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The First Church in Belmont, MA is a welcoming Unitarian Universalist congregation offering worship, music and lifelong learning opportunities. An LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation We are a Welcoming Congregation, recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association. This means we affirm and include people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer at every level of congregational life—in worship, in program, and in social occasions—welcoming them as whole people. As a Welcoming Congregation we have pledged to: honor the lives of all people and equally affirm displays of caring and affection without regard for sexual orientation. celebrate diversity by using inclusive language and content in worship. incorporate an understanding of the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons throughout all of our programs, including religious education. affirm and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues and history. affirm marriage equality and conduct same-sex weddings. advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, promoting justice, freedom, and equality in the larger society. We speak out when the rights and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are at stake. We recognize that there’s always something more to learn, and remain open to deepening our understanding about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.

Holy family service May 31 · 10:00 AM · Sanctuary

Get in touch us. Whether you have questions about our services, programs, or membership, we're here to connect with you and welcome you to our community. Contact Drop-in office hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10:00 am–1:00 pm Additional availability by appointment, Monday–Friday The office is closed for all state and federal holidays. Tel: 617-484-1054, ext. 10 404 Concord Ave. Belmont, MA 02478 office@uubelmont.org Name Email Message Submit Thanks for reaching out! Rentals Find everything you need to know about renting with First Church, from room rates and room details to availability and more. Rental Info Already know what you need? Request a rental space in the building by filling out the form below Rental Form

Christmas Eve Service December 24 · 2:00 PM · Sanctuary All are welcome to join us this Christmas Eve for a warm, tradition-filled service. Together we’ll share beloved carols, candlelight, and the timeless Christmas story. All are welcome to settle into the beauty, wonder, and quiet joy of the night. Services begin at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, and 11:00 pm.

Find A Small Group or Support Group at FCB. There are many paths from your first visit to feeling at home here at the First Church in Belmont. Find out how you can get involved in a Small Group. Small Group Ministry For more information please contact Rev. Martha Durkee-Neuman About In a large congregation like ours and during these times, it can be difficult to find ways to sink deeper into our spiritual beings as well as create stronger and more resonant roots in our community. We will be starting additional small group ministry (SGM) groups to provide the opportunity to accomplish both of these objectives. Announcements and invitations to register for new Small Group Ministries will be offered in September. How They Work SGM groups are comprised of 6 to 8 people who meet for 90 minutes once or twice each month for spiritual discussion and conversations about issues relevant to all of us as human beings. We practice deep listening—listening without judgment, listening without interruption, listening without trying to fix or advise. Each group is guided by a trained facilitator. Discussion topics come from a number of sources including ideas from group participants. Past topics include Gratitude, Forgiveness God as a Metaphor Science and Religion Belonging Prayer and Meditation Service Hope Each session starts with a brief check-in. Next, we will share our feelings about the topic using the prompts that were provided to help us organize our thoughts. As each person speaks we will listen compassionately without comment. After everyone has had the opportunity to speak without interruption we will have a more open, free flowing discussion regarding the topic and other issues raised as a result of the individual sharing. Groups also develop their own rituals and routines which may include candle lighting, readings, shared facilitation, etc. Participants are asked to commit to attending every session if at all possible. Facilitate a Small Group If you're interested in being trained as a facilitator please contact Rev. Martha Durkee-Neuman

Our youngest children, infants to age 3, receive tender loving care in a nursery environment that encourages imaginative and cooperative play. Welcome to the Nursery Our youngest children, infants to age three, receive tender loving care in an environment that encourages imaginative and cooperative play. Please remember that your young child may need some extra time each Sunday morning to feel secure before you go to the Sanctuary. Arriving early ensures children’s sense of safety. Likewise, we ask you to pick up your child directly after the service. On regular Sundays, the Nursery is open from 8:45 am to 12:15 pm.

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Winter Solstice walk December 21 · 12:15 PM · Parlor Join us for a walk on the winter solstice. After the 11:00 am service, we'll meet in the parlor and then set off for a winter solstice walk around Clay Pit Pond. Questions? Email Anna at earthbasedspirituality@uubelmont.org

