First Parish members are engaged citizens and activists, and we are involved with many different community organizations and projects. Read on to learn more about some of our current initiatives.
2023 Bristol Lodge Canned Food Drive
The Bristol Lodge Food Pantry in Waltham is in urgent need of supplies, so the First Parish Outreach Committee is sponsoring a food and funds drive. Important note: the ONLY canned goods they need are canned chicken (no tuna!). They have also requested some additional pantry essentials & paper goods. Financial donations are most welcome, too. Donation bins for food products will be in the Breezeway and the Church Street office vestibule (open 24/7).
Click the button below for the full list of items and information about financial donations. Contact the church office if you have additional questions.
Bristol Lodge Suppers
First Parish helps support Bristol Lodge, an organization in Waltham that provides shelter and food for those experiencing homelessness. We have a monthly commitment on the fourth Wednesday of the month to prepare and serve dinner. Anyone can join in on the cooking, serving, and helping.
Anti-Racism & Multiculturalism
First Parish is committed to being actively anti-racist and supporting the work of education, outreach, and advocacy in addressing and dismantling the painful racial prejudices in our world today.
We believe that Black Lives Matter.
We are a LGBTQ+ Welcoming Congregation
We have always been welcoming and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, but we are proud to be officially certified with the U.U. Welcoming Congregation program! Through engaging with this program, we have improved our congregational life & policies, deepened our personal education, expanded our public outreach, and reinforced an ongoing commitment to advocacy.
Supporting Local Afghan Resettlement
The United States will welcome over 50,000 Afghans fleeing violence and persecution in their homeland. Local organizations are resettling Afghan families in the Greater Boston area, but many people arrive with no possessions or financial resources. First Parish hopes to offer our support for those people caught in this urgent and ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Our volunteer leaders are connecting with local organizations to find out where and how we can most be of service. We are starting to build a network of volunteers to offer support ranging from financial assistance and fundraising to tutoring to hands-on volunteering, meal delivery, and setting up apartments.
We are looking for volunteers at every level – Sign Up for Updates Now or click the link below to learn more.
Weston CARES Fund
Weston residents and members of First Parish Church in Weston created the Weston CARES Fund in April of 2020 to make a difference locally, thoughtfully, and immediately in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Though no longer accepting donations, the fund raised more than $200,000 and provided grants to local non-profit organizations and individuals, with priority given to programs assisting local residents confronting food and housing emergencies.
Supporting Local Minority-Run Non-Profits
As a result of the difficult and tragic events around the country during the summer of 2020, our church has found our interest reinvigorated in racial justice and equality here in the United States. We were inspired to consider how we could make a difference, and we decided we wanted to work with local minority-run non-profit organizations. A small team worked with the Standing Committee to do extensive networking and research, and identified two organizations that we have decided to support: the Boston Teen Police Academy and No Books, No Ball.
Visit the link below to learn more about this grant initiative, to watch worship services at which Officer Daryl Owens (Founder and Director of the Boston Teen Police Academy) and Tony Richards (Founder and Executive Director of No Books No Ball) offered moving reflections, and read summaries about the organizations and our proposals.