In Our Community: Vision & Mission

Hello everyone,

Thank you to Rev. Danielle for encouraging me to reach out to you this week about our Vision Mission Survey.

Vision and Mission are incredibly important to the life and work of any organization. We have an opportunity to craft something that was not thought of when our forefathers and mothers founded this congregation – inclusive and authentic public expressions of who we are and what we are committed to in our community, the world, and with one another. 

A Vision Statement may not be accomplished in many generations. It has a long-range outlook for the people who come to the community. It is almost a romantic notion of who we will become slowly and incrementally. One could say it is how we will operate in response to the divine inspiration that guides the future.

The Mission Statement is a guide for us to do the work, set goals and achieve them, and operate with one another as we wish. It guides our decisions about who we will be for the city of Salem, our country, and our planet. It informs us how we want to operate and work together and how we wish to be seen.

From here, we can also align our community’s values with the UUA’s to create a shared purpose.

The Standing Committee wishes for this to be as participatory as the rest of our work over the past few years has been. That work has been important and, frankly, bound us into a stronger commitment. While we have had 47 people overall in workshops, this survey is vitally important. There are extra questions in there that will give us a little more grit to craft these statements. 

The surveys done for the Transition Team and the Search team garnered more than this level of participation.  One had over 75 people respond. These statements are just as important, if not more so. It gives Rev. Danielle and church leaders the seeds to plant, root, and grow. I have a vision of a beautiful garden growing from the seeds we plant, inspiring growth, expansion, and transformation beyond what we think we can do.

Click on this sentence to link to the survey. Please take a few minutes to fill it out. If there are teens and young people who wish to add their voices, we welcome that! 

May we come together and dream again and DREAM BIG!

Blessings to you all,

Jerrie Hildebrand
Vision Mission Liaison 
Standing Committee

In Our Community: UU Common Read

A Message from Theo, LRE Director

Dear friends, I am excited to take over the column this week to tell you all a little bit more about our UU Common Read for 2026. Each year, the UUA picks a book for UUs across North America to read and discuss. This year’s pick is Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection by Deepa Iyer.

I have always been a sucker for a personality quiz. It started with American GIrl Magazine, where each issue would feature a quiz where the number of As, Bs, and Cs, would tell you something about yourself. In high school I discovered the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and became deeply invested in my identity as an INFJ. Then, during lockdown, online personality quizzes had a resurgence in popularity, and I was suddenly learning which character I was most like on television shows that I had never watched.

So when I looked at this year’s book and saw what looked like a giant personality test, I was thrilled. Social Change Now, by Deepa Iyer, explores the idea of Social Change Ecosystems—groups or organizations with a set of shared values, who want to create social change. The author identifies ten different roles that people can play within a Social Change Ecosystem, all of which rely on each other. There are Visionaries who dream up big ideas about a better world, Disruptors who put themselves on the line to change the status quo, and Frontline Responders who show up with supplies in an emergency. All of these roles interact and rely on each other in different ways, much like the organisms in an ecosystem.

So when I sat down with my copy of Social Change Now, I couldn’t wait to check off characteristics and find out which role I play. But as I read, I discovered that this book was not going to just tell me what I was—I was going to have to work for it, using the reflection tools the book gave me. And while I have to admit that this was a bit of a disappointment at first, it made sense. This is something that takes much more discernment than figuring out if you are an early bird or a night owl. We could all probably play a variety of roles, but Iyer encourages us to choose the one that is speaking to us the most and focus our energy.

And right now, that focus feels particularly needed. In a world where we are learning about new tragedies and injustices everyday, many of us feel spread thin. It is easy to feel a sort of decision paralysis, where there is so much that we feel like we must do that we can’t end up doing any of it. Or, we might go in the opposite direction and try to do everything, pulling ourselves in too many directions and quickly wearing ourselves out. If we can choose one role to focus on right now—knowing that we can always shift to another role in the future—we are much more likely to actually accomplish something meaningful.

