Our Vision:
We aspire to be a beacon of
liberal religion, strong community,
and transformative service,
rooted in Love.
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Sunday, June 4 Recommitting to the Rainbow
Our annual Pride Sunday comes at a time when LGBTQ people are under attack. Emmitt, who grew up in First Parish, will speak about their journey; members of the congregation will join Pamela and Elizabeth in leading this service and thinking about what we can do.
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Sunday, June 11 Finding a Path - Religious Education Celebration
Whether you have been part of our Religious Education program this year or not, whatever your age, our annual celebration of our children and youth is for you. Children in the Moral Tales elementary group and youth in the Building Bridges exploration of world religions will share some of what they learned and liked this year. The congregation will join the Moral Tales group in sharing “gems of goodness” (a.k.a. acts of kindness) to help their gems jar overflow and earn us all an ice cream celebration to follow the service. Melissa will join Pamela and Elizabeth in leading this service.
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Sunday, June 18 Seasons of Love
It’s the beginning of summer, almost the longest day of the year - seasons are changing. The season of our shared ministry with Pamela is ending also. This multigenerational service will celebrate our changing seasons and include a time of farewell for Pam as well as Chuck, Oliver, and Miles. A picnic will follow.
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Sunday, June 25 General Assembly Worship
Our annual UUA General Assembly concludes today in Pittsburgh with Sunday morning worship. We will join the gathered delegates and congregations around the country in a streamed service in our sanctuary. Lin will lead our service.
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Summer Services
In July and August, services move to 9 a.m. Summer services are varied - they might include a reflection, a meditation walk, music, art, games, or an activity. They are led by members of the congregation. If you would like to lead one this summer, please contact Pamela.
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From the Minister
In our Unitarian Universalist tradition, all our relationships are based in a covenant. Every Sunday we recite the covenant of our church to ground ourselves in those promises. Covenant binds us and other UU congregations into the Unitarian Universalist Association. Covenant binds me to other UU ministers in this region and also as part of the national Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. And covenant has bound our shared ministry for the past 10 years. We made that covenant in our installation service on April 6, 2014. Now it’s time for us to dissolve that covenant and make a new covenant. Because our relationship won’t end but will change, it’s important that we are clear on what it will be and what it will not be. We will continue to care for one another, to pray for one another, to encourage one another. But that will all be from a distance. We won’t be in regular connection. I know this can seem harsh, but it’s important for me to step back from our relationships to allow you to connect with your new interim minister, Erin, and the settled minister who will follow her. And it’s important for you to release me from the day-to-day care I hold for you so that I have the space to minister to other people. This is all good and natural. So the Parish Committee and I have agreed on a new Covenant for Our Future which we’ll all formally agree to during our last worship together on June 18. I hope you’ll make time to look it over before then and let me or Parish Co-Chairs Lin and Ann know if you have any questions.
On Monday June 19, I will head to Pittsburgh to represent our congregation at General Assembly. I return on Sunday the 25th. Other than for that week, I’m available this month if you’d like to get together.
See you in Church,
Pamela
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Notes from the Music Director
Thank you to Christina and Ted “Earth Harmony” and Cathy for providing music in my absence on May 28th.
There are three choir rehearsals in June. The choir will be on hiatus for July and August.
Our choral anthems for the month of June:
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June 4th- Draw the Circle Wide by Mark Miller
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June 11th- Siyahamba- a South African freedom song
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June 18th- Seasons of Love from “Rent” by Jonathan Larsen
Thanks go to Sarah and Bob for hosting the choir party June 10th.
I look forward to leading a summer service where we’ll sing some of our favorite hymns, and learn some new ones!
Musically Yours,
Beth D.
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Religious Education for Children June 2023
PreK-Grade 5 and Building Bridges
This year's Religious Education program wraps up with one more class session for both age-groups on June 4 and RE Sunday on June 11. These last sessions help the participants to put their learning in context and is appropriate for them whether they attended regularly throughout the year or only once or twice.
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Sunday, June 4, children in the Moral Tales group and youth in Building Bridges will meet to reflect on what they've learned and liked this year, and make a plan for how they'll share some of this with the congregation.
- Sunday June 11, RE participants will share what they learned and liked with the congregation during our annual RE Celebration Sunday service.
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The Religious Education Committee will meet on Thursday, June 15 at 8 p.m. at the church to celebrate the year past and plan for the year to come. All are welcome to join them.
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Social Justice News
Scituate Pride Breakfast & Parade Saturday, June 10 - Please join members of First Parish in supporting the LGBTQ+ community by coming to the Pride Parade and breakfast. The breakfast starts at 9:30 followed by the parade at 11:00 from Gates Middle School parking lot. Meet at First Parish at 9:10 a.m. to drop off some cars and share rides down to the breakfast. Those who have cars at First Parish can give rides back to pick up cars after the conclusion of the parade and speeches at the Town Common.
We need volunteers to make fruit salad for the Pride breakfast on June 10.. If you have any questions, email Ellen.
Wear your Love Shows Up t-shirt for the parade if you have one. If you want to purchase one, some sizes are still in stock. T-shirts and Love Shows Up lawn signs will be sold on Sunday, June 4 at church after the worship service; $15 each. Contact Kate if you have questions.
Special Monthly Collection for June - Throughout June the church will be accepting monetary donations for the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. Their mission is to “ensure the well-being, safety, and lived equity of all trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive community members in Massachusetts.” Their programs include the Trans Academy, the Identity Document Assistance Network, and the Trans Youth Summit. Donations can be made in three ways:
Cash/check deposited in the plate - please write in the memo line on the check what it is for.
Church website secure online giving (One Time Gifts, mark in notations box)
Direct donation via the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Donate page
Ellen Chair, Social Justice Committee
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Finance Committee
In preparation for the continuation of our annual meeting to approve the budget for fiscal year 2024 (FY24) which begins on July 1, 2023 please review the budget and reports prepared by the Finance Committee. The meeting will take place following worship on Sunday June 4.
The Finance Committee: Erica, Janie, Vicki, Karen, Cathie , Charlie, and Jean
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Bottles and Cans Update
Tuesday, May 16, Mike and Howard earned $110, helped out by the 3 bags of cans donated by Sheryl and Fish, Rye, Juni, and Yves. Fish told me that the children have been collecting bottles and cans to earn money but that they wanted to donate 3 bags to the church. A special "Thank You" for that nice donation, and thanks to the other folks who have been dropping off their bottles and cans at the garage behind the church.
Last Tuesday, Mike, Howard, and others earned $201.00. It was a hectic day of sorting and transporting, following the Memorial Day closing at the Transfer Station. To earn $200, at a nickel each, means sorting and transporting 4000 bottles and cans.
We still need people to be part of the sorting team.
We will work beside any new “trainees” so please do not be intimidated if you have not done this before. You can contact Howard or Mike .
Howard
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Grandma's Cupboard
Where are your jars?? Grandma needs them!!
June may be busting out all over, but Grandma is going to get grouchy if she doesn't find that hamper in the outer hall of the church filling up with clean used jelly and pickle jars, please!
C'mon, folks - you know you have some tucked away in cupboards and kitchens and bins around your house or garage!
How can Grandma make strawberry rhubarb jam and bread & butter pickles if you don't help?
Grandma is glad about making watermelon jelly and pickled beets in those jars you all donated in May. Puh-lease keep those clean, used jars coming so Grandma won't get crabby again. You heah ??
Claire
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June Monthly Calendar 2023
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