Join us for services at 10:30am on Sundays, from the Sunday after Labor Day through late spring. Experience elements of the world religions, including our Christian roots and humanism. Find inspiration in choral and instrumental music (including organ), congregational singing, a time for children, readings, an offering, and meditative silence. Hear a sermon on social justice, spirituality, dealing with life’s challenges, or other issues. We may celebrate a holiday, act out a skit, hold a coming-of-age ceremony, or hear a member’s Journeys of Faith. Services end around 11:30am and are usually followed by a 30-minute fellowship gathering. For a relaxed service with music from the jazz tradition, come to a Jazz Vespers. Our Christmas Eve service and Christmas Candlelight service are community traditions.
FRSUU Events Calendar
This calendar lists FRSUU activities inside our buildings and in the community. It also shows when FRSUU spaces are being reserved by outside groups. Click on an event to see its location and more information.
If you need to reserve space for your meeting or event, please fill out [this form].
For questions regarding church ministry related events and meetings, please contact the Church Administrator at diane.carroll@frsuu.org.
For external inquiries including private events and rentals please contact nick.place@frsuu.org.
Calendar of Events
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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6 events,
Featured
Recurring
Young Church is for children up through 8th grade. Children sit with their families for the beginning of worship service (about 15 minutes), and then head downstairs to the Lower Meetinghouse with volunteers and the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry, Mara Flynn. We offer nursery care for children under age 5 – and “littles” are also welcome to join us in Young Church with a parent/guardian in attendance. Our Young Church programming engages and allows our K-8th grade children to experience and create meaningful connection through: Ritual, stories, crafts, games and joyful community building Special guests, activities and projects that support curiosity and spiritual growth Explorations of the 7 UU Principles and social justice engagement If your child will be attending, please fill out our registration form HERE Questions? Email Mara Flynn, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at mara.flynn@frsuu.org. Meets in Youth Room in Parish Hall. Led by Mara Flynn on 10/27, 11/24, 12/8, 1/12/25. Led by Rev. Laurel on 11/10, 12/22, 1/26/25. |
3 events,
Monday Night Meditation at 6:30pm in Lower Meeting House (enter via Unicorn Street entrance). These weekly sessions are led by Joyce Haydock, Senior Dharma Teacher with the International Kwan Um School of Zen. She has been with the school since 1989. This FRSUU Monday group was established over ten years ago. Our sessions consist of two or three chants, two readings/teachings and 30 minutes of sitting meditation. Beginners are welcome. Contact Joyce at 978-363-5457 or email joycehaydock@outlook.com to be added to our list and receive access information. Introduction to the Science and Practice of Mindfulness: A Four-Week Series with Effie Stavrulaki Offered by North Shore Insight and Meditation Center When: Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, 21, & 28 (no class Oct. 14) at the FRSUU Mindfulness is the ability to be fully attentive to the present moment with the attitudes of nonjudgment, kind acceptance, and curiosity. A large body of scientific research suggests that formal mindfulness training reduces stress, increases wellbeing, and even increases the chance of acting in pro-social ways to help others. By reducing how much time we spend worrying about the future or fretting about the past, our capacity to appreciate what is actually happening and to choose how to act with more clarity and compassion increases. The more we develop this capacity, the less we feel overwhelmed by changes and challenges in our lives. During this four-week class series, you will be introduced to the practice of embodied mindfulness and learn several skills for managing stress and enriching your life. We will discuss the latest science about the benefits of mindfulness, but mostly we will practice together. And we will encourage each other to establish a meditation routine that you can integrate with your daily living. Like learning any new skill, mindfulness meditation requires repetition and patience. Working in a group setting increases the chance of developing and sticking with this important skill. Beginners as well as anyone who would like to get back to regular meditation practice are very welcome. Effie Stavrulaki is a meditation teacher with NSIMC as well as a management professor at Bentley University. Read more about Effie at her teacher page. The fee for this program is $85 ($80 cash or check). To register and pay online, just click below; for alternate payment methods, email northshoreimc@gmail.com. |
1 event,
Contact 508-215-9469; meets in the Parish Hall as of 10/7/25. |
6 events,
Featured
Recurring
Membership Class meets in the LMH Main Room with Rev. Laurel Gray. Join FRS member and LICSW Woman Cooper on Wednesdays at 10am for a brief period of mid-week relaxation and renewal. Each 30-minute session will include a guided visualization and reflection on questions around where we hold stress and how we can release it. You’ll also learn some relaxation techniques to use on your own. This is a drop-in program; come one time or many. If you'd like to reach out to Woman, email susanc0805@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87349458812?pwd=dXdIUVBJb0F1MnVjL0ZDakErVlRIdz09
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October 30, Grants/Facilities Team Meeting with need for Zoom, LMH Main Room, 1:30-3pm. |
2 events,
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3 events,
Fridays, LMH Room A, 10-11:30am. We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. |
0 events,
|
|
6 events,
Featured
Recurring
Sanctuary, first Sunday of the month, led by Rev. Alan Seale. 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). Join Rev. Alan Seale at 8am on the first Sunday of the month for a half-hour contemplative worship experience—a space and time to be present with the simplicities and complexities of life in the quiet embrace of the FRS Sanctuary. The sanctuary will be open to welcome you from 7:50am. The service will include quiet piano music, a brief message or reading, and periods of silent reflection and meditation. If this contemplative worship experience calls out to you, we hope you will join us.
