THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FIRST PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SCITUATE
November 17, 2009
The Sloop’s Log
“Thanksgiving Sunday” November 22, 2009 10:30 am Rev. Richard M. Stower
“Once more the fields have ripened to harvest and the !uitful earth has fulfi"ed the promise of spring.” (Percival Chubb) The Pilgrims had it right. Even after a year of privation they gave thanks for life’s bounty. In this service we remind ourselves about what we are grateful for. Our traditional thanksgiving luncheon follows the service.
Unity Club
December 9, 2009 6:30: Social gathering 7:00 Dinner Dinner hostesses’ for the evening: Rhonda Gorski, Rena Gorski, Vicki Davis, Roxanne Greim, and Ann Hale. We will be having a cookie exchange. Please bring one, two, or three dozen cookies to exchange After dinner and our cookie exchange, we will have a brief meeting. Look forward to seeing you on the 9th for fun, friendship and food.
Sunday Hospitality November 22
Flowers: Kay Shaw & Anne Weaver Coffee Hour: Thanksgiving Soup Luncheon
“What Shall We Do Then?” November 29, 2009 10:30 am Rev. Richard M. Stower
We are entering into the season of peace or perhaps more precisely, the ideal of peace. The great Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, was a Christian and a pacifist. He wrote passionately about the gap between the teachings of Jesus and those who profess to be Christians and yet commit violence against their fellow men and women. 1 PAGE 1
November 29
Greeter: Barb Gifford Flowers: Barb Gifford
Coffee Hour: The Anderson and Smith Family
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FIRST PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SCITUATE
Minister’s Office Hours
Rev. Stower’s office hours are as follows: Tuesday 9:30-2:00 pm Wednesday 9:30-12:30 pm Thursday 9:30-12:30 pm Friday 9:30-1:30 pm Appointments may be made for times outside office hours.
Thank You from the Food Pantry
Dear Yvonne, [Twomey] How happily we received the $78.20 donation from the UU Food Pantry jar! As you well know every penny counts and is put to good use. Thank you to all who contributed, and to all go our best wishes for the best holiday season ever. Sincerely, Betty Crowley Scituate Food Pantry
Thank You
Although our 375th Anniversary Celebration is not quite through, it is not too early to thank the members of the 375th Anniversary Committee for the work they have done this year, particularly the special luncheons and coffee hours to welcome back former ministers, Darrell Berger, Tom Goldsmith and David Parke.
Finance Committee
This is a bit premature, but I thought that I would notify everyone that First Snowflake Fair Gift Parish has been approved for bottle Baskets and can duty at the transfer station for the month of March, 2010. We It's time to think about Gift Baskets certainly recognize that this isn't the for the Snowflake Fair! Last year's most fun way for folks to make money baskets were a huge success! From and contribute to the church. Yet now until Thanksgiving we will be performing this duty does provide a collecting items for the following themes, as well as any baskets or other significant source of revenue for First interesting "containers" to put them Parish. When discussed at the Parish in: Committee we did feel that the church GOURMET * DOGS * SPA* should carry on with our tradition of CATS * GARDENERS * performing this duty. We will be TEA & COFFEE contacting folks in February to sign up *KIDS ACTIVITY * and help in any way you are able.
HOLIDAY HOSTESS GIFTS Thanks and stay tuned. Please look for a box marked "GIFT BASKETS" on the back counter of the Old Sloop Room where you can leave Sarah Murdock, Co-Chair, your goodies! Any questions, please Finance Committee ask Cathie McGowan or Mary McRae. Thank you!!
