Category: Sunday Services

Rev. Julie-Ann Silberman-Bunn: “This title is adapted from a quote by the South African theologian and religious leader Desmond Tutu. Tutu reminds us that to someone suffering from injustice, neutrality can and will look like taking the side of the oppressor. Two equally real places in which we see individuals trying to remain neutral are in cases of animal abuse and when there are conflicts in other countries. I will speak through my lens as a grandmother of a pitbull and a granddaughter and daughter of Polish Jews, some of whose family have settled in Israel.” The service will begin this Sunday at 10 am at the church and be available on Zoom. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

“The Oracles of Concord: Vision Forward with Emerson, Thoreau, and Fuller” is the title of Lay Reader Dan Tinen’s 10 am service Sunday 10/6 at First Parish. Join us at the church or on Zoom. Dan will be with us over the Internet from his home in Seattle. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

Earthen Invitations, Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer

The Autumn Equinox has an invitation for us. What is yours? I invite you to pay attention to how our earth is speaking to you these next few days. Please consider bringing an item from the natural world for our altar that represents the invitations you are receiving. Maybe you might bring a flower or seed, a stone or a leaf or a branch, a vegetable or a fruit or some other item for our common altar.

Our UUA has an invitation for us. The UU Climate Justice Revival is an opportunity to reflect on connections between climate and justice and reimagine our approaches to this work to be more connected, more nourishing and more visionary.

People of all ages are welcome to join us in person at 72 Main Street in Northfield or online at 10am this Sunday, 9/22. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

Our church year continues on Sunday September 15 with a service by First Parish Board member and worship committee leader Ann Linge. Her service tomorrow on “Accepting the Invitation” will explore the newly adopted UUA Values and Covenant, consisting of six shared values with love at the center. The service will begin at 10 am at the church and online. All are welcome. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

Lay Reader Dan Tinen will lead the First Parish worship service at 10 am tomorrow morning, Sunday September 8. The title of his sermon is “Gather in Strength.” As threats of violence and actual physical attacks become more frequent in US politics, Dan says, “Religious liberals who hold love at the center of our faith must be on guard against violating our principles while still strongly advocating for what we believe in.” All are welcome in person at the church and on Zoom. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

In Praise of Our Differences, Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer

It is important for our Unitarian Universalist congregations to discern what we hold in common and find ways to live our values in the world.  Pluralism is one of the values our Article II Study Commission has proposed for our collective consideration. Let’s explore how an enthusiastic embrace of our differences might help us grow our souls and bless the world, individually and together.

Our Sunday service for May 19 begins at 10 am at the church, corner of Parker and Main Streets in Northfield, and on Zoom. All are welcome. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

Judy Wagner and Mike La Rue will lead a Chalice Circle this Sunday on “Mothers and Others.” 

Remembering that the original inspiration for Mother’s Day goes back to Julia Ward Howe (Unitarian feminist and peace activist), they will lead us in honoring mothers and others who have nurtured us.

Who has nurtured us? How can we nurture others? How might Julia Ward Howe’s vision of a peaceful world be achieved?

Join us to participate in this service of reflection and sharing. The service will begin at 10 am, at First Parish, on the corner of Parker Avenue and Main Street, Northfield.

What does it mean when we set a space apart from everyday use? Are some places “holier” than others? Or should we consider all of creation holy? Lay Reader Dan Tinen will lead us in examining how these concepts affect our choices in the material world…what buildings we build, what lands we set apart and what we use, and how we take care of them–like our beloved First Parish. Join us Sunday at 10 am in the sanctuary or on Zoom. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.

Heart to Heart, Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer 

Come, join us for a multigenerational service featuring stories, songs, poetry, and ritual in celebration of our relationships with the interdependent web of existence, of which we are all a part. Participate at 10 am Sunday, April 28, in person at the church, corner of Parker and Main Streets in Northfield, Massachusetts, or on Zoom. To participate via Zoom, please send an e-mail to fpnorthfieldma@gmail.com for a link.