Second Parish Unitarian Universalist

Hingham, Massachusetts

Glad Tidings

From the Minister –

 

First of all, Deedee & I want to extend our thanks to everyone who was able to join us for our Open House on June 14th, and for all the flowers and plants and housewarming gifts.  We had a wonderful party and had so much fun ourselves we’re looking forward to doing it again, perhaps soon after we return to church in the fall.  We missed those of you who were unable to join us and hope many of you will be able to come on over next time.

 

By the time you read this, Deedee & I will be off on our trip to the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in Salt Lake City by train.  On the way back, we’ll be getting off the train in Chicago for a week to visit with my parents, my brother and his family.  We’ll be back again on July 7th and mostly at home until August 22nd, when we’re off for two weeks in Maine, first to preach at the chapel at Hancock Point at the invitation of Heidi Brieger and her family, and then to serve as Minister of the Week at Ferry Beach, our UU camp in Saco, ME.  While I will be on study leave during July and the first part of August, I will be available and happy to meet with anyone who wishes to catch up and have some tea together. 

 

Summer is of course a great time for many of us to get away, and the old Unitarian custom of closing down churches during the summer harks back to an era when many families packed up and took the train to the Cape or Maine or other parts for the summer.  While some of us still relocate for the summer, many of us are around, and the loss of continuity during the summer can be a real problem in growing our congregation.  I look forward to having a few gatherings in the course of this summer, both opportunities for families to go to the beach together and open houses for everyone, but I would like us also to begin considering whether we might not be able to return to having at least some services next summer – some of us really miss the opportunity to be together for these long months.

 

I’m delighted that the congregation voted to call Rev. Kim Preveza as our Minister of Religious Education and to hold an installation in the fall, tentatively on Oct. 18th.  Rev. Kim & I have drawn up a relational covenant to make clear how we will work together going forward, which you will find elsewhere in this newsletter.

 

Wherever you travel this summer (or if you stay close to home), make sure to gather a little bit of water to share with the rest of our congregation when we return for our Homecoming/Water Communion Service on Sunday, September 13th.

 

In Faith,

 

Paul

 

Community

Summer Gathering at the O’Connor’s

Last year was so much fun we will have a repeat performance.  This will be a 'pot luck' cookout style event from 1-5 pm

on a Saturday or Sunday.  The exact date has yet to be determined but it will be the end of July or early August!

 

THANKS!

Thanks to the people of Second Parish from Mark Slawson for helping his AIDS Walk team raise over $3000!

 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Everyone who provided flowers, coffee goodies, ushered, and set up/clean-up this year did a terrific job.  People attending church on Sunday appreciate all that you do to make our church a friendly, welcoming place, with lots of discussion after the service.

 

Thank you to the following:

 

Alice Brewer                            Jane and Phil Shute                  Gene Chamberlain         Dinah Collins

Lou Belknap                              Tracy and Frank White             Becky Weston               Elaine Cadogan

Helene Soini                             Susan and Kurt Weisenbeck      Allison Crowe               Joyce Schreier

Beth Morrell                             Sandy and Bernie Peavey          Chip and Pam King         Deedee Sprecher

Tasha Allan                              Karen and Phil Delano               Intermediate Class        RE Committee

John Belknap                            Margery and Jack Suomala       Julianna Dunn               Suzette Droster

Heidi Brieger                            Diana and Brad Meigs               Kim Shaw                      Lisa and Baba Shetty

Betty Tower                             Anna and Michael Maude          Charlie and Heidi Ford

Mary Collins                             Stephanie and Steve Kelsch      Richard Bowker                       

Mariann and Len O’Connor                                                        Olga and Richard Mayo

 

We hope that this spirit of good cheer and helpful volunteerism will continue to flourish and increase during the next church year.

-Sue Viden

A REMINDER FROM THE COLLECTORS
While we do not meet again until after Labor Day, the expenses of the church continue over the summer. Our staff is paid year round, for example.  So we can avoid borrowing from our line of credit if everyone keeps their pledge
current over the summer. Thanks. Please mail your checks to the church at 685 Main Street.

-Lou Belknap and Bernie Peavey

Covenant between Minister and Minister of Religious Education of Second Parish Hingham

Rev. Paul Sprecher and Rev. Kim Preveza

In the interest of articulating the mutual respect with which we work together, we covenant to develop a shared ministry to everyone whom Second Parish serves.

