 First Unitarian Church
of Worcester Information and Upcoming Events
April 6, 2013 |
 |
Rev. Gary Kowalski, Interim Minister
|
| |
Rev. Gary Kowalski's office hours are 9am to 12pm, Monday through Thursday. Please contact him for advice or counsel, if you'd like a home or hospital visit, in the event of emergency, or if you'd just like to grab a cup of coffee and get acquainted. Call Gary at the Church Office 508-757-2708 or email him at gkowalski@firstunitarian.com Visit his blog on faith, politics and current affairs here.
|
|
Wheel of Life
|
| |
In Memoriam Priscilla Baggesen February 9, 1923 - April 1, 2013 A service to celebrate the life of Priscilla Baggesen will be held at noon on Saturday, April 6, at the Roney Funeral Home, 152 Worcester Street in North Grafton, followed by internment in the Hope Cemetery in Worcester. Rev. Kowalski will officiate. Our sympathy to daughter Jennifer Levesque, son Louis Levesque Jr. and other members of the family. Obituary here.
|
|
Congregational Meeting - Sunday, April 7, 12:00 p.m
|
| by Scott Hayman, Moderator |
|
On Sunday, April 7th, Reverend Georganne Greene will convene a congregational meeting following the worship service from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm in the Chapel. The purpose of the meeting is to orient us to the search process for our next settled minister.
Reverend Greene has previously met with the Prudential Committee to review with us our responsibilities in the search process and advise us on moving ahead with recommended "best-practices" for the selection of our Ministerial Search Committee.
In her meeting with the congregation, Georganne will (1) outline the 7 steps in the ministerial search process; (2) provide an overview of the search timeline; (3) speak about the nature of a thoughtful and effective search committee; (4) explain her role as coach / advisor to the search committee; and (5) answer the congregation's questions. If any of you are interested in more detail on these topics before our meeting, you can find it in the UUA's "Settlement Handbook", available on-line at:
http://www.uua.org/documents/mpl/transitions/settlement_handbook.pdf
Reverend Greene is the Ministerial Settlement Representative for our Clara Barton District and has been serving in CBD since 1996. She is currently serving as an interim minister at the Brookfield UU Church.
|
|
Easter Music
|
|
|
Our festival choir and orchestra provided a blast of Spring energy during our Easter service this week. Thanks to all who participated!
Sunday, April 7th will feature solos commemorating Yom HaShoah (Remembrance of the Holocaust), featuring Alesia Tringale, soprano and James Haupt, piano.
The first of our Spring Concert and Young Artists Showcase series will be Friday April 26, featuring our own Artists in Residence: Trio Cocobolo performing works by Brahms, Beethoven, and Bruch.
|
|
"Spiritual But Not Religious?"
|
| submitted by Wendy Innis |
|
Ever wonder what people mean when they say that they are spiritual but not religious? Please join the Sociology Department on Tuesday, April 2 at 4pm when Nancy Ammerman explores this question in her lecture "Spiritual But Not Religious?" The talk, followed by a reception, will take place at Clark University in the Rose Library located in the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. For more info click here.
|
|
Expo and Lectures
|
| submitted by Diane Pingeton |
|
5th Annual Complementary & Integrative Therapies Expo and Lectures
Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Time: Expo 3-6 pm
Lectures 3:30 - 7:30 pm
Place: UMass Medical School,55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655
Expo: Faculty Conference Room(room is off of the New Medical School lobby) & the Old Medical School Lobby
Lectures: Amphitheater 1 (2nd floor, room 102)
ALL ARE WELCOME TO THIS FREE EVENT
Speak with local practitioners and receive personal complementary treatments to experience the therapies that are becoming increasingly integrated into modern medicine.
Questions? Contact Barb at (508) 856-8786 or Barbara.Grimes-Smith@umassmed.edu
More info here.
|
|
Art Opening - April 6
|
| by Gina DaCruz |
|
 Come Join Us for a combined Art Opening and WEEMA Fundraiser Event at NU Cafe, 335 Chandler Street, Worcester, MA on Saturday, April 6th from 1-3pm.
First U member, Gina DaCruz's current series of paintings titled "People I Met One Day" are inspired by her visit to Ethiopia in 2011. Her artwork will be featured at NU Cafe for the month of April with a portion to benefit WEEMA International. Gina will be performing a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony during the event, complete with roasting green coffee beans, incense ...and lively Ethiopian music. More info here.
|
|
Kundalini Yoga This Week
|
| by Hari Kirin Kaur |
|
Welcome to April,even if it still feels like February!
This week in the Thursday Night Class we will spring-clean the lymphatic system and meditate to clear the past.We will have a gong experience during the yoga set and deep relaxation. More news here.
|
|
Documentary Film Showing - April 7th
|
by Lesa McWalters
|
|
RACE TO NOWHERE
Documentary Film Showing
Sunday, April 7, 2013 4:00pm - 6:00pm
First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St. Worcester MA
For more information click here,
Register on-line at:
http://www.racetonowhere.com/epostcard/6787
 Race to Nowhere is a documentary about the stress-related health and social issues kids face from feeling burnt out from pressures of school, sports, extracurricular actives,
standardized testing and more.
