Winter in New England is like the cat at the door, pondering whether to come in or to sit and stare at you a while longer. Now that winter has come in, I am taking stock of the things that, like the season, can easily pass without notice.

Our chalice lighters, to start with. During the fall there were a number of prompt volunteers, some of them last minute, who gifted us their time and their voices without mention in the Order of Service. Special thanks are due to Josie Greene, Karen Burns, Timothy Wells, and Karen Lein, among others. Two newcomers to the congregation, Jill DiGiovanni and Genevieve Goldschmidt, bravely lit the chalice at “Pizza & the Principles.”

If you attended Halloween Family Fun Night, you will remember the spooky decorations in the Parish Hall. Thanks are due to Pat and Jacki Rohan, Judy Zacek, and Jackie Colby for their artistry. The judges who awarded prizes at the costume competition, namely Brooke Foucault Welles, Judy Zacek, Jacki Rohan, and Suzanne Dicarlo, deserve special thanks for their incorruptibility. And thank you, Dan Stoll, for taking some wonderful photos.

The newcomer potluck was a raucous, Rabelaisian banquet. The Member Services Committee thanks Jay Flynn and Barbara Niles for hosting the party at their home on November 11; it was well attended and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves heartily. For myself, I would like to thank Pat and Jacki Rohan, Pete and Brenda Roberts, Eric and Will Haas, and most definitely Jay and Barbara, for being such welcoming ambassadors to the FUUSN community.

On November 19 we welcomed new members to the congregation. To the new members: we are happy you chose us! To Pat, Cathy Morocco, Julie Brody, and Andrea Kelley: thank you for putting the New Member Welcome together.

Finally, thank you all who attended the Thanksgiving service for donating food to the Newton Food Pantry. Love multiplies.             –Samuel Foster