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The winding path goes on
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
The next Steeple Biweekly will cover three Sundays: December 18 and 25 and January 1
Rev. Harold Babcock
"Be of Good Courage"
One of the themes of the Advent season is the renewal of courage in the face of despair. Often it is in our lowest and most despairing moments that we find our courage reasserting itself. Peter Gomes, minister at Harvard's Memorial Church, calls such an experience "an anticipation of the final and ultimate expression of peace and justice and mercy," or an "anticipation of the un-experienced." Advent is, metaphorically, a season that takes people from where they are and moves them toward where they want to be. Sounds good to me! The sermon will investigate.
Ushers: Anne and Alec White.
Flowers: The flowers for this morning's service are donated by Laura and Jon Roberts in memory of Salvatore Rizzari and Evelyn MacKenney.
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Anne and Alec White in memory of John Neimeyer and Katharine Wormelle Meissner.
Coffee Hour: Janet Sutherland and Mike Dorsey.
FRS Current Events Forum: 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. in Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room – The topic is "Torture."
Community Worship Service
Annual Christmas Pageant
"WE NEED A little CHRISTMAS!"
Come celebrate with the children and youth of Young Church in song, readings, and meditation, as we contemplate the true meaning of the holiday season. This community celebration of the season’s simple joys is brought to you commercial-free! The service will be followed by a soup lunch in the Parish Hall, generously provided once again by Jon and Laura Roberts. Please join us!
Ushers: Bruce and Westy Ford
Flowers: The flowers for this morning's service are donated by Linda, Bob and Will Fuller in loving memory of Bob's parents, Arthur Alexander Fuller Sr. and Margaret Fellows Fuller
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Penelope Johnson in loving memory of her parents, Helen Bailey and Leonard Ware Johnson
Coffee Hour: Anne and Alec White.
Upcoming Regular and Holiday Services at the FRS
Jazz Vespers – Wednesday, December 7, at 8:00 p.m.
Sunday Service – Sunday, December 18, at 10:30 a.m.
Annual Candlelight Service – Sunday, December 18, at 7:15 p.m.
Christmas Eve Family Service – Saturday, December 24, at 6:30 p.m.
Christmas Day Sunday Service – Sunday, December 25, at 10:30 a.m.
New Year's Day Sunday Service – Sunday, January 1, at 10:30 a.m.
Would you like to help decorate the church for Christmas?
To contribute to the church's Christmas arrangement, you may order poinsettias in memory or in celebration of friends or loved ones. A list of donors will be included in the Steeple Biweekly and the Order of Service. The cost is $10.00 for a small plant and $25.00 for a large one. You may pick up your plants after the December 25th service to enjoy in your home. You can also just donate them to help decorate the church. To order, please use this form and return it with payment to the church office before Tuesday, December 13. If you have any questions, please call the church office (978) 465-0602, x401.
Name: _______________________________ Amount enclosed: _____________________Click here to send an e-mail requesting to be included in helping to supply Christmas decoratations for the church.Small Poinsettia _____ Large Poinsettia _____ Wording _____________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Tom and Karen McCarty would like to express the joy of having Tom's mother, Carol, with them for 81 years and the sorrow her recent passing. Carol was, according to Tom and Karen, a life-long Unitarian, though she didn't know it.
Our best wishes to our friend Bob Warner, who is recovering from heart bypass surgery. Bob, his wife Merrie, and their son Robin are regular visitors from Rye, NH.
Our sincere sympathy to the Koplove family, who are former attendees of this church, on the recent unexpected loss of Lynda's son, James W. Esoldo.
Harold Babcock expresses his joy and thanks for the terrific recovering of the couch in the robing room, selected and overseen by Anne White and Lindsay Cavanagh of the FRS Historical Committee.
The next Lunch with the Minister will be held on Tuesday, December 6. We will be reading Vladimir Nabokov's short story "Christmas." (We will also meet on the 13th.) Bring a lunch and join us: all are welcome!
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are needed to set up for the soup lunch on December 11. Those volunteering would need to be in the Parish Hall by 9:45 to set up tables and chairs. This is an easy way to donate some time and energy to a great cause. Please contact Julie Parker Amery if you are interested.
A few volunteers are needed to help restore order to our RE supply and classroom closets before the start of our winter term on January 8. This would be an easy job for a couple of parents and children to do over the holiday break, when you are looking for something to do! It won’t take too long, but it would be a HUGE help. Please contact Julie Parker Amery if you can lend a hand for a bit.
Attention Young Church Teachers!
