- Sunday Worship
Join Elisabeth Jas as she shares the unexpected lessons she learned on a hiking trip in her sermon, Going the Distance.
“The trek was described as 73 miles with 25 pounds of personal gear. In the end, we traveled 110 miles with 50 pounds on our back most days. Have you ever made a commitment that burdened you more than you expected? When you sought to lay it down, did you find that there was no one else to carry it? Come hear how hiking in the back country of New Mexico redefined for me the meaning of commitment, service and accomplishment.”
Music this week will be provided by Hannah Shields. Hannah has performed throughout the US both as a soloist and a chamber musician. She is a laureate of the YKAA International Competition, the Fite Young Artist Competition, and the Kosciuszko Chopin Competition, and she has attended the Yellow Barn, Banff, and Taos summer chamber music festivals. - A Note from the Board
This coming Sunday is the final week of our summer services series, when Elisabeth Jas, Worship Associate and former Board Chair, will be preaching on Going The Distance. I want to thank everyone who helped make our summer services possible — the preachers, musicians, greeters, child care providers, social hour hosts, and our staff (especially Jane Foley and Bob Coughlin). While many UU churches take the summer off, First Parish has a long tradition of being a year-round church. It’s something we can all be proud of.
In the spirit of community,
Tom Rich
Board Chair - First Parish Sanctuary Choir Rehearsals
In September, the sanctuary choir will resume rehearsing on Wednesday evenings and singing on Sunday mornings. Below is the September choir schedule. If you would like to try us out, please feel free to start coming to rehearsals or the choir retreat.
Also below is the choir schedule for the special musical events that happen at First Parish each year. Please mark you calendar!
Our choir is fun and sings music from many genres. I am always interested in learning who plays instruments in the congregation. All are welcome!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I am available by phone, email or appointment if you would like to share your musical talents in worship and concerts!
Peace and blessings,
Rip Jackson
music@fplex.org
781-862-8200 x4First Parish Choir Schedule – September 2016
Wednesday, September 7, 7:30-9:30 PM – first choir rehearsal in the sanctuary
Sunday, September 11, 9:45 AM warm up and 10:30 AM service (Ingathering Sunday)
Wednesday, September 14, 7:30-9:30 PM – choir rehearsal in the sanctuary
Saturday, September 17, 3:00-7:00 PM – mini choir retreat with potluck supper at First Parish
Sunday, September 18, 9:45 AM – warm up and 10:30 AM service
Wednesday, September 21, 7:30-9:30 PM – choir rehearsal in the sanctuary
Sunday, September 25, 9:45 AM – warm up and 10:30 AM service
Wednesday, September 28, 7:30-9:30 PM – choir rehearsal in the sanctuary
First Parish Choir Schedule for Special Events
Saturday, November 5, late afternoon and early evening dress rehearsal for Folk Concert
Sunday, November 6, 1:30 PM – dress rehearsal and 3:30 PM – Folk Concert
Saturday, December 17, late afternoon and early evening dress rehearsal for Solstice Concert
Sunday morning, December 18, 10:30 AM – Solstice Choral Concert worship service
Saturday, December 24, 6 PM – warm up and 7 PM Christmas Eve Service
Sunday Morning, April 16, 10:30 AM – Easter Sunday
Saturday, May 6, later afternoon and early evening – Broadway Concert Dress Rehearsal
Sunday, May 7, 1 PM dress rehearsal and 3:30PM Broadway Concert.
- Children’s Choir Rehearsals
The First Parish Children’s Choir is growing children’s music ministry at First Parish. They rehearse on Sunday mornings from 11:45 to 12:45 in the yellow classroom beginning in mid September. They sing in the morning church services every 6 weeks or so. They also sing on Christmas Eve, Easter, and in both the fall and spring concerts. The music for the children is beautiful and fun and includes music from Broadway, folk, pop, classical, and traditional genres.