Featured
Recurring
Join us for services at 10:30am on Sundays, from the Sunday after Labor Day through late spring. Experience elements of the world religions, including our Christian roots and humanism. Find inspiration in choral and instrumental music (including organ), congregational singing, a time for children, readings, an offering, and meditative silence. Hear a sermon on social justice, spirituality, dealing with life’s challenges, or other issues. We may celebrate a holiday, act out a skit, hold a coming-of-age ceremony, or hear a member’s Journeys of Faith. Services end around 11:30am and are usually followed by a 30-minute fellowship gathering. For a relaxed service with music from the jazz tradition, come to a Jazz Vespers. Our Christmas Eve service and Christmas Candlelight service are community traditions. Young Church is for children up through 8th grade. Children sit with their families for the beginning of worship service (about 15 minutes), and then head downstairs to the Lower Meetinghouse with volunteers and the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry, Mara Flynn. We offer nursery care for children under age 5 – and “littles” are also welcome to join us in Young Church with a parent/guardian in attendance. Our Young Church programming engages and allows our K-8th grade children to experience and create meaningful connection through: Ritual, stories, crafts, games and joyful community building Special guests, activities and projects that support curiosity and spiritual growth Explorations of the 7 UU Principles and social justice engagement If your child will be attending, please fill out our registration form HERE Questions? Email Mara Flynn, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at mara.flynn@frsuu.org. |
5 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for "Sanctuary in the Sanctuary" Election Week daytime service from 12:00-1:00pm on Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community.
Featured
Recurring
Join us for Spirit Strong: Election Week Services Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th from 7:00-8:00pm. The Monday service will be intergenerational, and Tuesday and Wednesday services will be led by Rev. Rebecca. There will also be a Sanctuary in the Sanctuary Service daytime offering from 12:00-1:00pm. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community. Come together with your FRS community for strength, solidarity, and peace. *Note there will no longer be a Mystic and Contemplative Circles and Services meeting held on 11/5. This will replace that gathering. Evening services: Monday, Nov. 4. Reverends Jane Tuohy and Laurel Gray, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Rebecca Bryan, Wednesday, Nov. 6. Rev. Rebecca Bryan Noon time contemplation services: Monday Nov. 4. Rabbi Alex Matthews, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Stan Barrett ( Sufi teacher), Wednesday, Nov.6. Rev. Jane Tuohy, Buddhist teachers Barbara Dowd, Carolyn Davis Monday Night Meditation at 6:30pm in Lower Meeting House (enter via Unicorn Street entrance). These weekly sessions are led by Joyce Haydock, Senior Dharma Teacher with the International Kwan Um School of Zen. She has been with the school since 1989. This FRSUU Monday group was established over ten years ago. Our sessions consist of two or three chants, two readings/teachings and 30 minutes of sitting meditation. Beginners are welcome. Contact Joyce at 978-363-5457 or email joycehaydock@outlook.com to be added to our list and receive access information. Please join NSIMC guiding teacher Matthew Daniell for a four-week Monday night series in November, held in partnership with the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, in Newburyport When: Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, Nov. 4, 11, 18, & 25 Where: First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, Parish Hall Cost: $85 for the series ($80 cash or check) Description: To breathe is to live. This is an anatomical fact, but it can also be a powerful tool to support our inner life, and find a quiet place of rest, renewal, and resilience, inside. In this four-part series, we will draw mainly from the ancient and modern meditative wisdom traditions to explore how mindful breathing can be a simple gateway to living a fuller, more emotionally skillful and more spiritually rich life, in the here and now. There will be meditation periods (15-25 minutes) with instruction and