First Parish Unitarian Church of Hubbardston

First Parish Unitarian Church of Hubbardston

The Parish Press

Editor: Cyndy Washburn-Doane Holiday 2010

”It came upon a midnight clear” that we still have a lot of work to do. “We gather together “to watch the football games and eat pumpkin pie. “There are wreaths to be made and hung on the door. “Over the river and through the woods” we hunt the shiny green mountain laurel bush. Jump down and pick a bag or two to work off the big Thanksgiving dinner. “Go tell it on the mountain” and anywhere else that the Gingerbread Fair is coming to town on Dec. 4. “Tis the season to be Jolly” is upon us. Join in the “Amazing Grace” as the vestry transforms to a Christmas wonderland. “Angels we have heard on high”, they sound very similar to the Pioneer Valley Brass, who will be performing a free concert Sunday Dec. 5th at 5:30pm. “Joy to the world” as the Sunday School Christmas Pageant and party are held on Dec.19th during the 10 am service. “Santa Clause is coming to town” but not until “O come, All Ye Faithful “ and “Silent night” are sung at the Christmas Eve service Dec. 24th at 5 pm. “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” and a Happy New Year!”

Pianist: Melissa Dymek Church 10 am

RE Director: Nancy Hubbard Sunday School 9 am

How to contact us:

Church Phone:

978-928-5822

First Parish Unitarian Church

Box 509

Hubbardston, MA 01452

Websites: hubbardstonunitarian.org

www.uua.org

www.cbd.uua.org

Prepare for Fair Week – The Gingerbread Fair on December 4th is rapidly approaching. The week before the fair the Church is a buzz. The vestry will be transformed into an amazing room overflowing with gingerbread people, holiday decorations, decorated tables, a stage transforming into a bistro for lunch, and a kitchen full of men are peeling potatoes and carrots, making meatballs and baking gingerbread. There are plenty of jobs during Prepare For Fair Week here at the Church. Please let us know if you can help during that week.

Laurel Wreath Making – Let There Be Wreaths. Beginning Friday November 26th of Thanksgiving weekend through Sunday November 28th from 9 am until 3 pm, we will create, assemble, fashion, build and construct close to 70 big fluffy laurel wreaths decked out with large pinecones and big red bows. If lots of us help, Sunday will not be necessary. Please bring a snack to share and 2 bags of laurel. If you do not have laurel on your property, give us a call and we will direct you to the great laurel pickin’ patches. The laurel can be picked a few days in advance. Make it an after dinner family excursion to get rid of those calories from that extra slice of pie. Better yet, pack up the pie and bring it for a snack. Place your orders for these handsome wreaths with Barbara at 978-928-4475. They go quickly. If anyone in your family needs community service, this activity is a great way to get in some hours.

Gingerbread Fair - Members and friends of the First Parish Unitarian Church, On the Common in Hubbardston look forward to the Gingerbread Fair as the beginning of their holiday season. Saturday, December 4th from 9 am until 3 pm is the big day, which is planned and worked on all year long. The funds from this fair help fund our programs, services and other events. Be sure to stop by our bulletin board or visit us at www.hubbardstonunitarian.org. to see what we are up to.

Our Holiday Luncheon will be served on the stage. The menu is homemade Swedish Meatballs with gravy, mashed potatoes, carrots and peas, a beverage and biscuits shaped like gingerbread people. Dessert is freshly baked gingerbread topped with whipped cream, all for $8.00.

The Silent and Chinese auctions will have many attractive gifts, tickets to base ball games, gift certificates to area restaurants, passes to museums, golfing, favorite attractions and themed gift baskets. Raffle tickets will be available for the “Shoo-Fly” country quilt, a Gingerbread House and a special Holiday Raffle with three prizes, one is a signed photo of Jacoby Ellsbury, and the other items are a surprise.

Our very New England traditional holiday tables will feature laurel wreaths, pine slab memorial boxes, berry bowls and natural garlands, knitted hats, scarves, mittens, linens, home made jams and jellies, hand packed spices, homemade candy and incredible baked goods.

