Shooting Star
1/1/12

Thank You - It is a joy to thank the people of First Parish and their families who give to the church community, especially those who serve during both services on Christmas Eve. And it is a pleasure to thank all those who helped with this year’s “Between the Services” meal on Christmas Eve. Fran Guerard provided baked goods and help in the kitchen; Karen Leblanc and David Allen took their traditional role in setting up and breaking down; Colleen Leary provided pizza for the hungry kids; Don Hayden, Chris Sweetnam, Marion Murphy and Rick Wight helped clean and wash up; and Wendla Windt kept me organized, provided background music, and gave me the space and time to pull things together. As always, it was a team effort. My apologies if I missed anyone. I do appreciate the help. My thanks to the best Christmas Eve elves around!--Paul Windt

Please attend the next “CONGREGATIONAL CONVERSATIONS” on January 15, 2012 Discussion led by the Standing Committeein the Chapel starting at 1230pm This is a date change from January 8th Meeting Format: Update from Standing Committee Financial Update Big Questions to talk about some big picture items. We will continue discussing volunteerism at First Parish

The DRE Search Team is Formed The Search Team to lead the congregation in the recruiting of our new DRE has been formed and has started meeting. The members include; Anna Wolf, Chris Kaffine, Chris Boucher, Tom Wight, Deirdre Heck and Tom Coffey. The team has already had two meetings on December 18th and 28th. Our next meeting is January 16th. During the month of January we will be seeking input from members of the congregation via a 9 question survey, please watch for more details and an invitation to participate. Also during January, we will review the existing DRE Job Description and begin to develop an interview process. Please contact any of us if you have any comments or questions. Thanks, The DRE Search Team

Adult RE Class: Racism & Oppression: What can I do about it? Intern minister Russ Menk will be facilitating a six-week class on anti-racism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. In an interactive format, we will explore the definition of racism, the history, the presence, personal v. institutional, share personal stories, and discuss what can be done. We will use a variety of formats from videos, music, open discussion, and short lectures. You can attend one or all of the sessions as your schedule allows: Wednesdays, 6:30pm to 8:00pm Jan 18, Jan 25, Feb 1, Feb 8, Feb15, Feb 22 Room: TBD. If you have any questions about the class or if you are interested, I’d love to hear from you Russ Menk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEW DATES: Have you been inspired to create a care shawl? Join Edith Murphy and Cornelia Kirkpatrick at the MacKay Library in N. Chelmsford on the following Wednesdays: 1/18, 2/15, 3/21, 4/18 and 5/16, at 6:30 - 8:00 PM. We're happy to supply patterns and good cheer. Questions? call Edith or Cornelia.

Evening Service Musician Request: A new year, a new wish – I decided no resolutions this year, just wishes. My top one is to be open to the possibilities that present themselves in the coming year. This goes out to all of you musicians, especially those of you who consider yourselves “aspiring”. The worship committee invites you to be open to sharing your musical gifts at the Sunday Evening Services which take place at 5:30 PM in the Chapel. Have you been learning and playing music for your own enjoyment and feeling like it might be nice to take it a step further and perform for other people? Come play for us – your gifts will be truly appreciated! And of course we would like to hear from our seasoned musicians as well as we put together the schedule for the second half of our church year. I can be reached by phone, email, or at social hour. Thank you! - Carla Corey

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Brenda Rogers will be offering a 6-week class in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 PM, starting January 23. MBSR is a meditation-based stress reduction program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester starting in the 1980’s. You can read about it on wikipedia, by reading Jon Kabat-Zinn's book Full Catastrophe Living. Or you can email Brenda with your questions. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Brenda Rogers. Thanks!

(1/17)Young Adult Meeting We are forming a Young Adult group (age 18 to 35) at First Parish. While we are still in the planning/formative phase, the interest is high and the possibilities are exciting. Our next meeting will be Tuesday January 17, 2012 7:00pm-9:00pm High School Room
Invitations will go out to all Young Adults we know about, but please feel free to refer any Young Adult you know that might be interested to Russ Menk or Caroline McMullin for more details

(2/10) The Death of Josseline – Immigration Stories from the Arizona Borderlands Please join us for the discussion of this book that was chosen as a common read by the UUA to encourage dialogue around the subject of immigration. We will begin with a potluck and invite you to bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Pizza and beverages will be provided. Our ministerial intern, Russ Menk, will be facilitating. There are several copies of the book in circulation in the congregation. Please contact Carla Corey if you would like to get the next available copy. Hope to see you there!

(1/22 & 29) Re-energizing Social Action at First Parish - Date change - We would like to create a new group, the Council of Faith in Action Ministries. The goals of the new council will be to support our current outreach committees, increase communication between the committees and the congregation, and make it easier for new social action initiatives to start. If you are interested in helping us form this new Council,come to one of our two information sessions, after the evening service on 1/22/12 and after the morning service on 1/29/12. If you have any questions, please contact Joan Coyne at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NOLA Service trip date signup extended - We will be heading back to New Orleans this spring for our annual Mission trip. Our trip this year will be over April Vacation, April 14th – 21st. Since we are going over April Vacation, High School students are welcome to come, with a parent. We will be working with St Bernard Project, the same group we worked with last year, and we will be staying at the Annunciation Mission where we have stayed for the past 3 years. The cost is roughly $220 for room and board. Airfare varies each year. Scholarships are available to those who need help paying for the trip. If you are interested, please contact Joan Coyne at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We will need a deposit of $125.00 to hold your spot at the Annunciation Mission by January 29th 2012.