silence, along with reflections and time for discussion in each session, as well as exercises to bring into daily life. This series is appropriate for beginners as well as those with more meditation experience. People of all traditions are welcome, breath is common to all that lives. Matthew Daniell is the guiding teacher of NSIMC. He has been practicing Buddhist meditation since the 1980s, including over a decade in Asia, where he practiced Zen intensively in Japan, Tibetan Buddhism in India, and Insight meditation in Burma, India, and Thailand. Read more about Matthew on his teacher page. The fee for this program is $85 ($80 cash or check). To register and pay online, just click below; to pay by cash or check, email northshoreimc@gmail.com. |
5 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for "Sanctuary in the Sanctuary" Election Week daytime service from 12:00-1:00pm on Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community.
Featured
Recurring
Join us for Spirit Strong: Election Week Services Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th from 7:00-8:00pm. The Monday service will be intergenerational, and Tuesday and Wednesday services will be led by Rev. Rebecca. There will also be a Sanctuary in the Sanctuary Service daytime offering from 12:00-1:00pm. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community. Come together with your FRS community for strength, solidarity, and peace. *Note there will no longer be a Mystic and Contemplative Circles and Services meeting held on 11/5. This will replace that gathering. Evening services: Monday, Nov. 4. Reverends Jane Tuohy and Laurel Gray, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Rebecca Bryan, Wednesday, Nov. 6. Rev. Rebecca Bryan Noon time contemplation services: Monday Nov. 4. Rabbi Alex Matthews, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Stan Barrett ( Sufi teacher), Wednesday, Nov.6. Rev. Jane Tuohy, Buddhist teachers Barbara Dowd, Carolyn Davis
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Special meeting time for this date only. LMH Room A, 11am (with a Zoom option available). For more information please visit: https://www.frsuu.org/short-story-group/
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Contact 508-215-9469; meets in the Parish Hall as of 10/7/25. |
10 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for "Sanctuary in the Sanctuary" Election Week daytime service from 12:00-1:00pm on Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community.
Featured
Recurring
Join us for Spirit Strong: Election Week Services Monday, November 4th through Wednesday, November 6th from 7:00-8:00pm. The Monday service will be intergenerational, and Tuesday and Wednesday services will be led by Rev. Rebecca. There will also be a Sanctuary in the Sanctuary Service daytime offering from 12:00-1:00pm. The noon time services will be quiet, simple, contemplative services designed to calm the nerves, create solidarity and build community. Come together with your FRS community for strength, solidarity, and peace. *Note there will no longer be a Mystic and Contemplative Circles and Services meeting held on 11/5. This will replace that gathering. Evening services: Monday, Nov. 4. Reverends Jane Tuohy and Laurel Gray, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Rebecca Bryan, Wednesday, Nov. 6. Rev. Rebecca Bryan Noon time contemplation services: Monday Nov. 4. Rabbi Alex Matthews, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Rev. Stan Barrett ( Sufi teacher), Wednesday, Nov.6. Rev. Jane Tuohy, Buddhist teachers Barbara Dowd, Carolyn Davis Join FRS member and LICSW Woman Cooper on Wednesdays at 10am for a brief period of mid-week relaxation and renewal. Each 30-minute session will include a guided visualization and reflection on questions around where we hold stress and how we can release it. You’ll also learn some relaxation techniques to use on your own. This is a drop-in program; come one time or many. If you'd like to reach out to Woman, email susanc0805@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87349458812?pwd=dXdIUVBJb0F1MnVjL0ZDakErVlRIdz09
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Wednesday, November 6, Michael's Harborside, noon. The Ladies Who Lunch meet monthly at a local restaurant. Please join us if you can. Call or email the church office if you can attend. Hope to see you there! Save the date: We will be meeting December 4 at Loretta. |
4 events,
