Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Susan Nickerson in loving memory of Josephine P. and Robert W. Driver by their daughters Susan and Henrietta and family.

Ushers: Susan Ricker and Claire Zarakas.

Coffee Hour Host: The FRS Hospitality Committee.

Young church classes begin today. After the service, weather providing, we will once again "caravan" to Maudslay Park for a picnic (see below for more information).

Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Joan Smart in loving memory of Bob, from his wife, Joan, and their family.

Ushers: Pam Girardi and Barbara Moynahan.

FRS Current Events Forum: 9:30 in Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room

Help plant the seeds for the future so we continue to become a great church. Participate in the FRS Visioning process. Raise your voice. Share your thoughts with others at one of the upcoming Vision Meetings:

Sign up today for the Vision Meetings by filling out an insert in the Order of Service, filling out an online form (http://www.frsuu.org/vision.htm#Sign-up), or calling the church office at (978) 465-0602 x 401

Another new church year is upon us, and it will be good to regather our community on September 10. I hope that you will remember to bring a flower for our annual flower procession: it is a highlight of our year.

This summer Sabrina and I traveled to Estoril, Portugal, where Sabrina and her family lived for two years during the 1960's. We stayed within a few minutes walk of the house where they lived, and just across the street from a former riding school where Sabrina took horseback riding lessons. We visited the English school that she attended for two years (St. Julian's). Along with sightseeing (Lisbon, Sintra, Mafra, Cascais), we spent a lot of time just sitting by the pool in our pension. The food was fabulous, the people friendly, the atmosphere relaxed. As I've said before, it was a nice respite from trying to save the world for democracy.

Also in July, I preached the installation sermon for my colleague Mark Worth in Castine, Maine, my hometown and church. Mark has been the part-time minister in Castine since 1991, but just recently became full-time. It was an honor to be asked to participate.

On July 30 I preached at our annual Yankee Homecoming Service on the topic, "Summer Questions." As you will note from my opening sermon title this fall, I'm still searching for answers.

In August, Sabrina and I drove to Minnesota where I participated in the 125th anniversary of the Nora Unitarian Universalist Church, the first congregation I ever served. It was a joyous occasion, and a bittersweet walk down memory lane. Many of the people I knew and loved during my time there have passed into the great mystery.

But we saw many other old and dear friends. Even the weather managed to be spectacular and uncharacteristic for that time of year: bright blue skies, cool crisp air.

Along the way, we made a few stops: Lehman's "Non-Electric" Country Store in Kidron, Ohio; the Wisconsin Wagon factory, home of the "Janesville Coaster Wagon"; Frank Lloyd Wright's home, Taliesin ($40.00 per person admission for two hour tour); and the Hamlin Garland homestead ($1.00 per person admission for a one hour tour). We returned via Canada, enjoying great weather and scenery all along the way.

On August 27, I preached in Hampton Falls to a good crowd of FRSers and others. Not coincidentally, my sermon topic was "The Restless Heart."

Now I am ready for another great year here at the First Religious Society! In January and February, I will be using a bit of my accumulated sabbatical time to travel to Hungary, where I will be taking a two week intensive class in the Hungarian language at the University of Debrecen. (The class also includes various Hungarian cultural highlights.) Then I will travel to Transylvania, where I hope to meet with seminary students, ministers, and the Bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church in my role as Vice President of the UU Partner Church Council. Eventually I will end up in our Partner Church village of Ujszekely for a winter visit with the minister, Zsolt Jakab, and his family. (This summer the FRS was wonderfully represented in Ujszekely by our member Max Russell and by one of our youth, Steph Steeves [granddaughter of Bert and Maxine, daughter of Jon and Debbie]. Steph traveled to Ujszekely on her own this year after participating in the UU Partner Church Council's youth tour last summer, spending several weeks with Zsolt and Borika. She heads off to UVM this fall.)

During my sabbatical absence this winter, your Worship Committee has been hard at work to provide a very interesting group of guest speakers, which will include former UUA President, FRS member, and Executive Director of Amnesty International, the Rev. Dr. Bill Schulz; the Rev. John Hickey, Executive Director of the UU Urban Ministry; the Revs. Brad Greeley and John Burciaga; and Harvard Professor David Lamberth. (More information about my sabbatical plans will follow in the near future.)

I hope that you, too, have had relaxing and memorable summers. It will be good to see all of you on September 10!

Fall Teachers Needed: We are still in need of Young Church teachers for the fall term, which runs from September 17-November 19. Teachers work as part of a team and commit to an 8-week term only. The teacher training will be held on Saturday, September 16, from 9:00-12:00. This fall, we're doing a small group ministry model in our RE program, which means that our "classes" will be smaller and mixed-age and we will have Young Church worship circle every week. It's a great time to give teaching a try! Please let me know if you are interested, or if you have any questions.

Ministry to Youth Committee Forming: Do you recall the stimulating conversation on our ministry to youth last spring? We are forming a committee that will review a three-year plan based on feedback from that meeting, and that will figure out how to implement the plan to make our ministry to youth stronger and more vibrant. We are seeking three high school youth, one middle school youth, and three adults to serve in this very important capacity. The committee will meet once a month. The first meeting will be on Sunday, September 17, at 7:00 p.m. At that meeting, we will determine our meeting schedule for the rest of the year. Please let me know if you're interested!

Remember Your Water: This is a reminder that all children in grades K-8 are invited to bring a small sample of water to our Young Church worship circle on September 17. The water should ideally come from a special place visited this summer, but can come from your kitchen tap. Please bring just a small sample--something that would fit in a film canister, for instance. This is for our annual water communion service, which has been a Young Church tradition for the past five years.

