worshipWORSHIP and RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
  
January 8 11:00 a.m.
Keeping Faith in Times of Trouble
Rev. Jason Lydon
 
As right wing politics, xenophobia, and racism grow across the globe and right here at home, what does it mean to be a person of faith? Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that, "We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself." We will spend this Sunday reflecting on Bonhoeffer's legacy and martyrdom as we imagine our responsibility today.

 
January 15 11:00 a.m. Dream It
Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris
 
The words of Henry Hampton guide this service as we honor of  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the power of dreams - both Dr. King's and our own. Hampton, executive producer of the PBS series "Eyes on the Prize" wrote, "When you dream of something, you can begin to take it upon yourself, make it yours, change it.  But you have to dream it first. . . You have to think of the world as you would really have it.  I don't mean wish it, I mean dream it."  
 
Religious Education Update from Andrew Coate

H ello families and happy 2017!

We're getting back to our Spirit of Adventure curriculum after our break for Holiday and Holy Days. This coming Sunday we will start our Science curriculum with a lesson on Comets, Constellations, and Unitarian astronomer Maria Mitchell. The following week we cover Alexander Graham Bell and his inventions. 

Supply request:
If you have any old electronics laying around, such as keyboards, non functioning radios, or similar things that the kids could take apart and see the insides of, please drop them off for me any time over the next three weeks!



Coffee Hour

A time of fellowship in the Parish Hall/Dining Rook follows the worship service each Sunday. It you can serve as a host for a Sunday contact Paul Miller at pmmille2@yahoo.com.
searchTHE MINISTERIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE

Patience

The night before the names of interested ministers were released was especially fitful. I woke up several times to check the UUA website to see if any names of potential ministers were posted. The excitement I felt was of that of a child on Christmas morning. In my restlessness, I dreamed about a dead elephant. I told the committee about the dream and Patrick said that elephants symbolize patience. 

Coming to this point in the search at the dawn of a New Year is wonderfully symbolic of all of the initial excitement about what lies ahead. As the team waited for the names to be posted, we were reminded of the patience that is needed in this process--patience that we as the Search Committee must possess, and also your patience as a congregation as you wait to meet your ministerial candidate.
 
When the names were posted, we were delighted and humbled to learn that we had all of TEN diverse ministerial applicants interested in our congregation! As we begin our quest to narrow the field of candidates down to our top three, we want you to know that we are keeping our promise to you to find the best fit for us as a whole rather than playing up our own favorites. We are here to do your work and to serve you as the congregation!  

Our next steps will be interviewing candidates on video calls, checking references and then selecting three pre-candidates who we will actually meet in person and hear preach in nearby neutral pulpits. Now that we are entering a phase of confidentiality, we ask for your patience, your prayers, and your faith in us to find our new settled minister.  

Happy New Year!

Best,

Alisa McGann
Search Committee Member 
capcampaign
UPDATE FROM THE CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Campaign Video is Available!

We are excited to announce that a campaign video has been produced and is now up on the church website. It provides a GREAT explanation of the campaign and we hope it will be a really useful tool for ALL of us to use to get us over the line and reach our final fundraising goal - we only need about $30,000 more! We encourage you to look at the video, which can be accessed on our homepage, as well as on the Capital Campaign page. To view it now, here's the link.

Thank you!  

The Capital Campaign Committee  
SINGING THE JOURNEY

singIn 2005 the Unitarian Universalist Association published "Singing the Journey" (often called the "teal hymnal"), a paperback book which includes songs from a variety of different traditions and styles to supplement the 1993 "gray hymnal." We have bought fifty copies of this book for our pews, to add to our hymn options for services. We will be introducing it by singing one hymn from this book each Sunday for the next few weeks.
 
Each copy of the teal hymnal costs $16. If you are willing to contribute to this effort (not covered by our annual church budget), please make a check out to First Church, and mark "teal hymnal" on it.  Thank you!
socialSocial Justice  Council Meeting

Save the date: January 8 - 12:30 p.m. (after church)

The Social Justice Council invites the wider First Church community to participate in the rejuvenation of an active Social Justice Committee, beginning with an inaugural meeting after church on Sunday, January 8, 2017. Cornel West has said that justice is what love looks like in public. When it comes to justice, the challenges currently facing our society seem significant, and daunting. Our goal is to create a group that affords all interested members of the First Church community the opportunity to join together and engage the world in a manner consistent with our values. We want to inform you about existing works and offer opportunities for your involvement.  

