April 19, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Sunday Worship
• New Member Sunday
• RSVP for the FRS Annual Meeting
• Report from April 2nd Congregational Meeting with the Parish Board
• Church Board to Meet
• Annual Giving Campaign 2023-2024 Update
• The FRS 300th History Book Team Meeting
• Help Us Find the Lost Time Capsule
• FRS T-shirts Available: Order by May 5th
• Anti-Racism Survey
• The Second Not-Quite-Annual Spectacular FRS Bakeoff and Bake Sale!
• HEARTS & HANDS: The FRS Arts & Services Auction
• A Visualization of Peace from Cynthia Walsh
• Trashion Show and Potluck for the Planet
• Upcoming Fellowship Programming
• Weekly Chalice Lighting Reading by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Parish Friends
• 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

“It is essential for ocean life and our own that we transform ourselves from being a species that uses of its resources to one that cherishes and nurtures them“

- Callum Roberts

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Living a Balanced Life: Guided by Compassion and Wisdom 

10:30am in person and streamed on Zoom only

Jon Kolkin will preach on the benefit to self and others when living a balanced life guided by wisdom and compassion, insights into factors that sometimes get us off track, and principles central to regaining our footing. Following the service Jon will lead a discussion on practical strategies that can help us live a more balanced life.

Attend on Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/93027930846?pwd=dFFlN3ZwM3JvMEpLOW1DUWh4SmRLUT09

Meeting ID: 930 2793 0846

Passcode: 856334

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,93027930846# US (Washington DC)

+13052241968,,93027930846# US

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.

Please join us for the Annual Meeting of the First Religious Society on Sunday, June 11th following worship service. 

Our Annual Meeting is an important gathering for our congregation that demonstrates our commitment to shared ministry in decision-making and governance. It is an important time to reflect on our congregation's Values, Mission and Ends. We encourage all members to participate.

Important note: membership at the FRS is required to vote. If you are unsure if are a member, and or interested in becoming a member of the FRS, please email cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.

Registration is required and a brown bag lunch will be provided.

RSVP by clicking the blue button below!

Report from April 2nd Congregational Meeting with the Parish Board

Thank you to everyone who came to the meeting with the Parish Board after church on April 2. It was great to hear people’s questions and ideas as we look to the future of our community. The meeting started with Tina Benik, Parish Board Chair, speaking about the Board’s work. She shared that the Board is made up of thirteen members and is always looking for people who would be willing to serve the church by doing this work. The Board discusses and decides on church policies such as the ideas brought forward by the Green Team to lessen the church’s environmental impact.

This year the Board created four teams:

1. Supportive Shared Ministry
2. Communication Strategies
3. 300th Anniversary Celebration
4. Parish Board/Congregational Relations.

It also emphasized the importance of creating a fifth team to become an anti-racist congregation.

Next, the Facilities Team, represented by Forrest Speck, Susan Thorne, and Doug

Latham, filled us in on the state of our historic buildings and grounds. This team was formed by the Board to vet and guide projects proposed by members of the congregation, track all the expenses related to FRS facilities, and advise the Board and Finance Committee by providing assessments and developing priorities of maintenance and repairs. Working off a comprehensive engineering report done in 2015, they estimate we have about $300,000 in deferred and current repairs and maintenance! Part of the work of the team is to prioritize projects. For example, reroofing the main church building is a high priority; replacing the iron fence is not.

We ended the meeting with a report from the Finance Team, represented by Lark Madden, with an update from Stewardship Chair Vern Ellis on this year’s pledge campaign. Lark emphasized the importance of building up our endowment and building a reserve so that we have the means to attend to the maintenance and repairs noted by the Facilities Team rather than scrambling when issues come up. One idea being developed is legacy giving. Vern reported that we have reached over 80 percent of our pledge goal. We were reminded that the majority of the money raised in the pledge campaign goes to support our wonderful minister and staff and all the work they do for us.

We will be meeting again on Wednesday, May 31st to further delve into work of the

church being led by the Board and the teams it supports. Please plan on joining us.

