Annual Meeting & Lunch Sunday 1/31

Friends,

Please join us for our Annual meeting and lunch, beginning after our 10:45 morning service, around 12:30pm this sunday.  Watershed will follow at 7pm with a service in the spirit of Taize. Hope to see you sunday. 

Take Action for Haiti - FAMILY

Friends,
In addition to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance through the PCUSA, I encourage those who are interested in supporting a more local (out of Boston) non-profit that is doing wonderful work on the ground in Haiti - planning especially for the coming months and years with a focus on education, please see the appeal letter below from FAMILY, and consider supporting. Our friend, and my dear brother, Dr. David Mark is a coordinator for this group.

Dear Friend:

As the tragic magnitude of the earthquake damage to Haiti's capital city is revealed, the world mourns with this beleaguered Caribbean nation, already the poorest in the hemisphere. We encourage all of you to join with the many valiant organizations working tirelessly to mitigate the ongoing profound human suffering. We direct you to our website (www.familysystem.net) for a list of ways you can help organizations whose on-the-ground work is vital in these crucial first days and weeks.

But we also want you to consider the importance of joining with us in continuing a second wave of support, one that will be needed for many more years to come. To prevent a widespread crisis of despair, tangible expressions of hope-- in the forms of schools, jobs, infrastructure and more-- are needed in Haiti. FAMILY is at work to do just that.

In the heart of the Artibonite Valley, forty miles north of the earthquake's epicenter, a quiet revolution has already begun. FAMILY is at work with local and international partners to develop a robust educational system in the commune of Verrettes. And with the fallout from this week's disaster, our work has become that much more urgent.

We anticipate that there will soon be significant internal migration within Haiti, as people depart the capital for the provinces, including large numbers of students whose secondary schools in the city have been destroyed. So we have decided to compress our time line for bolstering the local educational system both in Verrettes and in the region south of Port au Prince. With a new sense of urgency, we will work on three key initiatives:

Build more schools. As a result of our extensive survey of schools and teachers in the spring of 2009, we identified multiple areas within Verrettes-- especially in the mountainous regions on the outskirts of the province-- where kids simply couldn't get to school. Our school-building plan will improve capacity and create local jobs.

Scale up our Teacher Training Academy. Our summer seminar series was a stunning success this year, and provided professional development to hundreds of local preschool and elementary teachers and principals. With support from the Ministry of Education and DePaul University School of Education, we will promote a culture of quality teaching through a two-year, part time, certificate-granting program. This is the first step in the creation of the FAMILY Tuskegee Institute of Haiti – our long-term goal.

Expand youth peer mentoring. As older secondary school youth return from the city, we will integrate them into our network of over forty youth groups, engaging them in projects of community service and peer mentoring in a program patterned after the successful City Year Program in the US.

We strive for local capacity building. Our work in Verrettes is done through partners on the ground-- by Haitians, for Haitians. And we form strategic alliances with relevant government ministries to ensure sustainability and replicability of our efforts. FAMILY is results-driven. We are committed to ongoing monitoring of our programs through a well-developed planning and evaluation infrastructure which involves the community in establishing and monitoring results. And our education program fits into a comprehensive plan for systemic change.

History will regard January 12th as a profound inflection point for Haiti. For now, our world has come together like a family in a heartwarming display of solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering. However, the need for continued support will persist long after the glare of the news cameras has faded. Haiti's future – and ours – depends on the continuing realization that we are one family. Your tax-deductible contribution can help us continue this valuable work. We invite you to join us as we work with others to build a robust and resilient educational system in Haiti.

In solidarity,

Pierre Noel, Riche Zamour, Hal May
and the rest of the team at FAMILY

www.familysystem.net

Watershed on Sunday 1/17 (not monday 1/18) & Haiti Community Meeting & MLK Day

Friends - just to be clear - we have Watershed on Sunday 1/17 at 7pm. On Monday, MLK day, there is an event at Brandeis University honoring the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a special program "A Heart Full of Grace" at the Shapiro Campus Center Theater. All are welcome to attend and seating starts at 6pm.
There is also an interfaith meeting to discuss local relief efforts for Haiti on Sunday 1/17 at 6pm at the New Covenant Church of Cambridge at 527 Main Street in Waltham at 6pm.  New Covenant has a significant Haitian American population and was founded by Rev. Thomas and Esther Saint-Louis.
And here is another specific way you can help Haiti - go to this website of the non-profit FAMILY, a group that my brother David Mark helps to organize. They are on the ground in Haiti doing important work.

