The First Church in Chestnut Hill

 

March 2008 Bulletin

 


 

FOR THE TIME BEING . . .

An interim dean at Harvard Divinity School used to call the time between deans in which he served an “open moment.”  Since I was president of the Harvard Divinity School Alumni/ae Council at the time, I heard the interim dean speak often of this open moment in the life of the school as it searched for its new dean.  That was 10 years ago.  I entered the field of interim ministry in 2001.  The dean’s phrase has accompanied me on my journey of working with congregations as they assess who they have been, are, and will be through the lens of transition time—for truly these times as well are times of open moments.

            An “open moment” is a dynamic and fluid time when organisms, organizations, or structures risk opening their boundaries to explore the new that might happen.  For us in our families, open moments happen at ritual times of birth, marriage, and death.  For HDS the moment came with a change of deans and direction for the school, hard for a school that had one dean for 14 years, which is considered long in academia.  For the First Church in Chestnut Hill it comes now, the time between called ministers.  Today, this open moment is most clearly experienced here as you fill in the all-church survey, a snapshot of who you are today.  The moment is felt, as well, as you name members of the congregation you would like to serve on your newly forming Search Committee.

            What I heard the HDS interim dean remind the alumni/ae repeatedly is that an open moment is a gift of time and space to explore, an opportunity rarely offered in the world as it is.

            As always I invite you to come by to chat about transition time and how it goes for you, and/or just to chat.

            In faith,                                                                                                    Rosemarie

 

OUR SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SEASON

  March 2:        1 Samuel 16:1–13; Ephesians 5:8–14; Psalm 23.

  March 9:        Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 11:1–45; Psalm 130.

March 16:        Isaiah 50:4–9a; Matthew 21:1–11; Psalm 24.

March 23:        Acts 10:34–43; Matthew 28:1–10; Psalm 118.

March 30:        Acts 21:14a, 22–32; John 20:19–31; Psalm 16.

           

GOOD FRIDAY VESPERS, EASTER EVE, AND EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES

     Friday, March 21:        5:30 p.m. Good Friday Vespers

Saturday, March 22:         10:00 p.m. Easter Eve Communion Service

   Sunday, March 23:         9:00 a.m. Easter Morning Breakfast; 9:45 a.m. Hymn Sing and Marionette Play; 10:30 a.m. Easter Morning Praise.

 

MEMBERSHIP BOOK

The Membership Book is on the History Table on the first Sunday of every month, to peruse or to sign. 

 

 ALTAR FLOWERS FOR MARCH 2008

March 2:          The flowers are given in loving memory of Dorothy and John Brooks by their family.

March 9:          The flowers are given in loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Davis Bushnell by their family.

March 16:        The flowers are given in loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Walker by their family.

March 23:        The flowers are given in loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest B. Dane and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dane by their family.

March 30:        The flowers are given in loving memory of Ms. Vienna Ketola by her niece, Sue Reamer.

 

GUEST MINISTER MARCH 9

On Sunday, March 9, Interim Minister Rosemarie Smurzynski will be away, and the Rev. Earl Holt will be our preacher.  Rev. Holt has been the minister of King’s Chapel since 2001; before that he served for 27 years as minister of the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis.  He is a graduate of Brown University and Starr King School for the Ministry, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2004.  He broadcasts a radio commentary Sunday mornings at 8:00 on WCRB, 99.5 FM. 

 

 

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 

Our Easter morning of praise begins with the Easter breakfast at 9:00 a.m.  Everyone is invited.  Please let us know what you will bring on the RE Committee’s sign-up sheet in the parish hall.  Then bring your food contribution to the kitchen by Saturday night, March 22.  We’ll be putting the new kitchen to the test Sunday morning!  We always need help with the cleanup, too.

             At about 9:45 a.m., the children will retell some of the traditional Scripture stories read at Easter in a variety of ways: with pantomime, puppets, and marionettes.  Brian Cartwright will lead the hymn sing, which will accent the same stories. 

             This Lent, the Sunday school is a busy place.  The children hear the stories from Scripture, then we retell the stories to create the puppet play and make puppets, props, and scenery.  It is a delight to have Brian teaching the children the hymns and spirituals with guitar accompaniment.  The children will have a chance to make diorama centerpieces based on the songs for the Easter breakfast.  Join us at the breakfast and see if you can “name the song.”

             The first half of this year, the children’s collection in Early Church raised $247, which they decided to donate to our local Newton Firefighters’ Association.  Special thanks to our First Church sexton, AKA City of Newton firefighter Dana Flynn, for talking with the children about the Association and what it does.  We all learned a great deal.  Did you know that the firefighters of the USA and Canada together raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through their annual “Fill the Boot” campaign?  Money raised is used for research and to help children with MD attend summer camps and engage in other activities that they otherwise couldn’t do.  Also, Newton firefighters use contributions to help families in need after a fire and to support healthy activities in the city, such as sports teams.  Don’t forget to “Fill the Boot” this summer!                                                                                                                          Joan Hunt  

 

TRANSITION TEAM UPDATE

While the Standing Committee is in the process of forming a Search Committee and launching the search for a called minister, the Transition Team has addressed immediate needs during this interim period.  For example, at the February meeting, the team came to consensus on answers to the various questions of the Interim Progress Appraisal form, a standard UUA requirement for interim ministries.  The overall appraisal was that we were “well on track” in all aspects of interim tasks.  The Transition Team will also continue to host discussion groups on the subjects of interest identified by the congregation last fall.  The first topic is on Outreach after the March 2 service.  Sarah Buermann will lead the discussion, and all members and friends are urged to participate.

