose here – please step forward! We’d love to hear what you have to say! If you’re interested, speak to any member of the Worship Committee or to Mark H.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Worship Committee
Djalai Babazadeh, Eric Chipman, Jeanne Cleary, Christopher Johnson, Guy Urban
Add To Our Worship
Every Sunday we light the chalice as a sign of hope, unity and as a beacon of support. We are always in need of volunteers who are willing to share some spiritual insight or personal reflection. We invite those who light the chalice to share a reading, a poem, an experience or a hope. We all can learn from each other’s life experiences and spiritual journey. Isn’t it wonderful when we hear a friend get up and take a personal experience and turn it into a message which we all can appreciate? When we share a personal experience or a hope for the future and we add to that the “why” it’s important or the “how” it impacted you, you have given a gift to the whole congregation. Consider signing up to be a chalice lighter. The sign up sheet is in the social hall on the bulletin board facing the kitchen.
Annual Dinner and Talent Show
On Saturday, March 31st the Annual First Parish Dinner and Talent Show will take place at church. Culminating a canvass season themed "Celebrate Your Commitment", the dinner theme is "Celebrate Your Best Cooking"!! Everyone is invited to bring a potluck offering to “celebrate the dish you do best”. Sign-up sheets for the potluck categories will be on the bulletin board in the social hall, starting March 4. So start thinking about your talents for the meal. We hope to see everyone there!! Always a delicious event, please come and bring your favorite/ best food. The Fellowship Committee is helping with coordination and set-up.
Following our Annual Dinner on March 31st you can show off more talent at the FPW Annual Talent Show. This is your chance to share your gifts with the First Parish family. We are looking for a variety of short acts – 3 to 5 minutes. Classical, pop, original, comical, dance, poetry… all talent is welcome as long as it comes from the heart… In honor of the Green Church effort, can you find a way to give your act a ‘GREEN’ theme? If not, then bring your talent on anyway! This is your chance to be a star. Izzy Tappan-deFrees is coordinating the show this year, so please email her if you or your family is interested in joining in the fun (izzyt@rcn.com) or call – 781-893-1695
The Amateur Historian Goes to the Dentist
by Kathy Button
You never know what will happen during a trip to the dentist. My dentist, Virginia Garvis, keeps office in what was once part of a silk mill, now the Echo Bridge Office Park of Newton Upper Falls. In January, on my way to an appointment to complete the latest in a series of bionic toothware, I passed an antique store specializing in old metals. Hmmm, I have some old metal piece in need of a new home. I made a mental note to stop there after Dr. Garvis performed her magic….
Parking on Chestnut Street in Upper Falls is nonexistent. Since I enjoy walking and exploring, I left my car several streets away. Now for the real adventure!
I passed a church building, bustling with activity. The people welcomed me to come inside. What was once the first Unitarian church in Newton (established 1828) has been lovingly transformed into the Tzu Chi Boston Service Center. The Tzu Chi Foundation, with headquarters in Taiwan, is an international Buddhist compassion relief society. The subheading on their quarterly magazine reads “Buddhism in Action.” Wonderful! One could find parallels to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in the work that they do. Tzu Chi emphasizes medical care. Learn more at http://www.tzuchi.org/global/
Jennifer Ying kindly gave me a tour of the building. Rows of numbered wooden pews lined the sanctuary, and faced a simple, yet elegant proscenium. Beautiful! The former Sunday school hall still retains the original stained glass windows adorned with pictures of plants and animals. Lovely! According to my guide, the church stood empty several years before the Tzu Chi Foundation purchased the building last fall. Now members were busy preparing for the Chinese New Year Blessing Event, February 24. Would I be interested in attending? Of course! They gave me a book, a biography of their spiritual leader, “Master of Love and Mercy: Cheng Yen”, by Yu-ing Ching, 1995. I, in turn, purchased a beverage mix simply labeled “Sugar-Free Multi-Grain Drink”, full of fascinating ingredients. Perfect nourishment for a cold night in front of the fireplace.
I said goodbye to these wonderful people with a determination to attend the special celebration and to investigate the curious history of the building. Here is a passage from “Newton’s 19th Century Architecture: Upper & Lower Falls,” published by the Newton Historical Commission, 1982:
“The establishment of a religious society in the Upper Falls was encouraged by local mill owners in the hopes that the church would have a stabilizing influence on the work force. The construction of the village’s first church, Unitarian in organization, was jointly funded by the Elliot Manufacturing Company and [mill owner] Rufus Ellis in 1828. Unitarianism apparently did not appeal to the generality of Upper Falls people, so the building was sold to a Methodist group in 1832….” (p. 6)
You can read online a book by the late Kenneth Newcomb, “The Makers of the Mold,” a history of Newton Upper Falls, made possible by the Friends of Hemlock Gorge: http://www.hemlockgorge.org/FHG_Makers_of_the_Mold/MakersTitlePage.htm
In the section on the Upper Falls Religious Society, Newcomb noted that “…shortly after [Ralph Waldo] Emerson was ordained a Unitarian minister in 1829, he was persuaded to preach in the new church on two occasions.”
The documentation that Jennifer Ying procured for me from the Newton Historical Commission indicated that the church building was deemed eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Apparently, that process didn’t go very far. I did not see the building listed on the National Register’s web site. [The Amateur Historian wishes to insert an editorial note here urging First Parish of Watertown to apply.]
