The Young Church Choir will sing this morning. We will dedicate Ilise Joy Litwin during the service. There will be no young church classes today, but there will be childcare provided in the nursery.

Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Frieda Marion and Coddie Fraser in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic K. Castelhun and Mr. and Mrs. Karl Castelhun.

Ushers: Laurie and Dick Daly.

Coffee Hour Hosts: Barbara Burnim, Lowell Croll & Sallie W. Butler, A. Tod Campbell & Susan Murray-Campbell, and Ron Pullins & Leslie Powell.

Current Events Forum: 9:30 in the Conference Room -- "Can the environment become a bridge connecting liberals and conservatives?"

Congregational Meeting: In the Sanctuary at 11:30, primarily to consider the recommendation of the Vision Committee.

This morning we will once again welcome new members—those who have decided to become legal voting members of our congregation and who have submitted an Application for Membership—into the fellowship of the First Religious Society in a Ceremony of New Member Recognition. I look forward to seeing you in church!

Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Carol Young in appreciation of Rev. Harold Babcock.

Ushers: Robert Poirier and Jim Dyer.

Coffee Hour Hosts: Charles & Joan Carroll, Lindsay Cavanagh, Scot & Beth Cawley, and Stan Cecil.

You will need Adobe Acrobat or other PDF reader to open this file. If you do not have one, you can download a free reader on http://www.adobe.com.

Our congregation now has a proposed vision statement drawn from your input at the visioning workshops held in September, and the review of the draft statements on Sunday, Oct. 22.

The vision statement's purpose is to express our congregation's dreams for what FRS can become in the next five years, and to help us make decisions that aim us toward them. The vision statement is the first step in the process. At our mission retreat we will develop our mission statements in three areas: Our Spiritual Community; Our Larger Community; The Wider World.

PROPOSED VISION STATEMENT The congregation of the First Religious Society, having come together to discern its shared vision of an unfolding future, is inspired to live out our religious values by being a welcoming and inclusive religious community that encourages spiritual growth as we strive for truth and meaning, while reaching out to our community with ministries that engage social and spiritual needs.

See below for more retreat information, sign-up direction and some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the retreat.

Quillen         Underwood         Rowland         Quillen Porch IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT THE UPCOMING CHURCH RETREAT Friday, November 10, starts 6:00 p.m. - Saturday, November 11, till 5:00pm All-Congregation Mission Retreat will take place at the UU Ferry Beach Conference Center, located on the beautiful beach in Saco Maine (a little more than one hour from Newburyport). At the retreat, we will gather together to develop Mission Statements that will put our newly adopted Vision Statement into action. In fact, we will be developing 3 mission statements: Our Spiritual Community, The Larger Community, and The Wider World. We will have the opportunity to make our broad dream (the Vision) even more meaningful by clearly defining our direction (the Mission Statements) and then defining specific action we all want to take to move those statements forward through the Mission Objectives. All the good visioning effort that happened at the Visioning Workshops was documented in detail and will serve as the foundation for all of this work. Similar to the organized process used in the vision workshops, the retreat will be set up with discussions in both large and small groups. We'll have work to do but there's time for some fun, fellowship and relaxation in a beautiful setting. FACILITIES: Ferry Beach is a well-known UU retreat center, located in Saco, Maine. We have room for 150 with families sharing their room. Each room has 4-6 beds set up as bunks. There are 2 bathrooms on each floor in each building and a maximum of 8 rooms share those bathrooms. (for more information on the center, check out http://ferrybeach.org/about/facilities.html) We will use Rowland for our meetings. It has an auditorium with sound system and a number of large rooms for breakouts. People will need to bring their own bedding, or sleeping bags, and towels CHILDCARE Childcare is available at no cost, but we will need to know your needs in advance. You can indicate your need when you sign up. There are several places outside for kids to play, including play structures, and outdoor space as well. COST There is no charge for lodging. Cost is for meals only-dinner Friday night, breakfast, lunch and snacks on Saturday. It will be $30 per person for adults and children over 12 years old. Children under 12 will be $15. Don't miss this chance to make a difference for FRS. Come to the November 5 meeting after church, and sign up now for the retreat, in any one of three ways: Click here Complete the insert in Sunday's Order of Service Call the church office at 978-465-0602 x 401

If I haven't participated in the vision process to-date, may I come to the retreat? ABSOLUTELY! We are trying to get as much participation in the process as we can. While the retreat will build on the information gathered during the preceding steps in the process, that input will be presented in a highly usable form for all participants. We'll also be gathering new input as the retreat progresses.

