Page 1 TheThe Herald, Herald March 2013 A Publication of the First Church in Salem, Unitarian MARCH 2013 VOLUME 13, NUMBER 7 In this issue Pg. Minister’s Musings Annual Reports 2 March Schedule 2 Cleaning up after a blizzard is hard to categorize as a pleasant experience – the shoveling, missing work, getting the car uncovered in the driveway, breaking through the snow wall Calendar 3 made by the plow at the end of the driveway, turning around for a moment and then hav- Upcoming in March 3 ing to break through the wall made by the next plow moments after you finished the job – it all leads to a lot of grumbling at the very least. However, there are some surprising bene- Capital Campaign 4 fits to this nature-forced pause in the day to day rush of things. Religious Education News 5 Winter storm Nemo last month caused school to be cancelled on both Friday and Mon- Music News 5 day, meaning that we were suddenly faced with an unplanned four day weekend as a family McAllister Lecture Series 6 - a forced family vacation. My family spent it making meals together, playing board games together, and even shoveling together (a task made more palatable to the kids by promises Stewardship 7 of a trip to Forest River Park for some sledding once we were free of the snow banks at Around the Parish 8 home.) Fellowship 8 Once the wall of snow was broken and enough was shoveled to see beyond our door, all Lifebridge 8 of the neighbors came into view. These are the people who we live side by side with for years, but can go months without more than a friendly nod as we dash off to separate Flowers 8 lives. Each house is its own separate world and though they sit side by side, are isolated New Members 9 from each other in polite proximity. Capital Campaign Gala 10 But because of the storm, suddenly we’re all out at once and it brings out the neighborli- ness in each of us. We help one another shovel and snowblow. Talk about when the power went out. Compare this snow to what we saw or heard about back in ’76. We cheer one another and ourselves with smiles, overly exaggerated sighs about the burdens of the snow and the sudden interconnectedness we remember we have. We’ve been neighbors all year, but it’s easy – too easy – in the hustle and bustle of our lives to lose the connection with our own family, let alone our neighbors. Don’t Forget to What was once the central organizing system for humans and had been for thousands of Spring Forward! years – the community, the village – is a way of congregating that has disappeared almost completely from our modern life. The enforced togetherness and momentary screeching halt that Mother Nature imposed on us can be a wonderful thing in a society normally too fast paced for “community”. Daylight Saving Time begins Chris Granniss Sunday March 10 so be sure to Chair, Standing Committee turn your clocks ahead before you go to bed on Saturday night, March 9! There will be extra coffee for the “bleary-eyed” during Fellowship! Page 2 The Herald, March 2013 March Schedule of Events Sunday, March 3 10:30 am, Sunday Service 12:15pm, RE Theatre Rehearsal Tuesday, March 5 12pm, Alliance Wednesday, March 6 Annual Reports 4pm, RE Theatre Rehearsal As staff, officer, or chair (or key person) of a commit- Thursday, March 7 7:00pm, Gappers of Frip Performance, Willson Hall tee of the First Church in Salem, we will be looking to you and your co-members for a written description of Friday, March 8 the activities for the church year spanning 2012 and 7:00pm, Gappers of Frip Performance, Willson Hall 2013. Saturday, March 9 7:00pm, Capital Campaign Gala, First Church We are asking that all reports be delivered in elec- Sunday, March10 tronic form (unless that is completely impossible) 10:30am, Sunday Service to Catherine Bertrand no later than Friday, April 5:30pmpm OWL 5. Obviously, it would be helpful if some reports ar- rived sooner, and if Catherine didn't have to hound Tuesday, March 12 12pm, Alliance people the week before the deadline. ;-) Sunday, March17 Please include the following information, even if the 10:30am, Youth Sunday Service committee was inactive during the year: 5:30pm OWL • Name of the chair and any other officers Tuesday, March 19 • List of committee members 12pm, Alliance If you need to see last year's report as a starting place Wednesday, March 20 for your writing this year, please contact Catherine Ber- 5pm Salem Pantry Bagging 7:15pm Standing Committee trand either via email [email protected] or by phone Tuesday through Friday at 978-744-1551. Saturday, March 23 Previous Annual Reports have included some or all of 9am Salem Pantry Distribution the following: 4:45pm, Lifebridge Dinner • Mission statements and/or goals of the committee Sunday, March 24 • Activities, achievements, and highlights of the year 9:15am, MPIC Meeting • Financial information about monies received or 10:30am, Palm Sunday Service with Choir spent Egg Dying Following the Service • Plans for the future 5:30pm, OWL Thank you for your assistance in the great task of com- Tuesday, March 26 piling the Annual Report. 