Join Us for Worship This Sunday!

April 14 at 10 a.m.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Warren Baker, Worship Associate

“Tending to Our Eco-Grief: The Work That Reconnects”

As the impacts of the climate crisis continue to make themselves known, both in distant places and right here at home, there are times we can be overwhelmed at what has already been lost and our sense of what the future holds. Introducing the work of Joanna Macy and the Work That Reconnects, this Sunday service will focus on the spiral practice: grounding ourselves in gratitude, honoring our pain, perceiving in new ways, and going forth. This is a chance to name and move toward transforming grief into possibility. Rev. Karen is in the pulpit.

Join us for worship in person in the Sanctuary, or online. The livestream link and order of service will be shared at bit.ly/FUUSBWorship, or visit our YouTube channel.

Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour in the Community Room.

While at the Meeting House, anyone is welcome to wear a mask. In the spirit of caring for each other, please stay home if you have any cold or flu symptoms. Thank you.

Children & Youth This Sunday!

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Sunday, April 14

Children start in the sanctuary with parents and caregivers before being "sung out" to their age-based exploration groups! 6th-8th graders will explore the April theme of Interdependence, Undercover Kindness Agents will train for their next mission (2nd-5th grades), and Spirit Play (PreK-2nd) will wonder about the week's story and continue their cardboard creations! Nursery care is also available.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister



We wanted to extend these invitations from Matt Meyer, who co-led our worship service this past Sunday.

You can stay in touch with Matt by signing up for his ‘worship & music’ email list here. 

You can get a copy of his award-winning children’s book Desmond Gets Free here.

And you can learn more about Wednesday evening online worship with Sanctuary Boston here, where Matt serves as Director of Community Life.

In addition, you can read the text of Rev. Karen's homily, Mingle Your Life with the Stars at her blog.

Here is a link to the video recording of last week's service.

Rev. Karen G. Johnston, Senior Minister

Care about the Care Network? Come to a quick meeting about how you can help its return! Watch this 2-minute video to learn more.

Eclipse Fundraisers

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance



The Eclipse was most certainly a once in a lifetime experience! I enjoy listening to all your stories about how you spent the day and all the emotions you experienced. And the Eclipse provided FUUSB with a once in a lifetime (or at least a once in a blue moon) opportunity to fundraise! The Society had two fundraisers that revolved around the Eclipse, the Homestay program and the Eclipse Shirt Sales.  

We thank the Eclipse Team for all their amazing work in running the Homestay project. They worked so hard, finding members to share their homes, putting together the website, getting the word out, and making sure the renters and our members all had a positive experience. From all I've heard, a great time was had by all! This fundraiser brought in $18,644!!!  

We also want to thank Sarah Rosedahl, who donated her super fun eclipse art to put on shirts. Those cows in mud boots and eclipse glasses were the talk of the town! To date we have sold 541 shirts for a total of $4,860! And the orders are still coming in! If you want a shirt to remember this experience, you can do so here: bonfire.com/eclipse-2024

So that's a total of $23,504! When I was creating the budget last year, I imagined that we should be able to raise about $4,000. Boy, was I off! Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making these fundraisers a success; we can all be proud of what our congregation can accomplish when we put our minds to it!

Thank You from the Eclipse Team

Susan Ogden, Eclipse Team

Eclipse 2024.

Once in a lifetime. Together we looked to our cosmos to inspire awe and amazement.

THANK YOU from the Eclipse Team to all our homestay donors and staff and visitors and Sarah Rosedahl who designed the uniquely-Vermont T-shirt. You can still purchase shirts here.

Earth Day Film Screening & Discussion

Sunday, April 21

Michael Oman, Climate Justice Team

Please join us in the Susan B. Anthony Room after the Earth Day service on April 21 at 11:30 a.m. for a screening of Common Ground, followed by a discussion.

Common Ground is a new film about how regenerating the world’s soils has the potential to rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. This film explains why transitioning to regenerative agriculture could be key in rehabilitating the planet, while simultaneously invigorating a new sense of hope and inspiration in viewers.

Common Ground has been called “The Most Important Film You’ll Ever Watch” -- which is a really big claim. But it just may be true. The trailer is available here.

The screening will be followed by a discussion about how our faith informs our response to food practices that support food justice and healthy soil in our community. Light refreshments will be available.

Outdoor Coffee Hour

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

With the warmer weather approaching, we are getting ready to have Coffee Hour outside! Beginning on Sunday, April 21, and weather permitting of course, we will begin to have our Coffee Hour outside. Please remember to wear your jacket so you'll be comfortable, because it will most likely still be chilly. We will make sure to have some chairs available for those who find it difficult to stand for that amount of time. This is a FUUSB first sign of spring!

Child Dedication - June 9

Erika Reif, Director of Lifespan Faith Development

Child Dedications are a joyful covenant between a child’s family and the congregation, recognizing that the raising of a child is a community blessing. Senior Minister, Rev. Karen G. Johnston, and the Director of Lifespan Faith Development, Erika Reif, will be leading such a ceremony for a group of children during the service on June 9. Dedications can happen soon after birth or adoption; they can happen for an infant, a toddler, a preschooler, or an older child.

If you would like to have your child dedicated at First UU on that morning, or to find out more, contact Erika, erika@uusociety.org.

Richard Kemp Center Sankofa Trip to D.C.

Zoe Hart, Racial Justice Team

Our partners at the Richard Kemp Center are halfway to their fundraising goal in support of Sankofa - this year's trip for local Black youth to Washington, D.C. and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. If you've been thinking about giving and haven't gotten around to it, there's still time and they still need our help to make this trip a reality. If you haven't seen it yet, check out this video from Rev. Karen where she talks about our partnership with the RKC and why we support this work. And use this link to contribute.

Are You Interested in Participating in GA?

Christina Fulton, Director of Operations & Finance

If you are interested in participating in UUA GA (General Assembly) in June, you need to register soon! GA is online this year, so you can participate from your very own living room. Go to uua.org/ga to get all the information you need. FUUSB gets 8 delegates (people who vote at business meetings) at GA. If you think this might interest you, please send your name to Christina at xina@uusociety.org. For more information about being a delegate, go to uua.org/ga/congregations/delegates. FUUSB delegates will be determined prior to the beginning of GA.

If you need help paying for your registration, please contact Christina at xina@uusociety.org for information on financial assistance from FUUSB. 

Help FUUSB Gather Snacks for Elmwood Inn

Brenda Balon

Motivated to help our neighbors and friends who are struggling with food insecurity? We are looking for one additional volunteer to help FUUSB gather snacks for our Elmwood Inn neighbors (those living in the temporary housing some call "pods" built in 2023, where our overflow parking used to reside!). We would like to collect snacks (drinks other than water or seltzer like juice, fresh and/or dried fruit, Pringles chips or other salty snacks, meat sticks, granola bars) once per quarter during or immediately following the service. This role should only take 1-2 hours of your time quarterly, so no more than 10 hours annually. Interested? Please email Brenda here. Many thanks.