If I can't participate in the retreat will there be more opportunities to get involved? Yes. We'll be developing three Mission Statements at the retreat, one for each of three areas: Our Spiritual Community; Our Larger Community; The Wider World. Once these have been defined it will be necessary to define Mission Objectives - the actions we will take to realize the mission - and that will take place between the retreat and mid-January.

Are young people invited to the retreat? YES. We are hoping for active participation of our teens in this retreat. For young people under 13, childcare will be provided throughout the retreat.

Isn't it going to be cold on the coast of Maine in November? Yes, however the buildings in which we will have our sleeping accommodations are fully insulated and common areas are heated. The building in which we are meeting will be heated by our vigorous activity during the retreat. All this said, warm clothing and bedding are a must.

The New UU: Those interested in preparing for membership or simply learning more about Unitarian Universalism or the FRS should sign up for "Exploring Unitarian Universalism and FRS Membership." Come to "Getting to know UUism" - Sunday, November 5 - led by Rev. Harold Babcock. The meeting will be at 12:00 noon in the Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room. Get a cup of coffee after church and come on down.

Answer: “There is a story, either fact or fancy, that it was made from silver dollars donated by the young mothers in the church.” FRS History, Vol. 2, page 119

New Question: Before becoming a controversial abolitionist minister in our church, what young university graduate wrote to his brother, “What I want now most urgently is more of a controversial spirit, the will and the power to pitch right into people and show ‘em how foolishly they are thinking and acting, instead of my present spirit of being willing people should think what they please if they’ll only leave me alone.”

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 8:30 a.m. to noon weekdays.

September – The Hugh Doyle Center
The Hugh Doyle Center has been conceived as a satellite office of the Pettengill House, serving the city of Newburyport. It will offer school-linked programs, social services, food vouchers, and more. Additionally, the Doyle Center will consolidate, and make more effective use of, church and community resources currently dispersed around the city.

October - Pettengill House
The Pettengill House is a community service agency and confidential school-linked program helping families ensure that all children come to school ready to learn. It offers the following assistance to families: social services, food pantry, Mass. Health information, and parenting programs.

November - Community Service
Community Service provides a food pantry for residents of Newburyport, Newbury, and West Newbury. Used clothing is also available. Some help with utility bills and camperships for children of low-income families is also provided.

Thank you, Claudia Keyian

In the event of a funeral or memorial service, our Minister Emeritus, Bert Steeves, has agreed to be available. I am also in the process of arranging for pastoral care resources in the event that they should be needed. The Parish Friends will provide hospital visitation and other emergency services. The Committee on Ministry will also be a resource while I am gone.

My letter of agreement with the FRS allows for the accumulation of one month of sabbatical leave for each year of service (this is my twelfth year as your minister). My last sabbatical was in 2002. At that time I took five months for travel and study.

My plans for this sabbatical include a two week intensive course in Hungarian language at the University of Debrecen, Hungary (Hungarian is the language spoken by our Partner Church friends in Romania). The class also includes cultural field trips in the vicinity of Debrecen. I will be meeting with the Bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church in Kolozsvar (Cluj) Romania, in my role as Vice President of the UU Partner Church Council, and meeting in conversation with Transylvanian Unitarian ministers and seminary students. I will also be spending two weeks in our Partner Church village of Ujszekely, where I hope to be able to preach (if there is a translator available) to our partner congregation. Altogether, I will be spending five weeks in Eastern Europe. The rest of the time during my sabbatical will be spent reading and simply taking a little "r and r." I expect to return in early March re-energized for the remainder of the church year.

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. Call (978) 465-0602 x401 to register

Elia Kazan is most noted as the director of great classics such as “On the Waterfront,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” and “Splendor in the Grass.” This overlooked film is perhaps one of his best. “A Face in the Crowd” has not only maintained its relevance, but in many ways it is more topical today than when it was made in 1957. Lonesome Rhodes, a country boy with a gift of gab, is discovered by an ambitious producer and catapulted into, and corrupted by, television fame. This film demonstrates the ability of television and mass media personalities to wield power over an audience, a cautionary tale that many critics in the late 50s viewed as unrealistic and unpatriotic. Rediscover this great film classic with us.

An Advance Directive allows you to spend the end of your life on your terms with your wishes honored and respected. Whether you're 18 or 80, documenting your wishes today means your family won't have to make heart-wrenching decisions later. In two sessions Katherine and Rosemary will focus on health care proxies and the Five Wishes for planning and documenting your choices. They will offer suggestions about talking with your family, your friends, your doctor. They will discuss the options; then you decide what's right for you and put it in writing. Deadline for signing up: November 6. Call (978) 465-0602 x401 to register.