Pastors' Blog


The Oasis - November 6, 2024

November 06, 2024
                The one thing we knew prior to election night is that, no matter which candidate won, roughly half the country would be delighted in the outcome and roughly half would despair the result. As I thought about an appropriate Oa...

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The Oasis - October 30, 2024

October 30, 2024
      There is a lot of anxiety in the communities we live in these days. Many are anxious about things that are bigger than any one of us—the environment, the economy, genocides, division, freedoms, healthcare. Many are anxious about simply making ends meet&...

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The Oasis - October 16, 2024

October 16, 2024
     With the election less than a month away, things are getting intense. I’m getting texts asking me to either indicate how I will vote, or to take a survey. Who are these people sending me texts and how did they get my number? Candidates for president are ...

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The Oasis - October 9, 2024

October 09, 2024
      As I’m sure you know, the impact of Hurricane Helene has been devastating. A number of our church members have contacted me to inquire about possible responses. In this post, I will offer an avenue for responding and a heartfelt prayer, written by Maren...

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The Oasis - September 4, 2024

September 04, 2024
                 One of the things I love about summer is abundant access to fresh fruits and vegetables. I so look forward to eating tomatoes out of a garden or to experience the juice of a ripe watermelon trickle down my cheek. One o...

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The Oasis - August 28,2024

August 28, 2024
     Labor Day began in 1882 in New York City with a parade organized by a machinist and a carpenter. As we come up to Labor Day weekend, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the theology of work. In a blog post, Russell Gehrlein indicates “God loves pe...

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The Oasis - August 21, 2024

August 21, 2024
Dear Church Family,               “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”                                 ...

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The Oasis - August 14, 2024

August 14, 2024
                 In worship this coming Sunday, we will read about King Solomon from the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. In the text, God said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I’ll give it to you.” Imagine that. If God wer...

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The Oasis - August 7, 2024

August 07, 2024
      This morning I had coffee at Long Sands Beach. As I spent a little time in quiet prayer and reflection, I recalled a meditation exercise from the book Earthspirit by Michael Dowd. He provides a number of statements and invites the reader to think ab...

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The Oasis - 7-31-24

July 31, 2024
                Summer is a season in which many will travel on vacation or at least take-off for the day. How do you pack for a trip? What sorts of things do you bring? I have a need to have the proper footwear for whatever I’m doing...

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The Oasis - July 17, 2024

July 17, 2024
     I realize I’m biased, but theology matters. I’m convinced much is wrong in our world, not because of bad intentions, but because of immature or lazy understandings about God and how God operates in the world. I began to notice bad theology after Hu...

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The Oasis - July 2, 2024

July 02, 2024
“Jesus wept.” John 11:35                 My dad had a two-word response for those times when either someone did something very foolish or when a situation seemed utterly sad or ridiculous. ...

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The Oasis - June 26, 2024

June 26, 2024
      My sabbatical begins next week, and as much as I will miss the work and all of you this summer, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to spend some time seeking God. I hope no one is under the illusion in this day and age that ministers—be they p...

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The Oasis - June 12, 2024

June 12, 2024
      I was speaking with two of our church members, Joyce and Harvey, after the worship service one Sunday. They made some kind remarks about my sermon, and then dropped a nugget of wisdom that has stuck with me ever since. I can’t remember what prompted it,...

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The Oasis - June 5, 2024

June 05, 2024
             As we come to the end of the church year, this Sunday will be the last for the church school until we pick up again in September. Children will receive Bibles and we will express our gratitude to those who taught and assisted with t...

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The Oasis - May 22, 2024

May 22, 2024
If you’re near the First Parish meetinghouse at certain times of the day, you might hear the carillon playing some well-known hymns. The system was given in memory of Ronald Allen Parsons who lost his life serving in the military in 1967. A small plaque indicating as much w...

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The Oasis - May 15, 2024

May 15, 2024
             I’m a believer that bad theology is the source of much of the pain and suffering in our world. It’s bad theology that leads to senseless violence, oppression, Christian nationalism, and personal despair. When a person sh...

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The Oasis - April 24, 2024

April 24, 2024
     In Sunday School this Easter season the kids have been exploring the stories of the disciples from Palm Sunday all the way through witnessing Christ’s resurrection and ascension to Heaven, to them receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Along with hearin...

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The Oasis - April 17, 2024

April 17, 2024
                In my sermon this past Sunday, I talked about the concept of witnessing. In an effort to illustrate the importance of witnessing, I told the story of a gentleman who was accused of a crime, arrested and brought into court. T...

