Standing Committees
In the tradition of Congregational Polity, our church is organized and governed by volunteer committees.
Governance Committees
Parish Committee
The Parish Committee is the governing board of the church. This committee makes policy decisions and manages the overall direction and business of the church.
List of Parish Committee members (Breeze login required)
Trustees of First Parish Watertown
The First Parish Trustees are responsible for the wellbeing and preservation of the church’s three endowment accounts. These include the Ministerial Fund, the Perpetuity Fund, and the Helen Robinson Wright Fund. Proceeds from the first two are used to support the parish’s operating budget, while the Wright Fund is used exclusively for charitable purposes in the broader community. The Trustees also work to increase the size of First Parish’s endowments through the encouragement of members of the congregation to provide for the church in their wills and estate plans.
List of Trustees (Breeze login required)
Committee on Ministry
Appointed by the minister, the Committee on Ministry serves as the liaison between the congregation and the minister. It also addresses topics the minister wishes to discuss. Any discussion issues related to the minister should be brought to this committee.
List of Committee on Ministry members (Breeze login required)
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee manages short- and long-term financial activities of the church. Its main areas of responsibility are managing the budget and performing an annual review and presentation of the church budget. It is responsible for the annual pledge campaign, which solicits annual pledges from all members and friends of the church.
List of Finance Committee members (Breeze login required)
Safe Congregation Committee
The Safe Congregation Committee works to ensure that this religious community is a place where there is maximum possible safety – physical safety, safety in our interactions, and spiritual safety.
List of Safe Congregation Committee members (Breeze login required)
Helen Robinson Wright Fund Distribution Committee
The Helen Robinson Wright Fund Distribution Committee makes decisions on appropriations of grants to local charities and Watertown residents in financial need. It was established through the generosity of lifetime Watertown resident Helen Robinson Wright. Mrs. Wright’s estate endowed the trust fund that bears her name.
List of Wright Fund Committee members (Breeze login required)
Personnel Committee
The Personnel Committee, appointed by Parish Committee, is charged with creating and maintaining Personnel Policies and understanding of job/salary needs and requirements for the congregation.
List of Personnel Committee members (Breeze login required)
Program Committees
Worship Committee
The mission of the Worship Committee is to work with the Minister and the Music Director to ensure the spiritual needs of this congregation are met in the vision, structure, and tone of the worship services. The committee serves as the congregation’s means of actively participating in making its worship services meaningful and supportive or individual and communal spiritual growth and enhancement. The committee helps coordinate special services, lay-led services, and organizes lay-led summer services.
List of Worship Committee members (Breeze login required)
Religious Education Committee
The Religious Education Committee is responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of all aspects of the First Parish Watertown RE program. They meet monthly to review such issues as curriculum and class planning, RE policy, special programs, youth group, and the hiring and direction of our Director of Religious Education.
List of RE Committee members (Breeze login required)
Social Action Committee
The Social Action Committee addresses social issues such as poverty, food and housing insecurity, racism, and immigration. We commit to being a force for social change by working with others in the larger community to promote justice, equity, and compassion. The Social Action Committee coordinates monthly designated offerings to support the work of community organizations.
List of Social Action Committee members (Breeze login required)
Green Sanctuary Committee
The Green Sanctuary Committee is charged with informing the members about environmental issues and helping to transform individual lives and the church’s building and programs so that we can all reduce our carbon footprint and avert greater environmental desecration.
List of Green Sanctuary Committee members (Breeze login required)
Buildings and Grounds Committee
The Buildings and Grounds Committee supervises the maintenance, repair, and improvement of Parish buildings and grounds, including both the meeting house and the parsonage. This committee helps to select and supervise the sexton, and oversee all the regularly contracted service and maintenance work on the church. At times the committee will organize and lead the congregation in volunteer events to further the maintenance, repair, and improvement activities.
List of B&G Committee members (Breeze login required)
Memorial Committee
The Memorial Committee arranges for engravings and oversees interments in our Memorial Garden in accordance with church policies and keeps a permanent record of all such engravings and interments.
List of Memorial Committee members (Breeze login required)
Fellowship Committee
The Fellowship Committee is engaged in helping all community members feel welcome. They meet monthly to plan social events, often working with other committees to ensure wide interest. They recruit and train greeters for our church services, create name buttons, and work hard to identify and support newcomers. Some favorite church events include Holiday Decorating and Crafts, Annual Variety Show, Trivia/Game Night, the Winter Solstice Celebration, and Passover Seder. The committee also helps coordinate potluck meals and food for special church events.
List of Fellowship Committee members (Breeze login required)
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee facilitates the process of becoming a member. The committee ensures visitors have information about the church, coordinates official welcome ceremonies, and tracks the growth of our congregation. The committee also organizes events that promote and support membership.
List of Membership Committee members (Breeze login required)
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee facilitates external and internal outreach and communications through production and publication of content in print, audio-visual, and electronic form.
List of Communications Committee members (Breeze login required)