The Spire The Newsletter of the First Parish Church of Norwell, Massachusetts 781-659-7122 December 15, 2009 Vol. VIII Issue 9 Making Room In the Inn" Are lives are so full, but tonight we're invited Sunday to make room Services in our hearts for something 10 bigger a.m. than ourselves, bigger than any of our possessions, and bigger than our everyday attitudes. Can we make room in the inn, and in the "in?" Come share the magic of Christmas Eve. December 20: Everyone A UU Christmas Pageant Today we will create the tender scene in Bethlehem, with shepherds and angels, and sheep and carols. And you. Come sing and rejoice. December 24: Candlelight Christmas Eve Service 5:00 and 7:30 PM. Join our choirs of angel voices for this evening of carols, sacred stories and candlelight. Two ushers are still needed for BOTH Christmas Eve services, at 5pm and 7:30pm. Instructions are printed out and are easy to follow. Please contact Les Taylor if you are able to help or sign up in the Parish Hall during coffee hour on Dec. 20th. Thank you December 27: All of Us "Go Tell It On The Mountain: An Intergenerational Potluck of Stories, Song and Poems Of Peace And Hope" Come to this gentle service with your favorite poems or short stories of peace to share. Bob Detwiler will read The Little Fir Tree, we ll have hymns by request, and children are encouraged to come in their pajamas. Please let Rev. Vicki know if you would like to contribute a longer reading: all are welcome! January 3: Rev. Victoria Weinstein The News of the Year in Religion Join for our annual round-up of the big religious stories of 2009 and for our Burning Bowl ritual, where we consign to the flames those things we would like to let go from the year just past.
The Spire December 15, 2009 p. 2 In the Spirit Rev. Victoria Weinstein How strange that as the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, we will bid adieu to the first decade of the 21 st century! I m still not sure what to call these past ten years: were they the aughts or the zeros? At any rate, an interesting decade. A challenging decade. What will you remember it for? I will always remember the zeros as the end of American global supremacy, and the beginning of a fractious, painful and increasingly urgent awareness of the interdependency of all nations on earth. For me, the decade took all of the We Are The World romance and sentimentality out of the concept of the global village, as we saw how violently and with what unforeseen and tragic consequences economies, cultures, religions, and governments on the planet intertwine. I grew up with so little awareness of other nations and continents, while now, news of the world is always just a touch of a button away. So much information, so much evidence that what happens in one region dramatically affects others both near and far away: what to do about it? Part of the job of the church is to help us all hang on for the ride, to learn how to remain intellectually and emotionally engaged to the extent that we can be, without losing ourselves to despair or cynicism. We learn to read the world critically and carefully, trying to be conscious of our own limitations and biases but always seeking for ways to make meaning, to look for hope, to imagine and work for our vision of the earth made fair, with all her people one. The church helps us to remember, also, that while our awareness of global systems grows keener, the reality remains that it is the local community, the family and the inner world of our own hearts and minds where most of us will the most good and have the most powerful influence. So, happy new year, Church. Prayers of strength, wisdom, and compassion for all of us as we toast a new decade together. Let us open our hearts to what the future holds and roll up our sleeves as we prepare to shape that future together. In faith, hope and love, Vicki FIRST PARISH CHURCH of Norwell, Massachusetts 24 River Street P.O. Box 152 Norwell, MA 02061 Office Hours: 9-Noon, M&F 9-1, T,W, Th PHONE: 781-659-7122 FAX: 781-659-7939 E-MAIL: office@firstparishnorwell.org HOME PAGE: www.firstparishnorwell.org Minister: Rev. Victoria Weinstein Victoria.Weinstein@gmail.com Director of Religious Education: Stuart Twite, 781-837-8791 drestuart@aol.com Director of Youth Programming Jennifer Shattuck 617-763-2799 saccharine.half@gmail.com Music Director: Gingy Grimes Parish Committee: Co-Chairs: Cathy Phillips and Sally Turner Members: Melody Barlow, Deane Howard, Marie Miller, Bob Neely and Derek Sulc Treasurer: Marta Reese Minister Emeritus: Rev. Richard M. Fewkes The deadline for the next issue of THE SPIRE is Sunday, January 3 rd. This will be an emailed mini edition Submissions may be emailed as an attachment to: office@firstparishnorwell.org, or dropped off in hard copy or disk at the church office.
