Welcome

Welcome to First Religious Society, a place where you will be welcomed regardless of your age, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. A place where you can grow spiritually, morally and intellectually.

Welcome

Welcome to First Religious Society, a place where you will be welcomed regardless of your age, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. A place where you can grow spiritually, morally and intellectually.

Welcome

Welcome to First Religious Society, a place where you will be welcomed regardless of your age, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. A place where you can grow spiritually, morally and intellectually.

February Theme: Relationships

Annual Ministry Theme: Truth

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2025

Remembering Caroline C. Cottrell & an Electrifying Moment in Our Congregation’s History

SERVICE STARTS AT 10:30AM
ZOOM ONLY

 

Sunday, February 9, 2025
Remembering Caroline C. Cottrell & an Electrifying Moment in Our Congregation’s History
10:30am on ZOOM ONLY

Sunday worship will be on Zoom only. Church buildings will be closed. 

In the early 20th century, hundreds of Black and immigrant women lived and worked as domestic servants in the homes of Newburyport’s wealthy families, yet their stories were rarely preserved or told. On Sunday, we will recognize Newburyport resident and FRSUU attendee Caroline C. Cottrell. We will also be treated to a unique view of the FRSUU campus and an interesting story of the 1754 Lightning Strike of the Third Parish Meeting House. Immediately following worship is a Q&A with Cyd Raschke about the soon-to-be-unveiled sign honoring Caroline Cottrell.

“Struggle for the memory of your ancestors. Struggle for wisdom…
Struggle for your grandmother and grandfather, for your name.” –Ta-Nehisi Coates

Sunday, February 9, 2025
Caste Congregational-Wide Read and Discussion
7pm on Zoom – see last Wednesday’s Steeple newsletter for details and Zoom link.

The Caste Congregational read continues for its second week (on Zoom). In each session we will have discussion questions that address specific sections of the book and help us better understand how we as a community can live into the 8th Principle we adopted in 2024.

DATE CHANGE: Congregational Board Discussion

The Congregational Board Discussion has been rescheduled to February 23 when it will be part of the worship service. More details to come soon.

Rev. Rebecca’s Faithful Response After the Election

The Latest News & Events

Wilson Music Series: Champlain Trio on 3/30

Wilson Music Series: Champlain Trio on 3/30

March 30, 3:00 p.m. (please note different start time) – Champlain Trio – Violinist Letitia Quante, cellist Emily Taubl, and pianist Hiromi Fukuda came together as an ensemble in the spring of 2020. All three musicians earned degrees from The Juilliard School among...

Wilson Music Series: Justin Murphy-Mancini on 3/23

Wilson Music Series: Justin Murphy-Mancini on 3/23

Justin Murphy-Mancini, organist will perform on Sunday, March 23 at 4pm. Former Director of Church Music at First Religious Society UU and current Paul Fritts Endowed Chair; Assistant Professor of Music, Organ at Pacific Lutheran University, Justin is a keyboardist...

Wilson Music Series: Improbable Beasts on 3/2

Wilson Music Series: Improbable Beasts on 3/2

Improbable Beasts will perform at FRS on Sunday, March 2 at 4pm. They are a Boston-based professional bass clarinet ensemble dedicated to bringing the deeply expressive power of multiple bass clarinets before a broad audience, their repertoire ranges from Renaissance...

Board Congregational Relations Meeting

Board Congregational Relations Meeting

We will meet on Sunday, February 9 from 11:45am-1pm in the Lower Meetinghouse and address the following: Where are we in our work to renovate the Parish Hall? How are we going to pay for it? Join the Board on February 9 after church to find out the answers to these...

Congregational-Wide Read: Caste

Congregational-Wide Read: Caste

Beginning on February 3, we will be reading Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Isabel Wilkerson explores how America has been shaped by a caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and our nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems...

Valentine Making with Tinkerhaus ($20)

Valentine Making with Tinkerhaus ($20)

For the sixth year in a row, Tinkerhaus will be hosting a Valentine Making Event. This year it will be at Parish Hall starting at 6:30pm. Learn from Barbara Burns Dore for paper crafting tips and make Valentines for your own sweeties and some to share with local...

FRS Green Team Potluck and Beyond Plastics Presentation

FRS Green Team Potluck and Beyond Plastics Presentation

On Wednesday, January 29 we invite all to share a potluck supper at 6 pm, followed by a talk and discussion on the risk of plastics and the associated plastic waste in our lives and for our environment. Molly Ettenborough, of the Newburyport Department of Recycling,...

Contemplative Worship at FRS: Touching the Sacred Within

Contemplative Worship at FRS: Touching the Sacred Within

Led by Rev. Alan Seale. When: The first Sunday of January, February, March and April at 8am in the Sanctuary Contemplation has been described as “a long loving look at the real” and “a pure intuition of being, born of love” (21st-century mystic William McNamara)....

Tour the FRS Campus and Buildings

Follow our drone footage as we fly to the top of FRS’s steeple featuring a glass-eyed gilded weathercock which overlooks downtown Newburyport and Merrimack River. From there, you’ll get a first-hand look at our campus grounds and the interior of our meetinghouse and Sanctuary which dates back to 1801. Rev. Rebecca, our Senior Minister, welcomes you and ALL who seek a place of spiritual community and faith here. To close, Nick Place, our Director of Church Music, plays the organ which dates back to 1834 and we close with a view of the bell from the foundry of Paul Revere and Sons bell.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This