Watch the Worship Service on YouTube

If we grow our annual commitments for the coming church year by combining last year’s annual contribution with our special RISE UP contribution (an increase of 15%) as we are able, then we will be able to have any and all fundraising events (when it is safe to do so) purely for JOY and JUSTICE, putting our Faith into ACTION!

Be a beautiful annual! Be a faithful perennial! Find FAQs, Giving Table, and place to Plant your seeds of hope with a commitment on our website or send an email to Marge (mjtbean@aol.com) or Sarah (sarahcoffinwitte@gmail.com).

Watch the video.

UPDATE: We have had a wonderful response so far with $90,000 committed from 34 families; we are seeking 42 more responses. Thank you to all who have committed to our annual campaign so far!

Dear First U Friends,

This Sunday, March 14th, 3/14, 3.14, we celebrate Pi Day. However, in true First U fashion, we do it our way with a culinary twist and add an “e” to the end of that Pi. Chatting with some of you after Vespers this week, I realized this will be the first food related event I’ve experienced at First U. Oh, how distinctly I remember during my pre-candidating weekend last winter the Search Team’s vivid descriptions of the foods you would make and share together, “We have some fantastic cooks,” I heard over and over again, “This is a congregation that likes to eat!,” “We are a church for foodies!” 

To everyone’s chagrin, so far in my socially distanced tenure as your settled minister we haven’t shared any meals together. No bean suppers, no farm suppers, no coffee hour spreads, no new member celebratory cakes. Like all of you, I’m sad about this, but I have to say, my excitement regarding our congregational culinary arts has not dissipated these past seven months. In fact, my excitement to break bread/pie together has only increased this year - rising high like a proving sourdough loaf. 

So, not to say the pressure is on for the Pi Day Pie Exchange, First U, but well, this is where the rubber meets the road! (Or rather, where the pie crust meets the tin? The filling sets its landing...ok, ok. I’ll stop there.) Dear Foodie Church, this is our first food-related event together! 

And, friends, of course, I write in jest. The mini-pie pressure is not on; this is not, as they might call it on the Great British Baking Show, a “make or break signature challenge.” Our Pie Exchange this Sunday is about the joy of sharing with one another, the joy of doing something fun together, the joy of messing around in the kitchen, the dependable joy of eating some pie - and I have no doubt all of your pies will be excellent, because, well - you made them with joy for the sake of joy. Delicious! Sweet, very sweet! I can’t wait. What better way to put the joy in our month of commitment to grow joy and justice. I’m so glad to share this day with you. And for those who will not be making it to our pie exchange, know that while my excitement to break bread together is high, my gratitude that we ARE together, connected in so many different ways, is even higher. Let me know if you need a pie delivery Sunday afternoon. 

Yours in debating whether to write a sermon on Pi , Pie, or the Pi of Pie,

Rev. Hillary 

PS. Seriously, look at these math-y pies!

At First Universalist, there is a tradition to celebrate Pi Day (3/14) with an embrace of science, math, and delicious pies.

Come on down to First Universalist to pick up a mini pie on Pi(e) Day! Sunday, March 14th, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, outside of the church. Say hello to Rev. Hillary and Gwen while you pick up your mini-pie!

Didn't make a pie? That's okay! We believe that folks will make extras and you can still come pick up a mini-pie to enjoy. Trust that some days, you're the pie-maker, other days, you're the pie-eater - and both roles are vital to the pie experience.

It is with great joy and fellowship that we have welcomed Dale Shields into membership at First Universalist. She has come to the grounds of First Universalist to safely sign our membership book with Rev. Hillary.

Interested in joining in membership? If First Universalist feels like your spiritual home, if you want to become part of this vital, liberating, institution, if you want to declare your commitment to siding with love, creating peace, and welcoming all, you, too, could join in membership! Learn more about the benefits of membership, eligibility requirements, and covenant.

If you have questions or are ready to sign the book, contact members of Congregation Connections (Sarah Witte, Martha Hutchinson, Cindy Guernsey, or Brenda McKee), Gwen Matthews (gwenatfirstu@gmail.com) or Rev. Hillary (firstuminister@gmail.com).

I joined the church because I wanted a safe place to explore my spiritual needs and purpose in community. I’ve been an irregular visitor for a few years, but it was my zoom experience with getting to know all you and seeing the renewed vibrant energy within the church that encouraged me to make the leap to membership. My happy place is a seasonal camp we have on Great Pond up in Belgrade. Going there and being in nature restores my soul. Last year during Covid we put in a raised bed garden with our neighbors up there. It was my first ever garden and it was a ton of fun.

Mary is pictured here with her wife, Ryan McKisson, who is also a new member. This is how they celebrated spring last year when they ventured out for their first outing after the long winter Covid quarantine - an outdoor happy hour with two friends.

Joy? Well, my family… is a great joy! I am very lucky and blessed to have a wonderful wife, wonderful kids, grandkids…. Extended family… holidays, b-bques…. Vacations.. Also, I have wonderful pets… love, love, love our pets and all the wildlife that visits us!!!!! Then there is cooking… I love to cook, be creative!!! Food is a great way to share love! And Travel… although that is hard now, exploring the different cultures and history in the world is so wonderful!

Choosing First U? Well, I was raised UCC and spent some time in the Brunswick UU before moving further south. I chose First U when my son, who I adopted from Cambodia which is a Buddhist country, got to be school age and I had become a single parent. I wanted him to have some spirituality in his life so we started attending First U. I loved the RE program, volunteered there for many years. And I loved the benediction…. It is still said today and speaks volumes! I am gay and just couldn’t swallow the "Christian only" services at the local churches and this was pre-“welcoming congregations”. I was welcomed at First U… felt safe, met many who were spiritual seekers and it seemed right.