12pm, Alliance Thursday, March 28 7pm Maundy Thursday Service Friday, March 29: Good Friday Sunday, March 31 10:30am Easter Sunday Service with Choir Community Fellowship Easter Egg Hunt Page 3 The Herald, March 2013 MARCH 2013 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Sunday Services at 10:30 am 1 2 3 3rd Sunday in Lent 4 5 6 7 8 9 - 10:30am, Sunday Service - 12pm, Alliance 4pm RE Theatrre 7pm Gappers of Frip 7pm Gappers of 7pm Capital Cam- - 12:15pm, Theatre Rehearsal - 7pm McAllister Lec- Rehearsal Performance Frip Performance paign Gala ture 104th Sunday in Lent 11 12 13 14 15 16 - 9:00am Stewardship - 12pm, Alliance - 10:30am, Sunday Service - 7pm McAllister Lec- - 5:30pm, OWL ture 17: Youth Sunday 18 19 20 21 22 23 -10:30am, Sunday Service - 12pm, Alliance - 5pm Salem Pantry - 9am Salem Pantry - 5:30pm OWL - 7pm McAllister Lec- - 7:15pm Standing - 4:45pm Lifebridge ture Committee dinner, 24: Palm Sunday 25 26 27 28 29 30 - 9:15am, MPIC Meeting - 12pm, Alliance Maundy Thursday Good Friday - 10:30am, Sunday Service Choir - 7pm McAllister Lec- - 5:30pm, OWL ture 31: Easter Sunday - 10:30am, Sunday Service Choir - Community Fellowship Upcoming in March • Thur & Fri, March 7 & 8 ‐ 7:00pm: The Gappers of Frip, debut of The First Church Players • Sat, March 9 ‐ 7:00pm: Capital Campaign Gala, First Church in Salem [see back page for details] • Tuesdays in March ‐ 7:00pm: McAllister Lecture Series [see page 6 for details] • Sun, March 17: Youth Sunday Service • Sun, March 24: Palm Sunday Service with Choir; Egg Dying Follows the service • Thu, March 28: Maundy Thursday Service with Choir • Fri, March 29: Good Friday • Sun, March 31: Easter Sunday Service with Choir; Annual Easter Egg Hunt to follow Page 4 The Herald, March 2013 From the Capital Campaign Committee Capital Campaign Update THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of you who have taken the time to talk with our visiting stew- ards. We are well on our way our two goals: having conversations with everyone and raising $300,000. Some of you may have seen this article already as it was published in a revised e-Herald last month, but since distribution was a bit unusual last month, I thought perhaps some of you missed it.Here’s a rundown on where we are to date: Pledges / Gifts: $ 234,745 (it keeps creeping up …. Thank you!) As a committee, we set out to talk with 133 people / families. Of that 133: 71 calls / visits have been completed 24 are in process (trading phone calls …) 38 have not yet been initiated Of those visits / calls that have been completed: The First Church Deacons made a gift of $25,000 43 individuals / families have made pledges or gifts 3 individuals have indicated that they will likely participate at a later date 17 individuals / families have declined to participate 5 individuals / families have not responded to outreach Of the 24 visits / calls that are in process, 7 individuals / families have indicated verbally that they will make a pledge or gift but have not yet done so. Number of Pledges / Gifts in Various Giving Ranges (some of these have been given as one-time gifts; others are pledges which are being paid over a period of 3 years) Under $100 3 $100- $499 6 $500 - $999 2 $1,000 - $2,499 9 $2,500- $4,999 8 $5,000- $9,999 8 $10,000 – 19,999 3 $20,000 and above 5(including Deacons’ gift) As we enter the second year of Building on Our Community, Ideals and Faith, we are humbled by the depth of thought each person has given to their ability to support the ambitious project the Congregation voted to support two years ago. A project in the making for somewhere around 12 years. On our visits, we sometimes hear things like “I guess I should give until it hurts.” Please don’t do that. Instead, if you are able, give to the point that it feels great. The point at which you are stunningly proud of your gift. This means making a decision that feels right for you and your family. It may feel like a stretch, but it should feel like a good stretch, like maybe that kind you want to do on a beautiful sunny day when you are feeling thankful to be alive.