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Reflections from Our Interim Minister, Rev. Clyde Grubbs
Once upon a time (not so many centuries ago), April 1 was New Years’ Day. For Europeans who looked forward to the spring vegetables (prima vera) after several months of root cellar food, it was a time of renewal and rejoicing.
For a congregation doing an interim transition this is the beginning of a year. We have been having congregational conversations asking members to share their vision of ministry in partnership with a new settled minister. This month the Standing Committee will select a Search Committee from the nominees who have participated with the congregation in these conversations. By April 2017, the Search Committee will be able to present a candidate for the settled minister, and then you will meet that candidate and begin to embrace your partnership together.
What is the schedule for your Search Committee? The late spring and summer will be intense as they work to build a strong team, covenanting with each other and clarifying each individual’s role in the division of labor that makes a great team. There is work to be done and dividing up the tasks is the best way to tackle a large project. There is a web site to develop which will be seen by the applicants for the settled ministry position. That web site will present your wonderful community in its diversity and its depth. There is the congregational history to write and crafting of good statements of what you are looking for in a minister. There are dozens of applications for the position to be read. There are telephone interviews to narrow the list of potential candidates. There is working with other churches to find a venue so that the Search Committee can hear the pre- candidates preach. There is extensive reference checking, and follow up work with pre- candidates. Finally there is choosing a candidate and bringing that candidate to First Parish in the fullest, fun filled week in which you meet the candidate.
Meanwhile, back at First Parish we will be completing our work of transition by reviewing the governance structure, continuing the multicultural transformation work, developing small group ministries, and completing a review of the congregation’s history (known as the ‘time line’). This review of where we have been is a way to allow members to embrace their future by remembering where they have come from, both the good times and the not-so-good times. Some of the questions about events and persons in First Parish's past will be surfaced in those conversations. It has been the experience of many interims that these conversations are deeply renewing, and for some they can be healing.
So, Happy April, a big year is ahead of us.
In Peace,Rev. Clyde Grubbs
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES April 3 Dorothea Dix’s Sacred CauseGuest Minister - Rev. Tess Baumberger
THE MEETINGHOUSE NEWSFirst Parish in Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist
April 2016
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Before women had the right to vote, Unitarian Dorothea Lynd Dix wrote appeals to the Massachusetts legislature advocating for human treatment of people with mental illness. What she saw as her sacred cause spread across the United States as well as to several European countries. Come learn more about her and celebrate our legacy of honoring the dignity and worth of all.
Rev. Tess Baumberger graduated from Pacific School of Religion in 2003, and has served three Unitarian Universalist congregations in New England since then. She now serves the UU Church of Medford half time, and as a hospice chaplain half time.
April 10 Democracy Matters In this rousing spring sermon, our Interim Minister Rev. Clyde Grubbs preaches on the democratic process, an integral part of the UU faith.
April 17 Manikka Bowman is our Guest Preacher.
April 24 Earth DayIn the face of daunting forecasts for our environment and our planet, we are tempted to slide into despair. This Earth Day, where do we also find hope and courage? Join First Parish's Environmental Justice Task Force in worship with Ministerial Intern Seanan Fong.
CondolencesOur condolences are expressed to Rashid Shaikh and Sharon deVos on the sudden and unexpected death of Rashid's brother, Saghir Shaikh in India this past week.
Contact information for Rashid and Sharon can be obtained from the church office.
April Shared Offering
The shared offering recipient for April is the Environmental Justice Project of Neighbor to Neighbor in Holyoke, MA. N2N is a grassroots organization that organizes in Lynn, Worcester, Springfield and Holyoke to confront income inequality, environmental degradation, and racism. They work to put power and decision-making into the hands of those directly affected.
The Mt. Tom coal plant in Holyoke had been contaminating the air and water for over 50 years. In 2014, Neighbor to Neighbor members won their campaign to close the dirty plant and move toward healthy, sustainable energy. Now, with 40,000 tons of toxic coal ash and contamination having seeped into water and farmlands from the smokestack, they continue to fight for a thorough cleanup of the site and to bring renewable energy and sustainable jobs to Holyoke, one of the cities with the highest rates of unemployment in the state.
