Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts

Recorded sermons from worship at First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Arlington, Massachusetts

Peace Love and Understanding, by Julie Garry, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, August 10, 2025 08/14/2025

Peace Love and Understanding, by Julie Garry, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, August 10, 2025 Julie Garry, Lay Worship Leader Worship service given August 10, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Lay leader Julie Garry will talk about the ways in which Peace, Love & Understanding are foundational to our UU principles. She has been captivated by both the simplicity and challenge of these fundamental skills. Julie has been attending First Parish for 13 years and is grateful to be a part of this community. Her interests include: cooking, gardening, camping, art, and spending time with pup Ruby, who gives their entire family boundless love and joy, asking for just a good belly rub and occasional bite of roast beef in return. Along with her wife Jenny they are the proud parents to Fae Kramer. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37817330

Finding Stability in a Time of Chaos, by Anna Callahan, Lay Worship Leader, worship service, Sunday, August 3, 2025 08/04/2025

Finding Stability in a Time of Chaos, by Anna Callahan, Lay Worship Leader, worship service, Sunday, August 3, 2025 Worship service given July 27, 2025 Prayer by David Dreyfus, Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In this time of chaotic national politics, how can we find stability for ourselves and others? Lay Worship Leader Anna Callahan will talk about the power of providing for others as a way to stabilize yourself. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Anna Callahan is a city councilor in Medford, a mom of 10 year old Leif Aune, and a student of democracy. She has spent years training people around the country to get better democratic representation at the local level. She enjoys just about any creative project done with others, from playing music to making films to building cardboard boats. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37667730

What Does AI Tell Us About Being Human? by David Dreyfus, Lay Worship Leader, worship service, Sunday, July 27, 2025 08/04/2025

What Does AI Tell Us About Being Human? by David Dreyfus, Lay Worship Leader, worship service, Sunday, July 27, 2025 Worship service given July 27, 2025 Prayer by David Dreyfus, Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In the era of AI, the rise of large language models (LLMs) offers a unique opportunity to reflect on what it truly means to be human. These models, capable of generating text that mimics human writing and reasoning, challenge our understanding of intelligence and creativity. But as we integrate them into various aspects of life, we can ask: What does their development tell us about ourselves? Throughout history, each major technological leap has reshaped how we view our own abilities. From the advent of agriculture to the digital revolution, tools and machines have progressively augmented or replaced human labor. For years we have extolled the virtues of what machines ultimately do better than us. LLMs represent the latest frontier, capable of tasks once thought to be exclusively human, such as writing or problem-solving. But rather than suggesting that machines have surpassed us, these advancements compel us to rethink what it is about being human that technology cannot replicate. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. David Dreyfus has been attending First Parish for about 12 years and participates in many aspects of community life here. He has chaired the finance committee, participates on property, helps in the kitchen, facilitates a men’s group, engages in discussion groups, and actively participates in Lectio Divina as part of a very active spiritual journey. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37665890

You Need a Vacation, by Lillian Povey, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 20, 2025 07/23/2025

You Need a Vacation, by Lillian Povey, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 20, 2025 Worship service given July 20, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 This week's worship leader, Lillian Povey, ponders what it means to really take a vacation. Vacations can be a lot of work! How do we achieve the right balance between activity and rest, solitude and socializing, stimulation and vegging out? How do we balance the unrelenting expectations others have for us at home, at work, at church—not mention the pressure we put on ourselves—with our desire, our need, for joy, rest and fun? During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Lillian Povey has been attending First Parish for 3 years. She works in food manufacturing doing quality assurance work. She loves reading, writing, crochet, poems, cats, games, and chewy candies, and loves the opportunity to be creative. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37523270

Celebrating What Resonates – A Jewnitarian Journey, by Melanie Cohn-Hopwood, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 13, 2025 07/23/2025

