S is for Sowing Seeds.

Spring is trying her hardest to arrive in earnest, and the gardeners among us are starting to think about seeds.

The act of sowing seeds is a good stand-in for the spiritual life. Planting is an inherently hopeful act, requiring care, advanced planning, patience, and faith. Some seeds take root and blossom. Some don’t make it. Some plants are self-sowing, building on their own annual rhythms and momentum. So too, nurturing the spiritual life can feel mysterious, uncertain, and at times, miraculous.

Jesus loved the metaphorical heft of the humble seed. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field,” goes the famous parable. “It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32). When we dig deep, we can flourish to serve a wider purpose. A humble small town church like ours can branch out to be part of a locally rooted canopy of justice and peace.

We are in a season of seed planting here at the First Parish: making pledges to support next year’s vision; trying out new programs and ways of gathering; steadily reaching new visitors; experimenting with intentionally Intergenerational worship; working intensively with our Opening Doors campaign architecture team to imagine concepts for our campus that could help a robust vitality blossom for generations to come.

Seed sowing and soil tending are acts of faith. There’s a saying attributed to the reformer Martin Luther that goes something like this: “if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

So happy spring, FPL friends. Even when the world seems to be in pieces, let’s keep planting. We hope to see you in church as Lent flowers into Easter.

With hope,
Kit & Nate

Sarah’s Office Hours
Tuesday, April 8, 10:00am-12:00pm
Twisted Tree at Lincoln Station

Kit’s Office Hours
Monday, April 14, 12:00-2:00pm
Twisted Tree at Lincoln Station

Nate’s Office Hours
Friday, April 25, 10:00am-12:00pm
Twisted Tree at deCordova

Did You Know? Spring Growth Edition

• We recently held two “Journey to Belonging” sessions at First Parish. At our Wednesday session (thanks to Sarah and Anna Bishop who offered childcare!), 10 younger parents joined us for dinner and conversation. At our Sunday session, we had 12 people, with an age range from high schooler to grandparent.
• Interestingly, of these 22 interested newcomers, about half are from Lincoln, and half are from surrounding towns. When we talk about the opportunity for FPL to become a flagship church in our region, this is what we mean.
• Come to church on April 13, Palm Sunday, to meet and welcome many of these folks, who will make up our next amazing group of New Members!
• All of these new faces brings an organizational opportunity and challenge: how do we integrate newcomers into the life of the church, including committees and leadership positions? We’ve formed a new committee, the “Connections Team,” who is focused on this important work. The Connections Team is led by Linn Elmes, Gina Halsted, Tucker Smith, and Rev. Nate Klug. We’re looking for one or two other folks to help who are especially gifted in admin (let Linn or Nate know if that’s you!).
• Overall, looking back at the last three years, we’ve welcomed over 60 new members.Over 20 new families with kids or teenagers have begun participating. First Parish has grown by 25%! What a tribute to the welcoming and dynamic spirit of this congregation.