First Unitarian Stewardship

We are loved and accepted for who we are. Our struggles and our passions are recognized and shared.    We do good things together.   We are drawn together by love and hope.  Scott Hayman Long before I attended a First Unitarian Church service, or even set foot in the church, I was drawn, without knowing, to its community and its tradition, its people and its abundance.   This was around 1990.   I was working in the trenches running a program called the Donations Clearinghouse, a program created by the Worcester Committee on Homelessness and Housing, which is now known as the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance. The Donations Clearinghouse still operates with the simple mission of collecting donations of furniture and household goods and redistributing them to homeless families making a fresh start in their own apartment.   So around 1990, Will Sherwood, our Music Director, whose day job was at Digital Equipment Corporation, called me up and said, “We’d like to raise funds for

First U has given me a place to nurture a commitment to helping others.  Liz Gustavson When my husband and I were “church-shopping” early in our relationship, we came to First U, the church of his youth, and I realized I could have a home here as well.   Barbara Merritt was the minister, who performed our wedding ceremony nearly 30 years ago.   I loved Barbara's ability to gather words of wisdom from diverse sources and make them come alive.   Soon after we started attending regularly, I also met Mary Melville, the moderator, an incredibly bright and clear-thinking woman.   My reaction was that I wanted to be like her when I grew up!    And that has been my reaction to many people in our community: that this is a church that attracts talented, smart, committed folks who have been a pleasure to get to know. First U provides me with a place for continuing the search for truth.   Leaders in the pulpit during the year, and at the podium during the summer services have helped br

No one source will be seen as superior by any one group of people. We will finally see the light in each other’s eyes as equal to that in the mirror: all powered by the same source. Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa Awash on a sea of spiritual confusion, I stumbled into a UU church while expecting Zak, now 26 years old.   A devout Catholic child, I was unable to reconcile being a fierce feminist with my faith of origin.   I had been church shopping.   My search ended as our young family found a home in the little UU church in Haverhill where we were living at the time. It was powerful to have a female minister!     I had believed my whole life that all paths were worthy and beautiful.   I had never known that an organized religion believed the same.   What joy to meet my tribe! One year later we moved back to hometown Worcester for the start of medical school.   Barbara Merritt, also a young working mother, commanded the pulpit.   Sermons were no longer a slather of dogma from an out of

My personal goal is good stewardship – accepting and preserving what past generations have provided for us, and preserving and enhancing what we received for the benefit of those who follow us.  John Mirick I grew up in this Church, initially attending Sunday School in the house at the corner of Main Street and State Street (now the lower parking lot), having parts in the Christmas pageant, presenting plays in the Youth Group (Unity Hall then had a real stage), and going to services when I was home from college.   When Diane and I moved to Worcester with our two boys (then one and three), it was natural to reconnect with First Unitarian, and to give our sons the same opportunities.   Diane became increasingly involved with the Sunday School, and ultimately became the Director of Religious Education, while I served in a series of leadership positions and on committees, including the Search Committee that brought Rev. Barbara Merritt to Worcester, and became moderator after she accep

Being UU is a way of life.  I continuously seek to align my actions to our shared UU principles.  Laura Kirshenbaum A friend recently asked me, “What is a Unitarian Universalist?” Obviously, we are well beyond small talk with a question like that!  As I often do, I stumbled through a pitiful attempt at an explanation.  I can easily tell anyone who wants to know, what UU is not. However, I find it a constant challenge to articulate what it is and more importantly what difference First U makes in the world and more importantly in my life. To be UU goes beyond words.  After all, the principles “are not dogma or doctrine, but rather a guide for those of us who choose to join and participate in Unitarian Universalist religious c ommunities,” says Rev. Barbara Wells ten Hove.   In my life, it is not something that I say, it is more what I aspire to do and be.  It is how I try to make my way through life. Being UU is a way of life.  I continuously seek to align my actions to our s

This church is an important and central part of my life.  I treasure it deeply.  Rick Silva “How do I love thee, let me count the ways" is a line from the 43rd sonnet of Sonnets from the Portuguese , written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning .   When I think of how this church has made a difference in my life, I think of this line, “…let me count the ways…” I look forward to every Sunday service, from the sermons that are inspirational and thought provoking, to the music that still gives me chills when the choir sings descant.   This is the time to slow down, put the task lists aside, and pause and reflect   about all that we have for which to be thankful.   Most of my close friends are members of First U.   We have shared important milestones together.   We have shared our closest thoughts. We have had lively discussions and debates that have helped me build and refine my personal theology. This community has helped me grow and mature. Working on committees ha

