Minister's Corner - March 2025

“What’s going on at your Billerica church? A UU minister friend of mine asked me.

It was the kind of generic question friends crossing paths might ask one another. Not knowing exactly where to begin I uttered the following rather pathetic response… “You know… church stuff.” This of course immediately sounded much more dismissive than I feel about what we are collectively about and disrespectful of all we do. Realizing my flip response was inadequate, I added an urgent and apologetic but perhaps even more laughable…“Good church stuff, mostly good church stuff.”

Knowing we deserved far more credit than that, I remember saying, “Really, the amount of things we engage in, and programming we do is impressive,” Soon enough the conversation with my UU minister pal turned to complaints about the weather and the President.

As the minister of our church, I could not shake how poorly I answered this simple question. I walked away a little unsettled that I didn’t give you and us our due. Suffering for the lack of a do-over, I decided to document all that I could and should have been said about us as a church. The truth is, you all impress me.

Here is what I wish I had said three weeks ago:

We in Billerica, largely without me pushing, or even largely being involved, have a recent commitment to engaging a group of people in Lowell living around a local church. Although this ministry rests on the shoulders of just a few, the truth of it can choke me up with pride. Supported by many contributions from others, the thought of what Lisa, Mike, and Teresa do both shames me and chokes me up with pride.

Speaking of service, I should and could have mentioned that we, as “First Parish” in conjunction with a small group of locals called “the Sunshine Gals”, host not one but two weekend Community Meals.

And the same couple who lead our church’s community meals program are also the hosts of an open mic afternoon that happens about every other month. At present, we are looking to do better outreach around that to strengthen attendance.

I also could have but failed to mention to my UU friend that we just hosted a great Gospel Concert, or that attendance on Sundays, particularly in regard to children, has been on the rise. Although the numbers in our RE program are still in the single digits, the average number of kids running around on any given Sunday has doubled over the last year.

I could have brought up to my Rev. pal that we hosted a Project 2025 workshop that we hoped would lead to some direct political action, but that fizzled. Still, monthly we all meet and combine some practical political act like writing “get out the vote” postcards or phone banking with a conversation about what should come next. We have a handful of people who are engaged enough politically to always drag us into something new.

I could or should have shared with my friend that our small community regularly runs a couple of Adult Ed programs. One a theology discussion group that I lead, alongside a generally always shifting heretical book group led by Teresa. At present, our historic church and its small membership host a pilot program called WEAV, that in its full flower is designed to be one of the means for educating our own members nationally about how to relate to our shared values.

I could have, probably should have mentioned that annually on the Monday nights of Lent, First Parish hosts a very successful traditional egg decorating workshop, and that Belly Dancing classes and demonstrations annually gyrate through our building.

I never raised that we are home to a UU CUPPS pagan group, or that we provide space to the Girl Scouts, a Model Makers club, and regularly rent to what I suspect are the most diverse population of short-term renters than any other building in town.

Had I mentioned that I could/should have said that we frequently rent space to diverse groups of recent immigrants, collect and distribute clothes for recent migrants to the area, and are via the local Billerica interfaith group connected to the local Sunni Muslim mosque known as the Masjid Anjuman-e-Ezzi. That might not seem like much, but in a quiet way it embodies the kind of inter-religious and multicultural cooperation the world needs more of. In that spirit, we are about to host three Spring Interfaith Lunches.

I could have shared that we are deeply involved in the local Interfaith Clergy Association, hosting many local clergy meetings and every November host an annual townwide Thanksgiving Service.

It would have been worth sharing that we have a solid little team of people who have the thankless job of keeping our beautiful building alive, and worked to recently better insulated it.

In an effort to create fun events for our community, I could have mentioned that we have been engaging in fun social trips, camping, canoeing, roller-skating, and bouncing around on trampolines.

We have often without much success, but with a persistence that is admirable, hosted teen LGBTQ dances, justice themed movies, and have a cool presence at Lowell’s Pride Parade.

That is of course a far more comprehensive list than I was capable of, or even appropriately part of an answer to the passing cordial question… “What is going on at my new church?” So, I thought I would pause to document and share it.

What would have been important to say to my friend was that I have faith that people in our church will do positive things because there are people at First Parish who can simply get things done.

The truth is… The world needs us, and those like us gathered in small free volunteer groups to uphold the norms that although pitched to working people, we know actually undermine the well-being of the most vulnerable in our society.

This mini-Renaissance in First Parish activities is no doubt driven by the fact that now more than ever people need a place and a community to retain their sanity. And, I think given our size, we are providing that.

Rev. Steve