Calendar
Next Issue: May 21
Deadline: 3pm May 16
Wednesday, May 15
12noon Alliance Lobster
Luncheon & Program. UH/Lib.
7:00pm Communications. cl5.
7:30pm Women's Group. Lib.
7:30pm Worship Assts. Study.
Thursday, May 16
6:00pm Mount Auburn Cemetery Tour (5:30 parking lot for carpool)
6:45pm Nova Choir. Sanct.
7:30pm Sci & Spirituality. CR.
7:30pm SGM. Library.
Friday, May 17
5:00pm Freedom to Marry Ice Cream Social. Town Green.
Saturday, May 18
9:00am Journey Beyond God
Sunday, May 19
8:15am Nova Choir. Sanct.
9:25am Sr. Choir. Parish Hall.
4:30pm OWL. Library.
6/7pm YAC/YG. Parlor/UH.
Monday, May 20
6:30pm Jr; 7 Chan; 7:45Youth
7:00pm SAC. cl5.
7:30pm Stewardship. CR.
8:00pm Meditation. Library.
Tuesday, May 21
4:00pm Jobseekers. Library.
7:30pm Fiber Arts. cl4.
7:30pm Program Counc. Parlor.
7:30pm SGM. Library.
Wednesday, May 22
7:00pm Member Database. cl5.
7:30pm FCBook Group. Lib.
7:30pm Youth Cte. CR.
Looking Ahead
June 2: Chamber Music Concert
June 9: All-Church Picnic
June 14: Coffeehouse
Link to church calendar
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This Sunday
Music: May 19, 2013
Prelude: Meditation on Hymn Tune "St. Columba"
-Healey Willan (1880-1968)
Alfa Joy Radford, organ
Offertory Duet: Pulchra Es (from Vespers 1610)
-C. Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Shannon Rose McAuliffe, soprano & Susan Harris, alto
9:00 Service:
Nova Choir: Worship Meditation (postponed from 5/5) Music: Marguerite Shaw (contemp. UU composer) Poem: Worship -John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
Postlude: Come, Holy Spirit, our souls inspire -J. S. Bach (in recognition of Pentecost)
Mary Beekman, organ
11:00 Service:
Sr. Choir: To Everything There is a Season -Jean Berger (1909-2002)
Postlude: Prelude in B-flat Major -J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Alfa Radford, organ
The flowers this Sunday are given by David and Genie Bryce in thanks and celebration of this wonderful First Church community.
Ushers: Members of the New Connections Ministry
Welcome & Announcements:
Bob Corning and Beth Westlund |
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Social Action Corner
ACTION IS OUR PRAYER |
Grow Clinic! Grow Clinic!
Stock the Shelves for Summer!!!
"Summertime....and the livin' is easy" except if your cupboards are bare and the meals your children have gotten at school all year are no longer available during the summer months. Please help to STOCK THE SHELVES FOR SUMMER. Baby Foods (all stages, especially Meats). Enfamil with Iron. Vegetable or Corn Oil. Boxed Infant Cereals. Cheerios. Flintstone Chewable Vitamins. Parmalat Milk. FILL A BAG FEED A CHILD. Thanks! |
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Human Rights Petition
At least 100 and as many as 130 of the 166 remaining prisoners at the US prison at Guantanamo are on a hunger strike to protest conditions and indefinite detention. Some of the hunger strikers are being force-fed, which has been condemned by the United Nations as torture. The hunger strike is now more than 90 days long. Many of these prisoners have never had charges filed against them, and many were cleared for release years ago, but still held. There was never any evidence against some of these men. National and international media and organizations are calling the force feeding and the indefinite imprisonment a shameful abuse of human rights, and are calling on President Obama to immediately close the prison, bring those who have charges to trial and send the others home. The Unitarian Universalists have a long history of opposing human rights abuses. We will have a petition after the services on Sunday, May 19 to ask the president to immediately address the concerns of these prisoners. |
No More Deaths -
A Talk by Juliette Terry
The First Church Belmont Social Action Committee is proud to sponsor a talk by Juliette Terry on Friday, May 17 at 7:30pm in the Library. Juliette is a former member of the Youth Group who went on our 2011 service trip to Arizona, she continued her volunteering work on issues around the border with an organization called No More Deaths. Juliette recently came back from the Sonora Desert in Arizona. Please join us to learn more about this complex issue and to support her work. |
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Thursday, May 16, 7:30pm, CR
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First Church Book Group
Wed, May 22, 7:30pm, Library
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers Many may have read The Member of the Wedding when in school, but Frankie's adolescent perspective is well worth revisiting some decades later. The Book Group is always open to new members. Contact Anne Stuart, astuart@uubelmont.org to confirm attendance if you are interested in participating. Looking ahead: In June the Book Group will host its Second Annual Summer Salad Potluck to discuss books and gather recommendations for the coming year. Please plan to join us on Wednesday, June 26, at 7:00pm in the Upper Gathering Hall. |
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Grandparenting Near&Far
Thu, May 23, 7:30pm, Library
Share the joys and challenges of changing roles with others, and share tips on how to maintain connection. |
The Author's Path with Dick Lehr has been rescheduled!