TITO Afterschool Program from 3:30-5:30pm, Parish Hall 1st floor. Oct. 24 Nov.7, 14 & 21 Dec. 5, 12 & 19 |
4 events,
Featured
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Featured
Join us on Friday, November 8 at 9am to commemorate and celebrate Native American Heritage month @ Newburyport City Hall, 60 Pleasant St.! Flag raising ceremonies and remarks with Larry Spotted Crow Mann, Todd Warfield, intertribal reps, Mayor Sean Reardon, city and state officials and local students, followed by refreshments and community reflections at the Unitarian Universalist Church 26 Pleasant St. For more information, please visit the Facebook event or Imagine Studios websites here. Fridays, LMH Room A, 10-11:30am. We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. |
6 events,
Featured
-
Featured
Under the direction of Music Department Chair Michael W. Bradley, this award-winning group of 30 students at Boston Arts Academy returns to FRS in a concert that explores the evolution of the African American sacred choral music tradition. Proceeds from this concert will fund travel to perform at Carnegie Hall and national competition. Buy tickets: https://bit.ly/TheSpiritualsBAA2024-11-09 Second Saturdays, Lower Meetinghouse Main Room, 8-11am. |
|
8 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for services at 10:30am on Sundays, from the Sunday after Labor Day through late spring. Experience elements of the world religions, including our Christian roots and humanism. Find inspiration in choral and instrumental music (including organ), congregational singing, a time for children, readings, an offering, and meditative silence. Hear a sermon on social justice, spirituality, dealing with life’s challenges, or other issues. We may celebrate a holiday, act out a skit, hold a coming-of-age ceremony, or hear a member’s Journeys of Faith. Services end around 11:30am and are usually followed by a 30-minute fellowship gathering. For a relaxed service with music from the jazz tradition, come to a Jazz Vespers. Our Christmas Eve service and Christmas Candlelight service are community traditions.
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Young Church is for children up through 8th grade. Children sit with their families for the beginning of worship service (about 15 minutes), and then head downstairs to the Lower Meetinghouse with volunteers and the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry, Mara Flynn. We offer nursery care for children under age 5 – and “littles” are also welcome to join us in Young Church with a parent/guardian in attendance. Our Young Church programming engages and allows our K-8th grade children to experience and create meaningful connection through: Ritual, stories, crafts, games and joyful community building Special guests, activities and projects that support curiosity and spiritual growth Explorations of the 7 UU Principles and social justice engagement If your child will be attending, please fill out our registration form HERE Questions? Email Mara Flynn, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at mara.flynn@frsuu.org. Meets in Youth Room in Parish Hall. Led by Mara Flynn on 10/27, 11/24, 12/8, 1/12/25. Led by Rev. Laurel on 11/10, 12/22, 1/26/25. |
3 events,
Monday Night Meditation at 6:30pm in Lower Meeting House (enter via Unicorn Street entrance). These weekly sessions are led by Joyce Haydock, Senior Dharma Teacher with the International Kwan Um School of Zen. She has been with the school since 1989. This FRSUU Monday group was established over ten years ago. Our sessions consist of two or three chants, two readings/teachings and 30 minutes of sitting meditation. Beginners are welcome. Contact Joyce at 978-363-5457 or email joycehaydock@outlook.com to be added to our list and receive access information. Please join NSIMC guiding teacher Matthew Daniell for a four-week Monday night series in November, held in partnership with the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, in Newburyport When: Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, Nov. 4, 11, 18, & 25 Where: First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, Parish Hall Cost: $85 for the series ($80 cash or check) Description: To breathe is to live. This is an anatomical fact, but it can also be a powerful tool to support our inner life, and find a quiet place of rest, renewal, and resilience, inside. In this four-part series, we will draw mainly from the ancient and modern meditative wisdom