Second Parish Unitarian Universalist
Hingham, Massachusetts
Glad Tidings
From the Minister –
First of all, I would like to update all of you on my health, since I sent out an email while I was still in the hospital and a number of you have expressed concern since then. My symptoms consisted only of numbness on the right side of my body; for example, my mouth felt like I’d had a big dose of novocaine from a dental appointment. Almost all of those symptoms were gone within 24 hours, with the exception of numbness at the tips of my fingers. This was a minor stroke, and there are no residual effects at this point.
What the stroke did do for me was to issue a wake up call about my need to eat a little more sensibly and to exercise each day. I have been doing so very carefully, walking our golden retriever puppy Annie, walking regularly with my good friend Rabbi Shira Joseph, and riding my exercise bike. So far, more careful attention to my body has had excellent results in reducing some of the blood test indicators which had been very high when I was in the hospital, and in helping me lose weight. I’ve been recording everything I eat and the exercise I do in a handy online program at myfitnesspal.com.
I mention these details because they carry a message for me: take care of your body; it’s all you have to enjoy the gifts of being alive. I have a hunch there are others in the congregation who might be under the illusion of invulnerability I suffered under.
A few reminders: Our regular services end on June 20th with our annual Flower Communion, an opportunity to celebrate together by bringing a flower to the service where we will bless them, and then taking home a flower brought by someone else. We will resume our regular services in the fall on September 12th with a Water Communion. As you go away during the summer (or stay home), remember to gather a bit of water wherever you go; we will then share it in this service as we reflect on what we have done during the summer. Deedee and I (as well as Helene Soini) will be going to our Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in Minneapolis the last week of June. I will be serving as Minister of the Week at Ferry Beach in Saco, Maine, our Unitarian Universalist camp by the ocean; Deedee and I have really enjoyed our time there in the past. You might consider spending a refreshing week there or at other Unitarian Universalist camps this summer. Pamphlets with the summer schedule are available in Cushing Hall.
May you all find pleasure and refreshment during the summer, and may all be safe and free from harm.
SERVICES – June 6th:"Walking Together" How we learn from being a congregation [Annual Meeting after the service]. June 13th: "Come, Children" - A celebration of Religious Education Sunday. June 20th: "Ah, The Flowers" [Intergenerational Flower Communion].
In Faith,
Paul
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 on “Common Prayers: Faith, Family and a Christian’s Journey Through the
Jewish Year” by Harvey Cox 12:15-1:45 or 7:00-8:30 pm at Linden Ponds
Sunday, June 6 Annual Meeting after church
Tuesday, June 8 7:30 pm Leadership Board Meeting
Sunday, June 13 Religious Education Sunday
Second Sunday Collection: Women’s Lunch Place
Monday, June 14 7:30 pm Book Group at Nancy Hansberry’s home (Mayflower Rd.)
Book: A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry
Sunday, June 20 Flower Communion
Music Schedule for June
June 6: Elizabeth Morrell, soprano; Jane Flummerfelt, guest organist
June 13: Jandi Strong Dennis, gospel singer
June 20: Choir
Community
Art Show Results
Congratulations to the winner of the Frank Vining Smith Award, Dianne Panarelli Miller, whose oil painting “Full Corn Moon” received the most popular votes. This is the third time Dianne has won the award. She was delighted to learn that her painting will be going to the home of church members.
Many, many people contributed in many ways to the success of the show this year: as patrons, host/hostesses at the show, setting up and cleaning up, providing refreshments for the three receptions, soliciting advertisements for the program book and attracting some wonderful publicity. The financial results of the sales, etc. have yet to be finalized but we are confident that the show has done very well. A huge thank you to Jane Shute who worked tirelessly on the wonderful performance by Ball in the House. It was a great way to get more people into the church, and many of them returned later in the week to purchase arts and crafts. Finally, my personal thanks to Sandi Smith who truly makes it all possible with her great gift of a welcoming personality and her organizational skills. Her arrangements of all the crafts and her constant presence from morning to night is far more than we should expect.
All in all, considering the economy, I am pleased that our 54th annual art show went very well. Thank you all.
-Submitted by Becky Weston
Book Group
The book group will next
meet at 7:30 pm on Monday, June 14, at Nancy
Hansberry’s home on Mayflower
Road. We
are reading A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry.
Second Sunday Collections
In May, we collected $422 for Father Bill’s & Mainspring. Thank you all for your generosity. Father Bill’s & Mainspring assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to obtain a home by giving temporary shelter and food, finding safe and affordable housing for them, and providing permanent housing with supportive services.
