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A Lawn Sign is Worth a Thousand Words…

Prayers for neighboring LGBTQ-welcoming churches

We are heartbroken over the news that five Christian churches have been violated in a coordinated attack on LGBTQ-affirming churches. (Reports: WCVB Channel 5, WBUR (NPR), and the Boston Globe.) We pray for the healing of angry and wounded hearts, affirmation…

Summer at First Parish

Wondering about worship, regular programs, or office hours? Read on for more information! Worship First Parish will NOT have worship during the month of July. Sunday Services resume August 4th at 10:30 am and will feature various guest preachers. There…

Summer Movie Nights on Jun 20, July 18, & Aug 15

— SAVE THE DATE — Third Thursday evenings: June 20th • July 18th • August 15th gather at 7:00 PM These will be held regardless of the weather — rain, shine, or heat advisory! We will gather at 7:00 PM whether or…

…why did First Parish put out a sign about Palestine & Israel?

(The banner image for this web page reads “Shalom” in Hebrew, “Peace” in the English alphabet, and “Salaam” in Arabic. It is, in essence, a prayer: “Peace. Peace. Peace.”) First Parish believes that all life is sacred and all humans…

Make every day Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day all month long! Enjoy these local events and programs about nature, the environment, and sustainability. First Parish events are marked in blue. Art Exhibit by Shared Habitat Earth (S.H.E.) Weston Public Library – 87 School Street, Weston…

Four years ago today, we hosted our last in-person “Pre-Pandemic” service

Four years ago, on March 15, 2020, we hosted an in-person service outside in our Memorial Garden, as the world began to shut down. It’s amazing how much the world has changed over the last 48 months, but also how…

Art Gallery Test

This is an experiment with recreating versions of the Rines Art Gallery website using WordPress. In particular, the first section is a variation of the home/landing page, and the second section recreates an artist’s page (using Mary Jo Rines’ page…

About First Parish

We are a progressive, family-friendly Unitarian Universalist Christian church, gathered in 1698 and rooted in the Biblical tradition as we look to the future with a progressive vision of hope and love. First Parish gathers as a community to connect…

Special Collection to benefit the Ukrainian relief organization, Razom

Our Share the Plate for December 10, 2023 is the Ukrainian relief organization Razom. Razom means “together” in Ukrainian. They are a humanitarian grassroots organization founded 9 years ago in Ukraine that has responded to the invasion by Russia in…

TEN DAYS OF GRATITUDE – DAY 6

— DAY 6: Our RESILIENCE — We give thanks for our resilience during hard times. It is much easier to find things for which we are grateful when life is good and situations turn out the way we want them…

Ten Days of Gratitude – DAY 3

— DAY 3: WORK & SERVICE — We give thanks for work & service. We give thanks for commitments that give our lives purpose and fulfillment. We give thanks for the hard work of attending school, child-rearing, volunteering, and caretaking.…

Ten Days of Gratitude – DAY 1

— DAY 1: FAITH & SPIRITUALITY — We give thanks for faith & spirituality. At First Parish, we are grateful for our spiritual community and religious traditions to give us guidance and support along our individual path of faith. Even…

Outdoor Movie Nights – Summer 2023!

Our Summer Movie Nights are back! Thursday evenings June 29th • July 27th • August 24th . (Showtime is usually ~30 minutes after sunset) . These will be held Rain or Shine — outdoors in our Playground or in the…

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…

On Leadership, Ethics, and Telling the Truth

This sermon deals with the remarkable number of recent instances of public figures and leaders, and news organizations, not telling the truth. The Bible has a remarkable number of passages that deal with the importance of telling the truth and…

Urgent! Community Wide Food Drive to help Bristol Lodge

The Bristol Lodge Food Pantry in Waltham is in urgent need of supplies, so we are sponsoring a community-wide food and funds drive. Spread the word. The ONLY canned goods they need are canned chicken (no tuna!). Other requested items…