traditions to explore how mindful breathing can be a simple gateway to living a fuller, more emotionally skillful and more spiritually rich life, in the here and now. There will be meditation periods (15-25 minutes) with instruction and silence, along with reflections and time for discussion in each session, as well as exercises to bring into daily life. This series is appropriate for beginners as well as those with more meditation experience. People of all traditions are welcome, breath is common to all that lives. Matthew Daniell is the guiding teacher of NSIMC. He has been practicing Buddhist meditation since the 1980s, including over a decade in Asia, where he practiced Zen intensively in Japan, Tibetan Buddhism in India, and Insight meditation in Burma, India, and Thailand. Read more about Matthew on his teacher page. The fee for this program is $85 ($80 cash or check). To register and pay online, just click below; to pay by cash or check, email northshoreimc@gmail.com. |
5 events,
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-
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Tuesday, November 12, Lower Meetinghouse, 6:30-8pm. Join us for an inspiring evening with Manny Muros, as he shares his 30-year spiritual journey and introduces The Mind Overlay Transformational Program, a powerful system he created to unlock personal and spiritual evolution. Master Your Mind: Unlocking the Path to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Evolution Through the integration of metaphysical yogic teachings, meditations, and devotional practices, Manny will guide us towards a deeper understanding of what it truly means to “be human.” Learn how to embrace the peace and joy that is your birthright. Manny’s work—embodied in his Mind Overlay Transformational Program, his transformative books, and his immersive group trainings and retreats—has helped countless individuals live with purpose, love, and joy. He simplifies complex spiritual concepts, making them accessible and relevant to modern life. In this talk, Manny will share his insights from decades of dedicated practice in yoga, meditation, and sacred wisdom traditions, and show you how to awaken your soul’s potential and bring balance to your everyday existence. This is more than just a talk—it’s an invitation to a life-altering journey toward authentic self-expression, personal growth, and spiritual awakening. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your life from within! There in no charge for this program. Please RSVP here! Contact 508-215-9469; meets in the Parish Hall as of 10/7/25. |
6 events,
Join FRS member and LICSW Woman Cooper on Wednesdays at 10am for a brief period of mid-week relaxation and renewal. Each 30-minute session will include a guided visualization and reflection on questions around where we hold stress and how we can release it. You’ll also learn some relaxation techniques to use on your own. This is a drop-in program; come one time or many. If you'd like to reach out to Woman, email susanc0805@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87349458812?pwd=dXdIUVBJb0F1MnVjL0ZDakErVlRIdz09
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The next meeting of ROMEO is at The Grog on Wednesday, November 13 at 12pm. The Officer of the Day is Bob Hooker. Reservations are not required. Please bring small bills to cover your share of the tab. |
7 events,
TITO Afterschool Program from 3:30-5:30pm, Parish Hall 1st floor. Oct. 24 Nov.7, 14 & 21 Dec. 5, 12 & 19 |
4 events,
Fridays, LMH Room A, 10-11:30am. We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. |
1 event,
|
|
8 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for services at 10:30am on Sundays, from the Sunday after Labor Day through late spring. Experience elements of the world religions, including our Christian roots and humanism. Find inspiration in choral and instrumental music (including organ), congregational singing, a time for children, readings, an offering, and meditative silence. Hear a sermon on social justice, spirituality, dealing with life’s challenges, or other issues. We may celebrate a holiday, act out a skit, hold a coming-of-age ceremony, or hear a member’s Journeys of Faith. Services end around 11:30am and are usually followed by a 30-minute fellowship gathering. For a relaxed service with music from the jazz tradition, come to a Jazz Vespers. Our Christmas Eve service and Christmas Candlelight service are community traditions.
