Home
Minister
Young Church
Music
Governance
Calendar
This Week
by Christopher Gurshin
Click on picture to see more detail.
a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association,
26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Church Phone: (978) 465-0602 - Minister's Line: (978) 465-6504 - Fax: (978) 462-0384
Web Page: www.frsuu.org - e-mail: frsuu@netway.com
The Rev. Harold E. Babcock, Minister The Rev. Bertrand H. Steeves, Minister Emeritus
Rev. Harold Babcock
Easter Sunday Family Service
"The Two Ways"
"I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendents may live. . . ." Thus spoke Moses to the Israelites shortly before his death. The ancient Israelites didn't believe in an afterlife, but they believed in the life that is, and in the responsibility to live it well. This is not "life" in the abstract. The failure to live well is the way of death. None of us knows what happens after we die, but all of us have choices about how we will live the lives we have been so miraculously given. By popular demand, the turtle will make its annual appearance. The Teen Choir will sing. There will be no Young Church classes this morning, but there will be child care provided for the little ones. I look forward to seeing you in church!
-Harold Babcock
Flowers: Easter flowers donated by Marj Babcock in memory of her mother, Carol A. Young in memory of Kenneth H. Young, Candace and Peter Erickson in memory of Dorice and Ira Chapman and in honor of Carl and Doris Erickson, Marge and Gerry Peterson in honor of their family, Roxie and Janet Kalashian in memory of Carol Mullen, and Joan Smart in memory of her husband, Bob.
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting this week is donated in memory of H. P. Hale and his beloved wife Laura Marquand Hale.
Chalice Lighters: Nancy Whilton.
Coffee Hour Hosts: Phil & Pat Hurzeler and Richard Emond
Rev. Harold Babcock
"Returning, Again"
"To repent does not mean to feel really bad about sins; rather, it means to embark upon a path of return," writes biblical scholar Marcus Borg. All of us, whether in our individual or our corporate lives, have a need for "returning." As author Dan Wakefield writes, "[Returning] is not a comfortable excuse for hiding out in old certitudes, but rather a constant pushing forward to test one's belief and use it. . . ." I wonder if, at this particular time in its history, our nation does not need to do some serious returning. The sermon will investigate.
-Harold Babcock
Flowers: The flowers for today's service have been donated by Amy Weickert and family in loving memory of Barbara Shaw Weickert, whose birthday is April 7.
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting this week is donated by Swift and Virginia Barnes in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Swift Barnes, Sr., and Mrs. William Simonds.
Current Events Forum: Politics and Religion, Part II
Sixty-five canvassers - your fellow parishioners all - are busily at work and will be over the next two weeks working to raise pledges for the next church year (July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006). All funding for this church comes from within, not from any central UU funding source. In fact, Fair Share UU churches, as we are, make payments each year to both the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and The Massachusetts Bay District (MBD). And, of course, we pay our staff, cover the costs of the buildings, the religious education and music programs, and so forth. For next year the projected church budget is $464,000, of which the canvassers are trying to raise $303,000 in pledges. If they can do so, the plans for next year can be carried out. If they cannot, the cutting of planned programs will begin. It's the usual story: the most interesting and exciting plans will be the first to go, and the most humdrum - fuel oil, insurance, copy machine costs, mortgage costs for the renovation, and the like - must be paid. So keep the committees' exciting plans in place through this three-step program:
- happily greet then meet with your canvasser when he or she calls
- listen closely to the plans that the canvasser describes for the coming year
- be as generous as you imagine yourself capable of being
The April meeting has been changed to April 5 at 12:00 noon. Jane Wild from West Newbury will speak on the history and keeping of bees. She makes her own products from her bees and sells them. Bring your lunch, and the Alliance will serve coffee, tea and dessert.
