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Join us on Sunday, February 10, in Support of Rev. Bob McKetchnie’s Sabbatical Community Service Initiative

Project Stretch

Dentistry Reaching out to Children

On February 22, Rev. Bob will be traveling to Teacapán, Mexico to work in a newly opened dental clinic there. He’ll be working as a dental assistant while also helping to promote local and national recognition of this initiative and establish better cooperation between the Mexican government and Project Stretch.

The mission of Natick, Massachusetts-based Project Stretch is to provide vital and preventive dental services to children in our own communities and abroad and to fund special projects for special needs children. The project develops and provides educational materials for the training of dental staff within their respective settings and provides funding to properly equip and support dental outreach clinics.

Dentists, dental students, dental assistants and dental hygienists and other volunteers (Bob!) donate their time and talent to provide dental services that have brightened children’s smiles around the world.

Project Stretch currently has continuing programs in the United States, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Chile, Lithuania, Cape Verde, and Teacapán, Mexico.

The cost of sending a team member on a mission is $2,500. As you can imagine, the cost of equipment and supplies is considerable.

For example:
• $150 = 250 fluoride rinses
• $70 = 50 fluoride varnish treatments
• $46 = 144 packs of dental floss
• $400 = 144 uses of anesthesia
• $100 = antibiotics
• $25 = 200 count gauze
• $23 = 500 patient bibs
• $10 = 1 box of gloves
• $20 = 1 bottle fluoride gel
• $42 = case of toothpaste
• $250 = 100 toothbrushes
• $200 = tooth-filling material

In support of this wonderful initiative and Reverend Bob’s generous volunteerism, 100% of the February 10 Charity Sunday Offering will be given to Project Stretch*.

There will be informational brochures and envelopes available at services beginning February 3 for your tax-deductible donation should you choose to become a contributing Project Stretch member or volunteer.

If you will not be in church and would like to contribute directly to Project Stretch, you may send your tax-deductible contribution to Project Stretch, Inc. 230 Pond Street Natick, MA  01760. Please note on your contribution that you are from First Parish Medfield.

* On Sunday Feb. 10 you can make your check payable to either Project Stretch or First Parish Medfield. When making a contribution via check in our Sunday 2/10 offering, please be sure to note in the memo line if you intend it for your annual FPUU pledge; all other checks will be donated to Project Stretch. Project Stretch is eligible for matching gifts so you can include a matching form with your check and it will be delivered to Project Stretch to process.

For more information about Project Stretch, please click here

Please join in on Social Action

· The Social Action committee is planning to meet the first Wednesday of each month, subject to scheduling. Everyone is welcome to come to the meetings and get involved, or just listen in on the plans! Check the online calendar for the church for time and place, and call Helen at 508-359-2760 to confirm.

Upcoming Events

Ongoing Activities

Online Bulletin Board

Upcoming Events

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Ongoing Activities

The Social Action committee at First Parish Medfield supports the following ongoing activities. If you would like more information, please call Helen at 508-359-2760.

Medfield Food Pantry

• Each month the Medfield Food Pantry divides up their needs between the supporting organizations and then tells First Parish what they need from us. Each church has a unique list of items that they are asked to purchase and contribute. The food pantry coordinator sends out emails letting the congregation know what is needed. Please bring your donations and leave them in the box in the vestibule of the church. Questions, call Deb at 781-956-2901.

Framingham Meals Program

· Each Saturday the Framingham Civic League hosts a hot lunch program for folks in need. For many years, First Parish Medfield has staffed the fourth Saturday of each month. The hours are from 9:30 a.m. to approximately noon. No culinary expertise is required, just a willingness to perform basic, supervised kitchen duties. Please consider volunteering.

If you are unable to give of your time but want to get involved, there are other ways to help. Consider donating one of the following:

• Fresh fruit for bag lunches
• Fresh vegetables for meals or to freeze for future meals
• Fixings for garden salads for approximately 60 guests.

You can also make a direct financial contribution (with checks payable to the Framingham Civic League specifying ‘Framingham Meals Program’ on the memo line of check).

If you would like to schedule a shift, provide produce, contribute financially, or learn more about the FMP, please contact Louise Rachin at 508-528-8456.

Guest at Your Table

• Each year the Social Action committee distributes a box to each family for the annual collection to support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). For more information, see Guest at Your Table.

Walk for Hunger / Little Red Wagon Walk for Hunger

• First Parish Medfield supports the Walk for Hunger (Project Bread) and the local Little Red Wagon Walk for children in the church.

Social Action education

• The Social Action committee sponsored a viewing of the film “An Inconvenient Truth” with follow-up discussions in the Spring of 2007. In the fall of 2007, we held a discussion of Jeffrey Sach's book The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Time.

Charity Sundays

• So many charities need money as much, or more than, anything else. To give charities the financial support they need, in 2007-08, First Parish will donate the money in the collection boxes to a charitable cause on one Sunday in October, February, April, and June. Also, we will donate half of the Christmas Eve collection to a charity, as we have done the last few years. The collection will go to programs that First Parish Social Action efforts support. This is a new initiative this year. Please let anyone on the Social Action committee know your thoughts on this program and how we might improve it.

Cellphones

• First Parish collects used cell phones to be distributed to those who need them. There is a box in the vestibule to collect the cell phones.

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Online Bulletin Board for Social Action

Here are some of the notices that we have posted on our (physical) bulletin board in the vestry. Although our church is not formally participating in these activities, the activities may be of interest to members who would like to participate.

LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) committee at First Unversalist Society of Franklin (FUSF)

• The First Unversalist Society of Franklin (FUSF) has recently started a LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) committee and has joined the Interweave organization. FUSF had the great pleasure of hosting the 35 riders and volunteers from Ridefar10-an organization that bicycles 500 mile in 5 days in September 2007.

They would love to have the opportunity to talk with anyone who is interested in their group. Please feel free to email Dana Hoy or call 508 243 2070.

Posted 9/16/2007

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First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church * 26 North Street * Medfield, MA * 02052 * (508) 359-4594
Rev. Bob McKetchnie, Minister
 First Parish is a Welcoming Congregation to all persons

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