The Sloop's Log
October 2018
Newsletter of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Scituate
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We aspire to be a Beacon of…..
… Liberal Religion
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Worship in October: “Possibilities”
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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 over
18 months, but children are welcome to remain with parents.
Sunday October 7
Looking Back to Move Forward
Mary Margaret Earl returns to our pulpit for the first of our services on the theme “It’s Possible!” with a reflection on how the possibility of change requires wading into our history. The choir will sing
The Fire of Commitment. Carol Sullivan-Hanley
will greet, Cathie and Michael McGowan are the ushers, and Ruth Kuhn will host coffee hour.
The Rev. Ms. Mary Margaret Earl is Executive Director and Senior Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry. In this ministry, she has worked to strengthen bonds between UUs and the Roxbury neighborhood where the UUUM operates. She is on the Moral Movement Massachusetts leadership team, which seeks to engage faith leaders in grassroots work with people impacted by poverty and injustice. Prior to her arrival at the UU Urban Ministry, she spent 10 years at a faith-based nonprofit in RI serving the homeless community. She is past president of the Board of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, recipient of the Heroes of Faith Award from the Rhode Island State Council of Churches for her interfaith work, and is a longtime vegan committed to standing up for nonhuman animals.
She will be joined by her UUUM colleague Annie Stubbs and both will be present at the coffee hour after the service to answer questions and to think with us about how we might connect more closely with the work of the UUUM of which we are a member congregation.
Sunday October 14
Healing the Heart of Democracy
The sermon title comes from a book by the Quaker author, educator, and activist Parker J. Palmer. With ever more polarized people and politicians, how can we ever come together? How is it possible to heal the heart of our country? Pamela Barz preaching. Kathy Kang will serve as our guest musician and choir director. The Choir will sing
May We Build Democracy. We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host.
Sunday October 21
Play Time
On the Sunday of the Children’s Sabbath, Pamela Barz will reflect on the necessity of play in children’s lives and what we can do to encourage play for all children.
The Choir will sing
Saranam.We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host.
Halloween Sunday October 28
Frankenstein, the Monster, and Us
Two hundred years ago Mary Shelley wrote the first work of science fiction,
Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus, telling the now famous story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s tragic attempt to create life. What does her book say to us today? Pamela Barz, preaching. This is part of the international Frankenreads (
https://frankenreads.org/) celebration of the 200
th anniversary of the publication of the novel. Our fourth Sunday offering will go to the Unitarian Univeralist Urban Ministry.
The Choir will sing
Night Noises. We are in need of greeters and a coffee hour host.
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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This past Monday evening, October 1, our congregation lived out our worship theme this month, “It’s Possible!” Had you been at the church that evening, you would have found three of our FPUU members, Lisa Bertola, Milena Davidova, and Kate Glennon, with other members of the community making plans to get Scituate citizens out to the Town Meeting in November to vote on the initiative to ban single-use plastic bags which they drafted, sought signatures for, and got on the warrant.
Up the street in the Gates Middle School Commons another dozen members of the First Parish community had come to the School Committee meeting to hear and speak to a new process of selecting books to be used in the curriculum of the Scituate schools. It sounds like a dry subject, but at its heart was the removal of the book
Monster by Walter Dean Myers from its place in the 8
th grade curriculum after a group of parents protested its subject matter. Two of our youth, Moira Feeney and Oliver Jones, spoke powerfully about the way the book had opened their eyes and helped them to understand others’ lives and the world beyond Scituate; other members of our congregation spoke of the dangers of censorship, the importance of a fair process, and how literature can open our hearts and minds to deal with our fears of “the other” and the hardships of life.
Neither group completed its work Monday night. The plastic bag ban still needs us to vote it in. Though the process is now in place to evaluate books more objectively and names the importance of education helping our children and youth understand and prepare to live in a diverse world, Monster hasn’t been restored to the curriculum and the other books still need to be evaluated under those guidelines. But our involvement in both efforts is making a difference, beginning changes which might not have seemed possible a year ago.
In worship this Sunday, Bill Ketchum will be talking about the first flight of the Wright Brothers’ airplane on December 17, 1903, another example of the impossible which slowly became the possible. In what areas today can we align our visions, hopes, and efforts to make possible the impossible?
See you in Church,
Pamela
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A Strong Community, Rooted in Love
This year our goal is going to be our Mission theme, “A Strong Community, rooted in Love”. As we gather and work let us keep in mind what Strong Community means for each of us. Is our focus inward; sharing together as a congregation? Is it welcoming outreach to the greater community we live in amongst our immediate neighbors? Is it a concerned community engaged in the wellbeing of our country and our place in the global human family?
