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March 13, 2020 - Livestream Worship

Or, if you have a facebook account, you can watch and comment here: https://www.facebook.com/FirstParishChurchBrunswick/ (scroll down until you see the worship video, it may not be right at the top).

View transcripts of recent sermons here: http://www.firstparish.net/category/sermons/

You can give electronically to FPC’s general Operating Budget and/or to our any offerings here. If you have any questions about setting up electronic giving, please contact Becky Wilkoff.

May 1, 2019 - In Dat Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’ – Jester Hairston

April 29, 2019 - Vivaldi’s “Spring”

Trevor Peterson and Avery Peterson play Vivaldi’s “Spring,” from The Four Seasons:

March 22, 2019 - Life of the Church

February 22, 2019 - Litany of Release

December 17, 2018 - Running, Waiting, and Joy

An “FPC Moment” from our Office Administrator, Jessie Crabtree, who is not a “Christmas Person”:

December 10, 2018 - Advent: Creative Waiting – Love

Advent: Week 4

Week 4 Theme: LOVE

Where do you find love?

You are welcome to use whatever creative medium you like- art, crafting, writing, music, collage, photography, poetry- surprise us!- to share how you experience love in the season of Advent.

Suggested sources of inspiration:

Scripture & Imagery – Click here for scriptures and some lovely art from all over the world on our 4^th Sunday of Advent theme

Poem – “God speaks to each of us…..” Ranier Maria Rilke: Click here

Music – “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”

Where the First Parish Community sees Love:

The Wonderful World of Grandparenting

Evan introduced me to the wonderful world of grandparenting. I wrote this poem shortly after he visited us here in Maine.

~Donna Baughcum

Thoughts on Love

As the old song goes:
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love feels good.
Love makes me laugh out loud.
Love makes me smile.
Love hurts.
Love makes me sad.
Love makes me cry.
Love is a hug.
Love is a beautiful sunset over the ocean.
Love is a baby’s face.
Love is a bouquet of dandelions.
Love is sitting still and quiet, holding hands.
Love is so many splendid things.
Love is God embodied infinitely in the world.

~Ruth Thibodeau

Seeing & Believing

Working in the church office, I’m delightfully situated to witness the love that people in this church share with one another and with the wider community. Connie Bailey created these lovely All-Church Christmas Cards, which FPC folks have signed as they made donations to help Jane’s Team purchase $25 gift cards for Tedford Housing clients. The church also once again held a Giving Tree ministry, which meant my office received the temporary designation “Santa’s Workshop,” as it was filled with tangible evidence of the love this church feels for those who struggle this time of year. I’ve seen so many instances of FPC folks supporting one another in small and extraordinary ways. I know faith is supposed to be seeing without believing, but seeing God at work in the love you all share- that helps me believe.

~Jessie Crabtree

December 4, 2018 - Advent: Creative Waiting – Joy

Advent: Week 3

Week 3 Theme: JOY

Where do you find joy?

You are welcome to use whatever creative medium you like- art, crafting, writing, music, collage, photography, poetry- surprise us!- to share how you experience joy in the season of Advent.

Suggested sources of inspiration:

Scripture- Philippians 4:4-7

Quote – “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads”. Henry Thoreau

Poem – “Remembering that It happened once……” a Christmas poem by Wendell Berry

Music – Hymn to Joy, Ludwig Beethoven

Hymn, “Joyful, joyful we adore Thee” – tune as above, text by Henry Van Dyke

Where the First Parish Community sees Joy:

Who is Coming?

The crowds are gathering
In the snowy park.
Excited children run
And laugh with glee.
The happy sound of tinkling bells
Are heard in the distance.
Hear it? Can you hear that!?
Asks a jubilant child.
He’s coming! He’s coming!
Shouts another.
There he is! They exclaim as one!
Happiness and hope and love fill
The hearts of all.

~Ruth Thibodeau

A few haiku for JOY

the scent of cut pine
permeates the living room:
make the Yuletide gay

from the suet cage
a downy woodpecker sneaks
December tidings

engaged completely
in stillness and listening:
the winter-bound pine —

pines dusted by snow:
treats topped with powdered sugar
on a Christmas plate

~Jason Gould

Hallelujah

When I sing or listen to this chorus, I feel like I am soaring into a wondrous space beyond anything I know or understand.  I think that sums it up, as it is not easy to describe joy, but you know it when it arrives.

~Donna Baughcum

Joy – Philippians 4:4-7

~Marty Dome

What Gives Joy

What gives me joy…

Family: Husband, daughters, grandkids, great grandkids, extended family;

Friends: high school, college, church, work;

Clients: brave, independent, humorous, grateful, kind, storytellers, loving; My life and heart is filled with joy during this season and all year long!

~Ruth Thibodeau

Tail-flapping Joy

In November Jack installed a new bird feeder right outside our living room window.  Bruce, the cat, discovered it immediately and claimed the window sill with the view as his own.  Since then Bruce has left his perch only to eat or use his litter box.  When a bird comes to the feeder, Bruce is elated.  He flaps his tail up and down, making slapping noises against the wall.  If a whole flock appears, he flaps in double-time.  He can’t contain his joy.  Like a child waiting for Santa, he sleeps with one eye open…just in case.

