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The First Religious Society in Newburyport
Unitarian Universalist
26 Pleasant Street
Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
THE STEEPLE BIWEEKLY February 17, 2015
The First Religious Society of Newburyport, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association,
26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
Office hours: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (M - F) — www.frsuu.org — e-mail: info@frsuu.org
Church Phone: 978.465.0602 — Minister’s Line: 978.465.6504
The Rev. Harold E. Babcock, Minister
The Rev. Bertrand H. Steeves, Minister Emeritus
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Deadline for the March 3 Steeple Biweekly is Friday, February 27 at noon.
Send your submissions to publicity@frsuu.org
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Sunday, February 22, at 10:30 a.m.
“Stepping Up”
Contents
Joys and Sorrows ….……..2
Donate food to Pettengill...2
Talk to the Parish Board...2
Comfort Shawl ministry…..2
PRAY FAQ…………………3
Chalice Pals……………….4
Look for red mugs………..4
FRS events…………….…4-6
Thanks from PRAY…….…5
Leadership Council dates..6
Thank you’s to FRS……....6
Parish Board notes………..7
History Committee notes...6
Escalating Inequality……..7
Beyond our doors…………7
Calendar…….……………..8
By now you should have
heard about the Parish
Board’s “Step Up”
initiative. Growing out of
last year’s strategic
planning effort, “Step
Up” is intended as a way
to increase and
celebrate engagement within our congregation and especially beyond.
The motto of “Step Up” is “care for ourselves, care for others.” The
sermon will investigate what it might mean to our church if each of us
made the decision to step up.--Harold Babcock
A Journey of Faith will be given by Sarah Notter.
The flowers are donated by Dorothy and Howard Fairweather in loving
memory of Dorothy’s aunt, Othelia Bansley.
Ushers are Ned McClung and Anne Comeau.
The greeter is Sally Foskett.
Coffee Hour is hosted by Karen & Chris Young, Jessica Brown & Brent
Mitchell, Linda & Byron Seese, Catherine & Nick Barkley.
Collection for Cause: Half of February’s unpledged collection plate
donations will go to the UUA's Entrepreneurial Ministry Fund.
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Sunday, March 1, at 10:30 a.m.
“Confabulation”
In his recent book The Meaning of Human Existence, biologist E. O. Wilson writes, “Conscious mental life is built
entirely from confabulation. It is a constant review of stories experienced in the past and stories invented for the
future.” There would seem to be a sermon here. Besides being a great word, “confabulation” suggests the way
that not just individuals, but institutions respond to times of crisis or transition. The sermon will investigate what
this might mean for the First Religious Society.--Harold Babcock
The flowers are donated by Anne and Alec White in loving memory of Hal and Polly White.
Collection for Cause: Half of March’s unpledged collection plate donations will go to ROOF Over Head, which
purchases homes in Amesbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury and provides homeless and at-risk families an
opportunity to live in them.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Donate food for Pettengill this month
Joys and Sorrows
For the month of February, the Community Human
Services committee will be collecting packaged food
for the Pettengill House Food Pantry in Salisbury. A
member of the committee will also be collecting
money after church for those who don’t want to shop.
Deliver your contributions to the vestibule, and
please check the dates on canned goods.
Questions? Contact Carol Kilty.
Lea Pearson celebrates her first grandchild, Julian
James McDonald, born to her son Carey and his wife
Sarah
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Looking for a way to Step Up? Join the Comfort
Shawl ministry at FRS
The Comfort Shawls
made by members
and friends have been
finding good homes
and our supply of
shawls needs to be
replenished. Anyone
who knows how to
knit or crochet will find
instructions and yarn in the Conference Room
cabinet. A donation of $12 is appreciated for the yarn
(3 balls are necessary). You may also create your
own shawl with yarn you purchase and using your
own pattern. We appreciate any contributions of
handmade shawls, knit with love and healing. My
first Comfort Shawl was obtained for a dear friend
who had experienced a tragic loss. My friend loves to
tell the story of how a Unitarian went to the Episcopal
church to obtain a shawl for a Catholic. Comfort,
healing and love are universal. If you have any
questions, please contact me.--Linda Buddenhagen
_________________________________________
Talk to Parish Board members at Coffee Hour
Are there questions you would like to ask the Parish
Board or issues you would like to comment on?
Board members are hosting a table at Coffee Hour
on Sundays. They’ll be happy to hear your concerns
or answer your questions.
