THEODORE PARKER CHURCH

Annual Meeting
2021-06-13 11:30 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
The agenda of the annual meeting includes reports from the Standing Committee chair, votes on the FY2022 budgets and slate of officers, other new business, and special recognitions. All members and friends are welcome to attend this Zoom meeting, but only members may vote.

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Meeting ID: 848 5212 5893
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Music on Centre presents Songs of Justice & Hope
2021-06-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
Theodore Parker Church’s Music on Centre concert series closes its season on June 11 with an outstanding double bill featuring nationally known performers Reggie Harris and Cosy Sheridan.
Reggie has spent his career singing about the African American experience and history in concert halls, churches, and many different educational programs. One of his most recent endeavors is “Opening Doors: Race, Conversation and Song,” created as an educational program and adaptable for all ages. www.reggieharrismusic.com
Cosy Sheridan often takes a more personal and sometimes quirky approach to contemporary issues but is also seriously dedicated to music and to teaching. She is the creator of Camp Moab where she brings people together to hone their musical skills with some of the finest instrumentalists and songwriters in the nation. She used to live in Utah but now has returned to New England. www.cosysheridan.com
The concert is free, with no pre-registration required, but you are encouraged to donate to the artists during the show. After the hour-long concert, we will have a chance to talk with the performers and hear a few more songs. This will be as intimate a show as possible during these virtual times.
Join on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 869 5521 4142
Passcode: [REDACTED]
The concert will also be streamed on Facebook and YouTube. Please pass on this invitation to anyone who would want to participate in this joyous and meaningful event. More information: Carol Allen, our Music on Centre impresario.

Meet the FY22 Budget
2021-06-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
Approval of the budget at the annual meeting is an important responsibility of church membership. Please attend this presentation to learn and ask questions about our FY22 projected income and expenses.The proposed operating and capital budgets are posted on the Members & Friends page of the church website.

Zoom link here.

Virtual Open House
2021-06-05 14:30 - 15:00 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
If you are unable to attend the Open House on June 5 in person, you can join remotely from 2:30-3:00 p.m. ET! This meeting will include a pre-recorded tour of the Open House highlights and walk-through of the buildings, live video feed, and a chance to see and say HI to some friends. To join, just click on the Zoom link at the scheduled time:
Join Virtual Open House Zoom Meeting (230-300pm ET, June 5, 2021)
Meeting ID: 819 9659 8547
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Thanks to James Cross for producing the virtual Open House.

Theodore Parker Church Open House
2021-06-05 13:00 - 16:00 | Parish Hall, 70 Corey Street, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, United States
Come see and celebrate the completion of the long-anticipated parish hall accessibility project, our new solar panel array, and the National Historic Landmark designation of our buildings and statue!

Annual Plant Sale
2021-06-05 11:00 - 13:00 | Theodore Parker Church yard, 1859 Centre St., West Roxbury, 02132, United States
This event has been rescheduled from May 29 due to possible inclement weather. Plants donated by our own gardeners are offered for sale. Funds benefit building improvements. Come early for the best selection!

Movies on Zoom: Homecoming: The Story of African-American Farmers
2021-05-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
The rural roots of African-American life through the eyes of a filmmaker reconnecting with her southern farming family. More information here. The Zoom theater opens at 5:45 and film starts at 6, followed by discussion. An RSVP to Helen Horigan is appreciated but not essential. Join us on Zoom. Friends outside the TPC community are welcome – please share the news!

Concert for Peace, Love and Hope with Don White and Chelsea Berry
2020-09-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
There is no one-word description for what Don White does. He’s an award-winning singer/songwriter, a comedian, an author, and a storyteller. He’s been bringing audiences to laughter and tears for thirty years, released ten CDs, three live DVDs, and a book, Memoirs of a C Student.
In collaboration with New Moon Coffeehouse and Theodore Parker UU Church Music on Centre, Don will present a Zoom concert with guest Chelsea Berry on Thursday, September 10.
This event will be interactive – meaning that Don and the audience will be able to hear laughter and applause as it happens. The show is free, with a virtual tip jar. A portion of the money donated will be given to the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.
For more information about Don’s work, please check out the videos and music here.
More about Chelsea here.

Interactive Zoom concert access:

Meeting ID: 880 9760 4614
Password: [REDACTED]

View the show on Facebook Live

View the show on YouTube

To leave a tip in advance:

Paypal: paypal.me/donwhitefolk
Venmo: @donwhitefolk

Summer Read for July: How to Be an Antiracist
2020-07-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
All are invited to participate in our summer’s common read for July: Ibram Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist (available on Amazon, Brookline Booksmith, and Powell’s online store). We’ll gather on Thursday, July 30, at 7 p.m. to share our reactions and learnings. The Zoom link will be posted a few days beforehand.

Annual Meeting Is June 14
2020-06-14 11:15 - 13:15
The congregation will convene after the worship service on Sunday, June 14, for our annual meeting, at which we elect officers and approves the operating and capital budgets for the new church year, which starts July 1. Members and friends must register in advance to participate, and only members may vote.
Official Warrant announcing the meeting, as required by Theodore Parker Church bylaws

Film: "Urban Roots"
2020-06-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
When Everything Collapses, Plant your Field of Dreams! Many people are in food crisis these days. This inspiring pre-pandemic film shows how folks in Detroit took on urban farming to improve their food supply and build community. The Racial Justice Task Force invites you to a Zoom viewing.

