Calendar
Next Issue: February 24
Deadline: 3pm February 19
Wednesday, February 18
12:00pm BelUnitAlliance. UH.
7:00pm Nominating Cte. cl4.
7:00pm Stewardship Cte. cl5.
7:30pm FCB Green Cte. cl7.
7:30pm Women's Group. Lib.
Thursday, February 19
6:45pm Nova Choir. Sanct.
7:30pm Sci&Spirituality.cl5.
7:30pm SGM. Library.
8:00pm Knitting Circle. cl4.
Friday, February 20
4:00pm SGM. Library.
Sunday, February 22
8:15am Nova Choir. Sanct.
9:25am Sr. Choir. Parish Hall.
4:00pm Memoir Writing. cl5.
4:00pm Men's Group. cl7.
4:15pm COA. Parlor.
4:30pm OWL. Library.
Monday, February 23
6:30pm Jr; 7 Chan; 7:45 Youth.
7:00pm SAC. cl5.
7:30pm Min Prog. Tinkham.
8:00pm Meditation. Lib.
Tuesday, February 24
7:30pm Breast Cancer
Journey. Library.
7:30pm Worship Cte. cl5.
Wednesday, February 25
7:30pm FCBook Group. Lib.
Looking Ahead
March 13: Coffeehouse
Link to church calendar
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This Sunday
Music: February 22, 2015
Prelude:
Variations on "Nettleton"
-John R. Shannon (b. 1932)
Alfa Joy Radford, organ
Offertory Solo:
Davron Monroe, tenor
9:00 Nova Choir: Like a
Mighty Stream -Moses Hogan & John Jacobson (20th c)
9:00 Postlude: Fugue from Pièces en A Mi La from the 1st Book of organ music -Dandrieu (18c French) Mary Beekman, organ
11:00 Sr. Choir:
Nella Fantasia (In my fantasy)
-Ennio Morricone (20th c)
11:00 Postlude:
Embrace the Day!
Music & Lyrics by Jon Svetkey Jon Svetkey, folksinger-guitarist
The flowers this Sunday are given by Paul Santos and Anne Stuart in loving memory of Robin, Cristina, Paul, and Peter Santos on the 25th anniversary of their deaths.
Ushers: Mary Louise & Jim Landfried; Martha Courant & Ann Dexter
Welcome & Announcements:
Penny Schafer & Tom Neel
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Caring Connection
The Caring Connection is a group of Church members and friends who provide support to members of our community who find themselves in some difficulty and need short-term help. Please let us know if you could use some assistance, or know of someone who would benefit from our support. You may fill out a Caring Connection card, available in the hymnal holders and drop it in the collection basket, or contact Laurie Graham at caring@uubelmont.org or Susan at the Church, 617.484.1054 x201.
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| Lay Pastoral Care Team
As members of the lay pastoral care team we are called to be present with you, members and friends, when you wish a compassionate listening ear during times of transition and stress whatever form it might take. We support those who are adjusting to change, loss, illness or death. We share in moments of celebration and happiness. We reach out to those who are unable to get out and who would like a visit. We share in situations that require a special touch of human kindness and an open ear. Please contact us if we might be of help or comfort. We count on the congregation to keep us in touch with pastoral needs of our community. - Janet Amphlett, Devon Beckett, Nancy Davis, James Hencke, Abby Jacobs, Steve Saar, Martha Spaulding, and Tom Neel
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Social Action Corner
ACTION IS OUR PRAYER |
Grow Clinic! Grow Clinic!
The seriously ill infants and toddlers served by the Grow Clinic are in need of dietary supplements. Would you be willing to help? *Bright Beginnings Pediatric Soy Supplements ($35/case); *Duocal ($78/case); *Enfamil Next Step Soy Formula; *Poly Vi Sol with Iron Liquid Vitamins; *Flintstone Complete Chewable Vitamins or equivalent; *Infant Formula. Thanks!
FOOD: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEDICINES
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UUSC (uusc.org)
Monthly Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Note (6)
This month's featured petition involves the imprisonment of refugee children with their mothers in for-profit detention camps in the Southwest US. If you want Obama to stop this practice, click on UUSC.org for the petition on the home page. Also visit the "Take Action" section for other petitions and initiatives. And, don't forget the UUSC 75th Gala in Waltham on April 30. For more details see the first page of uubelmont.org under "What's New." − Alice Trexler for the UUSC Team
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The Unitarian Newsletter
Submission Guidelines
Please submit articles for the newsletter to Susan Street in the following format:
- Times New Roman font, 10 point.
