The First Church in Belmont

THE UNITARIAN  February 24, 2015

In This Issue
Calendar 

Next Issue: March 3 

Deadline: 3pm February 26 

 

Wednesday, February 25

7:30pm   FC Book Group. Lib.

Thursday, February 26 

6:45pm   Nova Choir. Sanct.

7:30pm   Wi$dom Path. Lib.

Sunday, March 1 

8:15am   Nova Choir. Sanct.

9:25am   Sr. Choir. Parish Hall.

12:45pm FCB Green. cl5.  

12:30pm CaringCommunity. Lib. 

4:00pm   Memoir Writing. cl5.

4:15pm   COA. Parlor. 

4:30pm   OWL. Library.

6/7pm     YAC/YG. Parlor/UH.

7:00pm   Beyond Ferguson. PH.

Monday, March 2 

6:30pm   Jr; 7 Chan; 7:45 Youth.

7:30pm   Adult Prog. CR. 

7:30pm   Caring Conn. cl5.

8:00pm   Meditation. Lib.

Tuesday, March 3 

7:30pm   Partner Ch Cte. CR.

7:30pm   SGM. Library.

Wednesday, March 4 

7:30pm   Women's Group. Lib. 

 

Looking Ahead

March 13: Coffeehouse

 

Link to church calendar  

This Sunday

Music: March 1, 2015

Prelude: What Gift Can We Bring?-Jane Marshall (contemp.)

Alfa Joy Radford, organ

Offertory Solo: Being Alive (from "Company")

-Stephen Sondheim (contemp.)

Chuck Claus, baritone

9:00 Nova Choir: Bizakodo (Hopeful)

-Hungarian Canon, arr. Bardos

9:00 Postlude: Christus, der ist mein Leben -J. S. Bach (1685-1750) Mary Beekman, organ

11:00 Sr. Choir: Elijah Rock!

-Trad'l Spiritual, arr. Jester Hairston (1901-2000)

11:00 Postlude:

Festive Trumpet Tune  

-David German (b. 1954)

Alfa Joy Radford, organ

 
The flowers this Sunday are given by John and Leslie Kolterman in  memory of John's Aunt, Marianne Glessmann and in celebration of Fiona's 18th Birthday.
   
Ushers:
Jean O'Farrell & Betsy George
Laurie Graham & Martin Plass  
  
Welcome & Announcements: Jack Weis & Anne Donohue
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 [email protected] or Susan at the Church, 617.484.1054 x201.


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

Social Action Corner

ACTION IS OUR PRAYER

Grow Clinic! Grow Clinic!  

 It's almost time again for our annual MARCH MAC & CHEESE MADNESS campaign for the GROW CLINIC. Boxes of MAC & CHEESE fly off the shelves and demand always exceeds the supplies. Please help us collect stacks and stacks of MAC & CHEESE during March. Thanks! 

FOOD: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEDICINES

  

UUSC (uusc.org)


 

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 

- [email protected] 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
5 Things To Know This Week
  • Stewardship Drive Update
  • New Church Administrator Hired
  • Winter Clothing Drive NOW through March 15
  • First Church Book Group, February 25
  • The Wi$dom Path, February 26
Sunday, March 1       

Religion As Celebration 

Rev. David M. Bryce

 

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.)   

 

A minister once said to me, "If you don't hear people singing and clapping, don't enter that church!". Religion speaks to all aspects of life; it speaks to sadness and sorrow, pain and suffering. But part of its purpose is to lift our spirits and help us sing, whether during times of trouble and travail or during times of joy and happiness. Let us join together to celebrate.

 

** Next Sunday, March 8 **

Multigenerational Service 

Rev. David M. Bryce 

 

Sermons in text and audio format can be found at uubelmont.org/sermons

Reflections from Rev. David Bryce, Senior MinisterRev. David Bryce

As most of you know, a Unitarian Universalist minister typically builds sabbatical time of one month for each year of service provided to a congregation. I am in my sixth year of service to you and have been planning on taking a six-month sabbatical beginning next January, 2016.

     The congregation is in a period of major staff transition.

     We will have a new Church Administrator beginning soon, a new Director of Music beginning this summer, and next year we will be searching for a new Director of Children's Religious Education.

     More than this, we will be saying goodbye to some staff members who have been here for an extraordinary length of time and who have become part of the fabric of the congregation.

     I know this is causing a mix of feelings for some and that questions, hopes and anxiety are flowing around people.

