What is First Universalist Church?
Monday, January 20, 6:30 - 9:00 pm
What are the top 10 things about First U?! Our next Pathway to Membership Class is this coming Monday, January 20 at 6:30 pm. It will be hosted by the Board and Congregation Connections Committee. The conversation that night will be all about our church's history, organization, mission, culture, and opportunities for engagement, presented as a fun countdown of the top ten best things about 1st U. Can you guess what #1 will be? (The class is not required for membership, but we hope you’ll come.)
SIGN THE BOOK to become a member of 1st U on our
Celebrating Membership Sunday, Feb. 2. We will have a coffee and book signing BEFORE the worship service in the Gathering Room (big space downstairs) at 10 am that day. You will then be eligible to vote on the minister we call in the spring.
Of course if you have already signed, or if you would prefer to have a conversation with Rev. Frieda and privately sign some time between now and Feb. 2nd, that’s completely fine. You can call or email her to arrange for that. We welcome you warmly whatever your pathway, and hope you’ll be there on Feb. 2nd for a bit of ceremony.
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YOGA IN THE SANCTUARY
Saturday mornings, 10 - 11 am
Set your intentions for the new year: Move your body, breathe in our beautiful Sanctuary, support First U, and give to a local charity of choice.
Yoga classes continue at the First Universalist on Saturdays led by our new yoga teacher, Marni Prince. She replaces Lois Howlett, our long time yoga teacher, who is moving to North Carolina. Marni is a trained Vinyasa Yoga teacher who has recently moved into Yarmouth. Cost: $10. Classes will be 10:00 - 11:00 AM. Any questions, please contact Marini Prince at
marniprince@gmail.com or Sarah Witte at
sarahcoffinwitte@gmail.com.
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3D (DINNER-DISCUSSION-DOCUMENTARY) NIGHT
Saturday, January 25, 5:30 pm, in the Gathering Room
The next 3D (Dinner-Discussion-Documentary) event is coming in January! Be sure to sign up ahead of time for this home-cooked free supper with vegetarian options (catalpa.girl@gmail.com) and stimulating conversation.
Our documentary film this time is a 2017 look at the Palestine/Israel situation. Whether we know a little or a lot about this topic, it presents an opportunity (like South Africa and Ireland did) to take a fresh look at communities trying to craft new responses to old conflicts.
This Is Palestine was released in June 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of the occupation of the West Bank and the tenth anniversary of the blockade of Gaza. We hope that stimulating AND respectful discussion will follow this screening.
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WORSHIP THEME: COURAGE
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Sunday, January 19, 2020, at 10:30 am
Rev. Frieda Gillespie, Interim Minister
Sam Chandler, Music Director
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CREATING SANCTUARY
In our weekly worship we explore Unitarian Universalist principles and values like the worth and dignity of every person, justice, and the interdependent web of life. How can we support your journey? How can we create beloved community? You and your search for truth and meaning are welcome and safe at First Universalist.
FACT: This year’s budget is $205,000. We anticipate $220,000 next year to continue our programs and staffing and welcome our new settled minister. Your commitment matters! Most of our spending (80%) is for programming, specifically staff and the work we do in both worship and religious education.
Hush: Somebody’s calling your name— Can you hear it? Calling you to a past not quite forgotten, Calling us to a future not fully imagined? Hush, hush: Somebody’s calling our name. What shall we do? - Kimberly Quinn Johnson
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MID-YEAR MEETING
Sunday, January 26, 11:30 am, Gathering Room
ALL ARE WELCOME - Members and Friends! Highlights include:
- Financial Update
- Minister's Reflections
- 2020 Goals
- Search Process Q&A
- Lunch and Childcare provided
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HAPPY WINTER GREETINGS FROM YOUR SEARCH COMMITTEE!
We are right in the thick of things now, and, just as the days lengthen, we can see some light ahead of us. We can't provide you with any details about candidates without breaking our convenant with each other and with the UUA. But we are pleased to share with you with a description of our process - it's about how we operate and why we chose do things that way. You can access the description
here.
