Read about Blue Boat Coffeehouse, Game Night, Community Celebration Dinner
The Sloop's Log
March 2019
Newsletter of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Scituate
We aspire to be a beacon
of liberal religion, strong community,
and transformative service.
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We aspire to be a Beacon of…..
… Liberal Religion
Worship in March: Parables of Jesus
All services begin at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.
Children and youth begin in the sanctuary with the adults to share in the opening of worship,
and then leave with their teachers for Religious Education.
Nursery care is available upstairs for children over18 months, but children are welcome to remain with parents.
Sunday March 3
Striving for Joy Lauri Klein, guest preacher
Our series on Joy finishes with Lauri Klein preaching on
Striving for Joy
and leading us in a guided meditation. A member of First Parish, Lauri is a psychotherapist and mindfulness instructor and a lay preacher among UU churches. The choir will sing
I will Sing with the Spirit
. Donna Cogliano will greet; Cathie McGowan and Vicki Davis will usher, and the Howe family will host coffee hour.
Sunday March 10
Waiting to Grow
Pamela Barz will begin our series on Jesus’ parables with a sermon on the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast from the
Gospel of Matthew
. The Girl Scouts of our congregation will take part in the service in recognition of Girl Scout Sunday. The choir will sing
Source of Peace.
Karen Frey will greet, Robert and Sarah Murdock will usher, and Eileen Donaldson will host coffee hour.
This Sunday is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Please remember to set your clocks one hour ahead.
Sunday March 17
The Spirituality of Imperfection Bill Ketchum
The longest of Jesus' parables, the story of the prodigal son,
Luke
15: 11-32
, is a lesson on mistakes and forgiveness. The characters in the parable all made mistakes but it is how they responded to their errors that Jesus uses for his message of forgiveness. Likewise in our lives, do we learn from our mistakes and respond with love and compassion? We will look at an ancient story with meaning for our modern lives. The choir will sing
I am Finding My Way Back to Now.
Mary Beaulieu and Charlie Ruddy will usher. We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host.
Sunday March 24
Must We Be Fair?
Pamela Barz will consider the parable of the workers in the vineyard (
Matthew 20: 1-16
), where all, no matter how long they labored, receive the same wage at the end of the day. The Choir will sing
Draw the Circle Wide.
Meryl Pinette and Carol Sullivan-Hanley will usher. We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host.
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Sunday March 31
When Lawyers Hear Stories Anne Robertson
The Bible as law is full of contradictions, loopholes, and complex questions. The Bible as story is clear as day. Anne Robertson will use the paradigm-breaking story of the Good Samaritan to look at what the Bible says to us today. The Choir will sing
When Our Heart is in a Holy Place. Damian Sullivan and Kim Sullivan
will usher. We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host
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A graduate of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, the Rev. Ms. Anne Robertson became the Executive Director of the historic Massachusetts Bible Society on April 17, 2007 after serving churches for 13 years as a United Methodist pastor. Winner of the Wilbur C. Ziegler Award for Excellence in Preaching, she is the author of four books:
Blowing the Lid Off the God-Box
,
God's Top 10: Blowing the Lid Off the Commandments
,
God With Skin On: Finding God's Love in Human Relationships
, and her most recent:
New Vision for an Old Story: Why the Bible Might Not Be the Book You Think It Is
. She also wrote
Exploring the Bible
which we have used at First Parish. Her books will be for sale after the service. Born and raised in Hope, RI, Anne is a now resident of Sandwich, MA.
Ministries of Hospitality
There are many opportunities for ministry each Sunday as we greet, create space for conversation, and add color to our worship. Please sign up to serve in the Sloop Room or online at the following:
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From the Minister
On February 26 the international United Methodist Church voted to maintain its rules against gay marriage and non-celibate gay clergy, with more stringent punishments on those who violate those rules. Those who voted in favor of this “Traditional Plan” understand their position as the only one true to the Bible. They read the Bible as unequivocally condemning homosexuality.
