A Note From Erin

A Month of Sundays at Old Ship

June 4th - Learning to Love

June 11th – Annual Flower Sunday Service

We will also be celebrating our high school seniors and OWL graduates. Bring a flower to add to our beautiful bouquet of flowers and take a different flower home with you! There will be extra flowers for people who don't have flowers growing.

June 18th – Pride Sunday

Several members of our community, the Welcoming Congregation Committee, and WAM will be leading this service reminding us of the importance of pride, visibility, and allyship

**June 24th –– 11:00 a.m. General Assembly Sunday Service**

(Note the time change)

We will gather in the Meeting House as we live stream the largest annual gathering of UUs in worship. The GA Sunday morning worship service is attended by thousands in person and on-line. This year Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti who serves as Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan will be the preacher. Erin will be back from GA and happy to talk about all things GA during coffee hour after the service.”

Summer Services will begin in July in the Meeting House at 10:30 AM

Peace,

Erin

Pastoral Care Leadership Team

We are all on the pastoral care team, but our “Pastoral Care Leadership Team” meets each month to share any concerns about parishioners who are ill, in the hospital, or facing other significant challenges, and to coordinate responses. If you have a pastoral concern to share with our Team, please feel free to contact any member of the group:

Ralph Brown

Liz Flint

Elaine Gomez

Alicia Harkness

Fan Leonard

Claire Petrie

Joan Wilson

Patience Gardner

Louise Smith

Erin Splaine

Nurturing Community



Among Us

Liz Flint's mother, Elizabeth (Tib) Sherrill, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 20th at the age of 95. A celebration of Tib's life will be held on Saturday, June 3rd, at 10:00 am at St. John's Episcopal Church in Hingham, followed by a gathering in the parish hall.

Fellowship Hour & Snacks:

Coffee hour will be held outside the Meeting House (weather Permitting). Last names beginning I - P are asked to bring cold drinks and a snack on Sunday, June 4th. Some type of finger or toothpick food that can be placed on a napkin is best. We don’t have volunteers to hand wash dishes and are going to keep things simple. Please leave your food item on the table outside the Meeting House ready to go. Food can be left in it’s box or served on a paper plate. Thanks everyone

Musical Notes

Dear Old Ship, 

This year’s Music Sunday was a success. Since my arrival at Old Ship immediately prior to the pandemic, we have not had a typical Music Sunday experience. It feels great to hear live music in its full glory once again resounding in the Meeting House. Thank you not only to the fantastic musicians that made the morning possible, but also to those of you who showed your support and offered kind words. If you weren’t able to make it I hope to see you there next time! 

Many well wishes for a wonderful summer. 

Musically, 

Christopher 

Wisdom of the Poets for June

Praying by Mary Oliver

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, a silence in which

another voice may speak.

           - Mary Oliver from "Thirst"

A June Day

I heard a red-winged black-bird singing

  Down where the river sleeps in the reeds;

That was morning, and at noontime

  A hummingbird flashed on the jewel-weeds;

Clouds blew up, and in the evening

  A yellow sunset struck through the rain,

Then blue night, and the day was ended

  That never will come again.

          Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

Happy summer everyone.

elizabethtorrey@hotmail,com

Old Ship Walking Group

As the days turns warmer, more chances arise to enjoy nature together! Weather-permitting, our Old Ship Walking Group will be exploring nearby parks after Sunday services. Contact Heather Nolasco (541-729-1418 or heatherbachelder27@gmail.com) to be added to the contact list for upcoming walks

Life Learning Offerings

click here to see our 2022-2023 Life Learning Web Page

Ongoing groups and gatherings

The Way of the Bodhisattva

Every Sunday morning, 8:30 AM. Zoom only. Twenty minutes of sitting meditation followed by discussion of a Buddhist or related text, facilitated by Catherine Mayes. Currently we are reading Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki.For questions and Zoom link, email. 

 Lisa Sawyer.

.

Sacred Texts Meditation Group

Next gatherings: Thursdays, June 8th & June 23rd 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., Zoom  

Second and fourth Thursday afternoons

​Each session will have a reading, a 15-minute meditation, and exploration of one chapter from the Tao Te Ching, including its meaning to each of us, as well as related writings, poetry or art. Newcomers are welcome. Gatherings will be Zoom only. For information and the Zoom link, contact Rich Elliott. .

Men’s Breakfast – Meets on the second Sunday morning, 8:30 a.m., of each month – our next gathering will be June 11th–in person and on Zoom. Contact Ralph Brown (ralph.e.brown@gmail.com) or Rich Elliott (richelliott56@gmail.com) for information and, for the Zoom link.

Ceilidh! – Gathers on the first Tuesday of each month. This means our next monthly song/poem circle will be on Tuesday evening, June 6th, at 7:00 p.m. We are currently planning to gather in the 14 Main St Parlor as well as on Zoom. Email Eric Cornetta with any questions about Ceilidh or for the Zoom link:EECornetta@aol.com. The zoom link is:https://zoom.us/j/92888235659?pwd=M3NEcVNibjdqM1RvUHhTUm9aN21Edz09

Fiber Funship

We will meet Wednesdays at 1:00 pm, in the 14 Main Street Parlor. For info contact Diane Elliott or Carol Valentine.

JOIN US FOR OLD SHIP’S ANNUAL

PRIDE DAY 

Sunday, June 18th 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Celebrate our LGBTQ+ Members Friends Family and Loved Ones. Games, Tye-dye, Activities, Bands, and Opportunities for Social Action

"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." -RBG

Welcoming Congregation

The Youth, R/E and Welcoming Congregation are preparing another Pride Celebration on June 18th immediately following church service.

