Each time humans encounter difference, it is an opportunity to learn about ourselves and others. Whenever we encounter someone who is different from us, a process of reevaluation begins to take place. At times, people who are different make us feel uncomfortable. This is oftentimes simply because they look, sound different, eat, and behave differently from “us.” At other times, such discomfort arises because there are many lies that are often told about others. These lies gradually sink into our imagination and we start believing them. The man who chose to hurt and wound others in Christchurch, New Zealand, succumbed to such lies. The only way to see through those lies is to authentically get to know those different from us.

“Learning about other people and cultures is intended to make the world safe for human differences,” said Mahtab Sirdani, one of the three guests who led the first of our curated Interfaith Second Hour discussion series. In the past, we also had Jewish, Muslim, and Christian interlocutors to discuss if the three faiths worshipped the same God. In all of these conversations, two things became clear. One, there are real differences between the faith traditions. These differences are often a source of disagreement. Two, even within the same faith community, there can be drastic differences. Think, for instance, about the many differences between Catholics and Protestants and Orthodox Christians. This is what John Boopalan, our Minister for Community Life and Theologian in Residence, presented on at a conference in Princeton this weekend. Click here to see more. We are beautiful together not in spite of our differences but because of our differences.

For Lent this year, choose to learn about a community that is different from you. This is a good time to learn about our Muslim neighbors. Yusuf Mosque is a mosque close to our church community. Given the recent tragic and harmful event against Muslims, we are going to be writing cards of support and sympathy this Sunday (March 24, 2019), immediately after service. Come join us. If you so choose, please do send a card directly to our Muslim neighbors at Yusuf Mosque (186 Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton MA 02135) or another Muslim community close to you.
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I have been am amateur photographer on and off for more than forty years. My father was an impressionist painter and his style still influences my work. I get great joy at walking through the parks in the greater Boston area capturing the beauty of the lakes and rivers as well as the creatures I meet along the way. I had a successful showing of my photography two years ago at the Indalo gallery in Newton, MA. I look forward to displaying my photographs in other galleries and continuing to develop my craft. 

To learn more about Leo, click her to visit his webpage or his Facebook page. You can contact Leo at info[at]leohannenbergphotography.com.
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Deborah Archibong is an artist who does beautiful work with beads. Check out her jewelry and fashionable wears featuring simple and elegant styles at her Facebook page.  Deborah also sings and it will be treat to hear her and also see her work.
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Tana Walsh was born in Texas and grew up in Austin. She has loved drawing and many forms of artistic expression since she was a child. She grew up in a home filled with art. Her father collected art as a "hobby." Therefore, she spent many an hour looking and studying the art that surrounded her. Tana has a BFA in Interior Design from Texas Tech University, with a continuing education focus in the area of Art Therapy. As an artist, Tana works from an image she takes with her own camera and/or the still life that she creates.
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"I took my first painting class as part of my fine art degree requirements for my undergraduate degree. I realized, at that time, how much I loved working with color and the medium itself. My life took a different path and I did not return to painting until 2005." 

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During my career as a psychotherapist, I have seen the beauty of the soul emerge; although frequently obstructed with layers of murky defense and protection. Encaustic art represents to me a similar experience of process, particularly with the layering process, as one continues to scrape until the beauty and truth of the piece is revealed. This uncertainty is exciting for it presents surprises as well as mystery, which can lead us to unimaginable places similar to the process of self-discovery. I have studied at the Decordova, School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Helen Day Arts Center. I also studied with artists such as Lorraine Glessner, Tracy Spadafora, Gregory Wright, Laura Moriaty as well as a fabulous watercolorist, Lisa Forster Beach of Stowe Vt. Truro Center for the Arts has been a favorite teaching school and I have been attending their Encaustic Conferences for seven years with world famous artists. To read more, click here.
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​​My name is Cole and I am ten.  I have been taking pictures with an iPhone for about  three years. I’ve taken way over 100 pictures and I hope to sell them some day so I can be a pro. I especially like to take pictures of water.  My dream is to take a picture of a waterfall at sunset in L.A. 

