The Spire

the electronic newsletter of

First Parish of Norwell,

Unitarian Universalist

In - Spire - ing News UUs Can Use

April 25, 2024

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click here to email the Church Office

In This Issue

Sunday Worship

Spiritual Snack

Caring Corner

Stewardship Update

Alliance Annual Meeting

First Parish Art Show

The Church (Office) Lady Says...

Annual Reports

Helen Fogg Outreach Committee

Yoga

New/Members/Visitors Series

Golf Tournament

Side With Love Overpass Gatherings

Mental Health Action Team Webinar

James Library 150th Birthday

First Parish Book Group

Lunchtime Poetry Gatherings

May/June Happenings

Dementia Resources

Multiplatform Services on

Sundays at 10 am

Rev. Susan Chorley preaching

unless otherwise indicated

Our worship and Soul Matters theme for the month of April is Interconnectedness.

April 28: Multigenerational Service

Our RE classes will share their learnings from both Hindu and Jewish faiths and cultures.

As this is the 4th Sunday of the month, Joys and Concerns will have an open mic component.

click here to join on April 28

Meeting ID: 835 2290 6631

Passcode: Connect

Dial by your location

+1 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 835 2290 6631

Our worship and Soul Matters theme for May is Pluralism. We will use our time together on Sundays to celebrate the diversity of belief and thought within our Unitarian Universalist community.

May 5: Music Sunday

We will be celebrating the arts with specific focus on the joy of hymns and anthems from our choir.

May 12: "Love Unbound"

Honoring mothers and accepting the invitation of the Confucius practice of self-reflection and change.

May 19: "What the Principles Mean to Me" - led by our FPN youth group (with youth advisors Jonathan Babcock and Karen Bernier)

May 26: "A Time for War and a Time for Peace"

On this Sunday before Memorial Day, we will honor those who have died in service to our country and reflect on moving towards peace in a world with a proclivity for war

click here to join in May

Meeting ID: 816 8328 2836

Passcode: Plural

Dial by your location

+1 646 876 9923

Meeting ID: 816 8328 2836

Please send your joys and concerns to Rev. Susan by 8:00 am on Sundays. Be sure to tell her if your news can be shared with the congregation or if it should be kept private. The 4th Sunday of each month will include am "open mic" component to Joys and Concerns.

Spiritual Snack

"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family.”

~Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

Caring Corner

A Celebration of Life for Deanna Riley will be held at First Parish of Norwell on Saturday, April 27 at 1 pm, with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Please click here to view Deanna's obituary. The service will also be shown on Zoom.

click here to join

We send best wishes and healing thoughts to Bernie Gardner, who is recovering at home following a brief hospital stay for a cardiac procedure.

We are sad to report that Pearl Jayko, a long-time member of both the church and the Alliance, passed away at her granddaughter's home last night. Pearl had been in hospice care following a recent fall and cardiac event. Cards may be sent to Pearl's granddaughter, Melinda Boley (24 Susan Drive, Billerica, MA 01821) and/or her daughter, Ellen Boley (29 Howard Street, Wareham, MA 02571). Arrangements for a memorial service are pending.

For a one page poster listing all our May and June events, scroll down to the very bottom of the newsletter!

Stewardship Update

Thank you to the 53 households who have pledged a total of $117,330 to support First Parish of Norwell in the coming year. As we wind down the campaign, Finance Committee members will reach out by phone if we haven’t heard from you as of Sunday, April 28. Simply email Hope with your pledge in whatever amount works for you. We hope to include as many parishioners as possible in our base of support. Pledge forms are also available at the church - look for the red mailbox outside the Parish Hall. If for whatever reason you won’t be making a pledge this year, please email Hope and we’ll skip the phone call. Thanks to everyone and good luck in the NSRWA river tour drawing!

Our thanks go to:

Matt and Amanda Adams. Jeff Angley, Scott and Marcia Babcock, Larry and Karen Baker, James and Jamie Barber, Karen Bernier, John and Peg Carpenter, Susan Chorley, Alan Comeau and Heather Lawson-Comeau, Noel Constantino, Patty Crumley, Edward and Ella Cullen, Bob Cullum, Betsey Detwiler, David and Betsey Drollett, Peter and Roberta Fairbanks, Jacqui Garceau, Bernie and Bev Gardner, Jim and Bethany Gavin, George Goodwin, Ralph and Betsy Gordon, Cathy Harder-Bernier, Carl and Ellen Herling, Dave and Joyce Hockman, Steve Hurt, Joan Kenworthy, Chris and Peg Kitchenham, Phil and Diane Koury, John McCann and Debbie Chase, John and Debi Meddaugh, Mary Mercier, Don and Joan Messinger, Jim and Marie Miller, Prue Miller, Paul Bourque and Jeannette Mitchell, Cara Moretti, Joni Nahigian, Bernie Perry, Harold and Lorna Phillips, Page Railsback, Paul and Denise Shaw, Greg and Tove Smith, Dexter and Sue Robinson, Paul and Becky Smock, Derek and Jen Sulc, Sue Sulc, Les and Marlon Taylor, Dave and Julia Traggorth, Crista Trapp, Jack Wallace, Duane and Sue Wilke and George and Donna Wilson

For the Finance Committee,

John McCann

Alliance Annual Meeting

Join the Alliance on Wednesday, May 1, In the Fogg Parlor. Bring your own sandwich; we'll have drinks and dessert. The Alliance will meet to vote in officers for the next year and decide on programs. New members are welcome and needed. The Alliance has been in existence since 1946 and exists to support each other and the Church. Dues for next year of $15 can be paid at this time or anytime next year. See you at noon on the 1st.

