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This Week
Forrest Speck, Annie Madden, Gillian Chatfield, Mike Dorsey
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
"Sabbatical Reflections"
Author Eva Hoffman, in her memoir Lost in Translation, has written, "It is possible that when we travel deep enough, we always encounter an element of sadness, but full awareness of ourselves always includes the knowledge of our own ephemerality and the passage of time. But it is only in that knowledge-not its denial-that things gain their true dimensions, and we begin to feel the simplicity of being alive." My sermon will reflect briefly on my own travels during my recently concluded sabbatical. It will be good to re-gather with all of you after my two month absence. I look forward to reconnecting and to worshipping together!
Flowers: The flowers this Sunday are given by Dorothy and Howard Fairweather in loving memory of Dorothy's aunt, Othelia Bansley.
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated in memory of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Little and Mr. and Mrs. H. Greenleaf Noyes by Edmund G. Noyes and Leon L. Noyes.
Ushers: Pat Bashford and Peggy Mays.
Coffee Hour Hosts: Paul and Cecilia Healy, Nancy Herbison-Evans, and Pamela Erickson.
Current Events Forum: Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room at 9:30 a.m.
Worden, Madden & Co.
Jazz Vespers
The Jazz Workshop, Part II - Special Adult Education Offering at 6:30 p.m. in Classrooms A&B - Back by popular demand, Tom Stites explores the roots of jazz. Bring a sandwich for supper, attend the workshop, then the Jazz Vespers at 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
Stewardship/Canvass Kick-Off Sunday
Rev. Harold Babcock
"Is the Church Worth It?"
This morning we kick-off our annual fundraising canvass. Each year we must ask ourselves again, "Is the church worth it?" Is the church worth a share of my hard-earned time, talent, and treasure? Thankfully, the answer in recent years has been an increasingly resounding, "Yes!" Obviously, for me this is a rhetorical question: of course the church is worth it. But it is good to remind ourselves of why this is so. The sermon will investigate.
Flowers: The flowers this Sunday are given by Anne and Alec White in loving memory of Grace Van Winkle Weld, Penelope Weld White, and Harold T. White.
Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Elaina and David Sayles in celebration of their families. Their generosity, support and love are always appreciated.
Ushers: Stan Barrett and Leslie Lawrence.
Coffee Hour Hosts: Judy Murphy, Elena and Keith Hogan, Sandra Horn, and Blake and Ruth Hughes.
March 4, 2007 at 4:00 p.m.
Peter Sykes, keyboards
The Jean C. Wilson Music Series presents Peter Sykes in recital at 4:00 on Sunday, March 4. His program is entitled "A Musical History Tour of the Keyboard." He will play works of J.S. Bach, William Byrd, Francois Couperin, Buxtehude, and Reinken on instruments from his own collection - clavichord, virginal, spinet, harpsichord - and the 1834 Alley organ at the church.
Ticket prices are $15 and $10 for seniors. Students are free. See www.frsuu.org/2007_Wilson Series.htm for more information on the concert.
There will be sign ups at Coffee Hour on the next two Sundays, March 4 and 11, for our forthcoming Friendship Table at the Salvation Army to be held on Thursday, March 15. Please consider signing up to bring an entree, salad or dessert, or to help with serving the guests.
. . . resumes on Tuesday, March 6, at noon in the Lower Meetinghouse. We will read the short story "Saved" by Elizabeth Cox. It can be found in the anthology Faith Stories, edited by C. Michael Curtis. Read the story, bring a lunch, and engage your mind.
A Veteran's View
The First Religious Society's financial year runs from July 1 to June 30 each year. To fund that year of operation, we run a canvass (in the sense of "full coverage"), in which committed members and friends of the church make contact with other friends and members and engage them in a conversation about the past year and the upcoming year. Although the conversation does include a request for a financial commitment over the next fiscal year, it may also be the most comprehensive opportunity you get each year to discuss the full range of the operations of the church and the aspirations of its membership.
To run the canvass, the Finance Committee works with the other committees of the church, most specifically with the Parish Committee, to formulate a practical budget for the upcoming year. The Canvass Team uses that preliminary budget to raise money. After the canvass results are in, the Finance Committee adjusts the budget up or down depending on the canvass results and presents a final budget to the Parish Committee for approval. If it does so approve, the Parish Committee presents that budget to the Annual Meeting in May for the approval of FRS members. It's a complicated process designed to assure church democracy based on membership engagement.
