Welcome to The First Religious Society in Carlisle
Welcome! We are a Unitarian Universalist Church, a Welcoming Congregation, located across from the Common in the center of Carlisle, Massachusetts. The First Religious Society is a place of worship and fellowship dedicated to serving the spiritual and religious needs of all who choose to walk with us. We are active in serving the community and reaching out globally to those in need. We invite you to come and share with us. Our worship services and religious education classes are held at 10 o'clock on Sunday mornings.
The Covenant of the First Religious Society
What's New
Please click "Worship" to see sermon titles and content for January.
Slight time change for Carlisle Resilience, the Unemployed and Underemployed Group, The group will continue to meet in the Smilin’ Duck Café at Ferns, but will convene 15 minutes earlier on Tuesday mornings at 9:00AM instead of 9:15. This is an informal weekly meeting of people looking for a job or rethinking their work direction. The group is open to all at no charge. Coffee will be provided. The group continues to explore the Resilience Circle model of sustainable community. The meeting is facilitated by Diane Miller, 978-369-0284 or 617-851-8222, and John Redding.
Jesus in Jerusalem -- The Last Week” An adult program in four sessions during Lent.
Rev. Diane Miller invites you to participate in a conversation based on “The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus’s Final Week in Jerusalem” by scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan. Following the FRS tradition of a Lenten program to deepen one’s understanding and embrace of faith, this is Bible Study for Liberals. Do you want to know more about Jesus and the events during the tumultuous final week of his life? Join this conversation.
No homework is required, although if you have time to read about 50 pages per session you will
gain a deeper understanding of the events that have come to be called Holy Week in the Christian tradition. Copies of the book are available through Gleason Library, your favorite bookstore, in the used market, and in Kindleformat. Diane has three copies for $12 each.
The discussion will be offered on four Thursdays: Feb 16, March 1, 15, and 29. Please sign up by emailing Diane Miller at minister@uucarlisle.org or calling 617-851-8222. Indicate if you prefer
afternoon (1-2:30 pm) or evening (7-8:30 pm). There is no charge for the program.
The Coming of Age program for high schoolers will be offered by the First Religious Society in January through May this year for youth in grades 9 to 11. The major aspects of this program are pairing youth with adult mentors; discussions that emphasize self-awareness and confidence-building; service to the church and community; and a culminating affirmation ceremony. For more information see: http://www.uua.org/interconnections/interconnections/45052.shtml. If you would like your youth to participate, please contact Bucky Rogers (youth@uucarlisle.org).
RE News: The environmental awareness Pageant Coral Carbon Blues will be presented on Sunday March 18 during the Sunday Service. This is a multi-generational Pageant featuring songs and drama that will both entertain, educate and motivate. Coastal ecosystems are fragile, yet when healthy support an extraordinary diversity of marine life. Diversity is good; extinction is bad. Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable to pollution, acidification, and rising sea temperatures. This story features a coral reef in Belize in the Caribbean, but the environmental issues affect every coastal community, even our own Massachusetts coast.
Environmental Action Committee News: The Environmental Action Committee (EAC) is once again sponsoring the Carlisle Winter Farmer's Market for monthly Saturday mornings in Union Hall. The goal is to support local, sustainable food and crafts year round. The Winter Market will continue this year – upcoming dates are February 18, March 10 and April 21. The EAC will be selling coffee, tea and other fair trade items at the market.