This Sunday we will gather informally in the community room and together reflect upon what is so necessary to do before we embrace the new, which is letting go of the old. Out with the Old! In with the New! The Rev. Tom Rosiello will lead the worship service.
Past Services
Wednesday, December 24th, 2014
December 24, Christmas Eve
4 PM Family Service
"Nativity in a Trunk"
Led by our minister, Tom Rosiello and our DRE, Michele Cote, this service will be oriented towards our children. We will have lots of them participating as we act out the Christmas Story and create a Christmas Tableau. Our Junior Choir and Youth Choir will be performing, and there will be familiar carols for all to sing. We will conclude this service with the traditional candle-lighting ceremony.
December 24, Christmas Eve
9 PM Traditional Christmas Eve Service
Led by our minister, Tom Rosiello, this service will feature traditional Christmas carols and anthems, the reading of the story of the birth of Jesus from the Christian Gospels, and a candle-lighting ceremony. It will be a quieter and more traditional service than the 4 PM service, with beautiful music provided by the Adult Choir, under the direction of Mike Pfitzer, organist/pianist Sanghee Kim, and talented guest musicians. An extended prelude of Christmas music will begin at 8:45 PM. Be sure to come early!
Sunday, December 21st, 2014
At 9 AM , "Keeping Christmas Well"
At the end of Unitarian Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," he writes of the transformed Scrooge, " It was always said the he knew how to keep Christmas well", if any man alive possessed the knowledge. Well the mummers are setting up for the 11 Am service we will gather in the Community room around the Christmas tree with Carols playing on the piano and reed organ for this service we will share excerpts from Dickens's famous story and focus on what it means to "keep Christmas well."
At 11 AM, "Celebrating the Solstice with Our Annual Mummers Play!"
We will dispel the darkness of the season with lively music and the presentation of our Annual Mummer’s Play under the direction of Pat Sorn. This is a great family service with lots of children participating. Worship will be led by Minister Tom Rosiello, Director of Religious Education, Michelle Coté, Music Director, Mike Pfitzer and Organist/Pianist, Sanghee Kim.
Sunday, December 14th, 2014
This very special Candlelight Vesper service will include a beautiful string orchestra prelude, the great Advent Cantata by J. S Bach, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme sung by the First Parish Adult Choir with guest soloists and accompanied by a string orchestra and organ. The service will also include wonderful Hanukkah Choral Music, hymns from both traditions, and a reflection on the common message of this Season. This musical service is our holiday gift to the greater community. Please let people in the community know about it and bring your friends and neighbors. The music will be under the direction of Mike Pfitzer with Malcolm Halliday, organist and The Rev.Tom Rosiello leading worship.
Sunday, December 14th, 2014
HANUKKAH SUNDAY
The Hanukkah story is one of hope, courage, and faith in the most difficult of times. It is a story of taking action even when our rational mind might be telling us not to do so. We will tell the ancient Hanukkah story and consider what lessons it has for our 21st century lives. Mike Pfitzer and Sanghee Kim will provide music of this season.
Sunday, December 7th, 2014
ADVENT SUNDAY
Advent is a cry to wake up to the situation at hand. It asks us to see clearly the way things are and then respond to the question, "With what we know of the situation, how do we respond?" In the past few months several cases have forced us to awaken to the situation of young black men and their relationship to the police in many communities. Like the Christian journey, the path of racial equality is a long one. We will look at Ferguson Missouri and other troubling events in the past year and bring the teachings of our faith tradition to them. Our worship will be led by the Rev. Tom Rosiello with our musicians offering beautiful music of the Advent Season.
Sunday, November 30th, 2014
ONLY ONE SERVICE AT 11 AM
Guest preacher Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, Intern Minister at the Fallon Church in Lexington, MA will be leading worship.
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
Vesper Service
This is the time of year when we focus on the bounty of our lives. It can be so easy to take for granted all that we have. This evening we will reflect upon the blessing of our lives. Vespers is a candlelight service of readings, sharing, music, and silence .
You are invited to bring a poem or reading about gratitude to share with others. music will be provided by FPC Jazz Band Members Trish Woods, piano, Roy Miller, vibraphone, Chuck Woods, snare brushes, Mike McKendrie, clarinet. Please join us.
Sunday, November 16th, 2014
Why Belong to a Church? This morning at both the 9 AM and the 11 AM service we will invite folks to join the church by signing our membership book. We will together explore the many reasons why a church like ours is important in our lives. Being part of a church community has benefits that are not available in any other kind of organization. We hope you will be with us to explore this topic. If you have decided that FPC is the right Spiritual home for you, we would love to welcome you into membership this Sunday. If you have any questions about membership or are planning to join this Sunday, please contact Joleen Sullivan our Membership Coordinator MDC@fpc-stow-acton.org or 978-897-8149.
Sunday, November 9th, 2014
We will explore one of the most ancient of Bible stories -- the Story of Noah's Ark, and you might be surprised by the many lessons for living a good life that are found in that story. At the 11 AM service we will have a special ceremony to begin our Coming of Age Program. Worship at both services will be led by our minister, Tom Rosiello and music will be provided by our Music Director, Mike Pfitzer and Organist/Pianist, Sanghee Kim with the Adult Choir singing at the 11 AM service. At the 9 AM service our young children will explore this great story with a fun song led by Pat Sorn and our Children's Choir.