- Welcome to our New Alto Soloist
First Parish welcomes our new Alto Soloist, Julia Jaffe! She will begin singing with the choir in September.
Julia Jaffe, was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she attended a specialized music school majoring in piano. At age 15 she immigrated to the USA and pursued dual studies as an opera/classical singer and a linguist. As a singer Julia had been a lifelong learner. After completing a BA in vocal performance from the University of Utah she worked privately with a New England Conservatory teacher as well as Hebrew College Cantor. Julia sang the lead roles with the Lowell Opera House and Commonwealth Lyric Theatre in Boston as well as in the ensembles of Utah Opera House and Opera Tampa. She was a soloist with the Blessed Sacrament Church in Cambridge for nearly 10 years. Currently, Julia is enjoying a stylistically eclectic concert career — she performs programs of Russian and Gypsy romances; Lieder; Hebrew, Yiddish, and Ladino songs, opera arias, and early music. Julia believes that performing music in a church is the best way to blend spiritual, emotional and expressive needs for the singer and listener alike. She aspires to heal and connect through music.
- This Week at First Parish
Beginning with this Weekly Update, the calendar that had been published in the order of service each week will now be published here. All church events (committee meetings, rehearsals, adult programs, and children/youth activities) will be featured. It may be sparse this week, but just you wait!
Wednesday August 31 Thursday, September 1 Meditation 4:00 p.m. Parlor Friday, September 2 Saturday, September 3 Sunday, September 4 Worship Service 10:30 a.m. Sanctuary Wedding 2:00 p.m. Parish Hall & Kitchen Monday, September 5 Tuesday, September 6 Insight Meditation 7:30 p.m. Parker Hall Finance Committee 7:30 p.m. Common Room Wednesday, September 7 Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Sanctuary - Creative Callings, a/k/a Fiber Arts
All are welcome to participate in an informal group of members and friends who enjoy fiber arts. We gather in the church parlor each first and third Wednesday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm for a low-key time of fellowship and sharing of ideas. Bring a project you are working on — e.g. knitting, crocheting, embroidery, weaving, macramé, beading — or a project you would like to start but need a boost from friends.
Just drop by or email Karolyn Eisenstein at k.eisenstein1@gmail.com to join the email list.
- Lexington Food Pantry
Please help our neighbors who rely on the Lexington Food Pantry to feed their families. There are two baskets by the front doors for donations of non-perishable food items, as well as in the bin outside of the church office. You can also make a cash donation by leaving it with the office or forwarding a check to the Lexington Interfaith Food Pantry, P.O. Box 635, Lexington, MA 02420.
Questions? Contact Lynne Yansen.
- Social Hour Host List
First Parish invites each of you to participate in hospitality by hosting our Sunday morning social hour one time each year. The lead host brings milk for coffee or tea and coordinates with the team; the other invitees each bring refreshments for 30 to 40: (cut up fruit or veggies, crackers & cheese, or sweets. Full instructions are available on our website and are posted in the kitchenette. The table below lists your invitations for this fall and early winter. Please find your name, mark your calendar, and save this list for future reference. September 2016 to January 2017
