Second Parish Unitarian Universalist
Glad Tidings
From the Minister –
As
I was listening to the news the other day, I heard a report about Black Friday
and its somewhat more dismal prospects this year. Having taught American History from the Civil
War to the present to 7th graders for 10 years, and having expended
substantial time on the Stock Market Crash of 1929 (my students were fascinated
with money, especially the idea of making lots of it), my natural association
with Black Friday is the day of the Crash – although as I remember more
closely, it was actually Black Thursday followed by Black Tuesday the following
week. Of course, everyone knows that
Black Friday is really the day after
Thanksgiving, the day when retailers’ balance sheets turn from red to black,
the day when money starts being made as shoppers prepare for Christmas.
I
suppose there might be other associations:
the black mood we might find ourselves in while fighting the biggest
crowds of the year that day; anger that so much of the season from now until
Christmas is taken up with commercialized displays; depression at the pressure
to find the perfect gift for everyone on our gift lists.
For
the past few years, our family has been using our Christmas gathering as an
occasion for competing with each other over raising money for Heifer
International, buying bees, pigs, chickens, and ducks, shares of heifers and
water buffalo and so on, as a way to share what we have. This year we’ve agreed to help raise money to
buy yaks for the family of a friend’s son-in-law in
Sometimes
I’m tempted to blame it all on the wise men who started it all by bringing
gifts to the Baby Jesus. The story of
the wise men tells us that Jesus was recognized by the wisest of humans as
being an extraordinary infant, and they in turn brought gifts worthy of a king
to honor him. The shepherds, on the
other hand, could bring only themselves, but they were equally welcome and
equally able to honor the newborn infant.
We
don’t have to come bearing many gifts; our presence is the greatest gift we can
offer. Make sure to bring the gift of
your presence to our Children’s Pageant and to our traditional Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service at
Great
Joy for the Season (and PEACE, not anxiety!)
Paul
Notes
from the Leadership Board
A
total of $285 from our special plate collection for November was sent to the
Fire Relief Fund in the Pacific Southwest District to aid UU congregations
affected by the devastating fires that ravaged sections of
-Allan
Viden, Leadership Board Chair
The
Property Committee has been formed and held its initial meeting November 8th.
Chip King, Steve Kelsch and I met along with Kim Shaw since so many
property issues involve the ability to pay for the actions.
We
have started to address a number of issues and will be looking at basic
cleaning and maintenance, service providers, operational documentation and
physical improvements. These improvements will be divided into immediate action
items such a paint and appearance issues and longer term items classified as
major capital expenses.
Our
overall goal will be to create an environment that will serve the needs of the
membership and present an attractive place for potential new members.
-Len
O’Connor, Properties Chair
The
Membership Committee met this month. We are Deedee Agee, Dinah Collins, Chip
King, Julianna Lovell,
Mariann
O'Connor, Jane Shute. Mariann is
chairperson of the committee and Dinah is liaison to the Leadership
Board.
Anyone is welcome to join us. With the
goal of increasing our membership we are working on increasing publicity for
our church. The October meeting of S. Shore
Membership Chairs was helpful for sharing ideas and concerns related to the common
goal of church growth. I especially like the
Please
invite your family and friends to our Glad Tidings Bazaar on December 1st, our Christmas
Pageant on the 23rd, and our Christmas Eve Service.
-Dinah
Collins, Membership Chair
Greeters
for December
December: 2 -Tracy and Frank White; 9 - Elaine Cadogan;
16 -Tasha Allan, 23 & 30 - Becky Weston
Music
Schedule for November
12/2
Elizabeth Morrell, soprano
12/9
Choir
12/16
Elizabeth Morrell, soprano
12/23
Choir
12/24
Choir
12/30
TBD
Community
Men’s Breakfast
|
|
The
next men's breakfast will be held at
Book Group
The Book Group will meet
on Tuesday, January 15 at
Favorite Fables
Google
"fables" and you'll find that the use of a short, short
story to teach a lesson shows up in all times and all cultures. These
stories are little gifts of instruction - or wit - that capture an
important lesson about the human experience. On December 30th, we will be
sharing these gifts at a lay service with the theme of "Favorite
Fables." If you'd like to participate either by suggesting a fable to be
read or reading one yourself please contact Stephanie Shute Kelsch at
781-749-5374 or skskhing4@comcast.net. All
ages are welcome to participate and the more varied the participants, the more
varied the fables! So dig into your Aesop, your James Thurber, your
LaFontaine and prepare to share the gift of fables at the end of Christmas
week.