Celebrating What Resonates – A Jewnitarian Journey, by Melanie Cohn-Hopwood, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 13, 2025 Worship service given July 13, 2025 Prayer by Loren Gomez, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Our liberal religious tradition calls us to explore and incorporate rituals and spiritual teachings from a variety of faith traditions. As a person who was raised Jewish, Melanie will share some of the traditions learned in childhood that still hold deep meaning for her as she participates in UU worship services as an adult Jewnitarian! During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Melanie Cohn-Hopwood is a Jewish UU (or “Jewnitarian”), a social worker, parent to two awesome teenagers, someone who loves to make things with her hands and a person who strives to have fun with the process and not worry about the outcome. She putters with pottery, sewing, writing and other art forms, and her fantasy getaway is a cabin in the trees with a stream nearby. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37523015

The Middle Spirit, by Lyn Fulton-John, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 6, 2025 07/10/2025

The Middle Spirit, by Lyn Fulton-John, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, July 6, 2025 Lyn Fulton-John, Lay Worship Leader Worship service given July 6, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Have you ever found yourself in that space in life between what was and what’s next—where the old story has ended, but no new one has begun? It’s a place of waiting without promise, and it is profoundly spiritual. This reflection is an invitation to honor the in-between, to find meaning not in fixing, but in staying—with love, with presence, and with the quiet truth that even in the cracks, the light gets in. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Lyn Fulton-John has been an active member of First Parish since arriving in Boston in 2017. Active in STAR and Choir, she has also led a program on art and meditation and enjoys providing graphic design support for other First Parish events. She has a Master’s degree in Theology, and is a program manager in the Office of Culture and Community Engagement at Harvard Medical School. 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37363000

What (Emotional) State Are You In?, by Brian Dooley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 29, 2025 07/02/2025

What (Emotional) State Are You In?, by Brian Dooley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 29, 2025 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 techniques to keep ourselves comfortable, rational and available for ourselves and others. During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Brian Dooley grew up with a bewildering and confounding lack of emotional intelligence. Every relationship challenge was met with an internal and deafening “DOH!” In the last few decades, Brian has discovered some resonant approaches to recognizing, understanding and managing what is inside him. “If I share these with you, you will mirror them back to me, or you’ll model them for another. One exchange at a time, we’ll pass our presence along, and in no time at all, we’ll all be living with whirled peas. I don’t always do this stuff right, but I can try. That’s my plan.” 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37260880

A Spiritual Baptism - UU Style, by Jeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 22, 2025 06/27/2025

A Spiritual Baptism - UU Style, by Jeanne Feeley, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 22, 2025 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 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37185760

Notes from a Seeker Who Has Traveled In and Out of Marriage, by Lida Junghans, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 15, 2025 06/25/2025

Notes from a Seeker Who Has Traveled In and Out of Marriage, by Lida Junghans, Lay Worship Leader, worship service Sunday, June 15, 2025 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 to Sunday services at First Parish in 2001, seeking a framework for her then four year old daughter to explore life’s BIG questions. At First Parish she discovered a beloved community where she felt an intimacy and sense of belonging that has sustained her through passages when she was missing such nourishing connections in her personal life. 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 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. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/37165745

Body Wisdom, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, worship service Sunday, June 8, 2025 06/12/2025

Body Wisdom, by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, worship service Sunday, June 8, 2025 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 goodbye to Lead Minister, Rev. Marta Flanagan, and celebrate our annual Flower Communion. Parish Minister, Rev. Erica Richmond, will be preaching. Community-wide BBQ after worship! 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 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36974910

Coming of Age Credo Service, by COA Youth & Mentors, with Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service Sunday, June 1, 2025 06/03/2025

Coming of Age Credo Service, by COA Youth & Mentors, with Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service Sunday, June 1, 2025 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 as another cohort passes through the “Arch of Love,” we celebrate all the people who have contributed to our multigenerational community. 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 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36834515

The Peace of Trees, by Rev. Fred Small, Guest Minister, worship service Sunday, May 25, 2025 05/28/2025

The Peace of Trees, by Rev. Fred Small, Guest Minister, worship service Sunday, May 25, 2025 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 and environmental justice, how do we remain grounded in a peaceful spirit? Rev. Fred Small asks, what can we learn from trees? A Unitarian Universalist pastor, singer-songwriter, and former environmental lawyer, Rev. Fred Small serves as Minister for Climate Justice at Arlington Street Church, Boston. 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 May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36749500

