Homecoming Traditions
One of our beloved Homecoming Traditions is joining one another after Sunday worship for a delicious meal together at the Parish House. It's a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Our special things to Hospitality Chairs Anne Sexton, Gregg Sorenson, and Mindy Hinkel for hosting this annual fest, with the help of many more hands. This year, Gregg and Mindy have joined to help Anne, who has been tireless for many years as Chair of this committee, Head Usher, member of Vestry, and innumerable other roles. Thanking Anne Sexton is another joyful Homecoming Tradition!
Another tradition is to have the lessons read by our Senior Warden. This year, Cliff Allen must be out of town for a prior college reunion commitment, so Dean Denniston, our immediate past Senior Warden, and one of our newest members, Jessica Schmidt, will be sharing the duties. Dean is another member who has served in many capacities, including as Chair of the Nominating Committee, member of the Ministerial Search Committee, Chair of the Search Committee for the Assistant Minister, multiple terms with Vestry, Charities and Appeals, and preacher at the mid-day services.
For our newer members, image all the things that may lie ahead for you! Welcome home to all.
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From the Minister: Roots and Wings
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Roots and Wings - this is the theme I want to consider this year at King's Chapel.
Celebrating our deep roots that ground us solidly. Experimenting with our wings --
our ability to take flight, to seek new heights, ride the current under our wings. To soar!
The phrase "Roots and Wings" is most often applied to the goals of good parenting:
the balance required to give children both solid roots that anchor them securely, and
also wings - freedom and confidence sufficient that they can fly from the nest as
mature young adults.
But how to do both of these things? It's a paradox, a conundrum.
I think the same paradox begins to explain God's dreams for us -- for you and me as
individuals, and for all of us, as the congregation of King's Chapel. The dream of any loving parent that we be deeply rooted, steeped in truths and values that enable us
to weather the storms of life, while also being strong enough to test our freedom,
ask questions, journey to new places beyond what we've known, transformed as a
people and a church.
Navigating this paradox takes prayerful discernment and discussion with those we
trust. We find ourselves sorting and sifting: when are our roots the source of our
greatest strength, and when do they become heavy chains, preventing us from flying
free? When are our wings strong enough to fly, how do we learn to trust the
currents, and can we find our way back home, to our roots, when our wings grow
weary?
On Sunday, we'll hear these images of roots and wings in the ancient words of scripture: the yearning of a desert nomad people to be refreshed in an oasis, like "a tree, planted by streams of water." And we'll hear from Isaiah that those who trust in the Lord,
"shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint."
What has your experience been? What would you like it to be? How do we get
there? This Sunday, we all come "Home" to King's Chapel, to kick off our program
year. I can hardly wait to see you.
-Joy
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Fall Campaign - 2015 Annual Appeal
Launch at Homecoming, Testimonials
$195,000 is this year's goal. Slightly more than a 20% increase over last year's successful campaign, voted as a part of this year's Annual Budget. An essential new ingredient has been added - testimonials. Our intent is that these think pieces will help us all reach a deeper understanding of what it means to be a member of King's Chapel, and why supporting its financial strength is personally rewarding.
You may have already received our fall letter, with the news that we already have more than half the goal in pledges. Our expanded Annual Appeal Committee is shown as a key ingredient of the stationary. This gives our committee members honor due for their willingness to be visibly counted as committed contributors.
The solicitation also includes an insert, "Reflections on Giving - Why Do You Give to King's Chapel?," which renews an important conversation among us. Our intent is to raise our collective consciousness about the critical role that stewardship plays in our relationship with how and where we worship.
Testimonials - First in this Series
We intend to publish in "Between the Sundays" this fall, more or less weekly, testimonials from Members and others for whom contributing to the Annual Appeal is an essential component of participating in the life of King'sChapel. Marie Wells, member since 2009, has volunteered to write the first of these for us.
Why Do I Give to King's Chapel?