Now for the New Year’s Blessing Event February 24. It was everything and more than I could ever have dreamed. The music and dancing transported us to a different world. Karl and Pamela, friends from the Watertown Historical Society, and I were among the few Westerners present (along with Newton Mayor, David Cohen), yet we felt most welcome in this Buddhist society. I felt surrounded by peace and kindness. Master Cheng Yen writes, “Love and Mercy transcend races, nationalities and geographical distance.”
Happy New Year, from the Amateur Historian.
P.S. By the way, I did visit the antique shop at 977 Chestnut Street. Brass Buff Antiques: Specializing in Unusual Brass and Copper Items. Scientific, Medical and Nautical.” Well recommended by the Amateur Historian. I bought from proprietor Mel Rosenburg brass numerals for my house. Call ahead, 617-964-9388, to confirm that the store is open. Be sure to ask about stuff in the basement.
Painless Fundraising?
Just a quick reminder that if you're shopping on amazon.com, please begin at the FPW home page (www.fpwatertown.org) and click on the amazon link there. It will not change your ordering and will log you directly in to your amazon account, but the church will get a percentage of what you spend.
Special Monthly Offering
We received $610 to benefit Mass Equality on Sunday, February 18. Thank you for your great generosity. Our next special offering will be on Sunday, March 18, and it will benefit the UU Ministry for Earth.
Community News / UU News
An Evening With Maria Trozzi:
Words, Strategies and Wisdom that Help Build Resilience in Families
with Children with Special Needs
Thursday March 29, 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown Savings Bank meeting room. Sponsored by the Watertown Commission on Disability, the Special Education Parent Advisory Council and the Watertown Free Public Library. American Sign Language Interpreters and CART (captioning) will be available. If you need other accommodations, please contact the Commission on Disability at 617.972.6443. In a workshop for parents, educators and the community, Maria Trozzi, M.Ed., assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, Director of the Good Grief Program and author of Talking With Children About Loss, will discuss the stresses that our families face as they deal with the sometimes complicated tasks of living with a child with a disability.
She will offer strategies to help parents understand and cope with the grief, particularly when it gets stirred up in the developmental life of their child. She has created a model for working with providers that uses grief as a catalyst for a strengths-based approach.
Maria, a typical sibling of a brother who is disabled, will also offer insights for helping siblings cope with the losses and gains inherent in a family with a special needs child. Her book, Talking With Children About Loss, dedicated to her brother, will be available for book-signing.
Save Money, Save Energy and Protect the Environment!
The Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee Speaker Series Presents: Simple Ways to Save on Your Energy Bill by John Clarke
Join John, an IT specialist and active member of the Massachusetts Sierra Club Energy Committee as he discusses simple, cost-effective ways you can cut your utility bills – Bring your questions! The program is: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, Watertown Town Hall, 149 Main Street.This talk is FREE and open to the public.
Peter Mayer Concert on Sat., March 10
Mayer is a UU from Minnesota with a strong spiritual bent, a strong whimsical bent, and an earth/water-centered spirituality. He has performed at General Assembly and his song "Blue Boat Home" is in the UU Supplemental Hymnal. This is how Marilyn Rea Beyer of WUMB described his work ... "His guitar work is breath-taking, his lyrics mind-spinning, his singing soul-soothing and his feet-on-the-ground optimism nothing short of healing."
Mayer will perform at the First Parish UU Church of Arlington at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., 3/10. The church is located at 630 Mass Ave in Arlington. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and are available at The Book Rack at 13 Medford Street and Wood & Strings at 493 Mass Ave, both in Arlington Center.
District Annual Meeting
First Parish is a member of the Massachusetts Bay District, a group of about 55 congregations clustered around greater Boston. The annual meeting for the district will be held on Sat., April 14. We are entitled to three delegates. Mark Harris will be attending. If you would like to learn more, and possibly attend this meeting, please speak to Mark. The event will be held from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Andover Newton Theological School. Our Annual Meeting & Colloquium features keynote speaker, the Rev. Gil Rendle. Rendle is the author of Leading Change in the Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders and a senior consultant at The Alban Institute.
UU Niagara Experience July 15-18, 2007
If you have ever wanted to visit Niagara Falls or if it is already one of your favorite places, this is a chance to experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities while in the company of UUs from around the country. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from every perspective, even safely riding beneath a tethered balloon. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural wonders around the Falls. For information visit our web site :http://www.uunex.net/ Email : info@uunex.net Telephone : (716) 791-4453
Watertown Free Public Library
Presents: Dana Snyder-Grant reading from her book Just Like Life, Only More So
And Other Stories of Illness, Wed, 3/14, 7:00 p.m., Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room. Dana Snyder-Grant, LICSW, is a writer, newspaper columnist and psychotherapist specializing in chronic illness & disability. She has had multiple sclerosis for twenty-five years. Her book is about living with illness: accepting ones differences and vulnerability with courage and humor.
What can you do locally for the environment?
This is to notify you of the availability of environmental grants from the Watertown Community Foundation. The program, A River Runs Through It, is meant to solicit innovative environmental projects to learn about, protect and celebrate the natural environments in our community. The deadline for applications is March 9. If you would like more info, please speak to Andrea or Mark. How about starting a community composting program, or community gardens, a farmer's market, storm water run-off projects that recycle , a walk to church or walk to school program or a shared ride program. We could have solar power, or wind power projects, or even educational programs or curricula that teach environmental practices.Write up your dream project now, and WCF will fund it!