Curriculum packets for the winter-spring term will be available within a week and will be on a table in the lower meetinghouse hall. Please be sure to pick one up. Thank you.
Director of Religious Education
from the FRS Hospitality Committee
What would the holidays be without cookies? Not nearly as much fun or as delicious, we say. We are hosting our annual Cookie Share on Sunday, December 18, and we hope as many church-goers as possible will contribute. This is not a cookie swap, but an occasion for everyone to bring cookies, bars, or what-have-you to church to share with others during coffee hour that day. If everyone brings a couple of dozen of his or her personal favorite creations, what a wonderful assortment we will have! So, we hope that you will put us on your baking list, pull out your apron, and surprise us with something yummy on December 18.
Last Chance — Handcrafted Maine Balsam Wreaths: Profits to Benefit the FRS — Wreaths will cost $35.00, and orders need to be placed by Friday, December 2. You can order by calling me or by sending e-mail to cgarnache@ajh.org.
News from the FRS Library
Reading Ruth - Contemporary Women Reclaim a Sacred Story, edited by Judith A. Kates and Gail Twersky Reimer, is a "quintessential woman's story. Encompassing a remarkable spectrum of women's experience, this unique biblical text addresses the problems of women's vulnerability in a man's world and explores how women can generate power for themselves. In Reading Ruth, thirty contemporary Jewish novelists, essayists, poets, rabbis, psychologists, and scholars explore this work and reclaim it for women on their own terms. In lively essays, poetry, fiction, and personal narrative, a breathtaking gamut of women's experience in the modern world has been brought to bear to illuminate women's connection to the ancient sources." Be a fly on the wall at a women's Bible study group!
Long-standing FRS member is looking for a one- or two-bedroom apartment in the Newburyport area. Mature woman, no pets and nonsmoker. Please call the church office at (978) 465-0602 if you would consider renting to this individual.
Thursday, December 8 at 12:15
Michael's Harborside
For information, call Peggy Mays
Women's Alliance
The annual Women's Alliance Christmas Party will be held on December 13. Joan Smart is hostessing the party this year. It is a potluck lunch starting at 11:30 at her home in West Newbury. If you are planning to attend but did not sign up for a dish or need directions, please contact the church office at 465-0602.
from the FRS Social Action Committee
You are invited to an open house from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 6 in the Parish Hall to celebrate International Human Rights Day and explore current human rights issues. One exhibit will feature the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948. Other exhibits focus on current human rights issues and the work of Amnesty International, Heifer International, Refugee Immigration Ministry, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
Dear Harold, Your sermon on belonging struck a chord with me because I have been thinking about that subject for a long time. I agree with you that it is very important. To increase the sense of belonging in our church could only be accomplished by the entire congregation.
One area where this could be done is the greeting of newcomers. It needs to be done spontaneously and warmly by individual members. I try to spot strangers sitting near me and greet them after the service. This always leads to some conversation and really creates a sense of belonging. Without some such acknowledgement, the visitor is likely to go away with an awkward or empty feeling.
I have heard that some of the newer sects are having great success with hugging. Of course, I would never expect a Unitarian to go that far, but after all, even the turtle can stick his head out! Thank you for all the wonderful things you do for us. Sincerely, Roger Hatch
from the FRS Community Human Services Committee
The Annual Toy Drive for Turning Point, a shelter for mothers and their children, will continue on Sunday, December 4. There will be a sign-up table at coffee hour with the children's wish lists. Last year we were able to provide toys to all the children due to everyone's generosity. We are hoping to do it again this year.
Guest at Your Table 2005 Continues
This year's Guest at Your Table program emphasizes the work of UUSC and its partners to strengthen workers rights; protect the right to safe, affordable water; defend civil liberties and democratic processes; and preserve the rights of vulnerable people after disasters. Guest at Your Table is our UU tradition for educating our communities about human needs and human rights, and sharing our blessings.
. . .get our Unitarian Universalist name out there and visible
from the Church of the Larger Fellowship
We hear about it all the time: "Let’s grow Unitarian Universalism." And how often have we heard people say, "Unitarian Universalism? Never heard of it.” CLF has several clever ways for you to help spread the word:
- Order Unitarian Universalist luggage straps
- Order UU-themed note cards for all occasions, including new holiday designs!
- Order UU-themed classic chalice jewelry
Not only are they practical, colorful, and beautiful, these items get our Unitarian Universalist name out there and visible. They make great holiday gifts, too! Proceeds from sales support CLF’s work bringing Unitarian Universalism to isolated religious liberals throughout the world.
