THE MEETINGHOUSE NEWS
First Parish in Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist
AUGUST 2015
Reflections - Rev. Fred Small, Senior Minister
Last summer, my wife Julie Wormser brought home a motorcycle, a
sporty red Honda Rebel.
As midlife crises went, I joked, it beat bringing home a boy toy.
Actually, it was more a stratagem by Julie to stay close and connected to
our daughter, careening toward teendom in full sass.
The stratagem worked. Lucy loved to ride behind her mom, clutching her
waist, mother and daughter both clad head to toe in protective gear, like
two Power Rangers.
On July 3, 2015, Julie invited her friend Kerri to ride the motorcycle together to their thirtieth
high school reunion in Marblehead. Julie made sure they were both dressed safely, even
insisting that Kerri wear socks.
Heading east on Route 16 in Everett, they stopped at a traffic light. When the light turned
green, a huge Ford F350 pickup swerved from the center lane, knocking the motorcycle over and
spinning it around. The pickup drove away (the driver says he was unaware of the collision), but
a witness wrote down the plate number.
Kerri suffered a concussion. Julie’s shoulder was badly broken.
As the EMT tended to Julie, he nodded in Kerri’s direction and asked solicitously, “Is that your
wife?”
“No, but it’s very nice of you to ask!” Julie replied.
“I’m an ex-Marine right-winger,” the EMT explained. “But everybody deserves respect.”
We love Massachusetts!
We also love health insurance and Mass General Hospital. Julie’s shoulder surgery was
successful, and though the first days of recovery were very painful, she’s feeling much better.
She has months of physical therapy ahead, but a full recovery is expected.
Julie has decided to sell the motorcycle. It was fun while it lasted, but one frightening accident
is more than enough.
As for me, I’m feeling tremendous gratitude and appreciation for Julie, my best friend and the
love of my life. I feel so lucky that she’s still here, and that she’ll be good as new.
The people we love can be snatched from us without warning.
We should never miss an opportunity to tell them we love them.
Blessings,
Fred
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
Upcoming Worship Services
August 2
When U Met U
More than a half century ago, in 1961, Unitarians
and Universalists decided to join together as a
single religious movement, Unitarian
Universalism. What in hindsight seems inevitable
very nearly didn't happen. Hearing the story,
you’ll feel the suspense of negotiation, the
anguish of sacrifice, and the thrill of unification—
and ponder promises yet to be fulfilled.
Rev. Fred Small preaches.
2
August 16
Clara Barton, Universalist
Most of us know Clara Barton as the
“Angel of the Battlefield” of the Civil War
and founder of the American Red Cross.
She was also a drama queen, control
freak, self-promoter, fabulist—and
Universalist. Find out more about the
extraordinary woman for whom
neighboring UUA district to the west is
named.
Rev. Fred Small preaches.
August 23
Class Matters
August 9
Putting on the Gold Coat
Are we defined by what we do? And what does
that say about inherent worth and dignity?
Popular guest speaker and UCLA oncology
chaplain, Michael Eselun will explore these
questions.
The United States aspires to meritocracy
transcending class, but invidious
inequality divides, demeans, and damages
us. Speaking from their own contrasting
upbringings, Rev. Fred Small and lay
speakers will reflect on the importance of
class for Unitarian Universalists.
Michael Eselun, a certified chaplain, serves as the
chaplain for the Simms-Mann/UCLA Center for
Integrative Oncology. He has worked extensively
August 30
in oncology, hospice, palliative care and with
acute psychiatric patients. He’s been invited many
times to speak to students, doctors, nurses, social
workers, and to dozens of faith communities
across the country about his work as a chaplain.
Michael is also a co-founder and chair of a nonprofit, volunteer anti-homophobia speakers
bureau called GLIDE, Gays and Lesbians Initiating
Dialogue for Equality. Over the last 20-plus years,
Michael and his fellow speakers have spoken to an
audience of over 150,000 students, teachers, and
other various groups and agencies in the LA area
about homophobia. He has a TED talk available
on-line via You Tube, called “It’s Magic” and you
can find out more about him at
www.michaeleselun.com. He will have CD’s
available for purchase after the service which
include several of his talks.
Friendship in the Digital Age
Today people are “connected” more than
ever thanks to smart phones and
communication tools such as Facebook
and Twitter. Yet American’s are
statistically some of the loneliest people
on Earth! In this talk Peter Bowden, a
TV producer, activist and Unitarian
Universalist consultant, will share how we
can use the best of both worlds -- online
and offline – to create the communities
and world we dream of.
Congregational Conversation
about Transition
Everyone is invited to a
congregational conversation
at 12:30 pm Sunday, August 2, in
the Barn Room, with Senior Minister
Fred Small and lay leaders about his
departure this fall and what this
transition means for First Parish.
Come share your questions,
feelings, concerns, and hopes!
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
3
So What’s Next? – the path to calling a minister
This is another in a series of reports to the congregation as we move through the transition
period toward Fred’s departure and welcoming of an Interim Minister to serve First Parish.
Standing Committee has appointed an Interim Minister Hiring Committee to review Interim
Minister Candidates provided by the UUA Transition Office, conduct interviews and finally
recommend the best fit to Standing Committee. Members of this group are Peggy Kraft, Suzi
Grossman, Chris McElroy, and Rashid Shaikh. They are already at work with the goal of
having an Interim Minister as soon as possible after Fred leaves in late September. The
Committee held a Q&A Session on July 19 and will continue to keep the congregation informed
of their progress over the coming weeks.
The Transitions Office suggests that a congregation that successfully addresses five important
developmental tasks during the interim period between called ministers is likely to have a
vibrant called ministry thereafter.
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Claim and honor your past and heal your griefs and conflicts
Come to terms with your unique identity, your strengths, your needs, your challenges
Clarify the multiple dimensions of your leadership, both ordained and lay, and navigate the
shifts in leadership that accompany times of transition
Renew connections with available resources, within and beyond the UUA
Renew your vision, strengthen your stewardship, prepare for new professional leadership,
and engage your future with anticipation and zest
As I have said before, we intend to lose no momentum on those initiatives that are important to
us. The path to selecting, welcoming, and working with an Interim Minister is well worn. This
congregation and others have traversed it successfully many times. In the meanwhile, we know
that we have a strong community at First Parish in Cambridge that will keep things moving,
even as we face new challenges.
Your ideas and questions will aid us in keeping you informed. Please contact me or any member
of the Standing Committee at StandingCommittee@firstparishcambridge.org or members of the
Interim Minister Hiring Committee at interim@firstparishcambridge.org to let us know how we
can help.
2015-2016 Standing Committee
Julie Duncan
Brittney Gardner
Devon Kinkead
Grey Lee
Mark Pickering
Ernie Sabine
Rashid Shaikh
Linda West
Sylvia Wheeler
Peggy Kraft, Chair of the Standing Committee
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
4
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CORNER by Mandy Neff
At Ferry Beach RE Week, three of our puppets made the journey north
to Maine to worship with us! The green wolf of searching for truth and
meaning, the blue lion with a powerful voice, and the red butterfly,
symbol of migration and of every person's worth and dignity were at
worship on July 7. They joined the UU Superheroes of the UU Church
of Sharon to share with Ferry Beachers from California to Delaware to
Minnesota the many ways our Seven Principles can come to life. The
puppets and superheroes also inspired an afternoon workshop for
DREs to explore ways that larger-than-life characters with
superpowers can be role models for the rest of us! A favorite was the
Red Respectacles that help people see each other through the eyes of
respect for everyone.
Thanks to our puppet paraders for sharing their talents, and the puppets they made, with all of
us: Carrie Fisher and Geoffrey and Abby Fisher Seufert, Shay and Van Easter, and Brendan and
Ciaran Maher
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
5
Spirit Play Basket Workday 8/9
Did you suggest a Spirit Play story for our children and want to see it come to life? Do you like
working with clay, felt and other fun materials? Do you just miss your First Parish friends and
want to hang out?
Please join us in the Barn Room at noon on Sunday, August 9 to hear the final story selections
and help us create the baskets! At the basket workday we'll have many materials, including felt,
clay and basic wooden figurines, the laminator for making labels, and a clay oven.
We welcome contributions of:
wicker baskets without handles
large plastic lids (6" plus)
silk flowers
Sculpey or other bakeable clay
donations toward a finger labyrinth
Thanks and hope to see you there! Questions? Contact Corinne Foster at cmmfoster@gmail.com.
Special Thanks!
First Parish is a community of many
generous volunteers who donate a lot
of time and energy. This month, we'd
like to mention a few people and
groups who have gone above and
beyond to help out.
Pam Cannon and the Tuesday Meals Volunteers: In mid-July, the hot water heater broke
and there were several days when we had no hot water in the church. This did not stop Pam
and the Tuesday Meals volunteers from providing a meal to our Tuesday dinner guests. The
team arrived on Tuesday, volunteers donated their own money to buy sandwich bread,
hamburgers and salads and created brown bag lunches for everyone who came to Tuesday
Meals for dinner. In the heat of the summer, it took a lot of teamwork and a spirit of beloved
community to ensure that dinner was served!
Linda West: Linda volunteered her time and staffed the church office so that Carol Lewis (our
Congregational Administrator) could go on vacation without a worry. Thank you Linda!!
David Levine: David coordinated with all of our guest ministers in July to ensure that worship
services ran smoothly and that order of worship information was received in a timely manner.
He even proof-read each week’s oow! Thank you David!
Thanks to all our volunteers. Summer is not a quiet time at First Parish. Many people are
planning and organizing already for fall programs. If you see someone going above and beyond,
please let us know so we can acknowledge their contributions! Contact the Church Office with
suggestions.
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
6
GBIO Organizing Task Force Has Launched
By Allegra Stout
At the semi-annual congregational meeting on June 7, the congregation voted to create a Social
Justice Task Force to continue learning about the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization and
exploring the possibility of First Parish becoming a member. GBIO is a coalition of nearly 50
churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, and other faith-based and community organizations. Two
UU congregations are currently members, as are several secular organizations such as community
development corporations. GBIO has an impressive track record of success on a wide range of social
justice issues, most famously in their work to craft Massachusetts' healthcare reform.
The creation of the task force builds on the momentum that has been gathering over the last
several months. In March, several First Parish members attended a 500-person GBIO meeting at
which GBIO’s new platform was ratified. At a May action at Trinity Church in Copley Square, over
a dozen First Parish folks joined 1,800 GBIO members in publicly launching this platform.
Together, we showed Governor Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, Speaker of the
House Robert DeLeo, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh that GBIO is a force to be reckoned with
and delivers on their promises. These elected officials made concrete promises to work with
GBIO to advance justice in the areas of housing affordability, healthcare, public education, gun
violence, and criminal justice reform, the priorities which comprise GBIO’s platform. Those who
attended found it exciting and inspiring to unite for the common good with a group so diverse in
race, religion, class, and neighborhood.
The impetus to explore GBIO membership comes out of the Strategic Plan approved by Standing
Committee in 2014, which recommended that the congregation “Join GBIO in order to (1) build
multicultural relationships across faiths through effective joint social justice work and (2) deepen
relationships within the congregation as part of the GBIO process of choosing/implementing
priorities.” Task force members are excited about the opportunities joining GBIO would create to:
 increase the effectiveness of our social justice work as part of a coalition;
 grow the pool of folks involved in social justice work at First Parish;
 access leadership training by experienced staff and leaders;
 expand our connections to very diverse individuals and groups, and expose ourselves to
others’ traditions, culture, beliefs, values, and positions;
 work in collaboration with and with accountability to those most directly affected by the
issues we are working on; and
 build deeper relationships within our congregation.
So, please join us! The task force will meet on the first Wednesday of each month, 6:007:30pm, in the Chapel, starting in August. All are welcome!
The task force will spend the summer learning more about other congregations’ experiences with
GBIO and the details of what membership would mean for us, as well as talking with other First
Parish folks. Please save the date for an open meeting about GBIO on Sunday, October 4, 12:302:00. Members of the task force will share what we have learned, GBIO members from other
congregations will share their experiences, and we will answer questions and discuss next steps.
We welcome your questions, concerns, and ideas. To connect with us, please contact Elizabeth
Kline (our contact person) at GBIO@firstparishcambridge.org, or any of the other organizers:
Allegra Stout, Marcia Hams, Chris McElroy, Rashid Shaikh, and Rosalie Anders.
The Meetinghouse News
August 2015
Change is Coming
to Cambridge Forum
Cambridge Forum has been particularly busy
this summer preparing for a transition of
leadership following my retirement later this
month.
I am happy to announce that the Board has
appointed Mary Stack to be the new
Cambridge Forum director. Mary has a
background in education, writing, and media
production, fed by a voracious reading
appetite and a lively curiosity. She will be
working in the Forum office with me for much
of August, so you might well encounter her if
you are in the building. Please take a
moment to introduce yourself.
We are wrapping up our annual survey of
stake-holders. You can respond to the
survey through the link on our website
www.cambridgeforum.org The survey closes
on August 10, so respond now to make
suggstions for speakers and topics for next
season.
And we start fund-raising. Our programs
are free, but they are not cheap—to borrow a
phrase from public radio. And it is to you, our
founding stake-holders, that we turn first for
support. Cambridge Forum does not have a
line-item in First Parish's budget. And we
have seen revenue from sales of books, tapes,
and CDs decline dramatically over the past
five years as free on-line programming has
grown. We love the extra reach that YouTube
and podcasts give our message of social
justice, and we hope that you do too.
Please consider translating that pride of
ownership in Cambridge Forum into a gift of
support. Click here to use our secure Paypal
link.
And look for your full schedule of fall
programs in September!
Pat Suhrcke
Director
7
Pastoral Coverage during the Summer
Throughout the summer, either Rev. Fred
Small or another local Unitarian Universalist
minister is always on call in case of
emergency.
Should a pastoral emergency arise, please
contact the Pastoral Associate on duty at
pastoralcare@firstparishcambridge.org or
Congregational Administrator Carol Lewis at
office@firstparishcambridge.org or 617-8767772. If neither can be reached, please
contact Committee on Ministry Chair Marcia
Yousik at myousik48@gmail.com or 617-4176427. They will have Fred’s emergency
contact information and, when needed, the
contact information of the local UU minister on
call.
Suzanne Giesemann at First Parish
August 12
On Wednesday, August 12, from 7:00 pm –
9:00 pm in the Helverson Parlor, evidencebased medium Suzanne Giesemann will
present on "The Preponderance of the
Evidence" for the continuity of human
consciousness after physical death. A retired
U.S. Navy Commander who served as Aide to
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on
September 11, 2001, Suzanne has been
verified as a highly credible medium by
afterlife researcher Dr. Gary Schwartz of the
University of Arizona. Suzanne is the author
of Messages of Hope and other books on
afterlife communication.
Admission is $18 in advance,
$25 at the door.
You can learn more about Suzanne
at http://www.suzannegiesemann.com/,
watch her video at
https://youtu.be/k2tc6YmQJlU, and register
for the August 12 event at:
http://www.suzannegiesemann.com/event/ca
mbridge/.
The Meetinghouse News
May 2015
8
Ferry Beach or Bust!
First Parish Cambridge is thrilled to be gathering again this fall at Ferry Beach for this year’s All-Church
Retreat!! From Friday, October 9th to Monday, October 12th, folks of all ages will head up to Saco, Maine for
board games, beautiful conversation and THE BEACH!!
Last year’s retreat was a fantastic experience for everyone, and the planning team is gearing up for another
exceptional gathering. There will be opportunities to get to know one another better, learn from each other
and worship together. Joined by the good folks of First Parish in Beverly, who are excited to offer some joint
programming with us, you’ll have a chance to showcase your talent at the annual Saturday evening Talent/No
Talent Show. We are even hoping for a visit from a New England Regional staffer of the UUA to talk with us
about all the transition that is upon us. And, of course, good food, rest and playtime will be in abundance!
So come on out and join us! If you haven’t registered already, please do so by visiting this link: Ferry Beach
Registration. There is a two-night minimum stay required. And please don’t let finances keep you from joining
in the fun. The community supports everyone’s ability to attend the retreat who wants to go, so financial
assistance is available. Contact our Congregational Administrator, Carol Lewis, if you’d like to know more by
emailing her at office@firstparishcambridge.org. Registrations are due by Monday, August 17th.
Also, if you like sharing fun skills that you have, or leading discussions about topics that are important to the
life of this community, then join the planning effort by becoming a workshop leader!! The planning team is
currently taking suggestions for workshops & talks to put together an exciting program for you. To submit your
idea, please contact Danielle Martin at mizzdmartin@gmail.com or Beth Reagan at bethmreagan@gmail.com.
In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer, and we can't wait to see you at Ferry Beach!
Your Retreat Planning Team
(Maria, Altamore, Carol Lewis, Eileen Maher, Danielle Martin, Kylie Mills & Beth Reagan)
The Meetinghouse News
May 2015
9
New Book Discussion Group
The "old" book group is making some changes - all are warmly invited to participate in the "new"
group that will start up in September.
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The book group will be open to all regardless of gender – men are welcome!
We will meet at First Parish on the third Monday of September, November, January,
March, and May - 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Committing to reading all the books is not required – participants can come to as many or
as few discussions as they can - we just request an RSVP
We will choose the 4 books we will read over the year at the first meeting in September.
Everyone is invited to this meeting and invited to present books for the group to consider,
then we will vote to determine the books we will to read
The idea is to read books of relevance to current issues and/or spirituality - suggestions of good
books that raise awareness of issues First Parish is active in are particularly welcome, such as
climate change, immigration, diversity, and homelessness
Please plan to join us on Monday September 21st. Look for more information in
the Sunday announcements and future issues of the Meetinghouse News.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Griffith and Michele Sprengnether
August Shared Offering
The Shared Offering recipient for the month of August is Food for Free. Based in Cambridge,
Food for Free rescues fresh food – food that might otherwise go to waste — and distributes it
within the local emergency food system (including our own Tuesday Meals Program) where it can
reach those in need.
Through a combination of food rescue, farming, and transportation services, Food for Free gives
food programs year round access to fresh fruits and vegetables, while their delivery program
brings food directly to isolated seniors and people with disabilities.
In addition, food rescue — also called salvage or gleaning – reduces food waste. More
information is available on their website, foodforfree.org.