- jpeg for photos
- pdf for attached documents
- sample@uubelmont.org for e-mails.
- avoid phone numbers unless their owners don't mind them being published on the FCB website.
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First Church Office
:: 617-484-1054 |
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5 Things To Know This Week
- Stewardship Drive Update
- Winter Clothing Drive NOW through March 15
- Belmont Unitarian Alliance Lunch & Program, February 18
- First Church Book Group, February 25
- The Wi$dom Path, February 26
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Sunday, February 22
The Power of Being a Faith Community
Laura Wagner, UU Mass Action
9:00 & 11:00 Church Service
Childcare for infants and young children
(For weather-related Service and Children RE class cancellations, please check 617.484.1054 x250.)
What does it mean to be part of a faith community? How do we support one another as we confront the social justice issues of our time and live our values? Living in community is an essential part of resiliency. It is only through being part of a community that we can find peace in our lives and work for justice.
** Next Sunday, March 1 **
Rev. David M. Bryce, Stewardship Celebration
Sermons in text and audio format can be found at uubelmont.org/sermons
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Reflections from Rev. David Bryce, Senior Minister
You will be receiving this column on Mardi-Gras, the celebratory day that ends the Carnival season and immediately precedes Lent.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Carnival may date back to old Pagan customs, including the possibility that it stems from the ancient Saturnalia celebrations in Rome.
Whatever its origin, the modern celebration of Carnival is evidence of the human propensity for finding things to celebrate. In the case of Carnival, it is the decision that, "since a fast is coming up we should party now!"
There is something in the human spirit that wants to celebrate, and so our calendars are filled with both seasonal and memorial holidays.
And this impulse is so strong that we will find ways to do so even in the midst of tribulations.
That is a good thing. It is a reminder that even in the worst of circumstances hope lives, and that no matter how difficult life becomes there are good things to celebrate and better things coming.
All the more joyous, then, should be our celebrations when things are going well.
May we celebrate on every day of our lives.
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 Music Notes from Alfa Radford
This week I am enjoying a brief vacation in St. Augustine, Florida, which I've just learned is the oldest settled European city in the U.S. As Spring approaches, I look forward to our...
SPRING MUSIC SERVICE: Palm Sunday, March 29 at 10:30am.
"The Creation" by Franz Josef Haydn with choir, soloists, and orchestra.
It's marvelous choral work, the text of which comes from Genesis and from Milton's Paradise Lost.
DATES for PARENTS of CHILDREN'S & YOUTH CHOIRS:
JR & CHANCEL CHOIRS sing in church March 8.
Jr. Choir (K-Gr4) arrives 8:30. Sing at 9:00 Multigenerational Service.
Chancel Choir (Gr5-6) arrives 10:15. Sing at 11:00 Multigen'l Service.
LOOKING YET FURTHER AHEAD: Chancel and Youth Choirs sing May 10 at the Coming of Age Services. Chancel = 9:00. Youth = 11:00.