What does Strong Community mean to you? To us? Please take a moment to write your answers on the sheets posted in the Old Sloop Room. Let us nurture our sense of belonging to each other and create the community we want to be.
Mark Matthews, Co-chair, Parish Committee
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Religious Education News
The religious education program has the study of the Bible as its focus this year. We have started at the beginning in the book of
Genesis
. The creation story always stimulates a lot of questions. My favorite was after we decided it was acceptable to have a lake in our “Garden of Eden” diorama we then voted down the idea of powerboats in the lake. Maybe paddle boats but we kept it simple with the materials we had available.
Nursery
, is led by Moira Feeney with help from Robbie Murdock and they have two rooms to move around in for many activities. I peeked in to see Moira explaining the cosmos to a group of three year olds! The sun, moon and stars all under the canopy of a room divider and toy trucks moving the earth.
Pre k-2
nd
grade
is led by Jen McGonagle Dziedzic, Jenn Bokavich with help from Tracey Timmons. The class is based on
Picture Book Bible Tales
and the rich stories with vivid pictures has been a fun read. The biggest smiles I saw were when the kids brought down fruit skewers to the pot luck lunch. We will be continuing the Bible stories in October with the stories of Noah, Joseph and Moses.
Grades 3-4-5,
is led by Juliana Dunn and Suzanne Oliver. The creation story and the diorama’s of “The Garden of Eden” used shoe boxes, colored paper and greenery found around the church grounds. Like the story in the Bible it all wasn’t created in one session: we needed a week to finish the project. One challenge was making human beings out of clay in proportion to the rest of creation in a shoe box and we had to cut a hole out of yellow announcement paper for the sun. The students were very resourceful in creating the world that fit in a shoebox!
Grades 6-8
, which are led by Brian and Patty Sutton, Ann Corbo and Jim Nidostitko. The class has been looking at stories in the Book of Genesis based on
Living The Promise
a Unitarian Universalist curriculum. They are not only starting at the beginning of the Bible but for many of the children this is their first in depth look at themes in the Bible. A recent class discussed the story of Cain and Abel and the concept of “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Moving into October we will be discussing Joseph (of the many colored coat) and his relationships with his brothers.
Please note this
Sunday, October 7
th
, is during Columbus Day Weekend and religious education will have a “One Room School House”. The children will have an activity to do together in the school room after the story for all ages in the sanctuary. Weather permitting we will build planes and fly them outside!
The OWL group
or Our Whole Lives is led by Joe Glennon and Jenn Mackey. They have had their first meeting at the church which was well attended. Going forward into October their meetings are scheduled for October 14
th
and 28
th
starting at 5 pm.
The Youth Group also known as SciCohRockWell,
with advisor Billy Timmins has had meetings in Rockland and Scituate with future meetings planned for Norwell and Cohasset. Their upcoming activities include movie nights, corn maze, bowling and lazer tag.
Below is a calendar of events through the end of the year. we will fill this out with other events that the youth want to do this year:
Sun 10/14: 5:00 – 7:00 pm Youth group meeting - Norwell
Fri 10/26: Time TBD - Movie Night at Channing church. We will be watching the Little Vampire and all are invited.
Sat 10/27: 7:00 - 10:00 pm - Flashlight Corn Maze - Nesrella Farm - 139 Hemlock Lane, Halifax, MA.
Sun 10/28: 5:00 – 7:00 pm Youth group meeting - Channing
Fri-Sun 11/9 - 11/11 One night CON - possibly this weekend. TBD
Sunday, November 11, 2018 5:00 – 7:00 pm Possible youth group meeting Norwell (if CON next weekend)
Fri-Sun 11/16 - 11/18 1 night CON - possibly this weekend. TBD
Sunday, November 18, 2018 5:00 – 7:00 pm Possible youth group meeting Norwell (if CON previous weekend)
Sun 12/2: 5:00 – 7:00 pm Youth group meeting - Channing
Sun 12/16: 5:00 – 7:00 pm Youth group meeting - Norwell
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First Parish OWL Registration 2018-2019!
Please remember to
register your youth.
Youth 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.
Blessings,
Bill Ketchum, Director of Religious Education
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Notes from Beth Dubuisson, Music Director
First Parish Choir News:
We welcome new singers Pam Prescott, Honora Sullivan, Kim Sullivan, and Molly Sullivan. Anyone in 7th grade or older is invited to sing with us. We rehearse Sunday mornings at 9:00.
Our anthems for the month of October:
October 7th:
The Fire of Commitment
by Jason Shelton
October 14th:
May We Build Democracy
by Dave Coldren
UU Principle #5 in song.
