Annual Ministry Theme: Unity
September Ministry Theme: Invitation
We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.
-Dorothy Day
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This iconic drawing of our church was created by FRS parishioner and longtime Newburyport resident Blake Hughes (1923-2021). Blake was commissioned by Reverend Bert Steeves for this print and was paid $100 for his work. |
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A Message from Reverend Rebecca |
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Join us as we return to our beloved church for Opening Sunday worship, both in person and online.
We will be continuing honored traditions including creating our flower arch, as we lean into and learn together what it means to be a church at this point in the pandemic. It will be a blessed coming together of the old and the new: tradition integrated with new technology, longtime members greeting first-time visitors, and all that we have been merging with all that we are becoming, together and individually. Reverend Rebecca will be preaching.
You are invited ~ whoever you are, however you are; whether your heart is heavy or light, whether you come with trepidation or rejoicing, whether you come online or in person ~ You are welcome.
Add your flower to our arch! Come by outside church on Saturday, September 11th, from 9–11am to place your flower on the arch, or bring a flower with you if you are coming to worship in person on Sunday, September 12th.
Flowers will be added outside before the start of the service, and the arch will be moved inside for the flower dedication.
Advance registration is required for attending worship in person. In-person attendance is limited to 200 people, with assigned, distanced seating.
If you plan to attend with another person or as part of a pod (three to six people), please assign one person to make the reservation for your group. You will be seated with the people with whom you signed up.
Masks are required in worship, and inside church buildings at all times.
For more information and to register for the Sunday, September 12th Worship Service, click the button below.
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REOPENING 2021
By Tom Stites
Seventy-eight weeks sure is a long time.
When we open the new church year by gathering to worship in person in our Meetinghouse on the Sunday after Labor Day, that’s how long it will have been since the novel coronavirus slammed our doors and we suspended worship in the sanctuary for what we then thought would be a few weeks.
As the horror of COVID-19 unfolded, we learned our way into the long haul, with virtual services piped to our computer screens, occasional outdoor worship in person in Atkinson Common, and FRS’s first-ever summer series of eight services, all virtual.
So much has happened since that last sanctuary service, on March 8, 2020 – so much has changed in our lives, in the world, in our understanding of injustice.
So much has challenged our spirits that Rev. Rebecca is seeing Sunday, September 12, as opening not only the new church year but also a new chapter in the three-century history of First Religious Society.
"Church is more important than ever," she said in an interview. "We've got to be relational, we've got to be in community. How can we honor what has been lost, and be open to what is possible, what is now? We need to hear from others, to grieve what's happening. We need to return with grace and forgiveness."
Click here to continue reading...
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FRS' MUSIC PROGRAM
By Justin Murphy-Mancini, Director of Church Music
The music program is gearing up for the coming church year with a willingness to experiment and to stay creative as we all navigate the continuing challenges of COVID-19. The choir reconvenes on Thursday, September 2 at 7:30pm. They will rehearse in person with masking and social distancing, aiming to record anthems for Sunday services while live singing remains limited. This will be an exciting opportunity to learn new musical skills and to make the sounds of the choir available on demand through the church's YouTube channel. If you're interested in joining the choir this season, please email Director of Church Music Justin Murphy-Mancini at justin.murphy-mancini@frsuu.org. Please note that only vaccinated persons are permitted to participate at this time. We would love to welcome more singers to the ensemble.
As we have to preserve restrictions on some of our live music-making, we are also seeking out the congregation's other musical talents! If you play an instrument or are engaged in a musical practice that can be shared as a solo or duo, Justin would love to hear from you! All forms and styles of music are welcome at Sunday morning worship, and this time is especially good if you have something to share. Please be in touch with Justin if this is something you find interesting.
The music program, like the rest of the church, will be taking one step at a time, so be on the lookout for our latest experiment or trial run.
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ADULT FAITH FORMATION AND SPIRITUAL EXPLORATION
By Julie Parker Amery, Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration
Greetings, all, and welcome to another church year! I'm so excited to consider the year ahead, and the many ways that we'll connect, share, learn, and grow together. I'm looking forward to continuing to utilize tools for connecting virtually, while adding in-person gatherings to the mix. This is surely going to be a year like none other and I hope that you won't hesitate to let me know what it is that you want and need in terms of faith formation.