This year the fair co-chairs are Cyndy Washburn-Doane and Mary Taylor. Please bring a donation for each table. We hope you can attend and bring your family and friends, and perhaps make some new friends there!

“Shoo-Fly” Country Quilt –Carol Whitney has once again made a beautiful “Shoo-fly” Country quilt which will be raffled off at the close of the Gingerbread Fair December 4th. It is described as being 81” x 98”, hand quilted and pieced in shades of blues, reds, and greens accented with a brown lattice and red cornerstones with an elegant gold border. The backing is the same elegant gold as the border. This quilt will compliment any decor. The last day to purchase tickets will be at the Gingerbread Fair. Please return the sold tickets stubs, or mail them to Box 509 before December 2nd. We have enclosed 5 tickets. This is a must see, one of a kind quilt.

Dana Brass Concert - December 5th our Church will be hosting a free concert with The Pioneer Valley Brass Quintet at 5:30 pm. The Quintet features trumpets, horns, trombones and a tuba. The performance includes an array of Holiday songs, some arranged by the Quintet members. These services are given to any church desiring a high quality musical service. This organization came into being when the Quabbin Reservoir was constructed, which flooded 4 towns during the 1930’s. The First Universalist Parish of Dana established a trust fund to keep the memory of North Dana and their church alive. Save the date and join us for this Christmas Tradition. Light refreshments to follow.

Children’s Christmas Party – Sunday, December 19th at 10 am, the Sunday School will hold their Christmas Pageant upstairs in the Sanctuary. Directly following the pageant a party will be held downstairs with cake & presents. We hope an Ambassador from the North Pole will pay us a visit if we sing very loud. Please let Nancy Hubbard know if you are bringing a young guest. She will notify the Ambassador that they will be coming to the party.

Christmas Eve Candle Light Service – Friday, December 24th at 5:00 pm. PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN THE TIME FROM THE REGULAR SERVICE. This is a very traditional service. Aaron Stockwell, a Unitarian seminarian student, joins us again, will deliver the Christmas message. During the service we sing traditional hymns, ending with the congregation forming a circle, as we light candles from one another and sing Silent Night. Please join us for this time-honored tradition.

CHURCH NEWS

Annual Meeting Held – Our annual meeting was held September 26th in the vestry at 11 am. During the business meeting annual election of officers was held. The new officers for the up coming Church year of 2010-2011 are Carol Whitney, President, Barbara Hubbard, Treasurer, Mary Taylor, Clerk, & Cyndy Washburn-Doane, Vice President. Those in attendance reviewed the Annual Report.

1-20 Club Continues – Since 1990 the 1-20 Club benefits the Restoration Fund. We complete two rounds of 1-20 club tickets per year. This past year this fund permitted us to remove our old oil tanks and replaced them with one tank, support beams under the kitchen floor were replaced and new flooring was installed in the kitchen and bathrooms. The continuation of the 1-20 Club encourages us to consider other needed repairs to our historic building. Thanks go out to our Members & Friends who have purchased tickets over the years. Donations are accepted to this fund at any time. Please contact Barbara if you would like to purchase a ticket.

Take me out to the Ball Game 2011 – Be on the look out again for our “FUN” Raiser. Beginning in early January 2011 the Church will be raffling off 4 tickets to a baseball game at historic Fenway Park in Boston. Your raffle tickets may be purchased from any member of the Parish Committee and members of the Church. Ticket prices are $5 per ticket or 5 tickets for $20. The Raffle will be drawn on Sunday May 15th.

Hubbardston Community Theatre – Auditions for the spring 2011 production of “Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang” will be held at the Church on Sunday, November 21st from 1 – 4 pm. Show dates are March 18, 19 and 20 at Hubbardston Center School Auditorium. Please contact Stephanie Guertin at for more information. Please bring a canned good for our local food basket collection to your audition.

Parish Press Spring 2011 – The spring edition of the Parish Press will be going out at the beginning of March 2011. We always welcome your ideas, articles and news. Please contact Cyndy Washburn-Doane at . We hope you find our newsletter enjoyable and helpful. The Parish Committee mails out the newsletter to 200 readers, 3 times per year; fall, holiday and spring.

