Hello All,
I am sending you all rain-soaked love on a truly gray March day.
I am writing these words in a coffee shop in Providence, RI, where I am
about to meet with a wonderful colleague who has been part of the GBLM
(pronounced Ga-Blam!) the Greater Boston Lead Ministers, a group of ten
colleagues serving multi-staff congregations around Boston.
In the midst of the return from lockdown I was meeting with colleagues one
on one, ministers serving Sherborn, Arlington and more, and I realized a
bunch of us have very distinct challenges. And so, in addition to helping
gather and serve all hundred plus of our UU Ministers who were part of the
Mass Bay Ministers group I helped lead for the last four years, ten of us
started to gather for worship and sharing resources.
It has been a wonderful group with many successes and challenges to share.
I look forward to sharing more about our work together and the many
possibilities for cross pollination and creative collaboration going forward.
For now, welcome to another Staff Board Report. Here in the next section, I
will touch on the Stewardship Kick Off and the Team for this year and next,
I will discuss our Simulcasting experiments and learnings, I will mention our
upcoming Activity Fair and Shared Ministry Team, and finally will share
some exciting news about my involvement in the UU Urban Ministry.
And then there will be reports from our wonderful staff.
Stewardship Team and Kickoff
The Stewardship Drive is off to a great start. While it is early days to make
sense of the results, we are free from red flags so far and have a robust
response to the first stage. We are tracking with previous years and have had
numerous new pledgers added to the ranks.
We will have more details reported in the next few months and the larger
themes and implications will come clear in those subsequent updates, but we
are off to a positive beginning.
The one caution is that we need as a Board, and potentially along with the
Nominating Committee, we need to infuse the group with additional leaders.
Gina and Bruce will both be stepping down, and while the remaining team is
wonderful, Godfrey, Mary Ellen and Katie all are cautious to take on the role
of chair. Gina reported to me that Mary Ellen and Katie both have large jobs
which limit their availability, and Godfrey was very clear from the get go
that he and Janet are away for many key weeks in the midst of the process.
They have all been crucial team members and will all continue on, but we
need to recruit load bearing members to join them and perhaps to chair the
team.
I have personally recruited all the recent additions to the Stewardship Team,
Mary Ellen, Katie, Godfrey and Gina. While I am happy to continue to help
in this way, it would be wonderful to have some support in this effort.
Perhaps Board members approaching past Stewardship Chairs or past Board
members, or any other wonderful ideas you have. I am wide open to your
wise and wonderful ideas.
Simulcasting
We are very happy to have come to the end of our winter of simulcasting
experimenting. To be sure we have learned a lot. Among the lessons we
have learned are that Ian and I can not be the point people for this effort. As
is probably obvious, we have lots of other important tasks on Sunday
mornings. We have also learned quite a bit about technical challenges and
strategies that we can share with a team of volunteers who might emerge.
One volunteer in particular who has professional expertise in this area has
come forward and volunteered to be part of a team. We will firm up a plan
and get back to you with more details as it emerges, but for now I am deeply
grateful for Ian and my son Benjamin who put in many hours to help make
these experiments happen.
Shared Ministry Team and the April Activity Fair
As many of you know, our fledgling Shared Ministry team has hatched the
wonderful idea of an activity fair on April 7 after the first outdoor service.
We will have tables from committees and groups at the church and members
and friends will be invited to move through the Parish Hall and connect
peoples faces with groups, receive some information about the groups’
purposes and details, and potentially reaching out to learn more about
helping join the team.
The Shared Ministry team will also report back about their work in this first
year of their work and then look to upcoming projects and ideas for the
future.
UU Urban Ministry
Finally, I am honored to report that I have been invited to join the Board of
the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry. In my initial conversation with
Rev. Mary Margaret Earl, the Executive Director, she said that the
nominating committee has a very deliberate process and they take a lot of
time deliberating and discerning about candidates before they invite them to
join the Board.
Their invitation comes at a wonderful time as I have a number of wider UU
involvements having concluded. As many of you know for the last four
years I served on the Mass Bay Districts UU Ministers Association
Executive Team, for the last three years as president. I stepped down from
that this fall, passing the leadership on to a wonderful team. I will also
complete my time on the Belmont LGBTQ+ Alliance this spring.
I have always considered my ministry as serving both the church and the
wider world and as such I like to have one wider world involvement. And I
have long admired and been deeply inspired by the work of the UU Urban
Ministry.
So I have accepted their invitation. I will my first three-year term in June
(you can re-up three-year terms three times) In addition to six meetings of
the Board a year I will also serve on a committee. I will share more as I
know more, just wanted to share the news.
And now the reports from the rest of the Staff…
From Tracey Summerhayes
Congregational Administrator
Reflecting on my second month as the Congregational Administrator, it has
been a period of significant learning and growth as I continue to familiarize
myself with the responsibilities of this role. I am grateful for the patience
and support extended to me by the board, our team, and the congregation as
I navigate this transition.
