Unitarian Universalist · Established 1879

Welcome to
First Parish

First Parish is a Unitarian Universalist congregation on Main Street in Northfield, Massachusetts. We are people of many beliefs, and all are welcome. Come say hello!

All agesAll backgroundsAll beliefsLGBTQIA+ welcomingNo creed required
The First Parish meetinghouse with its steeple and bell tower
Our Spring Tag Sale is coming up! Be sure to stop by on June 13th, from 9am to 1pm, for baked goods, donated treasures, and the First Parish Craft Corner. If you'd like to donate items for the sale, we'll be collecting them on June 11th, from 5-7pm, in the Webster Meeting Room. No clothing or electronics, please. Come and say hello!
Sundays & gatherings

Our Upcoming Service

Services are held from September to June.

  • Sun · June 7
    10 am    Flower ServiceRev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer will lead us in the Flower Service. Bring some flowers to share if you can, and help us to say a fond farewell as Melissa moves on to her wonderful new position in Northampton. This will be Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer's last service as our affiliated minister, and our last regular church service until September.
  • After serviceCoffee HourConversation and refreshments in the Webster Room, downstairs.

Our shared values

The Unitarian Universalist shared values, shown as a six-petaled flower with Love and a flaming chalice at the center, surrounded by Pluralism, Generosity, Interdependence, Equity, Justice, and Transformation.

Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values

Events & fundraisers

A few traditions worth marking on the calendar

Throughout the year we host events that support the church and bring the wider community together. Everyone is invited — you don't have to be a member to join in.

Spring

Spring Tag Sale

Baked goods, donated goods, and the First Parish Craft Corner. Come say hello and find some treasures.

June 13th, 2026, 9am to 1pm
Fall

Monster Dash 5K

A family-friendly, costume-friendly run, walk, or bike through Northfield. Have fun with your community and help support the church — all paces welcome.

Held in late October
Winter

Winter Market

Local craft vendors fill the Webster meeting Room while we serve up homemade soups and baked goods. A cozy way to shop small and warm up on a cold day.

Held in early December
Music at First Parish

A pipe organ, and music on the way.

Our sanctuary is home to a beautiful old pipe organ. We're working to have it fully tuned and restored so it can be heard as it was meant to be. Once it's ready, we hope to open the doors for occasional concerts and recitals — and share our sanctuary and its music with the whole community.

Interested in performing, or in helping us get the organ tuned? We'd love to hear from you.

The organ pipes and console in the sanctuary
In the community

The food pantry

We're proud sponsors of the Northfield Regional Food Pantry, which every week helps neighbors put meals on the table. It runs on the generosity of volunteers and donors from across the region.

70families served, week after week

You'll find the pantry in the basement of the Dickinson Library. To learn about hours, donating, or volunteering, visit its website.

Northfield Regional Food Pantry
The door to the First Parish food pantry
A gathering place — Use the space

More than Sundays

Our building is a hub for the wider community and we're glad to share it. A couple of options are available for rent at modest rates.

The Webster Room

Our downstairs hall is available to rent for meetings, classes, and small gatherings — the same room where we share coffee each Sunday.

  • Comfortable space for community groups
  • Already home to AA and other gatherings
  • Reach out for availability and rates

Carriage Sheds $30 / month

Our historic carriage sheds offer simple, low-cost covered storage — by the month.

  • Boats, vehicles, trailers, or seasonal gear
  • An affordable, friendly arrangement
  • Rent supports the upkeep of our buildings
Support First Parish

Kept going by generosity

First Parish runs almost entirely on the generosity of the people who care about it. A small endowment helps, but most of what keeps the doors open — heat and lights, the upkeep of a nearly 150-year-old meetinghouse, and the work we do in the community — comes from gifts of money and time, given freely. We keep to a modest budget, so every contribution goes a long way.

In the Sunday offering

Give during any Sunday service — cash or check, any amount, no envelope needed. Visitors should never feel obliged; the plate is simply there if you'd like to take part.

By mail

Send a check payable to First Parish of Northfield, Unitarian:

P.O. Box 158
Northfield, MA 01360-0158

Pledges & larger gifts

To make a larger gift, pledge for the year, or set up regular giving, just reach out — we're glad to help and happy to answer any questions.

Email us about giving

Give your time

So much here runs on donated hands — at events, and in caring for the building. If you'd like to pitch in, we would love to hear from you.

First Parish is a small nonprofit congregation. Gifts of every size — and every hour — help sustain our worship, our buildings, and our neighbors. Thank you for helping keep this old meetinghouse alive.

Visit & contact

Come by, or get in touch

Stop by during one of our services. For anything else, an email is the surest way to reach us.

Where we are

72 Main Street, on the corner of Parker Avenue
Northfield, MA 01360

Sunday Service

10:00 a.m., from September to June
Coffee hour follows in the Webster Room

By mail

P.O. Box 158
Northfield, MA 01360-0158