So many of us have had health scares, gone through serious medical treatment and in one way or another have had the realization that, "We all live on borrowed time," thrust upon us. It can be scary, even depressing, or it can challenge us to live every day to the fullest and recognize each moment as the precious gift that it is. At both services, our music director, Mike Pfitzer will sing the beautiful song, "We all Live on Borrowed Time” by David Friedman and organ and piano music will be provided by Sanghee Kim.
Past Services
Sunday, September 30th, 2012
The Rev Tom Rosiello preaching; Visiting Student Minister, Jennifer Duhamel, assisting with worship.
Today we live in an increasingly polarized nation and world. At the heart of this polarization seems to be uncompromising religious positions and there seem to be many who wish to exploit those religious positions for political gain. Of course religious values are important but how do we move forward as a diverse society when compromise seems less possible and competing interest seems to be ignored. Ethical decision making is always about balancing competing interests.
This morning we will explore this difficult issue. In our worship we will share joys and concerns and rich music making. Our choirs will sing, “On that Holy Mountain” by Joe Mattingly and the message of that text taken from The Book of Isaiah (the story of the lion lying down with the lamb) will be our message for all ages. In our Religious Education classes, our children will be learning about the Sikh tradition.
Sunday, September 23rd, 2012
Worship led by Rev Tom Rosiello and assisted by Jennifer Duhamel, student minister
In the context of the Jewish High holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we will examine what we are called to do for each other and the world. At both services you will hear the beautiful anthem, Al Shlosha D'Varim which translates, "The world is sustained by three things, by truth, by justice and by peace." The youth will present the Children’s Message this morning.
Sunday, September 16th, 2012
Worship led by Rev. Tom Rosiello.
We all yearn to go deeper to connect with the spirit of life and love and justice by whatever name we call it. That theme will be expressed in the beautiful 16th century motet, Sicut Cervus by Palestrina at the 11 AM service and at the 9 AM service by a beautiful instrumental reflection. Being spiritually grounded is essential to a healthy life and just as our bodies need to be nourished by food and exercise; our spirits too need to be fed and exercised through a spiritual practice. Moreover our spiritual health and physical health are often closely connected. This Sunday we will begin the new program theme for this year, “Healthy Bodies-Healthy Spirits.” Stay tuned – lots of different activities that will be part of this program. And also we will commission those wonderful adults who once again have volunteered to teach and otherwise assist with our religious education program for children and youth.
Sunday, September 9th, 2012
INGATHERING SUNDAY
This Sunday we return to worship in our beautifully restored church and to two services. We will be "pulling out all the stops" for this Ingathering celebration when we officially begin our church year. In our worship we will focus on the importance of having a spiritual home and how this church is, or can be, that home for you. Our professional and volunteer musicians will be back in force with members of our jazz band playing at the 9 AM and 11 AM services. At the 9 AM Mike Pfitzer will sing a solo about coming home and at the 11 AM our choir, under his direction, will be singing a beautiful anthem entitled, “The Road Home" by Stephen Paulus. Our Director of Religious Education, Michelle Cote, as well as our new Visiting Student Minister, Jennifer Duhamel, will also be participating and there will be a message for children and youth introducing them to our Religious Education program. The Rev. Tom Rosiello will be preaching. A special homecoming coffee hour will follow both services and there will even be an ice cream social at Erickson's Dairy at 3 pm this afternoon.
Sunday, September 2nd, 2012
Although summer officially lasts until the third week in September, Labor Day Weekend has traditionally marked the end of the season. This morning we will look back on summer and celebrate the fun and meaningful times we had this year. Everyone is invited to bring some momento of their summer and we will together create an End of Summer Altar.... maybe a photo or souvenir of somewhere you visited, a flower, tomato or zucchini from your garden, your beach towel or flippers or maybe a canoe paddle.... maybe some art or craft you created…anything that you enjoyed or found meaning full this summer. We will sing hymns and songs of the summer and enjoy hearing the beautiful Gershwin Song, "Summertime" from Porgy & Bess. The Service will be led by Rev. Tom Rosiello who will share readings and an end of summer reflection.
Sunday, August 26th, 2012
Jack and Carolyn Zettler will lead us in a service that focuses on Beliefs and Quincy Sprague, Michael Merrill and friends will provide us with some Blue grass music.
Sunday, August 19th, 2012
Today’s service will feature special guest speaker, Helen Rivas Rose. Mostly self-directed, Helen forced herself to overcome lifelong shyness during a twenty year process, by interviewing artists for newspaper stories, giving talks and singing in public, among other activities. Then for nine years she wrote Brave, a Memoir of Overcoming Shyness, ‘itself an exercise in being comfortable with others and with myself’. (copies of the book will be available after the service.) Today she is completely free of shyness and able employ all the energy she formerly expended on being uncomfortable around people to use to enjoy people, society and life. She will share her journey with us and her thoughts on “curing shyness.” The service will be led my our Minister, The Rev. Tom Rosiello and Music Director, Mike Pfitzer
Sunday, August 12th, 2012
Our guest speaker will be Buddhist Scholar, Sue Darlington, who will talk about her experience with the environmental monks of northern Thailand and how they are blessing the trees so that the people will not cut them down. The service will also include beautiful harp music performed by Dorothy Sonnichsen.
Sunday, August 5th, 2012
this service will be in Littleton MA
This year’s joint summer service of the Harvard, Littleton, and Stow/Acton UU churches will be in Littleton. The service is at 10:00AM. Rehearsal for the pick-up choir begins at 8:30AM.
The service is a traditional minister-led service and incorporates worship traditions from the three churches, including the Joint Summer Service “Strawberry Communion.” Rev. Michelle Walsh of the Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice & Healing will lead the worship again this year. There will be a pick-up choir. Dan Richards, Music Director of Littleton, will direct the choir. Rehearsal begins at 8:30AM and all singers are welcome. The choir will sing a choral introit and anthem. Children are welcome. However, baby-sitting is not offered, and there is no Religious Education program. Refreshments will be served after the service. For more information, contact Rick at rgentilman1@aol.com.