Snowfully yours, -Alfa
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Children's Religious Education: It Takes a Congregation
This year, along with my work in FCB's CRE program, I am taking a clergy seminar on "Congregationally-based Spiritual Direction." Spiritual direction or spiritual guidance is about listening for the voice of God - Ultimate Concern, Spirit, Life Force, Love (choose the name that works for you or find another one that resonates in your being) - in our daily lives, especially in times when we are feeling stress, fatigue, loss, etc. While we can do this kind of listening on our own, it is helpful to engage in it with others. In the process of spiritual direction, silence plays a key role. It begins and ends with silence, and there is silence interspersed throughout the process. The group is small, not usually more than 4 people. In the basic outline for group spiritual direction, one person shares without comment or interruption. The others are listening for what shimmers, what arises in their own being. After a period of silence, the listener(s) may speak briefly about what caught their attention; they may ask wondering questions. Silence follows after every time something is spoken. There are variations that include the practice of examining your day, week, year (examen), others that use a reading (lectio divina), and still others that involve creative expression through art, music, and movement. There is no age limit to spiritual direction. Everyone can practice it. Recently, I read (in one of our texts for the course) about a spiritual practice of intentional walks in nature. It reminded me of an exercise we did at the beginning of my seminary training called a "Beauty Walk." Simply take a walk - it could be in your neighborhood, in a nature preserve, or in a labyrinth - in silence. Stop every now and then and simply notice your surroundings. What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel? What do you see that particularly catches your eye in that moment? In silence. Walk. Stop. Notice. Take some time to write or draw or paint a picture of what you experienced. Share this with another person. What message have you received from the source of your being? I encourage us all to take a Beauty Walk amidst the mountains of snow that lie all around us. The winter season always brings a special kind of silence into our lives. Listen for it. Notice it. Pay attention. What is being whispered to you out of that snowy silence? Share the love. ~ Charlotte Highlights from Our Religious Education Wing Grades 5 & 6 Our Whole Lives (OWL) is set to begin on March 1st. There will still be classes for grade 5/6 at 9 & 11am. If your child is not taking Gr 5/6 OWL, they should attend their regular CRE class, which will continue with Social Justice curriculum and follow the same schedule as our other CRE classes. Eighth grade OWL meets Sundays from 4:30-6:30pm in the Library, with the exception of 3-day weekends. ~ Charlotte Lehmann, Acting Director of Children's Religious Education Office hours (generally): Sundays 8 am-1pm; Tue/Wed/Thu 10am-6pm E-mail: clehmann@uubelmont.org
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Winter Clothing Drive 
Now through March 15th
DONATION BOXES in Lower Hall.
The 9th grade COA group will be volunteering with homeless people in the Boston area and learning about poverty and homelessness next month. Please help us with a clothing drive in advance!
USED items (for men or unisex), including:
* Winter coats
* Sweatshirts and sweat pants (especially hooded sweatshirts)
* Sweaters, Long-sleeve shirts, T-shirts
* Jeans, khakis, other casual pants and belts
* Waterproof boots, comfortable shoes and sneakers
* Hats, waterproof gloves, scarves
* All kinds of carrying cases such as backpacks, tote bags, fanny packs and small suitcases with wheels (in good condition)
* Sleeping bags and blankets (clean & in good condition)
NEW items, including:
* New white socks
* New underwear - size L, XL, XXL
TRAVEL-SIZE Toiletries, including:
* Soap, shampoo, deodorant, lotion, Chapstick, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream and razors. (Please no aftershave or mouthwash containing alcohol.)
*Please NO children's clothes, dress clothes, slippers, bathrobes, pajamas or out-of-season clothing. For questions, please contact Julie Ennis at jennis@uubelmont.org
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Stewardship Update: Learn - Reflect - Decide - Respond
Now is the time for us to give careful consideration to the church's financial needs, and to the church's place in our lives and our charitable priorities. We ask that you take this time to REFLECT on the financial challenges we face, outlined at www.uubelmont.org/stewardship, and on David Bryce's Feb 8 sermon. We hope each of us - members and friends - can reflect on the ways our own contributions help sustain all of us throughout the church, and how we are sustained by the contributions of our fellow parishioners and our generous predecessors. Our goal for this year's March Stewardship Drive is $605,000, and to get there we need members and friends at all giving levels to consider increasing their pledges this year. Thank you for your careful consideration before we move to the RESPOND phase of our drive beginning March 1. − The Stewardship Committee
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Upcoming Events:
The best way to cure cabin fever to is come to church and be inspired! Look at all the possibilities in the coming weeks.
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ALLIANCE LUNCH & PROGRAM AT FIRST CHURCH
Wed, Feb 18, 12:00 noon - All Women and Men Welcome
Alice Trexler, a retired Tufts University performing arts professor, will discuss "Viewing Dance" using selected video excerpts from Swan Lake and other classic and recent choreographic examples. This session follows an Alliance arts program on How to View Art and an outing to the Tufts University Art Gallery. The Alliance lunch begins at 12:00 and the program at 1:00pm. To help us prepare for the number of attendees, please contact Susan Street (617.484.1054 x201) and let her know that you will attend and the number of your guests. Bring your own sandwich and we will provide soup, beverage, and dessert. Suggested lunch donation: $1.00 per person.