Wed, May 29, 7:30pm, PH
What made Whitey Bulger infamous? He has frightened and fascinated us. Boldly he hid in plain sight for many years and then he was captured. Hear Whitey Bulger's story told to us by First Church member Dick Lehr, author with Gerard O'Neill of the new book, Whitey.
Refreshments and book signing. For more information click here. |
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Freedom to Marry Ice Cream Social!
You are invited to join us for the 9th anniversary of marriage equality in Massachusetts!
Friday, May 17, 5-7pm on the Town Green at Wellington Station, Concord Avenue. Rain location: Parish Hall. Join us for cake, ice cream served up by Rancatore's, local musicians, activities for children, and great community spirit! WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. For further information, please call 617.372.2789 or email to fthyuan@gmail.com.
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Adult Programs Reminder
To receive a weekly reminder of the latest Adult Programs, email Lillian Anderson at landerson@uubelmont.org
Click here for the AP Spring brochure |
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The Unitarian Newsletter
Submission Guidelines
Please submit articles for the newsletter to Susan Street in the following format:
- Times New Roman font, 10 point.
- jpeg for photos
- pdf for attached documents
- sample@uubelmont.org for e-mails.
- avoid phone numbers unless their owners don't mind them being published on the FCB website. |
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First Church Office
:: 617-484-1054 |
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5 Things To Know This Week
- Call to the Annual Meeting on May 19
- First Church Book Group, May 22
- The Author's Path w/Dick Lehr, May 29
- Annual Chamber Music Concert, June 2
- All-Church Picnic, June 9
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Sunday, May 19
New Member Sunday
Rev. David M. Bryce
9:00 & 11:00 Church Service
Childcare for infants and young children
Come join in a celebration of our many new members, of our congregation and of our deepening connections with one another.
5:00pm The Annual Meeting of the Congregation
** Next Sunday, May 26 **
Sarah Gillespie, Student Minister preaching
Sermons in text and audio format can be found at uubelmont.org/sermons |
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 Reflections from David Bryce, Senior Minister
May 06, 2013
This past Friday (May 03) I attended a prayer service at the Mosque in Roxbury Crossing.
The leaders of the Mosque had requested that the Massachusetts Council of Churches invite members of the Christian clergy from the Boston area to attend as a show of solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters during this time of heightened tension and ill will from far too many.
Though not formally Christian in a sense that would be understood by some, I chose to attend. I was one of fifteen clergy, three of them UU, who were present. (The fifteen of us were a wonderful mix of traditions.)
My goal in being present on Friday was to let the members of that community know that they are not alone; to stand witness to others that prejudice, fear and hatred are not acceptable; and to promote love and understanding.
We were welcomed with great kindness and gratitude.
Imagine how it would feel to be part of that community and to be subject to "profiling"; not just by legal authorities, but also by many in the broader society. Imagine how it would feel to be the subject of fear and mistrust.
And then imagine how it would feel to have someone physically present to stand with you against such assumptions. That is why I went to Roxbury.
Part of our Unitarian Universalist history has been our physical presence with others. Time and again Universalists, Unitarians and more recently Unitarian Universalists have stood with those who were oppressed or despised. We were not alone in doing so, but we were there.
I am proud that I was a small part of that history on Friday. |
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Music Notes from Alfa Radford
BOUNTIFUL BOUQUETS to our combined Youth & Sr. Choirs for last Sunday's wonderful singing of Purcell's "Come, Ye Sons of Art!" One of my very favorite things to do is choral music with mixed generations, so I thoroughly enjoyed that offering, and was glad to make that type of contribution to the 11am Worship Service.
