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The Unitarian
November 6, 2016
Vol. 71, No 7
Join Us for Worship This Week
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Worship With Us This Week
Sunday Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Sermon: "For You Were Strangers"
Preaching: The Rev. Sarah Stewart
As our nation moves toward the presidential election, we feel more divided than ever. Our democratic processes are supposed to bring us together with the leaders we have chosen, but the divisions will remain no matter who is elected. Our spiritual task is to be one nation together with all our neighbors.
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Before and After Worship
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9:00 a.m.
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Adult Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
BYKOTA Meeting in the Youth Lounge.
Children's Choir Rehearsal in Mirick Room 1.
FD Collaborative Meeting in the Chapel.
| 10:15 a.m.
| Prelude in the Sanctuary.
Nursery Care in Classroom 3. | |
10:30 a.m.
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Worship Service in the Sanctuary
Sunday School after dismissal from worship.
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11:30 a.m.
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Fellowship Hour in the Bancroft/Dining Rooms.
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12:00 p.m.
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Sermon Discussion in the Chapel. See info below.
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1:15 p.m.
| Wiogora Committee Meeting in the Chapel. | | 5:00 p.m. | Men's Group Meeting in the Landers Room. | | 6:00 p.m. | Pete Seeger Song Fest to benefit The Center for Nonviolent Solutions, in the Sanctuary. | |
6:00 p.m.
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Seven Hills Symphony Rehearsal in Unity Hall.
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6:00 p.m.
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YRU2 Meeting in the Youth Lounge.
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Sermon Discussions
In the Chapel - noon to 1pm
Beginning November 6
Join our minister, the Rev. Sarah Stewart, once a month after church for a
discussion of that Sunday's sermon. Bring your coffee to the Chapel on the first Sunday of every month for a chance to engage the sermon topic with other members and friends of First Unitarian Church. This is a chance for you to share what the sermon meant for you, how you are dealing with the spiritual issues it raises for you, and to listen to your fellow First Unitarians share what is meaningful to them. Dates: Nov. 6, Dec. 4, Jan. 8, Feb. 5, Mar. 5, Apr. 2, May 7, June 4.
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Fall Garden Clean-up This Saturday
Dear Friends of the Garden,
Please join us for a fall garden clean up on Saturday, November 5th
from 9:00 to noon. All are welcome for a morning of brisk outdoor fun! We will rake leaves, cut down perennials, pull a few weeds, maybe throw down some mulch and get the gardens ready for their long winter sleep. We have some garden tools at church but suggest you bring gloves and your favorite hand tools. We will supply coffee, cider and snacks. We have some great gardeners in this church, if you are a beginning gardener this is a wonderful opportunity to work alongside and learn from them. (rain date Nov. 12)
Your garden co-chairs, Marjorie Connelly and Mary McAlister
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Faith Development Collaborative
This Sunday at 9am in the Chapel
The FD Collaborative is an open meeting of parents, teachers, and congregants for the purpose of sharing joys, challenges, and where we work together on some of the nitty-gritty details of planning, designing, and implementing our deep desires for Children and Youth Faith Development. *We will meet in the Chapel.
Agenda items
Task Forces
Christmas Pageant
Youth Programs
Childcare
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Pete Seeger Songfest
Jim Scott Remembers Pete in Song
7pm, Sunday, November 6First Unitarian Church
At 7:00 PM Sunday November 6, in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church, folk singer Jim Scott will hold a Pete Seeger Songfest as a benefit concert for the Center for Nonviolent Solutions. Suggested donation for the concert is $20 for adults and $10 for students.
The Center for Nonviolent Solutions is a non-profit organization that provides education and resources to help people in the Worcester area to understand nonviolence and peacemaking as a way of life and to reject the use of violence in resolving conflict. The center teaches middle school and high school students how to resolve conflicts peacefully through mutual respect, empathy cultivation, active listening and peer mediation. The center also provides training in peace-building skills to teachers and youth workers, and provides instruction in the history of successful nonviolent movements in the modern world.
Click here for more information
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EXTRA, EXTRA...READ ALL ABOUT IT
Something new is coming our way
On Sundays, words of wisdom, challenging ideas, and new visions are offered to us as we warm the pews. During the week we read, and contemplate, and converse. This energy suggests that another path of communication and connection might be open to us. We have a very creative congregation. We would like to offer a way of sharing material from our members, by publishing a booklet of creative works.
Content would be poems, short stories, reflections, meditations, humorous and learning experiences, prayers, and artwork. Submissions from all ages are welcomed. This is one pathway to know others through their original offerings.
Folks are working on guidelines and schedules and they will be published later. For now, just give this idea some thought. Think about something would you like to share? We all have stories. Look for more details in upcoming newsletters.
