What’s Happening: The First Parish Blog
The View From Here – September 2026
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...
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...
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...
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,...
“This Ravishing System of Aliveness” – June 21, 2026
Rev. Sophia Lyons preaching, with Rev. Kyle Belmont, Charlyn Bethell, Missy Shay, Guy Urban, and the FPW Band!
This Sunday is our annual Flower Communion worship service where we will ritualize the giving and receiving of flowers to honor our community’s flourishing, as well as the hope we have for a world where all living beings flourish. We will celebrate the abundance of life and love through music, dance, prayer, and story as we come together to marvel in this ravishing system of aliveness we Unitarian Universalists are committed to protecting and celebrating!
“We Answer the Call of Love” – June 7, 2026
Rev. Sophia Lyons with Rev. Kyle Belmont, Charlyn Bethell, Jean Gauthier, Beth Tappan-deFrees, Guy Urban, and the FPW Choir!
We will celebrate our LGBTQIA+ siblings this Sunday through word, prayer, song, blessing, and LOTS of rainbows! This worship service will celebrate the flourishing of Pride, center queer voices, and invite us to answer the Call of Love. Revs. Sophia and Kyle will offer Rainbow Blessings in front of church before worship, our Safe Congregation Committee has lots of swag for all who want it, and your choir will sing of Celebration. If you haven’t been at church for awhile–this service is calling your name. Let’s let Love Guide Us home to one another this Sunday. See you at church–and wear your Rainbow Pride if you have it!
Musically Speaking – June 2026
Shining through our year of Intention, and all the monthly themes, I see our First Parish choir. Belonging to the choir is to embody compassion, abundance, and courage as we notice with awe the rituals that awaken us to be flourishing together. (All underlined words...
The View From Here – June 2026
Happy June Church Family! Summer is almost here and with this comes a shift in rhythm at First Parish. Our month’s theme of Flourishing Together reminds me that all of us need rhythm shifts to thrive. My personal flourishing depends upon doing the work I love with...
“We Thank You” – May 31, 2026
Rev. Sophia preaching, with Kyle Belmont, Charlyn Bethell, Lynn Bratley, Allison Hewett, and Guy Urban.
We will close out this month’s theme of Rituals by focusing on the transformative power of appreciation and gratitude in a community. Whether you are new to FPW or not, serve as a leader or not, we all come bearing gifts that deserve honoring. This Sunday we will ritualize the thanking of one another for the gifts freely shared with this community–seen and unseen. See you at church!
“This Great Pull” – May 24, 2026
Rev. Sophia preaching, with Charlyn Bethell, Jean Gauthier, Debi King, Dani Nordin, Missy Shay, and Guy Urban.
This Sunday we will hear about the ways that some indigenous cultures ritualize community healing and conflict resolution when hurt or misunderstanding descend. Let’s consider how wisdom teachings such as these might speak to our own treasured Unitarian Universalist beliefs and values! Our sacred circle is made stronger because of you–come to church and take your place in it. See you Sunday!