The answer is simple: how can I not give? Why do I travel ninety miles twice a month from Cape Cod to attend Morning Prayer? There are any number of churches in and around Orleans where a new, active, member would be gladly welcomed. But as I said, it's simple: there is simply no place like King's Chapel. My spiritual journey, while life-long, has never been complex. I was raised in the Christian tradition, and there I remain. But my need at this point in life is for a spiritual home where I can be both refreshed and challenged, but not where I am told that I must adhere to certain beliefs in order to be considered a moral and upstanding person. King's Chapel, by providing guidance through the way Christ lived and taught, is that place.
At the same time, there is the historic significance of the founding of King's Chapel and of its evolution, which gives the church an unmatched foundation for continued relevance, now and in the future. The Book of Common Prayer that is the basis for our services gives me comfort and meaning through rituals that remain anchored in a storied past yet speak clearly to the present. Thus, it is with joy and gratitude that I not only give as much as I can financially bear, but give of as much of my time and abilities as the daunting commute allows. I can do nothing less.
-Marie Wells
Thank you, Marie.
If you, dear reader, would like to contribute a piece to this series, please let us know via email at the Parish House: annual.appeal@kings_chapel.org.
Many thanks. Many blessings,
Todd Lee, Co-chair with Orian Welling
2015 Annual Appeal
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Senior Warden Announces Sound System To Be Installed This Fall
I am pleased to announce that through the generosity of a number of members of King's Chapel, who provided private donations amounting to one-half the cost of the purchase and installation of a sound system, a contract has been signed with Adtech Systems. The installation has been tentatively scheduled for the middle to end of October. We will be taking another step in our effort to welcome all to King's Chapel, including current members who have stopped coming to services or who are unable to hear portions of the spoken word when present, and visitors who will be able to hear our ministers and other speakers. The system will direct the sound of the spoken word (there is no need to amplify our beautiful music) throughout the center of the sanctuary from a single source, and provide an assistive listening component for those with significant hearing loss, which will enable people to hear the spoken word by using a small device, or by making an adjustment to their own hearing aids.
This process began with the convening of the ad hoc Audio/Sound Committee for King's Chapel on January 28, 2015, the committee's exploring many different options by visiting churches and speaking with church staff, consulting a sound expert, soliciting cost estimates from several sound contractors, and providing demonstrations of similar amplification systems at King's Chapel. The committee was chaired by Cynthia and Richard Perkins and included John Bowman, Heinrich Christensen, Shawn Fiedler, Bill Sears, Mebd Sichko, Dan Taylor, and Cliff Allen. Thank you also to the Officers and Vestry of King's Chapel, the many parishioners who provided their thoughts and insights, and our Senior Minister who has focused us on the thought that "All Are Welcome Here."
Cliff Allen, Senior Warden
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Leadership News, and Our Thanks to Bill Sears
With regret, the Vestry last week received the following letter from our Junior Warden, Bill Sears.
Dear Friends,
For 329 years, parishioners at King's Chapel have listened to the natural sound of their Ministers and readers using only the excellent acoustics of King's Chapel. I deeply cherish this unamplified sound, and associate it with the historic presence of the building. The use of amplification in our Sunday Morning Prayer service is deeply troubling for me.
Following the presentation of the recommendations of the Sound Committee and related Vestry votes, and after considerable reflection and discussions with our Senior Minister and Senior Warden, I have decided that I can participate more authentically as an ordinary parishioner of King's Chapel rather than as Junior Warden. Therefore, effective immediately, I am resigning as Junior Warden of King's Chapel.
I continue to hold high regard for the leadership of King's Chapel, but feel the need for some personal spiritual space at this time to deal with these changes. During the coming year, I expect to continue to worship at the early service of King's Chapel, which will remain unamplified.
Sincerely,
William Sears
Bill has been a devoted member of our leadership team. His wise counsel on many issues, for which I am grateful, has helped me navigate my first year and one-half as Senior Warden. Please join me in thanking Bill for his service to King's Chapel.
Cliff Allen, Senior Warden.
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Access to the Parish House
Dear All,
Construction has begun! Access to the Parish House will be re-routed as we reconstruct the porticos of 63 and 64 Beacon. As long as the scaffolding and enclosures shroud our front entrances, we invite you to come and go through the Parish House Garden off of Branch Street. During regular hours, the garden door will remain unlocked.
