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committeesThe work of Old Ship Church is organized around five ministries:
Nourishing the Spirit Educating Hearts and Minds Nurturing Community Serving Others Stewarding Resources Each ministry is composed of a council and several committees. Committees are a great way to become involved in the Old Ship community... making friends around a common purpose, growing our spirit, and creating a vibrant community together. Here is a list of committees, organized by ministry, and their contact persons. Nourishing the Spirit… Offering meaningful and beautiful opportunities to soothe and to grow the spirit website editor: Janet Asnes Worship and Music Committee Assists in creation and implementation of meaningful services and events that nourish the spirit, educate, and transform. Sunday services, chalice lighting, annual talent show, etc. Contact person: Karen Churchill Flowers Committee Coordinates flowers used for Sunday services in the Meeting House. Donors may provide their own flower arrangements or, for $50, have the committee provide an arrangement. Contact person: Sharon Prehn Candlelight Concerts Committee Presents approximately three professional musical performances annually, in the Meeting House on Sunday afternoons, offered to the public without an admission charge. The concerts are funded by Friends of the Candlelight Concert and grants as well as free-will offerings collected at each concert. Contact person: Chris Sullivan Labyrinth Committee Mindful walking takes place seasonally or can be arranged for a group. Musicians and/or poetry readers welcome to participate, as well as walkers and dancers. Contact person: Mary Thomas Educating Hearts and Minds… Offering paths to all ages for fuller understanding of ourselves, our faith, our world Children’s Religious Education & Youth Committee Creates a meaningful community that values individuals and awakens their sense of wonder, reverence and self-awareness through fellowship, worship, education, and service. Supports the Director of Religious Education. Contact person: TBD Adult Programs Committee Encourages spiritual growth and learning through afternoon and evening classes. Offerings range from explorations of the world's religions to poetry, yoga and much more. For adults, open to the public. Contact people: Elizabeth Torrey, Ralph Brown Nurturing Community… Offering all a warm welcome, loving support, and a path to deep engagement with the Old Ship community. website editor: Lisa Sawyer Pastoral Care Team Works with the minister to coordinate and to provide pastoral care and outreach to members of our community who are in need, particularly parishioners who may be ill or housebound. Encourages congregation to all be part of the team. Offers events such as annual Remembrance Service, and pastoral visiting workshops. Welcoming Congregation Committee We are a Welcoming Congregation, recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association. This means we affirm, respect, include and welcome people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and with all gender identities into all parts of congregation — worship, programs, social events and governance. The Welcoming Congregation Committee acts to affirm and promote two Unitarian Universalist principles, recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every person and promoting justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. We strive to support civil rights and to foster understanding enabling us to welcome LGBTQIA+ people into our church family by focusing on the needs of LGBTQIA+ people within our church, in our surrounding community and throughout the world. We recognize that sexual orientation and gender identity are not the only aspects of a person’s life. Each person is complex mixture of their up bringing, education, ethnicity, economic stature and so much more. There will always be something more to learn, and we remain open to deepening our understanding about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer and people and their gender identities. Community Events Committee Coordinates recurring and one-time special events to build community. Includes some fundraising. Events include annual Merrie Market, Auction, May Breakfast, rummage sales, etc. Encourages meeting folks and having fun. Contact person: Joan Wilson Communications Committee Updates and manages traditional and electronic means of communications including newsletters, emails, the web site, and the Facebook page. Website editors manage each ministry, and include: Pat Bianco, Elaine Gomez, Brenda Black. Contact person: Nina Wellford Serving Others… Mobilizing the community to serve others, to make a better world through unified, focused, and long term congregation-wide commitments, and to strengthen our denominational relationships. website editor: Social Action Committee Leads and coordinates various efforts to improve Homelessness, coordinates with the congregation a multi-year community-wide focus for our social justice activities. Selects monthly special plate offering recipient(s). Contact person: Brenda Black, Davalene Cooper UU Service Committee (UUSC) Representative