Ecuador & Haiti

Thank you for your prayers for our travel seminar re-thinking mission here in Ecuador - all went quite well.   I will bring back more photos and stories when I return. But for now, let us all keep Haiti in our prayers. See Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for additional ways you can help.

Ecuador Epiphany

So, they came from the east. From great distances. They came from Iraq and Iran. Afghanistan? They took their cue from nature.  A star was their first guide.

They were clearly motivated by something deep within them – a great motivation. 

For what does it take leave your own kingdom, your own responsibilities, your own 9 to 5…. Give all that up, and begin a great pilgrimage to a foreign land bringing expensive gifts to a new born?

Epiphany.

a. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.

b. A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization:

from Greek epiphaneia, manifestation

On Jan 6^th of each year, the Christian calendar marks as Epiphany to remember this historic trip of the Magi – some 2 years after Jesus’ birth. This January we once again celebrate the Epiphany of our radical  savior who was born into poverty in order that we might all be set free - and for peace to come upon our earth.  As so many places around our world - especially the very same lands from which the Magi first came - are embroiled now in war, we set our hearts to prayer again.  We ask in this new year and decade of 2010 that the Prince of Peace would again be realized, and that we would each get in our hearts the true essence of his coming.  In this new year, may we look to nature for signs of the Spirit, and may we response to the call to bring the gifts we have each been given and use them to help set others free - to help bring more peace on earth. 

I covet your prayers as I am leading a group of Harvard & Yale students to Ecuador on January 4 for a week-long travel seminar Re-thinking Mission, Sustainability and Globalization.  I will indeed bring greetings on behalf of Watershed & FPCW, and look forward to sharing with you all the experiences we will have in Ecuador.  We will be there over Epiphany - so in prayers for peace and gift-bearing from our varied spots on this planet, we will be in communion.  peace on earth, Rob

Happy Soltice, darkness and light

Today is the shortest day of the year.  Indeed, the light is about to prove more powerful than the darkness, as we move into celebrating the Incarnation. As we do, let's pause this day and not pass too quickly by the darkness. For here where it is hard to see, where we feel the weight of the world, where the path is unknown before us, it is right here where we can often best listen to the hunger deep within we have for the Divine.  May we have that hunger to seek God, and indeed, follow Mary's example of bearing God into the world through Christ. From here on, the light will grow stronger! peace on earth.

no watershed tonight / Christmas Eve 6pm

Happy Advent 4! What beautiful snow that is falling. Unfortunatley, due to Waltham's city ban on all parking, we can not have Watershed tonight. However, for those who are interested, we are having a small gathering & mini-service at Carol Mullen's apartment at 4:30pm today. 100 Warren Street, Apt. A104 if you want to join us. peace on earth - and see you at our Christmas Eve Service at 6pm at FPWC.

advent conspiracy

I found this helpful last year - so thought I would share it again. Thoughts? Indeed - let's be less consumptive and more relational this season. peace on earth. 

Copenhagen

Friends, let's keep those making decisions in Copenhagen about our planet's future related to climate change in prayer this week. And click here to keep posted on the latest from our fellow Presbyterian Bill S-J who is on the ground at these meetings. And please consider joining a 350.org vigil this weekend: friday 6pm in boston, Saturday 5pm newton, Sunday vigils and 350 bell ringing around the area - check 350.org
Check out the videos (1), (2)  of the COLD vigil we kept on Friday 12/11/09 (rob will buy you a fair trae coffee if you can find him, email him with what minute he is featured...:)

An Advent Journey: tuesdays

"I am about to do a new thing" ~Isaiah 43:19

Friends, be sure to join us each Tuesday from 7-8pm during this Advent season as we think, talk, pray, and sing together about how God is doing a new thing in our midst here in Waltham.