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The Syrian Refugee Crisis: How You Can Help
This week the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Social Service Committee launched two efforts to address this grave world crisis: a special fund to assist refugees, and a petition drive to urge President Obama to increase the number of refugees the United States will receive to 200,000. For more information, click here.
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Feting Our Parish Administrator Julina Rundberg: Sunday, October 4th after church
Our faithful Parish Administrator, Julina Rundberg, will be leaving King's Chapel as of October 1, so that she can return full-time to her Ph.D. studies this fall, completing her credentials to be a psychoanalyst. She has begun seeing clients, which she finds very rewarding. We will all gather at the Parish House on Sunday, October 4th, after our 11 AM service to fete Julina and offer her thanks. Please mark you calendars to join us.
We rejoice for Julina: this marks a key moment for her, which we knew would come. We also are deeply grateful for her remarkable work here in the last two and half years. Under Julina's leadership, we have created a strong weekly e-newsletter, improved website, and other communication vehicles; have instituted many new internal systems that have enabled us to move forward; and have hired a strong staff - including Simon Pilecki at the front desk, new guides, and vergers, and a cleaning company - who will continue to support us. Julina has graciously represented the church in many settings, including in outreach to our wider community and Freedom Trail colleagues. In the last year, she worked assiduously on the Visitors Program, resulting in a significant increase in income for the church. The list of Julina's contributions to the life of this congregation is very long - and most has been unseen and unheralded. We owe her a debt of great thanks.
Charles Perry, Chair of the Personnel Committee, is working closely with Cliff and me to secure a temporary replacement for Julina; we are also moving quickly to recruit a permanent Parish Administrator. The Search Committee will be Charles, Cliff, Joy and Shawn.
Join me in thanking Julina now, and on October 4th.
-Joy
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A Message from Julina
Dear Friends,
It has been an adventure getting to know you and King's Chapel these last few years. My role as your Parish Administrator has taken me places I never expected to be... to the top of the apple tree at the Parish House, to the permitting offices at City Hall, up the catwalks in the attic closing louvres, leafing through pages of centuries-old prayer books, into the archives looking for trust origination documents, touring the crypt with a broom and dustpan...how much closer to Boston's history can a person get? It has been a pleasure working with you-- I have been lucky to experience this place and its people. Thank you for sharing your humanity with me--through losses and celebrations and hard work. There are too many moments that come to mind to share in this brief note. I am sad to leave my position among you as Parish Administrator. But I am excited by my future, and enjoying the other work I do--journeying with humans through the great endeavor of our shared condition in the traditional frame of the analytic couch. It is a different kind of adventure, one which I find thrilling and alive on the edge of what we know and what we cannot know of our own experiences. If you are able to come after church on October 4th, please do! I would love to see you before I vacate my office at the Parish House. And if you are not able to come, I hope you will stay in touch. I live here in Boston now, and have found a home in this community; my new office is not far from the Parish House just on the other side of the Public Garden in the Back Bay... With love, Julina
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We Weep with those Who Weep
We hold in prayer Betsy Peterson, whose cousin Jenneka died last Saturday. Betsy
has been the caregiver for Jenneka for some time.
The Memorial Service for George Imrey, longtime companion of Sally Brewster, will be held at King's Chapel this Friday, September 18th, at 11 AM. Rev. Fallon is officiating. All are welcome to come and support this beloved Beacon Hill family in their time of grief. George died earlier this summer, in July.
The Memorial Service for our former Senior Warden and dear friend, Mason Fernald, will be held on Sunday, October 18, at 4 PM at King's Chapel.
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Dan Wakefield Park - Effort & Petition
An effort has begun to name a park in Indianapolis in honor of author and King's Chapel member Dan Wakefield. Dan had stopped attending church until 1980 when he went to a Christmas Eve service at King's Chapel. Subsequently, he took a writing course taught by Carl Scovel, titled "Religious Autobiography", which led to the piece "Returning to Church", published in The New York Times Magazine and later his book Returning: A Spiritual Journey. To sign the petition to name the Indianapolis park in Dan's honor, click here.
