1. education
2. school

The Wayland Unitarian
March 2015
We’re (Still) Here … For a Reason!
Inside this issue

Month of Sundays
2


Men’s Book Club
Pancake Breakfast
3

Parish Committee Report
4



Community Life 1
Potluck, Knitting
Art Exhibit, Spring Dance!
It might be a bit of an understatement to say that sometimes we have a little trouble talking about money around here. For many of us, talking about money is considered impolite, stressful, or embarrassing—for all kinds of reasons.

Reflections from Stephanie
6

Finance Update, UU 101
7
At First Parish, everyone’s situation is different, but every member is valued and deserves
the opportunity to support our church financially however they’re able. So how best to do
this? Given the diversity of economic situations, is it fair to divide up the budget by the
number of families and simply ask everyone to give an “equal” share?

Musings from Lisa Maria
8

Rummage!
9


Music Notes
Reel Abilities Film
10

First Parish in History
11

Youth Groups
12

Warm Welcomes from Kate
13



Social Action 1
Domestic Violence
Climate Justice Sunday
14
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Social Action 2
Social Action Council
Green Sanctuary
15
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Social Action 3
Outside Opportunities
Roxbury Work Day
16
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
Social Action 4
Turning Point
17


Meet Katie Campbell
Ushers
18
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
Community Life 2
Dinner for Roxbury Students
19