The Spire December 15,, 2009 p. 3 in the struggle for justice in the United States and Caring Corner around the world. It has also taught us about our power to change the world when we support our Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and the many amazing people they partner with. Our condolences to Anne Johnson on the loss of her mother, Elizabeth York, who passed away on November 20. Our hearts go out to the Morrissey and Ouellet and Bordewieck families, all of whom recently lost beloved animal companions. Eleanor Bannon and Liam Booker were dedicated and welcomed into the church covenant on December 6 th, 2009. Our caring thoughts and prayers for healing are with Carol Altschuler. Patricia Crumley is happy to share her son Andrew N.C. Weymouth and his wife Meaghan E. Petitti Weymouth have a healthy baby boy. Hunter Thomas Weymouth came into the world on November 10, 2009 and all are doing well! Helen Fogg Service Committee News Fogg Lectures -- On January 10th, we will be discussing possible Fogg lecturers. We would welcome anyone to join us for the discussion in the Fogg Parlor at 11:30 -- right after Coffee Hour! Bring ideas with you!! Sowing Seeds winter coat collection -- Sowing Seeds is a Marshfield organization whose purpose is to help those in need. A very immediate need is winter coats. If you have unused coats and jackets in good, clean condition, you can leave them in the minister's office. Rev. Vicki will take them to Marshfield to be distributed by Sowing Seeds. Before bringing back your Guest at Your Table box, be sure to complete the form on the box. And please convert your cash and coins to a check made out to "UUSC". Thanks to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, N.Y., gifts of $100 or more are eligible to be matched, dollar for dollar, doubling your good works! We'll announce the results of our Guest at Your Table program as soon as we are able. On behalf of UUSC, we thank and commend every person who has chosen to share his or her blessings through Guest at Your Table. If you miss bringing back your Guest at Your Table box, you can pass it to Sue Robinson, our UUSC local representative, or the church office at your earliest convenience. The church office will close after office hours on Wednesday, December 23 rd. The office will reopen in the New Year on Tuesday, January 5 th. Path to Membership Series Have you been attending First Parish for awhile and feel that you would like to become a member? Would you like to learn more about the meaning of membership? Time to collect your Guest at Your Table! We'll close our Guest at Your Table program at our family Christmas Service, December 20 th. In recent weeks, our Guest at Your Table boxes and Stories of Hope have taught us about real people engaged We invite you to attend our two orientation sessions for those considering membership. We provide lunch at each session, and please let us know if you need childcare or babycare. P l e a s e l e t the church office (office@firstparishnorwell.org) or George Goodwin, Membership Chair, know if you plan to attend (ggbythec@comcast.net ). January 10 th : UU History and Heritage 11:30-1:15 Fogg Parlor
The Spire December 15,, 2009 p. 4 Rev. Vicki will lead this conversation about the religious principles of UUism and give a brief history of our theological heritage from the Reformation Era to our time. January 17 th : Orientation to First Parish in Norwell 11:30-1:15 Fogg Parlor Members of the Membership Committee lead a session on the inner workings of the vibrant faith community that is First Parish. Save these Dates in the New Year! All-Church Birthday Party Sat., Jan. 30 Talent Show Sat., Feb. 27 Canvass Dinner Sat., April 10 Spring Market Sat., May 15 Circle Dinners Sat., June 5 Second Sunday Abundance at First Parish! Thanks to your continued generosity, many children in foster care will receive a wished for gift this Christmas. Not only did many of you fulfill a wish by purchasing and bringing a gift to church last Sunday. You also contributed over $840 in our Second Sunday collection. Your Fogg Service Committee rounded that up to $1000 allowing our high school elves to do some shopping for additional items and to fund the purchase of gift cards to be used for children