M is for Morning Star.

Dear friends,

Hello from the wee hours of 2025! If you’re like me, some of your best (and only) thoughts come early in the morning. By 9 am, I’ve probably already lost my patience once. By 2:30 pm, I’m fighting the afternoon malaise and wondering what to make for dinner.

In these first days and weeks of January, we find ourselves very early in the dawning of a new year. Thoreau reminds us at the end of Walden, “Only that day dawns to which we are awake…The sun is but a morning star.”

In the story of the Epiphany, which we will tell in church on January 5, a group of scholars and astronomers upend their lives because of a star. Risk and Good News go hand in hand. But think about it—haven’t you too dropped everything because something or someone pulled on your heartstrings? Haven’t you changed your course at least once because of some curiosity or desire?

After all the hubbub of December, the winter months at First Parish are usually a little calmer. Use this time to locate (or re-locate) your morning stars, your guides, for what will be a challenging year. And like the Magi, bring your gifts to help First Parish grow into a “morning star” for others who are still searching.

We want to end by thanking everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes during our Advent and Christmas seasons. December was a magical month. As the lights came down on our candles, and “Silent Night” began, we thought to ourselves, there is no place we would rather be.

With love,
Nate and Kit

Did You Know? Christmas Eve Edition

Numbers cannot capture the spirit of Christmas Eve at First Parish. Nonetheless…

• Thanks to your generous giving, we raised $12,187.03 to benefit Matènwa Community Learning Center in Haiti.
• Over 15 kids sang in our newly-formed children’s choir at the 4 pm service. Look out for a reprise on Easter!
• We introduced a mix of electric and flame candles this year, which saved countless hours of wax cleanup for the Deacons.
• We were completely full at 4 pm and 8 pm (but thankfully did not have to send anyone to overflow seating) and had 109 people join us at 10 pm. Overall, 532 people attended the three services in person, and 90 devices online. (Many more have watched the services since.)