First Parish Church York, ME

First Parish Church York, ME Sunday Worship at 10:00am! Following the way of Jesus.

What a wonderous time is springWhen all the trees are buddingThe birds begin to singThe flowers start their bloomingThat...
05/11/2026

What a wonderous time is spring
When all the trees are budding
The birds begin to sing
The flowers start their blooming
That's how it is with God's love
Once you experience it
You want to sing it's fresh like spring
You want to pass it on

05/11/2026

Join us for dinner this Tuesday, May 12th.

To all the mothers or people taking on a mothering role, have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.
05/08/2026

To all the mothers or people taking on a mothering role, have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

Welcome! Come sit in the sunshine. Bring a book, your thoughts, a snack or a friend, there is plenty of room for everyon...
05/08/2026

Welcome! Come sit in the sunshine. Bring a book, your thoughts, a snack or a friend, there is plenty of room for everyone.

05/06/2026

Oasis Letter, May 6
Recently, I came across a story that relates to faith. It caused me to pause to give thanks for the love that nurtures, sustains, and surrounds me - often in ways I do not fully see or understand. See what you think...
In a mother's womb, there are two babies. One turned to the other and said, "Do you believe in life after delivery?"
The other replied, "Of course! There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we're here to prepare ourselves for what will come later."
"Nonsense," said the first. "There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?"
"I don't know, " said the second, "but there will be more light than here. Maybe we'll walk with our legs and eat with our mouths. Maybe we'll have other senses we can't understand now."
The first responded, "That's ridiculous. Walking is impossible, and eating with our mouths - absurd! The umbilical cord is what supplies everything we need, and it's far too short. Life after delivery is logically impossible."
The second said, "What if it's just different than it is here? Maybe we won't need that cord anymore."
The first pressed on, "If there were life after delivery, why has no one ever come back? Delivery is the end of life. After that, there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion."
"But surely, " said the second, "we will meet Mother, and she will take care of us."
"Mother?" said the first, "You actually believe in Mother? If Mother exists, where is she now?"
The second replied, "She is all around us. We are of her. It is in her that we live. Without her, this world would not and could not exist."
"I don't see her, " said the first. "It's only logical that she's not here."
And the second answered, "Sometimes, when you're very still and you listen closely, you can perceive her presence. You can her her loving voice calling down from above."
This story might remind us of a truth that stretches beyond biology into the heart of faith: we are held by a love we do not always see. Just as the unborn child cannot yet imagine the fullness of life to come, we too often struggle to grasp the depth of God's presence and care.

Blessings and peace,
Eric

04/29/2026

April 29 - Oasis Letter
When I was quite young, I had a wooden giraffe-complete with a seat and four wheels-for scooting around the house. That giraffe was memorable and played a big role in my life, because it also had a sturdy back I could cling to as I was learning to walk. My parents brought that giraffe everywhere we went. Without it, I sometimes joke, I might still be crawling around on all fours.

In his book In Praise of Walking, Shane O'Mara asks, "How do you learn to walk?" He answers, "You learn to walk by taking thousands of steps, and making dozens of falls per day." He explains, "On average, a toddler takes 2,368 steps, travels 701 meters, and falls 17 times per hour." Walking, like the learning of so many other skills, is best developed through a pattern of variable and intermittent practice. I wouldn't have thought of this, but O'Mara also points out that infants and children sleep a great deal-and that "sleep is required to solidify the learning that occurs during the day."

There is something deeply instructive here for the spiritual life. We often imagine that faith should come naturally or grow quickly, as though maturity in Christ could be achieved in a straight, upward line. But the truth is closer to learning to walk. Growth comes through taking step after step-sometimes steady, sometimes uncertain-and through the inevitable stumbles along the way. Faith is formed not in perfection, but in persistence.

Like a child learning to walk, we rely on supports: Scripture, prayer, worship, and community of church. These are the steadying hands and sturdy backs that help us rise again when we fall. And just as sleep allows the body to absorb and strengthen what has been learned, times of rest-Sabbath moments of stillness and reflection-allow our souls to take root more deeply in God's grace.

Over time, what once felt awkward becomes more natural. What once required great effort becomes part of who we are. We learn, step by step, to walk in faith, and to walk in the way of Christ.

Blessings,
Eric

04/22/2026

Oasis Letter - April 22, 2026
Each year, Earth Day invites us to pause and remember that this world is not simply where we live-it is a gift we have been entrusted to love and tend. From the opening chapters of Genesis, we are reminded that God calls creation "good," and humanity is given the sacred responsibility to care for it with wisdom, humility, and gratitude.

Here in our church community, that calling is not just an idea-it's something we practice together. Whether it's through the composting bin that helps reduce waste and return nutrients to the earth, our shared efforts in beach cleanups that restore beauty to our coastline, or our commitment to using recyclable plates and cups at gatherings, we are finding tangible ways to honor God's creation. In past years, placing a textile recycling bin has some quiet but powerful witness-reminding us that small. faithful acts can keep usable materials out of landfills and extend their life.

These actions may seem simple, but they reflect something deeper: a spiritual posture of care. To tend the earth is to participate in God's ongoing work of renewal. It is to say that what God has made matters-and that how we live within it matters too.

When I first began to learn about First Parish, I was thrilled to learn there was a group dedicated to care of God's creation. Many thanks to the Creation Care Committee for helping us be good stewards. This Earth Day, may we give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us, recommit ourselves to thoughtful stewardship, and continue discovering new ways to live gently and gratefully within God's creation.

"Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice." (Psalm 96:11)

Blessings
Eric

Address

180 York Street
York, ME
03909

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 12pm
Sunday 10am - 11:15am

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