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The Unitarian
February 5, 2017
Vol. 71, No 20
Join Us for Worship This Week
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Worship With Us This Sunday
Prelude at 10:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Sermon: "The Story of Whiteness"
Preaching: The Rev. Sarah C. Stewart
Genetically, people are all members of one race: the human race. Yet we have created racial divisions for ourselves, including the racial and cultural category of "White." We'll explore how the label of Whiteness was created in America,
and the spiritual tools we can use to get perspective on the racial
categories at work in our lives.
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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 Bancroft Room.
BYKOTA Meeting in the Youth Lounge.
New Members Meeting in the Sanctuary.
Faith Development Collaborative in Mirick Room 1.
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10:15 a.m.
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Prelude in the Sanctuary.
Nursery Care in Classroom 3.
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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.
Hosted by the Orange Caring Circle. All are invited.
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12:00 p.m.
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OWL 5-6 Orientation for parents and kids in Mirick Room 1.
Sermon Discussion in the Chapel.
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3:00 p.m.
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Seele Musicale rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
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6:00 p.m.
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Seven Hills Symphony Rehearsal in Unity Hall.
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Interested in Becoming a Member?
New Members Meeting This Sunday
February 5 before worship (9am) in the Chapel
Join Rev. Sarah Stewart and lay leaders of First Unitarian to explore membership in the church. If you're ready to join, please bring a completed new member form and completed pledge card with you. You'll also have the chance to fill these out at the meeting. We'll talk about Unitarian Universalism, the meaning of membership, and have the chance to officially sign the book!
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Sermon Discussion
This Sunday, February 5 at 12pm in the Chapel
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.
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Young People's Faith Development
A conversation about what matters
Sunday, February 12, 12-2:30pm
Parents, teachers, members of the congregation at large are invited to come together to consider the fundamental goals and highest priorities of our ministry to and with children and youth. How best do we fashion a young people's program that supports and affirms the child and the family, the teacher volunteers, that instills the values of our liberal faith, offers opportunities for peacemaking, justice, education/action, connections, and spiritual nourishment? Especially when we are all too darn busy. Come, gather together. Let's see what matters. To you. To your children.To our faith.
Click here for this week's Faith Development News |
PLAY-BY-PLAY and POT LUCK
THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4th, STARTING AT 5:30 p.m.
5:30 - appetizers and beverages
6:00 - Pot Luck Dinner is served.
If your last name begins with one of the letters from A - P,
please bring a main dish or salad.
If your name begins with Q - Z, please bring a dessert!
7:00 - Program begins
Have you noticed how wonderful our Bancroft Room Portraits look?
On Saturday, February 4th we will have the privilege of welcoming Birgit Straehle, Conservator at the Worcester Art Museum, who worked on the portraits last summer to bring them to their current fine condition. Using a power point presentation, Birgit will describe for us the process she used and share with us what she learned about the portraits and their artists. This promises to be a very interesting evening.
This will be a family-friendly event. Children and youth are welcome. We will begin with appetizers and beverages at 5:30 p.m. Supper will be served at 6:00. Please bring a main dish, salad, or dessert (depending on the first letter in your last name - see above) large enough to feed your party plus at least 5 more people. At 7:00, the program will begin in the Bancroft Room.
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Think Snow!
Mark your calendar for Sunday February 26!
That's the date for a Winter Fun Afternoon at the Mirick Farm on the slopes of Mt. Wachusett in Princeton. If we finally get some significant snow, there will be sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing for all ages. Even if there's only skimpy snow cover, there will be a bonfire, and a cooking fire by the Mirick lean-to for make-your-own s'mores, and hot drinks. Click here for more details.
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UU Sisterhood - Monthly Potluck
February 17 at 6:00pm
Social Night - as announced, our February meeting activity will be to TALK. We'll have some mixers to get the conversation flowing and a chance to talk at length with someone you don't really know
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Then there'll be free time to chat at will. You know we'll be good at this!
We will start the evening with our usual potluck dinner beginning at 6:00.
All women of the church are encouraged to attend, please bring a dish and drink to share.
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Interfaith Hospitality Network News
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!
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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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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 -
Our Church Family Online Directory
Pledge online
Sermons
click on Sermons for Abigail Hannaford-Ricardi's sermon "My Eight Candles"
Stewardship News
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