Concession Stand opens at 3:30 p.m. - please come early to buy a snack and get a good seat for the show.
5:45 p.m.: There will be a brief discussion time for you to ask questions and to request more information about how you can help make changes in your community.
Tickets: free
Donations accepted and appreciated!
-Sponsored by the Youth Group of First Unitarian Church of Worcester.
|
|
Someone Must Know!
|
|
MNATC Crew
|
|
What happened to our Welcome Banner for Monday night community suppers? It was taken down for the Gala and never put back up or found. This was an expense and effort to make and its return would be greatly appreciated.
|
|
Monday Night At The Church - UU Mass Action Forum
|
|
Rev. Gary Kowalski
|
|
 Join our minister Gary Kowalski and Laura Wagner of UU Mass Action on Monday, April 8 at 7:15 p.m. at First Unitarian Church in the Chapel, to learn how faith-based organizing is making a difference in the Bay State on issues ranging from immigration and hunger to prison reform. Laura is the Social Justice Ministry team leader for the First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, in Northboro, Massachusetts. She visited the Arizona/Mexican frontier in 2011 where she learned firsthand about the devastating impact U.S. policies on children and families at the border. Laura will explain how UU Mass Action is currently organizing volunteers to encourage our elected officials in Massachusetts to pass the TRUST Act, one of four important immigration rights bills working their way through the legislative process this year. Please join us for this informative introduction to how UUs can work together for justice.
|
|
UU Advocacy Day - April 23
|
|
by Rev. Gary Kowalski
|
|
UU Mass Action empowers congregations to use their collective power  for justice to effect change at the state level. Members of First Unitarian are invited to get involved by participating in the Advocacy Day planned for Tuesday, April 23. A special breakfast features Sister Simone Campbell (of "Nuns on the Bus") followed by speaker Senator Jamie Eldrige, representing Worcester and Middlesex since 2009 and known as a champion of immigration reform and public education. After lunch, teams will visit with their state legislators to discuss gun control and other issues. This year we are moving the event to First Church Boston at 66 Marlborough St in Boston. Because it is a little further away from the State House then the UUA Headquarters we will be providing a shuttle between the church and the State House for those who need it. For the rest we will have a lovely walk through the Boston Public Garden & Boston Common on our way to lobby. For more information and registration information, click here.
|
|
Let's Clean It Up!
|
|
by Vivian Shortreed
|
|
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has set a goal of 30 volunteers (staff, faculty, students) to work with us to clean up Lincoln Square on
Saturday, April 27
Lincoln Square Earth Day Cleanup
8:00 a.m. - noon (or as long as you can)
Gather on the steps of the old Court House.
Let's match their number! The MCPHS is also offering coffee and bagels for volunteers in the lobby of the old Crown Plaza.
Join us! We can make a difference in our neighborhood!
To volunteer or for further information: vshortreed@yahoo.com
|
|
John Henry's Open Mike Reopens April 26
|
|
by Linda Wyatt
|
|
Everyone's got talent according to Lydia Fortune and me. Lydia and I want you and your friends to start practicing your poems, storytelling, songs, and dances. Have a few minutes in the spotlight at our friendly, low-key open mic.
Local singer-songwriter, Lydia Fortune, who performed her first open mic in the 1970's at John Henry's Hammer is coming full circle by hosting the open mic. I'm First U's liaison. We're starting the endeavor on a weekly schedule. Sten Gustavson and Alana Wyatt, among others, are assisting us.
Doors open at 7pm. Performers sign in on a first-come basis and randomly pick a number to indicate their place in the queue. We will accommodate all performers. Entertainers and audience members pay $2.00 each to "be the show" or watch the show. Snacks are available through free-will donation. Enter from the upper State Street parking lot. On nights when the UU Sisterhood or another group uses that space, you'll be directed to the chapel. The performances end at 9:30pm. Let's bring some joy to the world!
|
|
Hogwarts Spring Spectacular
|
|
|
Welcome the Spring with Hogwarts!!!
April 27, 2013
9 am - 3 pm
 Are you curious about our Hogwarts summer camp and want to see what it's all about? Are you excited about the summer and eager to get back to Hogwarts before then? This event is open to all students and staff from our summer Hogwarts camp, but all guests and newcomers are also completely welcome. Our Spring Social Action is based on the Center for Nonviolent Solutions, a local organization that emphasizes the importance of open communication, anger management, and mutual respect in resolving conflicts and promoting harmony. This one-day program is an opportunity to engage in these topics in a fun and interactive way. More info and to register click here.
|
|
"Freely Gathered"
|
|
|
 The joint Clara Barton / Mass Bay District Meeting will be held April 27, 2013, from 1:00 - 5:00 pm at the United Congregational Church in Worcester. Join hundreds of UUs for celebratory worship, vigorous conversation, and rampant optimism about the future of our faith. Register through April 22, or until the roster is full.
For more information about this free event, click here
|
|
Book Swap
|
|
|
 Leave one or a few books, that you've enjoyed, on the table in the Court Street vestibule, or take one or a few. If you put your name in the ones you leave, the next reader might start a conversation about it with you. There's a green jar on the table for contributions to the Heritage Fund, if you want to show your appreciation for this swapping.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
