IN PERSON & LIVE STREAMED

We are delighted to have Matt Meyer leading service on Sunday. Matt Meyer has a degree in hand drumming from Berklee College of Music and has studied abroad in Cuba, Ghana, and Central America. He’s worked on campaigns to preserve old growth forests, support farmworkers rights, and stop the construction of fossil fuel pipelines, and is always looking for ways to dismantle systems of oppression and support communities grounded in justice. He travels the country making music and speaking about the intersections of music, community, and social justice. Matt has led worship for hundreds of congregations, traveling the country sharing a message of love and justice, through rhythm and song.

Coming Soon! Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual For Every American. The Preserving Our Democracy Team is sponsoring a two-part book read of this timely book by David Pepper. 

Our first discussion session, co-hosted by Lee Jeffers Brami and Pete Tasker, is after Sunday worship on March 3rd in the Common Room. Please contact Pete or Lee if you’d like to be part of this book read. The book is both inspiring and practical. You can order it through bookshop.org or amazon.com. We’ll be discussing the Introduction and the first five chapters at our first get together. Even if you haven’t had time to read all five chapters, at least read Pepper’s Introduction and come anyway. 

If you are waiting for the book you ordered, you can read a significant part of the Introduction at the [Read sample] button on Amazon’s web page for this book. Scroll forward in the sample to the paragraph the starts with:



“In state after state a faction of politicians rigs legislative districts to eliminate accountability and guarantee outcomes in its favor. With their election outcomes preordained, few members of this faction face accountability from their voters in their entire careers.” 

Read on for another 11 or 12 paragraphs, and then join us on March 3rd!

First Parish’s Annual Stewardship Campaign is underway! This is when all First Parish members and friends make a commitment to the church to donate a certain amount of money to First Parish for the upcoming church year that begins on July 1, 2024. To make your pledge, click this link. For more information on the Campaign, you can visit fplex.org/stewardship, email stewardship@fplex.org, or speak to one of the co-chairs: Omar Khudari, Dave Mayes, or Tom Rich. Please make your pledge by March 25th. Thank you for your support of First Parish! 

CHILDREN'S RE

There is no Children’s RE this coming Sunday. We hope to see you the following Sunday, March 10th!

Caroline and Annelie

Why We Cannot Turn Away: Resources for UU's Engaging Palestine & Israel

Our role as UUs is to be clear about our values and to center love for our siblings, especially in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. For deepening understanding and taking action, here are resources from our UUA denomination and UUs for Justice in the Middle East.

Electric Vehicle Sales Are Not Dropping

You may have heard that the U.S. market for electric vehicles (EVs) is decreasing. Actually, EV sales in the United States hit a record last year, topping 1 million for the first time. And in the last quarter of 2023, EV sales were up 40 % from the same quarter a year before.

To make things easier for EV drivers, every major automaker in the U.S. has agreed to switch to the charging standard used by Tesla. There are several EV sedans and compact cars available which require low electrical power per mile (most responsible climate crisis solutions). Currently many EV prices have been dropping. Sample prices: Tesla’s popular Model 3 Highland has a range of 270 miles: For a new 2024 Model 3 the price is about $40,500 including tax credit.

Tesla Model Y is the best-selling EV in the world and has a range of 260 miles. For a used 2021 Model Y the price is about $38,000 including tax credit.

SAVE the DATE! 

ALL CHURCH LUNCHEON, SUNDAY, APRIL 7th!

From choir rehearsals to Soul Matters, Building Bridges to Meditation Group, Urban Ministry to Democracy Team, Climate Action Team to Youth Groups and all of the other wonderful ways to get involved here at First Parish, please check the church calendar.

Submissions for The Weekly Update are due by the end of day, Mondays. To submit an article or information for consideration, please use this form.

Office: (781) 862-8200 | www.FPLex.org