Thursday, October 01, 2009
Arbella - October 2009 Newsletter
The Arbella - Newsletter for the First Parish of Watertown - October 2009
For the Calendar dates, please go to www.fpwatertown.org
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, October 4 at 11:00 a.m.
“Stand Up for Love”
Mark W. Harris
At the UUA General Assembly this year, the UUA inaugurated a new campaign against hate crimes, Standing on the Side of Love. We were one of the first congregations to use these materials as we witnessed our rainbow flag being burned over the summer. Since Obama was elected there has been an increase in hate crimes. What do we have to say about words that hate?
Greeters: Bobbie Brown and Brigitte Bender
Social Hour: Michael and Marianne Collins
Sunday, October 11 at 11:00 a.m.
“Imagine Standing in Another’s Shoes”
Duffy Peet
Perceiving events from the perspective of another can produce a new and very different way of thinking and acting. On this Columbus Day weekend I will reflect on the burning of the church’s rainbow flag and consider Columbus Day from a cultural viewpoint very different from the one I grew up in. We will explore stepping into another’s shoes and discover what we might learn and how we may then be called to act.
Greeters: Will and Sue Twombly
Social Hour: Matt and Katherine Calabro
Sunday , October 18 at 11:00 am
“Nothing to Compare”
Mark W. Harris
I am a member of the UUA’s Margaret Fuller bicentennial committee, which will celebrate her life in 2010. Who was Margaret Fuller? She was a Unitarian, Transcendentalist, and America’s first feminist, and perhaps the most brilliant person of the 19th century. Yet, because she was a powerful woman, she was scorned and denigrated. This is a preview to her 200th birthday next May.
Greeters: Melissa Thompson and Lee Pierce
Social Hour: John Chamberlain and Sarah McSweeney
Sunday October 25, 2009
“Ask for What You Want”
Mark W. Harris
This sermon will remind us that if we really want something we have to be clear and direct about what it is, and then ask. This service will also be part of Climate Action weekend. We will distribute a survey, inaugurate our monthly green actions, and have a great concert on Sunday night with Jim Scott.
Greeters: Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
Social Hour: Jeanne Cleary and Barry Greess
Captain’s Log
We are off to a wonderful start with a number of new families and children in our church school. Please help these newcomers feel welcomed. I especially want to thank Andrea for the great job she has done filling in at the last minute to be our DRE. She has some enthusiastic teachers to work with, and I think everyone will be happy with our RE program this year.
I hope everyone will come to know Duffy Peet, our new intern this year. He will be here most Sundays conducting a good portion of the worship service. Thanks to those who have volunteered to be on his intern committee. This is the time of year when I usually remind people of my office hours. I am in the office most days from 9-3, with some Tuesdays off. Nancy is also there at least four days with Wednesdays off. I am always available to meet with you during those times if you have religious questions or personal concerns you wish to discuss, or we can make a special appointment time, too. If you are new to the church we are planning a Newcomer Breakfast on Sunday, November 1, followed by a class for newcomers the following two Sundays.
I also want to remind people of my schedule for the year. Last year I had three months sabbatical in April, May and June. Then I had my usual summer vacation and study/ on call time. The 2009 - 2010 church year also includes another three months sabbatical. This will be taken in April, May and June again, the final month being when Andrea and I are scheduled to deliver a manuscript to Cambridge University Press. Altogether it is six months sabbatical for six years of service (14 total years of service). We will need less pulpit supply this year since we have a student minister.
I have lots of exciting personal book news. My historical dictionary is now in a paperback edition, called The A to Z of Unitarian Universalism, and the UUA has agreed to publish my Minns Lectures from two years ago, so I am very happy with these developments.
Yet every time I seemed to get exciting book news, I also lost a tooth. Hopefully this wasn’t a metaphor for biting off more than I can chew! If I were six, loosing teeth would seem natural, but I am afraid that fracturing two teeth over the last several months is not such great news. One of these was a front tooth, and I began the summer trying to save it with a crown. The temporary crown did not hold at all, and so I spent my first two weeks in Maine with a smile that had a huge gap in it. This either teaches you humility or destroys your ego or both. I would look in the mirror and shudder at this sight. Unfortunately the permanent crown fell out a week or so ago, and I gave a lecture at Andover Newton listening to myself whistle through the gaping hole.
Having such a noticeable problem is a challenge for your average middle class person. We may ask what are people saying about my appearance? Do they presume I am poor, and can’t afford to get my teeth fixed? I am reminded of some of the very judgments I have made while conversing with Asher’s bus drivers who make $8.00 an hour and cannot afford to have dental work done. How lucky most of us are to be able to find ways to finance such health care. But the costs also make me realize how close I am to not being able to afford it. How often do people make health decisions because they cannot afford it? As we all know, the situation cries out for reform, and in my view, a public option.
The other thing that fracturing teeth reminds me of is aging. While I am not yet sixty, loosing teeth is a sign of the replacement of various body parts as we age. Sure we can stem the tide by eating right and exercising, and even hearing the rewarding news from my dentist that “your gums are clean” buoyed me up. There are compromises to be made, and living with some care. I have to watch my chewing and avoid chomping down on corn on the cob. Now I must slow down and pay more attention to how I am eating. Maybe that is one of the fruits of aging. I can appreciate all the things I rushed by before. I take my time. I notice things. I appreciate what I have. I have learned from my missing teeth. I am reminded of what it is to be poor, or to have people judge me based on appearance. I am reminded to pay attention to all that I do and say and, especially chew. For now I have all my teeth again, and I feel lucky. Aging is not something I can avoid, but I can embrace the wisdom it offers.
Mark
The Space Between
From Rev. Andrea Greenwood, Interim DRE
I had written a column for this newsletter, but when I went to pick up supplies from classrooms after church, I did something very hard for me: I decided to throw it out and start over. I did this not because I changed my mind, or because the column was no good. Actually, I thought it was quite good and one of the worst things about throwing it away is that I don’t think I will have a chance to use it! (That’s painful for a writer.) It was about anger and transitions and by the next newsletter that really won’t be the pressing topic.
The Middle School class was studying sins and virtues. When I saw some of their work, I realized that it would be much better for all of us to hear from them than for me to go on and on about anything. Before getting to the seven deadly sins and their definition, the kids did an exercise in which they wrote down what makes a day go wrong. When they have a bad day, is it usually some really big deal, or not? What are the things that happen to them that ruin their days and make life hard? And what are the things they do which make them feel bad about themselves?
When I was picking up the room, I found these index cards, answering the questions:
Unhappiness in our home
Someone in a bad mood.
Short-tempered
A really bad grade on a test
teacher conflicts
A LOT of homework
mean people
little things
misunderstanding
when Mr. Martin is in a bad mood
When I get a lot of homework
stupid people
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
Crummy day at school, lots of homework
have to use lots of energy at school
bad night’s sleep
nothing to do after school
beginning of the week
feeling sick
bad schedule at school
lots of homework
little things building up
math
Wednesdays (music lesson) and Mondays
Fighting with my brothers
Feeling misunderstood
too much work
not having enough time
being tired; it makes everything else hard.