Sunday “church going” gave us a feeling of belonging to something precious beyond our busy work lives .   We are a community of people who may or may not be different, yet we appreciate our diversity as essential for vitality of the spirit.    James C. Dolan I was involved in five Unitarian Churches and Fellowships prior to our family’s move to Worcester. We were drawn to Worcester by word-of-mouth interest in the new minister: Rev. Barbara Merritt.  Our relationship was cemented by her telephone call to us to offer assistance when our family was going through a very difficult loss.  Thereafter, Rev. Merritt’s sermons were so inspiring that we became dedicated members. To us, First Unitarian was a large metropolitan church with a permanent choir, a well directed Sunday school program, and a well organized congregational based leadership committee. With many diverse programs we quickly became involved, first as Sunday school teachers, joining pot-luck suppers, and Sunday Coff

The First Unitarian church is my church family, with all the joys and sorrows that relationships bring. I continue to be so impressed with the skills, knowledge and thoughtfulness I feel from all the members and friends.   Wendy Innis First Unitarian makes me a better person. When I sit in the pew and listened to a thoughtful and inspiring sermon I think about what else can I be doing in my life to make the world better - How can I relate to people so that we all get along better? What else can I do for someone I am struggling with to smooth our relationship. How can I be a better person? How can we in this wonderful church family grow and share this safe and comfortable space? I need to talk further about being in a safe place. This is the only place in my life where I am free to be myself as an out lesbian. I am very out in much of my life but here I know my church family loves me for who I am as a person. It is not part of the equation to define me as a lesbian or not. I am

There are many diverse perspectives, opinions, political views and experiences within our community.  I value the opportunity to engage with new ideas and I appreciate the trust and acceptance we share that allows us to speak honestly about our convictions.  Seth Popinchalk    I feel very fortunate to be part of the First Unitarian Church community.  Sue and I joined the church in 2009 after we registered Kate and Lauren for the Religious Education program.  Both Sue and I grew up going to church, and I think we were looking for a place where our children could gain the valuable experience of having a faith community. At First U, I feel we share intentionality in our relationships with each other that we don't always find in the rest of our life. I see an emphasis on living the covenant that defines our UU faith.  Specifically the first three principles: We affirm and promote: The inherent worth and dignity of every person; Justice, equity and compassion in human relatio

Draw the circle. Draw the circle wide. No one stands alone. We'll stand side by side. Draw the circle.  Draw the circle wide. ~  Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still. Let this be our song. No one stands alone standing side by side. Draw the circle. Draw the circle wide. ( from Mark Miller )  Lee Bona I first heard that song in a worship service this past June during the UUA General Assembly in Providence, RI. I saw optimism, faith, hope and strength in that song. I saw us in the words of that song and I saw what First U means to me. A couple of years ago, I would not have been able to say that. But here I am, and here we are. Twenty-four of us showing up and waving our banner at a city-wide Vigil for Unity...forty-six more signing a Unity Proclamation...standing on our steps with our minister, 30 strong, to support the glbt community...being vocal in meetings because we're believing our voices should be heard – need to be heard...showing up at worship and events t

If 70% of the world’s population will be in cities by 2050, then I’m hoping  vibrant centers of liberal religion , like our church, can continue to thrive in the heart of the commonwealth, downtown  Worcester --a strong religious home for us as we work together for a better community.    Kate O'Dell A sigh of relief : Around 1980, flipping though magazines in a waiting room, I saw an ad for a humanist conference in Pittsburgh …“without supernatural beliefs, affirming our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives that aspire to the greater good.”  It turned out to be in a Unitarian church, at exactly the time that we needed an affirming opportunity for faith development that would allow us and our early grade-school age children to explore our convictions, without threats of damnation and “infallible rule-books.” A reliable, intimate community:  We experimented with intentional communities, and had embraced the idea of working together with other people “in solidar

" The faith community at First Unitarian is the wellspring of my hopes for my children and grandchildren, that they inherit a world rooted in UU principles. This is a vision of the future worth working for. "   Steve Knox Your 2014 stewardship team recently held a day long retreat in NH.  Many exciting events and activities will be coming your way, including events related to re-visiting our mission as a faith community.  As part of our pre-work, we asked ourselves the question “What difference does First Unitarian make in my life?”  The author of this blog entry, Steve Knox, offers the following: My involvement with and deep commitment to First Unitarian has altered and enriched my understanding of who I am.  I came to First Unitarian as a lapsed catholic, and have found my spiritual home in a faith community of mainstream Eastern and Western religious traditions, agnostics and atheists, worshiping together, each according to our conscience and needs, living to