One pivotal step I took this month was reaching out to a seasoned UU CA
mentor who has been offering guidance and insight into the intricacies of the
position. Additionally, I dedicated long hours to becoming more familiar
with different aspects of FellowshipOne and Church Windows.
Collaborating closely with the Treasurer, we diligently reconciled our
financial records, ensuring accuracy and transparency. Although the learning
curve has been steep, I am pleased with the progress we have made together.
To streamline operations in the Parish Hall, I received training on our A/V
setups and created a user-friendly reference sheet for space users, ensuring
smoother processes moving forward and efficiency in training others. Of
course, no transition is without its challenges. I recently encountered and
successfully resolved an issue regarding Sanctuary Flower donations,
reaching out to those affected to rectify the situation.
Looking ahead, I am eager to continue enhancing our operations. I have
been processing space rental/usage requests and invoices for the remainder
of the church year, while also working to finalize the summer BASEC lease
and beginning to draft the Hungarian School lease.
Engaging with our community remains a highlight for me. Attending events
such as the multigenerational service, a recent Fellowship committee
meeting, and the SoUUper lunches has provided valuable insights into the
various activities and initiatives within our congregation. Witnessing the
sense of unity and camaraderie among our members has been incredibly
inspiring.
As I look forward, I am confident in my ability to grow into this role and
contribute meaningfully to our community's growth.
From Ian Garvie
Director of Music
The past month has seen some of the more successful concerts the music
program has hosted this year. On February 2nd, Camila Parias
performed Cantos Y Suspiros, Songs and Dances of 17th Century Spain, to a
very appreciative audience in the Sanctuary. On February 9th Mark Erelli
almost sold out the Parish Hall, performing for around 180 folks. And just
this past Friday, Paul-Andre Bempechat performed a brilliant piano recital
for over 60. Attendance at this year's Second Friday Concerts has been
higher than any year prior, and next season is almost complete. The
Classical Concert Series has also proved successful, and marketing strategies
for next season are being discussed. I am beginning to book the five classical
concerts for next season.
Simon has finished his month's leave, and it's great to have him back. He
was capably replaced by Paul Bempechat for two services, and by Sarah
Hager for February 4th.
Finally, the Children's Choirs were featured in our Celebration Sunday
service on March 3rd, where I wrote a story to tie all seven of their songs
together with the theme of We Are the Ones. The simulcast broadcast was
once again problematic, but the performances went well.
Looking ahead, this Sunday is the Major Music service, where we have a
fantastic orchestra joining the Senior Choir for Antonio Bononcini's Stabat
Mater. Though this fantastic and moving piece is a setting of a 13th Century
hymn from the early 18th Century, it's stunningly relevant now. This is the
first time we have had a harpsichord, an organ, and a theorbo in the
orchestra. And Amanda Forsythe, an internationally famous early music
soprano (and parent to one of our Youth Choir members) will be joining us
as a featured soloist. Definitely not something to miss!
From Lillian Anderson
Director of Adult Programs
Women’s Retreats
The registrations for the Women’s Retreat at First Church on March 22/23
are coming in regularly. Some women are even choosing to attend both the
At Home and the Away retreats. Since this is the first year we have done the
At Home retreat we were not sure if there would be a good response but it
looks as if we are meeting a need for connection. We currently have 23
people registered and the deadline is March 15. The planning team of Lynn
Anderson, Nicole Bernstein, Barbara Gortych, Christine O’Neill, Eva
Patalas, Gladys Unger has been meeting once a week since February 11 and
has been eager and dedicated. It has been fun to work with them to create
this event. Miriam Baker has developed the registration form so that people
can register online using their credit cards which is a great improvement.
The Away Women’s Retreat planning group is also meeting regularly and
their registration begins on March 14th.
Fellowship Group
The group met on February 29 and planned the spring events. Leslie Wolf
will be running the April 6 All Church Potluck Supper with lots of help from
the rest of the group. The group felt that they wanted to keep it simple,
especially since we haven’t had a potluck since before the pandemic. They
wanted to make it easy for people to attend - just bring a dish and beverage
to share, no rsvp, just come and enjoy. We also spent time talking about the
end of year picnic and Sandy Island. This week’s Unitarian will ask for
volunteers interested in making the picnic happen. I’ll follow that in the
next few weeks with an appeal to form the planning group for Sandy Island.
I feel that both events will draw the requisite number of people to create two
planning groups.
Welcoming/Belonging Group
There will be a brainstorming meeting on March 18th to plan the events for
the rest of the church year. These will include the Welcoming/Belonging
class for newcomers followed by a social gathering at Fatima Serra’s house.
We are also planning a recognition of new members at one of the worship
services in June. Currently we are staffing the Welcoming Table at coffee
hours on Sundays. We have had several newcomers (both brand new and
returning) signing the visitor book and Mark Rosenstein has been making
name tags for them.