Reading these cards made me stop for a moment. These are twelve year olds! This is a group that has been a little challenging: it is saying something that not one of them wrote “being here” or “why do we have to do this?” They took it seriously, and in the process created a little space where we can begin to address some of the issues that plague their days. It made me feel very glad that next week we are taking them to a workshop at Insight Meditation Center, which is geared towards providing strategies for coping with school stress. It’s too early to tell if learning about Adam and Eve getting kicked out of Eden for eating the apple; or people suffering from all sorts of evils in the world because of Zeus being angry and giving Pandora the box, knowing she would open it -- it is too early to tell if these stories give the children way to think about their experiences, but I am hopeful. One little action -- taking a bite; opening the lid -- and the universe falls apart. Is it about sin; or does it describe how it feels to be alive? Ask your kids. Ask yourself! This is what religious education is for. Kids struggling against being labeled (even by themselves) lazy have incorporated a message from our culture which religious education gives us a chance to be more conscious about. Traditional religion can be rather black and white; you are a sloth or a star; a madonna or a whore; right on down the line. I am glad for an hour a week, we can offer a different message. And we can give our kids ways to talk about the human drives behind all these labels. As I reached for a piece of pizza, my own 12 year old said, smiling, “I like the word GLUTTONY.”!!!!
See you in church,
Andrea
R.E. BY NUMBERS
On Sept 20, we had 41 children and 4 youth (3 of whom were helping in classes) present.
On Sept 27, we had 33 children and 6 youth (3 of whom were helping) present. In addition, 6 youth went with Barry Greess for an afternoon of bargain hunting, socializing, and pizza.
Of the 42 children registered (not including the eleven youth), eight are new this year. Four children from two families who were with us last year have not returned (yet!). We also have two very cute babies: Marshall and Zalie. Total children this year: 55
On Oct. 4, all nine middle schoolers will be in a two hour workshop about using meditation to cope with school and family stress. At least four youth group members will do the same workshop later in the day.
October 11, there are no classes. There will be a story during church, and there will be child care, thanks to Charlotte Fitts-Sprague..
If you would like to help out in any class, contact me at themanse@comcast.net. You can also go to fpwatertown.org, go to the RE page, and click on the Current Schedule to see where we need you.
Two people have applied for the Youth Advisor position and are being interviewed by Cody Urban, Kyle Morton, and Mark Harris.
In October, the DRE opening will be posted and a search committee will form. My position is as an interim, filling in while we search for a new permanent Director of Religious Education.
Three people volunteered to help with the pageant, and will begin planning soon. Thank you to Paul Day, John Portz, and Isabel Tappan-deFrees. In addition, Lee Pierce has offered to lead New Games, and Connie Wilson offered to baby-sit.
Thank you to Isabel Tappan-deFrees for cleaning the closets and finding curricula I needed!!! Isabel also sorted through boxes of fabric to see what was costumes, etc. THANK YOU.
Musically Speaking
by Charlyn Bethell
Some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard is people singing, and I have a special place in my heart for the sound of children singing. Besides developing musical skills and a beautiful vocal sound, children who sing in choruses get many other benefits. I quote The Chorus Impact Study done by Chorus America (www.chorusamerica.org), which lists some of the benefits children gain from singing in a chorus:
• Children are more self-confident
• Children’s self-discipline improves
• Children’s memory skills improve
• Children’s overall academic performance is better
• Children are more focused and stay alert
• Children engage more in general when they feel they are part of a team
• Children learn the benefits of being in a group
• Children’s social skills are enhanced
Many schools in our nation are reducing or eliminating school choruses. Singing in community and church groups is one way to fill the gap left by budget shortfalls. All of this reminds me how important our Children’s Chorus is! With this in mind, our Children’s Chorus for elementary-school-aged kids will start rehearsals on Oct. 18th (Sunday morning), at 10:15 downstairs. We will sing every week on Sunday mornings at the same time, same location. Our first performance will be at the Thanksgiving Intergenerational service on November 22nd. Come and join us; we do have fun together and the music we share is awesome!
The adult choir has started with many voices already! We had a party to kick off the season and it was so fun and engaging that we will definitely have more such events in the future. You will get to hear the adult choir sing at the October 18th service. The two pieces being sung are: “Oye” by James Papoulis and “Until I Reach-a Mah Home”, a spiritual arranged by Rollo Dilworth. “Oye” is a lively piece accompanied by drums and bass guitar. Some of the text is in Spanish, and the message is “Listen”: listen to me, listen to each other, listen to our singing. The composer of our other piece, Rollo Dilworth, is a prolific composer and a conductor in great demand. (Our own Amy Urban sang under him in a chorus in North Carolina a few years ago.) His piece weaves a story of someone remembering a revered old man who sang an African-American spiritual. The spiritual is in the middle of the piece, surrounded by the music written by Dilworth. The music builds up to the entrance of the spiritual, then winds back down. We are very excited by this music, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Our new FPW Music Website (http://web.me.com/urbeth1/index.html) has gained some new features. Starting this week, Guy will post the names and composers of all the music he plays at services (this information often doesn’t make it into the Order of Service program because Guy likes to choose from several different possibilities on Sunday morning.) Also, the section on our Postlude links to a new biography of its composer, Bela Bartok, from a Unitarian perspective (he was a Unitarian in Hungary). Finally, we have posted a link to the study by Chorus America (mentioned above) affirming the importance of choral singing in promoting better living.
Ministerial Intern Minute
Entering a new community of worship can be an exciting adventure as well as an unnerving experience. My recent arrival at FPW has offered me the opportunity to reflect on what it is like for a newcomer to enter our community. It has also stimulated my thoughts about what it may be like for members of a community to be receptive and inviting to someone new. While there are significant differences between being a “member” of the community and being someone who is new, there are some important similarities. First, no matter how long someone has been attending or involved with a community, each of us is seeking some type of connection, some sense of belonging. Mark’s sermon “Who Do I Belong To” certainly spoke to this. Each person has their own unique criteria related to feeling connection and belonging. Criteria that are common for most people are a sense of familiarity and/or a sense of comfort. Often familiarity produces or leads to a sense of comfort.
Someone entering the church for the first time looks for those things that are familiar to them to feel comfortable in the new situation. Familiar items could include a wide variety of things such as material objects in the church, music they know, or inviting gestures from people who are present, gestures such as smiles, non-threatening eye contact and greetings of hello to name a few. Someone who is a “member” of the community notices those things that are familiar about the newcomer, such as how they look, how they act, or how they speak, to achieve a level of comfort needed to reach out to the newcomer. What produces a sense of familiarity and/or comfort is what we can easily relate to. The more we can relate to, the more comfortable we feel in the setting we are in, and the stronger our sense of relationship is with those in the setting.
