August at The First Church

Services resume here at The First church on Sunday, August 3, with our anuual Founder's Day Sunday Service. Please come and join us! Services begin at 10:30 a.m., and babysitting is provided.

August 3 Founders’ Day

Our Annual Founders’ Day Service celebrating the 379th anniversary of our founding. Jeff Barz-Snell will lead the service and preach. Paul Madore will be playing organ and piano.

August 10

The Rev. Tom Wintle will preach. Tom is the Minister of the First Parish Church in Weston and a periodic - and popular - guest preacher here.

August 17

On Pagans and Christians… Join Jeff Barz-Snell and church friend Rose Wolf in an exploration of the many ways that Christianity has been formed and reformed by indigenous, nature-based spiritual traditions over the centuries. Rose has been attending the First Church for the last year and has a keen interest in nature centered spirituality and Christian History. Among other things, she has a Ph.D. in Science Fiction Literature, and a love of Gilbert and Sullivan.

August 24

Claire Donaldson will preach. Claire is a member of the First Church, a former Chair of the Standing Committee and currently in divinity school preparing for U.U. ministry as a hospital chaplain. She preached a great sermon here in March on prayer and listening to God.

August 31 Labor Day Sunday

Joe Coletti will lead worship and preach. Joe is a member of the First Church and a weekly presence here, welcoming people as they enter the Meetinghouse on Sundays. He works at the House of the Seven Gables and has a keen interest in history - and a knack for making it come alive.

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Church closings:

On stormy Sundays, church closings will be annnounced on:

WCVB Channel 5

WBZ 1030 AM

Welcome!

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a church that truly welcomed all people regardless of age, race or sexual orientation?

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a church that was grounded in a long and amazing history but was open to current inspiration and the cultivation of soul?

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a church that refused to concede the Bible to mean-spirited and literal-minded interpretations and instead sought to hold up the clarion calls for compassion and justice that we see in the scriptures?

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a church that encouraged people to bring their whole selves to church on Sundays and not simply check their brains at the door?

Wouldn’t it be great, if there were a church with a long history of working for social change that actually spoke to the major issues of the day?

Well, there is a church like this… and we invite you to come check out our services and programs.

Welcome to the First Church in Salem, Unitarian.

The Rev. Jeff Barz-Snell, Minister

The First Church in Salem, Unitarian is one of the oldest continuing Protestant churches in North America and the first to be governed by congregational polity, a central feature of Unitarian Universalism. We are proud of our history and excited by our present.

A member church of the Unitarian Universalist Association

Come to a service:
We invite all to come and share with the First Church Family the beauty of our Meetinghouse and the experience of our prayer. We would be grateful for your presence among us and hope that you will feel at home in this house of worship.

Preachers here have the task of presenting religion freely, fearlessly, and faithfully. Hearers have the responsibility of testing what they hear, not only with the critical mind, but also in the living of everyday life.

Members of this Congregation welcome the support of all who believe that religion is wider than any sect and deeper than any set of opinions.
We cordially invite all who wish to share in our religious fellowship and spiritual quest to join with us.