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Weekly Newsletter of the
First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
October 2, 2024
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Note: On Sundays we welcome our children and youth to join us during the Time for All Ages. We encourage Parents to bring their children forward for this time. Following this time, we sing to them as they depart for our Sunday morning RE programs. | |
Worship Service: The High Holidays
Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner
Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 10:15am
The Jewish Days of Awe, known as the High Holidays, begin on October 2nd at sunset with Rosh Hashanah and close at sunset on Yom Kippur on October 12th. Come explore what the rituals and lessons from these holidays might mean to us as Unitarian Universalists.
You may also join us on Zoom: https://bit.ly/fuusn-worship-2024-2025
Submit your Joys and Sorrows here.
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Join Rev. Debra for a Tashlich Ceremony
October 3, 2024 at 1pm
Tashlich is a traditional Jewish ceremony that takes place on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah to symbolically cast off the negativity of the previous year. The word Tashlich translates to "casting off." The ceremony is traditionally performed by throwing breadcrumbs or pebbles into a flowing body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean.
We will meet at the Charles River right behind the Watch Factory Lofts, 185 Crescent Street, Waltham, MA. (There is a public parking lot across the street.). We will sing a traditional song, have private time for reflection, individually toss our “sins” into the water, and then regather together for sharing and a traditional round challah with honey to wish each other a sweet year.
You don’t need to be from a Jewish background to join. All are welcome, including children. Instead of breadcrumbs, please bring a small bag of 10 – 20 nature-friendly elements like small stones, leaves, pine needles, untreated wood chips, seashells, or twigs.
Please sign up HERE to let Rev. Debra know how many to expect.
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Reminder: Sign Up for Appreciative Inquiry with Revs. Debra and Joel
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is defined as “an asset-based approach to organizational and social engagement that utilizes questions and dialogue to help participants uncover existing strengths, advantages, or opportunities” in their organizations, including congregations. We will create questions to help identify FUUSN’s strengths and opportunities. We want to hear what works well, when was FUUSN at its best, and what draws you to this congregation. We also hope that you’ll get to know us better as well. These conversations will help set the stage for our work with the congregation on mission, vision, governance, and strategic planning.
Please plan to attend only one session. Register here.
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Indigenous Speakers at FUUSN
Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 11:30am, Alliance Room
Come hear Hiawatha Jon Brown and Dr. Darlene Flores, two key organizers of the annual Indigenous Peoples Day Ceremonial Celebration.
View the Flyer - Join us on Zoom
The Indigenous Peoples Day Ceremonial Celebration takes place in Newton, MA on Monday October 14th, a free, family-friendly, day event with a Sacred Pipe Ceremony with the Indigenous Native American Dignitaries, Chiefs, and Medicine peoples from Federally recognized Tribes.
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Contribute to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund
The UUA Disaster Relief Fund supports congregations that have been affected by natural disasters. Several of our congregations in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina were hit hard by Hurricane Helene this past week, and the UUA is asking for your support. If you can make a donation, it will be put to good use by our siblings in the south.
Donate here.
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UU The Vote - Get Involved
UU the Vote (www.uuthevote.org) is our national UUA Side with Love initiative to help empower voters in key states on issues protecting our democracy. Strictly non-partisan, it is issues based. Help turnout young, low income, and otherwise disenfranchised voters this November to protect the right to abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, fight climate change, and promote racial equality.
Each week, Rev. Debra will post information about how you can volunteer in the coming week to protect democracy. When you sign up, please identify yourself as a member or friend of FUUSN. If you'd like to take a bigger role in the next two months in organizing FUUSN members to write postcards, make calls, or visit battleground states, please reach out to Rev. Debra at rev.debra@fuusn.org.
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Join Rev. Debra in writing postcards this week to help voters in key states vote by mail or in person. Activate the Vote is a strictly non partisan effort to encourage people to vote. They will provide you with the script and addresses. You provide the postcards and the postage. You can request as many or as few as you are able. Rev. Debra committed to doing 50 by their deadline of October 8th. Sign up today at https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards | |
Sanctuary Get-Out-the-Vote Parties
Join Sanctuary community members for two postcard-writing parties to get out the vote in swing states, this Wednesday, Oct 9, 6:30-8pm.
RSVP here to get the address
If you live in the Boston area, please join us to help turnout the vote. The organizations we're partnering with, UU the Vote and the Center for Common Ground, have shown that sending postcards makes a real difference in turnout.
