Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Arbella - Newsletter for September 2007
The Arbella
Newsletter of the First Parish of Watertown
September 2007
See www.fpwatertown.org for a calendar of church events and meetings
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m.
Water Service - Mark and Congregation
The annual water service depends upon everyone bringing a small container of water you collected during your summer activities. This can be from a place of distant travel, or the waters from your backyard pool. As part of the service, we ask you to tell us in a few words where your summer travels brought you, and what new meaning this adventure brought to your life. This is an intergenerational service. Please bring the water (or virtual water) that you saved this summer.
Greeters: Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell
Social Hour: Carole Berney & Lee Pierce
Sunday, September 16 at 11:00 a.m.
“Almost an Atheist” Mark W. Harris
There have been several books in the past year or so that attack the idea of God and religion in general. Among the best sellers is Christopher Hitchin’s “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.” These might seem like books that UUs would find stimulating. However, the problem is that most of them take a kind of childish view of religion. While the atheist authors may be right about God, they leave me cold when it comes to having an answer for our modern spiritual malaise.
Greeters: Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
Social Hour: Mathilde Duffy & Carole Katz
Sunday, September 23 at 11:00 a.m.
“Walk this Way” Andrea Greenwood
A few years ago, Bruce Feiler wrote a book called Walking The Bible,which explores the geography of Biblical stories, rather than the texts. So often, we are interior, and concerned with meaning; and forget that physical experience can be revelatory, or healing. This sermon, inspired by First Parish member Mary Schlivek, is about walking our lives --physically living through our days -- rather than thinking about them.
Greeters: Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
Social Hour: Valy McDonald & Jan Klein
Special Worship: Join us today at 3:00 p.m. for Darrick Jackson’s ordination service.
Sunday, September 30 at 11:00 a.m.
“Honey Bees and Herring Guts”
Mark W. Harris
Some months back our FPW member Peter Cudhea asked if I knew about the disappearing honey bees, and said it might be a good sermon topic. I knew very little at the time, but have investigated a bit more since. What will the disappearing bees mean for the future pollination of all our plants? And what is a Herirng Gut? We will explore our human effect on the landscape.
Greeters: Carole Berney & Valy McDonald
Social Hour: Steven Gustin & Djalai Babazadeh
Captain’s Log
Welcome back! It is time to gather the First Parish congregation once again. If you look at the Among Us section of this newsletter, you will see that, as always, some of our members have moved to new locations - California, Oregon and Vermont. We are always saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. I heard it said more than once this summer - the only constant in life is change! My son Levi turned 13 this summer, so I am the father of a teenager once again. Where does the time go as our babies grow up? I hope beyond the daily changes we all encountered that you had time to relax this summer.
The First Parish was a little busier than usual this summer. We had six summer services for the first time (we usually have four), and all of them had 20 people or more. I can remember the days when some summer services had five or so. Thanks to Roberta Altamari, Kyle Hart, Carole Berney, Charlyn Bethell, Wendell Refior, and Chris Johnson for conducting these services, and also to Carole and Charlyn and Guy Urban for their musical contributions.
We also had many meetings, emails and discussions to come to the decision to sponsor the four Obyat children for Humanitarian Parole. This shows the wonderful spirit of FPW to extend a hand - financially and emotionally - to a family that has been plagued by a terrible illness to one member followed by years of a painful separation. We will keep you updated as developments unfold in this process
There was more - Will Twombly, who spearheaded our sponsorship campaign for the Obyat children, also has been the co-chair of Watertown’s No Place for Hate program which has the Anti-Defamation League’s sponsorship. I have also been involved with this program especially as it has interfaced with the World in Watertown group and the Unity Breakfast. If you have read the papers at all you will note that the ADL’s unwillingness to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide led to a local controversy after which the regional director supported the ADL at a meeting at FPW, then the town withdrew from No Place for Hate, then the director said he disagreed with the ADL’s position, then he was fired, then the national ADL changed its mind, then the government of Turkey (which does not acknowledge the genocide) got involved. I hope to preach on this subject in October, but it was a remarkable instance where a local issue became international in scope.
The crux of the matter is that if you say you believe in human rights, then it must be human rights administered and advocated equally for all. We cannot support an “Animal Farm” situation where all are equal, but some are more equal than others. Thanks to Will for his leadership on both the Obyat sponsorship and the ADL No Place for Hate controversy.
I cannot leave the FPW summer without mentioning the good work of David Benson to make our kitchen comply with the Architectural Access Board’s requirements for the church. Does Watertown have a more accessible building than FPW? With some public buildings and schools and especially churches in Watertown that still remain inaccessible in many ways, we should be proud of what we have accomplished. David has built an accessible sink unit and installed an accessible cook top in the kitchen. Please check it out, and tell David what a great job he did!
I had an enjoyable summer in many ways. At the Herring Gut Learning Center in Port Clyde, Maine I had the opportunity to pet a shark. And I still have ten fingers! I took a few kayak trips, swam a lot, read some books, climbed a couple of mountains, and wrote a paper for the conference I led at Ferry Beach. Ferry Beach has become an important place to many FPW folk, I hope we can continue to send people to these UU places of renewal. Next summer I will be teaching a course in UU History there for the Meadville Lombard Theological School (where Andrea went to seminary).
The explorations of the summer are behind us now. The sunsets we gazed upon, the water we floated in, the mountains we huffed and puffed up are memories to savor as the work and school worlds begin anew and the pace of scheduling picks up. Hopefully we can all hold those moments of renewal in our hearts and relive them as we move ahead in the new year. Our church home is a place to do that - may our sanctuary be a place of contemplation and meditation on the important issues of our lives - the rest and renewal we need to meet life’s challenges - the people who care for us and for the issues that are important to us. Aurora and Jeff wrote to us: “I know something that I never realized before - a community such as First Parish is more than the sum of each individual, it is an enveloping presence that we have come to depend on in many different ways.” Join us as together we seek friendship and hope in a community of seekers after beauty, truth and right, and of course, love.
Mark
Among Us
Our deepest sympathy to Teo Ellsworth. His father died in June in New Hampshire
A warm welcome to the LeBlanc children: Emma Fayre and Caiden Liam who were dedicated on June 17, 2007 during the church service. They are the children of Kimberly and Louis LeBlanc
Farewell to several members
(and best wishes for the future):
In June we said goodbye to Aurora Sherman and Jeff Miller and Iris at a Sunday service. Special thanks to all those who helped with the party and the move over the summer. Mark and Andrea have received a note from them with a new Oregon address. Please see the bulletin board downstairs.
We learned over the summer that Joani Mountain will be moving to San Diego to be near her daughter. Joani made many contributions to FPW over the years as chair of RE, and later as chair of Helen Robinson Wright Committee, and most recently as part of the Covenant Group. Thank you so much!
Mark recently had an email from new member Alethea Zack who is moving to Vermont. She has a new job and a new fiance, to go with the new home!
We will miss the presence and contributions of all these wonderful folk!