But it doesn't work if you are unable to talk to your canvasser. So when called by your canvasser in early March, please bear in mind that this earnest, patient, and hard-working person is doing a delicate and difficult job that many of them would happily not do. Be kind; return their calls promptly, even eagerly. And keep in mind as one constituent of this democratic flock that you are not in for any loss, but for a gain in community and spiritual engagement, in short, a nourishment.
from The FRS Adult Education Committee
"Building Your Own Theology: Ethics," Thursday, March 8, 5:45-7:15 p.m. - led by Harold Babcock.
Bring your own supper. Participants apply their beliefs, values and convictions to articular ethical situations. $16 for workbook. Register by March 1.
"Progoff Intensive Journal Program of Self-Development, Introductory Workshop." Friday, March 9, 6:00 - 9:30 p.m., Saturday, March 10, 9:00 - noon, 1:15 - 4:15, 5:00 - 7:30. Linda Bennett. $100 fee. Deadline March 1.
This program, developed by Dr. Ira Progoff in 1966, helps you gain a foundation and perspective to realize the continuity and direction of your life, and to connect more deeply with your body, your work, your interests, and your personal relationships. You will use dreams and imagery as a guide in the process. Only you will read what you write. Linda Bennett, a Portland, Maine, public school guidance counselor, has been a leader of the Intensive Journal method for 15 years.
"Singles Program." Sunday, March 11, 11:45 - 1:00. Harold Babcock, Florence Mercer & Abigail Bottome.
This forum will provide single people an opportunity to meet to discuss possible groups or events depending on your needs and interests. Come share your ideas for programs, and we will share ours.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Noon -- Parish Hall
Speaker: Linda Tulley - "Reikki: Origins and Healing"
Hostesses: Pat Ouellette and Mary Haslinger
Please bring a bag lunch. Coffee and dessert will be provided.
Saturday, March 10, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Parish Hall
Come see normally staid and upright parishioners express their other sides, their performance dreams. Or -- what the heck! -- be one of those performers. Call the church office and sign up to slam that poem, tap that dance, act that skit, or strum that uke. We're all ears.
Our condolences to Nicole Stiles, our Nursery Coordinator, for the loss of her grandmother, Nora Stiles.
This committee provides a communications channel between the Minister and the membership, seeking to hear concerns without judgment and passing them on to the minister or the membership. If any congregational member or friend who has concerns he or she would like to share with a member of the Committee on the Ministry should contact one of us in person, by phone, or email. At coffee hour, we often have our blue name tags on.
Annie Madden
Gillian Chatfield
Mike Dorsey
Forrest Speck
sponsored by the FRS Social Action Committee
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Dear FRS, For the six of us in the Nicaragua Project, January 26 marked the end of a three-week stay in Chacraseca, Nicaragua. We tried to make the experience as thoroughly Nicaraguan as possible, living in groups of two with families in the community. This proved to be a great arrangement - we picked up the sports scores, news coverage, and political discussion that simply don't exist in hotels. When not working on construction sites, we attended the historic Three Kings Festival and the inauguration of Nicaragua's new president. The most exciting part of the Nicaragua Project was what we were able to raise and bring to the community of Chacraseca, with your help, over $4,000. We are extremely grateful for the part you played in making this possible! This level of support allowed us to completely fund the construction of three houses as well as a public latrine. The houses are sturdy, secure, and electrically-equipped. The recipient families wasted no time in moving in and individually approached us to express their gratitude as they did. Our thanks goes out first to you for giving us the opportunity to purchase the construction materials. We are also indebted to the Mayor of Chacraseca, Juan Enrique Canales, for finding us places to stay and coordinating our many trips to the work sites. He has initiated a host of community development projects and has a number in the works, such as constructing wells and water pipelines, bringing in a community doctor, and starting a farmer microbank. These are all promising projects, though they do require foreign initiative, something we look forward to providing in the years to come. For your contribution to Chacraseca this year, we in the Nicaragua Project, Mr. Canales, and the recipient families all thank you deeply. Sincerely, Jonathan Raye, Elysia Petras, Oliver Traldi, Francesca Carendi, Alex Weiner
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"It is my pleasure to thank you for your donation . . . on behalf of the friends and members of the First Religious Society of Newburyport, to the Nicaragua project at Bard College . . . The Nicaragua Project is a service project committed to helping families of Chacraseca, Nicaragua. Devastated by natural disaster nearly a decade ago, this impoverished community still has not reestablished many of the homes, crops, roads, and other infrastructure it once had. Student volunteers raise funds and expand awareness of the Chacrasecan culture within and around the Bard community. Working in partnership with the Maryknoll nuns located in New York and Chacraseca, Bard students take part annually in a three-week trip to Nicaragua, where they live and work with the families of Chacraseca to build as many houses as possible, depending on funds . . . On behalf of the many people who benefit from the Nicaragua Project, you have our heartfelt thanks for your support of this dynamic program."