Parish Board members are: Nancy Crochiere,
Barbara Garnis, Beverly Heinze-Lacey, Art
Henshaw, Lisa Johnson, Lark Madden, Annie
Maurer, Ned McClung, Ed Meagher, Brent Mitchell,
Marie Murphy, Bettina Turner, Kem Widmer.
_________________________________________
A square from our
February 8 quilting bee,
for a quilt honoring those
killed by gun violence.
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PRAY FAQ
Why do you call yourselves PRAY?
How are you raising money?
We wanted a catchy name for ourselves so that we
wouldn’t simply be “the youth service trip group.” We
liked the acronym we got with “Pine Ridge Alliance of
Youth.”
Our biggest fundraiser is
the envelope drive.
Envelopes numbered
one to 100 were put on
a large bulletin board.
FRS members and
friends are invited to
take an envelope and
pledge to pay the amount on it. If all envelopes are
filled, we will raise $5,000. We planned a childcare
event on Valentine’s Day, and we are brainstorming
ideas for other events.
Who is PRAY?
Eleven high school youth: Liam Amery, Tess Broll,
Matthew Costello, Kathleen Lacey, Mateo Lincoln,
Sam Lincoln, Erik March, Noah Menin, Henry
Sakinawa, Justin Steeves, and Maddie Walsh. They
are all high school students, representing Amesbury
High School, Triton, Newburyport High School, the
Waring School, Roxbury Latin, and Catholic Central.
The adults working with them are Julie Amery
(Director of Religious Education), Steve Costello
(youth group advisor), Becky Dill (youth group
advisor) and Mike Dorsey (Up and Coming UUs
mentor).
How else are you getting ready for the trip?
We’re engaging in a few more local service projects,
such as at the UU Urban Ministry in Roxbury and the
Homeworkers Organized for More Employment
(HOME) in Orland, ME and reflecting on the
difference between charity and working in solidarity.
We’re building community within the group, learning
about Native American issues, and thinking about
our own cultural identities. We’re also hoping to learn
how to use some building tools before heading out to
the Reservation and hope to draw on the resources
of our congregation to do that.
Why are you going to Pine Ridge?
We are taking part
in a service-learning
program of an
organization called
“Re-Member.” In
addition to working
on building projects, we will learn about the history
and culture of the Oglala Sioux people.
How can I keep up with what you are doing?
Why are you raising money and how is the
fundraising going?
We’re putting together a bulletin board in the Parish
Hall that we’ll keep updated from now until our trip in
June. So stay tuned!
We are raising money to supplement what each
individual’s family can reasonably pay toward the
$1,200 cost per person. This is so that the trip is
open to anyone, regardless of financial means. To
date, we have raised almost $3,500. Our goal, to
supplement what is being paid by participants’
families, is $7,500.
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Sign up now to be a Chalice Pal
Retired Ladies Lunch on Wednesday, February 18
at noon at Brown Sugar by the Sea, 75 Water St.,
Newburyport. Purely social! All retired women are
welcome to join the group for lunch. RSVP to Peg
Mays.
A fun, new
intergenerational
activity is coming to
the FRS: Chalice
Pals. Through this
program, we will
match up each
participating Young
Church child or youth with an FRS adult. You will get
to know each other through notes, letters, drawings,
etc., through the course of the spring. Each week
when you get to church, you can check your
“mailbox” to see if you’ve received anything from
your Chalice Pal. At the end of the church year, we’ll
have a party at which identities will be revealed. This
will be a great way to build community across the
generations. If you want to participate, please
contact Julie Parker Amery at julie.amery@frsuu.org;
or Diane Young (diane.young@frsuu.org, or in the
vestibule before or after church).
_________________________________________
Singing Meditation is offered on Saturdays, 10:3011:30am, February 21 and 28, in rooms A&B in the
Lower Meeting House. Attend one session or all, no
pre-registration required.
Many cultures use communal singing and chanting
as a way to connect with each other and that which
is greater than us. You are invited to come and sing
simple, repetitive songs and chants from different
traditions together, interspersed with periods of
silence. Previous experience or singing ability are
not required, just a willingness to participate. All
songs will be taught, and ages 10 to 100 are
welcome. Give it a try!
Contact the facilitator, Bettina Turner if you have
questions.
