Jane Zerby writes:

To food pantry volunteers and supporters:

We had a very busy day at pantry yesterday and I want to thank all of you who came to help. You were all terrific! 55 folks came through our doors, quite a large number for us, and we were able to give everyone fresh bread, fruits and vegetables, a wide assortment of staples, and an added treat: donated Girl Scout cookies which brought a smile to all.

Several folks were first-time visitors, so the word about our pantry is still spreading. As usual, our customers included people of all ages and races, speaking several different languages. I think we now have our procedures, and the food, better organized for an easier flow of traffic; we can more easily help people in wheelchairs or who have other disabilities. We’ve learned a lot in 3+ years.

Thanks again, so much, for all your help.

(More pictures after the jump!)

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.

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.

Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist, First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, and JP Forum are co-presenting this production of In Between, which will be performed on Sunday, March 4, at 7:00 p.m. at First Church. To reserve tickets, call Allie at First Baptist (617-524-3992). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. If you’d like to help promote the show, a one-page flyer for the performance may be found here.

Ibrahim Miari is a theater artist and educator currently living in Boston. He holds an MFA in Theater Education from Boston University. Since 1996 Ibrahim has been a member of the Acco Theatre Center Ensemble, acting and dancing in ensemble based projects for both young and adult audiences throughout Israel, Europe and the United States, as well as performing solo shows in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Ibrahim is also a Sufi dancer and sacred dances instructor, performing and leading workshops at universities and international festivals. His theater credits include Arabian Nights; The Fever Chart (Ali); Underground Railway Theater, for which he was nominated for the IRNE award 2010; Crickets (Boston Theater Marathon); and Round Trip to Monte Carlo (best actor – audience choice, Boston Playwrights’ Platform Festival 2010).

9:30 a.m. Newcomers’ Breakfast:  All are welcome to join us in the Dining Room for a Newcomers’ Breakfast. Longtime church members, first-time visitors, and everyone in between are warmly invited to attend. Share a yummy morning meal with us as we build community and get to know each other a little better.

11 a.m. Sunday Service: Our guest preacher is Kye Flannery, a seminarian at Harvard Divinity School. She lives in Dorchester with a cat who may be a deity.

She describes herself as a “psychology geek” who loves to read old books by Carl Rogers and Rollo May. She also loves cooking and is always looking for good bread recipes.

Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Cathy Baisly and Carolyn Dooman for hosting Coffee Hour.

7 p.m. Love, Music, & Chocolate: A Tower Benefit Concert with John Muratore.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door ($15 advance/$20 door for students & seniors). Proceeds will benefit First Church’s Tower Fund.

E-mail fcjpvalentine@gmail.com to reserve your seats!

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CHURCH HAPPENINGS

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.

*** Sunday, Feb. 12th***

Newcomers’ Breakfast – 9:30 a.m.
All are welcome to join us in the Dining Room on February 12th for a Newcomers’ Breakfast. Longtime church members, first-time visitors, and everyone in between are warmly invited to attend. Share a yummy morning meal with us as we build community and get to know each other a little better. Please RSVP to Paul Miller. Longtime members, let him know if you can bring a dish to the potluck breakfast.

Sunday’s guest preacher is Kye Flannery, a seminarian at Harvard Divinity School. She lives in Dorchester with a cat who may be a deity. She describes herself as a “psychology geek” who loves to read old books by Carl Rogers and Rollo May. She also loves cooking and is always looking for good bread recipes.

Please join us following the service for coffee and light refreshments. Thank you to Cathy Baisly and Carolyn Dooman for hosting Coffee Hour.

The Tower Benefit Concert, with John Muratore, is at 7 p.m. on the 12th. Get your tickets now!

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SAVE THE DATE – UPCOMING EVENTS

***Next Sunday, February 19th at 11 a.m.***
Sabbatical Minister Rev. Marshall Hawkins will be preaching the sermon “To Save and to Savor.”
***GBIO Assembly February 16***
First Church members will be attending an assembly of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization on Thursday, February 16, from 7pm to 9pm at Boston Missionary Baptist Church. We will be carpooling from First Church at 6:30pm. All are welcome. Contact Marshall Hawkins for more information.

Save the Date: Saturday, March 3 Fellowship Dinner
Details to come.

Beginning Thursday, February 16: Adult RE – Croning
A new Croning group will start on Thursday, February 16 from 7 to 9 pm and go for 6 weeks. If you are interested in participating and/or want more information, please contact Margaret.

