September 28, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Sunday Worship
• A visualization of peace from Holly Cashman
• Justice Sunday
• RSVP
• Sign up to bring a soup
• Church Program Updates
• Faith Foundation and Spiritual Exploration
• Music Program
• Young Church
• Faith Formation and Spiritual Development
• Wizards and Sages
• Register for Chalice Circles
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Help plan the FRS Fall Festival
• Welcoming Committee Seeks New Members
• Help Plan the Nov 27th Welcoming Worship Service
• Seeking Submissions for Next Year’s “Daily Muse”
• Upcoming Events
• Jeanne Geiger 31st Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence
• Indigenous Peoples Day
• Tuesday Short Story Group
• Friday Book Group
• The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism-An Afternoon with Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Megan Marshall
• Weekly Wellness Programming
• Monday Night Meditation
• Tuesday Spiritual Practice
• Wednesday Guided Relaxation
• Thank a UU

Annual Ministry Theme: Peace

October Ministry Theme: Inner Peace

Photo: Flag of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki People, Massachusetts/New Hampshire (U.S.)

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Making Amends in the River of Life

10:30am in person and livestream on YouTube

“By regularly renewing the bonds of belonging, we support our ability to remain healthy and whole.”

-Francis Weller

Join us for this special service of commemorating, honoring, and introspecting as we welcome Paul W. and Denise K. Pouliot, the Sag8mo and Sag8moskwa (Male and Female Head Speakers) of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook Abenaki People. Paul and Denise will bring us the Cowasuck Flag as a symbol of our partnership and commitment to Indigenous People. Reverend Rebecca will then preach about the role of repentance and renewal in our personal and collective lives. This service is especially meaningful as it happens during the Ten Days of Awe in the Jewish calendar.

Everyone is invited to participate in our Justice Sunday activities which begin with a soup and salad lunch at noon, followed by a presentation by Patricia D. Rocker, council chairwoman of the Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation, Whale Clan. Patricia will engage in a question-and-answer dialogue after her remarks.

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

This Month's Shared Sunday Collection

This month’s Shared Collection will support the Greater Newbury Elder Pet Fund, serving Newburyport, West Newbury, Amesbury, Salisbury, and Rowley.

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.

Photo by Holly Cashman: “Finding Peace at the Beach” from Ogunquit, Maine

Patricia D. Rocker will share the story of her great-great-grandmother Eunice (Matthews) Rocker, a Chappaquiddick-Wampanoag Woman of Indigenous and African descent. It's a story that began over 140 years ago on the Island of Noepe (Martha’s Vineyard). 

This past summer, Patricia, along with local historians, helped to deconstruct almost a century and a half of European-American propaganda about her great-great-grandmother. This culminated in a day of Truth and Reconciliation at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum where a plaque was dedicated to the island's African American Heritage Trail to honor Eunice, her family, and her tribal community. 

Patricia's talk will be followed by discussion about the ways we can participate in deconstructing the injustices of the past. 

Patricia D. Rocker is the Council Chairwoman of the Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation, Whale Clan and an Advisory Council Member of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. She lives in Salisbury, MA.

On Justice Sundays we will gather in fellowship for soup, salad, and discussion! Throughout the 2022-23 church year, we are seeking volunteers to bring a soup. To sign up click on the blue button below below:

Faith Foundation and Spiritual Exploration Program

by Julie Parker Amery

Who, Why, Where… an interspiritual exploration of meaning and purpose

Facilitated by Rev. Jane Tuohy and Julie Parker Amery

Who are we? Who do we understand ourselves to be as humans? Are we merely flesh and bone? What is this thing some religions call “soul”? Or are we embodied spirits?

Why are we here? Is there a purpose to each human life? To my life? If so, is my purpose the same thing as my destiny?

Where are we going? Is there life after death? In the words of Peggy Lee’s song, "Is there all there is"? What do I believe and how does this belief affect how I live my life on a day to day basis?

These three questions have been pondered by philosophers and spiritual and religious leaders for millennia. As Unitarian Universalists, many of us believe that how we live our lives is as important as what we believe. But what we believe influences every aspect of how we live our lives.