We celebrate Pride in a rainbow of color, parades, celebrations. It is important to remember that it all came about due to the police harassing Queers all across the US. On one particular night (June 28th, 1969) in NYC at the Stonewall Inn, 2 transgender women had had enough of the police bullying, beating and throwing them in jail just for being themselves. Their strength led others to fight back. This protest against the treatment by the police lasted for 6 days, and led to the beginning of the Gay Movement in the US.

Brenda Howard, bi-sexual woman, known as "The Mother of Pride" created a one-month Stonewall anniversary rally in July 1969. Brenda and a committee planned Gay Pride Week and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade (later became Pride Parade). 

It's important to remember those who took the first important steps were marginalized within the LGBTQ+ community even to this day. In 2022 both Boston and Philadelphia's Pride Committees fell apart due to not fully accepting transgender people. Today, all around this country, there are laws and bans against transgender people. In one state, just dressing as who you are falls under 'No Drag in Public' and they can be arrested. We are living in times that are pre-Stonewall. 'Don't Say Gay' law in Florida, Alabama and Arkansas. Across the country books are banned from schools/libraries, gender affirming care is illegal, using your correct bathroom. playing sports is banned, and so much more.

It's important to speak up every time you hear anyone saying a negative comment towards any marginal group. There is too much hate, and we as Unitarian Universalists need to spread love while standing up against the bullies.

Listening Circles



As the church year comes to a close our listening circles are closing as well. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Spring Listening Circles. We had over 50 people participate. I want to thank our circle keepers and volunteers: Lorraine Varney-Riggs, Chris Sullivan, Ellie Handleman, Rich Elliott, Michael Jordan, Paul Stone and Eva Marx. It obviously takes a village for us all to come together and do the important work of being in community. Learning to listen and to share is a vital piece of that process and one that we need to continue to do.

For those of you who were unable to attend a circle these are the questions that were asked:  What does a church community mean to you?

What does being welcoming look like/feel like to you? How are you feeling about your experience at Old Ship and the current state of our community?

On behalf of the Committee on Transitional Ministry we thank all of you who have shared your thoughts, who have taken time to listen to each other, to ask the important questions and who strive to continue to do what it takes to keep Old Ship moving forward into the future.  “Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you (we) will gradually, without noticing it, live your/(our) way into the answers.”

Diane Elliott, Michael Jordan, Lorraine Varney-Riggs, Chris Sullivan, Paul Stone, Janet Asnes

Serving Others

News from the Social Justice Council (SJC) 

    Our Next Meeting is Sunday, August 6, 2023. We will be gathering in person to plan our work for the coming church year. Please contact Davalene Cooper at davalenecooper@verizon.net if you would like to attend and be part of our planning process. All are welcome!

Want to Help Provide Lunches for the Anderson Veterans Home in Hingham this Coming August?  We at Old Ship are part of a community wide interfaith effort to provide six lunches twice a week (Tuesday and Friday) to the Anderson Veterans Home on Fort Hill Street in Hingham. Lunch consists of a deli-meat or PB&J sandwich, chips, fresh fruit, cookie, and water or juice. Old Ship is responsible for the month of August; we are looking for volunteers to take one of the August dates and provide the six lunches. You could do this individually, as a family, or as a group of friends. The lunches are left in a cooler outside the side door of the home. If you would like to be a part of this effort, please contact Davalene Cooper. 

Father Bill's Cooking Teams Update:  We are happy to announce that Jack Gomez is joining our team that cooks on the 2nd Thursday of June, September, December. and March.  We also would like to thank Allan Greenberg for his many years of cooking and serving on this team. We wish Allan the very best as he moves to Vermont!

Food Donations for the Hingham Food Pantry —   We continue to collect food donations for the Hingham Food Pantry each week in the Meeting House; there is a basket in the vestibule for donations. Donations may also be made at the Hingham Stop and Shop (large bin at the front of the store).  The food pantry only accepts non-perishable, unopened, and unexpired food. Although all donations are appreciated, the following items are among the most needed at this time: Crackers, Canned Beef Stew, Instant Mashed or Scalloped Potatoes, Rice Side Dishes, Cookie Baking Mixes, 1 lb or 2 lb Granulated Sugars, Ketchup, Cheese or Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, and Granola Bars.

Special Plate Updates: We have completed our special plate collections for the church year; special plates will resume in October. Thanks to everyone who supported our special plate recipients this past year. In March, we donated  $1,457.76 to the International Institute of New England Unaccompanied Minor Program. In April, we donated  $1,369.76 to Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light. Again, we appreciate the congregation's support of the special plate program.

As of March 15th,

First Parish Hingham, Old Ship Church's mailing address will be:



14 Main Street

Hingham, MA 02043

Do you have payments sent directly from your bank account? If so, please update the mailing address.

• Board of Trustees - Thursday, June 1, 7:00 p.m. Zoom/14 Main Parlor;

click for Zoom Link for this Meeting Click here for the Agenda

• Worship and Music Committee Meeting - Sunday, June 4, Noon 14 Main Conference room

Printer Cartridge Collection

Please bring your used printer cartridges to the Parish House and help raise funds for our office supplies. In 2019 we were able to convert used cartridges into almost $500 of office supplies! Drop off your cartridges in the office or on the table right outside of the office door. Any brand or type of cartridge is fine. 

Thank you!

First Parish in Hingham, Old Ship Church

2023 Annual Report

Printed copies are available in the office and digital copies may be found on our website.

from your friends at

Old Ship Church!