_________________________________________
Don’t forget to include the folks with
red mugs in your conversations at
Coffee Hour. They’ve picked up a
red mug because they’re new to
FRS and are looking to be
welcomed. –Diane Young
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Lunch with the Minister will meet on Tuesday,
February 24 and Tuesday, March 3. We have
decided to use the short story collection Great
American Short Stories, edited by Wallace and Mary
Stegner, which is available at Amazon.com. Please
come on the 24th prepared to discuss the first
story. We meet at noon in the lower meeting house;
all are welcome!
_________________________________________
Youth Jobs Rally part of our Coalition’s work
_________________________________________
Just a reminder that as part of the "Primary
Prevention" initiative of the MA Coalition to Prevent
Gun Violence, which seeks to reduce gun violence
by providing alternatives to urban youth, members of
the Coalition will be participating in a Youth Jobs
Rally in Boston on Thursday, February 19, 11:302:00, with teens and adults marching to the State
House to meet with legislators to advocate for
funding of youth jobs and violence prevention
programs.
Multigenerational Program: Dinner and Ideas
Harold Babcock and Julie Parker Amery invite all to
the second of our Dinner and Ideas program, which
will be on Wednesday, February 25, from 6-7:30
p.m. in the lower meeting house. The theme for the
night is “Responding to Difference.” Come and enjoy
a bowl of chili, followed by a story, conversation, and
ritual. Participants are invited, but should not feel
obligated, to bring bread or a dessert. This is
appropriate for people of all ages; childcare can be
provided on request for very little ones. Please sign
up in advance with Vicki at vicki.dyer@frsuu.org or
contact Harold or Julie if you have any questions.
If you would like to join me at this event, please
contact me.—Ann Haaser
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Poverty Matters looks at emergency assistance
Learn about UUism and FRS
What happens when a sudden financial crisis
threatens to make a local family homeless? Think
medical illness, car breakdown, job loss, family
breakup, etc. The good news is that The Pettengill
House has a "Family Stabilization and Emergency
Assistance Program" partly funded by a grant from
Pennies for Poverty, to help deal with this situation.
We’re offering a membership class in March, for new
folks to explore Unitarian Universalism and learn
more about our congregation. The class will meet on
three Thursdays, March 5, 12, and 26, 7-8:30pm in
the Lower Meeting House.
The class is not a requirement of membership, or a
commitment to become a member. It’s a tool for
discernment. To take part, sign up with Diane Young
by February 28 (diane.young@frsuu.org, X409).
Childcare can be provided—just make your request
when you sign up.
On Wednesday March 4, at 7pm, Tiffany Nigro, the
Assistant Executive Director of Pettengill House will
come and describe this new initiative to us.
Local Poverty Matters is jointly sponsored by the
Social Action Committee of FRS and by Pennies for
Poverty, a local nonprofit dedicated to alleviating
poverty in our area.--Michael Sandberg
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Alliance program explores today’s Cuba
On Wednesday, March 11, FRS member Susan
Swan will present a program for the Alliance called
“Journey into the Real Cuba in Transition 2014.” A
bag lunch at noon is followed by a brief business
meeting and the program at 1pm.
__________________________________________
Come to Jazz Vespers on March 4
Celebrate the inspiration of jazz, blues and swing at
Jazz Vespers on Wednesday, March 4 at 8 pm in the
Meeting House. Listen to the house band of Lark
Madden on guitar,Susan Creamer on piano, Tomas
Havrda on drums and Mike Gruen on bass. Tom
Stites provides seasonal readings. This service has
a loyal following. Invite some friends!
In February 2014, Susan
had the privilege of going
to Cuba with Boston’s
Emmanuel Church and
the synagogue they share
(Central Reform Temple).
The tour leader was a
dealer in Cuban art, but
the group also profited
from an expert in Cuban
architecture and several
native Cuban guides.
Susan will show pieces of art and clips of personal
videos along with her talk, and hopes to relay the
surprise and wonder she experienced as she got to
know the Cuban people and corrected American
misunderstandings about Cuba and its future.
__________________________________________
Local author to talk about “family gap year”
Local author and Quaker activist Martha McManamy
will read from
her book The
Big Trip: A
Family Gap Year
on Sunday,
March 8 at
12:30pm in the
Lower Meeting
House.
__________________________________________
Taking a year off
from the rat race is an idle dream for many, but the
McManamy family of Newburyport decided to make it
happen. The Big Trip: A Family Gap Year tells how
they put high school, college and work on hold while
they learned Spanish in Spain and volunteered in
Bolivia, Guatemala, and Kenya. Choosing home
stays and local transportation over hotels and rental
cars, they undertook a deeply immersive journey of
“slow travel,” living simply and experiencing life as
the locals do. The teenagers contributed their own
creative poems and stories to The Big Trip.