And MORE BLOSSOMS to the Chancel Choir of 5th & 6th Graders for their delightful singing at the 9am Service.
REGISTRATION for YOUTH & CHILDREN'S CHOIRS:
ONLINE Registration is open for the Youth & Children's Choirs, and our Fall musical production "THE MIKADO" Go to the church website, www.uubelmont.org Click on Music Program, and proceed from there. NOTE: Current choristers also need to register for the Fall programs.
QUESTIONS? Call or email Alfa Radford 781.646.2123/ ALFAJOY@comcast.net.
Specific questions re. Registr: Contact Wendy Conroy at wconroy@uubelmont.org
FALL 2013: PARTIAL REH. SCHED YOUTH & CHILDREN'S CHOIRS:
JR. CHOIR (K-Gr.4) Mondays 6:30-7:00pm.
CHANCEL CHOIR (Gr.5-6) Mondays 7:00-8:30pm (shorter after mid-Nov).
YOUTH CHOIR (Gr. 7-High Sch.) Mondays 7:00-8:30 pm ( " " " ").
Joyful blessings, Alfa |
A Call to the Annual Meeting
at The First Church in Belmont
Sunday, May 19, 2013, 5:00pm
Pursuant to a call by Jonathan Wolf, President of the Parish Board, you are hereby notified that the Annual Meeting of The First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 5:00 PM in the Parish Hall for the election of officers, status of next year's budget, committee highlights, and the transaction of such other businesses as may lawfully come before the meeting.
Hereof, fail not, and make due attendance at said meeting and time. Eva Patalas, Clerk
Only active adult members, who have had standing as such for not less than seven days prior to the meeting, may vote. No proxies will be accepted: you must attend the meeting in order to vote.
Nominations for Parish Board for the 2013-14 Church Year
Officers to be elected:
President: Jeanne Widmer
Vice President: Carolyn Howard
Treasurer: Marilyn Yee
Clerk: Anne Donohue
At-Large Trustees to be elected:
Catherine Claypoole (2013-2016)
Betsy George (2013-2016)
Jack Weis (2013-2016)
Continuing At-Large Trustees to be elected:
Leslie Kolterman (2011-2014)
Beth Westlund (2011-2014)
Martha Spaulding (2012-2014)
Doug Burden (2012-2015)
Past President:
Jonathan Wolf (2013-2014)
Nominations for the Finance Committee for 2013/2014 Church Year
Scott Johnson, chair
Martha Read - one year at-large member
Martha Gallagher - two year at-large member
Liz Keating - two year at-large member
Bob McGaw - two year at-large member
Charles Hamann - three year at-large member
Ex-Officio Members:
Jeanne Widmer, nominee for Parish Board President
Marilyn Yee, nominee for Parish Board Treasurer
Nominations for Nominating & Recruitment Committee for 2013-14:
James Hencke, chair
Connie DiCocco
Susan Johnson
Carey Thomson
Sam James
Bev Gillette
Respectfully submitted by the Nominating Committee,
Jody Judge, chair; James Hencke, vice chair; Carolyn Howard; Susan Johnson; Karl Klasson; Connie DiCocco |
A Summary of Recent Parish Board Meetings
In addition to hearing regular updates by officers and First Church staff,
On 1/14/13, the Parish Board:
* Reviewed budget scenarios with varying funding levels. Pledge drive target would afford scenario including student minister's salary, a cost of living raise for staff and increased hours for CRE assistant and director.
* Heard from John Howe, chair of the Stewardship Committee, who presented the timeline for the pledge drive.
On 2/11/13, the Parish Board:
* Reviewed the history of the sanctuary and the 2003 capital campaign and discussed the merits of hiring a consultant to assess the sanctuary building in terms of restoration versus renovation.
On 3/12/13, the Parish Board:
* Heard from Rob Olson, an architect who spoke about the sanctuary building study process and the phases of planning.
On 4/8/13, the Parish Board:
* Voted to approve sponsorship of Sarah Gillespie for ministerial candidacy.
* Reviewed the Growth Subcommittee report, which recommended checking in with the congregation with a survey and a series of listening circles.
