Summer Crafts Fair

Saturday, August 3, 2024

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain or Shine

First Parish in Concord
20 Lexington Road, Concord, MA

OLG online slots – https://slots-online-canada.ca/playolg-online-slots/ comprise a library of games.

Juried crafters & artisans showing & selling their latest handmade creations. Great browsing, shopping & socializing! Outstanding woodworks, glass items, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, fine art works, cards, photography, children’s items, pet gifts, bee products, kitchen & food items, home decor, scarves, face painting, Popular Boutique featuring quality vintage & up-cycled women’s items.

Food Sold Throughout the Day

Entrance Fee: $2 for Adults – $1 for children and youth, 10 and older.

Door Prize

Good morning. I’m Jane Fisher and I am delighted to share with you what First Parish means to me.

I first stepped foot into First Parish in October or November 1991, a few months after moving to Concord.  It seems so long ago, yet it also seems like just yesterday.  I was expecting a baby in just a few weeks, so as you can imagine, I sort of stood out as a newcomer.  Or at least my belly did.

After the service, Jan Lipcon came up to us to ask if we had questions and to show us around.  I remember having absolutely no idea what Unitarian Universalism was, but we had heard there was a good religious education program, and we were looking to meet people.  Fast forward, Chloe was born, and we obviously came back to church. We felt so welcomed at church and met quite a few people quickly and we stayed.

We stayed for when my 2^nd child Cam was born in 1994.  When I brought Cam to First Parish with me when Cam was just 6 days old, I sat in the back of the sanctuary in case I needed to make a quick getaway.  Gary Smith, the minister at the time, spotted me and walked down from the pulpit to give me the rose which was on the front table in honor of Cam’s birth.  We felt so held by Gary and by the entire congregation.

We stayed for stayed for Gary Smith’s spiritual autobiography weekend at Senexet house.  Stayed for my first Women’s Retreat and Ferry Beach experiences sometime around 1996.  Stayed long enough have served on and chaired several committees, served on the Standing Committee, attended auctions, dinners, plays, concerts, picnics, speakers, worship services, marches, rallies, parades, and so much more.

My kids stayed too – from the time they were babies through Gospel Choir, plays with the Becks, Neighboring Faiths, youth group, Coming of Age, writing their credos.  Trips to Transylvania.  If memory serves, they both referenced the church and their Coming of Age experience in some of their college essays.

There were some really good times, good friends, and good memories made for all of us over the past 30+ years.  There were also major life changes – some really good, some really awful.  And a need for lots of support and community.  Some of you were truly my guardian angels, and others of you uplifted my kids during those darkest times.  In the midst of all the change, including several local moves, there was one thing that was constant.  And that was First Parish.

During the pledge campaign, we are asked to reflect on what First Parish means to us as we consider our pledge for the coming year.  For me, there were times when I was in various states of transition when I couldn’t make a financial pledge at the level I would have liked.  And even times when I relied on First Parish for some help, such as a scholarship to the Women’s Retreat.  Fortunately, I am in a better place now and I can pledge more generously.  First Parish needs me, needs us, in order to continue to offer to me and to all of you everything that we come here for.  But I also need First Parish, because First Parish is truly my community and my spiritual home.  Thank you.

All along my journey of growing up and older, this church has met me where I am and given me exactly what I needed at the time. In the early days of my coming here with little kids, I needed to sit in the back and observe. I needed to be alone and to rest my frazzled, overwhelmed mom self. I knew my kids were being nurtured and cared for, and I could just be. The first time that I encountered that weekly moment of silence, I was alarmed and embarrassed: what is happening? (It seemed to last longer then.) Over time, that weekly moment of silence in the service has become my centering moment for the week, a chance to come back to myself. FP showed me a new way of being spiritual, one that worked for me, based upon all of the world’s great religions and philosophies, including ancient earth-based religions.

As time went on, I felt the need to form friendships and become part of the community. The church was ready for me. For example, the church allowed me develop friendships with other moms who were different than me, but also shared the same values. I saw these amazing women bringing their kids to RE every Sunday and wanted to get to know them. The Women’s Parish Association had my back and sponsored the formation of a Mom’s Connection Group. The church resources were readily available for whatever events we wanted to plan, such as a mother-son cooking class in the church kitchen, and a holiday cookie swap in front of the fireplace. I also participated in the Women’s Retreats for several years, and made lasting friendships.

Another example of being given what I needed at the right time was the programming for children. My boys participated in RE when they were young. My non-UU friends no doubt grew tired of hearing me talk about the amazing youth programs here, such as Neighboring Faiths, OWL and others. All 3 of my boys participated in the Dedication Ceremony organized by Amy and Howard a few years back. The parenting workshops associated with that ceremony were excellent. My family also went to Ferry Beach several times, where I got to watch my sons run around and climb trees.

As more years passed, I felt the need to contribute, to become involved in the church in more meaningful ways. That’s when I got recruited to run the church auction. I ran the auction twice. And I’m happy to announce that Liz Rust and I are co-chairing the next auction on November 4, 2023. Save the date!

Back to the topic at hand. After the outcome of the 2016 federal election, I was angry and scared and I needed support and action. FP rose to the occasion by sponsoring 2 buses for the Women’s March in Washington DC. The church’s send-off was so warm and supportive. (Remember those yellow scarves!) I was new to protest activities and made some mistakes along the way, but my fellow organizers were kind and patient and taught me a lot.

Around this time I also got hooked up with the amazing group, Advocates for Women’s Empowerment (AWE), with its fearless leaders Suzie and Lora. AWE gave me an outlet to protest, volunteer and be heard.

During the pandemic, Bruce let me organize yoga classes outside on the church grounds. There wasn’t even a question – the church said yes. Just as the church has said yes to my slow return to normalcy, post pandemic. I appreciate that the church community accepts without judgment where we are all on the recovery journey after Covid.

All along the way, whenever I needed something, FP made it possible. I’m now in a time of transition again. My children aren’t involved in RE anymore – teenage years and the pandemic interruption to routines put an end to that stage. It makes me sad, but I take comfort in knowing that they had a solid foundation. I’m not as active in the groups that I used to belong to. For now, my involvement is mainly limited to serving as clerk of the Standing Committee. Which, by the way, is planning a Talent show on April 1!

I take great comfort in knowing that FP will be here in the years to come. Because I have grand plans! There are a lot of things that I want to do here – like small group ministry, book club, Beloved Conversations, Cakes for the Queen of Heaven, and RJAG, to name just a few. I want to meaningfully participate in social justice initiatives. For now, I appreciate that the church meets me where I am. It gives me an outlet to do good through my annual pledge and contributions to Share the Plate each week.

This place for me is a rooting. I am rooted in history and place, and in spirituality and community. Everyone in this building is a good person, trying to do the right thing, to make the most of their lives and to deepen spiritually in whatever way makes sense to them. I’m grateful and honored to be part of this community.

There’s a simple explanation. First Parish is part of where I live, it’s my neighborhood. I just show up. I just show up and it’s just good to see you.  If not for here, we likely would not know each other.

The more complex explanation is that church confuses the hell out of me.  And for me, that confusion is interesting and useful.

This is what the UUA says we offer: “Live your values aloud, not alone. Our open-minded, open-hearted spiritual communities help people live lives of justice, love, learning , and hope”. As an organization, then, we operate a “spiritual community service”.  We’re both customers and service providers.

 As a customer, I am like:  What do I get?  What do I experience? How am I served? As a customer, these are natural questions.  The consumer choice to engage, or not, at First Parish is one of: among everything else, what do I give my attention to? What do I do next? We’re competing here with TikTok, with team sports, getting work done, and with simply tuning out for relief. 

Unlike some alternatives, our faith is centered on love – not performance, not conformance. The core experience of our faith is receiving through giving, also known as “loving”. The giving is showing up for each other – Serving. Serving is not about me, it’s about you. It is tuning in for love. When I show up for you, and I lead with love, I show up for me too.

 “Easy” showing up is giving a hug. There’s nothing better. But, if church was just showing up at 10 AM every Sunday to hug each other –  would that happen?

“Stretchy” showing up is, for example, that  I volunteered to facilitate small group discussion and that there is some vulnerability there for me with doing that. But I did it and it’s OK. Overall our experience with Small Groups has been that these groups work. People are connecting. We have impact.

As for “complicated” showing up… Well, it’s easy to complicate leadership here. “Complicated” can surface anywhere where one is trying to get something done. When I engage with that “get it right” energy and do catch myself, I ask myself “Do I need to be dragging that intention around?” or can I let that go?

The question is “What really matters here?”  Focusing on just what we are trying to be together always simplifies showing up.

One of my best moments recently was showing up for the Covenant workshop and feeling a room full of hope.  The message to me was that I am not alone.