Giving Boxes
Our September Giving Boxes continue to be for R.E.A.C.H. (a battered women’s shelter in Waltham). We did not have a great response in May and June, and are hoping another month will fill up the boxes. Their needs include: Gifts cards to grocery stores (especially Hannaford’s which is is located in Waltham), Toiletries including paper towels, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, Towels, Twin sheets blankets and pillows. Thank you.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
The writing of this column every August is one of the clear signals that summer is coming to an end and another year is beginning. I have lots of stories from this summer that I’m sure I’ll be sharing with you soon. And I look forward to hearing your stories as well! The one story that I feel drawn to share with you is not the grandest or most emotional of my summer. It’s actually quite simple and I think that’s why I just can’t seem to forget about it.
One of my summer adventures included spending a week at my parent’s home in York Beach, Maine. Everyday, we spent hours at the beautiful beach there. On our last day, I joined my two daughters in building a sandcastle. We worked diligently for over an hour and created the best sandcastle we’d ever made. We knew that the tide was coming in and we hurried to finish our masterpiece. We were thrilled when we succeeded. While I was ready to just leave it behind and move on to taking pictures of the seagulls, my girls insisted on watching the ocean destroy their precious castle. They sat patiently waiting and watching another half hour for the tide to come in and wash away all of our hard work. The destruction seemed to hold as much value for them as the creation. Their natural acceptance and joyful anticipation of the ending was inspiring. The entire process proved to be much more important to them than some finished sandcastle. I couldn’t help but think of all the real life metaphors.
I’m the first one to spend my days multi-tasking to finish as many creations as possible. Would I actually be willing to do as much work as I do if I knew that my creations were about to be destroyed? I don’t think so. And yet my daughters convinced me to race against the tide to build a castle that would not last longer than an hour. I have to admit that it was the most enjoyable part of my day. The experience of working together was wonderful!
What is it about us Americans that we focus so heavily on the end product? The end product must be perfect, or at least great. A research paper, a test score, a performance; it doesn’t seem to matter how you accomplish the task as long as your finale is good. I’ve even heard people rationalize their behavior by insisting that the end justifies the means. And yet my kids are challenging me to really consider the opposite.
One of my favorite readings is "Life is always Unfinished Business" by Richard S. Gilbert. It reminds us to pause and enjoy each moment in life. We need not rush to finish everything because life is a work in progress that is always unfinished. I had planned to share this reading as the closing words for my lay led service this summer. As I was coming to the end of the service, I was embarrassed to realize that I had left the reading at home. My embarrassment quickly turned to inspiration as I remembered the message of the words. I thought it was interesting that those were the words that I forgot to bring. It led me to sharing the message and story with the group gathered. It seemed that many enjoyed the message from my process even more than they would have enjoyed hearing me read the message.
Even if American society isn’t ready for us to always adopt a focus on process over product, our time together can certainly highlight the value of doing so. First Parish is the perfect place to slow down and enjoy life moment by moment. The process of working, learning, and worshiping together is extremely valuable for us. When I took the Renaissance Module on UU curricula this summer, I expected to learn about tons of new curricula available. But instead of focusing on the products, the group focused on the philosophy behind RE curricula. That it merely compliments our most vital goal of creating a healthy and affirming "religious community". What we learn is not nearly as important as the process of being in community together.
In closing, I have to admit that there isn’t a congregation I’d rather be sharing all this with than you! Welcome back to another fabulous year together!!
Important Note:
Roberta’s email and website are changing. Her new email is Roberta@chalicedreamer.net and her website can be found as of September at www.chalicedreamer.net
Welcome Back Celebration
The R.E. Committee is pleased to host a "Welcome Back Celebration" for all children and youth on Sunday, September 16th at 11am. We will share lots of fun activities as we celebrate gathering back together. Our small group gatherings will resume on Sunday, September 23rd.
R.E. Orientations and Leadership Development Opportunities
Sunday, September 9th at 9am: R.E. in-gathering and orientation for returning families
Come connect with other FPW families and hear about what is new this year. * For those who would prefer the information only, an online version of this orientation will be available as of September 9th on Roberta‚s website (www.chalicedreamer.net) as well.
Sunday, September 9th at 6:30pm: Adhoc Youth Adult Committee to plan youth group calendar
All interested youth and adults are invited to come help us plan a fabulous year of activities for our youth group! The ideal youth group includes growth opportunities in the areas of worship, youth-adult relations, community building, social action, learning, and leadership. If you can‚t make it to this meeting, but have an idea for a special project you‚d be willing to work with our youth on, please let Roberta know.
Sunday, September 16th at 9am: SpiritPlay Orientation for Parents and Volunteers
Whether you are a parent of a child ages five to eight or you are interested in volunteering to help with this age group, come learn about this exciting new program we are trying this year.
Sunday, September 23rd at 9am: R.E. Orientation for New Families
If you are new to First Parish and/or have never attended one of our R.E. orientations, this is the meeting specifically for you. Learn about our various programs and the philosophy behind all of our children and youth ministries at First Parish.
** If you need childcare to be able to attend one of these orientations, let Roberta know as soon as possible and she’d be happy to make arrangements with one of our teen babysitters.
Breakfast chats
Starting with the second Sunday in October, we are pleased to begin hosting monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Here are the first few:
Sunday, October 14th at 9am: Breakfast and book discussion on Full Circle: Fifteen Ways to Grown Lifelong UUs by Kate Tweedie Erslev. * First Parish has copies of the book you can borrow to read.
Sunday, November 11th at 9am: Breakfast discussion led by Mark Harris on "Why it’s important to have biblically literate children".
Sunday, December 9th at 9am: Breakfast chat on different ways to celebrate this holiday season
Darrick’s Ordination
All members and friends are invited to the ordination of Darrick Jackson on Sunday , September 23, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. If you are new to First Parish, Darrick was our student minister before Mark, serving here from 2004-06. This special service will include music by our choir. After the service there will be a reception. We will be soliciting assistance with baking for this event. Under our system of Congregational Polity, individual congregations have the only authority to ordain men and women to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. This is an important day in Darrick’s life. Please try to come to show your support for him, and to reaffirm our commitment to the Unitarian Universalist ministry of religion
Making a Mark
By Mark Caggiano, student minister
Summer has come to an end and I hope it has left you rested and ready for a new church year. I am entering my second year at First Parish and my last year at Harvard Divinity and I excited for what these two experiences might hold for me.
My summer was rather Unitarian Universalist all around. I began in June traveling out to Oregon to attend General Assembly. I met up with classmates from Harvard and the other seminaries and we enjoyed a little Pacific Northwest hospitality. I also was introduced to GA, an event I had never experienced. I attended the Ministry Days with seminarians and ministers, learning about church growth, activism and other professional topics. At “regular” GA, UUs from around the country and the world gathered, worshipped, learned and communed. I would tell you more, but that would ruin several perfectly good sermon topics.
I returned to New England only to head north up to Ferry Beach, the UU sleep away camp. I spent a week as a counselor for 50 middle schoolers, including Zach Sheppard, Emma Day and Yami Dessault. My boss was a certain Roberta Altamari (a hard task master if ever there was one) and I worked with Kyle and Kelly Morton, with Rowan and Gates in tow. This was a week of adult bonding, pre-teen angst and general UU hilarity.
