Annual Report 2000 - 2001

Contents

Warrant

Nominating Committee Report

Action on Membership

Memorial Gifts

Minister's Annual Report

Board of Trustees

Building Committee

Committee on Ministry

Historical Committee

Hospitality Committee

Human Services Committee

Membership Committee

Music Committee

Parish Committee

Religious Education

Space Needs Committee

200th Anniversary Committee

Welcoming Congregation Committee

Worship Committee

Finance Committee

Summary of the Proposed Operating Budget

WARRANT

The Proprietors of the Pleasant Street Church and the members of the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist in Newburyport, MA are hereby notified to convene for their Annual Meeting in the Parish Hall on Wednesday, May 30,2001 at 7:30 PM, it being in the bylaws as amended, there and then, to act upon the following articles.

Article 1: To act upon the reports of the Minister, officers and committees.

Article 2: To act upon the 2001-2002 budget recommended by the Parish Committee.

Article 3: To act upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for the election of officers and chairpersons.

Article 4: To act upon any other business which may legally come before the Parish.

Nominating Committee Report 2001-2002

Position	Candidate	End
Parish Committee	Gillian Chatfield	Jun-04
	Barry Kray	Jun-04
	Florence Mercer	Jun-04
	Peter Hope	Jun-03
	Scott Jordan	Jun-03
	K. C. Swallow	Jun-03
	Valerie Hogan	Jun-02
	Pat Hurzeler	Jun-02
	David Turner	Jun-02
Parish Clerk	Peg Nicol	Jun-02
Treasurer	Maura Perkins	Jun-02
Auditor	Lark Madden	Jun-02
Moderator	Florence Mercer	Jun-02
Trustees	Les Ferlazzo	Jun-04
	Louise VanBokkelen	Jun-03
	Roxie Kalashian	Jun-02
Adult Education	Rebecca Jordan	Jun-02
Building Chairperson	Unfilled	Jun-02
Denominational Affairs	Steven James/Kathy Seidel	Jun-02
Finance Chairperson	Susan Ricker with Lynn Kettleson on Canvass	Jun-02
Hospitality Chairperson	Anne Verret-Speck & Vicki Dyer	Jun-02
Human Services	Alicia Raddatz w/Eileen Fitzgerald	Jun-02
Membership Chairperson	Bettina Turner	Jun-02
Music Chairperson	Todd Herrmann	Jun-02
Religious Education Chairperson	Amy Weickert	Jun-02
Welcoming Congregation Chairperson	Sandra Horn	Jun-02
Worship Chairperson	Rebecca Robertson/unfilled co-chair	Jun-02
Committee on Ministry	Stan Cecil	Jun-05
	Linda Fuller	Jun-04
	Susan Ricker	Jun-03
	Dorothy Fairweather	Jun-02
Social Concerns Committee	unfilled
GA Delegates	Alexandra Mezey	Jun-01
	John Mercer	Jun-01

Nominating Committee:

Valerie Hogan, Chairperson
Nancy Crochiere
Sue Ricker

ARTICLE III of the bylaws:

"Membership

"Sect. 1 -- Any person, who accepting the purposes of the church, which are the same as those of the Society, shall upon written application, be deemed a member of this church.

"Sect. 2 -- Any person 15 years of age or older, arid a member of the church, will be a member of the Society.

"Sect. 3 -- Membership may be terminated by written resignation, or transferred by a member's request. After a member has left the Newburyport area for more than one year, or has not participated in the life of the Church for a period of more that two (2) years, such person will become a candidate for removal from membership by recommendation of the Parish Committee, such removal to take effect by vote of the Parish."

Memorial Gifts

Funds were donated to the Church during the fiscal year 2000 in trust by or in memory of:

MINISTER'S ANNUAL REPORT May 30, 2001

The following members and friends of the First Religious Society have died since the last Annual Meeting (May 31, 2000):

Since our last Annual Meeting we have also welcomed 19 persons into the membership of the First Religious Society. There have been 14 child dedications, 13 weddings, 13 funerals and memorial services, and 1 committal service. Your minister emeritus, Bert Steeves, has conducted several of these services and assisted with several others (as well as preaching twice and providing ministerial backup during my vacations-- thank you again, Bert).

Your church staff has done an outstanding job dealing with an increasingly busy and growing institution. My sincere thanks to our newest staff members: Julie Parker Amery, Director of Religious Education; Joyce Ortiz, Administrator; and Dolores Ortiz, Administrative Assistant; and to Barbara Owen, Music Director; Claudia Keyian, Young Church Choir(s) Director; and Carol Lattime, Sexton. Special thanks also to Joanne Vose, who generously volunteers her time as our Young Church Choir(s) accompanist.

Highlights of this year (my sixth among you) have included the hiring of three new staff members; the continuation of our Space Needs program, concluding recently with our unanimous decision to proceed with a phased building project--my sincere thanks to all who have served so ably on the Space Needs Committee, co-chaired by Anne Verret- Speck and Howard Fairweather; another successful services and goods auction (with special thanks, again, to John Mercer and friends); a visit to our Partner Church in Transylvania by Steve and K.C. Swallow and Harold and Sabrina Babcock; another successful canvass, with thanks to Steve Swallow and Lynn Kettleson, co-chairs, and their many helpers; the formation of a long range planning task force under the leadership of John Mercer; the decision to allow the installation of another communications antenna in our church steeple; continuation of our participation in the meals program at the Salvation Army; congregational participation in the local Walk Against Violence; the painting of the exterior of the meeting house; our first in recent memory "Leadership Retreat" in early March; the extension of retirement benefits to all eligible church employees; and last but not least, the kick-off and on-going celebration of the 200th anniversary of the building of our beautiful meeting house (with thanks to 2001 Committee co-chairs Rochelle Perry-Platine and Liz Kray ). highlighted by the recent wonderful performance of our "Meeting House Revels," written and directed by Stacey Fix. Thanks, Stacey!