Minister Rev. Richard M. Stower Church 781-545-3324 Home 781-544-3574 Director of Religious Education Jim FitzGerald 617-983-0619 Parish Committee Co-Chair Mary McRae 781-545-2504 Claire Sherman 781-449-5286 Church Office Administrator Christine Conway 781-834-2040 Treasurer Judy Wolffer 781-544-0191 Parish Committee Secretary Janice Evans 781-545-5001 Collector Vicki Davis 781-545-2369 Buildings and Grounds Erica Boyle 781-545-3452 Frank Kilduff 781-545-9365 Endowment Joanne Fraser 781-545-4571 Finance Sarah Murdock 781-545-8274 Leigh Todd 781-544-7767 Membership & Hospitality Brit Davis 617-275-5700 Denominational Affairs/Social Justice Carol Sullivan-Hanley 781-545-9341 Public Relations Katie Jacobsen 781-545-2504 Religious Education Laura Carson- Laciner 781-544-0220 Jean Shildneck 617-275-5700 Religious Services Barbara Gifford 781-378-1617 Jane McGuinness 781-545-6394 Social Programs Sue Duff 781-545-5604 Head Usher Jack Shaw 781-545-0547
2
The Newsletter of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Of Scituate
SNOWFLAKE FAIR NEWS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 9AM – 2PM
Thank you to everyone who has signed-up to help! If you haven’t signed - up there is still tie to be a part of a First Parish tradition. This is our biggest fundraiser. Please check the Snow flake Fair sheet in the Old Sloop Room. RAFFLE TABLE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 - 10AM - 2 PM We will be selling chances on raffle items at the Village Market in Scituate. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 - 6PM - 9PM Arrive when you can and stay as long as you can. No experience needed - we have a great evening together. Our lunches are the best of all the church fairs. We need lots of chowder, soup, chili, cornbread, etc. Also, we need help in the kitchen during the fair. Help to make candy, work at the table or donate sugar, nuts, etc. We always sell out! We need lots of breads, brownies, pies, cheeses, muffins. Please sign-up to help during the fair. Donate any jewelry that you no longer wear this is always a popular table! We need simple handmade ornaments, gift tags, cards, bracelets, prayer beads, etc. Also sign-up if you can work at this table during the fair. Mittens, scarves, crumb-catchers and other handmade items. We need small items that children can purchase to give as gifts to family members and friends. Donate decorative, seasonal items in good condition. Please sign- up if you can work at this table during the fair. Chico bags and light bulbs. Donate new items for themed baskets: gourmet, kids activity, spa, gardeners, cats, dogs, coffee & tea, Holiday hostess gifts.
WREATH - MAKING
KITCHEN HELP
CANDY TABLE
BAKE TABLE
JEWELRY TABLE
CRAFT TABLE
ALLIANCE TABLE
CHILDREN’S ROOM
CHRISTMAS TREASURES
SUSTAINABLE SCITUATE GREEN SANCTUARY
GIFT BASKETS
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS PLEASE CALL: LAURA CARSON-LACINER -544-0220 OR MARY ANN LINKER - 545-3241
3
The Newsletter of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Of Scituate
Woman’s Alliance
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2 at 1 pm. The meeting will take place at the GAR hall located on Country Way. Dessert will be served. For those members who haven’t had an opportunity to submit their $5 dues, Vicki Davis will be on hand to collect them from you at the meeting. Our program will be a 375th Anniversary surprise! Our hostesses are: Connie Tolman, Janie Culbert, and Claire Sherman.
COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY wants to hear from you…
In her book, Churchworks: A Well-Body Book for Congregations, Rev. Anne Heller writes, “Committees on Ministry are designed to track the heartbeat of ministry within a congregation; how the members...take care of themselves and each other, how the lay ministerial leadership serves a congregation; and how the called minister serves the congregation. It seeks to understand, assess, support, and advocate for robust ministry throughout the context of congregational life.” To be an effective committee we need to hear from you. Please feel free to speak with any one of us in person or contact us by phone or email. Unless you say otherwise, we will consider your comments confidential. MaryAnn Linker; 781-545-3241 fal15@comcast.net ; Kim Ryan; 781-545-1714 kimryan47@comcast.com ; Ann Lattinville; 781-545-1428 annlattinville@yahoo.com Our projects for this quarter are: • To prepare a questionnaire designed to ‘track the heartbeat of ministry” at First Parish. This wi" be presented to the Parish Committee in December. • To do our best to understand what members feel does and/or does not make our Sanctuary feel like a “sanctuary”. What do you think? Send us an email or give us a ca". Please take notice of our new “Suggestion Box” located on the Welcome table. We appreciate your ideas, remarks, requests, thoughts, questions, etc. Thanks to Brit Davis for inspiring the design of the box.
