Winter Gala 2012

Winter Gala 2012, “Wish Upon A Star-BELIEVE” was a great success. It netted about $3,000. 

 The Bancroft Room and Dining Hall were transformed with sparkling star decorations and twinkling mini lights. Star mobiles, partially made by Hogwarts Summer Campers and some UU Sisterhood members, dazzled. A multi-pointed star (made by Kate Popinchalk) “shot over” the Chairperson and chef, Linda Chatalian Wyatt’s long middle table signaling it was “time to eat”. 

Guests enjoyed mingling during the cocktail hour to the piano music of Nat Needle. After dinner, guests danced fervently to the country rock music of Cosmic Slim and His Intergalactic Plowboys. The teen wait staff also rock-and-rolled. Lee Reid and Steve Knox, Kate O’Dell and Paul Kelly were magnificent dancers. Kris Johnson smoothly led polkas.

Many people contributed to make it an enchanting night. We appreciate seats donated by Warren Laroche, Michael Ennis and Anita Kostecki, John and Diane Mirick, Tom and Sue Schade, and Will Sherwood. Thank you to all who attended and special gratitude to the following people.

Committee Members: Linda Chatalian Wyatt, Chair; Lee Bona, Scott Hayman, Seth Popinchalk

Office Staff (Reservations, Newsletter Announcements, Consultation, and miscellaneous): Barbara Foley, Donna Rossio

The Chefs: Linda Carney, Linda Chatalian Wyatt, Gene and Gini Johnson, Mary McAlister, Kate O’Dell, Alison Ronn, and David Spanagel. (Jay Lavelle could not cook due to illness.) Thanks to people who assisted the chefs in some capacity, such as, Vivian Shortreed, Wendy Innis, Matthew Ronn, Becky Spanagel, Paul Kelly, John Roemer, and Phil Nigro.

Bakers—Pat Curtis, Diane Mandile

Bartender—Seth Popincalk

Wait Staff: Alana Chatalian Wyatt, Maddie Hayman, Amelia McCarthy, Mia Roemer, Hannah Ennis, and Aria Jordan

Kitchen Crew: Sue Shaw, Bob Shaw

Decorations and Set-up: Hogwarts Summer Campers, UU Sisterhood members, Abigail Hannaford-Ricardi, Kris Johnson, Diane Mandile, Seth Popinchalk, Kate Popinchalk, Iran Colon, Alivia Colon, and Aryanna Francisco

Musicians: Nat Needle, (piano music for cocktail hour); Cosmic Slim and His Intergalactic Plowboys, featured band, (Bill Fischer, Rick Levine, Sten Gustavson, congregant; Rick McCarthy, congregant; Phil Nigro, congregant, Todd Benson (substitute); and their sound coordinator, Chuck Demers

Clean-up Crew: Liz Gustavson, chefs, wait staff, various other volunteers

Children’s Pinocchio Pajama Party: Rhye Gray, Jessica Gray, Olivia Mandile, Diana Colon, and Lesa McWalters

Pledge Campaign 2013

Remember that ad series, I think for American Express? Here's a First U version: Continuing Ed. for Sunday School staff - $500 per year. R.E. Books and Supplies - $1500 per year. Office postage, excluding all email communication - $2500 per year. Value of smiles on Christmas Pageant faces, or support from a church friend in time of need, or the way words and music in a Sunday service cracks your heart wide open - priceless.

This is the lifeblood of a congregation - turning dollars and cents and effort into service that makes life worth living. It may seem crass putting a price tag on the experience of your child's christening or that grown child's wedding, or the comfort you received when your mother died, but this is what churches do. And it can't happen without your support.

How much you pledge is a matter for your own conscience, but I urge you to be generous. The need is critical. We were warned at last year's annual meeting that we could no longer rely on our endowment to make up the deficit between what is pledged and how much our programs actually cost. We may not be able to engineer a solution to the U.S. government's deficit woes, but we can start with our own financial challenges, right here, right now. Please give careful consideration and make that pledge. Waiting till tax time to decide is too late since the church budget for the new year must be submitted in January.

Whatever your financial situation may be, I suggest a further challenge for each of us. Listen to that priceless call of conscience to service and answer it. Maybe that means chaperoning for a youth event, or signing up for a month of ushering, or saying yes when asked to sit on a committee. It could be as simple as introducing yourself to someone you don't know at each church event you attend, but please know that your caring makes all the difference.

Kris Johnson

Transgender Day of Remembrance

REMEMBRANCE OBSERVANCES

Transgender Day of Remembrance is held annually to remember those who lost their lives in the past year due to intolerance, to ensure that on at least one day of the year, the world is not allowed to ignore violence against transgender people. The Welcoming Congregation Committee of First Parish UU Church in Chelmsford would like to let you know that there are three opportunities to bear witness and support the Transgender Community in this area.

1. Lowell will be holding their second annual Transgender Day of Remembrance Observance on Thursday, November 15, 6:30pm – 9:00pm. The observance is being organized by the Center for Hope and Healing, which serves the BGLT community out of the Rape Crisis Center of Greater Lowell. The Observance will start at the Kerouac Commemorative in Lowell (located in Kerouac Park in downtown Lowell on Bridge Street) and proceed down East Merrimack Street ending at Christ Church United (180 East Merrimack Street, near Saints Memorial) where there will be speakers, a reception, and open discussion.