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GOOD NEWS: CONGRATULATIONS, SAM!
Congratulations to our music director, Sam Chandler. He auditioned for the
Oratorio Chorale and will be singing tenor with them beginning in March. It is quite an honor!
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WELCOME, ANDREA!
Please welcome our new(ish!) administrative assistant, Andrea Meadows, to First Universalist. She began back in November and has quickly settled in, is getting up to speed on the office, and has added a warm, friendly presence. Office hours continue to be Mondays and Thursdays, 9 am - 4:30 pm. You can reach Andrea during those times by emailing office@uuyarmouth,org, calling 207-846-4148, or stopping by!
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MAINE FARM SUPPER
First U's popular and delicious Maine Farm Supper is coming up on February 8th, 5 - 7 pm. This fundraiser supports both the church and the Yarmouth Food Pantry. Volunteer sign-ups will be coming out soon. Please share
this poster widely - invite all your friends and neighbors! For more information, please contact Cindy Guernsey,
cindyguernsey@icloud.com.
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PROGRAMS THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 19
10:30 am -
Children's Chapel (begin in Sanctuary)
10:30 am -
Nursery Care (the Nursery)
Please note that there are no youth groups this week due to the long holiday weekend in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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In
Children's Chapel, this January is all about being free to learn together (our 3rd UU principle). Each Sunday, we’ll try out a different spiritual practice and learn together which practices we connect with. This Sunday, January 19, will be about the connections between
spirituality, movement, and dance.
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PARENT GUEST VOLUNTEERS ON SUNDAY MORNINGS
Curious about Children's Chapel or Junior Youth Group? Want to get a better sense of what's happening downstairs during the service? Now you can
sign up for a Sunday to visit with and help out in Children's Chapel (K-4th grade) or Junior Youth Group (5th-8th grade)! No requirement to volunteer; just an opportunity for interested parents, grandparents, or guardians.
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REGISTER FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH PROGRAMS ONLINE
This year, there is the option to
register online for children and youth programs!
Please register your children if they participate in any programs.
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OUR HALF-PLATE: GLSEN
This week’s half-plate is shared with GLSEN Southern Maine, a local chapter of the national GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) organization. This all-volunteer group was founded by Maine educators almost 25 years ago to ensure that LGTBQ students in our state could learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Working with high school and middle school clubs created by LGTBQ youth and their straight allies, GLSEN Southern Maine empowers students to take an active role in positively impacting their own schools to make them safer and more affirming learning communities for all students.
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PIHCINTU CHORUS: ONE JOURNEY MANY ROADS, Sat. Jan 25
Pihcintu Chorus will be performing a free* concert for all ages on Saturday, January 25 at 2:00 pm at the Congregational Church in Cumberland, UCC. Welcoming children from 16 countries including the US, the Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus helps restart young lives. Award-winning producer, musician, and songwriter, Con Fullam combined his passion for music with a deep concern for the effect of world issues on children - creating this unique chorus in Portland. Through the healing power of music, these vulnerable yet brave young women have learned to trust, hope, and laugh again. Being in their presence is a life-enhancing experience, and they touch the hearts of all who hear them! *Freewill donations will be welcome to support this program.
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WEATHER CANCELLATION INFORMATION
First Universalist service and public event cancellations are announced on WSCH Channel 6, WMTW Channel 8, and WGME Channel 13, as well as on Facebook.
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Pastoral Emergencies
If you have a pastoral emergency, you can contact Rev. Frieda Gillespie on her cell phone at 508-207-7566. Please note that most weeks she will be in Yarmouth Sunday - Tuesday and working from her home office in MA Wednesday - Friday. Saturdays are typically her day off, but she will answer calls for pastoral emergencies.
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Submit Your Announcement
To have your church or community event included in this newsletter or in print on Sundays please email the information to Gwen Matthews, Program Assistant, at
gwenatfirstu@gmail.com
by Wednesday at 12 pm
to have it included in that Friday's edition of Channels or the Sunday Morning News.
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