Mofford Book Launch Gathering and Reading, Saturday, March 16, 3 pm, Parish Hall
A collection of poems and tidbits of thoughts of Tom Mofford, longtime parishioner and friend of North Parish, who passed in 2016. RSVP to Julie at jmofford1@yahoo.com. For more information, please go to www.loompress.com.
Brown Bag Lunch, Tuesday, March 19, Noon, Parlor
Bring your bag lunch and join in the conversation. We always meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. All are welcome.
Starting Points, A Class for North Parish Newcomers
Sundays, March 24, March 31 & April 7, 11:30 am – 1:15 pm, Blue Room
Explore where your faith/ethics are leading you. Hear the story of Unitarian Universalism and the history of North Parish. Share your ideas as we discover how our beliefs naturally evolve and have a journey all of their own. Build relationships with other so you can continue the journey together. Lunch and childcare provided. RSVP to Rebecca at rebeccaatnorthparish@gmail.com. Pre-registration required.
Knitting Circle, Tuesday, March 26, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Blue Room
Knitters of all levels and ages are welcome. Drop in and knit a square or begin a prayer shawl. Yarn, needles and treats will be available. Hosted by Prayer Shawl Coordinator, Phila Slade, Philaslade1@gmail.com and the Caring Team.
Death Café Thursday March 28, 2019, 7 – 8:30 pm, Parlor
It’s the one thing we all share. Got thoughts about mortality? Please join host Denise VanVooren for a warm, open, engaging and lively conversation about what is often a taboo subject. All voices are welcome.
The objective of a Death Café is to increase awareness of death to help make the most of our (finite) lives. It is not intended as a bereavement, support, grief counseling or therapy group. There is no intention of leading participants toward any theology, product or conclusion. Bottom of Form There is no agenda, but there definitely will be cake!
Each Death Café is an independent event – this is not a series. Additional cafés will be offered on from 7 – 8:30 pm in the Parlor on: Thursday, April 25 and Thursday May 23. Sponsored by the North Parish Caring Team. RSVP required at NPCaringTeam@googlegroups.com. To learn more about Death Cafes, please go to www.deathcafe.com. This is a free event, and a voluntary contribution to defray costs of our delicious refreshments is welcome.
Friday, April 5 at 6:30 pm, Climate Justice will show Burned, in conjunction with the Merrimack College Center for Sustainability and the Environment, at Merrimack in Arcidi Hall.
BURNED: Are Trees the New Coal? tells the little-known story of the accelerating destruction of our forests for fuel, and probes the policy loopholes, huge subsidies, and blatant green washing of the burgeoning biomass power industry. The film follows a dedicated group of forest activists, ecologists, carbon scientists, and concerned citizens who are fighting to establish the enormous value of our forests, protect their communities, debunk this false solution to climate change, and alter energy policy both in the US and abroad. Dr Bill Moomaw, Emeritus Professor of International Climate Policy at Tufts University, who served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will lead a discussion and Q&A session after the movie. Dr. Moomaw is one of the experts interviewed in the film. As always, the movie is free and open to the public.
UU Support Group for Families and Friends of Alcoholics and Addicts,
Sunday, April 7, 11:30 am, Orange Room
(1st Sunday of the month ongoing, following service at 11:30 am.)
Coming of Age For Adults: What Do You Believe?
A Coming of Age Program for Adults! The program will be offered as a series of 6 sessions, on Tuesday evenings in April and May. In this class, we will follow a small covenant group format of personal sharing and relationship-building, combined with some lectures and readings. Participants will explore, discuss, and develop personal beliefs on the big theological questions we all face, such as life, death, god/higher power, truth, good and evil, justice, and UU theology. These sessions will culminate with the writing and sharing of personal belief statements, known as credos.
Session Dates: Tuesdays 4/9, 4/16, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21 at 7 pm, Parlor
RSVP to Ministerial Intern, Israel Buffardi to register. Participants are strongly encouraged to commit to as close to all 6 sessions as possible.
NP Book & Movie Group, Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 pm
On April 10th at 7:30 pm in the Blue Room, the North Parish Book Group will discuss Marvel Studios’ Black Panther. The hero T’Challa is crowned king of Wakanda, an isolated, technologically advanced African nation, following his father’s death, but his sovereignty is challenged by an adversary who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution. The movie was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including best picture. Watch the movie ahead of time and join us for the discussion. Contact Suzanne Adams at sue@gndhome.com with any questions.
Second Thursday meet-up at El Taller, April 11, 6 – 8 pm
275 Essex Street, Lawrence
This is an opportunity for fellowship, discussion and planning around multicultural issues and racial and immigration justice. Stop by, grab some food and join the discussion. El Taller (“El Ti-yare”) is a café/bookstore/community gathering space. RSVP to Deb Olander at debolander@comcast.net.
Crossroads Music Series featuring Kim Richey Trio
Saturday, March 9, Parish Hall, Doors open at 7:30 pm, show time is 8 pm, tickets $25, for tickets and info visit
crossroadsmusicseries.org
NP Mega Yard Sale, May 4th!
Vegetarian Potluck, Monday, TBA
Sponsored by the Climate Justice Task Force. If you are new to vegetarian cooking or don’t have time to cook, there is always an abundance of food so please come anyway. We organize these potlucks in an effort to highlight the adverse effect the meat and cheese industry has on climate change and in the hopes that more and more of us will take the Meatless Monday pledge.
North Parish Knitting Circle – Tuesday, TBD, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Blue Room
Knitters of all levels are welcome. Drop in and knit a square or begin a prayer shawl. Yarn, needles and treats will be available. Hosted by Prayer Shawl Coordinator Phila Slade and the Caring Team.
Bread & Roses Food Prep, Fourth Saturday of the month, NP Kitchen
Bread & Roses is a soup kitchen in Lawrence that serves daily meals to those in need. For many years, North Parish has prepared a dinner meal for them to be served on 4th Saturday of each month. We pick up the ingredients and prepare a meal of Shepherd’s Pie in the Parish Hall kitchen that we deliver to them that afternoon. The commitment is only for a couple of hours on a Saturday (from 1-3pm) and is a very worthwhile service project that is becoming more important in these tough economic times. I am continuing to create a list of people who would want to participate in the future. Please contact Carolyn Murphy at csmerac@aol.com. You will be assisting people who need a helping hand and feel better for doing it!
Morning Meditation for Everyone – Fridays, 8:30 – 9:15 am
Great Pond Sangha offers a “secular mindfulness style” silent sitting meditation plus short walking meditation (outside labyrinth in good weather). Drop in. Newcomers & beginners welcome. Free. Meditation cushions and chairs are available.
Buddhist Meditation – Wednesdays, 7:30 – 9 pm, Chapel
Each Wednesday the Great Pond Sangha offers guided meditation and discussion in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, guest teachers, Dharma talks. Drop in. Newcomers/Beginners welcome. Free. Meditation cushions and chairs are available. For more info contact Mark Lemire or Susan Malloy at greatpondsangha@gmail.com or Laura Howell, Director at directorgreatpondsangha@gmail.com.
Glorious Gardeners – Tuesdays, 9:00 am
Join us in the North Parish gardens for chatting and relaxed yard work. Getting to know each other and pooling our knowledge are important aspects of what we do. Weather dependent, we will gather. Come when you can. To add your name to our contact list, email Debb Putnam at deborahputnam@gmail.com.