Sense of calm or peace? Nature… the ocean, the mountains… the woods… Fire in the wood stove or fire pit while camping. Morning coffee…. Alone… nature.

Proud of? How I’ve raised my son. He’s a kind, compassionate man. We need more men like that!

Passionate? Nature! Saving animals! Cooking!

Join Anna on Zoom where we continue our theme of the month, Commitment and celebrate pi(e) day! Click for Children's Chapel and enter password: CHAPEL.

Coffee hour connection and a chance to reflect on the themes that arose in the worship service. Click for the Social & Learning Hour and enter the password: COMMUNITY.

When we make time to ponder our feelings about death, and give some attention and energy to planning for it, two shifts happen:

Many of us have a hard time with death, and that’s understandable. Death marks a major disruption to so many elements of our lives- relationships, security, identity, and more. Thank you for having the courage to take a deeper look. Each Zoom session includes: presentations, breakout rooms with thought-provoking prompts, and opportunities to have these meaningful conversations.

3/25: Where do we start the conversations around death and dying?

4/1:  What can we do now to prepare ourselves and our loved ones?

4/8:  How will we exit this world?

At the end of the 3 sessions you will have:

Our hope is that you will leave these sessions with a sense of joy that you are part of a community that will help see you through these life passages, and a feeling of peace when the time comes for you or a loved one you have assisted.

Offered by: Johanna Munson, End-of-Life Navigator, with Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, and Sarah Witte.

COST: Suggested donation is $10-25 for each class.

Please note: We encourage you to attend all three sessions, but it is not required. If you can’t make the first, we’ll schedule a session to fill you in so you’re ready for the second and third.

SIGN UP: Please CLICK HERE to reserve a spot BY MARCH 21.

FMI on Johanna, please join her Facebook group or write to her at johanna@johannamunson.com.

Junior youth group members (5th - 8th grade), bring yourself and any friends to the outside of the church on Sunday, March 28, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, to craft your own Blue Man style instruments together. Join Ben, Christy, and Gwen as we have fun creating and then attempting to play our instruments. Please RSVP by March 22 if you plan to attend and/or bring friends as we need to know how many materials to bring (gwenatfirstu@gmail.com).

- We ask all to wear masks and will have hand sanitizer available.

- Parents, please drop off your youth at the church at 1:00 pm and return promptly at 2:30 pm.

Plus, save the date for April 11th and May 23d, both at 1:00 - 2:30 pm, for more junior youth group fun!

There are 4 Anti-Racist Learning Groups starting in March and 19 church members have already signed up. Two of the groups meet once a month and have 5-6 members. Two other groups meet twice a month and have 3 and 5 members.

Ideally we suggest that each group have 5 - 6 members so we are looking for members for both groups which meet twice a month. If the interest is there we can start other small learning groups.

Please consider signing up for an anti-racist learning group. To do so contact Dale by emailing her at shields.dale1@gmail.com.

What you read, what you watch as video, what you discuss, etc. is your choice but to get started we suggest you can begin with content put into Channels in the past several months or books you have already read.

Dale Shields and Steve Thomas have put together suggestions regarding starting an anti-racist learning group which we will email to anyone interested in joining one of the groups.

Did you know that First Universalist is participating in Legislative Ministry? This is coordinated by MUUSAN (Maine UU Advocacy Network) which is a "statewide advocacy and public policy network anchored in our Unitarian Universalist faith and animated by its principles. This legislative ministry links Maine's 22 Unitarian Universalist congregations to promote just, humane laws and policies in keeping with our UUA Seven Principles. We welcome as partners and collaborators all those who share our values."

MUUSAN has organized their efforts into four priority areas: Democracy in Action; Health Care; Climate Change and Racial, Native and Immigrant Justice. Their website, MUUSAN.org, is chock full of information about this work.

Nancy Read has recently agreed to act as First Universalist’s Congregational Legislative Liaison. Her job is to keep you informed about how you can support MUUSAN in their work and also keep MUUSAN informed about what First U is doing in the four issue areas. In that spirit, see the Community News section below for an upcoming event that you may be interested in.

In honor of our first principle, the inherent worth and dignity of every person, this week’s offering is shared with MaineTransNet, a community based organization led by transgender people for transgender people providing peer-to-peer support groups, advocacy for the transgender community across Maine, and transgender cultural competency training for health and social service providers. They engage transgender people and allies across Maine in the practice of community building and organizing for mutual liberation.

Please offer your gift by clicking the "Make Your Offering" button below (to contribute via GiveButter), dropping a check or cash in the mail, or sending via your bank's bill pay feature.

It's time to spring into action to achieve our legislative priorities for the 130th Maine Legislative Session! Join us for our next MUUSAN Network Meeting on March 13th to learn more about our advocacy work and hear from our guest speaker - Secretary of State Shenna Bellows!

Shenna Bellows has long been an advocate for social justice and voting rights. Before becoming Maine's new Secretary of State, she served as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Maine. She co-chaired the campaign to restore same day voter registration in Maine. She ran as a Clean Elections candidate for the Maine Senate and served two terms as the Senator for District 14.

In her brief time as Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows has already demonstrated her commitment ensuring every eligible voter in Maine is able to participate in our democracy. As she said in a recent Congressional hearing on HR 1, the For the People Act, "Democracy is stronger when it represents everyone, and when everyone can participate." Join us as we hear her speak about how social justice reform depends upon a strong democracy with guaranteed voting rights.