A Holiday Welcome from Rev. Rebecca | |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Sunday Worship Service
- New Member Sunday and Contemplating Membership Discussion
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Christmas Poinsettias
- Jazz Vespers on December 6th
- Looking Toward the 4th Century
- Tonight! Native Plants Discussion and Potluck
- UU Study Group
- Second Annual Holiday Cookie Walk and Historic Church Tours
- Co-creating Joy This Holiday Season
- UU Wellspring Program Beginning in January
- The 2024 Daily Muse is Ready for Sale
- Joy of Giving
- Thank a UU
- Fellowship Programming
- Pop-Up Concert
- Download the FRS December Worship and Events Calendars
- Call on Parish Friends
- Beyond Our Doors
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Annual Ministry Theme: Interconnectedness | |
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December Ministry Theme: Body, Mind, and Spirit
Sunday, December 3, 2023
10:30am, in person and streamed on YouTube
Wisdom in Our Bones
Navigating today’s unsettled and uncertain world can be challenging—globally and personally and everywhere in between. Join Rev. Alan Seale to explore how our inner wisdom can be our daily guide.
“We all have this place in us,
a place of strength, harmony and wisdom,
but most of the time we don't live there.
How can we course-correct faster?
How can we encourage each other to live
in that place more?”
—Arianna Huffington
Attend on YouTube: http://bit.ly/FRSyoutube
December's Shared Collection Partner – Community Action Inc. Energy Program
Large print Orders of Service, hymnals, and earphones for sound amplification are available. Please ask ushers to provide them.
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New Member Sunday will be on Sunday, January 7th | |
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On Sunday, January 7th, the FRS will dedicate a part of the worship service to welcome new members to our congregation. When you become a member of our congregation, we commit to supporting you in your spiritual exploration and faith foundation journey.
You have heard it over and over again: we invite you to come as you are. Let the FRSUU be a place that you can call home and know that you are loved and cared for.
By becoming a member, you are also given a vote in church decision-making and this is important to how we run our congregation. To learn more about membership at the FRSUU, we invite you to attend Contemplating Membership on Sunday, December 17th following worship service. This 60-minute session will be facilitated by Rev. Rebecca and Cynthia Walsh. Please RSVP by emailing (joining by zoom is an option) cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.
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CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – 2023
Order your Christmas poinsettias in memory or in celebration of friends or loved ones.
Your name and dedication message will be included in the Candlelight Service and Christmas Eve programs. You may pick up your plant after the Christmas Eve Service to enjoy in your home. Cost is $25 for a large plant.
Deadline for orders is Sunday, December 3.
This is a firm deadline because we must submit the final order to the florist on Monday, December 4.
To order, please fill out the form: https://forms.office.com/r/5N6weY5PNY
Options for sending your payment:
1. Go to https://onrealm.org/frsuu/-/form/give/now and select "Holiday Flowers" from the fund dropdown menu. Please change the default dollar amount to equal the total cost of your plants.
2. Mail or drop off payment at the front office by Monday, December 4. Please make checks payable to "First Religious Society" and write "Poinsettia" in the memo field of your check.
Questions? Please contact Diane Carroll at diane.carroll@frsuu.org.
Thank you!
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Jazz Vespers Returns to the FRS Sanctuary! | |
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When: Wednesday, December 6, 8pm
Danny Harrington and Rusty Scott (baritone sax and piano respectively) will be joining us for Jazz Vespers on December 6, at 8pm in the Sanctuary. There will also be a brief offering of poetry. Please come and enjoy a short respite from the busy season!
Baritone saxophonist Danny Harrington is a performer, educator, clinician and Vandoren Artist. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island and now lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts with his wife (Risa) and daughter (Nina). He retired last May as a Professor of Music at Berklee College of Music, a position he has held since 1978. He was also recently bestowed with the Professor Emeritus title.
Rusty has been a fixture on the Boston jazz scene since 1990, performing professionally as both a soloist and in a wide variety of groups. While attending the University of Vermont, Rusty's jazz studies began under Bruce Sklar. In 1989, Rusty moved on to Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Michael Marra, one of Boston's finest bop pianists, Bob Winter, of the Boston Pops, and Mike LeDonne (from the bands of Milt Jackson and Benny Golson). He received a Bachelor in Jazz Performance degree.
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Looking Toward the 4th Century AT FRSUU
Be Part of Establishing Our Priorities
Our goal is to hear from at least 200 parishioners - please step up and participate in one of the many sessions we are offering!
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The Congregational Insight Team will host a series of workshops to hear your ideas and together develop strategies to realize your dreams and wishes for our beloved community.
