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

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 x4

First 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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