On Wednesday night, May 30^th, Pastor Ken will offer a time for those considering joining to learn more about our faith life, what we believe, how we relate to the wider church in the world, and how our ministry may assist you in your own goals for developing your spiritual life for yourself and your family. We plan on receiving new members on June 3.

The Christian Education Team continues our children’s service project of supporting Heifer International throughout the year. Heifer International’s mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. “In partnership with congregations, Heifer International is an ark of refuge for hungry families. Heifer puts faith into action with its time-proven principle of Passing on the Gift. Every family who receives livestock agrees to pass on one or more of its animal’s offspring, or the equivalent, to another neighbor in need. Project partners pass on new ways of animal husbandry and land management too—a rainbow of hope for the whole community”.  We will be planning a group trip to Overlook Farm, an actual working Heifer farm, in Rutland, Massachusetts in June, for any individuals or families who would like to learn more about Heifer Project.  You may also visit their web-site at  http://www.heifer.org.

May 12^th

On June 1^st  we are happy to present Richard Hill in concert on our organ at 7:00pm. Richard Hill is a retired teacher whose career as an organist has spanned some 54 years the last 35 of which he has been music director at Unity Church of North Easton.

He has performed numerous recitals including programs for national and regional conventions of the Organ Historical Society, American Guild of Organists, International Society of Organ Builders, and the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network. Past Dean and present secretary of the Old Colony Chapter, American Guild of Organists, he is chair of the Organ Advisory Committee of the Boston Chapter AGO, and District Liaison of the Ballou Channing District of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network. He was co chair of the Organ Historical Society Convention of 2005 which held 36 organ recitals in southeastern Massachusetts churches.

Organs on which he has performed include those at the National Cathedral; Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, VA; Round Lake NY Auditorium; Holy Cross Cathedral, Old West, First Lutheran, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Trinity Church Boston; St. Joseph’s and Mechanic’s Hall, Worcester; St. Mary’s Barnstable; First Congregational, Falmouth; Union Chapel, Oak Bluffs; Old Whaling Church, Edgartown; First Unitarian, Peterborough, NH; St. John’s, Bangor; First Unitarian, Portland; St. John’s Southwest Harbor. and First Universalist Unitarian,  Madison, Wisconsin.

Please come and bring your friends!

If you haven’t had a chance to get up to the Prison Book Program located in Quincy , now is your chance. On May 24th Outreach will travel there to volunteer some work time. This could be filling requests from prisoners, wrapping or labeling packages for mailing.

We will be leaving the church parking lot at 5:30pm and should return around 9:30pm.  This grassroots organization is located in the basement of the historic United First Parish Church and the program’s coordinator Christine will often give simple tours of the area.

Join with us for a different experience for Outreach service. Questions please contact any Outreach member.

Prison Book Program Mission- to provide prisoners with free reading materials. With prisoners isolated in facilities that have chronically insufficient educational opportunities, we provide these materials to improve the lives and communities of prisoners to greatly reduce the likelihood of their return to the prison system.

The annual spring yard sale will be held on Saturday, May 19th from 9 am to 2 pm. Please keep us in mind during your  spring cleaning  and bring your treasures to the vestry at any time, or ideally to Fellowship Hall on Friday, May 18th between 10 am and 8 pm. However, please do not bring any clothes, TVs, computers, large furniture, or large stereos. Several pieces of furniture have already been donated to the Spring Yard Sale. They are in the vestry and are available for sale now. Contact the office at 508.384.3110 if you are interested in purchasing any of the furniture.

The first Saturday of every month (except for July and August) is when the Men’s Fellowship has a breakfast meeting in the Fellowship Hall of the church.  We start with a hot buffet breakfast at 8 AM, prepared by some of the men.  Then, starting about 8:30 (and lasting no more than an hour), there is a program, usually a speaker from the church or from elsewhere.  Past speakers have included an FBI agent, an airline pilot, a prison guard, a nuclear submarine commander, the King Philip School Superintendent, and many others.

All men are invited, high school age and older.  The atmosphere is relaxed, and the emphasis on getting to know each other better.  It’s a good way to get away from both work and family responsibilities for a little while and have some fun.

The Men’s Fellowship also performs many service projects for the church and the community, including hosting the annual Palm Sunday pancake breakfast, starting and supporting the KP DARE program in the Middle School, and purchasing the new tables for Fellowship Hall. for more information, please contact the office at 508.384.3110 or occoffice@occhurch.net.