The visit of our Transylvanian Unitarian Partner Church Minister Zsolt Jakab, his wife Borika, his brother Denes, and the Church President Josif Buzogany and his wife Zsuzsa (Susy) during the last two weeks in April is nearing reality! All five have obtained their visas to travel to the United States. While they are here, there will be a number of opportunities to meet and get to know them and to learn more about the Unitarian Church in Transylvania. I hope that Zsolt will preach the Sunday sermon on April 24 and perhaps lead a Transylvanian communion service for those who are interested that afternoon. The Jakabs and the Buzoganys are ethnic Hungarians, though they live in Romania, and speak Hungarian as a first language (they also speak Romanian). Denes, who is a doctoral student in Budapest, is fluent in English, and will serve as our primary translator. Susy speaks some French, perhaps also Borika, and Zsolt and Borika also speak some English. This will be Zsolt's second visit to Newburyport: he was here in June 1999, accompanied by his parents (his father is also a Unitarian minister in Transylvania). Some of you will remember him from that time, when he also preached one Sunday. This will be the first visit for Borika, Denes, Josif, and Zsuzsa to the United States, and we will be trying to show them as much of New England as possible during their stay. (We would like to provide our friends with some spending money while they are here: donations gladly accepted!) If you would like more information or if you would like to help out with any of the events during their visit, please speak to Harold Babcock or to any of our members who have visited in Ujszekely: Jessica Brown, Michael Fosburg, Pat Skibbee, Barbara Owen, Steve and KC Swallow, Max Russell, John Mercer, Josie Seymour, Peg Nicol, Sabrina Babcock, or Russell Meade. (Two of our youth, Brody Pagel and Josh Babcock, also traveled to Transylvania in 2003.) This is an exciting opportunity for us to get in touch with our Unitarian roots in Eastern Europe.
-Harold Babcock
A Couple of Unitarians: Zsolt and Harold
 Zsuzsa and Josif |
 |
 Borika |
 Zsolt |
 Denes |
The Committee of the Ministry reports that the results from our five-year survey will soon be available at www.frsuu.org.
Exploring Unitarian Universalism - April 10, 17 and 24 - If you'd like to know more about Unitarian Universalism and First Religious Society, come join the Exploring Unitarian Universalism workshop held after church for three Sundays starting on April 10 from 12 noon until 1:30 in the Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room. The sessions will be conducted by Alex Mezey, a member of the FRS Parish Committee, our governing board, and her husband Tom Stites, the editor of UU World, the national magazine of our denomination. The classes are informative and often lead to continuing friendships. The classes may be of particular interest to people new to FRS and to people considering whether to join FRS on New Member Sunday on May 1, but members who've never taken this class can find it fascinating, too. To sign up, call the church office ((978) 465-0602 x 401) or send e-mail to vdyer@frsuu.org.
from the FRS Human Services and RE Committees
The Human Services and Religious Education Committees will again be collecting warm winter coats, hats, and gloves and mittens for people living on the Rosebud Lakota Reservation in South Dakota. In addition to helping keep the Lakota people warm, we want to give them the dignity of clean coats, hats, and gloves in good condition (no rips, missing buttons, etc.). We expect to begin collecting these items in May. This year we are focusing on coats, hats, and gloves only, not clothing. Please save that for the church rummage sale.
-Alicia Raddatz
from the FRS Social Action Committee
The Social Action Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lower Meetinghouse. We will be making critical preparations for our spring speaker!
The Loose Plate Collection for April will be donated to the Women's Crisis Center (WCC). The mission of the WCC is to empower members of our community to live free from fear, intimidation, violence, or the threat of abuse by providing support, advocacy, and education. Those working at the center envision a culture in which domestic violence and abusive behavior are not tolerated. They recognize that leaving an abusive relationship is a process and have designed their services to help victims through the process from helplessness to hopefulness. Their services include:
- A confidential 24-hour hotline
- One-to-one counseling
- Support groups with childcare
- Help obtaining restraining orders
- Legal and Court advocacy
- Safe Home/emergency shelter
- Children's counseling and support groups
- Teen dating violence education
- Community outreach and education
- Rapid Response Teams - collaborations with local police departments
- Legal representation by staff or pro bono attorneys
- Customized training and curriculum development
- Referral and information
.jpg){kind=small}
Spring for Us
Believe it! Spring is truly almost here, and also "Spring for Us," the annual FRS auction, Saturday, April 9th, 6:00 p.m., at Nicholson Hall, 9 Harris Street, Newburyport. We have received some stellar donations, but we still need more! Remember, this is our biggest event fundraiser, and we need you: your donations, your energy, your talents, and your presence! It's important to get your tickets early. Invitations went out last week. Please return the reply card with your check for tickets to the church office at 26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport 01950. Tickets may also be purchased at coffee hour or at the church office: 978-465-0602. A $25 donation per person includes dinner and beverages (wine or beer, soft drinks). Reservations and advance payment are required.
Note on Proxy Bidding: For those who will be bone-fishing in the Bahamas or otherwise absent the day of the auction, we offer off-site bidding. Get a ticket and bidding number, and designate a capable (re: aggressive) friend to do your bidding for you! You don't want to miss out!
Form Your Bidding Cartel Now: Start gathering your friend groups to bid on the many wonderful dinners and events that will accommodate more than one or two people. Check out the FRS web-site for the entire listing of items for auction, but a few to consider for group bidding are these: a Women's Hike up Mt. Monadnock, a Southern Dinner, an island idyll, a lakeside vacation, a Sangria party, and an a cappella quartet performance.
