First Parish in Lincoln is an open and welcoming community church.
Whoever you are, and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!

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Religious Exploration for Children, Youth, and Families

We welcome you and your family into ours. First Parish is a place where we can all grow and learn together. We look to explore spirituality in a variety of meaningful ways while having a lot of fun together by offering programs that build community, character, empathy, and an awareness of social justice. Join us for RE anytime!

Religious Exploration Program:  New Programming and Volunteer Opportunities!

We’re growing! We’ve been working hard this summer to expand our Religious Exploration (RE) offerings to meet our growing numbers.  So, our fall calendar will look a bit different than it has in the recent past! We’ll be offering exciting programs for 4 specific age groups – babies & toddlers aged 0-5 years, children in grades K-2, children in grades 3-5, and for youth aged 13-18 years!  Additional programs and activities for families will also be offered outside of Sunday mornings by our new Family Connections Committee.  We’ll have many engaging opportunities for fun, learning, spiritual exploration and social action! Details will be posted soon on the FPL RE website. 

  • Help us plan by registering your children HERE for the RE program now!
  • Make sure you’re signed up for Friday RE Blasts, which include important information & reminders. You can sign up on the FPL Breeze system HERE.

Many volunteer opportunities!  With all the activities we’re offering, we’re going to need more help from all of you! Join a class one weekend; lead a food drive at Donelan’s; help with the Advent workshop; lead the pageant!  There is something for everyone!  CLICK HERE to sign up. 

Please contact Lora Venesy at lora@fplincoln.org with any questions!

Spiritual Parenting Book Group | The Spiritual Child

September 29 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Blessing of the Animals

October 6 @ 9:00 am - 9:15 am

Latest RE News

  • Fall 2024 RE Calendar

    August 23, 2024

  • Religious Exploration Program: New Programming and Volunteer Opportunities!

    August 20, 2024

  • Religious Exploration | May 2024

    May 1, 2024

Open &  Welcoming at First Parish

Openness and Welcoming is a recurrent theme throughout our Religious Exploration programs as First Parish actively serves LGBTQ+ children and youth in all our programs. Parents of LGBTQ+ children communicate with our Director of Religious Exploration, Sunday School teachers and our Youth Program Committee to assist in further developing adult awareness of issues surrounding children and youth with non-conforming gender identities and sexual preferences. Likewise, parents who themselves are LGBTQ+ are welcomed and especially encouraged to provide program guidance.
 
Children and youth routinely introduce themselves with their pronouns, sometimes even without adult prompting. Sunday School activities include a variety of crafts and discussions about dignity and respect for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We look forward to Pride month, and participate in celebrations together here at First Parish, as well as the local community or in Boston. We incorporate a variety of pride-art activities, such as pride flags, signs, or rainbows. 
 
The OWL (Our Whole Lives) programs we offer to kids in grades 1, 5 and 8 are replete with discussion, videos and activities that teach understanding and acceptance of people who are gender diverse. We use the UUA/UCC curriculum; both staff and congregants are trained in OWL for grades K-12 and regularly have speakers from the LGBTQ+ community. 
 
We all continue to grow in our understanding of the needs and preferences of the LGBTQ+ community. Our Religious Exploration programs remain an integral part of welcoming all visitors and new members to First Parish in Lincoln. We affirm each person’s dignity regardless of how one expresses their gender identity or sexual orientation.

She/Her, He/Him, They/Them. Us.

Religious Exploration at First Parish in Lincoln

Nursery Care (Children ages 0-5)

Babies and younger children are welcomed into our Nursery with professional staff members and trained helpers who offer fun, tactile projects that build small and large motor skills, as well as social skills. Children may be dropped off at 9:30 and picked up at 11:30am.

Children 6+

Older children are invited to begin in church on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, to listen to a Time for All Ages (a message for children & youth), then walk up the hill to the Parish House, where we will learn and have fun! The group participates in project-based activities that build self-awareness, kindness, and community. Many activities and projects are built on social action themes and/or targeted projects that vary from week to week. It’s a fun, energetic atmosphere, & our goal is to build relationships with each other and church members who often offer special programs, such as bell choir, yoga, bread making, etc.

Our Whole Lives

First Parish is happy to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a reputable fact-based sexuality education program children and youth at First Parish and the surrounding community. We have classes for three levels (K-2, 5th grade, and 8th grade). OWL is an engaging, age-appropriate curriculum providing information about relationships, communication and hygiene, as well as gender identity, digital safety, consent, and other sexual health topics. Registration and parent orientation are required prior to enrollment. For more information, contact lora@fplincoln.org.

Special Events for Families

FPL offers monthly events and opportunities for families to connect. Look for announcements about upcoming events, such as family service day, movie nights, potlucks and more. For additional information, contact Abby Adams or Elizabeth Kelly.