Thursday, January 31, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Arbella-February Newsletter 2008
First Parish of Watertown
Arbella
February 2008
Sermon and Worship Services
Sunday, February 3, 2008
“The Healing Community”
Mark W. Harris
This has been a year when many of our parishioners have had to deal with serious illnesses. Others have chronic pain. Some of this pain is related to an illness, and some of the pain is more psychic from dealing with an ongoing life situation related to illness or grief. Christianity may have taught those of us who were reared in the faith that suffering is redemptive, but is that true in any way? Some thoughts on healing within the community when pain seems ongoing. Youth choir will sing.
Greeters: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Social Hour: Martha Scott and David Morrison
Sunday, February 10, 2008
"Switching Heads" Andrea Greenwood
At the service auction this past fall, Roger and Judy Kamm purchased a sermon, and asked that I talk about my trip to India. Being a very structured writer with a somewhat busy calendar of family obligations, I tried to get a head start on planning this service. So far, I have five different false starts. Could it be I need to get out of my head? Could it be that is the point of a passage to India? Come to church; we'll find out together!
Greeters: Cornelia Janke and Goyo Carvajal
Social Hour: Kyle Hart and Joanna Swift Hart
Sunday, February 17, 2008
“Heroes and History” Mark W. Harris
Some years ago I tried to start an anniversary Sunday to acknowledge the birthday of the church. Although First Parish was founded in July 1630, we legally became Unitarian in February. This will be an intergenerational service. Please think about what great US history or UU event you would add to a timeline. Do you have an object that reflects this event that you would like to share? For example, the event is the Woodstock Festival, and you have your original ticket. Also do you have a favorite song of historical significance you could sing for us? Come share your historical event, object and/or song with us!
Greeters: TBA
Social Hour: Julie Miller and Paul Dansereau
Sunday, February 24, 2008
“Extraordinary Knowings” Mark Harris
A few months back FPW member Jeanne Cleary said she was reading an amazing book called Extraordinary Knowing. This was an examination of various kinds of intuitive ways of understanding things that went beyond our usual rational, or scientific ways of knowing. Sometimes we are embarrassed as rational UUs to share these “odd” ways of knowing with others for fear of being called crazy. Who among us has experienced these extraordinary ways?
Greeters: Norah and Paul Day
Social Hour: Sue Kuder, Channing Mendelsohn and Anna Knight
Captain’s Log
February is usually remembered as Black History month. Unitarians and Universalists have historically had few persons of color among our membership. Yet many of the events that we might mark for black history month have played a significant role in our UU history. Key figures like Theodore Parker (trained as a minister here), Thomas Wentworth Higginson, and Samuel Gridley Howe (think Perkins School for the Blind) were among the Secret Six (supporters of John Brown in his fight to end slavery). The abolition of slavery was a key issue for many UUs. John Quincy Adams was a vital person as he argued against slavery in the US House of Representatives. A century later, in the Civil Rights era, two UUs were murdered in Alabama in 1965. These tragedies helped lead to the Voting Rights Act. Historical examples may inspire us to be courageous in the battles for justice that lie ahead. This month I invite you to share what historical events have inspired you. Share those with your children, and put them on the timeline we create at the intergenerational service on February 17. Please share who your heroes are, and bring an artifact or even a costume item that recalls their life.
The life and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to be a source of inspiration and example. This is always vividly remembered here in Watertown, when we commemorate MLK Day with the Unity Breakfast. I counted 52 First Parish people (38 adults and 14 children and youth), who supported this effort (four youth were doing childcare). This was the first time the breakfast had ever been a fund raiser. We sent $4,000 on to Liz Walker to support her efforts to build a school in Akon in southern Sudan for girls who have been victims of the genocide in Darfur. A portion of this $4,000 is the $480 we collected in church on MLK Sunday. I have always been active in the Unity Breakfast, and was especially pleased this year to have our largest turnout (approx. 450) ever, along with the support for a greater cause. It is also a day when youth – through singing, essay contest and awards, are seen as the bearers of Dr. King’s message in the years ahead. It is the way history works. We tell the stories of our lives, and our vision, and we hope the young people take those up stories of longing, and fulfill the dreams we have for peace and justice in the world. I want to thank all the First Parish folk who supported the breakfast in any way. Sue Kuder and Kathy Button served on the committee, and Will Twombly, as a World in Watertown pillar, was a key figure, too. Many others helped set up and serve, including our FPW newcomer Chuck Dickinson. Carole Katz at Watertown Savings Bank has always helped us with PR and general community advocacy. I was also relieved to have Michael McCarthy take care of sound and AV needs.
Now we look forward to the second half of our church year. Our canvass is just around the corner in the month of March, but this month you will have a chance to sign up for one of the dinners. Don’t miss out on the great food and fellowship! ALSO - Please stay tuned for more on new chairs for the meetinghouse, and our Green Sanctuary efforts. I also want to remind members and friends of the Committee on Ministry. Three members of the church sit down with me on a regular basis to discuss the overall ministry of the church. They are also the committee responsible for my salary adjustments and evaluation. If you have any questions or concerns about the ministry, I am always happy to hear those, but if you wish to speak to someone on the committee the members are Stephen Gustin, chair; Judy Kamm and John Gorman. You can find contact info in the church directory.
In the months ahead I will also be looking for three volunteers to serve on a short term basis to interview prospective student ministers. As noted in Mark C.’s column, he will be ending his educational career (including his two year internship with us) in the coming months. We will need a new student for the next two years. I would welcome any feed back you might have on the student ministry program. Please let me know if you wish to be on the interview committee.
In February we mark Valentine’s Day as a calendar date where we tell our loved ones how much they mean to us. On February 9 we will sing our love, and eat chocolate together at a dessert potluck. Let me jump the gun a little and say how much I appreciate your efforts in supporting the ministry of the church. I see how you respond to each other with love and care, and show much love in your thoughts and prayers and great hugs for those who need support. I have also seen your love for those in need. Whether it is the Obyat family close at hand, or the programs beyond arms length such as UUSC Guest at Your Table or Liz Walker’s new school in the Sudan, you have opened your hearts and given generous gifts to those in need. Thanks for all the love you show, it is truly the “religious” foundation of our community. As history tells us, we become loving and generous, when those who are loving and generous show us the way.
Mark
Green Sanctuary Plans
The Green Sanctuary Committee has been working diligently towards the long-term goal of being accredited by the UU Ministry for Earth as a Green Sanctuary. A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. There are numerous steps along the way. Once of the most important is giving you a chance to get involved!
After consulting with the other committees of FPW, we now have a working draft of the 12 action items that will be our focus going forward. It is now time that we turn to you, the congregation, to ask for your participation to make them a reality.
On March 9, the service will, in part, include a segment outlining our plan and how you can get involved. There are numerous opportunities to work on short or long term projects – whatever will fit your schedule! A general description of each project follows. Take a look, see what peaks your interest and then let us know how you’d like to help!
Worship and Celebration Projects
1. Integrate an on-going program of marking the seasons in our regular church services (e.g., summer solstice)
2. Conduct periodic environmental action services (at least one per year)
Religious Education Projects
3. Develop an Environmental Resource Center for loaning books/films/power monitors/etc., and to serve as a source for answers to questions (ie. Is it better to wash mugs in the dishwasher or use disposable cups? What do I do with my spent batteries?)
4. Hold Environmental Fairs at church and support other educational activities (films, lecture series, Faire on the Square).
5. Sponsor a month-long environmental program for the children’s RE program each year.
Environmental Justice Projects
6. Sponsor clean up programs along the Charles River, starting with a community clean up day, and possibly other pollution reducing initiatives.
7. Provide support and sponsorship for an environmental justice organization (such as Trees for Armenia).
Sustainable Living Projects
8. Sponsor a regular series of Simplicity Circles
9. Work with the town of Watertown, local schools, and local environmental groups to sponsor the Clean Energy Choice program (fundraising to buy a solar electricity system for a school).
10. Define and reduce the Congregation's energy consumption – by sponsoring several initiatives to help the congregation as a whole work toward changing personal energy consumption
11. Define and reduce energy consumption of church itself
12. Define and reduce energy consumption of the bank (on church property), the pre-school (in the church building), and renters who use our space.
If you have any questions, please see one of the committee members: Norah Mulvaney-Day (co-chair), Brian Hebeisen (co-chair), David Morrison, Mike Anctil, Eileen Ryan, Peter Cudhea, Mark Harris, Mark Caggiano, Judi Fitts and Kathy Button.
Charitable Offerings/ Giving Box
Our Charitable offering for February will be for the Watertown Food Pantry. It will be taken on February 17 during the intergenerational service. For January and February the Food Pantry is the recipient of our Giving Box donations. Please bring in your non-perishable food items on any Sunday this month, and especially protein items such as beef stew, tuna fish, canned meats, beans, etc. The food pantry is located at St. John Methodist church, and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays. The church members who pick up bread at Panera on Sundays bring it to St. John’s on Tuesday morning. Please support your local pantry with food and a donation this month.
Our previous collections have been remarkable. Thank you to all FPW members and friends for your generosity. It was noted in Mark’s column that the collection for Liz Walker’s school building project resulted in $480 from our members ($4,000 was sent altogether). Liz was the keynote speaker at the MLK Unity Breakfast. Liz Walker Journey Productions and My Sister’s Keeper are the two organizations raising funds for the construction of the Girls School in the Sudan that Liz is working on in conjunction with the Rev. Dr. Gloria White Hammond. This school is for those girls who are victims of the genocide in the Sudan.
Final totals on our other recent offerings are: UU Service Committee Guest at Your Table grand total : $1,916. Obyat family: final total : $1,832 plus a gift card of unknown amount
Thank you again for your gifts.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
website for RE families: www.chalicedreamer.net
Five years ago, I interviewed families wondering why they bring their children to First Parish. Almost everyone said “community” as their number one reason. In some ways, it felt comforting to know that community is what people value most about First Parish. Curricula selections, social action work, and intergenerational programming were important, but secondary to community. Since First Parish was already doing community well, I thought it should be pretty easy to please the families here. But five years later, I have to ask … is there anything we can do even better?
Through the years, I have been hearing about “right and healthy relations”. I subconsciously ignored it for a while knowing that it would challenge me more than I was ready for. To me, “right and healthy relations” is our responsibility as religious leaders to expect ultimate respect when it comes to our relationships. This means respect of our selves and respect of others. That’s not as easy as it sounds! As I travel through life, I meet people who seem really good at respecting themselves. They know their needs and are sure to get them taken care of. And I meet other people who seem really good at respecting others. They are extremely careful to notice and take care of the needs of others. But the rare person is the one who can accomplish both of these goals.
In my work with our children and youth, I have witnessed countless examples of attempts to figure this “social” stuff out. I’ve talked to many youth here about my vision that we be a community in which everyone is respected. This is taking several of our UU principles and literally putting them in action. With raw honesty, the kids ask the tricky questions. Some say that they like First Parish so much because their friends are here. They admit that they don’t want to be friends with the other kids. In the past, I’ve responded with my well-known comment, “You don’t have to be friends with everyone at First Parish, but you do have to be friendly.”
I’m thinking about all this carefully and considering what we can do to move closer towards “right and healthy relations”. My “be friendly and respectful to all” catch phrase might sound appropriate, but it doesn’t really work. I’ve heard too many stories of people not feeling respected lately. Youth are fighting with their parents. Kids are saying mean things about each other. Children are getting excluded from a clique. And while these tell of stories involving kids, there are also plenty of disrespect tales involving just us adults.
To make matters more serious for me, three people I love are battling cancer. When you or a loved one fights cancer, you realize how precious life truly is. What is really important? For me, it really comes down to my relationships. In the big picture of life, it doesn’t matter how much money I make or how often I take a day off from work … but it does matter what kind of person I am. Do people feel good or bad after spending time with me? Do I inspire anyone to help make our world a better place? Do I make a positive difference for anyone?
I used to think it was okay to just be a good person. Being respectful most of the time was good enough for me. But it’s time to strive for something even better! Messages in society (from school playgrounds to the media we take in) project messages that it’s normal to not respect one another. Those examples of disrespect I listed two paragraphs ago … I see them all normalized too frequently. As we, Unitarian Universalists, do so well with some other issues, we need to open our eyes and think for ourselves. What is right? How should we act? How should we treat one another?
We must protect and nurture our beloved community here by challenging our selves to be sure that all of our interactions are right and healthy. Does everyone who walks through our door feel truly respected and valued? I hope we can move towards being a religious home in which this is sincerely true for everyone here!
Meetings at the Moon for pre-teens (boys and girls) with their parents
With the fabulous success of a group last year for pre-teen girls and their moms named after a curricula we followed, we are going to continue the spirit of healthy connection but to a broader circle. We will be hosting monthly gatherings to help open up communication in our homes. This month’s gathering will be Sunday, February 10th at 1pm. Come enjoy a pizza lunch together as we talk about “when are you ready to be home alone”. Youth and adults will have the opportunity to let go of societal messages and value what we believe is right as we talk about our fears, concerns, and successes relating to this important subject.
Pasta Dinner sponsored by the Youth Group to benefit Invisible Children
You and your family are invited to join the Youth Group for a pasta dinner sponsoring the Invisible Children Inc., a non-profit, grassroots, youth lead organization that helps children that are victims of a 20 year old genocide in Uganda. Come eat dinner and watch a documentary about the organization you are helping. While you’re watching the documentary, responsible members of the youth group will safely watch your children.
Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6pm
Suggested Minimum donation: $10 adults, $5 kids under 12 *Please RSVP by February 10th at Social Hour and support an organization that needs your help.
Sunny Bunny Pals are coming!
Easter is early this year and so will be the arrival of some Sunny Bunny Pals to spread warmth throughout our community. Pals are folks of any age who wish to secretly share some good wishes with someone this season (and receive good wishes from another Pal). This involves sending two cards in the mail during March and then bringing a small homemade gift to your pal on Easter Sunday. To build intergenerational connection, we try to match Pals of different ages. To sign up, contact Kelly Morton at kyskel@gmail.com by Sunday, March 2 at Social Hour.
Getting Organized! Support group
Join us on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30pm as we share different strategies for getting more organized. With the popular success of the “Fly Lady” as our inspiration, we will seriously consider what will really work for each of us. We know most of us don’t appreciate being “told what to do” … so what strategies honor who we are as people enough that they can really inspire us to get more organized. Join us and find out!