who may arrive into emergency foster care before Christmas. Special thanks to Betsy Gordon who was the go-between to the Department of Children and Families and who checked each bag once, then twice, before transporting it to the social workers who will then distribute the gifts. We all have made a wonderful season even better by our generous spirit of love and sharing. Church Talent Show Sat. Evening February 27 Mark your calendars!! Get out your music!! Tune up your sax!! Put on your dancing shoes!! We are looking for all kinds of talent to join us in making winter a lot of fun. Do you sing Barbershop? Would you like to sing some tunes from Annie? (Gingy will help us work with the youth on this.) E-mail Peg Kitchenham with your ideas for what you or others might do chrispegk@verizon.net. Meetinghouse Organ Project Update The first week of December was a significant milestone for the project. With help from Don Messinger and Marlon Taylor, the Great windchest was carefully moved from the organ builders van to the balcony and set into place. This windchest supports the pipes that reside in the original case. By the end of the week both keyboards were in place. Sunday churchgoers had the opportunity to visit the balcony and observe the complexity of the key action and couplers. During the second week of December the key action will be fully installed and during the third week Hal Gober from Oberlin College in Ohio, will arrive to voice and tune the 8 stops (sets of pipes) in the Great division. After another successful Harvest Moon dance and several other donations we only have $1,269 remaining to raise to complete the payment of an additional stop for the Swell division. This is one of 4 additional stops that can be added to the instrument. It was selected based on its benefit in accompanying the choir. The other 3 stops provide additional tonal combinations. A great way to honor someone in a manner that will be noticed and appreciated for many years would be to fund an additional stop. For more information contact Dexter Robinson.
The Spire December 15,, 2009 p. 5 At this time we expect final completion of the instrument in the first calendar quarter of 2010. Check out the bulletin board in the Parish Hall for additional photos of the project. You can also go o n l i n e to: http://picasaweb.google.com/dexpcdoc/firstpar ishorganproject for a slide show of the project. Organ Committee: Paul Coolidge, Bob Detwiler, Marie Miller Dexter Robinson, Chair Music at First Parish CD own a piece of our music history Several years ago we released a CD of music performed at First Parish from 1975-2005. We still have several copies available. The CD includes choir, hand bells, organ, harpsichord, and instrumental music from J.S. Bach to Scott Joplin. The CD opens with a stirring Dupre organ prelude played by Jim Brown and is followed by several a capella choir pieces. There are movements from Mozart s Solemn Vespers and Vivaldi s Gloria. The CD also includes an original piece composed and played on the organ by Paul Coolidge, Christmas selections by Alex Bourque and Kelly Fanning, spirituals, and other choir and organ favorites. The CD may be purchased during coffee hour or from the church office. The cost has been reduced to $5! Proceeds will go to the organ restoration fund. Have a wonderful, safe and blessed holiday! Lifespan Religious Education at FPN From the DRE, On December the 20 th, the Church School will present a Christmas Pageant. Directed by Jen Sulc, Elizabeth Robey and Rev. Vicki, it will be a wonderful family service! We hope to see everyone at one of our Christmas Eve services! There will be no church school on December 28 th.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, check here and drop in the mail. No postage is required. FIRST PARISH UNITARIAN 24 River Street P.O. Box 152 Norwell, Massachusetts 02061 THE SPIRE TIME-RELATED MATERIAL ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID NORWELL, MA PERMIT NO. 2 Join us for one of our traditional candle-lighting services with special music, carols and the warmth of community. The service will conclude with our candles burning, singing Silent Night. Christmas Eve December 24 th 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Meetinghouse