My name is Zoe Arthur and I am 9 years old. I started doing art when I was about 3 years old and I have loved it ever since. My first art experience was on Christmas when I turned 3 years old. My grandmother bought me an art kit. I loved it so much and would use it whenever my mother said I could.  I have taken a couple of art classes at the Brookline Arts Center. At my school we have something called Art Equinox. It is kind of like a holiday that lasts for 2 days. During Arts Equinox we do only art stuff. Each year there is a different theme.  It includes drawing, painting, origami, music, dancing and much more. It’s very fun! My favorite type of art is Kawii drawing. I also love encaustics. I love art!

BREAKOUT SESSIONS & FACILITATORS ​
Two identical 30-minute breakout sessions so participants can have the option to try two different sessions.
​WORKSHOP FOR TEENS THROUGH MUSIC AND DIALOGUE
RELIEVING STRESS THROUGH YOGA
ECUMENICAL INTERFAITH MEDITATION
​WHEN AND HOW TO USE NARCAN?

​Relieving Stress through Yoga
Peggy McLoughlin, E-R.Y.T., 500, YogaNewton
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​Ecumenical Interfaith Meditation
Alicia Johnson, Newton Interfaith Clergy Association
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​When & How to Use Narcan? 
Scott Weiner, M.D.
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​This year we will be continuing our study of Christianity in Late Antiquity: 300-450 C.E. – A Reader by Bart Ehrman and Andrew Jacobs. This book includes writings by many of the most important early Christian thinkers, including Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom and Eusebius, on topics such as heresy and orthodoxy, asceticism and monasticism, pilgrimages, relics and holy places, saints’ lives, biblical interpretation, and Christianity outside the Roman Empire.  We will also study the early Christian creeds, the development of the biblical canon, and early Christian art (including the Ravenna mosaics) and architecture.
 
Throughout October, we will be studying various controversies that helped delineate the boundaries between orthodoxy and heresy.  For example, on the first two Sundays of October, we will be exploring the Trinitarian Controversy (i.e., whether God the Father is superior to, or equal with, Christ and the Holy Spirit).  We will start on Sunday, October 7 by discussing the following readings in Christianity in Late Antiquity:
 
Reading 20 – Arius: Thalia
Reading 21 – Alexander of Alexandria: Letter to Alexander of Constantinople
Reading 22 – Arius: Letter to Alexander of Alexandria
 
Wikipedia’s List of Movements Deemed Heretical by the Catholic Church can be found by clicking here. It provides a helpful scorecard concerning the many heresies identified by the early church. It also covers medieval heresies, and sects more recently deemed heretical. Interestingly, Protestantism was designated as a heresy by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent during the 16th century, but that designation was rescinded by Vatican II in 1964. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, explained in 1993 in his book The Meaning of Christian Brotherhood that Protestantism is no longer viewed as a heresy, because “Protestantism has made an important contribution to the realization of the Christian faith, fulfilling a positive function in the development of the Christian message and, above all, often giving rise to a sincere and profound faith in the individual non-Catholic Christian.”
 
For more information, contact Dick Ransom at dickransom[at]comcast.net

SEPTEMBER

16 | Blue Ribbon BBQ and Blessing of Backpacks @ 11AM
Join us for a hearty meal and connect with friends old and new as we kick off a new season of community events and activities.

23 | Open (and Affirming) Mic Night @ 6 PM, Chapel 
A space for people to come and celebrate a gift they have or want to explore.  We will affirm and celebrate all age ranges and abilities.  Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, art exhibits, and community.  Check the website for more information.

30 | Red Wagon Sunday @ 10 AM Worship Service
We encourage you to donate non-perishable foods, personal care items, and diapers (child & adult).

30 | Second Hour Event @ 11:15 AM, Winslow Room
“Spirituality and Devotion.”  A discussion on care of the self. Our guests will include two Shia 
Muslims and a Christian from the Muslim majority country of Indonesia.

OCTOBER

6 | Apple Picking @ 10 AM, Lookout Farm, Natick 
Everyone is welcome to gather for a day of apple picking and other activities.  The church will cover the cost of entrance, and families can pay for what they pick.

14 | Newton Harvest Fair @ 11:15, FBCN Lawn
Gather for the Fall festival, invite your friends to enjoy a bouncy house on the lawn at the corner of Centre and Beacon.

25 | Opioids and Our Community @ 6:30-8:30 PM, Chapel 
A public panel event with experts and breakout sessions.