Please visit our calendar online at:

http://www.firstchurchjp.org/events/

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WAYS TO CONNECT OR CONTRIBUTE

***Spring Fair News***
June is not very far away, the Spring Fair needs your input and hard work.

We are looking to create teams for the various tasks involved in putting on the Fair. Abby, as she has so often, is taking care of the Vendors. The book sale is going to be held and we do need people to join that team.

My hope is to have all of the leaders of teams in place by March 15. We need people power for work, as well as ideas for a replacement fundraiser for the yard sale. The yard sale is the part of the fair where we sell household goods in the Parish Hall. Please let me know if you care enough to continue the yard sale to work on it. It requires many hours, and if we sell furniture, strong backs. If we continue the yard sale we need a team of at least 5 people with the time to work about 5 to 7 hours a piece before the day of the sale.

My sense is that we need a new fundraiser. Please, get in touch with Cathy.

Community News
Philomena O’Donnell is recovering from pneumonia at the Hebrew Rehab Center in Roslindale – stop by for a short visit to say hi!

Adult RE in March
Interested in worship – what we do and how we do it at our church? Rev. Terry Burke will be leading a four
session class during the Wednesdays in March, Worship 101. We’ll learn about the elements of our worship tradition, as well as what’s involved in choosing hymns, creating prayers, organizing sermons. Sessions will start on March 7th and run 7:30-9PM at the church.

All are welcome, especially those who may be interested in participating in our Sunday service. Please rsvp to firstchjp@aol.com

Church Retreat March 16-18th, Glastonbury Abbey
“Seeking Your True Self: Embracing Your False Self.”
In a supportive and confidential environment, we will explore the question of how we can live authentically, and
how that can bring us closer to each other and to God. Come be part of our Spiritual Facebook!

Terry Burke, Ghanda DiFiglia, and Alice Kociemba will facilitate this retreat.

Friday evening, March 16th through lunch on Sunday, March 18th.
Cost: $200 per person, with some scholarships available.
Please contact Mary Brady if you are interested in attending, and with any questions you might have.

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ONGOING CHURCH HAPPENINGS

Building Use
Did you know that you can rent the Parish Hall or a smaller space for a celebration, group meeting or other event?? Contact Monroe Heyman for more details.

Yoga at First Church
Join us throughout the year for Monday for Evening Yoga (6:45 – 8:15 pm) for 90 minutes of stretching, flexing and core strengthening (suggested donation: $15). For you early birds who want to wake up your body while the earth is waking up, try the slow-flow class Thursday mornings, 7:30 to 8:15 (suggested donation: $10). Please try to be on time, out of respect for other attendees. Some mats and props will be available to borrow. Bring a friend! For any questions about yoga, contact Margaret. All donations go to the work of First Church in our community.

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When submitting items for the weekly newsletter, please limit them to 250 words or less. If you have a special event that may need more space, please check in with Julia (Firstchjp@aol.com) for special parameters. If you would like your announcement included in the weekly newsletter, please send them in by Wednesday evenings. Announcements will run for no longer than 3 weeks, unless there are specific date parameters. You may resubmit your item after it has run for the allotted time.

Regular office hours are currently 9 am to 1 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays. You may contact the church administrator, Julia, by emailing Firstchjp@aol.com.

Julia Terry, Congregational Administrator
First Church in Jamaica Plain UU
6 Eliot Street
P.O. Box 300186
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-524-1634
Website: www.firstchurchjp.org

Mr. Muratore teaches classical guitar at Dartmouth College and Boston University. He is the coordinator of the guitar program at All Newton Music School and a guitarist with Counterpoint Chorus.

The concert is Sunday evening, February 12, at 7 p.m. at First Church. Attending as a couple is not required! A few non-chocolate and vegan items will be provided as well.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door ($15 advance/$20 door for students & seniors). Proceeds will benefit First Church’s Tower Fund.  E-mail fcjpvalentine@gmail.com to reserve your seats!

Nota bene: This event is not suitable for young children.

A panel discussion about controversial prison sentencing reforms—including the “three strikes” laws—turned into a political strategy rally by several prominent Boston elected officials on Jan. 27 at First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist.

Dramatic moments included a convicted felon tearfully describing the impacts of a throw-away-the-key approach to sentencing, and local state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz defending her vote in favor of the Senate’s version of the controversial proposal.

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.