Please plan to attend one of the following workshops:
Wednesday, December 6 from 6-8pm
Sunday, January 21 from 12-2pm
Wednesday, January 24 from 6-8pm
Sunday, January 28 from 12-2pm
Click on the black button below to register.
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FRS Green Team - A Climate Inspirations Encore
Potluck Supper and Presentation by Carol Decker on Native Plants for Every Yard…and Why It Is Vital to Plant Them
TONIGHT from 6-9pm in the Lower Meetinghouse or on Zoom
When: November 29, 6-9 pm, Lower Meetinghouse
Please join us for a vegetarian or vegan inspired potluck and social time from 6-7pm, followed by a presentation on Native Plants for Every Yard…and Why it is Vital to Plant Them. Our presenter, Carol Decker, is steeped in this topic and is an engaging and informative presenter. Carol was previously the Director of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary and is an extraordinary naturalist and leader of Audubon bird walks. Carol is now deeply involved with West Newbury Wild and Native or
WNWN.
Please register for the potluck here: https://bit.ly/GreenTeamPotluck
The presentation will be available to watch on Zoom at 7pm:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92258351919?pwd=cFFEbG5WRkwyQ2NNMEpJZG1RUm5qUT09
Meeting ID: 922 5835 1919
Passcode: 770908
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Second Annual Holiday Cookie Walk
& Historic Church Tours
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Second Annual Holiday Cookie Walk in the LMH
When: Friday, December 8, 4:00–8:00pm
During the 2nd Downtown Newburyport Invitation Night
Please join us to make this year's Cookie Walk even more fun and successful than the last one! If you like to bake or can volunteer to help out at the event, please sign up via the green button below or visit the Cookie Walk table after service. We also need cookie customers to shop our huge assortment of homemade holiday cookies, all baked with love. They are ideal gifts or perfect for your own holiday celebrations. Available in $3 packages of 3 cookies, or buy 4 bags and get the 5th bag free. you can pick and choose among all your favorites. Spread the word!!
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Historic Church Tours
When: Friday, December 8, Sanctuary, from 4-7:30pm
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Co-Creating Joy this Holiday Season
First offered in the depths of the pandemic in 2020, our “Co-Creating Joy” program has been so meaningful for participants that we offer it again, for the fourth time. We invite you to participate in this program designed to spread a little joy.
How will it work? First, indicate your interest in participating by December 15 by signing up here: bit.ly/FRSCo-CreatingJoy
You will be randomly assigned another participant for whom you will leave a small token of joy. Be creative! It could be a baked good, a photograph or piece of art you've created, a copy of a favorite poem, a book that you find especially meaningful, even found objects from nature. Please do not purchase anything extravagant. Let the gift be an expression of you!
You, in return, will be the recipient of someone else's joyful giving. All exchanges will ideally be in December—but after the holidays is a fine time, too! We can help transport if necessary.
Questions? Contact Julie Parker Amery, Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration at julie.amery@frsuu.org.
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UU Wellspring Program Beginning in January
When: First and Third Tuesdays, 9-11am; begins January 16
Lower Meetinghouse
UU Wellspring is a spiritual deepening course for Unitarian Universalists. It is a program that explores how the foundations of our faith support us throughout our life. It offers an opportunity to connect deeply to your UU values and suggests techniques to ground your social action in spiritual practice. It provides a group of supportive seekers to share in your journey.
The UU Wellspring program has five components:
- Daily spiritual practice
- Small group connections
- Connection with a spiritual companion
- Deeper knowledge of UU history and theology through reading and responding to pre-session assignments
- Reflection and commitment to living our values in the world
The first program in the series is Our UU Sources. This is the prerequisite for all other years of UU Wellspring. Sources offers participants an opportunity for reflection around two key areas: Unitarian Universalist history and theology, and the “big questions” that are central to our Unitarian Universalist faith, including human nature, death, joy, and forgiveness.
The Sources program will be running for the 2024 calendar year, with a break in July and August. We begin on January 16. Register by January 2 by clicking on the blue button below.
Questions? Contact Julie Parker Amery, Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Exploration, at julie.amery@frsuu.org.
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The “Daily Muse” Is Ready for Purchase!
Just in time for the holidays, the “Daily Muse” is a perfect gift for a loved one or yourself. A book of daily quotes, the Muse sits on a window ledge, shelf, or desk, where you will see it throughout the day for a regular dose of inspiration. This year’s edition includes quotes by Frederick Douglass, Harvey Milk, Maya Lin, Hafez, Maya Angelou, and hundreds more!
Each Daily Muse costs $20 and will be available for purchase by cash, check, or credit card after church beginning November 19.
