February 20-March 5, 2018

February 25 – “…where angels fear to tread”: Shall We Risk More Talk about God? – Rev. Stan Barrett. Our congregational study last year revealed that some of us want to talk more about God, and others distinctly do not. Undoubtedly many of us feel mixed, or think “it depends.” We are a faith community which not only respects different theologies (or non-theologies), but has what I consider a lovely carefulness about our use of God-language and God-concepts (or anti-God language/concepts): careful lest we alienate each other. On the other hand, our carefulness may inhibit some of the sharing – and, yes, intimacy – which is possible in the beloved community. Read more...

March 4 – Generous Future – Rev. Susan Milnor . History has been generous to the First Religious Society, and the congregation and faith have been generous to the community in return. How can generosity – of spirit, heart, resources – be the foundation for a fourth century at FRS? We will kick off the main phase of our combined Annual Pledge Drive and the Next Century Campaign today with the generous music of Lark Madden and the Jazz Vespers Band, testimonials from John Mercer and Lisa Johnson, music, hymns, and a sermon by Rev. Susan Milnor. It’s all about pulling together with heart. Steve Swallow will share his Journey of Faith.

March 11 – She Persisted – Family Service - Rev. Susan Milnor and Julie Parker-Amery. March is Women’s History month and thus a perfect time to lift up the stories of Unitarian and Universalist women. These stories are important to UUs of all ages. Let’s reflect on some who have made important contributions to the evolution of our faith tradition and to the well-being of the larger community. Today is Soup Sunday. Enjoy a selection of chili and homemade soups. Suggested donation is $5.

March 18 – Rev. Susan Milnor. Topic to be announced.

March 25 – Rabbi Benjamin Resnick, Congregation Ahavas Achim, pulpit guest.

Collection for a Cause

Half of February’s unpledged cash collection will go to Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism. Half of March’s collection will go to Our Neighbor’s Table, providing food assistance to individuals and families.

CALENDAR

Wednesday, February 21: FRS Common Read: Waking Up White . Discuss the book by Debby Irving . Lower Meeting House, 7pm. Don’t have a copy yet? Get it on Kindle or Audible.

Sunday, February 25: FRS Common Read: Waking Up White . Discuss the book by Debby Irving. Lower Meeting House, 11:45am.

Tuesday, February 27: When You Have No Home to Come Home to. Central Congregational Church, 14 Titcomb St, Newburyport, 7pm. The Grace Center from Gloucester is presenting their successful establishment of a homeless day shelter. Sponsored by the Justice Action Ministry.

Wednesday, February 28: Visiting Stewards Orientation. Lower Meeting House, 9am.

Thursday, March 1: Visiting Stewards Orientation. Lower Meeting House, 7pm.

Saturday, March 3: Visiting Stewards Orientation. Lower Meeting House, 9am.

Tuesday, March 6: Short Story Group. Lower Meeting House, 12-1 pm. The story for discussion is "Lucelia Louise Turner" by Gloria Naylor. Attendees are welcome to bring a lunch. (This group meets regularly the first and third Tuesdays of every month.)

Tuesday, March 6: Membership series begins. Lower Meeting House, 7pm. Continues on March 13 and 20. Want to know what becoming a member of FRS is all about? Share your spiritual journey, meet some longtime members, learn about Unitarian Universalism and the history of this congregation. Sign up with Diane Young , Director of Community Engagement, X409. No commitment, just an opportunity for discernment.

Wednesday, March 7: First Wednesday Forum: A Conversation on the Traumatic Effect of Racism. Lower Meeting House, 7pm. Sponsored by JAM and Pennies for Poverty. What are the effects of historic and systemic racism, together with blatant and latent white supremacy, on people of color? And what is our contribution to it, either active or unknowing? Speaker: Doug Lomax from the Roxbury Presbyterian Church.

Wednesday, March 7: Jazz Vespers. Sanctuary, 8-8:45pm. Featuring reader Brent Mitchell and saxophonist Danny Harrington. Danny joins the house band of Lark Madden, Tomas Havrda, Susan Creamer and Michael Gruen. Jazz Vespers celebrates the inspiration of Jazz, Blues and Pop music, and includes readings and time for reflection.

Wednesday, March 14: Alliance presents A Haiku Workshop. Lower Meeting House. Business meeting begins at noon. At 1pm, guest speakers Tom Stites and Ann McCrea are back by popular demand. Explore what makes a haiku and what doesn’t, and write your own. Those who choose may read theirs, and have them published in the Steeple newsletter. All are welcome. Coffee and desserts will be served.