The Last Sermon, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service Sunday, May 18, 2025 05/21/2025

The Last Sermon, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service Sunday, May 18, 2025 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. On Saturday, May 31 First Parish is honoring her in a celebration. All are invited. 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 May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36658475

Called to Love, by Rev. Jory Agate, Guest Minister, Alliance Sunday worship service Sunday, May 11, 2025 05/14/2025

Called to Love, by Rev. Jory Agate, Guest Minister, Alliance Sunday worship service Sunday, May 11, 2025 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, Rev. Jory Agate invites us to imagine: what if each of us answered the call to love? Could we learn to love not just one another, but also the world beyond these walls — even those with whom we disagree? What might happen if we chose to face the world with the power of revolutionary love? Jory Agate has been a Unitarian Universalist minister for over 35 years having served both in congregations and in denominational leadership. She served as the Minister of Religious Education at the First Parish in Cambridge, MA for 10 years and 10 years at the Unitarian Universalist Association, first as the Youth Programs Director and later has the Ministerial Development Director. Rev. Agate helped develop the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program and served on the Ministerial Fellowship Committee for 9 years, which is where she met Marta. Rev. Agate also holds an MA in Counseling Psychology and currently lives and works in Cambridge as a psychotherapist in private practice and a trainer for the Internal Family Systems Institute. Rev. Agate and her wife were members of this congregation when her now grown children were young. 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 May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36564780

On the Road to Hope, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service Sunday, May 4, 2025 05/08/2025

On the Road to Hope, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service Sunday, May 4, 2025 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 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 May 2025, Massachusetts Bail Fund will share half of the plate. Massachusetts Bail Fund (MBF) pays bail to secure freedom from pre-trial incarceration so that those who cannot afford their bail can be in their community to fight their case. Pre-trial freedom allows individuals, families, and communities to stay productive, together, and stable. Massachusetts jails are filled with people awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford bail. Sitting in jail on bail leads to longer incarceration times, lost jobs, lost housing, and devastating disruption to families. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36491350

The Something I Can Do, by Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, worship service Sunday, April 27, 2025 04/28/2025

The Something I Can Do, by Amy Smith, 2025 Shinn Speaker, worship service Sunday, April 27, 2025 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 leader, she had a passion for teaching children with disabilities. She displayed personal courage in the face of a debilitating illness, arthritis of the spine. This years' Shinn Service preacher is Amy Smith. Amy Smith is the Founding Director of MIT D-Lab, an innovative university-based program in international development and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also the founder of the International Development Design Summit, co-founder of the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge, co-founder of Rethink Relief conference, and originator of the Creative Capacity Building Methodology. Amy's most recent work has been in Africa with displaced people, often in refugee camps. She works collaboratively with them as they identify problems and collectively create solutions. She grew up as a Unitarian Universalist in the Follen Church in Lexington, MA. 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 April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36344385

Resurrection as a Way of Life, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service, Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 04/25/2025

Resurrection as a Way of Life, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service, Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given April 20, 2025 Reading from "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" by Wendell Berry, read by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan and Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Come and celebrate in this complex time! On Easter Sunday Lead Minister Rev. Marta Flanagan will preach, the First Parish Choir will offer seasonal music, along with the Boston University Brass Quintet. During worship children pre-K to grade 6 will enjoy easter egg hunts and then return to the sanctuary for a sharing of matzah and grape juice with the entire congregation. As in the past, communion will be offered during our Easter service. First Parish has no creedal tests for involvement. Our communion is an open table. All are welcome. We each bring our own interpretations of the sharing of bread and wine. Our blessings will be translations of the Hebrew spoken every Friday Shabbat in Jewish homes. In keeping with Passover, the elements of our communion will be matzah and grape juice. 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 April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36311355

Here We Have Gathered, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service April 13, 2025 04/14/2025

Here We Have Gathered, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service April 13, 2025 Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given April 13, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 We will sing that familiar hymn this Sunday, as over twenty new members are welcomed into First Parish. Rev. Tricia Brennan will reflect on what it means to join a faith community: how one joins a particular congregation with a history and a future, how one joins a particular faith tradition, Unitarian Universalism at this moment in time. What it means to be open to being changed, all of us. 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 April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36128430

