For an advance copy of the Strategic Planning Committee's proposed Vision for 2015. This will be discussed at the annual meeting.
The Strategic Planning Committee Report also shows how this Vision fits with our Covenant, the Values Statement (2005), the Vision, and our potential Strategies, Objectives and Goals.
http://www.firstunitarian.com/PDF4Display/Strategic_Planning_Outline_Jan_2010.pdf
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
An Experiment in Listening at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco
What: Screening of Documentary Video Made at WPI's Project Center in Morocco
When: 6:30 -8:30, Friday February 5th
Where: Salisbury Labs 115
Come hear what Moroccan students have to say about what they want to do after they graduate, what they think about the United States, why they cover their hair (or don't), what it means to them to be Muslim, and much more!
Just Like Us: An Experiment in Listening at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco is a documentary video that provides an in-depth perspective of the attitudes, aspirations, and lives of Moroccan students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. The project was implemented while studying abroad through Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Global Perspective Program in August-October of 2008.
Submitted by Linea Palmer Paton
When: 6:30 -8:30, Friday February 5th
Where: Salisbury Labs 115
Come hear what Moroccan students have to say about what they want to do after they graduate, what they think about the United States, why they cover their hair (or don't), what it means to them to be Muslim, and much more!
Just Like Us: An Experiment in Listening at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco is a documentary video that provides an in-depth perspective of the attitudes, aspirations, and lives of Moroccan students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. The project was implemented while studying abroad through Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Global Perspective Program in August-October of 2008.
Submitted by Linea Palmer Paton
Help Host IHN Guests
Have you been considering signing up to help host the guests for the Interfaith Hospitality Network? Well, now it the time to get into action! Our guests arrive on Sunday. They will stay for 2 weeks. This is a huge challenge for us, but I know we are up to it! We have 5 adults, 3 youth, and 2 infants - one of which is only 2 weeks old!
We are in need of the following -
*help with move in BEFORE church at around 9:30am
*set up of classrooms as bedrooms AFTER the church service and the annual meeting.
*one person/family to host dinner on Thursday 2/11 with Linda Carney
HUGE NEED FOR Overnight Hosts - we need 2 people from our congregation to stay overnight with our guests to help them in case an emergency arises, or they have questions regarding the building. Arrival at 7pm and depart at 7am the following morning. In the morning just make sure everyone is awake, perhaps prep some coffee, and they will depart the building by 7am.
*2 hosts - SUNDAY 1/31
*2 hosts - Tuesday 2/2
*1 host - 2/3, 2/4. 2/5, 2/9, 2/10, 2/11, 2/12
*2 hosts - Saturday 2/13
Supplies
*week 2/7 - 2 cases bottles water, 5 liters soda (FYI - great sale right now at CVS if you buy 12-6 packs, get $10 Xtra-care bucks back)
*we need 4 people who will agree to be "supply runners" - people we can call if we need to restock supplies during the week to purchase the supplies and bring them over to the church the next day)
Thank you for the consideration! Please call the church office at 508-757-2708 or email office@firstunitarian.com for contact information.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Qi Kong, Talented Young Pianist from China
A gifted young artist from China, pianist Qi Kong, will be giving a free concert in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian church on Sunday, February 7, 2010, at 12 noon, playing works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Stravinsky. This 16-yr-old virtuoso was first prize winner of the 2009 Bösendorfer and Schimmel International Piano Competitions (junior division) after winning several competitions in his native China. He studies with Ms. Wha Kyn Byun and Mr. Russell Sherman at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and attends Walnut Hill School in Natick. Qi Kong was brought to our attention by Sally Jiang, a member of our choir. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear this extraordinarily talented young classical musician.
Partners in Health: Crisis in Haiti
From Partners in Health (PIH): Crisis in Haiti
Submitted by Sue Schade, a chaplain at First Unitarian whose hospital, Brigham and Women's , is actively involved in the relief effort.
Wednesday morning, a strong aftershock earthquake rocked Port-au-Prince, temporarily shutting down operations at the general hospital in Port-au-Prince, as well as several other PIH sites outside the city. Since then additional smaller quakes continue to disrupt efforts on the ground.
Here's a quick update on our work in Haiti despite these challenges.
PIH's surgical teams continue to race against time to provide surgical care to earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince. Operating rooms at the central general hospital (HUEH) in Port-au-Prince are fully operational again after being temporarily evacuated on yesterday in response to the aftershock. PIH is still coordinating the relief efforts at HUEH and reports having 12 operating rooms opened 24 hours per day. Across the country, we have a total of 20 operating rooms up and running.
To date, PIH has sent 22 plane loads with 144 medical volunteers - orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical nurses and other medical professionals - and several thousand pounds of medical supplies to support the more than 4,500 PIH health care providers already in Haiti.
Despite these accomplishments, our teams throughout the country continue to report a great need for additional medicines (antibiotics, anesthesia and narcotics), medical equipment (anesthesia machines and x-rays), medical supplies (IVs, tubing, irrigating saline), and water..
"There are very sick people and too little space and time," reported PIH Women's Health Coordinator Sarah Marsh from our hospital in St. Marc. She added that we will lose more patients to infection in the coming days if we don't find additional medications, and explained that it is despite the lack of supplies - not patients - the surgical team risks performing more operations. A volunteer orthopedist also working from St. Marc stressed that we will need full medical teams on site to manage dressings, skins grafts and other post operative care for another 6-8 weeks.