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Sunday September 20th
The Rev. Joy Fallon,
preacher
- Dean Denniston & Jessica Schmidt, Lectors
- Anne Sexton, Head Usher
- Sylvia Soderberg, Usher-in-Charge
- Betsy Peterson, Todd Lee, Karen Dalton, Ushers
- Simon Pilecki, Verger
The Readings:
- Psalm 1
- Old Testament: Isaiah 40:25-31
- New Testament: Mark 7:24-37
The flowers on the communion table are given in loving memory of George and Sarah Gray and Lowell and Mary Selling, by their children Bernard Gray and Lee Selling Glenn.
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From the Bench
By Heinrich Christensen
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For Homecoming, in addition to our traditional rousing rendition of Swell the Full Chorus from Handel's oratorio Solomon, you will hear an echo of last Sunday's Evensong in a reprise of Parry's majestic I Was Glad (although without Vivat Regina Elizabetha this week!), complemented by a contrasting setting of the same text from Psalm 122 by our own Daniel Pinkham.
Heinrich will play Bach's festive Pičce d'orgue for the prelude and finish off the morning with Théodore Dubois's Toccata.
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Tuesday, September 22, 12:15 p.m.
Karen Beaumont plays the C.B. Fisk Organ
Bach & Biber
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Interested in Membership?
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| King's Chapel formally welcomes new members throughout the year. We are preparing to welcome new members in January 2016 with new member gatherings this fall. If you are curious about King's Chapel, or interested in membership, contact Cathy Price cmmp48@comcast.net. |
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Church School registration begins September 20th. Our programing for Children & Youth is based upon our heritage as Unitarian Christians. We are grounded in biblical wisdom and Christian identity yet free to exercise the individual use of reason to seek our own truth. From this perspective, we strive to nurture in our children and youth the seed of a curious and questioning faith, in the hope that their faith will continue to grow throughout their lives. Church School classes for preschoolers (Godly Play), elementary-age children (Superheroes of Our Faith), and middle and high school youth (Coming of Age) are offered between Morning Light 9AM and Morning Prayer 11AM from September to June. Contact ryan@kings-chapel.org for more information.
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Morning Light-A New Service at King's Chapel Starts September 20th
We will be inaugurating the new 9 AM "Morning Light" Service starting on September 20 (Homecoming Sunday) and continuing every week through the year. As you know, we've been considering this for some time, and have concluded, based on the good experience we've had with the new Wednesday evening 6 PM service, that "Morning Light" is another experiment worth undertaking for the next few years. We'll meet in the Little Chapel of our Parish House, at 64 Beacon Street.
"Morning Light" will be a less formal, intergenerational service, with an opening hymn, a psalm, a scripture, the homily, and prayers with candle lighting. The homily will be a shorter version of the full sermon Shawn or Joy will preach at the 11 AM Morning Prayer Service. We are dedicated to excellent music in all of our services, a hallmark of King's Chapel worship, so we are excited that our music will be led by Skip Lewan, hired by Heinrich. He will lead us in song, using the
new baby grand piano that was recently donated to the Little Chapel.
Sometime during the fall, be sure to check out this service, and see if it feeds your soul. Perhaps on occasion it will also meet your scheduling needs for an earlier worship opportunity. You'll be done by 10!
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Wednesday, September 23rd, 7:15 pm, at the King's Chapel Parish House, 64 Beacon Street
A Conversation with Rev. John Buehrens: King's Chapel and Its Role in the UUA.
John was a member of King's Chapel while he served as President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, 1993-2001. He is co-author of A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism and author of Universalists and Unitarians in America: A People's History. He is now Sr. Minister of the UU congregation in San Francisco.
Registration appreciated, 617 227-2155, but not required. Light refreshments.
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Save The Dates! Alto Extravaganza 5: Flashback Time Machine
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Friday, September 25th and Saturday, September 26th at 7:30 pm, King's Chapel Parish House
The wild and zany Altos of King's Chapel Choir, Mindy Hinkel and Heather Holland, return to transform the Parish House into a Flashback Time Machine for the 5th Annual Alto Extravaganza! These broads will bring the bass - stepping out of the loft and into the spotlight once more - reprising favorites from the past five years and singing new renditions for future past favorites!
You never know what might happen at Alto Extravaganza ... that's why you've got to come! So SAVE THE DATE on your calendar NOW.