My experience at FPW has helped me to think about how to develop and support familiarity and comfort in a new setting and community. I recognize the importance of learning from others about what is “familiar” for them and what brings them comfort. Having people approach me after the service and share how certain parts have typically been done in the past was very informative and helpful to my learning. My experience has also helped me to again realize that relationships are built over time. They take effort, involve risk, and are always developing and changing. Change means I will always be learning, to one degree or another, to deal with that which is unfamiliar. I am thankful to each of you who are a part of my learning process as I join your community of worship, and I appreciate that, as our “Purposes” state, we “covenant to affirm and promote…Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.”
Gratefully growing and learning,
Duffy Peet
The Green Sanctuary Committee
A Year of Climate Change Initiatives.
In October the Green Sanctuary Committee will begin a program of climate change initiatives at First Parish, Watertown. Climate Change is the most pressing environmental issue of our times and the Green Sanctuary Committee has decided to devote this year to educating the congregation about climate change and to encouraging all of us to make “greener” lifestyle choices. On October 25, and for a few weeks following, a congregational survey of individual and family energy use and lifestyle patterns will be distributed. The survey is being formed to help members become more aware of their energy use and to help our congregation to reduce its’ energy consumption. On Saturday, October 17, from 1 – 4 pm, David Russo will lead a window repair and weatherization workshop at FPW. See Kathy Button or Mark Harris for more details. During the course of the year there will be concerts (Jim Scott on the 25th of October) and film screenings related to climate change.
Each month from now until June the Green Sanctuary Committee is asking everyone to make at least one change at home to reduce his/her carbon footprint. October is Light Bulb/Electricity Month. If you have not done so already, please consider replacing any traditional incandescent light bulbs you may have with compact florescent light bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs use a fraction of the energy that the incandescent light bulbs use. If you have already switched all of your light bulbs, you might want to consider enrolling in NSTAR’s Green Energy Plan. The Green Energy plan costs a small fraction more than traditional electricity, but gives you the option of having your home’s electricity come from wind and solar power. For more information on NSTAR’s Green Energy: www.nstar.com or 800-592-2000. Don’t forget to turn off lights and computers when not in use. Unplug countertop kitchen appliances when not in use. Anything with a light/digital clock in it is using electricity even when it is not being used.
The First Parish of Watertown’s Green Sanctuary Committee was formed three years ago to raise awareness at the church and in the congregation of ways in which we can all make our homes and lifestyles “greener.” Over the course of the past few years the church has converted almost all of its’ incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent light bulbs, and has changed over all its fluorescent bulbs to energy efficient bulbs. This has greatly reduced our electricity consumption and expense. Through NSTAR’s Green Energy program the church is now getting all of its’ energy from wind and solar power. FPW has also installed one low-flush toilet and is planning to install more. The Green Sanctuary Committee has held environmental fairs after church and has helped to organize green services and simplicity circles.
Eileen Ryan,
Green Sanctuary Committee Member
Thank You
A special thanks to the following:
Isabel, Beth and Elijah Tappan-deFrees, and Martha Scott and David Morrison for all their hard work getting the church ready for the fall.
Judi Fitts for helping with newsletter, order of service and email formats.
Michael McCarthy for long hours of digging and building a wall to help with drainage, and the smell in the youth room.
Workers at Faire on the Square - David Morrison, Mark Harris, Brian Hebeisen Bobbie Brown, Duffy Peet, Michelle Gaseau, Kathy Button, Norah Mulvaney Day, Molly Day, Elisa Portz, Eileen Ryan, Eric Chipman. Martha Scott helped out, too, and Paul Day had signed up, but was feeling under the weather, and ALSO planning a comedy night for us later in the year. Thanks to you all.
Service Auction is coming in November
From Jean Merkl and Carole Katz
Service Auction! What’s a Service Auction?
It's time to start thinking about this year's Annual Service Auction, which will be held on Saturday, November 14. A Service Auction is when members and friends of First Parish donate services or items, such as making a dozen cookies, a pie, gardening help, computer help, knitting a scarf, a sermon of your choice, and then we bid on each others items! It’s a great way to get to know each other and raise money for the church. We may include a crafts fair table this year! More information to follow.
We will conduct a silent auction on the two Sundays prior to the 14th. Bid sheets for all services and goods will be available for review and bidding, at tables set up during Social Hour.
On November 14, the Service Auction Potluck Dinner will be held in the Social Hall. After the dinner a variety of the items (about 20) will be auctioned off live, all other silent auction items go to the highest bidder on the sheet.
Children are welcome, and childcare will be available throughout the evening. While we hope you can attend the Auction and Potluck, you do not need to be present to be the winning bidder.
To begin with, though, we need services and goods to be auctioned. If you have a service or good to contribute to the auction, please complete the following form and leave it in the office door. If you have any questions, please talk to Jean Merkl or Carole Katz, or
or e-mail your donation to the church office at fpwatertown@comcast.net
Service Auction Donation
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Name ________________________________
Phone Number _________________________
Email _______________________________
Minimum Bid (if any): ___________________
Item or Service to be auctioned (Please describe exactly as you would like it to appear in the Service Auction Brochure): ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Covenant Groups
Mark Harris would like to meet after church in the minister’s office on Sunday, October 4 at 12:30 with anyone who is interested in forming a covenant group. This will be a brief meeting as Green Sanctuary is scheduled to meet on this day. Covenant Groups are small groups that meet on a regular basis for spiritual exploration. We do not have a current group, but had a successful Spiritual Autobiography group last spring. We are hoping that something will grow from that. Covenant group meetings usually include a reading, a check-in and a discussion of a topic that might include such things as God, prayer, legacy, failure, forgiveness, etc. A group might have six to ten members, meet monthly and either have a regular facilitator or rotate the responsibility. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect more deeply with other members of our congregation and grow in faith. Please let Mark know if you are interested, but cannot attend this meeting.
Welcoming Visitors to First Parish
Do you remember the first time you attended a Sunday service at First Parish? Did anyone say hello to you? Did you feel welcomed?
During the past several years in an effort to reach out to our visitors, the Fellowship Committee has asked for volunteer “greeters” who would look for visitors on Sunday mornings, greet them after the service, and invite them to join us at our social hour. For a while these greeters wore an “Ask Me” button. Lately, they were identified by a green welcoming tag.
At our first committee meeting this fall we decided that rather than designating just one person to be a greeter per Sunday, that we would ask ALL of you to wear the “greeter” hat on Sunday mornings. How to do this?
o Wear your name tag. If you don’t have one yet, please contact Katherine Calabro or sign up on the “Name Tag” sheet on the bulletin board downstairs, and she will make one for you. Name tags are an easy way to distinguish visitors and new people from people who already consider themselves part of FPW.
o After the service, and especially at social hour, look for people without name tags who are standing alone. Say hello, introduce yourself, and ask if they would like a cup of coffee, how they came to visit First Parish, etc.
o After conversing for a while, introduce visitors to other nearby people, so that they have an opportunity to meet others, and not feel monopolized by just one person.
