Earth Day 2011: Sacred Waters
April 5, 2011
Kate Gillis
Our congregation joins hundreds of Unitarian Universalist congregations in examining issues of water justice and in putting our faith in action.
Who We Are
April 5, 2011
Rev. CJ McGregor
It is a healthy practice to be reminded of who we are as individuals, as a congregation and as a liberal religious movement. We will reflect on this practice and Rev. CJ will reflect on his candidating week at Bell Street.
Helping those in need
April 5, 2011
The Peace and Social Justice Committee wishes to thank all who participated in the PSJ-sponsored Worship Service on Feb. 20. The theme of the service was homelessness, a particularly relevant topic this cold and snowy winter. We were reminded that homelessness can happen to anyone who is faced with an unanticipated loss of employment or serious disabling illness. We were also shocked to learn how little our society offers to the children in state care when they come of age; they just suddenly stop receiving any form of support or assistance and often end up on the street. For Unitarian Universalists who pledge to affirm and support the “inherent worth and dignity of every person”, the service was a good reminder of our obligations to those who, often by no fault of their own, do not have a place to call home.
Consequently, our Share the Plate recipients for the months of February and March were nonprofit organizations that provide services to the homeless. We also collected blankets, hoodies and new underwear and socks for the clients of shelters.
Also, just a “heads up” from the Peace and Social Justice Committee concerning our May Mother’s Day project! We will once again creatively fill 30 baskets for women who might not otherwise be acknowledged on Mother’s Day. This year’s recipients will be clients of Sojourner House, a resource center and safe haven for victims of domestic violence and their children. Sojourner House has served as a leader in Rhode Island in the assistance of such families since 1976. We will collect personal care items like lovely soaps, make up, perfumes and personal hygiene products during the weeks from now until Mother’s Day. And we will be looking for help putting the baskets together and decorating them. So stay tuned… Sojourner House will also be the recipient of Share the Plate for the month of May.
Ministerial candidate
April 5, 2011
I just opened the March newsletter and saw the column which I wrote a few weeks ago. It begins, “Not much to report from your committee….”
Have things ever changed! Candidating week will run from April 2 through April 10 and the congregation will be able to meet Reverend CJ McGregor.
Reverend McGregor is currently serving as a minister at the Brookfield Unitarian Universalist Church, a position he pursued so as to gain further ministerial experience as a student minister. Prior to this, he had served as an intern minister at First Church Unitarian of Littleton, Mass., from September 2006 through June 2008. While he was just ordained over the last weekend of February, he brings a host of life experience in his first career in human services working in the area of developmental and psychiatric disabilities. Reverend McGregor is also the spiritual director of Aseracare Hospice in Marlborough, Mass., a position which is flexible and part-time and which would easily allow him to grow into the increasing number of hours we hope to offer a settled minister over the next few years.
Reverend McGregor is married to his husband of 7 years (partnered for 20!), Richard, a licensed mental health counselor. They are the fathers of two sons, both adopted when they were 7 years old. Tony is now 21 and Robert is now 19.
The Search Committee had the pleasure of spending the weekend with Reverend McGregor (and some of the weekend with Richard as well) a few weeks ago. Over meals, driving tours of Rhode Island, and interviews, we unanimously became more and more excited over the possibility of Reverend McGregor as the next settled minister of Bell Street.
Some of our impressions: Reverend McGregor is a listener. He is deliberate and thoughtful, yet can be quite funny. We were struck by his honesty, and his ability to self-reflect. He seems to truly know his strengths and accepts his weaknesses with grace and without defense. He repeatedly spoke of his appreciation of how we at Bell Street “should not be doing all you’re doing,” referring to our ability to overcome our small size when it comes to social action, and other aspects of our community. He understands the importance of lay leadership, music, religious education, preaching, and social action to this community and truly seems to us on the committee as one who would guide us to our highest potential. He also spoke of what would be his commitment to us, stating that Bell Street would NOT be a “stepping stone” for him, but rather a spiritual home where he hopes to settle indefinitely. Even before he read our packet, he spoke of how he “fell in love” with our community. We are the church where he feels he fits best and those of us on the Search Committee agree that he would be a great asset to our community.
Please come a meet Reverend McGregor over candidating week. The week will begin with a potluck dinner at Carol Crowley’s home in Providence on Saturday, April 2, followed by a service conducted by Reverend McGregor the next morning. Then, over the course of the week, Reverend McGregor will be holding office hours to meet with him one to one, as well meeting with committee members and conducting an adult religious education program in Eddy Hall on Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. He will conduct a second service on Sunday, April 10, and then we will have a congregational vote following the service on whether he should be called as the next minister of Bell Street Chapel.
Please make time to get to know Reverend McGregor and please feel free to contact a member of the Ministerial Search Committee with any questions. Thanks so much for all of your support thus far!
~On behalf of the Ministerial Search Committee,
Wendy Schwartz
Candidating Week April 2-10
April 5, 2011
Itinerary for Rev. CJ McGregor’s Candidating Week
Saturday, April 2, 6 p.m. Potluck Welcoming Dinner at Carol Crowley’s home (For directions, contact Carol at (401) 272-2088)
Sunday, April 3, 10 a.m. First worship service led by Rev. CJ, followed by coffee hour
Tuesday, April 5, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Adult religious education class, Eddy Hall
Saturday, April 9, 10 a.m. to noon Time with children and families
Sunday, April 10, 10 a.m. second worship service led by Rev. CJ, followed by congregational meeting and vote.
Rev. CJ Will be available for additional hours during the week to meet with committees and individuals.