Recent Sermons
Why, How, What…
“Very few people can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. WHY is all about your purpose, cause of belief. WHY do you get out of the bed in the morning? And WHY should anyone care?” These words written by Golden Circle guru Simon Sinek a man who in one Ted Talk helped people to realize that understanding the WHY of what we do is the most important insight that we might have to help us find our inspiration and aspiration. How do we apply the WHY of our lives search for truth and meaning, happiness and love? Join, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty...
read moreRemembrance: An Act of Love…
This is All Souls Sunday a time to remember our ancestors with the building of an altar of remembrance and the reciting of a `Presente` a part of the liturgy when the names of our lost and deceased are shared. During this time of year many believe that the veil between the worlds of the living and dead is at it thinnest. A time to remember, to honor, to call upon those who have been important in our lives. Join, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty and the Congregation of First Parish in this largely ritual-based service of Love.
read moreChange: An Act of Courage…
This Sunday is part of “An Act of Courage/Love” series where we investigate the skills that we will need to uncover and embrace courage in our lives. Change is ever present what do we do and how do we cope with the constant shifting of the sands? What is courage and how can it help us to endure and what kinds of skills do we need to cultivate to live a happy and healthy life in times such as these? Join, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty and the Congregation of First Parish in realizing that an act of courage may be required and at hand in everything...
read moreKnowing What is Right…
It feels pretty easy to understand what is wrong and what is right in any given situation. Yet it can be confusing when we receive missed messages from a consumer society that is trying to steer and manipulate us to always want more. To seek the perfect <insert your own compulsion> that will just make our lives so much better. Is it the newest piece of technology, education, clothes, friends, home, car… the possible list goes on and on. Knowing when enough is enough may be knowing what is right but knowing what is right may also go...
read moreWalking the Road to Justice…
Indigenous People’s Day – Let us take this Sunday to understand how the short- comings of our ancestors displaced the people who inhabited Massachusetts before immigrants arrived. Columbus wasn’t a good guy, in his wake befell trauma, tragedy and destruction. The indigenous people who lived here were decimated by disease, murder and warfare. How do we move forward from our history based on acquisition and greed? Is there a way to heal the divide that still exists in our relationships with our native brothers, sisters and two-spirit? Join Rev....
read moreCreating Justice…
How do the covenants we make to one another extend beyond our immediate community? At UU Mass Action we center the leadership of those who are directly impacted by injustice and work within coalitions to build the power needed for systemic change in our Commonwealth. Join Laura Wagner, Executive Director of UUMass Action Network, to learn about what’s happening and how you can get involved.
read moreUnity: An Act of Courage…
“The People United Will Never Be Divided/Defeated” has been a battle cry for those who have fought for social justice around the world. It takes an act of courage to work towards unity in a world filled with privilege based on difference or does it? How do we imagine ways to work, live and play together based on a system that inherently excludes or includes based on one’s identity? Join, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty and the Congregation of First Parish of Sudbury in better revealing, understanding and dismantling systems of oppression and...
read moreSpeak your Truth in Love…
In a country where hateful rhetoric is being flung back and forth on social media one has to wonder where is the “high ground?” How can we speak our minds and share our beliefs in meaningful ways that are not offensive or aimed to exclude rather than include? This Sunday join, Rev. Dr. Marjorie Matty in finding ways to share our beliefs in patient and peaceful ways.
read moreIngathering: Water is Change…
Water is Change – Water is an important part of our lives. The human body is comprised of at least 60% water. We need it to sustain our lives, to bathe, wash everything and to cool or warm us on occasion. We float on water for recreation or travel. Water flows and wears surfaces and seeps into and around obstacles, it is flexible like no other material. At First Parish of Sudbury, we honor water at the time of our fall ingathering, September 8th. We encourage you to bring a small amount of water with you to worship, as an acknowledgment of...
read moreOur Annual Poetry Jam
The First Parish Annual Poetry Jam is coming up on Sunday, August 25th! Each year we end our summer services with a morning of poetry reading. All poems are welcome. They might be funny or profound. They could be classics that you memorized years ago or free verse you saw on the internet yesterday. Unknown poets join with those whose names are virtually synonymous with poetry. If you write poetry, we’d love to have you share your own work. If you wake up Sunday morning and realize you forgot to find a poem, don’t worry. We’ll have a variety...
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