OPENING DOORS CAMPAIGN:

Special Congregational Meeting
Presentation by the Opening Doors Campaign and Congregational Vote on Campaign Next Steps
September 29, 7 PM in the Stearns Room

The Opening Doors Campaign Team will present:

• An updated design vision for the Parish House and surrounding grounds that supports our mission, vision, and values, and achieves our program goals so that we can nourish the next generation of moral leaders and spiritual seekers.
• Proposed next steps on how we can “Open our Doors to Justice”
• Estimated fundraising requirements
  • Estimated costs to implement the vision for the Parish House and grounds
  • Estimated funds required to replenish our capital fund so we can steward all of our buildings for the next decade.

We will be seeking a congregational vote authorizing additional investment in architectural design, and the continuation of silent fundraising in support of realizing the Parish House renovation vision. We will need to raise money to replenish our capital fund whether or not we proceed with the full renovation design. 

As the Opening Doors Campaign introduced its vision “to create vibrant, inspiring, flexible spaces to welcome spiritual seekers of all ages, foster intergenerational community, and grow future generations of moral leaders who work for social justice and cherish the living earth,” a question emerged: How might we add a clear justice-focused element to the campaign? Click the button below to read the latest on this exploration.

Are you interested in helping to discern how FPL can open our doors to justice? Contact Rosemary Lloyd to join the growing group of volunteers seeking to shape this work.

For 250 years and counting, First Parish in Lincoln has been a nurturing center for spiritual growth, community service, and inclusive fellowship. Born from a merger of Lincoln’s Congregational and Unitarian churches in 1942, our distinctive heritage has shaped us into a “big tent” spiritual home that welcomes people of all faith backgrounds. In a world full of conflict where hope and kindness are hard to find, we are needed more than ever.

We stand at a pivotal moment. Counter to national trends, our congregation is thriving and growing. Sunday worship is inspiring and well attended, as is our weekly coffee hour. Yet, we face three challenges:

1. The Parish House, which accommodates Religious Exploration, staff offices, performance, and meeting space, is not welcoming, inspiring, up-to-date, or functional for our current and projected programs. Therefore, we are called to transform this building so we can nurture future generations of moral leaders and spiritual seekers.
2. Beyond our ongoing programs, we are invited to consider how our physical campus—our real estate assets—might hold untapped potential to confront injustice in tangible ways.

Imagine, for instance, if we could raise the funds to replace the rental income from the parsonage. Could we reimagine that space as a home for an immigrant or refugee family—offering temporary housing, forging partnerships with local organizations, and engaging our community in meaningful, hands-on service? In these times, we are called to ask ourselves: How can we open our doors to justice?

3. Our capital reserve fund, which covers major repairs and critical maintenance. is completely depleted. Last replenished during our 2008-12 Capital Campaign, it has since been used responsibly on essential upkeep of our campus. The Parish Committee has approved hiring engineering professionals to assess what repairs and investments are needed and by when. However, without financial reserves in place, we are vulnerable to unexpected costs and infrastructure challenges. We inherited buildings and land from our ancestors. We are called to care for this inheritance, stewarding it for the next generation.

Check out the timeline posted above the bulletin board at the Stearns Room entrance. Key milestones:

Growing out of the strategic planning process that defined “strategic themes,” FPL congregants brainstormed key investments needed to realize our vision and continue to grow in membership, engagement and impact. The Annual Meeting of 2024 charged a Capital Campaign Team to develop design options to advance our mission, build on this brainstorming, and replenish the Capital Reserve Fund.

The Campaign Team was chartered at the Annual Meeting in 2024, and charged with developing conceptual design options that support FPL’s goals to grow into the flagship liberal church in the region in alignment with our mission, vision and values. This work builds on congregational input through the April 2024 Brainstorming Session, the May 2024 Next Steps Forum, the strategic work carried out by Strategic Planning and the Transition teams, and centers ongoing interviews with staff and key stakeholders.

The Opening Doors Campaign is under oversight of the Parish Committee.

Sarah Andrysiak and Rosemary Lloyd Co-Chair the Opening Doors Campaign, overseeing and coordinating the work of five sub-teams: Visioning, Design Advisory, Justice Project Advisory, Fundraising, and Events.

The Opening Doors Campaign Team, in partnership with the Parish Committee, has hired Maryann Thompson Architects and Michael van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. (Landscape Architects) to work with the Opening Doors team and the entire congregation to develop conceptual designs for the renovation of the Parish House and site.

