Inspired by our UU values, First parish hosted our first Vigil in support of democracy and justice on February 17th, 2025, Presidents Day!

More gatherings will be held 

Monday, February 17, at First Parish Northboro, from 5pm to 6pm.

Join us for an hour at dusk and stand witness for democracy and justice.

First Parish Church Unitarian Universalist of Northborough Massachusetts,
40 Church St., Northborough, MA

UU Writing Group will meet on Monday February 3 rd from 7 to 8:30am. Our writing
assignment for this month is to write from the prompt… “Something Illegal I did.” We will also
as always hear any past writing assignments from those who were unable to attend prior
meetings. The group is held both at church and offered on zoom. The zoom link is
https://zoom.us/j/96449910738

Theology Discussion Group: Sat Feb 8 th from 10 to 11:30am

Regularly on the 2 nd Saturday morning each month Rev. Steve (I) have hosted an hour and a half
Adult Ed Theology program from 10 to 11:30 Each of these sessions stand independently and
are open to both our members and outsiders. Each session will have a meditative piece, an
academic/educational component, and a reflective piece designed to aid people exploring their
past and their beliefs. No preparation beyond your own curiosity is required. Come. No RSVP
required.

Saturday February 8th EcoTarium Museum trip 12:15-3:30pm ($19 entry price)

We will leave church at 12:15 to carpool together or meet at the Ecotarium in Worcester at 12:45 a field
trip to the EcoTarium Science Museum. There is no need to RSVP for this event. We will get
tickets at the door on our own on that Saturday. Free to go online, or to local libraries for the
possibility of discounts or free tickets. The Ecotarium is located at 222 Harrington Way,
Worcester, MA 01604 508.929.2700  info@ecotarium.org
Rev. Steve has office hours on Monday’s and Friday’s from 10:30am to 2:30pm. Best to call
or text to see that he is not out of the office, but on Monday’s and Friday’s he is regularly at the
church or about town. (617) 852-2292

Other Events Coming Up

March 23 rd, 2026, Be the Change: Activist Dinner Party:
A Living Theatre Service

With Rev. Steve and a broad cast of your First Parish friends. In an age of endless problems; the infomercials with the sad eyed children; the news of a mounting trash heap floating about the pacific, how do you keep fresh? What is the psychological perspectives and tools that prevents nihilism? How
do you balance the desire to savor life with the call to save it.
*This service/Theatre production is an opportunity to get your head and soul on right at a dinner
party with some great souls. It will most likely take place in the Parish Hall, quite likely in an in
the round arrangement.

A series on Death and Dying titled “End of Life Planning for All of Us:
Getting Emotionally and Practically Prepared”

Coming on Saturdays March 1 through March 29

Led by Licensed Certified Social Worker, End-of-Life Doula and First Parish Church newcomer Pamela Gasek, with support from Rev. Steve Wilson this series will involve 5 90-minute workshops. Each of these workshops will combine elements of the practical and emotional aspects of aging and death. Find out more here.

Find yourself enchanted as this favorite local family band shares their soul-stirring songs wrapped in heavenly harmony!

Award-winning songwriters, Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli, along with their radiant and talented daughter, Anelise, will be sharing an unforgettable evening of Joy. You’ll enjoy fresh new original songs along with Holiday classics & your favorite hits from the 70’s. This Inclusion-loving family will lift your holiday spirits with a soulful, harmonious experience you won’t soon forget!

Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 advance.

“Blue Christmas” 5pm Sunday Dec 22^nd, 2024 5pm @ The Episcopal Church on 45 Howard Street will be hosting a Northborough Interfaith Clergy service designed to provide a balm to those for whom the holidays bring as much pain as joy. This service will have a solemn, reflective tone. The Episcopal Church is located 1/8^th of a mile from our church down Howard Street across from the Cemetery. 

Half Plate Determinations: 
It has been said a few times to me that we need to create a more formal path and procedure for who can nominate an organization, and how the decision is made. I determined that it is the Worship Team who manages the Half Plate Collections. 

I am sure we will continue to talk about this, and while honoring those already involved find at least a slightly more organized process by which people can feel involved. That process feels like something that should be very transparent. Not that it is not, I have heard from more than one that it is just slightly confusing. 

Just so it is documented here people have suggested that The Virginia Thurston Healing Gardens, The Barre Meditation Center, The Worcester Food Pantry, and the Worcester Islamic Center, have all come up as good options for a half plate. I would add Koalas in Care as an option.

Friday, December 20, 7pm, in the Meetinghouse

Find yourself enchanted as this favorite local family band shares their soul-stirring songs wrapped in heavenly harmony!

Award-winning songwriters, Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli, along with their radiant and talented daughter, Anelise, will be sharing an unforgettable evening of Joy. You’ll enjoy fresh new original songs along with Holiday classics & your favorite hits from the 70’s. This Inclusion-loving family will lift your holiday spirits with a soulful, harmonious experience you won’t soon forget!

Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 advance.

Sunday, December 29, 2024:
Second Annual Pancake Breakfast 
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Parish Hall
Sponsored by First Parish Governing Board

New Member/UU History Class/Conversation: On February 5^th from 12:30 to 145 we host a post church talk back focused on UU history, this particular churches history, and its present offerings. This discussion would be open to all but have a focus on potential new members. This would be something that our membership team, or membership leader if we don’t have one would focus on.

Knit-Wits Monday October 14th and 28:  Traditionally on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays of the month a group of First Parish women meet from 2pm to knit and chat about the state of the world and their lives.  This is an open group. 

Pastoral Care Committee October 8th and 22:   On the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of the month from 10 to 11am meet on-line to plan and respond to the evolving concerns of those in our church struggling or ill. It is best to contact Caroline MacDonald for more information. 