Visit their website, http://www.n2nma.org/en/ for more information.
Religious Education Corner by Mandy Neff
Last month in our discussion of Renee Trudeau's book Nurturing the Soul of Your Family, parents met for a discussion group. One of our favorite questions was "What brings you back to a state of joy?" Some of our answers were:
Pastoral CareThe Pastoral Associates, supported by Circle of Care volunteers, help to provide care to First Parish members and friends during times of need by providing meals, rides, and other help. If you need assistance please contact them at: [email protected]
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Pleasure readingPut on slow musicBike ridingWritingSingingUsing a common occurrence (like a red light - or being asked for a snack) to remind you to
come back to a better frame of mindZumbaYoga on the beachHaving a cup of tea or glass of wineReaching out and texting my sister
What works for you and your family to return to a state of joy? I encourage you to ask the members of your family at dinner tonight, or to journal for yourself a few minutes, on what could bring more joy into your life - and then do it!
Our family also finds that going to Ferry Beach is a joy. James says, "It's better than Christmas, I get to see all my friends." In New England we're blessed to have many nearby UU Camp and Conference Centers, including Ferry Beach, Star Island, Rowe Center, and Unirondack. They all offer summer camp opportunities for children and youth, and registration is happening now.
If you're looking for some joy this summer, I highly recommend Ferry Beach RE Week for families. This year's program runs from July 9-15 and is on the theme of Community. And to top it all off, this year Rev. Mykal Slack will be joining us as Minister of the Week! To register, please visit http://www.ferrybeach.org/re-week.html.
Last year, we happened to have a record-setting number of twins at RE Week, including several sets from First Parish! Here's a picture:
Hope to see YOU there - or wherever brings you joy - this year!
In faith,Mandy
Youth Group - Justice Partnership with Tuesday Meals
Please mark your calendars and plan to participate in Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger 2016 with our Youth Group on Sunday May 1! The Youth have committed to take part in the 10 mile Walk for Hunger as their Justice Partnership with Tuesday Meals.
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The Walk for Hunger began over 45 years ago and continues to change lives today, thanks to the love and care of ordinary people. On May 1 people from all walks of life come together with one goal: END HUNGER. Through the money raised Project Bread is able to run programs that provide “sustainable healthy, nutritious food to those in need. Because the opposite of hungriest isn’t just full, it’s healthy.”
Although the 10 mile walk or 5k run is still a month away, the Youth already kicked off their efforts with a Valentine’s Day candy bar fundraiser from Equal Exchange . They did so well that they sold out in less than an hour! Thank you to those who donated and helped out, all the proceeds will go directly to Project Bread’s program to provide hunger relief to thousands of people across the state.
The Youth Group will also be working with Pam Cannon, our Tuesday Meals Kitchen Coordinator, to make some yummy baked goods for the guests at our Tuesday Meals Program.
On April 24, the youth will be having a final push with another fundraiser during coffee hour. Stay tuned for more details!
We are continuing to raise money for the Walk for Hunger and looking for more of First Parish Cambridge to join our team on May 1. To donate or join us in our Justice Partnership with our Tuesday Meals through the Walk for Hunger please go to this link and sign up http://support.projectbread.org/goto/FPC
Chef Pam Cannon and members of the Tuesday Meals volunteer team with Easter table centerpieces created for the program by students in the RE program.
UU Urban Ministry YouthApril Week 2016: "Making Friends, Doing Justice"
Hey UU Youth! What are you doing during April School Vacation Week? Join the Roxbury Youth Program and come learn about urban social justice issues, challenge oppression, roll up your sleeves and volunteer in the City of Boston!
Tuesday, April 19, 10:00 am-5:00 pmWednesday, April 20, 10:00 am-5:00 pmThursday, April 21 10:00 am-8:00 pm (fun field trip planned for this evening!)Fee: Sliding Scale $100-$10
Join Us for 3 Important Social Justice Events on April 3
Letter-Writing with the Abilities and Access Committee during Social Hour!Help fight for disability justice! Join the Abilities & Access Committee and the Boston Center for Independent Living in the parlor after worship on Sunday, April 3 for a letter-writing campaign to create and preserve affordable housing opportunities for low-income individuals with disabilities. We will have postcards on hand to send to your state legislators, asking them to increase funding
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for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program, which recipients can use to access market-rate housing but has a waiting list of over 2,000 people. This project is part of First Parish’s larger effort to become officially recognized as an Accessible & Inclusive Ministry. Take two minutes to make your voice heard! Contact Will Morgan at [email protected] with questions.
