First Parish in Needham, Unitarian Universalist

06/01/2026

Happy Pride! 🌈 Unitarian Universalism welcomes and celebrates LGBTQ+ folks and families, and is a faith leader in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equality 💒

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05/28/2026

Join in the journey of hobbits, elves, and dwarves during this Sunday service inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien — as requested by our member Peter Panov, recent winner of the First Parish auction item, “A Sermon You’re Bound to Enjoy.” This service will focus on Tolkien’s epic high fantasy trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, and how Tolkien himself understood its message and morals of compassion and mercy. Our music directors, Laura Nevitt and Chris Lockman, will offer thematic music and we’ll share the joys and sorrows of our own journeys through our candles ritual.

All are welcome at First Parish, both onsite and online!

The service will be livestreamed from the Sanctuary on our YouTube channel at:
www.uuneedham.org/service-video

05/25/2026

Celebrate Pride with First Parish!
Saturday June 6 at 10 am in Downtown Boston, and Saturday June 13 at 3 pm in Needham Center

Join with other First Parishioners for a joyful celebration of Pride Month! On Saturday June 6th, participate in the annual UU Pre-Pride Parade Celebration at Arlington Street Church at 10 am and the Boston Pride for the People Parade & Festival (“Pride as Protest: Since 1776”) beginning at 11 am. On Saturday June 13th, join in the annual “family-sized” Needham Has Pride Rally, March, and Party! Come to First Parish at 3 pm for the rally, and then ~4 pm, march with other participants over to the Congregational Church for the Pride party, featuring drag queen story time and other fun activities. Please email Rev. Catie if you plan to attend any or all of these Pride events, and if you are available to volunteer at the Needham Has Pride rally.

05/21/2026

This week, guest preacher Mac Perkins-High will explore the theme of cultivating compassion through the classic story, Sheep in a Jeep. How do the stories we tell each other invite us into -- or out of -- compassionate relationship? And how does language allow and prevent mutual understanding?

Mac Perkins-High (they/he) is based in Harvard, Massachusetts, and has been ambling along the path towards UU ministry. A lifelong UU, Mac was called to ministry through their experiences in the food service industry. They currently serve at Sanctuary Boston in the roles of Family Worship & Campus Ministry, as well as at the UU Church of Marblehead, coordinating Religious Exploration & Congregational Life. Mac loves projects that pull together threads of art, math, stories, and the outdoors. They can often be found wandering around the woods of New England, playing with their niece and nephews, or napping in a hammock.

All are welcome at First Parish, both onsite and online!

The service will be livestreamed from the Sanctuary on our YouTube channel at:
www.uuneedham.org/service-video

05/14/2026

For Youth Sunday, we’re thrilled that yet again First Parish’s Senior Youth Group members will share with the congregation their experiences from their annual service trip and that our Coming of Age participants will offer their personal credos. Through stories, visuals, and songs the Youth Group will inspire First Parish to greater service and care for our interdependent web of all existence. We’ll also hear music from our First Parish Choir.

All are welcome at First Parish, both onsite and online!

The service will be livestreamed from the Sanctuary on our YouTube channel at:
www.uuneedham.org/service-video

05/11/2026

Mother’s Day at First Parish means celebrating all those who lovingly mother and supporting the peaceinstitute ! As we have for years, some First Parishioners traveled to Boston to participate in their annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace, and those in Needham for the Sunday service participated from afar — this time, with a rented roll-out labyrinth & finger labyrinths and a special collection for the Peace Institute. We’re so grateful for the Peace Institute’s 30+ years of work to support survivors of homicide and address the root causes of violence in Greater Boston and beyond.

05/11/2026

Beginning NEXT MONDAY! The Needham Interfaith Leaders Association and the Needham Resilience Network - NRN invite one and all to the Needham America@250 Discussion Series — a community-wide program that will enable us to reflect upon the aspirational values at the heart of our nation. At a time of deep division, we need opportunities to come together and to be strengthened by that which unites us. Each of the four discussion sessions (hosted at Needham's Center at the Heights) will include guided, small-group, engaging conversations around some of America’s most powerful and inspiring texts. The series will culminate in a moving and joyful Needham Civic Ritual of Renewal and Celebration on Tuesday, June 30, at Needham’s Town Hall. Learn more and find the registration link at

https://uuneedham.org/blog/first-parish-co-sponsors-america250-series/

05/10/2026

05/08/2026

What Can Poetry Do? You’re Invited to Find Out, TOMORROW!
(Saturday May 9 from 2-3:30 pm)

Does it bring people together across time and space? At poetry readings, attendees practice respectful listening – and this is practice for better community and relationship at all times.

It’s possible to read or listen without having to know the meaning of every detail of a poem – or even to have any idea of what the poet intends. We can notice the sounds of the words and the feelings evoked. Some poets have a literal or metaphorical message to share, and some want to express themselves with relatively little regard for the reader or listener’s understanding. Traditional poetry has prioritized the former; feminism and other movements have made room for the latter.

Let’s practice this kind of respectful community and relationship together! Attendees will receive at least one poem to read aloud twice to the group. There will be a time of silence between each poem so that we may sit with and feel what we’ve heard – with no discussion.

Except for a poem to be shared by way of introduction, all of the featured poems are written by women authors – and by particular women authors who have non-traditional ways of expressing their thoughts and feelings.

All are welcome at this First Parish in Needham Community and Relationship event. Learn more and RSVP at uuneedham.org

05/07/2026

For this month’s multigenerational Sunday service, those of us in the Sanctuary and participating online will take our inspiration from the First Parishioners participating in the 30th annual Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. Drawing from the Buddha’s Karaniya Metta Sutta and Karen Armstrong’s Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, we’ll reflect on cultivating universal compassion. We’ll also hear music from our music directors Laura Nevitt and Chris Lockman, “check in” with those at the Walk for Peace throughout the service, and use labyrinths to participate in the Walk for Peace from afar. Please remember to stay at (or come back to) First Parish for our special brunch social hour!

All are welcome at First Parish, both onsite and online!

The service will be livestreamed from the Sanctuary on our YouTube channel at:
www.uuneedham.org/service-video