First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church
January 2022 Newsletter
Our Vision:
We aspire to be a beacon of
liberal religion, strong community,
and transformative service,
rooted in Love.
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Epiphany - Sundays in January at 10:30 a.m.
Please note: This Sunday, we will be holding our Worship service by streaming on Facebook only, due to COVID. First Parish Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/firstparishscituate You do not need a Facebook account to watch it.
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Sunday January 9, 2022
Worship with the Reverend Danielle
The Reverend Danielle is joining us this Sunday to lead worship as the First Parish sabbatical minister (January-March 2022). As sabbatical minister, Danielle will preach twice each month and be available for pastoral care.
The 2018 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism, Danielle served as the preacher for the Service of the Living Tradition at the 2020 General Assembly.
Danielle identifies as bi-racial. Her father was born in Italy and came to the United States when he was 7. Her mother was Wampanoag. When not serving the UUA, churches, and the community, Danielle describes herself as “retired.” In her retirement she trains and shows her dogs Rozi and Aldas.
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Sunday January 16 The Theology of Possibility
Even though we may not like to admit it, we, as individuals, as communities, often lose hope. In these times of turmoil and despair, loss of hope is frequent. When I find myself losing hope, I realize that I still believe in possibility. Let us explore this, let us explore the hope in possibility, the possibility to be found in hope. The Reverend Jo is preaching.
The Reverend Jo has been a chaplain for the past two years and just started a new job as Executive Director at UU Mass Action. She volunteers with the Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network.
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Sunday January 23 Worship with the Reverend Danielle
The Reverend Danielle is joining us again to lead worship as the First Parish sabbatical minister (January-March 2022).
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Sunday January 30 A Song Rises
Amidst the noise of our daily lives, conflicting truths, and abundant chaos, there are songs rising from the cacophony. With these songs we escape our so called reality to enter a kind of musical dream world, a timeless realm where the heart is the singer.
Guest Nick will make these songs come alive, connecting ourselves with each other and the Universe. Children (of all ages) will be needed for a fun musical improvisation during the service.
We are very excited to welcome back Nick to lead our worship this morning. A Unitarian Universalist, Nick is a Boston based composer, conductor and author who is best known for his song leading. In the 1980’s he was a conductor with the Emmy Award winning Chicago Children’s Choir. Since 1990, he has led Boston’s Mystic Chorale and guest conducted around the word including at three of the four Carnegie Halls (Pittsburgh, New York, and Scotland). His choral works have premiered everywhere from Lincoln Center to humble school cafeterias.
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From the Minister
In his profound and beautiful Christmas Oratorio, W.H. Auden wrote, “Time is our choice of How to love and Why.” I am thinking of his words now as I prepare for my sabbatical, and I invite you to reflect on them too over the next three months. As we move into this new year, a year again of fears of Covid, and continuing worries for the health of our government and our environment, as well as concerns for ourselves and people we love, our time and our love are what we have to offer ourselves, one another, and our world. How will we offer our time and our love to strengthen what we care about? I’ll be using the sabbatical time to reflect on these questions through reading, retreat time, and a class on church systems theory, as well as caring for my physical and spiritual health with a daily practice of yoga and meditation. How will you care for yourself so that you may then care for others? As we asked throughout our Advent and Christmas services, “How will you, how will we ‘House the Holy’ in 2022?”. I look forward not just to hearing your answers but to seeing how you’re living them out when I return in April.
While I’m on sabbatical, you’ll have some great guest preachers to help you consider these questions in different ways. In addition to sabbatical minister Danielle, who’ll be preaching and leading worship two Sundays each month, some familiar and some new preachers will be joining you on the other Sundays. Danielle is available if you’d like to talk with a minister; you can connect with her after church on one of her Sundays in Scituate.
Happy new year and
See you in Church!
Pamela
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January 2022 Notes from the Music Director
Thank you to Caroline, Noah, and Beverly for adding your musical gifts to our Christmas Eve services!
Choir rehearsals are suspended until January 30th.
-Elizabeth
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From the Religious Education Coordinator
Happy New Year 2022!
