A Warm and Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City- Membership Council News
A Warm and Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City
History is alive and still being made at First Parish ? if you would like to help make the decision about our next minister this spring, we invite you to become a voting member. Voting members have a voice and a vote in this and all congregational decisions. Learn more in a three evening series for people thinking about becoming members.
1. If you are beginning to think of First Parish as your church home,
2. If you find yourself calling First Parish "my church",
3. If you come more Sundays than you miss, you may already be a member in your heart and mind. When you add your name to "Ye Olde Membership Book" (with names from the 1700's to the present), you affirm your commitment to strengthen this spiritual community as we strive to nurture ourselves and "help heal the world".
New UU Explorer Classes- for people who would like to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, First Parish and becoming a voting member. Put these March dates on your calendar- Sunday evenings 6-8PM. March 7,14, and 21. Bette Brunswick will facilitate the program.
New Nametags ? Sunday November 1 st , Nancy Knauber will make name tags for new friends and members (weather permitting). If you already have a 'button' nametag and want a new one, we request a $2.00 donation. We also have 'hanging' name tags for anyone who would prefer not to have to pin into clothing. If you would like to design your nametag at home, you may pick up a template at the Welcome Table in the Parish House. Nametags are a way of demonstrating our welcome.
Sixteen members of First Parish attended the District Workshop on Congregations as Caring Communities at the Brunswick UU Church. UU minister Rev. Karen Foley led the group through the basics, identifying levels of caring, from casseroles and car rides, to home visiting, through to 'companioning' people living with terminal illnesses. The experiential learning we shared enriches our Care Ring plans.
Members, friends and visitors are invited to attend a new fellowship activity - Group Soup. First Parish members, friends and visitors will gather on Sunday, November 8th at 11:30 to break bread, enjoy some tasty soup and discuss current programs, events & topics related to First Parish and the Denomination. This is a great opportunity to get to know who we all are and discover what makes First Parish TICK!
Please sign up at the Opportunity Buffet table in the Parish House or e-mail/call Bette Brunswick , bettejn@maine.rr.com / 318-5255, to let us know how many people to plan for. Do you enjoy cooking? We are also looking for help in the kitchen for this event and your recipes for tasty soups! Again, call Bette. Hope to see you all there!
New UU Explorer Classes and Lunch with the Ministers are postponed until later in the church year because of the busy schedule for October and November. Stay tuned for new dates.
The November meeting of the Membership Council is rescheduled to Thursday October 29 th . We will discuss our ministries of hospitality, newcomer classes, fellowship opportunities and the new directory. Please join us from 5:3 0pm to 6:45pm in the Parish House ? space to be determined.
Owning Your Own Religious Past will be facilitated by Rev. Kitsy Winthrop on Sat, November 21 st . People who attended this program last year found it helped honor the best from their previous religious experiences.
You may also register for these activities by contacting Membership Chair Val Blais at 774-6675 or val_nmt@yahoo.com .
The One Paycheck Away group every Thursday, 4 to 5:30 pm
Given the current harsh economic crisis that is impacting our community so deeply, several members of First Parish have come together as therapists to create a "one paycheck away" support group. This ongoing, facilitated focus group is being offered to friends of First Parish who have lost their jobs, experienced a lay off, or are facing financial and economic uncertainties. We hope to create a safe place to share feelings, concerns, ideas, tools and resources in addressing the current economic times. Group facilitators include lead facilitators Sarah Waite, LCSW, and Johannah Harkness, M.A., counseling psychology, with Betsy Whitman, M.A., counseling psychology, assisting on a part time basis. This is an ongoing group. Donations gladly accepted.
For information and to sign up, please contact Sarah Waite at swaite@maine.rr.com, Johannah Harkness at johannahharkness@yahoo.com or Betsy Whitman at ewhitman@gwi.net
Membership Notes
The Bylaws of First Parish Portland, Unitarian Universalist, state "that any person eighteen years of age or over may become a Voting Member by signing the membership book and declaring himself/herself in sympathy with the purpose of this society.* Membership in First Parish is an important commitment. Voting members are invited and encouraged to participate in and contribute to the life of First Parish: specifically, by volunteering their time and talents, by joining the congregation on Sunday mornings, and by making a generous financial contribution."