Nursery Update: Great news! We have hired a new nursery care provider, who is scheduled to begin in the nursery on September 10. She is Nicole Stiles, a junior at Pentucket High School. All parents with children from one year up to three are highly encouraged to stop by and meet Nicole and check out our nursery. Nursery care is free. We ask that parents who use the nursery contribute by assisting Nicole one Sunday morning every other month. A signup sheet is posted outside the nursery (which is located on the second floor of the Parish Hall).

Young Church Registration: Registration forms were mailed on September 1. They can be handed in on Sunday, September 10. If you did not receive one, please contact me, or download one off our website. As a reminder, the preschool class is for 3- and 4-year olds.

Answer: William Swasey, Mrs. Fowle, and Mrs. Moseley (FRS History, Volume II, p. 7)

New Question: The first meeting house was in Market Square. Do you know why the congregation moved to our present location? What became of the old church?

The answer to this, and many other questions, can be found in the two-volume history of the First Religious Society. Boxed sets of the history are available at $40.00 from the FRS office, open from 9:00 a.m. to noon weekdays during the summer.

Come to learn how to knit a comfort shawl. Bring size 11 or 13 needles and the yarn will be provided. You can waive the $12 fee by bringing three balls of Lion Brand Homespun yarn. Comfort shawls are given to people who have suffered a loss. Linda can get you started and answer all your questions. The second workshop is to finish the shawls with fringes.

If you have always wanted to write but never did, or if you just need some inspiration, encouragement and a place to practice, join us in this fun workshop. Stretch your imagination and explore your potential using timed free-writes and exercises. Everyone is invited to this non-competitive, stress-free, friendly and safe group. No experience necessary.

Our resources prevent us from caring for children under the age of one at this time. We welcome these "babes in arms" into the worship service. Indeed, the peaceful coo of a baby is for many a welcome enhancement to their Sunday morning experience.

However, we also provide a rocking chair in the vestibule for those times that it is necessary to calm your child or to just let him or her move around. A speaker in the vestibule allows you to hear the worship service.

While families with young children are welcome to sit in the balcony facing the choir, they need to be aware that sound carries well from this area. Concerns also frequently are expressed about children leaning over the edge of the balcony.

We do ask all friends and members of the First Religious Society to bear in mind that for many, this is the only hour in the week for quiet reflection, and we request your assistance in helping us to maintain a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Your child's early experiences in church may form his or her attitude towards church and Sunday school in later years. We recognize the importance, therefore, of providing children ages one to three with warm, welcoming, consistent nursery care. Our nursery care provider has become a beloved figure in the life of our children in the nursery. Though it sometimes takes a couple of weeks for children to get used to being in the nursery, virtually all come to love it. We hope that you will take advantage of this wonderful service.

Your child is invited to begin in a religious education class when he or she turns three. Please speak with Julie to learn more about our program.

Thank you for being here! We look forward to getting to know you and your family.

This Bed and Breakfast "Fun-Raiser" will benefit All Souls Church Unitarian Universalist, West Brattleboro, Vermont.

Weekends available are: Oct. 6-9th (Columbus Day weekend) and Oct. 13-14th. We expect peak colors around this time. Foliage B & B rates, per night: $50 single, $75 double, and $25 child.

Check our web site www.allsouls.brattleboro.uua.org. For information send e-mail Kathy Squires at solanasq@together.net or leave her a message at 802-365-7388.

You can read their very interesting material at EVOLUTIONARY EDGE. The Table of Contents of recent newsletter (http://www.evolutionaryedge.org/July-Aug-06.html) has the following table of contents: Lead Article on "Being Evolution" - Poetry - Fascinating Cosmic and Evolutionary Facts - Evolutionary Topics in the Mainstream News - - Conscious Evolution News - News from Our Favorite Evolutionary Evangelists - Evolutionary Ritual - Evolutionary Process Arts - Evolutionary Quotes - Reader Participation Question - Book Reviews - Brief, Powerful Written Testimonials Requested - Questions of Scale (and a touch of humor) - A New Evolutionary Group - Evolutionary Events Calendar

Two recent financial commitments from W. Lowell and Janice Steinbrenner and the late Rev. Dr. J. Frank Schulman and his wife Alice have provided the final $500,000 to endow the professorship fully. These funds will be combined with previous donations since the late 1980s from the UUA, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, on Long Island, N.Y. (formerly the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society), the Liberal Religious Charitable Society, and other individuals and organizations.

The Rev. William Sinkford, President of the UUA, said: "The creation of the Emerson Professorship not only recognizes the historic relationship between Harvard Divinity School and Unitarian Universalism but will also be a foundation on which that relationship can deepen as we look to the future. Unitarian Universalism has always been committed to the development of a learned ministry for liberal religion, and the generosity of the Shelter Rock congregation and the Steinbrenner and Schulman families significantly advances this commitment. And there is no better place than Harvard Divinity School to carry on Emerson's legacy of incisive and wide-ranging scholarship."

The Emerson Professorship is the result of a relationship between HDS and Unitarians and Universalists that dates to the early days of the School's history. In fact, the Address of Dedication for Divinity Hall in 1826 was presented by William Ellery Channing, who a few years earlier had become the acknowledged leader of what he called "Unitarian Christianity." Much of the subsequent ferment of Unitarian culture and, indeed, the broader ferment of nineteenth-century transcendentalist thought, were played out at the School. Although HDS has always remained firmly nondenominational, it is recognized by the UUA as one of three principal schools providing theological training to Unitarian Universalist students preparing for ministry.