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News & Events
January 24, 2017
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The deadline for newsletter submissions to this enews is noon on the Monday before Tuesday publication.
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Click here for photos from Sunday's Women's March in Boston. |
Annual Meeting Warrant
Second Parish in the Town of Worcester
29 January 2017
The 233rd Annual Meeting of the Second Parish in the Town of Worcester will be held in the Meeting House on Court Hill on Sunday, January 29th, 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:
- To receive reports from the Minister, the Moderator, Trustees, Stewards, and any other group or individual so requested;
- To elect a Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Trustees, Stewards, and other positions as required;
- To approve a budget for the fiscal year 2017, and to then appropriate and encumber such funds as necessary;
- To recognize and honor the ministry of the Reverend Dr Barbara Merritt by creating the "Barbara Merritt Gallery" in the Wallace Robbins Chapel.
- To recognize and honor the service of Nancy Wilson by naming the terrace garden on the south side of the Meeting House the "Nancy Wilson Memorial Garden."
- To attend to any other business that may legally come before the meeting.
The warrant shall be served by posting true and attested copies on each of the common doors of the Meeting House, and by publishing in both the Newsletter and Orders of Service of the parish.
A True Copy - Attest:
Jay Lavelle, Clerk of the Parish
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Honoring The Reverend Barbara Merritt
At the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 29th, the Congregation will be asked to vote on a motion to give special recognition to the Reverend Barbara W. Merritt. Specifically, the Prudential Committee will recommend that the newly renovated space in the Robbins Chapel be named the "Barbara W. Merritt Gallery".
Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of a few of our fellow Church members, the space inside the Chapel has undergone a remarkable transformation. It is now a bright, beautiful and highly functional gallery which is used to display the paintings, wall hangings, photographs, etc. of local artists - including many of our own members. It is this gallery space which we hope to dedicate to Barbara Merritt. The Chapel's formal name (the "Wallace Robbins Chapel") will not be affected and the space will continue to be used for meetings, meditation and children's programs.
Barbara Merritt is our Minister Emerita, she was our 10th Minister, serving from 1983 to 2010 and is a talented artist herself.
If there are any questions about this recommendation, please contact Rick Silva (AVLIS@aol.com), Joan Russo (TheKeddyGroup@msn.com) or Ken Mandile (kmandile@swissturn.com).
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Proposal to Rename the Memorial Garden
the Nancy Wilson Memorial Garden
One of my earliest memories at the First Unitarian is of Nancy Wilson
recruiting me for the Garden Committee. I believe many of us had a similar experience. Nancy loved gardening, loved First Unitarian and really, really loved our Memorial Garden. Nancy chaired the Garden Committee for many years, initiated the Green Exchange, signed up summer volunteers, and spearheaded the extension of the landscaping through a Nathanial Wheeler grant.
She was a passionate advocate for the importance of our greenspace on Main St., as a refuge for people and wildlife and as an opportunity to introduce people, especially young people, to the joy of gardening. She loved sharing the history of the garden with anyone who would listen.
Many of us on the Garden Committee would say she was the heart and soul of the Garden.
In her memory, to honor her great commitment, over several decades, to the gardens at First Unitarian, the Garden Committee would like to propose the renaming of the Memorial Garden to the Nancy Wilson Memorial Garden.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Garden Committee by
Mary McAlister
Garden Committee Co-Chair
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The latest installment of the discussion group Voices Among Us will be on Monday, January 30th at 7 PM in the Chapel. Jay Lavelle will talk about how events in American history, and the mythology around the frontier led over 300 years to the election of Donald Trump.
A pot-luck dinner will be held in the dining room at 6 PM.
This event is open to all and everyone is welcome.
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Interfaith Hospitality Network News
Hosting February 19 to February 26
First Unitarian will be the hosts at the Interfaith Hospitality Network from Sunday, February 19 to Sunday, February 26. We have three responsibilities: to cover an evening shift from 5:30-8:30 p.m.; to cover an overnight shift from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.; and to provide money to cover grocery expenses for the week. There are 21 people (six of them under five years old) at the shelter--you can imagine the size of the grocery bill each week! I will be selling cinnamon rolls after church for the next few Sundays and asking for donations for this.