Youth Sunday: Balance, by the First Parish Youth Group, worship service April 6, 2025 04/07/2025

Youth Sunday: Balance, by the First Parish Youth Group, worship service April 6, 2025 Presented by the First Parish Youth Group Worship service given April 6, 2025 Prayer by Conard Anderson, Youth Worship Coordinator Senior Reflections by Alice Hunter, Anton Rie, Lucas Fernandez & Samantha Rauh Litany by Conard Anderson, Lettie Carswell, Onyx Hopwood, Alice Hunter, & Sean Maher https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Each year, the First Parish Youth Group leads a special worship service. Come join the youth in their exploration of balance. Witness our youth reflect on their time at First Parish and consider the next stages of their journeys. Thank you to our Youth Group Advisors: Paul Franzosa, Andy Kobayashi, Bill Licea-Kane, Emily Randall, and Cathy Slesnick. You are all an integral part of the space. 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 April 2025, the Giving First recipient is Community InRoads. Community InRoads‘ mission is to partner with and support non-profits serving the Lawrence and Haverhill, Massachusetts area by providing them with pro bono, professional expertise. Their goal is to empower and contribute to the capacity and gifts of the women, men, and youth living, working, and studying in those communities by fostering a sustainable network of effective non-profits dedicated to social justice and economic equality. Community InRoads is dedicated to fostering an effective network of nonprofits so that the men, women and youth in the Lawrence and Haverhill area have access to the resources they need to reach their fullest potential. They provide consulting, training, and board development opportunities at no cost to nonprofit leaders and boards of directors, so that they in turn can better serve community residents. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/36036940

You, Me, and Love in the Middle, by Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian, worship service March 30, 2025 03/31/2025

You, Me, and Love in the Middle, by Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian, worship service March 30, 2025 Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian, preaching Worship service given March 30, 2025 Prayer by Loren Gomez, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 According to Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Love is the call [in] our lives. Ebonié Smith-Cooper, Meadville Lombard Seminarian and First Parish member, asks how can we pursue love for one another in times of distress? Ebonié Smith-Cooper (she/they) is an aspiring minister who is currently attending Meadville Lombard Theological School. In Ebonie's free time she enjoys coaching in-town sports, listening to podcasts, and playing card games with their family. For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project’s mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35936045

Doing Hard Things, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service March 23, 2025 03/24/2025

Doing Hard Things, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service March 23, 2025 Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given March 23, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On Sunday, March 23, our Lead Minister, Rev. Marta Flanagan, will consider what doing hard things can involve and call from us. The Time for All Ages will involve a telling of the story of Jonah. Note that our Lead Minister is retiring in June and this will be her third to last sermon. She preaches again on Easter Sunday, April 20 and on May 18 immediately before our annual congregational meeting. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project’s mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35838045

To Be Little: You Are Enough, by Dr. Daniel Parsley, Music Director, worship service March 16, 2025 03/18/2025

To Be Little: You Are Enough, by Dr. Daniel Parsley, Music Director, worship service March 16, 2025 Worship service given March 16, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In a world that often rewards the loudest voices, what does it mean to embrace being little—to be soft-spoken, to move gently, to love quietly? True strength is not always found in grand gestures but in the quiet persistence of kindness, in the humility of service, in the grace of listening. Music Sunday selections —Haydn’s “Little Organ Mass, Missa brevis sancti Joannis de Deo” and Pederson’s “Choose Love”—remind us that small acts are actually transformative. In being little, we find the space to be fully present and to engage with each other without anxiety, pretension, or fear. Music pieces featured in this video, in order of appearance: "I Choose Love," Kyle Pederson, performed by the First Parish Choir Musical Reflection Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo ("Little Organ Mass"), Franz Joseph Haydn I. Kyrie II. Gloria III. Credo IV. Sanctus V. Benedictus VI. Agnus Dei The First Parish Choir, featuring: Mark Dirksen, organ Erin Matthews, soprano Sabine Gross, violin An Chi Lin, violin Jenna Wang, cello Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project’s mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35751725

Communities of Memory, by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service March 9, 2025 03/17/2025