”Iranian Perspectives” at 12:15 in the Chapel. The Middle East Education Group will host an opportunity to meet some Iranian friends of one of our members and learn about Iranian culture and society. A light lunch will be served.
Special Public Film Event with Internationally Recognized Scholar/Activist
Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre- April 3 A free screening of the 55-minute documentary Trails of Hope and Terror will be held at First Parish on Sunday, April 3, 3:00-5:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion with representatives from community partners Centro Presente and the Chelsea Collaborative. This public event is a collaboration of several Boston-area faith organizations, including First Parish in Cambridge, First Parish in Brookline, First Church Boston, Church of the Covenant (Presbyterian/UCC), First Church in Cambridge (Congregational/ UCC), UU Mass Action, UUSC, and the Boston New Sanctuary Movement.
If you’re curious about the causes of our immigration policy crisis and the human effects of border militarization, this event is for you. Trails of Hope and Terror explores the plight of the undocumented Latin American immigrant from the stories of two young teenage girls – one a story of hope and the other a story of terror. Denver-based filmmaker and Professor Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre will be present to answer questions and sign books after the film. Admission is free; donations to Centro Presente and Chelsea Collaborative are encouraged and welcomed. First Parish in Cambridge has voted on immigration as a Social Justice Council Task Force for the last six years, and in 2014 voted to join the Boston New Sanctuary Movement, an interfaith coalition for immigrant justice. Come to help fulfill this congregational commitment and demonstrate First Parish’s leadership in the community as a force for justice. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit http://www.bostonnewsanctuary.org/special-film-event-trails-of-hope-and-terror.
Congregational Conversations on the Ministerial Search
Active participation and spontaneous, lively discussion characterized the first two congregational conversations held by the Standing Committee in preparation for the search for our next settled minister. In all, 50 congregants have participated in one or both of the conversations that were held on February 28 and March 20.
The first conversation included an overview of shared ministry, with an explanation of how living out the church’s mission is a joint responsibility of minister, staff, and congregation. Then in small groups, participants shared their personal experiences with shared ministry at First Parish and identified the qualities they feel are important in a future minister so as to best enhance
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ministries like the ones they loved. Participants then shared the values with the larger group and voted to prioritize the list of desired qualities. In order from most votes to least, congregants’ desires expressed during this first session include:
• Social justice and outreach passion• Shared ministry and team-building skills• Interest in serving church groups outside Sunday services• Community building skill and focus• Interest in serving children and youth
On March 20, after hearing a recap of the first conversation, participants explored a model commonly invoked in describing the impact the size of a congregation has on churches and their governance. First Parish was described as having existed for some years on a plateau between a pastoral-size church (where everybody feels connected to the minister) and a multi-celled or program church, which is large and complex enough that congregants connect through their interest in a program or programs, not necessarily attending Sunday services or feeling connected to the minister.
Living on the plateau between pastoral and multi-celled church presents challenges for the minister, staff, and congregation because it is difficult trying to maintain the centrality of everyone knowing one another while yearning to grow new programs, add new members, and do more social justice work. First Parish’s intention, either to grow or not, will be important to ministers we may want to call.
Discussion questions elicited engrossing discussion:• Do you want our minister or congregants to lead the public ministries of First Parish?• Are you open to a minister of color whose cultural expectations are different from yours?• To grow into a program church, we would need to allow the minister to delegate some
activities to lay leadership. What activities do you think could be delegated? How would this change the way we build community?
Members of Standing Committee and nominees for the Ministerial Search Committee attended the conversations and called upon their deep listening skills to hear what congregants hope for in our next settled minister. This consultation with the congregation, along with others in the coming months, will inform the way the Ministerial Search Committee conducts the search process.
The next congregational conversation will be after service on Sunday, April 10. All are warmly invited to attend.
