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Total 143 results found.

Welcoming Congregation Program

Overview In the spring of 2019, the First Parish Standing Committee convened a task force to begin the process of fulfilling the UUA requirements to become designated as a Welcoming Congregation. The COVID 19 pandemic slowed but did not stop…

Thoughts about the repeal of the Roe v. Wade Decision

Many years ago when I was on sabbatical I attended the State of the Planet conference at Columbia University in New York City. The gathering was convened by the well-known economist and scholar Jeffrey Sachs, whose work influenced theUN’s  Millennium Development…

Interim Music & Choir Director Named by Standing Committee

On May 10th, 2022, the Standing Committee unanimously voted to hire TJ Rufo-Curran as First Parish’s Interim Music and Choir Director, following in the footsteps of our retiring longtime Director, Bill Sano, who nominated TJ for this position. TJ has…

Vigil for Democracy on January 6 at 4 pm

WE THE PEOPLE: A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAPITOL INSURRECTION Join local residents from Weston and the surrounding area for a peaceful gathering holding up peace and democracy.  Parking is available in First Parish parking lot…

Merry COVID Christmas !?

Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself. ~ Desiderius Erasmus I am not sure how many of you have driven by the church at night over the last day or so.  Those of you who have no doubt…

On Finding a New Story

(File will be uploaded shortly.) Click here for a PDF of the Order of Service for October 17, 2021.

Rituals that put things in perspective

Over the last many years I have developed an odd ritual that helps me to put things into perspective.  Sometimes we choose rituals; other times they emerge by accident, or by serendipity. My ritual involves a rumpled newspaper clipping featuring…

The Holy New

Click here for a PDF of the Order of Service for August 15, 2021

For Good Friday and Passover

This is how the “arc” of these holidays function : we experience the weight and plagues of the world and then mercifully realize that these difficulties are not the last line of the larger story.

Rines Gallery Opens New Virtual Exhibition

Our gallery team is thrilled to share the work of our newest featured artist, Katherine Richmond, in an exhibit aptly titled What We See: Waves, Light, and Life. In a sampling from her collections, the Gloucester native brings us face to…

Poems, Bells and Milestones

What an intense few weeks it has been, and what a challenging few weeks it will be.  Between presidential politics and spiraling COVID cases, it feels like our attention has whipsawed from screen to screen.  Maybe that is why I…

Truth, consequences and being a democracy

This last week has been quite intense and historic. As a world-wide pandemic continues to rage the President of the United States has been impeached for the second time. It’s almost hard to believe. What’s also hard to believe is how much various…

Make a Difference This Holiday Season!

At a time when we celebrate abundance, harvest, family, and hope, it is more important than ever that we remember the people in our community who need our support. Learn more about these opportunities to give back this holiday season!…

Just Before the Election

This has been a very intense election seasons and I know many of us are exhausted and just want it over with.  There is a chance that there may not be closure on Tuesday night however as ballots are counted…

Personal but Never Private

  Personal but Never Private: A Reflection on Faith A sermon by the Rev. Jeffrey Barz-Snell   The First Parish Church in Weston Unitarian Universalist March 31, 2019    THE FIRST PARISH CHURCH IN WESTON Unitarian Universalist Weston, Massachusetts www.firstparishweston.org…

Facility Rental

With our central location, proximity to Routes 95/128, parking and varied facilities, we offer a convenient, attractive, and comfortable venue for many kinds of events.  We have long made our spaces available to individuals and groups, particularly 501(c)3s. Our expectation…

Rines Art Gallery

    About the Mary Jo Rines Gallery at First Parish For over twenty years, First Parish Weston has been host to over 65 art exhibits in our Rines Gallery. The gallery was the inspiration of acclaimed artist and parishioner…

Community Programs & Speakers

We are active in the Town of Weston and in the many communities surrounding us, and think of ourselves as the ‘parish’ or town church involved in the daily life of this broad and diverse community. First Parish has adapted…

Families With Children

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — Plutarch (paraphrased) Our Approach to Religious Education Here at First Parish, we believe that religious and spiritual development works best when integrated and paced with…

Diaper Drive to help local families

This summer we are running a diaper drive to support Beantown Baby Diaper Bank in Lexington, Massachusetts! Beantown Baby Diaper Bank serves seven partner agencies based in Waltham, Burlington, and Lexington (including Family ACCESS Community Connections of Newton supporting Weston…

