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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Sunday Worship
- A Visualization of Peace Photo from Ghlee Woodworth
- Justice Sunday Soup & Salad Sign Up
- UU Wellspring
- Caregivers Support Group Forming
- FRS Writers' Group Forming
- Upcoming Fellowship Programming
- Weekly Wellness Programming
- Monday Night Meditation
- Tuesday Spiritual Practice
- Wednesday Guided Relaxation
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Annual Ministry Theme: Peace
January Ministry Theme: Change
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Worship Service
Sunday, January 1, 2023
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Sunday, January 1, 2023
Gong Meditation and Relaxation Service
10:30am in the Sanctuary and on YouTube
We are excited to welcome back Zach Field, who will again lead the annual gong meditation and relaxation service. Zach is the director and proprietor of the music studio, Zach Field Drums & Music, located at the Tannery in Newburyport and at The Trades Mill in Amesbury. Currently, he employs 30 professional music instructors and offers a variety of lessons and classes.
Gong is the sound that projects you out of your realm to the infinity.
– Yogi Bhajan
Attend on YouTube: http://bit.ly/FRSyoutube
Half of each Sunday’s collection not designated as a pledge supports a local partner working to transform our region.
This Month’s Sunday Shared Collection
The January Shared Collection will support the Community Service of Newburyport Campership Program. Community Service of Newburyport provides support through clothing, emergency relief and referral services, and a food pantry for people in need in Newburyport, Newbury, and West Newbury. In addition, they run the Holiday Gift Bag Program for children and seniors. In the summer, the organization provides 2 weeks of summer camp for children.
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Photo submitted by Ghlee Woodworth "Plum Island" | |
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An Invitation from Program Council
This year's annual ministry theme is peace and we invite you to submit a photo that best represents your visualization of peace - a personal representation or a broader representation of peace in the community or the world.
You can email your photo to cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org or text your photo to 978-701-5352. Please provide a photo caption and your name.
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Justice Sunday Soup & Salad Sign Up | |
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On Justice Sundays we gather in fellowship for soup, salad, and discussion! This is a great way to learn more about our social justice work at FRS, connect with people, and enjoy a lovely meal.
To sign up to bring a soup on one of our Justice Sundays, please click on the purple button below!
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UU Wellspring is Coming to the FRS | |
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When: Starting in January!
Second and Fourth Mondays, 4-6pm
“Wellspring was not only faith-changing, but life-changing… seeds were planted during that year. I didn’t know it, but those seeds were growing in me and things were changing deep within...” –FRS member Lea Pearson in her Journey of Faith (12/4/22), speaking about the Wellspring program.
UU Wellspring is a 10-month spiritual deepening course for Unitarian Universalists, used in congregations across the continent since its development in 2005. The program begins in January 2023, meeting twice a month (excluding July and August). Participants experience deep listening and spiritual reflection in a small group of about ten, inspiring personal and community transformation. Participants read, view, and respond to pre-session assignments that are focused on spiritual topics and UU Theology.
In addition to the meetings, participants engage in a spiritual practice of their choosing, and find a spiritual companion to meet with outside of the sessions.
Some of the themes explored in this first offering of Wellspring include: Everyday Theology, Your Own Prophetic Voice: Vulnerability and Courage, Nature as Spiritual Guide, Good Without God, and UU Perspectives on Death and the Afterlife. To learn more about the Wellspring program, you can check out the website here: https://uuwellspring.org/.
This program will be offered in person and will meet the second and fourth Mondays of the month, beginning January 9, from 4-6pm. If you’re interested in participating or would like to learn more, please email Julie Parker Amery, Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration at: julie.amery@frsuu.org.
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CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS
Caregiving is love in action. And it can be and often is very demanding and at times
isolating work. We are interested in providing a support group for FRS members and friends who are providing care for loved ones. The purpose of the group is to provide support, connection, a sense of belonging and share practical advice on care for oneself as caregiver. We will also explore the opportunities for spiritual growth as we explore caregiving as a spiritual practice.
The group will meet once a month by ZOOM.
Facilitators:
Nancy Kidd - Nancy Kidd is a licensed social worker who has 25 years of experience training staff for Hospice. She has run support groups for families of patients for Hospice and also for Anna Jaques Hospital. She was a founding member of the HIGH POINTE HOSPICE HOUSE in Haverhill, Ma. She is also a member of the Pastoral Care Associates at FRS.
Rev. Jane Tuohy - Jane is currently providing volunteer chaplaincy services at Anna Jaques Hospital and is a member of the clergy on call at Anna Jaques. She is a certified instructor in emotional intelligence and is committed to helping families of patients navigate the emotions that come with caregiving and understanding caregiving as a spiritual practice.
If you are interested, please contact either: Nancy at nankdd@gmail.com or Jane at jt@combridgehill.com
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FRS Writers’ Group Forming
Do you love to write? Would you like to be in community with other UU writers? Whether you consider writing a spiritual practice, or see it more as a creative outlet, we invite you to join us in envisioning an FRS Writers’ Group that would meet monthly. The planning session will be on Friday, January 13, at 9:00am (on Zoom).
Whether or not you can attend that session, please indicate your interest in participating in a writers’ group here: https://bit.ly/FRSWritersGroup Writers of all genres welcome!
Questions? Contact Julie Parker Amery, Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration at julie.amery@frsuu.org, or James Funston at jamesf3579@comcast.net
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Upcoming Fellowship Programming | |
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Passion Action Fair: Where the heart and soul meet to nourish the mind
When: Sunday, January 8, 2023, following worship service, in the Lower Meetinghouse
Click here for more information.
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Animal Loss Support Group
When: Sunday, January 8 from 12-1pm, Hayward Room
Our monthly Animal Loss Support Group will be meeting the second Sunday each month, after church. On January 8th, we will meet in the Haywood Room but in the following months, we'll meet downstairs in Room A.
Click here for more information.
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Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO)
When: Tuesday, January 10 at 12pm at Loretta's, Newburyport
Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) meets at a different area restaurant on the second Tuesday of every month. Join other retired guys for lunch and sociability. The bill is split equally, so please bring small bills.
Click here for more information.
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Tuesday Short Story Group
When:1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, Lower Meeting House (Zoom option available)
Click here for more information.
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Friday Book Group
When: Fridays from 10-11:30am, Lower Meetinghouse Room A 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.
We are reading the novel ON BEAUTY by Zadie Smith. We are reading the novel ON BEAUTY by Zadie Smith. This past Friday was zoom-only due to the weather. For our meeting on Dec. 30, we will be reading up through page 341 (sections 1 - 6 of the third chapter “On beauty and being wrong”).
For more information, click here.
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Weekly Wellness Programming | |
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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.
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If you would like to publish an announcement or event in the Steeple,
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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. | |
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First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950
978-465-0602 | frsuu.org
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