Featured
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Featured
Soup Sunday will start following worship. Then, we will meet in front of the church at 12:45pm to walk together to the vigil in Market Square Please join the Welcoming Committee for a Justice Sunday program about Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual opportunity to remember the trans people who have been killed in anti-trans violence during the year. Following the Justice Sunday program, people are invited to join us on a silent march from the church to Market Square for a Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil where the names of these individuals will be read and where we will join together in song and prayer. All ages welcome. Young Church is for children up through 8th grade. Children sit with their families for the beginning of worship service (about 15 minutes), and then head downstairs to the Lower Meetinghouse with volunteers and the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry, Mara Flynn. We offer nursery care for children under age 5 – and “littles” are also welcome to join us in Young Church with a parent/guardian in attendance. Our Young Church programming engages and allows our K-8th grade children to experience and create meaningful connection through: Ritual, stories, crafts, games and joyful community building Special guests, activities and projects that support curiosity and spiritual growth Explorations of the 7 UU Principles and social justice engagement If your child will be attending, please fill out our registration form HERE Questions? Email Mara Flynn, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at mara.flynn@frsuu.org. |
6 events,
Featured
Recurring
First and third Mondays, LMH Nursery/Conference Room, 11am-1pm. Join Rev. Laurel for our Maker Monday offering during lunch hour on the first and third Monday of each month. Bring a creative project, start a new hobby and connect with other makers in our FRS community. Invite a friend if you feel called, and bring a lunch if you prefer. All are welcome. The Nursery will be reserved for Maker Mondays on the first and third Monday of each month. Monday Night Meditation at 6:30pm in Lower Meeting House (enter via Unicorn Street entrance). These weekly sessions are led by Joyce Haydock, Senior Dharma Teacher with the International Kwan Um School of Zen. She has been with the school since 1989. This FRSUU Monday group was established over ten years ago. Our sessions consist of two or three chants, two readings/teachings and 30 minutes of sitting meditation. Beginners are welcome. Contact Joyce at 978-363-5457 or email joycehaydock@outlook.com to be added to our list and receive access information. Please join NSIMC guiding teacher Matthew Daniell for a four-week Monday night series in November, held in partnership with the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, in Newburyport When: Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, Nov. 4, 11, 18, & 25 Where: First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, Parish Hall Cost: $85 for the series ($80 cash or check) Description: To breathe is to live. This is an anatomical fact, but it can also be a powerful tool to support our inner life, and find a quiet place of rest, renewal, and resilience, inside. In this four-part series, we will draw mainly from the ancient and modern meditative wisdom traditions to explore how mindful breathing can be a simple gateway to living a fuller, more emotionally skillful and more spiritually rich life, in the here and now. There will be meditation periods (15-25 minutes) with instruction and silence, along with reflections and time for discussion in each session, as well as exercises to bring into daily life. This series is appropriate for beginners as well as those with more meditation experience. People of all traditions are welcome, breath is common to all that lives. Matthew Daniell is the guiding teacher of NSIMC. He has been practicing Buddhist meditation since the 1980s, including over a decade in Asia, where he practiced Zen intensively in Japan, Tibetan Buddhism in India, and Insight meditation in Burma, India, and Thailand. Read more about Matthew on his teacher page. The fee for this program is $85 ($80 cash or check). To register and pay online, just click below; to pay by cash or check, email northshoreimc@gmail.com. |
5 events,
Featured
Recurring
The Mystic and Contemplative Circles and Services is a program designed to create opportunities to explore pathways for opening to Spirit and sharing in sacred circles. These gatherings are intended to be opportunities to share with others open to exploring Mystical experiences and cultivating Mystical hearts. We will explore different forms of contemplation, meditation as ways of accessing our own deepest selves, connecting with others, and inviting Spirit. This series will be facilitated by Rev. Jane Tuohy and different sessions will be led by people who participated last church year in the Interfaith Exploration of Mysticism program, and by guests. No previous experience is required. A willingness to be open to mystery, to be in the unknown, and to invite experiences and perspectives of other participants is required. All sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8pm in the Lower Meetinghouse, First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist of Newburyport. Registration is required. Please submit name, contact information to Rev. Jane Tuohy at jane.tuohy@frsuu.org. Dates: Session One Sept. 22. Mystical Hope Rev. Jane Tuohy “ Mystical hope