Upcoming Events

Summer Services

Service Times

Sunday Services
9:00 AM
We will be holding our summer services online using Zoom;
Our regular services will return on 9/12/21.  In the fall, we we will be offering hybrid services, both in-person and live-streamed.

Religious Faith Formation for Youth
is not held in the summer.

  • Welcome to First Parish of Chelmsford!
    We invite everyone of good will to come to worship and to our community, in the fullness of who you are across age, race, gender, ethnicity, class, religious background, sexual orientation, ableness and family. We are a Unitarian Universalist congregation. While Unitarian Universalism began in the Protestant tradition, we have grown beyond our Christian roots into a non-creedal faith, welcoming of different spiritual and theological perspectives. Join us for worship, mutual care, and in service to the common good.

    Join any of our 4 announcement lists to keep up with what is going on at First Parish

  • Juneteenth Banner

    New Juneteenth Banner

    Juneteenth (June 19) is now an official state holiday, voted in last year too late for official observance, although the significance of the date had been recognized in the state to varying degrees since 2007. The Anti-Racism Team commissioned a banner to observe the holiday.

    The banner was designed by Frances Killam and is based on the Juneteenth flag, conceived by activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). Haith created the flag in 1997 with the help of collaborators, and Boston-based illustrator Lisa Jeanne Graf turned their vision into reality. The flag was revised in 2000.

    Here’s what each element of the design represents:

    • The star: The white star in the center of the flag has a dual meaning, Haith said. For one, it represents Texas, the Lone Star State. But the star also represents the freedom of African Americans in all 50 states.
    • The burst: The bursting outline around the star is inspired by a nova, a term that astronomers use to mean a new star. On the Juneteenth flag, this represents a new beginning for the African Americans of Galveston and throughout the land.
    • The arc: The curve that extends across the width of the flag represents a new horizon: the opportunities and promise that lay ahead for black Americans.
    • The colors: The red, white and blue represents the American flag, a reminder that slaves and their descendants were and are Americans. And while the fight for equality and justice in this country continues, Haith said those colors symbolize the continuous commitment of people in the United States to do better — and to live up to the American ideal of liberty and justice for all.

    The banner will hang from June 16 to June 22.

  • Healing Conversations
    In keeping with the commitment in our First Parish covenant to care and be present to one another in our joys and sorrows, Rev. Ellen and the Pastoral Care Team offer this grief and loss group on the second and fourth Mondays of the month for virtual check-ins via Zoom to nurture and hold a sacred space to share stories, experiences, and emotions around love, loss and grief in a spirit of mutual care and deep listening. This is an ongoing group that folks in our First Parish community can join during the year, while maintaining it as a confidential and supportive space. The Zoom session will last only as long as needed for people to check in and get support if needed.
    If you are interested on joining, please contact Rev. Ellen
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Covid Task Force Update 5/21/21

We have heard some good news about the COVID virus as infections are on the decline and the number of people vaccinated keeps rising as more individuals become eligible. Over the last week, the

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Rev. Ellen's Reflections, June 2021

It’s June, which means another church year is winding down as summer approaches. But it has not been just another church year—as if the pandemic was not enough, we also had a contentious and tense...

Music Notes, June 2021

A note from Steve… There are so many people to thank at First Parish, and I’m afraid that if I begin a list, I will accidentally omit people. But as the year wraps up, I have to acknowledge again...
We, the members of First Parish of Chelmsford, covenant together to sustain and strengthen our beloved community by:
  • Honoring and celebrating the Spirit of Life
  • Nurturing all souls in our search for truth and the sacred
  • Caring and being present to one another in our joys and sorrows
  • Bearing witness through service to justice and peace
  • And being good stewards of our congregation, our heritage, our Unitarian Universalist Principles, and our earth.
Nosotros, los miembros de la Primera Parroquia de Chelmsford, comprometemos convenimos juntos a sostener y fortalecer nuestra amada comunidad en:
  • Honrando y celebrando el Espíritu de la Vida
  • Nutriendo toda almas en búsqueda de la verdad y lo sagrado
  • Cuidar y estar presentes al uno y otro en nuestras alegrías y tristezas
  • Dar testimonio mediante servicio a la justicia y paz
  • Y ser buenos cuidadores de nuestra congregación, nuestro patrimonio, nuestros Principios Unitarios Universalistas y nuestra nuestro mundo.