So it is especially good timing that we begin a series on Jesus’ parables this month. Though we won’t be looking at this issue (the passages cited are in the Old Testament and Paul’s letters), we will be offering a different approach to the Bible, one that looks at it as a product of its times, full of puzzling statements which may have been heard differently by their original audience from the ways we hear them today. Understanding that we may, can, and must bring reason and imagination to the books of the Bible will help us offer a counter-view to those who see them as immutable and uninterpretable in any other way. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the stories we will explore.
See you in Church,
Pamela
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Parables Discussion
Each week during our sermon series on Jesus’ parables, Pamela Barz and Bill Ketchum will lead a discussion of the story to be preached on that Sunday using a method of Bible study which uses art and discussion to look at what the story might say to us today. No knowledge of the Bible is necessary to participate. The class is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bible) though extra Bibles will be available. Sessions will be Wednesday March 6, Thursday March 14, Wednesday March 20, Wednesday March 27, and Wednesday April 3, 7-8:30 pm at the church. Come to one or more and hear how your thoughts turn up in the following Sunday’s sermon.
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Theatre and the Spirit: Broadway and Faith
We begin a new series this month, using plays as a prism for faith. Local playwright, director, and theatre professor Lisa Rafferty will lead this monthly series along with Pamela Barz and Natasha Stewart, Priest-in-Charge of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. During the first session, Monday March 18, 7-8:30 pm at First Parish, we will look at
Fiddler on the Roof (
book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, based on stories by Sholom Alecheim)
.
Our discussion will be based on listening to songs and reading aloud passages from the script. No advance preparation is necessary, but if you would like to listen to some snippets ahead of time, Lisa suggests this link:
https://www.mtishows.com/fiddler-on-the-roof
.
Future discussions will focus on
Godspell
(Monday April 8) and
The Savannah Disputation
(Monday May 13). Both of these conversations will be held at St. Luke’s.
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Another Brene Brown Discussion?
In January two small groups gathered for a five week conversation about the work of Brene Brown on fear, shame, and vulnerability. The groups found the conversations so powerful, that others have asked if we could offer another group. If you would be interested in taking part in such a conversation, especially one that meets during the day, please email Pamela Barz (
pamela.merrill.barz@gmail.com
).
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Religious Education News
When I was preparing to present a “message for all ages” on the joy of friendship I realized that is a good description of religious education. Friendship is a wonderful relationship to have, but very difficult to describe in words. As I struggled with the “words” for my message for all ages I realized friendship is impossible to describe in a few words. The “action” of friendship seemed to be a better way to present a friendship relationship.
I came up with the idea of having a “see-saw” in the sanctuary. Luckily, Brandon and Noah were available and they are about the same size and weight for a “see-saw” demonstration. The importance of the give and take, plus making adjustments to weight distribution are obvious on a see-saw. Noah and Brandon succeeded on my rickety see-saw to balance out their weight and movements up and down.
The challenge of religious education, as I see it, is to understand the adjustments we all make to the ups and downs of life. This year we are using the Bible as a source for life experiences to see how the Hebrew Nation and the early Christian Community cultivated relationships. We will be moving early in March to the study of the New Testament. Jesus had a lot to say about relationships with friends but especially with “the other” who we may not consider, at first, to be treated as like a friend. We will be learning about the question “who is our friend?” this month in religious education.
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The OWL (
Our Whole Lives) group
OWL's next meeting is this Sunday
March 3, 5:00 - 6:30 pm.
Below is the list of meeting times:
Sunday March 24, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Sunday April 7, 5:00 - 6:30 pm
Sunday April 28, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
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SciCohRockWell Youth Group
Below is the updated list of meetings and events:
Sun Mar 3, 5pm – 7pm youth group meeting - Channing
Fri - Sun Mar 8-10 - 1 night CON in Westminster. days/times TBD
Sun Mar 17 5pm - 7pm youth group meeting - Norwell
Sun Mar 31 5pm – 7pm youth group meeting - Scituate
Sun Apr 14 5pm – 7pm youth group meeting - Channing
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First Parish OWL Registration 2018-2019!
Please remember to
register your youth.
Y
outh must be registered to participate in the program.
First Parish Religious Education Registration 2018-2019!