After I returned, I did some guest preaching up in North Andover. One Sunday was scheduled while the other was a pinch hitting spot for a minister who came down with Lyme Disease – not something one would care to experience so remember to dress appropriately in the woods. The church in North Andover is under substantial renovation, so we met in the rather cozy grange hall across the street. It was fun to connect with old friends, and to meet with some new ones looking for a religious home.
All in all, my summer experiences fortified me in my path towards the ministry. A repeated theme for me – and one I might repeat again to you all – is that being a part of a church matters. I do not mean “going to church” but becoming involved in a church community socially and spiritually. It is being a part of something beyond the four walls of your house or apartment, working to make the church and larger community a little bit better. It is also about finding a warm and accepting place in this world. As I return to First Parish for another year, I am satisfied that it is rather a nice place for just that.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Student minister
Musical Musings
Welcome everyone to another "musical year" at First Parish. I am excited to be starting a new year and am eager for the choir to sing the new music I bought this summer. The music is focused on nature and the environment and will echo the voice of the church in striving towards the green sanctuary.
The FP Choir will begin it's "season" on Sept. 23rd singing for the morning service and then later that day at 3:00, for the ordination celebration of Darrick Jackson!!! We will need all you singers for this occasion. So please, men and women, answerthe call....we want you!! This year the choir rehearsal days will be on Wednesday nights (changed from Monday)
and I'm hoping more of you will be able to join us. Even if you haven't sung with us before, think about joining us this time. What a great time to get your feet wet!
Rehearsal times and performances:
Sept 12th 7:00 sanctuary
Sept 19th 7:00 sanctuary
Sept 23rd 9:45 rehearsal
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. singing
This year I am looking forward to playing with all of you members who want to contribute musically to a morning service. We had a wonderful turnout last year and I'd like to see the same thing happen again. I hope more of you will come up to me and say you want to play or sing for a service. We have such a supportive congregation and they enjoy it so much when their friends share their talent. The experience will be fun for you, I promise!
I will still continue playing the prelude before 11:00 (10:50) and stopping for the announcements on the hour. I know some of you like this arrangement but I hope all of you will grow to enjoy it. If you are so inclined, you can come early and listen to the music. It will be a quiet time, a time different from the weekly madness of life. Please come and speak to me after the service... or anytime. I like to hear how you feel about the music and maybe there is something I could play that you would enjoy hearing.
Patty Devore
Green Sanctuary Committee Supports Faire on the Square
Come join our wind-powered mascot, the good ship Arbella, as she voyages over to Saltonstall Park on Saturday, September 29th for Faire on the Square. This year, in honor of our Green theme, the First Parish table sits in a section of the Faire reserved for environmental organizations. The Green Sanctuary Committee is partnering with the church to set up our table. Besides the usual info about the church, we will have some materials that demonstrate the church's commitment to live more gently on the earth and moving the entire congregation gently in that direction as well. YOU ARE INVITED to sign up for a slot of helping to speak to passers-by about the church. No special knowledge about the church or Green topics is required! Sign up on the bulletin board in the parish hall.
What is the Green Sanctuary Committee up to this Fall?
After a number of successful individual events (the Environmental Fair with the Youth Group, sales of compact fluorescent bulbs and FPW cloth bags, the Environmental Audit), now it is time to buckle down and get the full weight of the church behind a set of green initiatives. To become a Green Sanctuary, the church community selects 12 activities to accomplish, document, and then submit as part of our application. That's where you come in! We have now gathered so many good ideas that it is time to settle in on which ones we will actually DO. So this fall, rather than starting any new initiatives ourselves, the Green Sanctuary committee will be visiting various church committees to identify which of the good ideas our church will actually commit ourselves to as part of this process. We will probably gather about 20 specific proposals and then narrow it down to 12 or so to write up.
For example, the Religious Education committee already has some great ideas about getting the greening message out, including curriculum changes, and walk to church day. The Worship Committee is planning for Earth Day. The Social Action Committee already has ideas about how to reach out to the community to improve awareness of green issues and availability of green solutions. The Buildings and Grounds committee and the Fellowship Committee already have ideas on how to lower the environmental impact of our basic church and community life. And the Parish committee is a great home for projects like "10 trees a year" that reach out to parishioners in their homes rather than just in their pews ( or chairs). The job of the Green Sanctuary over the fall is to gather these great ideas together and help committees select a set that seems "just right" for what we want to do now. Feel free to start on the ideas now, don't wait! But work with us to help us see how all the ideas together add up to "Green Sanctuary"
material.
Charitable Offering
We had a great response last year to a new program of monthly charitable offerings. We do not have an offering scheduled for September, but expect to have a schedule as soon as Social Action meets. Our June offering for The Food Project brought in $453.14. Thank you all!
FIRST PARISH GREETERS 2007-2008
The list of greeters for the church year follows. Your willingness to take on this task is very much appreciated by our entire congregation! Please take note now of when you are listed. Your children and/or other family members are welcome to join you as greeters. If you are not able to attend church on your assigned date, please try to switch with another person by consulting the Members and Friends of First Parish Directory. Please confirm with Nancy in the office of any switch made so it can be accurate in the Arbella and the social hall bulletin board. The Church Office will be sending out a reminder letter or email message to you just before your assigned date. It will include an updated "Greeter How-To List." A copy of the How-To List is also kept in the drawer of the table under the ministers’ name plaque in the sanctuary.
Thank You,
The Fellowship Committee
Greeters Schedule for 2007 – 2008
(September dates will be adjusted as needed)
September 9 Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell
September 16 Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
September 23 Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
September 30 Carole Berney & Valy McDonald
October 7 Martha Urban & Jill Halloran
October 14 Brian Hebeisen & Elizabeth Strekalovsky
October 21 Susan Flint & Nick Haddad
October 28 Brigitte Bender & Barbara Beck
November 4 Paul Dansereau & Julie Miller
November 11 Teodor Ellsworth & Mary Howe
November 18 Charmian Proskauer & Jim Felty
November 25 Habis Obyat & Fatima Hussein
December 2 Kathy & David Warren
December 9 Eric Chipman & Wendell Refior
December 16 Bob & Missy Shay
December 23 Paula Carnese & Holly Cachimuel
December 24 Youth Greeters
December 30 Kyle Hart & Johanna Swift Hart
January 6 Karen Allendorfer & Sachie Karmacharya
January 13 Djalai Babazadeh & Steven Gustin
January 20 Gretchen Brown & Kathy Button
January 27 Bobbie Brown & Mathilde Duffy
February 3 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
February 10 Cornelia Janke & Goyo Carvajal
February 17 Virginia Howe & Alethea Zack
February 24 Norah & Paul Day
March 2 Johanna Erickson & Anne Harrington
March 9 Peter Cudhea & Sue Demb
March 16 Tesi Kohlenberg & Tom Goodwillie
March 23 Marianne & Michael Collins
March 30 Judy Fitts & Carole Katz
April 6 Ken Repp & Chris Johnson
April 13 Jean Merkl & John Gorman
April 20 John Chamberlain & Sarah McSweeney
April 27 Jan Klein & Dede Dussault
May 4 Mike McCarthy & Randy Rhoda
May 11 Susan Lind-Sinanian & Beth Parsons
May 18 Lee Pierce & Raz Mason
May 25 Diane Shepard & Jane Knuttunen
June 1 Betty Latner & Silke Plesch
June 8 Youth Greeters
June 15 Anna and Mike Anctil
First Parish of Watertown
Social Hour Assignments
2007-2008
(September dates will be adjusted as needed)
As has been our past practice the Fellowship Committee is assigning Social Hour hosts to individuals rather than to committees. Here is the list for 2007-2008. A reminder letter with the Social Hour “To Do List” will be sent out two weeks prior to your assigned date. Once you have received notification reminding you of your social hour responsibilities please contact Nancy in the office by email (fpwatertown@comcast.net) or phone. 617-924-6143. She will need to know that you are all set to do social hour. If you are unable to make the date assigned it is your responsibility to find a replacement from the list and let the office know of the switch. It is important that the office know who will be doing social hour so it is accurate in the Arbella and on the social hall bulletin board.