Thursday, March 15: Planning a Memorial Service. Lower Meeting House A&B, 10:30am. Leave a gift to your family and friends: clear information about how you would like your life honored after your death. Learn what goes into planning a memorial service. File information about your own wishes for the next minister. Even if you’re not ready to plan for yourself, the session can be helpful when it comes to other family members. Facilitator: Rev. Susan Milnor.

WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY

Pettengill House food drive for February

Donated food items can be dropped off at the table in the vestibule. The Community Human Services Committee will accept donations of money after the service, if you’d prefer them to do the shopping. Especially in demand: healthy children’s snacks such as granola bars, Nutri-Grain bars, packages of peanut butter and cheese crackers, trail mix and non-perishable fruit cups.

Energy audits for FRS and you

A MassSave Energy Audit will be performed on the church and parish hall buildings on February 27, arranged by the Climate Action Project in its ongoing effort to assess and reduce our carbon footprint. Note: if you had an energy audit done on your own house in the past, you can have a new one done. Due to better lighting, heating and insulation technologies, MassSave has even more advice, services and materials to supply.

Circle Dinners – Dinners at Home

Save the Date – Saturday, April 28, 2018. Circle Dinners are a wonderful way for all of the adults in our community to gather in small informal groups in the homes of other members of the church. New members and adults new to the community are particularly welcome to this strictly social event! You can be a Host or Guest. Hosts open their homes and provide the table setting and something for the shared meal. Read more...

Thanks for Hospitality

Great thanks to the Hospitality Committee for organizing another convivial Mid-Winter Party. And a special thanks to Cyd and Manfred Raschke for opening their home. The dedicated Hospitality folks work hands-on week after week so that we can spend informal time getting to know each other over good food, at Soup Sundays, Coffee Hour, Circle Dinners, and May Breakfast.

Church-goers!

The Hospitality Committee is looking for new members. Cooking is not a requirement! If you're interested, please contact Julie Menin or Florence Mercer. Find their email addresses in FRS Connect.

Become a member to vote on FRS’ next minister

Only members of FRS (those who have signed a membership application) can vote when the congregation calls its next minister. Members commit to pursue their own spiritual development and support others’, offer their time and talents to build and sustain the beloved community, and participate in the annual pledge drive. To become a member, contact Diane Young , Director of Community Engagement, X409.

"I am connected to these people"

At our February 11 racial justice service, speakers shared their stories about racism. Read two of them below.

" As I’m sure many of you remember, a group of us high school students took a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border this past June to learn about immigration justice. With seemingly everyone constantly debating about the “right way” to deal with immigration, we decided to choose to visit the border ourselves to see what was really going on some two thousand miles away from here. Prior to my involvement with this group, which starting meeting in September 2016, I didn’t give much thought to the issue, only knowing that my mother, who is Puerto Rican, was appalled by what she had heard about the issue on a more personal level, as these people shared a language and similar culture to her own growing up."  Read more...

"I’ve been asked to speak about my awakening to racial justice issues. I call it an awakening, but it’s really been many things…an education, an admission, an acceptance, a willingness, a leap of faith. I saw myself as having no racial prejudice, and I certainly had no evil intent. Yet, I had a willingness to believe that racial injustice was a thing of the past, and therefore I turned a blind eye to ongoing, systemic racism. The more I’ve learned, the more I’m troubled by what I never knew."  Read more...

The deadline for the March 6 Steeple Biweekly is Friday, March 2 at noon.

Send your submissions to Diane Young .

Interim Minister –The Rev. Susan Milnor, Director of Religious Education –Julie Parker Amery, Religious Education Assistant –Sharon Broll, Interim Music Director –Dana Maiben, Youth Choirs Director –Kristen Miller, Director of Community Engagement –Diane Young, Director of Finance and Administration –Kristen Fehlhaber, Office Administrator –Nicole Salemi, Sexton –Ed Mair. Parish Board: Chair –Barbara Garnis, Vice Chair –Art Henshaw, Clerk –Ann Haaser, Treasurers –Alex Gramling and Rich Johnson, John Billington, Jay Iannini, Lisa Johnson, Lynn Kettleson, Julie Menin, Ann Power, Karen Young, Finance Chair –Lark Madden, Governance Chair –Frances McLaughlin.