President's Message

It has been an amazing year! As promised, the solar panels are up and soaking up the summer sun. I’m pleased to say we are living out our values as we decrease our carbon footprint and save buckets of money on our electric bill. As you can see, the design preserved the beauty of our building as the panels blend in nicely with the roof on the south side of the building. I want to thank Matthieu Braga and Jerry Johnson for all their work on this project.

Once again, First Parish Church sent two delegates, Teresa English and Susanne Beeber, to the UUA General Assembly. As acting DRE, I was also a delegate. This year it was virtual, so not as much fun as traveling, but every bit as inspiring. Please see Susanne’s article in this edition of the newsletter. There will also be a Sunday service with Susanne, Teresa and me serving as worship leaders on July 19th, so you can learn more about what happened at GA as well as Actions of Immediate Witness and the Congregational Study issue on Abolition that we will be working on this year.

We have been super busy with so many events this year! In just one month – June, we participated in five events, not including our regular monthly events. We hosted the highly successful No Dig Gardening event on June 6th. We learned about regenerative gardening, met new friends, and generally had a good time. The reviews were excellent, and there is a request for more events like this in the future. Later that afternoon the town had a Pride Flag Raising event at the library, this was followed by a reception hosted by FPC at the church - complete with rainbow Italian Ice. It was a long day, but so energizing and inspiring. First Parish hosted a watch party for the Rise Up and Sing Out Concert on June 14th. The concert was about the First Amendment and a call to action. Singers and speakers included Jane Fonda, Bette Midler, Rufus Wainwright, Patti Smith, Sasha Allen, and Joy Reid. The energy at FPC was wonderful and made me proud to be part of this church. The Juneteenth Event – on June 19th, was so incredibly moving I don’t know where to start. This event was hosted by the Billerica Interfaith Association and held at FPC. Speakers/performers included Christopher Spraker, author of “The History of Slave and Slave Owners in Billerica” and head of Special Collections at the Harvard Law Library; Reggie Gibson, Massachusetts Poet Laureat; and B.J. Snowdon, well-known musician, songwriter, recording artist and Billerica native! I learned so much about our shocking history from Christopher Spraker, I was blown right out the water listening to Reggie Gibson, and listening to B.J. Snowdon, well as you all know, her music is amazing! And finally, I want to mention the Greater Lowell Pride event that happened on June 13th at the Lowell Heritage State Park. FPC had a table at the event, where Rev. Steve Wilson and Teresa English offered glitter blessings. It was a beautiful day, and so much fun for everyone involved.

And then there were the regularly scheduled events. Sew and Sews has started up again, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. I highly recommend this activity for anyone interested in learning new skills, sharing the skills they have, or just hanging out and visiting. I made two pillows – one for each of my grandchildren with Sarah and Ida helping me. I’m so delighted with how they came out, and my grandchildren love them. My next project will be a dress for my granddaughter. Open Mic continues to fill us with joy and attract new talent one Sunday a month. The monthly Theology discussion led by Rev. Steve Wilson continues in the morning on the first Saturday of the month. And of course, our Sunday morning worship services continue to inspire.

The annual meeting on June 8th went well. I want to thank Matthieu Braga for his three years of service as a Trustee, and welcome Heidi Boone to the Board of Trustees. Our committees are going strong, and they are so busy. We are a small congregation with a core group of highly dedicated, active people. If you are interested in serving on one of our committees, your help will be welcomed.

Our membership continues to grow, and I am impressed with the energy and dedication our newest members bring to the congregation. Thank you for joining us, thank you for your work, thank you for your fresh ideas, and thank you for your dedication to our UU values. We need to keep growing and continue our outreach, for there is much work to be done.

It remains an honor and privilege to serve as the President of the Board of Trustees. I wish you all a wonderful summer!

With love to all,

Barbara Moloney

President, Board of Trustees