Newsletter for March 2007 -
The First Parish of Watertown
Click on Calendar at www.fpwatertown.org to see the monthly calendar dates
Sermons/Services
Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 11:00am
“Afraid of the Dark” Mark W. Harris
Were you afraid of the dark as a child? This year we are changing the clocks sooner with the hope to save energy, but this means we will also have less time for darkness. Close your eyes and embrace the darkness.
Greeters: Sue Demb and Beth Parsons
Social Hour: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:00am
“Can’t” Mark Caggiano
I will explore the meaning of purpose and possibilities, caste and predestination, through the Bhagavad-Gita and stories from the Ramayana, religious writings from the Hindu tradition.
Greeters: Teo Ellsworth and Jim Felty
Social Hour: TBA
Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:00am
“Dear Prudence” Mark W. Harris
Prudence is the second in our series on the Seven Virtues. Prudence has to do with how you spend your money, and this sermon will be on how the church gets its money, and hopefully spends it. Dear Prudence was a Beatles song, and dear is an English word for something that costs a lot. I’ll bet we can afford just what we need.
Music: FPW member, Karen Allendoerfer will play the viola.
Greeters: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Social Hour: Jane Knuttunen and Sachie Karmacharya
Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 11:00am
“All Our Losses” Mark W. Harris
Every day we suffer a loss in our lives. A parent may die, a friend may move away, or something may be lost. Our whole life is beginnings and endings. Spring reminds us that new life comes from death. What do we learn from our losses?
Music: Kathy O’Donnell, flutist will be our guest musician.
Greeters: Anna Glover and Anne Harrington
Social Hour: Roger and Judy Kamm
Captain’s Log - Rev. Mark W. Harris
During school vacation week my family had the opportunity to visit New York for three days. My children had never been there, and Andrea and I were last there sometime before they were born. I had never seen Ground Zero. One of the effects of that fateful event, and the abiding fear of terrorism was the heavy security at the Statue of Liberty we experienced. As I explained in a recent sermon there was one security check to go to the island (here Dana was searched with a wand), and another to be able to go inside the statue (we all went through a machine that puffed air at us). We had a successful trip, although the boys were a little overwhelmed at first by the size of the city and the number of people.
Our First Parish Coming of Age class also had a trip to New York over the vacation. While my family’s purpose for our trip was cultural (to see some of the great museums of the world) and friendly (to stay with the minister who conducted our wedding) , the Coming of Age class went to learn about homelessness, and work in a homeless shelter. By all accounts their trip was a moving experience, and there will be an opportunity to learn more about it on Sunday, March 5 at 6:00 p.m. I hope many of you can make it.
Even though these trips were different in focus, they remind us all of the challenges of life in the 21st century. Fear has been an abiding factor in our lives over the past few years, and I believe it has sometimes been used for political ends, while we have suffered through the means. Its use in this way has not been helpful in dealing with real fears, and for many people those center on how difficult it is managing to survive in a country where there have been increasing differences between rich and poor. More and more people are homeless, or don’t get enough to eat, or have adequate shelter or health care.
Perhaps one benefit of these concerns about the state of the world is that people seem to be increasingly hopeful about what they can gain from being part of a religious community. We now have 116 official members at First Parish, probably the highest total in the past 80 years. As a leader of this community, I am always torn about what to emphasize about our mission. A church needs to be a nurturing and supportive shelter from the storms of life, but it also needs to be a place where we are challenged to take what we believe about life back into the world so that we might transform it to become a place of love, compassion and justice. I suppose we are in a constant dance of inward reflection and outward action.
One aspect of our religious vision that seems to capture the heart of many of you is the effort to become a Green Sanctuary. We expect that there will be many components to this effort in the months and years ahead - energy audits, films, walks, cleanups, etc. Have you filled out your green pledge card yet? (See Mark C’s column). It was heartening the other night to see Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth win an Oscar for best documentary, while the original song by Melissa Etheridge, “I Need to Change,” also won in its category.
I Need to Change is something that guides much of my religious perspective, and my preaching. Change is not as easy as going out and buying a bunch of new light bulbs, even though that is a great thing to do. It may mean completely altering our eating habits or our driving habits. It may mean becoming more politically active, and sacrificing something that we are used to doing. Habits don’t change overnight. Are we willing to drive less or consume less? When I write a sermon I am addressing it to myself, as well as to all of you. If it is a sermon like my most recent on temperance, then probably I am challenging myself to be more temperate in something I do in my life that I am struggling with. I look upon my faith journey as series of challenges to become a more loving, more present, more involved person who seeks to help build
a community of justice and caring.
To be more loving, or more present or more understanding, I need to change.It is not to make myself a whipping boy, but to acknowledge that there is a human longing to be more connected and more fulfilled as we build our relationships with one another. Our coming of age group deepened their knowledge of others and themselves, and probably grew in compassion because of their trip to New York. They know now that the society needs to change, that they need to be more understanding of injustices, and act to prevent them. Even though we did not go to a homeless shelter, our trip to New York resulted in some of the same things. All the security and fear we saw reminds us that the society needs to change. And the museums reminded us of the beauty people can create, or the heritage we need to preserve if are to understand ourselves and others. Our coming of age group now understands another group of people they did not understand before. Their eyes were opened. That’s what change is. We see something that opens our eyes. That’s what church needs to do. Open our eyes to ourselves. Open our eyes to others. Then we strive for change - to understand ourselves more deeply, and then be able to give to others more deeply. In the end we are changed, and that is what religion is - to bind us together in ways that we were not seeing or experiencing before. I need to be changed.
