Second Parish Unitarian Universalist
Hingham, Massachusetts
Glad Tidings
From the Minister –
Why a Covenant?
I wrote last month about our covenant here at Second Parish and what it means to engage in “Covenant Renewal.” It struck me that I may have failed to answer a prior question—why a covenant? Even more basically, what is a covenant? A covenant is not a contract in the sense that it can be enforced in a court of law, nor is it a binding statement of creed by which some are included and others are excluded. Rather, it is a statement of how we intend to conduct ourselves together, freely offering our assent to walk together on a shared journey as we each search for meaning, enlightenment, companionship and love. A covenant used in other churches (which stems from some of the earliest covenants in these parts) goes like this:
Love is the doctrine of this church,
The quest of truth is its sacrament,
And service is its prayer.
To dwell together in peace,
To seek knowledge in freedom,
To serve human need,
To the end that all souls shall grow into harmony with the Divine -
Thus do we covenant with each other and with God.
Our own covenant is simpler (and shorter!) but has the same purpose: to express as concisely as possible how we have agreed to be as a parish:
With
love for each other and
with respect for each person’s search for truth,
we unite – in the spirit of Jesus –
for the worship of God and
the service of our neighbors.
As several of us have reflected together on the particulars of our covenant during the past month, we’ve been hearing how different members hear these words as we say them each week. For me, one of the most important phrases in defining Second Parish in particular is “in the spirit of Jesus.” I prefer referring to myself as a follower of Jesus rather than as a Christian, because I find that the latter comes with a great deal of baggage of many sorts. While in some ways it’s harder to define what being a follower of Jesus is about, I think it’s part of the struggle all of us go through as we figure out what we ought and ought not to do, what deserves our attention and what we can properly give a lower priority in our lives.
For me, living with this covenant as I write sermons or teach classes or visit people means trying to figure out what is meant in each instance by acting “in the spirit of Jesus.” In its simplest terms, it’s what our Intermediate Religious Education class told us about Jesus on Easter: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
That’s why we say our covenant every Sunday: to remind ourselves of what this precious place means to us.
In Faith,
Paul
Community
Second Parish Annual Arts and Crafts Exhibit and Sale – May 1-9
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Celebrating our 51st year! Bring yourselves, your friends and your children!!! Come one, come all! The opening reception is May 1st from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. You are cordially invited to meet our artists, artisans, patrons, sponsors and advertisers who have supported us for many years.
The Junior Division will have been judged by three school art teachers. Prizes are given in the three categories, Senior High, Middle schools and the Elementary grades including Kindergarten. This wonderful display is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and by the Hingham Cultural Council. We are the only organized group that gives youngsters a chance to display their talents with at least thirty other surrounding towns. The Juniors have their own opening reception, Wednesday evening, May 2nd from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
The Senior Division gives everyone attending a chance to vote for your favorite framed painting. The crafts are outstanding and there are unframed pieces of original art along with wonderful prints as well.
This is the church’s major fund raiser and everyone’s participation will be greatly appreciated as will the art show committee. The dates and times are May 2nd through May 9th, 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 6, noon-4:00 p.m.
-Submitted by Becky Weston
Book Group
The next meeting will be May
15th at 7:30
p.m. Location
and book to be announced. Any questions call Jennifer Love at 781-749-3243.
Last Friday Night Soup & Salad of the Year: May 18th at 6 pm.
Great reads (or movies) to take along: Bring along a favorite book to tell us all about, or tell us about a movie we simply must see (or get on DVD). If you feel like it, you could offer to lend your book or DVD to someone else. Feel feel to join even if you just want to find out what everyone else is reading or seeing. Sign up in Cushing Hall.
Stewardship
Covenant Renewal is Upon Us
The Covenant Renewal brochures are being distributed following the service on April 22 to those in attendance, or mailed the following week to those not in church that day. On April 29, Pledge Sunday, the morning service will focus on Covenant Renewal. After church on that day a budget presentation will provide further information about church finances. Finally, we will be asking everyone to return their volunteer and financial pledges by Sunday, May 6.
Thank you for your generous contributions of time, talent, and treasure.
-Submitted by Allan Viden and Susan Weisenbeck, Stewardship Committee
News from our Cooperative Religious Education Program
The Easter Service was wonderful. Many told me how much they appreciated the curriculum presentation by the Intermediate class. The egg hunt was a great success and what a display of goodies! Many, many thanks to all who helped make the day such a success.
Recently the Junior class had the visit of Tereza Prime of the Food Pantry. They promptly started to help by bringing upstairs all the Easter supplies donations boxes!
“Peace begins with me and
then you and then spreads like a wave in the mighty ocean. It expands to our
whole family and then joins with other congregations.” The Peace Wave is a Ballou
Channing district-wide project sponsored by the Religious Education Committee
(the DREs) to encourage the congregations to dedicate time to
the subject of Peace. During our second RE Peace session at Second
Parish on April 15, we reflected on the meanings and feelings of Peace,
made a musical Peace Wave of movements and created our
contributions to the Peace Wave Festival : our piece of the Big Earth
Puzzle and children recording peace prayers from various sources.
The Peace Wave Festival will take place at Cedar Hill in Duxbury on
Saturday May 12 from 10-4
pm.
This promises to be a terrific family event, complete with ritual, drumming,
knitting, meditation, stories, song and dance circles. Children and
adults alike will be able to create peace flags, peace kites and
peace jewelry. All ages are invited to this free event. Bring a picnic lunch,
only water will be for sale. It would be particularly wonderful if children who
attended our Second Parish Peace Wave session, could attend,
even if only part of the time. Please plan to attend and register by
signing up on the RE bulletin board or by contacting me.
Our Coming of Age Mentors and "Mentees" recently participated in a Credo Writing Workshop facilitated by Paul and me. We are now in the process of creating together the COA service celebration scheduled for May 20. Please save the date. It will be a meaningful service that will touch you.
In peace,
Liliane Verdier
, Acting Director of Religious Education Lilianevhing@aol.com, 781-749-9581
· Thanks to all that helped with planning this year’s Organ Concert. It was super! Also many thanks to all the patrons and Jane and Phil Shute for the wonderful reception afterwards.
· Thank you everybody for the beautiful display of Easter Plants!
–Alice Brewer