2. The Welcoming Congregation Committee of First Parish UU Church will hold their annual vigil at First Parish in the chapel on Friday, November 16, at 7:00 pm. We will light candles in memory of each person. The church is located at 2 Westford Street on the Chelmsford Common. The chapel is located in the end of the building next to the church's parking lot.

3. On November 20 at 12:15 pm there will be a ceremony in the chapel (Building 81) at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, MA.

Gala 2012

 

Fundraising Dinner and Dance
In the Bancroft/Dining Rooms 

Saturday, December 1, 2012

6:00 p.m.

• Beverages and Finger Foods
• Dinner and lots of good conversation. 
• Dancing to local favorites: Cosmic Slim
  and the Intergalactic Plowboys 

Choose your dinner:

Nine different First U parishioner chefs, including:  

David Spanagel, Jay Lavelle, Linda Chatalian Wyatt,
Mary McAlistar, Gene and Gini Johnson, Kate O'Dell & Friends, Alison Ronn, Wendy Innis, Carol Gregory and others if demand is there   

Click  here to view the menus before you reserve your seat at a table. 

   

$50 per ticket. Beer and Wine Cash Bar. 

While the parents play the kids are invited to a Free Pinocchio Pajama Party from 6:00pm to 11:00pm run by the Youth Minister and older youth.

Click on the link below to reserve your seat(s) and sign-up for the Pajama Party or, 

if you cannot go, to purchase tickets for others who may not be able to afford it or,   

click on "I can't make it" below to make a donation to support this church fundraising effort.

Reserve Now!

I can't make it 

Thank You For Your Support

Pledge Sunday

Each year our church holds their annual church fund drive to help support the church. We begin the budget process by having the pledge campaign so that we can determine what resources will be available for next year's programs. This year we are kicking off the pledge drive with an all church luncheon. I want to thank all the people who have volunteered to set up, clean up, prepare sandwiches, prepare desserts, bring food and flowers and carve pumpkins. You are all invited. It will be a lot of fun.

After your yummy homemade lunch please join us in the Chapel for a fun, upbeat, intergenerational intention-setting for prosperity. How will we do this? Dr. Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa will lead the group in a movement and sound meditation. This will be done seated in a chair or seated on the floor, and any body, young, old, flexible or not can participate. We will create a vibration which will invite prosperity paths into our lives and into our church community. This will take about 30-45 minutes. Please bring your spirit of curiosity, fun and neutrality. Nothing else is needed. 

The church is alive with new faces and more children in the Sunday School. I am very excited by the activities and excitement in the church. Please consider a new pledge or increasing your pledge for the church.

It would be particularly helpful if you could think about your pledge during the week and when you come to church on October 21st you could complete your pledge card during the service. If you cannot remember your pledge amount, you can complete the card by saying increase my pledge by 5% or 10% or increase my pledge by $25 a month or leave my pledge the same. After your pledge card is received, you will receive a letter thanking you for your pledge with the amount you have pledged. If it does not seem correct you can change it later. The import thing is to complete your pledge card and either drop it in the box on Sunday or mail it in as soon as possible. We have canvassers who will be calling on those who have not completed their pledge cards.

Wendy Innis

Head Assessor

Caring Circle Groups

Circle 1:  Includes Boylston, West Boylston, Lancaster, part of Worcester 01609, Sterling, and Fitchburg.  There are no leaders currently for this circle.

Circle 2:  Worcester 01609.  Paul Kelly and David Blodgett are the leaders.

Circle 3:  Includes North Central Towns:  Holden, Jefferson, Princeton, Westminster, and Hubbardston.  Kenneth and Elizabeth Strom are leaders.  One more leader is needed.

Circle 4:   Includes towns north and west:  Paxton, Rutland, Oakham, and some of Worcester 01602.  Paul Belanger and Jean McInerney are the leaders.

Circle 5:   Includes towns east of Worcester:  Northborough, Westborough, Grafton, Shrewsbury, Westwood, and Framingham. The leaders are Diane Pingeton, Peter Gray, and Danna Peterson.

Circle 6:  Includes South County and west:  Auburn, Webster, Oxford, Southbridge, North Oxford, Sutton, Leicester, and Brimfield.  Susie Stanley is a leader for this Circle. Another leader is still needed.

Circle 7:  Includes Worcester 01603 and 01604, Uxbridge, Whitinsville, Northbridge, and Milford.  Marjorie Connelly and Audrey Martinez are the leaders.

Circle 8:  Includes Worcester 01602 and 01612.  The leaders are Rick Silva, Madeline Silva, and Vivian Shortreed.

Circle 9:  Includes Worcester 01605 and some parts of 01606. The leaders are Leanore  Bona and Ted Messier.

Circle 10:  Includes Worcester 01607 and part of 01606.  The leaders are Liz Gustavson  and Kattia Yauckoes.