Changing World, Emerging Church

This weekend be sure to attend Presbytery Day at Needham Presbyterian Church where together we'll examine our "Changing World, Emerging Church". Former moderator of our denomination Rick Ufford Chase will be our keynote speaker. Rob will be leading a workshop as well. We'll be closing worship in Watershed-style - so please join us!Contact presbytery office to register.

"using religion to go green" & transcending boundaries

The Harvard Crimson just wrote a good article on some of the local religious response to climate change has been taking shape. Check it out here.

Also - let's remember to keep the Transcending Boundaries Conference in our prayers next weekend in Worcester. Our very own Vickie & Sammi will be leading a workshop.

Young activists begin sleep out at Boston Common

They plan to sleep out in tents in protest of dirty non-renewable energy that heats our homes and offices and churches UNTIL our state legislators make choice to make MA at state committed to renewable energy resouces. Go Leadership Campaign! And we were there as part of the voice for the religious community to help them out (Rob even prayed for them at their first "illegal" campout on the common) - and the wonderful Boston Globe wrote about it! Shall we hold Watershed one of these sundays with them on the Common and join them in an overnight???

350 a great success!!

Thanks to all who prayed and supported the 350 efforts today. A global success for sure! 5200 some actions in 182 countries worldwide. May earth-healing come. Here are some brave fpcers!

climate action day Oct. 24th 11:30am

Friends - we need you! God's planet earth needs you!!!! Please, come join us this Saturday, Oct. 24th for our local day for Climate Action in the spirit of Bill McKibben's www.350.org. We will gather at FPCW at 11:30am (donuts will be on hand!) to take up our "climate change is a moral issue" banner and march to the center of town commons gazebo to have a rally & vigil at noon. Legislators and folks from other faith communities and the farmer's market will gather and together we will raise our voices to say let's ACT regarding climate change. As people of faith we believe this is indeed an important moral issue and relates to our call to be good stewards of God's gift of creation. We will march RAIN or SHINE - please don't fret about the weather - for the climates sake! :) Please also sign up at: www.350.org/node/8161 Let Rob know if you'd like to help carry the banner! Feel free to bring some instruments/ drums/ bells. And take a moment to watch this great video clip on this movement. peace on earth!
The Sound of 350 from 350 Faith on Vimeo.

Climate Convocation Sunday Oct. 18 at Harvard and NEW DEACONS & MEMBERS!

After celebrating the ordination of 2 new deacons (yeah Lauren & Jenn!) this sunday morning at 10:45 service, please join us at Memorial Church at 2pm for a Climate Convocation with Bill McKibben and local greater boston clergy as we talk specifically how climate action is a matter of Christian faith. And of course, finish off the day back at Watershed at 7pm at which we will welcome 3 new members to our church!

justice and peace shall kiss Oct. 4

Come join us this sunday for World Communion Sunday and our PCUSA Peacemaking sunday. Our theme comes from Psalm 85 - "justice and peace shall kiss each other." Check out this info on the peacemaking offering that will be taken the next 2 sundays. Peace be with you!!


Each congregation is encouraged to retain 25 percent of the Offering it receives to use for local ministries of peacemaking within the church and its community. Twenty-five percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and 50 percent is used by the General Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

Sunday Sept 13 Fall Beginning!

This coming sunday will see lots of buzz around FPC! Morning service at 10:45, followed by a congregational meeting to set up a board of deacons (11:45-noon), followed by an all church Fall Cookout/ Church Picnic (noon-1pm), followed by an hour of intentional community building (1-2pm), then a New Members class (3pm) - and finally - yes - WATERSHED at 7pm to finish off a Fall solid kick-off sunday!
Hope to see you sunday.

watershed at 6pm this sunday - Song-Sing

"Over my head, I hear music in the air!"
Warm up them vocal-chords and bring your favorite watershed-song/hymn requests. This sunday it's a simpler 6-7pm service of music n' prayer. Please keep the church leadership in prayer sunday as they have a planning retreat in the afternoon.

garden boxes!

Thanks to the wonderful campers at Camp Wilmot who stayed at our church as part of their Eco-Service Adventure Trip this past week, we have 2 new garden boxes out front! Special thanks to carpenter extraordinaire Sara as well - without whom we could not have functioned. We also had a wonderful time canoeing along the CT river in Vermont (and learning about the Connecticut river watershed thanks to becky!). Thanks for your prayers!