Our sites in the Central Plateau and the lower Artibonite are dealing with increasing numbers of patients and families seeking both medical treatment and refuge from devastated Port-au-Prince. Finding space and beds for post-operative care has become the next major challenge. In Cange, PIH's 104-bed facility is overflowing: the church is serving as a triage center and the school as a recovery room. People are arriving in Cange at all hours of the day and night; many simply have nowhere to go.
"Our houses were crushed and our businesses destroyed. So we came to Cange," said one man who arrived in a bus with 12 relatives, including his mother-in-law who was critically injured. In Belladaire, near the border with the Dominican Republic (DR), up to 1,000 people are camped out at PIH's hospital in temporary shelter, searching for family members and medical treatment. We expect that people will continue to return to the countryside, having lost their family, livelihoods, and homes in the capital city, and meeting the needs of this displaced population will be a major task in PIH's long-term rebuilding efforts.
Finally, recognizing that many of our own Haitian staff, who are working tirelessly to save the lives of others, have also lost their own families and friends, PIH is also developing a post-trauma mental health and social service program to serve both staff and patients.
The task ahead is a monumental one. And even as we heal wounds, mend broken bones, and provide basic necessities (food, water, shelter), its true magnitude grows before our eyes. But we know from 20-plus years of accompaniment the resiliency of the Haitian people. Through poverty, strife, hurricanes, disease and hunger, our Haitian friends and colleagues continue to amaze us. Their determination, spirit, and ability to overcome and survive is inspirational and humbling.
Partners In Health is determined to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to ensure that their struggle succeeds.
With your help, we know we will be able to do so.
Kenbe fem,
Ali LutzHaiti
Program Coordinator
Submitted by Sue Schade, a chaplain at First Unitarian whose hospital, Brigham and Women's , is actively involved in the relief effort.
Wednesday morning, a strong aftershock earthquake rocked Port-au-Prince, temporarily shutting down operations at the general hospital in Port-au-Prince, as well as several other PIH sites outside the city. Since then additional smaller quakes continue to disrupt efforts on the ground.
Here's a quick update on our work in Haiti despite these challenges.
PIH's surgical teams continue to race against time to provide surgical care to earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince. Operating rooms at the central general hospital (HUEH) in Port-au-Prince are fully operational again after being temporarily evacuated on yesterday in response to the aftershock. PIH is still coordinating the relief efforts at HUEH and reports having 12 operating rooms opened 24 hours per day. Across the country, we have a total of 20 operating rooms up and running.
To date, PIH has sent 22 plane loads with 144 medical volunteers - orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgical nurses and other medical professionals - and several thousand pounds of medical supplies to support the more than 4,500 PIH health care providers already in Haiti.
Despite these accomplishments, our teams throughout the country continue to report a great need for additional medicines (antibiotics, anesthesia and narcotics), medical equipment (anesthesia machines and x-rays), medical supplies (IVs, tubing, irrigating saline), and water..
"There are very sick people and too little space and time," reported PIH Women's Health Coordinator Sarah Marsh from our hospital in St. Marc. She added that we will lose more patients to infection in the coming days if we don't find additional medications, and explained that it is despite the lack of supplies - not patients - the surgical team risks performing more operations. A volunteer orthopedist also working from St. Marc stressed that we will need full medical teams on site to manage dressings, skins grafts and other post operative care for another 6-8 weeks.
Our sites in the Central Plateau and the lower Artibonite are dealing with increasing numbers of patients and families seeking both medical treatment and refuge from devastated Port-au-Prince. Finding space and beds for post-operative care has become the next major challenge. In Cange, PIH's 104-bed facility is overflowing: the church is serving as a triage center and the school as a recovery room. People are arriving in Cange at all hours of the day and night; many simply have nowhere to go.
"Our houses were crushed and our businesses destroyed. So we came to Cange," said one man who arrived in a bus with 12 relatives, including his mother-in-law who was critically injured. In Belladaire, near the border with the Dominican Republic (DR), up to 1,000 people are camped out at PIH's hospital in temporary shelter, searching for family members and medical treatment. We expect that people will continue to return to the countryside, having lost their family, livelihoods, and homes in the capital city, and meeting the needs of this displaced population will be a major task in PIH's long-term rebuilding efforts.
Finally, recognizing that many of our own Haitian staff, who are working tirelessly to save the lives of others, have also lost their own families and friends, PIH is also developing a post-trauma mental health and social service program to serve both staff and patients.
The task ahead is a monumental one. And even as we heal wounds, mend broken bones, and provide basic necessities (food, water, shelter), its true magnitude grows before our eyes. But we know from 20-plus years of accompaniment the resiliency of the Haitian people. Through poverty, strife, hurricanes, disease and hunger, our Haitian friends and colleagues continue to amaze us. Their determination, spirit, and ability to overcome and survive is inspirational and humbling.
Partners In Health is determined to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to ensure that their struggle succeeds.
With your help, we know we will be able to do so.
Kenbe fem,
Ali LutzHaiti
Program Coordinator
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