Please note that the Steeple is on a monthly summer schedule. The next issue will be published on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Sunday Worship
- Call for Worship Associates
- Upcoming Sunday Worship Schedule
- Save the Date:Launch of our 2022-23 Church Year
- Opening Sunday, September 11th
- RSVP for Annual Church Picnic
- Passion Action Fair
- The FRS Adult Choir is Looking for You!
- An Update From the FRS Afghan Resettlement Group
- Upcoming Events
- Pandemic-Era Support Support Group Meetings
- Organ Recital
- Summertime at FRS
- FRS Church Office Summer Hours
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Annual Ministry Theme: Unity
August Ministry Theme: Time
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Sunday Worship Service
August 14, 2022
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Sunday, August 14, 2022
"The Deal on Those Days”
10am service on Zoom and an in-person screening will be held in the
Lower Meeting House
Because of an unexpected issue, we will be sharing the Sunday Worship service from the 2022 Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, which took place in June. This powerful service brought together people from all across our denomination.
The last few years have not been easy, including in our local congregations. Whole swaths of members have simply stopped coming; COVID is confusing, and polarizing; many ministers have joined the great resignation; and Pew studies and friends alike have pronounced the end of the local church.
In this moment, when so many of us might be wondering if we should just give up, and relent, now’s the time instead to double down on our commitment to the local church -this unique community that saves us and also breaks our hearts - often much more of the latter than we’d like to admit. In the midst of our culture of death, the church is a place of life. Or it is, as long as we are willing to bring our own lives to it. Join us for a morning of celebration, witness, and future-visioning for the already and not yet power of the local Unitarian Universalist church.
Leading us in worship will be Rev. Gretchen Haley, Rev. Shari Halliday-Quan, Rev. Sean Neil-Barron, Lea Morris, Adam Podd, Joseph and Aimee Santos-Lyons, and Allison King with the GA Choir.
To attend worship in person, you must be vaccinated. Those who are unvaccinated are welcome to attend services online. Masks are not required for in-person worship. Socially distant seating is available in designated areas of the sanctuary.
Become a Worship Associate!
Reverend Rebecca is seeking support from parishioners to serve as Worship Associates throughout the 2022-23 church year. If you are interested and would like to learn more, please contact Rev. Rebecca at revrebecca.bryan@frsuu.org.
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Upcoming Summer Worship Services:
Sunday, August 21 at 10am: "Dreams: Befriend the Gifts of Time"
In person and livestreamed on YouTube.
Join Reverend Rebecca for an outdoor summer service in person at Atkinson Common, 388 High St, Newburyport.
She will be looking at the relationship between time and our dreams. This often complicated and too often overly simplified interplay can become our friend, if we allow it.
August 28 at 11am: "Forging a Path of Meaning: How Story Impacts Our Life"
In person and livestreamed on YouTube.
Join Reverend Rebecca for in-person service at Hampton Falls UU, 143 Exeter Rd, Hampton Falls, NH.
The rhythm and pattern of Story is ancient and lives inside us all. Our lives are a great Story unfolding within and between us. Our stories carry the messages of our ancestors, our past and our pain. Story also sheds light on our dreams, passions, and hidden interest. Above all, Story is how we make meaning in a sometimes overwhelmingly difficult world and assuredly beautiful world. Reverend Rebecca shares her lessons with story as a guiding principle in her life.
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SAVE THE DATE: Launch of the 2022-2023 Church Year!
Opening Sunday Worship, September 11 at 10:30am
Join us as we return to our beloved church for Opening Sunday worship, both in person and online with Reverend Rebecca preaching.
We will be continuing honored traditions including creating our flower arch and annual church picnic following service (weather permitting).
This year, during our church picnic we will also host the Passion Action Fair. We invite you to join us for good food, fellowship, and to learn about the many ways to engage and serve the FRS community and beyond!
To RSVP for the church picnic click here!
To volunteer to help with the church picnic, whether by bringing a side dish or helping with planning, day of set-up and breakdown, email Cynthia Walsh at cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.