The other was absorbing Anderson Manuel’s recent testimony from the pulpit. He sent me to the words of Dr King. And they clarified for me the understanding that beyond serving my family, the most important thing I can do with my life is to advance the cause of justice.

Do I get these moments every time I do something at First Parish? No. Maybe that’s the idea. Our community is more than a performance, it is a relationship. I am here to be human, to be fully myself, and to learn to love unconditionally.

And yet, we live in this world. As a community, for us to thrive, we need to keep showing up for each other. How do we make showing up less complicated? How do we make “the service we provide” easy to appreciate? How do we stay vital in a distracted world that lags in love? These “how” questions are what engage me.

I want to leave you with an image of the water, the vessel, and the hands.

We are the water. By ourselves, we are puddles, evaporating. The vessel of our congregation holds the water and shapes our activities together. Our mixture manifests love and hope. Our staff are the hands that shape and hold the vessel. They are hearts, and minds, and hands, working to serve.

To pledge is to show up for each other, to serve our congregation, to serve our staff, and ultimately ourselves. Your giving makes our community possible. Please bring a generous intention to your pledge.

You can see them in the Gallery

Part of our covenant declares that we will “affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” However, problems arise when we equate this principle with accepting disruptive, dangerous, or bullying behavior. We can affirm the inherent worth and dignity of a person without condoning or permitting destructive behavior.

“Healthy churches tend to have low tolerance for inappropriate behavior, while unhealthy churches tolerate all kinds of outrageous things, including words and actions that would not be tolerated anywhere else.” (Susan Nienaber)

There is a range of destructive behavior displayed in congregations, including spreading negativity throughout the congregation, withholding money as a way of pressuring the organization into giving them their way, name-calling, verbal attacks, bullying, and more.

While openness to a wide variety of individuals is one of the prime values held by our congregation and expressed in our denomination’s purposes and principles, we affirm the belief that our congregation must maintain a secure atmosphere where such openness can exist. When any person’s physical and/or emotional well-being is threatened, when the communal work of the church, its staff and/or its volunteers is needlessly over-burdened, or when the church’s democratically determined decisions are continually interfered with, the source of this threat must be addressed firmly and promptly, even if this ultimately requires the expulsion of the offending person or persons.

When the disruptive behavior of an individual during church activities, including participation in online events or forums, leads  members to voice their concerns about one or more of the following:

1. Perceived threats to the physical or emotional safety of any adult or child;
2. Perceived threats to church property;
3. The disruption of church activities;
4. Diminishment of the appeal of the church and its activities to its potential and existing members and staff.
5. Actions that are inconsistent with our core values and commitments (e.g. our status as a Welcoming Congregation).

The following shall be the policy of the First Parish in Concord in dealing with these issues:

1. If an immediate response is required, this will be undertaken by the Minister(s), if available, and/or the leader of the group involved. This may include asking the offending person or persons to leave, or suspending the meeting or activity until such a time as it can safely be resumed. If further assistance is required the Police Department may be called. Anytime any of these actions are undertaken without the Minister(s) being present, the Minister(s) must be notified. A follow-up letter detailing what steps must be taken before returning to the activities involved will be sent by the Minister(s) to the offending party or parties.
2. Situations not requiring immediate response will be referred to an ad hoc committee appointed by the Standing Committee (SC). The committee will respond in terms of their own judgment, observing the following:
   1. The committee will respond to problems as they arise. There will be no attempt to define “acceptable” behavior in advance.
   2. Persons identified as disruptive will be dealt with as individuals; stereotypes will be avoided.
   3. The committee will collect all necessary information and report to the Standing Committee with recommendations.
   4. To aid in evaluating the problem, the following points will be considered:
      • DANGER – Is the individual the source of a threat or perceived threat (either physical or psychological) to persons or property?
      • DISRUPTON – How much interference with church functions is going on? For example, does the individual abide by church policy and accept the decisions of the church at the collective congregation meetings?
      • OFFENSIVENESS – Does the behavior affect prospective or existing members, volunteers, staff, and committee members so that they avoid attending church services or activities? What is the effect on the work environment of our professional staff? 
   5. To determine the necessary response, the following points will be considered:
      • CAUSES – Why is the disruption occurring?
      • AWARENESS – Is the disruptive person aware of the disruption they are causing and able to manage the behavior themselves if they choose to?
      • HISTORY – What is the frequency and degree of disruption caused in the past?
      • INTERVENTION – What have First Parish ministers, staff, or group leaders done to counsel or intervene directly with the person to insure that they understand the effect on others and the requirement for change in their behavior? 
   6. The committee will decide on the necessary response on a case-by-case basis. However, the following three levels of response are recommended:
      • LEVEL ONE – The committee shall inform the Minister(s) of the problem and either the Minister(s) or a member of the Standing Committee shall meet with the offending individual to communicate the concern.
      • LEVEL TWO -The offending individual is excluded from the church and/or specific church activities for a limited period of time, with reasons and the conditions of return made clear in writing.
      • LEVEL THREE – The offending individual is permanently excluded from the church premises and all church activities and online forums. Before this is carried out, the committee will consult with the Standing Committee and the Minister(s). If it is decided that expulsion will take place, a letter will be sent by the Minister(s) explaining the expulsion and the individual’s rights and possible recourse.
   7. Any action taken under item f (above) may be appealed to the Standing Committee and/or the Minister(s).

First Parish in Concord strives to be an inclusive community, affirming our differences in beliefs, opinions and life experiences. However, concern for the safety and wellbeing of the congregation and staff as a whole must be given priority over the privileges and inclusion of the individual. To the degree the disruptive behavior compromises the health of this congregation, our actions as people of faith must reflect this emphasis on security.

Dear Members and Friends of First Parish in Concord,

A new church year has started and there is excitement in the air.  It is so gratifying to see new and old friends in church on Sunday.  And there’s lots of activity at church, whether in Small Group Ministry, Religious Education, Music, or Social Justice.  

But there’s a cloud on the horizon and we need your help. 

Last June at our Annual Meeting, we approved a budget for this fiscal year (August 2022 – July 2023) that included pledge income of $941,000.  Pledges are our most significant source of income.  That income, of course, is what allows us to support our building and campus, our staff, and all the programming that makes First Parish in Concord so vital.

We have a pledge gap

Here’s the tough news.  Our pledge campaign fell short of our budgeted goal by $45,000.  Perhaps that is not surprising.  With two years of a pandemic, some people have drifted away and some have remained but are uncertain about their on-going connection to First Parish.  And with Howard Dana’s departure, we had a loss of leadership and the personal loss of his relationship with many members and friends.  Whatever the reason, we need to address this gap.

Unless we can make that shortfall up very soon, we will have to make difficult spending decisions as we can’t end the fiscal year with this large a funding gap.

Please help Close the Gap

Given all this, we are asking for your help.  We are kicking off a short, focused campaign during the month of October to Close the Gap.  If you have already pledged this year, would you consider raising your pledge?  If you have not pledged, please consider pledging now.  Joining together, we can close our budget gap and support the good work of First Parish. 

To lead by example, every member of the Standing Committee has increased his or her pledge and, as a group, the Standing Committee has increased its overall pledge by more than 20 percent.  We are not suggesting that members and friends need match that percentage increase (though we’d be delighted if you did).  But if households that have not yet pledged this year make new pledges; and those currently pledging stretch a bit to increase their pledges, we can close the $45,000 pledge gap in short order.  Not everyone can stretch more right now. We know that. If your circumstances do not permit you to pledge or increase your pledge, please don’t feel pressured to respond.  There are enough of us who can respond that we can easily close this gap.

Here’s how to help

You may make a new pledge or increase your existing pledge simply by emailing Fifi Ball at fball@firstparish.org.  Please consider doing so today.  Together we can Close the Gap and support the terrific programs that make First Parish in Concord such a meaningful part of all our lives.  If you have questions about the budget or pledging, feel free to reach out to any of us below.  Also please check out this FAQ document for more information. 

For the Standing Committee Financial Sustainability Group
Jim Hawks (jdhawksiii@comcast.net)
Gib Metcalf (gibmetcalf@gmail.com)
Heather Packard (packardheather@gmail.com)
Jim Reynolds (jim@jim-reynolds.com)

Saturday, August 27, 2022 – 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Women’s Parish Association cordially invites all First Parish women and friends to relax at a social gathering on the Terrace and on the Labyrinth. Come and socialize with new and old friends while enjoying iced tea, lemonade, and cookies. Reservations are not necessary, but very helpful for planning purposes. Contact: Dian Pekin at pekindc@comcast.net. See you at the party!