Last year we sent five lay and one ministerial delegates to the UUA General Assembly in Nashville, TN (including two youth delegates). Laurie Loosigian, DRE, and her daughter also attended. I will again be attending the General Assembly in Cleveland, OH at the end of June. The First Religious Society continues to be an Honor Society in its giving to the UUA and Mass. Bay District. and a James Luther Adams Award and Vision of Justice banner winner in its support of the VU Service Committee. Sunday attendance this year has been the highest since my arrival in 1995.

Much of the work of the church is carried out by committed laypersons. Thanks are due to our outgoing committee members, officers, and chairpersons, as well as to those who will be staying on. Special thanks are due to Linda Fuller, who is completing her second year as Parish Committee Chair; to Barry Kray, our Treasurer; and to K.C. Swallow, who is "retiring" as Clerk in order to serve as Parish Committee Chairperson.

As your minister this year, in addition to the special services mentioned above, I have:

• led adult education opportunities on Unitarian Universalism and "Thoreau as Spiritual Guide."
• been active in the Greater Newburyport American Red Cross as Secretary and served on its Executive Committee and Service Delivery Committee; in the Swazey Health Fund, Inc. as a board member; in the Greater Newburyport Clergy Association; in the Mass. Bay District Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association; in the Society for Ministerial Relief as a board member; in the Merrimack Bible Society as Treasurer; in the Unitarian Universalist Historical Society as a board member and nominating committee member; in the Harvard Divinity School Alumni Council as a director; and in the Merrimac Cluster ofVU Churches.
• served on the Mass. Bay District UUA Nominating Committee.
• served as co-convener of the Harvard Divinity School VU Alumni/ae event at UUA
  General Assembly in Nashville.
• attended the fall and spring sessions of the Stone House Study Group.
• participated in the annual joint Martin Luther King, Jr. and Association Sunday services.
• helped out with the "Friendship Table" dinners at the Salvation Army (thanks to Steve Swallow and Gen Gootkind for again organizing these opportunities for community service and to Betty Pike for always being there), and participated in the Walk Against Violence.
• preached in Hampton Falls, NH.
• attended a "vigil against hate" at the Nock Middle School.
• moderated a panel discussion of the book Plato, Not Prozac at NECC.
• hosted the annual AIDS Day vigil.
• spoke at the Gay and Bisexual Men's Spirituality Group.
• worked at the May Breakfast, and performed in the Talent Show and the Revels.
• visited with our Young Church classes.
• began the process of sabbatical planning with the Committee on Ministry.
• attended programs on Leadership styles, minister and DRE relationships, and
  Spiritualism among the Universalists.
• attended UUA General AssembJy and the Mass Bay District UUA Fall and Annual
  Meetings.
• conducted two worship services at Brigham Manor Nursing Home.
• taken part in the community interfaith Thanksgiving Service.
• contributed two religion columns to The Daily News.
• attended church meetings and gatherings, called at nursing homes and hospitals, visited and counseled, and distributed charitable funds to needy persons in our community.

If all goes as planned, I will be on sabbatical from January through May of 2002. My plans thus far include a return trip and extended visit to Transylvania, a possible supply stint at my first church in Hanska, Minnesota, a trip out west, and possible workshops, retreats, and other continuing education opportunities. I will return in time for the conclusion of the church year in June, 2002. By then, our building project should be well under way!

The biggest challenge for the coming year, of course, will be the completion of a successful capital campaign to fund our proposed building project, with a possible kick-off at the rededication of our meeting house on September 30. I look forward to working with the congregation on this important and overdue project!

In the remainder of 2001, we look forward to continuing the celebration of our meeting house. A number of events and endeavors are planned as part of this year-long celebration, including a reprise of our Meeting House Revels during Yankee Homecoming Week and a reenactment of "Fox's Caravan." I hope that you will plan to participate and to help out with our celebration as much as you are able.

As I like to remind us each year, our continuing mission is one of helping people, not only within, but beyond our walls. I believe that there is a hunger for the kind of opportunities we offer for spiritual growth and human service. I encourage you to continue to bring your concerns and hopes for our church and its ministry to me, or to speak to a member of the Committee on Ministry (Dorothy Fairweather, Susan Ricker, Linda Fuller, Bob Smart (outgoing) and Stan Cecil (incoming). I should mention that Bob Smart has been a member of the Committee on Ministry since its inception in 1995: thank you, Bob, for service beyond the call !

And thank you to all of you for your support, encouragement, helpful criticisms, and well wishes, but most of all for your commitment to the First Religious Society. It is an honor to serve as your minister!

Respectfully submitted,

Harold E. Babcock

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT -- 2000-2001

The Board of Trustees of the First Religious Society is pleased to present its report for the fiscal year to end June 30, 2001. Because of the timing of the submission of this report, it covers the period from April 1, 2000 through March 31, 2001.

The market value of the Endowment Fund on April 1, 2000 was $2,121,262. The market value of the Endowment Fund on March 31, 2001 was $1,812,610. During these twelve months, the net amount withdrawn from the fund was $195,293. Adjusted for these withdrawals, the investment perfonnance of the fund for the twelve months ended March 31, 2001 was -6.6%. During the same time period, the Standard and Poor's 500 Stock Index was -11.9%.

More than 50% of the assets in the Endowment Fund are unrestricted, so that the assets and the income they produce may be used for the general purposes of the Society. The balance of the assets are restricted as to use. The Trustees have defined income as being 5% of the previous fiscal year end market value of the assets.

Respectfully submitted,

Leslie A. F'erlazzo
Linda Fuller
Roxie Kalashian
Barry Kray
Louise van Bokke1en

BUILDING COMMITTEE

(work accomplished by V. L. Wood)

June 2000
Covered leaking steeple roof, 2nd level with 2 coats of geo-cel proflex, and caulked cracks with same.

Repaired 1 steeple light fixture.

Filled in test holes in church cellar

July 2000
Rebuilt and restored righthand front door on church.

February 2001
Repaired broken lock of church front door .