Last Words and Contact Us
20
Why do we come to this amazing place? Ask 100 different members and you could get
100 different answers. Inspiration, music, being a part of our larger community, trying to
make the world a better place … The reason we canvass (raise money) every spring is to
support our mission at First Parish and make all of these things possible
.
Since September, the two of us, along with our Minister, Stephanie May, and members of
our Finance and Parish Committees have begun an evaluation of ways to link our canvass
(annual fundraising drive) to our reasons for being here.
The two of us believe it’s more important for each of us to name our own personal reasons for being here, consider our resources, and then decide how much we can give financially. Of course, this means that everyone’s contribution won’t be equal. Rather than focusing on “equal” contributions, we’re instead looking to create a model that values
fairness, where everyone gives what they can.
This year begins a rotating schedule whereby every 2 or 3 years every family will be asked
to sit down with another member of our church and have a conversation about stewardship, how things are going at First Parish, and their reasons for being here. You’ll be able
to share your thoughts and ask questions, look at our church budget, and talk about your
annual pledge. If you are “canvassed” this year, you won’t be asked again for a couple of
years (unless you want to be). If you’re not canvassed in person, you can pick up a pledge
packet in the Vestry or have it mailed to your home.
In the meantime, enjoy this month filled with so many occasions to gather, have fun, and
celebrate our community. Come eat pancakes, meet a Mystery Friend, worship with your
family, listen to some great music—there is even a dance! And as you engage this month,
think about why you are part of the First Parish community, and what it means to you.
We are all in this together. Why are you (still) here?
Amy Meneely & David O’Leary
2015 Stewardship Co-Chairs
Canvass
Kick-Off
March 1
March Highlights
Mar. 1:
Pancake Breakfast
Rummage Kick Off
Mar. 6: Mass Incarceration Pot Luck
Mar. 8: Mystery Friends Breakfast
High School Youth Service
Mar. 20: Spring Dance!
Mar. 29: Music Sunday
Click here to see the First Parish Calendar
5
Reminder!
Daylight Savings Time
Begins March 8
A Month of Sundays
Here is a list of this month’s services and who
will be leading them, along with information about
our programs for children and youth in Grades K-8.
The worship service begins at 10 a.m.
Lay Minister for March
March 1
The Lay Minister for March is Mary Ann McDougall.
Contact Mary Ann (508-653-6898) if you need rides or
meals or if you would like a friendly, confidential chat or
visit. Of course, you can always contact our Minister, the
Rev. Dr. Stephanie May (617-519-5504), directly for
pastoral care.
The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May will be preaching on
our covenant line, “We Unite for … Worship”
Grades K-7: Religious Education classes, 10:15 a.m.
Grade 8: Coming of Age, 10:15 a.m.
Grade 5 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
Middle School Youth Group, 11:30 a.m.
High School Youth Group, 4-6 p.m.
March 8
High School Youth Service
On the theme of “Acceptance”
A Multigenerational Service for All
Grade 5 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
Grade 8 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
March 15
The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May will be preaching on
our covenant line “We Unite for … Community”
Grade 8 Coming of Age, 10:15 a.m.
Grade 5 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
High School Youth Group, 4-6 p.m.
Let us say goodbye to winter …
and welcome spring!
March 22
Justice Sunday
By now you should have received your
end-of-year contributions statement
from our Treasurer, Clare Lewis.
If you have questions, contact Clare or
speak to our Parish Administrator,
Gretchen Pathak.
The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May will be preaching on
our covenant line “We Unite for … Service”
Grades K-7: Religious Education classes, 10:15 a.m.
Grade 8 Coming of Age, 10:15 a.m.
Grade 5 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
High School Youth Group, 4-6 p.m.
April Unitarian Deadline 03/25
Send your submissions to our editor, Nan Jahnke
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
March 29
Music Sunday
The Choir and Guest Musicians will present
Wolfgang Mozart’s Coronation Mass
A Special Service for All Ages
Grade 5 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
Grade 8 OWL, 11:30 a.m.
High School Youth Group, 4-6 p.m.
PAGE 2
Men's Book Club
Time for Pajama Breakfast!
Innovation is a driver at the heart of our economy.
Did you ever wonder about how the minds of inventors work? We will find out at our next meeting when
we discuss The Innovators: How a group of hackers,
geniuses, and geeks created the digital revolution, by
Walter Isaacson. We'll start with Lord Byron's daughter and go from there.
That's right, on Sunday, March 1, you get to roll out of
bed and come to church hungry! This event is famously done pajama-style, so pull out your snazziest sleepwear: pajamas, robes, slippers, bedhead hair – you get
the idea – or come in your
church clothes if you’d rather.
Everyone’s welcome for pancakes, sausages, eggs, cereal,
and much more (gluten-free
options available)! There will
be prizes, as well.
We will meet on Thursday, March 5,
at 8 p.m. in the Stokey Library. Newcomers are always welcome, whether you have read the book or not.
Please join us!
Thursday,
March 5
Many, many thanks to Penny Beer and Enrique de
los Reyes for countless hours of work this winter
upgrading our technology and dealing with septic
and plumbing crises. Your tireless energy and
great, good spirits sustain us!
If you didn't sign up in the
fall, it's not too late! Just drop Clare Lewis an email or
call her (508-647-1034) so we know how much food to
prepare; you can pay your admission at the door. This
Dining for Dollars event costs $12 for adults and $7 for
children; proceeds go to the operating fund.
Many thanks to our hosts Clare and Dan Lewis, Andrea
and Doug Case, and Courtney Elliston. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Sunday, March 1
8:15-9:30 a.m. in the Vestry
What’s with the
Blue Buckets?
Mystery Friends Breakfast
Sunday, March 8
9-10 a.m., Vestry
2014
Pancake
Breakfast
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 3
Report from the Parish Committee
First Parish Stands on the Side of Love
Last month your Parish Committee voted to send the
following statement to the Islamic community. It was
signed by the Parish Committee co-chairs, Brad Carver
and Lynne Morrison; our Minister, Stephanie May; and
the Chairman of the Social Action Council, Suzanne
Tiberii, who had suggested the letter of support.
The First Parish in Wayland, a Unitarian Universalist
congregation, extends its support to the Islamic Center of
Boston and the American Muslim community of Greater
Boston in condemning violence conducted under the
guise of religious faith or anti-religious bigotry. We
pledge to work with all faith communities to forge bonds
of respect and tolerance as well as to address issues of
justice and peace in our world.
Attendance Has Increased
We were happy to hear from our Membership Coordinator, Kate Holland, that attendance has increased by an
average of 21% over last year. The more the merrier!
Finances Look Good
Our Treasurer, Clare Lewis, reviewed our operating
budget and balance sheet for us and concluded that First
Parish is in a strong financial position. Clare is taking the
lead in reviewing our Memorial Service policy in the direction of being more equitable. Also, our Stewardship
Committee is making great progress with March 1 as
Canvass Kick-Off Sunday.
are defined and couched, they will determine the nature
of the policies by which we govern ourselves. We want
to make sure these policies are clear, accessible to all,
and consonant with our values and goals. The degree to
which we achieve our mission and realize our vision and
covenant will comprise the measure of our success as a
community. Stephanie plans to bring in an experienced