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…

Hate Has No Home Here

Hate Has No Home in Weston First Parish supports the message of the Hate Has No Home Here movement; to post these lawn signs and posters “to declare neighborhood residences, businesses, and places of community free from hate speech and…

Music Director Bill Sano to Retire in June

A letter from Jeff Barz-Snell: This week I must announce that a major and beloved chapter is coming to a close here at First Parish Church: Bill Sano has announced he will be stepping down as Music Director in June.…

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…

A Comment by the Minister

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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…

Family Service & Supper

Are you and your family feeling frazzled, or like you need to hit a “reset” button? Are you looking for ways to connect to a sense of peace and hope? How would it feel to unplug on Sunday night and…

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.

Fully Vaccinated? Want to attend live taping of Easter service?

If you would like to attend in person the taping of the Easter service on Saturday, April 3, at 10:45 am in person in the Sanctuary, please go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/worship-recording-easter-tickets-148095037243 to make a reservation. Seating will be first come/first served…

For Members

On this page, you will find many church-related documents, resources, and forms that are helpful for church members and people participating in our programs and committees. If you are looking for information that is not listed on this page, please…

May 2nd – Speaker Program Features Prof. P. Takis Mataxas

“Misinformation, Social Media and Democracy” First Parish Church presents P. Takis Metaxas, Professor and Chair of Computer Science at Wellesley College on Sunday, May 2, 4:00 pm, in a virtual presentation on Zoom. During this talk, he will address…

Secret Sweeties Gift Exchange

Who doesn’t need a little extra sweetness in their life? For Valentine’s Day, CAMP is coordinating “Secret Sweeties,” a Valentine’s Day gift exchange. If you sign up to participate you will be provided the name and address of another First…

After the Attack on the U.S. Capitol

The last 2 days will be a period that few of us will forget. For only the second time in our nation’s history the Capitol building was violently stormed by outside forces. In 1812 it was the British who ransacked…

Current Projects & Initiatives

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.

Anti-Racism & Black Lives Matter Resources

References & Resources These are some resources that the First Parish Social Justice Task Force has collected on various topics including Black Lives Matter, diversity, and anti-racism. Read a couple of articles or watch a quick video, or dive deeper…

Imagine being able to go back in time exactly 12 months…

Imagine you were able to go back in time exactly 12 months and find me here in my office at the church, writing my column. I am not sure I would believe you when you described what this November has…

Happy Diwali and Weston CARES Fund Update

While this last week has been unseasonably warm here in New England and parts of the Midwest, today definitely feels like a mid November day: chilly, damp and dark. Perhaps that is why I wanted to wish all of you…

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!…

Centering in Community: Post-Election Resources & Support

This has been a difficult and divisive election year, and it’s not over yet. These are resources for community, connection, and support during the uncertainty of this post-election season of transition. — Wednesday, November 4th — * 5:00 PM —…

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…

Stewardship Commitment

Online Stewardship Commitment Form Fill out the pledge form below to make your stewardship commitment to First Parish. If you have any questions, please contact Stewardship[at]FirstParishWeston.org. Loading…

Memorials and Funerals

Death is a time of loss and grieving, but also a time when a family needs to make many decisions. We are here pastorally to comfort and help you. We are also here in our role as a church to…

Sue Newbury

I grew up in Wellesley and went to St. Andrews Episcopal Church where my parents, especially my Dad, were very involved. I loved our ministers and I loved singing in the youth choir. It was a big deal to get…

Giving & Stewardship

You can donate in support of First Parish or make payments towards your annual Stewardship pledge (click here for the commitment form) in the following ways: PayPal – your own PayPal Account or credit card (scan the QR code at…

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…

Music & Choir

Music is a very important element of Sunday Service, more so than at many churches. Our full choir and dynamic organ lead us with hymns and provide interludes as we transition through the many areas of our Order of Service.…

Your Children’s First Visit

At First Parish, we offer childcare and programming for all ages from birth until high school graduation. On Sunday mornings, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are cared for in our professionally staffed nursery. Children in grades K-12 participate in the religious…