Popcorn Theology for Youth and Adults
On Sunday, February 24th from 6pm to 9pm: Youth Group sponsored intergenerational movie screening and discussion. You are invited to bring your dinner or dessert to munch on while we watch the movie.
Breakfast Chat: Teaching Strategies for R.E. groups
On the second Sunday of every month, we are pleased to host monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Sunday, February 10th at 9:30am, Charlyn Bethell will lead a workshop and chat on “teaching strategies for R.E. groups”.
Plan ahead for March Book discussion …
The Breakfast Chat in March will be on “The Gift of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children” by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar. We have copies of the book … see Roberta if you wish to borrow a copy to read.
Saves the dates:
Coming on March 29, April 6, and April 13 (in the afternoon), a fascinating discussion group on “The Question of God”. Guided by a PBS video and discussion guide that contrasts the writings of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, we will explore some fascinating topics. This is exciting, as we have found some excellent sources to consider.
*YUM! Sing-along and Chocolate
Saturday, Feb. 9th from 7 - 9 PM *
Have you got the mid-winter blues? Do you think Spring is just too far behind this year?
Cheer up! Come join us for an inter-generational potluck dessert gathering. Please bring a chocolate dessert item, and songs that will make you smile, and believe in summer again. Bring your guitar, banjo, recorder, drum, your musician friends, or just your voice to share with us, along with some awesome chocolate item to share. Maybe we can get some ideas for performing at our dinner and talent show on April 5.
Please eat dinner before you come (unless the chocolate is your dinner!) We’ll meet downstairs from 7 – 9 PM. Please let us know if you plan to come. RSVP : email to fpwatertown@comcast.net, or call the church, (617) 924-6143.
Religious Education Committee
All the Religious Education classes had their first-ever fire drill! We practiced safety by
evacuating to a designated place (the lawn in front of the bank). We are happy that all in our program feel a bit safer now!
We are hard at work choosing a "green" curriculum for April to meet our goal of being consistent with the church goals of heightening our awareness of the needs of the earth.
We need to study the use of space for RE classes, as we continue to feel the need for
more!
“It ain’t easy being Green”
Our 2008 Canvass Kick-Off
There are many ways to be “green” and the members of First Parish are working together as a community to develop our own environmentally responsible profile across a broad range of activities. The notions driving our recent Green Sanctuary efforts are intrinsic to what our Parish is all about as a general matter and so they can play out in a variety of ways.
David Morrison recently shared a story with the congregation that illustrates this point.
This past summer lightning stuck an old-growth maple tree on the front lawn of Chris & Ken’s house lot. The damaged tree was cut down; Chris & Ken had the wood cut to firewood-sized pieces and made it available to our Parish Youth Group. The Youth Group sold the firewood as a fund-raiser. The Youth Group then used the money it raised to make a donation to a community services group. Now that’s “recycling” – transformative and multi-generational energy all put to worthy purposes in our own community !
Our “people power” is a vital energy source which has proven to be renewable and self-sustaining, with a minimum of “pollution” (and although our discussions may produce a lot of “hot air” we manage to absorb it and recycle it somehow, at the very least as “compost” for new ideas…..). Lest we torture the metaphor any further, let’s consider another source of “green fuel” that complements our people power fuel – our fund-raising efforts through the Annual Canvass.
Let the 2008 Canvass begin !!
Yes, it is time again to turn our attention to the need to support and sustain First Parish as an active, thriving community through our commitment of financial resources. Canvass also provides an occasion for us all to consider what First Parish means to each of us, what our goals should be going forward, and how best to achieve them.
Here is the basic schedule:
Canvass Sunday 3 February
Mark Harris will help us “get in the mood”
Canvass Skit Sunday 10 February
Paul Day is fresh off the writers’ strike
Ongoing Sundays Informal sessions with Canvass Committee members after church
Canvass Dinners
We will hold a series of Canvass potluck dinners hosted by various members at their homes (and 2 at the church social hall), where you can enjoy each other’s company, share your experiences and ideas, and sample some fine food (who knew there were so many varieties of lentil and tofu dishes!?) and maybe even some good wine. These dinners are “pot luck” type, so you can bring your own favorite dish to share or consult with your host to coordinate as you like.
We hope these “circle supper” dinners will promote your renewed commitment to First Parish and encourage you to make a pledge in support of the church for the coming year’s programs and operations At each dinner we will have a fellow church member to facilitate discussions. Towards the end of the dinner event you are asked to fill out a pledge card or make another indication of your interest in support of First Parish. The Canvass Dinners have been quite successful and provided enjoyable occasions for many of our members to refresh and make new connections with First Parish.
We have scheduled Canvass Dinners on a number of different dates with a view to making it possible for you to attend and participate. Here is the current schedule:
Place & Host Date Time
Thursday, 6 March 7 - 9
Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethel
1034 Belmont St, Watertown
Friday, 7 March 7 - 9
Johanna Erickson
48 Chester St, Watertown
Saturday, 8 March 6 - 8
Eric Chipman as special host
FPW Social Hall, child care provided
Sunday, 9 March 7 - 9
Carole Katz
290 Pleasant St, No.207, Watertown
Thursday, 13 March 7 - 9
Kathy & David Warren
27 Constitution Rd, Lexington
Friday, 14 March 7 - 9
Bob Shay & Marianne Collins (Missy away)
139 Russell Ave, Watertown
Saturday, 15 March 5.30-7.30
Andrea Greenwood, Mark Harris, hosts
FPW Social Hall, child care provided
Sunday, 16 March 7 - 9
Martha Scott & David Morrison
33 Green St, Watertown
We are grateful to those church members who have offered to host a dinner at their homes already. So for the rest of us, all that is left to do is to sign up, show up and participate!
To reserve your dinner spot, contact John Portz at jportz@rcn.com to indicate which dinner you can attend. Please do not contact the hosts directly at this time.
Annual Dinner & Talent Show
We will conclude our pledging season and celebrate by gathering together for The First Parish Annual Dinner & Talent Show on Saturday 5 April at the church. This will be a full-scale pot-luck dinner (no leftovers!) with featured entertainment and skits from many talented and lively members and friends of the First Parish community.
Things to do:
- Check your calendars today and reserve the dates.
- Select a Canvass Dinner that fits your schedule and contact John Portz (jportz@rcn.com) directly to reserve a spot for yourself.
- Think about your connection and commitment to The First Parish of Watertown and get ready to engage with your fellow members of the congregation.
We invite you to contact any of us on the 2008 Canvass Committee for more information or with any queries:
Bob Shay - rpshay@gmail.com
Michael Collins - frenchcollins@comcast.net
John Portz -jportz@rcn.com
Making a Mark
In the past few weeks, I have begun to contemplate the end of my divinity school career. It seems only yesterday that I opened up the catalogue of classes and tried sorting through the subjects I thought were interesting or necessary, over and above what was required. Strangely, Harvard did not require too many things. There were broad topics, but few specifics. So I dug into the dauntingly thick book and culled things out by disinterest, prior experience and (sadly) meeting too early or too often.
What would comparative theology be like? It was quite engaging, comparing Roman Catholicism and Hinduism. How about Christian Ethics? It was taught from an “old school” perspective and it was surprisingly enjoyable for that reason. Sometimes my classes would drift murkily along into absolute relativism, which is interesting for opening one’s perspectives but maddening because you never really learn anything. Getting back into a school environment as a student, I was a bit rusty, but like riding a bike I was able to get back into the school groove.
And then, there was Latin. There are some classes that life skills and previous research training fit into seamlessly. There are others that make you feel like a rank idiot. Latin was my challenge, my cross to bear, and I struggled through it for three semesters. I cannot help but think there is some benevolent spirit in the universe that allowed me to pass this graduation requirement, albeit without aplomb. That benevolent force may have taken the form of my professors, for which I will be eternally grateful to Zack and Beverly. Salute.
I have no remaining requirements, which afforded me the opportunity to factor into my schedule my required chaplaincy service at a hospital. This is a hard course of training in the abstract and in my case it is most challenging because I was assigned the intensive care unit and the emergency room. I am learning to pray extemporaneously with people and that is rather hard for a man who grew up with Catholic prayers set into my brain and then turned UU where praying is not always the mode of religious engagement. I am adjusting to this new way of approaching people but it is difficult to invoke a greater power in the face of chronic illness or traumatic experience. It can feel artificial and forced. Sometimes it is just about being there and showing that another person in the world cares.
This new lens of experience leads me to think carefully about my choice of classes. Do I take the Buddhist scripture course? This will give me a perspective on a way of thinking about the universe outside of the classically Western model. Do I study preaching styles in African American traditions? This will provide a more emotive foundation for my preaching and a look into the experiences of Black religious in America. Do I take a liberal theology course? Following the lines of philosophical thinking that culminated in our UU tradition, this will ground me in the trajectory of liberal thought and allow me to place myself along its pathway. Do I make the eminently practical decision of fitting in a class that will not drive me completely insane as I gear up for graduation? That is becoming the leading contender.
My main hope is to have a last few months with my classmates, nurturing the important relationships and friendships I have developed along the way. There is of course another place from which I will have to consider leaving in the not too distant future, but I will procrastinate on that topic until another day.
Mark C.
Greeters Schedule for 2007 – 2008
Below is the schedule for the remainder of the year for Greeters. Your willingness to take on the task is very much appreciated by our entire congregation. You will also get an email or mail reminder 2 weeks ahead of your date.
February 3 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
February 10 Cornelia Janke & Goyo Carvajal
February 17 TBA
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
Adult RE
Are you interested in Adult RE programs at First Parish? An ad-hoc Adult RE subcommittee will be meeting on Monday, February 4 at 7:30pm to talk about the adult RE programming at First Parish. If you have ideas about programming you’d like to see, general comments about the subject, or interest in attending this meeting, please speak to Roberta or Mark soon.
Cape Cod summer rental available
A wonderful opportunity for a quiet retreat in a fully equipped single level Cape style home in Wellfleet. The house is located on the bayside and has a large deck overlooking a salt marsh. It sleeps 6 in three bedrooms and has a queen sleeper in the living room. Take advantage of beautiful Wellfleet beaches or the National Seashore with access to fishing, clamming, nature walks, whale watches, art galleries and more.
It is available for 2 inseason weeks 7/19, and 7/26, as well as Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend and other offseason times. Call Nancy Dutton or David Benson at 617-926-9254 or email ndutton@msn.com. for more details and pictures.
Images of China : The New, the Old, and the Disappearing
by FPW member Anne Harrington
A native of Arlington, MA, and a graduate of Regis College and the Universities of Maryland and Virginia, Anne developed a serious interest in photography beginning in 1997. During the two years that she taught English at Shanghai University in Shanghai, China (2002-2004), Anne photographed people, places, and life in and around Shanghai. She also had the opportunity to travel and photograph beyond Shanghai. Her trips, frequently on her own, included Hong Kong, Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Lijiang, and other less well-known locations. Anne photographed what she saw from the perspective of an expatriate teacher living and working in China. One theme that emerged in her photographs was the impact of a “rising China” on daily life in Shanghai and the disappearing “old” China. Some of these images are featured in her current exhibit at Watertown Library. The exhibit runs from Feb 2-29th.
Images of China: the New, the Old, and the Disappearing Digital Slide Presentation: Sunday, February 24, 2008, Watertown Library, Watertown Savings Bank room
The presentation will start at 2 p.m.
Anne continues to photograph and exhibit and looks forward to her next trip to Asia.
The Devil Came on Horse Back
The Devil Came on Horse Back, a film that exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur, Sudan, as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it. Using the photographs and testimony of former Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens. The film showing is at Studio Cinema in Belmont on Sunday, March 2 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. A $5.00 donation is requested. The film will be followed by a speaker from the Mass. Coalition to Save Darfur. Among the co-sponsors are : Amnesty International, World in Watertown and WCES.
The Spiritual Life and Faith Development of Unitarian Universalist Parents
Parents want to know how to talk with their children about their beliefs, their faith development and their spiritual life as Unitarian Universalists. This workshop will provide you with the opportunity to articulate your beliefs and share what you choose with other parents who are looking for the same help. You will learn how to carry this experience back to your congregation to help more parents engage with their own journey faith and with that of their children. Parents, DRE’s, ministers, and lay leaders are encouraged to attend.
Led by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth M. Strong, Mass Bay RE Program Consultant, this workshop will be held on Tuesday, February 12, at First Parish in Arlington, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $7.00 and can be paid for at the event. A light dessert and coffee will be served.
Mass Bay District Annual Meeting to be held Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Massachusetts Bay District of UU Churches has planned a new kind of Annual Meeting. Of course, the business of the district must be done- but there's no reason we can't have fun doing it! Instead of sandwiching the Annual Meeting in the midst of a spring conference, we would like to invite you to a dinner in your honor, for you are the people who do the work of our UU movement, on Sunday, April 13, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the First Parish in Concord, MA. If you are interested in being a delegate, please speak to Mark or Martha Scott.
Chocolate Sing -a -Long
A Dessert Potluck on Saturday, February 9, 7-9 p.m.
Come Sing and Eat Away the Winter Blues
Bring instrument and/or voice and
a Chocolate Dessert to Share
All are Welcome!
Arbella
February 2008
Sermon and Worship Services
Sunday, February 3, 2008
“The Healing Community”
Mark W. Harris
This has been a year when many of our parishioners have had to deal with serious illnesses. Others have chronic pain. Some of this pain is related to an illness, and some of the pain is more psychic from dealing with an ongoing life situation related to illness or grief. Christianity may have taught those of us who were reared in the faith that suffering is redemptive, but is that true in any way? Some thoughts on healing within the community when pain seems ongoing. Youth choir will sing.
Greeters: Nancy Dutton and David Benson
Social Hour: Martha Scott and David Morrison
Sunday, February 10, 2008
"Switching Heads" Andrea Greenwood
At the service auction this past fall, Roger and Judy Kamm purchased a sermon, and asked that I talk about my trip to India. Being a very structured writer with a somewhat busy calendar of family obligations, I tried to get a head start on planning this service. So far, I have five different false starts. Could it be I need to get out of my head? Could it be that is the point of a passage to India? Come to church; we'll find out together!
