Sunday, October 3, 2021, 10:30 am - in person & online!

Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick, Minister

Sam Chandler, Music Director

Gwen Matthews, Director of Education & Communications

Mack Jones, Children's Teacher

If you're joining in person: Please review our covid-19 safety guidelines on our website. Please also note: In-person worship plans are subject to change dependent on covid-19 case numbers in Cumberland County. We will alert you quickly if such changes occur prior to Sunday. For more information on our re-opening decision process please see our Re-Opening Phase Chart.

If you're joining online: To access the online service, please use this Zoom link and enter the passcode WORSHIP. A Sunday morning email will also be arriving with the Zoom link, order of worship, and a link to the offering.

Dear First U Friends,

This Sunday in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology, we join churches near and far to celebrate the Blessing of the Animals. 

And yes, my friends! You are welcome to bring your non-human animal friends into our sanctuary for this special service. All we ask is that your hooved animal friends (horses, goats, alpacas, piglets, mini-ponies, unicorns, etc.) stay at home for this one, and that you keep your dogs on a leash, your cats contained, your fish in a tank, your birds in a cage, and your tarantulas and pythons under a vigilantly watchful eye in a very secure terrarium. Please also be prepared to clean up after your animal if needed.

If you don’t have an animal friend to bring to our service or if your animal is not the church-going type, please feel warmly welcome to bring a photograph or a memento of your animal to set on our altar or keep close to you during the service. Stuffed animals, animal costumes, and animal themed fashion accessories are also invited/encouraged. Those of you joining on Zoom probably have your cats, dogs, and hamsters near-by, but please know they are warmly invited to zoom in with you. 

During our service we will bless, celebrate, and offer thanks to the beloved animals we know, as well as all the furry, scaly, feathery, strange, sweet, ferocious, and wondrous animals of the earth, air, and sea. We will take time to mourn and honor animals we’ve known, and we will grieve for the animals harmed and killed in the wake of human destruction and need. 

Following the service I will offer individual blessings on all animals outside in our peace garden. Our hooved friends are warmly invited to receive a blessing at this time, as are all stuffed animals. 

Friends, last week I offered a sermon that centered on the question, “How do we invite people to church.” If for any reason that question made you anxious, this week provides a fantastic opportunity to face your reluctance. Just skip the people for now and invite an animal! 

Yours in a howl, yowl, gurgle, chirp, moo, hiss, and the magical bray of a unicorn,

Rev. Hillary 

Come to an all ages family Halloween themed event on Sunday, October 24, 3 - 4 pm, where we’ll be painting and carving pumpkins. Consider painting or carving a chalice design and leaving the pumpkins as decorations at the church—or take them home for your own enjoyment. Please BYO pumpkin for carving or painting. We’ll have paint, paint brushes, carving supplies, tarps, buckets, etc. Come and bring your friends, too! 

This discussion is being rescheduled. New date will be announced soon! We'll be discussing our next book "Call to Unite." Read the book, choose a favorite, meaningful, or thought-provoking essay you'd like to discuss with the group, and then come if you're able for the discussion. Weather permitting, we'll be meeting outside at church.

Please fill out this online registration form for all children and youth who will be participating in programs at First Universalist. Thank you!

This year, you can view a schedule of children and youth programs in advance and learn about timing of programs, topics/themes, and facilitators each week. Please also see below to view the newly updated October RE calendar.

Please note: These plans may be updated as the fall progresses.

You can help demand "truth in advertising" by supporting this citizen initiative that will prohibit foreign money being spent in Maine elections. Follow this campaign on Facebook to learn more and consider signing up to assist in collecting signatures.

The Maine UU State Advocacy Network is seeking a part-time administrative coordinator. You can view the job description for more information and instructions on how to apply.

The Maine Voices Beyond Prison Walls art exhibit which is part of the Freedom and Captivity Project.

The Freedom and Captivity Project is a statewide public arts and humanities collaborative conceived with the participation of people in Maine impacted by incarceration. The project aims to help the public imagine a future without prisons through exhibitions, workshops, webinars, a podcast series, research, creative production and public education materials.

The Freedom and Captivity Project art exhibit Maine Voices Beyond Prison Walls opened at the Union of Maine Visual Artists Gallery at the Portland Media Center, 516 Congress Street Portland Friday, September 3, 2021 and will run through through October 29, 2021.

Rev. Hillary is back in the Zoom and real life office this August and would like to catch up with you! On Wednesdays from 11 am - 1 pm she will be holding an outside drop-in space at our church picnic tables. All are welcome to come by and check-in. (Weather permitting.)

Throughout the week, Rev. Hillary will be holding office hours for individual conversations. These conversations can be on Zoom, over the phone, or in-person. Please reach out to Rev. Hillary directly to schedule a conversation, firstuminister@gmail.com. Note that Rev. Hillary is not available to meet on Saturdays and Mondays. See you soon!