First Parish Members and Friends,

At last October’s Semi-Annual Meeting, I indicated that your Parish Board would work on addressing the findings of the Historic Structures Report, which identified a range of needed repairs to our building over the next 10 years.

I’m very pleased to say that the Board has hired Dan Hotchkiss, an expert in church governance and management, to help draft the outline of a five-year plan for First Parish. Dan will work with the Board this month to design steps to address financing options for the building needs identified in the Historic Structures Report as well as other long term building needs. He will also help us begin to dream of how our mission aligns with our building needs, and vision a future for First Parish which will ensure that we remain a strong presence on the Green for years to come.

The Board will vote at the March meeting on the basic structure of this plan, which will include a Capital Campaign and the roles and responsibilities of the First Parish Board, committees, and members and friends in visioning and implementing those plans. This will be an exciting process for us as a congregation.

In the spirit of community,

Tom Rich

Board Chair

Two weeks ago, First Parish in Lexington signed a Declaration of Conscience from the UUA and UUSC. Below is a follow-up request for individuals and congregations. It reads:

Thank you for joining thousands of Unitarian Universalists and people of all faiths who have signed the Declaration of Conscience! To date, we’ve had:

Over 10,000 signatures, including,
Signers from all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.,
Over 200 congregations endorsements, and
More than 600 committed clergy members 

The movement is growing as more and more people commit to defending our values and our communities by resisting the oppressive political agenda in Washington and across the country. Our Beloved Community has never been under greater threat, and never have so many risen to answer the call so quickly. Share the Declaration with your friends on Facebook!
 
Here’s how you can stay engaged. As a signer of the Declaration of Conscience, you are invited next week to join the first of our regular Conscience Call virtual gatherings. You’ll see inspiring stories of resistance, hear from partners in solidarity, and find out about ways you can take action.
 
Save the date:

Conscience Call
Friday, February 10, 2017
1:00 p.m. ET/ 10:00 a.m. PT
Details to follow next week!

Here are a few more key ways you can stay connected and keep heart:

• Grow: Develop your own ability to intervene and de-escalate confrontational situations, by watching this training video from Standing on the Side of Love.
• Learn: Register for our next webinar, The Path Toward Sanctuary: A Practical Guide on Monday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m. ET to learn the nuts and bolts of having your congregation offer physical sanctuary to those at risk of deportation.
• Act: Check out the new resource, Solidarity & Sanctuary: Options for Congregational Action, for an overview of both big and small ways to take action together.
• Share: Add your congregation or group’s public event or program to the Show the Love map, and watch the movement for equity and justice grow!

Yours in faith & conscience,
 
UUA and UUSC

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.

The annual pledge drive brings in about two-thirds of the funds that provide worship and music on Sundays, pastoral care throughout the year, children and adult religious education programming, and community outreach. Our goal this year for the pledge drive is $393,000. Pledge cards will be mailed to parishioners in late February and we hope everyone will have pledged by March 12th.

Have questions about the pledge drive? Stop by our table at social hour after church on Sundays. We have chocolate and colorful charts!

Your Annual Pledge Drive Team (Bob Coyne, Marsha Fox, Bob Gibbons, Katie O’Hare Gibson, Tom Rich, and Erik Svenson)

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.

This Saturday, February 11th, Munroe Saturday Night’s presents A Night of Broadway Solos and Duets. First Parish in Lexingtonʹs soprano and tenor soloists Elizabeth Walsh (Broadway singer) and Austin Burns (opera singer) will perform an evening of Broadway solos and duets with accompaniment by Rip Jackson on piano. Come spend an evening serenaded with stunning and beautiful repertoire from the American stage. Austin and Beth will sing music from Show Boat, West Side Story, Miss Saigon, Les Mis and other exciting songs from Broadway musicals. Rip Jackson will also play George Gershwin’sʹ Rhapsody in Blue (excerpt). Doors will open at 7 PM and the concert begins at 7:30 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended. For more info about the concert, call 781-862-6040 or www.munroecenter.org/reserve-your-seat.html. Suggested donation of $10/person.

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.”

Amnesty International

Following Sunday’s service in the parish hall, the local chapter of Amnesty International will be conducting their annual letter write-in. Today’s letters are directed at government officials and involve prisoners of conscience in China, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. There will also be a special petition to sign which will be presented to Lexington Selectmen and Selectwomen asking them to pass a town-wide resolution declaring Lexington as a welcoming community for all refugees, and most notably refugees from Syria.

This is an important activity sponsored in part by the Social Action Committee and part of a town-wide activity. The more letters signed the better! To preview the letters, please click on the links below. You can also print and sign ahead of time and bring to church on Sunday.

Any questions, please contact Al Jacobson.

China letter

Uzbekistan Farmonov letter

Vietnam letter

Climate Justice

2400 JFK Federal Building

15 New Sudbury Street

Boston, MA 02203

Phone: (617) 565-3170

The First Parish Sanctuary Choir will join 11 other choirs from Lexington in raising their voices together in the 12th Annual Lexington Choral Festival on Sunday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m. hosted by Hancock Church. This year’s festival features choirs from 12 area churches and temples with over 200 singers participating. Admission is free and open to the public.

Participating this year are choirs from, Pilgrim Congregational Church, Sacred Heart Church, Hancock United Church of Christ, Church of Our Redeemer Episcopal, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, First Parish Church, St. Brigid Church, First Baptist Church, Lexington United Methodist Church, Temple Emunah, Trinity Covenant Church, and the Chinese Baptist Church. Each choir will sing 2-3 numbers of their own choosing, then all the choirs will join in a mass performance together.

The performance is approximately 90 minutes in length. A reception will follow. Free parking is available behind the church and around the Battle Green. The church is fully accessible.

All are welcome to the next Unity Group luncheon and program, which will take place on Monday, February 13th in Parker Hall. This month’s presenter will be Cammy Thomas, who will talk about Emily Dickinson and how her poetry influenced Cammy’s own poetry. Cammy writes:

“Virtually unknown during her lifetime, Amherst native Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), who barely left her house as an adult, has become every American poet’s parent — she’s the mother and Walt Whitman the father of contemporary American poetry. She wrote almost two thousand poems, most of them unseen until a long time after her death, and virtually all of them of high quality. Why is she such a strong influence? We’ll look at a few of her poems, and I’ll talk a little about how she’s influenced my thinking and my poetry.”

Cammy’s first book of poems, Cathedral of Wish, received the 2006 Norma Farber First Book Award from the Poetry Society of America. Her second book, Inscriptions, came out in 2014. Both are published by Four Way Books. Her poems are forthcoming or have recently appeared in Ibbetson Street #40, The Missouri Review, The Maine Review, Off The Coast, Third Wednesday, and Spillway. A fellowship from the Ragdale Foundation helped her complete her new book. Cammy teaches literature and creative writing at Concord Academy.

Guests are invited to the social time and lunch, starting at 12:00 or just the program at 1:30. No reservations necessary.

All are cordially invited to

the Installation of Rev. Anne Mason

as Minister of First Parish in Lexington

Sunday, March 26, 2017

4:00pm in the Sanctuary

More information to follow.

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