Sermons from First Parish Unitarian Universalist of Arlington Massachusetts

Barbara Ives, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given August 31, 2025 Prayer by Barbara Ives, Lay Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Empathy has been a big topic in recent social media spaces. Now, a new movement among Christian nationalists says that empathy is a sin. Barbara discusses this great tool for relating to one another, despite our differences.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Barbara Ives is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist. She just started attending Arlington this last January. However, she grew up in the Wayland Church and then attended the Watertown church for many years. From 1997 to 2003 she attended Harvard Divinity school in hopes of pursuing UU ministry. Life took a different path and she did not get ordained. After many years being away from the church, coming back to Arlington feels like coming home. She is glad for this opportunity to exercise her ministerial muscles.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For September, the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) will share half the plate. Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) is the first and only organization dedicated to preventing sexual violence systemically. As a national nonprofit, they work to prevent sexual violence before it happens by addressing root causes like rape culture and systemic oppression. Their work spans policy advocacy, research, institutional reform, and community education to create lasting, structural change. SVPA partners with schools, workplaces, unions, and government agencies to implement evidence-based prevention strategies and is proudly led by marginalized survivors—including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ individuals, and disabled people—ensuring that their work is informed by the lived experiences of those most impacted.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Bill Licea-Kane, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given August 24, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Life is full of awe-full moments. There's a long tradition of going on pilgrimages to find these moments. On Sunday, we'll be exploring the moments that come to us.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Bill Licea-Kane (they/them) and their spouse Erica have been members of First Parish since 1998. They came for their then young son Marsden, but quickly found their own home here too. Bill is currently retired, volunteering at First Parish as a Worship Associate and Youth Group Adult Advisor. Bill is influenced by the writings of humanists, rationalists, and mystical transcendentalists, but also finds deep meaning in the writings of deists and theists.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Rick Eastwick, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given August 17, 2025 Prayer by Rick Eastwick, Lay Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Lay leader Rick Eastwick will tell the story of his life changing conversion to Hinduism starting when he was a college junior at Tufts University in 1970.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Rick Eastwick grew up in New England and graduated from Tufts University in 1971 with a degree in Applied Physics. He worked in industry for 42 years mostly in technical staffing for high tech companies in the Boston area. He was married twice, the second time to Marie Raduazzo, who succumbed to ovarian cancer in October of 2020. He has a son from his first marriage, who lives in California. He was raised Congregationalist but converted to Unitarian-Universalism in college partially because of its tolerance for Eastern religious ideas. He and Marie began attending First Parish in 1983.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Julie Garry, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given August 10, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Lay leader Julie Garry will talk about the ways in which Peace, Love & Understanding are foundational to our UU principles. She has been captivated by both the simplicity and challenge of these fundamental skills.

Julie has been attending First Parish for 13 years and is grateful to be a part of this community. Her interests include: cooking, gardening, camping, art, and spending time with pup Ruby, who gives their entire family boundless love and joy, asking for just a good belly rub and occasional bite of roast beef in return. Along with her wife Jenny they are the proud parents to Fae Kramer.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Worship service given July 27, 2025 Prayer by David Dreyfus, Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

In this time of chaotic national politics, how can we find stability for ourselves and others? Lay Worship Leader Anna Callahan will talk about the power of providing for others as a way to stabilize yourself.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Anna Callahan is a city councilor in Medford, a mom of 10 year old Leif Aune, and a student of democracy. She has spent years training people around the country to get better democratic representation at the local level. She enjoys just about any creative project done with others, from playing music to making films to building cardboard boats.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Worship service given July 27, 2025 Prayer by David Dreyfus, Worship Leader https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

In the era of AI, the rise of large language models (LLMs) offers a unique opportunity to reflect on what it truly means to be human. These models, capable of generating text that mimics human writing and reasoning, challenge our understanding of intelligence and creativity. But as we integrate them into various aspects of life, we can ask: What does their development tell us about ourselves? Throughout history, each major technological leap has reshaped how we view our own abilities. From the advent of agriculture to the digital revolution, tools and machines have progressively augmented or replaced human labor. For years we have extolled the virtues of what machines ultimately do better than us. LLMs represent the latest frontier, capable of tasks once thought to be exclusively human, such as writing or problem-solving. But rather than suggesting that machines have surpassed us, these advancements compel us to rethink what it is about being human that technology cannot replicate.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. David Dreyfus has been attending First Parish for about 12 years and participates in many aspects of community life here. He has chaired the finance committee, participates on property, helps in the kitchen, facilitates a men's group, engages in discussion groups, and actively participates in Lectio Divina as part of a very active spiritual journey.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Worship service given July 20, 2025 Prayer by David Whitford, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