             The Transition Team also finalized plans for our guest preacher on March 9, Rev. Earl Holt.

Transition Team members: Sally Baker, Molly Batchelder, David Brooks, Bert Dane, Amy Isaac, Rosemarie Smurzynski

 

FROM THE STANDING COMMITTEE 

At its January meeting, the Standing Committee voted unanimously to extend

Rosemarie Smurzynski's contract for a second year.  Her guidance and ministry has

been and will continue to be much appreciated.  At its next meeting, on March 17,

the Standing Committee will review nominations for the Search Committee before

selecting its members. 

 

SURVEYS AND NOMINATIONS

If you have not already done so, please return the survey and blue nomination sheet for members of the Search Committee.  With the March 1 deadline, there’s not much time left!  If you are mailing one survey, the proper postage is $1.14.  If there are two, it is $1.48.  The more responses there are, the better informed the Search Committee will be.  If you have any questions about either of the forms, please contact Sally Baker at 617-566-7564 or sallybbaker@comcast.net.

 

SAVE THE DATE

At the Annual Meeting on October 16, 2007, the congregation voted to honor Rev. Joseph A. Bassett with the title Minister Emeritus.  To confer the title formally, we will dedicate part of the Sunday service on May 18, 2008, for the presentation.  Following the service, there will be a reception in the parish hall. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

 

BIBLE STUDY

Bible study meets as usual at 10:00 a.m. each Thursday this month.

 

 

BOOK GROUP

The Book Group will meet at Nan St. Goar’s house (21 Sargent Crossway, Brookline) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, to discuss The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.  For the April meeting (details to be announced later), we will read Atonement by Ian McEwan.  Everyone is invited to join us.

 

USHERS

March 2:      David Brooks                       March 21:    John Laupheimer

March 9:      Dorothy Baldini                   March 23:    R. Lisle Baker

March 16:    Patricia Timothy                  March 30:    Susan Farist Butler

                                                                                                                                      

BOUILLON HOURS

Members of the congregation, friends of the parish, and newcomers are invited to enjoy conversation and refreshments after the services on Sunday, March 2, and Sunday, March 16.  A sign-up sheet is in the parish hall if you wish to host a bouillon hour.

 

 

Music for MARCH 2008

 

March 2 (Lent IV)

Preludes:     “Jesus I will never leave”                          Walther

                    “Air” from Suite in D Major                      Bach

Anthem:     “My Shepherd will supply my need”      Thompson

Response:    “Jesus I will never leave”                          Bach                    

Anthem:      “Brother James Air”                                 arr. Jacob

Choral Amen:“Twofold”                                              Anonymous

Postlude:      “Praise to the Lord”                                 Walther

 

March 9 (Lent V)

Preludes:      “When Christ was on the cross”             Bach

                      “Fantasia in C Minor”                             Bach        

Anthem:       “Out of the depths I cry unto Thee”      Mozart

Response:     “A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth”    Bach

Anthem:       “Christ be thine the glory”                     Schütz

Choral Amen: “Twofold”                                             Traditional

Postlude:        “Fugue in C Minor”                              Bach

 

March 16 (Palm Sunday)

Preludes:        “O God, thou faithful God”                  Karg-Elert

                        “Benedictus”                                          Reger

Anthem:         “Lift up your heads, O ye gates”          Mathias

Response:       “Thy Zion strews before thee”             Bach

Anthem:         “Hosanna to the Son of David”            Victoria

Choral Amen: “Sevenfold”                                          Stainer

Postlude:         “Now thank we all our God”               Karg-Elert

 

 

March 23 (Easter Sunday)

Preludes:         “Fantasia in G Major, BWV 572”         Bach

Introit:             “Alleluia! Come good people”             Davies     

Duet:               “Et misericordia” (Magnificat)             Bach

Response:        “Jesus my Redeemer lives”                  Bach

Anthem:          “How beautiful are the feet of them” (Messiah)       Handel

Choral Amen: “Twofold”                                             Traditional

Postlude:         “Toccata” from Symphony No. 5          Widor

 

March 30 (second Sunday of Easter)

Preludes:Variations on “What God ordains is always good”           Pachelbel

Anthem:           “Awake thou wintry earth”                Dutch Carol, arr.                                                                                                                   Davies

Response:          “What God ordains is always good”  Bach

Anthem:            “Christ our Passover”                        Willan

Choral Amen:    “Twofold”                                          Ramsey

Postlude:            “Toccata in G Major”                        Pachelbel

 


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