October 21st:
Saranam
by Jason Shelton. A Celtic daily prayer set to music.
October 28th:
Night Noises
by Ruth Schram
👻
Guest musicians for October
:
Oct. 14th: Cathy Kang will be the guest musician in my absence.
Oct. 21st: Brian Sutton will sing
Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor.
This is a Blues/Folk old standard song, recorded by many people.
Oct. 28th: Michael Feeney and Moira Feeney will sing
Remember Me
from the movie
Coco
.
Looking ahead: Sunday November 4th our All Souls service will consist of music by Leonard Bernstein. 2018 is the 100th anniversary of his birth. Musicians include the adult choir; Donna Culley, violin; Caroline Hine, cello; Moira Feeney, voice; and Cathy Kang, flute.
I hope to see you at our Silent Movie event Saturday October 20th, 7:00 with organ improvising by Peter Krasinski.
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Community Book Discussion:
:
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The Community Book Discussion on Issues of Diversity is focusing this year on the books included in the Gates and Scituate High School curriculum, beginning with the book which was dropped from the 8
th grade curriculum. Monster tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives. Published in 1999, It was nominated for the 1999 National Book Award for Young People's Literature, won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2000, and was named a Coretta Scott King Award Honor the same year. Copies are available through the OCLN system. Come join the discussion on Tuesday October 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Scituate Library Community room. John Scopelleti, chair of the English Department at SHS and Gates, will lead the conversation. Eighth graders and high school students are welcome to attend.
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
..October 's dates are Monday10/8, and Monday 10/22. All are welcome. Email Brian or Patty Sutton with any questions at
brsutton@hotmail.com
or
pattysutton@gmail.com
.
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Around the Parish
YVONNE G. TWOMEY
January 1, 1925 – September 9, 2018
May Light perpetual shine upon her.
Yvonne Twomey’s rich life will be celebrated in a memorial service at First Parish on Saturday October 27 at 1 p.m. led by Pamela Barz with a remembrance by FPUU minister emeritus Rich Stower…. We offer our sympathies to
Jen McGonagle Dziedzic on the death of her uncle, ... and to
Karen Frey on the death of her mother.
Thank UUs: to
Ruth Kuhn for shepherding us to a renewed clean kitchen status with the Board of Health... to
Jenn Mackey and
Lin Haire-Sargeant for working with guest preacher
Steve Washburn on the September 16 and 23 services; to
Kim, Molly, and Honora Sullivan for making the backpack blessing key chains (more available in the sanctuary if you didn’t get one or would like a second one); to
Jim Nidositko, Janie Culbert, and Damian Sullivan for their reflections on September 30 on how the church feeds them and they in turn feed others…. To all who have contributed to coffee hours, greeted, ushered, planted, weeded, and watered!
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ORGAN MUSIC BRINGS NEW LIFE TO CLASSIC HORROR FILMS
L
ast year's event was so successful that we are going to do it again … with two more classics! A triple Halloween treat on Saturday evening, October 20: concert-quality music, classic Hollywood films, and the pleasure of hearing the peal of the church’s unique, antique pipe organ. The event will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm., and is by cash admission of $15 per person (age 16 and under free).
Award-winning film improv organist Peter Krasinski will accompany and interpret two classic movies, the iconic
Frankenstein
, and Buster Keaton's silent comic short
The Electric House
,
performing on the church’s historic and newly-renovated 1906 Hook & Hastings organ. Mr. Krasinski skillfully adds an extra thrill with his brilliant rendition of plots and characters … an event not to be missed!! A dark church, dramatic organ music, Buster Keaton and Frankenstein's monster … an unusual and wonderful Halloween experience!
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Fididdlers
Drop in at the church any Wednesday between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to participate in crafting and conversation.
Unity Club
Welcome Ladies! On Wednesday, October 10th, the Unity Club will host their fall gathering and dinner .Come enjoy friendship, good food, and some laughs. The gathering begins at 6:30 pm, and dinner at 7:00. The dinner charge is $5.00, and Unity Club dues are $10.00.
Dinner Committee: Birgitta Lindblom, Julianna Dunn, Ruth Kuhn, Dawn Brindley Howe, Sandy Kingsland, and
Karen Frey.
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday the 10
th
, at 6:30 pm.
-Roxanne Greim, Unity Club
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The Joy of Money
In New England we are often reluctant to talk about money, whether we have lots of it or very little. I suggest that we think about money – our church’s money - from another perspective.
