May 3, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Sunday Worship
• New Member Sunday
• HEARTS & HANDS: The FRS Arts & Services Auction
• RSVP for the FRS Annual Meeting
• The First Religious Society Needs You! Get More Involved and Share Your Skills
• Annual Giving Campaign 2023-2024 Update
• Newburyport Pride Parade
• FRS T-shirts Available: Order by May 5th
• A Visualization of Peace from Rev. Rebecca
• Trashion Show and Potluck for the Planet
• Upcoming Fellowship Programming
• Parish Friends
• Thank a UU
• Weekly Wellness Programming
• Monday Night Meditation
• Tuesday Spiritual Practice
• Wednesday Guided Relaxation
• Beyond Our Doors: Events in the Greater Newburyport Area

Annual Ministry Theme: Peace

May Ministry Theme: Spiritual Teachers

“I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom."

-Rosa Parks

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Life as Our Spiritual Teacher

10:30am in person and streamed on YouTube

Join us as we welcome our new members and celebrate our beloved community. Reverend Rebecca will kick off our monthlong exploration of “Spiritual Teachers” with a sermon entitled “Life as Our Spiritual Teacher”.

Attend on YouTube: http://bit.ly/FRSyoutube

May Shared Collection Partner - Emmaus

Each year Emmaus, Inc serves more than 2,000 homeless women, men, and children from the Merrimack Valley and North Shore. On any given night roughly 300 people call Emmaus “home.” More than 80,000 meals are served yearly to shelter residents, and many housing and program participants receive emergency food from Emmaus’s food pantry. And 91 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to Emmaus programs.

Friday, May 5 

at the Newburyport Senior and Community Center

331 High Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

Doors Open at 6pm

Live Auction starts at 6:30pm

We will provide dinner, beer, and wine 

and many awesome auction items for you to bid on such as:



Framed Felted Sheep Wall Hanging, 

donated by Susan Gately

Twelve Muffins for Twelve Months 

donated by Marianne Snow

The Amazing Race of Amesbury and Dinner 

donated by Julie Parker Amery & Steve Amery

Beyond Wicked Good Hot Fudge

donated by Joy Sawyer Mulligan

Tickets are $40 per person ($50 at the door)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS 

By credit card:

By check or cash:

In person at the church office 

TO VIEW THE AUCTION ITEMS 

frsuu.org/arts-and-services-auction/ 

Don’t miss the fun!

Please join us for the Annual Meeting of the First Religious Society on Sunday, June 11th following worship service.

Our Annual Meeting is an important gathering for our congregation that demonstrates our commitment to shared ministry in decision-making and governance. It is an important time to reflect on our congregation's Values, Mission and Ends. We encourage all members to participate.

Important note: membership at the FRS is required to vote. If you are unsure if are a member, and or interested in becoming a member of the FRS, please email cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.

Registration is required and a brown bag lunch will be provided.

RSVP by clicking the blue button below!

The First Religious Society Needs You!

Get More Involved and Share Your Skills

In March, we all heard Reverend Rebecca talk about how this is our church. If you would like to be more involved with the workings of the church, there are so many opportunities. Here are just a few:

A group that is elected at the Annual Meeting is Delegates to the General Assembly (GA). The GA is the big annual meeting where people from congregations throughout the U.S. and beyond meet to learn together, celebrate our denomination, and make decisions about our focus and the work we will do. Delegates represent the congregation and vote on issues that come before GA. This year’s GA will meet June 21-25, 2023 online or in person in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please let us know if you can help by being a Delegate!

The committees and workgroups that do our day-to-day work are open to more helping hands. A couple great places to start are the Stewardship Committee which works on events and ways to help us get to know each other, and the 300th Anniversary Workgroup which is planning a terrific celebration in 2025. There are several other groups as well. We are always interested in developing a bench of people who would like to prepare for membership on the Parish Board.

Each year we also need to elect one Trustee of the Endowment. The Trustees meet with our professional investment management firm to make sure the funds which have been donated to the church for long-term causes are maintained so the interest can be used to keep our church healthy over time.

FRS has a role of Moderator, the person who helps to facilitate/conduct the Annual Meeting and any other special meetings that may be called. We would like to initiate a new role, that of Assistant Moderator. We are seeking someone to learn the role, help with meeting planning, and assist or conduct a meeting in the absence of the Moderator.

If you want to learn more about any of these opportunities, speak to any Board Member or contact Tom Himmel at thimmel43@mac.com. Tell us what you are interested in and we will direct you to the perfect person to talk to.

We have received the extraordinary support of a small group of members to establish a “2-to-1 Match Fund” that will triple any new, not previously submitted pledge, and will also triple any increases made to submitted pledges before May 15. 

For example:

• a new pledge of $1,000 would result in $3,000 in support to FRS for next year 
• a pledge increase of $100 would result in $300 in support to our church

Any pledge or increase in pledge in any amount will go a long way in helping support the FRS’s mission.    

We hope you will join us in taking advantage of this unique opportunity. We know that many of you have already given generously to this year’s campaign, and for that, we are profoundly grateful. For those of you that have yet to make a pledge or are in the position to contribute further, that renewed commitment will go so much further if submitted between now and May 15th.

