Were thanks with every gift expressed,
      Each day would be Thanksgiving,
Were gratitude its very best,
      Each life would be thanksliving.

Steeple Lighting - The steeple lighting this week is donated by Irene and Bob Andersen in memory of Bob's parents, William S. and Beatrice Marie Andersen.

Chalice Lighters - Three generations of the MacGregors, Nicols and Lanhams.

Coffee Hour - Joanne Gay and Betty Pike.

Flowers - The flowers for today's service are donated by Anne and Alex White in memory of Grace Van Winkle, Penelope Weld and Harold T. White.

Steeple Lighting - The steeple lighting this week is donated by Marj, Sabrina and Harold Babcock in loving memory of Marj's mother, Gertrude, on her birthday, November 30, and of Philip Babcock.

Chalice Lighters - Three generations of the Fairweather family.

Again this holiday season, the Human Services Committee is undertaking a toy drive for Turning Point, a shelter for women and their children in the surrounding communities. Turning Point is providing the children's wish list from which members will be able to select a gift to donate. There will be a sign-up table beginning Sunday, November 21st at the coffee hour. We hope you can help us make the children's wishes come true. If you are interested in donating a gift but will be unable to attend the coffee hour please call Ann Power.

And in related news from the Young Church, Maggie Tattam, a third grader, is spearheading an effort to collect things needed for children residing at the Turning Point shelter. She reports that the following items are needed for these children: pajamas, underwear, diapers, slippers, books, and art supplies (including but not limited to crayons, markers, and paper). Donation boxes will be placed in the Lower Meetinghouse and in the Parish Hall. Please bring your donations by Sunday, November 21.

If you are interested in traveling to our Transylvania Partner Church next summer, please speak to Harold Babcock.

From November 21 through December 19, all treble voices (sopranos and altos) of the Teen Choir are asked to stay for the first half of Young Church Choir rehearsal (until about 10:00). We will be singing a combined anthem at Candlelight and need this time to rehearse.

A reminder to all members of both choirs (Young Church Choir and Teen Choir), that there is a mandatory rehearsal for Candlelight on Saturday, December 18, from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. in the church. You must attend if you want to sing at Candlelight.

I'm so glad to have so many kids participating in our youth choirs program this year. Both groups are sounding better than ever! If you'd like to join us, please do. New members are always welcome. No previous musical experience is necessary.

Dear Friends of Music,

Our concerts this year will celebrate the life and influence of Jean C. Wilson, who has been involved with the Music Series for over 40 years. We miss her, but shall endeavor to present concerts of the same high quality she expected. From now on, the concert series will be called the Jean C. Wilson Music Series. Honoring our new series name, Karen Wilson, Jean's daughter, will give a free memorial concert on April 17 accompanied by Frances Burmeister. We will always remember Jean and her love of good music.

We hope you will support her music series generously as we rely on the support of our subscribers to meet the rising costs of presenting first-class performers to Greater Newburyport audiences. Would you become a subscriber?

Sincerely, Betty Gillette
for The Jean C. Wilson Music Series

This is not a big labor problem, except at delivery time. If you are willing to deliver some wreaths, please give me a call.

Fair Trade Goods Sale at FRS!
Shop conscientiously! The Social Action Committee will be selling gift items from Colores Del Pueblo, an organization that sells fair trade, artisanal goods from countries such as Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador. Gifts include weavings, wood carvings, ceramics, baskets, hand crafted silver jewelry and more. Colores Del Pueblo puts people before profits, paying them fairly for their crafts so they can earn a living wage. Great holiday gift items to fit any budget! Cash or check only.

When:	Sunday, November 28 11:30-12:30 Sunday, December 5 11:30-12:30
Where:	in the Parish Hall at coffee hour

Are you already stressed out about the holidays?
Here is some recommended reading from the Social Action Committee for parents who want to decrease their Holiday Stress:

• Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben
• The Battle for Christmas by Stephen Nissenbaum

Other books with consumer themes which we recommend:

• What Kids Really Want that Money Can't Buy: Tips for Parenting in a Commercial World by Betsy Taylor
• Born to Buy by Juliet Schor
• Consuming Kids by Susan Linn

Below are notes on one workshop I attended at GA that I think may be of interest:

BREAKING THROUGH THE GROWTH BARRIER WITHOUT BREAKING UP
Presented by Rev. Fredric J. Muir, minister, and Nancy Proctor, Board Chair of the Annapolis (MD) UU church.

