What's Happening
at First Parish -
Our Weekly Newsletter

August 7 - August 17, 2019


 We aspire to be a beacon
of liberal religion, strong community,
and transformative service.

We aspire to be a Beacon of…..
 … Liberal Religion
Summer Services   To the Stars

Sunday August 11: Through Hardship to the Stars : Per Aspera Ad Astra

Sunday August 18: Music of the Stars

Sunday August 25: Can You Hear the Stars?

Regular Services will resume on September 8, 2019. There will be no service on September 1, 2019.
Read reflection from Sunday July 28th here:

Church Office Summer Hours
The church office will be open on Wednesdays from 10:00 – 12:00 pm, except for August 21 when the office will be closed. Regular hours will resume in September.

Enjoy the Summer!
Planning for "Sacred Earth/Sacred Work"
You're invited to contribute your thoughts on sermon topics and visual effects for the sanctuary for our fall worship series Sacred Earth/Sacred Work .  In this series we will explore Creation Spirituality–a way of living within the community of earth that deepens our reverence for life, participates in the creativity of the cosmos, and develops our passion for justice and human transformation. How might this perspective help us to lead lives of spiritual inquiry, creativity, and prophetic action as our sacred work in the world? We will meet on Wednesday August 21, 7-8:30 p.m.
Sunrise Service for International Overdose Awareness Day
  On Saturday August 31 at 5:30 a.m. at the Lighthouse, Scituate FACTS and South Shore Peer Recorery will hold their annual remembrance of family, friends, and community members who have died from drug overdoses. Pamela Barz will lead the service.
FPUUC - Usher Time!
Are you a morning person? Do you wake up on Sundays with a smile on your face? Do you enjoy collecting money from strangers and friends? Then we have the opportunity you have been looking for! Join the Usher Team at FPUUC!

We are looking for people to volunteer to usher for the 2019/2020 church year! We have a rotating schedule and our ushers serve 3-4 times during the year, between September and June. We provide the training! You can serve with a spouse, friend, family member or let us pair you with one of our friendly ushers! We welcome high school youth too! You need to be at church by 10:00 am on your Sunday, and stay after about 15 minutes straightening up the pews, etc. If you are an RE teacher, this is not a good fit, but we would gladly use your talents for our Christmas Eve services! (Teachers make excellent child-wranglers!)

Ushers greet at the sanctuary door, hand out Orders of Service, collect the Offering, assist in any special set-up that Sunday (Joys & Concerns, etc.) and straighten hymnals and pews after the service, as well as other small duties.

This is a great way to get involved, meet and greet new people and participate in one of our ministries of hospitality. You do not need to be a member of First Parish to be an usher.
September's Community Book Discussion on Issues of Diversity
If you're looking for something to read on the beach, by the pool, or while you're hiding from the rain, consider picking up the book we'll be discussing on Tuesday September 17 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) in the Book Club Room at the Scituate Town Library:  All about Love by bell hooks. In this short book, the first of a trilogy on love, author, professor, and feminist bell hooks offers a re-definition of love, not as romance but as the basis of a social ethic for individuals and nations. Copies of the book are available in the library system and also in a pdf version:   http://wtf.tw/ref/hooks.pdf
Religious Education 2019-2020
In our three year rotation of themes (World Religions, Bible stories, and UU history, tradition, and practice), this coming year is our UU year. We are taking a slightly different approach this year, with curriculum September-January focused on history and tradition, and then in the spring using the hands on curriculum In Our Hands , a peace and justice curriculum which will involve the RE participants and discussing what they can do to make a difference in the world and choosing projects, depending on their age groups, to carry out.

In the fall, preK-2 will learn about the church and their place in it with the curriculum Chalice Children ; grades 3-5 will travel in time to learn about our UU ancestors and perhaps visit Concord, MA, to learn more about Emerson, Thoreau, and the Alcotts. The junior high group will look at values and ethics through the framework of the TV series Buffy the Vampire . High school students are invited to participate in our Coming of Age program, the UU version of a confirmation or a bar or bah mitzvah. Senior high students are also invited to participate in the SciCohRockWell youth group.

Teachers and leaders are needed for all these programs and for In Our Hands in the Spring. Teachers are asked to make a 10 Sunday commitment over the course of the year.

For planning purposes it would be very helpful if you could register your children at you earliest convenience, using the form ( please click here ) and either scanning it and sending it back to the church office, mailing it, or dropping it off. You may also pay the RE registration fee on-line ( click here for payment ) , or mail or bring in your check. If the fee is a hardship, please speak with Bill or Pam and it will be waived.
... Strong Community
Calendar for August 7 - August 18

Wed. 7th
10:30 am Fididdlers

Sun. 11th
9:00 am Worship

Wed. 14th
10:30 am Fididdlers

Sun. 18th
9:00 am Worship
Save the Date

September 8th
Blessing of the Backpacks

September 21st
Blue Boat Coffeehouse

September 29th
Synergy Sunday

October 13th
Animal Blessing Service

November 2nd
Silent Movie Night - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Our Mission
Liberal Faith: We commit to participate side-by-side across generations  in worship, religious education, social activities, environmental protection,
and social justice work—learning, sharing, and growing together. 

Strong Community : We commit to care for one another, nurture the light that shines within each of us, and support each other’s individual search for truth and meaning.
 
Transformative Service: We commit to pursue diversity, justice, equality, reason, and discourse;
provide inspiration through music, creativity, and the arts;
and work cooperatively to affect positive change in our community and beyond.