First Parish United Church of Christ Somersworth

04/21/2026

04/01/2026

Holy Week began on Palm Sunday and as this week goes on, we will focus first on Maundy Thursday, April 2nd. Please join us in the sanctuary at 7 PM for this very special service. Then on Friday, April 3rd, join us in the sanctuary for our Good Friday service at 4:30 PM. We will end Holy Week on Easter Sunday, April 5th at 9 AM, as we say Allelluia! Christ Is Risen!!

Come and join us at First Parish UCC Congregational at 176 West High St. in Somersworth, New Hampshire. Our doors are open and welcome to one and all. 

12/25/2025

Tonight on Christmas eve, we light the Christ Candle. Lighting the Christ Candle is a beautiful tradition, signifying Jesus' birth as the "Light of the World." It is often done with a white candle in the center of the Advent wreath, symbolizing Jesus' arrival to dispel darkness and the bringing of hope, peace, joy, and love, uniting the Advent themes. We light this candle, celebrating Christ's presence and eternal promise.

Merry Christmas ! Christ is Born!

12/21/2025

Our beautiful altar.

12/21/2025

December 21, 2025 finds us on the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Today, we come face to face with the scandal of Advent: Mary, the unmarried mother; God Incarnate growing in Mary’s womb as a vulnerable baby; Joseph contemplating leaving Mary because of her pregnancy; God’s love at work in ways that society and propriety could not understand; God calling Mary and Joseph to faithfulness despite the fear of disgrace.

With Mary and Joseph, we choose to wait, watch, and listen for the way of Love instead of responding in fear to the world’s judgment.

We light this candle of Love as a sign of our faithfulness as we seek, find, and follow Emmanuel, God with us. Please come and join us on this last Sunday of Advent. We welcome all at 176 West High Street in Somersworth at our 9am service.

And don't forget to join us for our Christmas Eve worship at 7pm.

12/14/2025

The third Sunday of Advent is upon us on this December 14, 2025.

In the midst of our waiting and longing for God to make the world right again, we cling to the truth that God has saved, God is saving, and God will save. So today, we join our voices with the prophet Isaiah, who calls us to live in the joy of the truth of God’s salvation

We choose to believe that the day is coming when “the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).

Today we light the pink candle of joy as a sign of the Truth that sets us free to live in joy as we wait and work for the day when all creation will flourish together. Please join us in the sanctuary at 176 West High Street in Somersworth.

12/06/2025

We find ourselves at the Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025.

Advent reminds us that we are people who share a story, the story of Jesus, who enacts peace by judging in favor of the poor and deciding with equity for the meek of the earth. We long for the day when “the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).

Today, we choose to live the story of peace, believing that true peace comes when we seek the flourishing of all God’s creation. We light this candle of Peace as a sign of our commitment to bring Light to the places the world seeks to hide until that day when all creation lives together in harmony and abundance.

11/30/2025

Advent Season begins on Sunday, November 30th. Please join us in worship as we light the first candle, the Candle of Hope. Worship begins at 9am in the sanctuary of First Parish at 176 West High St., Somersworth. We welcome all!

First Sunday of Advent, Year A
November 30, 2025

The prophet Isaiah calls to us from the past to imagine the future when God’s reign will be fully realized and recognized throughout creation. When that time comes, God “shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).
Today, we choose to live in hope, believing that the time of God’s reign has come and is coming among us.
We light this candle of hope as a sign of our promise to follow the Light as we answer God’s call to transform our hope into reality today and in the days to come.

10/09/2025

Coming up quickly!

09/17/2025

Save the date!