This Saturday at the beautiful retreat center (former Passionist monastery), Veterans Inc in Shrewsbury:

Join us on Saturday June 1 for a special day of yoga and meditation, food and friends at Veterans, Inc!

This is open to the general public especially the local yoga and meditation community.

  Families Welcome!

59 South St, Shrewsbury, MA  

Saturday June 1, 2013

9am to 3 pm

Registration starts at 9 am

Live Music and Juice Program starts at 9:20

Formal Program begins at 10 am

Why Yoga Works & Veteran's Testimonial

Yoga & meditation class 11-12:30 before lunch @ 12:30

Small group classes and Healing Arts after lunch 1:30-3 pm

Kundalini Yoga      How to Meditate         Mindfulness

Yoga for Trust and Courage    Massage   Acupuncture     Reiki  

 Art & Yoga     Door Prizes Raffle     Delicious Vegetarian Lunch       Family Yoga @ 1:30   Yogi Chai Tea    Networking Table 

Audience: All welcome including veterans, active military, first responders, military families, nonmilitary, yoga teachers and practitioners, all ages, all levels. No prior yoga experience needed. All classes may be adapted to sitting in a chair.

Suggested donation: $25 to Veterans Inc and to cover lunch

Any amount accepted, no one turned away

Multiple Yoga Teachers will participate, including

Fred Bernard     yogatuesdays.com, Vietnam Veteran and Yoga Teacher

Guru Jiwan Singh     yogatatheashram.com

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa, MD, Christine Croteau kundaliniyogaforall.com

More than 50 years of combined teaching experience

Join us for this fantastic event bringing yoga community and our beloved veterans together!

Questions contact Hari Kirin 774-287-2233 dmpinge@gmail.com          

"To be calm is the highest achievement of the self" ----Yogi Bhajan

SUMMER 2013 FIRST U. GARDEN TOURS SCHEDULE - FIRST HALF

Again this summer church members and friends have graciously agreed to welcome visitors to

their gardens on Sundays from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. Hosts need not provide anything other than interesting sights, sounds, and smells, so feel free to bring a folding chair and water bottle if so inclined (certainly not required.) Questions? Call Kris J. at 508-796-5969 (new #). Assume it's cancelled if it's raining at that time.

Sun., June 2, 1:30-3:30 - Ken Lundquist, 5 Congress St. and the Blooms, 2 Congress St., Worcester. From church turn right uphill on State St., another right to lights and left onto Highland St. Left at next light onto Harvard/Lynden, up and downhill through several lights, and turn right at lights by All Saints Church onto Pleasant St. Left onto Crown St. at hilltop and immediate right onto Congress St. LIMITED ON-STREET PARKING - CARPOOLS ENCOURAGED.

Sun., June 9, 1:30-3:30 - Peter Haroutian, 676 Pleasant St. and the Silvas, 106 Coolidge St., Worcester. Follow above directions onto Pleasant St., crossing Park Ave., to tennis courts and house with enormous tree opposite last court. Park in large driveway and enter back yard. The Silvas' is a short walk away.

Sun., June 16, 1:30 - 3:30 (Fathers' Day) - The Miricks, 160 Mirick Rd., Princeton. From church get to Lincoln Square and take Rt. 290 East briefly to Rt. 190 North. Take exit 5 and turn left onto Rt. 140. Follow winding country road to blinking light and turn left onto Rt. 62 and later right onto Rt. 31 (before Princeton Ctr.). Go past Merriam Rd. to 2nd left onto Mirick. Go approx. 1.5 miles, past Beaman Rd. and uphill to house on right with big red barn on left. Park by barn.

Sun., June 23, 1:30 - 3:30 - The Riggs, 337 Salisbury St., Holden. From church take Salisbury St.. towards Holden, past Salisbury Green on right. Approx. 2 miles later see #337 on left.
Sun., June 30 - Rev. Gary Kowalski's farewell picnic at Gene and Gini Johnson's, 9 Wiltshire Dr., Worcester. Directions available at church that day.

Sun. July 7 - 4th of July weekend, no tour

Stay tuned for info pending on tours for the rest of the summer!

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