Current efforts include:
  • Operating the Food Pantry
  • Climate Justice advocacy and organizing
  • Supporting Black Lives Matter
  • Supporting the Mother's Day Walk for Peace
  • Supporting Common Cathedral
  • Supporting Sojourner House
  • Supporting the Food Project
Are there other initiatives you would like to undertake as a church community? We want to empower all members to take on leadership in a responsible fashion. In addition, we would like your ideas about creating a rapid response capacity, and we will learn about the Boston-based woman's march (set to coincide with the million women's march on D.C.). All are welcome!  Please join us on January 8th.

Tracey, Carol, Chuck, Jerry, Gwyn, Heather, Jane, Jason, Jom, Mary, and Nancy
The Life and Legacy 
of Emily Greene Balch 
January 8, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.  
 
emily2Because of her family ties to First Church, the Jamaica Plain Historical Society has chosen to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Emily Greene Balch here at our church, Sunday, January 8, 2017, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Kristen Gwinn-Becker, PhD will discuss the life and legacy of this prominent American economist, sociologist, internationalist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. The talk will detail how Emily Greene Balch's strong family upbringing and the spirit of activism in Jamaica Plain spurred on her activities in poverty relief, child labor, immigration, settlement work, and her leadership in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.  George Wardle will briefly comment on the Balch family's long history at First Church.  The event is free and open to the public.  Church members are encouraged to come and bring their friends. 

marchJoin the First Church group (of women and men) marching in the Boston Women's March for America. We march in solidarity with communities most affected by intolerance and to show the world that the United States stands for values of human decency, equal rights and freedom from discrimination. To join, register with the group at bostonwomensmarchforamerica.orgContact Alice Hawley at ahhawley@comcast.net for First Church group meet-up information.
semiSemi-Annual Meeting on January 22nd

Please save the date for this congregational meeting. We will gather at 12:30. The agenda will include a mid year financial report, an update from the Search Committee, and news of the kick off for the annual First Church Budget Drive. 
ORGAN RESTORATION UPDATE

organ2Our 1854 pipe organ is built in layers, so the pipes must be removed in order for the team to reach the "action" that they will be repairing.  

On Monday, an excellent team (Thalia, George W., Cynthia, Cathy B., Mary B., Joel, and Ellen) emptied the loft of all the sheet music and hymnals that are usually stored there. Thank you everyone!

On Tuesday, a scaffold was erected near the back radiator, and the tall gold façade pipes were removed, so that the pipes behind them could be carefully laid in long wooden trays. After the innards of the organ are removed this week, the façade pipes will be replaced in their customary row, so you won't be able to tell from the floor that most of the organ behind them is missing.

   
 Passing down a facade pipe    A t emporary home for the pipes


 Trays for storing the ranks of pipes while repairs are ongoing

 A rank of pipes awaiting storage in its wooden tray

Pipes nestled safely in their box until Palm Sunday
retreat2FIRST CHURCH ANNUAL RETREAT
March 31 - April 2, 2017

Save the Date  for our Annual Retreat!
March 31st  - April 2nd, 2017

Our Annual First Church Retreat will be held once again at Glastonbury Abbey from Friday, March 31st around 7pm through brunch on Sunday, April 2nd.  Please let Mary Brady know if you'd like to participate this year, or learn more about this spiritual gathering. 


Details to follow.
BLM The Next Vigil
Join us for the next monthly vigil in front of First Baptist Church on Centre Street on January 5th from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Vigils are held on the first Thursday of the month.  
FOOD PANTRY

Foodpantry2The first pantry of the new year was held on Thursday January 5th. Items needed for January and February pantries are tuna and soups with protein. Many thanks for your support in 2016!  And for your continuing support in this new year!

Thank you!
CARING COMMUNITY
caringAnne Rogers is the Chair of the Caring Community. Please let her  know if you need help from Caring Community or if you are willing to provide help to those who in need. Thank you.

Phone: 617-285-4472
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