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We Commit Ourselves
And Our Resources
To Nurture the Spirit,
Grow in Community,
And Help Heal the World.
| | Our great Unitarian forebear Frances Ellen Watkins Harper taught us that “We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity.” This morning’s celebration of Water Communion turns those words into a beloved and beautiful ritual. Please bring a small sample of water from your summer travels – or from your sacred kitchen sink! | | Upcoming Worship Services | | |
Sept. 13 | 10am
One Great Bundle: Ingathering & Water Communion
Rev. Norman Allen
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Sept. 20 | 10am
The Most Sacred and Delightful Moments
Rev. Norman Allen
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Sept. 27 | 10am
A Monument of Liberality
Rev. Norman Allen
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Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of our Beloved Meeting House
September 20-September 27
First Parish will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of its historic Meeting House with a weeklong celebration, September 20-27. Events include a panel discussion of leading historians in partnership with the Maine Historical Society and Longfellow Books; a benefit concert titled “History through Performance,” featuring top local artists; and a collaboration with State Theatre and Portland Ovations to present “Travesty” with celebrated drag artist Sasha Velour.
There will also be a gala garden party, the placing of a time capsule, and worship services that look back to the congregation’s 350-year history and forward to its bright, justice-focused future. Click HERE for a full schedule of events and ticket information. Mark your calendars and get your tickets now!
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Volunteer for the 200th Anniversary Week Celebration
Help make the 200th Anniversary Week unforgettable by volunteering! We need friendly faces to support activities and join in the fun. Every role makes a difference and is a great way to get to know fellow members. Sign up HERE to see all the different ways you can help make this week of events possible.
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"Influential UUs" Registration is Open
Weekly on Tuesdays | September 29-November 3 | 6:30-8:30pm
As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of our building, let’s also learn about the important figures from that same period! In this six-week course we’ll read writings of influential Universalists and Unitarians of 19th-century America.
Course leader David Jorgensen has been attending First Parish for a few years, is one of its newest members, and is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist. A historian of early Christianity, he holds a PhD in religion from Princeton University and, most recently, served as a research professor at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Click HERE for details and registration. (The course is capped at 10 participants.)
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Volunteer with Religious Exploration!
We are thrilled to welcome kids back to Religious Exploration this Sunday September 13. With the new program year, it's time to sign up to volunteer. Religious Exploration simply cannot run without volunteer support from the community. Please note, the sign-up process looks a little different this year as we are adding a background check. Once you've completed that process you're all set to volunteer for the year AND former State Street Shelter volunteers are grandfathered in with your previous background checks! Thank you for taking this extra step as we come into alignment with best practices as outlined by the UUA! Sign up to volunteer HERE.
| Tickets for the 200th Anniversary Benefit Concert are available in the Parish Hall every Sunday between now and the concert (Wednesday, September 23). Tickets will also be available at the door! Ticket price is $25 per ticket - Donations are welcome. If you prefer, you may also purchase them online through Eventbrite HERE. Note: there is a service charge when purchasing tickets through Eventbrite so the total cost of the ticket is $28.52. | |
Flowers are a Living Chalice
Consider donating flowers for the chalice table for Sunday morning services. Instructions are on the sign up sheet posted by the stairs in the Parish Hall. You may dedicate your donation as a memorial or to honor an event such as an anniversary. For more information, please contact Elissa Armstrong or phone 207-761-1704.
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200th Anniversary Garden Party
September 26 | 6:00-7:30pm
Join us for a Garden Party Celebration! Our Famous Chef, Janet Puistonen, has planned a delicious menu to be served under a beautiful tent set up in the Memorial Garden. There will be no charge for the dinner, but you must sign up in advance as there is only space for 80 guests. Please sign up after church in the Parish Hall with Lynne Beasley or email Lynne at lynnebeasley19@gmail.com. Adults and children are all included as welcomed guests. The dinner will be followed by a dance in the Parish Hall with DJ John Schaberg. It should be great fun!