During the service on Sunday September 30, Jim Nidositko mentioned aspects of the church that are especially important to him personally: the wonderful music that enriches our services, our religious education program in which both children and teachers are enriched by their exploration of the curriculum together, and third, the self-governing nature of the church. Jim said, “Because we are self-governing, self-organizing, we are unique. Everything we do week to week, and the days in between, is the product of the members of our church. If you were to take each person’s contributions to the church away one by one, we would end left with nothing. But because of us all, we have this church, unique and wonderful. It is what we make it.”
And although Jim did not say it, we are also self-financing and depend upon everybody’s contribution of money for our programs. By our own free will each of us decides how much to contribute, and by vote of church members we decide how to spend it. We receive no funding from the UUA or any other outside source. The largest part of our budget comes from current members. A smaller share is supplied from the earnings on our endowment fund which was set up with the foresight of earlier generations of church members. And a still-smaller share comes from rentals of our church properties.
Our church is what we make it. One
good way to think about contributing money is to reflect on the many ways everyone in the congregation contributes to the meaning, richness and joy in your church life. And then there will be joy in having enough money to not worry about how to keep our church strong. – Alma Morrison, Finance Chair.
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Happy Birthday in October!
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Wendy Ballinger
Andy Culbert
Lisa Bertola
Mackenzi Boyle
Makayla Boyle
Burak Laciner
Robbie Murdock
Kate Glennon
Pamela Barz
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Oct 2
Oct 3
Oct 4
Oct 6
Oct 6
Oct 18
Oct 23
Oct 24
Oct 30
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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 October 6 they will gather at 8 a.m. for breakfast at the home of Alan Donaldson, 64 Satuit Trail, and then help members of the community with yard work and installing storm windows. Please bring clippers, rakes, and other garden tools. Contact Chuck Jones (
Charles_A_Jones@yahoo.com) with questions or ideas for future projects.
Buildings and Grounds
The Buildings and Grounds Committee is looking for a few more volunteers! Keeping our wonderful church building in good repair is a great way to become involved and meet new people.
If you enjoy gardening and landscaping or would like to be involved in planning projects to keep our church and parsonage looking its best please email Erica Boyle
ericaboyle1@gmail.com
Erica Boyle, Building and Grounds Committee Chair
Helping Scituate Go Green!
The Scituate groups looking to eliminate single-use plastic bags, and to support Community Choice electricity have begun their "Get Out the Vote" phase. Milena Davidova, Kate Glennon, and Lisa Bertola are looking for anyone interested in outreach efforts. Please contact them (or join the Facebook group Scituate Plastic Bags) for information useful in convincing neighbors and friends to attend the Special Town Meeting to vote green on
Wed, Nov 14!
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Scituate Food Pantry -Volunteers Needed for October
The month of October is our church's time to support the Scituate Food Pantry by sending extra volunteers: one person on Tuesdays 9:00-1:00 pm and/or Thursdays 3:00-5:30 pm each week of October.
The work is mainly dating donated goods and filling orders for clients. There is some lifting and bending required.
The Food Pantry always needs: catsup, mayonnaise, jelly, juice, coffee, tea, cookies, crackers, cereal, sugar, canned fruit, pancake mix and syrup, spaghetti sauce, and canned meats.
In addition, the Food Pantry has Thanksgiving needs: stuffing, gravy, brownie mix, fruit cocktail, chicken broth, mashed potatoes (16oz), and store bought “fancy” cookies.
Please contact me at church or at 781-378-1562, if you have any questions. Thank you!
- Alan Donaldson, Food Pantry Representative
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Mon. 1st
7:00 pm Plastic Bag Ban Meeting
Wed. 3rd
10:30 am Fididdlers
Sat. 6th
8:00 am Men's Ministry
Sun. 7th
Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
Mon. 8th
7:00 pm Meditation
Tues. 9th
6:30 pm Community Book Discussion -
Scituate Library
Wed. 10th
10:30 am Fididdlers
Sun. 14th
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
5:00 pm OWL Meeting
5:00 pm Youth Group in Norwell
Wed. 17th
10:30 am Fididdlers
7:00 pm Parish Committee
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Fri. 19th
Scituate Ceilidhe
Sat. 20th
11:30 am Religious Services Meeting
7:00 pm Silent Movie -
Frankenstein
Sun. 21st
9:00 Choir Practice
10:30 Worship and RE
Mon. 22nd
7:00 pm Meditation
Wed. 24th
10:30 am Fididdlers
Fri. 26th
Youth Group Movie Night - Rockland
Sat. 27th
1:00 pm Yvonne Twomey Memorial Service
7:00 pm Youth Group -Corn Maze
Sun. 28th
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
5:00 OWL Meeting
5:00 pm Youth Group - Rockland
Wed. 31st
10:30 Fididdlers
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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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