Lee Reid
Madeline Silva
Deborah Levering
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Coming Up in Faith Development...
| November 4 | First Friday, Fun for All-ages in the Dining Room, 6-8pm. Pizza dinner and making cards & Journals.
| | November 6 | First BYKOTA meeting (grades 6-8) in Youth Lounge, 9-10am |
| Christmas Pageant signups in the Dining Room | | November 13 | Children's Chapel for children ages 4+ in Unity Hall |
| Childcare & activities (ages 0-4), Nursery, 10:15-11:45am |
| Christmas Pageant signups in the Dining Room |
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YRU2 (Gr. 9-12), 6-8pm, Youth Lounge
| | November 20 |
All-ages Thanksgiving Worship, 10:30am
Children Choir singing
YRU2 (Gr. 9-12), 6-8pm, Youth Lounge
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John Henry Hammer Coffee House
A "Must-see" CD Release Party
November 19th
The John Henry's Hammer Coffeehouse (JHH) concert series is pleased to announce that on Saturday, November 19, 2016, 7:30-9:30pm, we will host a special CD Release Party for Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers featuring their latest collaboration entitled We are Welcome. Schmidt, who performed at JHH last year expressly promised to return bringing Rogers for this special event. Attendees of last year's concert are still talking about how Claudia touched us by expressing in spoken word and song what we profess in our Seven Principles.
Concert Info: The doors open at 6:30pm, with a light dinner available; show runs from 7:30-9:30pm.
Tickets: $20/door. Online: www.brownpapertickets.com
Click here for more info...
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Building and Grounds Committee
The Building and Grounds Committee, together with the Garden Committee are assembling to review the results of the recently completed On-site Insight Church Assessment and to set long and short term goals. With the collaborative efforts between the Finance and Prudential Committees, we will provide guidance in the maintenance and care of the church property with the intention of maintaining our historical presents in the Worcester landscape. Our next meeting will be November 13th following coffee hour.
Laura Kirshenbaum, Chairperson
Building and Grounds Committee
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Invitation from Holden Street
"Escalating Inequality" is a congregational study issue of the UUA, and we are in the third year of offering together opportunities for study, reflection and action. On Sunday, Nov. 13, the Holden Street Escalating Inequality Task Force is offering a film and discussion of Rev. Dr. William Barber's stirring address at General Assembly. Rev. Barber is one of the prophetic voices of Moral Mondays in North Carolina, action which has harnessed the power of thousands who come to witness and advocate for progressive issues. During the hour of discussion after the film, there will be time to choose additional social justice topics and tie-ins to UUMass Action's advocacy work in our community.
Sunday, November 13
12:00 noon
Holden St. UU Church
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Garden Decision
The yew hedge surrounding our Memorial garden is a distinctive feature to
which many of us feel a sentimental attachment. However the few feet of hedge closest to the building by the side door have been difficult to maintain. Falling ice from the roof breaks branches every winter. The sextons and the B&G have built shelters of wood and concrete blocks to protect the hedge but they report the effort has been difficult, time consuming and not very effective. Our Sextons; Sten and Bob, recommend replacing those first few feet of hedge with rain barrels. Rain barrels could prove very useful should we see a repeat of the ban on watering we had this summer.
The Friends of the Garden would like your feedback. Should we replace the broken section of hedge with rain barrels? If so how can we make them most attractive? Or should we try more efforts to save the hedge.
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First Unitarian Sunday Readers Sign Up
Rev. Sarah Stewart is inviting members and friends to sign up to read the scripture passage during the service every Sunday. That same person (with their family, if they want) could light the chalice at the beginning of the service. Sign up to be the reader on an upcoming Sunday here or at the Welcome table in the sanctuary after services. (Note: You do not have to register for a SignUpGenius account to sign up to be a Sunday Reader, just skip that question in the sign-up process.)
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November Men's Group Meeting
The next Men's Group meeting will be Sunday, November 6, at 5 PM in the Mirick Room. We will be viewing and discussing a TED talk. Future events include volunteering at Dismas House, a presentation on Vietnam to include preparing Vietnamese food, and solving a mystery at Escape Games here in Worcester. For more information, or to get on our mailing list, please email Rick Silva at avlis@aol.com.
Please note the time change to 5 PM. This is to allow time to attend the Jim Scott fundraiser concert at 7 PM.
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Early Bird Coffee & Conversation
Before worship on Sunday morning some friendly folks can be found enjoying coffee and conversation in the dining room. They gather around 9:30 a.m. or a wee bit later. That's when the coffee is ready. So, show up, pull up a chair, join some talkers and help warm the place with enjoyable chatter on range of subjects. In the joyful rush for coffee and treats after worship, the busy atmosphere can inhibit opportunities to get to know others more deeply. Early bird coffee is one way to engage with friendly people. Church school teachers, those on church committees or in leadership roles are encouraged to show up periodically and converse with those gathered.
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Important First U Links -
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