Click here to listen to Rev. Anne’s sermon from last week, “Enough is Enough.”

Be sure to invite your neighbors, your co-workers, and your children’s friends to come to church this Sunday. We have so much to share with Lexington, and it will be great to continue to make our church more accessible to folks that have, up until now, only walked by this historic building while wondering what goes on inside!

Thanks to the overwhelming interest in Voices on the Green, tickets are sold out! Please stay tuned for information about the next event, when the theme will be “Living in the Hyphen.”

All are welcome to participate in an informal group of members and friends who enjoy fiber arts. On Thursday, bring your knitting, crocheting, beading or other fiber work and meet in the church parlor from 2:00 pm to 3:45 pm for a low-key time of fellowship, creativity, and sharing of ideas.

Just drop by or email Karolyn Eisenstein to join the email list.

There are only a few spots left for the Bystander Intervention Training on Saturday January 28^th 9:00-12:00. In response to the needs of this community, we will be offering a Bystander Intervention Training with Tony Pilot. Mr. Pilot has had a long career in public safety and service, including 18 years with the Brookline, MA police department. He brings experience as an educator in Brookline’s Public Schools, as a RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) trainer, a member of SRT (Special Response Team), as well as other areas of instruction and training in public safety. Additionally, Mr. Pilot has been a student of Wing Chun Kung Fu for 30 years. Join Tony, Lisa Maria, and Rev. Anne in learning techniques and language for standing up to bullying and speaking out in public when something is not OK.

Please sign up in advance with Lisa Maria by Tuesday, January 24^th.

Are you new to First Parish and/or interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism? Please come to the New UU Class, which will be held on Saturday, February 11th from 9:00am to 12:00pm. The class is for new visitors to First Parish, new members, and anyone wanting a refresher! The class will include discussion about UU beliefs, the Seven Principles, the six Sources, and the UU symbol – the flaming chalice. We will cover the benefits and responsibilities of membership at First Parish, what our motto Love, Seek, Serve means, our mission, and our covenant and why it is different from a creed. We will also speak about church governance and opportunities for connection and service.

Please contact Rev. Anne Mason at minister@fplex.org or Jane Foley, our Parish Administrator, at 781-862-8200 or admin@fplex.org.

Sunday will be the last day to sign up for Spring Potluck Dinners. These dinners are a great way to get to know newcomers and long-time members of First Parish.

When you sign up, you will be able to choose which evenings are best for you, as well as indicate whether or not you could host a dinner. After you sign up, groups of 8-10 people are formed and attendees gather for a potluck dinner in a group member’s home one evening a month for four months. The same people remain in each group for each dinner. There are also options for family potluck evenings where children have their own dinner together, separate from the adults.

Sign up during social hour on Sunday. Questions about spring potluck dinners? Please contact Linda Coyne at lindatcoyne2@gmail.com.

On Saturday February 11 @ 10am at the Lexington Venue, please bring family and friends to a free screening of the film, “Beyond the Wall.”

Written and produced by Concord filmmaker, Jenny Phillips, it was filmed locally at the Billerica House of Correction/ Middlesex Jail. Jenny Phillips and the main character, Louie Diaz, will be present after the film for conversation. The film, in coordination with the “After Incarceration There’s Life” campaign, strives to break down common stereotypes and barriers, to stimulate new conversations about re-entry, and to support preparations of individuals for release. Middlesex County Sheriff, Peter Koutoujian, calls this documentary, “Riveting, gritty, powerful, and provocative-it is real life.”

In the spirit of thinking globally and acting locally, please join us in moving forward in conversation and action on criminal justice reform.  These once incarcerated individuals are our neighbors, friends, and family who are in need of understanding and support.

First Parish Lexington joins First Parish, Bedford and Follen Community Church in sponsoring and supporting this event.

The Social Action Ministry (SAM) at First Parish comes from our Unitarian Universalist faith based on the values of love, justice, community and responsibility. We do this within the supportive environment of our broader church community and the mission of First Parish “…to act on our values to serve the larger community and create a more just and loving world.”

The acclaimed Souled Out Artists (SOA), the story telling and performance art collaborative based in Lexington (think “MOTH Radio Hour” live on stage), will return to the Munroe Saturday Nights lineup on Saturday, January 28 at 7:30 PM with a performance of all-new stories at First Parish in Lexington.

The collaborative was founded in the fall of 2009 by the late C. Anthony Martignetti, with the primary goal of producing a show featuring local writers with stories to tell. Since then, the group has gone on to produce several moving and engaging performances, showcasing the artistic exploration of the SOA writers, visual artists, and musicians.

SOA’s January 28 show is entitled “8 Below,” and is a mix of unique, moving and humorous tales – all of them premiering for this performance. Performing will be Steven Bogart, Ana Hebra Flaster, Nivi Nagiel, Ted Page, Karen Russell, Denise Shea, and Paul Trainor.

Don’t miss this great evening exploring and celebrating the creative process in many styles. The suggested donation for Munroe Saturday Nights events is $10/person. First Parish is handicapped accessible, and free parking is available at the rear of the church. Reservations are strongly encouraged.  Visit http://www.munroecenter.org/reserve-your-seat.html to reserve your seat.

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