This week's worship leader, Lillian Povey, ponders what it means to really take a vacation. Vacations can be a lot of work! How do we achieve the right balance between activity and rest, solitude and socializing, stimulation and vegging out? How do we balance the unrelenting expectations others have for us at home, at work, at church—not mention the pressure we put on ourselves—with our desire, our need, for joy, rest and fun?

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Lillian Povey has been attending First Parish for 3 years. She works in food manufacturing doing quality assurance work. She loves reading, writing, crochet, poems, cats, games, and chewy candies, and loves the opportunity to be creative.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Worship service given July 13, 2025 Prayer by Loren Gomez, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Our liberal religious tradition calls us to explore and incorporate rituals and spiritual teachings from a variety of faith traditions. As a person who was raised Jewish, Melanie will share some of the traditions learned in childhood that still hold deep meaning for her as she participates in UU worship services as an adult Jewnitarian!

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Melanie Cohn-Hopwood is a Jewish UU (or "Jewnitarian"), a social worker, parent to two awesome teenagers, someone who loves to make things with her hands and a person who strives to have fun with the process and not worry about the outcome. She putters with pottery, sewing, writing and other art forms, and her fantasy getaway is a cabin in the trees with a stream nearby.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Lyn Fulton-John, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given July 6, 2025 Prayer by Mary Breen, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Have you ever found yourself in that space in life between what was and what's next—where the old story has ended, but no new one has begun? It's a place of waiting without promise, and it is profoundly spiritual. This reflection is an invitation to honor the in-between, to find meaning not in fixing, but in staying—with love, with presence, and with the quiet truth that even in the cracks, the light gets in.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Lyn Fulton-John has been an active member of First Parish since arriving in Boston in 2017. Active in STAR and Choir, she has also led a program on art and meditation and enjoys providing graphic design support for other First Parish events. She has a Master's degree in Theology, and is a program manager in the Office of Culture and Community Engagement at Harvard Medical School.

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.

Brian Dooley, Lay Worship Leader

Worship service given June 29, 2025 Prayer by Bill Licea-Kane, Worship Associate https://firstparish.info/

First Parish A liberal religious community, welcoming to all First gathered 1739

Our bodies are wired for danger. When there's too much danger we get overloaded and we lose presence — our innate state — and we find ourselves in a state of fighting, freezing, fleeing, or fawning. And, our bodies contain some some built-in tools we can use to equilibrate. Drawing from the wisdom of Banks, Tolle and Huble, Brian Dooley will share ideas and calming techniques to keep ourselves comfortable, rational and available for ourselves and others.

During the summer our Zoom-only worship is led each week by a member of our congregation. Brian Dooley grew up with a bewildering and confounding lack of emotional intelligence. Every relationship challenge was met with an internal and deafening "DOH!" In the last few decades, Brian has discovered some resonant approaches to recognizing, understanding and managing what is inside him. "If I share these with you, you will mirror them back to me, or you'll model them for another. One exchange at a time, we'll pass our presence along, and in no time at all, we'll all be living with whirled peas. I don't always do this stuff right, but I can try. That's my plan."

Offering and Giving First

The Giving First program donates 50% of the non-pledge offering each month to a charitable organization that we feel is consistent with Unitarian Universalist principles. The program began in November 2009, and First Parish has donated over $200,000 to more than 70 organizations. For June, July, and August 2025, The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY) will share half of the plate. For nearly 50 years, BAGLY has been a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community in Massachusetts. After serving over 200,000+ youth since 1980, BAGLY is recognized nationally for its pioneering role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ+ youth.

The remaining half of your offering supports the life and work of this Parish. To donate using your smartphone, you may text "fpuu" to 73256. Then follow the directions in the texts you receive.