To make it easy for you, I've created a brief survey. I do hope you’ll take a few moments with it. It will only take a couple of minutes, but the information you provide will be helpful as all of us involved in the faith formation ministry—staff and members alike—work to put together the most relevant and robust program. The survey offers you the opportunity to share what themes you wish to explore, and whether you wish to engage online and/or in person. Please also consider what interests/skills you have that you'd like to share with the congregation in the context of faith formation. The survey can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/faithformationfall2021. Please fill it out by September 8.
One of the programs I'm really looking forward to this fall is "Your Journey of Faith," a five-session workshop intended to support you in looking at your life as a spiritual journey. The program will culminate in a written piece that you might then wish to share with the congregation in an upcoming worship service (though that part will be strictly optional). Please keep an eye out for details and a registration link, which will be heading your way soon.
Please keep in touch, even to just say hi and let me know how you're doing. I'm so looking forward to reconnecting! To connect with Julie, please email julie.amery@frsuu.org.
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YOUNG CHURCH UPDATE
By Mara Flynn, Director of Children's Ministry
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Greetings dear FRS members and friends,
I am so excited to be back in person with all of you soon! Looking ahead, Young Church is facing some changes and challenges AND I am excited for the opportunity to try some new things and co-create a thriving Young Church community with all of you!
I am envisioning lively programming that allows our youth, middle schoolers and children to work with each other and to help direct what we do to create meaningful connection, such as:
- Ritual for all ages
- Joyful community building
- Activities and projects that support our curiosity, and explorations of our UU Principles and social justice engagement as part of our spiritual practice.
- Intergenerational connections with congregants
- A note about OWL: "Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Education" has not been running its facilitator trainings due to the pandemic. We are talking with the UU in Haverhill about working together to ensure that OWL is offered this year for our 8th and 9th graders and we are looking into participating in trainings for new OWL Facilitators when available - details TBD!
Masks and social distancing will be required when indoors and we'll be outside as much as possible. Look for more info in the forthcoming Young Church Newsletter!
Please reach out with any questions you have, OR if you're interested in being an Adult Guide volunteer in Young Church this fall, please contact Mara Flynn at mara.flynn@frsuu.org.
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Thank Our UUs
If you would like to thank another parishioner, please email cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org. 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!
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Many thanks to those who donated books and other media for repurposing for this year's annual used book sale that was held during Yankee Homecoming. A total of $810.26 was raised for our church. Thanks to the help of energetic volunteers to sort, set up, and sell books. Many thanks to the following helpers for generously giving their time: Cecelia and Paul Healy, Barbara Owen, Marianne Snow, Joseph Snow, Patricia Reeser, Stephen-Wolf Foster, Karen Hudner, Holly Cashman, Lee McLaughlin, Ann McCrea, Diane Forman, Kathy Straubel, Julie Menin, Dave Clarridge, Minnie Flanagan, Mark Hodgson, and William Clary. |
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Shout out to the FRS Communications and Marketing Team for providing vision and support in our relaunch of the Steeple Newsletter. Members of this team include Bob Higgins, Ed Meagher, Lynn Kettleson, Sandra Thaxter, Tom Stites, Vern Ellis, and Cynthia Walsh. |
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Justin Murphy-Mancini shouts out the many volunteers from the Adult Choir who helped move the choir library from the second floor to the Lower Meetinghouse during the middle of August. They willingly heaved filing cabinets and transferred box after box of anthem folders from the sweltering heat to the air-conditioned cool of the lower level, where still others patiently catalogued the anthems for the first time. Over 500 choir pieces have been catalogued so far, with many more to go! Justin is immensely grateful for the choir's can-do attitude. |
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Thank you to all the Summer Worship hosts, which includes Tom Stites, Julie Parker Amery, Kristen Miller and Marcus Lisle, Bruce Deveau, Paula Estey, Joyce Haydock, and Ray Wilson. Special thanks to Vern Ellis for organizing this lay-led Summer Fellowship series, and to tech hosts Matt Costello and Sam Gabriel-Deveau. Thank you for keeping hearts, minds, and souls nourished this summer! |
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We are seeking congregants to join the Finance, Stewardship, and Governance Committees. It doesn't require any particular knowledge or skills to contribute meaningfully to the work of the church. Each committee functions as a team to divide the tasks, provide expertise, and support decisions. We are looking for more and different members of the congregation to step in and help with the operations of our beloved community.