*Purposes - Bylaws, Article II
'The purpose of this society shall be the maintenance of religious worship and work to promote the principles and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association...This society affirms and promotes the full participation of all persons in its activities--including membership, programming, and the calling of religious professionals--without regard to race, color, gender, gender expression, physical or mental ability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, class, or national origin. Ultimately, the society's practices are guided by its religious principles and congregational polity." (Article VII, Section 7)
Books, videos, and other resources about Unitarian Universalism, First Parish, and related topics are available in our Library.
Your Path to Membership
We at First Parish hold membership to be an important personal commitment to the life and work of our congregation. In that spirit, we recommend the following path toward understanding Unitarian Universalism and First Parish history, programs, and opportunities.*
- Conversations for newcomers, held the first Sunday of each month at 11:15 am is an opportunity to meet both current members and other newcomers, to ask questions about Unitarian Universalism and our congregation, and to share what you are looking for spiritually.
- Lunch with the Minister provides an opportunity to have a light lunch and fellowship with church leaders who will offer information on a variety of church programs and activities.
- UU Explorer's Series. Participating in the three sessions deepens your understanding of Unitarian Universalism and its history, First Parish history and organization, and the meaning of membership.
- Join First Parish! Signing the historic Membership Book, which dates to the early 1700s, indicates your commitment to the purposes of this, Portland's oldest faith community.**
- New Member Recognition Services are held once or twice a year during a Sunday worship service. Current members and new members covenant to walk together in fellowship and mutual support; you will receive the "right hand of fellowship" from the Minister, the President of the Congregation, and other church leaders. A rose is presented to commemorate the occasion.
*Those coming from other UU chuches and longtime friends of First Parish may opt for a conversation with the minister in lieu of the above.
**Bylaws related to Membership service.
Sacred Service
?It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself? ?Ralph Waldo Emerson
A new year...new beginnings, new work to be done, new opportunities for service.
Oh no, you say. Not another one of these pitches. I don?t want to volunteer. I can?t do service. I?m too new, too old, too young, too busy with work, too busy looking for work, raising kids, volunteering elsewhere; I wouldn?t know where to begin. I won?t. I can?t.
Besides, church for me is Sunday service. I come to First Parish for a solemn, sacred, spiritual experience not to do committee meetings or make decisions or get involved in the nuts and bolts of running a religious organization.
Besides, the work gets done. Sunday services continue on; the choir is brilliant, the ceiling is no longer falling in, the children are happy in their classes; the pageant was amazing as usual. Everything runs smoothly and happily along.
On some level, we all know our church community can only be as healthy, vibrant and active as we, its members and friends, are willing to make it. Making it so involves time, energy, effort and commitment - from every single member. And that means from you as well. You don?t need to make lengthy time commitments, you don?t need any sort of experience, you don?t even need to attend meetings, but you do need to be a part of First Parish?s journey to bring to fruition the sacred vision of ?a warm and welcoming place in the heart of the city?. This will truly happen only with your energy, your creativity, your thoughtfulness.
Service at First Parish does not have to be a tedious, exhausting one-way deal?all output, no returns, no rewards. Volunteerism done right, volunteerism done wisely, volunteerism done in the power of the sacred will not diminish the quality your life. Volunteerism done right will add immeasurably to all of our lives. Volunteerism done right will grow our faith, deepen our trust, stretch our skills, enrich our relationships, and increase our joy.
Volunteer to support your quiet, sacred space. Volunteer to support your spiritual Sunday service. Volunteer to support First Parish?s sacred vision. This is a great time to volunteer; there are many service opportunities available. They may vary in nature but they all share the same purpose: providing you with the opportunity to live and express your highest self. ?Leslie Runser, Chair & Bette Brunswick