1. Go to the Universal Church Directories website (www.ucdir.com) This link will open a new tab to the web site, and you can switch back and forth to follow the rest of these instructions.
2. Click on the box on the right side of the homepage entitled “photography appointment scheduling login”
3. Enter the church code ma101
4. Enter the church password photos
5. Click on the Enter button
6. Click on the desired photography date
7. Click on the Reserve Time button beside the desired photography appointment time
8. Enter the appropriate information in all required fields (indicated by the asterisk)
9. Enter your email address if a confirmation email is desired
10. Click on the Schedule Appointment button at the bottom of the screen to reserve the photography appointment time in your family’s name
11. If you have more than six family members being photographed, please reserve two appointments consecutively (such as 6:00 and 6:10)
12. Print the next screen to use as a reminder of your family’s photography appointment

Contact Sara Ballard at sara@sb.org with questions, or to change or cancel your photography appointment

2022-06 Annual Meeting slides PDF

2022-06 Annual Meeting slides PowerPoint

The PowerPoint version contains the text of the Treasurer’s remarks.

The Annual Pledge Campaign is going on now!

Read member testimonials and find out more by clicking here.

After some neighborhood inquiries, it looked like First Parish would be a safe place to visit for a couple of Sundays and then depart without disappointing anyone’s evangelical recruiting impulses.

We sat in the balcony. Sue, I think, enjoyed the spectacle of the ritual while I liked the nourishment of the silent mediation. At the coffee hour I recognized many active parents who coached youth soccer and who helped on School Committee campaigns. Later the next week, a passing remark of Sue’s surprised me and let me know that we had both been paying attention to the sermon.

Sue and I continued to attend. She tried the RE program but preferred to the adult service. The minister noticed and recruited her to the adult Worship Committee, which provided him with feedback on the service.

At home Sue would occasionally ask her mother to come with the two of us. Nancy politely declined, until one day she weakened and, in a cosmic deal with the political gods of Concord, she said, “If the high school bond debt override passes, I’ll go to church.”

The override passed narrowly. Nancy attended the Sunday service. However, the following Sunday, as Sue and I were getting dressed, Sue called to Nancy to start getting dressed.

“I’m not going.” Nancy replied.

“But you said you would go if the override passed.”

“I did. I went to church last Sunday.”

“No. You have to go with us every Sunday.”

And that’s how we became members of First Parish.

Since joining, our family has participated in many different roles at First Parish. Looking back at the richness and the variety of the many connections, I was surprised to realize how long ago they began. We became members in 1992 and recently, on my computer, I stumbled upon agendas and minutes for the past seven years of the Annual Pledge Campaign.

I suppose it’s no surprise that pledging to support First Parish is just a natural part of our family life. Hope you all will continue to make it a natural part of yours.

You might have heard my name before because I volunteer to help with the Zoom chat with Jan Power. I find that particularly rewarding, because my first experience with First Parish was through Zoom. I explored and joined First Parish during the pandemic.

Like most of you, I felt a bit isolated and alone when the pandemic hit. I work at MathWorks, a software company, in a building with over 2,000 people. I’ve been there for 14 years and many of my friends work there. It was a shock when I couldn’t see the people I normally interacted with daily. I felt a bit unmoored. This led me to looking at churches and wanting to connect with one to get back in touch with myself and a supportive community. I figured my work had made the switch to being virtual, maybe local churches would too?

That is how I discovered First Parish. It was very easy to get the Zoom link and attend. I felt like a lurker in the background for quite a while. People would say Good Morning to each other in the chat and Howard would post questions. I was really, really shy about saying anything. I thought, “They don’t know who I am. If I say Hi, everybody will just be confused.” So, I didn’t say anything.

I loved the services though and longed to be more involved. Then in January 2021, I signed up to study Healing Embodied Racism with Dana Snyder-Grant, CC King, Jiffy Read and Liz Weber. That was an ambitious project to study Resman Menakem’s book, My Grandmother’s Hands, and it was organized as a series of meetings where both smaller and larger study groups would meet. Every Saturday morning became dedicated to exploring my own issues with racism and to support others, particularly members of my smaller group which included Jim Snyder-Grant, Rob Whittlesey and Debra Dunnington. For me, this was a powerful experience.

Feeling confident that I wanted to be more connected to the community, I then signed up for the Congregational Life Committee with Jan Power. If you are not familiar with the CLC, this group is deeply committed to First Parish and improving the experience of people new to the community, and I felt at the beginning that my biggest role was telling everyone what that experience was like for newcomers during the pandemic and advocating for moving people from “I feel awkward” to “I can join in” faster.

I pledged early in 2021 when I wasn’t yet a member and there was no path to membership for me. I pledged because Howard asked me to show my support of First Parish, and I did it. I had never set foot in the church when I did that, but I certainly felt connected to the community.

First Parish built a strong connection to each other, but also to a new online community, because we don’t need to be physically in a church to be in community. First Parish never went on hiatus. It was always in operation, even if the building was closed. Thank you so much for continuing to be the strong church you are throughout the pandemic.

Thanks to the efforts of Lillian Anderson and Susan See I was able to sign the book during the pandemic, I’m now a member and proud of it. I am grateful for the connections I have with some of you and look forward to building more. I want to ask you to join me in saying “Good morning” on Zoom, if you’ve been a little shy about doing that. And I want you to join me in pledging this year. Let’s celebrate the connections we built in 2021, but also what we want to build in the future.

When I was 12, my mom and I went to the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly. I had the unique opportunity to meet other UU kids from different states and experience New Orleans. Thanks to technology, I even reached out to a friend when I was in Seattle many years later. Additionally, I was warmly welcomed by delegates from First Parish despite being the only person under 40. I feel that same warmth throughout this community, especially those involved in Grubs place, an original musical written by a member about an inclusive bug colony. 

Even many years later, in the face of COVID and uncertainty, I’ve been able to connect. A couple of weeks ago, when I was in the building making pizza with friends at youth group, Dawn handed me the mask I made for Coming Of Age. It was half-finished. I planned to complete it at our next meeting, but we didn’t have a next meeting. Not one in person at least. Before the pandemic, I went to City Reach wearing my Taylor Swift shirt in honor of her birthday. And got to sing Shake It Off with the handful of people who saw my shirt and burst into song. I got to speak to a patient man, Pedro, in my broken Spanish. I got to see the kind woman who had offered me a seat out of the sun last year at Common Cathedral. With the support of my mentor, I was able to finish out COA on zoom feeling content despite sharing my credo and singing a song from my house. I also enjoyed singing for the zoom service led by youth group. When the world collapsed, youth group was a constant that allowed me to create strong connections. Connections that have lasted despite people graduating. 

A member of this congregation even remembered these performances and brought it up when I introduced myself, just as people have remembered my name from a pastoral care card. I bet it was memorable because of all of the spelling errors, but it’s an amazing feeling nonetheless. I’m helping out with RE this year and heard a kid asked after me during the second week. I had connected with him, but more importantly, as a first-grader, he already felt seen in this community just as I have time and time again. 

I have become more involved in the issues of immigration, and the climate through connections made within the walls of this congregation. I’ve received warm greetings on zoom because someone has known me since I was in first grade. This congregation is special. My incredible experience has been because of all of you and your generosity. I have had so many awesome opportunities and I hope those can continue for the kids I have the pleasure of seeing at RE and many more to come. So, thank you for your generosity. 

If anyone wants to talk to me, I will be at coffee hour, but not until after gospel ensemble, yet another way I stay connected to myself and this congregation.

Our six-year-old son, Rick, told me that when he went to a friend’s house they prayed before meals, and he felt embarrassed because he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. I realized I had been negligent about our children’s religious education and needed to do something!

We had recently moved to Concord, and I heard that First Parish had a great R.E. program, so decided to check out this church. On my first Sunday I was greeted warmly and decided to enroll our kids in the R.E. classes. It was a good decision; I was happy to find a church that had a program that aligned with our beliefs and values, and that wouldn’t try to indoctrinate our children into any creed.

They did have wonderful and meaningful experiences in the R.E. program, but in the meantime, we found that this was a spiritual community we wanted for ourselves too. The key word is community, and we have made many different connections here that have enriched our lives in numerous ways.

I remember something that Jan Devor, a former R.E. Director here, said that made an impression on me. She said that research has shown that for optimal happiness, people need at least three different places where they make connections and friends. That could be extended families, school, work, shared hobbies, and more – but church is an excellent place to do that, and I’ve certainly found that to be true. First Parish is where I’ve found a very caring community of people who share the values I hold most dear, but who also challenge me to grow, ask questions, be open to new ideas, and to be my best self. It has also allowed me to acquire new skills, and confidence in my ability to be a leader.

Over the years I’ve developed deep friendships here with people I have come to consider my second family. The many Ferry Beach and Women’s retreats I’ve attended have been wonderful opportunities to get to know fellow parishioners on a deeper level than can happen at coffee hour. Singing with the choir has been a truly joyful experience that feeds my spirit. Serving on committees that work to support the church or make the world a better place has given me a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie. Being involved with our Transylvanian partnership has been hugely rewarding and has expanded my worldview; before coming here I never would have imagined I would have the opportunity to make good friends on the other side of the world!

