The Unitarian
January 31, 2016
Vol. 70, No 19
Join Us for Worship This Week 

Worship With Us This Week
       
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
 
   January 31, 2016
Annual Meeting Sunday
"The Mission of Our Lives"
Preaching:  The Rev. Sarah C. Stewart
What keeps us together in all our theological diversity? When we disagree, should we consider breaking apart or sticking together? Different religions have answered this question differently throughout history; we'll reflect on the spiritual value of a diverse community on this Annual Meeting Sunday. 

The Festival Choir returns to celebrate Annual Meeting Sunday with congregational favorites with special accompaniments. A woodwind trio (2 clarinets and bassoon, composed of 1st U members) will be offering the prelude and postlude:
a Mozart Divertimento.

Before and After Worship
 
  9:00 a.m.   Adult Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
10:15 a.m.   Nursery Care in Classroom 4.
10:30 a.m.   Worship Service in the Sanctuary.
10:50 a.m.   Sunday School after dismissal from worship.            
11:30 a.m.   Pre-Annual Meeting Lunch in the Bancroft/Dining Rms.
12:15 p.m.   Annual Meeting in the Sanctuary.
  5:00 p.m.   Seven Hills Symphony in Unity Hall.
  6:30 p.m.   YRU2 Meeting in the Youth Lounge. 
Annual Meeting Warrant
Second Parish in the Town of Worcester
31 January 2016

THIS SUNDAY
 
The 232nd Annual Meeting of the Second Parish in the Town of Worcester will be held in the Meeting House on Court Hill on Sunday, January 31st, following the Worship Service, at 12:15 P.M.
 
All members of the Second Parish who are in good standing and eligible to vote on parish matters are requested to attend and to consider the following.
 

1.    To receive reports from the Minister, the Moderator, Trustees, and any other group so requested;

2.    To elect a Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Trustees, and other positions as required;

3.    To approve a budget for the year 2016, and to then appropriate and encumber such funds as necessary;

4.    To approve a revised mission statement;

5.    To attend to any other business that may legally come before the meeting.

 
Jay Lavelle,
Clerk of the Parish

Click here for biographies of nominees on the Annual Meeting Ballot.

Click here to review the Annual Meeting Report.
Lunch Before the Annual Meeting 
mini-pizza-spatula.jpg
The Lay Leadership Program Council is providing pizza after worship on January 31 before the Annual Meeting. All are invited. Please plan on bringing a salad to share. 
A Baroque Winter Festival!
THIS SATURDAY   
Baroque Winter Festival First Unitarian Worcester UUA
January 30 at  4PM
First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
Bach Magnificat 
Galuppi Dixit Dominus 
Telemann Concerto in D for Trumpet
Featuring:
    Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra
    Festival Choirs of First Unitarian/Worcester & First Parish/Arlington
 
Hear the Worcester Youth Orchestra's incredibly talented instrumentalist in concert performing one of Bach's more complex compositions.
If one has any question that upcoming performing arts & culture is dying off, just witness the enthusiasm and refined talents of all these great kids! Wow!
Faith Development News

Click here to get information about:  

First Aid and CPR for Teachers and Parents

How are we doing?
Focus Groups for Parents and Teachers

First Friday Fun Nights Start Feb. 5th
All Ages Dance Party 
Care Kits Supplies Needed 
The children of the church are collecting warm mittens and socks, hygiene items, small snacks and water to make Care Kits for the homeless folks of Worcester. Please consider contributing supplies to our "Care Kits" box in the Bancroft room. The list of needed items can be found here http://faithdevelopmentforall.blogspot.com 
Thank you!
Interfaith Hospitality Network News  
Interfaith Hospitality Network Worcester
First Unitarian will be providing volunteers for the Interfaith Hospitality Network shelter on June Street the week of February 14-21. This is a family shelter; the parents and guardians (there have been a number of grandparent groups) have to be pregnant or have children to enter. The previously homeless families are provided with case management and counseling, and direction for either school or work.  Whenever possible, the school-age children attend the school they went to before becoming homeless, to help give them some continuity in education. There are usually six families in the program, and the number of individuals can vary from about 10 to 20, depending on the number of children.  
 
I will be collecting money to help provide supplies (food, paper goods) for the program. This week, if there are people who would like to cook for the families, and bring in a nutritious supper or two, that would be lovely. The families have been working on building cooking skills, but they like, as we do occasionally, the pleasure of having someone else do the cooking.
 
Volunteers are needed for the dinner shift, 5:30 - 8:30, and for the overnight shift 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. (except on Saturday and Sunday morning when it is 8 a.m.)
 
There are a number of people in the congregation who have done the volunteering, and I am always willing to train people who have not been at the shelter before. 

Friday Night Women's Bridge at the Church  
playing cards
UU Sisterhood Bridge will be held  Friday, February 5th,  7:00 pm  in the Chapel.
(door from upper parking lot opens at 6:45)
 
It's fun!  We welcome players with any or no experience.
Please let me know if you can join us.
 
Coffee Hour Hospitality
Everyone heads to the dining room after worship happily looking to see
coffee & cookies
what edibles might be on the table.  One person said..."it's either feast or famine" about what we may find.  Sometimes we enjoy a bounteous spread and other times a few bits and pieces.  Always we appreciate that others have thought of us and brought delicious edibles.  Providing refreshments for your church friends is a lovely and much appreciated service.  Why don't you ask others to share a date to help provide food with you?  It doesn't have to be fancy.  The Caring Circles have already signed up for dates.  Please use this online sign-up calendar so that others will know available dates to bring goodies.  We all enjoy something to eat after worship and we can all contribute to the offering at some time.

Upcoming John Henry's Hammer Concerts
Save These Dates
Open Mic Friday, February 12 at 7pm.
Open Mic Friday, February 28 at 7p.m 
 
February 27 - Youth Talent Show Fundraiser - 7pm
March 12 -"Jazzin About Town" featuring Jean Gough - 7pm
Sermons
 from the Worship Service of September 27, 2015

"Bringing Creation Toward Perfection" by Ken Mandile
 from the Worship Service of August 23, 2015
Important First U Links -
First Unitarian Church | 508.757.2708 | 508.753.9332
office@firstunitarian.com  |  www.firstunitarian.com

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