20 | Newtonville Books Event @ 7 PM, Sanctuary
Attend an evening with Pulitzer Prize Winner Elizabeth Strout and Andre Dubus III. Contact kate@fbcnewton.org for ticket information.

28 | Second Hour Event @ 11:15, Winslow Room
“How to Live with Others According to Scriptures.” A discussion on care & hospitality. Guests will include two Shia Muslims and a Christian from the Muslim majority country of Indonesia.

28 | Red Wagon Sunday @ 10 AM Worship Service
We encourage you to donate non-perishable foods, personal care items, and diapers (child & adult).

TBD | FBCN Business Meeting
The October Business Meeting is an important opportunity for members to come together and consider the proposed budget for the upcoming year. 

NOVEMBER

4 | Open (and Affirming) Mic Night @ Time TBD, Chapel 
A space for people to come and celebrate a gift they have or want to explore.  We will affirm and celebrate all age ranges and abilities.  Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, art exhibits, and community.  Check the website for more information.

18 | Commitment Sunday @ 10 AM, Chapel
Commitment Sunday acknowledges and celebrates our commitments to one another and the church through baptisms, welcoming new members, and offering our financial pledges for 2019.

25 | Red Wagon Sunday @ 10 AM Worship Service
We encourage you to donate non-perishable foods, personal care items, and diapers (child & adult).

30 | Karaoke Night - Time TBD
Sing in harmony, sing out of tune. Sing solo or perform in a duet. Or, don't sing at all. Sing, watch, cheer, or chat over drinks and food. More information soon.

DECEMBER

2 | Advent Sunday @ 11:15 AM, Chapel
We welcome you to celebrate Hope & Peace, participate in  decorating the church.

9 | Parents of Kids Lunch @ 11:15 AM, Chapel
Hosted by parents of children, this lunch welcomes parents of children and children of parents. So, all are invited. Immediately following worship.

16 | Gift Wrapping for Veterans @ 11:15 AM, Chapel
Join us to celebrate Joy & Love. We will be wrapping gifts for veterans.

23 | Caroling, Hot Chocolate, & Memories @ 11:15 AM, Chapel
Gathered around the piano, we'll be caroling over hot chocolate.  Bring a dish that represents your traditional Christmas memories and join in ushering in Christmas.

24 | Christmas Eve, Sanctuary
Family Service - 5:35 PM
Candlelight Service – 11 PM

30 | Red Wagon Sunday @ 10 AM Worship Service
We encourage you to donate non-perishable foods, personal care items, and diapers (child & adult)

​September 30 | Spirituality and Devotion
Particularities of religious traditions are formed more by what people practice. Integral to this practice are spirituality and devotion. Despite the similar claim in worshipping one God, Christianity and Islam differ in their spirituality and devotion to God. We will discuss how each religion helps cultivate spiritual and devotional lives in people of faith.

October 28 | How to Live with Others According to Scriptures
Muslims and Christians, throughout the ages, have been experiencing religious diversity, although today’s context is unprecedented in term of its enormous scale. Nevertheless, foundational texts of both Islam and Christianity speak about the necessity of living with those perceived as “others” as fellow creations of God. We will discuss how these texts provide us with insights to deal with “others” in our own contexts.

January 27 | Sharia and Politics
Sharia is often misunderstood as Islamic law in the U.S. However, sharia has to do more with guideposts and principles rather than rules. Moreover, many think that unlike Christianity (with its apparent separation between church and state), Islam does not have such a  separation. This meeting will discuss nuances in order to clarify various positions in Islam and Christianity regarding the relationship between religion and politics.

February 24 | Women and Religion
Islam and Christianity are often accused to be perpetuating sexism and patriarchy which impedes women’s empowerment. On the other hand, Muslims and Christians claim that their religions instrumentalize the empowerment of women. How do we resolve these conflicting views? This session will discuss ambivalent positions in both religions and elaborate on how Islamic and Christian traditions perceives the notion of gender justice.
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​Hessam Dehghani is a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy at Boston College. His research focuses on the notion of community especially, Islamic community. He came to Boston 6 years ago with his family after finishing his first Ph.D. in Linguistics and Philosophy in Tehran. He has presented papers and published books and translations in Persian and English on religious matters, including “A-political Islam” at Clough Center for Constitutional democracy.