As we plan for the coming year, it would be very helpful to have children and youth register now. Registration forms are attached to this email
RE 2018-2019
.
We also rely on parents and other adults to serve as teachers and members of the RE Committee. While you are registering your child(ren), please take a minute also to fill out the "Support our Children's Religious Education Program" Form and indicate how you will contribute this year. In our cooperative program, each family is asked to support the program in some way, whether by teaching, serving on the RE Committee, or coordinating a program or event. The forms will also be available at church on Sunday. Please either drop them off at church, or email them to our parish administrator at
firstparishscituate@verizon.net
.
Peace, this winter.
Bill Ketchum
, Director of Religious Education
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Notes from Beth Dubuisson, Music Director
Thanks go to
Earth Harmony musicians
for
for sharing their musical gifts with us on February 10th.
New Choir members
are welcome to join us! Rehearsals are Sunday mornings 9:00-10:00.
Our anthems for March are :
3/3 :
I will Sing with the Spirit
by John Rutter
3/10:
Source of Peace
by Scott Kearns
3/17:
I am Finding My Way Back to Now
by Heather Pierson and Bernice Martin
3/24:
Draw the Circle Wide
by Mark A. Miller
3/31:
When Our Heart is in a Holy Place
by Joyce Poley
The annual
Choir Party
is Saturday March 23rd from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the home of Sarah and Bob Murdock. Our party is one of the fun perks of being a choir member!
🎼 High School Seniors
Lily Duff,
flutist, and
Win Lawson,
trombonist, will present a free recital on Sunday March 31st, 3:00 p.m. in the First Parish Sanctuary. I will accompany them on the piano. Come hear music of Bourgeois, Handel, Morceau, Saint-Saëns and more!
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Monday Night Meditation
Would you like to incorporate meditation into your spiritual practice? Would you like to learn how to meditate? Would you like to add the energy of others to your already existing practice? You are invited to come to First Parish’s bi-monthly meditation sessions on the
2
nd
and 4
th
Monday
nights from
7 -8:30 p.m
. March's dates are Mondays 3/11 and 3/25. All are welcome. Email Brian or Patty Sutton with any questions at
brsutton@hotmail.com
or
pattysutton@gmail.com
.
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New Members
On Sunday March 10
th after church (at 11:45am-12:15pm), we’ll be leading a discussion with those interested in becoming members of the church. To become a member of First Parish, you are required to sign the church membership book. At the gathering after service, we’ll discuss what it means to be a member of first parish and provide an overview of church life, the services we offer each other, provide for the community and how the church operates and is governed. If you are interested, we welcome you to join this meeting. If you can’t make this gathering and would like to become a member of First Parish, please reach out to Sarah or Rev Pam Barz as soon as possible. New members will formally be welcomed into the church on May 19 during the Sunday service of the annual meeting.. To be able to vote in the Annual Meeting in May, new members much sign the book by March 20
th. Please contact, Membership Committee Chair Sarah Murdock (
smurd377@gmail.com) with any questions.
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Community Celebration Dinner -
Saturday March 9, 2019
We’re throwing a party as we look forward to Springing Ahead! Come to the church Saturday night, March 9, at 5:30, for food and entertainment! Just sign up on Sign Up Genius at
Community Celebration Dinner
, or email the Parish Administrator at
firstparishscituate@verizon.net.
We look forward to seeing you!
We will have wine, juice and sparkling drinks, cheese and crackers, meat and meatless lasagnas, salads, bread, desserts, and coffee and tea. This is our chance to celebrate as a church community, and we hope we’ll have a great turnout! Don’t worry about bringing food, or even paying anything for dinner. Just come – and enjoy our church community!
All ages are welcome, and families are very much encouraged. Please let us know by Monday, March 4, how many of you-all are planning to join us.
The Host Committee – Claire Sherman, Donna Cogliano, Ellen Isley, Kate Glennon, Alma Morrison, Wendy Wierzbowski and Ann Svensen
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Pizza and Game Night - Friday March 22, 6:00 to 9:00 in the Old Sloop room
Come enjoy a night of pizza and games. Bring a game or two that you enjoy or a deck of cards. We’ll order pizzas (pass the hat), or you can bring whatever you want to eat. Soda will be provided, but if you prefer, please bring other non-alcoholic drinks.