Greeters: Cornelia Janke and Goyo Carvajal
Social Hour: Kyle Hart and Joanna Swift Hart
Sunday, February 17, 2008
“Heroes and History” Mark W. Harris
Some years ago I tried to start an anniversary Sunday to acknowledge the birthday of the church. Although First Parish was founded in July 1630, we legally became Unitarian in February. This will be an intergenerational service. Please think about what great US history or UU event you would add to a timeline. Do you have an object that reflects this event that you would like to share? For example, the event is the Woodstock Festival, and you have your original ticket. Also do you have a favorite song of historical significance you could sing for us? Come share your historical event, object and/or song with us!
Greeters: TBA
Social Hour: Julie Miller and Paul Dansereau
Sunday, February 24, 2008
“Extraordinary Knowings” Mark Harris
A few months back FPW member Jeanne Cleary said she was reading an amazing book called Extraordinary Knowing. This was an examination of various kinds of intuitive ways of understanding things that went beyond our usual rational, or scientific ways of knowing. Sometimes we are embarrassed as rational UUs to share these “odd” ways of knowing with others for fear of being called crazy. Who among us has experienced these extraordinary ways?
Greeters: Norah and Paul Day
Social Hour: Sue Kuder, Channing Mendelsohn and Anna Knight
Captain’s Log
February is usually remembered as Black History month. Unitarians and Universalists have historically had few persons of color among our membership. Yet many of the events that we might mark for black history month have played a significant role in our UU history. Key figures like Theodore Parker (trained as a minister here), Thomas Wentworth Higginson, and Samuel Gridley Howe (think Perkins School for the Blind) were among the Secret Six (supporters of John Brown in his fight to end slavery). The abolition of slavery was a key issue for many UUs. John Quincy Adams was a vital person as he argued against slavery in the US House of Representatives. A century later, in the Civil Rights era, two UUs were murdered in Alabama in 1965. These tragedies helped lead to the Voting Rights Act. Historical examples may inspire us to be courageous in the battles for justice that lie ahead. This month I invite you to share what historical events have inspired you. Share those with your children, and put them on the timeline we create at the intergenerational service on February 17. Please share who your heroes are, and bring an artifact or even a costume item that recalls their life.
The life and witness of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continues to be a source of inspiration and example. This is always vividly remembered here in Watertown, when we commemorate MLK Day with the Unity Breakfast. I counted 52 First Parish people (38 adults and 14 children and youth), who supported this effort (four youth were doing childcare). This was the first time the breakfast had ever been a fund raiser. We sent $4,000 on to Liz Walker to support her efforts to build a school in Akon in southern Sudan for girls who have been victims of the genocide in Darfur. A portion of this $4,000 is the $480 we collected in church on MLK Sunday. I have always been active in the Unity Breakfast, and was especially pleased this year to have our largest turnout (approx. 450) ever, along with the support for a greater cause. It is also a day when youth – through singing, essay contest and awards, are seen as the bearers of Dr. King’s message in the years ahead. It is the way history works. We tell the stories of our lives, and our vision, and we hope the young people take those up stories of longing, and fulfill the dreams we have for peace and justice in the world. I want to thank all the First Parish folk who supported the breakfast in any way. Sue Kuder and Kathy Button served on the committee, and Will Twombly, as a World in Watertown pillar, was a key figure, too. Many others helped set up and serve, including our FPW newcomer Chuck Dickinson. Carole Katz at Watertown Savings Bank has always helped us with PR and general community advocacy. I was also relieved to have Michael McCarthy take care of sound and AV needs.
Now we look forward to the second half of our church year. Our canvass is just around the corner in the month of March, but this month you will have a chance to sign up for one of the dinners. Don’t miss out on the great food and fellowship! ALSO - Please stay tuned for more on new chairs for the meetinghouse, and our Green Sanctuary efforts. I also want to remind members and friends of the Committee on Ministry. Three members of the church sit down with me on a regular basis to discuss the overall ministry of the church. They are also the committee responsible for my salary adjustments and evaluation. If you have any questions or concerns about the ministry, I am always happy to hear those, but if you wish to speak to someone on the committee the members are Stephen Gustin, chair; Judy Kamm and John Gorman. You can find contact info in the church directory.
In the months ahead I will also be looking for three volunteers to serve on a short term basis to interview prospective student ministers. As noted in Mark C.’s column, he will be ending his educational career (including his two year internship with us) in the coming months. We will need a new student for the next two years. I would welcome any feed back you might have on the student ministry program. Please let me know if you wish to be on the interview committee.
In February we mark Valentine’s Day as a calendar date where we tell our loved ones how much they mean to us. On February 9 we will sing our love, and eat chocolate together at a dessert potluck. Let me jump the gun a little and say how much I appreciate your efforts in supporting the ministry of the church. I see how you respond to each other with love and care, and show much love in your thoughts and prayers and great hugs for those who need support. I have also seen your love for those in need. Whether it is the Obyat family close at hand, or the programs beyond arms length such as UUSC Guest at Your Table or Liz Walker’s new school in the Sudan, you have opened your hearts and given generous gifts to those in need. Thanks for all the love you show, it is truly the “religious” foundation of our community. As history tells us, we become loving and generous, when those who are loving and generous show us the way.
Mark
Green Sanctuary Plans
The Green Sanctuary Committee has been working diligently towards the long-term goal of being accredited by the UU Ministry for Earth as a Green Sanctuary. A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. There are numerous steps along the way. Once of the most important is giving you a chance to get involved!
After consulting with the other committees of FPW, we now have a working draft of the 12 action items that will be our focus going forward. It is now time that we turn to you, the congregation, to ask for your participation to make them a reality.
On March 9, the service will, in part, include a segment outlining our plan and how you can get involved. There are numerous opportunities to work on short or long term projects – whatever will fit your schedule! A general description of each project follows. Take a look, see what peaks your interest and then let us know how you’d like to help!
Worship and Celebration Projects
1. Integrate an on-going program of marking the seasons in our regular church services (e.g., summer solstice)
2. Conduct periodic environmental action services (at least one per year)
Religious Education Projects
3. Develop an Environmental Resource Center for loaning books/films/power monitors/etc., and to serve as a source for answers to questions (ie. Is it better to wash mugs in the dishwasher or use disposable cups? What do I do with my spent batteries?)
4. Hold Environmental Fairs at church and support other educational activities (films, lecture series, Faire on the Square).
5. Sponsor a month-long environmental program for the children’s RE program each year.
Environmental Justice Projects
6. Sponsor clean up programs along the Charles River, starting with a community clean up day, and possibly other pollution reducing initiatives.
7. Provide support and sponsorship for an environmental justice organization (such as Trees for Armenia).
Sustainable Living Projects
8. Sponsor a regular series of Simplicity Circles
9. Work with the town of Watertown, local schools, and local environmental groups to sponsor the Clean Energy Choice program (fundraising to buy a solar electricity system for a school).
10. Define and reduce the Congregation's energy consumption – by sponsoring several initiatives to help the congregation as a whole work toward changing personal energy consumption
11. Define and reduce energy consumption of church itself
12. Define and reduce energy consumption of the bank (on church property), the pre-school (in the church building), and renters who use our space.
If you have any questions, please see one of the committee members: Norah Mulvaney-Day (co-chair), Brian Hebeisen (co-chair), David Morrison, Mike Anctil, Eileen Ryan, Peter Cudhea, Mark Harris, Mark Caggiano, Judi Fitts and Kathy Button.
Charitable Offerings/ Giving Box
Our Charitable offering for February will be for the Watertown Food Pantry. It will be taken on February 17 during the intergenerational service. For January and February the Food Pantry is the recipient of our Giving Box donations. Please bring in your non-perishable food items on any Sunday this month, and especially protein items such as beef stew, tuna fish, canned meats, beans, etc. The food pantry is located at St. John Methodist church, and is open on Tuesdays and Fridays. The church members who pick up bread at Panera on Sundays bring it to St. John’s on Tuesday morning. Please support your local pantry with food and a donation this month.
Our previous collections have been remarkable. Thank you to all FPW members and friends for your generosity. It was noted in Mark’s column that the collection for Liz Walker’s school building project resulted in $480 from our members ($4,000 was sent altogether). Liz was the keynote speaker at the MLK Unity Breakfast. Liz Walker Journey Productions and My Sister’s Keeper are the two organizations raising funds for the construction of the Girls School in the Sudan that Liz is working on in conjunction with the Rev. Dr. Gloria White Hammond. This school is for those girls who are victims of the genocide in the Sudan.
Final totals on our other recent offerings are: UU Service Committee Guest at Your Table grand total : $1,916. Obyat family: final total : $1,832 plus a gift card of unknown amount
Thank you again for your gifts.
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
website for RE families: www.chalicedreamer.net
Five years ago, I interviewed families wondering why they bring their children to First Parish. Almost everyone said “community” as their number one reason. In some ways, it felt comforting to know that community is what people value most about First Parish. Curricula selections, social action work, and intergenerational programming were important, but secondary to community. Since First Parish was already doing community well, I thought it should be pretty easy to please the families here. But five years later, I have to ask … is there anything we can do even better?
Through the years, I have been hearing about “right and healthy relations”. I subconsciously ignored it for a while knowing that it would challenge me more than I was ready for. To me, “right and healthy relations” is our responsibility as religious leaders to expect ultimate respect when it comes to our relationships. This means respect of our selves and respect of others. That’s not as easy as it sounds! As I travel through life, I meet people who seem really good at respecting themselves. They know their needs and are sure to get them taken care of. And I meet other people who seem really good at respecting others. They are extremely careful to notice and take care of the needs of others. But the rare person is the one who can accomplish both of these goals.
In my work with our children and youth, I have witnessed countless examples of attempts to figure this “social” stuff out. I’ve talked to many youth here about my vision that we be a community in which everyone is respected. This is taking several of our UU principles and literally putting them in action. With raw honesty, the kids ask the tricky questions. Some say that they like First Parish so much because their friends are here. They admit that they don’t want to be friends with the other kids. In the past, I’ve responded with my well-known comment, “You don’t have to be friends with everyone at First Parish, but you do have to be friendly.”
I’m thinking about all this carefully and considering what we can do to move closer towards “right and healthy relations”. My “be friendly and respectful to all” catch phrase might sound appropriate, but it doesn’t really work. I’ve heard too many stories of people not feeling respected lately. Youth are fighting with their parents. Kids are saying mean things about each other. Children are getting excluded from a clique. And while these tell of stories involving kids, there are also plenty of disrespect tales involving just us adults.
To make matters more serious for me, three people I love are battling cancer. When you or a loved one fights cancer, you realize how precious life truly is. What is really important? For me, it really comes down to my relationships. In the big picture of life, it doesn’t matter how much money I make or how often I take a day off from work … but it does matter what kind of person I am. Do people feel good or bad after spending time with me? Do I inspire anyone to help make our world a better place? Do I make a positive difference for anyone?
I used to think it was okay to just be a good person. Being respectful most of the time was good enough for me. But it’s time to strive for something even better! Messages in society (from school playgrounds to the media we take in) project messages that it’s normal to not respect one another. Those examples of disrespect I listed two paragraphs ago … I see them all normalized too frequently. As we, Unitarian Universalists, do so well with some other issues, we need to open our eyes and think for ourselves. What is right? How should we act? How should we treat one another?
We must protect and nurture our beloved community here by challenging our selves to be sure that all of our interactions are right and healthy. Does everyone who walks through our door feel truly respected and valued? I hope we can move towards being a religious home in which this is sincerely true for everyone here!
Meetings at the Moon for pre-teens (boys and girls) with their parents
With the fabulous success of a group last year for pre-teen girls and their moms named after a curricula we followed, we are going to continue the spirit of healthy connection but to a broader circle. We will be hosting monthly gatherings to help open up communication in our homes. This month’s gathering will be Sunday, February 10th at 1pm. Come enjoy a pizza lunch together as we talk about “when are you ready to be home alone”. Youth and adults will have the opportunity to let go of societal messages and value what we believe is right as we talk about our fears, concerns, and successes relating to this important subject.
Pasta Dinner sponsored by the Youth Group to benefit Invisible Children
You and your family are invited to join the Youth Group for a pasta dinner sponsoring the Invisible Children Inc., a non-profit, grassroots, youth lead organization that helps children that are victims of a 20 year old genocide in Uganda. Come eat dinner and watch a documentary about the organization you are helping. While you’re watching the documentary, responsible members of the youth group will safely watch your children.
Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 at 6pm
Suggested Minimum donation: $10 adults, $5 kids under 12 *Please RSVP by February 10th at Social Hour and support an organization that needs your help.
Sunny Bunny Pals are coming!
Easter is early this year and so will be the arrival of some Sunny Bunny Pals to spread warmth throughout our community. Pals are folks of any age who wish to secretly share some good wishes with someone this season (and receive good wishes from another Pal). This involves sending two cards in the mail during March and then bringing a small homemade gift to your pal on Easter Sunday. To build intergenerational connection, we try to match Pals of different ages. To sign up, contact Kelly Morton at kyskel@gmail.com by Sunday, March 2 at Social Hour.
Getting Organized! Support group
Join us on Tuesday, February 26 at 7:30pm as we share different strategies for getting more organized. With the popular success of the “Fly Lady” as our inspiration, we will seriously consider what will really work for each of us. We know most of us don’t appreciate being “told what to do” … so what strategies honor who we are as people enough that they can really inspire us to get more organized. Join us and find out!
Popcorn Theology for Youth and Adults
On Sunday, February 24th from 6pm to 9pm: Youth Group sponsored intergenerational movie screening and discussion. You are invited to bring your dinner or dessert to munch on while we watch the movie.
Breakfast Chat: Teaching Strategies for R.E. groups
On the second Sunday of every month, we are pleased to host monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Sunday, February 10th at 9:30am, Charlyn Bethell will lead a workshop and chat on “teaching strategies for R.E. groups”.
Plan ahead for March Book discussion …
The Breakfast Chat in March will be on “The Gift of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children” by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar. We have copies of the book … see Roberta if you wish to borrow a copy to read.
Saves the dates:
Coming on March 29, April 6, and April 13 (in the afternoon), a fascinating discussion group on “The Question of God”. Guided by a PBS video and discussion guide that contrasts the writings of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, we will explore some fascinating topics. This is exciting, as we have found some excellent sources to consider.
