This Week's Service:

What Do We Worship

What makes me look forward to our services each Sunday? It's all here in the Affirmation of Faith. Guest speaker Kitty Forbush.

This Week's Drop-In Discussion: My Hindu Experience.  For the past six years Janus Mary Jones has been attending the Hindu Temple of Rochester. She is now a member of that congregation as well as 1st Universalist, where she has been a member for 23 years.  Join Janus Mary for her presentation and discussion of what Hindus believe and how they worship, what brought her to Hinduism and her experiences as an "outsider" at the Temple. In her understanding of the faith, some schools of Hindu thought could be compatible with UUism; particularly our Universalist half.

Volunteer Opportunities: RAIHN Host Week

Our next RAIHN week starts on Mother's Day, and we can make a few mothers' lives better by providing a safe place for their families to stay.  

RAIHN (Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network)  is a non-profit organization of faith communities assisting homeless families in achieving sustainable independence. Every fifteen weeks, a faith community hosts RAIHN guests in their place of worship for one week.

Volunteers are needed at First Universalist during the week of May 12-19, 2013. Please contact Chris DeGolyer at [email protected].   

Renovation News

The repair of the pews is progressing well and we have begun to look ahead at the floor refinishing.  Three stain samples were prepared on the floor of the sanctuary a few weeks ago; many people have been able to look at them and expressed various opinions.  

Our interior designer consultant, Arlene Wright, is recommending the middle tone for the following reasons:  the lighter tone is too orange and the darker tone is too dark;  the middle tone matches best the color of the pews and it will do well in masking the multitude of blemishes that will show up after the floor is sanded.  After some deliberation, the renovation committee is recommending that we follow Arlene's suggestion.

This Week at First Universalist

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MAY 5, 2013:

NEXT SERVICE: Sunday, May 12: Mothers Peace Day So, it's Mother's Day. Do any of us ever make peace with our mothers? Might there be another, a different way to think about this? Rev. Martha Munson.

NEXT DROP-IN DISCUSSION: Sunday, May 12: The Righteous Mind.  Jonathan Haidt, a psychologist, writes in his book, The Righteous Mind, that political differences are based on moral intuition, not reason, and that American conservatives have a broader moral intuition than American liberals do.  Phil Ebersole will lead a discussion of Haidt's ideas and lead a discussion of what liberals can learn from conservatives.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Kids ages four and older join us every week in the sanctuary for the first portion of our worship service. Children's Worship begins after the Message for All Ages.  Nursery care for babies and younger children is provided throughout the service on the second floor.  We also have seating in our second floor foyer, where parents can hold their little ones and listen to the service via speaker.

SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL TODAY, MAY 5th: The purpose of this meeting is to elect members to the Ministerial Search Committee. Nominees for this committee have been recommended by the members of the congregation via phone calls or other personal contact. From the ballot provided, the congregation will select four members, and the Board will select the remaining three from the rest of the pool. Obviously, the support and input of the entire congregation is critical to this process, so please come and vote!

FOOD INGATHERING is next Sunday. Donations of non-perishable food items, toiletries, and paper goods will be collected to benefit The Community Food Cupboard on Nester Street.Items of special need include all types of canned vegetables, kidney or baked beans, peanut butter and toilet paper.

BOOK GROUP: Sunday, June 2, in the adult lounge, at noon. The book is The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks, by Jeanne Theoharis. There is a lot more to Rosa Parks' story than her famous act of taking a seat. And there are many copies in the library. Come join us.

STEWARDSHIP 2013: Love Will Guide Us. Thank You, Thank You!!  As of now, about 75% of our expected pledge cards have been received!  You have been very generous, and we celebrated well with that beautiful cake at last week's service! If you are a member or pledging friend and have not yet returned a pledge card, a member of the stewardship team will contact you.  Can you save a volunteer some work?  Please mail your pledge card or drop it off at church NOW!!  If you have misplaced your card or would like to make your pledge via e-mail, please contact Bill Jones at [email protected]

SPECIAL THANKS to Doreen Tovar for her time, talent and treasure in restoring the table and chairs in our Nursery. Be sure to stop by on Sunday morning to see the fresh new look and to thank Doreen for her donation

SPRING CONCERT: Featuring Kitty Forbush. TODAY Sunday May 5, 2-4 pm at Brockport UU Fellowship (Corner of Rts. 104 & 260, the former Garland Church) Adults $10

THE PAPER OUTLOOK erroneously lists a service on May 10, which is a Friday. There is no service on that date.

EASTMAN AT WASHINGTON SQUARE LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES Thursdays at 12:15 in the Clara Barton Lounge. The concerts are free and open to the public.

THE BOOKSTORE AND LIBRARY in the Clara Barton Lounge will be open during coffee hour for borrowing, browsing, and buying.

A CARING COMMITTEE REMINDER: When a family member enters the hospital, needs emergency meals, needs transportation to church, or wants home visits; please contact Ruth Fitzgerald [email protected] 225-0555,or Eileen Fernandez, [email protected] or 225-2301.

ROCHESTER AREA INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK (RAIHN) is a non-profit organization of faith communities assisting homeless families in achieving sustainable independence. Every fifteen weeks, a faith community hosts RAIHN guests in their place of worship for one week. 

Our next RAIHN week starts on Mother's Day, and we can make a few mothers' lives better by providing a safe place for their families to stay. For volunteer opportunities during the week of May 12-19, 2013, please contact Chris DeGolyer at [email protected].