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2019 Stewardship Canvass
Pledges to support the church in the coming year (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020) continue to roll in, and our Progress Poster shows our Beacon shining further and further towards our goal. Progress is good but we need your pledge, if you have not yet sent it. We’d like to wrap up the pledge drive before the Community Celebration Dinner, Saturday March 9. Questions? Please contact Alma Morrison
almamorrison8298@gmail.com.
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Unity Club Dinner
Welcome ladies to the Unity Gathering on March 13, 2019. The gathering is at 6:30pm, and dinner's at 7:00 pm. The dinner charge is $5.00.
The Dinner Committee Members are: Gail Anderson, Laura Smith, Erica Boyle, Rhonda Gorski, Eileen Donaldson
Come enjoy a delightful evening filled with fellowship, food, and guaranteed fun.
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday March13th at 6:30 pm.
-Roxanne Greim
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Around the Parish
On Easter Sunday we will dedicate
Ruby Brown Hockenberry, daughter of
Wendy Brown
and Josh Hockenberry and on May 19 we will dedicate
Jude Wislocki, son of
JoAnn and Mike Wislocki. Jude played the baby Jesus in our Christmas pageant. If you are interested in a dedication for your child or yourself, please speak with Pamela Barz.
Thank UU’s to:
Jim Nidositko, Mike McGowan, Claire Sherman
and Carol Sullivan-Hanley for speaking during the Stewardship reflection about why they give joyfully to First Parish… to the leaders of the joyfully creative activities during the service on February 17:
Meryl Pinette,
Lin Haire-Sargeant,
Cathy Kang, Bill Ketchum, and Elizabeth Dubuisson… and to
Lin Haire-Sargeant for bringing the disco balls into the sanctuary for the joy services… to
Ray DesRoches for organizing and hosting the February game night… to February coffee hour hosts:
Mary Beaulieu and Charlie Ruddy, Marche Kellehals, Ruth Kuhn, and the Sullivan family. … to February greeters:
Julianna Dunn and Carol Sullivan-Hanley … to February ushers:
Cathie McGowan, Vicki Davis, Miles Jones, Oliver Jones, Mark Matthews, Mark McGuinness, and Jane McGuinness.
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To Our Church Family - Thank You
To the treasured friends and family of our church, I would like to offer our thanks for the kind and thoughtful support given during these past months of Jack’s illness and death.
The meals, the cards, the errands, Hospice’s constant support, and that of our children gave me a gift of security that was urgently needed at that time, and – all the love!
Most gratefully,
Kay Shaw
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Thomas Svensen
Jean Shildneck
Jean-Didier Bertola
Addie Oliver
Aiden Amelang
Liam Glennon
Marina Glennon
Claire Sherman
Nicholas Bokavich
Nancy Richards-Stower
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Mar 4
Mar 4
Mar 8
Mar 13
Mar 14
Mar 19
Mar 19
Mar 19
Mar 24
Mar 29
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... and Transformative Service
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Men’s Ministry
The Men’s Ministry of First Parish gathers monthly, usually on the first Saturday of the month, for breakfast and a service project in the community. On Saturday March 2 they will meet at 8 am for breakfast at the home of Alan Donaldson, 64 Satuit Trail in Scituate, followed by yard work for Alan (if the snow melts) and planning for upcoming projects. All men and boys are welcome. Please contact Chuck Jones (
Charles_a_Jones@yahoo.com) with questions or ideas for future projects.
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The Blue Boat Coffeehouse is going green for another sober
St. Patrick's Day celebration!
On Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 6:00-9:00 pm, we are proud to present our 10th
Blue Boat Coffeehouse
to highlight the incredible talent of local adults and youth while raising funds for a local non-profit organization.
This alcohol-free, substance-free, family-friendly event is open to the public and donations on this night are encouraged to benefit South Shore Peer Recovery, a local organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families in recovery from substance use disorders. South Shore Peer Recovery is a recovery support organization based in Scituate, which serves all communities in the area, and all pathways to recovery.