FPW has grown and flourished these past many years through reaching out to newcomers. We thank you for helping us to continue this important tradition.
The Fellowship Committee
The Giving Box
Giving boxes for September and October will benefit two important organizations in the area. The first is REACH - a women's shelter in Waltham. They are in need of a number of items. Primary needs include paper goods (e.g., paper towels, toilet paper), feminine products, grocery store gift cards and transportation vouchers (such as taxi vouchers).Secondary needs include new bath towels and washcloths as well as laundry detergent. The second organization is the Children's Clothing Exchange. Their greatest needs are children's clothing sizes 3-10, but they can use all sizes up to 16 if you can contribute.
Windows Workshop
Buildings & Grounds and the Green Sanctuary Committee cordially invite interested members and friends to help repair and restore our historic sanctuary windows. David Russo, of the Watertown Historic Commission and an expert on all things Charles Brigham, has kindly offered to share his expertise on window preservation. During this hands-on workshop, we will learn the anatomy of double hung windows. David will demonstrate on one of the windows in poor health. He will work with us to repair one or two other windows as time permits.
There are many reasons beyond saving money and energy costs for preserving rather than replacing our sanctuary windows. Taking the long view, historic windows possess aesthetic features that cannot be matched in replacement windows. Our windows have stood the test of time. With proper stewardship, they should last another 120 years as Charles Brigham designed them. Call Kathy Button 617-923-1840 if you are interested in attending the Windows Workshop, Saturday, October 17, 1-4 PM.
Bicycle Collection for Community Development at Home and Abroad
A charitable offering for Bikes Not Bombs will take place on Sunday, October 25. As you may recall, Bikes Not Bombs is a Roxbury based non-profit organization working for alternative transportation and community development. They operate a full service bike shop in Roxbury where they achieve the goals of training inner city youth to become bicycle mechanics, learn good business skills and become effective community leaders.
Boston Food Bank
On Saturday, October 3, First Parish has 20 volunteers signed up to go to the Boston Food Bank. They will inspect, sort and repack donated grocery products that are then distributed to hunger relief agencies. With the help of volunteers, the Food Bank is able to provide meals for over 83,000 people each week!
There is still room for others to volunteer if you would like to help. Call Mark if you are interested.
Green Buildings Open House
In these days of increasing concern about climate change and high energy prices people are looking for ways to minimize their environmental footprint and save money.
Homes and businesses exhibiting clean energy and green building practices in Massachusetts will be open for free visits by the public 10 AM to 4PM on Saturday, October 3rd. First Parish member, Brian Hebeisen will be opening his home at 170 Worcester St. in Watertown exhibiting solar electricity and other green practices. For more information call (617) 926-2150. For general information or listings of other locations, go to www.nesea.org.
Concert with Jim Scott
The weekend of October 24-25 is a nationwide climate action weekend. In addition to church activities that morning, we will host a concert on Sunday evening, October 25, with Jim Scott. The concert is intended for all ages, and will begin at 6:30 p.m. It will be preceded by a potluck supper at 5:00 p.m. Please bring main dish, salad or dessert. (As a result of this potluck supper, we will not have the potluck luncheon originally scheduled for October 18)
The concert promises to be a wonderful event. Jim Scott is probably best known to you as the composer of hymn #347 “Gather the Spirit.” He is an exciting acoustic guitarist and composer of powerful songs that further the ideals of ecology, peace and justice. He is one of the founders of the UUA’s Green Sanctuary movement. Fellow UU Peter Seeger says “Jim Scott is some kind of a magician!” Admission to the Jim Scott concert is by donation. We are asking for $10-12 per adult and $25 per family maximum.
It is a special treat to have him on Climate Action weekend. For more than two decades, he has made it his business to create and perform music that celebrates the earth. His songs and poetry have inspired and educated audiences around the world. He has developed presentations for every age group and crafted songs that sensitize his listeners to the beauty of the earth, teaching principles of ecology in memorable verses.
Jim arranged and edited “The Earth and Spirit Songbook,” an anthology of songs of earth and peace. This collection includes songs by many contemporary songwriters with some of Jim’s own.
From his work with the Paul Winter Consort where he co-wrote the celebrated Missa Gaia - Earth Mass and many other pieces, including his “A Song for the Earth,” recorded live at the United Nations on the album Concert for the Earth, Jim has gone on to create an extensive body of work. His own recordings “Earth, Sky, Love and Dreams” and “Sailing with the Moon” include many of his eco-anthems. Don’t miss this exciting event!
The Cambodian Assistance And Cultural
Preservation Project
During the month of October at social hour Michael Altamari will be selling bags he made from hand woven Guatemalan fabrics. All of the proceeds will be going to support The Cambodian Assistance And Cultural Preservation Project. This charitable organization is run by a couple who are good friends of Michael's and will culminate when they come to our church Nov. 8th to give a small talk and take the collection plate for that day along with all the bag sales.
Concord Area Humanists and Wright Tavern Will Present
Introduction to Humanism - a Four Session Series, in Oct and Nov 2009
This discussion series will provide an overview of the history, philosophy, and goals of humanism, the role of humanism in history, core principles, and what humanism offers the individual and society.
The course will use online material originally published by the Institute for Humanist Studies, in their Continuum of Humanist Education (COHE) module “Introduction to Humanism.” That program is now managed, and copyright owned, by The Humanist Institute whom we thank for their generous permission to use the course. Registrants will be encouraged to read the online material before each session.
Meeting on Monday nights, 7:30-9 p.m., October 5, 19, November 2, 16. Led by Concord Area Humanists. Fee: $35 for the 4 sessions; drop-ins $10/session. Contact Patrick Everett, pne@aol.com, (978) 369-1589, for further information, including registration.
First Parish Calendar 2009-2010
2009
September 13 Water Service - intergenerational
September 26 Faire on the Square
October 3 Boston Food Bank
October 7 Parish Council
October 25 Potluck and Concert
November 1 Newcomer Breakfast
November 7 FPW TLC/Cleanup Day
November 14 Service Auction
November 22 Thanksgiving Service - intergenerational
December 20 Christmas pageant - intergenerational
December 24 Christmas Eve –two services
2010
January 18 Unity Breakfast
January 22 Friday Night Supper Club at Arlington St. Church
February 13 Chocolate Potluck and Sing-along
February 27 Benefit Concert
February 28 Canvass Sunday
(March is Canvass month)
March 3 or 4 Canvass Dinners begin
March 7 Winter Intergenerational Service
March 21 Newcomer Breakfast
April 4 Easter Sunday / Pancake Breakfast
April 10 Annual Dinner
April 18 Earth Day - intergenerational
April 25 Annual Meeting
May 1 Rummage Sale
May 8 FPW TLC/Cleanup Day
June 13 Youth Sunday - intergenerational
June 20 Flower Service and picnic
intergenerational
For the Calendar dates, please go to www.fpwatertown.org
Sermons and Worship Services
Sunday, October 4 at 11:00 a.m.