We take this opportunity to suggest that, while we all appreciate the sumptuous spreads that have been offered in the past, it’s OK to simplify the variety and amount of foods offered. Please note that there are recycling bins to the right of the FPrefrigerator. Kindly use these for empty glass or plastic containers, rather than throwing them in the trash!
Thanks to all for hosting Social Hour.
The Fellowship Committee
Social Hour Hosting Schedule for 2007 – 2008
September 9 Carole Berney & Lee Pierce
September 16 Mathilde Duffy & Carole Katz
September 23 Valy McDonald & Jan Klein
September 30 Steven Gustin & Djalai Babazadeh
October 7 Jean Merkl & John Gorman
October 14 Gretchen Brown & Bobbie Brown
October 21 Karen Allendorfer & Cornelia Janke
October 28 Marianne & Michael Collins
November 4 Kathy & David Warren
November 11 Bob & Missy Shay
November 18 Holly Cachimuel & Paula Carnese
November 25 Mike & Anna Anctil
December 2 Nick Haddad & Susan Flint
December 9 Sachie Karmacharya & Peter Cudhea
December 16 Paul & Norah Day
December 23 Guy & Martha Urban & Charlyn Bethell
December 24 Bring Holiday Cookies -Worship Committee
December 30 Kathy Button & Judy Fitts
January 6 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
January 13 Patricia Fox & Linda Letourneau
January 20 Sue Demb & Wendell Refior
January 27 Tesi Kohlenberg , Tom Goodwillie & Anna Glover
February 3 Brian Hebeisen, Elizabeth Strekalovsky & Mary Howe
February 10 Kyle Hart & Johanna Swift Hart
February 17 Julie Miller & Paul Dansereau
February 24 John Portz & Meredith Montague
March 2 John Chamberlain & Sarah McSweeney
March 9 Anna Knight & Sue Kuder & Channing Mendelsohn
March 16 Jane Knuttunen & Susan Lind-Sinanian
March 23 Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
March 30 Mike McCarthy & Dede Dussault
April 6 Martha Scott & David Morrison
April 13 Teodor Ellsworth & Jim Felty
April 20 Celeste Oliva & Barbara Hansberry
April 27 Virginia Howe & Roger & Judy Kamm
May 4 Charmian Proskauer & Anne Harrington
May 11 Will & Sue Twombly
May 18 Ken Repp & Chris Johnson
May 25 Eileen Ryan & Lisa Wexler
June 1 Kyle & Kelly Morton & Beth Parsons
June 8 Beth & Isabel Tappen-deFrees
June 15 All Church Picnic
Life-Friendly Gardens (Naturally Green)
Join Watertown neighbors in a celebration of their CHEMICAL-FREE yards and gardens, Sunday, September 16, 1-5 PM.
Chemical-free gardeners share a delightful secret: caring for your yard naturally actually requires less work and less money than a typical chemical-based approach. And we never have to post those obnoxious warning flags or wonder what we're tracking in our garden clogs; it's all good, clean dirt. The Chemical Use Reduction and Education (C.U.R.E.) Task Force of Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety is sponsoring a free garden tour for a Sunday afternoon. For more information, call Henrietta Light at 617-926-2545 or email Laura Cherry cherrylaura@hotmail.com .
Kathy Button
Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha's Vineyard Columbus Day B&B Weekend
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard invites you to join us over Columbus Day Weekend, October 6-8. Fall is the best season of all on the Vineyard. Just ask any year-rounder. The crowds are gone, the air is crisp, the water is still plenty warm for a swim. Birdlife is on the move along with the striped bass and the blues. There’s no better time to hike and bike our unspoiled trails and backroads. So come on over. We’ll put you up with host UU families, treat you to a seafood supper and entertainment, offer an Island tour and welcome you to Sunday service at historic Stevens Chapel. For complete information, see our website at www.uusmv.info (B&B Weekend link) or e-mail us at cdevito@comcast.net. We’d love to see you on the Island.,
Escape to Vermont -September 21-23, 2007
Thirteenth Annual B&B Weekend offered by the UU Church of Rutland, VT. Enjoy the beauty of Vermont, UU hospitality, and a choice of guided activities: hiking, kayaking, visiting the studios of local artists,soaring tour, touring historic sites and quaint towns, and much more. Registration by August 1, $250 (single) and $450 (double). After August 1, $300 (single) and $500 (double). For more information contact
uufoliagevermont@yahoo.com or (802) 353-7969.: www.rutlanduu.org
Universalist Spirituality
"Universalist Spirituality" will be the theme of the New Mass. Universalist Convention’s Annual Conference on Sat., Sept. 29, at All Souls UU Church, 196 Elm St., Braintree, MA.
Worship (“The Gift of Forgiveness”) will be led by the Rev. Olav Nieuwejaar. The keynote address ("Universalist Spirituality") will be by the Rev. Richard Trudeau. The day's program will also include a presentation by the Rev. Edmund Robinson ("Universalism: Means of Salvation or the Coming World Religion?"), a panel of old-time Universalists reflecting on how Universalism as they remember it differs from today’s UUism, a presentation about the new Universalist Heritage Center in Winchester, NH, and a sing-along of Chris Raible's parodies of UU hymns. The day will run from 8:30 to 4:30 and include continental breakfast. For information please go to www.nmuc.org.
The World in Watertown
(Watertown’s Human Rights Group)
Next World in Watertown Meeting: Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 7:30 at FPW.
Bikes Not Bombs: A bike collection for Bikes Not Bombs will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at St. John's Church on Mt. Auburn St. The next planning meeting for the Bike collection will be Tuesday, September 4 at 7:30 at the First Parish of Watertown. Please attend the planning meeting if you can.
International Day of Peace: The World in Watertown will sponsor a program on the UN International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21, 2007 from 7 - 9 p.m., most likely to be held at the Library. There will be music, art, poetry, discussion.... So, save the date! If you can help with the planning on that, contact World in Watertown member Rebecca Rowley, at rowleyr@bc.edu
Faire in the Square: Saturday, September 29, 2007. The World in Watertown will have a table, and will need volunteers to staff it.
