It’s Good to Be Together
In addition to offering a number of ways to get involved with community and give back through committee work, volunteering, annual fundraising events, and social action, First Parish provides spaces for deepening connections with one another.
Circle suppers, potlucks, short-story and book discussions, and small group ministries come together regularly throughout the church year. Our growing Faith Development program offers family dinners and programs, with childcare provided, that strive to serve the whole family. Our annual spring church retreat to Ferry Beach (in Saco, Maine) and new events like the Great First Parish Bake Off, Food for Thought, and Multi-Generational Games seek to deepen connections across our community.
Check the weekly Friday email or the events calendar for the latest information on meetings times and locations.
First Parish Angels We Have Heard on High! Every year, Music Director Brad Conner leads the First Parish Nowell annual holiday sing-along with lots of singing and musical surprises. All ages are invited to come and sing your favorite holiday carol or song!
Another means of deepening our fellowship is by entertaining one another in our homes. Those who sign up for Circle Suppers commit themselves to attending or hosting a small dinner party of 7-10 people throughout the year. A rotating schedule is set up so that people are sorted out into new groups each month. You can sign up as an alternate at anytime during the church year if you miss the initial registration time.
Many hands make light work and good company at the all-church Clean-Up Day, which takes place every year on the MLK Jr. National Day of Service. There are tasks for every ability and age from window washing to banister wiping, cobweb clearing, dusting, polishing, coffeemaker cleaning, and more. And of course, snacks. Always snacks.
Every year, First Parish elves of all ages hop on the Cookie Express to bake, package, and deliver cookies to members of our community and friends who don’t get out and about easily. This annual tradition of personal visits and a sweet treat is a rewarding experience for participants and very much appreciated by recipients.
The Family Spaghetti Dinner, sponsored by the First Parish Membership Committee, is beloved by First Parish families. Dinner and activities for children are provided free of charge, leaving parents, older youth, and young adults with time to socialize with family and friends.
Each year for a weekend in May, all First Parishioners are invited to spend a relaxing time together at Ferry Beach, a Unitarian Universalist conference center on the ocean near Saco, Maine. We bring bedding, frisbees, guitars, books, kites, and kids. We eat and talk, lie on the beach, play board games, sing by the fire, and walk by the ocean. An informal worship service is held Sunday morning on the porch at Ferry Beach. Learn more here.
Our multi-generational Food for Thought gatherings, organized by the Faith Development team, bring together community members of all ages for lively facilitated discussions of various topics over pizza, salad, and desserts. Past topics have ranged from social norms to music across the generations and how we talk about death in our society. These events are another opportunity to connect adults and youth and to learn more about each other.
First Parishioners and friends gather on the First Friday of every month for an evening of good food and fellowship, starting with appetizers in the Common Room at 6:00 pm. Attendees bring an appetizer, a salad, a main dish, or a dessert to share. Some potlucks spotlight a certain cuisine or have a theme such as “Fifties Nostalgia.” Sometimes there is impromptu music-making or dancing. But all potlucks have in common a spirit of celebrating the bonds of friendship that make us a community.
The Great First Parish Bake Off, organized by a multi-generational team from the First Parish Faith Development Committee, is great fun for the entire family! Cheer on your favorite bakers as one team whisks their way to victory in this multi-generational event! Audience members get to sample the creative confections while a panel of expert judges crowns the ultimate winner. Lively commentary and engagement is provided throughout the event along with an interactive activity table for kids.
The Knot Committee invites you to a cozy stitching gathering! Whether you knit, crochet, or craft with yarn, join us for a relaxed time of creativity, conversation, and community. Bring your current project or a willingness to learn and/or teach. Please reach out to Chris Rabinowitz via the church office for more information. The current plan is to meet Mondays at 1pm.
All are welcome to join the weekly Mindfulness Meditation gathering, which takes place Tuesdays at 7pm during the church year (Sept–June), except for the 2nd Tuesday of the month, which is the monthly Vespers service. This is a drop-in group that can be attended either in person or via Zoom. Please join whenever and however it works for you. No meditation experience is needed.
Join in the fun at our monthly Multi-Generational Games in the First Parish Common Room! Gatherings generally take place 2–5pm on the third Sunday of the month. Bring a game. Bring a friend. Bring a relative. Or, just bring yourself. All are welcome!
The Short Story Discussion Group meets virtually most Thursday mornings 9:30–11:00am. It is a drop-in group open to everyone. The group selects a story each week to read in preparation for the discussion the following week. Often the story is from an anthology that has been chosen by the group. Please contact the church office for more info or with questions.
The Women’s Book Group meets once a month on a Sunday evening to share a light potluck supper and discuss the book of the month. Books are suggested by the members of the group and suppers are held in individual’s homes or at church. Folks can come to one or all, read or don’t read — just make sure to RSVP to the host each time so there will be room for all. Contact the church office for more information.