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Thursday, October 3
1-2pm: Tashlich Ceremony, Waltham Watch Factory Lofts
4:30-6:30pm: Creationdance Rehearsal, Headstart Room
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Friday, October 4
6-6:30pm: Zoom Vespers, online
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Sunday, October 6
11:30am-12:30pm: Racial Justice Task Force Presentation: Indigenous Peoples Day, Alliance Room
2-4pm: UU Plant-Based Eating Club Movie Discussion, Member's home
3-5pm: JourneySongs Rehearsal, Children's Chapel
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Tuesday, October 8
6:30-8:30pm: OWL Meetings, Headstart Room
7-8:30pm: Appreciative Inquiry with Revs. Debra and Joel, Alliance Room
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Saturday, October 5
9am-4pm: Board of Trustees Retreat (Board members only), Alliance Room
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Tuesday, October 8
7-8pm: Member Services Meeting, online
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Newton Green Expo - October 20, 2024, 11am-4pm
The Newton Green Expo will take place on October 20th. We could have a table if we have folks who can help staff it. It's a great way to get FUUSN's name out in the community. If you're interested, please sign up here.
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Volunteer for the Yard Sale - October 26, 2024
Volunteer to make the Yard Sale and Holiday Fair a success. Your participation matters. These events have been so successful because the FUUSN community has donated, volunteered and spread the word.
Sign up with our Signup Genius form: Yard Sale - Volunteer! Donations can be placed on the stage in the Parish Hall beginning after the service on 10/21.
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Submit Poetry for the Wheel of Life Service - October 27, 2024
The lay ministers have begun preparing for this year’s Wheel of Life service, which will center on the theme of “deep listening,” and we want to include poetry that seems meaningful and appropriate, especially poetry written by members of the congregation. In this context, we are focusing on inter-generational listening, what we have heard and learned both from our elders and those younger than us, whether easy or challenging to hear.
If you have poetry you’d be willing to share for this purpose, please contact Nancy Mattei.
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Social Action Speaker Lunch: Short-Term Hosting of Immigrant Families
Sunday, October 13, 2024, 12-1:30pm
Everyone is invited for our monthly free lunch after coffee hour in the Alliance Room. UU Rev. Kathleen McTigue will speak about her experiences with short-term hosting of small immigrant families who are desperate for privacy and support. Learn more
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Newton Food Pantry to Honor Jackie Colby - October 17, 2024
Our own Jackie Colby founded the Newton Food Pantry. At this upcoming event, Jackie will be recognized for her outstanding contributions to this organization and the greater Newton community. Congratulations Jackie!
If you would like to attend this delicious event, "where guests can experience the tastes of some of Newton's best restaurants, while also giving back to their community," you may purchase tickets here.
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Over 60s Presentation: Common Sense Mindfulness in Challenging Times
Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 12pm, Alliance Room
Presenter: Marty Lowenthal, author of twelve books, senior teacher at the Dedicated Life Institute, practitioner.
We will explore how Common Sense Mindfulness can help us to live and even flourish in these challenging times, as Buddha did in his time of warring fiefdoms, caste structures and turbulence. Marty will emphasize how to be present, engaged, and live in a challenging world with consciousness, love and service in everyday as well as spiritual life. Buddha presented an ennobling path of meditation and virtues that supports the development of personal and communal dignity, well-being, and inclusion. Small bites for lunch provided.
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UU Plant-Based Eating Club Potluck - October 20, 2024, 6-8pm
The UU Plant-Based Eating Club is hosting a plant-based potluck dinner on Sunday, October 20, at 6pm at First Parish UU in Waltham. While we intentionally welcome newcomers and anyone who is interested in eating more plant-based food regardless of where they are on their journey, all items brought to our potlucks must be completely plant-based and contain no cheese, dairy, eggs, etc. Recipe suggestions are available, and you are welcome to bring a friend! Our theme is Thanksgiving food!
Please register to attend at PBEC OCTOBER 2024 POTLUCK. Attendees must be vaccinated and boosted for COVID.
Join our Club’s e-mail list at uu-plant-based-contact-us@googlegroups.com to sign up for an event. After sign-up, registrants will receive info about locations, menu themes, potluck contact info, and other topics.
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Teen Depression Workshop for Trusted Adults - Tuesday, October 22, 6:45-8:15pm
The First UU Society in Newton will be partnering with Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA) to offer loved ones and other trusted adults an opportunity to learn about teen mental wellness and how to support the teens in their lives. Families for Depression Awareness helps families recognize and cope with depression and bipolar disorder to get people well and prevent suicides.
Register for the Workshop
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Kudos to the FUUSN folx who volunteered with Habitat for Humanity last Saturday, September 28th. Emily Gelbert writes, "We had a perfect day on Saturday for the FUUSN Habitat For Humanity build. Everyone had interesting, challenging, necessary jobs to do and we worked beautifully with the other team there that day. This is the third year at this site and it’s exciting to see it coming together. Five families should be living there by early next year. Please join us on a new build next time."
Photos by Emily Gelbert
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Congratulations to our Co-Ministers, Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner and Rev. Joel Miller, who were featured in the Newton Beacon on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Read the article. | |
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Have a news item you want to share? Want to schedule a FUUSN Event? Please use our web forms! Note that any event using physical space at FUUSN must be approved by Fran, and until you receive confirmation from her, that event will not be scheduled or added to our Events calendar.
Submissions for each newsletter must be sent in by the preceding Tuesday at 9am.
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First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton www.fuusn.org | 617-527-3203 | | |
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