UUA consultant to aid the Parish Committee in this work
once we have organized
our thoughts.
The
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Parish
Committee
The
next
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Committee
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speeds to upgrade our
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vision and resources for supporting our message.
Our Youth Stand on the Side of Love
The Parish Committee voted to approve a special collection plate on March 8 for the Youth Service, the donation
of which will support their theme of “Acceptance.”
Annual Meeting
We also voted to hold this year’s Annual Meeting on
Sunday, May 31, 2015 immediately following the worship service and to authorize the Clerk to send notice as
required by the By-Laws.
Governance: Looking Ahead
We Hear You!
One of the goals developed in our midyear retreat was
to review our church’s governance structure. We began
by asking each Parish Committee member to say why we
come to First Parish—the start, we hope, of a congregation-wide conversation about our parish’s vision, mission, and covenant. We have had 375 years as a congregation, and we have evolved over time. Do our vision,
mission, and covenant serve us well, or should they be
changed. If so, how? This is a good time to ask the question, as we start a new ministry.
Do you have any ideas, comments, or questions for the
Parish Committee? On March 15, following the service,
Anne de los Reyes and Jim Van Sciver will hold a Listening Hour in the Sunroom. They look forward to hearing
from you! Or drop us a line any time.
Keith Sims
for the Parish Committee
We regard this as an important activity to help move us
toward the future, because however these affirmations
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 4
Community Life Events 1, more on page 19
Knit 1, Laugh 2
First Up: A Pot Luck
The Community Life Committee invites you
to a potluck event on Friday evening, March
6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Vestry. The topic of
discussion is mass incarceration, the dramatic increase in the U.S. prison population,
particularly among African Americans. The
evening will include a 20-minute presentation of a video produced by Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass
Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.
We will also include time for discussion of
this topic, which has been part of national events and personal
conversations for many of us over the last year. You are welcome
whether you have read the book or not.
Do you love to knit or want to learn? During
the month of March the knitting group will
meet on Wednesday evenings, 7-9 p.m., in
the Sunroom. Come share a passion or discover a new one and knit yourself into a new
community. Bonus: you can hear the Choir
rehearsing for Music Sunday!
Not a problem if you don't want to knit; all
fiber arts are welcome. If you have thought
of checking us out, this might be the time.
If you don't know how to knit and want to
learn, come on down and we will teach
you. For more information, contact Greta
Stone (508.358.4729).
For the potluck dinner, please bring a main course, salad, appetizer or dessert. Do let us know what you would like to bring so we
can have contributions in each food category. Please leave a message on Jim Tiberii’s voicemail (508-655-8261) with your name
and what you wish to bring.
Friday, March 6
Wednesdays in March
Arts Celebration & Exhibit Reception
You won’t want to miss Music Sunday, March 29! In addition to
the Choir’s beautiful performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass,
we will be treated to an art show showcasing
work from our teens; the works will be displayed in the Narthex.
Please join the Community Life Committee for
an opening reception during Coffee Hour and
greet our talented youth.
Had enough of winter? So have we!
Save March 20 (the first day of spring!)
for an all-community celebration of
spring. With good music and a great DJ,
we’ll rock the night away. Details to
follow, so keep your eye on the
weekly eblast.
Friday, March 20
Sunday, March 29
MARCH 2015
Spring Dance!
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 5
Reflections from Stephanie
In the search for truth in freedom and in the spirit of
love, we unite for worship, community, and service.
Our First Parish covenant
In my January and February sermons, I began looking
closely at our covenant by examining what “the search
for truth in freedom” and “the spirit of love” might
mean. In March, my sermons will focus on each of the
three remaining aspects of the covenant: worship, community, and service. By looking closely at this covenant,
I hope that we will all reflect more deeply on why we are
a part of First Parish as well as on who we are as a community.
The stewardship theme this year also challenges us to
consider our reasons for being a part of First Parish. The
theme is “We’re (Still) Here . . . For a Reason!”
Over the next few weeks, you may notice more use of
the language of stewardship rather than that of canvass.
For me, this shift marks an important distinction about
the role of money in our congregational life. The idea of
stewardship assumes that we are the ones responsible
Stephanie and the Communications
Team have been busy this month.
Check out our revamped Sermon
Archive page on the website,
our brand-new YouTube channel,
and the First Parish podcasts
now available on iTunes.
for ensuring the ongoing life and vitality of this congregation. In this 200th and 375th anniversary year, it’s
easy to be keenly aware of all that we have inherited
in resources from generations before us—our lovely
Meetinghouse, a healthy endowment, and a legacy of a
free and loving faith.
In this time, we are the ones who are entrusted as stewards to carry on and carry forth the life and work of this
congregation for another generation. In the coming
weeks and months, I hope that we will all take some
time to reflect on why we are a part of First Parish. I
hope that we will share these reasons with one another
and ignite a renewed sense of commitment to First Parish and to our life and work together. May we together
deepen our sense of what this work is and what our mission is as a congregation.
We are (still) here! What is your reason?
Stephanie
The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May
Wanted: Pictures of the Meetinghouse
The Anniversary Committee would love to see your
pictures of the Meetinghouse and Carriage Sheds—
both recent ones and ones from days gone by. We
might use them as we celebrate the buildings’
200th anniversary this year. Please send them to Ann
Gordon or Nan Jahnke, or contact Ann or Nan to have
a member of the Anniversary Committee come take a
look at them.
First Parish in Wayland
Gathered in 1640
Celebrating
375 Years as a Congregation
200 Years in Our Meetinghouse
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 6
From the Finance Committee
UU 101
We have spent the snowy days of January and February
in a flurry of budget planning meetings. Now, as the congregation gets ready for the annual stewardship drive in
March, we are laying the groundwork to follow through
on some of the ideas that came out of the open budget
discussions we had last October and November.
Please join our Minister, Stephanie May, for an introduction to Unitarian Universalism and the First Parish in Wayland; the event will be held on Saturday
morning, March 28, from 9 to noon in Stokey Library.
This workshop will engage participants with the spirit
of First Parish, our Unitarian Universalist history, as
well as our congregation’s values, ideas, and organizational structure. All are welcome, especially those
interested in becoming members of First Parish.
Here is an update on what we have accomplished so far,
and what’s next on the budget-planning front.
Most of our time has been spent creating a new layout for the church budget that makes it easier to understand
how our spending matches up with
First Parish’s covenant goals. Right now,
we are refining the categories with input from our Minister, Stephanie May,
and the Parish Committee. So far, we
are working with these areas of focus:





The Search for Truth in Freedom and in a Spirit of
Love
Unities (the things that glue us together)
Worship (what does it take to make Sunday services
happen?)
Community (what does it take for us to stay connected with each other and the parish?)
Service (what does it take for us to care for each
other and those beyond our walls?)
This is a great opportunity to learn more about our
congregation, our links to the Unitarian Universalist
world, and what it means to be a member of both.
To sign up, contact Lisa Maria Steinberg, our Director
of Lifespan Religious Education and Spiritual Development, by March 22. If you need assistance in securing childcare to attend this event, please speak to
Lisa Maria about that too.
Saturday, March 28
It has been very interesting to view the church’s spending through these defined lenses, and we expect this
framework will be a great help in setting our spending
plan for next year and the years to come.
Also as an outcome of the fall budget discussions, we
have reached out to the parish’s committee chairs to
invite them to tell us about their next-year and longerterm spending needs and goals. We will use this input to
plan the church’s spending for next year, and also to
build the framework of a 5-year plan. Such a plan will be
a useful tool in helping us all think through and choose
new initiatives to fund in the future.
Please come to our next open meeting, after the service
on Sunday, March 22, when we will discuss more about
the budget and spending.
Sunday, March 22
MARCH 2015
Good times at the Valentine’s Tea, organized
on short notice by Barbara Buell to help liven
our spirits this very snowy February.
Thank you, Barbara! A love-ly time
was had by all.
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 7
Musings from Lisa Maria
On February 11, Stephanie, Polly and I attended a
Master Class Workshop presented by the New England
regional staff of our Unitarian Universalist Association
on the topic of Multigenerational Worship (see photo
on page 10). We gathered with colleagues to reflect on
how multigenerational worship is already being done
and to discuss how multigenerational worship might be
done in the future. Our presenter, Kimberly Sweeney,
the Northern New England District’s Director of Multigenerational Ministry, offered an interesting historical
perspective, showing how American churches began in
multigenerational worship, later moved toward a Sunday morning experience segmented by age, and are
now restoring opportunities to gather all together in
one body for multigenerational worship.
It is important to point out that all worship is multigenerational worship. Even when children and teens are
not present in the Sanctuary space, we are still gathering together in worship as multiple generations: from
20-somethings to 90-somethings and everyone in between.
Also, good multigenerational worship looks like plain
old good worship: it is geared to different personalities
and needs. Just as not every adult has the same needs
for worship, nor does every child. Some children like
quiet and order, some elders like noise and chaos.
Some of you cherish the intellectual offerings in our
worship, others look for opportunities to be physical in
a worship setting—to offer music or shake hands in welcome. This understanding of our different preferences
about worship can be viewed through a framework
based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Perhaps you relate best “Interpersonally,” and
so responsive readings, Joys and Sorrows, and Coffee
Hour are what feed your spirit on Sunday morning.
Maybe your teen relates better “Intrapersonally” and
thrives in times of silences and experiencing mystery.
Perhaps your child responds best to physical environments as a “Visual-Spatial” thinker, and our architecture and organ fascinate her. Maybe you are an elder
fed by “Musical” experiences and cherish our musical
offerings dearly.
MARCH 2015
Again, good worship is good multigenerational worship:
a service that looks to meet the needs of all in attendance, across generations, and across intelligences. The
more ways we find to feed the spirits of all in our community together in worship, the deeper we can grow in
our theology and our faith. The deeper we grow in our
theology and faith, the more vibrant and engaged (and
engaging) we will become as a community.
You may be asking:
what does this
mean for me? For
now, there are not
any big changes
planned. In fact,
First Parish in Wayland is already doing a lot more multigenerational interactions and worship than many of
One of our younger parishioners seems to
our neighbors. But
be completely at home in church!
Stephanie, Polly,
and I do hope to incorporate more ways to experience
worship for all the many different people and families
who come through our doors. In this we will be working
with a new Worship Team that is currently forming in
response to a call that Stephanie put out in January. As
we try new ways of worshipping together, it may mean
delight as your family discovers a desire to worship together more. It may mean occasional discomfort with
service components that don’t speak to your preferences. It may mean loss, it may mean gain. It can mean
all of these for you and none of these for your neighbor.
Most of all though, wherever you find yourself approaching and engaging in multigenerational worship,
we welcome you into an ongoing conversation with
Stephanie, Polly, me, and one another.
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
Blessings,
Lisa Maria
Lisa Maria Steinberg
Director of Lifespan Religious Education
and Spiritual Development
PAGE 8
Rummage, Rummage, Rummage!
Rummage is coming! This year’s sale is on Saturday, April 11—just six weeks away—and
we are now moving into high gear for this annual, all-church fundraiser, work party, laughfest, and community event.
Come to the Kick-Off Meeting on Sunday, March 1
Meet our department chairs, find out what’s new this year, contribute your own great ideas, sign up for a shift or two during the week and at the sale, and learn how else you can
help. We will meet in the Sunroom right after Coffee Hour.
Start Cleaning Out Your Closets, Cabinets, Attics, Tool Sheds, Garages, and Drawers
It will feel so good to send all your unneeded stuff to a new home — and help raise money for the church at the same time!
We accept many, many categories of items to lighten your load at home, including:
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
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