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The Oasis - April 10, 2024

April 10, 2024
As many of you did, I watched the eclipse this week. As I reflected on the relationship of the earth, moon, and sun, I thought of the following words of the Midrash. Midrash refers to a type of biblical interpretation. It is also a collection of rabbinic writings composed between...

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The Oasis - April 7, 2024

April 03, 2024
Dear FPC Members and Friends, I’m very grateful for a rich Holy Week and Easter celebration! Thank you to everyone who made it so meaningful. The sounds, the visuals, the tastes, and the fellowship made Lent and Easter very special. For the fun of it, I was thinking of sha...

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The Oasis - March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024
     This is a good week to be thinking about the last week of Christ’s earthly life. His triumphal entry into the Holy City, riding on a simple donkey, to the sounds of cheers on Palm Sunday; his last supper with his disciples on Maundy Thursday; his betraya...

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The Oasis - March 20,2024

March 20, 2024
                    This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Beautiful palms will adorn the sanctuary and we will have them for each of you to have and take home. It’s one of the biggest days in the chur...

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The Oasis - March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024
             In my reading about fasting this Lent, the claim is that fasting is liberating. I’m in hour 18 of what I plan to be a 48 hour fast. Knowing me, it will probably be more like 47.5 hours. I always give in and eat a little early....

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The Oasis - March 6, 2024

March 06, 2024
On February 25th, at First Parish’s Annual Meeting, a team of volunteers provided a presentation for First Parish’s upcoming Capital Campaign, which focused on much-needed improvements and deferred maintenance for the buildings that make up our church’s campus. ...

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The Oasis - February 28, 2024

February 28, 2024
     At our Annual Meeting on Sunday, we officially kicked-off the “Our Time” Capital Campaign. For hundreds of years, members and friends of First Parish Church have been stewards of the historic campus. Now, it ...

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The Oasis - February 21, 2024

February 22, 2024
             Me and you must never part.                         Me and you must have one heart.     &n...

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The Oasis February 14, 2024

February 14, 2024
           Today is Ash Wednesday. We will not have a worship service tonight, as we have in the past, but the sanctuary will be open from 5 PM -- 6:30 PM for prayer and reflection. I will have some Lent related materials to use for reflection. I wil...

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The Oasis - February 7, 2024

February 07, 2024
            You will probably recognize the word “benediction” from the last of the spoken words in a worship service. The first part of the word, bene, means “good.” That’s why we see it with words such as beneficial, b...

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The Oasis - January 31, 2024

January 31, 2024
            I’ve noticed a lot is being said and written about our poor listening skills. Some say our attention spans are getting shorter. Instead of truly listening while others speak, we focus on formulating our responses. We “talk pas...

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The Oasis - January 1-24-24

January 24, 2024
     Imagine that you’re God. You are all that there ever has been. You have no beginning; you’ve just been. Forever. But you’re enough. More than enough, in fact. You’re not alone, not really. You’re the best conversation-partner ...

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The Oasis - January 17, 2024

January 17, 2024
     In worship on Sunday, we will look at the story of Jonah and the Whale. We might think of it as a children’s story, but a prominent theme in the book of Jonah is anger. Jonah, who had been thrown overboard during a storm, was swallowed by a whale. After ...

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The Oasis - January 10, 2024

January 11, 2024
            If you’ve worshipped in person since September, you may know we’ve had what I’m calling a “memory verse” on the cover of the Sunday bulletin. The idea is that if we make the effort to memorize one key verse f...

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The Oasis - January 3, 2024

January 03, 2024
     As we usher in the new year, the first Sunday in January is Epiphany Sunday. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read about the Wise Men who followed the star to find the newborn King. Their journey was one of dedication and deep desire to encounter the divine. The M...

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The Oasis - December 27, 2023

December 27, 2023
                 I’m a student of change. I believe the life of faith is largely about personal and social transformation. One of my often repeated sayings goes, “God loves us just the way we are, but that doesn’t mea...

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The Oasis - December 20, 2023

December 20, 2023
            This week my prayers are with all those in northern New England dealing with the effects of this weekend’s stormy weather. Nestled safely at home here in York, never once losing power, if I wasn’t keeping an eye on the news...

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The Oasis - December 13, 2023

December 13, 2023
            Recently, I noticed something about the popular story of Santa Claus that never occurred to me before. I’ve always been sympathetic to the story. A bunch of elves at the North Pole make toys. On December 24 a plump but jolly man pac...

