April 9, 2020
First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, had a virtual Maundy Thursday Service (with Tenebrae) using the Zoom platform. This video begins with an original piece of music by FCU’s Music Director, Molly Lozeau (“Starlight Song” (c) 2020 Molly Lozeau). I light the chalice and welcome all. FCU Deacons Lynn Courtney, Andy Leyenaar, and Cindy Malley lead communion and much of the service, as is the FCU tradition.
April 5, 2020
On April 5, 2020, the First Church Unitarian of Littleton, Massachusetts had its fourth online-only worship service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this service started, we showed a video (with original music by our Music Director) for the gathering time. You can see that video here. The service was titled “Of Plagues, Hardened Hearts, and Wandering in the Wilderness”. The topic was chosen in honor of Passover, which our Jewish siblings, friends and neighbors would celebrate the next week. If you watch the video on Youtube and go to the description, click on “See more”. There, you will see blue time stamps that enable you to move forward and back to any individual worship element.
March 22, 2020
First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, has moved to online-only worship in this time of social distancing for Covid-19. We had planned to use Youtube Live with just the service participants, but we did not have that option this week. At the last minute, we switched over to an open Zoom format for the congregation. Below are the times if you want to skip ahead or go back to a particular worship element. The Order of Service: Prelude: Brian Tarbox on flute 0:00; Call to Worship: words of Lynn Ungar (read by Rev. Lara Hoke) 2:35; Chalice Lighting (Violet Malley) 4:32; Words of Welcome (Lara) 5:12; Time for All Ages: Aesop’s fable “Bundle of Sticks” (DRE Vicki Merriam) 7:25; Musical interlude (Music Director Molly Lozeau) 10:37; Special Guest Appearance by the Deacons (Andy Leyenaar, Cindy Malley, Lynn Courtney) 13:50; Offering – Virtual Share the Plate: COVID-19 Fund of the United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley (Guest: Lisa Rowan-Gillis) 18:17; Offertory (Molly) 21:48; Remarks (Short Sermon): “An Evolution of Love” (Lara) 23:16; (Prerecorded) Choral Interlude: The Church Choir 35:18; Improvisational flute (Brian) 37:25; Benediction 40:15; Postlude (Molly) 42:00
December 22, 2019
On Sunday, December 22, 2019, my short sermon was “An Apocryphal Christmas”. This video starts with two excerpts from “apocryphal” nativity stories, the first from the Arabic Infancy Gospel (at 0:00, read by Deacon Cindy Malley), and the second from the Gospel of James (at 3:52). The short sermon begins at 9:38.
November 24, 2019
On November 24, 2019, we had a “whole church” (multi-generational) Thanksgiving service. You will see some of the highlights here, including the time for all ages, led by DRE Vicki Merriam, where we made a tapestry together; a gorgeous performance by the choir (led by Music Director Molly Lozeau) of “Alleluia” by R. Thompson; a homily by me; and the end of the cornbread and cider communion, led by our deacons.