Remaining Schedule of Services and Ministers –

*Jan. 09 SSVM – Gayle Picard

**Jan. 16 A. Stockwell

Jan. 23 TBA

Jan. 30 R. Wirtanen

Feb. 06 TBA

*Feb. 13 SSVM

Feb. 20 No Church

Feb. 27 A. Stockwell

Mar. 06 E. Blanchard

*Mar. 13 SSVM – Chair City Pipers

**Mar. 20 TBA

Mar. 27 A. Stockwell

Apr. 03 A. Stockwell

*Apr. 10 SSVM – Melissa’s Students

Apr. 17 E. Blanchard

*Apr. 24 Easter: A. Stockwell

May 01 Recognition Sunday–R. Wirtanen

May 08 A. Stockwell

**May 15 Children’s Sunday

*Coffee Hour

** Pot Luck

Annual Giving - It is not too late to give to the 2010-2011 Annual Giving Campaign or to send in a pledge. You can pay your pledge all at once or several times throughout the year. These combined with the proceeds from our fairs help pay our Church bills and continue Sunday Services. During good times or tough times our community outreach and our fellowship is needed more than ever. If you need a pledge form or have any questions, please see Carol Whitney.

Tribute Gifts – These gifts support the Church’s Annual Giving Campaign and are an excellent way to celebrate lifelong friendships and the organization where they all started. Tribute gifts are a meaningful way to mark the passing of a loved one. Other reasons why donors have made a tribute gift are to celebrate an anniversary, a birthday, wedding or any other special occasion.

Planned Gifts – Planned Gifts is established to recognize those individuals who have made arrangements to leave a planned gift to the First Parish Unitarian Church. The Church welcomes those who have included the Church in their will, trust, retirement plan, or other deferred gift plan and have informed us of their generosity. Please consider supporting the Church’s future through a provision in your estate plan and kindly let us know if you have already done so. We want to express our gratitude and acknowledge your generosity.

Parish Committee – The Parish Committee continues to be very busy. They meet every Wednesday at 4 pm at the Church and have been working out the details of the many issues that the Church has to deal with. If you need to contact any of them please refer to the following list or come to a meeting. This committee is looking for one more member.

Carol Whitney: Pres. 978-928-3748

Barbara Hubbard: Treas. 978-928-4475

Cyndy Washburn-Doane: VP 978-928-4866 Mary Taylor: Clerk 978-928-4289

Looking for your e-mails – Please send your email address to . We want to continue to provide you with any new events that have not been listed in our 2010-11 schedules, or on our web site at www.hubbardstonunitarian.org

How can you help serve our Church in other ways? – During the Church year we try to plan many different events. Your needs, skills and interests can find a home here. Involvement opportunities could be set up for coffee hour after church, work on church fairs, bake for our sales and many more. What would you, your family and friends like to see at the Church? Do you have a special talent, craft, or mentor, or plan a special service or event that you would like to share or teach us in an evening or afternoon or two? Our hope is that everyone, whether you have children in the Church or not, will get involved throughout the year. The 2010-2011 Event Schedule belongs to and depends on, the entire congregation. There are many ways you may share your skills and special abilities.

Joys and Sorrows - James E. Vaida, 66, of Healdville Road, passed away on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 in UMass Memorial Healthcare-University Campus, Worcester, surrounded by family and friends. He leaves his wife of 42 years, Suzanne and two sons, James and David Vaida. Jim was active in many organizations and resided in Town for 42 years. He was active in the former Congregational Church in town and a friend of the First Parish Unitarian Church of Hubbardston.

Future Services Needs Committee - The Future Services Needs Committee (FSNC) is a group of interested parishioners looking into the many needs concerning our services. These needs may include, but are not limited to ministerial concerns, musical programs and service content. Any topic that pertains to services will be touched on according to the group attending. This group will make recommendations to the Parish Committee (PC). Current committee members are Carol Whitney, Barbara Hubbard, Lori Prentiss and Nancy Hubbard. They are looking for a few more.