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Sunday Worship - February 14, 2016
Sermon: Love - Rev. David Bryce
Today we celebrate love in its aspect of love for other people, love for other living beings, love for life. We begin with the legends of Saint Valentine.
Welcome and Announcements: 9 a.m. Betsy George; 11 a.m. Penny Schafer Ushers: 9 a.m.: Bruce Logan & Marianne Leahy; 11 a.m.: Pam Andrews & John Little Lay Pastoral Care: 9 a.m. Tom Neel; 11 a.m. James Hencke The flowers on the Chancel table this Sunday are given by Alice Trexler and Downing Cless, with gratitude on Valentine's Day to the staff, committee members, and teachers/volunteers who work so hard on behalf of Children's Religious Education.
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Reflections from Rev. David Bryce, Senior Minister
You will receive this on Fat Tuesday, the day just before the Christian Lenten season. (My King Cake is scheduled for delivery on the day I write this column.)
This week is the time of the Spring Festival in China (including what we call "Chinese New Year") and Vasant Panchami, the Indian festival of spring.
We, of course, have not yet really had winter yet. There have been a few minor snowfalls, but so far nothing like last year's record snows. For us, winter tends to last until March. And so it seems odd to think that others are already celebrating the beginning of spring.
We are a bit "off kilter" from the experience of others. (The definition of "off kilter" from the Merriam Webster Dictionary: "different from the ordinary, usual, or expected".)
I sometimes find myself feeling off kilter from the experience of other people. That can lead to a feeling of not just difference from others, but of isolation from others. And that is not comfortable.
That, of course, is why some of us left our previous religious affiliations and became Unitarian Universalist; we felt different from other people within that tradition, different enough in some way that we no longer felt welcome-or no longer wished to feel welcome.
Yet it is human nature to want to be part of a group. We are, for the most part, social creatures. We seek to join clubs or religious communities, to feel part of our neighborhood or peer group, to have a sense of nationalism or tribalism.
We crave a sense of belonging, though we are often skeptical about what we must either yield to a group or hide from that group in order to belong.
And sometimes that identity with a group goes awry and becomes more about excluding others than about including those we are with. A healthy sense of belonging gives us a place to be grounded while moving out beyond that grounding group.
I hope each of you has that healthy sense of belonging here in this congregation.
Ultimately, I suppose, the real sense of belonging that we seek is when we feel we belong in and on this world, and therefore in some way feel identified with all people and all life. Some of us might use secular language for that, some of us might use more particularly religious language; but I believe we are speaking from the same place.
May you belong to and feel connected with Earth, the Universe, the Goddess or God. And may that give you the ability to see any differences you may have from others as a source of wonder and of strength.
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2016 March Stewardship Drive
Our March Stewardship Drive is approaching! This is how we fund the worship services, programs, and operations of First Church. The annual budget is over $700,000, and pledges from all of us, Members and Friends, provide about 80% of the church's revenue. To help each of us decide our level of commitment for the July 2016-June 2017 church year, our campaign unfolds in three phases:
- LEARN and REFLECT (during February): How can we all be stewards of our church? What is my connection to the church? What are all the types of ministry, programs, and intangible benefits First Church provides to me, my family, and our community? Please reflect on David Bryce's January 31 Stewardship sermon and Todd Schatzki's Feb. 4 email to the congregation. The Stewardship Committee shortly will provide information on our webpage outlining the church's finances.
- DECIDE (late February): Your pledge packet, including pledge form and envelope, will arrive in the mail during the last week of February. Do not put it aside! We ask all of you to pledge generously to sustain our valuable church operations and programs for the 2016 - 2017 year. Generous increased pledges each year are essential to the success of the Stewardship Drive. On the pledge form, you will be able to select a payment schedule that works best for you.
- RESPOND (Celebration Sunday, February 28): We ask you to make your pledge as promptly as possible. We invite all of you to bring your pledges to church on Sunday, February 28 and to come forward with your pledge envelopes during the Offertory. It will be a memorable worship service and musical celebration as we gather together. At coffee hour, enjoy special treats from Quebrada Bakery!
We seek a very strong response on February 28. If you are unable to pledge by that date, we ask that you make your pledge no later than March 13. On-time pledging is essential, as the Parish Board has to finalize the budget in April for the congregation to approve in May. We request your timely response to our annual March Stewardship Drive, which we hope will be as generous as possible. Our church depends on all of us.
Thank you for your careful consideration of these important calendar dates and the church's financial needs.
The First Church Stewardship Committee - Roger Read, Chair
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Years ago, we had a tradition in the church of acknowledging "unsung heroes" at the Annual Meeting. If that tradition were to be revived, the House Committee would like to nominate Kathy Dunlap.
Kathy designed and made the new bulletin boards in the Lower Gathering Hall. While in the church to install them, she learned that Charlotte Lehmann needed cork strips for displaying work in the CRE hallway, so she went back to her shop and designed and made those.
We are grateful for her ideas, her labor (all gratis), and her willingness to take on these projects. Thank you, Kathy.