These are just some of the many ways that I’ve made connections at First Parish that have enriched my life. These connections have been especially important and sustaining during these past two difficult years of social isolation during Covid. I’m so grateful to have found my church home here and can’t imagine my life without it. That’s why Stoney and I are happy to make a generous pledge each year to support this wonderful institution and the important work it does. I hope that you will all feel inspired to do the same.

Watch Satya’s discussion with Paula Cole-Jones, one of the originators of this initiative.

Weekly tasks include Sunday morning set-up in the church sanctuary, filming and recording the one-hour service (10:00-11:00 am), livestreaming on YouTube, and any preparatory or follow-up tech work needed that morning or during the week.

Must be experienced in filming and audio recording. Must be comfortable running two cameras simultaneously with fades, including real-time audio, while livestreaming. Familiarity with church services helpful but not necessary. Work 5-7 hours per week; $150-200 per week, depending on experience; paid as a contractor.

This position is best shared by two people who could trade off Sunday mornings.

COVID precautions: We will be indoors, masked, and distanced. All worship leaders and choir members are expected to have been vaccinated. The congregation has a high vaccination rate as well.

First Parish in Concord is a liberal Unitarian Universalist congregation that is welcoming to employees who are not religious or follow other religious paths.

Please email Fifi Ball, fball@firstparish.org, for more information and to apply. No phone calls please.

Now, to me, that was extraordinary, it was over and above what you would think of as welcoming.  But it made such a difference in my life.  It meant to me that this was a group of people who cared and who showed their caring.  And I’m sure that during your time here at First Parish, you have moments just like that.

The other thing that I feel so strongly about, is that First Parish, it’s not only about getting, it’s about giving, it’s about giving back.  And also that there are opportunities for spiritual growth and to take risk in leadership.  What I mean by that is that I was approached when I was just newly there to take leadership positions, with really no background or skill in doing it, but with the trust that I was in a safe place and that I had the opportunity to try something that I might not be able to anywhere else.  Whether it’s on a committee or in a show, it really doesn’t matter, it’s all about building trust and working together as a community. 

So, that was the past.  I want to talk a little bit about the present and the future.  We’re here now in a moment of time when we have an extraordinary group of lay leaders.  I see it everywhere I look.  I see it in the Standing Committee, I see it in the Social Action groups that have formed, and the Youth Group, and this newly formed Congregational Life Committee.  This is an opportunity for all of us to change ourselves and to shape this institution that we love. 

This institution has been around for a long time.  But the only way that it will continue is if we continue to place our faith and trust in ourselves and in the institution.  So, think about what you can do to give back to this place that nurtures and strengthens all of us.  I think we are here right now, we are here together.  And even though we are in this moment of pandemic when we can’t be with one another, what we can do is we can dream about the future together.  We can think about what it will be like to be in the Parish Hall together to greet each other again, look around and see each other, and know that we will be there for each other.  Thank you.

This is what First Parish has done so well this year. Churches are about gathering, sharing, connection and showing up. Pretty everything to which COVID said: “not so much”. My goodness what a challenge for all of us in so many aspects of our lives. And, yet, First Parish has done a remarkable job in persevering and even finding joy the moment. Let me give a couple of examples…

When we suffered a family tragedy last March, we were lifted up and held by members of the First Parish community who came forward to share their journeys with us so we might begin to find our way. Indeed, this is the true measure of a community, when those whom you don’t know well “show up” for you to share a mile or two with you. We will be forever grateful.

The Immigrant Justice Task Force has always been a model of “rolling up one’s sleeves, and showing up”, whether as sanctuary volunteers, standing vigil outside of the local ICE office, bearing witness on the border, or bringing professional expertise to bear in order to support immigrants in need. When COVID came, direct action was no longer possible, the members of IJTF simply found new and powerful ways to show up. The next time you see one of the IJTF members, ask them what they have been up to and you will be amazed. Perseverance is showing up for the day that faces you, and not the day as you’d like it to be.

And a shout out to all those who in the time of COVID wrote letters and postcards urging people to vote. Sitting down to write letters and postcards may not have the visceral satisfaction of attending a rally, but don’t tell me after Georgia that letters and postcards can’t change the course of history. And to all of those members of FP who wrote letters, let me express my gratitude.

Even Zoom which many of us initially thought we’d loath has opened up new opportunities, and I love how the FP staff has embraced the new technology with humor, grace and creativity, and modeled for all of us that if your heart is in the right place, it doesn’t matter if it isn’t perfect. And that in itself is a great lesson for all of us.

Howard’s bible study classes (is that ok to say to a group of Unitarians?) have been a rich addition to those of us who have participated in them. First, of all, I love hearing Howard riff on the New Testament. I always come away with a fresh perspective or a new thought to chase down. But, they are a really wonderful opportunity to spend 90 minutes with fellow parish members, making new friends, learning from each other, feel ok admitting confusion, or sharing our moments of clarity, and more generally connecting not only with them, but also with the countless other generations who have wrestled with the same words well. For me, it has been a true gift because I feel drawn to the material, and I can imagine that this will be an important focus of my life going forward

All of which is to say that this past year, the FP church and parish has run with perseverance the race that COVID set out for all us, and not only persevered but helped us all find joy and meaning that we could in this segment of our collective race. And for that I am grateful, and I am sure you share my sense of gratitude.

Passover and Palm Sunday
Sunday, March 28, 10:00 a.m.
Jesus was in Jerusalem for Passover when the events of Easter Week begin.  His conflict with the Roman Government comes to a head—but we don’t hear that part of the story.

Regular Zoom link for Sunday worship.

Maundy Thursday Service 
Thursday, April 1, 7:30 pm
Join Jesus in a secluded room with his closest friends as he warns them all of the danger they are in, even as he tends to their needs. Please have some bread and wine/grape juice near you for our communion together.

Zoom link available in FP Weekly.

Tenebrae Service—Good Friday
Friday, April 2, 7:30 p.m.
Mourn Jesus’ death on the cross at this solemn service. Feel the despair and the bewilderment of Jesus’ friends as they say farewell to his life and his ministry.  Please have candlelight as your only light source for this service.

Zoom link available in FP Weekly.

Easter Sunday
Sunday, April 4, 10:00 am
Celebrate the story of Jesus’ resurrection. Rejoice with his friends that love is stronger than death. Feel the places in your life where you can come alive again.

Regular Zoom link for Sunday worship.

The many losses of Covid-19 have not only touched my academic life. A few years ago on the most recent pilgrimage trip, I visited Szekelykeresztur with my father, and I can say it was life changing. First Parish and the partner church committee opened up a huge door for both of us. The friendships formed over there mean a great deal to me. Over the last summer I was to spend six weeks living with a family in Szekelykeresztur, immersing myself into the culture and becoming more deeply connected to the church community there, but of course that trip was cancelled. To not be able to return and reconnect was very upsetting.

Although I cannot visit them very soon, I have found observing their community and learning to appreciate how they live to still be beneficial to me today. I noticed when I was over there that without fail, the youth from their church, whether they were 12 or 18, would come hang out with us and listen to European club music, play games, or dance and just have fun. It didn’t matter if they had school the next day or not, they always found the time. Growing up in America, I’ve always learned that I need to devote most of my time to and always prioritize work. And while they certainly took their education seriously, they hit a wonderful balance between school and life that allowed them to take advantage of the opportunity of getting to know us. Witnessing this community’s approach to work has been very helpful. Specifically, finding a college has been an especially difficult process this year, but being able to identify elements that I like about the Transylvanians’ community, like being able to work but also have lots of fun together and taking time to be spontaneous, and then seeing if I can find them in a school has helped guide me to understanding what I personally want out of a community.

First Parish offered me a life changing experience. Traveling with other parishioners to a different culture, despite the years that have passed, remains incredibly relevant and enriching in my life, and I am so grateful for that.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Leah Russell and I grew up in the UU tradition.  Several years ago, when it was time to find my UU church for my family, I knew it wouldn’t be easy to find a place that was as naturally comfortable for me as the one I grew up in.  After all, that church had surrounded me since before I could remember.  I also knew, that I would not be considering First Parish in Concord!  It was too big.  There were too many people for an introvert like me to find connection.  So, with that in mind, I went about spending time with some of the smaller UU congregations in the area. But none of them were really the right place for me.  So, I decided to broaden my search and, one day, a little over five years ago, I came to check out First Parish in Concord…knowing it wasn’t right for me, mind you…but so I could at least check it off the list.

Well, here I am.  So, obviously my instincts were wrong.  The stars were aligned, I was smitten, and this community has been nourishing my soul every Sunday (and the days in between) since then. 

This past year has been so hard for all of us.  Adding to the difficulties of the pandemic last year, my family also dealt with a months-long health struggle which sent my already-upside down pandemic world spinning further out of control.