-Submitted by Stephanie Kelsch
Note
from the Collectors
A reminder to pay your pledge before December 31 if
you want to take full advantage of a tax deduction this calendar year. We will
be sending out status letters at the end of the year. If you want to
know your current status, please email Lou Belknap at lsbelknap@verizon.net or Bernie Peavey at bernpeavey@msn.com.
-Submitted by
Lou Belknap
News from our Cooperative Religious Education
Program
The
RE calendar for the year has been distributed and posted. If you did not get a
copy and would like one, please contact me.
Thank
you very much to the Intermediate class who hosted a very nice coffee hour for
the Congregation recently. Congratulations are also due to them for collecting,
with the help of the Primary class, $232.29 for UNICEF. They had fun and
enjoyed making positive contributions, both to their church community and to
this great international valuable organization dedicated to helping children in
the world. And a special thank you goes to Sean Gallagher for facilitating
these social action efforts.
Our
intergenerational Thanksgiving service was well received. Thank you very much
to all the children and youth who participated and helped during the nice
service.
On November 25, all the children present will learn about Native American
beliefs and practices and will prepare an educational display in Cushing Hall.
The Christmas Pageant rehearsals and presentation will take place on December
9, 16 and 23 this year. It is important that all children and teens plan to be
present for those three dates. Last year, the support of parents was really
excellent and it greatly contributed to a very nice pageant indeed.
May you enjoy this Holiday Season with peace in your heart.
-Liliane Verdier
, Director
of Religious Education Lilianevhing@aol.com,
781-749-9581
2007 CHRISTMAS FAIR
Saturday,
December 1st from 9:00 am to
Please
Note: Friday, November
30th set up fair at
We
need help from everyone baking, making jams and jellies and chocolate
treats. This is not only a major fund
raiser for the church, but also a fun event!
Please
call a table chairperson if you would like to help on that table.
Christmas Cookie Sale-Julianna Lovell 740-1045
If
you are planning to help the bake table, could you please consider making
cookies that we will sell in coffee tins to time starved people.
Home Center-Diana Meigs 749-5996
Handmade
items. The Craft Connection meets
Mondays in Cushing Hall at
Gifts-
Mariann O’Connor 749-9896
We
need suitable new or almost new treasures.
More ideas are needed.
Cheese Table-Len O’Connor 749-9896
Cabot’s
Cheese Wheel - Extra Sharp - sold by weight.
Greens, Wreaths, and
Decorations-Jennifer
Love 749-3243
Susan Weisenbeck 740-7841
Food Table-Elaine Cadogan 331-1492
This is a very popular
table and sells out early. Everyone,
please bake. See note above about the cookie sale.
*This is only a partial list.
A
Survey Sheet for All Members and Friends of Second Parish
The Leadership Board has chosen as two of its main responsibilities this
year increasing not only the membership of Second Parish but also the number of
people attending the church service each Sunday. We want to see more members
and friends, newcomers and visitors, sharing the words of our minister, the
music of our choir, and the fellowship of our people. Although history and
tradition and beauty provide a common bond for all those who are connected
with a church, the energy that makes it work and grow must come from its
people. Now, several of you have suggested that an earlier starting time on
Sunday morning might enable more people to attend church. This means that the
service would start at
-The Leadership Board
_________ Yes, I would like to change the starting time for Sunday service to
_________ No, I do not want to change the starting time for Sunday service
to
_________ Although I would prefer to keep the starting time for Sunday
service at
I would be
willing to adjust to a new time of
Please respond to these questions in one of the following ways:
Complete this form and send to the church office (Attention: Leadership Board).
Send response to the church office by email (secondparish@yahoo.com).
Your comments below are welcome: