First Parish in Cambridge Unitarian Universalist
October 11, 2015
Truth, Covenant, and Reconciliation: Indigenous People’s Day
Sean Neil-Barron
Welcome to First Parish!
First Parish in Cambridge is a multi-faith, spirit-filled
congregation devoted to love and justice. We are
moving joyfully into a multiracial, multicultural, justicemaking future. We embrace all ages, races, classes,
abilities, sexual orientations, gender presentations, and
ethnic and religious backgrounds. Honoring all the faith
traditions of the world, we support each person’s path to
wisdom and spiritual growth. Whoever you are,
wherever you are on the journey of life, we welcome
you into our hearts.
If you’re here for the first time, we invite you to fill out
a visitor card located in the pew and leave it in the
collection plate. We’ll sign you up for our weekly email announcements and monthly newsletter. All are
welcome to join us in Helverson Parlor following the
service for refreshments. Please take a “terra cotta”
mug so we can recognize and greet you.
For those attending with children, you are welcome to
worship as a family or children ages 4 and under are
welcome in our Nursery in the Parish House. An usher
can direct you to Nursery staff. Registration is required.
Activity boxes for older children are also available
from the ushers. For more information, please speak
to today’s newcomer liaison.
Announcements
All requests for written, oral and spotlight
announcements should be submitted to Emily Guthrie,
our Communications and Membership Coordinator.
A reminder that the word limit for written
announcements is 125 words and oral announcements
is 65 words.The deadline for requests is Thursday
morning at 8:30 am. E-mail requests to Emily at
CMC@firstparishcambridge.org
A looping system is available for
people who are hard of hearing. Switch
on the telecoil in your hearing aids.
Share the Plate
The shared offering recipient for October is HEET
(Home Energy Efficiency Team), a Cambridge-based
non-profit organization with a mission to catalyze
community engagement and develop hands-on
educational opportunities to advance energy efficiency
skills and clean energy knowledge to achieve climate
stability and create resilient communities. At First Parish
Cambridge, HEET has assisted the Sustainability
Committee and Environmental Justice Task Force in
conducting two Fall Work Days in the past 5 years
providing skilled team leaders and advice on
weatherizing and energy saving for our building. HEET
sponsored a Home Energy Audit Program with Mass
Save that provided First Parish members and friends
with valuable energy saving assistance in their own
homes. The free audit program also raised funds for First
Parish’s own energy conservation efforts.
HEET partners with the city governments on our
initiatives such as the Cambridge Solar Challenge
(during which the number of residential solar
installations increased ten-fold over the normal rate of
solar installations in Cambridge). Since its inception,
HEET has made a deep commitment to serve lowincome communities including non-profits such as
preschools, food pantries and community centers them
save money and reduce energy use.
Religious Education for Children and Youth
Children and youth meet in the chapel at 10:30 to
choose your 7 Principles Street Puppet. Then we will
hand out First Parish flyers in Harvard Square to
celebrate Octoberfest and the HONK parade.
See you next week, October 18th, for RE programs!
Chemical Sensitivity Policy
This is a fragrance-free parish. Thank you for not
wearing any of the following during your visit:
cologne, after shave lotion, perfume, perfumed hand
lotion, fragranced hair products, and/or similar
products. Our chemically-sensitive congregants
appreciate this.
Upcoming Events
Energy and Environment Forum- October 14
The Environmental Task Force encourages Cambridge
residents to attend the City Council Candidates Forum
on Energy & Environment Wednesday, October 14th,
6:30 pm, Cambridge YMCA. What are the candidates
proposing to address the urgency of catastrophic
climate change? For more information contact
EJTF@firstparishcambridge.org.
Gospel Sunday – Rehearsals this week!
Linda Brown-San Martin, renowned and beloved
Gospel choral director, returns to First Parish to help
us celebrate the fall season with another rousing
Gospel Sunday. The choir invites and encourages any
member or friend of First Parish to join in learning
and singing this joyous and powerful music; in the
Gospel tradition, all music will be taught aurally.