Communities of Memory, by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service March 9, 2025 Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, preaching Worship service given March 9, 2025 Time for All Ages performed by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, and Sanjay Newton, First Parish Member Prayer by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Traditions, says the late poet John O’Donohue, are the memory of a community. Yet, ‘we’ve always done it this way,’ can sometimes be grounding, and sometimes constricting. Join Rev. Stevie Carmody, as he dons his religious studies glasses, to explore how tradition forms and transforms communities, including First Parish Arlington. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project’s mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35730505

Despite It All, Joy! by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service March 2, 2025 03/03/2025

Despite It All, Joy! by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service March 2, 2025 Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given March 2, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Joy is an intrinsic element of spiritual life that can exist side by side with all that hurts, discourages and troubles us. Joy can seem elusive and still shows up unexpectedly. The times we are in call for all the joy we can muster. Offering and Giving First For March 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Resilient Sisterhood Project. Cambridge-based Resilient Sisterhood Project’s mission is to educate and empower women of African descent regarding common, yet rarely discussed, diseases of the reproductive system that disproportionately affect them. They approach these diseases and associated issues through a cultural and social justice lens since they understand that poor knowledge of reproductive health is primarily related to health, racial, and socioeconomic disparities. RSP brings an expansive definition to and understanding of the word “women” to include transgender women, cisgender women, gender queer, and gender non-conforming people who have a female reproductive system. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35514875

Like a Tree, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service February 23, 2025 02/24/2025

Like a Tree, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service February 23, 2025 Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given February 23, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 This Sunday kicks off our annual Stewardship campaign. In her sermon Rev. Marta Flanagan will reflect on getting through in these times. The First Parish Choir along with the First Parish Bell Choir will provide music sustaining to the spirit with guest conductor Michael Bradley. If you would like to prepare for worship with a bit of music, click here for the Seekers singing an upbeat version of “We Shall Not Be Moved:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBMdHBRpVDY. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35406960

Living With Death, by Rev. Wendy Page, Affiliate Minister, worship service February 16, 2025 02/20/2025

Living With Death, by Rev. Wendy Page, Affiliate Minister, worship service February 16, 2025 Rev. Wendy Page, Affiliate Minister, preaching Worship service given February 16, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Working as a Hospice Chaplain, Rev. Wendy Page has had the privilege of accompanying patients and their families on their journey toward death. They have shared their hopes and comforts, their beliefs and their fears and have opened their lives to her. Wendy asks, "What can we learn from their vulnerability and their life journeys?" The Reverend Wendy Page is an Affiliate Minister of First Parish Arlington. She has been a member of First Parish since 1999 and First Parish supported her on her journey into ministry. She is a graduate of Andover Newton Theological School and was ordained in the First Parish Sanctuary in 2017. She has served as a Hospice Chaplain and a hospital chaplain. Previous to her ministry, Wendy was a Software Engineer and Manager. She is an avid cyclist and has participated for 25 years in the annual Pan Mass Challenge fundraiser for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She also is a quilter, a gardener and loves to sing. *Note: This service was not filmed in the Meetinghouse and was only offered live online via Zoom due to inclement weather. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35370715

Love in This Moment, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service February 9, 2025 02/10/2025

Love in This Moment, by Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, worship service February 9, 2025 Rev. Marta Morris Flanagan, Lead Minister, leading Worship service given February 9, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 On the Sunday before Valentine's Day, Marta will consider how to practice love in our time and at this chapter in our lives. *Note: This service was not filmed in the Meetinghouse and was only offered live online via Zoom due to inclement weather. Offering and Giving First For February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC). AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35222975

Heresy Sunday: A Spark Within, by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service February 2, 2025 02/03/2025