A team of volunteers is working to determine our approach to “opening our doors to justice.”

The Parish Committee, at the recommendation of the Facilities Committee and with the support of the Opening Doors Campaign, has hired Leavitt Associates Inc. to assess the condition of all of FPL’s buildings: Sanctuary, Parish House, and Parsonage. This will inform what is required to replenish the Capital Reserve Fund.

What kinds of spaces will be included in the Parish House Renovation?

Great question! Check out all the details in our Draft Space Program Requirements, which synthesizes interviews with and input from staff and key committees.

What’s wrong with Parish House anyway?

The Parish House needs significant reprogramming and renovation to fulfill its role as a center for spiritual seeking, community building, and outreach for our members; a source of hope, inspiration, and justice leadership in the larger community; a welcoming home for Religious Exploration for our youth; and beautiful offices for our exceptional staff.

• FPL is investing staff and volunteer resources in engaging young families, but we do not have the facilities to meet their needs. As long as children “borrow” space from adult program areas, they will not feel welcomed. We need indoor and outdoor spaces that foster intergenerational connection, promote a sense of belonging, and nurture spiritual seeking for our youth and teens.
• FPL seeks to increase membership, but the Parish House doesn’t encourage people to enter, gather or linger. Just as the renovation of the Stearns Room created new forms of community connection, the architecture of the Parish House should foster intergenerational relationships, inspire spiritual inquiry, and motivate creativity. Architecture shapes community behavior: more inviting, beautiful and inspiring spaces will ensure that we gather, linger, and deepen our relationships with each other, our spirituality, FPL, and our mission.
• FPL benefits from mission-aligned organizations who utilize our space in off-hours, provide rental income, and bring in the broader community. To appeal to outside groups, we need appealing space with welcoming (or improved) access, good acoustics and lighting, and adequate parking.
• In addition to redesigning space for our current use, we need to improve access (including elevator), upgrade systems for comfort and reduced environmental impact, increase storage, address acoustics and lighting, and refresh the aging condition.
• The current site (circulation and landscaping) separates the Parish House from the Sanctuary, effectively dividing our campus when we seek to model inclusiveness. Our programs do not fully reflect our commitment to justice.

Curious for details? Check out the Draft Space Program Requirements Document which synthesizes interviews with the staff and key committees and has been provided to our architect and landscape architect. And check out the aerial property map of FPL and neighbors.

Relationship of Parish House “Home” to New Lincoln Community Center and other Lincoln gathering places

The Parish House is distinct from, and complementary to Lincoln’s Community Center. Together, these centers support a vibrant, healthy and interconnected community. To highlight key distinctions between our vision for the Parish House and the planned Community Center:

1. We aim to create interactive, intergenerational space (interior and exterior) while the community center is offering programming for different age groups at different hours (Multigenerational at the community center, as opposed to intergenerational at First Parish).
2. We are creating space focused on nurturing Spirituality; the community center is focused on recreational programming.
3. The community center will not have space for community performances on the intimate scale that our auditorium offers. It certainly doesn’t offer FPL space to worship in the round.
4. We aim to celebrate and uplift beauty and engagement with the natural world in reflection of our spiritual values. This is not a design criterion for the community center.
5. We aim to be a destination for people acting for social justice and the environment. This is not part of the community center’s mission.
6. Finally, and perhaps most important – we cannot create that sense of extended home and belonging for our young families in the town community center.

What about our Tenants?

FPL leases space to Magic Garden (ground floor, Monday-Friday); the Beehive Art (second floor classrooms) and Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels will move to the Lincoln Community Center when that space is available. Any project will be coordinated with our tenants.

Right here!

At this point, our best estimate for the start of construction would be in the fall or winter of 2026. Until the specific scope of the project is determined, the impact on congregational life is uncertain.

The playground urgently needs improvements in functionality and safety. MVVA Landscape Architects have extensive experience in designing playgrounds, intergenerational outdoor rooms, and more.

We will be looking for funding commitments in the spring of 2026. We anticipate that these funds would be payable over three years (by the spring of 2029).

Please reach out to Sarah Andrysiak or Rosemary Lloyd, Opening Doors Campaign Team Co-Chairs, with concerns or feedback. The Capital Campaign Team is under oversight of the Parish Committee.