But, we got through it.  Thanks in part to you.  To this community.  In-person sure would have been a lot better, but Zoom church on Sundays always helped me find the strength for the week.  And members of this congregation supported me as well.   I am so grateful you have been there for me.  Thank you.

But let’s get back to the purpose at hand…pledging.  Harkening back to my first months at First Parish five years ago.  One Sunday was “Celebration Sunday”.  And THAT sounded like fun.  Little did I know, it was the Sunday we pledge to the Annual Campaign, which was probably a good thing.  I am usually very cautious with money and rarely make spur of the moment decisions about spending.  So there I was, pledge card in hand without a plan.  And then, I did the most un-Leah-like thing ever.  I filled it in with a dollar amount that was out of my comfort zone and handed it in before I could change my mind.

That worked!  And it has been my pledging philosophy ever since.  To push my pledge amount to a place that feels a little uncomfortable.  So far, the execution has been painless.  The fact is, finances adjust accordingly.  Once the money is pledged, it’s gone and I still find ways to do the things I need to.

I pledge for the joy of being part of this supportive and vibrant community.  I pledge for the countless social action initiatives that are so necessary for the future of our world.  I pledge for each child who is shaped by our R.E. program.  As long as I can, I will continue to increase my pledge each year to a place that is a little out of my comfort zone, and this year, in particular I am planning to pledge more than I might have, knowing that some in our congregation may have to cut back as a result of the pandemic.  I hope those of you that can, will join me in pledging just a little more than is comfortable, so that First Parish not only survives, but that it thrives.

I know I don’t have to tell anybody here this, but this has been such an unprecedented, and challenging, year. And it’s no less true for all of us here at church. As great as our online services are… for me (and I suspect others of you as well) there’s just no substitute for all of us, sitting in the pews of our beautiful meetinghouse, experiencing the service, together.

Well I’m not here just to yearn for something we lost and haven’t yet regained. What’s on my mind is the amazing effort and work of so many people that make up this community. Folks who have consistently gone above and beyond, working on behalf of something bigger than themselves. Work for the good of the church, for our children and for others that need our help, I am humbled by those that have stepped up as heroes during this time

For example, you might not really know this, but RE is alive and well and there’s true, innovative programming happening right now. Programs such as Seaguull, COA, youth group and many more.

And speakingof innovating, our music leaders have found creative ways to bring the voices of our congregation together during this time when we are all physically distanced. This I know has been a huge effort.

And one of the most important and energetic pillars of our church life, social action, is still doing amazing work to make our world a better place. Initiatives, workshops and other activism around racial, immigrant and environmental justice (just to name a few) have been running in force.

In addition the demand for pastoral care, for both ministers and lay ministers alike, I am told has never been greater in recent memory.

There are a few other — sort of under-the-radar but also very important — initiatives in progess that you might not have heard about, including the Congregational Life Committee, as well as the future of the Wright Tavern.

And of course there are so many folks just working to keep the lights on: including our amazing and dedicated staff, the finance committee and the annual campaign team.

And it’s the work of all these folks — and please forgive me for all the important programs and projects I didn’t mention — but it’s the dedication and the effort and the many, many extra miles — that make our church, our community and our world a better place — especially in this, the most trying time for many of us, of our entire lives. This is what touches my heart. This is what we are supporting when we pledge in the Annual Campaign. Something bigger than ourselves; something that makes a difference in our community; something that makes the world a better place.

So please join me in honoring all of the heroes in our community who have stepped up this year in so manyways to further the mission and the vision of First Parish. We can honor them by pledging in the Annual Campaign. My family is going to increase our pledge this year, and I invite you to do the same, if you can. But regardless of the size of your pledge, it is important to pledge, if you can, at whatever level is right for you. We can’t do it without you.

So I want to thank you for your attention here today. And I look forward to seeing you all, gathered together, in the pews once again, some day soon.

Thank you.

Last fall was pretty rough for my family here in Concord: Jan’s brother Bill died unexpectedly; our son Duncan, living here with us, fought off Covid-19; and I lost my job.  You’ll remember that our country seemed to be shaking itself apart at the seams.  Simple rituals like hugging and holding hands disappeared.   I often felt unmoored;  I turned inward, and while I meditated and read more, it was difficult to quiet the distracting blizzard of anxiety, fear, and sadness.

Through all of that, the First Parish community revealed itself again to be at the core of who I am in this world.  Our community embraces me when I am kind and patient, AND when I am short tempered and aggravated.   Even during these Zoom times, I build meaningful bridges to you all by participating in courses like Beloved Conversations, or Transforming Hearts, or by attending General Assembly, or by chairing your Standing Committee.  I am reminded that people have suffered and endured FAR worse hardships.  I have begun to see that the recognition of my privilege and position as a white man is an invitation to listen, to step out of the center, and to work even harder for justice.  And with the support of you, my dear and dependable friends and allies at First Parish, I can perform that most sacred alchemy of all: I can turn my own despair into hope, my inner chaos into peace, and my personal losses into deep meaning.  I can evolve, open my mind to possibility, and marvel at the wonder of it all.  I can come back to First Parish again and again for clarity of purpose, inspiration, hope and fellowship.  And maybe most critically, I don’t have to pretend that everything is OK when it isn’t: I can lean on you.

First Parish is my church home – and like my real home, sometimes the roof leaks and we get on each other’s nerves.  But home is also that glowing window in the darkness, the island of peace in the turmoil, and a place of restoration and deep love.   And sitting around the kitchen table, worrying about money, is part of the deal.  This year Jan and I are not going to be able to give to the Annual Campaign at the level we’d like to: but we’re going to give as generously we can.  I know that whatever we give will be more than well spent.

So, until we all receive our “Fauci Ouchy” I wish you all the delight of more sunshine, ever increasing peace of mind, and continued connection-making with each other across these electronic miles.

John and I signed the book in 1988, thirty-three years ago, and First Parish has been an anchor in our lives – raising lively children, empty nesting, losing parents, greeting grandchildren – the full circle of life, which, in my case, has involved bouts of depression when the complexities of family laid me flat.

I started regularly attending summer services in 2002, when my mother was dying, and I needed the quiet hour to re-collect myself.

COVID has brought similar challenges.  Beth said several weeks ago, in times of uncertainty, ritual grounds us.  Lighting the chalice, in our remote sanctuaries, speaking Paul Sawyer’s marvelous chalice response, Spirit of Life, our benediction, these are rituals I can count on, and unlike the rituals of the Episcopalian Church in which I grew up, they don’t ask me to say things I don’t believe.

The annual pledge is a similar ritual, which ties us together and to this church.

I’ve always been interested in knowing how organizations work, so knowing First Parish’s budget and knowing the size of our congregation helps John and me figure where we belong in the pledging spectrum.  We try to give at a level that feels good, that reflects the importance of First Parish in our lives and, we hope, enables us to regularly grow our commitment.

I encourage you to look into what is the right level for you. This is an important part of my life, and I expect in yours as well if you’re watching right now. We’re in a stream of humanity that has made it a priority to keep this place going.

Happy morning, and I look forward to seeing your real faces before long.

All First Parish congregation members, now and in the future, can use our coupon code to individually enroll in the course—SAC has purchased access for the entire congregation for the life of the course.

Email Sarah Burns in the office for the coupon code and access instructions.

Let me start by telling you a quick story.  You’ve probably have heard this, but it bears repeating.  There once were 3 blind people and an elephant.  They were asked to describe what the elephant looks like.  One felt its ear and said an elephant is like a big leaf.  One felt its side, and said an elephant is like a big curved wall.  And the third felt its trunk and said an elephant was like a big snake.  But how could that be?  Who was right?  Hmmmm  I guess they all were.

I tell you this story because it describes my history at First Parish.  When I first got involved, my kids were in high school, and I had just lost both of my brothers.  I came to First Parish because I wanted something more than a therapist.  I was one of those people who sat up in the balcony and didn’t stay for coffee hour.  I knew a few people. The services were just what I needed then.

Several years later, I was asked to try out for one of the Beck Plays – It was “This Song’s for You.”  Remember that?  Over the years, I got involved in more plays and a lot of programs and projects, like the Organ project, Social Action Council, the Treasurer, Standing Committee, and more. I found that I had a singing voice when I joined the choir.  I developed many deep friendships and found an incredible group of the smartest, kindest, most caring people I’ve ever known. And most important, I met my wife Martha at one of our Church auctions. We got married in the church surrounded by friends and family.

Over the years I’ve gotten to know a lot about First Parish. But, more important, I have found something that is bigger than I ever thought.  It is more than a leaf, a wall or a snake, and in these times of serious stress and disconnections, I have found comfort and hope.  But, I am worried now that if we don’t continue to support First Parish through our pledges, our legacy gifts and our involvement, it may not be able to provide to others what it has given me.