“I am an atheist— yet my decision a dozen years ago to join the choir at First Unitarian has opened a gigantic window of personal (dare I say, spiritual?) growth for me, and, though I shudder to hear myself say it, I think that I have become a ‘minister’ of music as a result”.  David Spanagel My family began attending worship services at First Unitarian when our son reached kindergarten age.  Having been unchurched myself, the weekly Sunday ritual started out very much as a chore that I had little desire for.  The one dimension of weekly worship services that did really brighten my whole outlook was the music I heard and shared at First Unitarian.   I gloried in the power of the organ chords as they penetrated the entire space of the sanctuary, and I marveled at the ambition of the choir’s classical music repertoire.   Occasionally, I even felt a transcendent chill of beauty and truth in the sounds that emanated from the soloists’ voices, or from the collaborations I witne

We’ve endured one of the most dramatic and difficult organizational changes when we lost our beloved Ministers – so significant was that loss that I decided that no matter what, I wanted to remain here … [and] we’ve flourished … we have held together by holding one another together.  Jane Beckwith More than ten years ago, like so many others, we were “church–shopping” and came upon this church as one in a series of visits.  When we arrived and saw the sanctuary, witnessed everyone enjoying one another before the service started, watched as the service evolved, then heard the Choir sing, and then heard Reverend Merritt’s sermon, we knew this was to be our church.  As many have also said before me, I never knew there was a place like this, nor did I know that I was in search of such a place.  We joined the church two weeks later – that’s how sure we were, in our hearts if not yet in our heads. In the past few years, I’ve understood better what’s so very special about our chu

Religion is far more than what happens on Sunday morning.  What’s most important is how what happens on Sunday morning shapes and influences our actions all week long.   I’ve long seen religion as a matter of behavior.  Life-Span Faith Development implies to me that we never stop trying to apply our faith in our everyday interactions with others.  Paul Ropp I first came to First Unitarian to sing in the choir, and for two years, I saw that as my only responsibility (even though we loved the Sunday services and were impressed with the choir community).  One day Barbara Merritt mentioned that on average people attend the church for two years before joining.  Marj and I both had the same thought at the same time:  “We come every Sunday and appreciate the experience, we might as well sign up as members.”  After that, we began to stay for coffee hour and we quickly got to know people beyond our friends in the choir. Among those people was Bill Densmore, a deceptively quiet and so

“I believed that my day job as an RN in the Pediatric ICU at UMass would make it easy for me to handle a bunch of teenagers.  However, I was surprised to encounter teens willing to gain more knowledge in their spiritual quest and to learn how to use this in their everyday lives.”   Rudy Cepko   For many years I had not stepped into a church except for weddings and funerals.  In the mid-1990s, my wife, Alesia, started attending church to sing with UU choir.  She was impressed by the message that she heard from Barbara Merritt and suggested that I try the church.  I felt I was in a place that spoke to me, and our son Stefan was enrolled in the Sunday school programs. I had some involvement with church stewardship as a volunteer in the Garden committee.  Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, planting and laying yards of mulch were part of my contribution to the church. Then when my son, Stefan, was in YRU2, he asked if I would be interested in becoming an assistant during the Sunday m

“My formula for being a steward—listen to what fulfills and enhances you, listen to the needs of the community, match what you can give to what is already established—and if it isn’t there—create it”.  Linda Wyatt To me, the Gala is a joyous fundraiser party.   How did I become the chair of the First U Gala?  Several factors:  I love to bring people together.  I wanted to give back to First U congregants-- especially in gratitude for supporting me after I was hit by a car in March, 2011. I had more time because my daughter was older and more independent.  I also was learning about the local music scene and the great musicians associated with our church. I knew the time was right to bring the music to party! I told Scott Hayman, “I know we can do this.  I planned my wedding in three months! Besides I’ve booked the band.  WE CAN AND MUST DO THIS!”   I was fortunate to have committee people who encouraged me and assisted me to make it happen.  The rest is history—now three G

The UUA handbook defines Stewardship as fundamentally spiritual.  The act of giving, whether time, talent or treasure, is, in itself, a form of worship.  Those of us on the Stewardship committee have been fortunate to be inspired by the many stories of those who have responded to the call of service in the programs which make up the life of our community.  You know many of these people, for they are present week after week, year upon year, mentoring our youth, singing in the choir, providing pastoral care, and doing all the small but essential things which enrich our Sunday worship experience. In the next few weeks we want to share some of these stories with you, that you might also be inspired when you understand the deeper meaning which results from all acts of giving.  And we also hope that in being inspired, you might find yourself hearing the call for a deeper commitment to our community, and that in responding to that call you are both a gracious giver and receiver of the way o