Interested singers should plan to attend one weeknight
rehearsal – 6:30-8:30 pm on either October 15,
or October 16 - as well as the mandatory dress
rehearsal, 3:00 pm -5:00 pm on October 17 and final
rehearsal/warm-up on October 18. To register to
sing, contact First Parish Music Director Jonathan
Barnhart (musicdirector@firstparishcambridge.org),
or choir/music committee member Irene Merwin
(irene_merwin@hms.harvard.edu).
Fundraising Gala for HEET- October 15
Environmental Justice Task Force and the
Sustainability and Building and Grounds Committees
ask you to support Cambridge’s Home Energy
Efficiency Team—HEET- by attending its
fundraising gala honoring Mothers Out Front and
Senator Ed Markey on October 15, 6:30—9:00PM at
Carrie Nation Restaurant, 11 Beacon St., Boston.
Among a variety of activities, HEET hosts “Energy
Upgrade Work Parties” and has done at least two here
at First Parish, helping us reduce our energy costs and
our carbon footprint. Please go to the website,
www.HEETMA.org for more information. Hope to
see you there—support those who support us!
Fall Work Day- October 17
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, Sustainability and Building and
Grounds Committees need YOU! to come out to help
us. We will be working outdoors to clean up our
grounds, pull spent annuals and weeds, and sweep up
wayward mulch. If indoors is more your thing, we
will tackle closet organization and cleaning, putting
up our indoor “storm windows,” and perhaps a little
painting.We’ll gather in the Helverson Parlor to form
teams and later have lunch. 9:00 am-1:00 pm. Sign up
during Social Hour or online
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10lEidBY9axNPEt
XaHOsehK-Zm1-aPm3BcNPv0SO719M/viewform).
Young Families Potluck – October 17
All young families are heartily invited to the Young
Families Potluck at 4:30 pm. For more information
Contact staceyjacksonflammia@gmail.com.
Longtimers/Seniors Breakfast – October 18
All longtime members of the church as well as
seniors, please join us in the Parlor at 9:00 am.
EJTF Community House Party- October 18
On Sunday, October 18th at 12:30, the Environmental
Justice Task Force will be hosting a Community
House Party with Mothers Out Front. This gathering
is one of many taking place across Massachusetts and
beyond with the goal of building a national movement
of mothers, grandmothers, and other caregivers calling
for bold climate action on behalf of all children.
We’ll be joined by a trained facilitator from Mothers
Out Front who will guide our conversation and
provide us with information, inspiration, and ways to
get involved that can fit our busy lives. For more
information contact EJTF@firstparishcambridge.org.
Community Auction – November 15 and 22
Now is the time to support the annual auction! Only
two more weeks until all donations items are due.
Donation ideas include gift baskets, tickets to sporting
events or concerts, professional skills such as legal
advice, massage, or yoga. Vacation home weekends
are especially popular. We also need people to host
dinner parties at their homes -- anything from comfort
food to gourmet feasts. Events should be planned to
take place from late January through August, 2015.
Please visit our table at coffee hour this Sunday. We
are glad to answer all your questions or help you
brainstorm an item to offer! For more information
contact the auction team
at auction@firstparishcambridge.org or visit the
website at ww.firstparishcambridge.org/auction.