Call for General Assembly Delegate NominationsThe Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) gathers annually for a national conference. This year, General Assembly (GA) will be in Columbus, Ohio from June 22-26, 2016 with a theme of "Heart Land: Where Faiths Connect." First Parish will be allowed to send five delegates to GA. To learn more about GA visit: http://www.uua.org/ga/
If you are interested in being a delegate for First Parish, please submit an email request [email protected] as soon as possible but no later than April 10, 2016. Your request should include (1) a short summary of your activities/leadership at First Parish and (2) why you want to be delegate for First Parish and (3) how you will share what you learn at GA with the congregation. Please limit to one page.
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Please note that delegates will be notified by the Standing Committee whether they have been selected on April 20. Delegates are expected to survey or hold meetings to gain congregational input on the GA agenda prior to GA. In additional, delegates are expected to report back to the congregation after attending GA. Each delegate receives a stipend of $350. Delegates must make their own registration and travel arrangements and be able to cover the expenses of attending GA. Only voting members are allowed to be delegates to GA.
Contact Peggy Kraft, Standing Committee Chair, for more information.
Transformation TeamThe Joy of the Journey: UU Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism
On April 24 after worship, The Transformation Team is excited to host a congregational discussion with Rev. Nancy Palmer Jones, San Jose, CA, and our own Karin Lin, who are writing a book commissioned by the UUA entitled The Joy of the Journey: Unitarian Universalist Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism (working title), to be published in 2017.
At the 1992 UU General Assembly, delegates affirmed a bold vision of a racially diverse, multicultural Unitarian Universalism, and a growing number of congregations throughout our faith movement have embraced the vision as their own and embarked on the journey. The book will explore these congregational stories, which “abound in colorful characters, daunting challenges, mistakes and near-misses, courageous leaps, creative workarounds, slow-but-steady progress, and inspiring successes.
The Joy of the Journey begins by exploring how our Unitarian Universalist theology calls us to do this work, and it lifts up core principles from the current literature on multicultural and multiracial congregations. The book tells in depth the complex stories of five congregations, including First Parish in Cambridge, yet draws on the wisdom and experience of many more.”
Come be part of what should be an inspiring, honest and deep group interview with Karin and Nancy, who also attended First Parish while she was in divinity school at Harvard in the 1990’s. She has a long history and reputation with anti-racism and multiculturalism work in the UUA and in her San José congregation where she has served since 2004. Karin has been a valued leader in our transformation work here at FPC and in the UUA. The web page for the project is http://www.joyofthejourneyuu.org/
Marcia Hams, Chair, Transformation Team
Environmental Justice Task Force
This is an exciting time to be an environmental activist! We invite you to join us! We meet at First Parish from 7:00 -9:00 pm on the second Wednesday of the month; our next meeting will be April 13.
At their March meeting, the First Parish Standing Committee approved the Environmental Justice Task Force’s proposal to join the Massachusetts Interfaith Coalition on Climate Change (MAICCA). The Coalition is presently pressuring our state legislators to raise the net metering caps, make solar power more accessible and supporting off shore wind. You can sign a petition to Governor Baker supporting offshore wind here.
UU Mass Action is organizing UU congregations to oppose new methane pipelines. An Interfaith Rally at the West Roxbury Pipeline is planned for April 23. Please see below for more.
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Members of the EJTF are working on Divest Our Pensions Now and continue to support UU congregations organizing to divest their endowments.
Some of us are working with Mothers Out Front in Cambridge to pass state legislation to repair gas leaks. Bill McKibben wrote a recent article for the Nation on how dangerously effective methane is in trapping carbon. We are telephoning our state reps and senators asking them to help move Senate Bill 1767 out of committee and on to the floor. This is the bill that requires that gas leaks, of which there are over 3,300 in the Greater Boston Area, will be fixed if a road is opened. You can sign a petition to Governor Baker and find more information on the Mothers Out Front website .
Finally, many of you attended the EJTF presentation on Soil on March 6. To learn more about soil practices to mitigate carbon in the atmosphere, there is a conference at Harvard on Saturday April 30, 2016. See bio4climate for more information!