Suggested Donation at the door to benefit the King's Chapel Concert Series.
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Join the King's Chapel community in Building on Faith
Saturday, October 10: Volunteer for the the KC build for Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston. 10 participants are needed. Contact Emanuel Genovese
petersexton@alum.mit.edu to sign up. Building is from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at a Boston site. Fee $40 per adult; $20 youth. Matching funds come from the KC Community Action Committee. If this is a financial hardship, other arrangements can be made.
- The proceeds of the "Second Sunday' Offertory has been designated for Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston.
Sunday, October 11: View after Morning Prayer presentations of King's Chapel Habitat for Humanity activities:
- Honduras
- Romania (in Kolozsvár home of our partner church)
- Greater Boston
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More News from
The Parish
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King's Chapel Team Joins Common Cathedral
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On Sunday morning, September 13, a group of King's Chapel people made 165 sandwiches, took them to the fountain on Boston Common near Tremont Street, and shared them with approximately 50 people who come most Sundays to have lunch and attend worship services at Common Cathedral.
Caroline and Orian Welling had shopped on Saturday for the mounds of bread, cold cuts, mayo, applesauce, cake, etc, which we transformed into lunch enough for 160. We stuffed all of the food into Paul Luca's (sport-sized) car and he ferried it over to the Common.
It was an efficient and jolly group (Jim Carroll and his daughter, Paula, Barbara Fay, Carol and Emanuel Genovese, Judy and Paul Luca, Betty Lykins, Cathy Price, Sylvia Soderberg, and Orian and Caroline Welling) in the Parish House kitchen. We had a fine time on the assembly line, washing lettuce, slathering mayo, filling the sandwiches, cutting them, and stuffing them into baggies - and happily visiting.
The worship service was inspiring, as we heard the voices of people who live in the open and appreciate the opportunity to eat, and sing, and pray together, and to share their stories. And the rain held off! |
Midweek Bible Study
Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m. at the Parish House, starting September 23rd
Join us on Wednesdays at the Parish House for an informal study of both the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Christian Scriptures (New Testament). Each week, we will examine and reflect on the upcoming preaching texts. Participants are invited to bring their own lunch. These sessions are led by Rev. Shawn Fiedler. All are welcome. No homework assigned. No preparation necessary. R.S.V.P. Encouraged.
If you are interested in attending a weekly bible study, but this time/day does not work, please email shawn@kings-chapel.org with hope that a better time/day may be selected in the future. |
Apples Galore!
Last Sunday, Joy picked 7 baskets of apples from the tree in the Parish House Garden, and there are many left on the trees. Come to the parish house and take some for your apple pie, apple cobbler, or other fall delight. Free while they last! |
The Upcoming Calendar
If you need information about a church event, please check the Calendar posted on the church website, www.kings-chapel.org. The first tab to the far left is titled "Home" and under this tab are several options, including our calendar. We do our best to keep it updated. Events for September are already listed. |
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Parishioners Helping Parishioners
This will be a new feature, from time to time. If the church has jobs that need to be done; you have skills to offer the church or one another; or you need some help, please let us know. This week:
Wanted: Someone to video sermons periodically. Bill Sears is the only person currently taping sermons; if he can't be present, they aren't recorded. It's an easy
task for someone attending the Sunday morning service. We'll provide the equipment. Contact Joy Fallon, Shawn Fiedler or Julina Rundberg at the Parish House: joy@kings-chapel.org, shawn@kings-chapel.org, julina@kings-chapel.org
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Accessibility and Hearing Assists
Our beautiful Georgian sanctuary designed by Peter Harrison and completed in 1754, has been lovingly maintained by the congregation since its completion. One of the box pews has been made wheel-chair accessible. Ushers are available to assist those who are wheelchair-bound to that pew.
Many of us have trouble hearing in our sanctuary, which does not have amplification. Sound carries best on the main floor of the sanctuary, in areas that are not covered by the balcony. In June, the Vestry approved a hearing system which we hope will be implemented in the near future. |
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Submitting to Between Sundays
Want something in Between Sundays? Feel free to email Simon (simon@kings-chapel.org) with a written piece and/or pictures before Wednesday at Noon! |
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