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The Oasis - December 6, 2023

December 06, 2023
     Last Sunday we had an interesting talk about the first of our weekly Advent devotionals. The topic was angels. Angels hold a pivotal role in the Christmas story, as recounted in both Matthew’s gospel and Luke’s gospel. The angel Gabriel serves as a...

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The Oasis - November 29, 2023

November 29, 2023
        December 1st is recognized around the world as World AIDS Day, which since its establishment in 1988 has been dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic and mourning those who have died of the disease. It is a cause that has long been dea...

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The Oasis - November 22, 2023

November 22, 2023
             In her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer described the way her school week began among the Onondaga people. She wrote, “Here the school wee...

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The Oasis - November 12, 2023

November 16, 2023
            What is First Parish Church known for around town? That was the recent question posed as part of the FPC Visioning Forum. Here are the results, basically as they were written on the sheets: Friendliness, helping those in need, the comm...

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The Oasis - November 8, 2023

November 08, 2023
     Veterans Day lands on Saturday this year. As I reflect on Veterans Day, I think of the words of tennis great, Arthur Ashe. He said, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but th...

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The Oasis - November 1, 2023

November 01, 2023
            Today is All Saints Day. I like to mark All Saints during communion on the first Sunday in November. Communion is a sacrament that links us to Jesus, to all those in the faith who came before us, and to all those who will come after us. R...

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The Oasis - October 25, 2023

October 25, 2023
During last month’s “Get to Know Your Bible” class, a conversation we had spurred some thoughts that I took home with me, so I wanted to take the opportunity to write some of those thoughts down and share them with you:      Because it was writ...

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The Oasis - October 18, 2023

October 20, 2023
     Recently, we posted a question at the entrance to the church and in Fellowship Hall: If First Parish Church were to suddenly cease to exist, who would miss us? We will post a series of questions in the coming months in what we are referring to as The First Par...

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The Oasis - October 11, 2023

October 11, 2023
As I’ve watched the coverage of the tragic events in Israel and the Gaza strip, I find myself feeling sadness and outrage. I’ve been reflecting on the words of Otis Moss III. In his book Dancing in the Darkness, he wrote, “As a matter of pure supernatural s...

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The Oasis - October 4, 2023

October 04, 2023
     On the surface, my Oasis topic this week might not seem inspirational or “spiritual.” I would argue that it is spiritual. The topic is the church pledge campaign for 2024: Your Generosity Changes Lives. More specifically, my topic is “Wh...

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The Oasis - September 20, 2023

September 20, 2023
     Have you ever put off doing something you really wanted to do for a better time? Have you waited to start that exercise program until after the holidays or waited to quit smoking in order to make it a New Year’s resolution? Maybe you are postponing makin...

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The Oasis - September 13, 2023

September 13, 2023
     In a recent sermon in which I spoke about the power of purpose, I quoted actor Jeff Goldblum from an appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. I few people asked if I would share the quote in written form. Colbert asked him how he stays i...

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The Oasis - August 30, 2023

August 30, 2023
     Nothing has given me more of a complex the last few years than having to see myself on video over and over and over again. They say everyone hates the sound of their own voice, because our own voice sounds different in our heads than it does when it’s pl...

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The Oasis - August 23, 2023

August 23, 2023
     Today, I came into the office to find that one of our First Parish members left me a list of church bulletin bloopers. You may have seen this already. It reports to be a compilation of funny sentences that actually appeared in church bulletins:     ...

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The Oasis - August 16, 2023

August 16, 2023
     I sometimes hear: “You’re only as happy as your least happy child.” That make sense to me. Parents tend to be so invested in their children and so affected by their disappointments and struggles, that if the child struggles, the parent strugg...

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The Oasis - July 26, 2023

July 26, 2023
     The Ancient Greeks had their tales of Sisyphus—a king cursed by the gods to roll a great boulder up to the top of a mountain, but every time he neared the top, the boulder would roll back down. Bill Murray’s most well-known film is arguably “...

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The Oasis - July 19, 2023

July 19, 2023
     The last several days we’ve seen the air quality in southern Maine drop in and out of the “unhealthy” range. Well, not “seen” so much as “heard about it.” Other places in North America have had haze, unusual sky colora...

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The Oasis - July 12, 2023

July 12, 2023
     In seminary, I wrote a paper on the subject of time and the difference between chronological time and Kairos time. Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time. Kairos time is a moment in time in which God makes it possi...

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The Oasis - July 5, 2023

July 05, 2023
     I’ve known people who make an annual summer reading list. As someone who struggles to read as much as I’d like, I’ve always admired that practice. There’s still time to get in on our book group this summer: The Book of Forgiveness&...