*YUM! Sing-along and Chocolate
Saturday, Feb. 9th from 7 - 9 PM *
Have you got the mid-winter blues? Do you think Spring is just too far behind this year?
Cheer up! Come join us for an inter-generational potluck dessert gathering. Please bring a chocolate dessert item, and songs that will make you smile, and believe in summer again. Bring your guitar, banjo, recorder, drum, your musician friends, or just your voice to share with us, along with some awesome chocolate item to share. Maybe we can get some ideas for performing at our dinner and talent show on April 5.
Please eat dinner before you come (unless the chocolate is your dinner!) We’ll meet downstairs from 7 – 9 PM. Please let us know if you plan to come. RSVP : email to fpwatertown@comcast.net, or call the church, (617) 924-6143.
Religious Education Committee
All the Religious Education classes had their first-ever fire drill! We practiced safety by
evacuating to a designated place (the lawn in front of the bank). We are happy that all in our program feel a bit safer now!
We are hard at work choosing a "green" curriculum for April to meet our goal of being consistent with the church goals of heightening our awareness of the needs of the earth.
We need to study the use of space for RE classes, as we continue to feel the need for
more!
“It ain’t easy being Green”
Our 2008 Canvass Kick-Off
There are many ways to be “green” and the members of First Parish are working together as a community to develop our own environmentally responsible profile across a broad range of activities. The notions driving our recent Green Sanctuary efforts are intrinsic to what our Parish is all about as a general matter and so they can play out in a variety of ways.
David Morrison recently shared a story with the congregation that illustrates this point.
This past summer lightning stuck an old-growth maple tree on the front lawn of Chris & Ken’s house lot. The damaged tree was cut down; Chris & Ken had the wood cut to firewood-sized pieces and made it available to our Parish Youth Group. The Youth Group sold the firewood as a fund-raiser. The Youth Group then used the money it raised to make a donation to a community services group. Now that’s “recycling” – transformative and multi-generational energy all put to worthy purposes in our own community !
Our “people power” is a vital energy source which has proven to be renewable and self-sustaining, with a minimum of “pollution” (and although our discussions may produce a lot of “hot air” we manage to absorb it and recycle it somehow, at the very least as “compost” for new ideas…..). Lest we torture the metaphor any further, let’s consider another source of “green fuel” that complements our people power fuel – our fund-raising efforts through the Annual Canvass.
Let the 2008 Canvass begin !!
Yes, it is time again to turn our attention to the need to support and sustain First Parish as an active, thriving community through our commitment of financial resources. Canvass also provides an occasion for us all to consider what First Parish means to each of us, what our goals should be going forward, and how best to achieve them.
Here is the basic schedule:
Canvass Sunday 3 February
Mark Harris will help us “get in the mood”
Canvass Skit Sunday 10 February
Paul Day is fresh off the writers’ strike
Ongoing Sundays Informal sessions with Canvass Committee members after church
Canvass Dinners
We will hold a series of Canvass potluck dinners hosted by various members at their homes (and 2 at the church social hall), where you can enjoy each other’s company, share your experiences and ideas, and sample some fine food (who knew there were so many varieties of lentil and tofu dishes!?) and maybe even some good wine. These dinners are “pot luck” type, so you can bring your own favorite dish to share or consult with your host to coordinate as you like.
We hope these “circle supper” dinners will promote your renewed commitment to First Parish and encourage you to make a pledge in support of the church for the coming year’s programs and operations At each dinner we will have a fellow church member to facilitate discussions. Towards the end of the dinner event you are asked to fill out a pledge card or make another indication of your interest in support of First Parish. The Canvass Dinners have been quite successful and provided enjoyable occasions for many of our members to refresh and make new connections with First Parish.
We have scheduled Canvass Dinners on a number of different dates with a view to making it possible for you to attend and participate. Here is the current schedule:
Place & Host Date Time
Thursday, 6 March 7 - 9
Guy Urban & Charlyn Bethel
1034 Belmont St, Watertown
Friday, 7 March 7 - 9
Johanna Erickson
48 Chester St, Watertown
Saturday, 8 March 6 - 8
Eric Chipman as special host
FPW Social Hall, child care provided
Sunday, 9 March 7 - 9
Carole Katz
290 Pleasant St, No.207, Watertown
Thursday, 13 March 7 - 9
Kathy & David Warren
27 Constitution Rd, Lexington
Friday, 14 March 7 - 9
Bob Shay & Marianne Collins (Missy away)
139 Russell Ave, Watertown
Saturday, 15 March 5.30-7.30
Andrea Greenwood, Mark Harris, hosts
FPW Social Hall, child care provided
Sunday, 16 March 7 - 9
Martha Scott & David Morrison
33 Green St, Watertown
We are grateful to those church members who have offered to host a dinner at their homes already. So for the rest of us, all that is left to do is to sign up, show up and participate!
To reserve your dinner spot, contact John Portz at jportz@rcn.com to indicate which dinner you can attend. Please do not contact the hosts directly at this time.
Annual Dinner & Talent Show
We will conclude our pledging season and celebrate by gathering together for The First Parish Annual Dinner & Talent Show on Saturday 5 April at the church. This will be a full-scale pot-luck dinner (no leftovers!) with featured entertainment and skits from many talented and lively members and friends of the First Parish community.
Things to do:
- Check your calendars today and reserve the dates.
- Select a Canvass Dinner that fits your schedule and contact John Portz (jportz@rcn.com) directly to reserve a spot for yourself.
- Think about your connection and commitment to The First Parish of Watertown and get ready to engage with your fellow members of the congregation.
We invite you to contact any of us on the 2008 Canvass Committee for more information or with any queries:
Bob Shay - rpshay@gmail.com
Michael Collins - frenchcollins@comcast.net
John Portz -jportz@rcn.com
Making a Mark
In the past few weeks, I have begun to contemplate the end of my divinity school career. It seems only yesterday that I opened up the catalogue of classes and tried sorting through the subjects I thought were interesting or necessary, over and above what was required. Strangely, Harvard did not require too many things. There were broad topics, but few specifics. So I dug into the dauntingly thick book and culled things out by disinterest, prior experience and (sadly) meeting too early or too often.
What would comparative theology be like? It was quite engaging, comparing Roman Catholicism and Hinduism. How about Christian Ethics? It was taught from an “old school” perspective and it was surprisingly enjoyable for that reason. Sometimes my classes would drift murkily along into absolute relativism, which is interesting for opening one’s perspectives but maddening because you never really learn anything. Getting back into a school environment as a student, I was a bit rusty, but like riding a bike I was able to get back into the school groove.
And then, there was Latin. There are some classes that life skills and previous research training fit into seamlessly. There are others that make you feel like a rank idiot. Latin was my challenge, my cross to bear, and I struggled through it for three semesters. I cannot help but think there is some benevolent spirit in the universe that allowed me to pass this graduation requirement, albeit without aplomb. That benevolent force may have taken the form of my professors, for which I will be eternally grateful to Zack and Beverly. Salute.
I have no remaining requirements, which afforded me the opportunity to factor into my schedule my required chaplaincy service at a hospital. This is a hard course of training in the abstract and in my case it is most challenging because I was assigned the intensive care unit and the emergency room. I am learning to pray extemporaneously with people and that is rather hard for a man who grew up with Catholic prayers set into my brain and then turned UU where praying is not always the mode of religious engagement. I am adjusting to this new way of approaching people but it is difficult to invoke a greater power in the face of chronic illness or traumatic experience. It can feel artificial and forced. Sometimes it is just about being there and showing that another person in the world cares.
This new lens of experience leads me to think carefully about my choice of classes. Do I take the Buddhist scripture course? This will give me a perspective on a way of thinking about the universe outside of the classically Western model. Do I study preaching styles in African American traditions? This will provide a more emotive foundation for my preaching and a look into the experiences of Black religious in America. Do I take a liberal theology course? Following the lines of philosophical thinking that culminated in our UU tradition, this will ground me in the trajectory of liberal thought and allow me to place myself along its pathway. Do I make the eminently practical decision of fitting in a class that will not drive me completely insane as I gear up for graduation? That is becoming the leading contender.
My main hope is to have a last few months with my classmates, nurturing the important relationships and friendships I have developed along the way. There is of course another place from which I will have to consider leaving in the not too distant future, but I will procrastinate on that topic until another day.
Mark C.
Greeters Schedule for 2007 – 2008
Below is the schedule for the remainder of the year for Greeters. Your willingness to take on the task is very much appreciated by our entire congregation. You will also get an email or mail reminder 2 weeks ahead of your date.
February 3 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
February 10 Cornelia Janke & Goyo Carvajal
February 17 TBA
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
Adult RE
Are you interested in Adult RE programs at First Parish? An ad-hoc Adult RE subcommittee will be meeting on Monday, February 4 at 7:30pm to talk about the adult RE programming at First Parish. If you have ideas about programming you’d like to see, general comments about the subject, or interest in attending this meeting, please speak to Roberta or Mark soon.
Cape Cod summer rental available
A wonderful opportunity for a quiet retreat in a fully equipped single level Cape style home in Wellfleet. The house is located on the bayside and has a large deck overlooking a salt marsh. It sleeps 6 in three bedrooms and has a queen sleeper in the living room. Take advantage of beautiful Wellfleet beaches or the National Seashore with access to fishing, clamming, nature walks, whale watches, art galleries and more.
It is available for 2 inseason weeks 7/19, and 7/26, as well as Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend and other offseason times. Call Nancy Dutton or David Benson at 617-926-9254 or email ndutton@msn.com. for more details and pictures.
Images of China : The New, the Old, and the Disappearing
by FPW member Anne Harrington
A native of Arlington, MA, and a graduate of Regis College and the Universities of Maryland and Virginia, Anne developed a serious interest in photography beginning in 1997. During the two years that she taught English at Shanghai University in Shanghai, China (2002-2004), Anne photographed people, places, and life in and around Shanghai. She also had the opportunity to travel and photograph beyond Shanghai. Her trips, frequently on her own, included Hong Kong, Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Lijiang, and other less well-known locations. Anne photographed what she saw from the perspective of an expatriate teacher living and working in China. One theme that emerged in her photographs was the impact of a “rising China” on daily life in Shanghai and the disappearing “old” China. Some of these images are featured in her current exhibit at Watertown Library. The exhibit runs from Feb 2-29th.
Images of China: the New, the Old, and the Disappearing Digital Slide Presentation: Sunday, February 24, 2008, Watertown Library, Watertown Savings Bank room
The presentation will start at 2 p.m.
Anne continues to photograph and exhibit and looks forward to her next trip to Asia.
The Devil Came on Horse Back
The Devil Came on Horse Back, a film that exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur, Sudan, as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it. Using the photographs and testimony of former Marine Captain Brian Steidle, the film takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens. The film showing is at Studio Cinema in Belmont on Sunday, March 2 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. A $5.00 donation is requested. The film will be followed by a speaker from the Mass. Coalition to Save Darfur. Among the co-sponsors are : Amnesty International, World in Watertown and WCES.
The Spiritual Life and Faith Development of Unitarian Universalist Parents
Parents want to know how to talk with their children about their beliefs, their faith development and their spiritual life as Unitarian Universalists. This workshop will provide you with the opportunity to articulate your beliefs and share what you choose with other parents who are looking for the same help. You will learn how to carry this experience back to your congregation to help more parents engage with their own journey faith and with that of their children. Parents, DRE’s, ministers, and lay leaders are encouraged to attend.
Led by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth M. Strong, Mass Bay RE Program Consultant, this workshop will be held on Tuesday, February 12, at First Parish in Arlington, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. The cost of the workshop is $7.00 and can be paid for at the event. A light dessert and coffee will be served.
Mass Bay District Annual Meeting to be held Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Massachusetts Bay District of UU Churches has planned a new kind of Annual Meeting. Of course, the business of the district must be done- but there's no reason we can't have fun doing it! Instead of sandwiching the Annual Meeting in the midst of a spring conference, we would like to invite you to a dinner in your honor, for you are the people who do the work of our UU movement, on Sunday, April 13, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the First Parish in Concord, MA. If you are interested in being a delegate, please speak to Mark or Martha Scott.
Chocolate Sing -a -Long
A Dessert Potluck on Saturday, February 9, 7-9 p.m.
Come Sing and Eat Away the Winter Blues
Bring instrument and/or voice and
a Chocolate Dessert to Share
All are Welcome!
Arbella - January 2008 Newsletter
First Parish of Watertown
Arbella
January 2008
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, January 6, 2008
“The Bible and Religious Liberals” Mark W. Harris (Postponed due to snow)
In November I led a session for the RE Committee on why I think we should have Biblically literate children. We could ask the same question of adults. Centuries ago, people became Unitarian or Universalist because of what they read in the Bible. Since then we have moved to embrace many scriptures, but we recently celebrated the old Christmas story Is it habit or merely tradition to celebrate some Bible stories, or do we find true meaning in them?
Music: Ed Harney, trumpet
Greeters: Karen Allendoerfer & Sue Demb
Social Hour Nancy Dutton & David Benson
Sunday, January 13, 2008
“Single Minded Salvation” Mark Harris
Over the Christmas holidays a teenager was killed by a driver who was text messaging. There is an effort in the legislature to make it illegal to use cell phones while driving. The list of other things people do while driving is outrageous. Why can’t we stick to paying attention to what we are doing? Multi-tasking makes us think of how much we can get done, but it ends up that we don’t do anything well.
Greeters: Djalai Babazadeh & Steven Gustin
Social Hour: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Sunday, January 20, 2008
“Caught Between Freedom and Privilege”
Mark W. Harris
The Founders of our nation are being depicted as religious zealots by the evangelical right, when they actually were mostly religious liberals. They helped establish a constitution which affirmed the separation of church and state. Yet the religious liberals here in Massachusetts in the 1780’s affirmed both a state religion and freedom of conscience, thus supporting an irreconcilable conflict. Could it be that this inner conflict continues to plague Unitarian Universalism?
Music: Guy Urban
Greeters: Barbara Beck and Kathy Button
Social Hour: Sue Demb and Wendell Refior
Sunday, January 27, 2008
“Enough” Mark Caggiano
I will explore the idea of simplicity and what it means to exist more simply in a complicated world of busy calendars and overstuffed lives.
