Email Lists

There are three email lists for use by the First Parish community:

To gain access or request an invitation if you have a Google account:

  1. In a web browser navigate to https://groups.google.com/forum/#!overview and type into the Google Groups search bar within the above page (not the browser search bar) “uubedford” (without the quotes).  This will bring up the uubedford email lists.
  2. Sign in to Google if you are not yet signed in
  3. Click the ‘Apply for membership’ link
  4. Configure how you would like to receive email and a few other Google Group configurations – these are your email notification preferences
  5. Click the ‘Apply to join this group’ button

To gain access without a Google account:

  1. Send email to uubedford-it@googlegroups.com
  2. In the body of the email specify which group or groups you would like to join and the email address with which you would like to join
  3. Specify how you would like to receive email notifications for each group – each group can be different (this is your email notification preferences):
    • Don’t send email updates (Note – you will get no email with this setting and without a google account you will not see any posts.)
    • Send daily summaries
    • Send combined updates (25 messages per email)
    • Send email for each posted message

Note – if you have a Google Groups account you will be able to access the group’s home page that will list the posts in a threaded format and supports searching and other features.

Note – you can ONLY post to the email lists via the email address that you join with.  If you have multiple email addresses and your post is rejected, before asking for help verify that the sender address is the correct one to post with.

If you have questions, trying searching Google for the answer.  This is potentially the fastest way.  You can also send email to uubedford-it@googlegroups.com and one of our IT administrators will get back to you.

List Descriptions and Examples

Parish Biz – will contain notifications from First Parish staff, the Leadership Team members, the Parish Council members, and others who are responsible for major events. Examples of these notifications are:

  • FP will be open despite snow
  • Acclaimed speaker at this Sunday’s service.
  • Auction appeal
  • Need volunteers to clean out closets
  • UUA announcement

Email address to post to ParishBiz:  uubedford-parishbiz@googlegroups.com

Anno List – will be for questions and announcements to the FP Community that are NOT specific to FP administrative and calendar activities. Examples:

  • What a wonderful music service last Sunday
  • Can anyone recommend a good plumber?
  • Come see the great show at Bedford High School
  • Remember to vote on Tuesday
  • 2 seats for the Symphony available for tonight
  • Meeting on Bedford Plaza residents to be held this Wednesday

Email address to post to Anno:  uubedford-anno@googlegroups.com

Discussion List – will be for discussion of topics as it is today. Examples:

  • Debate a bill coming up for a state senate vote
  • Discussion on a humanist principle

Email address to post to Discussion:  uubedford-disc@googlegroups.com

Email List Guidelines

The First Parish Discussion, Announcement, and Parish Business Lists have been established by First Parish as a vehicle for communication within the First Parish community. The Discussion List (uubedford-disc@googlegroups.com) is intended as a means of promoting the discussion of issues of general interest to the First Parish community; the Announcement List (uubedford-anno@googlegroups.com) is intended to facilitate announcement of news and events of general interest to the community; the Parish Business List (uubedford-parishbiz@googlegroups.com) is intended to communicate about news and events about First Parish exclusively.  Write access to the Parish Business List is restricted to staff, board members, committee chairs, and event organizers who have a training session.

For email or First Parish Bedford IT issues/questions, please email uubedford-it@googlegroups.com

Generally, a post to the announcement list or the parish business list is one that does not seek a response (except for example, an RSVP); a post to the discussion list does.  A message should never be posted to more than one list.

Since not all parishioners have access to e-mail, the announcement and parish business lists should be considered a supplement, not an alternative, to the church newsletter.

Subscription to the list is open to all. In addition to providing an e-mail address, subscribers must identify themselves by name. Participation in the lists is a privilege and not a right.

Oversight

These lists are un-moderated, however the Parish Board and/or the Chairperson of the Parish Board reserves the right to appoint a moderator to moderate the lists for a set or an indefinite period when in their discretion such action is warranted.

When a moderator is appointed, the function of the moderator shall be, to the fullest extent possible, to pass on all communications to the lists so long as they comply with the guidelines set forth below.

The Parish Board may from time to time appoint three list monitors whose function will be to review postings to the list for compliance with these guidelines, to receive complaints from list members, and to remind list contributors of these guidelines in an appropriate manner when they deem necessary.

First Parish neither endorses the contents of any list users’ communications nor assumes responsibility for any offensive material contained in them, nor any infringement of third party intellectual property rights arising from them. When you subscribe to a list, you agree to indemnify and hold First Parish and its officers and employees harmless from any claim or demand made by any third party due to or arising out of the use of the First Parish Discussion and Announcement List services.

Reflecting Our Values

Any post to either list should be consistent with the seven principles espoused by the UUA:

  • The inherent worth and dignity of every person.
  • Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.
  • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
  • A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
  • The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
  • The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
  • Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Participants in each list should:

  • Speak and write openly, honestly and respectfully with clarity, tact and compassion.
  • Listen carefully, with an open mind and heart, to what others say.
  • Take responsibility for our speech and actions especially in so far as they affect both individuals and the congregation as a whole.
  • Be sensitive to possible conflicts, and be willing to work toward solutions while recognizing that some differences may not be resolvable.
  • Respect our own boundaries and the boundaries of others and protect and support vulnerable individuals.
  • Respect and support diversity, and work to create a welcoming environment.

The discussion list should not be used for commercial solicitations. Commercial solicitations posted to the announcement list should be kept to a minimum and be directly related to the First Parish Community, such as FP teenagers looking for occasional work during school vacations, or a FPer who knows of a job opening that might interest someone in the community.  Please consider making a donation to First Parish if you sell items  as a result of posting on our lists.

Practical Matters

Before hitting “send,” read your entire message from beginning to end. For a simple announcement, this will often reveal a typo or two. For a passionate response to a discussion thread, this will allow you to reconsider your words from the point of view of the reader before sending them.

  • If you modify your message after reading it, read it from beginning to end again.
  • After reading your message, make sure to read the “To” field to ensure that a response that you intended to send to an individual is not sent to the entire list (or vice-versa).
  • Messages should consist of plain text only (no html).
  • Messages should not contain attached files.
  • Message posters should identify themselves by first and last name in the message.
  • Messages should have an informational subject line.
  • Responses should quote the relevant portions of the message being responded to.
  • Chain letters and virus alerts should not be posted to the group. (Virus alerts received via unsolicited email are almost always fictitious).

Complaint Resolution

If you have a complaint about the messages on these lists, contact the one of the list monitors, a member of the Parish Board or the Parish Board Chairperson.

Other FP/UU News Resources

Electronic Newsletter

The newsletter is now available online in PDF format.  This allows you to see and/or print the newsletter exactly as printed and mailed from the office.  Find our Newsletters here.  If you prefer to “print your own” newsletter, contact the church office to discontinue your US mail version.  This will save a bit in office expenses, especially for those outside of Bedford.

If you’d like an email reminder when the online newsletter is updated, to submit articles, or for any other questions about the newsletter, please contact the newsletter editor, editors@uubedford.org.

UUA Email Lists

Our national association, the UUA, offers many options for people to connect with like-minded UUs from throughout the country. Visit http://www.uua.org/members/emaillists/index.shtml and http://lists.uua.org/mailman/listinfo for descriptions of more than 300 lists and details on how to subscribe.