Food Pantry
The Scituate Food Pantry can use the following items: Cranberry Sauce Stuffing Canned Soups Canned Meats (hams, Spam, etc.) Canned Vegetables and fruit Canned Stews Canned pastas (Chef Boyardee, Spaghettios, etc.) Paper Towels (large packages OK) Toilet Paper (large packages OK) Personal Care items (Shampoos, toothpaste, etc.) Please drop the items off in the basket located in the Old Sloop Room. Your donations are appreciated.
4
The Newsletter of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Of Scituate
Religious Education Program Update
Autumn has been a busy time for the RE program as a new church year is well underway and plans for the December holiday service are in the works thanks to the creativity and organization of Cathie McGowan. The Religious Education program's success can be attributed to the highly dedicated and competent RE teachers and volunteers who offer their time and gifts week after week. The RE teachers who have taught in the RE program so far this year - Veronica Amelang, Michael Feeney, Sue Duff, Laura Smith, Carol Sullivan-Hanley, Janice Evans, Kim Ryan, and Cathie McGowan - are blessings to the RE program and to First Parish UU in Scituate. Here are some RE program highlights! Our Whole Lives Program Veronica Amelang and Michael Feeney have begun facilitating the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program with 7th and 8th graders from Unitarian Universalist congregations in Cohasset and Scituate. The OWL program is a critically acclaimed education program that specifically addresses human sexuality and relationships in a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere. Our OWL facilitators along with Mark Alves from First Parish UU in Cohasset assisted in offering a parent orientation on Sunday, October 25th. OWL sessions began in November and will conclude in late May. Our parish community is very fortunate to have Veronica and Michael facilitating this important educational program. Senior High Youth Group Plans for our senior high youth group continue to be developed. Laura Carson-Laciner, Laura Smith from First Parish UU in Scituate and Rena Karp from First Parish UU in Cohasset have agreed to assist in facilitating the youth group. Our facilitators will be connecting with senior high youth and their parents in both Scituate and Cohasset UU congregations to obtain feedback. The first youth group meeting is expected to be held in early December. Stay tuned for more details! "Thank God It's FRIDAY" Multi-generational Game Night Religious Education committee members and teachers from both First Parish UU in Scituate and Cohasset teamed up to sponsor a multi-generational game night. Individuals and families from both congregations gathered for a simple pasta dinner, multi-generational prayer, and an evening of fun playing board games, cards, and tasty desserts. While the evening was scheduled to conclude at 8:00 pm, the abundant laughter and fun continued well into the evening as youngsters and wisdom generation teamed up with one another (or against one another) to learn new games or play some old favorites. Many thanks to Jean Shildneck, Sue Duff, and Laura Carson-Laciner from FP UU in Scituate as well as Carol Martin and Linda Kluz from FP UU in Cohasset for helping make the evening such a success! Interested in the Religious Education program? Our RE program is always looking for RE teachers and volunteers to help make our RE program a success. If you are interested, please contact Jim FitzGerald, DRE for more information. Being involved is easy and guaranteed to be a lot of fun for everyone, regardless of age. Jim can be reached by email at JFitzG2038@yahoo.com. It would be great to hear from you. Peace! Jim
5
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church 330 First Parish Road Scituate, MA 02066 781-545-3324 www.firstparishscituate.org E-mail:firstparishscituate@verizon.net Founded in London, 1616 Gathered in Scituate, 1634 Rev. Richard M. Stower, Minister
Something to think about.......
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FIRST PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SCITUATE
~ Kahlil Gibran