Join with other UUs: Organizing for Climate and Community Justice &Organizing Against the West Roxbury Lateral Pipeline
Saturday April 23, 2016 from 9:00 am– noonInterfaith Rally to Resist the West Roxbury Pipeline at Grove St, West Roxbury, MAMarch to Pipeline Construction Site
This event is organized by Resist the Pipeline (resisthepipeline.org) with support from UU Mass Action, First Parish in Bedford Climate Justice Group, SWRL (swrl.info). Please contact Ginger Ryan, [email protected], if you have questions or would like to join other members of First Parish at the rally and/or teach-ins.
Teach-In, Movement Building, Civil Disobedience Training, two opportunities:Saturday April 9 from 1:30-5:30 pm, First Parish in Bedford, 75 The Great Rd, Bedford, MASaturday April 16 from 1:30-5:30 pm, First Church in Dedham, 670 High Street, Dedham, MA.
A 4-hour session with community-building, climate justice information, movement strategizing, civil disobedience practicalities, joining spirit with justice. All people are welcome, whether you are an experienced organizer, are concerned about climate change, or simply don't want a dangerous fracked gas pipeline in a neighborhood. Sign-up: HERE Facebook Page: HERE
Sustainability and Building and Grounds Committees Announce Spring Refresh First Parish Work Day
Join us on Saturday, April 23, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. It’s time to get out our cleaning and gardening tools to refresh First Parish after --this year, thank heavens-- our not-so-long-and-hard winter!
Outdoors, please join members and friends of First Parish members as we spruce up our outdoor grounds and plantings. While planting will have to wait until warmer weather, weeding, trimming, and spreading mulch to give that good impression to all who pass by needs to happen now.
And indoors, we will work on cleaning and organizing closets and breaking out the dust cloths and pails of water to spiff up the Meeting House.
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These twice-yearly events are part of the ongoing efforts here to enhance sustainability in our maintenance of First Parish and our grounds, an effort whose success is assured with meaningful participation of friends and members of First Parish.
To also help members and friends in their individual efforts supporting sustainability, information will be provided on:
Using native plants to lower water and other inputs and to support native birds and insect Obtaining free energy audits that assist you in lowering your own energy costs Purchasing renewable electric energy
To sign up, please use the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10lEidBY9axNPEtXaHOsehK-Zm1-aPm3BcNPv0SO719M/viewform
Sign-ups during Social Hour will also take place April 10 and 17.
Please bring garden and/or work gloves, any hand tools, and a knee pad if you have them and want to work outside. Rubber gloves, sponges, and rags and a pail will be helpful if you wish to work inside. We will also have supplies available for those who may need them
We will gather in the Helverson Parlor at 9:00 AM where coffee/tea/juice and local donuts will give us the kick to get going! Work teams will be formed for both indoor and outdoor work.
Around noon we will gather to sum up and have lunch: pizza from Otto’s, gluten-and dairy-free items, and, rumor has it, beer! Other beverages will also be available.
Call for Leadership Nominations!On behalf of the Leadership Development Team (often referred to as Nominating Committee), we are looking for members with a passion for our Mission to run for open seats on the Standing Committee, the Leadership Development Team, and among the Deacons. Elections will take place at the Spring Semi Annual Meeting on June 5, 2016.
Standing Committee is the governing board of First Parish, and keeps our community on track with its mission.
Leadership Development Team recommends members of First Parish for elected positions, mindful of the congregation’s commitment to multiculturalism.
Deacons organize and coordinate key aspects of the Sunday worship experience.We welcome and encourage suggestions from the congregation – you may even nominate yourself!
Striving for broad representation from our membership, we especially welcome nominations of people of color, people of diverse cultures, young adults, people of differing abilities, and transgender people. All candidates must be voting members of the congregation.
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Nominate yourself or a friend! Please send an email to [email protected] with nominations of people you want to see in leadership at First Parish.
The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace
The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is the major fundraiser for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, which was our Shared Offering recipient for the month of March. In their own words, “The Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, founded in 1994 after the murder of Louis D. Brown, is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young people and the community about the value of peace and assisting survivors of homicide victims with immediate crisis management services and ongoing support to continue to make Louis’ vision a reality.”Join a group of parishioners who will be walking. For all the details and to register for our team, go to https://goo.gl/Mw8MJO. This will bring you to the First Parish Cambridge page where you can register and donate. Can’t do the walk? You can still donate on our page. You may also donate through the church by writing a check payable to First Parish and write “Walk for Peace” in the memo line. If you have any questions about registering or donating, either come to our table in Social Hour or contact Chris McElroy at [email protected].