would simply be what happens when we touch this innermost ground and it floods forth into our being as strength and joy. Hope would be the Mercy -the divine love itself coursing through our being like lightning finding a clear path to the ground”. Cynthia Bourgeault Session two Oct. 8 Johnathon Pape The Spiritualist Movement began in the U.S. in the 1840s, but spread widely, particularly in English-speaking countries. Spiritualism holds a firm conviction in the existence of spirits “from the other side” who maintain ongoing communication with the living world. Spiritualist Churches usually offer a fairly traditional Christian service, but in addition to standard elements of worship, spirit messages are delivered to those in attendance. This often comes from church leaders who are mediums and The Tuesday Short Story Group meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, LMH Room A, noon. For more information please visit: https://www.frsuu.org/short-story-group/ Contact 508-215-9469; meets in the Parish Hall as of 10/7/25. |
6 events,
Join FRS member and LICSW Woman Cooper on Wednesdays at 10am for a brief period of mid-week relaxation and renewal. Each 30-minute session will include a guided visualization and reflection on questions around where we hold stress and how we can release it. You’ll also learn some relaxation techniques to use on your own. This is a drop-in program; come one time or many. If you'd like to reach out to Woman, email susanc0805@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87349458812?pwd=dXdIUVBJb0F1MnVjL0ZDakErVlRIdz09 The Parish Board meets monthly on the third Wednesday in LMH Main Room. |
7 events,
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Talking about end-of-life care can be anxiety-provoking for both elders and their families. You are invited to a conversation with FRSUU members Nancy Kidd, LICSW and Mary Jane Helbick, LISW, who both have 30 years of experience guiding these conversations. They will educate us and lead discussion on how to communicate what’s important to elders and how to broach this delicate topic. Below is a link to some reading to get you started thinking about it. We’ll meet on Thursday, November 21, 1-2:30pm in the Lower Meetinghouse. Bring your questions and concerns. Sponsored by Exploring Elderhood Together Guide to End-of-Life Conversations with Family
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Thursday, November 21, Lower Meetinghouse, 5:30-6:30pm. Monday, November 25, Lower Meetinghouse, 2-3pm. We've heard from many of you that the election results are making Thanksgiving gatherings feel more complicated or even painful, depending on the politics of those at the table. We've set aside two times to gather and share with each other, so that we might enter the holidays feeling more centered and supported. Both small group conversations will be with Rev. Laurel. |
5 events,
Featured
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Fridays, LMH Room A, 10-11:30am. We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. |
4 events,
Featured
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|
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8 events,
Featured
Recurring
Join us for services at 10:30am on Sundays, from the Sunday after Labor Day through late spring. Experience elements of the world religions, including our Christian roots and humanism. Find inspiration in choral and instrumental music (including organ), congregational singing, a time for children, readings, an offering, and meditative silence. Hear a sermon on social justice, spirituality, dealing with life’s challenges, or other issues. We may celebrate a holiday, act out a skit, hold a coming-of-age ceremony, or hear a member’s Journeys of Faith. Services end around 11:30am and are usually followed by a 30-minute fellowship gathering. For a relaxed service with music from the jazz tradition, come to a Jazz Vespers. Our Christmas Eve service and Christmas Candlelight service are community traditions.
Featured
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Sunday, November 24, Lower Meetinghouse, 11:30am-1pm. The Parish Board invites the FRSUU congregation to join them after Sunday worship to meet with the 4th Century Visioning Team and the 300th Anniversary Team. This will be an opportunity to learn about the teams' work and priorities, the events planned for the 300th anniversary, and visions of our next century. Come get your questions answered and share your ideas and comments. Young Church is for children up through 8th grade. Children sit with their families for the beginning of worship service (about 15 minutes), and then head downstairs to the Lower Meetinghouse with volunteers and the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry, Mara Flynn. We offer nursery care for children under age 5 – and “littles” are also welcome to join us in Young Church with a parent/guardian in attendance. Our Young Church programming engages and allows our K-8th grade children to experience and create meaningful connection through: Ritual, stories, crafts, games and joyful community building Special guests, activities and projects that support curiosity and spiritual growth Explorations of the 7 UU Principles and social justice engagement If your child will be attending, please fill out our registration form HERE Questions? Email Mara Flynn, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry at mara.flynn@frsuu.org. Meets in Youth Room in Parish Hall. Led by Mara Flynn on 10/27, 11/24, 12/8, 1/12/25. Led by Rev. Laurel on 11/10, 12/22, 1/26/25.