Church Board to Meet

The Church Board is scheduled to meet on April 27 at 6:00. Board

meetings are open for all to come and observe, although the Board requests that

you email the Chair, Tina Benik at tiben1989@gmail.com and let her know you

are planning to attend.



Board meetings regularly include a report from the minister and an update

on church finances. This month we are also anticipating a report from the 300th

celebration team and a report from stewardship on the annual campaign. The

agenda won’t be finalized until shortly before the meeting but a tentative agenda

will be on display in the vestibule on the Sunday before the meeting.

Please feel free to let us know if you would like to come and watch the

Board in action.

Please Help Us Reach Our 2023-2024 Goal!

Campaign Update:

Number of pledges* submitted: 233

Total amount pledged: $495,382

Percentage of pledge goal: 90.07%

Thank you to all who have submitted your pledge forms!

If you haven’t yet pledged, it’s not too late!

There are several ways to submit your pledge:

–Submit your pledge online: https://www.frsuu.org/pledge/

–Email your pledge amount to Diane Carroll, diane.carroll@frsuu.org

–Mail your pledge form to the church at 26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

Every pledge, in any amount, matters!

You can help us reach our goal!

For more information about the annual giving campaign:

https://www.frsuu.org/pledge/

*A pledging unit may be a family, couple, or individual.

Back in 1975 the children in Young Church made a time capsule for us to open at our 300th anniversary in 2025. For the last 48 years, it’s been tucked away somewhere in the church waiting for us to find and open when the time is right. But where is it? What does it look like? Is it a tube? A box? A crate? An envelope?

The 300th Anniversary team is anxious to locate the time capsule and have it ready to open in 2025. Do you know where it is? What it looks like? If you had a child in Young Church, or were one yourself in 1975 do you remember the time capsule? If you can help us with this search, please email Cynthia Walsh at cynthia.walsh@frsuu.org.



And keep your eyes open; perhaps it’s hidden in plain sight!

Anti-Racism Survey

The Anti-Racism Initiative Core Team is seeking information so that we might offer the most desired and relevant programming for our congregation as we move toward adoption of the 8th UU Principle. We ask that you fill out this very brief survey. Would you like to participate in book discussions? Movie nights? Perhaps a series devoted to “The 1619 Project,” or the “Seeing White” podcast series? Please fill out the survey by clicking the blue button below. It will take just a minute or two!

The Second Not-Quite-Annual Spectacular FRS Bakeoff and Bake Sale!

When: Sunday, April 30 at 11:30am in the Lower Meetinghouse

Enter your favorite baked creation, OR just come to taste and vote. Either way, this is a fun and delicious way to support the FRS youth preparing to go to the Pine Ridge Reservation in June. For more information about entering, click here. 

Tickets are $40 per person ($50 at the door)

May 5 at 6:30pm



We will provide dinner, beer, and wine and

many awesome auction items for you to bid on such as:

Deer Dancer–Original Watercolor Painting-Paul Vigil

donated by Linda Harding and Hugh Martinez

Renew Your Vows

donated by Rev. Rebecca Bryan

Cookout and Trivia Night

donated by Nancy Crochiere

5 days/4 nights in Rangeley, ME

on Lake Mooselookmeguntic

donated by Susan Stone and Vern Ellis

TO PURCHASE TICKETS

By credit card

https://bit.ly/FRS2023AuctionTickets

or at the auction table after church

By check

Mail the check to the office and provide your email address

and we will send you the ticket via email.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

for a fun and festive time:

https://bit.ly/AuctionVolunteer2023

Photo submitted by Cynthia Walsh: "Red sky at Night"

To RSVP and to sign up to bring a dish for the potluck please click on the

green button below:

This is an all ages event!

If you'd like to participate as a Trashion Show creator/model, email Mara at mara.flynn@frsuu.org for more information.

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.

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.

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; 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, Bob Higgins, Michelle Kimball, Annie Maurer.

First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist | 26 Pleasant St., Newburyport MA 01950

978-465-0602 | frsuu.org