On April 4, 1827, a group of congregants from the First Congregational Church decided to found the Second Congregational Society (Unitarian), later renamed the UU Church of Concord.  What theological divisions lead to the split?  What was the religious context that led to similar separations throughout New England?  How were the disagreements navigated?  What might … Continue reading Birth of the Concord UU

What does it mean to belong to a community where we are not simply welcomed, but cherished?  To cherish someone is more than to accept them, more even than to love them in some abstract, universal sense.  To cherish is to hold someone as precious – to recognize that there is something in them worthy … Continue reading Cherished Belonging

Time for new beginnings as the life of our congregation resumes and creates the rhythms and harmonies of our regular church year.  Join us in our beautiful sanctuary for our annual water communion service for a sense of renewal, welcome, and belonging with hearts opened by music and ritual, invited by friendly faces and a … Continue reading New Beginnings: A Water Communion Service

As we celebrate our annual Flower Communion service, may we remember to draw the circle wide as we embrace the many roles we each play to help our congregational village flourish.  Please bring a flower if you can – though we’ll have plenty of extras.  Our graduating seniors will bridge, we will acknowledge Dory LeCount’s … Continue reading Flower Communion Sunday: Flourishing Together

Music Sunday will trace the musical journey of our choir this year, building in intensity from the gentle imploring of Karen Marrolli’s “Until Love Is Spoken” to Mark Miller’s celebration of respect and inclusion for all in the LGBTQ community and beyond.  Then shifting to the apocalyptic imagery of environmental destruction expressed by the driving … Continue reading Love Will Rise – A Music Sunday

There is something remarkable about curiosity—something almost electric. You can feel it when it enters a room.  It often begins quietly. One person leans in. One person asks a genuine question – not to debate, not to prove a point, but to understand. And suddenly, something shifts. Others begin to lean in, too. The energy … Continue reading Igniting the Spark

There are seasons in our lives when curiosity feels natural – almost effortless.  We ask questions.  We lean in.  We wonder.  The world feels textured, alive, ready for exploration in the best possible way.  And then there are other seasons – seasons when curiosity feels … out of reach.  What is the importance of curiosity … Continue reading Why be Curious

For a village to function there needs to be a shared understanding of how we intend to be with each other.  What are reasonable expectations of behavior when people from diverse stages of life and experiences mingle and interact?  What are we willing to promise each other?  And what is the legacy we hope to … Continue reading Who Do We Say We are: Promises & Prospects

On this New Member Covenanting Sunday, we ask:  So, are we doing this?  Can we walk the talk of creating the kind of village culture we have discussed in recent weeks?  What will it take to get concrete?  What are some ideas to get us going?  What are YOUR ideas to make “a thing a … Continue reading So, Are We Doing This?

Easter reminds us that life finds a way back.  That something in us – in our communities – can rise again, longs to rise again and it does so in relationship.  In that sense, a village is one of the primary places where resurrection happens, and we each play a role in the creation of … Continue reading Village People