Past Services

Sunday, March 9th, 2014

"Love the Hell Out of this World"

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ~ SET CLOCKS FORWARD ONE HOUR!

We come to church because it is a training ground for our mission: repair of the world. We come to learn to recognize hells on earth wherever we encounter them, and to love wastefully until they are summarily destroyed.

Our guest minister this morning is The Rev. Robin Bartlett,  a recently ordained UU minister and longtime UU religious educator.  She has served our denominational headquarters, the Massachusetts Bay District, and UU congregations in Boston, Milton, Brookline, Lexington and Sherborn. Robin is a life-long UU, and the mother of three beautiful children: Cecilia, 7, Eloisa, 3, and Isaac, 5 months.  Robin lives in Boston with her kids and her husband, Andy.

The Rev. Tom Rosiello will be spending time this morning with our children and youth visiting our religious education classes.

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Sunday, March 2nd, 2014

"Love Made Visible"

URBAN MINISTRY SUNDAY

This morning our worship will focus on our Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry.  Our guest preacher will be a member of the Urban Ministry Staff, The Rev. Roger Peltier.  He will preach a sermon entitled, "Love Made Visible" exploring what we mean when we say, "Love is the spirit of this church…" We will ask what exactly are we called to do? Perhaps some of the lessons of our shared ministry reveal an answer.  At both services FPC jazz musicians will join pianist/organist, Sanghee Kim, and Music Director, Mike Pfitzer, in leading us in song. The Adult Choir will be singing, “Let Justice Roll Down" by Moses Hogan at the 11 AM service. 

The Rev. Roger Peltier serves the UU Urban Ministry in the Office of Congregational and Volunteer Engagement. A popular preacher, Rev. Roger has served Florida's largest congregation in Sarasota, as well as the Mass Bay churches in Framingham, Grafton and Upton. He lives with his spouse, John Hickey, in Providence, RI.

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Sunday, February 23rd, 2014

"Who Is My Brother?"

This morning we will explore what has been called by author Michelle Alexander, "The New Jim Crow."  It comes in a new form but its message and effects are very similar to the racial class system we thought we shed many years ago.  We will explore how this has been, at least in part, created by a criminal justice system that incarcerates one out of every three black men and the crisis that has precipitated in communities of color.  The Rev. Tom Rosiello will preach and lead worship. At the 11 AM service, our Choir will sing an anthem from the larger work, The Peacemakers by Karl Jenkins, which they will perform as part of a 200 voice choir in Mechanics Hall in Worcester on March 30. “Let There Be Justice for All” is music set to the words of the late Nelson Mandela.

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Sunday, February 16th, 2014

"The Universalist's Gospel of Love"

An Intergenerational Service

We are people of the Gospel of Love. The Universalist Message was so simple, but so powerful. We will meet famous Universalists from our past who preached that gospel and focus on how, no matter our age, we are all called to live by this teaching. Our service will be led by the Rev. Tom Rosiello with the help of several of our children and youth. Hal Hobson’s Gift of Love will be the anthem for both services, sung by the Youth Choir at 9 AM and the Adult Choir at 11 AM.

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Sunday, February 9th, 2014

"Hate Won't Win"

This weekend UUs from all over the country are gathering in North Carolina under the same "Standing on the Side of Love" Banner that is out in front of our church and joining with the NAACP and those of many religious groups who are part of the Moral Monday movement in that state. They will be protesting against the unconscionable efforts in that state to disenfranchise minority voters, cut public education, and otherwise devalue the equal worth and dignity of every person.  We are reminded that the struggle for equality and civil rights in this country is not over and that we still act in ways that are a discriminatory expression of fear and hate.  The message of the Moral Monday movement and the message of our faith is that, "hate won't win." Our minister, Tom Rosiello, will be preaching and leading worship.  Our adult choir will sing the ospel anthem, "The Storm is Passing Over" at the 11 am service, and Pianist, Sanghee Kim and Director of Music, Mike Pfitzer will perform it at the 9 am service as well.

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Sunday, February 2nd, 2014

"Growing A Generous Heart"

GENEROSITY SUNDAY

Generosity is a rich and rewarding spiritual practice.  It is rooted in a loving heart and its benefits flow both to the receiver and the giver. Generous giving is necessary to bring our message of a love that manifests itself in service to and support of each other as well as outreach to the greater community.  On this Generosity Sunday we will celebrate generosity and recommit to being good stewards of our wonderful church. There will be an opportunity to make your annual pledge during the service. The Rev. Tom Rosiello will be back from his month-long sabbatical in Mexico to preach and lead worship. Our service will be full of music and will include the Leonard Bernstein anthem, “Take Care of This House” which will be featured at both services.  Our Children’s Choir and some of our jazz musicians will join us for the 9 AM service, and our Adult Choir will be joined by more jazz musicians and FPC Drums at the 11 AM service.

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Sunday, January 26th, 2014

"The Choreography of Grace"

Rev. Bill Clark returns to our pulpit to explore the movement of grace. Is there a UU theology to Grace?  How do you define grace? Have you ever felt its presence?

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Sunday, January 19th, 2014

"Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday"

This morning, we will celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and renew our commitment to doing the work of justice. Our guest preacher and worship leader will be Aaron Stockwell, a recent graduate of Andover Newton Theological School who is presently serving as the Sabbatical minister in Harvard, MA. His message will focus on putting our faith into action.  The music at both services will include great hymns of the civil rights movement and an anthem which quotes many of Dr. King's words all under the Direction of Mike Pfitzer.

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Sunday, January 12th, 2014

"Domestic Violence Awareness Sunday"

Did you know that one out of 4 women will experience domestic violence at some time in her life?  Did you know that many men are also victims of domestic violence? Domestic violence exists among all populations from the poorest to the most affluent. It exists within our own communities.  Our guest speaker this morning will be Suzanne Sege, President of the Board for the Domestic Violence Services Network. She will help us to better understand the barriers to disclosure and the resources that are available to help those who need them.  Hector Constantzos and Diane Miller, members of our own Domestic Violence Task Force, along with our lay ministers will lead worship.  Music will include hymns of hope and justice and will be led by our organist/pianist, Sanghee Kim, with the Adult Choir singing a setting of  "Let Justice Roll Down" by Moses Hogan at the 11 AM Service.

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Sunday, January 5th, 2014

"Harmony and Dissonance: Music's Message for Us"

We will begin our New Year with a "jazzy service" led by Members of our Parish Jazz Band. Come and be treated not only to great music but also an important message.

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