Welcome to the First Parish Sermon Archive.
Our most recent sermons are listed below.
If you would like to read a past sermon, click on the sermon title (or “Read Sermon”). Some sermons are also available as videos (“Watch Sermon”) and a few include annotated orders of service with additional resource links. The “Listen to Sermon” links in archived services no longer work as we have moved all of our audios to an external location. Enjoy!
TBD
August 2, 2026
UUAC at First Parish in Sherborn
TBD
TBD
Jesus and the Twelve Stooges
July 26, 2026
First Parish in Framingham
Rev. Madelyn Campbell
In the Gospel of Mark, the Disciples are, well, a bit dense. We’ll consider how Mark’s version of the disciples can help us relate and learn and move us to our better selves.
A Theology of Baseball
July 19, 2026
First Parish in Framingham
Rev. Madelyn Campbell
Wear your favorite baseball jersey or hat! We’ll look at the lessons we can learn from baseball to apply to our own lives.
We Shall Overcome: A History of American Protest Songs
July 12, 2026
First Parish in Wayland, Vestry
Emily Miller Mlcak, M. Jane Williamson
Americans have always sung their way toward justice. We’ll trace the living tradition of the protest song — music born not in concert halls, but on picket lines, in jail cells, and at the edges of the possible. We’ll journey through the spirituals that carried coded hope for the enslaved, the labor anthems of the early 20th century, the civil rights hymns that gave marchers courage under fire, the Vietnam-era folk voices that challenged a nation, and the hip-hop and indie anthems of our own time. And we’ll ask: What makes a song a protest? What happens when a movement claims a melody? And how do these songs continue to call us — personally and collectively — toward a more just world? The service will include congregational singing, brief reflections on each era, and an invitation to consider what songs we are called to sing today. In every age, the people have found their voice. Come add yours.
The Myth of Independence
July 5, 2026
First Parish in Framingham
Rev. Madelyn Campbell
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this is a good time to consider the ways in which we are independent, the ways in which we are interdependent, and the stories we tell ourselves that might not really be true.
Belief, Science, and Near-Death Experiences
June 28, 2026
First Parish in Wayland, Vestry
Evan Hadingham
According to a recent poll, 82% of Amercans believe in an afterlife, and many look to the near-death experience, or NDE, as evidence for personal survival after death. Around 10-20% of patients who recover from a severe medical crisis report NDEs that can feature traveling through a tunnel and emerging into a brilliant light, a rapid life review, encounters with dead relatives, and ineffable feelings of happiness and well-being. Rather than evidence for survival, skeptics argue that NDEs represent misfirings of the dying brain and can be triggered in non-life-threatening situations including depression, isolation, and psychedelic drugs. We’ll explore recent studies on the enigma of the NDE, touching on larger questions about the nature of consciousness, spirituality, and the self.
A Unitarian Walks into a Bar…Sacred Humor
June 21, 2026
First Parish in Wayland, Vestry
Joel Angiolillo
What do they say about the deceased at a Unitarian funeral? “All dressed up and no place to go.” Unitarians are the butt of many jokes. This is not particularly surprising because religion has always been fertile ground for joking, even if religious texts (like the Bible) are not exactly heavy on the humor. What do Unitarian jokes tell us about our beliefs and how others see us? Why do people of every culture and religion tell jokes (and what makes something funny anyway)? In short, can a light bulb joke be a path to enlightenment? Feel free to bring your favorite funnies!
Let’s Live in Peace, Flower Sunday
June 14, 2026
Rev. Lisa Perry-Wood
On our final Sunday of the church year we celebrate Flower Sunday. The Flower ritual was created by UU minister Norbert Capek during the rise of fascism in Europe as a symbol of hope for a world where all human beings can live in harmony. This prayer for peace is still needed today.
We Were Always Here, Pride Sunday
June 7, 2026
Rev. Lisa Perry-Wood
It’s Pride Sunday, the day we celebrate our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, genderqueer, (and more) family members, friends and neighbors. This week we remember that those of us who identify as “queer” or anywhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum were, and still are, always here. Come, join the celebration, we’ll have rainbow “swag” at the door – Pride is for everyone!
The Saving Power of Awe
May 31, 2026
Rev. Jo Murphy – Executive Director UU Mass Action
In his book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder”, Dachner Keltner, a psychology scholar, defines “awe” as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.” In my experience “awe” is a concept not often felt by UU’s. We greatly value logic, rationality, and critical thinking, which though are important, can sometimes block our ability to experience “awe.” Being less familiar with awe blocks our ability to be open to miracles and wonder, and isn’t this a moment where we could really use a miracle? Where we could learn and expand our imagination through “transcending our current understanding of the world?” Let us explore this and allow ourselves to feel awe and allow it to lead us to a world much more just and wonder filled than the one we currently live in.
Looking for a sermon from an earlier year? Check HERE (or contact the office)