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Sunday, November 24, LMH Main Room, 1:30-3:30pm on this date only. |
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Thursday, November 21, Lower Meetinghouse, 5:30-6:30pm. Monday, November 25, Lower Meetinghouse, 2-3pm. We've heard from many of you that the election results are making Thanksgiving gatherings feel more complicated or even painful, depending on the politics of those at the table. We've set aside two times to gather and share with each other, so that we might enter the holidays feeling more centered and supported. Both small group conversations will be with Rev. Laurel. Monday Night Meditation at 6:30pm in Lower Meeting House (enter via Unicorn Street entrance). These weekly sessions are led by Joyce Haydock, Senior Dharma Teacher with the International Kwan Um School of Zen. She has been with the school since 1989. This FRSUU Monday group was established over ten years ago. Our sessions consist of two or three chants, two readings/teachings and 30 minutes of sitting meditation. Beginners are welcome. Contact Joyce at 978-363-5457 or email joycehaydock@outlook.com to be added to our list and receive access information. Please join NSIMC guiding teacher Matthew Daniell for a four-week Monday night series in November, held in partnership with the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, in Newburyport When: Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, Nov. 4, 11, 18, & 25 Where: First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist, Parish Hall Cost: $85 for the series ($80 cash or check) Description: To breathe is to live. This is an anatomical fact, but it can also be a powerful tool to support our inner life, and find a quiet place of rest, renewal, and resilience, inside. In this four-part series, we will draw mainly from the ancient and modern meditative wisdom traditions to explore how mindful breathing can be a simple gateway to living a fuller, more emotionally skillful and more spiritually rich life, in the here and now. There will be meditation periods (15-25 minutes) with instruction and silence, along with reflections and time for discussion in each session, as well as exercises to bring into daily life. This series is appropriate for beginners as well as those with more meditation experience. People of all traditions are welcome, breath is common to all that lives. Matthew Daniell is the guiding teacher of NSIMC. He has been practicing Buddhist meditation since the 1980s, including over a decade in Asia, where he practiced Zen intensively in Japan, Tibetan Buddhism in India, and Insight meditation in Burma, India, and Thailand. Read more about Matthew on his teacher page. The fee for this program is $85 ($80 cash or check). To register and pay online, just click below; to pay by cash or check, email northshoreimc@gmail.com. |
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Join Rev. Rebecca and FRS members and friends in a community reading of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address. We will have a community read of the Thanksgiving Prayer followed by a reflection from Rev. Rebecca. The Thanksgiving Prayer is traditionally used to welcome a new day. We hold this reading at a time near sunset to remind ourselves that the sun will rise again. Retaining our feelings of gratitude and connection to the natural world is essential for every one of us and for the collective wellbeing of this planet. All ages and guests are welcome. “You can’t listen to the Thanksgiving Address without feeling wealthy. And, while expressing gratitude seems innocent enough, it is a revolutionary idea. In a consumer society, contentment is a radical proposition. The Thanksgiving Address and gratitude doesn’t send you out shopping to find satisfaction; it comes as a gift rather than a commodity, subverting the foundation of the whole economy. That’s good medicine for land and people alike.” --Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Contact 508-215-9469; meets in the Parish Hall as of 10/7/25. |
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Join FRS member and LICSW Woman Cooper on Wednesdays at 10am for a brief period of mid-week relaxation and renewal. Each 30-minute session will include a guided visualization and reflection on questions around where we hold stress and how we can release it. You’ll also learn some relaxation techniques to use on your own. This is a drop-in program; come one time or many. If you'd like to reach out to Woman, email susanc0805@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87349458812?pwd=dXdIUVBJb0F1MnVjL0ZDakErVlRIdz09 Meets monthly on the 4th Wednesdays, LMH Room A, 12:30-2pm This group supports those caregivers who care for loved ones with some type of dementia. Members share their coping strategies, suggestions about supportive agencies, medical references, etc. The group is facilitated by Nancy Kidd, LICSW, Rev. Jane Tuohy, and Linda Harding. For more information, contact Nancy Kidd at nankdd@gmail.com or 978-376-8687. |
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NAAM Artisan's 2nd Annual Holiday Pop Up Market Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 in the Lower Meetinghouse featuring handcrafted items for everyone Friday: 11am-5pm Saturday: 10am-4pm Fridays, LMH Room A, 10-11:30am. We meet weekly and read both fiction and non-fiction books chosen by participants. Each book is read and discussed over a period of several meetings, with the reading for each determined by the group. |
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Recurring
NAAM Artisan's 2nd Annual Holiday Pop Up Market Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 in the Lower Meetinghouse featuring handcrafted items for everyone Friday: 11am-5pm Saturday: 10am-4pm |