So this is why Martha and I have increased our pledge, we have met the 520 challenge.  Since we are closing the direct pledge campaign, if you have pledged, thank you.  If you want to increase you pledge because of what our amazing staff have been doing for us during these times, I encourage you to do so.  If you haven’t pledged, why not?  And why not now?  We have pledged an amount that is more than I have ever given to any organization, and you know what, I feel really good about this.  I hope that you can do the same and continue to feed our “elephant” (even though many of us are not Republicans), so it can continue to prosper and do what it does so well for each of us.

Thank you.

Tom Wilson

One weekday, hoping for comfort, I dropped in at church. The building was filled with the sound of carpenters hammering, but nobody was in sight. I made my way up to the sanctuary to stand beneath the pulpit and face the dark pews. Around the room, the pillars holding up the balcony looked round and sturdy, the way they always do. The sun shone through clear glass windows.

“Thank you for being here,” I said out loud, imagining you all listening from the pews. “I needed to be here today. My mother is going blind and she has dementia.”

Somehow I felt encouraged to go on naming my sorrows out loud. I felt your attentive presence. It was deeply comforting.

Two years ago, remembering how much First Parish had meant to me that day, I increased my annual pledge to $1,000. When I took that first step I felt slightly woozy. My family lives on a modest retirement income. What if something drastic came up?

Well, something drastic has come up. And this year, my husband and I increased our pledge by 20%. Just yesterday, my brother-in-law died of suspected coronavirus. My feeling today is that I need this church more than ever.

Thank you.

For me it was a bit reversed. My life was changed almost the minute I became truly involved here. My wife Ellen and I had been members for many years. But with a business and family I had little time or energy to devote to First Parish. When we first joined 18 years ago I saw a notice regarding our partnership in Transylvania, and an upcoming trip there. It was an immediate spark of interest for me; of possibilities, of connection, of something more. But it only took 16 more years (I move slowly) to realize that interest. My daughter Anna and I joined the very special family pilgrimage in 2018. Following that I was completely immersed in helping plan and host their remarkable visit here this last fall.

This summer Anna, along with Dawn Van Patten’s daughter Simone, were scheduled to go there for 6 weeks helping at various youth camps and learning their culture more fully. And this fall I was to return to Keresztúr for a reunion of the dance troupe. These two trips will likely be delayed but they will happen. The 2018 trip did change Anna’s and my lives. We became very close with our fellow pilgrims, and we gained so many new friends there as well. For me it is through these deep human relations that the mysteries of life, and the challenges and opportunities, are best addressed, especially in these uncertain and difficult times. Human connection is the most important thing.

The partnership with Szekelykeresztúr and its people is so special for First Parish, and our friends there, and I plan to do my part to keep it strong for as long as I can.  And my daughter Anna’s depth of engagement there will only increase over time as well. First Parish, and all the work done by so many of you over so many years, has provided my daughter and me with these life-changing opportunities. Truly priceless. We thank you, we thank the church.

I am now happily ensconced in the Partnership Committee, and my First Parish involvement is picking up speed in other areas. I am just scratching the surface of what most all of you already know better than I, that this church supports, enhances, and changes lives.

Please pledge generously during this year’s campaign.  Every pledge helps us meet our budget.  If you can stretch this year, please give more than last year.  Everyone who increases their pledge by $520 or more—that’s $10 dollars a week—will be entered in a raffle for a prize.  Ellen and I reconsidered our pledge this year for all the reasons I just listed.  We hope you all will too.

Thank you for your generosity!

Thirty five years ago, when I first came here, I had been a single mother for many years. My children had entered their teen years and having had a positive church experience as a child, I set out to find a church home.  It wasn’t until I cried with relief and recognition through several services that I began to understand how narrow my world had become just trying to hold our lives together. I was worn down on all sides. I realized that I had lost touch with being the adult I wanted to be. I had become fearful of trying.

It was quite a few weeks before I ventured to coffee hour and might not have ever returned had it not been for the legendary Lucille Needham’s touching my elbow and asking me to assist with coffee service the next week. Lucille taught me how to pour coffee from the silver pot to the precarious cup and saucer without making a mess. At that moment, I became a member.

Feeling like one belongs is very powerful. I slowly took on responsibilities and participated in many events from ushering to Membership to acting with the First Parish Players. What is important about working with others here is that each is an opportunity to stretch, be creative or vulnerable in some way and if I’m off beat, you have been pleasant and supportive anyway.

I have learned from you how to be present, how to be the person I am, how to be a friend and how to accept the help you have offered us when we have needed it.

Richard and I were married here 30 years ago. We brought together two households with four wonderful teenagers. We are thrilled that Caroline and Artur’s family and Jason and Michelle’s families are now active members here.

Have courage we say. Thank you for the encouragement. . You, my church, have made all the difference. I am endlessly grateful. This is my church home.  This is why we give as generously as we can each year. And we are going to continue giving. No Sun City for us!  We will be here for a while.

We began attending First Parish almost 5 years ago. This was after years of gentle prodding by my childhood friend Carolyn Copp. 

Lisa: Phil was raised Catholic and I wasn’t raised in a church at all. For a long time, I had an interest in the UU church and had learned just enough about it to think it could be a place where we could grow spiritually and find others who shared our values. We were even married by a UU minister, but we never took the time from the busyness of life to take the step of actually attending a service until that Easter Sunday five years ago. Our daughter Elena was then six, and our desire to find a grounding community for her gave us the push we needed. 

Phil: Lisa and I believe in the adage “It takes a village to raise a child”, and we were looking for a broader community of people and ideas for her, beyond that of her formal education and even our circle of friends and family. 

Over the years, First Parish has become an important part of our lives, both individually and as a family. 

Lisa: Elena and I both sing in the choirs. Elena loves the communal aspect of choir, and she sings with gusto! I’m a musician who hadn’t sung for many years before joining the choir this fall. It has been a wonderful way to get to know more of you through my deep love of and connection to music. 

In addition, you all supported us when we suffered the losses of each of my parents over the course of the past three years. 

Phil: When Elena performed in Grub’s Place two years ago, she developed lasting friendships ‐ with friends of all ages. This is when we knew for sure that First Parish was a special and important home for her. 

As with most things, Elena says it better than I can. One Sunday, after Elena had performed with the Chalice Choir, a woman ‐ whom we hadn’t met ‐ approached us and complimented Elena on her singing. Elena turned to us and said, “That’s what I love about First Parish. Everyone is family, even if you’ve never met them!” 

Lisa: For us, the Religious Exploration program is a big part of what makes First Parish special. It has been a place for Elena to make new friends, and has provided our family a foundation for talking about ideas and values that are important to us. 

By teaching in RE, we’ve had the chance to get to know many of the kids in Elena’s grade. I’ve had the privilege of seeing each grow in different ways, accepted and embraced for who 

they are and where they are. From studying Thoreau to Middle OWL to Neighboring Activists, RE has enriched our family as a whole. We’re looking forward to Neighboring Faiths, more OWL!, and Coming of Age ‐ all yet to come. 

Phil: RE does not charge tuition, so we rely on your pledge to sustain and grow our Religious Exploration program. 

For Elena ‐ and all the children ‐ please give generously. We thank you for your support.

Below is the fifth in a series of letters to First Parish from some interesting “personalities” about this year’s pledge campaign and appearing as inserts in the Sunday order of service. This one is from March 17. All are posted on: firstparish.org/campaign.

Hey—

Will it be you? Or him? I can’t wait to see who’s going to Fenway Park with me!

I just found out I’m up as a raffle prize and I’ll be taking two lucky winners to see the Red Sox play against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, April 28th. (We can squeeze in church that day, too.) We get another chance to show the Rays who’s the top of the league after they bested us last August.

How do you win me? Simply pledge, which I know you were going to do anyway, and attend the free all-church Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 23 to enter the raffle. I hear there will be First Parish Celebrity Chefs flipping pancakes to feed parishioners from 8 AM to 11 AM. Bring the whole family!

In all fairness, I’m not the only goody in the Reach High, Reach Wide Prize Raffle. You could also win tickets to a performance of Miss Saigon in Boston or The Band’s Visitin Providence or a $50 gift certificate to the Concord Bookshop. Children get tickets to another raffle to win decorated beach balls. Wow, there’s all sorts of earthly and spiritual rewards for pledging at First Parish.

Once you win my tickets, we’ll sing out, Root, Root, Root for the home team. If they don’t win, it’s a shame because it’s one, two three strikes you’re out for the old ballgame.

Come harmonize with me at the Pledgers Pancake Breakfast at First Parish. You can also pledge at the breakfast for the 2019-2020 Pledge Campaign as only lucky pledging attendees win me!