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Join Weekly Protests
Saturday at 11am!
Gather in Monument Square with the First Parish community and others to speak up for justice and democracy. Enjoy music and bear witness on our open mic.
To get involved and for more information, email Angus Ferguson HERE.
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200th Time Capsule - Your Ideas Wanted!
September 13 is the deadline for contributions to the time capsule that will tell the story of First Parish today, to members 50 years from now! Do you have any SMALL, DURABLE, representative items from any of our social justice, youth or community activities that can help illustrate our current times? If so, please put them in an envelope with a description and place them in the mail slot next to Beka's office. We greatly appreciate your thoughtful gifts to the future!
| | Moments in First Parish History | | |
One-and-Done Volunteer Opportunity
Bring Food for Coffee Hour!
Did you know that the delicious snacks we enjoy during coffee hour are donated by community members every Sunday? Bringing snacks for Coffee Hour is a great way to contribute to the First Parish community. Snacks can be as simple as a bunch of grapes or a pack of store-bought cookies (of course, you can get as creative as you want!). All contributions are greatly appreciated. No need to sign up; just drop your items off in the Parish Hall before the service on any Sunday.
The Membership Team is also looking for occasional volunteers to help set up Coffee Hour. This means arriving at 9:30 on a Sunday of your choice. To sign up, contact the Membership Team Chair.
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Large Print Hymnals Available During Services
Large Print Hymnals (teal and gray) are available at First Parish for anyone who would benefit from using them during services. They are at the back bench to your right as you enter the Meeting House from the Congress Street entrance. Feel free to ask ushers for assistance wherever you enter the building.
| | Ongoing Opportunities at First Parish | | |
Security Review
Please review this brief video from Rev. Norm about how to respond in the highly unlikely event of an active shooter on the property. Our Trustees have been working hard to increase security measures throughout the building. Please be sure to thank them for their efforts!
| | MUUSAN’s Weekly Action Points call for contacting legislators to support three key climate bills heading to floor votes this week, prepare for upcoming action on immigrant justice and Wabanaki sovereignty legislation, and urge the Governor and Appropriations Committee to fund LD 1474 to strengthen Wabanaki Studies in Maine schools. | | |
Chalice Groups at First Parish - The gift of spiritual connection
These tumultuous times call for action but they also call for self-care. Chalice Groups provide some of the spiritual sustenance we need to help heal the world.
Chalice Groups are close-knit groups of five to ten people. They meet once a month to create a sacred space for conversation that is supportive and confidential. Chalice Group members practice deep listening, develop deep connections, and learn and grow together.
For more information, contact the Chalice Group Coordinator at chalice@firstparishportland.org or visit https://firstparishportland.org/get-involved/chalice-groups/.
| | If you are not feeling well, tested positive for Covid, or have been exposed to Covid, please stay home! | | |
Is Stewardship Part Of Your
Long-Term Financial Planning?
Remembering First Parish in your long-term financial and estate plans helps ensure the on-going well-being of our church. Please consider a bequest to First Parish in Portland as you undertake your charitable and end-of-life planning. Our Trustees accept all bequests on behalf of a grateful congregation and are the fiduciaries responsible for ensuring that your gifts to the church are held in trust and used to support the church’s good work. There are many ways to make legacy gifts to First Parish. If you would like to know more, please email Austin Farrar, Chair of the Trustees at TrusteesChair@FirstParishPortland.org.
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Pastoral Care Needs
If you wish to speak in confidence with a member of the Pastoral Care Team, please send an email to the office and a member will get back to you as soon as possible. The Pastoral Care Team is also recruiting additional members! If you are a compassionate listener, we would love to meet with you. Please email Drea Michaud, PCT Chair, if you are interested!
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What's Going On
Within The UUA?
If you are interested in learning about what is happening within the UUA, check out these regional and national websites!
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