 

To carry out this shared ministry, we covenant to:

 

- Cooperate with each other in our respective areas of responsibility and constantly search  for creative ways of enriching each other's ministries as we learn to become a better multigenerational worshiping community.  We recognize that while we both have specific areas of responsibility and authority, religious education and worship are woven together and are at the heart of this congregation.  It is necessary and good, therefore, that we both be concerned with and involved in the education programs and in the worship services.

 

Communicate regularly about plans, shared worship services, and the life of the congregation as a whole.  We intend to keep our minds and hearts and calendars open for each other, to plan time to listen to each other, to address and assess needs, and to consult each other on our service to Second Parish.  We will help each other to improve our ministries in a spirit of trust by means of collegial suggestions, support, and feedback, both positive and negative.  We will not hold secrets from one another.  

 

 When members bring comments or criticisms about one of us to the other we will be open to hearing concerns, inform them that according to our covenant we will share this information with the other, and encourage them toward more direct and constructive communication. 

 

- We shall respect the confidentiality of matters pertaining to members of the congregation, sharing the general content of all pastoral conversations with each other so that we may minister more fully and knowledgeably to individual and family needs.

 

-Help each other to maintain a careful and caring ministry with respect to our families and our own needs for time and for ongoing professional development and spiritual growth.

Together, with faith in ourselves, in each other, in this congregation, in the Unitarian Universalist tradition to which we are called, and in the creative spirit that inspires us all, we gladly join hands in this covenant.

News from our Cooperative Religious Education Program

Happy Summer.  It is hard to believe this church year has come to a close.  I thoroughly enjoyed my first year as your Minister of Religious Education and I am looking forward to the years ahead.

 

I want to thank all of you for voting to call me as your Minister of Religious Education at the annual meeting.  It will be great to further explore what we are doing together as we prepare for the Installation in the fall. 

 

Once again, it has been a great year. (Please see the Annual Report for details). Thank you to all the teachers, children, youth, RE committee, Rich Bowker our outgoing RE chair, everyone who helps out with our special celebrations and activities, and our very all ages friendly congregation as a whole.

 

Our Religious Education Sunday was a wonderful celebration of all that we do together and a reminder that we are all on a path of learning.  I want to thank all the people who signed up to help the children on their path of learning and growing in our Cooperative Religious Education program next year.  I was very pleased to see some new people volunteer as well as all the people who volunteered to continue. Jane Shute, the new RE Chair, is already starting to help prepare for the Fall and we are all excited to have her on the committee. Yes, I am very much looking forward to our time together next year.

 

Please remember to fill out your volunteer form (if you have not already) as soon as possible so we can start the year off well prepared, organized, and filled to the rim with a wonderful variety of people and gifts. I would love to see more men and non-parents involved so the children get to know the many different types of people who are important in their well rounded RE world and so that more types of people get to receive the gift of being with the children. 

Happy Summer,

Rev. Kim Preveza

 

RE Summer Get Togethers?

 

Please let me know if you would be interested in getting together over the summer.  We could:

 

•   Watch Charlotte’s Web together in connection with the Primary class’s Web curriculum that focused on the book this past term. All Ages

 

•   Have A Beach Day.  We could plan to meet at the Hingham Bathing Beach .

 

Please let me know your good ideas too and when you are available.  I think it would be really nice to have a couple of social activities to keep in contact over the summer.

 

 

SECOND PARISH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

685 Main Street, Hingham, MA  02043

Minister:  Reverend Paul Sprecher, Email:  PSprecher@uuma.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:  August 17, noon

Production Date:  August 25, 10:00 am

Newsletter Team:  Alice Brewer and Sandi Smith

Editors:  Lou Belknap and Susan Weisenbeck

Edition:  Summer, 2009

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NOTICE:

The church offices will be closed for the summer. 

Sandi will be in throughout the summer to

pick up the mail, email, voice messages, pay bills, etc.

Note:  There will not be a July newsletter.

The next deadline is August 17.

Paul will be available for calls or visits during July and on vacation in August. 

Sandi will always know how to reach him in case of any emergencies.

 

Services will begin on September 13th.