“Stand Up for Love”
Mark W. Harris
At the UUA General Assembly this year, the UUA inaugurated a new campaign against hate crimes, Standing on the Side of Love. We were one of the first congregations to use these materials as we witnessed our rainbow flag being burned over the summer. Since Obama was elected there has been an increase in hate crimes. What do we have to say about words that hate?
Greeters: Bobbie Brown and Brigitte Bender
Social Hour: Michael and Marianne Collins
Sunday, October 11 at 11:00 a.m.
“Imagine Standing in Another’s Shoes”
Duffy Peet
Perceiving events from the perspective of another can produce a new and very different way of thinking and acting. On this Columbus Day weekend I will reflect on the burning of the church’s rainbow flag and consider Columbus Day from a cultural viewpoint very different from the one I grew up in. We will explore stepping into another’s shoes and discover what we might learn and how we may then be called to act.
Greeters: Will and Sue Twombly
Social Hour: Matt and Katherine Calabro
Sunday , October 18 at 11:00 am
“Nothing to Compare”
Mark W. Harris
I am a member of the UUA’s Margaret Fuller bicentennial committee, which will celebrate her life in 2010. Who was Margaret Fuller? She was a Unitarian, Transcendentalist, and America’s first feminist, and perhaps the most brilliant person of the 19th century. Yet, because she was a powerful woman, she was scorned and denigrated. This is a preview to her 200th birthday next May.
Greeters: Melissa Thompson and Lee Pierce
Social Hour: John Chamberlain and Sarah McSweeney
Sunday October 25, 2009
“Ask for What You Want”
Mark W. Harris
This sermon will remind us that if we really want something we have to be clear and direct about what it is, and then ask. This service will also be part of Climate Action weekend. We will distribute a survey, inaugurate our monthly green actions, and have a great concert on Sunday night with Jim Scott.
Greeters: Elizabeth and Isabel Tappan-deFrees
Social Hour: Jeanne Cleary and Barry Greess
Captain’s Log
We are off to a wonderful start with a number of new families and children in our church school. Please help these newcomers feel welcomed. I especially want to thank Andrea for the great job she has done filling in at the last minute to be our DRE. She has some enthusiastic teachers to work with, and I think everyone will be happy with our RE program this year.
I hope everyone will come to know Duffy Peet, our new intern this year. He will be here most Sundays conducting a good portion of the worship service. Thanks to those who have volunteered to be on his intern committee. This is the time of year when I usually remind people of my office hours. I am in the office most days from 9-3, with some Tuesdays off. Nancy is also there at least four days with Wednesdays off. I am always available to meet with you during those times if you have religious questions or personal concerns you wish to discuss, or we can make a special appointment time, too. If you are new to the church we are planning a Newcomer Breakfast on Sunday, November 1, followed by a class for newcomers the following two Sundays.
I also want to remind people of my schedule for the year. Last year I had three months sabbatical in April, May and June. Then I had my usual summer vacation and study/ on call time. The 2009 - 2010 church year also includes another three months sabbatical. This will be taken in April, May and June again, the final month being when Andrea and I are scheduled to deliver a manuscript to Cambridge University Press. Altogether it is six months sabbatical for six years of service (14 total years of service). We will need less pulpit supply this year since we have a student minister.
I have lots of exciting personal book news. My historical dictionary is now in a paperback edition, called The A to Z of Unitarian Universalism, and the UUA has agreed to publish my Minns Lectures from two years ago, so I am very happy with these developments.
Yet every time I seemed to get exciting book news, I also lost a tooth. Hopefully this wasn’t a metaphor for biting off more than I can chew! If I were six, loosing teeth would seem natural, but I am afraid that fracturing two teeth over the last several months is not such great news. One of these was a front tooth, and I began the summer trying to save it with a crown. The temporary crown did not hold at all, and so I spent my first two weeks in Maine with a smile that had a huge gap in it. This either teaches you humility or destroys your ego or both. I would look in the mirror and shudder at this sight. Unfortunately the permanent crown fell out a week or so ago, and I gave a lecture at Andover Newton listening to myself whistle through the gaping hole.
Having such a noticeable problem is a challenge for your average middle class person. We may ask what are people saying about my appearance? Do they presume I am poor, and can’t afford to get my teeth fixed? I am reminded of some of the very judgments I have made while conversing with Asher’s bus drivers who make $8.00 an hour and cannot afford to have dental work done. How lucky most of us are to be able to find ways to finance such health care. But the costs also make me realize how close I am to not being able to afford it. How often do people make health decisions because they cannot afford it? As we all know, the situation cries out for reform, and in my view, a public option.
The other thing that fracturing teeth reminds me of is aging. While I am not yet sixty, loosing teeth is a sign of the replacement of various body parts as we age. Sure we can stem the tide by eating right and exercising, and even hearing the rewarding news from my dentist that “your gums are clean” buoyed me up. There are compromises to be made, and living with some care. I have to watch my chewing and avoid chomping down on corn on the cob. Now I must slow down and pay more attention to how I am eating. Maybe that is one of the fruits of aging. I can appreciate all the things I rushed by before. I take my time. I notice things. I appreciate what I have. I have learned from my missing teeth. I am reminded of what it is to be poor, or to have people judge me based on appearance. I am reminded to pay attention to all that I do and say and, especially chew. For now I have all my teeth again, and I feel lucky. Aging is not something I can avoid, but I can embrace the wisdom it offers.
Mark
The Space Between
From Rev. Andrea Greenwood, Interim DRE
I had written a column for this newsletter, but when I went to pick up supplies from classrooms after church, I did something very hard for me: I decided to throw it out and start over. I did this not because I changed my mind, or because the column was no good. Actually, I thought it was quite good and one of the worst things about throwing it away is that I don’t think I will have a chance to use it! (That’s painful for a writer.) It was about anger and transitions and by the next newsletter that really won’t be the pressing topic.
The Middle School class was studying sins and virtues. When I saw some of their work, I realized that it would be much better for all of us to hear from them than for me to go on and on about anything. Before getting to the seven deadly sins and their definition, the kids did an exercise in which they wrote down what makes a day go wrong. When they have a bad day, is it usually some really big deal, or not? What are the things that happen to them that ruin their days and make life hard? And what are the things they do which make them feel bad about themselves?
When I was picking up the room, I found these index cards, answering the questions:
Unhappiness in our home
Someone in a bad mood.
Short-tempered
A really bad grade on a test
teacher conflicts
A LOT of homework
mean people
little things
misunderstanding
when Mr. Martin is in a bad mood
When I get a lot of homework
stupid people
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
Crummy day at school, lots of homework
have to use lots of energy at school
bad night’s sleep
nothing to do after school
beginning of the week
feeling sick
bad schedule at school
lots of homework
little things building up
math
Wednesdays (music lesson) and Mondays
Fighting with my brothers
Feeling misunderstood
too much work
not having enough time
being tired; it makes everything else hard.