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The Oasis - June 28, 2023

June 28, 2023
With Sunday School done for the school year, it’s nice to look back on all the things our young people learned through crafts, games, interactive Bible stories, and outdoor adventures. This year we explored the famous Psalm 23, Jesus’ most-quoted sermon “The Bea...

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The Oasis - Jun 21, 2023

June 21, 2023
     There is so much happening at First Parish this Summer: Attic Treasure Sale this weekend, Fellowship in Action Activities, Storytellers during Coffee hour, Out To Lunch Bunch, Men’s Gathering Barbeque. Please check out all the opportunities in this Oasis...

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The Oasis - June 14, 2023

June 14, 2023
            You won’t want to miss the music in worship this Sunday! It is the last Sunday before shifting into summer mode. The Sanctuary Choir will sing for the last time before taking a break. The First Parish Handbell Choir will perform. Sw...

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The Oasis - May 31, 2023

May 31, 2023
     “Breathe deep, seek peace.” A favorite mantra of mine since I was a kid, taken from a favorite book by James Gurney. Do you need to feel the peace of God? Then take a moment to breathe.      “Ruach” is an ancient Hebrew ...

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The Oasis - May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023
            I wanted to make you aware, this Sunday is Pentecost. We will celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to those first followers of Jesus and the birth of the church. We invite you to wear red if you come to worship, the color that represents...

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The Oasis - May 17, 2023

May 18, 2023
     Over the next couple weeks, the focus of our worship will be the Holy Spirit. This Sunday, we will evoke the Spirit as we welcome seven confirmands as members of the church. May 28 is Pentecost, the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. T...

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The Oasis - May 10, 2023

May 10, 2023
“You followed your conscience in the hope that others would follow theirs. You didn’t do it for a reward or a pat on the head. The universe never tells us if we did right or wrong. It’s more important to try to help people than to know that you did. More importa...

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The Oasis - April 26, 2023

April 26, 2023
There’s nothing quite like kids coming up for a children’s message to let a pastor know the church is moving in the right direction! On Easter, Pastor Eric and I made the decision to invite the kids forward for the “Message for All Ages,” since we had the ...

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The Oasis - April 5, 2023

April 05, 2023
                In her book Kneeling in Jerusalem, Ann Weems writes, “When the people of God gather for worship, the whole earth trembles and the angels sing.” I think about that. I know only roughly 10% of the population a...

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The Oasis - March 29, 2023

March 29, 2023
Look at all this! What’s going on? I may be just a little kid from Bethany, but I know something big when I see it! I’ve just… gotta get… to the front… if all these people would just get their stupid legs out of the way. Wow… I’v...

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The Oasis - March 22, 2023

March 22, 2023
             As we near the end of Lent this year, I invite you to make a point to join us for our special worship services during Holy Week. Holy Week services are a way to enter into the events that led to the death an...

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The Oasis - February 15, 2023

February 15, 2023
     This week is Transfiguration Sunday. In Matthew 17:1-9, Jesus ascended a mountain with some of his disciples and was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun and his clothes turned bright white. The story that provides the background for the Trans...

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The Oasis - February 8, 2023

February 08, 2023
In my sermon on Sunday, I claimed there are forces and situations that rob us of our identity as beloved children of God. When we’re told we’re not good enough, or attractive enough, or thin enough, over and over, we begin to believe it. I called that “identity ...

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The Oasis - January 25, 2023

January 25, 2023
Between three mass shootings in California, natural disasters, and the continuing war in Ukraine, there has been an enormous amount distressing events in the news this past week. As I was praying and reflecting, I began to think about the role of the church in the face of so much...

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The Oasis - December 28, 2022

December 28, 2022
            I want to thank everyone for such a wonderful Advent and Christmas season. From the decorations in and around the church, to the Advent book conversations, to the music that lifts our spirits, to the response to the various charitable opp...

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The Oasis - December 21, 2022

December 21, 2022
Wherever you are in your faith journey, I hope you will come to worship on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. If 2022 has been a disaster for you or if all is well with your soul, if you are sad or if you can’t contain your joy, if your faith is strong or if you’re f...

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The Oasis - December 14, 2022

December 14, 2022
     Each year, sometime around the beginning of the Advent season, one of my family members will contact me and ask, “What do you want for Christmas?” I don’t always know what I want, but I think it’s a great question. I think it’s no...

