Second Parish Unitarian Universalist
Hingham, Massachusetts
Glad Tidings
From the Minister –
The level of violence around the world has come to seem distressingly high recently. There were of course the violent natural events we’ve heard about – the earthquake followed by the tsunami in Japan, the volcanic eruption in Hawaii among others – but violence among people and factions has been widespread as well. The round of popular demonstrations against autocratic leaders in North Africa has resulted in many civilian deaths and what is rapidly becoming a full-scale civil war in Libya. As I write this, we have just learned of an explosion on a bus in Jerusalem (the first in a number of years) as well as rockets being launched from Gaza into southern Israel including Beersheva, where the Hagar School is located. A number of us heard about this school, which teaches Arab & Jewish children each other’s language and stories, from Lauren Joseph last April, and a number of us have started to support this effort to help bring peace to Israel. Just last week there was a savage attack in the Itamar settlement in the West Bank on the Fogel family, in which the parents and three children – ages 10, 4 and 3 months – were brutally stabbed to death.
In the case of a number of the conflicts in North Africa, the protestors have used non-violence very effectively, though they have sometimes been driven to violence by savage attacks on their peaceful demonstrations. It is heartening to see that people have learned from the relatively peaceful examples of India, South Africa and other nations that have managed difficult political transitions without excessive bloodshed.
We are all, of course, looking on at these great and terrible events from a distance. While we obviously have a responsibility as citizens to advocate for our moral principles in our voting and speaking out, none of us can have a significant effect on all of these events. What we can do is to promote peace wherever we can in our own lives. We can find peace in our own hearts. We can model resolving conflicts among ourselves with care and respect for those we are in conflict with. We can avoid violent rhetoric that depicts others as less than human. We can teach our children to resolve their conflicts without resorting to physical violence. We can limit our children’s exposure to violent video games and other forms of entertainment that depict injuring and killing enemies as the way to win. We can make sure we take time as a family each day to share a meal together or in some other way share our concerns and show our children the way to peace in their hearts. Peace starts in the heart and ripples out from there. As the old hymn puts it, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
SERVICES – April 3rd: Hymn of the Earth – As Spring comes to our rescue once again, we rejoice in the new life springing up everywhere and we also remain mindful of our obligations to preserve and protect our fellow beings and the earth itself. April 10th: What I Believe Now – We have been hosting the Coming of Age class for First and Second Parish youth this year, and on this Sunday we will be hearing and reading about the Credos – belief statements – a number of the kids have formulated. The service will be an opportunity for all of us to think through what we really believe at this point in our own lives – knowing full well that we all have more truth yet to learn. April 17th: “Jerusalem Calling” – For hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, the people of Israel gathered in Jerusalem to remember their liberation from slavery in Egypt in the celebration of Passover. Palm Sunday celebrates the final journey Jesus took to Jerusalem, and it’s a time for us also to remember the occasion that drew him there. April 27th: Resurrection! Easter reminds us of the cycle of living and dying in which all we humans participate along with all the rest of the life around us. Today we celebrate the return to life told in the story of Jesus’ resurrection. The children will be with us for about half of the service.
In Faith,
Paul
Calendar of Events for April
Weekly Meetings
Sundays Worship Service at 10:00 am
Mondays Sewing Group 9:30 to 11:00 am
Mondays Rev. Kim’s yoga classes 7:30 pm
Wednesdays Paul’s Class at Linden Ponds 12:15 pm-1:45 pm and 7:00 pm-8:30 pm (April 6 – final class)
Saturday, Apr. 9 8:00 am Men’s Breakfast
Sunday, Apr. 10 5:00 pm Covenant Renewal Dinner
Tuesday, Apr. 12 7:30 pm - Leadership Board Meeting
Tuesday, Apr. 14 7:30 pm Book Group at Jane Shute’s home
Thursday, Apr. 21 10:00 am Art Show Meeting
Sunday, Apr. 20 Easter
Music Schedule for April
4/10: Mark Goodman, piano
4/17: Diane and David Whiting, vocalists
4/24: Choir
Community
Men’s Breakfast
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The next Men's breakfast will be on Saturday, April 9 at 8:00 a.m. in Cushing Hall with the usual delicious menu. All men in the Parish are welcome and encouraged to join us for an hour of conversation. Come prepared to talk about whatever is on your mind. Please let Lou Belknap know if you will attend by phone at 781-749-5519 or by email at lsbelknap@verizon.net.
Book Group
The next Book Group meeting
is on Thursday, April 14, 7:30 p.m. at Jane Shute's home. We are reading
"The Other Wes Moore" by Wes Moore. We will also discuss
"It is easier to reach heaven than the end of the street-A Jerusalem
Memoir" by Emma Williams.