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Passion Action Fair
On Opening Sunday, September 11th we will host a Passion Action Fair. This expo will take place during our Annual Church Picnic following worship service.
The Passion Action Fair provides an opportunity for people to learn about social and spiritual exploration ministries, social justice initiatives, and support groups at FRS. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ways to engage in our congregation and in the greater community!
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The FRS Adult Choir is Looking for You!
If you have a song in your heart and a willingness to be a part of a close-knit group of singers, please consider trying out the Adult Choir this fall. All singers are welcome. Rehearsals take place on Thursday nights from 7-8:30pm and on Sunday mornings at 9am before the worship service. The first rehearsal for the coming church year will be on September 1st, and you couldn't ask for a more auspicious time to start singing. The Adult Choir welcomes members, friends, and newcomers alike - all we need is your voice to join with ours.
If the regular Adult Choir seems like a little bit too much of a commitment, please also consider joining the Candlelight Chorale this fall! The Candlelight Chorale is a short-term community group that learns anthems and carols for the annual Candlelight Service, now in its 97th year. Rehearsals take place on Sundays from 1-3pm in November and December. Stay tuned for more information to come later this fall.
For more information, contact Director of Church Music Justin Murphy-Mancini at justin.murphy-mancini@frsuu.org.
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Exciting Update from FRS Afghan Resettlement Group |
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As you may already know, Mohammad has obtained his MA Driver License and will now be able to drive to his job, do errands, drive family members to appointments, etc.!
We now begin the process of finding a car. Perhaps you have a car that is unused (or ready to be replaced by an updated model) that you would be willing to donate to our Afghan family? If so, we would love to hear from you! FRS will provide a church donation receipt for tax purposes.
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Pandemic-Etra Support with the Pastoral Care Associates
Ongoing Support Group Meetings
When: Thursday, August 11th, noon-1pm in the Lower Meetinghouse
The COVID pandemic and concurrent world events have left many of us with continuing feelings of fear, anxiety, and loss—to name just a few of the many emotions that swirl through us on a daily basis. The Pastoral Care Associates invite you to gather with others to talk about the challenges we live with at this time. What has helped you through the pandemic? How are you doing now? Being in community with others to share experiences can forge healing connections.
The sessions are offered on a drop-in basis on the second Thursday of the month. Please join when you feel that a supportive community is what you need. Come to one or many. There is no strict agenda; simply listening and sharing.
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Organ Recital
When: Wednesday, August 17 at 7:30pm at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall.
FRS Music Director, Justin Murphy-Mancini will perform on an especially large and interesting organ - the music hall is designed specifically for this organ. Justin shares "it would bring me great joy to share this music with your if you're around and interested. If going to Methuen doesn't work for you, the program will be livestreamed - the music hall has invested a lot of money to make sure the organ sounds good online."
Live tickets are available at the door - to watch online you will have to become an online subscriber. While it is the cost of more than one ticket, it does give you access to all of the performances this season.
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FRS hosted a Hootenanny during Yankee Homecoming |
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Rob Authier, Director of Church Operations on guitar |
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Parishioners gathered in the side court yard for a summer evening sing-along |
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FRS parishioner, Linda Lu Burciaga and FRS friend, David Detmold provided education and gathered signatures to support the Change the Ma State Flag and Seal Campaign |
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FRS Church Office Summer Hours
Summer hours for the church office will be in effect from July 4 – September 2:
Mondays – Closed
Tuesdays – 9am-1pm
Wednesdays – 9am-1pm
Thursdays – 9am-1pm
Fridays – Closed
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Minister–The Reverend Rebecca Bryan; Affiliate Minister–Rev. Stan Barrett; Affiliate Minister–Rev. Helen Murgida; Minister Emeritus–The Reverend Harold Babcock. Staff: Director of Church Operations–Rob Authier; Office Administrator–Diane Carroll; Audio-Visual Engineer–Rob Close; Director of Children's Ministry–Mara Flynn; Director of Church Music–Justin Murphy-Mancini; 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–pending; 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, Michelle Kimball, Annie Maurer, Tom Stites, Jim Supple.
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First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950
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