Heresy Sunday: A Spark Within, by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, worship service February 2, 2025 Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, leading Worship service given February 2, 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 the early twentieth century, Unitarian astronomist Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin fell in love with the Universe, and followed that spark to a lifetime of discovery. Unitarian Universalists too have long nurtured the divine spark in each of us. Indeed, it’s one of our countercultural “heresies.” Join us for an interactive and engaging Intergenerational Service that explores our searches for meaning. 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 February 2025, the Giving First recipient is the . AYCC is a state-licensed, community-based mental health center serving Arlington youth (ages 3-21) and their families. AYCC is the leading provider of outpatient and school-based child and adolescent mental health services in Arlington, offering individual, group, and family counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management. Central to its mission, AYCC is committed to ensuring that all community youth and families have access to comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and high-quality mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay. In the past fiscal year, 22% of our clients had public insurance or received grant funding to help cover the costs of care. In addition to mental health services, AYCC oversees First Step- a support group for victims and survivors of domestic violence. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35134860

Those Unacknowledged Legislators, by Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason, Guest Minister, worship service January 26, 2025 01/27/2025

Those Unacknowledged Legislators, by Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason, Guest Minister, worship service January 26, 2025 Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason, Guest Minister, preaching Worship service given January 26, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 An important part of the history of these United States is the poetry that our fellow Americans have written about it. What do their poems have to tell us about our country now? If it is true that poets serve as “the unacknowledged legislators of the world”, what national norms are they writing (or righting) for us today? Which of their verses might we need to know by heart? The Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason currently serves as Community Minister for Spiritual Direction at Arlington Street Church; she also teaches in the apprenticeship program at the Phoenix Center for Spiritual Direction and works as a book reviewer for Presence, the quarterly journal of Spiritual Directors International. In 2022, she convened the Spirituality & Flourishing Interest Group in the Harvard Flourishing Network and today acts as its Co-Chair. For more than a decade now, she has blogged at TheReverendDr.com on the topic of “what heals us in our souls.” 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 January 2025, the Giving First recipient is Women’s Lunch Place. Women’s Lunch Place is a day shelter community in Boston for women experiencing poverty and homelessness. Trained staff and volunteers provide hundreds of women with two nutritious means a day, clean clothes and a fresh shower with a spirit of healing, hope and dignity. Advocates help guests with issues such as fleeing domestic violence, immigration status, housing, and increasing income. When you donate to Women’s Lunch Place you make a difference in the lives of vulnerable women. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/35032310

We Make the Way By Walking, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service January 19, 2025 01/23/2025

We Make the Way By Walking, by Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, worship service January 19, 2025 Rev. Tricia Brennan, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given January 19, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 We gather this Sunday on the day before Inauguration Day, and the day before Martin Luther King, Jr Day, likely with much stirring in our hearts and in our country. Those stirrings can lead us forward. Drawing on a line from a poem by Antonio Machado that is the sermon title, Rev. Tricia will reflect on what it means to be a community of faith in uncertain times. 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 January 2025, the Giving First recipient is Women’s Lunch Place. Women’s Lunch Place is a day shelter community in Boston for women experiencing poverty and homelessness. Trained staff and volunteers provide hundreds of women with two nutritious means a day, clean clothes and a fresh shower with a spirit of healing, hope and dignity. Advocates help guests with issues such as fleeing domestic violence, immigration status, housing, and increasing income. When you donate to Women’s Lunch Place you make a difference in the lives of vulnerable women. 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. About our Lead Minister: Rev. Marta Flanagan began her ministry as our twentieth called minister at First Parish in the fall of 2009. She is a genuine and forthright preacher. In conversation she is direct and engaging. She speaks of prayer with as much ease as she laughs at human foibles. We call her “Marta.” Marta is a religious liberal, a theist, a feminist, and a lover of the woods. As a student of American history at Smith College she was captivated by the stories of social reformers who were motivated and sustained by their faith. That led her to consider the ministry and to study at Harvard Divinity School from where she was graduated in 1986. She was the first woman minister in the city of Salem, Massachusetts, serving at the First Universalist Church there (1987-1997). She served in a co-ministry at South Church (Unitarian Universalist) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, (1997-2005) from where she is minister emerita. Marta served as interim minister in Montpelier, Vermont (2008-2009). She is trained as a spiritual director. For three years she lived in the Vermont woods practicing voluntary simplicity and the spiritual life. Marta enjoys the vitality of First Parish and our strong sense of community. She celebrates the yearning for depth and the desire to make a difference in the world that she finds here. /episode/index/show/fpuuarl/id/34973945

Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts

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