March 2001
Built, primed, painted, and installed 8 new window blinds for church.

April 2001
Replaced existing side emergency exit of Parish Hall 3'x8' door, with new 2'6"x6'8" fiberglass door. Reframed entrance, and replaced siding from door to comer board.

Major projects planned for the coming year include shingling one side of the parish hall
roof and painting the parish hall.

Submitted by the Building Committee

Committee on Ministry

Committee Members: Harold Babcock, Ex Officio; Dorothy Fairweather, Chair; Robert Smart; Linda Fuller; and Susan Ricker

The Committee on Ministry met in November 2000, February and March 2001 during which the Minister's Monthly Reports to the Parish Committee and the Minister's Goals 2000-2001 were reviewed.

The Committee reviewed the Survey conducted in 2000 and plans to report to the congregation in the Spring or Fall 2001.

In March the Committee evaluated the Minister's performance and recommended an increase in compensation based on the evaluation and the favorable results of the Survey conducted in 2000.

The Committee reviewed Harold's plans for a sabbatical to begin January 1, 2002 and took on the responsibility of forming a Sabbatical Leave Committee to work with Harold to ensure proper coverage of all of his duties in his absence.

The Committee continues to provide a communications channel between the minister and the membership, seeking to hear concerns without judgment and passing them on to the minister or the membership.

Respectfully Submitted,

Dorothy Fairweather, Chair

Historical Committee Annual Report

The Historical Committee has been exceptionally active this year assisting with the 200th meetinghouse celebration and with updating the First Religious Society history . The reprint of Minnie Atkinson's The First Religious Society of Newburyport is in the final stages of organization and should be available as Volume I (1725- 1933) by the early fall of 2001. An almost complete first draft of the updated history, Volume II (1933- 2001) of the First Religious Society has been written. Our developmental editor, Sam Sherman, reviewed and edited this draft, and the authors are revising their sections with her continuing help. Lindsay Cavanagh, Pat Skibbee, Barbara Owen, Tempa Pagel, John Mercer, Julia Farwell-Clay and Anne White are writing various chapters. Chris de Zarn O'Hare is working on the index and the appendix. Lance Hidy is the visual design consultant. Ron Pullins is the publisher and has given many hours of his expertise to the printing of these two volumes. Chris Snow, with Jean's assistance, organized the photo-graphing of various church items. Bill Lane has donated his photography talents to this documenting of the church's collection. Maxine Steeves and Beth Cawley collected and organized photographs for Volume II. Many other people have provided photographs as well, including Pat Bashford, Beth Cawley, and the Daily News. If all goes as planned, we will have both volumes of the First Religious Society history published by the end of the 2001. Barbara Owen is also writing a separate monograph on the history of the music of the church.

Another focus of the committee has been to organize an exhibit of the ministers of the congregation for the church vestibule. With the help of Chris and Jean Snow, Anne White and Rochelle Perry-Platine are planning another exhibit of church artifacts, original photos and portraits to be installed shortly.

Respectfully submitted,

Anne M. White, Subcommittee Project Coordinator
Pat Skibbee
Lindsay Cavanagh

Vicki Dyer has again agreed to continue to coordinate Coffee Hour for one more year. This is a time-consuming task. Please respond to Vicki's voice messages if you're not at home when she calls. This will prevent her wasting time on making multiple calls to households. The Coffee Hours this year have gone very well, now that we are getting used to having adults and children being served together.

This year's May Breakfast was really fun. We served close to 150 people and earned $600 for the church. The Hospitality Committee is very grateful to all those involved. The camaraderie makes this church event one that we can always look forward to. I want to make note of the fact that donations prior to the Breakfast actually covered our costs this year, which took a great burden off us as planners and, of course, benefited all of the parish.

Cooking in the Creative Spirit, our own First Religious Society cookbook, was a major outcome of the Hospitality Committee's work over this past 200th Anniversary year. Under the direction of Liz Kray, recipes were proofread and tested during the spring and summer, and the book was finally "put to bed" in early fall. Sales were brisk before Christmas, and are expected to increase again during Yankee Homecoming. Copies are now available at The Newburyport Printmaker and at Jabberwocky, as well as through the Hospitality Committee at church.

Other contributions of this committee to the 200th Anniversary include the "kick-off" reception in January and the upcoming Strawberry Festival, a Father's Day coffee hour designed to please all those present for the last day of services on June l7th.

We have recruited a few new members for next year and are eager to hear from more of you who enjoy the camaraderie of working in the kitchen and entertaining our fellow parishioners as "guests."

Respectfully submitted,

Anne Verret-Speck, Chairman

Human Services Committee Activities

Throughout the year

Salvation Army Dinners
Steve Swallow and Gen Gootkind organized the food preparation and serving for six dinners at the Newburyport Salvation Army, providing about 40 individuals with a much-needed hot meal.

Pettengill House and Turning Point, Inc
We have been collecting canned goods, towels, bed linens and personal care items for the above local organizations throughout the year .

Steeple Weekly Notices
Throughout the year we have posted Steeple Weekly notices highlighting service projects and volunteer activities in the area, plus topics such as how to contribute to national and international disasters.

Volunteer Opportunities
Lindsey Cavanagh continued to maintain the list of area volunteer opportunities and ensured the appropriate agencies were informed of any changes.

Fall/Winter 2000

Guest at Your Table
At Thanksgiving, Roger Hatch and Eileen Fitzgerald organized GAYT box contributions to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee totaling $2045. We will once again receive the "Vision of Justice Banner Society Award" because more than 20 per cent of our members are now U.U.S.C. members. We will also qualify for the James Luther Adams Award given to congregations for annual line item budget contributions equal to at least one dollar per member ($500 submitted).

Our membership also supported the UUSC by purchasing $232 worth of holiday greeting cards.

New Member Outreach
In an effort to raise awareness and encourage greater participation in the activities of the Committee, Chris deZarn-O'Hare and Eileen Fitzgerald hosted coffee hour after the Church service on October 22nd. Innovative posters were displayed and flyers were distributed.

