Quiet enjoyment of Sunday Services is one important aspect of participation in First Parish, but there are many others for those who want to get more involved. Are you drawn to our music? There are choirs for children, youth and adults. Interested in religious education for your children, youth or yourself? We have offerings for all age groups. Our Social Action committees and projects offer you a variety of opportunities to make an impact on the larger world, in keeping with your personal values. Would you like to explore your spirituality in a smaller group? Perhaps you might enjoy a Chalice Circle or one of our adult religious education offerings. For some, ushering or acting as a Coffee host on Sunday is a great way to meet people – practically everybody has a nametag. Many members say that joining a committee is the best way to get to know people, and there are many committees to choose from. We also have frequent events whose only purpose is fun. Look for them on the Community Life page, in the Sunday bulletin, or in our emails. Ours is a friendly congregation, and we hope you will take an opportunity or two to know us better.
Other opportunities to get involved include:
Community Life Activities
Throughout the church year our Community Life Committee plans and offers events and activities to bring us together as a community. It might be at a picnic, coffee house, baseball game or discussion group where you really get to know some of your fellow parishioners. We relish opportunities to play and explore and enjoy life together, just as much as we value our opportunities to worship together.
Committees
Our church cannot run without its volunteers. Neither can it be as effective in the larger world. Committees spearhead or assist in every aspect of our parish community. Some are weekly or monthly commitments while others require only an hour here and there. Whether your talents are musical or financial, your interests cooking for the homeless or organizing a party, there is a committee eager to welcome you.
Stewardship and Capital Campaign
Just as the church cannot run without its volunteers, it cannot run without adequate funding. The vast majority of its annual operating expenses are collected each year in a spring Stewardship drive. From time to time, beginning nearly 200 years ago when the current church was built, Capital Campaigns are held to fund major improvements to the church property or endowments. Our most recent Capital Campaign, “For All The Ages,” funded important improvements to our buildings, including a connector between the Meetinghouse and Parish House that makes the second floor of the Parish House fully accessible, a new dedicated youth space, and a new, custom-built organ. These improvements were all recommended by the congregation in our planning process and report called “Creating Our Future.”
Music Programs
If you are musical, why not join one of our choirs? We have an adult choir, a children’s choir, and a bell choir, each of which provides essential elements of our worship experience. You can learn more about our music programs here.