Penultimate Church Pot-Luck Friday October 18: Traditionally on the Penultimate or 2^nd to last Friday night of the month the church hosts a night of fellowship and food.

Northborough Interfaith Clergy Association

Northborough’s Interfaith Clergy group meets monthly to pray together, to share resources, and to enjoy friendship with each other. We have representation from Church of the Nativity, First Parish Unitarian-Universalist, St. Bernadette’s, St. Rose of Lima, Trinity Church, Congregation B’nai Shalom in Westborough, and The Church of Latter-Day Saints in Marlborough.

The Interfaith Clergy Group also participates in a Voucher Program designed to serve those in need. Vouchers are available to Northborough residents or individuals related to one of our congregations. Recipients may receive free: gasoline @(Peterson’s), groceries or lunch @ (Lowe’s), heating oil @ (Northborough Oil), and overnight lodging @ (Econolodge).

Worship Committee Meets on Monday Oct 8th from 4 to 6:30pm:  Traditionally this group meets on the 1^st Monday of the month to review and plan upcoming services and the ritual version of our collective spiritual life.

November 9 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – In the Meetinghouse

Let’s welcome Cara Brindisi to the stage of the Meetinghouse Arts Center!

Described as ‘perfect’ by John Legend and ‘hypnotic’ by Blake Shelton, Cara Brindisi is a vocalist with equal parts power and ease. After a decade of performances that include direct support for Chris Isaak, Tower of Power, Adam Lambert, and Dispatch, Cara brought her talents to The Voice stage season 22, landing her a spot on Team Gwen. Gwen Stefani acknowledged the soothing and effortless quality to Cara‘s voice as well as her gift for story-telling. Cara has been writing, recording, and performing original music for the entirety of her career, many of her songs inspired by her initial career as a Music Therapist. Her studies at Berklee College of Music led her to pursue this work, predominantly with those at end of life in Hospice. Somewhere between these two careers, the gentle and the glamour, lies the authentic feeling one is guaranteed when listening to Cara Brindisi perform live in any type of setting.

$25 at the door, $20 online.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Find out more about Cara Brindisi on her website.

On the 2nd Sunday of each month, Rev. Steve will host a roughly hour and 15 minute Adult Ed Theology program following church from 12:15 to 1:30  Like the writing group, each of these that sessions stand independently, and are open to both our members and outsiders. 

Each session will have a meditative piece, an academic/educational component, and a reflective piece designed to aid people exploring their life, their past, and their beliefs.  No preparation beyond your own curiosity is required.  Like the writing group all are welcome and no pre-registration, particular beliefs, or understanding of “Theology” is required. 

Memoir Writing as a Spiritual Practice

First Monday of the month

In Person or on Zoom

7pm to 8:30pm

“You Addiction,” my former Korean-Australian friend Soo Been would tell me anytime I suggested I want a coffee, …a beer, …or even a snack.  I responded by saying quite indignantly that “I’m not “addiction” to anything.”  Truth is, I’m blessed enough to be able to go weeks without missing any of the above. 

However, on vacation with her years ago I came to realize that even if her assumptions about my consumptive habits were exaggerated, she might have led me to notice a habit I had not mentioned.  I had on that vacation realized that I might be a bit addicted to writing.  I caught myself sneaking back to the hotel, or out to a café with the excuse that “I just need to get a little work done.”  This was true, and I had had e-mails to check, and phone calls to make, but scrutinizing my deepest motivations, mostly “get a little work done” meant that I wanted to write.  Paying attention, I found it centered and calmed me.  This was something I hadn’t really known.  So, in light of this newfound awareness, and despite a remarkably pathetic grasp on grammar and punctuation, you might have picked up on, I want to share my addiction with you, and have you share what might be an addiction of yours with me.  

Class Schedule & Expectations:  This drop in class/group will meet monthly throughout the church year, at least to start on the first Monday night of the month at 7pm.  Perhaps a better time will reveal itself.  Each of these monthly gatherings will be an hour and a half long, and follow a repetitive pattern of checking in, sharing our “work” on the assignment and as time allows participating in a short exercise.  Because the writing assignments are personal, in the end all participants will have created the makings of a mini memoir.  In general, each of these pieces should be between one to three pages long.

If time affords it, the last quarter of our time together will be a chance to work on a writing exercise and conclude with a shifting of our gears to the next writing assignment.  A sampling of the class themes include “A Moth Worthy Story,” “The Importance of Place,”  “Unexpected Joy,” “Dream a little Dream of You,” and “A Poet but Didn’t Know It.”

The dates and topics are…

UU Writing Group Monday Night September 9th from 7pm to 8:30 @ church.  Our writing group, sessions are non-consecutive sessions that open to all, and will except for this first meet also begin to meet on Zoom.  This first topic, or writing homework is titled “Pet Story.”  All our welcome to come drop in on our writing group.  Participants who attend are encouraged to be prepared to share a 1 to 2 page (2-5 minute) personal piece about a pet but are also on this first session welcome to just verbally tell a story about a pet.  The first class will only be offered only in-person.  Subsequent classes will have a zoom option.

Thank you, Northborough Community Preservation Committee, for supporting our application for $210,000. to help fund First Parish Steeple restoration and repair.
Thank you, Gordon Hart, David Sherman and The Building and Grounds Committee, for mega hours devoted to the grant application process! Thank you Susan Tedesco, First Parish Administrator, for tracking down and finding tons of material needed for the grant application! Thank you, First Parish Northborough residents, who attended three nights of Northborough Town Meetings this past week!
Now we wait for a response to our application to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for an additional $50,000 under the Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund (MPPF).
Cross your fingers!