Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts

COA Youth & Mentors, with Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education Worship service given May 31, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 At First Parish, we honor the passage from childhood towards adulthood through our Coming of Age program for 8th graders. Join us...

Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given May 24, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 As the nation honors the war-dead, it is as important to honor the way of peace, especially in this war-torn time. Join us this Memorial Day weekend as Adjun...

Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, preaching Worship service given May 17, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish  A liberal religious community, welcoming to all  First gathered 1739 Join Rev. Stevie K Carmody--our Minister of Religious Education--to explore a core aspect of how Unitarian Universalists navigate the big stuf...

Jordan T. Clark, Executive Director, Harvard University Native American Program, preaching Worship service given May 10, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Jordan Clark will talk will speak about the fundamental principles of balancing Wampanoag spiritual practice and west...

Led by Dr. Daniel Parsley, Music Director Worship service given May 3, 2026 Prayer by David Klingsberg, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Each spring, the First Parish choir, accompanist Ken Seitz and special musical guests, led by Music Director Dr. Daniel Parsley, delight us with a service of music and ref...

Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister, preaching Worship service given April 26, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In honor of Earth Day, we'll consider the ways that Love is centered in the natural world. Guest Musician Alaistair Moock will offer music, along wi...

Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given April 19, 2026 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Thich Nhat Hahn says these are the three most powerful words we can ask whenever we are confronted with a heated moment or believe our belief/values are...

Guest Speaker Dr. Alexandria Russell, Founder, Black Women Legacies Worship service given April 12, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 When you look around our First Parish buildings, who and what do you see memorialized in some tangible way? What do these commemora...

Led by Rev. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education, and Rev. Carolyn Patierno, Adjunct Minister Worship service given April 5, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Join us for a multigenerational Easter servic...

Led by the First Parish Worship Associates and Lay Ministers Worship service given March 29, 2026 Prayer by Cathy Modica, Chair, Shared Ministry Committee https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 What does it mean to be a leader in today's world? Come hear the perspectives of our lay leaders on what it means to lead with love. This...

Led by the First Parish Youth Group Worship service given March 22, 2026 https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Come join the Youth Group for our annual Youth Worship Service! This year, we are slowing down and turning toward the natural world. Through song, story, and reflection, we'll explore the wonder that grounds us and the q...

Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, preaching Worship service given Sunday, March 15, 2026 Prayer by Lyn Fulton-John, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 How can all of us engage in the spiritual practice of intentional rest? Come join us for worship as we consider rest and nourishment as an impor...

Credo Service featuring First Parish members James Hall, Sarah Quick, and Annette Sawyer Worship service given Sunday, March 8, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Credo means "I believe" in Latin. Periodically, First Parish invites members to offer personal stateme...

Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given Sunday, March 1, 2026 Prayer by Mary Babic, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 How can all of us engage in the spiritual practice of intentional rest? Come join us for worship as we consider rest and nourishment as an important sp...

Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, preaching Worship service given Sunday, February 22, 2026 Prayer by Lillian Povey, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 How is community care part of defending democracy? How might we strengthen the ties between us? Come worship together, Rev. Erica Richmond will...

Rev. Jo Murphy, UU Mass Action, preaching Worship service given February 15, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 In a world where devastation is palpable every day, it is often difficult not to default to despair and fear. Though this despair is so present, I find t...

Rev. Emily Conger, Adjunct Minister of Religious Education, preaching Worship service given February 8, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 We each have a role to play in this congregation and in this movement toward Beloved Community. We take lessons from bees in ho...

Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given February 1, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Using Nedra Tawwab's book "Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself" as the basis for this sermon, how do we live a more...

Rev. Mary Margaret Earl, Executive Director and Senior Minister of UU Urban Ministry, preaching Worship service given January 25, 2026 Prayer by Lyn Fulton-John, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Join Guest Minister Rev. Mary Margaret Earl from UU Urban Ministry in a reflection on navigating the overwhelming...

Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, preaching Worship service given January 18, 2026 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate Reading: "The Low Road," by Marge Piercy, read by Joanne Pohl, Chair, First Parish Defending Democracy Working Group Reflection by Eric Segal, Founder, ArCS Cluster https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community,  welcoming to all Firs...

Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given January 11, 2026  Prayer by Loren Gomez, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The word 'trust' has been used frequently, but it's often difficult to wrap your hand around. Brené Brown breaks it down to the BRAVING acronym. Come find...

Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister, preaching Worship service given January 4, 2026 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Come join us for worship as we kick off 2026. As we turn towards a new year, we are invited to take stock, maybe do a spiritual tune-up. Re...

Led by Lillian Povey, Mary Breen, and David Klingsberg, Worship Associates Worship service given December 28, 2025 Prayer by David Klingsberg, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 Join us for our annual Poetry Sunday as Worship Associates Lillian Povey, Mary Breen, and David Klingsberg create space for us to sh...

Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister, preaching Worship service given December 24, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, Parish Minister Reading of "Each Night a Child is Born," by Sophia Lyon Fahs, read by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739 The Christmas...

Led by Rev. Stevie Carmody, Minister of Religious Education Worship service given December 21, 2025 Prayer by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Interim Lead Minister Performance by the First Parish Carol Players Narrated by Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong, Rev. Erica Federspiel Richmond, and Rev. Stevie Carmody https://firstparish.info/ First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 17...