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books
clothes
toys
sporting goods
jewelry, antiques
kitchen and housewares
linens
lawn and garden tools
Start setting aside your donations now. You can drop them off at
the church April 5-8.
We Cannot Accept the Following
(Because They Don’t Sell)





computers and printers
toys with missing parts
dirty or broken items
textbooks
upholstered couches

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


mattresses
office furniture
refrigerators
exercise machines
straight skis
Questions, Comments, and Offers of Help
All will be gladly received by the Rummage Chair, Kathie Cromwell, who says, “Come Rummage. I guarantee you’ll have fun!”
For more information about Rummage, visit our webpage.
We Are Counting on You!
First Parish Rummage $ale
Saturday, April 11, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Set-Up Sunday: April 5
Donations Drop-Off: April 5-April 8
MARCH 2015
Wait, What’s the Deal with Shoes?
Q: In the past you've said you won't take shoes,
but then I always seem to see shoes at Rummage.
A: Glad you asked! Here is the answer about
shoes, from the Women's and Boutique departments. Please donate only brand new shoes and
boots. We will be able to sell shoes that were never worn or possibly worn once (e.g. to a dance). If
they are in the shoebox, that's even better. If they
are lovingly worn—even just a few times, we will
have to throw them out. Alternatively, you can
donate your used shoes to collection boxes
around town (e.g. In the St. Ann's parking lot and
outside the Longfellow Club in Natick).
First Parish Rummage—Since 1944!
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 9
Music Notes
The third is Sunday, May 3, at 4 p.m.
You are invited to attend the dedication of our new
pipe organ, Andover Opus 118. Our instrument will be
played in a recital by well-known Boston conductor and
concert organist, Brian Jones.
Three important musical dates are coming up.
The first is March 29, Music Sunday.
The Choir, soloists, and orchestra will present Mozart's
Coronation Mass, an exciting, spirited piece if ever
there was one! There is still time for YOU to join in the
learning process and to perform with the Choir. Simply
appear in the Choir Loft at 7:30 p.m. this Wednesday
for an hour's worth of fun, unpredictable Mozart. You'll
love being a part of this stirring composition.
The second is April 6, Easter Sunday.
A brand-new work for brass, organ, and voices composed by our own Ted Pease will be presented and
dedicated to First Parish during this year's Easter morning service. The work is set to texts by Lydia Maria
Childs, abolitionist and composer of "Over the River
and Through the Woods." Ted composed this interesting and inspiring work especially for our Parish.
Rethinking Human Limits
Temple Shir Tikva will host the Reel Abilities film “Fixed:
The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement” on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 7 p.m. Our minister, Stephanie
May, will be a member of the panel of local clergy that
will discuss the film after the screening.
“Fixed” takes a close look at the drive to be “better than
human” and the radical technological innovations that
may take us there. are:. It asks questions like these:
The dedication ceremony will include a brief lecture on
the history of the organ as the Instrument of the
Church, a blessing by our minister, a short hymn-sing
by the congregation, and a crowning recital of virtuoso
repertoire for the pipe organ. On that afternoon, we
will "pull out every stop" to give you a taste of what
our splendid new instrument can do!
Come, worship and enjoy!
Pauline Oliver
Music Director and Organist
Sunday, March 1
What does “disabled” mean when a man with no legs
can run faster than most people in the world? … What
does “normal” mean when cosmetic surgery procedures
have increased over 450 percent in the last fifteen years.
… What does “achievement” mean when increasing
numbers of people turn to “smart drugs” every day to
get ahead at school or work?
If these questions intrigue you, take a look at the flier
and the film’s trailer (it’s fascinating), then join Stephanie for the screening on March 1.
Multigenerational Thinking
Some of our staff attended a workshop on multigenerational
worship in February and they clearly had a good time. Left to
right: Lisa Maria Steinberg, Director of Lifespan Religious Education and Spiritual Development; the Rev. Dr. Stephanie May;
and our Music Director and Organist, Polly Oliver.
A few weeks later, Lisa Maria was invited to join a New England-wide Innovative Learning Circle, a kind of think tank to
explore how to move congregations toward more intentional
multigenerational communities.
Congratulations, Lisa Maria!
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 10
First Parish in History
70 Years Ago: The 1640 Club
Building Community in the 1950s
Named in honor of First Parish’s founding date, “The 1640 Club” was created in the early 1950s to “promote sociability, good fellowship and a neighborly spirit in the Town of Wayland.” It was meant to include not only First Parish
members but also townspeople not affiliated with First Parish.
The Club’s founders took their role seriously and created a “Constitution” to outline the Club’s purpose and structure. Preserved in our Parish Archives, the Constitution calls for a 1640 Club Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership and Hospitality Chairman, Program Chairman, as well as a three-person Nominating Committee.
Other documents provide a flavor of Club-sponsored activities, such as this notice:
The 1640 Club, an Affiliate of the First Parish Church, Wayland, announces:
Movie – “Lives of the Bengal Lancers” (1935) with Gary Cooper and Franchot Tone
Cost - $.50 per person; Time and Place – 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 20, in the Vestry.
The Club also sponsored a Square Dance and publicized it with a charming postcard, which you see below right.
Our Archives contain a treasure trove of information about our organizational past. But the documents raise as
many questions as they answer. Did the Club succeed in attracting members from outside First Parish? What technology was used to show movies in the 1950s? Was the square dance held in the Vestry, before it was decided the
old floorboards couldn’t take it? (Good news: dancing is again permitted in the Vestry! In fact, we will have a Spring
Dance planned for the Vestry on March 20.)
And when and why did the 1640 Club fold? This undated document foreshadows its
demise:
The nominating committee at this date has been unable to assemble a full slate of
officers for the coming year … It appears that it is time to re-evaluate the aims of the
organization, so we will take time at the meeting to debate this point.
The life-cycle of a concept and an organization: It’s all there in our Archives for us to
enjoy, and to learn from.
Presented by the Anniversary Committee,
with thanks to the Archives Committee
Are there pieces of our history you would like to know more about?
The Anniversary Committee would be happy for ideas and for leads
to interesting topics to showcase in the Unitarian.
Send your thoughts for the committee to Ann Gordon or Nan Jahnke.
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 11
The Youth Perspective
In February, the 8th-grade Coming of Age class started shaping their Credo statements. Earlier in the year we worked as a
group to review Unitarian Universalist principles and values,
to discuss people who have influenced our lives and humanity for the better, and to reflect on what it means to be UU.
Now their journey has shifted to more of a solo mission. As a
congregation we are asking them to define in a few sentences
their views on life, the world, religion, and the things they
know to be true. Those are hard questions for anyone to answer regardless of age or life experience.
Like so many of their peers who are preparing for Bar and Bat
Mitzvahs and Confirmations, our 8th graders are engaged in a
rite of passage. Their peers of different faiths are busy memorizing sacred texts, learning their religion’s beliefs, and practicing common rituals to strengthen their devotion. In contrast, our 8th graders are spending their Sundays honing analytics skills and digging deep in self-exploration to write their
own sacred texts and to define their own set of practices -- to
develop their own selves and their own devotions.
High School Youth Sunday
A Multigenerational Service
on the theme of
Acceptance
Sunday, March 8
As I continue to lead your 8th graders through the Credo process they often ask me about my own personal Credo statement. Having grown up in a neighboring UU church, I too
took Coming of Age. Although I freely admit that I have long
forgotten the exact wording of my Credo statement, and I’m
sure those words aren’t exactly what I would say today, I nevertheless find myself easily reciting the
things I believe to be true about
life. That’s the value of this
8th-Grade
program: it teaches analytical
Coming of Age
skills and encourages a habit
of self-exploration that our
youth will take with them into adulthood. We are instilling in our 8th graders the rare opportunity to freely think for themselves and speak from their hearts.
As someone who has taken this journey, I can assure you I am
the wiser for it and our 8th graders will be, too.
I look forward to seeing what our youth have to say on
May 17, when they share their Credos with all of you.
Haley Kulow
Youth Coordinator
Summer Programs at Unirondack
Unirondack, a UU camp and conference center in the Western
Adirondacks, has added three new opportunities for adult
fellowship this summer, in addition to their usual family and
youth camps: a Women’s Week (Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28), an Outdoor Adventure Week (Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4), and a weekend retreat for
Young Adults ages 18-30 (Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7).
The Women’s Week will focus on creating community and
intentional self-care through conversation, art-making, yoga
and meditation, music, and nightly campfires. The Outdoor
Week will feature rock climbing, hiking, geocaching, canoeing,
kayaking, and enjoying nature with friends. Both weeks are
being offered at a special first-time cost of only $350 for the
week, which includes housing and meals. The Young Adult
program, offered in collaboration with the UU Congregation
of Binghamton, is being offered to young people at only $45 if
registration is completed before April 1.
Programs fill up fast. If you are interested, visit the Unirondack website to learn more and to register.
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 12
Warm Welcomes
Members of the congregation sometimes tell me they are
intimidated by talking to someone they don’t know. That led
me to a great resource from the Lincoln, Nebraska, UU
church called “Tips for Chatting to Newcomers” that I’d like
to share with all of you (click through for the PowerPoint
presentation or click here for a PDF).
Here are a few things that particularly hit home for me.

When getting up the courage to approach someone, ask
yourself: “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
We all have something to offer and you may open up an
opportunity to make a new friend.