Rooting for you,
Red Sox Tickets

“We’re living in a period where a lot of shocking things are happening in our daily lives. It puts tremendous stress on people and on our institutions. How do we nurture spiritual communities that prepare us for resiliency, compassion and collective strength? This is a question we need to answer.”

~ UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray

Dearest,

Isn’t it beautiful to know that you—and every member of First Parish— is not alone in this world? We live in difficult times, but your values are raised up and magnified by all of us in Boston and beyond who are working to give life to our Seven Principles. We do this through the UUA Annual Program Fund, which is the epitome of Reach High, Reach Wide, the theme for your 2019-2020 Annual Pledge Campaign.

I suspect some of you wonder if it’s worth paying our line item in your budget. Let me tell you why we’re deserving. We are the glue that connects you to the interdependent web of more than 1,000 churches across the country that practice Unitarian Universalism. Having a centralized resource gives us a strength, voice and depth of experience that no single church can achieve on its own. TheUUA Annual Program Fund enables organized UU faith, minister credentialing, service trips, UU publishing ventures, General Assembly and religious outreach, giving us many tentacles into the world to do good.

The UUA creation of the Love Resists Campaign is one example of how we work out in the world. By engaging UU and other supportive leaders to raise their voices against racism, xenophobia, bigotry and injustice, Love Resists is helping people of faith and conscience to expand the concept of “sanctuary” across the country, making our shared communities safer for all of us, in particular for those who are most at risk. So far, 15,000 UUs, some from First Parish, have joined in the effort.

We are always working behind the scenes for First Parish. For instance, we supported your ministerial transition a few years ago, providing an interim minister and helping the search committee to design a job description and compensation package that resulted in the hiring of Rev. Howard Dana. We assist with administrative stuff, too, like salary surveys or providing RE curriculum, or creating safe-church policies to protect congregants and staff, to name a few.

What does this cost you? We ask each congregation to contribute about 6.75% of their annual operating budget to the UUA Program Fund. As one of the largest UU churches, that comes to $64,332

for fiscal year 2019-2020 for First Parish. We thank you for your past contributions, which I’d like to acknowledge have been a struggle for you to make in the last 15 years. It humbles us to see how steadfastly you’ve increased your contribution in recent years to, currently, 68% of what we need. We appreciate your trust in our shared mission and your covenant with our wider faith.

We look forward to celebrating once First Parish in Concord joins the UUA’s Honor Roll for contributing 100% of its request to the UUA Annual Program Fund. Wishing you the best of luck in raising enough pledges to allow us all to reach high and wide.

Warmly,
UUA Annual Fund

We have a term in my improvisational practice, InterPlay.   The word is Group Body and it refers to a sense of combined presence, greater then the sum of its parts.   We say that the group body is expansive enough to hold us no matter how loud and outrageous we are and flexible enough to hold us when we’re small or broken.

I’ve been coming to First Parish a very long time, since I was in high school.  But not regularly for many of those early years.   I was a fringe dweller – not certain of commitment. A change in the benediction brought belief that this is a community that adapts to its members.   We used to end with, “Honor all people”.   To me this felt uncomfortable, restrictive and exclusive of much of life on the planet.   One day I wrote to Gary Smith suggesting an alternative: “Honor all beings”. I don’t know what changed the benediction, but I do know that when the benediction changed I felt able to ‘sign the book’, to officially join this flexible inclusive community.

I lost my sister to cancer many years ago.  Her death left a devastating hole.  In 2018 we started a cancer support group at First Parish.   Holding company with those living with cancer is a gift that comes through my hole of loss.  I’m so grateful for our cancer support group – you who touch my heart and teach me wisdom and courage with hearty doses of humor each time we meet.

In the last handful of years it has been our racial justice work that has called me to deep uncomfortable places to ask questions of myself and our community – to challenge my place in white supremacy.  I feel so grateful to those in this church who continue this hard work – it’s not easy work.  And I’m grateful to our worship team for reminding us of our commitment to addressing the hierarchical system with our church and our UU community.

First Parish is a group body flexible enough to hold us when we’re outrageous and striving and tender enough to hold us when we’re broken and in pain.   This community will challenge us to roar with conviction for justice.  First Parish will invite us to sigh into worship and rest.   With food, laughter, music and companionship, First Parish enables us to stir up the yummy nourishment of friendship and renewal.  For these I give.  This community lives based on our commitment to support. May we all give.

Carolyn and I have lived in Carlisle for almost all of those years, about half of which as members of First Parish. Our neighbor Eunice Knight told us that we had to hear this preacher named Gary Smith. We came. We listened. An hour later we signed the book.

First Parish is our theological, spiritual, and often our social home. We UU’s are not trinitarians, which is to say we do not recognize in our liturgy the divinity of Jesus. We are just what the word says, Unitarians, smack in the Jewish tradition of one God: “Sh’ma Yisra’eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Take apart the Hebrew words for Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Day of Atonement, and we have the day of at one ment. We are right at home here, true to the tradition we came with, and only a short walk from that old school building. Einstein said that there are no coincidences.

At First Parish we feel at one with dozens of our fellow parishioners and, if you will, with God. We are all in this together. Remember what Howard did even before we paid him a cent? He turned around and wrote us back a check. What an example of giving, of recognizing that, as Jenny used to remind us, this place is not a charity. If we come here regardless of the venue or the reasons we must dedicate our resources to not only its maintenance and health but also to its very existence.

Our family gives half of our annual charitable contributions to First Parish, which is to say that to this one institution we give as much each year as we do to the two or three dozen other places on our list. Once or twice we have had to borrow money to honor the request and now our habit of a little more every year. First Parish is in our will.

Finally, check out once again our benediction, which is why First Parish first gathered in 1635—imagine just a few years after the Pilgrims found Plymouth—and has survived fire and flood to still be here going out into the world, having courage, holding on to what is good and treating all beings as what they are: creatures of this marvelous creation called life and world.

As William Faulkner said in his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, we will do more than merely survive. First Parish will prevail. When we signed the book we agreed to support this institution which runs partly on faith, but faith does not pay the bills. Amen.

Third in a series of letters from some First Parish “personalities” about this year’s pledge campaign and appearing as inserts in the Sunday order of service.  This one is from March 3. 

Dear Parishioner,

Whoopee! We are off to a high-flying start for this year’s Annual Pledge Campaign. Thank you!

I feel so good about you, and your recognition that pledges determine First Parish’s operating budget—our ability to provide reasonable increases to staff compensation and cover mounting operating costs. You step up!

It’s humbling to work with generous folks, especially those of us who labor to make ends meet. We are an economically diverse spiritual community, and I appreciate every dollar each of you pledges. Thank you!

I’m a straight-shooter yet I’ve struggled with how to best present our financial picture and give you guidelines on what to pledge if you haven’t done so already. Try this: Take a look at your household budget. Does it reflect how much you value your spiritual community? How does your pledge compare, for instance, to your vacation or grocery budget—do you value the sustenance you get from the church more or less? In the words of parishioner Tom Wilson, “Please give until it feels really good.”

I bow my head in gratitude for all we’ve built so far as I tell you:

It costs more than $2,000 per household to keep our doors open. If you are new to First Parish, or to pledging itself, we suggest a 2019-2020 pledge of $1,000 or more. Every pledge is generous, no matter its size.

For pledges made to First Parish last year, please accept our heartfelt thanks. To accomplish more great things this coming year, we encourage you to reach deeper.

• If your pledge was $1,000 or more last year, please raise it by at least 5%.
• If your pledge was between $0 and $1,000, please consider raising it to $1,000 or higher.

I’m proud we’re a community that fulfills its mission. Each year, pledging at the higher levels of $5,000 or more suffers attrition due to members or friends moving away, retiring, or passing away. It is vital to the financial health of the church that these donors are replaced, and that generous leaders step forward, increasing their pledges significantly to further the work of FP.

Together, let’s reach deep to reach high and wide on Celebration Sunday, and in the coming weeks!

Yours truly,

Bottom Line

Hey-

I heard Meeting House has been bending your ear. By rights, I should have gone first—Compensation is the biggest line item in the budget. She wants you to reach deep so we can reach high—she’s so vain about her dull flaking steeple!—but I want us to reach wide. To embrace the folks who toil on your behalf.

Let me tell you straight out: The people who work here are professionals. Some of them earned advanced degrees so they’re qualified to serve you. Others are so good at their jobs, they are celebrated by fellow churches, asked to lead UUA events. For a surprising number of staff, working with you is a calling. Heady stuff.

Huddle in. Closer. I need to talk about a taboo subject: What people make and why. I’m not going to name names—I am not that crass—but I hope you agree everyone on staff needs to get decently paid. Of course, they love ministering to your spiritual life, educating your kids, comforting you when life’s bleak; organizing your pet project or social action cause; making sure the place runs smoothly and that all the financials are in order, etc. You guys are worth every effort. Truly.