Thank you from PRAY
Thank you to the most recent donors to the PRAY
(Pine Ridge Alliance of Youth) envelope drive
fundraiser: Lea Pearson, Barbara Garnis and Joe
Brouillet, and Hugh Martinez & Linda Harding.
Thank you also to Ray Wilson for connecting us with
his son, Eliot Wilson, who came to speak with us
about his own experiences at Pine Ridge several
years ago.
__________________________________________
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Omigosh—don’t miss this big night!!!!
Parish Board notes
The Variety Show is the single most fun night of the
FRS church year. Your friends and fellow pew-mates
sing, dance, play music, read poems, and do improv
comedy. Performers range from ages 3 to 93. Real
talent is not a requirement to perform, though many
bring it anyway. So, put Saturday night, March 14 at
7 pm on your calendar. (Do it now—I’ll wait.) Next,
call or email Vicki Dyer (vick.dyer@frsuu.org) if you
would like to perform. All acts must be under 5
minutes! I will be speaking to each and every one of
you to make sure you have done one of these things.
If not, I will require a note from your mother. See you
there! --Nancy Crochiere
At its January meeting, Lark Madden noted that to
cover the unanticipated costs of the renovation, we
have a commitment from Eastern Bank for a $300K
loan secured by the endowment. At its February
meeting, Board members discussed a timeline of
activities related to the ministerial transition. A
leadership development program, with an emphasis
on personal growth and the spiritual aspects of
leadership, will be offered in the fall.
__________________________________________
Notes from the History Committee
During the snowy days of our New England winter,
we enjoy the live flowers placed on the altar in honor
of parishioners, past and present. They remind us
that spring will soon return. We thank the
Rev. Thomas Fox, who served our congregation
from 1831 to 1846, for "brightening our church
services with flowers," as Minnie Atkinson wrote in
her History of the First Religious Society. At the
time, many thought this to be highly sacrilegious and
were properly scandalized. Rev. Fox, however,
preached often of the beauties of God's handiwork
and felt strongly that our world around us was to be
enjoyed to the fullest.
__________________________________________
FRS movie night March 17
Let’s go to the movies! We'll meet for "Still Alice" at
the Newburyport Screening Room on Tuesday,
March 17 for the 7:30 show. Everyone buys their
own ticket. Afterwards you may want to join a movie
discussion at Caffé di Siena. Julianne Moore gives
an Oscar-nominated performance as a professor
who starts to have memory problems.
__________________________________________
Leadership Council open meetings
In her History, Miss Atkinson quotes from a speech
given by Nathan N. Withington, son of the minister at
the Newbury church: "…the orthodox retained a
great deal of the old Puritan contempt for the graces
and beauties of life....the Unitarians sloughed off
these prejudices (along) with the Calvinist
Creed....Mr. Fox preached of the beauty of the
flowers, the glory of the sunset and the loveliness of
the universe in which we dwell. This was horrid in the
eyes of conservative people, the joys of whose
traditional religion consisted in contemplating the
tortures reserved for their unregenerate neighbors in
another world."
All leaders in the church are invited to be a part of
FRS’ Leadership Council. This is an opportunity for
collaboration, information-sharing, and directing the
life of the congregation. Next meeting dates are
Wednesdays, March 18 and May 20 at 7pm.
__________________________________________
Thank you’s for support to the community
The staff and residents of Turning Point’s Division
of Family Services sent thanks for FRS’ “very
generous Christmas gifts…As another year flies by
and we look back with the wisdom maturity brings,
we have an increasing appreciation of the folks that
help us year after year.”
Incidentally, our fellow parishioner, Barbara
Spaulding, a loyal archive worker, proudly displays
the Rev. Fox on her family tree.
The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center sends thanks for
FRS’ “generous gift of $882.00…Thank you for your
trust and confidence as we work together to put an
end to domestic violence in our community and
beyond.”
__________________________________________
Both letters are posted in the Parish Hall.
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Beyond Our Doors: More on escalating inequality
Reading, plan to read, or have read the NYT bestseller The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth
Gap by Matt Taibbi? The Reading for Resilience discussion group will meet on Sunday, March 1, 4pm at the
Belleville Church, 300 High Street, Newburyport, to explore the ideas in this controversial new book.
