11 a.m. Sunday Service: Please join us with guest speaker David Dorney. Rev. Burke will be co-leading the retreat this weekend and will not be present at First Church.
What’s Happening this Sunday, March 18th, at First Church
Category Archives: Sunday Services
“Worship 101″ Report
Rev. Terry Burke:
We had 6 people in our first “Worship 101″ class last night.
The class walked through the elements of our Sunday service and talked about the resources in our hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition. Participants are learning about what we do for worship as well as how we do it. They have the project of creating an order of service for a worship theme that interests them, as well as doing a simple sermon outline.
Ellen McGuire, our Music Director, will be talking to the group in a later session about music and hymns.
What’s Happening this Sunday, March 11th, at First Church
Please don’t forget to set your clocks forward!
11 a.m. Sunday Service: One Family Scholars will be speaking.
Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Michelle Otterson, Judith Garfunkel and Emerson Stamps for hosting coffee hour.
12:30 p.m. Social Action Group Meeting: Morse Room.
Readings for Sunday, March 4, 2012
Mark 1:9-15:
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Musical Mysteries
Abby Krueger writes with a reflection on last Sunday’s service:
One of the great joys of time at First Church is hearing the music. Even if you know nothing about music it is a powerful spiritual experience for many of us. But, as you learn more about it, it becomes even more powerful! And we get chances to do so by listening and joining enthusiastically, and by explanations and teaching.
For example on Sunday we sang one hymn using another hymn’s tune. How did Ellen know that would work? Continue reading
What’s Happening this Sunday, March 4th, at First Church
9:30 a.m. Welcoming Committee Meeting
11 a.m. Sunday Service: Our preacher is Rev. Terry Burke, who will deliver a sermon titled “The Gift.”
Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Charlotte and Kurt Hemr for hosting Coffee Hour.
7 p.m. Play: Ibrahim Miari, “In Between”
In Between is a semi-autobiographical one-man show that portrays the complexities and contradictions inherent in Palestinian-Israeli identity. On the precipice between two cultures stands Ibrahim Miari. His play recalls his childhood in Acco, memories of his Jewish and Palestinian grandmothers, of war, and of the struggle to shape and understand his own multi-faceted identity. Continue reading
What’s Happening this Sunday, February 26th, at First Church
Please note: During the month of February, Rev. Terry Burke will be on leave, using up a month of accrued sabbatical time. Rev. Marshall Hawkins will be on call for pastoral emergencies.
11 a.m. Sunday Service: Our guest speaker is Rabbi Victor Reinstein, the founder and rabbi of the Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue in JP. A lifelong activist for peace and justice, he loves interfaith dialogue and strives to bring shalom.
Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Dan DeAngeli and Amy Nesta for hosting Coffee Hour.
12 noon Once a Month UU Lunch: Following the service, there will be a grilled cheese and tomato soup luncheon to kick off our new Once a Month UU Lunch program. The suggested donation, $7, will support the work of First Church.
What’s Happening this Sunday, February 19th, at First Church
Please note: During the month of February, Rev. Terry Burke will be on leave, using up a month of accrued sabbatical time. Rev. Marshall Hawkins will be on call for pastoral emergencies.
11 a.m. Sunday Service: Our preacher is Rev. Marshall Hawkins, the affiliate minister at First Church. Rev. Hawkins will deliver a sermon titled “To Save and To Savor.”
Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Courtney Feeley Karp and Roy Karp for hosting Coffee Hour.
What’s Happening this Sunday, February 5, at First Church
Please note: During the month of February, Rev. Terry Burke will be on leave, using up a month of accrued sabbatical time. Rev. Marshall Hawkins will be on call for pastoral emergencies.
11 a.m. Sunday Service: Our guest preacher on Sunday is Rev. Clyde Grubbs, who serves as the minister-at-large of the Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice and Healing. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to George Smith for hosting Coffee Hour.
“Neighboring Faiths” RE Update
Mick Hirsch, Director of Religious Education, writes:
This past Sunday, our inaugural group of “Neighboring Faiths” kids shared with the congregation their experience over the month of January studying Judaism. Our 10-13 year olds were most excited about their visit to a neighborhood Jewish temple, Nehar Shalom, just down the street from First Church in JP. From that visit, where we were welcomed to a “good Shabbos!” our kids treated our own congregation to a special treat: they taught us how to sing the signature spiritual of the Civil Rights Movement, “We Shall Overcome,” in Hebrew! Needless to say, both the kids and the congregation did a great job singing through the transliterated text.
Next Sunday, February 5, our Neighboring Faiths class will begin a month-long segment on Buddhism.
Adult RE Class on Worship begins in March
Rev. Terry Burke writes:
On Wednesday nights in March, I will be leading a study group on worship and our service. It will be especially for those who might want to participate in our liturgy in various ways. Please email the church if you are interested.
Sermon, January 22, 2012: “Candlemas”
Rev. Terry Burke:
Today we are celebrating Candlemas, a church holiday including the blessing of candles. This should be done closer to February 2nd, but it’s a little early as George Wardle will be preaching next Sunday. Later, for Candlemas, we will be sharing candles and flames as part of our service.
There are many related layers to the holiday of Candlemas. It’s associated with St. Brigid of Kildare, Ireland, whose distinctive cross is on the cover of our order of service. St. Brigid died in the 6th century, and legend has it that when the rite was being conducted to consecrate her as a nun, she was made a bishop instead. St. Brigid was noted for her concern for the poor. We used to celebrate Medieval Feasts at this church, and children of the parish once dramatized the story of the saint’s cloak. A stingy king promised as much land for the poor as St. Brigid’s cloak would cover – her nuns ran with its corners in the four directions as it magically covered his kingdom. There are still Brigidine nuns, and as part of their work they keep an eternal flame.