Before starting a conversation, smile and make eye contact, then introduce yourself.

The easiest way to engage visitors is to ask about them.
“What brought you to First Parish?”
“What are you looking for in a congregation?” “Where do you live?” Openended questions will help the conversation flow. Answer any questions the
visitor asks and share your own experiences. Being an active listener and
showing genuine interest in someone
is always a great place to start when
talking to someone new.

If the visitor feels open to it, introduce him or her to
other people at church, especially if you think they will
share an interest, but be careful not to make someone
new feel “swarmed” by church members; that can be
very overwhelming! If you see the person again at another service, be sure to greet them and let them know
that you are glad they are back.
Please Use the Memo Line
When writing checks to First Parish (and
we hope you will write many), please note
the intended purpose in the memo line—
e.g., Pledge, Pancake Breakfast, etc.
Our treasurer, Clare Lewis, will thank you!
Please Sign Up for
Coffee and Flowers
I was especially struck by the following remark from an
anonymous visitor:
Visitors usually expect to receive some attention when they
first start to attend a new church. What is really special is to
find people in that church who continue that attention and
friendliness after the newness of being a visitor wears off.
I wish you many easy conversations,
Kate Holland
Membership Coordinator
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
A spectacular view of the First Parish
steeple and Town clock taken by Bonnie
Drexler on January 25, 2015, the
200th anniversary of the dedication of
our beautiful Meetinghouse.
PAGE 13
Social Action—Page 1
A Film about Rejection and Exclusion
from the Domestic Violence Roundtable
Bullying, taunting, mocking, teasing – these forms of abusive behavior can be painful and damaging. But rejection – being excluded, always being on the outside looking in – can be significantly more painful and destructive and in turn lead to more
violence. Rejection activates the brain region associated with physical pain. It literally hurts. Moreover, the wounded
victim often relives the rejection, causing the pain to return from time to time, long after the event.
The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable will show the documentary film "Reject" at 7:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 10 at the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury. The film explores the implications of rejection on a child's social and emotional development. There will be no admission charge. To view a
trailer for the film, click here. The Roundtable will be happy if you come and grateful if you pass along information
about the March 10 showing of "Reject" to your friends and neighbors.
Lynn Trimby, Malcolm Astley, and Bob Mainer
for the Domestic Violence Roundtable
Tuesday, March 10
UUSC News
Climate Justice Sunday
Each year the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
presents a theme for Justice Sunday. This year the theme is
Climate Justice, and our Minister, Stephanie May, will preach a
sermon on that topic on March 22. On that day, which is also
the United Nations World Water Day, the UUSC will receive
part of the collection plate to support the human right to water in communities responding to climate change.
The UUSC is asking congregations to donate to a
Blue Buckets water sustainability project for families living in Kenya near the Kakamega rain forest.
$175 is enough to enroll two families in the sustainability program. The UUSC will receive checks
made out to them on March 22, along with half of the cash in
the collection plate. We hope you will be generous so that we
can provide one or more buckets for families in Kenya!
Did You Know?
The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable is a community-based program represented on the First Parish Social
Action Council. Do you know about our other
Social Action programs? There are 10 altogether. See page 15 for the complete list.
Can You Name All 10 of
Our Social Action Initiatives?
See the next page for some water-saving suggestions from the
Green Sanctuary Committee.
Sunday, March 22
MARCH 2014
Kakamega rain forest
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 14
Social Action, Page 2
Green Sanctuary
Our Social Action Council
How can we do our part for climate justice in Wayland? Rainwater collectors … drought tolerant landscapes … building and retaining good soil … supporting local and sustainable agriculture … Some of
us are working with the schools’ Green Team and
TransitionWayland to encourage more of all of these
initiatives in our town. Two upcoming events:
The First Parish Social Action Council currently supports 10 community- and parish-based groups that undertake different social action work. The Social Action
Council brings representatives from these groups together several times a year to discuss their activities
and needs and to consider ways to collaborate. The
chair is Suzanne Tiberii. For more information about
any of these programs, contact Suzanne, visit the Social Action Council page on our website, or come to the
next meeting of the Social Action Council: Sunday,
March 15, at 11:30 a.m. in the Sunroom.

Saturday, April 18, at the Wayland Community
Gardens--a garden and soil-building demonstrations hosted by TransitionWayland.

Sunday, April 26, members of the Green Sanctuary team we will join First Parish’s Spring Work
Day at the Unitarian Universalist
Urban Ministry in Roxbury
Please join us!
Activism 101—Let’s Go!
Snow will not dampen the fiery resolve of all the gentle,
angry people* eager to learn how to change the world.
Join our Minister, Stephanie May, and fellow parishioners on March 14 in Stokey Library, 9 to noon, for a morning of learning and sharing ideas about organizing initiatives for social justice. A light breakfast will be provided.
Contact Lisa Maria for details.
Here are the social action initiatives currently represented on the Social Action Council









* Hymn 170

Saturday, March 14
Domestic Violence Roundtable
Family Promise, housing for homeless families
Green Sanctuary, all things ecological
Habitat for Humanity, affordable housing construction
Partakers, prisoner education
Partner Churches, UU churches in India and Transylvania
Turning Point, a men’s shelter in Framingham
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, social
justice worldwide
Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, outreach
programs in Boston
Welcoming Congregation, supporting LGBTQ people and issues
Join a group, or talk to Suzanne about forming a new
one.
Habitat for Humanity
First Parish had a great Habitat for Humanity build day on
December 20 at the Wayland site on Stonebridge Road
where two affordable duplexes are being built. We now
have a date for our second First Parish build day—
Saturday, June 6—so mark your calendars! It's likely that
we will not have snow. For questions or to volunteer for
site work or lunch prep, contact Keith Sims.
Next Meeting
Sunday, March 15
Psssst! Spring is coming ...
Saturday, June 6
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 15
Social Action, Page 3
Get with Social Action!
The Social Action Council of First Parish in Wayland frequently receives information about opportunities to participate in and contribute to the wider community. We
will share this information with the congregation periodically in the hope that parishioners may be interested in
supporting some of these worthy programs and events.
Of interest at this time may be some of the following.