Faith and HospitalityIf you've been paying attention to First Parish events of late, you may have noticed that I spend a significant amount of time talking about hospitality. Why? Is hospitality connected to my role as Communications & Membership Coordinator, or do I just really like pastries?
True hospitality is the radical opening of the self and the community to the apparent other. This is done not for the other to become one with the community, but rather for the community to become one with the other. With this deeper understanding, it is clear that hospitality is essential to my work in Membership.With our many sources of faith, Unitarian Universalists are able to receive the bounty of hospitality wisdom from many religions. In the Judeo-Christian traditions, hospitality is based on the remembrance of God's people as marginalized outsiders, and the belief that no one should be treated as poorly as they were. This is a great reminder that no one should have to suffer the darkness of isolation alone, even strangers. In the Hindu faith, it is taught that God may enter the home or the temple under any guise of appearance, and so all guests are to be treated as holy- just in case they really might be. This helps to remind us that we can find divine substance in all people, even strangers. By welcoming newcomers and guests into our social hour, we are serving the first principle of the UU faith: the inherent worth and dignity of all persons. You are worthy of food and drink, and the
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resources that went into procuring them. You are worthy of conversation in community. You are worthy of sharing your life experiences with us, so that our community may learn and grow with your light.I hope that in this month of April, you experience the time before and after worship as a time of hospitality. Hosting a volunteer-based social hour means that we have invested in this ministerial practice as a congregation, and that we have given it value. I hope you will find that the stranger is not so strange, after all!In peace,Emily Guthrie, Communications and Membership Coordinator
Special Thanks!First Parish is a community of many generous volunteers who donate a lot of time and energy. In particular this month, we want to thank all those who assisted with our Easter Sunday:
The members of the First Parish Choir who sang in our Easter Sunday service: Ashley Brueske, Jean Farrington, Carrie Fisher, Lois Josimovich, Renee Saindon, Mara Vorhees, Ruth Wejsknora-Garrott, Kristin Beck, Pepper Greene, Irene Merwin, Matthew Truss, Jesse Darden, Steve Hanna, Mike Wiggins, Justin Koser, James Lesui, Grier Merwin, David Pap, Mark Pickering, David Ray, and Don Tucker.
Junior and Senior Youth volunteers for hosting the annual Egg Hunt! 2-3rd graders for the Easter centerpieces for Tuesday Meals - the guests send their warm
thanks! David Ray, Saffiya Tall, Linda West, Brendan Maher, and Liam Allen for their roles in The
Rabbi's Gift, our Easter skit - and to parents for transporting your young actors here early!
First Parish to Join MAICCA At its March meeting, Standing Committee endorsed a proposal from our Environmental Justice Task Force that First Parish join the Massachusetts Interfaith Coalition for Climate Action. Advice received from congregants prior to the decision was unanimous in support of joining. EJTF members urged joining, seeing collaboration in this organization as an effective means to leverage our own efforts. In their letter to Standing Committee proposing membership, Ginger Ryan and Peggy Lynch said:
“This is a critical time for faith communities to raise their voices in the fight for climate justice – joining as a parish will amplify our voice as a congregation.”
MAICCA is a new organization, launched in October 2015, but already has a coalition of 62 churches in the greater Boston area. Its mission is to promote a clean, just energy future in Massachusetts, including educating members about legislative goals, sponsoring joint activities like lobby days, workshops, and forums, and spreading the word about climate action. This year, MAICCA’s legislative priorities include:
· lifting caps on solar power· supporting investment in offshore wind· ensuring that low-income communities benefit from energy efficiency programs
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· fixing gas leaks· rejecting public subsidies of gas pipe lines
Membership in MAICCA, which requires no membership fee, will enhance, not compete with, our work with the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization. Standing Committee confirmed the EJTF proposal with enthusiasm. In future, look for more information on our MAICCA activities from the Environmental Justice Task Force.
Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry ANNUAL MEETING!
