December's Theme: Waiting

Liberal Religion

From the Minister

As we near the end of a very long year and look to the beginning of another, may we wake to life with our hearts open to love. I wish us all happy and calm holidays.

WINTER SOLSTICE 

By Rebecca Parker

Perhaps

for a moment

the typewriters will stop clicking,

the wheels stop rolling

the computers desist from computing,

and a hush will fall over the city.

For an instant, in the stillness,

the chiming of the celestial spheres will be heard

as earth hangs poised

in the crystalline darkness, and then

gracefully

tilts. 

Let there be a season

when holiness is heard, and

the splendor of living is revealed.

Stunned to stillness by beauty

we remember who we are and why we are here.

There are inexplicable mysteries.

We are not alone.

In the universe there moves a Wild One

whose gestures alter earth's axis

toward love.

In the immense darkness

everything spins with joy.

The cosmos enfolds us.

We are caught in a web of stars,

cradled in a swaying embrace,

rocked by the holy night,

babes of the universe.

Let this be the time

we wake to life,

like spring wakes, in the moment

of winter solstice. 

Interim Minister, The Reverend Erin (she/her)

December Special Collection - On Sunday December 8, the social justice special collection will go to benefit the Scituate Food Pantry to help provide meals over the holidays to local families in need. Please donate generously that day by check or cash to the plate or donate any time of the month online by:

• going to the First Parish website donation page (type “Scituate Food Pantry” in the notations box)
• visiting the Scituate Food Pantry donations page online

Trans Day of Remembrance Website - On Sunday November 24, we held a service in observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) during which the names of transgender and other gender nonconforming persons who were lost to violence or suicide from October 2023 - September 2024 were read. An overwhelming number of lives lost. If you are interested in visiting the website Erin mentioned from which the names were drawn and see pictures of many of them, go to tdor.translivesmatter.info. Click on the red Reports button for the list of names, ages, and countries.

South Shore Habitat for Humanity Building in Cohasset at 808 & 810 Jerusalem Road - The roof is on and the windows are in! If you are over 18 and interested in volunteering to finish these homes for families in 2025, please call.

International Day of People With Disabilities

According to the United Nations, the world population is over 8 billion people and more than one billion people, or approximately 15% of the world's population, live with some form of disability; 80% live in developing countries.

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, celebrated on December 3, was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.*(*United Nations: International Day of Persons with Disabilities). 

As Unitarian Universalists who believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, we honor the human rights of disabled people around the world and commit to combating ableism in all its forms. We join the United Nations to uplift the voices of the most marginalized through a disability justice lens on this sacred day and every day.

Ellen, (she/her) Social Justice and Denominational Affairs Committee Chair

Snowflake Fair

The Snowflake Fair is almost here! See you on Saturday,

December 7!

Sunday, December 1, after worship – All hands on deck to move furniture from the Sloop Room into the Sanctuary! Final information session and check-in prior to fair set-up on Friday and the fair itself on Saturday.

Week of December 2 – Back pews will be marked for drop-off of items for sale at the various tables. Please wait until Friday, December 6, to drop off baked goods and fudge.

Week of December 2 – Christmas trees arrive. Check with Erica to see if she and Joe need assistance unloading and setting up trees.

Wednesday, December 4, 5:00pm-8:00pm – Wreath Making Night in the Sloop Room. All are welcome! Check with Jane and Mark if you are able to help set up the lattice that holds the wreaths.

Friday, December 6, 9:00am-6:00pm – Set up, pricing, decorating, merchandising, sign-hanging. Join us for an hour or two or eight!

Saturday, December 7, 9:00am-2:00pm – SNOWFLAKE FAIR! Staffing shifts run from 8:00am- 12:00pm and 11:00am-3:00pm. Sign up for both if you can! Come and shop, even if you can’t stay to staff the fair!

STILL NEEDED FOR THE FAIR:

• More people to help staff the fair!
• Chowders, Chilies, and Cornbread!
• Items for the Kids’ Shopping Room and “Elf Alley” (this year’s small, white elephant table)!
• Baked Goods! Fudge! Crafts! Costume Jewelry!
• Greeters for the day of the fair!

SIGN-UP SHEETS are posted in the Sloop Room for donations of items and your time. Activity Leads are listed on the sign-up sheets, should you have any questions. You can also reach out to any of the members of Team Snowflake – we’d be happy to chat with you.

Ho Ho Ho and Think Snow!

Team Snowflake,

Jean, Cathie, Vicki, and Erica

FPUU Cafe

FPUU Cafe Returns to the Snowflake Fair!

This year's Snowflake Fair will once again feature the FPUU Cafe, with our famous Chowders and Chilies!

Notice to all Chowder and Chili makers

• Please remember that all chowders and chilis must arrive at the church Saturday morning and must be chilled to 41 degrees Fahrenheit or colder when it arrives
• Please bring your chowder or chili in a crock pot/slow cooker so that it can be heated on site in the FPUU kitchen.
• Please print out a simple list of ingredients in your chowder or chili and tape it to the crock pot. Ingredient lists must be posted when we put these food items out for sale.

We are still in need of additional volunteers to make some Chowder or Chili (especially a clam or fish chowder) for the fair. Please add your name to the signup sheet in the Sloop Room on Sunday, or let Bob Murdock know what you will be contributing.

We are still in need of additional volunteers to staff the Cafe! Please sign up on the signup sheet in the Sloop Room on Sunday, or let Bob know.

Ho Ho Ho and Think Snow!

Team Snowflake,

Jean, Cathie,Vicki, and Erica

Bottles and Cans

On 11/5 we made $105, 11/12 $178, 11/18 $134,

and 11/26 $150.

URGENT!! Do you have two hours on Tuesdays to help with Bottles & Cans at the transfer station? This effort has raised more than $500 each month for the church … but we are going to have to give up our day at the end of December if we don’t get more volunteers! We need help sorting from 1:30-3:30 each Tuesday, and help transporting to the redemption center at 3:30 (with a small truck, van or trailer) each week. Please contact Mike or Mark if you can help on an ongoing basis! Thank you!

A reminder to Parishioners that you can drop off your redeemable bottles and cans in the garage behind the church. Please drop off only cans and bottles that are redeemable.



Thank you!

COFFEE HOUR UPDATE

December is the month for the M--N--P--Q--R--Group (sorted by the initial letter of the last name) to host Coffee Hour. Here are those who have signed up so far for the listed Sundays:

Dec. 1

1. Sheryl and Fish ---cheese and crackers, fruit, and a sweet

2.

3. 

Dec. 8

1. Jenn, Mark, Bren, and Emory--an array of treats

2. Mary Ann ---pound cake, fruit, and juice

3.

Dec. 15

1. Sarah and Bob---Cheese and crackers, fruit, and a sweet

2.

3.

Dec. 22

1. Jane and Mark ---Solstice cookies

2. Howard and Nancy--cheese and crackers and a holiday centerpiece

3.

December 29

1. Cathie, Michael, and Patrick ---humas, crackers, fruit, muffins, or similar items

2. Meg --banana or pumpkin bread

3. 

If you would like to contribute on one of these Sundays, please email Lin . We need at least two household volunteers for each Sunday; three is ideal. You can check with each other to make changes if needed.

Contributors usually bring one to three items each for their Sunday. Remember, NO NUTS or NUT PRODUCTS! A church member is deathly allergic to nuts.

Thanks to all you generous contributors!

Lin , (she/her) Coffee Hour Coordinator

December Monthly Calendar 2024

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