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...
General Interest
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...
How Can We Support Our Immigrant Neighbors? Find Out on May 17
Please mark your calendars! On Sunday, May 17, beginning at 12:15 pm (right after social hour), we will have a special opportunity to learn about the work of the Watertown Rapid Response Network (WRRN), as well as how we can be involved in supporting our immigrant neighbors as they struggle with fear and uncertainty. The WRRN is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to assisting those who have been harmed by the administration’s harsh and unjust immigration policies and practices. Janet Penn...
Annual Meeting Warrant – April 26, 2026
The First Parish of Watertown, Unitarian Universalist Warrant for 395th Annual Meeting _______ To: Kate Hanson Plass, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings: You are hereby requested to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting house or virtually SUNDAY, THE 26th DAY OF APRIL, 2026 after the service, to act on the following articles, viz: Article 1 Reports. To receive the reports of: the Minister; the Treasurer; the President of the...
Sabbatical announcement and heads up on long range planning
To the Congregation of First Parish of Watertown – I am writing today to fill you in on some exciting long-range plans - Reverend Sophia is planning to take a sabbatical at the end of her seventh year of ministry with us, from Jan 2028 to May 2028. I know some of you have already heard about these plans, and the Parish Committee wanted to bring everyone up to speed on our conversations with Reverend Sophia about what a clergy sabbatical is and what the planning process will entail. What is a...
Summary of the Grappling with Our History Congregational Survey, Spring 2025
Between March and May 2025, 76 members and friends of First Parish of Watertown (FPW) responded to a survey exploring how our congregation might engage with the church's 400-year history. This document summarizes the quantitative and qualitative results to inform the working group as it develops programming, educational materials, and community initiatives. How long have you been a member or a friend of First Parish of Watertown? 76 of you responded and represent a good range of time with this...
Grappling With Our History Work Group: An Introduction
In recent years First Parish has engaged in efforts to better understand, acknowledge, and take actions regarding both the positive and negative impacts our congregation has had in shaping Watertown and the wider community over the past four centuries. In 2021-22 The Eighth Principle Task Force educated and guided our congregation to unanimously vote to adopt it: “We, the member congregations of the UUA, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build...
Committee Spotlight – Communications Committee, October 2024
The Communications Committee has been hard at work trying to let you know what’s going on at FPW, and this article is one of the latest additions. Each month, a committee will get to step into the spotlight and introduce themselves and what they do.
What do we do? The Communications Committee facilitates external and internal outreach and communications. Our biggest roles are managing the website and social media sites. We also assist with the production of various flyers, brochures and media requests. Together with other committees (special thanks to Tech and our resident photographers!), we gather content for these purposes in print, audio-visual, and electronic forms for these purposes.
2024 Annual Meeting Warrant
The First Parish of Watertown, Unitarian Universalist Warrant for 393rd Annual Meeting _______ To: Kate Hanson Plass, Clerk of the First Parish of Watertown, Greetings: You are hereby requested to notify and warn the legal members of the First Parish of Watertown to meet in the meeting house or virtually SUNDAY, THE 7th DAY OF APRIL, 2024 after the service, to act on the following articles, viz: Article 1 Reports. To receive the reports of: the Minister; the Treasurer; the President of the...
Helen Robinson Wright Concert: Guy Urban
Join pianist Guy Urban on Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 pm for a concert to benefit the Helen Robinson Wright Fund at First Parish Watertown.