Speaker from the pulpit
Suzanne Dubus, Executive Director of The Women's Crisis Center, spoke from the pulpit in November. Suzanne spoke movingly about the role of the non-profit agency, which provides domestic violence crisis intervention, prevention and educational services to nine surrounding communities.

Community Service Food Bank Drive
During the holidays, church members contributed to the Newburyport Community Services Food Bank by filling a number of boxes with basic food items.

Ringing the Salvation Army Bell
Also during the holiday season, Betty Pike and other church members helped the Salvation Army fundraising efforts by ringing the bell.

Spring 2001

Souper Bowl 2001
On behalf of the Committee, Gill Chatfield worked with the Kindergarten to Second graders from Young church to organize the second Souper Bowl food collection. This coincided with the NFL Super Bowl weekend, with the aim of collecting cans of soup, or similar, for the food pantry at The Pettengill House.

The children did a wonderful job of decorating collection boxes and making posters, which were later displayed at The Pettengill House. Over 100 cans and various dried goods were donated by church members.

Youth Service: March 11
During the spring term, the Young Church curriculum had focused on social action projects. Eileen Fitzgerald and Gill Chatfield participated in the Youth Service on March 11, giving a review of the Committee's activities and the ways young people can become more involved in human services/social action issues.

Brunch for World Hunger
Members of the Committee attended the Brunch for World Hunger, an event hosted by the fifth grade class of the Young Church. Modeled on the Oxfam program, the "Brunch" illustrated the problem of world hunger and related social issues. Eileen Fitzgerald spoke briefly on the role of the USC.

American Cancer Society: Daffodil Sunday
Alicia Raddatz and Barbara Burnim organized church members' contributions to the American Cancer Society by purchasing daffodils for Daffodil Sunday on April 1st and by making direct contributions. A total of $504 was raised.

200 Helping Hands
In celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the First Religious Society, the Committee launched a campaign entitled 200 Helping Hands designed to honor elders in our community. Pledges of service will be collected throughout the Church year from adults and children alike. A variety of local agencies servicing the needs of the elderly were contacted in order to coordinate volunteers participating in this event.

Walk Against Violence -The Women's Crisis Center
Church members contributed over $1,000 to the Women's Crisis Center, a local agency providing support services to women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Approximately 20 adults and young church members participated in the walk in Newburyport, with other young church members walking as part of the Middle School team.

Membership Committee Annual Report

Throughout the year the Membership Conunittee has been meeting regularly and has focused on the following tasks and special events:

Visitor's Table
The visitor's table in the church vestibule has been continued. Ann Kemp has been responsible for maintaining and updating the materials offered. We also submitted some material to be included on a 'virtual visitor's table' on the church's website. Ann Kemp is also working to update a flyer of personal testimonials of why people come to this church. We have been responsible for organizing people to staff the visitor's table every Sunday.

Welcoming Calls
All Committee members have shared the task of making follow-up calls to people who signed the visitor's list. This consists of a friendly phone call to welcome their interest in our church and an offer to answer questions they may have.

Circle Dinners
The Membership Committee has organized two Circle Dinners this year, in November and April. We responded to a request to open up these dinners to families who would like to include their children. Quite a few families responded, and we had "Family Circle Dinners" and "Adults Only Circle Dinners." Thank you to Steven James for suggesting this. These Circle Dinners are community building favorites, and we plan to continue them on a regular basis.

Midwinter Party
The Midwinter Party was held at Phil and Pat Hurzeler's house. in February. It was well attended. Thanks to all the people who helped and to our hosts for offering such gracious surroundings.

Other Tasks
The Membership Committee also assists the minister in planning New Member Sundays.

We also collect the New Member Surveys that the administrator sends out and attempt to make referrals to Committees or persons within the church that relate to the new member's interests or concerns. A long promised update of the church directory is also still in the works.

Future Plans
In cooperation with the 2001 Celebration Committee, we are presently planning a "Ghosts of the Past" party for all members, young and old, at the end of October 2001. We envision a combination of a Fall Harvest Dinner/Halloween party with food, activities and entertainment.

We are also considering offering themed circle dinners throughout the year to match people with similar interests, hobbies or experiences.

At Coffee Hour, we plan to have a set of special, color-coded mugs for newcomers, returnees or the shy that signal to the regulars "I am new and would like to be approached."

We also see a need to actively recruit new members for our committee as there are many tasks and new ideas that require active involvement by more people than are presently on the committee.

Final note
With great sadness we note the passing of our committee member Ann Cecil in January 2001. We greatly miss her outspoken contributions, her sense of humor, and her willingness to help wherever her help was needed.

Respectfully submitted,

Bettina Turner

Music Committee Report, 2000-2001

The musical vitality of our church community continues to grow ever richer, thanks to the contributions of our congregation, the dynamism of our Music Committee, and the dedication of our talented staff.

200th Celebration

The Music Committee has enthusiastically supported the 200th celebration. A few highlights: Barbara Owen, with John Mercer, composed a special commemorative hymn, sung by the congregation at the opening service; the Church Choir and UpFront quartet performed period pieces as part of the Civil War service; and nearly every member of the Music Committee participated in the Meetinghouse Revels in May (including Barbara Owen on the organ/sound effects). Plans are underway for the fifth annual fall concert, to involve an all-American program of choral music featuring the choirs of the First Religious Society.

75th Candlelight Service

The 2000 Candlelight Service marked the 75th year since its initiation, and was observed by inclusion of pieces performed in the original service. The service featured a string ensemble led by Michael Loo performing Corelli's Christmas Concerto; participation by three choirs; and an excellent new accompanist, Marilyn Tedesco.