Respectfully submitted, Eva Patalas, Parish Board Clerk
Your Parish Board members are: Jonathan Wolf, Jeanne Widmer, Marilyn Yee, Eva Patalas, Ed Bing, Bob Corning, Lauren Crocker, Leslie Kolterman, Martha Spaulding, Beth Westlund, Doug Burden and Stefan Frank. Please call or email any of us with your questions or issues. You can find our contact info on the church website. Parish Board meetings are held on the second Monday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at 7:30 to 9pm in the Library and are open to the congregation. Parish Board minutes are available for review in a binder in the Library and the most recent three months are on the bulletin board to the left of the first floor entrance. |
Register NOW for 2013-2014 Religious Education classes, the Coming of Age program and the High School Youth Group
The month of May means registration time for next year's children's religious education classes. It helps enormously in planning next year's classes to know who will be returning. Much of the work of finding teachers, coordinating classrooms and organizing curricula and supplies takes place in the summer months, so getting these registrations coordinated in the spring provides a tremendous advantage to staff and volunteers.
The registration process for children, 9th grade Coming of Age students and high school youth group is combined in one form to minimize duplicate data entry on your part.
Please follow this link to fill out the form: http://bit.ly/11XPqKt. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Register by May 31st and you will be eligible for our drawing: FOUR HOURS OF FREE BABYSITTING on night to be agreed upon. One lucky family from each service will win! |
Tree Removal
Unfortunately the church is forced to remove the two trees (Ash and Norway Maple) immediately in front of the church building along Concord Avenue. The Ash tree has been in decline the last number of years, and is now a safety hazard. The Norway maple is an invasive tree species and the dense canopy and shallow roots prevent anything from growing below it. The trees are going to be removed by Belmont Landscape and the stumps are going to be ground. While it is unfortunate to lose the trees, it provides us with the exciting opportunity to develop a more aesthetic and permanent landscape treatment to the front of our building. The Landscape Committee is currently working on plans for this area. If you have any comments or questions, or ideas for the landscape design, please contact Bob Corning at robert.corning@stantec.com. |
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35th ANNUAL CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT
Sunday, June 2, 8:00pm
A benefit concert for the SPARK Ctr. (formerly Pediatric AIDS Program) at the Boston Medical Center. The concert will be an eclectic program of music from the 16th century-on, featuring harpsichord, flutes, piccolo, voice, and bassoon. Please plan to join us for this very special occasion, because, as the old song goes, "It is a lovely way to spend an evening, can't think of anything I'd rather do..." Admission by donation. Strawberries and Wine Reception. - The First Church Music Committee |
ALL-CHURCH PICNIC, Sunday, June 9
Mark your calendar and plan to attend the annual All-Church Picnic immediately following the 11:00 service on June 9. There will be games for kids of all ages, delicious food including burgers, chicken, hot dogs and vegetarian options, lots of yummy salads, and, of course, dessert. The cost is $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for children 3-12 years, and $20.00 for families. |
SAVE THE DATE - Registration Starting Soon
Annual Sandy Island Retreat
September 13-15, 2013
The Fellowship Committee would like to invite you to join us for the popular First Church Sandy Island Retreat. This is a wonderful opportunity to kick back, relax, and meet new and old friends after a long summer. Sandy Island offers recreational opportunities for people of all interests and ages. Sign up by 6/30/13. Details will be available at coffee hour. Questions, contact Deveaux Duckworth, fellowship@uubelmont.org. |
MOUNT AUBURN CEMETERY TOUR featuring well-known Unitarians - Thursday, May 16, 6-7:30pm, (carpools at 5:30pm in FCB lot)
Mount Auburn Cemetery is a rich National Historic Landmark offering opportunities to learn about American history, to experience the beauty of nature, poetry, architecture and other cultural pillars. Mt. Auburn Cemetery was envisioned to be a beautiful and tranquil place providing inspiration to the living and commemoration to the dead. This landscaped garden cemetery in our backyard is the resting home of many prominent New Englanders and some of our fellow Unitarians. Please register in advance and indicate if you are interested in carpooling.Donations recommended but not required ($10 to $15 per participant). Register with: Lillian Anderson, fcbadultprograms@gmail.com or Debbie Dobbins, ddobbins@uubelmont.org or Ph/Church 617.484.1054 x207. |
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