First Parish of Sudbury

Public/AdultPrograms
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At First Parish, there are adult programs for religious exploration, just as there are for the children and youth. Here’s just a sampling of what happens routinely, what’s been happening lately, and what kinds of adult programming we offer at First Parish. Childcare or transportation can often be arranged in advance by phoning the First Parish office.

Ongoing Programs

Buddhist Study And Practice Group

Thursdays 1:00-2:30pm in The Commons

This group meets weekly to explore fundamental aspects of the teachings of the Buddha, as they apply to everyday life. The group will also provide a setting to learn about and receive support for the development of a regular meditation practice at home. These meetings are open to people with little or no experience in meditation as well as to experienced practitioners.

Each meeting will include:

- a meditation period of 20-30 minutes, with simple instruction
         and guidance

- a time to reflect on & discuss a short reading of some aspect of
         meditation practice or Buddhist teachings (provided the previous
         week

- time for questions and discussion of participants' experiences of
         meditation either at home or during the class

We will also take time to discuss the benefits of meditation, which include the cultivation of insight and compassion, as well as increased physical, emotional and mental well-being.

________________________________________________________________

Laine Gifford will be the group facilitator. Laine has been a student of Buddhist teachings for 17 years and has taught meditation in various settings. Over the years she has studied and practiced in the Zen and Vipassana traditions.

To register for the group call Fran Sharp - 978-443-3094
For more information about the group call Laine Gifford - 978-440-9037

Chalice Circles
Each circle is made up of six to twelve people, chosen randomly based on availability. The Circle meets monthly for two hours, usually in someone’s home. A trained convener leads the meeting using a standard format: opening words, Chalice lighting, check-in, exploring a topic, check-out and closing words. Chalice Circles provide an opportunity for exploration to those seeking spiritual growth, those looking to know themselves better and those who simply want to discuss questions of faith and meaning. Chalice Circles are always open to new members and, once a year in September, all the Circles have an open enrollment period where participants may recommit, opt out and newcomers may join. For information or a brochure, call the First Parish office. See ChaliceCircles for more information.

Chalice Circles, including those which examine a range of topics and meet monthly throughout the year and also those that focus on a particular topic or theme and are limited to three to six sessions. Registration ends September 30.

Continuing Chalice Circles are re-forming now to begin in October and November. The deadline for registering is September 30, 2007.

Once a year, Chalice Circle participants have the option to re-up, change circles or opt out. At the same time, we actively recruit prospective new members to try out a Circle and join if it appeals.

For details about Chalice Circles and a registration form, go to: http://fpsudbury.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?ChaliceCircles. (Look at the Brochure, the Frequently-Asked-Questions, and the Registration Form.) At least three existing circles will continue and will be welcoming new members. If there is enough interest, additional circles may form.

New and Different This year, we will inaugurate a new kind of Chalice Circle in addition to the on-going circles that began in 2002.

The new kind of Chalice Circle gatherings will focus on a specific theme for a time-limited series of sessions (three, four, or six) e.g.:

“Drumbeat for Darfur” – a four-session Chalice Circle developed by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee that examines not only the issues of peace and justice in Darfur, but also issues of genocide in our time, why people do these things to other people, how all people can remain resilient and hopeful in the face of such injustice, and what we as Unitarian Universalists can do in the face of injustices like these.

“Living on Democracy’s Edge” – a six-session Chalice Circle based on the recent work of Frances Moore Lappé (best known for her book, Diet for a Small Planet) that examines what it means to live in a democracy, how we experience its strengths and weaknesses, where the power resides, what stirs our passions, how we can find courage in a culture of fear, how we can act, and more.

“Being Green(er)– a multi-session Chalice Circle, companion to our Green Sanctuary initiative, that explores how we can choose to live more sustainably as individuals, as families, and as a congregation.

If you have a particular interest in facilitating a Chalice Circle of either kind, please contact our minister, Rev. Katie Lee Crane, at ministerfpsudbury.org.