Reading these cards made me stop for a moment. These are twelve year olds! This is a group that has been a little challenging: it is saying something that not one of them wrote “being here” or “why do we have to do this?” They took it seriously, and in the process created a little space where we can begin to address some of the issues that plague their days. It made me feel very glad that next week we are taking them to a workshop at Insight Meditation Center, which is geared towards providing strategies for coping with school stress. It’s too early to tell if learning about Adam and Eve getting kicked out of Eden for eating the apple; or people suffering from all sorts of evils in the world because of Zeus being angry and giving Pandora the box, knowing she would open it -- it is too early to tell if these stories give the children way to think about their experiences, but I am hopeful. One little action -- taking a bite; opening the lid -- and the universe falls apart. Is it about sin; or does it describe how it feels to be alive? Ask your kids. Ask yourself! This is what religious education is for. Kids struggling against being labeled (even by themselves) lazy have incorporated a message from our culture which religious education gives us a chance to be more conscious about. Traditional religion can be rather black and white; you are a sloth or a star; a madonna or a whore; right on down the line. I am glad for an hour a week, we can offer a different message. And we can give our kids ways to talk about the human drives behind all these labels. As I reached for a piece of pizza, my own 12 year old said, smiling, “I like the word GLUTTONY.”!!!!
See you in church,
Andrea
R.E. BY NUMBERS
On Sept 20, we had 41 children and 4 youth (3 of whom were helping in classes) present.
On Sept 27, we had 33 children and 6 youth (3 of whom were helping) present. In addition, 6 youth went with Barry Greess for an afternoon of bargain hunting, socializing, and pizza.
Of the 42 children registered (not including the eleven youth), eight are new this year. Four children from two families who were with us last year have not returned (yet!). We also have two very cute babies: Marshall and Zalie. Total children this year: 55
On Oct. 4, all nine middle schoolers will be in a two hour workshop about using meditation to cope with school and family stress. At least four youth group members will do the same workshop later in the day.
October 11, there are no classes. There will be a story during church, and there will be child care, thanks to Charlotte Fitts-Sprague..
If you would like to help out in any class, contact me at themanse@comcast.net. You can also go to fpwatertown.org, go to the RE page, and click on the Current Schedule to see where we need you.
Two people have applied for the Youth Advisor position and are being interviewed by Cody Urban, Kyle Morton, and Mark Harris.
In October, the DRE opening will be posted and a search committee will form. My position is as an interim, filling in while we search for a new permanent Director of Religious Education.
Three people volunteered to help with the pageant, and will begin planning soon. Thank you to Paul Day, John Portz, and Isabel Tappan-deFrees. In addition, Lee Pierce has offered to lead New Games, and Connie Wilson offered to baby-sit.
Thank you to Isabel Tappan-deFrees for cleaning the closets and finding curricula I needed!!! Isabel also sorted through boxes of fabric to see what was costumes, etc. THANK YOU.
Musically Speaking
by Charlyn Bethell
Some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard is people singing, and I have a special place in my heart for the sound of children singing. Besides developing musical skills and a beautiful vocal sound, children who sing in choruses get many other benefits. I quote The Chorus Impact Study done by Chorus America (www.chorusamerica.org), which lists some of the benefits children gain from singing in a chorus:
• Children are more self-confident
• Children’s self-discipline improves
• Children’s memory skills improve
• Children’s overall academic performance is better
• Children are more focused and stay alert
• Children engage more in general when they feel they are part of a team
• Children learn the benefits of being in a group
• Children’s social skills are enhanced
Many schools in our nation are reducing or eliminating school choruses. Singing in community and church groups is one way to fill the gap left by budget shortfalls. All of this reminds me how important our Children’s Chorus is! With this in mind, our Children’s Chorus for elementary-school-aged kids will start rehearsals on Oct. 18th (Sunday morning), at 10:15 downstairs. We will sing every week on Sunday mornings at the same time, same location. Our first performance will be at the Thanksgiving Intergenerational service on November 22nd. Come and join us; we do have fun together and the music we share is awesome!
The adult choir has started with many voices already! We had a party to kick off the season and it was so fun and engaging that we will definitely have more such events in the future. You will get to hear the adult choir sing at the October 18th service. The two pieces being sung are: “Oye” by James Papoulis and “Until I Reach-a Mah Home”, a spiritual arranged by Rollo Dilworth. “Oye” is a lively piece accompanied by drums and bass guitar. Some of the text is in Spanish, and the message is “Listen”: listen to me, listen to each other, listen to our singing. The composer of our other piece, Rollo Dilworth, is a prolific composer and a conductor in great demand. (Our own Amy Urban sang under him in a chorus in North Carolina a few years ago.) His piece weaves a story of someone remembering a revered old man who sang an African-American spiritual. The spiritual is in the middle of the piece, surrounded by the music written by Dilworth. The music builds up to the entrance of the spiritual, then winds back down. We are very excited by this music, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Our new FPW Music Website (http://web.me.com/urbeth1/index.html) has gained some new features. Starting this week, Guy will post the names and composers of all the music he plays at services (this information often doesn’t make it into the Order of Service program because Guy likes to choose from several different possibilities on Sunday morning.) Also, the section on our Postlude links to a new biography of its composer, Bela Bartok, from a Unitarian perspective (he was a Unitarian in Hungary). Finally, we have posted a link to the study by Chorus America (mentioned above) affirming the importance of choral singing in promoting better living.
Ministerial Intern Minute
Entering a new community of worship can be an exciting adventure as well as an unnerving experience. My recent arrival at FPW has offered me the opportunity to reflect on what it is like for a newcomer to enter our community. It has also stimulated my thoughts about what it may be like for members of a community to be receptive and inviting to someone new. While there are significant differences between being a “member” of the community and being someone who is new, there are some important similarities. First, no matter how long someone has been attending or involved with a community, each of us is seeking some type of connection, some sense of belonging. Mark’s sermon “Who Do I Belong To” certainly spoke to this. Each person has their own unique criteria related to feeling connection and belonging. Criteria that are common for most people are a sense of familiarity and/or a sense of comfort. Often familiarity produces or leads to a sense of comfort.
Someone entering the church for the first time looks for those things that are familiar to them to feel comfortable in the new situation. Familiar items could include a wide variety of things such as material objects in the church, music they know, or inviting gestures from people who are present, gestures such as smiles, non-threatening eye contact and greetings of hello to name a few. Someone who is a “member” of the community notices those things that are familiar about the newcomer, such as how they look, how they act, or how they speak, to achieve a level of comfort needed to reach out to the newcomer. What produces a sense of familiarity and/or comfort is what we can easily relate to. The more we can relate to, the more comfortable we feel in the setting we are in, and the stronger our sense of relationship is with those in the setting.