Church-Sponsored Concerts

In November, members of the Music Committee organized the fourth annual fall concert, featuring Sue Creed, mezzo soprano, Robin Lawson, soprano, Claudia Keyian, piano, and Stephen Schiffman, clarinet, performing works of Poulenc, Weill and Satie. The Concert Committee led by Jean Wilson once again organized an outstanding Music Series: the Lydian String Quartet, Peter Sykes, harpsichord, and the Concordia Society .

Worship Services

Most ideas for increasing the variety of music during worship services came to fruition this year with the formation of two new singing groups, outreach to outside performers, and increased participation from musical church members. The new groups include the Teen Choir and the UpFront quartet (see below). Outside performers included a hand bell choir from Carlisle, the Vocal Minority jazz quintet, and trumpeter Gordon Blaney. Soloists from our church community included Sue Creed, Robin Lawson, Nancy Sullivan, Bettina Turner and Nathan Wilbur.

Choirs

Last summer, the Music Committee achieved consensus to split the Young Church Choir into two, grades 2-6 and grades 7-12. Thanks to the generosity of an "angel," funding was provided for Claudia Keyian to add a third choir to her responsibilities. The Teen Choir has been a great success, and as hoped, brought a few teens back to church participation. Funding is now included in the proposed '01-'02 budget.

The Young Church Choir ( 16 singers) and Teen Choir ( 17 singers) each contributed to five services during the year, while the Cherub Choir sang in church twice. Our Church Choir, which now numbers about 22 singers, contributes regularly to Sunday services, with additional singers joining in for Candlelight and Easter. This year, new robes were purchased for the adult choir. Parishioners Sue Creed, Todd Herrmann, Bettina Turner and Ray Wilson formed the UpFront quartet, adding great dimension to church services with their choice of repertoire.

The Piano

The Music Committee continues to support the idea of moving the Steinway piano from the Parish Hall to the sanctuary, which will entail construction of a permanent platform to replace the present "temporary" platform. This year, Harold Babcock commissioned a conceptual drawing of the proposed platform in the church. A formal proposal for this project will be included with the overall church renovation plans during '01- '02.

In closing, we would like to express special gratitude to Julie Loring for volunteering to help with the Young Church Choir, and to JoAnne Vose, who graciously accompanies UpFront, Young Church, Teen and Cherub Choirs.

Respectfully submitted,

Robin Lawson, Music Committee Chair

Parish Committee Annual Report

It's hard for me to believe that it's Annual Meeting time again! This second and final year of chairing the Parish Committee has been full and productive. The committee has worked hard and accomplished much. It has been my privilege to work with a wonderful group of people.

The accomplishments of this past year are the result of the Parish Committee, and many other committees and individuals, having remained focused on the critical issues that our church community faces. Here are a few highlights:

• The Parish vote on April 22nd to have a Capital Campaign and to proceed with the plans to renovate the basement of the Meetinghouse, thus addressing the lack of adequate administrative and program space
• Establishing human resource policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, the Parish's decision to provide retirement benefits to all qualified staff members
• Progress continues to be made in updating the administrative functioning and financial management of the FRS
• The establishment of a flourishing "Steeple E-weekly"
• The installation of an efficient phone system
• A delightful and very successful yearlong celebration commemorating the 200th anniversary of the building of our venerable, old Meetinghouse.

In addition, the Parish Committee, along with members of the Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) and the Space Needs Committee, came together in March for a first ever off-site retreat. The focus of the weekend was to review the report of the CPC; to revisit the recommendations of UUA consultant Wayne Clark from his feasibility study (March 2000); and to give consideration to the future goals and direction of the First Religious Society,

As I reflect back over the last year I am humbled. There are so many terrific, dedicated individuals involved in the life of our church community, and they give selflessly of their time and talent to see that the work of our church is done. The essentials that must happen in order for our church to function, but also special extras that serve remind us why this is such a beloved community to so many of us.

I am grateful for the support and friendship I have received in my tenure as Parish chair. Harold and the other members of the committee have helped to make the work of these last two years a labor of love. Thank you!

Respectfully submitted,

Linda L. Fuller, Parish Chair

Religious Education Committee Annual Report

New Director of Religious Education Welcomed

The RE committee (Chaired by Amy Weickert, and including Rae Mathieu, Cori Thurlow, Rochelle Perry-Platine, David Turner, Jack Petras, Kathy Seidel, Peg Nicol, Julie Parker-Amery) had an exciting year. We recruited and hired a new director of religious education and instituted many new programs and events. Former DRE Laurie Loosigian resigned the position in June. Several members of the RE committee immediately took on the challenge of searching for a new director. In July, the committee was pleased to announce that Julie Parker Amery accepted the position of DRE. Julie has an extensive background in writing and teaching, and she has held various positions with the UUA, as well as been actively involved in her Unitarian Universalist church in Salem, Mass. The RE Committee worked with the Human Resources Committee to establish job description and annual goals and objectives for the R.E. Director.

Julie began working in her new role in July, setting up curriculum for the fall term and revitalizing the teacher training programs, and then went on maternity leave in August. The RE Committee worked together, with particular day-to-day help from member Peg Nicol, to keep the RE programs working smoothly until Julie returned in November.

The RE Committee, working with the DRE, developed and implemented a new approach to teacher training, which received positive feedback from the attendees. Teachers were recognized and supported each term for their efforts with a teacher appreciation breakfast, along with ongoing discussion groups and other feedback channels.

A new parent newsletter was created this year by the DRE, in order to improve communication about church school events and updates on curriculum. The prospectus for the religious education program was also revised and updated.

Late in the year, Julie Parker Amery was officially installed as the Director of Religious Education. On our traditional Youth Sunday in April, Julie gave the sermon in the church, which was enthusiastically received and we hope will be a recurring event!

Attendance and Curriculum

The attendance at church grew this year, with the following number of children registered by grade: Preschool, 22; Kindergarten, 18; First Grade, 10; Second Grade, 10; Third Grade, 13; Fourth Grade, 12; Fifth Grade, 7; Sixth Grade, 11; Seventh Grade, 12; and Eighth Grade, 11.

