Ferry Beach Weekend: Sign up in May

Many of us begin the church year with a weekend of retreat and reflection at Ferry Beach in Saco, Maine (http://www.ferrybeach.org)./ The weekend is affordable and open to everyone. We join together with friends from the Holden Street church for beach walks, volleyball, time to rest, a talent show, and even a campfire! Mark your calendars now for September 17th – 19th. We will be taking registrations during coffee hour every Sunday in May. Prices include dorm style accommodations, food and activities. Camping is also available! We hope you’ll join us this year!

Monday Night At the Church May 2010

On May 10th Monday Night at the Church features A Musical evening featuring Nancy Smith singer and guitarist, along with her daughter Lillian Smith, son Michael Smith and friend of all, Ariana Cordova. Come and enjoy an intimate evening of songs and instrumentals from this group of talented musicians from the First Unitarian Church. Programs start at 7:15pm in the Bancroft Room each monday night right after the fellowship supper.

May 17th - Tonight's program is presented by "The Leaving Well Committee" and is an opportunity for members of the First Unitarian Church to come together to share thoughts and feelings about the upcoming retirement of our senior minister - Rev. Barbara Merritt. Please come and enjoy the fellowship. Program starts at 7:15pm.

May 24th - A historic performance featuring Ellen O’Neall-Waite an amazingly talented actress, writer, vocalist and all-around entertainer. She will present a one-woman performance focused on an historic figure associated with the church. Bring the whole family and plan to be entertained and enlightened.

May 31st - Memorial Day program - To Be Announced

June 7 – Worcester Poetry Association (1st Monday) Lisa Fluet, Assistant Professor of English, Boston College, delivering the annual Bloomsday Lecture.If you have any questions about Monday Night At the Church programs or would like to present a program, feel free to contact David Blodgett at 508-340-1041 or email office@firstunitarian.com for contact info. See you there!

Leaving Well Group on May 9th

The Leaving Well Group is inviting all members of the parish to gather together on Sunday, May 9th at noon in the Chapel for a time of reflection, thoughts and concerns about the retirement of Barbara Merritt. This can be a time to share memories as well as feelings of gratitude, sadness and humor. For questions, please email office@firstunitarian.com for contact info.

Welcoming Congregation Plaque Installed

On Monday, May 26th the Welcoming Congregation Committee installed a plaque on the front of the church in memory of Peter H. Levine, MD.

Party and Dance for the 225th on May 8th

Boogie with BYOBlues on Saturday, May 8 from 8-11 in Unity Hall. These fine musicians, including our own Sten Gustavson on keyboard, will play some classic Blues for our listening and dancing pleasure. Sodas and snacks available. $5 donation suggested. It's time to have some fun.

Bring friends!

Collection for the Center for Nonviolent Solutions

This Sunday, May 2, the Prudential Committee has agreed to allocate $200 from our offering plate to the Center for Nonviolent Solutions, a new organization in Worcester that several of our church members are involved in. Bill Densmore and Paul and Marj Ropp have worked with an interfaith group for the past two years to form the Center for Nonviolent Solutions, an education and resource center devoted to the promotion of peace and nonviolent solutions to conflict at all levels of society.

Why the Need for Nonviolent Solutions?

1) Violence in local communities results in disruption of family life, the paralyzing of schools and education, and fear in neighborhoods. 2) Warfare between nations, civil war and genocide result in millions of deaths, permanent psychological damage to survivors, devastating destruction to infrastructure, and the violation of human rights. And 3) Warfare and preparations for war result in the diversion of resources from serving the needs of the people, and create havoc on national economic systems.

Goals and Accomplishments

In our first year of operation CNVS taught a pilot course on peacemaking and nonviolence for high school students at the University Park Campus School, and we are now working with the Worcester Public Schools to expand this initiative to other schools including South High School and Claremont Academy. We will teach skills in nonviolent communication, anger management, bystander training and peer mediation at the K-12 level. Students will learn of many successful examples of nonviolent social change as pioneered by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela.

Memberships

In addition to institutional memberships, the Center for Nonviolent Solutions welcomes individual, student, and family memberships. For more information on the Center, visit our website at http://www.nonviolentsolution.org/.

The Little Church with The Open Door

The Little Church with The Open Door, will be given to the Sunday School, on May 2, at 11:45, in the chapel. I'll be setting it up there at 10:00, so if any of you have things you've made or bought for it, please make sure I have it / them, by then. Then, at 11:45 a.m. please come and see! And thank you all enormously, I'm very grateful for your help and the children will be too. On May 2, everyone is welcome.

Bunny Guerrin