My experience at FPW has helped me to think about how to develop and support familiarity and comfort in a new setting and community. I recognize the importance of learning from others about what is “familiar” for them and what brings them comfort. Having people approach me after the service and share how certain parts have typically been done in the past was very informative and helpful to my learning. My experience has also helped me to again realize that relationships are built over time. They take effort, involve risk, and are always developing and changing. Change means I will always be learning, to one degree or another, to deal with that which is unfamiliar. I am thankful to each of you who are a part of my learning process as I join your community of worship, and I appreciate that, as our “Purposes” state, we “covenant to affirm and promote…Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.”
Gratefully growing and learning,
Duffy Peet
The Green Sanctuary Committee
A Year of Climate Change Initiatives.
In October the Green Sanctuary Committee will begin a program of climate change initiatives at First Parish, Watertown. Climate Change is the most pressing environmental issue of our times and the Green Sanctuary Committee has decided to devote this year to educating the congregation about climate change and to encouraging all of us to make “greener” lifestyle choices. On October 25, and for a few weeks following, a congregational survey of individual and family energy use and lifestyle patterns will be distributed. The survey is being formed to help members become more aware of their energy use and to help our congregation to reduce its’ energy consumption. On Saturday, October 17, from 1 – 4 pm, David Russo will lead a window repair and weatherization workshop at FPW. See Kathy Button or Mark Harris for more details. During the course of the year there will be concerts (Jim Scott on the 25th of October) and film screenings related to climate change.
Each month from now until June the Green Sanctuary Committee is asking everyone to make at least one change at home to reduce his/her carbon footprint. October is Light Bulb/Electricity Month. If you have not done so already, please consider replacing any traditional incandescent light bulbs you may have with compact florescent light bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs use a fraction of the energy that the incandescent light bulbs use. If you have already switched all of your light bulbs, you might want to consider enrolling in NSTAR’s Green Energy Plan. The Green Energy plan costs a small fraction more than traditional electricity, but gives you the option of having your home’s electricity come from wind and solar power. For more information on NSTAR’s Green Energy: www.nstar.com or 800-592-2000. Don’t forget to turn off lights and computers when not in use. Unplug countertop kitchen appliances when not in use. Anything with a light/digital clock in it is using electricity even when it is not being used.
The First Parish of Watertown’s Green Sanctuary Committee was formed three years ago to raise awareness at the church and in the congregation of ways in which we can all make our homes and lifestyles “greener.” Over the course of the past few years the church has converted almost all of its’ incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent light bulbs, and has changed over all its fluorescent bulbs to energy efficient bulbs. This has greatly reduced our electricity consumption and expense. Through NSTAR’s Green Energy program the church is now getting all of its’ energy from wind and solar power. FPW has also installed one low-flush toilet and is planning to install more. The Green Sanctuary Committee has held environmental fairs after church and has helped to organize green services and simplicity circles.
Eileen Ryan,
Green Sanctuary Committee Member
Thank You
A special thanks to the following:
Isabel, Beth and Elijah Tappan-deFrees, and Martha Scott and David Morrison for all their hard work getting the church ready for the fall.
Judi Fitts for helping with newsletter, order of service and email formats.
Michael McCarthy for long hours of digging and building a wall to help with drainage, and the smell in the youth room.
Workers at Faire on the Square - David Morrison, Mark Harris, Brian Hebeisen Bobbie Brown, Duffy Peet, Michelle Gaseau, Kathy Button, Norah Mulvaney Day, Molly Day, Elisa Portz, Eileen Ryan, Eric Chipman. Martha Scott helped out, too, and Paul Day had signed up, but was feeling under the weather, and ALSO planning a comedy night for us later in the year. Thanks to you all.
Service Auction is coming in November
From Jean Merkl and Carole Katz
Service Auction! What’s a Service Auction?
It's time to start thinking about this year's Annual Service Auction, which will be held on Saturday, November 14. A Service Auction is when members and friends of First Parish donate services or items, such as making a dozen cookies, a pie, gardening help, computer help, knitting a scarf, a sermon of your choice, and then we bid on each others items! It’s a great way to get to know each other and raise money for the church. We may include a crafts fair table this year! More information to follow.
We will conduct a silent auction on the two Sundays prior to the 14th. Bid sheets for all services and goods will be available for review and bidding, at tables set up during Social Hour.
On November 14, the Service Auction Potluck Dinner will be held in the Social Hall. After the dinner a variety of the items (about 20) will be auctioned off live, all other silent auction items go to the highest bidder on the sheet.
Children are welcome, and childcare will be available throughout the evening. While we hope you can attend the Auction and Potluck, you do not need to be present to be the winning bidder.
To begin with, though, we need services and goods to be auctioned. If you have a service or good to contribute to the auction, please complete the following form and leave it in the office door. If you have any questions, please talk to Jean Merkl or Carole Katz, or
or e-mail your donation to the church office at fpwatertown@comcast.net
Service Auction Donation
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Name ________________________________
Phone Number _________________________
Email _______________________________
Minimum Bid (if any): ___________________
Item or Service to be auctioned (Please describe exactly as you would like it to appear in the Service Auction Brochure): ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Covenant Groups
Mark Harris would like to meet after church in the minister’s office on Sunday, October 4 at 12:30 with anyone who is interested in forming a covenant group. This will be a brief meeting as Green Sanctuary is scheduled to meet on this day. Covenant Groups are small groups that meet on a regular basis for spiritual exploration. We do not have a current group, but had a successful Spiritual Autobiography group last spring. We are hoping that something will grow from that. Covenant group meetings usually include a reading, a check-in and a discussion of a topic that might include such things as God, prayer, legacy, failure, forgiveness, etc. A group might have six to ten members, meet monthly and either have a regular facilitator or rotate the responsibility. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect more deeply with other members of our congregation and grow in faith. Please let Mark know if you are interested, but cannot attend this meeting.
Welcoming Visitors to First Parish
Do you remember the first time you attended a Sunday service at First Parish? Did anyone say hello to you? Did you feel welcomed?
During the past several years in an effort to reach out to our visitors, the Fellowship Committee has asked for volunteer “greeters” who would look for visitors on Sunday mornings, greet them after the service, and invite them to join us at our social hour. For a while these greeters wore an “Ask Me” button. Lately, they were identified by a green welcoming tag.
At our first committee meeting this fall we decided that rather than designating just one person to be a greeter per Sunday, that we would ask ALL of you to wear the “greeter” hat on Sunday mornings. How to do this?
o Wear your name tag. If you don’t have one yet, please contact Katherine Calabro or sign up on the “Name Tag” sheet on the bulletin board downstairs, and she will make one for you. Name tags are an easy way to distinguish visitors and new people from people who already consider themselves part of FPW.
o After the service, and especially at social hour, look for people without name tags who are standing alone. Say hello, introduce yourself, and ask if they would like a cup of coffee, how they came to visit First Parish, etc.
o After conversing for a while, introduce visitors to other nearby people, so that they have an opportunity to meet others, and not feel monopolized by just one person.