Music: Charlyn Bethell plays with Patty
Greeters: Bobbie Brown and Mathilde Duffy
Social Hour:
Tesi Kohlenbeg & Tom Goodwillie
Captain’s Log
I hope everyone had nice, relaxing holidays. Thanks to all of who who extended holiday greetings our way. Many people I spoke to remarked on how they had survived the holidays without incident. That seems like low expectations, but for those of us who are parents the fact that nobody cried or fought too much is a significant victory. We got through.
As I write this column I am reflecting upon surviving a series of nightmares with various appliance and service companies. I could sum it up by saying what a frustrating process it is dealing with these companies, and it seemingly takes all of our patience and good will in order to survive. The other day one of my neighbors and I were sharing appliance nightmare stories. His was a dryer, and mine was a dishwasher, now thankfully working, at least for the moment.
In brief, Maytag informed me that I was part of a recall, then not, and then wrote again saying that I was. In between I received a replacement part that was suppose to be an easy fix that I was under the impression I could do myself. It turns out there was suppose to be a letter arriving around the same time as the part telling me who to call to fix it, but the letter never arrived. I tried to call appliance repair places, and they all said no, call Maytag. Finally when I got the right part (they eventually sent two), the letter, and the right repair service, they installed the part, only to have it blow out the electrical board on the machine.
Back to square one. In the meantime, Andrea had put it back together once, and it was working. But I was trying to do the right thing, and follow their instructions. Of course when they tell you once you are part of a recall, and then again, not. It is a little confusing. I am not even mentioning the number of recordings I got over the phone. Well, you get the picture.
There are so many instances today when you are seemingly on your own. The other day I went to Home Depot, and was about the ask a store clerk a question, when she in turn asked me in a frenzy of looking around, “Do you know what a threaded pipe is?” While I explained what I thought it was and where it might be in her store, she raced off. I finally gave up, and decided to look for what I needed. I felt this same way for a Comcast customer the other day when the person in the office on Main Street shoved a cable box, and a bunch of wires at him and said, “Here you go,” and the poor guy asked if they would come and hook it up, but the clerk said, “No, that is your job, and oh, Good luck!”
This of course brings me to my current nightmare, and why I was in the Comcast office in the first place. This is the digital phone, TV and internet hook up with Comcast. That is the hook up that never seems to work. It is the on again, off again service. It must be what it is like to live in the rest of the world where sometimes the electricity is on and sometimes it is off. Welcome to the future. Before you label me overly pessimistic, and unable to give you hope for the future in 2008 and beyond, let me assure you that we are hanging in. I have listened to my wife who assures me that it is better to find workable solutions rather than get angry and fly off the handle. How long can I be patient searching for a workable solution? I made several calls to supervisors who are vacation, had technicians come who don’t know any more than I do, and ended up with assurances of a free month of service, even though it may never work for a full month running. Help!
But you know what? It will work eventually. The world will not end. It is crazy to end up with high blood pressure over such inane things. Dear church members if you need to find me, come get me. You can usually find me at church or home, or if not, I will be there soon. Please be understanding if my phone or internet do not work. I am trying. In the end if these experiences remind me how alone we are in terms of diagnosing and fixing problems, then it is sending me a very direct message of how much we need church. Where would I be without someone to share my problems with? Where would I be without some assurance from a dear parishioner that despite all my frustrations with the world, that things will get better? It will be all right. You can scream! You can get angry! OR You can slowly try to work out a solution. You can slowly try to figure out what you can do to make it better. You can be patient. Eventually the dish washer will work (it does), and the internet, too (not yet). I am assured that tomorrow will be better. Why it’s a new year already, and it can only improve. Happy New Year! (but in the meantime, contact me at church!)
Mark
E-mails
We often send out all church e-mails, but not everyone is on our e-mail list. This means that we might not be communicating with everyone. Therefore, please note that in the future all e-mails will be posted downstairs on the FPW part of the bulletin boards.
Offerings
Thank you to everyone for your great and good generosity in December. This includes not only Christmas gifts for children at the Grow Clinic, and food items for their pantry, but our other two special offerings as well. The first of these was our annual UU Service Committee Guest at your Table program and Christmas Eve offering. Our preliminary total is $1,866.00. Once again we have outdone ourselves, and reached our highest total ever. We also had a belated special offering for the Obyat family so that they might have more opportunities to communicate with their children back in Jordan. The preliminary total on this offering is $1,707 plus a CVS gift card of undetermined amount. This is again a very generous response to this family’s need to have some means of emotional togetherness at this continuing time of physical separation. We are deeply grateful for your response.
Chairs Are Coming!
Did you think it was our plan to have three different kinds of chairs in the sanctuary indefinitely? Did you ever think people would stop racing to have their very own red chair? Well, the parish committee has made a decision about what chair we hope to buy for the sanctuary - style, fabric, wood tone. It is an attractive, functional, stackable chair that fits all of our criteria. In the coming months you will hear more about this new campaign to buy chairs for the sanctuary. We hope you will choose to participate by buying one or more chairs. We will probably need to purchase about 130-140 chairs, and want to purchase them all at once so the fabric is from the same lot. Watch for further details!
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
website for RE families: www.chalicedreamer.net
Welcome to a New Year! 2008!! It’s amazing how fast time can fly by. In the spirit of the two-faced, Roman God Janus, for whom January was named after, it’s a perfect time for looking forward and backward at the same time. I’ve never been one for making New Year’s resolutions, but I do like to stop during this time to appreciate all the good things in my life, say a hearty goodbye to any challenges from the previous year, and look forward to what good adventures might be coming.
In my professional reflection, I have mostly fabulous information to report from our RE program. Last year at this time, I apprehensively reported that we had 55 children and youth registered in our program and we had average attendance numbers hitting the high 30’s. I was apprehensive because those registration numbers included a family with four children who were still church shopping and the attendance numbers included a good amount of visitors, so I didn’t want folks getting a false sense of our records. But now it is a year later and I’m very pleased to report that these great figures are accurate. We now have 59 children and youth registered in our program. We actually have an average of two children more per week this year than last year’s figures. This is marvelous news! Not only is this registration figure double the one I reported in 2003 during my first year as your DRE, but with one or two new families still visiting, we actually have potential to soon reach 60!
Other awesome news is that we have a real Youth Group this year. With 9 youth members and an average of 6 attending our weekly events, it is awesome to have all this youth energy in our community. They have done a wide variety of activities so far this year including some purely social events, some service projects, some connecting with other UU youth in our district, and some intergenerational activities. It is very nice seeing the group recently connect with the whole community by leading Winter Solstice service, by working with Mark to present the Story-for-all-Ages on Christmas Sunday, and by hosting a birthday party for Abood Obyat. Many more interesting activities are coming this year! Let me know if you’d like to join us for an activity or two.
Speaking of our Youth Group, we were featured in the recent edition of UU Connections newsletter that is published by the UUA. I have to admit that I was initially very modest when they first contacted me for an interview last Fall about our program at the recommendation of someone (who I’m guessing to be Darrick Jackson). I suggested they contact a bigger church that is much more experienced with all this youth work as we are really just starting again. But that’s exactly why they were interested in our story.
In addition to our high school teens, we have a great group of middle school youth about to start the Our Wholes Lives program and looking forward to doing the Coming-of-Age program in the near future. And after them, we have a big group of 5th graders ready to become next year’s middle school group. The days of First Parish’s RE program being heavily lopsided with pre-schoolers are gone. We now have a very nice balance across all the ages! I hope this trend continues …
All this continued growth and activity does bring some challenges. The most significant is space issues. First Parish is a small building and we struggle to have enough space for all of our Sunday morning RE groups to meet. We have come up with workable options so far this year and we will continue to be creative as we figure our meeting space needs, but the community needs to recognize this lack of space issue if we are actively going to continue to grow.
Another challenge is finding volunteers to lead our RE programs. The only reason this hasn’t been as challenging as it could be is that many people have dedicated their time and talents to helping in our Children’s Ministry this year. Some of those people have volunteered every Sunday. While these people are amazing and deserve our thanks, they also need some time off. This is a cooperative program where everyone’s help is needed and we shouldn’t rely on a few generous souls. Have you helped yet? And I’m not just asking parents here! We have a good variety of RE volunteer jobs perfect to match your talents, interests, and skills, so please talk to me soon about how you can help.
Even though I publicly recognize our space and volunteer challenges, I enthusiastically have to follow that with a reminder that this is a wonderful problem to have. Growth is a great thing and we should be very proud of ourselves for being a congregation that welcomes new families! Let’s keep it up this year!!
Social Action Fair
Saturday, January 25th at 10AM
After a great success last year, we will have another Social Action Fair this year on Saturday, January 25 from 10AM to Noon (although participating families should plan to come at 9am to set-up their tables). For it, children and youth are invited to sell their unwanted toys and books for the charity of their choice. Perfect timing … after your kids got new Christmas presents, they can sell the toys they are ready to give up for the charity of their choice. Contact Roberta with questions or to sign up for a table. Even if you aren’t participating, please spread the word to those who might enjoying coming to purchase stuff for charity!
A Much Needed Gift for the Church:
A working videorecorder to document the great skits our kids are creating this year.
Popcorn Theology for Youth and Adults: Erin Brockovich
On Sunday, January 26th from 6pm to 9pm: Youth Group sponsored intergenerational movie screening and discussion. You are invited to bring your dinner or dessert to munch on while we watch the movie. Erin Brockovich is the true story of a working class mom who fights a giant corporation destroying a small town. The movie is rated R (not sure why except there is definitely bad language), so any youth under the age of 17 will need their parent’s permission to see it.
Breakfast Chat: 8 Kinds of Smart
On the second Sunday of every month, we are pleased to host monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Sunday, January 13th at 9:30am, Roberta Altamari will lead a workshop and chat on 8 Kinds of Smart. There are different types of intelligences and knowing your strengths and weaknesses can do wonders for honoring your true self. This workshop is relevant for all adults interested in understanding natural diversity.
Our Whole Lives program news:
If your child is only going to do one sexuality program, this is the one! Our Whole Lives is a unique and wonderful program that covers far more than what a school health class covers .. emotions, spirituality, and respect in all relationships. This year, we will be offering the program for 7th to 9th graders. On Saturday, January 5th at 9am, there will be a very important parent orientation for the Our Whole Lives program. To learn more about the program itself, check out this UUA website link: uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/ourwhole/). The program itself will begin the next day, Sunday, January 6th at 10am and continue to meet at 10am almost all Sundays till May. More details will be available at the orientation.
Adult RE:
Are you interested in Adult RE programs at First Parish? An ad-hoc Adult RE subcommittee will soon be meeting to talk about the adult RE programming at First Parish. If you have ideas about programming you’d like to see, general comments about the subject, or interest in attending this meeting, please speak to Roberta or Mark soon.
Pageant Thank You by Charlyn Bethell
The RE committee celebrates another successful holiday pageant. This year, Celeste Oliva and Kelly Morton worked with Roberta
Altamari and made the pageant feel brand new with the changing cast of characters.
If you wish to see some great pageant pictures, please go to our website, and go to the member page and click on Christmas 2007 pictures. Thanks to Karen Allendoerfer and Kyle Hart for help with this. Please remember that the user name is: fpwatertown, and the password is: arbella.
Many of us shared in a birthday celebration for Abood Obyat. This effort was part of youth group activities and after seeing a movie
with the youth group, Abood was surprised with a gathering in his honor. It was no less than awesome to see Abood so happy and being a part of the youth/church community.
Our Principle Activators will be starting OWL (Our Whole Lives) in January. After taking the training for this curriculum, Lee Pierce and Barry Greess will be leading.
Making a Mark
by Mark J.T. Caggiano, student minister
The following is an excerpt from a paper I wrote regarding the role of religion and religious speech in American democracy. I specifically deal with Pat Robertson in this portion and obliquely end up agreeing with the man (It can be a strange world).
Never one to mince words or to blunt sentiments, the Rev. Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson has expressed in years past his views on the American Constitution:
“The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by the Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian people and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that's what's been happening.”
This is a fascinating yet distressing position if one takes the time to read the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” One might make the mistake of writing the man off as uneducated, or even a howling loon. It would be best not to do so.
Robertson is no illiterate. This is a very wealthy, rather educated man who controlled a Christian media empire and who also happens to question the legitimacy of the participation of non-Christians in the self-governance of America. He has plied the techniques of modern media and has tortured the wording of the First Amendment (i.e. freedom of religion, speech, assembly and even redress) to meet his sectarian goals in a form of intellectual jujitsu.
Christians are ignored, Christians are silenced, Christians are disenfranchised. He fosters a simultaneous sense of personal outrage and elect entitlement among American Christians. They in turn see themselves as religiously oppressed and socially marginalized in a culture of secularism humanism, notwithstanding that Protestants, albeit mainline, have politically dominated the country since its beginnings. Using wedge issues of school prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, flag burning and abortion, Robertson and company can whip the faithful into a frenzy of concern while the forest fires of social problems burn unabated. In his skillful and shameless manner, Robertson even invokes the memory of Thomas Jefferson, a lukewarm Christian at best who literally edited a version of the New Testament to remove all the miracles. Oxymoronically calling himself a “Jeffersonian Conservative,” Robertson harkens back to a distant, perhaps fictitious, time when men were men and Americans were Christians.
Robertson’s manhandling of the Constitution is a dangerous component in this broader strategy. So-called oppressed Christians should be allowed to speak, provided non-Christians duly shut up. Robertson overtly seeks to weaken America as a pluralistic democracy, a country in which one’s religious faith does not preclude or stunt one’s civic involvement. Robertson happily undermines the views of those speaking from a non-religious or non-Christian orientation. Moreover, he presses a sympathetic Congress and President for legislation and judicial appointments that will support a return to a more Christian worldview in America.
Not that everything from this line of thinking should be discarded. When Robertson calls upon America to listen to the Christian, he provides a surprisingly important message, if applied generally. Religion is a hard subject for general discussion, but with sensitivity, fluency and an abundance of patience, it can be a healthy part of our political discussions. The tenor of the debate does not necessarily become any better if the non-religious gain control. Consider the following sentence:
The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by non-religious people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of Christian people and religious people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that's what's been happening.