In June, our Second Sunday collection will go to the Women’s Lunch Place. Located in Boston, the Women’s Lunch Place provides a safe, comfortable, daytime shelter, nutritious food, and services for women who are homeless or poor. Many of these women sleep outside or in temporary overnight shelters. The Women’s Lunch Place is one of the few places where they can find comfort and sustenance during the day. Its needs are particularly great this year because increased unemployment has increased the number of women in need of services, and an increase in food costs has increased the costs of providing lunches to these women. Please be generous. If you cannot attend church on the second Sunday, you can send a check to Second Parish for the Women’s Lunch Place.
Second Parish Community Garden
Last month’s newsletter article about the community garden yielded NO volunteers. In consultation with the Leadership Board, I have scaled down the garden plans for this year, with the hope that enough people can be enticed to help. We will not be increasing the size of the garden, and we will concentrate on one or two crops – tomatoes and possibly zucchini—which should be especially welcomed by the Hingham Interfaith Food Pantry.
If you have ideas for making the garden more fun and productive for all, please give me your suggestions.
If you are willing to help, please send me an email (speavey56@msn.com) or give me a call (781-749-6081).
-Submitted by Sandy Peavey
News from the Finance Committee
Our annual covenant renewal is going well. We have heard from almost everyone, and have the following results to report.
Increases 18 $8,360
New 3 (included above)
Level 12 0
Decreases 11 -$3,235
Net Increase $5,125
A proposed budget for next year was presented at a budget meeting held after church on May 23. The budget will be voted on at the annual meeting on June 6. If you have not returned a pledge to the church for next year, please do so as soon as possible so that we know we can count on your support next year as we finalize the budget.
In addition, if you have not fully paid your pledge for this fiscal year, please do so by the end of June, the end of our fiscal year. We count on your contributions to pay our bills; if we don’t receive the pledges that were promised, we must borrow to cover expenses.
Finally, we have been told we will have to replace our boiler this summer. We have a few quotes on this work ranging from $11,000 to $14,000. We will have to vote on this expense at the annual meeting. We have received a few pledges toward the boiler. If this is something you feel you could make a one-time contribution towards, please let Susan Weisenbeck or Kim Shaw know before the annual meeting.
Thank you for ALL your financial support.
-Submitted by Susan Weisenbeck
News from our Cooperative Religious Education Program
Wow! Is it June already? We only have one full class left. June 6th we will gather together to make the final plans for presentations on June 13th,, our celebration of all the children have learned this year in Religious Education. I think we may learn a bit about wonder and come away with some tools for our lives of faith. We will hear from the adults who participated in adult RE classes this year as well. Children will stay in the service a little longer than usual and then go upstairs for a little party.
On behalf of the entire congregation, the RE Committee would like to express the deepest gratitude to everyone who made this RE year so terrific. Thank you to our teachers and all our many volunteers.
On behalf of the entire congregation, thank you to the RE Committee for all their great ideas and commitment to seeing them through.
The RE Committee is working on a get-together to present our curriculum ideas for next year and seek feedback from parents and others who may be interested. We hope to have a potluck supper on Sunday, June 13th at 5:00 pm. We will keep you informed.
Flower Communion on June 20th will be our last regular service. This is an intergenerational service and children are encouraged to bring a flower. Flower Communion is usually a beautiful and moving service.
Just like the many flowers that make a bouquet so amazing to behold, all the children and families who come together, our long-standing families and the many new families we welcomed this year, create, each year, a new and spectacular experience.
We look forward to another year of spectacular and wonder-full religious experiences in the coming year as well.
Blessings,
Rev. Kim Preveza
Minister of Religious Education
MARK THE DATE!
Irrepressible multi-talented Jake Hill
is coming to Second Parish in Hingham
on Sunday, June 13, from 2-4
to entertain no - entrance -you!
Jake, former music director at Resurrection Church
will play organ and piano, and sing.
He brings energy and definition to all he performs.
On Sunday his music will focus within the broad realm of Christian Music.
Give yourself a treat and plan to attend!
Free will offering.
SECOND PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
685 Main Street, Hingham, MA 02043
Minister: Reverend Paul Sprecher, Email: minister@secondparish.org
Minister of Religious Education: Reverend Kim Preveza, Email: mre@secondparish.org
Paul: (781) 210-2016 – Home and Office
Church: (781) 749-1671 Email: secondparish@yahoo.com
Website: www.secondparish.org
Paul’s Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 9:00 am-noon, Fri. 3:00 pm-6:00 pm
Church Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs, 7:00 am-noon
Sunday Service: 10:00 a.m.
The newsletter is published monthly.
The deadline is the 3rd Monday of each month.
Next Newsletter Deadline: June 21, noon
Production Date: June 29, 10:00 am
Newsletter Team: Alice Brewer and Sandi Smith
Editors: Lou Belknap and Susan Weisenbeck
Edition: June, 2010
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