Mark
Among Us
Our deepest sympathy to Holly Cachimuel whose father died recently.
Our sympathy also to Karen Allendoerfer whose last living grandparent died recently.
The quilting of our own FPW member Missy Shay is part of an exhibit by members of the Rising Star Quilters Guild on "Interpretations of Nature." It is being held at the Arlington Center for the Arts, 41 Foster St., Arlington from February 19 to March 30, 2007 in the Gibbs Gallery (M-F, 9-5)
Anne Harrington, member of our congregation, has a solo photography exhibit at the Wellesley Public Library, on view for the month of March. The photos on the main lobby wall are from her two years in China (2002-2004). There are also several photos on the side wall that are primarily of flowers (and one of Monhegan Island, Maine) digitally manipulated to achieve a painterly effect.
New Members
A warm welcome to these four people who recently were voted into membership
by the Parish Committee. They will be officially welcomed at a ceremony in church on May 20. Peter Cudhea ; Diane (Dede) Dussault ; Raz Mason; Wendell Refior.
Personal
Habis Obyat recently shared in church that he now has a social security number and official permission to work. He has received an H 1 B form. He continues to seek a sponsor for a job. He is an electrical engineer by training, and could also work translating technical data. If you know any leads, please speak to Will Twombly or Mark.
Handyman - for hire - Very Flexible - I will gladly do your:- home repairs, carpentry, fixing-its,- light plumbing inside and gutters, etc outside - painting, spackling, wall & door needs
- inside & outside, yard issues - hauling, moving, cleaning, scraping, etc.- attics and basements, and more...- no job is too high, or too low.- I have tools, and know-how. Please call Randy Rhoda, any time (617) 924-8852.
Fellowship Pictures
The Fellowship Committee invites you to have your photo taken for our membership and friends photo board in the downstairs social hall. Please sign up on the photo list posted there, and Carole Berney, Fellowship Committee Photographer, will arrange to take your picture on a Sunday morning convenient for both you and her (we promise it will be quick and painless!). Families are encouraged to have group photos taken; new members and friends are invited to have their photos added to the board; and those members whose photos are no longer “up to date” are asked to sign up for a more recent portrait.
Yard Sale
This is a reminder to please start saving items (we are especially inviting large items this year, including furniture) for our spring yard sale to be held on Saturday, May 5, 2007. Our co-chairs are Sue Kuder and Jane Knuttunen.
Free Bach Concert
FPW member Randy Rhoda wanted to alert us to this free concert: The Bach Well Tempered Clavier by Jerome Rosen Piano offers a free concert on March 9 and 10, 2007 at the Goethe Institut, 170 Beacon St., Boston. ( The German Cultural Attache Building) The event is at 8:00 p.m. both nights.
Celebrating Your Commitment!
This week begins our Canvass season! Our theme this year is Celebrate Your Commitment. We began with First Parish Players thanks to Paul Day's script-writing wit and now we're having canvass dinners which begin this week. What is a canvass dinner? It is a time to get together with other First Parish members and friends to share good food and good company. During dinner, there is time to talk about hopes and dreams for First Parish and make a financial commitment to support the church. If you have not had the opportunity to sign up, please send an email to the church: fpwatertown@comcast.net . Later in the month will come a special Sunday service (March 18). Our FABULOUS Annual Dinner and Talent Show will be March 31 (see sign-ups downstairs in the social hall and watch for announcements). The culmination of this process is our Annual Meeting on April 29 after church when we review and approve the budget, and conduct any major business. There will be more information about that in the next newsletter. Since about 40% of the church's income comes from pledges, it's important to consider this time to be a reflective one to think about how you can make a financial impact on the life and the work of the church and our continuing ministry to the community and one another.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
chalicedreamer@verizon.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
Being a religious educator is fascinating and inspiring work. Every so often, I write about the ways that the children and youth of First Parish open my mind and my heart to new possibilities. From light-hearted fare like taking time to enjoy music together to heavy material like looking at the ways we hurt ourselves when we are fighting with someone, the kids of First Parish have taught me a lot.
Even though this is my fourth year as your DRE, this is my first year leading our Coming-of-Age program. In some ways, I feel like I’m going through the process with our youth. Having been raised Protestant Congregational, our version of coming-of-age was called "confirmation" and it was a year long program of making sure the youth knew exactly what they were supposed to believe. I remember it as boring and the only good part was that I wouldn’t have to go to Sunday School once I finished the program.
One of the main reasons I was attracted to First Parish when I first visited about 9 years ago was the Coming-of-Age program. I loved the inherent ideas that our youth should think for themselves and that we don’t tell them what they should believe. Even though my oldest daughter was just a baby at the time, I immediately knew that I wanted her to be a part of this type of program someday. Then I discovered that all of the Unitarian Universalist religious education programs are based on these self-respecting and free-thinking philosophies. I was immediately hooked and you know the rest of my story.
Now I’m getting to explore one of my favorite programs first hand. It is just as awesome as I had imagined. We are taking time to explore the big important questions. Who am I (separate from my relationships and what I do)? Why am I a Unitarian Universalist? How do I carry my UU values into my other communities? What is meaningful and most sacred to me? What are my hopes and dreams for the future?
For the last few months, we have been exploring the injustice in our world today. We learned about economic injustice with the films "30 Days", "Classism in America: People Like Us" and the book "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America". We looked at economic and racial injustice with the film "Freedom Writer’s". This all built up to the youth going on a trip to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless. The trip was transforming and impressive. I can’t wait to hear what the youth say about their experience during a presentation on Sunday, March 4th at 6pm.
The next part of the Coming-of-Age program will include deeply exploring their own spirituality, revisiting UU theology, and creating their credos (their personal belief statements) which they will share with us on Coming-of-Age Sunday on April 29th. How much will all this exploration of social justice issues influence their beliefs? Will it inspire them to appreciate their own lives more?
Just being a witness to all this has inspired me in many ways. One came as we were wondering about something in the "Nickel and Dimed” book. Why do the working class poor sincerely look out for each other while the middle and upper classes look out more for themselves. The working poor in the book would live together, share resources, and take care of each other in ways that many middle class people in mainstream America would never consider. Why is this? What is it about Americans that people don’t help each other more often?
I continued to ponder this after I facilitated a workshop on money management for Watertown Community Housing. The people at the workshop were the working poor of Watertown. And they too look out for each other in ways I don’t see too often in other classes. One woman picks up supplies at the Food Pantry for several families. Babysitting swaps are commonplace, as are many other versions of resource sharing. A family new to the group was immediately welcomed and told to contact one of the other women if she needed anything. This was amazing to me. I came home from all this with gratitude. Gratitude for the affirmation that a community focused spirit of "working together" is meaningful and significant even though American society devalues and minimizes it. Gratitude for the people in my life who share resources with me. Gratitude for what I have in my life. I can easily get swept up in thinking about how challenging my life is. It is good to have my eyes opened to these different worlds.
Presentation by C.O.A. group
The Coming-of-Age group invites First Parish folks of all ages to attend a potluck dinner on Sunday, March 4 from 6 to 7:30 during which they will share a presentation about their trip to New York City to learn about and work with people who are homeless.
Sunny Bunny Pals are Coming Back
Spring is hopping here soon and we’d like to help spread the warmth of the season. Be a First Parish "Sunny Bunny Pal"! Each participating Bunny will send at least 2 cards, drawings, or notes to their secret pal during the few weeks between Spring Equinox and Easter. On Easter Sunday (April 8th), all of the secrets will be revealed and each Bunny will give their pal a very small gift that symbolizes the beauty of Spring. RSVP to Roberta by Sunday, March 18th if you would like to be a "Sunny Bunny Pal". Folks of ALL ages are encouraged to be Pals (as we will try to make matches across the generations.)
Donations needed for Youth Field Trip
Our UU Travelers and Principle Activators will be traveling to the Boston Museum of Science on Sunday, March 18th to see the Darwin exhibit and hopefully see the Omni film, "Hurricane on the Bayou". If you are a museum member and have those "free passes" to the exhibit halls and/or Omni shows that you are willing to part with, we’d greatly appreciate it! Please give the passes to Roberta (or leave them in her mailbox in the church office) next time you come to church. Thanks!
Youth Group Activities for March, 2007 (Friday meetings usually start at 7pm unless otherwise noted)
Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th ~ district Social Action Con (with Randy Rhoda as advisor)
Friday, March 9th ~ Sacred Shopping for supplies for Transitions Baskets
Friday, March 23rd ~ activity to be determined
* Eileen Ryan is our interim Youth Advisor and is helping to organize 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, at for up to date information about what your children are doing in their small group gatherings, Coming-of-Age and youth group activities.
Calling All First Parish Members
The Parish Committee needs to put together a slate of candidates to serve vacant slots on our FPW committees. This slate of nominees is presented at the annual meeting. At the end of March there will be sign-ups for all the Committees - Social Action, Worship, Finance, Religious Education, Building and Grounds, Fellowship, and Helen Robinson Wright. We would like a co-chair for the adhoc Green Sanctuary Committee. We are looking for people with energy and interest, and new ideas and skills. We cannot do the work of the church without you. If you want to know more, please speak to Martha Scott or Mark Harris today.
Social Action and Green Sanctuary News
We used to look at environmentalism as a hobby for the high-minded. But conserving energy and living a “green” lifestyle is actually the most patriotic thing you can do today. It fights global warming, protects nature, shrinks our dependence on foreign oil, and makes America a model others want to follow. Green is the color of patriotism. Green is the new red, white and blue.
-- Thomas Friedman
Author of The World is Flat and New York Times columnist.
Benefit Concert
Our Benefit Concert on March 24 has the Charles River Watershed as its beneficiary. Our concert this year features Jaded Mandolin, who play old music in a new way. This is American folk music and bluegrass originals. The concert will be held in our church on Saturday, March 24 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $9 for students, with $32 for families. You will have a chance to buy tickets beginning this Sunday. We also need people to bake for this event, and to help out selling tickets or refreshments. Watch for sign-ups this month.
Film - The Great Warming.
On Sunday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. we will be showing the film, The Great Warming. How can liberal religionists and evangelicals unite? Saving the Earth is a common religious and ethical demand that unites religious folk of all stripes. Narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morisette, the film was made by liberal Canadians, but the it turns to fisherman , farmers and others who are suffering personally from global warming, rather than politicians and scientists to impart its message. Scientists are reaching out to evangelicals, and some of those conservative preachers tell us why they want to stop global warming. Do we want to get everybody on board to save the earth? Come see this film, which was featured in the Boston Globe Ideas section in October. Laura Kern of the New York Times wrote in early November, “The Great Warming should be required viewing by all. Future generations’ lives, and maybe even ours, depend on it.”
Walk for the Earth
March Social Action project
All First Parish families, members, and friends are encouraged to join the Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue, Northampton to Boston, March 16-24, 2007. Let’s call for swift, bold, and comprehensive political action to address global warming. You can walk for an hour, an afternoon, a weekend, or the whole nine days. You can walk as an individual, a family, or a team from your community, school, or congregation. (On Friday, March 23rd, they will be walking from Newton to Cambridge right through Watertown.) By the time they get to Boston on Saturday March 24, they expect the largest global warming demonstration in the history of the United States. We will hope to organize a group from First Parish to go to the Saturday event! We will meet at First Parish at 9: 00 am and head to Cambridge to meet the group by 10: 00 am to walk into Boston, where there will be an interfaith worship service followed by the big demonstration at 3: 00 pm. (Contact Mark or Roberta to sign up to join.) To learn more, walk, help, donate, or organize a team, please visit www.climatewalk.org.
Making a Mark
by Mark Caggiano
I preached on February 18th about the Seventh Principle, specifically the interconnected nature of modern society. Our behavior, no matter how small or localized, can greatly affect the environment. Global warming as an abstract topic is hard to manage but is it not so hard to pinpoint its causes. Our choices as consumers contribute to, and in fact primarily cause, climate changes. The major U.S. contributors to greenhouse gases are farm animals, transportation and electricity production. Meat, cars and personal electronics are therefore directly related to the problems with which we now wrestle.
Does this mean we all become vegans, bicycle to work and live by candle light? Not necessarily, and not likely, but we can consider those practices as larger scale examples of limiting our personal impact upon the world around us. This is not a single issue, but a set of concerns that have many facets. We can eat less meat, for health reasons as well as for the environment. We can walk and bike places, to get exercise as well as to use less petroleum. We can switch to compact fluorescent bulbs and more energy efficient appliances, because this will save us money as well as limit our use of fossil fuels. The hidden secret behind many of these environmentally conscious decisions is that it is more economical in the long run to make the changes.
At February 18th service, the Social Action Committee passed out green pledge cards. The purpose of the cards is for both adults and children to undertake some effort to improve the environment. Everyone, every man and women, every girl and boy, should take a pledge to do something. You can take the bus to work or take all that card board to the recycling center or, even better, join the Social Action Committee. Kids can remember to use both sides of the paper when they draw, close the door rather than let heat out or remind Mom and Dad to keep their pledges. I replaced bulbs in my house with compact fluorescents – and they were on sale at Home Depot. Keep the card on your refrigerator or bulletin board as a reminder. Later this spring, Social Action will come to a Sunday service (probably Earth Day Sunday) and ask people to come forward and share what they have done.
I also made a specific challenge to people – pick one day between now and April 8th, which is Easter this year. This day will be for you a gas fast. On that day, do not drive. Do not use your car. You can use the bus, you can walk, you can use a bike. But do not use gasoline in a car, on a lawnmower or for any other reason if you can help it. See if you can do it. Now some of us work on weekends, so this might be hard, but we could try to do it another day. Next step, tell other people about the gas fast. The more that do it, the fewer gallons of gasoline will be used over the month. You might even take the few dollars you save and give them to Social Action or to the Sierra Club or to some other good use not involving an oil company. One day is not too much to ask, but if many people fast and many people find out about it, it can be just as powerful as a march on Washington.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Giving Boxes for March / April
Thank you for your generous donations of books to TEEN LEEP during January and February. Our Giving Box for the next two months is Renewal House. Renewal House is a shelter for women and children who are suffering from domestic violence. Renewal House is a program of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, based at First Church, Roxbury. Please be generous.
Wish List for Renewal House
*Comforters and/or nice THICK blankets for twin beds
* Dish Sets/Silverware sets (different colors – so we can tell whose is whose)
* Dishwashing Detergent/Dishwasher soap
* Laundry Detergent
* Non-perishable food items
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Glass cleaner
Dish soap and scrub sponges
Pots and pans
Tupperware
Razors
Sanitary Pads/Tampons
Deodorant
Toothpaste:Toothbrushes (children and adults)
Baby wipes and baby soap/shampoo
Size 3,4 and 5 diapers
Women’s and children’s underwear and socks
Wash cloths/Towels
Single sheet sets; pillows
* Greatest need
Share Your Perspective and Insight!
We were all so moved last December when Martha Urban, Kyle Hart and Carol Berney shared with us their perspectives on being a UU. This was so well received that we plan to have a “Why I’m a UU” lay service every year. But, the Worship Committee is also planning something much sooner. We would like to invite others to come forward and share some of their spiritual insights, but this time on a somewhat different topic. We are planning to have another lay-led service on April 1, focusing on our concern for the environment. With the increasing attention (thankfully) that global warming is beginning to receive, and with our new parish endeavor to be a Green Sanctuary, this seems to be a good time for us to discuss our concern for the environment.
What compels you to save the environment?
What drives your personal passion to be part of the solution?
What concrete steps are you taking that you could share with us?
How are you being a “change agent”?
How did “An Inconvenient Truth” affect you?
What lessons were you taught as a child that are even more meaningful to you now?
How does being a UU inform your actions?
Why is being a Green Sanctuary congregation important to you?