First Parish Art Show

On Sunday, May 5 our Coffee Hour will become a community creativity showcase with a First Parish of Norwell Art Show! All members and friends of the community are invited to display art in any form. Please submit pieces to Amanda Adams by Sunday, April 28 along with the name of the artist and a one-sentence “artist statement” – the statement can be emailed. On the 5th, we’ll enjoy fancy snacks while we view art, watch some art demonstrations, and create art at crafting stations. It’ll be beautiful!

The Church (Office) Lady Says...

Sometimes when I arrive at church, the door is locked. How can I get in?

For the safety and security of the staff and preschool students, we use a video doorbell system. The doors will be locked if a staff person is in the building by themself. Simply ring the doorbell (see photo at right), and we'll buzz you in. If you arrive at the church after 10 am on Sundays, only the River Street doors are open. Again, this is for the safety of our RE students.

How can I view the church calendar?

Visit our website. There's a calendar option in the toolbar at the top. (Look over and to the right of Rev. Susan's head!) There is also button that links to the calendar in each Spire and Weekly Update.

Click on an individual event for more information. If an event has a Zoom component, the link will be included. The calendar will default to a monthly view. You can change to a weekly or daily view by clicking on "monthly view" in the top right corner of the calendar. If you're viewing the calendar on a smart phone or tablet, you can pinch to expand the view.

If you have a question that I haven't covered here, please let me know!

Hope Weinman, Office Administrator

Annual Reports

Attention. committee chairs! It's time to submit an annual report. Our Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, June 2. Please plan to have your report in digital form to Hope Weinman in the Church Office by 9 am on Friday. May 17.

Committee chairs are invited to join Rev. Susan and Hope on Zoom for a quick Q&A on the annual report process. Join them on Wednesday, May 1 at 12 pm. Please let Hope or Rev. Susan you if you will be joining us.

click here to join.

Save the Date!

The next meeting of the Helen Fogg Outreach Committee will be on Sunday, May 19 from 11:30 to 12:30 pm in the Skylight Room. All are welcome.

Yoga

Program

Changes

The yoga class schedule has changed. Class will meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month (still at 7 pm). Participants will sign up via a text message to our instructor, Susan Walsh by 7 pm on Tuesday (339-933-1201) . A minimum of 5 people is needed to run the class. The price per class will go up to $15; students will pay Susan directly in cash or via Venmo. Susan is an excellent teacher who makes accommodations for all levels of fitness.

New Members/Visitors Series Continues

Sundays, April 28 and May 19 from 11:30 am-12:30 pm in the Fogg Parlor

All new members or those considering joining First Parish of Norwell are invited to a monthly discussion series. The next sessions will include information about the history of our congregation, information on church governance and leadership as well as the details around how stewardship and budgeting happens each year. If you would like to join one or all of these sessions, please let Rev. Susan know. Child care is provided.

First Parish Golf Tournament

We will have the golf tournament again this year but with some revisions. It will be held on Saturday, June 8 at Squirrel Run in Plymouth (time TBA). There will be no dinner at the church afterwards. Instead those who want to and other interested parties (spouses etc.) will go out to dinner at some yet-to-be determined restaurant. The cost will be around $90 which will pay for the golf and a donation to the church. Those who attend the dinner will pay themselves for whatever they eat and drink. Pass the word to potential golfers. Sponsors are needed at $50 Per Hole. Friends are very welcome! Sign up with John Meddaugh.

Side with Love Overpass Gatherings

The LGBTQ + Support Group welcomes all who wish to join us on the River Street overpass on Saturday, May 5 from 8-10 am. This is an opportunity to be a public witness to the South Shore being a welcoming and open-hearted space for individuals who are often marginalized due to race, gender identity, sexual orientation, class or immigration status. You’re welcome to bring a sign, rainbow or trans pride flag and to dress in bright colors.

Future Side with Love gatherings will happen on the first Saturday of the month through November.

Mental Health Action Team Webinar

On Sunday, April 28 at 7 pm, join us for a Mental Health and Addiction webinar led by AnnMarie Galvin, Project Director of Scituate FACTS (Families, Adolescents and Communities Together Against Substances) and Mark Mulhern, Executive Director of South Shore Peer Recovery. Due to the stigma surrounding the topic, this workshop will be set up as a private webinar, with only the presenters visible on the screen.

click here to join

Dial by your location:

+1 929 205 6099

Webinar ID: 858 6682 1303

Happy Birthday to the James Library!

The James Library is turning 150! Join them to celebrate on Friday, May 17 from 7 to 10 pm. $10 admission - cash bar and silent suction. Live Program at 8 pm with Artist Marcia Ballou, Author Tracy Sierra, Pianist Lenny Williams, and singer and Executive Director Megan Ward. The evening will also kick-off the James’ online Auction of Wishes. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit their website.

First Parish of Norwell Book Group

Please join us for any or all of our monthly book discussions. We meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:30 pm on Zoom.

Monday May 20: "The River We Remember" by William Kent Krueger

click here to join

Meeting ID: 847 0898 5879

Passcode: Bookworms

Monthly Lunchtime Interfaith

Poetry Series

Rev. Susan will be leading an Interfaith Poetry Group on a monthly basis this year. On the second Thursday of each month from 12-1 pm we will learn about a unique world religion, as well as a poet who represents that religion. We will then read a poem by that poet and reflect on its meaning for us in this moment as well as its illustration of the religion we are centering. Join us for a lovely and unique way to learn together through the arts. Our meeting dates for the rest of the church year are: May 9 and June 13.