The TPC Zoom Theater will open at 5:45 to say hello and sort out any viewing problems. The 90-minute movie starts at 6 p.m., followed by 30 minutes of discussion. Hope to see you there! For questions, contact Sara Saperstein.

The Poor People's Campaign: Education to Action in the Age of COVID-19
2020-05-31 19:00 - 20:15 | Church Sanctuary and on Zoom
An on-line conversation hosted by the Parkway Interfaith Conversations on Race and the Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign. This event is free, but registration is required. Register here.

Music on Centre presents Crys Matthews & Heather Mae
2020-05-22 19:30 - 20:30
Music on Centre invites you to tune in to a lively and inspiring Zoom concert by the amazing Crys Matthews and the incomparable Heather Mae.
Matthews is a nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter who captured our hearts at the Music on Centre concert in 2018. She blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics.
Unfazed by what a typical pop artist today is “supposed” to look like and how the typical pop artist is “supposed” to sound, Heather Mae creates intoxicating music that tackles complex topics surrounding mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, self-love, racial injustice, social inequality, and women’s rights. She is a dynamically positive advocate of LGBT+ rights and mental health issues.
Click here to join on Zoom on May 22 at 7:30. Suggested donation is $20 per person. Give more if you can, less if you can’t. All are welcome and no one will be turned away! All donations should be sent to Heather Mae via PayPal (heathermaemusic@gmail.com), Venmo (@heathermaemusic), or Cashapp ($heathermaemusic), with a note that says “May 22nd – Theodore Parker Concert”. If you have trouble signing up and/or paying, contact musiconcentre@gmail.com.

Cancelled: Film: Urban Roots: When Everything Collapses, Plant Your Field of Dreams
2020-04-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Our Friday Night Justice Films series has been suspended for the time being. We look forward to resuming it as soon as possible.

Cancelled: Music for Food: Mozart, Mendelssohn & Martinů
2020-03-29 19:30 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church sanctuary, 1859 Centre Street, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
We regret to announce that this concert has been canceled.

"Begin Again" Adult Religious Exploration
2020-03-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church sanctuary, 1859 Centre Street, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Begin Again begins again! We will explore the word “grace” on March 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. Grace comes to us unbidden. As Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar asks in Fluent in Faith: How does it differ from luck? Must we deserve it? If you’ve experienced grace, how did you know it and what was its impact?

Note that this session will NOT be held in the sanctuary but online via Zoom. Open this link shortly before 7 p.m. For more information, contact Nancy Wilber, Steve Greene, or Rev. Anne.

After the 17th there will be two more sessions this spring: Thursday, April 23, and Tuesday, May 19. Save the dates!

Music on Centre concert with Dean Stevens & Friends CANCELED!
2020-03-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
We’re sorry to announce that, due to ongoing concerns about public events in relation to the coronavirus outbreak, we have decided to cancel Saturday’s concert. We hope we can schedule Dean & Friends for a future time.

Annual Fellowship Fest
2020-03-07 18:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
This festive event is a celebration of our Theodore Parker Church community and the kick-off of our Gather and Grow annual pledge campaign.
Jazz pianist Adam Feldman will join us for the early part of the evening. There will be great food and drink and dancing to round out the evening. You won’t want to miss it!

To RSVP, please click the link to the sign-up spreadsheet and add your name in a column with the item you’d like to bring. If you’d like to help with decorating, greeting, serving or clean up, please sign up in one of those columns.

Childcare will be available in the parish hall downstairs. To sign up, please add your name and the number of children you’d like to bring.

Questions? Please contact Laura Dowd.

Film: Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America
2020-02-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Harvest of Empire: The Untold Story of Latinos in America examines the role of the U.S. economic and military intervention in triggering an unprecedented wave of Latino migration that continues to transform the U.S. socio-economic and cultural landscape. Be advised that there are some disturbing scenes in this film. Free admission, popcorn, and beverages. Appropriate for high school age and older. Doors open at 6:30.

Sponsored by the Theodore Parker Church Racial Justice Task Force.

Bluesman Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. in Concert
2020-02-14 19:30 - 21:30 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
“Songs and Stories Creating Connections”
Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. is a native Detroiter and an inspirational storyteller and musician celebrating the history, humor, and power of American roots music.
For more than thirty years, Robert has entertained and educated audiences of all ages in schools, concert halls, churches, prisons, libraries, union halls, and civil rights organizations. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that we should celebrate, not just tolerate.
Admission $20 adults, $10 under 21, $40 max per family. Appropriate for all ages. Proceeds benefit the church.

www.revrobertjones.com

Tai Chi and Chocolate Complementary Lesson
2020-02-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Join this event for an evening of stress-relieving movements followed by sweet treats in the Theodore Parker Church parish hall.
To reserve your space, call (617) 327-5100, or send an email.