No group should be forced to the sidelines of our society while the rest decide how the country should function. As Robertson stirs the pot of concern for the Christian, he should not in turn remove non-Christians from the mix altogether. He often begins a sentence as a democrat and ends it a demagogue. But such an exclusionary impulse can be taken too far from any direction. It is hard to proclaim oneself a defender of democracy while simultaneously requiring someone else has to stay out of the discussion.
Religion for many requires faith and that faith may well be in something unknowably vague, beyond reason and certainty. But freedom of speech does merely protect rational speech or speech with which we agree. The right encompasses religious appeals against worldly institutions, from segregation to political correctness. The politician invoking God and country on the floor of the Congress could just as well be fighting from the Left or the Right. And sometimes it is worth a few pokes and prods to realize how perilously easy it is to slip from righting wrongs to being self-righteous.
The Constitution wisely sought to protect people from the social consequences of unpopular convictions. And with such civil liberty also comes a modicum of social discomfort because we have to listen to things we might not otherwise choose to hear. We can always turn off the televangelist or stop watching when the politicians get a bit too preachy. But we should not let them be wholly silenced even when we do not agree with them. Understanding others also requires listening to them, for good and for ill. Democracy is a machine that works better with some friction. We just need to watch out for too much heat on our way to seeing the light.
New Member Biographies
We welcomed ten people to membership on December 9. A wonderful new, large group to get to know! Welcome!
Wendell and Peter joined previously, but could not be here for the spring welcome. Jill and Barbara are former members who came back. Katreena, Larry, Tesi, Tom, Nancy and Meryl are all new members.
Wendell Refior (RAY-fee-or) was born in Iowa and raised a Methodist in Wisconsin. During his college years he started 9 years of part-time and full-time volunteer work studying and teaching lay religious leadership and a secularized version of Christianity, including service in Australia for 2 years. He first joined a UU church in Natick in 1983. Wendell moved to Connecticut for 10 years and then to Worcester before returning to the Boston area in 1998. He was a UU member at Waltham and Arlington First Parishes before coming here. He is a part-time teacher and impersonator of Ralph Waldo Emerson, but earns his living as biometrics programmer for a biotech drug company, Shire Human Genetic Therapies.
Meryl Libbey says: I was born on Guam on the Winter Solstice, and since my father was in the navy, we moved every 3 to 4 years until I left for college. After four years at Harvard, I fulfilled a dream by moving to New York City, where I worked for the city for ten years, leaving as a Deputy Commissioner. I moved back to Boston to complete my Masters in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and worked with nonprofits for the next 15 years. I took a “break” from work for the past two years to follow my passion, writing, and have completed two historical romance novels and have begun a memoir. I begin training in January to become a life coach, my new chosen profession, which is part of my new spiritual path.
Katreena and Larry Carrasco:
Katreena says: I grew up in central NY and moved to Boston when I was 19 to attend college.I bounced around from school to school and met Larry while taking a math course at Boston University and decided to settle down in the Boston area. We have been married for 3 years and recently started the newest chapter of my life called "motherhood" when William arrived 3 months ago. In my spare time I love to cook, read and do various crafts. I have been practicing Wicca for about 8 years and started coming to First Parish about a year ago
looking for a sense of community and found it!
Larry grew up near by in Brighton. He earned a certificate in Bio-Technology from Boston University and met Katreena while attending. We have been married for three years and have 1 child, William, who is three months old. Larry enjoys watching all of the Boston sports teams, reading, and building/fixing things. He started attending First Parish this year with
Katreena.
Peter Cudhea has been attending services here since 2004 and became a member last Fall when he found himself saying the words of our Affirmation ("Love is the spirit of this church....") as if he really meant them. He is a lifelong UU. His parents met on an "exchange weekend" between the Unitarian and Universalist youth groups. The youth groups merged together well before the two denominations did. He says that "Real Love Rings True" is a short statement of his personal religion -- what he tries to steer by. He earns his living as a software architect, computer programmer, and system designer for Sun Microsystems. His daughter Emily is in the sixth grade at the Atrium School here in Watertown. He lives in West Newton.
Barbara Farrell says my path to Massachusetts began in Brooklyn, N.Y. and subsequently meandered through Long Island, New Jersey and Maryland landing in Boston in my junior year of high school--the year that Buddy Holly died. My professional path began as a speech pathologist at Boston area hospitals and through the years meandered through community based consultations as well as teaching college clinical classes and practicums. In the late 60's, my heart meandered; surprisingly to me, into a life long relationship with Jill Shaw. Our shared life crashed into change in l981 when my mother had a stroke. During the 21 years we cared for my mother, we joined FPW which affirmed our individuality as well as partnership. FPW sustained us when our Katherine Road home burned and we ultimately moved to the North Shore with FPW's hard physical assistance some 13 years ago. We meandered from parish to parish never feeling settled of spirit. We're back to FPW where our hearts have always been and we are gratefully home.
Jill Shaw is first generation (6th and last child) 'mongrel' of a Dad born in London, England and a Mum born in Bologna, Italy. A graduate of Boston University with a major in Psychology and Sociology-my 'careers' moved from being an elementary school teacher to a special educator/evaluator to a deputy probation officer to a vocational counselor and settling for the last 26 years as a medical and psychiatric examiner for the Social Security disability program. With my partner of 38 years, Barbara Farrell, I am now looking forward to retirement by July of 2008. Our return this fall to FPW has meant the world to me and has allowed the friendships to come 'full circle round.'
Nancy Teeven says I have two children (Maddie/10 and Michael/8) and a dog, Sophie, (very much apart of our family). We live in Watertown. I am divorced. My work is with TIAA-CREF - a large financial services company - focus on retirement and financial planning - strategy, marketing, and business planning. I was raised in NYC - Catholic and Jewish parents, mostly a Catholic upbringing. (I'm very alienated from the Catholic church)
Been searching for several years for a spiritual home that is more aligned with my own values - have explored different aspects of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Ethical Culture, etc. All have their beauty.
Hugely important to me to have a spiritual center that recognizes different spiritual paths - not a one-way highway... This feels right. A community I can be excited about.
Teresa Kohlenberg (Tesi)
Don't let the spelling fool you -- Tesi rhymes with Daisy. I grew up in Cambridge in the 60's and 70's, in a community of educators and scientists. I dropped out of college to do anti-war work, and lived in a house of non-violent resistance with a bunch of priests, nuns, and ex-cons -- a fascinating introduction to community and religion. After a decade in NYC, doing politics, training in shiatsu and then drifting into organized medicine, I became a pediatrician. A decade later, I became a child psychiatrist.Along the way, late but not too late, I met my one and only Tom, while contra-dancing, and now life has a big Asa and a little Amadi and all the daily chores and joys.
I have grown into a deepening spirituality, and a sense of God, not as a being in charge, but as a unifying force and love in all things.
We attended Friends Meeting for six years, but it never quite felt like home. First Parish does.
Tom Goodwillie is married to Tesi and is the father of Asa and Amadi. He is a math professor. He says: "My idea of God is not a person but more like a place -- a place where everything comes from, goes to, belongs together, is one. From my parents' example I learned that family life and the natural world and doing work that you love can all be ways of connecting deeply with what matters most. I have all of those things in my life, but I am seeking more. First Parish is a community where we feel at home, and where I hope I can find more ways to touch that home base of the spirit."
Recycling Changes in Watertown
The Green Sanctuary Committee wants all First Parish members to know that there have been some changes in what the town of Watertown now accepts for curbside recycling. These changes are a big step towards making Watertown a greener community. Most Watertown residents have now received the brochure from the town informing us about the recycling procedures, and the curbside pickup dates for 2008. Please read your brochure. Whereas Watertown only took #1 and #2 plastics before, they now take #1-7. Please save all your plastics for recycling, henceforth! Whereas the only cardboard that was acceptable before was corrugated cardboard, we are encouraged to recycle cereal boxes, shoe boxes, etc. See the brochure for details. Please participate in this expanded recycling program in Watertown. And if you are not a Watertown resident, we hope you are a busy recycler wherever you live! Thanks so much,
The Rev. Liz Walker to Speak at Watertown’s Unity Breakfast
The Rev. Liz Walker, TV journalist, film producer and human rights activist, will be the keynote speaker at Watertown’s 8th Annual Unity Breakfast, to be held on Martin Luther King Day, January 21, 2008. Rev. Walker, who for twenty years anchored WBZ TV’s evening newscasts, is currently the creator, executive producer and host of Sunday with Liz, a WBZTV newsmagazine show. She is a 2005 graduate from the Harvard Divinity School, and is an ordained minister at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain.
In the summer of 2001, Liz traveled to war-torn Sudan to investigate the controversial slave trade in southern Sudan. She was so outraged by the human rights atrocities in Sudan that she co-founded “My Sister’s Keeper”, a grass roots program that advocates for women and children through economic and educational initiatives. MSK’s first project is the construction of the Akon School for Girls in southern Sudan. Liz returns to Sudan often, most recently visiting the region of Darfur, where as many as 400 thousand people have been killed and 2 million displaced in the first genocide of the 21st century.
Rev. Walker is also the founder of Liz Walker Journey Productions, an independent non-profit film company that recently completed A Glory from the God, a documentary focused on the crisis in Sudan. By showing the film as part of community forums that invite public conversation, Rev. Walker seeks to increase public awareness about the genocide in Sudan and human rights issues around the world. This year’s Unity Breakfast is a fundraiser for those efforts.
The Unity Breakfast, sponsored by the World in Watertown and the Watertown Ministerial Association, will be held on Monday, January 21 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown. The breakfast will be preceded by an interfaith worship service at 8:30 a.m. The event includes music, an award presentation for outstanding community service, and the reading of essays by middle school and high school students on the principles of tolerance, freedom, and equality that Martin Luther King so actively promoted. Child care will be provided for pre-schoolers. The Hellenic Cultural Center is handicap accessible. Tickets are $10.00 (children 12 and under free). For reservations call 617 924-6143 or e-mail fpwatertown@comcast.net.
Social Action
Our charitable offering for January will be for the benefit of Liz Walker’s work in Darfur. Please make out your checks to Unity Breakfast, and then Mark can make out one check to Liz’s organization. This offering will be taken on January 20.
Please mark your calendars for our annual benefit concert. The Committee has not picked a recipient yet, but the date is March 29, and the performers are:Kimberly Frasier and Troy MacGillivray
Giving Boxes
In January our Giving Boxes will shift from the Grow Clinic Food Pantry to the Watertown Food Pantry. Please bring in non-perishable food items. Thanks to those who made conttributions these past two months, and to Linda Letourneau and Patricia Fox for dropping the food off at the Grow Clinic.
We also have a group of families who pick up bread from Panera Bakery weekly to bring to the Watertown Pantry. If you are interested in being part of this rotation, please contact Andrea Greenwood.
Social Hour Assignments 2007-2008
The Fellowship Committee would like to thank all those who have so graciously given us tasty social hours this past year. To help remind those who are scheduled for the year ahead we have added the list for the rest of the church year. The list is posted on the bulletin board.
January 6 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
January 13 Patricia Fox & Linda Letourneau
January 20 Sue Demb & Wendell Refior
January 27 Tesi Kohlenberg & Tom Goodwillie and Anna Glover
February 3 Brian Hebeisen, Elizabeth Strekalovsky & Mary Howe
February 10 Kyle & 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 Sachie Karmacharya & 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 & TBA
June 1 Kyle & Kelly Morton & Beth Parsons
June 8 Beth & Isabel Tappen-deFrees
From Finance Committee
Happy New Year FPWers! This is the time of year that the Finance Committee begins to plan our annual canvass pledge drive. If you are a committee member, especially a chairperson, please note that our 1/8/08 meeting will be to set the canvass fundraising target. If we do not have a budget for 2008 - 2009 from you, we will use the 2007 -2008 numbers. If you have not turned in a budget, please get it to Jean Merkl or John Gorman by the 5th. Thank you!
All others - please watch the newsletter and your email for information about the canvass as the next months unfold. We usually do the canvass in March with a celebration/ Annual Church Dinner which is scheduled this year for April 5, 2008 and the congregational meeting to approve the budget on April 27, 2008. LOTS more information about the canvass and budgets will be appearing!!!
Amazon.com and FPW
Please help FPW with pain-free fundraising! If you are going to shop on Amazon anyway, start at the First Parish member page on our website, and click on the Amazon link there. FPW will receive 3% of your purchases.
Newsletters
Here's a special thought that combines the efforts of Green Sanctuary with the efforts of the Finance Committee... if you have an email address, but get newsletters mailed to you, please consider emailing the church (fpwatertown@comcast.net) to receive the "Arbella" by email. This saves trees for the better health of our planet and at the same time, saves FPW on postage and printing! What a great New Year’s Resolution!
The Watertown Ministerial Association and the World in Watertown,
with the assistance of Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety,
cordially invite you to a
Unity Breakfast
with friends and neighbors
Hellenic Cultural Center
25 Bigelow Ave.
Watertown
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 21, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
featured speaker:Rev. Liz Walker
TV Journalist, Film Producer, Philanthropist
$10 donation ; children under 12 free
Child care for pre-schoolers
RSVP to First Parish
Donations to support Liz Walker’s work to stop the genocide in Darfur, can be made out to: Unity Breakfast.
Arbella
January 2008
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, January 6, 2008
“The Bible and Religious Liberals” Mark W. Harris (Postponed due to snow)
In November I led a session for the RE Committee on why I think we should have Biblically literate children. We could ask the same question of adults. Centuries ago, people became Unitarian or Universalist because of what they read in the Bible. Since then we have moved to embrace many scriptures, but we recently celebrated the old Christmas story Is it habit or merely tradition to celebrate some Bible stories, or do we find true meaning in them?
Music: Ed Harney, trumpet
Greeters: Karen Allendoerfer & Sue Demb
Social Hour Nancy Dutton & David Benson
Sunday, January 13, 2008
“Single Minded Salvation” Mark Harris
Over the Christmas holidays a teenager was killed by a driver who was text messaging. There is an effort in the legislature to make it illegal to use cell phones while driving. The list of other things people do while driving is outrageous. Why can’t we stick to paying attention to what we are doing? Multi-tasking makes us think of how much we can get done, but it ends up that we don’t do anything well.