Campaign Update as of May 3:

We're so close! You can help us reach our goal!

Number of pledges* submitted: 249

Total amount pledged: $531,984

Percentage of pledge goal: 96.72%

Thank you to all who have submitted your pledge forms!

If you haven’t yet pledged, it’s not too late!

There are several ways to submit your pledge or increase:

–Submit your pledge or increase online: https://www.frsuu.org/pledge/

–Email your pledge or increase amount to Diane Carroll, diane.carroll@frsuu.org

–Mail your pledge form to the church at 26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

Every pledge, in any amount, matters!

For more information about the annual giving campaign:

https://www.frsuu.org/pledge/

*A pledging unit may be a family, couple, or individual.

Newburyport Pride Parade

When: Saturday, June 3rd

The FRS will participate in the City of Newburyport’s first Pride Parade which is tentatively scheduled to begin at 12 noon. The short route will take place somewhere in the vicinity of downtown. We will have a sign-up soon, but please save the date. We will walk together with the FRS banner. All ages are welcome. T-shirts in rainbow colors are available for purchase which will be back in time for the parade. (See above). If you have questions, please contact christine.doherty@comcast.net.

Photo submitted by Rev. Rebecca: "Blue Mind of the Merrimack"

To RSVP and to sign up to bring a dish for the potluck please click on the

green button below:

This is an all ages event!

If you'd like to participate as a Trashion Show creator/model, email Mara at mara.flynn@frsuu.org for more information.

Islam: Empire of Faith Viewing

When: Sunday, May 7 at 5pm in the Lower Meetinghouse

Join us to watch this documentary overview of the beginning of Islam with details on why Islam was so appealing to the masses, its focus on social justice, and how stories were passed down among the Bedouin tribes.

Exploring Elderhood Together

When: Thursday, May 18 from 1-2:30pm in the Lower Meetinghouse

Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life

Video program with author Dacher Keltner, Ph.D. and others

Have you ever been stopped in your tracks at the sight of the moon on the rise? Maybe you’ve been moved to tears by the music of Beethoven, or by watching a child’s first steps. In such moments you may find yourself opening to a sense of awe, a long-overlooked emotion that can inspire wonder, a deep sense of connection, and belonging to something larger than ourselves.

Opportunities for awe are all around us, in music, dance, art, sporting events, and nature. Studies show that appreciating such experiences can make our lives feel more meaningful. We need only to slow down, open up, and take notice.

Dr. Dacher Keltner is a renowned researcher on emotions (he was a consultant on emojis) and has studied how people experience awe in 26 countries. In this video program, Dr. Keltner will explore the many facets of this elusive emotion and how we can cultivate in our own lives. 

Please join us for what promises to be an enriching program, with time for sharing and discussion. 

Registration is not required. Masks are encouraged. Immunization is required.

Do you know of anyone in our church community who could use a helping hand or an encouraging word? If so, please reach out to the FRS Parish Friends. For example, a member may need a ride to an appointment or appreciate a card to let them know we hold them in our thoughts. Or any other temporary support such as a family with a new baby who may welcome a meal! If so, please contact Susan Ricker at parishfriends@frsuu.org. You may also reach out to the church office at info@frsuu.org or call 978-465-0602.

Once a month we will publish a list of thanks to all who help to make our day a little brighter and our community stronger!

If you would like to thank another parishioner, please email cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.

Ferry Beach Offers Summer Camp for Grown-Ups!

Save the Date: August 27-30

The Ferry Beach Getaway is perfect for those who long ago aged out of summer camp but still yearn for the camaraderie and activities of camp. This year’s offerings include Eco-Printing, a nature walk, New England Country Dance, yoga, and a bocce tournament – along with beach walks, hanging out with new friends on the porch and the beach, and lots of laughter during evening games. You’re a grown-up now so you can do as much – or as little – as you wish. For more information: https://www.ferrybeach.org/the-beach-getaway.html

Minister–The Reverend Rebecca Bryan; Affiliate Minister–Rev. Stan Barrett; Affiliate Minister–Rev. Helen Murgida; Affiliate Minister-Rev. Jane Tuohy; Minister Emeritus–The Reverend Harold Babcock. Staff: Director of Church Operations–Rob Authier; Office Administrator–Diane Carroll; Director of Children's Ministry–Mara Flynn; Director of Church Music–Justin Murphy-Mancini; Director of Church Music Emerita–Barbara Owen; Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration–Julie Parker Amery; Sexton–Donny Rogers; Director of Congregational and Community Engagement–Cynthia Walsh. Parish Board: Chair–Tina Benik; Vice Chair-Jim Supple; Finance Chair–Renée Wolf Foster; Governance Chair–Tom Himmel; Endowment Treasurer–Kim Kenly; Finance Treasurer–Laurie Evans-Daly; Stewardship Chair–Vern Ellis; Parish Clerk–Kathy Desilets; Holly Cashman, Marissa Dewey, Minnie Flanagan, Bob Higgins, Michelle Kimball, Annie Maurer.

First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950

978-465-0602 | frsuu.org