Safety Planning for Incoming Nor’easter

As many of you are aware, there is a large nor’easter touching down in Massachusetts later today (Friday September 25th). The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning in Needham and surrounding communities for today and Saturday September 26th, and a Coastal Flood/Storm Warning for the entire Massachusetts coastline through Sunday September 27th. We hold in our hearts all those in the storm impact zone, and pray that all people and living beings will have adequate shelter and safety during the storm. 

At First Parish, we have two important onsite gatherings that may be impacted by the nor’easter: Susan Abbott’s memorial celebration (Saturday the 26th at 11 am) and Sunday worship & programs (Sunday the 27th). The First Parish staff team, lay leaders, and the Abbott family are already in touch, in an abundance of caution in case we need to postpone Susan Abbott’s memorial and/or cancel the Sunday service and other onsite Sunday programs. To decide whether it is generally safe for our weekend onsite gatherings to proceed, we will be taking into consideration if 1. there’s a statewide or local state of emergency declared; 2. the church buildings have power or have been damaged during the storm; and, 3. roads are passable in and around Needham.

If you are planning to attend Susan Abbott’s memorial onsite or through the YouTube livestream, please check your email and the church website at 9:30 am Saturday morning to see if we have had to postpone the service. (If the service is not postponed, no email will go out.)

If you are planning to participate in the Sunday service and/or other Sunday programs, please check your email and the church website at 9 am Sunday morning to see if we’ve needed to cancel worship or other programs. Choir members should expect an email about rehearsal and worship by 8 am from our music director Laura Nevitt. Two Sunday programs (8:30 am RE teacher training and the 12:30 pm Social Action Forum) have already been moved to Zoom; please contact John Newhall (DRE) and Leslie Nelken (SAC co-convener) if you do not have the Zoom links. (If nothing has been canceled or changed otherwise, no email will go out.) If the Sunday service needs to be cancelled, the Sunday morning email will include information and links to other UU congregations in “Eastern Time” (but outside the storm’s impact zone) so First Parishioners can “visit” another livestream. 

Please also contact your First Parish staff team, neighbors, and the Caring Crew if you are in need of assistance after the storm has passed. 

Thank you for your understanding, and for your care for the First Parish community and beyond. Please stay safe this weekend!

Blessings, 

Rev. Catie Scudera