Greeters: Djalai Babazadeh & Steven Gustin
Social Hour: Patricia Fox and Linda Letourneau
Sunday, January 20, 2008
“Caught Between Freedom and Privilege”
Mark W. Harris
The Founders of our nation are being depicted as religious zealots by the evangelical right, when they actually were mostly religious liberals. They helped establish a constitution which affirmed the separation of church and state. Yet the religious liberals here in Massachusetts in the 1780’s affirmed both a state religion and freedom of conscience, thus supporting an irreconcilable conflict. Could it be that this inner conflict continues to plague Unitarian Universalism?
Music: Guy Urban
Greeters: Barbara Beck and Kathy Button
Social Hour: Sue Demb and Wendell Refior
Sunday, January 27, 2008
“Enough” Mark Caggiano
I will explore the idea of simplicity and what it means to exist more simply in a complicated world of busy calendars and overstuffed lives.
Music: Charlyn Bethell plays with Patty
Greeters: Bobbie Brown and Mathilde Duffy
Social Hour:
Tesi Kohlenbeg & Tom Goodwillie
Captain’s Log
I hope everyone had nice, relaxing holidays. Thanks to all of who who extended holiday greetings our way. Many people I spoke to remarked on how they had survived the holidays without incident. That seems like low expectations, but for those of us who are parents the fact that nobody cried or fought too much is a significant victory. We got through.
As I write this column I am reflecting upon surviving a series of nightmares with various appliance and service companies. I could sum it up by saying what a frustrating process it is dealing with these companies, and it seemingly takes all of our patience and good will in order to survive. The other day one of my neighbors and I were sharing appliance nightmare stories. His was a dryer, and mine was a dishwasher, now thankfully working, at least for the moment.
In brief, Maytag informed me that I was part of a recall, then not, and then wrote again saying that I was. In between I received a replacement part that was suppose to be an easy fix that I was under the impression I could do myself. It turns out there was suppose to be a letter arriving around the same time as the part telling me who to call to fix it, but the letter never arrived. I tried to call appliance repair places, and they all said no, call Maytag. Finally when I got the right part (they eventually sent two), the letter, and the right repair service, they installed the part, only to have it blow out the electrical board on the machine.
Back to square one. In the meantime, Andrea had put it back together once, and it was working. But I was trying to do the right thing, and follow their instructions. Of course when they tell you once you are part of a recall, and then again, not. It is a little confusing. I am not even mentioning the number of recordings I got over the phone. Well, you get the picture.
There are so many instances today when you are seemingly on your own. The other day I went to Home Depot, and was about the ask a store clerk a question, when she in turn asked me in a frenzy of looking around, “Do you know what a threaded pipe is?” While I explained what I thought it was and where it might be in her store, she raced off. I finally gave up, and decided to look for what I needed. I felt this same way for a Comcast customer the other day when the person in the office on Main Street shoved a cable box, and a bunch of wires at him and said, “Here you go,” and the poor guy asked if they would come and hook it up, but the clerk said, “No, that is your job, and oh, Good luck!”
This of course brings me to my current nightmare, and why I was in the Comcast office in the first place. This is the digital phone, TV and internet hook up with Comcast. That is the hook up that never seems to work. It is the on again, off again service. It must be what it is like to live in the rest of the world where sometimes the electricity is on and sometimes it is off. Welcome to the future. Before you label me overly pessimistic, and unable to give you hope for the future in 2008 and beyond, let me assure you that we are hanging in. I have listened to my wife who assures me that it is better to find workable solutions rather than get angry and fly off the handle. How long can I be patient searching for a workable solution? I made several calls to supervisors who are vacation, had technicians come who don’t know any more than I do, and ended up with assurances of a free month of service, even though it may never work for a full month running. Help!
But you know what? It will work eventually. The world will not end. It is crazy to end up with high blood pressure over such inane things. Dear church members if you need to find me, come get me. You can usually find me at church or home, or if not, I will be there soon. Please be understanding if my phone or internet do not work. I am trying. In the end if these experiences remind me how alone we are in terms of diagnosing and fixing problems, then it is sending me a very direct message of how much we need church. Where would I be without someone to share my problems with? Where would I be without some assurance from a dear parishioner that despite all my frustrations with the world, that things will get better? It will be all right. You can scream! You can get angry! OR You can slowly try to work out a solution. You can slowly try to figure out what you can do to make it better. You can be patient. Eventually the dish washer will work (it does), and the internet, too (not yet). I am assured that tomorrow will be better. Why it’s a new year already, and it can only improve. Happy New Year! (but in the meantime, contact me at church!)
Mark
E-mails
We often send out all church e-mails, but not everyone is on our e-mail list. This means that we might not be communicating with everyone. Therefore, please note that in the future all e-mails will be posted downstairs on the FPW part of the bulletin boards.
Offerings
Thank you to everyone for your great and good generosity in December. This includes not only Christmas gifts for children at the Grow Clinic, and food items for their pantry, but our other two special offerings as well. The first of these was our annual UU Service Committee Guest at your Table program and Christmas Eve offering. Our preliminary total is $1,866.00. Once again we have outdone ourselves, and reached our highest total ever. We also had a belated special offering for the Obyat family so that they might have more opportunities to communicate with their children back in Jordan. The preliminary total on this offering is $1,707 plus a CVS gift card of undetermined amount. This is again a very generous response to this family’s need to have some means of emotional togetherness at this continuing time of physical separation. We are deeply grateful for your response.
Chairs Are Coming!
Did you think it was our plan to have three different kinds of chairs in the sanctuary indefinitely? Did you ever think people would stop racing to have their very own red chair? Well, the parish committee has made a decision about what chair we hope to buy for the sanctuary - style, fabric, wood tone. It is an attractive, functional, stackable chair that fits all of our criteria. In the coming months you will hear more about this new campaign to buy chairs for the sanctuary. We hope you will choose to participate by buying one or more chairs. We will probably need to purchase about 130-140 chairs, and want to purchase them all at once so the fabric is from the same lot. Watch for further details!
R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
by Roberta Altamari
Roberta@chalicedreamer.net
cell phone: 617-872-5145
website for RE families: www.chalicedreamer.net
Welcome to a New Year! 2008!! It’s amazing how fast time can fly by. In the spirit of the two-faced, Roman God Janus, for whom January was named after, it’s a perfect time for looking forward and backward at the same time. I’ve never been one for making New Year’s resolutions, but I do like to stop during this time to appreciate all the good things in my life, say a hearty goodbye to any challenges from the previous year, and look forward to what good adventures might be coming.
In my professional reflection, I have mostly fabulous information to report from our RE program. Last year at this time, I apprehensively reported that we had 55 children and youth registered in our program and we had average attendance numbers hitting the high 30’s. I was apprehensive because those registration numbers included a family with four children who were still church shopping and the attendance numbers included a good amount of visitors, so I didn’t want folks getting a false sense of our records. But now it is a year later and I’m very pleased to report that these great figures are accurate. We now have 59 children and youth registered in our program. We actually have an average of two children more per week this year than last year’s figures. This is marvelous news! Not only is this registration figure double the one I reported in 2003 during my first year as your DRE, but with one or two new families still visiting, we actually have potential to soon reach 60!
Other awesome news is that we have a real Youth Group this year. With 9 youth members and an average of 6 attending our weekly events, it is awesome to have all this youth energy in our community. They have done a wide variety of activities so far this year including some purely social events, some service projects, some connecting with other UU youth in our district, and some intergenerational activities. It is very nice seeing the group recently connect with the whole community by leading Winter Solstice service, by working with Mark to present the Story-for-all-Ages on Christmas Sunday, and by hosting a birthday party for Abood Obyat. Many more interesting activities are coming this year! Let me know if you’d like to join us for an activity or two.
Speaking of our Youth Group, we were featured in the recent edition of UU Connections newsletter that is published by the UUA. I have to admit that I was initially very modest when they first contacted me for an interview last Fall about our program at the recommendation of someone (who I’m guessing to be Darrick Jackson). I suggested they contact a bigger church that is much more experienced with all this youth work as we are really just starting again. But that’s exactly why they were interested in our story.
In addition to our high school teens, we have a great group of middle school youth about to start the Our Wholes Lives program and looking forward to doing the Coming-of-Age program in the near future. And after them, we have a big group of 5th graders ready to become next year’s middle school group. The days of First Parish’s RE program being heavily lopsided with pre-schoolers are gone. We now have a very nice balance across all the ages! I hope this trend continues …
All this continued growth and activity does bring some challenges. The most significant is space issues. First Parish is a small building and we struggle to have enough space for all of our Sunday morning RE groups to meet. We have come up with workable options so far this year and we will continue to be creative as we figure our meeting space needs, but the community needs to recognize this lack of space issue if we are actively going to continue to grow.
Another challenge is finding volunteers to lead our RE programs. The only reason this hasn’t been as challenging as it could be is that many people have dedicated their time and talents to helping in our Children’s Ministry this year. Some of those people have volunteered every Sunday. While these people are amazing and deserve our thanks, they also need some time off. This is a cooperative program where everyone’s help is needed and we shouldn’t rely on a few generous souls. Have you helped yet? And I’m not just asking parents here! We have a good variety of RE volunteer jobs perfect to match your talents, interests, and skills, so please talk to me soon about how you can help.
Even though I publicly recognize our space and volunteer challenges, I enthusiastically have to follow that with a reminder that this is a wonderful problem to have. Growth is a great thing and we should be very proud of ourselves for being a congregation that welcomes new families! Let’s keep it up this year!!
Social Action Fair
Saturday, January 25th at 10AM
After a great success last year, we will have another Social Action Fair this year on Saturday, January 25 from 10AM to Noon (although participating families should plan to come at 9am to set-up their tables). For it, children and youth are invited to sell their unwanted toys and books for the charity of their choice. Perfect timing … after your kids got new Christmas presents, they can sell the toys they are ready to give up for the charity of their choice. Contact Roberta with questions or to sign up for a table. Even if you aren’t participating, please spread the word to those who might enjoying coming to purchase stuff for charity!
A Much Needed Gift for the Church:
A working videorecorder to document the great skits our kids are creating this year.
Popcorn Theology for Youth and Adults: Erin Brockovich
On Sunday, January 26th from 6pm to 9pm: Youth Group sponsored intergenerational movie screening and discussion. You are invited to bring your dinner or dessert to munch on while we watch the movie. Erin Brockovich is the true story of a working class mom who fights a giant corporation destroying a small town. The movie is rated R (not sure why except there is definitely bad language), so any youth under the age of 17 will need their parent’s permission to see it.
Breakfast Chat: 8 Kinds of Smart
On the second Sunday of every month, we are pleased to host monthly breakfast chats on important and relevant themes for our work here at First Parish. Sunday, January 13th at 9:30am, Roberta Altamari will lead a workshop and chat on 8 Kinds of Smart. There are different types of intelligences and knowing your strengths and weaknesses can do wonders for honoring your true self. This workshop is relevant for all adults interested in understanding natural diversity.
Our Whole Lives program news:
If your child is only going to do one sexuality program, this is the one! Our Whole Lives is a unique and wonderful program that covers far more than what a school health class covers .. emotions, spirituality, and respect in all relationships. This year, we will be offering the program for 7th to 9th graders. On Saturday, January 5th at 9am, there will be a very important parent orientation for the Our Whole Lives program. To learn more about the program itself, check out this UUA website link: uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/ourwhole/). The program itself will begin the next day, Sunday, January 6th at 10am and continue to meet at 10am almost all Sundays till May. More details will be available at the orientation.
Adult RE:
Are you interested in Adult RE programs at First Parish? An ad-hoc Adult RE subcommittee will soon be meeting to talk about the adult RE programming at First Parish. If you have ideas about programming you’d like to see, general comments about the subject, or interest in attending this meeting, please speak to Roberta or Mark soon.
Pageant Thank You by Charlyn Bethell
The RE committee celebrates another successful holiday pageant. This year, Celeste Oliva and Kelly Morton worked with Roberta
Altamari and made the pageant feel brand new with the changing cast of characters.
If you wish to see some great pageant pictures, please go to our website, and go to the member page and click on Christmas 2007 pictures. Thanks to Karen Allendoerfer and Kyle Hart for help with this. Please remember that the user name is: fpwatertown, and the password is: arbella.
Many of us shared in a birthday celebration for Abood Obyat. This effort was part of youth group activities and after seeing a movie
with the youth group, Abood was surprised with a gathering in his honor. It was no less than awesome to see Abood so happy and being a part of the youth/church community.
Our Principle Activators will be starting OWL (Our Whole Lives) in January. After taking the training for this curriculum, Lee Pierce and Barry Greess will be leading.
Making a Mark
by Mark J.T. Caggiano, student minister
The following is an excerpt from a paper I wrote regarding the role of religion and religious speech in American democracy. I specifically deal with Pat Robertson in this portion and obliquely end up agreeing with the man (It can be a strange world).
Never one to mince words or to blunt sentiments, the Rev. Marion Gordon “Pat” Robertson has expressed in years past his views on the American Constitution:
“The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by the Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian people and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that's what's been happening.”
This is a fascinating yet distressing position if one takes the time to read the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” One might make the mistake of writing the man off as uneducated, or even a howling loon. It would be best not to do so.
Robertson is no illiterate. This is a very wealthy, rather educated man who controlled a Christian media empire and who also happens to question the legitimacy of the participation of non-Christians in the self-governance of America. He has plied the techniques of modern media and has tortured the wording of the First Amendment (i.e. freedom of religion, speech, assembly and even redress) to meet his sectarian goals in a form of intellectual jujitsu.
Christians are ignored, Christians are silenced, Christians are disenfranchised. He fosters a simultaneous sense of personal outrage and elect entitlement among American Christians. They in turn see themselves as religiously oppressed and socially marginalized in a culture of secularism humanism, notwithstanding that Protestants, albeit mainline, have politically dominated the country since its beginnings. Using wedge issues of school prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, flag burning and abortion, Robertson and company can whip the faithful into a frenzy of concern while the forest fires of social problems burn unabated. In his skillful and shameless manner, Robertson even invokes the memory of Thomas Jefferson, a lukewarm Christian at best who literally edited a version of the New Testament to remove all the miracles. Oxymoronically calling himself a “Jeffersonian Conservative,” Robertson harkens back to a distant, perhaps fictitious, time when men were men and Americans were Christians.