​Mahtab Sirdani is a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology at Boston University. She completed her Master of Theology at Harvard Divinity School where her focus was on the picture of women in Islamic literature since its birth. Sirdani’s research includes the role of women and the practice of Hijāb (body covering) across cultures and religious traditions. Her current research focuses on Muslims in exile especially the situation of Iranian Shia Muslims in America, a minority group that only gets very minimal attention in public discussion.

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Hans A. Harmakaputra is a Ph.D. candidate in Comparative Theology at Boston College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Christian Theology from Jakarta Theological Seminary, Indonesia, and a master’s degree in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford Seminary, CT. His doctoral work delves into a comparison between a theological concept of sainthood in Christianity and Islam.

Click here to go the Nov. 4 2018 event page.

A space for people across age range and ability to come and celebrate a gift they have or want to explore. Although there may be some of that, you don't need to be an "expert" or be on Broadway to come up to the mic. Sing a song, play an instrument, tell a story, perform an act, speak about your art. Anything you are passionate about.

We will affirm and celebrate all ages and abilities. 

10 people. 4-5 minutes each.

Come participate and encounter something beautiful.

We’ll have hors d’oeuvres & beverages. Feel free to bring a little something to add to the table. Most importantly, just bring YOU.

The event will take place in our beautiful chapel space.

Wait, there's more? Yes.
​We will have Musa Collective artists and Andrew Riley, documentary family photographer, displaying their (descriptions below) work.

Interested in signing up or displaying your art for the next open mic? 
Email john[at]fbcnewton.org

Next Open (& Affirming ) Mic Night: Sunday, November 4.

​Andrew Riley graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Graphic Design. Andy is a visual thinker and storyteller. When not designing, Andy enjoys documenting life’s moments, and is giddy when he’s captured an image that makes people feel something. Specialized in documentary family photography, Andy is inspired by its ability to capture, forever in time, real human emotions and honest connections between people. Real life is raw, vulnerable, tender, funny, awkward and brief. What's not to love? To learn more, click here.
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Nina Stolz Bellucci (MFA), recipient of numerous nominations and awards, including a 2018 Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Grant in Painting, creates dynamic paintings and large-scale drawings that are based on original collages and poems. She is inspired by light, the unique shapes and shadows it creates, and the inherent spirituality of the natural world. Her work is represented virtually at Uprise Art. Nina maintains a studio at Waltham Mills Artist Association and lives in Newton, MA with her husband and two children. To learn more, click here.

Erik Grau (MFA, M.Ed., BCBA, LABA), born and raised in Milwaukee, focuses on depictions of cats, crystals, and knick-knacks in his immediate home environment.  In addition to visual art, Erik studied Applied Behavior Analysis and Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and began working full time as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Boston Public Schools Kindergarten inclusion teacher. Most recently Erik was the artist in residence at Room83Spring in Watertown, MA.  Erik is the current President of the Piano Craft Gallery. To learn more, click here.

Julia von Metzsch Ramos (MFA), a painter from Boston, uses transparent layers of paint to achieve depth and illusion. This disjunction between the layers of paint application creates a tension particularly well suited to the ever-changing New England weather. Julia is in the collection of Danforth Art and the Cape Anne Museum. Her work can also be seen at Mercury Gallery in Rockport, MA and at Gallery Naga in Boston, MA. Julia works at Massachusetts College of Fine Arts as adjunct faculty. A founder and member of the Musa Collective, Julia currently lives and works in Cambridge. To learn more, click here.

Alla Lazebnik (MFA), is a figurative painter and printmaker born in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia and currently based out of the Boston area. Her works use imagery from Russian folklore and storylines that have intertwined with her life. Experimentation using techniques achieved with mechanical woodcut tools has been her primary medium. She has taken part in juried exhibitions throughout the states of FL, MA, NH, NY, OR, TX, and VT, including recently at the Off the Wall show in the Danforth Museum. Alla currently works as an Adjunct Art Professor at Lasell College. To learn more, click here.

Marta Kaemmer (MFA), was born in Zimbabwe and spent her teenage and college years in the Midwest before moving to Austria. She had numerous exhibitions in Austria before returning to the United States. Trained as a painter, her interest in materials keeps her moving between media and has included printmaking, sculpture and textiles in her work. She currently has a studio in Waltham Mills in Waltham, MA. To learn more, click here.