This morning we celebrate this community and explore our stewardship theme of “Moving Ahead Together.” What will it take to be a vital congregation in the next several years? More importantly, why are we, the collective of First Parish Church, needed? And by whom? Scott Gorman will give a reflection, and Rev. Susan will do a … Continue reading “If Ever There Were A time”
After a short worship service, the congregation will work in facilitated small groups on the first step of creating a congregational covenant. A covenant lays out the way we aspire to treat each other and the guideposts that can help us get there. We really need you to participate, so, please come and plan for the … Continue reading Covenant Sunday: Creating The Community We Want To Be
The Dalai Lama suggests that, when we make a mistake, we should ask, “Can I love this too?” Can we love a range of things about ourselves – the shapes and forms we come in, our less charming traits as well as the best? Another meditation teacher refers to it as “not being jerks to ourselves.” And … Continue reading “Can We Love This Too?”
The Soul Matters theme for the month is Love, and today’s service is something of a valentine to books and reading. What have been the most important books in your life? Have any transformed you? Which do you love so much you return to them again and again? There are no right or wrong … Continue reading “For the Love of Books”
With moves to ban teaching significant parts of Black History in some states, it’s never been more important to take seriously this month that honors African American history. The goal, of course, is to integrate our learning and understanding into all the months of the year, but today by lifting up the life of a black … Continue reading “Black History Matters”
In chaotic times, when that all important moral arc of the universe sometimes seems to be bending backwards, it’s important to know where we can find our center: a place of direction and healthy relatedness. Being a covenanted community, where people define how they will be together, makes that easier. In preparation for work to create … Continue reading “Finding Our Way Home from Here”
Change comes in cycles, and each stage carries its own challenges. We’ll explore the stages and how organizations react to them. Attend in person or by Zoom.
The Birmingham Children’s Crusade of 1963 was a pivotal moment for the civil rights movement. It opened the eyes of the nation through the courageous activism of its youngest citizens, setting the stage for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The service will feature the story, Let the Children March, songs of the … Continue reading “LET THE CHILDREN MARCH” – A Multigenerational Service in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Who will your next settled minister be? I don’t know, but I do know some things about the challenges of ministry and the people who do ministry. The Beyond Categorical Thinking Workshop revealed that people have biases about who can serve as their minister. Do we all have unconscious biases, and if so, how do … Continue reading Your Next Minister
Led by the Music and Worship Committee. A time for all to gather as we ring in the New Year with tea and cookies. Come with a reading, poem, quote, song, message that gives you inspiration, strength, a sense of wonder, purposes, laughter, joy that you want to share with those who have come to … Continue reading A Time for All to Gather
