I will be very glad to see you this Sunday, and in the coming weeks. It’s felt like a long time! I am also looking forward to our rituals, prayers, sweet silences, and singing together. It’s been a rough few months in our country and world–and in recent days the passing of Wendell Berry, Dolly Parton, and the glorious Gloria Steinheim, have only added to my general state of weepiness. As I get older, I have come to see that deep sorrow and great joy can, indeed, exist at the same time; for...
Musically Speaking – September 2026
Welcome. A new year is beginning at First Parish. Welcome is such a multi-faceted word. It can be a noun, the act of greeting someone. It can be a verb, the act of reaching out or accepting something happily. It can be an adjective, descriptive of something gladly received. None of that fits for me. To say, “Welcome” means in this context, something deeper, “Let’s start anew into a spiritual journey called, ‘UU Values.’” This implies much more that a mere greeting. It is a a commitment to...
Faith Exploration – September 2026
As the church year begins anew, Faith Exploration is ready to welcome children, youth, and families back to the rhythms and rituals that invite learning and connection. Our Sunday morning classes will start on September 20. This first class will focus on a ritual of ribbon and fabric weaving to symbolize beginning together. Our second class on Sept. 27 will focus on crafting a covenant to hold us through the year. Both classes are designed to build up our capacity for being together on Sunday...
Charge for FPW Foundations Task Force
FPW Foundations Task Force Preface Mission, vision, and covenant are part of the spiritual foundation for UU congregations. Mission refers to the core purpose of the congregation; vision is the aspiration for what the congregation hopes to become; and covenant is how the congregation communicates and agrees to be in community as it strives to achieve its mission and vision. Importantly, these are living precepts or guides that change as the congregation continues to grow and change. In...
Charge for Long-Term Financial Planning Task Force
Long-Term Financial Planning Task Force Preface Financial stability is fundamental to FPW’s long-term success. Beyond balancing our operating budget each church year, our future stability requires planning for the long-term stewardship of FPW’s buildings, personnel, reserves, income, and other financial resources. FPW needs to develop a longer-term financial planning framework to help anticipate and prepare for not just our annual operating requirements, but also for significant future...