Robertson’s manhandling of the Constitution is a dangerous component in this broader strategy. So-called oppressed Christians should be allowed to speak, provided non-Christians duly shut up. Robertson overtly seeks to weaken America as a pluralistic democracy, a country in which one’s religious faith does not preclude or stunt one’s civic involvement. Robertson happily undermines the views of those speaking from a non-religious or non-Christian orientation. Moreover, he presses a sympathetic Congress and President for legislation and judicial appointments that will support a return to a more Christian worldview in America.
Not that everything from this line of thinking should be discarded. When Robertson calls upon America to listen to the Christian, he provides a surprisingly important message, if applied generally. Religion is a hard subject for general discussion, but with sensitivity, fluency and an abundance of patience, it can be a healthy part of our political discussions. The tenor of the debate does not necessarily become any better if the non-religious gain control. Consider the following sentence:
The Constitution of the United States, for instance, is a marvelous document for self-government by non-religious people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of Christian people and religious people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that's what's been happening.
No group should be forced to the sidelines of our society while the rest decide how the country should function. As Robertson stirs the pot of concern for the Christian, he should not in turn remove non-Christians from the mix altogether. He often begins a sentence as a democrat and ends it a demagogue. But such an exclusionary impulse can be taken too far from any direction. It is hard to proclaim oneself a defender of democracy while simultaneously requiring someone else has to stay out of the discussion.
Religion for many requires faith and that faith may well be in something unknowably vague, beyond reason and certainty. But freedom of speech does merely protect rational speech or speech with which we agree. The right encompasses religious appeals against worldly institutions, from segregation to political correctness. The politician invoking God and country on the floor of the Congress could just as well be fighting from the Left or the Right. And sometimes it is worth a few pokes and prods to realize how perilously easy it is to slip from righting wrongs to being self-righteous.
The Constitution wisely sought to protect people from the social consequences of unpopular convictions. And with such civil liberty also comes a modicum of social discomfort because we have to listen to things we might not otherwise choose to hear. We can always turn off the televangelist or stop watching when the politicians get a bit too preachy. But we should not let them be wholly silenced even when we do not agree with them. Understanding others also requires listening to them, for good and for ill. Democracy is a machine that works better with some friction. We just need to watch out for too much heat on our way to seeing the light.
New Member Biographies
We welcomed ten people to membership on December 9. A wonderful new, large group to get to know! Welcome!
Wendell and Peter joined previously, but could not be here for the spring welcome. Jill and Barbara are former members who came back. Katreena, Larry, Tesi, Tom, Nancy and Meryl are all new members.
Wendell Refior (RAY-fee-or) was born in Iowa and raised a Methodist in Wisconsin. During his college years he started 9 years of part-time and full-time volunteer work studying and teaching lay religious leadership and a secularized version of Christianity, including service in Australia for 2 years. He first joined a UU church in Natick in 1983. Wendell moved to Connecticut for 10 years and then to Worcester before returning to the Boston area in 1998. He was a UU member at Waltham and Arlington First Parishes before coming here. He is a part-time teacher and impersonator of Ralph Waldo Emerson, but earns his living as biometrics programmer for a biotech drug company, Shire Human Genetic Therapies.
Meryl Libbey says: I was born on Guam on the Winter Solstice, and since my father was in the navy, we moved every 3 to 4 years until I left for college. After four years at Harvard, I fulfilled a dream by moving to New York City, where I worked for the city for ten years, leaving as a Deputy Commissioner. I moved back to Boston to complete my Masters in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and worked with nonprofits for the next 15 years. I took a “break” from work for the past two years to follow my passion, writing, and have completed two historical romance novels and have begun a memoir. I begin training in January to become a life coach, my new chosen profession, which is part of my new spiritual path.
Katreena and Larry Carrasco:
Katreena says: I grew up in central NY and moved to Boston when I was 19 to attend college.I bounced around from school to school and met Larry while taking a math course at Boston University and decided to settle down in the Boston area. We have been married for 3 years and recently started the newest chapter of my life called "motherhood" when William arrived 3 months ago. In my spare time I love to cook, read and do various crafts. I have been practicing Wicca for about 8 years and started coming to First Parish about a year ago
looking for a sense of community and found it!
Larry grew up near by in Brighton. He earned a certificate in Bio-Technology from Boston University and met Katreena while attending. We have been married for three years and have 1 child, William, who is three months old. Larry enjoys watching all of the Boston sports teams, reading, and building/fixing things. He started attending First Parish this year with
Katreena.
Peter Cudhea has been attending services here since 2004 and became a member last Fall when he found himself saying the words of our Affirmation ("Love is the spirit of this church....") as if he really meant them. He is a lifelong UU. His parents met on an "exchange weekend" between the Unitarian and Universalist youth groups. The youth groups merged together well before the two denominations did. He says that "Real Love Rings True" is a short statement of his personal religion -- what he tries to steer by. He earns his living as a software architect, computer programmer, and system designer for Sun Microsystems. His daughter Emily is in the sixth grade at the Atrium School here in Watertown. He lives in West Newton.
Barbara Farrell says my path to Massachusetts began in Brooklyn, N.Y. and subsequently meandered through Long Island, New Jersey and Maryland landing in Boston in my junior year of high school--the year that Buddy Holly died. My professional path began as a speech pathologist at Boston area hospitals and through the years meandered through community based consultations as well as teaching college clinical classes and practicums. In the late 60's, my heart meandered; surprisingly to me, into a life long relationship with Jill Shaw. Our shared life crashed into change in l981 when my mother had a stroke. During the 21 years we cared for my mother, we joined FPW which affirmed our individuality as well as partnership. FPW sustained us when our Katherine Road home burned and we ultimately moved to the North Shore with FPW's hard physical assistance some 13 years ago. We meandered from parish to parish never feeling settled of spirit. We're back to FPW where our hearts have always been and we are gratefully home.
Jill Shaw is first generation (6th and last child) 'mongrel' of a Dad born in London, England and a Mum born in Bologna, Italy. A graduate of Boston University with a major in Psychology and Sociology-my 'careers' moved from being an elementary school teacher to a special educator/evaluator to a deputy probation officer to a vocational counselor and settling for the last 26 years as a medical and psychiatric examiner for the Social Security disability program. With my partner of 38 years, Barbara Farrell, I am now looking forward to retirement by July of 2008. Our return this fall to FPW has meant the world to me and has allowed the friendships to come 'full circle round.'
Nancy Teeven says I have two children (Maddie/10 and Michael/8) and a dog, Sophie, (very much apart of our family). We live in Watertown. I am divorced. My work is with TIAA-CREF - a large financial services company - focus on retirement and financial planning - strategy, marketing, and business planning. I was raised in NYC - Catholic and Jewish parents, mostly a Catholic upbringing. (I'm very alienated from the Catholic church)
Been searching for several years for a spiritual home that is more aligned with my own values - have explored different aspects of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Ethical Culture, etc. All have their beauty.
Hugely important to me to have a spiritual center that recognizes different spiritual paths - not a one-way highway... This feels right. A community I can be excited about.
Teresa Kohlenberg (Tesi)
Don't let the spelling fool you -- Tesi rhymes with Daisy. I grew up in Cambridge in the 60's and 70's, in a community of educators and scientists. I dropped out of college to do anti-war work, and lived in a house of non-violent resistance with a bunch of priests, nuns, and ex-cons -- a fascinating introduction to community and religion. After a decade in NYC, doing politics, training in shiatsu and then drifting into organized medicine, I became a pediatrician. A decade later, I became a child psychiatrist.Along the way, late but not too late, I met my one and only Tom, while contra-dancing, and now life has a big Asa and a little Amadi and all the daily chores and joys.
I have grown into a deepening spirituality, and a sense of God, not as a being in charge, but as a unifying force and love in all things.
We attended Friends Meeting for six years, but it never quite felt like home. First Parish does.
Tom Goodwillie is married to Tesi and is the father of Asa and Amadi. He is a math professor. He says: "My idea of God is not a person but more like a place -- a place where everything comes from, goes to, belongs together, is one. From my parents' example I learned that family life and the natural world and doing work that you love can all be ways of connecting deeply with what matters most. I have all of those things in my life, but I am seeking more. First Parish is a community where we feel at home, and where I hope I can find more ways to touch that home base of the spirit."
Recycling Changes in Watertown
The Green Sanctuary Committee wants all First Parish members to know that there have been some changes in what the town of Watertown now accepts for curbside recycling. These changes are a big step towards making Watertown a greener community. Most Watertown residents have now received the brochure from the town informing us about the recycling procedures, and the curbside pickup dates for 2008. Please read your brochure. Whereas Watertown only took #1 and #2 plastics before, they now take #1-7. Please save all your plastics for recycling, henceforth! Whereas the only cardboard that was acceptable before was corrugated cardboard, we are encouraged to recycle cereal boxes, shoe boxes, etc. See the brochure for details. Please participate in this expanded recycling program in Watertown. And if you are not a Watertown resident, we hope you are a busy recycler wherever you live! Thanks so much,
The Rev. Liz Walker to Speak at Watertown’s Unity Breakfast
The Rev. Liz Walker, TV journalist, film producer and human rights activist, will be the keynote speaker at Watertown’s 8th Annual Unity Breakfast, to be held on Martin Luther King Day, January 21, 2008. Rev. Walker, who for twenty years anchored WBZ TV’s evening newscasts, is currently the creator, executive producer and host of Sunday with Liz, a WBZTV newsmagazine show. She is a 2005 graduate from the Harvard Divinity School, and is an ordained minister at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain.
In the summer of 2001, Liz traveled to war-torn Sudan to investigate the controversial slave trade in southern Sudan. She was so outraged by the human rights atrocities in Sudan that she co-founded “My Sister’s Keeper”, a grass roots program that advocates for women and children through economic and educational initiatives. MSK’s first project is the construction of the Akon School for Girls in southern Sudan. Liz returns to Sudan often, most recently visiting the region of Darfur, where as many as 400 thousand people have been killed and 2 million displaced in the first genocide of the 21st century.
Rev. Walker is also the founder of Liz Walker Journey Productions, an independent non-profit film company that recently completed A Glory from the God, a documentary focused on the crisis in Sudan. By showing the film as part of community forums that invite public conversation, Rev. Walker seeks to increase public awareness about the genocide in Sudan and human rights issues around the world. This year’s Unity Breakfast is a fundraiser for those efforts.
The Unity Breakfast, sponsored by the World in Watertown and the Watertown Ministerial Association, will be held on Monday, January 21 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Avenue, Watertown. The breakfast will be preceded by an interfaith worship service at 8:30 a.m. The event includes music, an award presentation for outstanding community service, and the reading of essays by middle school and high school students on the principles of tolerance, freedom, and equality that Martin Luther King so actively promoted. Child care will be provided for pre-schoolers. The Hellenic Cultural Center is handicap accessible. Tickets are $10.00 (children 12 and under free). For reservations call 617 924-6143 or e-mail fpwatertown@comcast.net.
Social Action
Our charitable offering for January will be for the benefit of Liz Walker’s work in Darfur. Please make out your checks to Unity Breakfast, and then Mark can make out one check to Liz’s organization. This offering will be taken on January 20.
Please mark your calendars for our annual benefit concert. The Committee has not picked a recipient yet, but the date is March 29, and the performers are:Kimberly Frasier and Troy MacGillivray
Giving Boxes
In January our Giving Boxes will shift from the Grow Clinic Food Pantry to the Watertown Food Pantry. Please bring in non-perishable food items. Thanks to those who made conttributions these past two months, and to Linda Letourneau and Patricia Fox for dropping the food off at the Grow Clinic.
We also have a group of families who pick up bread from Panera Bakery weekly to bring to the Watertown Pantry. If you are interested in being part of this rotation, please contact Andrea Greenwood.
Social Hour Assignments 2007-2008
The Fellowship Committee would like to thank all those who have so graciously given us tasty social hours this past year. To help remind those who are scheduled for the year ahead we have added the list for the rest of the church year. The list is posted on the bulletin board.
January 6 Nancy Dutton & David Benson
January 13 Patricia Fox & Linda Letourneau
January 20 Sue Demb & Wendell Refior
January 27 Tesi Kohlenberg & Tom Goodwillie and Anna Glover
February 3 Brian Hebeisen, Elizabeth Strekalovsky & Mary Howe
February 10 Kyle & 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 Sachie Karmacharya & 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 & TBA
June 1 Kyle & Kelly Morton & Beth Parsons
June 8 Beth & Isabel Tappen-deFrees
From Finance Committee
Happy New Year FPWers! This is the time of year that the Finance Committee begins to plan our annual canvass pledge drive. If you are a committee member, especially a chairperson, please note that our 1/8/08 meeting will be to set the canvass fundraising target. If we do not have a budget for 2008 - 2009 from you, we will use the 2007 -2008 numbers. If you have not turned in a budget, please get it to Jean Merkl or John Gorman by the 5th. Thank you!
All others - please watch the newsletter and your email for information about the canvass as the next months unfold. We usually do the canvass in March with a celebration/ Annual Church Dinner which is scheduled this year for April 5, 2008 and the congregational meeting to approve the budget on April 27, 2008. LOTS more information about the canvass and budgets will be appearing!!!
Amazon.com and FPW
Please help FPW with pain-free fundraising! If you are going to shop on Amazon anyway, start at the First Parish member page on our website, and click on the Amazon link there. FPW will receive 3% of your purchases.
Newsletters
Here's a special thought that combines the efforts of Green Sanctuary with the efforts of the Finance Committee... if you have an email address, but get newsletters mailed to you, please consider emailing the church (fpwatertown@comcast.net) to receive the "Arbella" by email. This saves trees for the better health of our planet and at the same time, saves FPW on postage and printing! What a great New Year’s Resolution!
The Watertown Ministerial Association and the World in Watertown,
with the assistance of Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety,
cordially invite you to a
Unity Breakfast
with friends and neighbors
Hellenic Cultural Center
25 Bigelow Ave.
Watertown
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 21, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
featured speaker:Rev. Liz Walker
TV Journalist, Film Producer, Philanthropist
$10 donation ; children under 12 free
Child care for pre-schoolers
RSVP to First Parish
Donations to support Liz Walker’s work to stop the genocide in Darfur, can be made out to: Unity Breakfast.