Family Game Night
2020-01-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Everyone is invited to our intergenerational Game Night! Bring a favorite game and cash (small bills) if you wish for pizza for a fun, social evening.

Film: Al Helm (The Dream): Martin Luther King in Palestine
2020-01-24 19:00 - 21:00
Our Friday Night Justice Films series continues. An intense cultural exchange between an American gospel choir and the Palestinian National Theatre explores their respective struggles for liberation. Free admission, popcorn, and beverages.

Congregational Meeting on Accessibility and Solar Projects
2020-01-12 12:00 - 13:30 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Matters to be undertaken at this important meeting are as follows:

Presentation of information on installation of accessible restroom and lift in the parish hall, and installation of solar panels on the parish hall roof
Vote to approve a proposal to install solar panels on the parish hall roof
Vote to approve a capital funding plan for the above-mentioned accessibility renovation project and the solar panel project

Official Warrant Announcing the meeting, as required by the Theodore Parker Church By-laws

Information Session on Accessibility and Solar Projects
2020-01-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
The Property Committee and Solar Task Force will present information about two capital projects endorsed by the Standing Committee:

Installation of a three-stop lift and accessible restroom in the parish hall, previously approved by the congregation pending funding
Installation of solar panels on the parish hall roof, a new project

This is a repeat of the information session held on December 22. We encourage members and friends to attend in order to be fully informed about the projects when the congregation meets on January 12 to vote on the projects and a capital budget to fund them.

Winter Fair
2019-12-07 10:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Our annual Winter Fair is Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parish hall. It features a wonderful selection of hand crafted gifts for all ages from local artisans and around the world, baked goods, honey and jelly, jewelry, holiday decorations (buy your wreaths from us!), a children’s craft table, and more. Please consider what you might contribute this year! If you have questions about items that you want to donate, please contact Carol Allen or Jennifer Buchwald.

Film: "Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities"
2019-11-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
A haven for Black intellectuals, artists and revolutionaries — and path of promise toward the American dream — , Black colleges and universities have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field. For the first time, their story is told.

The screening is sponsored by the Racial Justice Task Force. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the film begins at 7 p.m. This event is free, with popcorn provided. The film is appropriate for high school age and older.

This film is the first of the Friday Night Justice Films the task force is sponsoring this year. Information on the other four films in the series can be found here.

The Bombadils in Concert
2019-11-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Parish Hall, 70 Corey Street, West Roxbury, MA, 02132, United States
Music on Centre proudly presents the Bombadils. Nova Scotia maritimer Luke Fraser and Alberta prairie-girl Sarah Frank create beautiful harmonies and enchanting melodies with old folk songs, poetry, and original songs in a Canadian folk and contemporary bluegrass framework.
Luke’s guitar, mandolin, and harmonies are the ideal counterpoint to Sarah’s sweet-yet-powerful vocals, lyrical fiddle and claw-hammer banjo. Innovative arrangements give their songs layer upon layer of sonically satisfying surprises.
The Bombadils have been nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards and have won Folk Music Ontario’s Album of the Year award. They tour internationally and have been granted an official showcase at the 2019 New England Regional Folk Conference.
Admission is $20 adults, $10 under 21, $40 maximum per family.
More information: musiconcentre@gmail.com
Event Flier

Theodore Parker Lecture: Rev. Willie Bodrick II
2019-11-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Theodore Parker Church sanctuary, 1859 Centre Street, West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
The Rev. Willie Bodrick II, associate minister of the Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury, will speak on the topic, “We Still Can’t Wait: The Urgency of Equal Education for All.” His talk, the sixth in an annual series of lectures honoring the legacy of Theodore Parker, will be followed by a reception in the parish hall.
Rev. Bodrick grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, before attending Georgetown University and Harvard Divinity School. In addition to his duties at his church, he is currently enrolled in the J.D. program at Northeastern University School of Law and is the local coordinator of the Network for Black Student Achievement.
The event is free to the public, but those planning to attend are encouraged to register here, which helps greatly with planning the event.
Event flier

Harvest Contra Dance
2019-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Theodore Parker Church parish hall, 70 Corey St., West Roxbury, Massachusetts, 02132
Come one, come all, for a lively night of music and dancing at “Flowers of Autumn,” our Harvest Contra Dance, Saturday, November 9, 7 to 9 p.m. in the parish hall. Erica Weiss, caller for our Spring Contra, will return for this event and will teach each dance. Live music will be joyfully supplied by the TPC folk band.

Contra dancing is a lively and fun tradition, strong in New England since Colonial times. Typically danced to live, fiddle-based music, the tunes draw from English, Celtic, Appalachian, and French-Canadian styles. Dancers form pair of lines, facing (contra) one another, with the lines moving opposite one another as the dance progresses. A caller first teaches the steps of each dance, and then calls the steps as the music plays. The contra community is friendly and inclusive, and the dances themselves make a natural mixer suitable for all ages and abilities — no partner required, come as you are! You can see what this looks (and sounds) like from a recent Boston Intergenerational Dance Association Contra-party by clicking here.

Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted and help to defray the costs for the event — a $10 donation would be most welcome For more information, email Robin Colgrove.