We have a number of people in the congregations who are regular volunteers and we welcome people who may be interested. I like to partner first-volunteers with experienced ones, and I am always willing to train people who have not been there before. Please see me or contact me if you would like to help!
Thank you,
Liz Gustavson, IHN coordinator
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Refugee Circle Fund Established
Olive, Vanessa, Jordy and Angela arrived in Worcester in December, from sub-Saharan Africa. They were placed in an apartment heated by electricity. This is one of an array of financial challenges which Olive faced immediately, and still faces. On the day to day, Olive meets these challenges, one by one. But, as for any family, the unexpected may be overwhelming.
When the U. S. government unexpectedly presented Olive with a bill for her plane fare, our congregation raised the nearly $5,000 through our October special offering and a share of the Christmas Eve offering to pay that bill. What a welcome relief that provided.
Our Refugee Circle team works with Olive and the children every step of the way, as they adapt and adjust to life in Worcester. You can meet them nearly every Sunday as they worship with us. Resourceful and resilient, they remain vulnerable in many, many ways. At the request of the Refugee Circle Team and the Social Justice Committee, an emergency fund has been established to be of help when the unexpected may happen.
To contribute to the fund, a check should be made payable to the First Unitarian Church, noting "Refugee Circle Fund" in the memo space. If you have questions, please contact Vivian Shortreed at vhshortreed@gmail.com. Thank you!
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Mission & Ministry is becoming
Harvest the Power
Sign up for this year-long class (meeting monthly) to focus on leadership development in the context of spiritual life. Become a stronger, more self-aware leader in our time of cultural change. This program is useful for leadership roles within the church, at work, and in the community. Led by Rev. Sarah Stewart. The first meeting will be Mon. Feb. 13 and will continue to meet one Monday evening a month. Sign up here.
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Linda Wyatt requests congregants to collect Trader Joe's green tea infused mint tins for a Wiogora Camp project. Please place them in the plastic container on the far left back counter in the kitchen.
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If you are considering becoming a member of First Unitarian Church, here is the process. According to our bylaws: you need to meet with the minister, complete a pledge card, sign the membership book, and have your membership affirmed by the Prudential Committee.
A good way to begin is to stop by the Welcome Table in the Bancroft Room after worship. There you will find information on the church and on our denomination. You can sign up to receive our e-newsletter, get a name tag, and let us know if you are interested in membership. We will then let Rev. Stewart (sstewart@firstunitarian.com) know of your interest and then you will be invited to attend a New Member Meeting usually scheduled for the first Sunday of the month. Or, you can speak with or send an email to the minister indicating your intention.
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"Good Morning, Nice To See You"
These six words have the power to change the day. Put them together
with a smile and people feel welcome. The Welcoming Team is recruiting people and families to greet those coming through our church doors on Sunday mornings. The joyful job includes handing out Orders of Service and helping new people. New families can be directed to the Sunday school area to meet with family greeters. New people can be directed to the Welcome Table for more information. Please signup here.
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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 Bancroft Room 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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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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Community News and Events
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Shir Joy Chorus will present its Winter Concert, "Love Songs and Lullabies," on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 7 pm at Congregation B'nai Shalom, 117 E. Main St., Westborough, MA. Come hear beautiful love songs and sweet lullabies from ancient to modern times in Ladino, Yiddish, Hebrew, and English.
Shir Joy, an adult community chorus under the direction of Nan A. Kaipainen Gibbons, is dedicated to learning, sharing, and performing music from the rich and varied Judaic cultures of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora. Founded in 2011, the chorus is open to all people regardless of ethnicity or religious background.
Tickets: $15. May be purchased at the door, or ahead of time from a chorus member. Shir Joy Chorus is an independent nonprofit funded by Jewish Federation of Central MA, the Westborough Cultural Council (which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council), and private supporters. For more info send email to shirjoyma@gmail.com or visit www.shirjoychorus.com or "Shir Joy Chorus & Fans" on Facebook.
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Important First U Links -
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