Events this Week
Today – Sunday, October 11
Noon Youth Group in the Gallery
3:00 pm Liars and Believers in the Barn Room
6:30 pm Dance Friday in the Barn Room
Monday, October 12
6:30 pm Women Writing Together in the Chapel
7:00 pm Alcoholics Anonymous in the Parlor
7:00 pm Liars and Believers in the Barn Room
Tuesday, October 13
9:30 am Yoga Class in the Barn Room
11:00 am Tuesday Meals Morning Volunteers
5:30 pm Tuesday Meals Dinner service
6:00 pm Cambridge Forum Board in Barn Room
7:00 pm Fiber Arts Group in the Baldwin Room
7:00 pm Young Adult Group in the Nursery
7:00 pm Finance Committee in the Chapel
7:30 pm Liars and Believers in Helverson Parlor
Wednesday, October 14
9:30 am Yoga Class in the Barn Room
6:30 pm Gospel Choir Rehearsal in Meetinghouse
6:30 pm Two Brattle in the Baldwin Room
7:00 pm EJTF in Helverson Parlor
7:00 pm Liars and Believers in the Gallery
7:00 pm Gurdjieff Society in the Chapel
7:30 pm Interplay in the Barn Room
Thursday, October 15
9:30 am Yoga Class in the Barn Room
10:00 am Playgroup in the Chapel
12:00 pm Yoga Class in the Barn Room
3:30 pm Better Future Project in the Chapel
6:00 pm Yoga Class in the Barn Room
6:30 pm Gospel Choir Rehearsal in the Chapel
7:00 pm Liars and Believers in the Parlor
7:00 pm Covenant Group in the Gallery
7:30 pm RE Committee in the Landing Rm
7:45 pm Circle Dance Meditation in Barn Room
Friday, October 16
9:00 am Groovy Baby Music in the Chapel
5:00 pm Lecture in the Meeting House
8:00 pm Dance Friday in the Barn Room
Saturday, October 17
8:30 am GSA in the Chapel
8:30 am Cambridge Minyan in Parlor and Chapel
9:00 am Fall Work Day
10:00 am Yoga Class in the Barn Room
3:00 pm Gospel Choir Rehearsal
4:30 pm Young Family Potluck in the Barn Room
7:00 pm The Rise Again Release Concert in MH
Flowers
A reminder that you can order a bouquet to beautify
the sanctuary on any Sunday. Bouquets are $35. To
do so, please contact Carol Lewis at 617-876-7772 or
office@firstparishcambridge.org, by the preceding
Thursday.
Safe Congregation
At First Parish we covenant to welcome all people to
the table, to nourish and serve each other and to
respect and honor the inherent worth and dignity of
every person. To achieve these goals it is essential that
we maintain a safe environment that protects children
and adults from harm while fostering their spiritual
growth. We encourage anyone who has witnessed or
experienced verbal, sexual or physical abuse at First
Parish to contact the appropriate team:
SafeCongregation@firstparishcambridge org
(for issues involving adults), or
safechildren@firstparishcambridge.org
(for issues involving those under 18
First Parish Staff and Leaders
Interim Minister ............................ Rev. Clyde Grubbs
Ministerial Intern .................................... Seanan Fong
Minister Emeritus ............ Rev. Dr. Thomas Mikelson
Music Director ............................... Jonathan Barnhart
Director of Religious Education .............. Mandy Neff
Religious Education Intern…………Colleen Vickers
Youth Coordinator ……………………Myra LalDin
Nursery Care Coordinator .................. Lace Campbell
Nursery Care Coordinator ............... Jeremy Schwartz
Congregational Administrator ................. Carol Lewis
Comunications & Membership Coordinator……..
Emily Guthrie
Building Manager ........................ ……..Roland Ellies
Tuesday Meals Kitchen Coordinator……Pam Cannon
Tuesday Meals Assistant………………Brian Downes
Executive Director, Paine Senior Services Liz Aguilo
Social Worker, Paine Senior Services……...
Maureen Harty
Director, Cambridge Forum ..... …………Mary Stack
Standing Committee 2015 - 2016
Chair: ....................................................... Peggy Kraft
Vice Chair:.......................................... Sylvia Wheeler
Treasurer: ................................................ Ernie Sabine
Clerk: ........................................................ Linda West
Members at Large: Julie Duncan, Brittney Gardner,
Devon Kinkead, Grey Lee, Mark Pickering.
Rashid Shaikh