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SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY
Ken Bernstein and Edwin Taylor - Thu, Feb 19, 7:30pm, cl5
Alice Trexler will lead us in a discussion of E. O. Wilson's latestbook, The Meaning of Human Existence. Wilson is known as the father of sociobiology and a major exponent of biodiversity. The reading is available for download at eftaylor.com/sands
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KNITTING CIRCLE
Thursday, Feb 19, 8pm, cl4
Come join us in the fun and fellowship of knitting with a genial group on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month. Projects could include knitting for non-profit organizations such as Caps for Kids, making small gifts for the Holiday Fair or working on personal projects. Everyone is welcome and no commitment is necessary. Contact Eva with any questions.
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THE BREAST CANCER JOURNEY
Melanie Deveikas - Tue, Feb 24, Mar 10, Mar 24, 7:30pm, Lib
An educational series focusing on life & wellness during and after breast cancer treatment. Each week there will be a wellness education topic for discussion. There will also be an opportunity for sharing your breast cancer journey and related concerns through and beyond treatment. Melanie Deveikas, PT, MHA is a physical therapy graduate of the University of Vermont. For more information or to sign up, please contact Melanie at mdeveikas@uubelmont.org.
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THE FIRST CHURCH BOOK GROUP
We will meet on Wed, Feb 25, at 7:30pm in the Library to discuss the 2012 National Book Award winner, Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo. Amartya Sen, Professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, described Behind the Beautiful Forevers as "A beautiful account, told through real-life stories, of the sorrows and joys, the anxieties and stamina, in the lives of the precarious and powerless in urban India whom a booming country has failed to absorb and integrate. A brilliant book that simultaneously informs, agitates, angers, inspires, and instigates." The Book Group is always open to new members and does not require a commitment to attend future meetings. Please contact Anne Stuart at astuart@uubelmont.org if you are interested in participating.
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THE WI$DOM PATH
Tom Neel and Martha Read
Thursday, Feb 26, (and Mar 26) 7:30pm, Library
The Wi$dom Path is for adults, and it is about money. This month's topic is The Meaning of Money in Our Lives: consider how childhood & family values influence us. All are welcome. For more information, contact Tom at tneel@uubelmont.org
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AND LOOK WHAT'S COMING IN MARCH!!
CARING COMMUNITIES
Jennifer Sato, Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights (BCRHHR) Sunday, March 1, 12:30pm, Library
Since 1998, BCRHHR has evolved organically in response to the needs of refugees and torture survivors in the Greater Boston area. Utilizing an innovative, holistic approach they work with survivors of torture and refugee communities from around the world to provide vital care for a healthy body, mind, and soul. Join the Social Action Committee in this discussion.
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THIRD POST VIGIL DISCUSSION: Beyond Ferguson
Bridging Class, Cultural and Racial Separation,
Sunday, March 1, 7pm, Parish Hall
Third post vigil conversation facilitated by Dorothy Stoneman, founder of YouthBuild. Please join members of the Social Action Committee, the Belmont Religious Council, Belmont Against Racism, the Belmont Police Department and graduates of YouthBuild as we continue our discussion about how to end racism in Belmont and in the wider world.
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BELMONT'S PATH TO CARING
Saturday, March 7, 12-4pm, Parish Hall
A gathering of local non-profits. Each organization has a direct link to Belmont, either by its location, the people it serves, or by Belmont resident involvement. Learn about what it means to be a Gleaner, how to help others learn English, making Quilts that are donated to Victims of Violence, finding Homes for Kittens and Cats and more.
Richard Weissbourd, Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of Making Caring Common Project (MCC) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education will speak at 3pm. The title of his talk is "Raising Caring, Ethical and Happy Children."
Childcare provided during the talk. Please e-mail apathappearsinbelmont@gmail.com by 5pm on March 6th to sign up for childcare.
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WRITING YOUR SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Jean O'Farrell, Sun, March 15, 22, 29 & April 12, 4-5:30pm, cl5
This course is based on Dan Wakefield's book and course, "Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography." The willingness to write from the heart will make writers of all participants. That will guide them in the formation of beautiful personal accounts of their journeys that may have been solitary, even secret, but have led them to search for greater meaning in their lives and, ultimately, to make fulfilling connections with others. No one is pressured into sharing, and everyone is urged into active listening. It is entirely voluntary and what is read and said is confidential to those who are there to listen. It is a fulfilling process to anyone who comes with an open heart and a desire to quiet the mind through writing so that we can give voice to what the heart is trying to say. Please register with Jean at jofarrell@uubelmont.org.
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