Our Vision:
We aspire to be a beacon of
liberal religion, strong community,
and transformative service,
rooted in Love.
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Sunday, April 2 Good Enough Courage
On this Palm/Passion Sunday we will hear the stories of Marie Schmolka, Gandhi, Oscar Romero, and Rachel Corrie, who, like Jesus, were brave enough to stand up for the good of others despite the risk to their safety. Pamela B.and Elizabeth D. will lead the service.
You are welcome to join in worship in the sanctuary or through the First Parish Facebook page. No Facebook account is needed.
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Sunday, April 9 A Good Enough Faith
As Unitarian Universalists we celebrate Easter as a reminder of all the resurrection moments of our days. This is our “good enough faith” that we believe that death and despair are never the end. Pamela B. and Elizabeth D. will lead this service for all ages. There will be an Easter egg hunt for children at 10 a.m. before the service.
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Sunday, April 16 Emerging from the Dark
In our annual Earth Day service for all ages, we’ll celebrate signs of hope and growth both in the garden and in the actions of those working to protect our Earth. Please dress for working in the garden and bring gardening tools since we’ll be outside cleaning and planting if the weather permits.
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Sunday, April 23 The Rev. Mr. Ethan Loewi, Guest Minister
Ethan Loewi, a UU minister who serves as a chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital, will join us to preach and lead worship this morning. From Portland, Oregon, Ethan received his MDiv from Yale Divinity School.
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Sunday, April 30 The Way of Transition
Members of the Committee on Ministry will join Pam B. for a conversation about transitions in ministry in general and First Parish’s upcoming transition in particular.
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Easter Sunrise at the Lighthouse
The Scituate clergy will host their annual sunrise Easter service on Sunday April 9 at 6 a.m.
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From the Minister
I appreciate the reflections on our ministry which some of you have shared with me. Sharing stories is part of saying “good-bye” and saying good-bye well is the work we need to do between now and my final worship service with you on June 19. I know it can feel like the church won’t be the same after I leave - and of course it won’t, but the church is always changing - it must change if it is to continue on. I talked about change in my sermon Good Enough Church on March 26:
"Whoever serves as lead minister, First Parish will continue to be a place for good enough human beings to explore the big questions of life and attempt to live out their answers together. As this congregation has held onto its ideals and its vision and worked for justice and mercy through the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, two world and other wars, at least two pandemics, and the current climate crisis, so it will continue to be here, a beacon of liberal religion as it heads into its fifth century. For the church is not its minister. The church is the people, the people who fill the pews, sing the songs, ask the questions, set the vision, plan the protests, bake the casseroles, teach the children, and repair the walls. You are the church today, building on the work and worship of those who were the church before you. Through your worship and work you are preparing the church which will come to share good news with the world to come. Your stewardship of this church - your money, your time, your gifts and abilities - this is what allows this church to be here, sharing good news with the world. As you welcomed new members today who will change the church through their gifts and graces, so you’ll welcome a new minister who will be part of the church of the future."
I look forward to sharing more stories over the coming months. If you’d like to make an appointment to get together, you are welcome to set one up at calendly. If you need to meet on a weekend or weeknight, please email me.
See you in Church,
Pamela
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Notes from the Music Director
Thank you to guest musician Christina L. for subbing for me while I
attended the Music Teachers’ National Association Convention and to
Cathy K. and Beverly R. for sharing their flute music with us.
Our Choir Anthems this month:
April 2- Two Processions: A Palm Sunday Hymn by Amanda Udis-Kessler
April 9- Roll Away the Stone by Jason Shelton
April 16- No Anthem
April 23- Circle of Life by Marty Haugen
April 30- Primavera by Jason Shelton
Choir Rehearsals continue Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00. Anyone in 7th grade or older is welcome to come sing with us!
Guest musician: our trumpet player Jack R. returns to bring joyous music for
our Easter Sunday service.
Happy Spring!!!
Beth D.
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Parish Committee
After sounding out many church members, especially “old timers” who have gone through ministerial transitions before, the P.C. came to a consensus decision that we should seek an “Interim Minister” who will serve for around two years, providing the services of a “Settled Minister". This individual will help us process the nature and meaning of our time with Pam, explore who we are as a church, how we envision our future, and find the right Settled Minister to join with us in our new joint ministry.
P.C. Co-Chairs Carey B. and Lin H. had a productive meeting last Thursday, with Christine P., Transition Programs Manager of the U.U. Transitions Office. She soothed any anxieties we might have had; thanks to Pam’s thoughtfully early announcement of her plan to end her Scituate ministry, we are entering into the U.U.’s transition process with time to spare. Ever ready to guide us through difficulties, Christine clearly explained the process we’ll go through in the next weeks. The U. U. Association has a group of specialist Interim Ministers,
trained by the Association to help congregations transition well from one Settled Ministry to the next. Here is our timetable:
- Late March-Early April: Co-Chairs prepare the Interim Search Documents Packet and convene a small search committee
- Thursday, April 6th —Congregational Interim Records are published to the UUA Interim Search portal
- Thursday, April 20th —Congregational Interim Record Sheet (application) deadline
- May 1st —Names of Interim Ministers [and their dossiers, including education, experience, sermons, etc.] released to congregations.
