Bates Hall Reading Room at the Boston Public Library

What does it mean to be a learner? How do we support learning? What personal experiences do we have that have inspired us?

Those questions will comprise the theme of our service this Sunday, January 29, which will be led by church member Beth Blanchard. We will explore, in a participatory way, how to value and support authentic learning. And we hope everyone will leave with a new commitment to continue fostering meaningful learning experiences for themselves and for others.

The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship at about 11:30. Visitors are always welcome.

Photo by Dan Kennedy

Supporting human rights for all people, especially those most vulnerable, is a core Unitarian Universalist value. The UUA has a long history of support for migrant workers, refugees, and other displaced peoples. “Immigration as a Moral Issue” is currently one of our congregational study/action issues.

The Social Action Committee invites you to join us for some open sharing about this complex issue. The discussion will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., and will continue on February 26 and March 18.

I suspect many of you are far ahead of me when it comes to living the simple life. The reality of global warming and its relationship to our consumption of fossil fuels and materials make it imperative that we reduce our carbon footprint. The obstacles to this can be surprising; at least they are to me.

The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship at about 11:30. Our multi-generational Religious Education Program follows from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Visitors are always welcome.

The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship at about 11:30. Our multi-generational Religious Education Program resumes this week, and will be held from noon to 12:45 p.m.

Visitors are always welcome.

The Jewel Tones

Four widely traveled and award-winning a cappella groups from Marblehead High School will perform on Friday, January 13, from 7:30 until 9 p.m., at the Northshore UU Church in Danvers. Tickets are $10 for ages 13 and older.

Returning to the Music in the Woods program will be four vocal groups: the Jewel Tones, Luminescence, the Grizzly Freakin’ Man Singers, and Serendipity. The Jewel Tones are a co-ed group, and have been performing and recording since 2003. They say they are known “for their quirky antics, their rockin’ sound circles, and their strong opinions.”

Luminescence got together in 2005 as Marblehead High’s first female a cappella group, and they are “particularly proud of their intergenerational outreach to singers of all ages.”

The “Grizzlies,” as the guys like to be called, are the school’s first all-male a cappella group, and emphasize their “friendly dynamic and strong sense of community.” The newest of the groups, Serendipity, is an all-female group started in 2010. They have performed as far away as Dana Farber Hospital in Boston.

Amanda Roeder is director of choral music at Marblehead High School, and advises all four groups.

Those questions comprise the theme of the Reverend Frieda Gillespie’s sermon this Sunday, January 8, titled “How Can We Help?” The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship at about 11:30. Visitors are always welcome.

We will have readings, poetry and music related to the new year and the holidays. There will be an opportunity to write a New Year’s resolution, or perhaps a less judgmental observation of where your mind is on this New Year’s Day. Writings will be put in sealable envelopes and collected, to be opened in January 2013. There will be opportunities for sharing, with regard to this exercise, but also in general.

The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship at about 11:30. Visitors are always welcome.

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Children and adults in the Religious Education Program presented a Christmas pageant as part of the service on Sunday, December 18, led by Director of Religious Education Ashley Murphy, standing second from left. Two members of the Singing Group are seated in the background. The pageant was a highlight of our annual holiday music service, organized by Music Director Judy Putnam.

The holiday season is upon us, and we have some special services and events planned through Christmas.

• This Sunday, December 18, at 10:30 a.m., we will hold our annual All-Music Service, which will include the Singing Group and the Family Singers, as well as a variety of selections related to the spiritual, the holidays, and the religious. The Reverend Frieda Gillespie will add special readings and words, and we will all participate in singing seasonal music. Presiding will be Music Director Judy Putnam. The service will be followed at about 11:30 with coffee and fellowship, and our multi-generational Religious Education Program will be held from noon to 12:45 p.m.

• On Thursday, December 22, at 7:30 p.m., we will mark the first day of winter with a traditional Winter Solstice Service. Join us in burning the Yule log. Celebrate by candlelight with ritual, song, and story, and the return of light on the shortest day of the year.

• On Saturday, December 24, at 6 p.m., the church will hold its much-anticipated Christmas Eve Service, which this year is titled “Let There Be Light!” Reverend Frieda will lead an hour of readings and carol-singing, culminating in a candlelit rendition of “Silent Night.”

• On Sunday, December 25, from 1 to 3 p.m., members and visitors will take part in Christmas Dinner with Friends, an annual event that is open to the community. Coordinated by church member Bob Ferris with assistance from many others, this is the 30th anniversary of the dinner.

Visitors are always welcome.

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Children and adults took part in our annual Holiday Workshop last Sunday, December 4, making holiday decorations and sharing lunch. The workshop is a much-anticipated yearly tradition.