The season at First Parish
Every year at First Parish flows around a number of regular events that are cool because they are regular things that we like for spiritual and community and values reasons and stuff and junk.
This blurb kinda build on what I said in the intro block, but with more regular text.
Ingathering
The long summer hiatus breaks in early September each year with the Ingathering service. After a spell of lay-led services, our ministers come back to kick off the official First Parish season where we emphasize welcoming, inclusion, and rebirth.
The big water bowl thing is great.
Town Day
Located next door to the Arlington Library and Town Hall and at the main intersection of Arlington’s town center, First Parish has long been a participant in Arlington town life. Arlington Town Day is a regular feature of September and First Parish has two booths, the Pie Palace, sponsored by the Social Justice Committee, and “Man Made Chili”, run by an ad hoc group of (mostly) First Parish men.
Ferry Beach
First Parish, like many UU congregations in the area, holds a retreat at the Ferry Beach conference center in Saco, Maine, usually in late September or early October.
The Ferry Beach retreat is a low-key, participate-as-much-as-you-want weekend that features all-optional nature walks, volleyball games, yoga classes and whatever else the participants come up with. Don’t miss the (No) Talent show and bonfire on Saturday night and the service in the woods on Sunday morning.
Harvest Moon Fair
The First Parish version of the church rummage sale has been going on in one form or another since just after the Civil War (163 years and counting). Because a large portion of the church participates (as many as 150 volunteers and similar numbers of donors), it’s one of our biggest community events. Volunteers work sales, sorting, setup, tear down, food prep and service for an event that raises 10s of thousands in support of the community and social justice work of First Parish.
Christmas
Wow. We do a lot of services for Christmas.