A Spiritual Baptism - UU Style, by Jeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 22, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Release Date: 06/27/2025
What (Emotional) State Are You In?, by Brian Dooley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 29, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Brian Dooley, Lay Worship Leader Worship service given June 29, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Our bodies are wired for danger. When there’s too much danger we get overloaded and we lose presence — our innate state — and we find ourselves in a state of fighting, freezing, fleeing, or fawning. And, our bodies contain some some built-in tools we can use to equilibrate. Drawing from the wisdom of Banks, Tolle and Huble, Brian Dooley will share ideas and calming...
info_outline
A Spiritual Baptism - UU Style, by Jeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 22, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Jeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader Worship service given June 22, 2025 Prayer by Lillian Povey, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 I believe a Spiritual Baptism is an inner transformation where one’s heart fully opens to the divine presence a Gracious Love. Not so much about a ritual, but an alignment with a higher truth. Allowing us to deepen our compassion and connection to others and to Spirit. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Jeanne Feeley was...
info_outline
Notes from a Seeker Who Has Traveled In and Out of Marriage, by Lida Junghans, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 15, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Lida Junghans, Lay Worship Leader Worship service given June 15, 2025 Prayer by Lida Junghans, Lay Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In my post-marriage I've been living my unmarried identity and pondering what I've gained and lost along the way. In this sermon I reflect on my experience in and out of coupledom and the dynamic relationship between Self and Other, Self and Social Structures. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Lida Junghans began coming...
info_outline
Body Wisdom, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, worship service Sunday, June 8, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Worship service given June 8, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister Offertory Music: "Benediction: When the Recall Sounds," music by Jennifer Kobayashi, words adapted from Rev. Dr. Vivien Pomeroy (1883-1961) Anthem: "Bidden or Unbidden: God is Present," music by Kenneth Seitz, words by Marta Morris Flanagan and Charles R. Duffy, spoken at their wedding on August 13, 2023 https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Join us for this special service! Join us for song, reflection, music, and ritual as we say...
info_outline
Coming of Age Credo Service, by COA Youth & Mentors, with Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service Sunday, June 1, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Featuring COA Youth & Mentors, with Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education Worship service given June 1, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 At First Parish, we honor the passage from childhood towards adulthood through our Coming of Age program. Our service will include Credo (“I Believe”) statements from the Coming of Age class as well as a blessing of the senior youth and a farewell to our Youth Program Coordinator Rose Sawyer-Marsh. And...
info_outline
The Peace of Trees, by Rev. Fred Small, Guest Minister, worship service Sunday, May 25, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Rev. Fred Small, Guest Minister, preaching Worship service given May 25, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence," wrote Trappist monk and peace activist Thomas Merton. "The frenzy of our activism neutralizes our work for peace. . . . It destroys the fruitfulness of our own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." As we work together for social...
info_outline
The Last Sermon, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service Sunday, May 18, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given May 18, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, preaching Reading: "Mrs. George Reece" by Edgar Lee Masters from Spoon River Anthology https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 This Sunday Marta Flanagan offers her last sermon as Lead Minister at First Parish. Marta has served First Parish since 2009. On June 8 she is retiring from full-time parish ministry after 39 years of serving Unitarian Universalist congregations....
info_outline
Called to Love, by Rev. Jory Agate, Guest Minister, Alliance Sunday worship service Sunday, May 11, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Rev. Jory Agate, Guest Minister, preaching Worship service given May 11, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister Included in the recording: Hymn 131 from "Singing the Living Tradition" - "Love Will Guide Us" https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 As ministers, we are called to love our congregants with the fierce, unconditional love of a mother for her child. This is a sacred and holy gift. On this Mother’s Day, as Lead Minister Rev. Marta Flanagan’s sixteen years of ministry among us draws to a close,...
info_outline
On the Road to Hope, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service Sunday, May 4, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given May 4, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Like a cool water for the thirsty, hope fills us, sustains us and grounds us. Like water, hope is difficult to live without, and yet it can’t be ordered up or assured. Sometimes we have to wait for its return, sometimes we have to carry hope for each other. Offering and Giving First The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each...
info_outline
The Something I Can Do, by Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, worship service Sunday, April 27, 2025
Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts
Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, preaching Worship service given April 27, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In this sermon, Dr. Amy Smith reflects on her experiences in international development and how those experiences have been influenced by the UU principles she grew up with. The Shinn Service honors Barbara Shinn (1912-1976) and her commitment to justice. Barbara served as chair of what was then known as the Social Responsibility Committee. An educator and...
info_outlineJeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader
Worship service given June 22, 2025
Prayer by Lillian Povey, Worship Associate
https://firstparish.info/
First Parish
A liberal religious community, welcoming to all
First gathered 1739
I believe a Spiritual Baptism is an inner transformation where one’s heart fully opens to the divine presence a Gracious Love. Not so much about a ritual, but an alignment with a higher truth. Allowing us to deepen our compassion and connection to others and to Spirit.
During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Jeanne Feeley was born in Northern New Jersey and raised Roman Catholic. She lives in West Medford and has 2 daughters, 23 and 24 years old. She has been a registered nurse at Brigham and Women's Hospital for 35 years. Previously a member of the Medford Unitarian Universalist Church for about 20 years, Jeanne has been at First Parish for 3 years.
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 Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.
The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text “fpuu” to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.