So how do I figure out how to pay them what they’re worth? I look at the UUA salary guidelines for every position, and I move the dollars around until most of these gloriously talented staffers get paid…below the middle of the pack. That’s all I can afford. I want to show them the respect—the compensation—they deserve, but the pledge levels haven’t allowed me to do it.

I admit there’s fallout from this approach. Staff gets burned out, some quit, others feel perpetually underappreciated as well as strapped for cash. Living around here for sure is expensive.  I had to take action, and I hope you support it with your pledge dollars.

I’d like to ink in the new Pastoral Care Minister as a full-time position. Collectively, we’ve enough woes and joys to keep several ministers busy, but I’m only looking to bump up that one job to full-time. Helps to get the best folks to apply, too. We’ve lucked out so far with the people who want to work here. Congregants ask a lot of staff. Don’t they deserve our appreciation?

I didn’t go crazy with my budget as I am a realist. I’ve kept Music and RE stable. The new social action coordinator is still a part-time position. Social action is our metier, yet the growing need for disaster and social justice funds means I will never adequately bankroll this line item. I get teary just thinking about it. Of course, what I can implement depends on how much you give in pledges.

I’m spilling all the beans here so you should know that I’m also keen to give the team a 2% cost-of-living raise because the Consumer Price Index is up 2.1% If we don’t keep up, the staff falls behind on doctor bills, groceries, winter gloves. Okay, you’re right, blatant guilt tripping is not a UU thing. My apologies.

Please pledge generously on Celebration Sunday March 3, or in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,
Comp

Below is the first in a series of letters from various First Parish “personalities” who have some things to say to us about this year’s pledge campaign. Their letters are appearing as blue inserts in the Sunday orders of service. This one from February 17, and subsequent inserts, will also be available on the website at: firstparish.org/campaign.

Good morning!

It’s me—your spiritual home. So great to hear your footsteps in the vestibule this cold winter morning and feel you slide all snuggly into one of my pews. I love people in the house—filling it high and wide! I am here to shelter you. That’s my job, and I’m proud to do it. I’m not bragging, just speaking factually, when I say I’m one of the most important buildings in a town bursting with historic structures. Okay, I’m a little vain about it—do you know there are scads of tourists who visit me?

I’m well cared for, thank you very much, but parts of me are just old, and you know what that means. I’m expensive. And, as I mentioned before, a tiny bit vain. There’s no denying I’m getting shabby at the tippy top. It bothers me—my steeple’s beauty and purpose are part of what makes me unique among Concord’s old buildings. It harkens to everyone who sees it, “Come, a church!” The steeple is supposed to be gilded, painted in gold, like the beacon it is. But, frankly, the re-gilding project gets knocked out of the budget year after year.

Yes, I’m grateful for the repairs and spit and polish I get every week—and that we’re smart enough to try to put money aside each year towards costly long-term maintenance. However, every year the money allocated for taking care of me gets eaten up before attention can be paid to my tippy top. Oh, I understand that every department is on a reduced budget because we didn’t raise enough money last year, but my vanity doesn’t respond to rational arguments. My steeple wants to glow.

I’m getting my hopes up again this year. My crew—Lisa Bennett, Phil D’Amico, and CC King—are asking you to reach deep so we, as a congregation, can reach high and wide. The ‘high’ specifically refers to my steeple, in case no one else mentions that.

Please pledge generously on Celebration Sunday, March 3 or in the coming weeks.

Love,
Meeting House

Explore the differences between our current policy of setting aside 7.5% of pledges to social action and an alternative policy recommended by the Standing Committee.

It is that time each year for all of us to pledge an amount.  And you all know that something is always better than nothing; more better still.  As you think of that amount, please remember what First Parish means to you.  Yours truly could fill the rest of today’s service with thoughts, most of them you likely share.   But you did not show up today to hear my long list, and I can assure you my recitation would not enhance today’s service.  However, I offer one highlight.

Many of you attended the memorial service for David Grayzel, when First Parish opened it heart and its doors to a grieving family and community.  How First Parish helps at the worst of times reminded me of this institution at its best.  I submit that, while we may never know, First Parish helped, by that service, to save lives.

So, between now and Celebration Sunday on March 4—mark your calendars—please remember that your annual pledge—while it supports: this sanctuary, uplifting music, reassuring services, a good sermon every Sunday, and a lot of friendly faces, among so much more—-also helps   save   lives.    I will be at coffee hour if you would like to talk.    Thank you for listening.

R: We’re both self-employed, and financially that means we’ve been up and we’ve been down.

D: Up is better.

R: There were years when we were able to pledge a lot of money to the annual campaign.

D: And years when we couldn’t afford anything more than a few dollars in the plate.

R: But whatever the amount of our contribution, First Parish was here for us.

D: About 2009, we quietly told Melissa Gallo that, because of financial reversals, we had to delay our pledge to the reconstruction of the organ. She said, “that’s okay, you do what you can.”

R: We managed to fulfill that pledge two years later, just 10 days before the final deadline.

D: Many of you know we had a tough time adopting and raising three severely traumatized children.  In 2011, we sold our beloved farmhouse on Fairhaven Road. We told most people we were downsizing because the kids were grown. But that was a face-saving story.

R: The truth is, we sold our house to pay off $300,000 in debt we had incurred to therapeutic schools and doctors and lawyers.  In 2011 we suspended most of our contributions. But the First Parish Community didn’t suspend its friendship, patience and support for us. And in the seven years since 2011, we’ve worked our way back to financial health, and back to contributing more.

D: First Parish was there for us because you were there for First Parish. You, and people who are no longer here. Betty King. Val Holt. Gene Brown. Jenny Rankin. Gary Smith. So many others. And years from now, people who haven’t yet walked through those doors will sustain First Parish, so it can be a source of support, education, justice and joy for future generations.

R: So we repeat to you the message we have always heard here at First Parish: Give what you can, and no matter what you give, we will be here for you.

D: And we ask you on Celebration Sunday to think of giving just a little more.

R: Five percent more.

D: Because to the left and right of you today are people who this year can’t give as much. And in front and in back of you are people who can give more. If we all give what we can – what we REALLY can afford – First Parish will be here for us all, and for generations to come.

In all of the many churches I’ve attended through the years, music was always at the center of my experience.

• I sang in the youth choir in the congregational church where I grew up in Mystic, Connecticut.
• I played guitar for folk masses at my Catholic high school.
• I went to an evangelical Christian college and toured the north-east with a band called Kinship
• And after college I joined the choir in an Episcopal church.

I never stayed in a church longer than a couple of years.  Music always drew me in and filled me up for a little while, but I eventually I always felt the need to move on.

After many starts and stops, I stopped going to church all together.   But after Jay and I had our kids, we wanted to join a faith community.  A friend told us about First Parish.  I walked in and heard this wonderful choir and was mesmerized!  We began coming regularly.

When our kids grew up and became a little more independent, I took the step to join the choir.  And wow.  Choir is amazing.  Beth, of course, is a wonderful musician and director.  But she is truly a minister as well.  Beth always explains to us the historical context and message of each piece we sing.  And because of that we feel connected to the music and to the theme of the service.

Jay and I also sing in Gail’s Contemporary Vocal Ensemble.  CVE is a smaller group and we sing in a circle, so we can connect and really hear each other.  Gail, like Beth, reminds us that we are not “performing” in the Sunday service.  It’s not about us as singers…it’s about ministry and connection.  Connecting with each other, and with all of you in the congregation.

I am so blessed to be here.  It is such a huge gift to be able to participate in the music programs here at First Parish.  Beside the fact that I’m basically getting free voice lessons, the music feeds my soul.

Jay and I are increasing our annual pledge this year.   This community is important to us and we have made our pledge a priority.  When we come here we are refreshed.  We are challenged.  We breathe deeply when we sing.  We are home.

This year, I’m a mentor for our 9^th graders in their Coming of Age program, I’ve listened to their discussions. I participated in their service trip to Common Cathedral in Boston and their overnight here at the church. This group is thoughtful and caring. They support each other, and they have fun together.

I was describing them to another member at an event recently and he said Oh I had that group for OWL last year. They are a great group.

The thing is, this group didn’t just come out of nowhere. Most of them are very familiar faces at First Parish. You’ve seen them grow up. I think this group and their dynamic represents one of the important outcomes possible at First Parish.

It gives me hope that our Religious Education Program introduces our children to the diversity of cultures and wisdom in the world.

It engages them in the process of determining for themselves what they value. Our church is also a physical space that can hold special memories for them. For my daughter Ava those include

• Candlelight services at Christmas
• Knowing the nooks and crannies of this building

I believe these are gifts that will ground our children and broaden their experiences and thinking. In return, I know my future will benefit because there are young people like them going out into the world.

There are plenty of institutions and decision makers in our country and world that make me despair for young people, but not here. First Parish, gives me hope. Your pledge is what makes First Parish possible.

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