This fall and winter, Rev. Jane Tuohy and Julie Parker Amery are facilitating a four-part pilot program which will explore four of the world’s religions from an interspiritual perspective. Interspirituality is a movement in which practitioners of different faith traditions open their treasures of beliefs, worship practices, and rituals and share with others in a spirit of respect and reverence. 

Each of the presenters for this program will offer instruction based on how their religion responds to the “ Who, Why, Where?” questions and lead participants in a worship practice or ritual. Worship practices and rituals are pathways for deepening our connection to the sacred, to the deepest part of ourselves, and to the deepest part of each other.

The four sessions planned will focus on Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, and Buddhism. Each religion will be introduced in a first session which will be half instructional and half participating in a worship practice or ritual. Participants will leave with reflection questions and come back two weeks later for a follow up session of dialogue. October 10th will be the first session and Rev. Stan Barrett will launch the program with a session on Islam.

Sessions will be held in person at FRS and will also be offered on Zoom on Wednesday evenings, with the presentation session offered the second Wednesday evening of the month from 7-8:30pm and the follow up dialogue session offered at the same time two weeks later.

To register for the program, click here: https://bit.ly/WhoWhyWhere

Registration deadline: October 12

Questions? Contact Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration Julie Parker Amery at julie.amery@frsuu.org.

Music Program

by Justin Murphy-Mancini

Music at FRS continued through the summer and is back in full swing this fall. The choir continues to expand its repertoire of diverse offerings, and guest musicians will join the service during many Sundays between now and Christmas. Please make sure to look out for the opportunity to sing with the Candlelight Chorale this holiday season - rehearsals begin October 23 from 1-3pm in the Sanctuary.

The Wilson Music Series will return again this winter, with organ, chamber music, and piano offerings - tickets will be available soon. If you make music of any kind and would like to share with the congregation in an upcoming service, please let Justin Murphy-Mancini know. Justin's email is justin.murphy-mancini@frsuu.org.

Young Church Update

by Mara Flynn

Greetings from Young Church! 

We’ve had a wonderful start to our Young Church year and it’s been lovely to welcome familiar and new faces alike! 

We’re looking forward to another year of engaging programming that allows our children to create and experience meaningful connections with: 

• Ritual, stories, and collaborative games for all ages 
• Joyful intergenerational community building with one another 
• Special guests and activities that support our curiosity and spiritual growth, along with explorations of our UU faith and social justice engagement 

Speaking of special guests, we’re especially excited to welcome Patricia D. Rocker to Young Church on October 2 – she is also the guest speaker later that day at our first Justice Sunday event following worship! Patricia is the Council Chairwoman of the Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation, Whale Clan and an Advisory Council Member of the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. She’ll be joining us in Young Church that day to share stories and lead us in making an Indigenous craft! 

Wizards and Sages: A Mid-Week Gathering for Worship, Reflection, and Fellowship with Reverend Rebecca, Church Staff, and FRS Friends

When: Wednesday, October 5 from 12:30-2:30pm

Wizards and Sages is a mid-week gathering for worship, reflection, and fellowship with Rev. Rebecca, church staff, and friends. We start with worship in the sanctuary, which is briefer and less formal than a Sunday service—providing a slightly different experience that includes music, quiet, and reflection. Bring a bagged lunch to enjoy in fellowship with Reverend Rebecca, church staff, and other parishioners and friends. All are welcome.

The November Wizards and Sages is scheduled for November 2.

Friday Night Fellowship (formerly Wednesday Night Fellowship)

When: Friday, October 21, from 6-8pm in the Lower Meetinghouse

Friday Night Fellowship (formerly Wednesday Night Fellowship) makes its return with a potluck dinner (all who attend are invited to bring a dish of some sort to share… anything: salad, bread, a main dish, dessert… whatever inspires. Part of the fun of a potluck is seeing what turns up! Dinner is followed by a brief, interactive worship service led by Rev. Rebecca (often involving a ritual), then a program.

The program for October will be community storytelling. Please watch announcements in the Steeple for the evening’s theme. All are invited to come prepared to share a story, or to just listen if that’s your preference. We’ll also have some fun icebreaker activities. The November Friday Night Fellowship will be on November 18 and will include a hymn sing with Justin Murphy-Mancini.