Date Lead Host Invitees 9/11: Mannix, S*. LeSchack, M; Wanderer, T; Mulready-Shick, J & Shick, S 9/18: McKenney, J* McKenney, B; McGrail, K; Moffatt, P; Noe, C 9/25: JoAnn Poage* Morse-Fortier, S. & Morse-Fortier, L; Poage, J. 10/2: Myerberg, A* Myers, A & D; Myerberg, J 10/9: Nussbaum, C* Muscolo, G; Nolden, S & T; Nussbaum, S 10/16: O’Connor, S* Newhouse, M; O’Brien, J & R 10/23: O’Hare-Gibson, K O’Hare-Gibson, R; Oberteuffer, J; Perry-Wood, Z 10/30: Meharry, M* Pedulla, D & Springer, S; Meharry, D 11/6: Reuss, B*, Prusak, L & B; Reuss, D 11/13: Pollack, D*, Pittore, B & R; Roop, M & L 11/20: Sinnett, J*, Platt, K; Rose, D & R; Ryder, P 11/27: Schmitz, J* Scott, B & Walsh, E; Shrum, R, 12/4: Siegel, E.* Soule, B; Stone, B; Tan, J 12/11: Tasker T* Tanner, R; Sturiale, N & Taibi, G; Tasker, P 12/18: Barss, V* Townsen, D & Yen, S; Lee, J 12/25: no morning service 1/1: Beswick, J tba 1/8: Yansen, L* Whitman, S; Yansen, D; Svenson, E & Jas, E 1/15: Adams L* Adams S & Rich, T; Armstrong, D 1/22: Beers-Jones, D* Anderson, M; Anderson, C; Jones, J, 1/29: Benson, L* Smith, P; Bjorklund, J; Brouillette, P; Breiting, A - A Message from the Cooking and Cleaning Corner
From your Ad Hoc, One-Year Kitchen Committee – Amy Breiting, Carolyn Fleiss, and Marty Kvaal:
Have you ever felt distaste upon entering our kitchens? Dirty sponges? Unwiped counters? Old food composting itself in the fridge? Maybe even a former mouse? Well, take heart. We’re on it…organizing the cleaning and our weekly look-sees.
Some new and/or approved ways of doing kitchen beginning this month:
- Switch to paper towels, sanitation spray, and synthetic scrubbers for cleaning counters and tables and washing dishes.
NO MORE SPONGES. NO MORE COTTON DISH CLOTHS.
- Deep cleaning” of the kitchens by a professional crew three or four times a year. This new expense has been approved by the Board.
How YOU can help keep the kitchens tidy and sanitary:
- Sanitize counters, sinks, and tables after every use. Bottles of sanitizing spray and paper towels are in wire baskets in the kitchens.
- Wash/dry/ PUT AWAY all your dirty dishes before leaving the kitchen. Leave counters clear.
- Label your food in the fridge with name and date so it doesn’t disappear into the trash.
We’ll keep you updated occasionally about what we find on our weekly walk-throughs. We’ll be keeping our eyes out for dust, mice, and dirty dishes. Ideas and suggestions welcome.
- Lifespan Religious Education News 2016-2017
Sunday Morning Registration
The church year will here before you know it! September 11th is our Ingathering Service of Water Communion and is an all ages service. Pre-K through middle school classes start on September 18th. Our Nursery is open for babies and toddlers starting on September 11th. If you have not enrolled your baby, toddler, child or youth yet, please fill out our Family Enrollment Form.
Youth Groups, Coming of Age, and 8th Grade OWL
Senior High Youth Group will continue to meet on Sunday evenings at 7:00-9:00. Junior High Youth Group meets once a month from 3:00-5:00 on Sundays. Coming of Age meets twice a month from 5:45-7:00 on Sundays.
This year First Parish is offering the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program, which will meet in-house and is welcoming any outside families to participate. Parent orientation is on October 4th at 7:00pm, and OWL sessions start on Sunday evening October 16th.
To register for youth programs, please fill out our Family Enrollment Form.
Adult Programs
We are very excited to start up our new format of small group ministry, Soul Matters (previously Chalice Circles/Covenant Groups). Soul Matters groups are led by a facilitator to engage in a monthly theme. This is a great way to develop deeper connections with the members and friends of First Parish, and to dive deeper into how our monthly themes inform us as a community and support you on your personal spiritual journey.
For information on other Adult Programs, including Meditation Groups, Non-Fiction Group, Creative Callings (Fiber Arts Group) and Affinity Groups (Over 80s Group, Unity Group), please visit the website or contact Debbie Armstrong or Ruth Rose
Weekly Update
Subscribe to the Weekly Update
The email newsletter of First Parish in Lexington is published on Wednesdays at 4 pm. Submissions are due on Mondays at 10 am. Email submissions or inquiries to the church office.