From nursery care to refurbishing furniture, we have many volunteer opportunities for the Children’s Religious Education (CRE) program. Contact Nate Sellers, the Director of CRE for more details. VOLUNTEER Volunteer opportunities in the Children’s Religious Education (CRE) program Nursery We need occasional subs when one of our nursery caregivers is away or ill. This is a chance to spend time with some special young ones. How long has it been since you rocked a baby or played trains with a toddler? PreK + Kindergarden This age group offers the chance to interact with children who show great delight and make priceless comments – and will joyfully hug you in supermarkets shouting, “There’s my teacher!” Spend a morning with them reading a story, making a craft and creating castles out of blocks. Teaching Religious Education Ours is a cooperative religious education program. We need parents and members of the congregation to help teach our Sunday morning classes. Teams of four teachers are needed for each classroom during each service. Inexperienced teachers are paired with more experienced ones. You can sign up to help for one semester or for the full year. We can work around your schedule if you are not available to be in the classroom every week. Sharing Faith Traditions Our Neighboring Faiths program and our World Religions curricula really benefit from having guests who can share their knowledge of and experience with various faith traditions. Join the class for a single week to talk about the ideas, rituals and celebrations of Buddhism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Quakerism, Wicca, etc. Facilitating OWL The Our Whole Lives (OWL) Lifespan Sexuality Education curricula are a valuable gift we give our middle school youth. We offer OWL for 5th and 6th graders and a longer, more in depth session for 8thgraders. OWL facilitators need to be officially trained and certified to teach (the training cost is funded by OWL class fees). CRE Committee The Children’s Religious Education (CRE) Committee meets once per month. The committee sets the goals and priorities for the Children’s RE program, reviews and selects curricula, helps recruit teachers and oversees policies and procedures as needed. We welcome newcomers, especially those whose children have graduated out of the program and parents of young children. Get Creative Calling all talented crafters, sewers, quilters, and those who love to prepare craft materials – we have projects for you! Our curricula would be enhanced by (simple!) costumes. Also, we want to help create quilts for Renewal House children, and we’d like to make cloths for the classroom altars. There are also many craft projects that need to be prepared and we’d eagerly accept help in arranging classroom displays. Refurbishing Furniture Our younger children’s chairs date from long ago. While still sturdy, they are in need of refinishing. The seats need sanding and varnishing and the metal frames need to be sanded and painted. Chairs could be worked one at a time in your home at your own pace.

SoUUper Lunch January 7 · 12:00 PM · Kitchen Come Join us for SoUUper Lunch Every Wednesday at noon. Soup, salad, bread, dessert and great conversations. No reservations required!

FCB Sangha The FCB Sangha meets weekly throughout the year on Mondays 7:30 PM lasting one hour. It features a democratically run organization where participants can sign up to either offer the opening candle, or a 20 minute reading, followed by 30 minutes of sacred silence and a closing

The First Church in Belmont, MA is a welcoming Unitarian Universalist congregation offering worship, music and lifelong learning opportunities. Directions & Parking Public Transit — Bus Take the 74 /75 bus from Harvard Square. First Church is across the street from the Post Office, just before the bus turns to go under a stone bridge. Public Transit — Commuter Rail Take the Fitchburg line from North Station. First Church is across the street from the Belmont Center stop. Driving — from Boston and Cambridge From Storrow Drive westbound: Exit at Fresh Pond Parkway/Arlington/Route 2W Follow signs for Arlington, Route 2W, Belmont At first rotary, follow main flow of traffic 3/4 way around rotary At second rotary (Fresh Pond), go STRAIGHT onto Concord Avenue Follow Concord Ave for 1.5 miles, until Belmont Post Office is on right Turn LEFT at 404 Concord Avenue into church parking lot Driving — from other locations From Route 2 eastbound: Take exit 59 (Route 60, Belmont Center) and bear RIGHT at the light onto Pleasant Street At the second traffic light, turn LEFT onto Leonard Street Go through Belmont Center and under the bridge Turn LEFT; the church is directly in front of you Turn first RIGHT into church parking lot Parking at First Church Parking has been a First Church issue since our founding members needed to “park” their horses and buggies in 1857. Our lot has 24 spaces only, so we ask that you use the following guidelines: Reserve the spaces in our lot for the physically challenged, people with small children, and newcomers who may be discouraged from visiting if they cannot find parking. Use only designated spots. Parking on the grass and the driveways damages the grass and blocks fire lanes. Please do not park in the “hatched” area between the two designated handicapped spaces — it is not a parking space. The hatched space enables wheelchairs and physically challenged individuals to enter and leave vehicles. Suggested parking on Sundays: On Concord Avenue. In front of the Lions Club/Train Station. In the Claflin Street municipal lot in the Town Center (a 5-minute walk; free on Sundays) At the Belmont Public Library, 336 Concord Ave. We encourage you to walk or bicycle to church. There is a bicycle rack by the Lower Hall entrance and Google Maps can generate a bicycle-friendly route map from your starting point. In Cases of Severe Weather If a service is to be canceled a message will be placed on the church’s website, voicemail (617-484-1054, ext. 18) and Facebook page. However, in any weather condition which concerns you or your family, it should be clear that no one should ever feel pressure to come to the church if their travel conditions seem unsafe. Lost & Found Found items are located in a bin outside the Congregational Administrator’s office in the Lower Hall. Lost and found items are taken to a donation center every three months. Please come by during office hours (M – F, 9 – 2), call (617-484-1054, ext. 10), or email if you’ve lost something.