Newsletter of the First Parish of Watertown
September 2007
See www.fpwatertown.org for a calendar of church events and meetings
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m.
Water Service - Mark and Congregation
The annual water service depends upon everyone bringing a small container of water you collected during your summer activities. This can be from a place of distant travel, or the waters from your backyard pool. As part of the service, we ask you to tell us in a few words where your summer travels brought you, and what new meaning this adventure brought to your life. This is an intergenerational service. Please bring the water (or virtual water) that you saved this summer.
Greeters: Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell
Social Hour: Carole Berney & Lee Pierce
Sunday, September 16 at 11:00 a.m.
“Almost an Atheist” Mark W. Harris
There have been several books in the past year or so that attack the idea of God and religion in general. Among the best sellers is Christopher Hitchin’s “God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.” These might seem like books that UUs would find stimulating. However, the problem is that most of them take a kind of childish view of religion. While the atheist authors may be right about God, they leave me cold when it comes to having an answer for our modern spiritual malaise.
Greeters: Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
Social Hour: Mathilde Duffy & Carole Katz
Sunday, September 23 at 11:00 a.m.
“Walk this Way” Andrea Greenwood
A few years ago, Bruce Feiler wrote a book called Walking The Bible,which explores the geography of Biblical stories, rather than the texts. So often, we are interior, and concerned with meaning; and forget that physical experience can be revelatory, or healing. This sermon, inspired by First Parish member Mary Schlivek, is about walking our lives --physically living through our days -- rather than thinking about them.
Greeters: Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
Social Hour: Valy McDonald & Jan Klein
Special Worship: Join us today at 3:00 p.m. for Darrick Jackson’s ordination service.
Sunday, September 30 at 11:00 a.m.
“Honey Bees and Herring Guts”
Mark W. Harris
Some months back our FPW member Peter Cudhea asked if I knew about the disappearing honey bees, and said it might be a good sermon topic. I knew very little at the time, but have investigated a bit more since. What will the disappearing bees mean for the future pollination of all our plants? And what is a Herirng Gut? We will explore our human effect on the landscape.
Greeters: Carole Berney & Valy McDonald
Social Hour: Steven Gustin & Djalai Babazadeh
Captain’s Log
Welcome back! It is time to gather the First Parish congregation once again. If you look at the Among Us section of this newsletter, you will see that, as always, some of our members have moved to new locations - California, Oregon and Vermont. We are always saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. I heard it said more than once this summer - the only constant in life is change! My son Levi turned 13 this summer, so I am the father of a teenager once again. Where does the time go as our babies grow up? I hope beyond the daily changes we all encountered that you had time to relax this summer.
The First Parish was a little busier than usual this summer. We had six summer services for the first time (we usually have four), and all of them had 20 people or more. I can remember the days when some summer services had five or so. Thanks to Roberta Altamari, Kyle Hart, Carole Berney, Charlyn Bethell, Wendell Refior, and Chris Johnson for conducting these services, and also to Carole and Charlyn and Guy Urban for their musical contributions.
We also had many meetings, emails and discussions to come to the decision to sponsor the four Obyat children for Humanitarian Parole. This shows the wonderful spirit of FPW to extend a hand - financially and emotionally - to a family that has been plagued by a terrible illness to one member followed by years of a painful separation. We will keep you updated as developments unfold in this process
There was more - Will Twombly, who spearheaded our sponsorship campaign for the Obyat children, also has been the co-chair of Watertown’s No Place for Hate program which has the Anti-Defamation League’s sponsorship. I have also been involved with this program especially as it has interfaced with the World in Watertown group and the Unity Breakfast. If you have read the papers at all you will note that the ADL’s unwillingness to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide led to a local controversy after which the regional director supported the ADL at a meeting at FPW, then the town withdrew from No Place for Hate, then the director said he disagreed with the ADL’s position, then he was fired, then the national ADL changed its mind, then the government of Turkey (which does not acknowledge the genocide) got involved. I hope to preach on this subject in October, but it was a remarkable instance where a local issue became international in scope.
The crux of the matter is that if you say you believe in human rights, then it must be human rights administered and advocated equally for all. We cannot support an “Animal Farm” situation where all are equal, but some are more equal than others. Thanks to Will for his leadership on both the Obyat sponsorship and the ADL No Place for Hate controversy.
I cannot leave the FPW summer without mentioning the good work of David Benson to make our kitchen comply with the Architectural Access Board’s requirements for the church. Does Watertown have a more accessible building than FPW? With some public buildings and schools and especially churches in Watertown that still remain inaccessible in many ways, we should be proud of what we have accomplished. David has built an accessible sink unit and installed an accessible cook top in the kitchen. Please check it out, and tell David what a great job he did!
I had an enjoyable summer in many ways. At the Herring Gut Learning Center in Port Clyde, Maine I had the opportunity to pet a shark. And I still have ten fingers! I took a few kayak trips, swam a lot, read some books, climbed a couple of mountains, and wrote a paper for the conference I led at Ferry Beach. Ferry Beach has become an important place to many FPW folk, I hope we can continue to send people to these UU places of renewal. Next summer I will be teaching a course in UU History there for the Meadville Lombard Theological School (where Andrea went to seminary).
The explorations of the summer are behind us now. The sunsets we gazed upon, the water we floated in, the mountains we huffed and puffed up are memories to savor as the work and school worlds begin anew and the pace of scheduling picks up. Hopefully we can all hold those moments of renewal in our hearts and relive them as we move ahead in the new year. Our church home is a place to do that - may our sanctuary be a place of contemplation and meditation on the important issues of our lives - the rest and renewal we need to meet life’s challenges - the people who care for us and for the issues that are important to us. Aurora and Jeff wrote to us: “I know something that I never realized before - a community such as First Parish is more than the sum of each individual, it is an enveloping presence that we have come to depend on in many different ways.” Join us as together we seek friendship and hope in a community of seekers after beauty, truth and right, and of course, love.
Mark
Among Us
Our deepest sympathy to Teo Ellsworth. His father died in June in New Hampshire
A warm welcome to the LeBlanc children: Emma Fayre and Caiden Liam who were dedicated on June 17, 2007 during the church service. They are the children of Kimberly and Louis LeBlanc
Farewell to several members
(and best wishes for the future):
In June we said goodbye to Aurora Sherman and Jeff Miller and Iris at a Sunday service. Special thanks to all those who helped with the party and the move over the summer. Mark and Andrea have received a note from them with a new Oregon address. Please see the bulletin board downstairs.
We learned over the summer that Joani Mountain will be moving to San Diego to be near her daughter. Joani made many contributions to FPW over the years as chair of RE, and later as chair of Helen Robinson Wright Committee, and most recently as part of the Covenant Group. Thank you so much!
Mark recently had an email from new member Alethea Zack who is moving to Vermont. She has a new job and a new fiance, to go with the new home!
We will miss the presence and contributions of all these wonderful folk!