The first term curriculum focused on Judeo-Christian heritage, and introduced the children to varying levels of understanding of Jewish and Christian holidays and concepts, as well as Hebrew scripture stories. The winter holiday event this year was a "Festival of Lights" celebration, with each class presenting traditional celebrations of light from different cultures around the world.

The second, winter term curriculum centered on social action and engaged each class with a social action project. Highlights of the term included a Hunger Banquet organized and presented by the 8th grade, a personal care items drive for Turning Point, and the creation of a public service announcement video on the dangers of drunk driving, to be aired on the local cable access channel.

The spring term curriculum involved the history of our church building, as the congregation commemorates the 200th anniversary of its building, with a year-long celebration. Children learned about the church building and made models, visited the church steeple, and discussed our worship spaces and traditions. The term culminated with many of the children participating in the church's theatrical production, the Meetinghouse Revels, either with acting roles or creating props.

OWL and Youth Groups

From January to June, the 7th grade class participated in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program, led once again by Judy Shivik and Steve James. This sexuality education program from the UUA was once again well received by both parents and the youth participating.

The Senior YRUlJ Group was led by a new volunteer this year, Ted Stedman. He worked with the 8th grade youth and up with bi-monthly meetings, overnight events and hiking trips. The Jr YRUU group continued to be led by Eric and Gen Gootkind, along with help from Stephanie St. Peter. Under Eric and Gen's enthusiastic and skilled leadership, the junior group worked on social action projects, including the Heifer project and helping to serve at Salvation Army dinners.

Future plans currently being discussed by the RE Committee include the Up and Coming program, ongoing youth group activities, as well as a new music-based curriculum for 8th grade and up students. It is our goal to keep our youth engaged and active in the church community from the very young through until they become adult members of the congregation.

Thank you to all the members of the R. E. Committee: Rae Mathieu, Peg Nicol, Jack Petras, Kathy Seidel, David Turner, Cori Thurlow, Rochelle Perry-Platine, and to Harold Babcock, for his ongoing support. We will be looking forward to an exciting year next year, and hope to welcome new members to the committee.

Our greatest appreciation goes out to the many teachers and volunteers who worked with our youth this year:

Teachers for 2000-2001 Young Church

Mark Anderson	Todd Herrmann	Laura Roberts
David Archibald	Donna Johnson	Brian Runk
Deborah Blagg	Lisa Johnson	*Russ Seidel
Jessica Brown	Heidi Kelleher	Ellen Foley Sheehy
Tad Campbell	Maureen Kemmerer	Cynthia Snelling
David Chatfield	Nancy Kidd	*Leanna Sorcar
Lesley Crawford	Fred Long	Anne Spraker
Peter Cullinan	Gayle Matheson	Stephanie St. Peter
Carol Ann Dalto	Rae Mathieu	Debbie Steeves
Diana Denning	Annie Maurer	Susan Swan
Amanda Dionne	Kelly McNamee	Cori Thurlow
Vicki Dyer	Leah Peicott	Bob Thurlow
Julia Farwell-Clay	Rochelle Perry-Platine	Barbara Tolley
Lara Ferguson	Andrea Petras	David Turner
Nancy Crochiere	Jack Petras	Michael Wack
Suzanne Egan	Sue Pursell	Amy Weickert
Kim Gallagher	Alicia Raddatz	Judith Bliss Welch
*Brant Hardy	Susan Ricker	*Cynthia Williams
Cecilia Healy	Roy Rigordeava	*Kathryn Williams
Nancy Herbison-Evans	Jon Roberts

*taught all year

Stand-in DRE: Peg Nicol

YRUU Advisors

Junior: Eric Gootkind, Gen Gootkind, and Stephanie St. Peter

Senior: Ted Stedman

OWL Facilitators: Steve James and Judy Shivik

Respectfully,

Amy H. Weickert
Religious Education Committee Chair

Space Needs Committee Annual Report

During the past year the Space Needs Committee (chaired by H. Fairweather, co-chaired by A. Verret-Speck, P. Erickson, L. Fuller, B. Kray, P. McNamee, and N. Crochiere) completed the work initiated by many others in prior years to respond to the needs of a growing and vital church. As noted below in greater detail, the findings and recommendations of the committee have been accepted by the Parish Committee and the congregation and "Phase I" of the building project will commence at the culmination of an anticipated successful capital campaign. A chronology of the year's events are as follows:

Upon receiving rough cost estimates in the range of $2,000,000 to renovate both the space below the sanctuary and the parish hall, it became apparent that such a plan was beyond the financial capacity of the church. Additionally, it also was found that the existing plans might be problematic vis-a-vis Massachusetts Handicap regulations without significant deleterious changes to the historic character of the buildings. Accordingly, the committee refocused its efforts to provide the majority of determined needs (see Schedule A) while scaling the project down to an affordable level. During the summer, it was concluded that the project need be phased, both to allow for it to come within the financial capacity of the church, (determined to be approximately $1,000,000) and to fall within rules which would preclude the necessity of redoing the entirety of the building to conform to handicap access laws. (All new work will, of course, be in accord with the laws and will provide access not now available to the sanctuary and the parish hall, including bathrooms.)

To move the project ahead, Andrew Sidford, AIA, was selected to provide the design development drawings from the preliminary (and excellent) work done by TMS Associates. This will encompass the major renovation under the sanctuary planned previously and some work on the parish hall. At this time, there will be no linkage between the buildings, "this hopefully to be achieved at some future time in "Phase II."

At a Parish Committee meeting and subsequent Parish meeting on April 22, 2001, the following votes were approved:

Article 1. To see if the Parish will proceed with the excavation and renovation in the basement of the Meeting House; installation of interior and exterior fire protection in the Meeting House, and installation of handicapped-accessible restrooms in the Parish Hall. The projected cost of this work is approximately 1 million dollars, to be paid by proceeds from a capital campaign and other sources of financing.

