Foods in our Personal History
Our first meeting is a chance to become better acquainted. Bring a sample of a favorite traditional recipe you would like to share or just come, with a story and enjoy good company.

Criminal Justice as Social Justice Work
A U-U Perspective
First Parish member, Dave Deakin, who serves as Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Family Protection and Sexual Assault Bureau for Suffolk County, will talk about family violence prosecution, victim protection, sentencing and sentencing alternatives, civil rights and restorative justice. Ask the questions you've always wanted to ask about the workings of the criminal justice system.

"Singing in the Season"
The program includes many carols for all and will feature our First Parish children's choirs and UUlations. Songs from Strouse's musical Annie will be a highlight of the children's presentation.
Want help out? Bring a dessert to share and/or a gift for the Germaine Lawrence School special holiday gift program.
Cheri Minton, coordinator

Friday, February 3, 7:30 pm

An Introduction and Tour of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME

Our speaker, Jean Rosenberg, writes:

Gardens of Delight   
Twenty years ago a group of mid-coast Maine residents founded a grassroots organization because they believed that northern New England would benefit from a botanical garden. By 2007 the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) opened on a site with salt water frontage, and since then it has been recognized as one of the "most distinguished botanical destinations in the country."
Join Alliance member Jean Rosenberg for an evening to view CMBG's exquisite and unique gardens. You will encounter landscape designs that encourage visitors to explore the five senses as well as stone features, learn about Maine's "greenest building" and its "ecologically sound planting," and admire a whimsical garden that celebrates "beloved children's literature by authors with a Maine connection."

What is the Art in Art Therapy?
Michaela Kirby

Rev. Pheve Ann Coffin Hannaford:
an independent woman from Nantucket
Rev. Rosemarie Smurzynski

Azerbajian Experiences
Carol Orme Johnson

Arts and Hobbies
Our first meeting is a chance to become better acquainted. Bring a sample of the work you would like to share. Ann Abbott will lead our discussion. Sandy King will offer reflections and Ann Abbott and Jean Rosenberg will host our potluck dinner, beginning at 6:30 pm.

Politics and the Arts
First Parish member Woody Kay will share his interest in women in arts through story and illustration.
We will gather in the vestry for dessert at 7:00 PM and our program will begin at 7:30.
Erica Licea-Kane will offer reflections and Doris Schwaab will host our dessert, beginning at 7 pm.

"Singing in the Season"
Participants include UUlations and the Flute Loops; the children offer excerpts from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in a version edited for them by music director, Laura Prichard. The program includes many carols for all.
Cheri Minton, coordinator
Kiki Giatis will offer reflections and Gwen Hooper host our dessert reception following the program.

Global brigades in Honduras -- a student's view.
Debbie Botos will offer reflections.

Rachel writes: Sometimes, even within a relatively stable democracy, lack of infrastructure can leave a population’s health behind. Fortunately there are organizations trying to help. As a student leader in Global Brigades, Inc., Rachel Botos, who grew up in the First Parish community, has been to Honduras four times, helping to operate medical and dental clinics in rural areas. Join Rachel and the Alliance to hear her talk about the process, her participation, and how this experience has shaped her path. 

March 27th, Alliance Sunday
Featured Speaker: Rev. Dr. Dorothy Emerson
Why Margaret Fuller Matters

A Trip to Nepal with Robin Schoenthaler
Our Annual Meeting is preceded by a catered dinner for Alliance members and guests. Following the meeting, First Parish member, Robin Schoenthaler will talk with us about her trip to Tibet. All First Parish is welcome.

How do you find replenishment?
Our first meeting is a chance to become better acquainted. Annette Sawyer will lead our discussion.

Pursuing the Ordinary in the Midst of the Extraordinary
Monday, November 8th at 7:30 PM in the Vestry
Join First Parish Alliance members and friends for a special evening with independent filmmaker Alexia Prichard. Alexia will show the film Soma Girls, which she co-directed during her recent trip to India, and she will lead our discussion of the film. “Soma Girls” is a 27-minute documentary which deals with issues of equity, women’s rights, paths to escape from child prostitution and new homes for endangered girls in Kolkata, India.
We will gather in the vestry for dessert at 7:00 PM and our program will begin at 7:30.

"Singing in the Season"
Featuring Children's Choirs and Intergenerational Ensembles organized and directed by Laura Prichard
Cheri Minton, coordinator

New Work on Domestic Violence with sociologist Jim Ptacek. Jim will talk with us about the new book he has edited Restorative Justice and Violence Against Women.

March 14th, Alliance Sunday
Featured Speaker: Awinja Otiato
Sustainable Development in Kenya and Boston

Awinja Otiato, has an MBA in Social Policy Management with a concentration in Sustainable Development. She works with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the Department of Transitional Assistance, bringing the principles of sustainable development to state government.

Awinja writes:

"Working in Mass State government to help welfare participants find ways to overcome barriers and become economically self sufficient, I find myself drawing on my experiences growing up in the village in Kenya. In the village, women have each other. My children are your children. In the American culture, 'good fences make good neighbors'. Our work within DTA is to find ways to break down such cultural barriers and bring welfare participants together to collaborate with each other and look to accomplish the ultimate goal of achieving economic self sufficiency. Poverty is a social injustice.... 'Knowledge Advancing Social Justice' is the motto of Heller School for Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University where I received my degree. The motto calls for each one of us to find a sphere of influence whether large or small and to use it to break the cycle of social injustice. Working within the state government is my sphere of influence."

How does your garden grow?
We talk together about own current gardens, past gardens, and gardens to visit.
Led by Jean Rosenberg and Robbie Rinearson with reflections by Wendy Page.

Our Annual Meeting is preceded by a catered dinner for Alliance members and guests. Following the meeting, singer/songwriter Diane Taraz will offer a musical program. All First Parish is welcome.

Our guest speaker, David Raikow, is a specialist in international conflict management. David is a recent graduate of the Tufts International Law graduate program.  He has worked for the UN in Khartoum and for the Red Cross in Switzerland. We’ll let you know David’s specific topic next week. 

A Women's Poker Tournament!
Susan Moore and Annette Sawyer will lead off with basic instructions in poker for the uniniatiated. The evening will be a real poker tournament with prizes and all -- a low buy in of $25. There'll be additional games set up for those of us who are eliminated from the fray. Our youth group will provide refreshments all evening, with proceeds to benefit their own budget and go to help fund their upcoming working trip to New Orleans.

Poetry As a Spiritual Path
Cathie Desjardins will share her creative process and her lifetime connection with poetry, advancing the theory that the most spiritual poetry is not elevated and high-flown, but deeply rooted in everyday life. She will share some much-loved poems from poets old and new as well as reading from her own work, including her recent book With Child.
Join us in the parlor for dessert at 7:00 pm.

"Singing in the Season"
Featuring Children's Choirs and Intergenerational Ensembles organized and directed by Laura Prichard
Cheri Minton, coordinator

Sustaining Relationships Through Illness & Adversity -- a facilitated panel discussion -- stay tuned to see who will be leading us -- good ideas needing confirmation.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Tom sadtler and Jane Webb

A Wedding in India
Julie Dunn recounts and shows pictures from an unforgettable experience.

David Whitford: "A Reporter's Notebook "