From Raeann Mason
Director of Youth Ministry
February has been a great month for First Church youth. Trivia was a
BLAST (shout out to our MCs Ben Jablonski and Keira Healey!), and we
were able to raise a few hundred dollars for the Navajo Nation service-
learning trip. We’re grateful for Jen Roderick’s guidance in creating fun,
quality questions. And a big thanks to the folks who showed up to support
us! We would love to see different committees and groups forming their
own teams next year!
Before sending our youth off to the Navajo Nation, we had our 3rd annual
“it’s-nearly-spring,-we-can-make-it-through-winter-just-a-little-longer”
Boda Borg adventure. We had a decent turnout, even with it being
Superbowl Sunday. I think we may need to skip next year’s adventure-
they’re getting a little too good at solving the puzzles!
Our trip to the Navajo Nation was incredible. We’re really looking forward
to sharing about it in the upcoming Sunday worship service on March 17.
As I prepare my teams for such journeys, I always emphasize to the youth
that what you invest is what you gain, both in these experiences and in life
itself. If you show up and try new things, make new friends, and take new
risks—there is a reward. The more open and vulnerable we allow ourselves
to be, the deeper our encounters become. The team embraced this ethos
wholeheartedly, and the impact was undeniably profound. Having mentored
these youth for three years, I've witnessed their camaraderie and compassion
grow. However, our bonds reached unprecedented levels during this trip,
largely due to the warmth and generosity of our hosts and their families.
Our time was divided between service and education. We had the privilege
of assisting at Angel House, a donation center managed by our host and
highly respected Diné elder, Vanessa, and supported by her children
(Chaunupa is the cool one in the aviators). Due to the lasting effects of the
Bennet Freeze, and the nature of life on the reservation, many go (or have
gone up until very recently) without electricity, plumbing, and running
water. Vanessa and her family inundated with donations due to the ongoing
pandemic, graciously allowed us to aid in sorting through thousands of
clothing and household items, ensuring timely delivery to those in need. In
this process, we had the opportunity to parse out items for babies and deliver
them as a team to the local WIC office. This was particularly moving for me
as I have been the beneficiary of WIC programs here and know firsthand
what an impact these provisions can make. The full-circle nature of this was
not lost on my hosts, so they were sure to introduce me to the amazing team
of women who run the local office. Something powerfully healing happened
because of that meeting—I am still struggling to find words to describe, but
our encounter felt deeply human.
We also had the chance to do farm labor and help clear out a field on Hopi
land. Hopi and Diné people have land on the Navajo Nation reservation, and
many sacred Hopi lands and ancestral sites are within the Navajo Nation
reservation. Clearing this field was not only strenuous but part of an annual
ritual, complete with fire dancing and blessing the earth with positive energy
and intentions. We were, in turn, blessed with holy water and learned about
the ‘three sisters” growing tradition (planting squash, corn, and beans
together). Being invited to the Hopi village was one of many privileges and
gifts we received on this trip that most other travelers will never be allowed
to experience.
Most of our evenings were spent learning about the Diné way of life. Guest
speakers gave us language lessons, and we learned about the women’s
coming-of-age traditions and even held a mock ceremony. We learned about
art from a local basket weaver and about healing circles from a drummer
who taught us healing dances. A family even opened their special hogan
“sweat lodge” to us for a life-changing, four-session spiritual journey. Each
one of these learning experiences was a gift to us. But they were also meant
to reimagine what service can look like. Our “European savior” complex
was never addressed directly but was challenged at every turn. Sometimes,
the best thing way to serve someone is to listen and learn. Our hosts
compared these learning sessions to sparks, with enough of them, a fire can
burn. Our willingness to sit and truly learn was likewise seen as a gift in
return, a mutual exchange I will forever be grateful for.
I am very excited for you to hear from our youth. Their personal encounters
and takeaway lessons are still brewing in their hearts and minds. They had
much to share in our debriefing meeting this past Sunday, and their
newfound insight will likely shape not only our March 17 trip report but also
the youth-led worship service coming up in May. The lessons they learned
will last a lifetime, just as I suspect the friendship we forged with our Diné
hosts will.
From Sophia Doescher
Intern Minister
This has been a month filled to the brim with joy and connection! I started
the month with a presentation for the Alliance, the focus of which was
Spirituality and Our Mental Health. I really appreciated the open minds and
curiosity that all participants brought to the presentation, it was powerful to
hear other people’s connections to their mental health journeys, and those of
their loved ones.
Throughout the month I led two Thursday midweek meditation services, the
first a chanting Meditation on February 8th, and the second a guided
meditation on February 29th. This month I have had a special focus on my
work with the Youth group as I helped prepare for the Youth Trivia Night on
February 3rd and attended the Youth Service Trip to Navajo Nation 2/17-
2/24. This trip was incredibly powerful, challenging, and full of laughter. I
am so excited for the youth, Raeann, and I to share some of our learnings
and experiences during the Sunday services on March 17th and to invite our
wonderful community with us on our journey to deepen our connection to
the earth and with one another.