Giving Boxes
Our September Giving Boxes continue to be for R.E.A.C.H. (a battered women’s shelter in Waltham). We did not have a great response in May and June, and are hoping another month will fill up the boxes. Their needs include: Gifts cards to grocery stores (especially Hannaford’s which is is located in Waltham), Toiletries including paper towels, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, Towels, Twin sheets blankets and pillows. Thank you.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
The writing of this column every August is one of the clear signals that summer is coming to an end and another year is beginning. I have lots of stories from this summer that I’m sure I’ll be sharing with you soon. And I look forward to hearing your stories as well! The one story that I feel drawn to share with you is not the grandest or most emotional of my summer. It’s actually quite simple and I think that’s why I just can’t seem to forget about it.
One of my summer adventures included spending a week at my parent’s home in York Beach, Maine. Everyday, we spent hours at the beautiful beach there. On our last day, I joined my two daughters in building a sandcastle. We worked diligently for over an hour and created the best sandcastle we’d ever made. We knew that the tide was coming in and we hurried to finish our masterpiece. We were thrilled when we succeeded. While I was ready to just leave it behind and move on to taking pictures of the seagulls, my girls insisted on watching the ocean destroy their precious castle. They sat patiently waiting and watching another half hour for the tide to come in and wash away all of our hard work. The destruction seemed to hold as much value for them as the creation. Their natural acceptance and joyful anticipation of the ending was inspiring. The entire process proved to be much more important to them than some finished sandcastle. I couldn’t help but think of all the real life metaphors.
I’m the first one to spend my days multi-tasking to finish as many creations as possible. Would I actually be willing to do as much work as I do if I knew that my creations were about to be destroyed? I don’t think so. And yet my daughters convinced me to race against the tide to build a castle that would not last longer than an hour. I have to admit that it was the most enjoyable part of my day. The experience of working together was wonderful!
What is it about us Americans that we focus so heavily on the end product? The end product must be perfect, or at least great. A research paper, a test score, a performance; it doesn’t seem to matter how you accomplish the task as long as your finale is good. I’ve even heard people rationalize their behavior by insisting that the end justifies the means. And yet my kids are challenging me to really consider the opposite.
One of my favorite readings is "Life is always Unfinished Business" by Richard S. Gilbert. It reminds us to pause and enjoy each moment in life. We need not rush to finish everything because life is a work in progress that is always unfinished. I had planned to share this reading as the closing words for my lay led service this summer. As I was coming to the end of the service, I was embarrassed to realize that I had left the reading at home. My embarrassment quickly turned to inspiration as I remembered the message of the words. I thought it was interesting that those were the words that I forgot to bring. It led me to sharing the message and story with the group gathered. It seemed that many enjoyed the message from my process even more than they would have enjoyed hearing me read the message.
Even if American society isn’t ready for us to always adopt a focus on process over product, our time together can certainly highlight the value of doing so. First Parish is the perfect place to slow down and enjoy life moment by moment. The process of working, learning, and worshiping together is extremely valuable for us. When I took the Renaissance Module on UU curricula this summer, I expected to learn about tons of new curricula available. But instead of focusing on the products, the group focused on the philosophy behind RE curricula. That it merely compliments our most vital goal of creating a healthy and affirming "religious community". What we learn is not nearly as important as the process of being in community together.
In closing, I have to admit that there isn’t a congregation I’d rather be sharing all this with than you! Welcome back to another fabulous year together!!
Important Note:
Roberta’s email and website are changing. Her new email is Roberta@chalicedreamer.net and her website can be found as of September at www.chalicedreamer.net
Welcome Back Celebration
The R.E. Committee is pleased to host a "Welcome Back Celebration" for all children and youth on Sunday, September 16th at 11am. We will share lots of fun activities as we celebrate gathering back together. Our small group gatherings will resume on Sunday, September 23rd.
R.E. Orientations and Leadership Development Opportunities
Sunday, September 9th at 9am: R.E. in-gathering and orientation for returning families
Come connect with other FPW families and hear about what is new this year. * For those who would prefer the information only, an online version of this orientation will be available as of September 9th on Roberta‚s website (www.chalicedreamer.net) as well.
Sunday, September 9th at 6:30pm: Adhoc Youth Adult Committee to plan youth group calendar
All interested youth and adults are invited to come help us plan a fabulous year of activities for our youth group! The ideal youth group includes growth opportunities in the areas of worship, youth-adult relations, community building, social action, learning, and leadership. If you can‚t make it to this meeting, but have an idea for a special project you‚d be willing to work with our youth on, please let Roberta know.
Sunday, September 16th at 9am: SpiritPlay Orientation for Parents and Volunteers
Whether you are a parent of a child ages five to eight or you are interested in volunteering to help with this age group, come learn about this exciting new program we are trying this year.
Sunday, September 23rd at 9am: R.E. Orientation for New Families
If you are new to First Parish and/or have never attended one of our R.E. orientations, this is the meeting specifically for you. Learn about our various programs and the philosophy behind all of our children and youth ministries at First Parish.
** If you need childcare to be able to attend one of these orientations, let Roberta know as soon as possible and she’d be happy to make arrangements with one of our teen babysitters.
Breakfast chats
Starting with the second Sunday in October, we are pleased to begin hosting monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Here are the first few:
Sunday, October 14th at 9am: Breakfast and book discussion on Full Circle: Fifteen Ways to Grown Lifelong UUs by Kate Tweedie Erslev. * First Parish has copies of the book you can borrow to read.
Sunday, November 11th at 9am: Breakfast discussion led by Mark Harris on "Why it’s important to have biblically literate children".
Sunday, December 9th at 9am: Breakfast chat on different ways to celebrate this holiday season
Darrick’s Ordination
All members and friends are invited to the ordination of Darrick Jackson on Sunday , September 23, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. If you are new to First Parish, Darrick was our student minister before Mark, serving here from 2004-06. This special service will include music by our choir. After the service there will be a reception. We will be soliciting assistance with baking for this event. Under our system of Congregational Polity, individual congregations have the only authority to ordain men and women to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. This is an important day in Darrick’s life. Please try to come to show your support for him, and to reaffirm our commitment to the Unitarian Universalist ministry of religion
Making a Mark
By Mark Caggiano, student minister
Summer has come to an end and I hope it has left you rested and ready for a new church year. I am entering my second year at First Parish and my last year at Harvard Divinity and I excited for what these two experiences might hold for me.
My summer was rather Unitarian Universalist all around. I began in June traveling out to Oregon to attend General Assembly. I met up with classmates from Harvard and the other seminaries and we enjoyed a little Pacific Northwest hospitality. I also was introduced to GA, an event I had never experienced. I attended the Ministry Days with seminarians and ministers, learning about church growth, activism and other professional topics. At “regular” GA, UUs from around the country and the world gathered, worshipped, learned and communed. I would tell you more, but that would ruin several perfectly good sermon topics.
I returned to New England only to head north up to Ferry Beach, the UU sleep away camp. I spent a week as a counselor for 50 middle schoolers, including Zach Sheppard, Emma Day and Yami Dessault. My boss was a certain Roberta Altamari (a hard task master if ever there was one) and I worked with Kyle and Kelly Morton, with Rowan and Gates in tow. This was a week of adult bonding, pre-teen angst and general UU hilarity.
