This very special Candlelight Vesper service will include a beautiful string orchestra prelude and the Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint Saëns sung by the First Parish Adult Choir with guest soloists and accompanied by a string orchestra and organ. The service will also include carols for all to sing and a reflection on the music offered. We will conclude the service by remember those affected by terrorist attacks around the world and together pray and sing for peace. This musical service is our holiday gift to the greater community. Please let people in the community know about it and bring your friends and neighbors. The music will be under the direction of Mike Pfitzer with Malcolm Halliday, organist, and The Rev. Tom Rosiello and Intern Minister Ilene Gillispie leading worship.
Past Services
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
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
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 22nd, 2015
Together as an inter-generational community we will give thanks. We will sing traditional Thanksgiving hymns and be treated to a bounty of beautiful music from our FPC choirs and musicians of all ages. Our minister, Tom Rosiello, assisted by our intern minister, Ilene Gillispie, our director of religious education, Michelle Cote, and many of our children and youth, will lead the service. It will include the traditional ritual of breaking and sharing of bread which will be baked for us by the junior youth group. Please bring non-perishable food and toiletries to the service which will be collected and donated to the Stow Food Pantry.
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.
Tuesday, November 10th, 2015
On the Eve of Veteran's Day, we will gather for a beautiful candle light service of music, readings, reflection, and silence. We will remember our Veterans and focus our thoughts and prayers on what is the prayer of every Veteran, "a world at peace." There will be music from our military services and hymns of peace. We will conclude the service with the beautiful, "Dona Nobis Pacem" (Grant us Peace). Vespers is a 45 minute service that is the perfect way to end a busy day. The Service will be led by our minister, Tom Rosiello, and our intern minister, Ilene Gillispie, with music led by Mike Pfitzer, our Director of Music.
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.
Sunday, November 1st, 2015
All Souls Day is a day of remembrance for those loved ones we have lost, especially those who died in the last year. With words and beautiful music from our choirs, soloists, and instrumentalists, we will bring them close again. Everyone is invited to bring a photo or memento of a deceased loved one to help us create our beautiful "All Souls Day Altar of Remembrance." Worship will be led by the Rev. Tom Rosiello and Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie. In addition to remembering those who have gone before, we will reflect upon the legacy we each will leave behind when our time on this earth comes to an end. After the service we will plant daffodils in front of the church, so that they may rise up in the spring to remind us how the loved ones who have died live on with us in spirit. Visitors, especially those who have lost a loved one recently, are invited to join us and participate in this beautiful service.
Sunday, October 25th, 2015
Sunday, October 25 9 AM & 11 AM
"Parity, Not Charity"
Unitarianism (the belief that God is one, not a trinity) had its beginning in the Transylvania region of Romania almost 500 years ago. For 20 years now, the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council has helped to facilitate partnerships between congregations around the globe. First Parish Church of Stow and Acton is partnered with a Unitarian congregation in Olasztelek, Romania. Intern Minister Ilene Gillispie also grew up in a UU church which had a partner church program, and in this service she will share her experiences traveling to Romania as a child, teenager, and young adult. We will reflect together on the Partner Church Council's motto-- parity, not charity-- and explore the many ways that we can be nurtured spiritually through partnership. This service should be of particular interest to those considering or planning to visit Transylvania with FPC's first-ever Unitarian Heritage Pilgrimage this spring! While she is an experienced preacher, this will be Intern Minister, Ilene Gillispie's first time preaching here at FPC. Hymns of Transylvanian origin will be included in this worship service.
