The words of today’s sermon title are straight out of First Parish Church’s history, and they are fitting for our annual stewardship campaign Generosity kickoff with the theme of “Body and Soul.” . What kind of dreams and vision can take FPC into the future as a vital congregation? Can the past inform us even … Continue reading “For the Soul’s Enlargement and Elevation”
This month, in which our theme is “Renewing Faith,” is a good time to think about our faith as Unitarian Universalists. We often speak of ours as a “free religion,” but being confident about what that means is a different matter. Does it really mean that “we are free to believe whatever we want to,” … Continue reading “Free for What?”
It’s a moment of grace that the FPC building project and the decline in Covid numbers have coincided to allow us to gather in person at our meetinghouse. We will reflect on what home and gathering mean, the light two years of pandemic has thrown on these, and what we inherit from the ages to … Continue reading “Welcome Home: A Service of Regathering”
Rev. Susan Milnor and Transition Team (Brenda Briana, Lyralen Kaye, Nancy Petino, Nelda Quigley, David Shawn) “Who Are We?” is one of the important questions in a transition. Knowing what defines you as a congregation now, as well as the direction in which you want to move (which we’ll reflect on in a later session), … Continue reading TRANSITION SUNDAY
Our theme during February, which is also Black History month, is Widening the Circle. Today we’ll widen the circle of our collective UU historical history, which is often told in predominantly white terms, to include the stories of four black Unitarians and Universalists. These figures made contributions to the freedom and participation of their … Continue reading “Making Our History Whole: Black Universalist Stories”
Our theme of the month is Living with Intention, and today’s service will offer reflection on prayer as intention. Can prayer be meaningful for most Unitarian Universalists? How central are beliefs, particularly theological beliefs, to prayer? Sources for reflection range as widely as the Buddha and chaos theory, while the Interim Minister’s personal journey includes … Continue reading “WEEDS IN A VACANT LOT”
Poet Mary Oliver wrote that her work was “ loving the world.” In her life, though, she struggled through some very hard experiences to reach that kind of intention. She found two sources of courage and healing that allowed her to survive. Does that tell us why her poetry has spoken to so many Unitarian … Continue reading “The Work of Loving the World”
Zora Neale Hurston wrote, ““There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” On this weekend just before Martin Luther King’s birthday, it is a time to reflect on how we answer the call of Dr. King’s faithful legacy in 2022. If we don’t answer now, it’s possible we never will. We approach this worship … Continue reading “A Year for Answering”
As a new year gets underway, we inevitably think about the future, though living through a pandemic seems to make this harder. If we approach it as a matter of living our own lives with intention, whatever the circumstances, what can help us focus on what really matters to us and how we want to … Continue reading “No Unlived Life”
— A service of readings, seasonal music, and a short homily by Rev. Susan Milnor featuring a story of understanding and celebration. And, of course, we will bring light into the dark to the sound of Silent Night at the service’s end. Masks and physical distancing required at in-person service. IMPORTANT In-person Christmas Eve Service Update RSVP’s … Continue reading Christmas Eve Service