Last Sunday, I introduced these ideas to the children and youth using We Are the Builders, a picture book companion to Social Change Now. I was impressed—but not surprised—by how seriously the children took this work. They compared characteristics of different roles, and deeply considered what role they might take on here at church compared to other ecosystems they might be a part of. But even more than that, they made me realize the importance of taking this work out of our own heads and into community. They listened to each other, and helped their peers find clarity by describing the strengths they saw in each other. They began to explore the ways that these roles could interact and support each other.

I would like to invite all of you to engage in this work in community as well. On March 8, we will have a UU Common Read discussion group after the service. I encourage anyone who attends to read the book ahead of time and try to determine your role within the Social Change Ecosystem of First Church. When we gather, we will focus on the shared values of our ecosystem, and how we can use these different roles to support each other as we create change.

If you haven’t yet, you can fill out our book order form here. I will be placing the order on January 21, so please put in your order before then. If you cannot afford to purchase the book, free and reduced-rate copies will be available.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to know more about the history of the UU Common Read.

In Faith,
Theo Burbank

A Prayer Celebrating Trans Lives

Spirit of life and love
God we know by many names and many genders,
Today we offer prayers of thanks and ask for comfort and courage

We offer gratitude for the beauty we can behold when we look beyond the binaries

We know that you who made the day and the night, also made the dawn and the dusk, twilight and golden hour and every soft sunrise and painted sunset that exists in between

We know that you who made the land and the sea also made the marshes and tidal pools and dunes that shift in the wind and waves, sometimes more land than sea, other times more sea than land.

And we know that we too were made in the image of this divine creator—who exists, who imagines, who creates beyond categories, outside of boxes

We give thanks for all of the varied, wondrous expressions of humanity that exist before us
For the glimpses of the divine we are privy to each time we glimpse one another
We give thanks for the breadth of this beauty, created to transgress binaries and boundaries, and we join our own voices to the divine voice that declares “it is good.”

But we know that while we revel and celebrate in the diversity of sacred creation there are those who seek to shrink our imaginations. Those that deny the humanity of our trans and non-binary siblings and who are actively pushing policies to harm their health and wellbeing.

For our trans and non-binary siblings we pray for comfort, safety, and moments of joy during this time of fear. May you know yourself beloved, created in the divine image and embraced by the warmth of this community gathered here today.

For my cisgender siblings, we pray for the courage to follow our convictions and act on our faith, to speak out against these harmful policies and show up in solidarity with our trans and non-binary siblings, even when it is unpopular or costly.

For the glorious, wild diversity of divine creation we give thanks
For comfort and for courage we pray
Amen.

© Rev. Danielle Garrett, 2025

In Our Community: Star Island Reflections

Members of First Church returned for a group visit to Star Island!

August 23, 2025…
We arrived in carpools and on our own, to catch the 9:20 am Challenger ferry from Portsmouth harbor, out to the Isles of Shoals.  It was an exciting ride with large swells!  

On Island, we were greeted by staff and given a “place for our stuff.”  We began our visit with some time in the chapel, with grounding words from our brand-new minister Rev. Danielle, and a round of Spirit of Life led by Wolfgang.  We then spread out to tour the island, sit in rocking chairs, paint seascapes and write in journals.  Some of us brought picnic lunches from home, others ordered from the Gosport Grill, a little pop up cafe offering burgers and lobster rolls near the dock.  

Some of us had time for a walk in the labyrinth before boarding the Thomas Leighton for the 2:00 pm return to Portsmouth.  

Rev. Danielle remained on island for a weeklong meditation retreat!

We look forward to returning next summer and to sharing many other First Church adventures in the meantime. 

To learn more about Star Island, visit their website.

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Please enjoy this photo album, with some memories from our trip!

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And here are some reflections from folks who participated:

“It was my first trip to Star Island. It was a wonderful day filled with meditation, beauty and fun. Sharing the experience with the First Church family reflecting many generations and connections made it very special.”