Service is our prayer!
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Writers Wanted!
The FRS Communications Team is looking for people who would like to join our writing team to help cover parish and community related stories for our Steeple newsletter. You would be supported by a team of experienced journalists, print designers, and people who love to learn and share stories about our parish.
We meet on the 4th Thursday of the month from 5-6pm via Zoom. In the future we hope to be able to meet in person and share a meal as we brainstorm ideas for stories. This role will bring laughter and enjoyment as you build connections with fellow parishioners.
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FRS Supports Annual Field of Honor as a Sponsor
The Exchange Club of Greater Newburyport will host the 12th annual Field of Honor, a moving display of hundreds of American flags, from September 8-13, on the Bartlet Mall in Newburyport.
One of the event's highlights this year is a Dedication Ceremony to be held at 9am on Saturday, September 11th (rain date is noon on Sunday, September 12th). The Field of Honor traditionally honors veterans, military, first responders, and personal heroes. This year, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country, special tribute will be paid to the victims and survivors of those attacks. Healthcare workers, essential workers, and those affected by COVID-19 will also be honored.
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FRS' Little Free Diverse Library Opens to the Community
Our Little Free Diverse Library is up and running and is located on Pleasant Street in front of Parish Hall. We welcome donations of books for ALL AGES that help to amplify and empower diverse experiences and authors. Please contact Mara Flynn, Director of Children's Ministry, at mara.flynn@frsuu.org with any questions.
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Indigenous Peoples' Day Initiative
FRS members of the Indigenous Peoples' Day Initiative have been campaigning the City of Newburyport to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day. The resolution is in committee and is expected to be brought forth to the full City Council in the coming weeks. Newburyport residents are encouraged to sign the petition here! Please share with your neighbors and friends who are residents or work in Newburyport. If you are interested in learning more about how to engage in this initiative, please email Cynthia Walsh at cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.
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Support Affordable Housing in Newburyport!
On September 13, the Newburyport City Council will meet to discuss the YWCA of Newburyport's affordable housing project, which is a plan for 10 units of affordable housing called the YWCA at Hillside. The YWCA asked for and received $150,000 from Community Preservation Act in 2015 for this project. Given the pandemic, there have been delays and there is a cost increase of $330,000, which the YWCA must bear. The cost increase includes additional construction costs and increased costs for appliances. The YWCA returned to Community Preservation Act and requested $50,000, which was approved. However, Councilor Eigerman opposes the request on several grounds and believes that the developer – David Hall – should bear 100% of the cost increases. David Hall has contributed a donation of land valued at $280,000, $300,000 toward purchase of building, and design costs.
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Minister–The Reverend Rebecca Bryan; Affiliate Minister–Stan Barrett; Affiliate Minister–Helen Murgida; Minister Emeritus–The Reverend Harold Babcock. Staff: Office Administrator–Diane Carroll; Director of Children's Ministry–Mara Flynn; Director of Church Music–Justin Murphy-Mancini; Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration–Julie Parker Amery; Director of Church Operations–vacant; Director of Congregational and Community Engagement–Cynthia Walsh; Sexton–Donny Rogers. Parish Board: Chair–Holly Cashman; Vice Chair– ; Finance Chair– ; Governance Chair–Juliana Beauvais; Endowment Treasurer–Kim Kenly; Finance Treasurer–Micah Donahue; Parish Clerk–Kathy Desilets; Tina Benik, Vern Ellis, Minnie Flanagan, Michelle Kimball, Lucy Litwin, Annie Maurer, Jim Supple, Renée Wolf Foster.
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First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950
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