You are cordially invited to the 181st Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 1:00 pm at the historic First Church in Roxbury.
Under the leadership of Rev. Mary Margaret Earl, who joined us as Executive Director in November 2014, the UU Urban Ministry has revitalized its efforts to live into that part of its mission focused on building bridges and connecting people and communities. This work is more important than ever, given the backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement, the fearmongering directed against Muslims, and the deepening mistrust between communities that rarely engage with each other. Come learn about what the UUUM is doing and how you can be a part of it. Lunch provided! Stay tuned for more details and our registration invitation!
Join us for First Saturday Sing-Alongs at Sancta Maria!
Here’s what some of our regulars have to say: -- “I've been participating in the sing-alongs from the beginning and not simply because I love to sing with others; I have my own memories of long hospitalizations and know first-hand how music can transcend circumstance. It has been a pleasure to bring music and laughter to the SM community and the feedback we receive regularly confirms the significance of our visits.” (Liz) -- “I started taking my two toddler girls to Sancta Maria when I missed my parents and grandparents living so far away. I wanted my girls to know what it was like to make elderly people happy by their mere presence and song. As a bonus, my girls have learned a songbook worth of tunes by attending, and now years later they still remember learning those songs at the nursing home. Now my girls know the value of touch, a hand hold, and a smile to a lonely person. Songs are just the fun excuse to be there.” (Lindi, Carina and Izzy) -- It's nice to bring some light and energy to their day!
Whether you sing on stage or only in the shower, we would love to have you join us!Our next events are Saturdays, April 2, May 7, and June 4 at 10:00 AM. We meet at 799 Concord Ave in Cambridge in the 5th floor activity room -- but feel free to come late or leave early if you have a tight schedule. We work our way down to the 4thand 3rd floors and finish by noon. No rehearsal or musical talent needed – the songs are easy and familiar, and we have plenty of
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large print song sheets for everyone. This is not about “performing for,” it is about “singing with!” Children, newcomers and non-First Parish folks are all welcome. For more information, to request a ride, or to be added to the email list for future events, please speak with Elke Jahns-Harms or email [email protected] .
First Parish/Cambridge Area Gospel ChoirSave the Dates and Plan to Sing!
Linda Brown-San Martin, Gospel Music Director extraordinaire, returns to FP this spring with a new model for the next Gospel Sunday on June 5. In an effort to draw more participants from the surrounding communities, we are forming an expanded First Parish/Cambridge Area Gospel Choir, with four consecutive Thursday evening rehearsals beginning May 12 at 6:30 pm, followed by a mandatory dress rehearsal at 3:00 pm on Saturday, June 4. This uplifting music from the African American tradition will be taught aurally, so there’s no need to read music. Mark your calendars, and invite your friends and neighbors to join you! Questions? Contact Music Committee member Irene Merwin ([email protected] or 617-731-9096), or register with FP Music Director, Jonathan Barnhart ([email protected]).
Community EventsHere’s a sampling of community events happening at First Parish. Be sure to check our calendar, announcements and website for updates and other events.
Hope Out Loud Community Choir Performance- April 10Come out and watch the Hope Out Loud Community Choir Performance as part of the UU Urban Ministry's annual Hope Out Loud concert on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 3:00 pm. At the Urban Ministry, 10 Putnam Street in Roxbury.
Young Families Potluck –April 16All families with young children are heartily invited to the Young Families Potluck at 4:30 pm in the Barn Room. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Long Timers and Seniors Breakfast- April 17Our next social breakfast for long timers and seniors at First Parish (the third Sundays of the month) will be from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on March 20. You are most welcome to come anytime during that hour for good food and relaxed conversation.
HARMONY & HOPE: Responding to Violence with Music- May 3This ArtWeek Boston event, presented by Riverview Chamber Players, will feature 12 hours of live classical chamber music as a healing response to the increasing violence in our nation. A minute of silent reflection will take place each hour on the hour at the beginning of each concert set. Music will be performed by string, woodwind, brass, vocal, and piano ensembles. Guests are invited to come and go throughout the day and to leave messages of hope on site, in writing or short video clips. From 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM at the Arlington Street Church UU, Boston. Free and open to the public.
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