Each week in our covenant we make the statement, "service is our law." It is a powerful statement that as a church we try to live up to. This Sunday we focus upon the call to serve and the import role service plays in our faith tradition. We will explore the opportunities to serve here at First Parish and in our community with others from First Parish.
Past Services
Sunday, October 4th, 2015
When the Dalai Lama was once asked to describe his religion, he quickly responded, "My Religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." Teachings of kindness and compassion are at the heart of every major world religion, but translating this teaching into practice is quite another thing. We will explore what it could mean to live a religion of kindness. This morning as our children in religious education become part of a campaign to "Choose To Be Nice,” in worship we will explore cultivating more kindness and compassion in our lives. Music will include David Friedman's beautiful song, "We Can Be Kind," as well as music about kindness and compassion form several different religious traditions. The Rev. Tom Rosiello will be preaching and music will be under the direction of Mike Pfitzer.
Sunday, September 27th, 2015
Many religious traditions are held together by a creed, but in our liberal faith tradition it is our covenant that holds us together. Our covenant is essentially a set of promises we make to each other. This morning will explore that concept of covenant and what it means in our lives and in our faith. The Rev. Rosiello will be preaching and will be assisted by Intern Minister, Ilene Gillespie in leading the service. At the 11 AM service the choir will premiere a new musical setting of the words of our covenant.
Sunday, September 20th, 2015
This morning our services are inspired by the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. This summer 9 innocent Black people were shot and killed in a Wednesday night service at their church and within hours their family members expressed "forgiveness" for the perpetrator of this heinous act. How is that possible? We will explore the teachings on the necessity of forgiveness in our lives from the Jewish as well as many other religious traditions. Our youth will present a dramatic version of the biblical story of "Jonah and the Whale." The Rev. Rosiello will be preaching and assisted by Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie in leading worship. The music will include traditional Hebrew songs and the great spiritual, "Freedom Come."
Sunday, September 13th, 2015
INGATHERING SUNDAY
We officially begin the church year with a return to two services and the commencement of this year's religious education program for children and youth. We will "pull out all the stops" to welcome you back and begin what promises to be a great church year. All the staff will be taking part in worship and there will be lots of participation from volunteers of all ages. Our music, under the Direction of Mike Pfitzer, will include contributions from the adult choir, youth singers, drummers and members of the Jazz band, as well as Organist/Pianist, Sanghee Kim. Our new Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie, will be assisting Rev. Tom Rosiello in leading worship. The sermon by Rev. Rosiello will focus on the question of why going to a church is important in our lives. This service will not only be a great opportunity for members to reconnect with each other and our tradition, but also an excellent introduction to our church and Unitarian Universalism for new-comes. Please join us for this uplifting service and please bring friends or neighbors who might be interested in finding a spiritual home.
Sunday, September 6th, 2015
The last of the summer services.
The Symbol of Unitarian Universalism is a Flaming Chalice. Each week we begin our worship service by lighting a chalice. Where does this tradition come from? Why do we do this? What does it mean? The Rev. Tom Rosiello will explore these questions in an informal service with music provided by Sanghee Kim. As part of the service we will dedicate a beautiful new chalice given to the church in memory of Susan Russell for use in the community room.
Sunday, August 30th, 2015
Rev. Tom Rosiello in The Sanctuary
As our very first principle, we Unitarian Universalists affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person. This summer, amidst police violence towards African Americans being revealed across our country and in response to the "Black Lives Matter" campaign challenging officials and candidates to speak out for justice and equality; and in the aftermath of a monumental Supreme Court decision recognizing marriage as a fundamental right of all couples including gays and lesbians, and in response those city and town clerks who refuse to issue any marriage licenses rather than do so for a gay couple; we have watched the struggle play out. We have seen great strides for human dignity and worth butting up against often unspoken, but very real attitudes that do not accept the inherent worth and dignity of many in our society. This morning The Rev. Tom Rosiello will explore the news of this summer within the context of our first principle. Music will be provided by pianist, Sanghee Kim.
Sunday, August 23rd, 2015
THIS SERVICE WILL BE IN THE SANCTUARY 10 AM
The first service that Tom Rosiello will lead, upon his return, will be on Sunday, August 23. It will be a very special Sunday. New York author, KEVIN SCOTT HALL, author of a remarkable memoir, A Quarter Inch from My Heart, will be the guest preacher.
As the nation approaches the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (August 29th), Kevin will share an incredibly moving story of when he opened his home and heart to a stranger who had arrived in New York City after the disaster. When Hall invited Maurice to stay with him “until he got back on his feet,” he imagined it would be a couple of weeks. What followed was a two-and-a-half year saga of unfolding drama, as mysteries and problems concerning Maurice were uncovered. Hall also explores his own motives in the drama, and, in flashback, recalls the time in 1994 when he survived a violent stabbing in New York City, when the blade came “a quarter inch” from his heart. The two stories, of the physical and emotional quarter inch distances, are artfully weaved together. Ultimately, the book is a spiritual journey, and a testament to the power of love, friendship, trust, and courage that crosses all boundaries and seeks to heal even the deepest wounds to our bodies and our psyches.
Upon the book’s release last summer, it debuted at #8 on Amazon’s “Books About Friendship” chart. Hall has done several readings in New York City, and also in Philadelphia, Boston, Asheville, NC, and Binghamton, NY. He has discussed the book on about a dozen radio programs, including Sirius XM. Kevin is an advanced public speaker in Toastmasters International, and served on the Consistory of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City for five years. For more information about the author, please visit www.kevinscotthall.com.
You won't want to miss this service! We will be back in the church and there will also be some great music to support the worship theme.
Sunday, August 16th, 2015
This morning’s service will be led by members of our community who have had cancer or currently have cancer. They will share thoughts from the heart related to their disease such as sharing with family, the importance of community, perspective on life, hope, and grief.
Barbara Jones will play some beautiful piano selections from Chopin and Bach.
Sunday, August 9th, 2015
Paul M. Galvin
Mindfulness is the intention to pay attention to each and every moment of our life with the qualities of nonjudgmental and compassion. The presentation will introduce the concepts of mindfulness, and participants will have the opportunity to identify their current resources and see how mindfulness practice can enhance what they already do well. The presentation is meant to be experiential and will introduce and guide participants in formal mindfulness practices. All participants will be encouraged to explore how to put mindfulness practices in place throughout the day in order to build resilience and skill in dealing with life events.
Paul M. Galvin, PhD is the former Assistant Director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and current Senior MBSR Teacher at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society (CFM) at UMass Medical School as well as Associate Professor of Psychology and former Chair of the Psychology and Philosophy Department at Framingham State University. He has taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other mindfulness-based programs at the CFM and in the community including non-profit organizations, businesses, and schools. Galvin was the Primary Investigator for the listing of MBSR on the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