The Advocacy Network to End Family Homelessness
will hold its 11th Annual Forum on Family Homelessness on Sunday, March 1, from 2:30- 4:30 p.m. at
First Parish in Bedford; representatives from 16
homelessness programs will be present to chat; light
refreshments will be provided.

Family Promise of Metrowest will hold its 6th Annual
Walkaway Homelessness event on Saturday, April 11,
on Natick Common from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

The Collateral Repair Project works to provide support for refugees from conflicts in the Middle East
including resettlement, food, and housing for refugees from the Syrian conflict.

REACH—Beyond Domestic Violence, the program we
support with Undecorate the Tree, needs childcare
volunteers to play with kids for about 2 hours a week
during a support group session. REACH is also looking
for court volunteers, people who help survivors ob-
tain restraining orders. Currently, volunteers work a
3- or 4- hour morning shift at a local courthouse helping anyone who walks in looking to get a restraining
order. REACH would like to expand this program and
is holding a 30-hour training in March and April; contact Suzanne Tiberii for details and the schedule.

Breaking Barriers at WATCH, a community development corporation in Waltham, offers adult education,
training, and leadership programs to immigrants of all
nationalities. The organization is currently looking for
English language tutors. Training is provided.

MassEquality is looking for help enacting municipal
ordinances to protect transgender rights in cities
across the Commonwealth.

And don’t forget our Spring Work Day at the UU
Urban Ministry in Roxbury is scheduled this year for
Sunday, April 26 (see below).
For more information about any of the above organizations and opportunities, contact Suzanne Tiberii, the chair
of the Social Action Council.
The Social Action Committee is looking for chairs
for two established First Parish Committees:
Family Promise and Partner Churches.
If you are interested, contact Suzanne Tiberii.
Our Sixth Annual
Work Day in Roxbury
Our spring Work Day, which will be held again this year
at the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry’s Roxbury
Church, will happen on April 26. Here and on the next
page are some photos from last year. As you can see, it
wasn’t all work! There are more photos on our website.
Think spring, and let Chris Nelson know if you’re interested in joining the work team.
Sunday, April 26
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 16
Social Action, Page 4
Roxbury Work Day 2014
Turning Point
Turning Point Men’s Shelter in Framingham serves as
many as 60 men in winter. First Parish delivers a meal
the second Monday of every month, no matter what the
weather. The shelter is sited at the top of a hill. Thanks to
John Beard and Chauncey Wilson for driving during February’s storm!
As the snow intensified on February 9, getting dinner to
the Turning Point Shelter became more of an adventure
than usual. But the delivery was important: the staff told
us that the shelter was full and everyone had been kept
in that day because of the weather. Turning Point’s cook,
Frank, actually ran into the snow in his shirtsleeves to
welcome us! He just beamed as we unloaded apple crisp
from Sandy Hoyt to warm a cold night, a beautiful plate
of cookies Lea Anderson had saved from Priscilla Spaulding’s memorial service, Barb Heffner’s bread and huge
crock of butter, and tin after tin of chili from Molly Beard,
Beth Butler, Kathleen Lang, and Gwyn MacDonald. Thank
you all for your generosity and resourcefulness! Special
thanks to John Beard, whose “Bread-and-Chili Express”
braved unplowed driveways and roads to provide church
delivery service on request for our cooks, and to
Chauncey Wilson, who did the last lap to Framingham.
Special thanks also to the thoughtful mystery donor who
provided two bags of clothes for the men -- those new
pairs of warm socks will go fast!
Please consider helping with our upcoming dinners on
March 9, April 13, and May 11. It’s a simple menu: chili,
bread and butter, fruit or dessert. Pans and chili recipes
are provided. Other volunteers transport the food from
the church to Turning Point, and written driving directions
are also available. Sign-up sheets are on the Vestry table.
Many thanks to those who have already signed up!
If you have questions, please speak to any member of the
Turning Point Committee: Beth Butler, Peggy Holland,
Sandy Hoyt, Suzanne Reitz, Annie Stubbs, Deb Stubeda,
and Penny Wilson.
Penny Wilson, for the Turning Point Committee
Turning Point Men’s Shelter in Framingham
serves as many as 60 men in winter. First Parish
delivers a meal the second Monday of every
month, no matter what the weather.
The shelter is sited at the top of a hill.
Thanks to John Beard and Chauncey Wilson
for driving during February’s storm!
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 17
Meet Katie Campbell
A New Face around First Parish
What are a few things people may not know
about you?

Katie has played the trombone for over 11 years.
Katie Campbell first came to visit First Parish last October. Katie is originally from New Hampshire. She moved
to Massachusetts because she felt it had a lot to offer
her. She is currently a nanny for two children in Wayland
and lives in Framingham.

She graduated from high school a year early.

She has a theater background and did costuming
for productions in high
school.
How did you come to Unitarian Universalism?

She performed in the
“Vagina Monologues.”