RE Classes: Advent Season-The end of November and the month of December combined is always fun. It’s filled with ornament making, glitter everywhere and a continued sense of the children's anticipation of Christmas as the days got closer. This Advent season teachers Carey, Cara and Tom read the RE class 4 wonderful books that focused on generosity of those who need special love and care: The Chanukkah Guest by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Giora Carmi, The Mitten by Jan Brett, The Quiltmakers Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, and Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell.
Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell was the theme of our Christmas Eve 4 pm. service. Also during this Advent, parent Fish made a life size menorah for class that led to us sharing information and the lighting of the candles during Hanukkah.
A new 8 week winter session Miracles will begin in January.
OWL (Our Whole Lives): OWL will not reconvene on January 9, 2022, due to Covid restrictions. Teachers Jen and Brian continue to work with OWL participants with subjects pertaining to the OWL curriculum.
Stay Safe!
Eileen
RE Coordinator
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Tea with the Parish Committee
Thursday January 6, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
You are invited to "Tea with the Parish Committee" every Thursday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Bring your own tea, concerns, and cheer! We continue the pleasant tradition started by Pam early in the pandemic to meet informally on this platform every week. Lin, a Parish Committee member and "Tea with the Minister" habitue, will host the January 6 tea. See you Thursday!
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From The Finance Committee
While the COVID pandemic continues to buffet us this January, I am filled with gratitude for our church community and the many ways we support each other with thoughtful words and helpful deeds in these times. I hope you have felt this support, too.
January is the month leading up to our Annual Financial Stewardship Campaign, often referred to as The Canvass. For me, this is a an especially inspirational time of year, when many of you express how much the church and its people mean to you. In fact, the church recently received a special year-end gift of several thousand dollars over and above the donor’s current pledge. This is a heart-warming expression of faith as we head into a new year of giving and we thank them publicly for their anonymous support.
Over the next several weeks you will be hearing more about how our congregation supports our church ministries and programs financially. We especially call attention to the calendar listing for January 30, featuring musician Nick leading the Sunday service. This date will serve as the official kick-off for the 2022 Stewardship Canvass for Fiscal Year 2023.
Alma, Finance Committee
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...Transformative Service |
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Social Justice News
Two and a half months ago, during a worship service on the back lawn, the Social Justice Team presented a Land Acknowledgement statement, along with testimonials about why we think it is important for the church to adopt such a statement. That statement, along with additional information, including the history of the founding fathers of this church and their interactions with the Indigenous People of this area back in the 17th century, are posted to the church’s website for consideration by the members of the congregation as well as the general public.
The Social Justice Team has subsequently drafted a shorter version of a Land Acknowledgement statement for regular use during worship. In January we will begin to read this statement every Sunday morning during worship. We are planning activities so that the congregation can learn more about Indigenous Peoples and how we might support them and the causes that are important to them. The Social Justice Team welcomes feedback from members and friends of the church regarding the Land Acknowledgement statement as you hear it week to week in services. Suggestions for revision of its content and use will be considered by the Social Justice Team. We hope to propose formal adoption of a finalized Land Acknowledgement statement at our
Annual Meeting this spring.
In the coming months we will provide opportunities to learn more about Indigenous Peoples, issues important to them and meaningful ways to support them. Later this month we will share resources via email and social media to help you pursue topics of interest to you regarding Indigenous Peoples. In February we plan a Book discussion night. Other activities in March through May include a movie night, a speaker, and a chance to learn about the history of Scituate and the local Native American tribes.
Ellen, Coordinator of the Social Justice Team
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January Calendar 2022
Mon. 3rd
6:00 pm Parish Committee (Zoom)
7:00 pm Social Justice Committee (Zoom)
Thurs. 6th
4:30 pm Tea with the Parish Committee (Zoom)
Sun. 9th
10:30 am Worship (Facebook streaming)
Thurs. 13th
4:30 pm Tea with the Parish Committee (Zoom)
8:00 pm RE Committee (Zoom)
Sat. 15th
4:30 pm Private Event
Sun. 16th
10:30 am Worship
Tues. 18th
7:00 pm Social Justice Committee (Zoom)
Thurs. 20th
4:30 pm Tea with the Parish Committee (Zoom)
Sun. 23rd
10:30 am Worship and RE
4:30 pm OWL (double session)
Thurs. 27th
4:30 pm Tea with the Parish Committee (Zoom)
Sun. 30th
10:30 am Worship and RE
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