What's Happening
at First Parish -
Our Weekly Newsletter

August 14 - August 24, 2019


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

We aspire to be a Beacon of…..
 … Liberal Religion
Summer Services   To the Stars

Sunday August 18: The Music of the Spheres
This Sunday August 18th, music director will lead the service on the theme of The Music of the Spheres .  It is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies—the Sun, Moon, and planets—as a form of music. We will sing hymns with the themes of stars and spheres and music. We will also explore The Planets by Gustav Holst.

Sunday August 25: Can You Hear the Stars?

Regular Services will resume on September 8, 2019. There will be no service on September 1, 2019.
Read the reflection from Sunday August 11th here:

Church Office Summer Hours
The church office will be open on Wednesdays from 10:00 – 12:00 pm, except for August 21 when the office will be closed. Regular hours will resume in September.

Enjoy the Summer!
Planning for "Sacred Earth/Sacred Work"
You're invited to contribute your thoughts on sermon topics and visual effects for the sanctuary for our fall worship series Sacred Earth/Sacred Work .  In this series we will explore Creation Spirituality–a way of living within the community of earth that deepens our reverence for life, participates in the creativity of the cosmos, and develops our passion for justice and human transformation. How might this perspective help us to lead lives of spiritual inquiry, creativity, and prophetic action as our sacred work in the world? We will meet on Wednesday August 21, 7-8:30 p.m.
September's Community Book Discussion on Issues of Diversity
If you're looking for something to read on the beach, by the pool, or while you're hiding from the rain, consider picking up the book we'll be discussing on Tuesday September 17 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) in the Book Club Room at the Scituate Town Library:  All about Love by bell hooks. In this short book, the first of a trilogy on love, author, professor, and feminist bell hooks offers a re-definition of love, not as romance but as the basis of a social ethic for individuals and nations. Copies of the book are available in the library system and also in a pdf version:   http://wtf.tw/ref/hooks.pdf
Religious Education 2019-2020
In our three year rotation of themes (World Religions, Bible stories, and UU history, tradition, and practice), this coming year is our UU year. We are taking a slightly different approach this year, with curriculum September-January focused on history and tradition, and then in the spring using the hands on curriculum In Our Hands , a peace and justice curriculum which will involve the RE participants and discussing what they can do to make a difference in the world and choosing projects, depending on their age groups, to carry out.

In the fall, preK-2 will learn about the church and their place in it with the curriculum Chalice Children ; grades 3-5 will travel in time to learn about our UU ancestors and perhaps visit Concord, MA, to learn more about Emerson, Thoreau, and the Alcotts. The junior high group will look at values and ethics through the framework of the TV series Buffy the Vampire . High school students are invited to participate in our Coming of Age program, the UU version of a confirmation or a bar or bah mitzvah. Senior high students are also invited to participate in the SciCohRockWell youth group. Below is the short form of the Unitarian Universalist Principles:

Seven UU Principles, Simply Stated

 1 st Principle: We believe that each and every person is important
2 nd Principle: We believe that all people should be treated fairly and kindly.
3 rd Principle: We believe that we should accept one another and keep on learning together.
4 th Principle: We believe that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life.
5 th Principle: We believe that all persons should have a vote about the things that concern them.
6 th Principle: We believe in working for a peaceful, fair and free world.
7 th Principle: We believe in caring for our planet Earth, the home we share with all living beings.

Teachers and leaders are needed for all these programs and for In Our Hands in the Spring. Teachers are asked to make a 10 Sunday commitment over the course of the year.

For planning purposes it would be very helpful if you could register your children at you earliest convenience, using the form ( please click here ) and either scanning it and sending it back to the church office, mailing it, or dropping it off. You may also pay the RE registration fee on-line ( click here for payment ) , or mail or bring in your check. If the fee is a hardship, please speak with Bill or Pam and it will be waived.
Calendar for August 14 - August 31


Wed. 14th
10:30 am Fididdlers

Sun. 18th
9:00 am Worship

Wed. 21st
10:30 am Fididdlers
7:00 pm Sacred Earth/Sacred Work Meeting

Sun. 25th
9:00 am Worship

Sat. 31st
5:30 am Sunrise Service - Overdose Awareness
Save the Date

September 8th
Blessing of the Backpacks

September 21st
Blue Boat Coffeehouse

September 29th
Synergy Sunday

October 13th
Animal Blessing Service

November 2nd
Silent Movie Night - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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.