January 5, 2011 Volume 9, Issue 7
Sunday Services – 10:00 am
January 9: “Mining Time: The Most Interesting Religious Story of 2010” Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
Each year at the beginning of the year, it has been our tradition to look at the Good News of the Year In Religion. This year, Rev. Weinstein will focus on one story that particularly captivated her on many religious levels. Come hear about it.
January 16: Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
“Singing Justice: The Church Songs That Inspired Martin Luther King”
In honor of Rev. King, we will lift up the African-American spiritual musical tradition that he grew up with as a Baptist child and that inspired him in his civil rights work. The afternoon concert by folk singer Jim Scott will continue the celebration.
January 23: “Hope In Captivity: Jeremiah’s Letter” Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein
We are in the midst of a cultural change that feels like an exile for many who remember or crave for a simpler time. In 586 B.C., or thereabouts a Hebrew prophet wrote a letter to his people for just such a time as the one we are living in now. Hear, and take hope in its vision.
Beloved folk singer and UU troubadour Jim Scott will present a concert of music celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King on Sunday, January 16th at 2pm here at First Parish Church. Tickets are $10; children are welcome for $5.
CARING CORNER
Mary Eliot reports that she is spending the winter at The Village at Proprietor’s Green in Marshfield. Her current (temporary) phone number is 781-837-1861. She will return home on May 1st, and at that point can be reached at her old telephone number.
SAVE THE DATE
The First Parish Goods and Services Auction will be held on Saturday, February 26. This biennial event is fun for all and one of our major fundraisers. Our success depends on your donations of items, gift certificates, outings, use of cottages, and lending of your time and talents. Watch for a donation form coming soon and plan on attending. Questions? Contact Cathy Phillips at 781-826-0939, or see Cathy or Joanne Howard at Coffee Hour.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER…
Should severe weather necessitate cancellation of church activities, we will make every effort to leave an outgoing message on the church’s voicemail and send an all-church email with the cancellation. If you have not been receiving all-church emails, please take a moment to email your correct email address to Hope at . Depending on the amount of advance notice, check our website as well: We will also notify WATD radio in Marshfield (95.9 FM), WCVB – TV (Channel 5), and WHDH 7News and WRKO Radio/AM 680.
DATE CHANGE: Please note that the date for Alex Gordon’s jazz concert at the James Library has changed again. It will now be held on Sunday, April 3, 2011. We apologize for any confusion!
A huge thank you to all who helped to make the Christmas project for foster children such a wonderful success! The social workers were thrilled with all the gifts and the additional generous financial support. They are very appreciative for all that First Parish has done and continues to do for the children. I want to give special thanks to Marcia and Scott Babcock who organized the lists, to Judy Bond who helped me sort and deliver gifts, and to Morgan Gallagher and Olivia Bourque who spent an afternoon shopping in the rain for needed items and gift cards from a variety of stores. Finally, I send my thanks to the amazing members of First Parish Church, who selected 43 names and managed to return all 43 bags of gifts, properly labeled, to church on the correct day. You all made my job very easy.
Betsy Gordon
ALLIANCE OF FIRST PARISH NEWS
Peg and John Carpenter will be doing a very special program for us on Wednesday morning, January 19th entitled “Travels in France with a Spotlight on the French Revolution.” There will be refreshments at 10 a.m. in the Parish Hall, followed by a brief meeting and the program. We hope everyone can come. All are welcome.
JAMES LIBRARY & CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Lyceum with Rev. Judith Campbell
Friday, January 21 at 7:30 pm.
Memoir Writing- what are you waiting for? Bring pen and paper to this free and informative discussion about getting your family stories down on paper.
In the James Art Gallery
Opening January 7: Don Larkin, sculpture
Music Class Starting in January
The South Shore Conservatory's 10-week Music Together program for children ages 2-5 will be held at The James on Thursday mornings. A free demo of this interactive, parent/child program will be held on Thursday, January 6. Call 781-749-7565 x33 for info.
Dear Friends,
Congratulations! This year we were able to raise almost $1500 through our Guest at Your Table program. Plus, our gifts of $100 or more (7 such donations!) are eligible to be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to the generosity of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, N.Y. Your generous gift for Guest at Your Table is unrestricted, which means that UUSC will use it where the need is greatest.
Thanks to all of you who invited a Guest to your holiday table this year. To learn more about the many programs supported by UUSC, check out their website at If your still would like to contribute to the Guest at Your Table program, please forward your checks (marked for UUSC) to the church office at your earliest convenience. Again, thank you!
Sue Robinson, local UUSC representative
APPRECIATION FOR CHRISTMAS EVE MUSIC
The Music Committee and Choir would like to extend added applause to Alex Bourque, who skillfully played the wonderful seasonal prelude and postlude musical selections on his saxophone for both services on Christmas Eve. He was beautifully accompanied by Marcia Babcock. Their amazing instrumental duets set the tone for a spectacular evening of music for our Christmas Eve Services. Their names were inadvertently omitted on the order of service.
Also, we would like to express our gratitude to the choir and soloists, who provided a stellar performance of vocal magic, as well as many hours of rehearsals to achieve this melodious triumph. Of course, we thank our Choir Director, Gingy Grimes and Rev. Vicki, for their inspiration, musical vision and direction of the choral pieces.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE
HELEN FOGG SERVICE COMMITTEE!
Welcome to our newest member, Scott Babcock, who did a fantastic job signing up people to buy gifts for foster kids before Christmas!
Heifer International received $560 from individuals at First Parishwho “bought” farm animals as Christmas presents. The honorees received a gift card explaining the gift.
This Sunday (January 9) is Second Sunday, and we will feature The Greater New Orleans Unitarian Universalists organization (GNOUU), which consists of three UU churches in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. We will also introduce our parishioners who are going to New Orleans in February on a work trip (Peg Kitchenham, Morgan Gallagher, Olivia Bourque, and Laurie Brown and her daughter, Annalise Carroll). The three teenagers are earning money towards their trip by raffling off a beautiful baby afghan which Sue Robinson made, selling home-made candy which Morgan makes, holding the famous First Parish Chocolate Auction in late January and by doing babysitting, snow shoveling, etc., for parishioners. Call them- they really want to earn money!
Could you spare a few hours on one Thursday a month taking food that we have collected to the Norwell Food Pantry until Barbara Meacham is more mobile? Let anyone on the Committee know.
Committee members: Bev Gardner, Chair
Marcia Babcock, Scott Babcock, Pat Bordewieck, Carrie Brandon, Pat Crumley, Tommie Magazu, Barbara Meacham, Mary Mercier, Dorothy and Bill Montuori, Sue Robinson (Parish Committee liaison), Amy Stevenson, Jack Wallace and Jane and Stan Wilderoter
For information on the church’s religious education program for both adults and children, please visit the “RE Everyday” blog at
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
January 5:Alliance Board Meeting, 10:00 am in the Fogg Parlor
January 9:Fogg Service Committee, 11:30 am in the Fogg Parlor
January 11:Finance Committee, 7:15 pm in the Office
January 16: Concert by Jim Scott in the Meetinghouse, 2 pm
January 19:Alliance Meeting, 10:00 am in the Parish Hall
January 23:Youth Group Chocolate Auction, 11:00 am in the Parish Hall
The deadline for the next hard-copy edition of The Spire is Sunday, January 16th.
For more information, or to review archived issues of The Spire, go to
The full First Parish Calendar can be accessed online at the website by selecting “News” then scrolling to the calendar option.