After I returned, I did some guest preaching up in North Andover. One Sunday was scheduled while the other was a pinch hitting spot for a minister who came down with Lyme Disease – not something one would care to experience so remember to dress appropriately in the woods. The church in North Andover is under substantial renovation, so we met in the rather cozy grange hall across the street. It was fun to connect with old friends, and to meet with some new ones looking for a religious home.
All in all, my summer experiences fortified me in my path towards the ministry. A repeated theme for me – and one I might repeat again to you all – is that being a part of a church matters. I do not mean “going to church” but becoming involved in a church community socially and spiritually. It is being a part of something beyond the four walls of your house or apartment, working to make the church and larger community a little bit better. It is also about finding a warm and accepting place in this world. As I return to First Parish for another year, I am satisfied that it is rather a nice place for just that.
Best Wishes,
Mark C.
Student minister
Musical Musings
Welcome everyone to another "musical year" at First Parish. I am excited to be starting a new year and am eager for the choir to sing the new music I bought this summer. The music is focused on nature and the environment and will echo the voice of the church in striving towards the green sanctuary.
The FP Choir will begin it's "season" on Sept. 23rd singing for the morning service and then later that day at 3:00, for the ordination celebration of Darrick Jackson!!! We will need all you singers for this occasion. So please, men and women, answerthe call....we want you!! This year the choir rehearsal days will be on Wednesday nights (changed from Monday)
and I'm hoping more of you will be able to join us. Even if you haven't sung with us before, think about joining us this time. What a great time to get your feet wet!
Rehearsal times and performances:
Sept 12th 7:00 sanctuary
Sept 19th 7:00 sanctuary
Sept 23rd 9:45 rehearsal
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. singing
This year I am looking forward to playing with all of you members who want to contribute musically to a morning service. We had a wonderful turnout last year and I'd like to see the same thing happen again. I hope more of you will come up to me and say you want to play or sing for a service. We have such a supportive congregation and they enjoy it so much when their friends share their talent. The experience will be fun for you, I promise!
I will still continue playing the prelude before 11:00 (10:50) and stopping for the announcements on the hour. I know some of you like this arrangement but I hope all of you will grow to enjoy it. If you are so inclined, you can come early and listen to the music. It will be a quiet time, a time different from the weekly madness of life. Please come and speak to me after the service... or anytime. I like to hear how you feel about the music and maybe there is something I could play that you would enjoy hearing.
Patty Devore
Green Sanctuary Committee Supports Faire on the Square
Come join our wind-powered mascot, the good ship Arbella, as she voyages over to Saltonstall Park on Saturday, September 29th for Faire on the Square. This year, in honor of our Green theme, the First Parish table sits in a section of the Faire reserved for environmental organizations. The Green Sanctuary Committee is partnering with the church to set up our table. Besides the usual info about the church, we will have some materials that demonstrate the church's commitment to live more gently on the earth and moving the entire congregation gently in that direction as well. YOU ARE INVITED to sign up for a slot of helping to speak to passers-by about the church. No special knowledge about the church or Green topics is required! Sign up on the bulletin board in the parish hall.
What is the Green Sanctuary Committee up to this Fall?
After a number of successful individual events (the Environmental Fair with the Youth Group, sales of compact fluorescent bulbs and FPW cloth bags, the Environmental Audit), now it is time to buckle down and get the full weight of the church behind a set of green initiatives. To become a Green Sanctuary, the church community selects 12 activities to accomplish, document, and then submit as part of our application. That's where you come in! We have now gathered so many good ideas that it is time to settle in on which ones we will actually DO. So this fall, rather than starting any new initiatives ourselves, the Green Sanctuary committee will be visiting various church committees to identify which of the good ideas our church will actually commit ourselves to as part of this process. We will probably gather about 20 specific proposals and then narrow it down to 12 or so to write up.
For example, the Religious Education committee already has some great ideas about getting the greening message out, including curriculum changes, and walk to church day. The Worship Committee is planning for Earth Day. The Social Action Committee already has ideas about how to reach out to the community to improve awareness of green issues and availability of green solutions. The Buildings and Grounds committee and the Fellowship Committee already have ideas on how to lower the environmental impact of our basic church and community life. And the Parish committee is a great home for projects like "10 trees a year" that reach out to parishioners in their homes rather than just in their pews ( or chairs). The job of the Green Sanctuary over the fall is to gather these great ideas together and help committees select a set that seems "just right" for what we want to do now. Feel free to start on the ideas now, don't wait! But work with us to help us see how all the ideas together add up to "Green Sanctuary"
material.
Charitable Offering
We had a great response last year to a new program of monthly charitable offerings. We do not have an offering scheduled for September, but expect to have a schedule as soon as Social Action meets. Our June offering for The Food Project brought in $453.14. Thank you all!
FIRST PARISH GREETERS 2007-2008
The list of greeters for the church year follows. Your willingness to take on this task is very much appreciated by our entire congregation! Please take note now of when you are listed. Your children and/or other family members are welcome to join you as greeters. If you are not able to attend church on your assigned date, please try to switch with another person by consulting the Members and Friends of First Parish Directory. Please confirm with Nancy in the office of any switch made so it can be accurate in the Arbella and the social hall bulletin board. The Church Office will be sending out a reminder letter or email message to you just before your assigned date. It will include an updated "Greeter How-To List." A copy of the How-To List is also kept in the drawer of the table under the ministers’ name plaque in the sanctuary.
Thank You,
The Fellowship Committee
Greeters Schedule for 2007 – 2008
(September dates will be adjusted as needed)
September 9 Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethell
September 16 Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
September 23 Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
September 30 Carole Berney & Valy McDonald
October 7 Martha Urban & Jill Halloran
October 14 Brian Hebeisen & Elizabeth Strekalovsky
October 21 Susan Flint & Nick Haddad
October 28 Brigitte Bender & Barbara Beck
November 4 Paul Dansereau & Julie Miller
November 11 Teodor Ellsworth & Mary Howe
November 18 Charmian Proskauer & Jim Felty
November 25 Habis Obyat & Fatima Hussein
December 2 Kathy & David Warren
December 9 Eric Chipman & Wendell Refior
December 16 Bob & Missy Shay
December 23 Paula Carnese & Holly Cachimuel
December 24 Youth Greeters
December 30 Kyle Hart & Johanna Swift Hart
January 6 Karen Allendorfer & Sachie Karmacharya
January 13 Djalai Babazadeh & Steven Gustin
January 20 Gretchen Brown & Kathy Button
January 27 Bobbie Brown & Mathilde Duffy
February 3 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
February 10 Cornelia Janke & Goyo Carvajal
February 17 Virginia Howe & Alethea Zack
February 24 Norah & Paul Day
March 2 Johanna Erickson & Anne Harrington
March 9 Peter Cudhea & Sue Demb
March 16 Tesi Kohlenberg & Tom Goodwillie
March 23 Marianne & Michael Collins
March 30 Judy Fitts & Carole Katz
April 6 Ken Repp & Chris Johnson
April 13 Jean Merkl & John Gorman
April 20 John Chamberlain & Sarah McSweeney
April 27 Jan Klein & Dede Dussault
May 4 Mike McCarthy & Randy Rhoda
May 11 Susan Lind-Sinanian & Beth Parsons
May 18 Lee Pierce & Raz Mason
May 25 Diane Shepard & Jane Knuttunen
June 1 Betty Latner & Silke Plesch
June 8 Youth Greeters
June 15 Anna and Mike Anctil
First Parish of Watertown
Social Hour Assignments
2007-2008
(September dates will be adjusted as needed)
As has been our past practice the Fellowship Committee is assigning Social Hour hosts to individuals rather than to committees. Here is the list for 2007-2008. A reminder letter with the Social Hour “To Do List” will be sent out two weeks prior to your assigned date. Once you have received notification reminding you of your social hour responsibilities please contact Nancy in the office by email (fpwatertown@comcast.net) or phone. 617-924-6143. She will need to know that you are all set to do social hour. If you are unable to make the date assigned it is your responsibility to find a replacement from the list and let the office know of the switch. It is important that the office know who will be doing social hour so it is accurate in the Arbella and on the social hall bulletin board.