Caveat: All offerings – both those continuing and also those being added – will follow the established Chalice Circle or covenant group format which fosters deep listening by enabling only one person to speak at a time without feedback, advice-giving, or exchange of ideas. Chalice Circles are not discussion groups but opportunities for deep, personal, spiritual exploration in the company of others.

Circles of either kind will only be offered when there are at least five people interested and available at the same time. Circles are limited to ten participants and, when there is interest, new circles may form at any time.

Fireside Chats As often as her schedule permits, the Rev. Katie Lee Crane hosts a Sunday morning conversation about the worship service and the week’s sermon topic. The Fireside Chats are announced in advance and held at 11:45 a.m. in the Brackett Room. Watch the newsletter or this website for details.

First Saturday Film Night Film lovers are welcome to the first Saturday showing of films in The Commons. Enjoy the luxury of large-screen, surround sound, popcorn and pizza. There is always a discussion following the sometimes entertaining, sometimes provocative, sometimes thematic films. Watch the newsletter or this website for current listings and occasional reviews.

Green Sanctuary Initiative From September 2006 through June 2007 (and beyond), the congregation is devoting special energy and attention to environmental awareness, advocacy, and justice. Basing our congregation-wide initiative on the principles of our faith plus the moral and ethical imperatives to attend to the needs of our natural resources, we hope to earn the designation “Green Sanctuary” for our intentional efforts toward “reducing our collective and individual footprint” on our planet earth. See Green Sanctuary Committee and Global Warming Action Group on this website for more information.

A sampler of programs

Worship Opportunities In addition to our regular Sunday morning worship at 10 AM we offer other worship opportunities regularly. Village Worship will be offered in The Commons four times this year (see the newsletter or this website for regular listings). First Parish sometimes offers EarthCenteredRituals throughout the year, such as those at Samhain and Winter Solstice. Several families with Jewish roots and connections offer an annual Chanukkah candle-lighting and, occasionally, host a Passover Seder. Occasionally others with different religious traditions and customs share with the larger congregation, for example, a Hindu Divali celebration or a Chinese New Year celebration.

Worship Associates’ Spring Training — a Preaching and Worship Workshop The Worship Associates Group sponsors an interactive workshop to help anyone interested in learning more about how worship services and sermons are crafted. This is for you if... you've ever secretly dreamed of offering a summer service and it's for you if you HAVE! This is for you if you've got that one sermon you wish you could preach and it's for you if you've already preached. This is for you if... you'd like to try, you'd like to learn, and even if you're curious but yet not ready to commit. It's all about worship and what it is, really. How it's crafted. What makes it work (and, sometimes, not work.)

Fellowship Opportunities Perhaps the most popular opportunity for social exchange is our In-home Dinners, usually offered on three separate dates in mid-winter. These informal dinners (with up to a dozen guests), are hosted by First Parish members for other members and friends and provide an opportunity for fellowship and fun that lasts throughout the year. In addition, there are always events that bring together people with shared interests. For example, we have hosted social events for Families with Children Under Six and for those whom we call the Emptying Nesters who have youth in college (or about to go). These groups meet occasionally, mostly for companionship and support. Other groups form as needed: Families whose lives are touched by divorce, adoption, illness… we’ll help bring people together who share common experiences.

Faith in Action Discover the many initiatives our congregation engages in both within the First Parish community and beyond it. Here are just a few. Backpacks and school supplies for children in shelters. An interfaith initiative with other congregations in Sudbury, sponsoring a family from Algeria, political dissidents seeking asylum in this country. School and art supplies to a school in Biloxi, Mississippi, damaged by Gulf Coast hurricanes. Prison ministry. Advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their civil rights. Advocacy for initiatives from Health Insurance to Children’s rights to Environmental issues.

Revision 5. Last edited Thu 20 Mar 2008 4:27pm by FranSharp