March 29, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Sunday Worship
• New Member Sunday: Contemplating Membership Session
• Maundy Thursday Service
• Help Bring Spring into Our Sanctuary for Easter
• An Invitation from the Board
• Annual Giving Campaign 2023-2024
• Annual Giving Campaign Testimony from Annie Maurer
• Online Annual Giving Campaign Information Session
• Progress to Date
• Hearts and Hands Art and Services Auction
• A Visualization of Peace from Minnie Flanagan
• Save the Date: All Ages Trashion Show and Potluck for the Planet
• Upcoming Fellowship Programming
• Weekly Chalice Lighting Reading
• Thank a UU
• Weekly Wellness Programming
• Monday Night Meditation
• Tuesday Spiritual Practice
• Wednesday Guided Relaxation
• Beyond Our Doors: Events in the Greater Newburyport Area

Annual Ministry Theme: Peace

April Ministry Theme: Water

Sunday, April 2, 2023

The Blessing of Water

10:30 am in person and on YouTube

Join us on this Palm Sunday as we celebrate spring with a baby blessing and begin our month-long exploration of water. Reverend Rebecca will be preaching.

“Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.”

-Nelson Mandela

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

April Shared Collection Partner -Merrimack Black and Brown Voices

Merrimack Valley Black and Brown Voices provides Black, Indigenous, and People of Color across the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts with a safe space to connect, share resources, and create systemic change to eliminate prejudice and discrimination in surrounding communities. They plan social and cultural events. They also provide support for individuals and families in financial need, local Black & Brown owned businesses, and more. Please answer the call to support black and brown voices. Half of each Sunday's collection not designated as a pledge supports a local partner working to transform our region.

Maundy Thursday Service…And Service Is Our Prayer

When: Thursday, April 6th, 5:30 pm

Maundy Thursday is also known as Holy Thursday. This service commemorates Jesus Christ’s institution of the communion during the Last Supper and the ceremony of the washing of the feet. As Unitarian Universalists, we say every Sunday…and service is our prayer. Service is central to our faith.  

During this Holy Week service, we will have the opportunity to reflect upon Jesus' call to serve one another and participate in the ritual of washing of feet or hands and receiving communion. Reverends Rebecca and Jane Tuohy will be officiating, and the choir will be singing. Come join us as we prepare for Easter.

Help Bring Spring into Our Sanctuary for Easter

Order your Easter flowers in memory or in celebration of friends or loved ones. The flowers will decorate the Sanctuary for Easter Service, and a list of donors and their messages will be included in the Easter Sunday Order of Service. You may bring your plants home after the service to enjoy in your home, plant in your garden, or give as a gift. The cost is $25 each for an Easter lily or a potted tulip plant.

The deadline for placing your order is tomorrow, Thursday, March 30 at 5pm.

Order here: https://bit.ly/2023EasterPlants

Payment may be made by check payable to FRS, or via our online giving form - select "Easter Flowers" from the dropdown fund list: https://onrealm.org/frsuu/-/form/give/now

If you have any questions, please contact Diane Carroll, diane.carroll@frsuu.org. Thank you!

An Invitation from the Board

How are decisions made in the church? What is the role of the Board? What challenges are we facing maintaining our historic buildings? What are our financial challenges? Join us on April 2 after worship to meet with the Board, the Facilities Team, and the Finance Team. After brief presentations you will be able to share your ideas and get your questions answered about these important aspects of the life of our church.

As we move forward, the Board is looking to make sure the congregation is fully informed about the inner workings of the church and to stay in touch with congregants’ aspirations, questions, and ideas. Our community has many opportunities and challenges coming up including redesigning and renovating the Parish Hall, growing our endowment to help cover our annual expenses, and celebrating the 300th anniversary of our Beloved Community. Input from our

members to help guide us and inspire us will help grow the resiliency and strength of our church as we move forward.

Please join us on April 2 in the Sanctuary after worship to meet with the Board and hear about the challenges facing us as we move forward. There will be a chance to submit questions, prior to the meeting, during the worship service on March 26th or you can email them to anniemaurer174@gmail.com.

There will also be a chance to ask questions and contribute at the meeting.

Please Help Us Reach Our 2023-2024 Goal!

Save the Date – May 5, 2023

HEARTS & HANDS

The FRS Arts & Services Auction

At the Newburyport Community Center

Plans are in the works for a night filled with merriment and fellowship!

CALL FOR AUCTION DONATIONS 

Do you have artwork, a vacation home, or a unique experience you can offer? Host a dinner party in your home! Tickets to events? There will be a table after service to sign up, or email Vernon Ellis at vellis@ellisdesign.net and let us know what you’d like to donate.

To sign up to volunteer, click on the blue button below.

Photo submitted by Minnie Flanagan: "Sleep Tight"

Save the Date: Friday May 12th - All Ages Trashion Show and Potluck for the Planet - All are welcome to join us for this festive outdoor event at FRS!

The FRS Green Team and Young Church are collaborating on intergenerational events

not to be missed! We are inviting congregants of all ages to create wearable art made out of recyclables and trash to be showcased at our first-ever Trashion Show at FRSUU this spring. Let your creativity flourish while building awareness about sustainability and waste reduction!

Sunday, April 2, following worship, from 11:30-1pm - Trash Fashion Workshop

Join Mara Flynn, Green Team members, and Mary McDonald and begin crafting some trash fashion. We will be providing inspiration, supplies, support, and PIZZA. You are also encouraged to start collecting your own recyclables and (clean) trash for the cause and bring it with you.

To attend the Trash Fashion Workshop please RSVP on Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/582248008467

The FRS Men’s Group formed in the fall of 2018 in response to the Me Too movement. Rev. Rebecca had put together a single-meeting women’s listening group, and several men in the church wanted to meet to see how they could respond and possibly influence their own male culture. We’ve been meeting once a month ever since. We meet, listen, offer care, and support each another.



If you are interested in being part of a men’s group here at FRS, if you have ideas about what a men’s group could be, if are curious and want more information, we welcome your interest. You can contact Bruce Deveau at bdeveau2@comcast.net or Joe Brouillet at josephbrouillet@comcast.net.

Lighting a chalice is an honored and beloved ritual of our faith. We take time to light a chalice and offer a reading or time of silence before the start of every meeting, gathering, or worship service. Doing so reminds us of our connection to one another and our values. It helps us to center and calm our minds and bodies. Each time the chalice is lit we are invited to return to ourselves and to peace.

We hope everyone joins in creating this collection of readings. Please submit your reading to cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org or RevRevecca.Bryan@frsuu.org.

Thank you, Ghlee Woodworth for leading a wonderful cemetery tour and providing education and awareness of our local history!

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.

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–; Director of Children's Ministry–Mara Flynn; Director of Church Music–Justin Murphy-Mancini; Director of Church Music Emerita–Barbara Owen; 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