“This beautiful place offered us a welcome pause for a day from the hectic pace of our lives and the ever-present onslaught of distressing news. The drive to Portsmouth, the fresh breezes on the ferry, the imposing view of Oceanic hotel as we neared Star Island, and the warm sun on our faces as we toured the island were all so calming and lovely.  What a gift!  And it was so special to have Reverend Danielle with us this year… I hope we can do it again!” 

“Lobster Rolls right by the ocean, on a sacred little island with spiritual friends was a truly magical day!  I wish we could have stayed the week with Rev Danielle!”

"Star Island has been a ‘sacred space’ and Spirit's Home for my family since I was little.  Experiencing the island with First Church family has made it even more special."

"I enjoyed the Star Island trip so much last year, that I was particularly glad that I was able to take part in this year's trip.  The weather gods really delivered again. On the ferry trip out there was a great rolling swell from the hurricane which had passed by hundreds of miles out at sea, but the sea and sky were clear and sparkling.  I also felt particularly fortunate to have the opportunity to finally meet and get to know Rev. Danielle a little bit during the ride up to Portsmouth.  What a great way to begin!    Thank you everyone so much for such a great day!"

“The day on Star Island was truly one of the most lovely days of our summer.  Having never been to the Isles of Shoals, it was fun seeing this sacred paradise of a place that I had only read about, but never had visited.  The private prayer service led by Danielle, in the Chapel, was especially meaningful and just spending a day with the people that we care for so deeply in new surroundings was like a Church Family adventure!  The boat ride was fun too!”  

“I understand why people love this island so much. This was my second trip, but my first since learning about the history of the island, and its connection to Unitarian Universalism. From arriving to a dock full of people singing and chanting to a  departing ferry, to seeing the younger folks able to run around on their own, to the most welcoming group on the porch, it was a lovely day and amazing trip. I wish I had been able to join the First Church Group more, but it was also special to spend time with people I knew outside of First Church.  I am grateful for the opportunity and hope to go back again.”

“If you are looking for a place to get away from it all, and focus on something such as a retreat with like-minded people, then Star Island may be your thing. Getting away from it all is a reason people retreat to an island, right? And on Star Island, you will be able to do just that. (Actually, you kind of have to.) While Star Island does have some claim to fame, it is not nearly as much about tourism and thrill-chasing as, say, Martha’s Vineyard. (Not that there is anything wrong with Martha’s Vineyard.) Perhaps it is not by accident that Star Island Chapel, a place for contemplation and meditation, is located near the highest elevation point on the island. When I stepped on that point, and looked around, it occurred to me how many works of art, especially poems or paintings, that locale may have inspired. Between the rustic shoreline, bucolic architecture nested in surroundings of green, and the sight and sound of waves crushing, the inspiration is palpable—even though, in my case, it “only” resulted in photos.”

Press Release: Our New Minister

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2025

First Church in Salem Welcomes New Minister, Danielle Garrett

Salem, MA – First Church in Salem, Unitarian Universalist is delighted to announce that Danielle Garrett will join the congregation as its next minister in August 2025. Garrett succeeds Reverend Jenny Rankin, who has served the church in interim ministry since 2022.

Garrett, a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School, currently serves as Assistant Minister at First Unitarian Portland (Oregon). Before following her call to ministry, she spent a decade in Washington, D.C., as a nonprofit director and health care policy analyst. She holds a B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

Garrett brings to Salem a deep commitment to parish ministry, a passion for justice, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of a good church potluck. A country music fan and seasoned pilgrimage enthusiast, she has accompanied congregations on spiritual treks through Spain and Scotland.  

First Church is eager to begin this new chapter with Garrett, celebrating its theological, philosophical, and spiritual diversity while continuing to move the historic and beloved church into the future. Together, the congregation will explore how to further embody the values of freedom, reason, interdependence, equity, justice, transformation, pluralism, and generosity to honor love as our guiding principle.

The wider community is warmly invited to meet Danielle Garrett during a special service on Sunday, May 11 at 10:30 a.m. at First Church in Salem. All are welcome.