Article 2. To appropriate $75,000 to complete the next stage of planning for the afore mentioned building project, including final architectural drawings. This money will be taken as a loan from the endowment and repaid from the proceeds of a capital campaign.

Article 3. To see if the Parish will initiate a capital campaign in the fall of 2001.

Following these votes, the Space Needs Committee agreed to turn over the task of completing the project to the following committees, which will have duties as follows:

I. Project Administration Committee: Chair, P. Erickson, Co-Chair, B. Kray

With the advice and assistance of the Building Committee, this committee will oversee the final design and construction of the project. It will coordinate with user groups (RE, Music, etc.} as to needs and will consult with the Parish Committee on the final design. It will obtain bids and will track construction costs against a budget. Anne Verret-Speck has agreed to develop and run a financial tracking system, which will include bill paying.

II. Funding Committee: Chair, H. Fairweather

With the advice and assistance of the Finance Committee, this committee will have three component parts: A) Capital Campaign Unit headed by J. Mercer, which will run the capital campaign; B) Borrowing Unit headed by H. Fairweather which will determine the need and feasibility of borrowing (short term and long term) should it be required; c) Grants Unit which will explore the availability and appropriateness of outside grants to assist in project funding.

III. Communications Committee: Chair N. Crochiere

This group will to maintain communicationsbetween the various units of the project and, most importantly, will communicate to the congregation at large and standing committees on the progress of the project and support needed. In particular, this committee will support the needs of the Capital Campaign Unit.

These committees will be represented by a "Steering Committee," constituted of the chairs and co-chairs and Unit heads noted above, who will meet as needed to report to the Parish Committee and obtain approval from the latter, as needed.

Finally, the Space Needs Committee has agreed to disband, to reform in the future at the time Phase II is begun.

Respectfully submitted,

Howard H. Fairweather

Schedule (A) -- Assumptions related to Space Needs Report

• FRS will grow to 600 members; Sunday attendance will exceed 200.
• Young church grows to 120-160.
• Sanctuary space is adequate.
• Fire suppression is highly desirable.
• Handicap access is desirable.
• Connection between buildings is desirable.
• Present design, interior and exterior should be preserved.
• Small chapel space should be created.
• A minimum of 10 classrooms, dedicated or easily convertible, need to be created, including rooms for teens.
• Community space is needed, fitting 200-250, with easy access to kitchen facilities and chair storage; this should be available for rental.
• Office space should allow for minister and staff, probably 3 or 4 units with adequate space for equipment and privacy for the minister.
• Meeting space for groups 50-100 in size needs to be available for adult education and community outreach.
• Storage space needs to be adequate.

ANNUAL REPORT of the 200th Anniversary Celebration Committee

What a great start to the 200th Anniversary Celebration of our Meetinghouse. UUA President John Beuhrans was the guest speaker at our January Commencement Service which enjoyed a full house. The commemorative pins and calendar of events magnet were well received. On January 28th our Minister Emeritus, Bert Steeves gave a wonderful sermon entitled, "History of the First Religious Society with Thanks to Minie Atkinson and D'Arcy Van Bokkelen." On April 1, Nathan Wilbur presented his ceremony on the Civil War complete with the 5th New Hampshire Honor Guard, period music, and a very moving sermon. On April 20th, Maxine Steeves delightfully entertained us with stories and anecdotes culled from her 38 years as the wife of our former minister. On that same weekend; Ben Labaree took the pulpit and further enlightened us on the history of the First Religious Society ill his sermon entitled, "Unity, Liberty, Charity."

While all of this was happening, behind the scenes our premier event, "Meetinghouse Revels," was taking shape. A great deal of research, creativity, dedication, and time peppered with unwavering determination went into the production to make it a success. The play was written and directed by Stacey Fix, and it exceeded everyone's expectations. At first we encountered some difficulty in generating the necessary enthusiasm and participation. It was well worth the effort as we succeeded in our goal of building community and involving people from our youngest to our oldest members as well as other members from outside our church. We thank everyone who was involved for their participation al1d commitment. We anticipate that our encore presentations during Yankee Homecoming will offer the opportunity for even more people to become involved.

The commemorative items that were developed for our celebration include the cookbook, weathervane ornament, and etched chalice. These were developed to be affordable for all. Many of each have been sold and will once again be available for purchase in the fall. We are looking forward to the following events:

As you can see there are still many opportunities to become involved. Remember "many hands make light work and more fun for all." Please join us and be a part of our church's history in the making.

Respectfully submitted by Co-Chairs,

Rochelle Perry-Platine
Elizabeth Kray

Members: Amy Weickert

Welcoming Congregation Committee Annual Report

2001 marks the tenth anniversary of the formation of the Welcoming Congregation Committee. Over those ten years, there have been numerous successful programs that enabled the Committee to fulfill its original goal of extending the Unitarian Universalist ideal of congregational openness to the gay and lesbian community. These programs included guest speakers, a film series and pot luck dinners. In 1995, the First Religious Society joined other UU churches by voting to become a Welcoming Congregation. Since the initial goal of the Committee has been met, the work of the Committee is to continue offering support to the gay community and to also begin challenging the prejudices faced by transgender individuals. To introduce this topic to the congregation, the Committee was pleased to have Reverend Dr. Eugene Navias deliver a sermon entitled "A Call to Transgender Justice" in March 2001.

The Committee sponsored a second spring program on the exclusionary policy of the Boy Scouts of America which prohibits gays as troop leaders. The guest speaker was Mark Noel, of Hanover, NH, whose registration as a troop leader was terminated last summer after he spoke out against this policy in a newspaper article. Mark provided a very informative presentation on the history of the policy and of his years in the Boy Scouts.

In the coming year, the Welcoming Congregation Committee hopes to continue to be a creative and productive facet of the First Religious Society and to enlarge the scope of our welcoming atmosphere to those groups still facing unacceptance and social prejudices.