All parents new to our church are urged to attend a Young Church orientation on Sunday, April 3, from 11:45 to 12:30. Childcare will be provided. This will be an opportunity for you to learn about UU religious education philosophy and our specific program, to meet the Director of Religious Education and members of the Religious Education Committee, to have questions answered, and to hear more about our shared responsibility for raising liberal religious children and youth. Please plan to join us. Refreshments will be served.
from the Tuesday Night Small Ministry Group
Please join us and other Small Ministry Group members to meet and enjoy a potluck dinner together on Sunday, April 10, at 6:00 p.m. in the lower church. New Small Ministry Groups are forming to meet through the end of the church year in June. Come learn more about Small Ministry Groups and enjoy a meal together with other FRS members. Please bring a main course, appetizer, dessert, beverage or bread to serve six. A Sign-up Sheet will be posted on the Adult Program bulletin board in the Parish Hall. For questions, call Judy Murphy.
Rev. Fox (FRS Minister from 1831 - 1845) would be very, very disappointed
We have openings for donations of flowers on the following Sundays: April 10, 17, 24 and June 5. If you don't know why our third minister would be disappointed, you should see Volume 1 of our church history, recently reissued. Just call the church office if you'd like to donate the floral arrangement for one of those Sundays.
Child Care Wanted: We are looking for someone to care for our active one-year-old son in our home in Newburyport. May through October (or end of summer), 32+ hours per week. Experience and references required. A great summer opportunity for a college student who loves working with children. Also looking for a responsible high school student for occasional evening babysitting. If interested, please contact Linda Marshall & Ted Stedman.
Jazz Vespers
Those performing in the Jazz Sunday Service and those appreciating it have decided to run jazz vespers services monthly on a Wednesday evening, featuring primarily music, but also readings and meditation time. Try out the first one on Wednesday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m.
From a recent e-mail from Gayden Morrill, eldest son of Frank Morrill: " . . . I guess we are in line for a steeple lighting next February and I will get a notice when that is due. It would not be right to skip that as my grandmother paid to have the lights put on the church in the first place. It was a tribute to my grandfather after he died back in 1948."
from Meadville Lombard Theological School
Meadville Lombard Seeks English Teacher for Transylvania - Entering its eleventh year, the English Teacher in Transylvania program supports English language teaching for Unitarian ministry students at the Protestant Theological Institute in Cluj/Kolozsvar, Romania. The program is sponsored and administered by Meadville Lombard Theological School and is partially funded by the UU Partner Church Council.
Meadville Lombard is seeking an English teacher for a one- or two-year commitment beginning in September 2005 and provides a stipend for travel, room, and board. Intensive Hungarian language training is available in July and August. Persons with ministerial and/or English as a Second Language training are especially encouraged to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately. For more information or to apply, please contact President Lee Barker at Meadville/Lombard: 733-256-3000 ext.224 or lbarker@meadville.edu.
A Storytelling Workshop
Saturday, April 2, 2005, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
First Parish in Bedford
You found just the right story -- but it's stuck in a book! Come learn how to . . . get from behind the pages . . . make the story your own . . . build a relationship with the characters and events in the story . . . and connect with your audience! Lisa Rubin, UU Storyteller and Director of Religious Education at First Parish in Bedford will lead this four-hour workshop to help you develop skills to make the story come alive and hold the attention of young and old. Fee: $20.00 donation to First Parish in Bedford. Registration Deadline: March 28. Space is limited sign up now! Contact info: email/dre@uubedford.org phone/781-275-7994. Or send check and registration (name, address, congregation, e-mail, and telephone) to First Parish in Bedford, Storytelling Workshop, 75 The Great Rd. Bedford, MA 01730
That was some Variety Show
 It was a stormy night. |
 A lot of people showed up, anyway. |
 The Pit band was terrific!. |
 |
 |
 The mighty, mighty trombone section. |
 The individual acts were great, too. Here's Claudia radiatin' the eighty-eights. |
 Natalie and Katrina engage in a teen canvass call. |
 Kathryn apparently could have danced all night. |
 Nancy was her usual witty self as co-host and seeks forgiveness for certain of her jokes. |
 The Flying Noceras do their splendid thing. |
 John digs into the Canvass Blues |
 Liam was suave and entertaining. |
 Greg as The Amazing Teenage Snake Thief himself. |
 Lark, Harold, and Tod get into some roots music. |
 It was clear that co-host David was not going to be happy until he had presented an animal act. |