Suggested Donation is $5. Irish bread, baked goods and other refreshments will be available for purchase.
For information and the latest line-up of performers for the Blue Boat Coffeehouse on 3/16/19, please visit “The Blue Boat Coffeehouse” Facebook page.
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Represent First Parish at General Assembly
General Assembly is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association. Attendees worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to send voting delegates. The 2019 General Assembly will be June 19-23 in Spokane, Washington. Most General Assembly events will be held in the Spokane Convention Center.
The Power of We
What do we want Unitarian Universalism to be? It is a time when we are asking big questions in our faith, and GA 2019 will be focused on digging into those questions together. It is a critical chance for congregational leaders and passionate UUs to set new goals and aspirations for our religious community. Help begin to reshape our Association and our congregations in new and powerful ways.
This year’s theme is about collective power, “The Power of We,” as well as the possibility, the purpose, the struggle and the joy of what it means to be together in faithful community. In the past two years, Unitarian Universalism has recommitted to the work of liberation inside and outside our faith community. The antidote to a time of dangerous dehumanization is a love that connects us to our deeper humanity. Come to Spokane to experience what our shared faith can become when we embrace the Power of We.
Registration and Housing Open March 1
GA Registration and the GA Housing Reservation System open at 9 a.m. PST at
www.uua.org/ga
. First Parish is entitled to two delegates. If you are interested in representing us, please speak with Sheri Nidositko or Mark Matthews, Parish Committee Co-Chairs.
Spokane
The Spokane region is the gateway for adventure and exploration in the Intermountain Northwest. Located driving distance from Glacier National Park and Yellowstone, Spokane is nestled in natural beauty.
Spokane is located on interstate I-90, 110 miles from the Canadian border and 18 miles from Idaho. It is the largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis.
Spokane International Airport (GEG) is serviced by Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, and United Airlines. Nonstop service is offered to 17 destinations, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, and LAX.
Spokane is accessible by rail via Amtrak’s Empire Builder route (Chicago - St. Paul/Minneapolis - Spokane - Portland/Seattle). It is also reachable by Greyhound Bus.
Excellent Programming
GA will offer more than 100 programming selections over the course of five days. This year, in addition to Theme-Based Programming, the schedule will feature Role-Based Track Programming, including time for discussion among attendees, sharing inspiring models and stories, and concrete suggestions for how to further the work or "take it home." More programming details are available at www.uua.org/ga.
Financial Aid Available
The UUA is committed to the goal of making GA accessible to as many attendees as possible. Go to uua.org/ga in the month of March to learn about scholarships to support delegates - particularly those from marginalized groups - and volunteer opportunities (work in exchange for registration).
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Sat. 2nd
8:00 am
Men's Ministry
Sun. 3rd
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
5:00 pm OWL Meeting
5:00 pm Youth Group-Channing Church
Mon. 4th
7:00 pm Parish Committee
Wed. 6th
10:30 am Fididdlers
7:00 pm Parables Study
Fri 7th-Sun. 10th
Youth CON
Sat. 9th 5:30 pm Community Celebration
Dinner
Sun 10th
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
11:45 am New Member Discussion
Mon. 11th
7:00 pm Meditation
Wed. 13th
10:30 am Fididdlers
6:30 pm Unity Club Dinner
Thurs. 14th
7:00 pm Parables Study
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Fri. 15th
7:00 pm Celildhe
Sat. 16th
6:00 pm Blue Boat Coffeehouse
Sun. 17th 9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
Mon. 18th 7:00 pm Theatre & the Spirit
Wed. 20th 10:30 am Fididdlers
7:00 pm Parables Study
Fri. 22nd 6:00 pm Game Night
Sat. 23rd 6:30 pm Choir Party
Sun. 24th 9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
5:00 pm OWL Meeting
Mon. 25th 7:00 pm Meditation
Wed. 27th 10:30 am Fididdlers
7:00 pm Parables Study
S
un 31st
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
3:00 pm Recital
5:00 pm Youth Group
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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.
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