Chris deZarn-O'Hare

Annual Report of The Worship Committee

Worship Committee: Chair Rebecca Robertson
Active Committee: Judith Niles, Barbara Owen, Roger Hatch

Our focus this year was on the more traditional roles of the worship committee. We defined the role of the committee, assisted in planning a worship service, formalized the recruitment of chalice lighters, and developed a pre-Sunday explanation of chalice lighting to make the whole ordeal less arduous. Roger and Louise Hatch contributed a beautiful pair of silver candlesticks in honor of the 200th, we cleaned up the chalice, the table, and the oil lamp, found a secret hiding place for the chalice, and decided to drop summer services pending an influx of enthusiastic summer worship planners.

Our guest speakers this year included the Rev. Carl Scovel, our own Bert Steeves, Suzanne Dubus of the Crisis Center, Ben Tousley, UU troubadour, John Buehrens, Parisa Parsa of the Urban Ministry, Nathan Wilbur on the Civil War, and Ben Labaree on John Lowell and the revivalists.

We continue to sponsor clean-up Sunday, and have planned a picnic for the 200th Anniversary Celebration, following the service of Sept. 9th. On this Sunday we will honor our Transcendentalist past, as exemplified, by Reverend Fox's shacking caravan to Curzon Mills for a Sunday outing communing with nature. We ask that everyone bring flowers on Sept. 9th to decorate the sanctuary. Please plan to bring a picnic lunch to Maudsley following the service. The Colbys will be there, providing horse-drawn wagon rides.

A new committee chair is needed, as the present one has served three years. She will be happy to sister a new chair for a few months, but would like to retire thereafter.

Respectfully submitted May 17, 2001

Rebecca Robertson

Report of the Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is pleased to report a successful year for the church in terms of operating results. Based on results of the first ten months (July 2000 through April 2001) of the fiscal year (reported in detail in the paper copy of this report), we will end the fiscal year within the budget approved at the May 2000 annual meeting. The reasons for this outstanding performance are many and include:

Pledge and non-pledge contributions are strong, which likely reflects the high level of commitment we all feel for our church community.

Fundraising events, such as the annual action, rummage sales, book sale, May Breakfast, and Candlelight Service, were strong sources of income.

Healthy returns continue to be provided from our endowment funds.

Committee chairpersons have done an outstanding job of managing expenses relative to their budgets.

We should note that the FRS was the recipient of a generous grant of $25,000 from the H. Patterson Hale, Jr. Charitable Foundation, which has been used to fund a number of our 200th Anniversary events and programs. We should consider ourselves fortunate to have received such a grant and are very thankful for it.

Support for our Minister is strong and program initiatives on the part of our very active committees are obviously much appreciated. Our challenge now is to make sure we all fulfill our pledge commitments in the coming year and continue our support of the church in the future. We are still seeking and accepting pledges for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. Our proposed budget assumes additional pledges will be received.

The agreements we have with AT &T and Verizon for rental of our steeple for telecommunications purposes continue to be quite an asset for our church. We should consider ourselves fortunate to be receiving these funds and owe thanks to those who worked so hard to secure these contracts. Funds received will allow us to strengthen our endowment, focus further on maintaining our buildings and grounds, and initiate new programs. One-third of the funds received will be devoted to each of these purposes.

We are able to present a balanced budget for July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002. Details of the proposed budget follow this overview (can be found in the paper copy of this report).

Thank you to all who have contributed so much time and individual effort to making this such a successful year! And a special thank-you to our Treasurer, Barry Kray. He contributed much in the way of time and energy over what was oftentimes a challenging transition period for the treasury function. He showed a higher level of commitment and
more patience than should be expected oof any volunteer. Again, thank you Barry .

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Ricker, for the Finance Committee

Summary of the Proposed Operating Budget - July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002

The proposed budget for the 2001- 2002 fiscal year, presented in detail (in the paper copy of this report), totals $351,000. This represents a 1% increase over the total expenses budgeted for the current 2000-2001 fiscal year. However, when the budgeted expenses associated from painting are removed, the increase in operating expenses is 12%. Also shown is projected income from contributions (both pledge and non-pledge) of $209,000, which is 11% higher than income from contributions budgeted for the current fiscal year. Contributions remain our largest source of income, representing about 65% of our funding sources.

We are proposing a balanced budget (actually a small surplus), which represents a major accomplishment for the First Religious Society. Budgeted investment income from the endowment to be used for operating expenses is limited to the prudent amount recommended by the endowment's Trustees.

Some highlights of the proposed budget include:

Increased compensation of 20% for our minister, as recommended by the Committee on Ministry. This increase brings the FRS in line with the UUA's basic salary recommendations for ministers in our region. Further, this increase considers the outstanding positive response to our minister's sermons and overall ministerial performance.

Increased salary of 2.5% for all remaining staff.

Implementing a retirement plan for all qualified staff (Sexton, Administrator, Director
of Religious Education, in addition to continuing provision of this benefit to our
Minister). Retirement benefits will be provided at a rate of 14% of salary.

Continued funding for the Teen Choir. This was funded by a private donor during the current fiscal year and will now be funded by FRS operating income.

Significant decrease in the costs associated with production and delivery of the Steeple newsletter,

Continued funding of 200th Anniversary Events.

Funding for leadership development, the start-up of a Social Concerns Committee and Lay Ministry Committee, and development of a planned giving program.

Contingency expenses of $3,500, to account for unanticipated expenses that may occur over the year .

Anticipated painting costs of $20,000 will likely be covered by funds carried over at the end of the 2001 fiscal year. Additional activities to be covered by restricted use funds are (1) expenses associated with the minister's planned sabbatical, (2) publication of a church history by a subcommittee of the Historical Committee ($15,000 in funds provided by the Hale Foundation grant), and (3) about $4,000 of remaining Hale Foundation grant funds for 200th Anniversary activities (in addition to the $10,000 being provided by operating
income).

Note: There will also be much financial activity associated with the building renovation project. The budget for this project will be managed separately from the regular operating budget of the church. The initial source of funds for this initiative was provided in April 2001, when the membership approved a loan from the endowment.