Watch the Worship Service on YouTube

Our Annual Campaign is wrapping up - just $7,000 left to meet our goal! Look for the final results of Annual Campaign to be shared on April 9th.

Lo, the earth awakes again! Alleluia!

Happy Spring and bright Easter tidings to our First Universalist Community.

Love, Rev. Hillary, Gwen, Sam and Andrea

Come to participate in a traditional Easter egg hunt outside at First Universalist. We will be hiding (empty!) Easter eggs and children/youth will be able to trade the eggs they find in for a (full!) Easter giftbag.

Easter & Springtime Wishes. Everyone is welcome to come out on Easter Sunday to say hello and chat while the children/youth hunt for eggs. We'll also have a chance to hang up some Easter and springtime wishes in a tree. Rev. Hillary, Gwen, and members of the RE Council will be there, too.

Pansies for Springtime! We'll have a small pot of pansies to give away to your household to welcome some springtime into your home/garden. We will only have 40 pots available, so please take one per household, please.

Please BYO Easter basket for egg gathering. The egg hunt will be color coded by age group with progressive difficulty in hiding spots. Youth/older children are invited to come early to help hide eggs for littler ones, too. See the list below for determining which color age you should be searching for.

What time should I arrive? Come at 12:00 pm if you want to help hide the eggs! Come at 12:30 pm if you want to hunt for the eggs! We'll finish up with everything around 1:00 pm.

Some covid caveats: Please wear a mask, please maintain social distancing, and please use the hand sanitizer provided.

First U is invited to join First Parish in attending the Revolutionary Love Conference, a virtual conference to build a just, antiracist society through the power of fierce love (about the conference). This year’s conference will feature transformative artists, justice-oriented public servants, inspirational educators and faith leaders from many traditions (see the full speaker list). They have curated a dynamic weekend of conference programming to help ignite your imagination, and give you the courage to love and dream fiercely. The speakers and facilitators will give you new tools to shift the cultural narrative, so we can collectively shape a new story that brings us closer to justice (the conference schedule). The conference is live but all ticket holders will also have access to recordings of the entire conference. Tickets to attend this four day conference are $50 - contact Rev. Hillary if you're interested in participating and receiving this group rate. Registrations are due by April 10th.

The vision: A small lending library for children and families, housed in the Kitty Corner, that focuses on books related to UU values. We'd start out small, maybe fifty books, and include books that highlight justice, diversity, peace, and inclusion. We'd curate books from our current collection and add new titles, too.

When we're back in the church building, children could find a cozy spot and read books during coffee hour, teens might volunteer to read-aloud, grandparents might discover new books to share with their grandchildren, and Peace Play could welcome families into the space during the week. Like other libraries, we'd also house some quiet toys in the section.

How to help launch: We need just a few good folks for a small number of roles to get this project launched. Do any of these appeal to you? Contact Gwen at gwenatfirstu@gmail.com if you'd like to get involved or have other ideas you'd like to share.

Through reflection, conversation and connection, First Universalist identifies goals for the calendar year for each council and committee.

This week we’re excited to share the goals of the LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. The members of the Leadership Development Committee are Lisa Patterson (Chair), Joanna Landsman (Board Liaison ), Jeanette Newton, Nancy Read, Sue Myers, and Tom Carlisle.

For more detail on these goals, please see the full 2021 Goals document at our website.

What brings you joy? There are many things that bring me joy. My family, my friends, walking on a sunny, cloudless day are most joyful to me. I love the beach and hiking in the mountains.

Why did you choose First Universalist as your spiritual home? I have been a UU for many years. I was drawn to a UU Church in Connecticut years ago when I attended a memorial service for a friend's father. It was a casual, welcoming church and eventually became a member. I had every intention of joining First U in Yarmouth as soon as I relocated here.

Where do you find a sense of calm or peace? I love my condo and its environs. It is quiet and peaceful. My small backyard area is a sanctuary for me. I recently rescued a big black long haired cat named Soot. We like to watch birds and animals from inside the sliding glass door. I also find peace and calm in church and I'm looking forward to being in the church when it is safe to do so.

What are you most proud of? I'm proud of making the decision to move to Maine. It was just a thought back in 2008 when I brought the condo. I rented it for years, then decided after I retired that I could afford to rent it seasonally and spend summers here.  I finally made the BIG decision to move here, leaving family and friends in Connecticut. Who knew Covid would rear its ugly head and Zoom would be a salvation? In some ways, I'm still there.

What are you most passionate about? I don't know how to answer this question. Right now I worry about the state of our democracy and I will do what I feel I can to stop politicians from taking away the vote of US citizens. I have many interests, none of which I am passionate about.

When I think of the choices I have made in my adult life, joining our UU church is one the best and one of the most rewarding. Valuing freedom of belief, thought, faith, and speech have allowed me to treasure my spiritual process. While taking a class on Unitarian Universalists with Rev. Peter Luton, we were asked to write our own creed. That assignment has been with me for many years. Through the valued discussions, classes, and suggested literature I have received from our church community my creed has been refined and I am certain will continue to adjust as my spiritual journey is enhanced. The membership in this church has and will continue to teach me more in this life’s journey. I cherish knowing I can join this kind, thoughtful community when tragic or joyful events occur in our world.

What great fun I have had in the “kitchen”! Often we are participating in fundraisers, but always with good times, lots of laughs, and camaraderie. I have never left without learning new cooking techniques from our fabulous cooks. I treasure the friendships I have made through this community and all the interesting people here who have expanded my life. The glorious music performed in our church halls strengthens my soul.

Come at 12:00 pm to help hide eggs; 12:30 pm to hunt for eggs (or come to do both!). There will also be an opportunity to hang up your Easter/springtime wishes in a tree and to take home a small pot of pansies.

Junior youth group members (5th - 8th grade) are welcome to bring yourself and any friends to Wolfe's Neck Center to learn about regenerative agriculture, a continuation of our focus for this past church year on the interdependent web of all existence. At Wolfe's Neck, we’ll dive into the innovative regenerative practices they use in their dairy and vegetable production farming operations, and how it has the power to create a healthier planet for future generations. If the weather cooperates, we'll also have the opportunity for some hands-on assistance with weeding, raking, and/or garden clean-up tasks.

Please RSVP by April 5 so we can let our tour guide at Wolfe's Neck know how many participants to expect.

Please note:

Take two! After being rained out, we've reschedule our DIY Blue Man instrument making for our junior youth group members and any friends who would like to come along. If your RSVP status has changed (if you can no longer come when you initially RSVPed yes or now you can come when you initially couldn't), please reach out to Gwen at gwenatfirstu@gmail.com.

What is environmental racism and is environmental racism real? To answer these questions please click on the button below and explore in depth an example of environmental racism in Chicago.

In honor of our second principle, justice, equity and compassion in human relations, this week’s offering is shared with Equality Maine, working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Maine through political action, community organizing, education, and collaboration. EQME envisions the day when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons and their families have full equality in the hearts and minds of Maine people and in all areas of the law. In the words of Margaret Chase Smith, “Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.” 

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.

One of our First Universalist members is seeking a housing rental for herself and her two children in the Yarmouth area. If you have rental space available or know of someone who does, please make a connection! Contact Val Gifford at valredpath@gmail.com.