June 7, 2020
We welcome some new members and award the Keeper of the Flame! Also, it was the “world premiere video” for “Spirit of Life” with signing by Lorinda Morimoto.
May 10, 2020
For Mother’s Day in our online-only worship, we explored “motherly love” and nurturing. After my remarks, there is a video with pictures submitted by members and friends of FCU of people who offered them motherly love, or to whom they offered such love. If you watch the video on YouTube, you can click on “show more” and use the blue time stamps to go forward (or back) to any particular worship element.
April 19, 2020
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the USA, FCU’s Artemis Singers bring us “Suffragette Sunday”! If you go to the YouTube link and click on “show more” in the description, you will see the Order of Service with blue time stamps that will enable you to move forward or back to any particular worship element. Service description: “We look back at a time just after the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic and during World War I as women were finally able to get enough support to pass the 19th amendment of the United State Constitution. The women who led the movement inspire us by their courage, commitment, and persistence. In this service, we will hear the voices of the most prominent suffragettes and sing songs of the movement. The children join us in our virtual choir for the prelude and postlude.”
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.
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
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.
October 13, 2019
On October 13, 2019, we recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day at First Church Unitarian in Littleton, MA. The sermon was in two parts. The first was “We’re Still Here”, by FCU’s Racial Justice Action Committee co-chair, Lorinda Morimoto. The second part was “Acknowledging Whose Land We Stand On” by FCU deacon Lynn Courtney.