Sunday News for May 30, 2010

Listings with asterisks are classes offered through the Wright Tavern Center for Spiritual Renewal.

Parish Notes

Pastoral Care Notes

During coffee hour, please come to the Pastoral Care table in the Parlor to write a “thinking of you” note to a parishioner who is on the pastoral list. (We will mail it for you.) Note cards are wonderful for the recipient, because you can read them more than once, and they are evidence that you are remembered. So please visit Margie at the Pastoral Care table.

Offering Envelopes

Offering envelopes for the new pledge year are in, and they have a new look-they are slightly larger, so checks and cash can be inserted without folding! They will be available downstairs after the service today, and on June 6.

Transcendentalists in France-Spring 2011

Traveling together is about building community. On May 2, we held our informational meeting on the transcendentalist journey that Jenny will be leading to France next spring. Many parishioners sampled French pastries and enjoyed hearing our plans for this inspirational tour, and the educational opportunities before we go. If you missed the meeting but are interested in joining us, pick up an informational packet outside the office or at coffee hour throughout the month of May. Don't wait too long though-space is limited and the deadline is June 1. For more information, please contact Steph Chiha at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

First Parish Theater Project

Join the Theater Project on June 4, at 7 p.m. at First Parish. We have many people interested in exploring and reading plays at First Parish. We meet on the first Friday of the month at First Parish. In June we will be reading The Madwoman of Chaillot, a wildly theatrical satire and fantasy first produced in Paris in 1945 and in New York in 1948-49 to great acclaim. The Concord Players produced it in 1987. It is set in the heart of Paris with a cast of over 30 representing all walks of life, so there are many wonderful character parts for readers. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding copies of the play. Contact Claudia Nimar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Lillian Anderson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions.

Single Service and Annual Meeting

There will be a single worship service on Sunday, June 13, at 10:00 o'clock. The Annual Meeting will follow at 11:30 a.m. Summer services will be at 10:00 o'clock beginning on June 20, and will run through September 5. September 13 will be Homecoming Sunday.

Pledging

Thank you to our phone-a-thon callers and to all who responded last week by submitting pledges. We have reduced our Appeal goal from $925,000 to $875,000; this revised goal would allow us to maintain the same level of ministry and programming in 2010-2011 that we have during the current church year. To meet this new goal, we need to receive an additional $70,000 in pledges between now and the end of June. We do not expect our outstanding pledgers to fill this gap, so many of you will receive a letter this week requesting that you consider increasing your pledge to help us avoid cuts for next year. Thanks in advance for your careful consideration of our request. Please feel free to contact Pamela Hathaway with questions ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

A Matter of Faith

The transition study team continues with its analysis of the data gathered from the survey and listening sessions. An official report to the standing committee will be made on June 11 and 12, followed by a presentation to the congregation at the First Parish Annual Meeting. Here are a few more interesting facts about our congregation.
     There is a strong diversity in the faith traditions that have been important to our religious development. Perhaps it's no surprise that 65.8 percent mention Christianity and 29.2 percent, Judaism: but a surprising percentage of those who responded to the survey listed Buddhism as an important element (38.8 percent) in their religious development. Other major faith traditions identified by our congregation include Hinduism (7.7 percent), Islam (3.1 percent), Neo-Paganism (13.5 percent) and Taoism (8.1 percent). Fully 25 percent of respondents noted that Religious Humanism has been a significant factor in their religious development.

Children's and Youth News

Today, May 30-No RE Classes for K-9th Grades

  10:50 a.m.-Regular Classes, Babies-Preschool
  11:00 a.m. Service
    K-6 Join Their Families in the Sanctuary

Next Sunday, June 6-Regular RE and Flower Communion

  8:50 & 10:50 a.m.-Regular Classes, Babies-Preschool
  9:00 & 11:00 a.m.-Services
    K-6 Begin in the Sanctuary, Dismissed to RE

Flower Communion on June 6

For our last RE Sunday on June 6, we will be having a flower communion. Please bring a few cut flowers from your garden to share with the congregation. Our children will collect the flowers in a vase as you enter the Sanctuary. When the service ends, each parishioner will be invited to take a flower home. It is a beautiful UU tradition, and I am looking forward to sharing this with your child. Remember, it will work ONLY if we all remember to bring some flowers to share!

Vegetable Plants Welcome!

On June 6, we would love it if you could bring a vegetable plant for our First Parish Community Garden. Our budget is very tight this year. We have the garden ready, but have limited funds for actually buying plants. If you could send in a six pack of tomatoes or cucumbers, etc., that would be most welcome. If you do bring a plant on Sunday, please leave it on the right side of the First Parish steps. I will pick up all donations after services June 6 and plant them that afternoon with our children. All produce yielded from your plant goes to feed those in need at Open Table.

Social Action Community

El Salvador Service Trip Reminder

We are currently accepting applications from both high school youth and potential adult chaperones for the El Salvador Youth Service Trip in April 2011. This trip is open to pledging members of First Parish only. There is a lot of interest in this highly desirable trip with lay leader Jim Reynolds. More information and applications can be found at http://www.firstparish.org/cms/education-and-spirituality/youth-calendar, and applications are due by June 1. Please contact Faith Bade, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ;or Mary-Wren vanderWilden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , with any questions.

Boston Pride Parade Saturday, June 12, at Noon

The Diversity Committee will take a group from First Parish to march with our banner in the Boston Pride Parade, which starts at noon on Saturday, June 12. Please join us for this fun, family-friendly event and help us show our support for the LGBT community. Contact Sara Ballard at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to sign up or get more information.