Save the Date! April 10th Covenant Renewal Dinner
This year’s pledge drive will kick off with a covenant renewal dinner from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Sunday, April 10th.
Dinner will be provided by the celebrity chefs of the Leadership Board. We assure you, there will scrumptious entrees and divine desserts! Bring your entire family, babysitting will be provided. We will have a conversation about what is special to us about Second Parish. You will have a chance to share what you care about, and what you'd like to be our priorities for the upcoming year.
We
hope you all can join us. Please RSVP to Sandi by April 3rd at
secondparish@yahoo.com or 781-749-1671.
Sincerely,
The
Covenant Renewal Committee
John Belknap
Rich
Bowker
Bernie Peavey
Jane Shute
Susan Weisenbeck
55th Annual Art Show, May 5-15 (Opening Reception May 4)
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This year will be the 55th Annual Art Show! The Black Sea Combo will perform and there will be a Wine Tasting Evening.
Many of our favorite artists who have been with us before are back as well as several new artists. Again the Junior Art Show will be lively and dynamic.
We are delighted to have the Black Sea Combo perform. This group is led by
jazz trumpeter, Dan Teager, and offers an original blend of Armenian music and
Afro-Cuban Jazz. The Black Sea sound, fast mambo to hard driving blues, is
unique, fun, and loaded with energy. The concert will be Saturday, May 7th
at 3:00 pm followed by a wine and cheese reception. Tickets can be purchased in
advance for $15 and at the door for $20. This event is partially supported by
the Hingham Cultural Council.
On Friday, May 13th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, we will sponsor a Wine
Tasting Evening provided by Marsh Liquors of Norwell. This will be an
opportunity to taste and learn about some new wines while enjoying the art
show.
We hope that you will join us for the art show, concert, and wine tasting. We look forward to seeing all of you.
We thank all the members and friends who have already signed up to work on this show and encourage all others to join us.
We know we are asking for a lot of assistance. We need help from everyone as this is our biggest fund raiser of the year. It’s a great way to get involved in the church, and a lot of fun!
Elaine Cadogan will be calling people for the sales desk and Karen Delano will be calling people to help set up. The date for the set up is Saturday, April 30th at 9:30 am. Anna Maude will be calling for refreshments for the Junior reception, May 5th and the reception after the Black Sea Combo performance on May 7th.
With thanks, the Art Show Committee
News from our Cooperative Religious Education Program
We are well into Spring now and preparing to celebrate many Spring Holy Days. We will finish our Exodus and Passover sessions, celebrate coming of age, participate in a social service project, learn about the Easter story and other spring stories. The month will culminate in our Easter Egg Hunt on Easter, April 24.
April 3rd We will finish our third session on Exodus by playing a game People on the Move: Miriam, Moses, Aaron & the Exodus of the Hebrew People with Jane Shute and Rev. Kim Preveza.
April 10th will be our Social Service Sunday. Tasha Allan will lead the session.
In the sanctuary we will be celebrating Coming of Age. We will have a half intergenerational program so the younger children can be a part of the Coming of Age Celebration. Second Parish and Old Ship youth have been meeting here through out the year on the lower floor of Cushing Hall. Old Ship is having a celebration on April 3rd and the last session will be the worship service here to support our own Coming of Age youth, Matthew Weisenbeck.
April 17th we will learn the Christian Easter Story and about the celebration of Spring in Earth Centered Traditions. We will prepare for Earth Day by coming up with ways we can minister to the earth. We will revisit our fall topic of Stewardship. Rev. Kim Preveza will lead the session.
April 24th Easter. This will be a half intergenerational program. Class will be an Easter party and getting ready for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt. This will be a great Sunday to invite friends.
Many blessings of Spring to you,
Rev. Kim Preveza, Minister of Religious Education
SECOND PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
685 Main Street, Hingham, MA 02043
Minister: Reverend Paul Sprecher, minister@secondparish.org
Minister of Religious Education: Reverend Kim Preveza, mre@secondparish.org
Paul: (781) 210-2016 – Home and Office
Church: (781) 749-1671, secondparish@yahoo.com
Website: www.secondparish.org
Caring Committee: Jane Shute, (781) 749-6518, caring@secondparish.org
Paul’s Office Hours: Tues. & Wed. 10:00 am-noon, Fri. 2:00 pm-5:00 pm
Church Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs, 7:00 am-noon
Sunday Service: 10:00 a.m.
The deadline is the 3rd Monday of each month.
Next Newsletter Deadline: April 18, noon
Production Date: April 26, 10:00 am
Newsletter Team: Alice Brewer and Sandi Smith
Editors: Lou Belknap and Susan Weisenbeck
Edition: April, 2011
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