Doughnut Thinking, Doughnut Living

What do doughnuts have to do with economics, theology and living the good life?  What does it mean to be a good person in a world where our resources are precious and climate change is a looming concern? This sermon…

Public Forum about Weston Local News Initiative Survey

Did you participate in the recent Weston Local News Initiative Survey? Are you desperately curious to hear the results? Well, we have good news for you! First Parish is hosting a public forum this Thursday, March 14th at 7:00 p.m.…

TEN DAYS OF GRATITUDE – DAY 10

— DAY 10: TRADITION — We give thanks for our traditions, and for our freedoms. We give thanks for how the deep roots of tradition keep us stable and strong. We give thanks for traditions connected to our spirituality and…

TEN DAYS OF GRATITUDE – DAY 9

— DAY 9: OUR COMMUNITY — We give thanks for our community. We give thanks for the town of Weston and for all the MetroWest suburbs. We give thanks for our neighbors and for friendly faces throughout our town. We…

Ten Days of Gratitude

…What are you thankful for?  ❤︎ . There is a lot going on in the world today, much of it disturbing and even scary. Our individual lives have their own ups and downs, and we face our own difficulties and…

Lawn Games & Lemonade on Sept 30

★ Lawn Games & Lemonade is a community event sponsored by First Parish Church in Weston. All are welcome! ★  DATE: Saturday, September 30, 2023 TIME: 12:00pm–3:00pm LOCATION:First Parish Grounds, 349 Boston Post Road This is a fun, festival-style event with games,…

August Worship Services Welcome Guest Preachers

Join us in the air-conditioned Sanctuary on Sunday mornings at 10:30 am or tune into Zoom for our live-streamed worship service. Guest Preachers will join Rev. Barz-Snell or Rev. Napoline for each of the services: August 6 – Rev. Jo…

Support Weston Resettle Together!

A group of First Parishioners and local residents has recently partnered with the International Institute of New England (IINE) to support the resettlement of a refugee family (country of origin to be determined). Beginning this fall, Weston Resettle Together will…

Celebrate Weston!

Join us for this year’s Celebrate Weston event! Saturday, May 18th, 2024 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM First Parish is delighted to be participating in this fun town event! Join us from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM to enjoy the…

UU Wellspring

Learn more about Wellspring, a small-group program for Unitarian Universalists Fostering Connection and Friendships in the New Year.  Let 2023 be your year to deepen your spiritual life! First Parish Church in Weston is offering UU Wellspring, a ten-month spiritual…

Blessing of the Animals – Oct 16th!

Join us THIS SUNDAY, October 16th for our annual Blessing of the Animals! Animals of all kinds are some of the greatest wonders of creation, and this Sunday we invite you to bring your beloved animals (or photos of them)…

Update on COVID and the Ukraine Crisis

Several people have asked me about our policies regarding COVID.  Currently the cases of the latest variant are increasing in the Boston area.  Given the number of local people who travel between here and Europe and Southeast Asia, we have…

Our SUCCESSFUL Gift Card Drive!

Members of First Parish began looking into ways to support Afghan refugees earlier this winter and started to build connections with IINE, the International Institute of New England. At the end of January, we asked members to donate gift cards…

Gift Card Drive for Afghan Resettlement

First Parish is running a gift card drive as part of its work to support the International Institute of New England’s Afghan resettlement efforts. IINE is one of many agencies in our region and across the nation welcoming thousands of…

Join us for Christmas at First Parish!

There is so much going on at First Parish this month! Here is a schedule of our upcoming events, and links to pages with more information; be sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter for timely updates. You are warmly…

Make a Difference This Holiday Season!

At a time when we celebrate abundance, family, love, and hope, it is more important than ever that we remember the people in our community who need our support. Learn more about these opportunities to give back this holiday season!…

Outdoor Movie Night this Thursday!

Join us for our next Outdoor Movie Night on Thursday, August 26th at 7:30 PM! We’ll be watching The Greatest Showman, a vibrant and energetic movie inspired by the life of P.T. Barnum. Bring your own blanket or chairs; snacks…

Get Involved at First Parish!

First Parish is an active and dynamic congregation, and our busy community is sustained by the work of our wonderful volunteer committees. Is there a committee, task force, or group you’ve heard about and would like to join that isn’t…