     Given all of this I have been wondering whether it is wise to leave on sabbatical next January. 

   On the other hand, I know that there are always reasons for delaying a sabbatical, but that sabbaticals are important for the health of the minister and the congregation and are a good time of renewal for both.

     And so I have been carefully thinking about the topic.

     Last Tuesday (February 10) I let the Parish Board know that I was thinking about delaying the start of the sabbatical for one year, to January of 2017. 

     Today--after careful thought--I have notified the Parish Board that I will, in fact, be doing so.

     I think this is an unusual time for the congregation, that conditions will be different the following year and that this delay is the right thing to do.

     See you all on Sunday.

Alfa Radford Music Notes from Alfa Radford

SPRING MUSIC SERVICE: Sunday,

March 29 at 10:30am

"The Creation" by Franz Josef Haydn

with Choir, Soloists, and Orchestra

OTHER MUSIC PROGRAM - LOOKING AHEAD:

YOUTH & CHILDREN'S CHOIRS sing in church:

March 8 Multigenerational Services:

9:00am Jr (K-Gr4) Arrive 8:30

11:00am Chancel (Gr5-6) Arrive 10:15

REGULAR MONDAY EVENING REHEARSALS:

JR. CHOIR (K-Gr4) Mondays 6:30-7:00pm. Sing in church March 8 & June 14.

CHANCEL CHOIR (Gr5-6) Mon's 7:00-7:45pm. Sing in church March 8, May 10, June 14.

YOUTH CHOIR (Gr7-High Sch) Mondays 7:45-8:30 pm. Sing in church March 22, May 10.

NOTE regarding Monday Holidays henceforth:

YOUTH & CHILDREN'S CHOIRS: (No Childr/Youth rehearsals on 4/20, 5/25)

Looking forward to a Springtime filled with wonderful music!

  - Joyfully, Alfa 

Among Us
Our love and sympathy to the family of Anne Allen who died on February 20, 2015. A memorial service and reception will be held at The First Church in Belmont on Friday, February 27 at 11:30am.
Stewardship Update: Learn - Reflect - Decide - Respond

As we prepare for the active phase of the March Stewardship Drive, the coming days are the time to DECIDE! Your pledge form and supporting materials should have arrived in the mail in the past few days. Next Sunday, March 1, is Celebration Sunday, when the church will hold a special celebratory service at which all parishioners will be invited to present their pledges at the offertory. Please give special consideration to this year's appeal for strong across-the-board increases in pledge amounts, which will strengthen our church's financial foundation immeasurably and lead us forward with an expanded base of support. For more information, visit www.uubelmont.org/stewardship. Thank you for giving high priority to supporting First Church. − The Stewardship Committee


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 [email protected]

New Church Administrator Hired!
The Parish Board is excited to announce that we have found a new Church Administrator! Janice Zazinski will join us starting on March 9. Janice is currently the Office Assistant at the First Parish UU Church in Cambridge. Prior to that, she worked as a store manager and district trainer for Peet's Coffee. Other experiences have included communications roles at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, and public relations work at Boston University. She has a passion for working with animals, and she recently become certified in small animal massage. While filling Susan's shoes is a formidable task, we are confident that Janice's skills, experiences and personality will quickly make her a valued member of our community. Please feel free to stop by the office during the work week to introduce yourself to Janice. We will plan a reception for her in late March or early April to officially welcome her to our First Church community.
Upcoming Events:  

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 [email protected].      

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 [email protected] if you are interested in participating.

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 [email protected] 

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. 

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.

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 [email protected] by 5pm on March 6th to sign up for childcare.

WRITING YOUR SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Jean O'Farrell, Sunday, Mar 15, 22, 29 & Apr 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 [email protected].

Ongoing Groups:

 

CARING FOR OLDER ADULTS

Miriam Baker and Deborah Blumberg - Thur, March 5, 7:30pm, CR

Many people are juggling jobs, families and their parents' or other family members' increasing medical needs, frequent emergencies and ongoing need for care. How do we cope with the needs of our loved ones and find some balance in our own lives? What do we need to learn as we take on this task? How do we find information and community? If you find yourself in this position, you are welcome at this group for discussion and support. This is a drop-in group so please attend when it is convenient for you.

 

KNITTING CIRCLE

Eva Patalas - Thursday, March 5, 8pm, Classroom 4

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.

Save the Date!

Susan Street is retiring and there will be a

reception in her honor at church on

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Following the 11am service

More details to follow