She is working to start a
business making children’s
costumes that are gender
blind and based on children’s literature.
Katie’s family didn’t really practice any religion. They
celebrated the Christian holidays but didn’t go to church.
Katie always considered herself a spiritual person and
was fascinated by the idea of belief in something intangible; she was also interested in people who take comfort
in religion during difficult times in their lives. She took a
few classes in college that looked at different religions
and didn’t feel that any of them fit her own beliefs. In
particular, it didn’t seem right to her that someone
should have to fear hell because of whom they loved.
When she moved to Massachusetts Katie noticed all the
UU churches; she had never even heard of Unitarian Universalism before! She looked up Unitarian Universalism
online and loved that it is an open and affirming faith,
that it fosters a community that supports one another in
being their higher selves in the world.
How did you come to First Parish in Wayland?
First Parish is right in the center of town where she
works and she passed by it often last summer and fall.
She was curious about the church and went online to
check out our website. It was at the beginning of the
church year and Katie thought the excitement of the
congregation starting their journey with our new Minister, Stephanie May, was worth checking out.
Why do you keep coming back to First Parish?
Katie says there are times in life when you arrive at a
place that just feels like home; she felt that way when
she came to First Parish. When she was talking to her
mother about coming to church her mother suggested
she choose a congregation with a larger population of
young adults, but Katie liked this congregation from the
start.
MARCH 2015
I hope that many of us will get a
chance to know Katie better.
Meet Our Members is a regular feature in the
Unitarian provided by our Membership Coordinator Kate
Holland in hopes of building greater personal connection
and community at First Parish. Thanks, Kate!
Ushers for March
Here are our ushers and greeters for March.
March 1
Sally Ishizaka, Mary Ann McDougall,
David & Kathy O’Leary
March 8
Sylvia Dickens, Suzanne Reitz, Marney
& George Ives
March 15
Sally Linden, Carol Leiter, Roger
Horine, Younggy Paik
March 22
Bob & Becky Dugan, Kathie & Dick
Cromwell
March 29
Mary Kay Peacock, Barbara Pedulla,
Helen & Larry Green
Thank you for being there for us! If you can’t be there
after all, please arrange for a substitute or swap dates
with another usher.
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 18
Community Life Events 2, see also page 5
We Want Your Ideas
Roxbury Connections
The mission of the Community Life Committee is to create opportunities for our members to forge connections
within our congregation, with our neighbors here and in
neighboring towns, and sometimes farther afield.
At the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, in Roxbury,
volunteers from First Parish and other congregations offer
tutoring to high school students four afternoons a week.
Most nights, their wonderful chef cooks up tasty dinners
for the students, but on Wednesday nights they rely on
UU congregations like ours to provide dinner. Dinner
takes place from 6-6:30 p.m. and is followed by an hour
of a fun activity for the students and volunteers. First Parish will provide dinner for the kids on Wednesday, April 8.
Please join the Community Life Committee in the
Sunroom on Sunday, March 15, at 11:30 a.m., for our
monthly meeting. We’d love to hear what kinds of
activities and events you would like to see on the
calendar. Some of our best events have come from
parishioners sharing their talents or connecting us to
good people and ideas. The wonderful Fellowship
Dinners last fall and the “LastPass” class were facilitated by Community Life, but came from YOU. Please
come share your ideas. You can also speak to any
member of the Community Life Committee:
Lynne Lipcon, Chair, Andrea Case, Lynne Cavanaugh,
Susan Crowley-Bechtel, Jim Grumbach, Ann Muschett,
Andy Myers, Michelle Roman, Jim Tiberii
There are several ways in which you can be involved:
shopping for food, preparing the dinner in our kitchen at
First Parish, delivering the food to Roxbury, and sharing
dinner with the students and staff. (Not everyone needs
to drive.) Contact Lynne Lipcon for more information.
We hope you'll join us in this very worthwhile and satisfying event. It's a lot of fun, the kids are wonderful and, if
you haven't been to the Urban Ministry site, you'll be very
pleased to discover our "Boston gem."
Wednesday, April 8
The bell ringers gathered with
our Minister, Stephanie May,
before the service on Feb. 21
MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 19
Last Words
Stew l ard l ship
Rum l mage
n. the careful and responsible management of
something entrusted to one's care, as in “the
stewardship of a 200-year-old building” or “a
community exalted for its stewardship”
vt. To search thoroughly by turning over, handling, or disarranging the contents of, as in “Go
rummage your attic.”
Etym. 15th century < OEng. stīweard , stī, stig
(sense uncertain; probably “house, hall”; see sty,
“enclosure”) + wear, ward “guard, protect” +
-ship, -scipe “office, skill”
n. A jumble of miscellaneous articles, as in “Bring
your rummage to church.”
Etym. Obs. rummage, act of packing cargo < OFr.
arrumage < arumer, to stow, < a- to (Lat. ad) +
run ship’s hold, of Germanic origin.
About First Parish in Wayland
The Wayland Unitarian is the monthly newsletter of The
First Parish in Wayland, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Weekly calendar announcements are listed in the
Order of Service available at the Sunday service and a full
calendar of events is posted on our website.
Worship Services and Sunday School
Sundays at 10 am
Our Staff
Lisa Maria Steinberg, Director of Lifespan Religious
Education and Spiritual Development
508-358-6133 ext. 404, [email protected]
Kate Holland, Membership Coordinator
508-358-6133 ext. 405 , [email protected]
Polly Oliver, Music Director and Organist
978-369-0886, [email protected]
Location and Address
First Parish is located at 50 Cochituate Road in Wayland,
Massachusetts, at the corner of Routes 20, 126 and 27.
Our mailing address is: P.O. Box 397, Wayland MA 01778.
Haley Kulow, Youth Coordinator
508-358-6133, [email protected]
Gretchen Pathak, Parish Administrator
508-358-6133, ext. 402, [email protected]
Oscar Vasquez, Sexton
508-358-6133, [email protected]
Web Address: www.uuwayland.org
Michelle Poch, Nursery care, 508-358-6133
Church Office Hours
Monday through Thursday, 8:30 pm-1 pm
Sandy Hoyt & Ann Moses, Wedding & Memorial
Service Coordinators, 508-358-6133
Office Phone Numbers
Phone: 508-358-6133
Fax:
508-358-9179
Our Ministers
The Rev. Dr. Stephanie May, Minister
508-358-6133 ext. 403, [email protected]
The Rev. Ken Sawyer, Minister Emeritus
The Rev. Dr. Deborah Pope-Lance, Affiliate Minister
[email protected]
The Rev. Maddie Sifantus, Affiliate Minister
MARCH 2015
First Parish in Wayland
A Unitarian Universalist
Congregation
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
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MARCH 2015
T HE WAYLAND UNITARIAN
PAGE 21