"It is in Giving that We Receive" The Spiritual Practice of Generosity
This morning we are going to pull out all the stops in a celebration of your generosity. Choirs, youth singers, drummers, and jazz musicians will all contribute to the festive atmosphere. Our ministers Tom and Ilene will be joined by Members of the Stewardship Committee who will share with you all that your generosity makes and can make possible. The sermon will explore generosity as an important spiritual practice in all our lives.
Recordings of Past Services
Video recordings of our Sunday services are available on our YouTube channel. Click on icon below to visit.
We also have a collection of audio recordings of selected Sunday 11:00AM services. To hear a service simply click on the red side of the audio player of the one you would like to hear. Alternatively, you can click on the .mp3 link to download the service to your computer or mobile device.
Note: Due to limitations with FPC's current audio system, the sound quality for most musical segments was very poor. As such, many of these pieces have not been included. We are working on upgrading the system so that the complete services can be heard. Also, for reasons of privacy, the "Joys and Concerns" segments have been excluded.
Should you have difficulty playing these recordings please contact: webadmin@fpc-stow-acton.org
An RSS feed of the audio services is available here: 
Sunday, February 7th, 2016
Generosity Sunday
Sunday, January 24th, 2016
This morning we will celebrate the Jewish holiday of Tu B' Shevat, which is, "The New Year for Trees." It is the time in Israel when the new buds appear on the trees and also a time when the age of a tree is calculated and new trees are planted. In the midst of our New England winter our Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie, and our Minister, Tom Rosiello, will reflect on the meaning they each draw from this holiday. Join us on this day of trees, new beginnings, and some early thoughts of Spring.
Sunday, January 17th, 2016
This service will celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy has great relevance for us today as our country undergoes, yet again, racialized tensions throughout every level of society. In this service, we will sing spirituals and reflect together on King's message of the unity of all humanity. Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie, will be preaching, and will be assisted with worship by the wonderful First Parish Church Jazz Band.
Sunday, January 10th, 2016
Reverend Eliza Blanchard will focus on what it means to declutter the soul. As we curate what we hold tightly to, we’ll explore ways in which clearing out our spirits’ basements, and attics can transform us. Reverend Eliza Blanchard graduated from Harvard Divinity School (where she met Rev. Tom) in 2004, served the U.U. Society of Grafton and Upton for five years, and now offers spiritual direction and pet loss support as an affiliate of The First Parish in Brookline, U.U.
Sunday, January 3rd, 2016
Join us for an intergenerational service observing the holiday of Epiphany, honoring the special day on which the three kings arrived to bring gifts to the newborn Jesus. Director of Religious Education, Michelle Cote, and Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie, will co-preach about the gifts we each bring to the world, and the epiphanies we have that can change our lives (just as the lives of the kings were changed upon meeting the baby Jesus). This service will include beloved hymns like, We Three Kings, and will also involve movement and sharing to be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Sunday, December 13th, 2015
On this 7th day of Hanukkah we will tell the story of the Maccabee people who never lost hope that they could overcome those who oppressed them and tried to take their culture away. We will be treated to some wonderful Hanukkah and join in singing songs of hope. In the sermon Rev. Tom Rosiello will address the fear so many are experiencing with the recent incidents of terrorism and how we might address it in light of the lessons learned from the Jewish experience in both ancient and modern times. When the French Jewish writer, Tristan Bernard and his wife were arrested by the Gestapo, he proclaimed, "We have lived in fear, now we shall live in hope." This morning's service will be about fear and its antidote, hope. Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie and director of Music, Mike Pfizer will assist in leading worship.
Sunday, December 6th, 2015
In recognition of World AIDS Day
Thirty five years have passed since AIDS was first diagnosed. Millions have died and entire communities have been devastated. Both research and treatment have been challenged by racism, homophobia, and negative attitudes towards other classes of victims. AIDS has challenged our love and caused many to abandon hope. But this season of Advent is time of renewed hope and we will explore that in the context of hope for even better treatment, prevention and cures for the disease. This Sunday we will share the journey of this disease, beginning with its devastating effect on American gay men in the 1980's and moving to its impact on other communities today . We will look at how it has changed the world and changed all of us. We will remember those we lost to the disease and celebrate the lives of those living well with the disease.
Sunday, November 29th, 2015
ONE SERVICE ONLY 11AM in the SANCTUARY
The days draw shorter, the winds are colder, and our calendars are filling up with holiday plans. Thanksgiving has gone, and Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years are fast-approaching. Many have called the holidays a season of light in a time of darkness, and for good reason. Parties, food, and gifts abound-- but there is room, too, for darkness amidst this season of light. The holidays do not always bring unadulterated joy-- for some, they are a distinctly mixed bag or even a time of mourning and loss. In this service, Intern Minister Ilene Gillispie will preach about acknowledging darkness during the holidays and even, at times, welcoming the peace that darkness may bring into our busy lives during this holiday season.
Sunday, November 15th, 2015
Worship lead by Rev. Tom Rosiello and Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie, with music under the direction of Mike Pfitzer.
For centuries black lives in our nation have been devalued in so many ways. Our society has sent a message that black lives don't matter. In response to that, an organization has formed to declare that Black Lives Do Matter. This morning we will explore what that means and why it is not enough for us just to say, all lives mater. Our service will be rich in music from the Black spiritual tradition and the civil rights movement.
Sunday, November 8th, 2015
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lamp-lighting, celebrates the victory of light over darkness, and good over evil. In this fall season of darkening, with winter approaching, we will explore together through this Diwali service how to keep our own inner lights shining brightly, even in times of darkness. Rev. Tom and Intern Minister Ilene Gillispie, will co-preach, and Ilene will also perform kirtan (Indian devotional music). Ilene has spent five long periods of time in India for research, study, and language-learning, and will draw on these experiences as part of this service.
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