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 What's Up in Young Church? Candlecraft, Gingerbread Church, and Spooky Pie Faces [Click the picture to see a larger view] |
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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 |
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Rev. Harold Babcock "Our Father (and Mother). . ." As some of you know, my personal spiritual practice in recent years has included reciting the words of the "Lord's Prayer." Three times through equals about one minute, so if I want to take a minute of silent prayer, I simply say the "Lord's Prayer" three times to myself. It's one of the few things I have actually managed to memorize in my life (thanks in large part to the fact that, growing up, I had to recite it not only in Sunday School and Church, but also in public school!). I don't necessarily agree with its theology, but that's beside the point: the words are comfortingly familiar, and I know them "by heart." My sermon will take a closer look at the "Lord's Prayer" and at some of the revisions and re-translations of it that I have collected over the years. You may be surprised (or amused, or possibly even scandalized) by some of them. I look forward to seeing you in church! - Harold Babcock Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Walter and Ann Power in loving memory of Madeline Coyne. Flowers: The holiday flowers are donated by the Fairweather family in honor of Albert Schweitzer's birthday, January 14. Ushers: Maureen Adams and Lee McLaughlin. Coffee Hour Hosts: Marie Murphy, Chris and Veronique Hyde, Scott and Rebecca Jordan. Collection for Cause: One half of the loose plate in January will go directly to Community Action of Amesbury, which empowers individuals, families and communities to overcome poverty through education, training, advocacy and prevention, and services to meet basic human needs. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday Rev. Harold Babcock "Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr.: Culmination of the Dream?" This morning I will take a personal look at how Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights movement changed the life of a kid (me) in out-of-the-way Castine, Maine, and, as much as anything else, led him to the ministry. Too young for the March on Washington (or Selma), I was nonetheless profoundly influenced by the Civil Rights movement and its charismatic leader. (It didn't escape me that King was a minister first and a [reluctant] activist second.) Like many Americans, I was deeply moved by Barack Obama's election as President of the United States. The sermon will investigate whether Obama's election is the culmination of Martin's "Dream," or whether it is only a beginning. The Young Church will join us for its Worship Circle at the beginning of the service. - Harold Babcock Steeple Lighting: The steeple lighting for this week has been donated by Linda and Ben Labaree in gratitude for those leaders who have stood for racial equality and justice around the world. Flowers: The flowers this Sunday are given by Trent and Stratton Lloyd, Peace on Earth. Ushers: Trent and Stratton Lloyd. Coffee Hour Hosts: Alicia Raddatz, Kelly and Peter McNamee, Scott and Barb Kresge, and Janice King. FRS Current Events Forum: 9:30 in Lower Meetinghouse Conference Room. The next Lunch with the Minister will take place on Tuesday, January 13 at noon in the lower meeting house. The short story for discussion will be the next story in our colelction, "Parker's Back" by Flannery O'Connor. All are welcome! January 11 at 4:00 p.m. Randall Hodgkinson, piano, Thomas Hill, clarinet
Brahms - E-flat Major Clarinet Sonata Bernstein - Clarinet Sonata (1942) Malcolm Arnold - Sonatina for Clarinet & Piano Brahms - F Minor Clarinet Sonata The two Brahms sonatas are special treasures, and any program including both is especially worth paying attention to. General admission will be $15.00, seniors $10.00, students and children free. More information here. Monday, January 19, 2009, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at Newburyport High School The FRS has purchased a ten-person table for the breakfast. Our support, along with that of other community sponsors, will enable over 150 area high school students to attend the breakfast and celebrate the life and work of Dr. King at no cost. Our vision is that this breakfast will again inspire and energize community members and students to make the dream of racial justice a reality. Further, our support will back the ongoing work of the Teen Racial Justice Group, a teen-led YWCA Greater Newburyport initiative working to foster dialogue and action around issues of race and discrimination among young people. The program for the breakfast will feature an interactive format between and among participants and presenters, as students and adult community members engage in discussions and activities with each other. We are looking forward to this exciting and dynamic morning, which will include the annual presentation of the Nancy E. Peace Action Against Prejudice Award. Tickets are $20.00 a seat, and they often go quickly. Call the church office to reserve yours. Welcome to the First Religious Society! It is a great pleasure to see so many young families come through our doors on Sunday mornings. We hope that you and your family find this a welcoming community. And we hope that your time with us will be meaningful and that you might even call this your spiritual home for years to come. 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. - Rev. Harold Babcock, Minister Julie Parker Amery, Director of Religious Education FRS Worship Committee In Praise of (in Search of) Volunteers Thanks to Linda Tulley for donating furniture for the Teen Room. from the FRS Community Human Services Committee For several years the First Religious Society has supported the Thursday evening Friendship Table at the Salvation Army by providing home cooked meals. Continuing with this tradition, we will be hosting the Friendship Table dinner at the Salvation Army on Water St. Newburyport on Thursday, January 15th. The committee is seeking volunteers to sign-up to bring a main dish, salad, dessert or to serve at the dinner. This month's main dish is beef stew. Sign-ups will be at Coffee Hour on Sunday, January 11th. If you have any questions, please see Ginger Bard during Coffee Hour or call her. The FRS Board of Trustees consists of five members: the Chairperson of the Parish Committee, (Marie Murphy), the co-Treasurers of the church (Walter Power and Stan Kilty, who share a single vote), and three members elected by the membership, one elected each year for a three-year term. The current elected members of the board of trustees are Peter Cullinan, Lark Madden and Scott Jordan. The minister, Harold Babcock serves as an ex-officio member. According to the FRS the Constitution and Bylaws, the Trustees' duties are:
Recent Developments The following is excerpted from our investment manager's report on performance as of the end of November 2008: In the Church portfolio, a 300 basis point outperformance of domestic stocks was overshadowed by worse performance in the international securities due largely to a strong dollar given investors' preferences in times of crisis. The overall international performance matched the average benchmark performance, with one manager, Harding Loevner, outperforming the growth benchmark, while Alliance Bernstein underperformed its value benchmark by an equal amount.The Trustees' policy covering disbursements from the endowment for FRS budgeted use is based on an average valuation of the endowment over 13 quarters and a 5% draw from this average. Consequently, the endowment's annual contributions to the operating budget will change much more gradually than the drops recently experienced in the markets and in the endowment itself. With the decline in equity prices and consistent with our allocation policy, at its last meeting the Trustees voted to acquire a limited number of additional equity investments within the limit imposed by our allocation policy. sponsored by The Greater Newburyport Clergy Association Thursday January 15, 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church The documentary "Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North" chronicles the journey of descendants of the DeWolf family of Rhode Island in tracing their family roots to involvement in the trade of Africans as slaves in the American colonies. Dain Perry, a DeWolf descendant who appears in the film, will be present with his wife, Constance Perry, to lead a discussion of the issues this film raises. If you would like to learn more about this film, you can visit www.tracesofthetrade.org. We will begin and end the evening with some simple prayers. from the FRS Adult Education Committee Managing Energy Managing Stress (MEMS) Led by David Turner Various dates & times, see below Lower Meeting House Many of us are experiencing stress associated with the rapid and unpredictable changes happening around us. Most of us wish we had more energy to be fully engaged in our jobs, with our families, and in our volunteer activities. "Managing Energy Managing Stress (MEMS)" introduces participants to proven practices that build energy capacity and reduce stress. Using these practices provides greater ability to fully participate and find satisfaction in all areas of our lives. There are several offerings in the MEMS program. Any of these offerings can be taken independently - however, we suggest attending the overview before other offerings.
MEMS: Overview Presentation
The Great Debate: Higginson vs Cushing  |