I attended this workshop, because of the parallels between their church and ours in terms of change and growth. I thought it would be interesting to see what they did and what they learned. It was a terrific workshop; here is some of it. You can learn more at their website: www.uuca-md.org/htm/gaworkshop

The focus was how the church managed their growth from a "pastoral" size church (50-150 average attendance) to a congregation of about 300, a "program" church (150 -350 average attendance). What they first realized is they still had the infrastructure of the smaller church they had been. They were also aware, like so many UU churches, of having a "revolving door, i.e. they'd gain new members and then lose as many, so though it appeared they were growing, they weren't. They didn't have "any idea of what to do," so they sent a team of delegates to the UUA's Midsize church conference.

In 1998, they conducted a church survey and found out people came to church but didn't really feel energetic or connected to it. They started asking, "Where is there energy, and if there isn't any, why not, and how can we get it?" A Long Range Planning Committee was formed, intentionally filled with people who were "1) respected and connected to the church, 2) knowledgeable and understanding, and 3) charming sales types." They met over the course of a year and considered "what was it to be a program church" -what the needs of the church were now that it had grown in size. They listened for fears about growth (often among older members), so they asked long-time members to board meetings to give their perspectives and ideas-and to honor them. They read several books about churches, like Alice Mann's The In-between Church: Navigating Size Transitions in Congregations and made an intentional plan to manage their growth and keeping members-one step at a time-one very small step at a time, they cautioned. They set about dealing with building a sense community, finances, structure, and governance. They worked with many consultants from the UUA and the Alban Institute over several years to get where they are today.

Sense of Community
"If you don't add groups while adding members you will lose them."

They began covenant groups-or as we call them Shared Ministry Groups-- and other kinds of groups. The faith-based content of SMG's permeated other groups, which became "another way of doing church." People felt empowered to form other groups like pagan, Christian, or humanist groups, and even one on mindfulness, for instance. All the groups provided entryways for new people-"it works," they said. To create any kind of group a church member must fill out a form available on the church website and meet criteria the church sets.

Finances
They dismissed the common and apologetic approach to asking for money ("it's that time of year again") and instead came from "assuming people will give." Language is important-using words like "gifts," "blessings" "abundance." A survey revealed that people were pledging 1.5 % of income-so they asked people to double to 3% and to make 5% a goal. This message was made clear in their New UU classes.

This has been a "cultural shift" over five years-having clarity about finances and being honest about it. Their minister regularly preaches the canvass sermon and tells the congregation what he gives. At the end of the last song of the canvass service people are asked to walk to the front and put in their pledge cards in a box ("no more sending out pledge cards-we want to get them at church"). The canvass is considered a year round event; they advocate changing your canvass approach every three years.

Structure
They added a "volunteer coordinator" to their staff. This, they said, was a leap of faith because they didn't have the money to fund the position but felt it was pivotal to their growth plan and believed it would happen-they were right.

Governance
The church board went on a retreat to work with question: "What are the most important decisions we need to make in the coming year?"

Guided by an Alice Mann book they set strategic goals-made assignments, and kept each item on the agenda every month. They wanted to build a trusting relationship between board and congregation, asking themselves, "What does a program church look like and what would it expect from its leadership?" One goal was to empower the congregation, to let go and let them be responsible so that people would get a sense of mission and responsibility. For example, in encouraging members to create groups, their message was "you can make it happen" but your group must fall within the needs of a faith community; they created a form on their website that members who want to create a program must fill out, meeting certain criteria. Also board president terms are three years, two vice chairs, so that there is continuity.

• 3:00 p.m. at Newburyport City Hall, sponsored by the Women's Crisis Center and hosted by Mayor Mary Ann Clancy. The center will be the recipient of the offering as well as of offertory gift certificates from various super markets and department stores.

• 7:00 p.m. at Bellville Congregational Chapel, an hour for songs, poems, hymns, individual sharing of thanks for blessing and healing. Hosted by First Parish Newbury; First Church of Christ, Scientist, Newburyport; East Parish Methodist Church, Salisbury; and Bellville Congregational Church.