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THE UNITARIAN
May 3 , 2015
Join Us For Worship This Week
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First Unitarian Church of Worcester, MA
90 Main Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 01608
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Worship at First Unitarian
On Sunday childcare will be available
during worship beginning at 10:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Sunday, May 3, 2015
"On the Silence of the Pulpit"
The Rev. Colin Bossen preaching; Rev. Sarah C. Stewart assisting. Rev. Bossen is currently pursuing a PhD in American Studies at Harvard University. Prior to returning to academia, he was a Unitarian Universalist parish minister for six years in urban Ohio and rural Pennsylvania. He lives in Medford, MA with his wife and two children.
A childhood friend of Rev. Stewart, he looks forward to worshipping
with the congregation.
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Before and After Worship This Week
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9:00 a.m.
10:15 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
4:00 p.m.
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BYKOTA MEETING in the Bride's Room.
Nursery Care in Classroom 4.
Worship Service in the Sanctuary.
Sunday School following dismissal from worship.
Fellowship Hour in the Bancroft/Dining Rooms. All are invited.
Installation Service for The Reverend Sarah C. Stewart.
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Garden News - Clean-up on Saturday
OUR BEAUTIFUL CHURCH GARDENS AND EXTERIOR: This is an especially important year, with the up-coming installation celebration for Reverend Sarah Stewart on May 3. Please join the Friends of the Gardens for some fun and fellowship on the 2 Saturday mornings before the Installation, April 25th and/or May 2nd, 8 am to noon--to tidy up and beautify our gardens so we can really celebrate in style (rain or shine!!) Ideas?? Banners, ribbons, flowers....
 PLANT EXCHANGE: Then our spring Plant Exchange will be on Sunday May 10 (Mothers' Day) and Sunday May 17th this year. For those new to the church, this is a long-standing tradition: people bring potted plants (annuals, perennials, herbs, house plants) from their own garden to donate to the church on those days, and then we sell them after church at $5 per pot, as a fun exchange, AND a fund-raiser for the church and our gardens. This year we are working toward building funds for projects like an expanded shade garden in the front, and a labyrinth around our Peace Pole. As the snow melts from your garden beds, please be planning what you might divide and contribute! We have plenty of large empty plastic pots in the church garden storage
shed if you need one. Questions? Please contact co-chairs Kate O'Dell at odellkk@gmail.com or Mary Mcalister at maryalmc@gmail.com
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Giving Time and Talent: Community Outreach Part 1
 About eight years ago, Barbara Merritt asked me to attend a presentation about The Jericho Road Project that began in the First Parish Unitarian Church in Concord MA. Based on what I heard that day I began to think differently about volunteering. I realized that small to mid-sized nonprofits didn't have the resources, financial or staffing, to increase their capacity. But, I did know that many members of our congregation had the professional skills to provide expertise to help nonprofits focus on what they do best; program delivery. As a Unitarian I feel an obligation to work to create a better world; a world where all people matter. The challenge is finding meaningful ways to do that. I am grateful for the time I have had on the Jericho Road Worcester Board. I was able to see nonprofits expand the quality and scope of their outreach and I was able to see skills based volunteers make a difference in our community, sometimes in ways they never imagined. First Unitarian's support of Jericho Road Worcester has directly impacted our Worcester community. We have not simply supported one organization, we have increased the capacity of many Worcester nonprofits. -- Jeanine Beratta
The Center for Nonviolent Solutions (CNVS)
Being involved in the Center for Nonviolent Solutions is just one of the ways I try to  live as a compassionate, responsible citizen of the World, giving back from the abundance that I've been dealt in this life. Peace, harmony and understanding are personal values that I can help promote in my involvement in the CNVS. It's wonderful seeing young people learn to identify conflict among their peers and learn skills to resolve it in nonviolent ways. In the past I've volunteered as a mediator with Worcester Community Mediation Services and as the Peer Mediation Coordinator at Burncoat High School. It is gratifying to work now with the dedicated and competent Board, staff and volunteers of CNVS, helping people in Worcester to understand peacemaking as a way of life.
Being involved helps to raise awareness of peacemaking activities in the Worcester community and provides concrete opportunities for the congregation to learn about and be involved in conflict resolution. -- Marj Ropp
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Whoever welcomes you welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
-teachings of Jesus
Coffee Hour Hospitality - NEW SIGN UP ONLINE
Providing refreshments after worship is a gift of service to the church. The food you bring need not be elaborate. If you would like to provide this hospitality, click here to see if others are contributing that Sunday and to sign up or you can just bring a food offering and put it on the dining room table. Invite a friend to join you in this offering.
Sunday Greeters
Being on the receiving end of a warm smile and a "good to see you" or a "good morning" is to be offered a welcoming gift. It is a gift that you can give on a Sunday morning. Reaching out in greeting affirms the one entering and the one greeting.
If you would like to be a Sunday morning greeter, please stop by the Welcome Table or speak to one of us. We will sign you up for a date and give you the information you will need.
Name Tags & Newsletter
If you need a name tag or would like to receive the church newsletter, please stop by the Welcome Table.
Lee Reid
Sue Shaw
Linda Carney
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Escalating Inequality Workshops -
There are upcoming workshops about the problem of escalating inequality in this country. At General Assembly in Providence last summer, delegates to the UUA voted escalating inequality as the most pressing issue of our time.
This is a joint project between First Unitarian Church and the UU Church of Worcester. Three events will be held here and four will be held at UUCW, 90 Holden Street, Worcester 01606. We are excited about this partnership.
The following workshops are from the dynamic curriculum put out by the UUA and contain large and small group discussions, videos and personal inventories.
4. THE NEED FOR DIVERSITY IN UUism: Sunday May 3 at UUCW from 12:30-2:30
5. ENGAGING SOLUTIONS FOR UUism: Sunday May 17 First U 12:30-2:30
Escalating Inequality Task Force: Joan McGinn, Chair; Paul Ropp, Randy Ingham, Mara Pentlarge, Joe Delgizzi
Joan McGinn, Chair, Escalating Inequality Task Force
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Our Church Family Online Directory
Reminder
Don't forget to sign on to use the new online directory! Click here to sign on now or go to www.firstunitarian.com and click on "OurChurchFamily Directory" at the top of the page.
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Important First U Links
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| Contact Us
First Unitarian Church of Worcester, MA
90 Main Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 01608
508-757-2708
508-753-9332 (fax)
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