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The Massachusetts Conference Edition of the United Church News is published 10 times a year by the Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ.
One Badger Road Framingham, MA 01702 (508) 875-5233
Editor:
Tiffany Vail
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Message from the Minister & President...Amistad event moved to FleetBoston Pavilion
July-August, 2003 I bring good news of great joy! Interest in our MACUCC Amistad Celebration Day, October 25, 2003, has exceeded all expectations. Due to overwhelming response (already over 4000 tickets sold!) and in order to accommodate all who wish to participate, we have changed the venue to the FleetBoston Pavilion. At our new venue we can accommodate over 10,000 people. What a grand opportunity to gather as the UCC, covenanted together in mission, ministry, and education! The FleetBoston Pavilion is located south of the Moakley Courthouse. It has its own pier and we will move the schooner to that pier (which is fully accessible ) for October 25th. What are the implications of this move? • EVERYONE IS WELCOME: We are in the process of creating an event that matches the scale of your response. All who want to come can now hear the Amistad story, celebrate the freedom schooner’s presence, and re-commit themselves to addressing issues of race and justice. • TIMES & TICKETS: The Pavilion has a main stage where we will put on a two-hour worship and celebration event that will be presented three times during the day: 9:30–11:30 AM; 12:30–2:30 PM; and 3:30–5:30 PM. Please use the registration form below to purchase new or additional tickets. If you previously purchased tickets, we have already contacted your church, or will shortly do so. Every effort is being made to accommodate time slots you originally requested. The entrance fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children will now be the entrance fee to the Pavilion itself. Advance tickets are still required and the deadline is October 1st, 2003. Plan to come for a two-and-a-half-hour to three-hour time block. The stage event will cover a two-hour span of time. You can see the exhibit, visit the schooner, and buy refreshments before, during, or after the main stage event. • THE STAGE EVENT: This main event will include: renowned storyteller Valerie Tutson telling the Amistad story through the eyes of the little girl Margru, one of the captives; Captain Bill Pinkney (maritime folklorist), in one of his last events as master of the Amistad, on the mission of the freedom schooner and its challenge to us; and solemn and celebratory worship with instrumentalists and choirs. Your ticket gets you into the Pavilion for your time-slot. • THE FREEDOM SCHOONER: Instead of a limited number of small groups of people hearing the Amistad story from the crew during brief shipboard visits, we will all now hear the story directly from Captain Pinkney and Valerie Tutson, as part of the main stage event. Everyone will have a chance to see the Amistad exhibition panels, watch the introductory video in a separate tent with several viewing screens, and then walk the deck of the freedom schooner itself. (Please note that visits to the Amistad never include a visit below decks, which are crew quarters and not, as some assume, a recreation of the space where the original captives were held. The original schooner was not a slave ship, but a coastal trading schooner.) • FOOD: Commercial food vendors will be available throughout the day from booths surrounding the main Pavilion, and there will also be other exhibition stands. • TRANSPORTATION: Buses are able to park nearby, and there is a multi-level parking garage five minutes walk away. We will provide a free shuttle from the garage for those for whom this distance would be a difficulty. • HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: The FleetBoston Pavilion (including restrooms and pier) is handicapped accessible. • DRESS APPROPRIATELY: What about the weather? We suggest you dress for a Fall football game. At our original venue, visits to the Amistad would have been outdoors and you would have had to walk out of doors between three different venues. The Pavilion is covered and the sides are somewhat protected. However, we encourage you to plan as for an outdoor event. Please dress, prepare and react according to whatever the weather brings us! This move opens up wonderful possibilities for us. The space and facilities at the Pavilion make a tremendous and memorable event possible. We are determined that it will be. Bring your new member classes, your confirmation classes
and youth groups. Come as Women’s Fellowships, Men’s
Fellowships, Mission
Committees, Choirs
and Christian Education Boards. Come as an entire
church community
or a single family, or alone! Just come. Whether
you come alone or in a
group, you will not want to miss this event. Return to United Church News front pageReturn to Massachusetts Conference home page |
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