Our Interim Minister, Elaine Peresluha, will provide the invocation that launches the MetroWest Regional Climate Rally at Concord's Old Manse at 3:30 PM on Saturday, May 5. This event is part of a worldwide day of climate action initiated by Bill McKibben's 350.org. The theme of the day is connecting the dots between climate change, extreme weather, and fossil fuels. The rally will feature short, inspirational speeches, music, and art, including a sculpture of a giant faucet made by a ConcordCAN member from 1500 plastic water bottles. Anna Tull will sing. CC King is expected to "speak" as a crow. Some speakers will provide a historical framework for what is happening here, with due tribute to Henry David Thoreau. Pablo Suarez, an international climate scholar and activist will tell hopeful stories from devastated areas around the globe. Church Members Bob Andrews, Berni Jenkins, Brad Hubbard-Nelson, and CC King have all played an active role in planning the rally, along with people from MaynardCAN and other climate action groups throughout the MetroWest region.
Posted by: Faith Bade
in Chicken Man on Apr 27, 2012
Both Chicken Man, the musical, and The Road to Chicken Man events have ended. What an amazing experience.
It began with the vision of Jane Blumberg, First Parish member, activist, and Social Action Community Board member, and took on an incredible life here at First Parish, transforming our community as well as the parish hall!
Posted by: Faith Bade
in Department of Peace on Apr 24, 2012
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute
Mother's Day Walk
Sunday, May 13 in Boston
Sign up online or at coffee hours at First Parish on Sunday 4/29 or 5/6
Dear Lovers of Peace,
I hope you will consider sponsoring First Parish of Concord in the annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace to benefit the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. You can write a check payable to LDB Peace Institute and give it to me at one of the coffee hours on Sunday, April 29 or May 5 or you can make an online donation by going to www.ldbpeaceinstitute.org. Click on Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. You will see three purple ribbons with the middle one saying “Sponsor a Participant, ” click this one. It should open to a page asking you to enter the participant’s name. On the line for First Name, enter Margie King; on the line for Last Name enter Saphier. On the following page you will see at the heading, “Team: First Parish Concord.” In the middle right lower side there is a choice to donate under my name or under the”general team.” Please make your donation under general team, which is First Parish. No matter which of the two names you choose, your donationl falls under Team: First Parish Concord.
Posted by: Pat Simon
in Department of Peace on Apr 22, 2012
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On May 21, in cooperation with the Brattle Theater, the MA Campaign will present The Dhamma Brothers, a documentary consisting of interviews with inmates in a maximum security prison, following their 10-day lock down in a Vipassana Meditation. Following the film, its Director, Dr. Jenny Phillips, will be present to talk about how the experience helped prisoners "to emerge with a renewed self-image and a greater personal responsibility". Show time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available in Coffee Hours, in May.
Posted by: Faith Bade
in UUUM on Apr 19, 2012
I am looking for First Parish members who would like to light the Social Action candle within worship in the coming months.
The SAC candle was created as an opportunity for the parish members to share personal reflections and inspiration during a contemplative time within our worship service. The wordings for the SAC candle are brief yet connect us with the spiritual side of activism and with the overall message of the worship on that day.
Posted by: Faith Bade
in Immigration on Apr 18, 2012
The Social Action Community invites all First Parish members to become involved in the upcoming Advocacy Day in Boston. The advocacy will focus on the issues of homelessness, immigration, and the Three Strikes Bill. See details below.
Advocacy Day & Acts of Faith Breakfast
Posted by: Jane Blumberg
in UUSC on Apr 15, 2012
Tagged in: Untagged
With only 50,000 units of affordable housing available in Massachusetts, and 200,000 families with incomes so low they qualify for Emergency Assistance—incomes of $18,000 or less for a family of three—there is increased support from legislators for programs that both keep families housed and offer heads of families a way out of poverty through education.
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Please find below an alert sent to members of the Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness. They welcome any activists interested in issues on homelessness to join in their advocacy work. Contact First Parish member and Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness representative Jane Blumberg, jane_blumberg@mac.com, for more information about this organization.
Posted by: Faith Bade
in Chicken Man on Mar 30, 2012
On Friday night April 13th, Joe Levine, Ph.D. will be presenting a talk and slide show in the Emerson Room beginning at 7:30. If you are at all interested in rain forests around the world, this is an evening you will not want to miss. His slides are stunning.
Posted by: Faith Bade
in Grants on Mar 30, 2012
In Fall 2011, our Social Action Grants Committee awarded $3,000 to the Framingham English as a Second Landuage program to replace broken and outdated computer euqipment used by their students. We recently received this "thank you" from their director. Click here to read their hearfelt letter - the pictures are great to see! The money awarded through our Grants program has had a signifcant impact on this ESL program. They work hard to make a differentce - and have over 400 on their wait list!