FPW has grown and flourished these past many years through reaching out to newcomers. We thank you for helping us to continue this important tradition.
The Fellowship Committee
The Giving Box
Giving boxes for September and October will benefit two important organizations in the area. The first is REACH - a women's shelter in Waltham. They are in need of a number of items. Primary needs include paper goods (e.g., paper towels, toilet paper), feminine products, grocery store gift cards and transportation vouchers (such as taxi vouchers).Secondary needs include new bath towels and washcloths as well as laundry detergent. The second organization is the Children's Clothing Exchange. Their greatest needs are children's clothing sizes 3-10, but they can use all sizes up to 16 if you can contribute.
Windows Workshop
Buildings & Grounds and the Green Sanctuary Committee cordially invite interested members and friends to help repair and restore our historic sanctuary windows. David Russo, of the Watertown Historic Commission and an expert on all things Charles Brigham, has kindly offered to share his expertise on window preservation. During this hands-on workshop, we will learn the anatomy of double hung windows. David will demonstrate on one of the windows in poor health. He will work with us to repair one or two other windows as time permits.
There are many reasons beyond saving money and energy costs for preserving rather than replacing our sanctuary windows. Taking the long view, historic windows possess aesthetic features that cannot be matched in replacement windows. Our windows have stood the test of time. With proper stewardship, they should last another 120 years as Charles Brigham designed them. Call Kathy Button 617-923-1840 if you are interested in attending the Windows Workshop, Saturday, October 17, 1-4 PM.
Bicycle Collection for Community Development at Home and Abroad
A charitable offering for Bikes Not Bombs will take place on Sunday, October 25. As you may recall, Bikes Not Bombs is a Roxbury based non-profit organization working for alternative transportation and community development. They operate a full service bike shop in Roxbury where they achieve the goals of training inner city youth to become bicycle mechanics, learn good business skills and become effective community leaders.
Boston Food Bank
On Saturday, October 3, First Parish has 20 volunteers signed up to go to the Boston Food Bank. They will inspect, sort and repack donated grocery products that are then distributed to hunger relief agencies. With the help of volunteers, the Food Bank is able to provide meals for over 83,000 people each week!
There is still room for others to volunteer if you would like to help. Call Mark if you are interested.
Green Buildings Open House
In these days of increasing concern about climate change and high energy prices people are looking for ways to minimize their environmental footprint and save money.
Homes and businesses exhibiting clean energy and green building practices in Massachusetts will be open for free visits by the public 10 AM to 4PM on Saturday, October 3rd. First Parish member, Brian Hebeisen will be opening his home at 170 Worcester St. in Watertown exhibiting solar electricity and other green practices. For more information call (617) 926-2150. For general information or listings of other locations, go to www.nesea.org.
Concert with Jim Scott
The weekend of October 24-25 is a nationwide climate action weekend. In addition to church activities that morning, we will host a concert on Sunday evening, October 25, with Jim Scott. The concert is intended for all ages, and will begin at 6:30 p.m. It will be preceded by a potluck supper at 5:00 p.m. Please bring main dish, salad or dessert. (As a result of this potluck supper, we will not have the potluck luncheon originally scheduled for October 18)
The concert promises to be a wonderful event. Jim Scott is probably best known to you as the composer of hymn #347 “Gather the Spirit.” He is an exciting acoustic guitarist and composer of powerful songs that further the ideals of ecology, peace and justice. He is one of the founders of the UUA’s Green Sanctuary movement. Fellow UU Peter Seeger says “Jim Scott is some kind of a magician!” Admission to the Jim Scott concert is by donation. We are asking for $10-12 per adult and $25 per family maximum.
It is a special treat to have him on Climate Action weekend. For more than two decades, he has made it his business to create and perform music that celebrates the earth. His songs and poetry have inspired and educated audiences around the world. He has developed presentations for every age group and crafted songs that sensitize his listeners to the beauty of the earth, teaching principles of ecology in memorable verses.
Jim arranged and edited “The Earth and Spirit Songbook,” an anthology of songs of earth and peace. This collection includes songs by many contemporary songwriters with some of Jim’s own.
From his work with the Paul Winter Consort where he co-wrote the celebrated Missa Gaia - Earth Mass and many other pieces, including his “A Song for the Earth,” recorded live at the United Nations on the album Concert for the Earth, Jim has gone on to create an extensive body of work. His own recordings “Earth, Sky, Love and Dreams” and “Sailing with the Moon” include many of his eco-anthems. Don’t miss this exciting event!
The Cambodian Assistance And Cultural
Preservation Project
During the month of October at social hour Michael Altamari will be selling bags he made from hand woven Guatemalan fabrics. All of the proceeds will be going to support The Cambodian Assistance And Cultural Preservation Project. This charitable organization is run by a couple who are good friends of Michael's and will culminate when they come to our church Nov. 8th to give a small talk and take the collection plate for that day along with all the bag sales.
Concord Area Humanists and Wright Tavern Will Present
Introduction to Humanism - a Four Session Series, in Oct and Nov 2009
This discussion series will provide an overview of the history, philosophy, and goals of humanism, the role of humanism in history, core principles, and what humanism offers the individual and society.
The course will use online material originally published by the Institute for Humanist Studies, in their Continuum of Humanist Education (COHE) module “Introduction to Humanism.” That program is now managed, and copyright owned, by The Humanist Institute whom we thank for their generous permission to use the course. Registrants will be encouraged to read the online material before each session.
Meeting on Monday nights, 7:30-9 p.m., October 5, 19, November 2, 16. Led by Concord Area Humanists. Fee: $35 for the 4 sessions; drop-ins $10/session. Contact Patrick Everett, pne@aol.com, (978) 369-1589, for further information, including registration.
First Parish Calendar 2009-2010
2009
September 13 Water Service - intergenerational
September 26 Faire on the Square
October 3 Boston Food Bank
October 7 Parish Council
October 25 Potluck and Concert
November 1 Newcomer Breakfast
November 7 FPW TLC/Cleanup Day
November 14 Service Auction
November 22 Thanksgiving Service - intergenerational
December 20 Christmas pageant - intergenerational
December 24 Christmas Eve –two services
2010
January 18 Unity Breakfast
January 22 Friday Night Supper Club at Arlington St. Church
February 13 Chocolate Potluck and Sing-along
February 27 Benefit Concert
February 28 Canvass Sunday
(March is Canvass month)
March 3 or 4 Canvass Dinners begin
March 7 Winter Intergenerational Service
March 21 Newcomer Breakfast
April 4 Easter Sunday / Pancake Breakfast
April 10 Annual Dinner
April 18 Earth Day - intergenerational
April 25 Annual Meeting
May 1 Rummage Sale
May 8 FPW TLC/Cleanup Day
June 13 Youth Sunday - intergenerational
June 20 Flower Service and picnic
intergenerational