The group is hosted by Transition Newburyport and focuses on books that examine the climate, energy and
economic challenges facing us and how we might respond to them. All are welcome. For further information email
transitionnewburyport@gmail.com.
STAFF
PARISH OFFICERS
The Rev. Harold Babcock, Minister, harold.babcock@frsuu.org
William Heenehan, Business Administrator, william.heenehan@frsuu.org
Vicki Dyer, Office Administrator, vicki.dyer@frsuu.org
Parish Board Chair: Annie Maurer
Vice Chair: Bettina Turner
Moderator: K.C. Swallow
Julie Parker-Amery, Director of Religious Education, julie.amery@frsuu.org
Sharon Broll, Religious Education Assistant, sharon.broll@frsuu.org
Treasurers: Art Henshaw and
Kem Widmer
Jay Lane, Music Director, jay.lane@frsuu.org
Parish Clerk: Nancy Crochiere
Kristen Miller, Youth Choirs Director, kristen.miller@frsuu.org
Governance Committee: Marie Murphy
Diane Young, Director of Community Engagement, diane.young@frsuu.org
Finance Committee: Lark Madden
Ed Mair, Sexton, ed.mair@frsuu.org
Auditor: Dick Daley
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CALENDAR
Wednesday, February 18
10:00am Alliance Board Meeting (CONF)
12:15pm Retired Ladies Lunch
2:00pm Walter Shivik Memorial Service (SANC)
Wednesday, February 25
5:30pm Worship Committee (CONF)
6:00pm Dinner and Ideas (LMH)
7:00pm Human Resource Meeting (CONF)
Thursday, February 19
6:00pm Trustees (MH-A&B)
7:30pm Adult Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
Thursday, February 26
8:00am UU Connect (CONF)
7:30pm Adult Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
Friday, February 20
10:00am Book Discussion Group (CONF)
6:00pm Smart Recovery Meeting (MH-A)
Friday, February 27
10:00am Book Discussion Group (CONF)
6:00pm Smart Recovery Meeting (MH-A)
Saturday, February 21
9:30am Buddhist Meditation (PH-1)
10:30am Singing Meditation (MH-A&B and LMH)
Saturday, February 28
9:30am Buddhist Meditation (PH-1)
10:30am Singing Meditation (MH-A&B and LMH)
Sunday, February 22
9:00am Teen Choir Rehearsal (PH-2)
9:00am Adult Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
9:40am Young Church Choir Rehearsal (PH-2)
10:30am Sunday Service (SANC)
10:30am Young Church Social Service Project
(LMH)
11:30am Parish Board Members Info Session (PH-2)
11:45am Climate Action Project (MH-A&B)
12:00pm Peace Vigil (Market Square, Newburyport)
12:00pm Board Step-Up Task Force (CONF)
Sunday, March 1
9:00am Teen Choir Rehearsal (PH-2)
9:00am Adult Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
9:30am Parent Coffee with the Minister (LMH)
9:40am Young Church Choir Rehearsal (PH-2)
10:30am Sunday Service (SANC)
10:30am Young Church Worship/Classes (LMH)
11:30am Parish Board Members Info Session (PH-2)
11:45am Climate Action Project (MH-A&B)
12:00pm Peace Vigil (Market Square, Newburyport)
12:00pm Board Step-Up Task Force (CONF)
Monday, February 23
10:00am Small Group Ministry: Turner (CONF)
3:30pm Small Group Ministry: Kaplan (CONF)
6:30pm Buddhist Meditation Group (MH-A&B)
Monday, March 2
6:30pm Buddhist Meditation Group (MH-A&B)
Tuesday, March 3
10:00am Historical Archiving (MH-A&B)
12:00pm Lunch with the Minister (MH-A&B)
7:00pm Adult Ed: The Bible for Religious Liberals
(MH-A&B)
7:00pm Small Group Ministry: Anderson (CONF)
Tuesday, February 24
10:00am Historical Archiving (MH-A&B)
12:00pm Lunch with the Minister (MH-A&B)
7:00pm Radical Acceptance Book Discussion
(CONF)
7:00pm Adult Ed: The Bible for Religious Liberals
(MH-A&B)
7:00pm Governance Committee Meeting (PH-2)
Wednesday, March 4
7:00pm Local Poverty Matters Study Group (LMH)
8:00pm Jazz Vespers (SANC)
Room Codes: PH = Parish Hall; MH = Meetinghouse; SANC = Sanctuary,
LMH = Lower Meetinghouse; CONF = Conference Room
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