If you’re interested in sharing your perspective on any of these questions – or on questions that we haven’t thought to pose here – please step forward! We’d love to hear what you have to say! If you’re interested, speak to any member of the Worship Committee or to Mark H.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Worship Committee
Djalai Babazadeh, Eric Chipman, Jeanne Cleary, Christopher Johnson, Guy Urban
Add To Our Worship
Every Sunday we light the chalice as a sign of hope, unity and as a beacon of support. We are always in need of volunteers who are willing to share some spiritual insight or personal reflection. We invite those who light the chalice to share a reading, a poem, an experience or a hope. We all can learn from each other’s life experiences and spiritual journey. Isn’t it wonderful when we hear a friend get up and take a personal experience and turn it into a message which we all can appreciate? When we share a personal experience or a hope for the future and we add to that the “why” it’s important or the “how” it impacted you, you have given a gift to the whole congregation. Consider signing up to be a chalice lighter. The sign up sheet is in the social hall on the bulletin board facing the kitchen.
Annual Dinner and Talent Show
On Saturday, March 31st the Annual First Parish Dinner and Talent Show will take place at church. Culminating a canvass season themed "Celebrate Your Commitment", the dinner theme is "Celebrate Your Best Cooking"!! Everyone is invited to bring a potluck offering to “celebrate the dish you do best”. Sign-up sheets for the potluck categories will be on the bulletin board in the social hall, starting March 4. So start thinking about your talents for the meal. We hope to see everyone there!! Always a delicious event, please come and bring your favorite/ best food. The Fellowship Committee is helping with coordination and set-up.
Following our Annual Dinner on March 31st you can show off more talent at the FPW Annual Talent Show. This is your chance to share your gifts with the First Parish family. We are looking for a variety of short acts – 3 to 5 minutes. Classical, pop, original, comical, dance, poetry… all talent is welcome as long as it comes from the heart… In honor of the Green Church effort, can you find a way to give your act a ‘GREEN’ theme? If not, then bring your talent on anyway! This is your chance to be a star. Izzy Tappan-deFrees is coordinating the show this year, so please email her if you or your family is interested in joining in the fun (izzyt@rcn.com) or call – 781-893-1695
The Amateur Historian Goes to the Dentist
by Kathy Button
You never know what will happen during a trip to the dentist. My dentist, Virginia Garvis, keeps office in what was once part of a silk mill, now the Echo Bridge Office Park of Newton Upper Falls. In January, on my way to an appointment to complete the latest in a series of bionic toothware, I passed an antique store specializing in old metals. Hmmm, I have some old metal piece in need of a new home. I made a mental note to stop there after Dr. Garvis performed her magic….
Parking on Chestnut Street in Upper Falls is nonexistent. Since I enjoy walking and exploring, I left my car several streets away. Now for the real adventure!
I passed a church building, bustling with activity. The people welcomed me to come inside. What was once the first Unitarian church in Newton (established 1828) has been lovingly transformed into the Tzu Chi Boston Service Center. The Tzu Chi Foundation, with headquarters in Taiwan, is an international Buddhist compassion relief society. The subheading on their quarterly magazine reads “Buddhism in Action.” Wonderful! One could find parallels to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in the work that they do. Tzu Chi emphasizes medical care. Learn more at http://www.tzuchi.org/global/
Jennifer Ying kindly gave me a tour of the building. Rows of numbered wooden pews lined the sanctuary, and faced a simple, yet elegant proscenium. Beautiful! The former Sunday school hall still retains the original stained glass windows adorned with pictures of plants and animals. Lovely! According to my guide, the church stood empty several years before the Tzu Chi Foundation purchased the building last fall. Now members were busy preparing for the Chinese New Year Blessing Event, February 24. Would I be interested in attending? Of course! They gave me a book, a biography of their spiritual leader, “Master of Love and Mercy: Cheng Yen”, by Yu-ing Ching, 1995. I, in turn, purchased a beverage mix simply labeled “Sugar-Free Multi-Grain Drink”, full of fascinating ingredients. Perfect nourishment for a cold night in front of the fireplace.
I said goodbye to these wonderful people with a determination to attend the special celebration and to investigate the curious history of the building. Here is a passage from “Newton’s 19th Century Architecture: Upper & Lower Falls,” published by the Newton Historical Commission, 1982:
“The establishment of a religious society in the Upper Falls was encouraged by local mill owners in the hopes that the church would have a stabilizing influence on the work force. The construction of the village’s first church, Unitarian in organization, was jointly funded by the Elliot Manufacturing Company and [mill owner] Rufus Ellis in 1828. Unitarianism apparently did not appeal to the generality of Upper Falls people, so the building was sold to a Methodist group in 1832….” (p. 6)
You can read online a book by the late Kenneth Newcomb, “The Makers of the Mold,” a history of Newton Upper Falls, made possible by the Friends of Hemlock Gorge: http://www.hemlockgorge.org/FHG_Makers_of_the_Mold/MakersTitlePage.htm
In the section on the Upper Falls Religious Society, Newcomb noted that “…shortly after [Ralph Waldo] Emerson was ordained a Unitarian minister in 1829, he was persuaded to preach in the new church on two occasions.”
The documentation that Jennifer Ying procured for me from the Newton Historical Commission indicated that the church building was deemed eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Apparently, that process didn’t go very far. I did not see the building listed on the National Register’s web site. [The Amateur Historian wishes to insert an editorial note here urging First Parish of Watertown to apply.]
Now for the New Year’s Blessing Event February 24. It was everything and more than I could ever have dreamed. The music and dancing transported us to a different world. Karl and Pamela, friends from the Watertown Historical Society, and I were among the few Westerners present (along with Newton Mayor, David Cohen), yet we felt most welcome in this Buddhist society. I felt surrounded by peace and kindness. Master Cheng Yen writes, “Love and Mercy transcend races, nationalities and geographical distance.”