We take this opportunity to suggest that, while we all appreciate the sumptuous spreads that have been offered in the past, it’s OK to simplify the variety and amount of foods offered. Please note that there are recycling bins to the right of the FPrefrigerator. Kindly use these for empty glass or plastic containers, rather than throwing them in the trash!
Thanks to all for hosting Social Hour.
The Fellowship Committee
Social Hour Hosting Schedule for 2007 – 2008
September 9 Carole Berney & Lee Pierce
September 16 Mathilde Duffy & Carole Katz
September 23 Valy McDonald & Jan Klein
September 30 Steven Gustin & Djalai Babazadeh
October 7 Jean Merkl & John Gorman
October 14 Gretchen Brown & Bobbie Brown
October 21 Karen Allendorfer & Cornelia Janke
October 28 Marianne & Michael Collins
November 4 Kathy & David Warren
November 11 Bob & Missy Shay
November 18 Holly Cachimuel & Paula Carnese
November 25 Mike & Anna Anctil
December 2 Nick Haddad & Susan Flint
December 9 Sachie Karmacharya & Peter Cudhea
December 16 Paul & Norah Day
December 23 Guy & Martha Urban & Charlyn Bethell
December 24 Bring Holiday Cookies -Worship Committee
December 30 Kathy Button & Judy Fitts
January 6 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
January 13 Patricia Fox & Linda Letourneau
January 20 Sue Demb & Wendell Refior
January 27 Tesi Kohlenberg , Tom Goodwillie & Anna Glover
February 3 Brian Hebeisen, Elizabeth Strekalovsky & Mary Howe
February 10 Kyle Hart & Johanna Swift Hart
February 17 Julie Miller & Paul Dansereau
February 24 John Portz & Meredith Montague
March 2 John Chamberlain & Sarah McSweeney
March 9 Anna Knight & Sue Kuder & Channing Mendelsohn
March 16 Jane Knuttunen & Susan Lind-Sinanian
March 23 Jeanne Cleary & Barry Greess
March 30 Mike McCarthy & Dede Dussault
April 6 Martha Scott & David Morrison
April 13 Teodor Ellsworth & Jim Felty
April 20 Celeste Oliva & Barbara Hansberry
April 27 Virginia Howe & Roger & Judy Kamm
May 4 Charmian Proskauer & Anne Harrington
May 11 Will & Sue Twombly
May 18 Ken Repp & Chris Johnson
May 25 Eileen Ryan & Lisa Wexler
June 1 Kyle & Kelly Morton & Beth Parsons
June 8 Beth & Isabel Tappen-deFrees
June 15 All Church Picnic
Life-Friendly Gardens (Naturally Green)
Join Watertown neighbors in a celebration of their CHEMICAL-FREE yards and gardens, Sunday, September 16, 1-5 PM.
Chemical-free gardeners share a delightful secret: caring for your yard naturally actually requires less work and less money than a typical chemical-based approach. And we never have to post those obnoxious warning flags or wonder what we're tracking in our garden clogs; it's all good, clean dirt. The Chemical Use Reduction and Education (C.U.R.E.) Task Force of Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety is sponsoring a free garden tour for a Sunday afternoon. For more information, call Henrietta Light at 617-926-2545 or email Laura Cherry cherrylaura@hotmail.com .
Kathy Button
Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha's Vineyard Columbus Day B&B Weekend
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard invites you to join us over Columbus Day Weekend, October 6-8. Fall is the best season of all on the Vineyard. Just ask any year-rounder. The crowds are gone, the air is crisp, the water is still plenty warm for a swim. Birdlife is on the move along with the striped bass and the blues. There’s no better time to hike and bike our unspoiled trails and backroads. So come on over. We’ll put you up with host UU families, treat you to a seafood supper and entertainment, offer an Island tour and welcome you to Sunday service at historic Stevens Chapel. For complete information, see our website at www.uusmv.info (B&B Weekend link) or e-mail us at cdevito@comcast.net. We’d love to see you on the Island.,
Escape to Vermont -September 21-23, 2007
Thirteenth Annual B&B Weekend offered by the UU Church of Rutland, VT. Enjoy the beauty of Vermont, UU hospitality, and a choice of guided activities: hiking, kayaking, visiting the studios of local artists,soaring tour, touring historic sites and quaint towns, and much more. Registration by August 1, $250 (single) and $450 (double). After August 1, $300 (single) and $500 (double). For more information contact
uufoliagevermont@yahoo.com or (802) 353-7969.: www.rutlanduu.org
Universalist Spirituality
"Universalist Spirituality" will be the theme of the New Mass. Universalist Convention’s Annual Conference on Sat., Sept. 29, at All Souls UU Church, 196 Elm St., Braintree, MA.
Worship (“The Gift of Forgiveness”) will be led by the Rev. Olav Nieuwejaar. The keynote address ("Universalist Spirituality") will be by the Rev. Richard Trudeau. The day's program will also include a presentation by the Rev. Edmund Robinson ("Universalism: Means of Salvation or the Coming World Religion?"), a panel of old-time Universalists reflecting on how Universalism as they remember it differs from today’s UUism, a presentation about the new Universalist Heritage Center in Winchester, NH, and a sing-along of Chris Raible's parodies of UU hymns. The day will run from 8:30 to 4:30 and include continental breakfast. For information please go to www.nmuc.org.
The World in Watertown
(Watertown’s Human Rights Group)
Next World in Watertown Meeting: Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 7:30 at FPW.
Bikes Not Bombs: A bike collection for Bikes Not Bombs will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2007 at St. John's Church on Mt. Auburn St. The next planning meeting for the Bike collection will be Tuesday, September 4 at 7:30 at the First Parish of Watertown. Please attend the planning meeting if you can.
International Day of Peace: The World in Watertown will sponsor a program on the UN International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21, 2007 from 7 - 9 p.m., most likely to be held at the Library. There will be music, art, poetry, discussion.... So, save the date! If you can help with the planning on that, contact World in Watertown member Rebecca Rowley, at rowleyr@bc.edu
Faire in the Square: Saturday, September 29, 2007. The World in Watertown will have a table, and will need volunteers to staff it.