Bruce’s flapping tail reminds me of the cartoon Snoopy who dances on his hind legs when he is happy.  It seems animals in general including cartoon ones and little children have little trouble expressing joy.  Sometimes we adults do.

Last Sunday as the Cantata ended I felt like jumping up out of the pew and shouting “Bravo! Bravo!”  In the good old Congregational tradition, I restrained myself.  But if I had a fluffy tail like Bruce’s, that tail would have been flapping double-time.

~Nancy Collins

Wedding Day

My little sister got married last Saturday in Chatham, MA. She and I were both much too excited to sleep in on the day of the wedding. Around 5:30 am we both found ourselves peeking over at each other and whispering, “You up??” “Yeah, me too!” just like we used to as children on Christmas morning. So, we got up and made some espresso, and then sat together in the bay window to watch the sun rise on her wedding day. It was such a lovely moment of peaceful, unhurried anticipation before the busy-ness of the festivities got started- a snapshot of quiet joy that I will always remember.

~Jessie Crabtree

November 27, 2018 - Advent: Creative Waiting – Peace

Advent: Week 2

Week 2 Theme: PEACE

Where do you find peace?

You are welcome to use whatever creative medium you like- art, crafting, writing, music, collage, photography, poetry- surprise us!- to share how you experience peace in the season of Advent.

Suggested sources of inspiration:

Scripture Reference – Luke 1:67-80 Zechariah’s Canticle of thanksgiving for his son, John

Poem – “The Peace of Wild Things” Wendall Barry

Music –   “Benedictus” – Karl Jenkins; “Imagine” – John Lennon

You are invited to share any work you do! Just send photos/copies to Jessie at jcrabtree@firstparish.net and she’ll add it to this page.

Where the First Parish Community sees Peace:

Peace

I snapped this photo last week close to sunset when peace and quiet seemed abundant.

~Janet Adams

Peace I leave with you

~Marty Dome

Reflection

~Paige Mangum

A Found Poem

by Danna Faulds

~Donna Baughcum

November 19, 2018 - Advent: Creative Waiting – Hope

Advent Week 1:

Week 1 theme: HOPE

Where do you see hope?

You are welcome to use whatever creative medium you like- art, crafting, writing, music, collage, photography, poetry- surprise us!- to share how you experience hope in the season of Advent.

Suggested sources of inspiration:

Scripture – 1 Kings 19: 5-8 (angels/messengers)

Imagery – photo by Paige Mangum, taken in Bar Harbor:

Music – Bobby MacFarrin singing Bach Prelude #1 over Gounod’s “Ave Maria” (We also invite you to consider “This Little Light of Mine” and “Oh come, oh come Emmanuel”)

Poetry – “Hope” by Lisel Mueller

You are invited to share any work you do! Just send photos/copies to Jessie Crabtree at jcrabtree@firstparish.net and she’ll add it to this page.

Where the First Parish community sees Hope:

Hope for an Un-Cracked Pot

One of the first lessons I learned when I started making pottery was to never get attached to a pot until it had finished its final firing. When the clay is in its greenware stage, like the little pot in the picture, it is especially fragile. When it goes through its first firing, it becomes more resilient.  It isn’t until its final firing that it won’t crack or break (unless of course it is dropped on the floor).

The important life lesson I have learned in the pottery studio is to hold hope gently.  Sometimes a little pot turns into a masterpiece, and sometimes it becomes a lesson. During this season of hope, I remind myself to hope without too much attachment to results.  I hope for peace for the entire world, knowing that it is too much to wish for, but remembering that even little glimmers of peace are possible with hope.

~Nancy Collins

The Power of One

(See video here!)

~Mercie Normand

This Little Light

My little light, represented by this gold fiber, is woven through my whole life.  Your little light helps me.

~Marty Dome

Haiku

this December night

a child waiting at my door

offers newfound light

~Paige Mangum

Storytime

Watching a child learn to read is incredible.

As my first-grader sounds out each word, I think about how it won’t be long before the things he reads start molding him into the person he will become. How could we ever measure the extent to which we are shaped by the books we loved as children?

With each step he takes along that journey, I feel hope.

~Jessie Crabtree

Ice Painting: Hope

This painting was done outdoors in below freezing temperature, hence the name ice painting. I had just lost a dear friend and when the colors began to settle out, I saw the yellow as Hope in the middle of chaos. So I named the painting Hope.

~Donna Baughcum

Hoping

The following haiku goes with the picture but can apply to all creatures:

Watchful, expectant

Feelings of trust, happiness

Anticipation

At the Manger

A tiny infant laying
In a bed of straw.
His loving mother and father
On their knees beside him.
So much trust and happiness
In their hearts and minds,
Hoping.

~Ruth Thiobdeau