What's Happening
at First Parish -
Our Weekly Newsletter

May 22 - June 2, 2019


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

We aspire to be a Beacon of…..
 … Liberal Religion
Sunday May 25  We Remember
In honor of Memorial Day, historically a time to remember those who have died in wars, we will remember the American soldiers killed since last Memorial Day. A First Parish member and retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander, will offer a reflection. The choir will sing In Flanders Fields .

Summer Services
In July and August worship services move to 9 a.m. and a simpler format. Usually a member of the congregation offers a reflection on the theme, which this year is "To the Stars." If you are interested in offering a starry reflection one Sunday, please speak with the chair of the Religious Services Committee, or Pam.
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From the Minister

A t a recent clergy meeting, a colleague reflecting on her ministry said, “People think we’re like the sun, offering the light, warmth, and energy the congregation needs to function, but I think we’re more like the moon, reflecting back to them their light.” I found myself nodding in agreement, because this past year certainly shows that the minister is not the source of this congregation’s life and energy.
In a year when I have had to slow down and cut back, you have forged on ahead in ministry. The Parish Committee, focusing on ways to strengthen the sense of community among us, have spent the year looking at our governance and how the structure enables us and sometimes gets in our way. They began quarterly “Synergy Sunday” gatherings, inviting everyone to hear what is happening and to dream and plan for what could happen in the future.
Our Religious Services Committee has worked with me to plan lively and heart-felt worship, the center of our life together, and have taken the lead on services on how the church is our home, stories of angels among us, the joy of creativity, Palm Sunday narratives, and the Annual Meeting Sunday, as well as working with me how to make visual our themes of home, angels, and joy. Thanks to their creativity we even had disco balls spinning circles of light on the ceiling!  It was a joy for me to work with them, and as always with the Music Director, who brings expertise to our music and tells me clearly when one of my hymn selections is unsingable!
Our Caring Coordinators not only organized meals for my family, but assisted others in the congregation with meals and rides to church. They also started a new ministry of visitation this year, with members of the congregation with experience in listening to others visiting some of our members in nursing homes and at home. 
Our Religious Education program, with the guidance of our new DRE, continued to thrive, thanks to the commitment of so many of you to our children and our youth. And though I wasn’t teaching as much as usual, we didn’t lack for adult education, with bi-weekly meditation sessions, and our Brene Brown groups. One participant said to me about her group, “It’s like we’re all kindred spirits!” We need more of those opportunities to come together in small groups to explore the intersections of faith and life. Please let me know if you have an idea for something you would like to lead in the future. It doesn’t have to be long-term to accomplish a lot.
Though we didn’t have an official social justice committee, we continued to serve the community through our Men’s Ministry, work with the Food Pantry, the Blue Boat Coffeehouse, and our 4 th Sunday Offerings, as well as through work in so many areas by members of First Parish. 
And the structures which keep the church functioning – our building and our finances – grew stronger as well. Buildings and Grounds coped with fire alarms going off and the furnace going out, as well as regular maintenance and care of our historic building and parsonage. Our Finance Committee has watched over our budget and led a stewardship campaign which saw an increase in donations of 15% over last year, which in turn had seen an increase of 15% over the year before. And even more important, they are working to decrease our reliance on our endowment for regular expenses, a reliance which was not sustainable, with the goal of achieving a healthy balance in five years.
I hope this year’s accomplishments sound and feel as impressive and wonderful to you as they do to me. I’ve only recently returned from the second session of the clergy retreat program Women Touched by Grace. Though our focus this time was on spiritual practices, and I do have some new ideas and learnings to share, an unexpected learning was just how rare and wonderful this congregation is. (It’s good to send your minister away occasionally!) My colleagues spoke of serving congregations where people show up for Sunday morning but for nothing else; of congregations where people turn in anger on one another; of congregations shutting down their RE programs because not enough people will commit to teaching; of congregations who think they are a country club instead of a church. One of my colleagues, who had been trying for several years to help the congregation she serves understand that their reliance on endowment funds could only continue for a few more years at best, returned from sabbatical to learn that they had finally realized that – but now they only had six months. I listened sympathetically to all that they are dealing with - and inwardly gave thanks for the wonderful ministry we share together in Scituate. I am grateful for all the care you have offered me, as well as my family, this past year, and look forward to going into our new year of ministry stronger together.

See you in church,

Pam
... Strong Community
Kite Flying Sunday June 2, After Church
We are planning another special hour or so of kite-flying for all ages behind the church on the grass behind Central Park. 

There will be some kites, but you are welcome to bring your own. Please look in your closets, attics, basements and check with your children to see what you have. We hope the wind will be perfect again this year!
... and Transformative Service
Restorative Circles Workshop, May 31-June 2
Restorative Circles offer a different model for dealing with conflicts major and minor in families, communities, churches, and other organizations. Members of the community, trained in listening and creating space for others to listen and be heard, lead the process. Over the weekend of May 31-June 2, trainers from the UU Society of Norwich, VT, will be offering a training for facilitators at the Inly School in Scituate. The cost is $100 for the weekend, but communities of faith can pay $500 and send 6-8 people. If you would like more information or would like to participate, please contact Louellyn Lambrose, llambros46@hotmail.com , who has brought the training to Scituate after going through it herself in Vermont. Restorative Circles are used in school, church communities, intentional communities, cities and towns across the US. The process was begun in the barrios of Brazil, “Where the police wouldn’t go” to help resolve conflict amongst families so they could live more peaceably with one another. 
Communities who use this process have reduced the level of intensity of conflict. Facilitator Sarah-Elizabeth Anderson writes about the difference this training has made in her church: "Our Unitarian Universalist community often finds people using their reflective listening skills to co-create understanding before conflict accelerates. Committees, including the governing board, practice reflective listening during their meetings to create understanding, especially when there are differing ideas on solutions. This has assisted the decision making process, allowing for everyone's ideas to be heard and taken into account the feelings and needs of everyone attending the meeting."

Hosts Needed for Restorative Circles Workshop Participants
People will be coming from as far as Burlington, VT, for the Restorative Circles workshop and a few of them are looking for housing. If you would be willing to host another UU from out of state for the nights of May 31 and June 1, please let us know at firstparishscitate@verizon.net.
Calendar for May 22 - June 2

Wed. 22nd
10:30 am Fididdlers

Sun. 26th
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship
5:00 pm Youth Group - Scituate

Mon. 27th
7:00 pm Meditation

Wed. 29th
10:30 am Fididdlers

Sat. 1st
8:00 am Men's Ministry

Sun. 2nd
9:00 am Choir Practice
10:30 am Worship and RE
12:00 pm Kite Flying
Save the Date

June 16
RE Sunday & End of Year Picnic

June 23
Summer Solstice Sundaes Sunday Service

June 29
Pam's Thank-You Party
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.