Helping Hands: Thanksgiving, by Rev. Erica Richmond, November 19, 2023
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Release Date: 11/20/2023
A Velveteen Kind of Love, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, worship service May 12, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given May 12, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 This coming Sunday, Rev. Erica Richmond will preach on love- how imperfect, vulnerable and messy it can be. It is this type of love that makes us real and allows us to be our real selves. Our high school seniors will delight us with a reenactment of the Velveteen Rabbit and then, as they prepare for their next chapters, we bless them as a faith community! Join us for this very special Sunday. Offering...
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Shinn Service -- Social Justice, by Dr. Michael Curry, Guest Speaker, worship service May 5, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given May 5, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Each year, one Sunday is devoted to the social-justice-themed Shinn Service, with a guest providing the sermon related to their own social justice work and interests. Dr. Michael Curry is currently the President & CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, which represents 52 health centers, serving over one million patients out of over 300 practice sites. He plans to stay and...
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Reflections on Facing History and Ourselves, by Lara James, Guest Speaker, worship service April 28, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given April 28, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The Alliance of First Parish supports those who have given much. This Sunday, Lara James, of the organization Facing History and Ourselves, reflects on looking backward and looking forward and what we each can do to make communities more inclusive, resilient and hopeful. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization...
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Parting the Waters and Traversing the Wilderness, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister worship service April 21, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given April 21, 2024 Prayer by Ruben Hopwood, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On the first day of Passover, Marta ponders the meaning of the Exodus for us today. In the ancient tale lies lessons for us as we make our way through our tight places. In worship we also formally welcome all those who have joined First Parish this year in a New Member Ceremony. In addition, Jeff Keffer offers a testimonial on participating in community at First Parish. Offering and Giving First The Giving...
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The Stories We Tell: Living the Beloved Community, by Rev. Christana Wille McKnight, Guest Minister worship service April 14, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given April 14, 2024 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The Beloved Community is a dream that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King made famous, but it is also an inspiration to who we can become - individually and together. This Sunday we will be reflecting on how the stories we tell shape our understandings of where we have come from, and how we can bring our values more fully into the communities we are building for the future. Offering and Giving First The Giving...
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Theological Basis for Democracy, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister worship service April 7, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given April 7, 2024 Prayer by Elizabeth Hunter, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Join Rev. Erica Richmond this coming Sunday as she preaches about congregational governance, dissent, and communion. Don’t worry, she promises to make it interesting. As Unitarian Universalists we have a long standing commitment to democracy, what does that look like in our congregation? What does that teach us about community? We will also be blessing our new set of teachers for religious education!...
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Cast Your Nets and Other Faithful Acts, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister Easter worship service March 31, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given March 31, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Easter worship features Rev. Marta Flanagan preaching and Rev. Stevie Carmody offering a story. Join the First Parish Choir and a brass quintet of Boston University students in a joyous morning of music by Pavel Chesenekov, Jacob Narverud, and more. As in the past, communion will be offered during our Easter service. First Parish has no creedal tests for involvement. Our...
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Going to the Garden, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister worship service March 24, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given March 24, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On Palm Sunday, join Rev. Erica Richmond and the worship team as we talk about the spiritual themes of Palm Sunday. Holy Weeks teaches us about sitting with pain before rebirth. How does this show up in our individual lives? How do we wrestle with messy transformation? Come join us for worship and enjoy our featured musicians- Sam Fleishman, Paul Franzosa, Heather Mumford, and David Whitford! ...
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Growth and Change: Youth Group Sunday Service, worship service March 17, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given March 17, 2024 Prayer by Alice Hunter, Worship Coordinator https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Come join the youth in their exploration of growth and change. Witness our youth reflect on their time at First Parish and consider the next stages of their journeys. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First...
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Painting with Sound: Vignettes of Beauty, Daniel Parsley, Interim Music Director, worship service March 10, 2024
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given March 10, 2024 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 As we gather together in worship, we are reminded of the power of community music to paint vivid images and evoke deep emotions within our hearts. Just as an artist uses a brush to create a masterpiece, musicians use the notes and rhythms of their instruments to craft a melody that touches the soul. Join the First Parish Choir and chamber orchestra as we delve into harmonies and melodies that...
info_outlineRev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education
Rev. Erica Richmond, Parish Minister
Sunday sermon given November 19, 2023
Prayer by Rev. Marta Flanagan, Lead Minister
https://firstparish.info/
First Parish
A liberal religious community, welcoming to all
First gathered 1739
About the service: In this intergenerational Thanksgiving service, let's explore the flipside of Gratitude: asking for help. Scary! Humbling! We know. But the good news is that asking for help opens us up to an interdependence that can change the world. Children grades kindergarten and older are welcome to stay through the whole service---the service is designed to include them. And look forward to our annual cornbread communion!
Offering and Giving First
For the month of November, half of the offering supports the work of Centro de Esperanza (Shelter for Hope) is a migrant family shelter in Sonyata, Mexico, on the Arizona border. The shelter provides a safe refuge for families fleeing gang violence, religious persecution, and dire economic circumstances. In most cases, families have traveled hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to keep their families alive and safe. El Centro provides safe shelter, food, medical care, education, and legal and technical assistance and protects families from drug cartels, human traffickers, and others who would take advantage of them. Centro de Esperanza is unique in that all these families are attempting to seek asylum in the United States through legal channels. The average wait time for a hearing with a U.S. administrator at the border is 4-6 weeks. Currently the shelter can support 30 families with an expansion plan in the next few months for an additional 30 families. The annual operating cost is approximately $100k and the cost of the expansion is approximately $25k. The shelter was started by U.S. citizens in Ajo, Arizona but is managed by co-directors who are Mexican citizens.
The remaining half supports the life and work of this Parish.
To donate using your smartphone, you may text
“fpuu offering” to 73256. Then follow the directions in
the texts you receive.