You may also purchase them in the church office, by check or cash only, from Diane Carroll, Monday-Friday, from 9am-1pm, or Julie Parker Amery, Tuesday-Wednesday, 9am-3pm.
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Joy of Giving is a program in which we at FRS donate new/unused items so that the children of Kelleher Gardens Family Housing can “shop” for free for their family members.
This year, we are letting the kids shop for siblings as well as parents/caregivers so some toys and games are welcome. Festive boxes of holiday goodies (cookies, candies, treats) are always favorites.
Throughout November, please leave donations at the back of the sanctuary.
Please contact Nancy Crochiere at ncrochiere@comcast.net with questions.
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THANK A UU
If you would like to thank a UU, please send your expression of thanks to cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org to be published in the Steeple.
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Many thanks to Ann Power, Sue and Rich Comeau, and Donny Rogers for decorating our church so beautifully for the holiday season! | |
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Renaissance New England, a transgender support group, is holding its bi-monthly group meeting
When: Saturday, December 9 from 4-6pm in the Lower Meetinghouse
The meeting is open to transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse adults, together with their partners and allies, as well as to the parents and adult family members of transgender youth.
The meeting will be hosted by Melissa Rose who is a member of the FRS Welcoming Committee. Newcomers to the meeting are especially welcome!
This particular meeting will finish with a Holiday Yankee Swap, which will be followed by a potluck dinner. If you would like to participate in this part of the meeting, please bring with you a wrapped Christmas gift (with a price limit of around $20) for swapping, and some food to share. If you prefer not to participate actively in this part of the meeting, please feel free to stay, to watch the fun and to chat.
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1619 Project: A Discussion Series
Members of the FRS Anti-Racism Initiative invite you to join us for the sixth and final episode of the 1619 Project documentary series, titled “Justice.” This episode examines the systemic causes of the lasting Racial Wealth Gap between Black and white Americans and presents possible solutions for repairing the harm caused by unjust systems and policies.
Some questions you might consider before viewing:
- What is reparation? Why do people expect a repair for harm?
- What is justice? How have you heard it defined? What is the relationship between justice and reparation?
If you’d like to watch the episode at FRS, you can come to the Lower Meetinghouse for a viewing either Thursday, November 30 from 5-6:15 pm or Friday, December 1 from noon-1:15 pm. You can also opt to watch the episodes at home (they are available on Hulu). Please let us know if you cannot make either of the church viewings and do not have access to Hulu and we’ll see what we can do to help.
A Zoom discussion will be held for this “Justice” episode on Monday, December 4 from 7-8 pm. Please click here to register for the discussion, or contact Julie Parker Amery at julie.amery@frsuu.org to receive the Zoom link. For further information about the 1619 Project please see: https://1619education.org.
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FRS Film Forum
When: Third Wednesday of the month from
5-6pm on Zoom
Watch the movie of the month at home, then join us for a lively discussion of it on Zoom. Movies reflect the monthly ministry theme and come from a variety of genres.
for more information contact Julie Parker Amery at julie.amery@frsuu.org.
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Weekly Mindfulness Programming
Each week, the FRS offers a series of wellbeing and spiritual practice sessions. These sessions are open to everyone, and we invite you to join us anytime!
Monday Evening Meditation (in person)
Tuesday Spiritual Practice (online)
Wednesday Morning Guided Meditation (online)
Click here for more information.
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Join the FRS's Green Team
When: Second Wednesday of the month at 7pm via Zoom.
For questions, be in touch with Annie Madden at madden.anne.b@gmail.com or 617-803-8913.
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Tuesday Short Story Group
When:1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, noon, 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.
For more information, click here.
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Download the FRS December Worship and Events Calendars
Click on the gray buttons below:
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Call on Parish Friends!
Do you know of anyone in our church community who could use a helping hand or an encouraging word? If so, please reach out to the FRS Parish Friends. For example, a member may need a ride to an appointment or appreciate a card to let them know we hold them in our thoughts. Or any other temporary support such as a family with a new baby who may welcome a meal! If so, please contact Susan Ricker at parishfriends@frsuu.org. You may also reach out to the church office at info@frsuu.org or call 978-465-0602.
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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; 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–Jim Supple; Vice Chair–Tina Benik; Finance Chair–Renée Wolf Foster; Governance Chair–Tom Himmel; Endowment Treasurer–Kim Kenly; Finance Treasurer–Bob Higgins; Stewardship Chair–Vern Ellis; Parish Clerk–Kathy Desilets; Lori Clark, Caitlin Creps, Laurie Evans-Daly, Minnie Flanagan, Liss Larsen, Annie Maurer. | |
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First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950
978-465-0602 | frsuu.org
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