Submitted by the House Committee - Ed Bing, ML Landfried, and Lanier Smythe
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Children's Religious Education: It Takes a Congregation
A very large number of parents and caregivers registered for our field test of the new UUA curriculum Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators. The class is at maximum capacity. The first session was well attended and it is evident from the conversations that continued in the hallway before people departed for home that it is off to a great start ... { click here for more }
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Upcoming Adult Programs
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Click to view all upcoming events.
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- Understanding Hospice - Tuesday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m., Parish Hall
- Breast Cancer Wellness Journey - Wed., Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m., Parlor
- UU Principles - Sunday, Feb. 28, 12:30 p.m., Library
- Film & discussion - "Lena: My 100 Children" - Mon., Feb. 29, 7:30 p.m.
Ongoing Programs
- Meditation - Mondays, 8 p.m., Library
- UU Belmont Alliance Lunch and Program - Wed., Feb. 17, 12 p.m., Upper Hall
- Living Positively - Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Tinkham Room
- Science and Spirituality - Thursday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m., Conference Room
- Fiber Arts - Thursdays, Feb.18, 8 p.m., Location TBD
- Hootenanny - Wed., Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m., Parish Hall
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Second Friday Coffeehouse to benefit Bristol Lodge - Friday, February 12
This week the Second Friday Coffeehouse is proud to present one new performer and a group of old friends. Jim Infantino has collaborated with our own Jon Svetkey in End Construction and performed for many years with his own band, Jim's Big Ego. We are excited to present Jim this month, offering his distinctive style of song writing and performing.
The old friends returning to our stage are First Church's own Roger Miller, Chris Holm on guitar and vocals, and Chuck Greene on bass. This trio has performed at Second Friday several times and we look forward to welcoming them back. So join us at First Church and support our featured beneficiary and long-time associate, Bristol Lodge. Check out details: facebook.com/secondfridaycoffeehouse.
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Program & Committee News
Belmont Food Pantry Volunteers
First Church members staff the opening of the Belmont Food Pantry on the second Tuesday of every month. There will be a sign-up table after Sunday's service to recruit volunteers for February through May.
Belmont Open Sings - February 21
Come hear Irina Kareva in Mozart's stirring Requiem; and, even better, get to sing the choral parts too, when Mary Beekman conducts Belmont Open Sings on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
This is the last piece Mozart wrote, and in it you can hear his uncertainty as to whether God will judge him as a sheep or a goat.
The reading takes place at Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont St. and $10 gets you a seat, a score, a full orchestra and fine soloists, and even a cookie or two! Hope to see you there!
First Church and Refugee Resettlement
At First Church we are exploring the possibility of working with a resettlement agency to help resettle refugees coming to the US. The process began as an outreach to Syrians fleeing their country but in all probability they will not be in the US for resettlement until late 2017 or early 2018.
Just the same, there are many others who need help finding a home in the US. If you would like to be part of this discussion, please send me, Sam James, with your e-mail address and I will add your name to the distribution list. My e-mail address is sjames@srjames.com. We are working to initiate a town wide response with all congregations participating in this effort. So please join us. The first step is to send an e-mail and we will place you on the list.
Grow Clinic!
Wouldn't you like to Put Some LOVE in Your Cart this Valentine Holiday with a few extras for the infants and toddlers at the Grow Clinic?
- February Special Request: Baby Food and Formula. Collection baskets in the Lower Hall.
Caring Connection
Lay Pastoral Care Team The Lay Pastoral Care Team works with and supports the senior minister in reaching out to members and friends of the First Church who are adjusting to change, loss, illness or death: uubelmont.org/lay-ministry
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Looking for a summer rental/home exchange
Greetings from Tina Tomlow-de Muinck Keizer ... I am the daughter of Bea de Muinck Keizer ... I live in the Netherlands with my husband and three growing children. We would love to visit my mother over the summer and are looking for lodging in the greater Belmont area. We are looking for a summer rental for 1-3 weeks for a reasonable price in the period from mid-July to mid- August. We can also offer our home in the centre of the Netherlands as a home exchange. This is something we are experienced with.
Please contact me at christinatdmk@live.com. You can call Bea if you have any questions, at 617-489-1781. Thank you!
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Connect with UU actions, events & resources
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Contact Us
617-484-1054 ~ office@uubelmont.org ~ Staff Directory
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Office hours: Monday - Friday, 9 - 3. The church office will be closed on Monday, February 15, for Presidents' Day.
| 404 Concord Avenue | PO Box 113 | Belmont, Mass. 02478
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In Case of Severe Weather
If a Sunday service is to be cancelled due to inclement weather, a message will be put on the church voicemail system. We will also post a message on our Facebook page, the church's web page, and send a church-wide e-mail. Please use your judgment as to whether you can safely get to services or programming.
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Next Issue
The next issue of The Unitarian is Tuesday, February 16. Please send your announcements, news, events, and other submissions to office@uubelmont.org by noon on Wednesday, February 10.
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