- May 15th —Search Committee submits lists of candidate decisions to the Transitions Office
- May 17th noon EDT—first offer date. Offer extended by Search Committee to Interim Minister.
- May 22nd —Names of interested ministers released to congregations
- June 5th —Search committee submits review/selections results to the Transitions Office.
To summarize, the Search Committee prepares a packet of information about our church for prospective Interim Ministers, who look us over and see if they are interested. Then, we get the list of Interim ministers and get to choose up to eight of them to examine in more detail. At some time during the process, we will be able to interview our best choice or two. We submit a short list to the Office, and then we submit an offer, then a backup offer in case the first offer gets turned down. The Interim Minister will take up duties in August.
We are confident and excited as we embark on this process. Please contact us with questions, concerns, and suggestions.
Parish Committee Co-chairs, Carey B., and Lin H.
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Social Justice News
Special Monthly Collection for April
Throughout April the church will be accepting monetary donations for the Scituate Food Pantry. Donations can be made in three ways:
Cash/check deposited in the basket in back of the sanctuary as you leave Sunday service
Church website secure online giving (One Time Gifts, mark as “Scituate Food Pantry” in notations box)
Direct donation via the Scituate Food Pantry website
Social Justice Meetings in April
Please join us for all or any part of our regularly scheduled committee meetings on Mon. 4/3 and Thu. 4/20 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Whether you share one of our areas of focus, have a passion of your own you would like to pursue with other church members, or just want to listen in on our discussion, you are welcome! The Zoom link is the same for all meetings.
Ellen I. Chair, Social Justice Committee
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Scituate Town Library Program on
Wampanoag History and Culture
On April 27 at 7 p.m., the Scituate Town Library will host Darius Coombs to speak on Wampanoag history and culture. Darius Coombs is a Mashpee Wampanoag tribal citizen and is the Cultural Outreach Coordinator for the Mashpee Wampanoag Education Department. He was the former Director of the Wampanoag Indigenous Program at Plimoth/Patuxet Museums for over 30 years. Participants may join in person or on Zoom. For further details at Scituate Town Library.
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LIT Community Conversation -
Scituate’s Sister Cities
The Scituate Town Library and Scituate Together for Representation, Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (STRIDE), will host the final LIT Conversation of the year, focusing on the work of the town’s Sister City Committees to form connections with towns in Cape Verde, France, and Ireland. Jamele Adams, SPS DEI director will facilitate the conversation on Tuesday April 4, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Library.
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Finance Committee
OUR ANNUAL PLEDGE DRIVE IS UNDERWAY!
The Finance Committee reminds us that our annual pledge drive is underway, and we need to hear from everyone with their pledges for next year by THIS FRIDAY, 3/31/23!
We need to pledge $120,000 collectively from all of us to ensure that what matters most to us - our minister & staff, our worship & music, teaching our children, and taking care of our historic building - can continue. If we all give as generously as we can, we will not have to make difficult choices about what we can and cannot support. We are an independent, self-governing, and self-supporting congregation. Along with that great freedom comes great responsibility, and we are asking everyone to help us meet our goal!
If you would like to make your pledge, contact Vicki D. If you did not receive your emailed Pledge Packet on 3/22, please let Vicki know. If you would like to listen to our remarks explaining this year’s goals, please watch last Sunday’s service (March 26) on YouTube to hear Cathie M. go into more detail on this year’s pledge drive.
Thank you … and as we all shared last Sunday … “We are in this together!”
Finance Committee - Erica B, Janie C., Vicki D., Karen F., Cathie M., Charlie R., Leigh T., and Jean S.
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Fididdlers
The Fididdlers meet weekly on Wednesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. in people's homes, though this month we will not meet on April 5. Our numbers are increasing as we have had new people join our group for the past few weeks. This is a ministry of fellowship and no expertise in arts and crafts is ever needed.
We DO need and welcome new ideas about projects we can do together in the future, as we start to prepare for the annual fairs in May and December.
Sustainably made and reusable twine, wrapping material, and bags for gift-giving are one of our great inspirations now.
Join us and share in the fun.
Claire S.
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Grandma's Cupboard
Grandma's Cupboard really needs used, clean jars - especially jelly (half pint) and pickle sizes (pint). They can now be left in the outer vestibule of the church in the hamper.
Claire S., Chair
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April Monthly Calendar 2023
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