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With words and poetry and music, we will honor the power of our connections with the Divine. Join us for our Easter service, whether you come as a Christian, a Buddhist, a mystic, a seeker, an atheist, or especially if you choose not to label your own spirituality. You are welcome here!
On this festive Easter Sunday, the Joyful Noise youth choir, drums, guitar, brass quartet, sanctuary choir, organ and bagpipes will present joyful music during worship. The Sanctuary choir will sing Handel’s exuberant “Hallelujah, Amen” (from Judas Maccabaeus) and Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker's deeply moving "Hymn of Resurrection." Joyful Noise, First Parish’s youth choir with soloist Rosie MacClary, will sing Andra Day’s inspiring and joyful Pop hit “Rise Up,” accompanied by piano, drums and electric bass. For the centering music, the brass quartet (Steve Felix and Dean Oaks, trumpets; Erik Svensen, horn; Rick Copeland, trombone) and organist Rip Jackson will play Rip’s arrangement of Johann Sebastien Bach’s iconic and beautiful “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (from Cantata 147 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147). And for the postlude, they will be joined by bagpiper Amy McGlothin and percussionists Michael Bruce and Paul Reynolds in presenting Mark Schweitzer’s amazing arrangement of “St. Andrew’s Processional.”
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The Stewardship Team wishes to thank the First Parish community for a successful Stewardship Drive. Together, we have achieved over 99% of our goal! We will still gratefully accept additional donations to bring us to the 100% mark. To make your pledge, click this link or you can email stewardship@fplex.org.
Thank you again for your support of First Parish!
Omar Khudari, Dave Mayes, and Tom Rich,
Stewardship Drive Co-chairs
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The U.N. Weather Agency Has Declared a “Red Alert” on Global Warming
The World Meteorological Organization, the Geneva-based U.N. weather agency released a “State of the Global Climate 2023” report two weeks ago that declared a “Red Alert” on global warming, citing record-breaking increases during last year (2023) of:
• greenhouse gas levels
• land and water surface temperature
• ocean heat and acidification
• sea level rise
• melting of glaciers and sea ice.
The report states that the world’s efforts to reverse these increases have been utterly inadequate. And it forecasts a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-breaking hot year. Already, January 2024 was the warmest January on record.
Reference
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Ferry Beach Retreat
for
Memorial Day Weekend 2024
Friday, May 24 – Monday, May 27
First Parish in Concord &
First Parish in Lexington
As we have for many years, First Parish in Concord and First Parish in Lexington will have an official retreat together at the Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center in Saco, Maine over Memorial Day Weekend. Families, couples, and singles of all ages are welcome and encouraged to attend! The joint Ferry Beach Retreat Committee is busy making plans for our weekend!
Registration is by a new process that has two parts this year as follows:
1) Register and pay for lodging, meals, and fees directly with Ferry Beach, using the this website that is specific to our weekend: FB Registration. Information about lodging options are also found on the Ferry Beach Website. If you prefer, you can call 207-282-4489 x1 to speak to a member of the Ferry Beach registration team and register that way. Be sure mention you are a member of FP Lex to get the special rates they are offering us.
Registration is first come, first served, so the sooner you register, the more choices you’ll have for lodging! Please register soon and latest by May 9, if at all possible.
2) Complete your Registration by filling out our Google form (Registration, Part 2) with info that will come directly to the joint Planning Committee. Please find the form here: FP Info Form
Activities that we’ve loved over the years are being planned again – Sunday night Talent Show, Croquet Tournament, Sand Structure Contest, Bingo, Bracelet Making. Let the Planning Committee know if you’d like to offer an activity or help with something!
Information is available here: Ferry Beach Registration! - First Parish in Lexington (fplex.org).
If you have questions about Ferry Beach, especially if you have never attended before, feel free to contact your co-chairs:
Deb Weiner Soule (djweiner101@gmail.com) or Elisabeth Jas (svenjas@msn.com)
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CHILDREN'S RE
Please join us this Easter Sunday for a jelly bean communion! We’ll end our morning with a different kind of egg hunt that will support an animal shelter!
Caroline and Annelie
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From Your Minister
I have returned from a six week sabbatical refreshed and ready to go. Having a sabbatical is a crucial part of my well-being, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to step off the treadmill for a time and engage with other parts of my being. Simon and I were able to spend a precious week alone together, and we traveled to visit our adult children. Because we both work on weekends, it is just difficult to find time to spend with them, so we are both so glad we could get away. Most importantly, I had time to truly rest, to recover my equilibrium, to read deeply, and to prepare to come back to the important and time-consuming tasks of ministry. I have said to several people that this past week was very full, but when I approach this work from a place of rest, I am truly up to the challenge!
I was glad to see so many of you before I went away. If you would like to come by and visit with me, perhaps to discuss things in your own lives that might need a compassionate and listening ear, please do make an appointment and come to see me. I love to make connections with you all. It is easier to face the complexities of this world when we come from the warmth of community, and when we know we can return!
With love and gratitude,
Rev. Anne
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RSVP FOR THE ALL CHURCH PARTY!
Saturday, March 30th
6-9 p.m.
(Note: this is the day before Easter)
The Ministry of Fun is planning the most funnest party ever to celebrate the end of the Stewardship campaign. Dinner will be provided. All ages are welcome (kid fun downstairs).
RSVP HERE
Sincerely,
Mia Roop, Vicky Guo,
Amy Jamison
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SIGN UP for our ALL CHURCH LUNCHEON, SUNDAY APRIL 7th
Congregational Conversation on Vision, Mission, and Covenant Proposals
Please register here so we can best plan for our food count. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Shared Ministry Committee
| 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. | |
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YOUTH GROUP PIZZA MAKING
On St. Patrick's Day, our Senior High Youth Group enjoyed a pizza-making event with Liz Gemelli and Chef "Nino" (Antonio Giuseppe Rocco Filleti) which was a tremendous success! Liz filled the church kitchen with festive aprons and St. Patrick's Day decor while Chef Nino shared his pizza-making knowledge and expertise with the youth. The evening included a history of pizza making in the United States, dough-tossing, and an assortment of mouth-watering toppings and hand-shredded cheese! It was a fun night for all, and the pizza was delicious. Thank you, Liz and Chef Nino, for sharing your time, enthusiasm, and expertise. The night was one to remember and we are grateful to all who took part!
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