Register by October 2 for Chalice Circles

(In-person options & Zoom option)

Sign up to join the Planning Committee for for FRS Fall Festival

Do you enjoy all things fall? Would you like to help plan FRS Fall Festival on Sunday, October 16th from 11:30-12:30pm (immediately following service)? Your enthusiasm for fall fun would be greatly appreciated. Please consider signing up to volunteer today. We will meet once for a fun brainstorming (in person and/or on Zoom) session to plan! Total time commitment is up to you. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated. Email Cynthia Walsh at cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org or call/text 978-701-5352.

Welcoming Committee Seeks New Members

The Welcoming Committee is seeking new members to join the committee this year. The committee coordinates efforts that help FRS foster a climate of “welcome” and support for the LGBTQ community. As a member of the Welcoming Committee you’d help plan Welcoming Worship Services, educational programming, FRS Pride events participation and other efforts to uplift LGBTQ+ issues in the congregation and the community. If interested, please contact Christine Doherty (she/her) at christine.doherty@comcast.net.

Help Plan the November 27th Welcoming Worship Service

The November 27th Sunday worship service will be dedicated as a Welcoming Worship Service which uplifts LGBTQ+ experiences and issues. If you are interested in being involved in planning the service, please email Christine Doherty at christine.doherty@comcast.net. Rev. Rebecca will convene a planning meeting in early October. All are welcome to be involved.

Jeanne Geiger 31st Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence

When: Sunday, October 2, from 8-11am at Waterfront Park, 1 Market Square, Newburyport

The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center is thrilled to be back in person again this year for the 31st Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence. If you would like to join the FRS walking team, please contact Jeff Bard at jeffbard@hotmail.com.

Short Story Group

When:1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month

The short story group focuses on reading and discussing anthologies. Contact Tom Himmel for more information at thimmel43@mac.com. All welcome to join!

The FRS Friday Book Group

When: Fridays from 10-11:30am in the Lower Meetinghouse and on Zoom

We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by the participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. 

Currently we are doing hybrid meetings for those who need/want to join by Zoom (subject to technical wherewithal). We are currently reading The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt and expect to finish it on September 30. 

Our next book will be The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall (who will be speaking at FRS on November 5).

For more information, contact Tom Himmel, thimmel43@mac.com.

The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism

An Afternoon with Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Megan Marshall

When: Saturday, November 5 at 2pm in the Sanctuary

Join us for a very special afternoon with Pulitzer Prize winner Megan Marshall, who will speak about her writing, and her first biography The Peabody Sisters: Three Women Who Ignited American Romanticism. Earning praise from William Grimes of The New York Times as “the intellectual equivalent of a triple axel,” Marshall’s group biography explores the lives of Elizabeth, Mary, and Sophia Peabody--our American Brontës--and their central role in shaping the thinking of their day. These remarkable women were Unitarians, Transcendentalists, and friends of Reverend Thomas Wentworth Higginson and other influential 19th Century Unitarians. It’s a deep dive into our Unitarian history and an important read. There will be ample time for questions and conversation; you’re encouraged to read the book beforehand if you can, but there will be copies available for sale if you have not yet read it.

Please note that the Friday Morning Book Discussion group has voted to make this their next book for discussion. The group meets every Friday morning at 10:00 and is always open to new members. Please contact Tom Himmel at thimmel43@mac.com for more information about the Book Group.

Thank you to everyone who supported the vestibule project! At the start of summer, a small group of parishioners met to discuss colors and the overall vision for creating a welcoming space that was reflective of our history and present-day congregation. Bettina Turner, Rochelle Perry-Platine, Bruce Deveau, John Harwood, Lance Hidy, Vern Ellis, Lea Pearson, Rev. Helen Murgida, Donny Rogers, Justin Murphy-Mancini, and Cynthia Walsh.

Thank you to everyone who brought a side dish or dessert to the church picnic!

Huge shout out to Matthew Murgida who jumped into action and helped on the grill during our Annual Church Picnic! 

Thank you Rob Burnham for your support with setting up the tables and chairs and making sure our grills were good to go!

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; 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-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, Michelle Kimball, Annie Maurer, Tom Stites.

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

978-465-0602 | frsuu.org