Acts as liaison to Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. Provides leadership for Old Ship’s efforts in supporting the UUSC, including ongoing congregational education, Social Justice Sunday, etc. Contact person: Davalene Cooper UU Urban Ministry Acts as liaison to Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry which has been working side-by-side with Boston’s urban communities to create opportunities and to instill hope for a brighter future. Fundraising for Renewal House, etc. Green Sanctuary Committee Coordinates activities that focus on the theological, spiritual, and ethical aspects of humankind that affect the sustainability of the living earth. Raises awareness of sustainable practices. Contact person: Turner Bledsoe Father Bill’s Support Group Coordinates schedule of regular volunteer teams to prepare and to serve dinners at Father Bill’s, a homeless shelter in Quincy. Also organizes occasional clothing collections. Contact person: Dave Petrie Hingham Interfaith Food Pantry Group Collects and delivers non-perishable food items to Hingham Food Pantry at Second Parish, UU, Main St., Hingham. Contact person: Kate Philbin, Brenda Black Coffeehouse Off the Square Arranges and publicizes monthly performances of various folk singers. Saturday night performances are open to the public. Provides and sells snacks and beverages during intermission. Great entertainment. All profits benefit the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. Contact person: Eric Cornetta Stewarding Resources… Strengthening the human, physical, and financial resources entrusted to us. website editor: Nina Wellford Finance Committee/Stewardship Council Works with the Treasurer to advise the Board of Trustees on all matters pertaining to the overall and ongoing financial health of the Parish. Jack Gomez Trustees of Invested Funds Invests the funds of the Parish (the endowment and other gifts) and pays the income or portion thereof, as may be determined by the Board of Trustees, to the Treasurer, for use in annual operations of the Parish. Pledge Campaign Team Develops approach, messaging, and materials in concert with the Board and conducts the annual pledge drive. Pledge monies provide the majority of funds used to run operations, and are critical to the financial stability of the Parish. Buildings and Grounds Committee Inspects the condition of the Parish’s buildings and grounds and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to repairs and improvements. Also supervises the performance of such work. Friends of the Meeting House Helps to preserve the Meeting House. As a National Historical Landmark, the Meeting House is recognized as a significant part of both Hingham’s and America’s heritage. The Friends are a separate non-profit organization that works closely with First Parish to preserve the Meeting House by promoting a secular message that connects the wider community to our unique, historic building. Contact person: Nina Wellford Memorial Garden Committee Manages the Old Ship Memorial Garden, next to the Meeting House, which serves as the repository for ashes and as a place to memorialize family members buried elsewhere. Internment in the garden is available only to Church Members and Friends and to their families. Includes gardening duties for historically appropriate flowers and plants. Contact person: Carol Valentine Grant-seeking Team (GASP) Identifies and evaluates grant opportunities for the Board. Develops and shepherds submissions. Contact person: Tom Willson Personnel Committee Oversees annual performance review of staff. Board members and officers act as liaison for our paid staff. Contact person: Unitarian Universalist Affairs Apprises the community about issues and actions of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Eva Marx Ralph Brown Committees whose works spans the ministries... Board of Trustees Sets policy for community, including management of annual budget, of all governance issues, and of all resources to ensure long term health of community. Works closely with Minister and staff. Solicits congregational input on organizational priorities and issues. Meets first Thursday of every month (7 PM), in the Parish House and all meetings are open to everyone. Four officers and six trustees-at-large are elected by congregation at Annual Meeting (third Sunday in May) for one year terms (officers) and staggered three year terms(trustees-at-large). Click here for more information. Deacons Supports Minister and/or community members in times of need. Disburses interest from Deacons’ investment fund for discretionary use by Minister for pastoral emergencies. Ensures Worship Services are managed when Minister is absent or on sabbatical. Five members are selected by congregation. Click here for more information. Committee on Ministry Supports Minister and congregation through monthly review of all ministries. Six members, staggered three year terms. Contact person: Diane Elliott Nominating Committee Proposes slate of candidates, at Annual Meeting in May, to fill elected positions in governance such as Board of Trustees and Trustees of Invested Funds. |
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