Happy New Year, from the Amateur Historian.
P.S. By the way, I did visit the antique shop at 977 Chestnut Street. Brass Buff Antiques: Specializing in Unusual Brass and Copper Items. Scientific, Medical and Nautical.” Well recommended by the Amateur Historian. I bought from proprietor Mel Rosenburg brass numerals for my house. Call ahead, 617-964-9388, to confirm that the store is open. Be sure to ask about stuff in the basement.
Painless Fundraising?
Just a quick reminder that if you're shopping on amazon.com, please begin at the FPW home page (www.fpwatertown.org) and click on the amazon link there. It will not change your ordering and will log you directly in to your amazon account, but the church will get a percentage of what you spend.
Special Monthly Offering
We received $610 to benefit Mass Equality on Sunday, February 18. Thank you for your great generosity. Our next special offering will be on Sunday, March 18, and it will benefit the UU Ministry for Earth.
Community News / UU News
An Evening With Maria Trozzi:
Words, Strategies and Wisdom that Help Build Resilience in Families
with Children with Special Needs
Thursday March 29, 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown Savings Bank meeting room. Sponsored by the Watertown Commission on Disability, the Special Education Parent Advisory Council and the Watertown Free Public Library. American Sign Language Interpreters and CART (captioning) will be available. If you need other accommodations, please contact the Commission on Disability at 617.972.6443. In a workshop for parents, educators and the community, Maria Trozzi, M.Ed., assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, Director of the Good Grief Program and author of Talking With Children About Loss, will discuss the stresses that our families face as they deal with the sometimes complicated tasks of living with a child with a disability.
She will offer strategies to help parents understand and cope with the grief, particularly when it gets stirred up in the developmental life of their child. She has created a model for working with providers that uses grief as a catalyst for a strengths-based approach.
Maria, a typical sibling of a brother who is disabled, will also offer insights for helping siblings cope with the losses and gains inherent in a family with a special needs child. Her book, Talking With Children About Loss, dedicated to her brother, will be available for book-signing.
Save Money, Save Energy and Protect the Environment!
The Watertown Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee Speaker Series Presents: Simple Ways to Save on Your Energy Bill by John Clarke
Join John, an IT specialist and active member of the Massachusetts Sierra Club Energy Committee as he discusses simple, cost-effective ways you can cut your utility bills – Bring your questions! The program is: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers, Watertown Town Hall, 149 Main Street.This talk is FREE and open to the public.
Peter Mayer Concert on Sat., March 10
Mayer is a UU from Minnesota with a strong spiritual bent, a strong whimsical bent, and an earth/water-centered spirituality. He has performed at General Assembly and his song "Blue Boat Home" is in the UU Supplemental Hymnal. This is how Marilyn Rea Beyer of WUMB described his work ... "His guitar work is breath-taking, his lyrics mind-spinning, his singing soul-soothing and his feet-on-the-ground optimism nothing short of healing."
Mayer will perform at the First Parish UU Church of Arlington at 7:30 p.m. on Sat., 3/10. The church is located at 630 Mass Ave in Arlington. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, and are available at The Book Rack at 13 Medford Street and Wood & Strings at 493 Mass Ave, both in Arlington Center.
District Annual Meeting
First Parish is a member of the Massachusetts Bay District, a group of about 55 congregations clustered around greater Boston. The annual meeting for the district will be held on Sat., April 14. We are entitled to three delegates. Mark Harris will be attending. If you would like to learn more, and possibly attend this meeting, please speak to Mark. The event will be held from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Andover Newton Theological School. Our Annual Meeting & Colloquium features keynote speaker, the Rev. Gil Rendle. Rendle is the author of Leading Change in the Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders and a senior consultant at The Alban Institute.
UU Niagara Experience July 15-18, 2007
If you have ever wanted to visit Niagara Falls or if it is already one of your favorite places, this is a chance to experience the wonder of Niagara Falls including some great educational opportunities while in the company of UUs from around the country. The UU Church of Niagara is conducting a four day UU Niagara Experience which is a lifetime opportunity to encounter the Falls up close from every perspective, even safely riding beneath a tethered balloon. Spend four days with us exploring the rich history and natural wonders around the Falls. For information visit our web site :http://www.uunex.net/ Email : info@uunex.net Telephone : (716) 791-4453
Watertown Free Public Library
Presents: Dana Snyder-Grant reading from her book Just Like Life, Only More So
And Other Stories of Illness, Wed, 3/14, 7:00 p.m., Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room. Dana Snyder-Grant, LICSW, is a writer, newspaper columnist and psychotherapist specializing in chronic illness & disability. She has had multiple sclerosis for twenty-five years. Her book is about living with illness: accepting ones differences and vulnerability with courage and humor.
What can you do locally for the environment?
This is to notify you of the availability of environmental grants from the Watertown Community Foundation. The program, A River Runs Through It, is meant to solicit innovative environmental projects to learn about, protect and celebrate the natural environments in our community. The deadline for applications is March 9. If you would like more info, please speak to Andrea or Mark. How about starting a community composting program, or community gardens, a farmer's market, storm water run-off projects that recycle , a walk to church or walk to school program or a shared ride program. We could have solar power, or wind power projects, or even educational programs or curricula that teach environmental practices.Write up your dream project now, and WCF will fund it!