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The Oasis - December 6, 2022

December 08, 2022
Greetings First Parish,      Blessings and peace to you. There is so much to experience this Sunday at First Parish! Our monthly hymn sing will take place beginning at 9:45am. I’m guessing we might sing some Christmas carols. Worship will follow at 10am. I h...

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The Oasis - November 23, 2022

November 23, 2022
     Last Sunday was my third Thanksgiving Sunday here at First Parish, but my first Gratitude Luncheon. That was impressive! Nearly 100 people were served in person and numerous more lunches went to folks in their homes. Thank you to all who prepared, served and c...

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The Oasis - November 16, 2022

November 16, 2022
     This Sunday, November 20th is Gratitude Sunday. If you haven’t already submitted your 2023 financial commitment to First Parish, please bring it to worship Sunday. Indicate your pledge on the Pledge Card and return it and the Time and Talent Form during ...

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The Oasis - November 9, 2022

November 09, 2022
            A friend of mine, who happens to be a retired rabbi, recently had a birthday. On social media, he received a large number of Happy Birthday wishes from friends from the many stages of his life. In order to describe how touched he was to h...

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The Oasis - November 2, 2022

November 02, 2022
     As I was preparing for for All Saints Sunday, I read one of the assigned scripture readings: Luke 6:20-31, a segment of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain.” Verse 27 reads, “But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do ...

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The Oasis - October 26, 2022

October 26, 2022
            November 6, 2022, will be All Saints Sunday. All Saints is a day of remembrance for the saints, with the New Testament meaning of all Christian people of every time and place. We celebrate the communion of saints as we remember the dead, ...

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The Oasis-October 19, 2022

October 19, 2022
     One of the most important annual activities that happens in the life of the church is just getting started. The Nominations Committee has begun it’s work of identifying folks to be in leadership positions and to serve on the various boards and committees...

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The Oasis - October 12, 2022

October 13, 2022
The concept of reparations for slavery emerged in the news this week. At the moment, I’m not going to weigh in that debate. However, I am interested in the biblical teaching regarding the restoration of relationships after an injustice. It makes sense to me that, in order f...

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The Oasis - October 5, 2022

October 05, 2022
     The hurricane season started slowly this year, but the damage caused by recent storms has been devastating. I wanted to make you aware of ways to respond with assistance if you are so inclined. The following link will take you to the “Hurricanes 2022 Eme...

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The Oasis - September 28, 2022

September 28, 2022
Hello First Parish Church –      After some delays in the arrival of the pumpkins, we are off to a great start in sales. Sign-ups to work the table have been strong. I hope you will consider it. It really is enjoyable to share with folks in the community t...

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The Oasis - September 21

September 21, 2022
             This week is a big week for us at First Parish Church. The pumpkins arrive Saturday at 2pm. We can use all the help we can get.  The signups for working at the tent to sell the pumpkins is on the church website. I love thi...

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The Oasis - September 14, 2022

September 14, 2022
     In last week’s Oasis, I wrote about a retired pastor who was inspired to write a reflection based on the message on our church sign: “You may be the hope.” I’ve been reflecting further on church signs, so let’s consider this week&...

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The Oasis - September 7, 2022

September 07, 2022
The Oasis             Rally Sunday and the kickoff to the new church program year is this week 9/11/22. Keep in mind two things. First, the worship service will begin at our new time: 10:00am. Secondly, this i...

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The Oasis - August 31, 2022

September 03, 2022
     I’m not grxat with txchnology, but latxly, it sxxms onx of thx kxys on my kxyboard is not working propxrly. Can you guxss which onx? I’vx trixd to rxboot. I’vx trixd xvxrything. My computxr can do incrxdiblx things. In thx right hands, it can...

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The Oasis - August 24, 2022

August 24, 2022
Recently, I have heard from more than one person regarding the death of a pet. I try not to underestimate the impact of such a loss. Pets truly become part of the family. If you are someone who feels the loss of a pet acutely, my heart goes out to you. These words of Meister Eckh...

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The Oasis - August 10, 2022

August 10, 2022
     Why do we pray?      In my personal life (that is, when I’m not praying as a part of my duties as a pastor), I find myself praying far more often when I needsomething than when I do not. I prayed for protection when I visited someone...

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The Oasis - July 20, 2022

July 20, 2022
Peace The setting sun evokes a feeling of peace. As the camp song goes: Day is done, gone the sun. From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.  All is well, safely rest God is nigh. The tricky part comes the next morning, when the troubles of the day show back up. P...

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The Oasis - July 13, 2022

July 13, 2022
Oasis 7.13.22 This past Sunday, Rev. Pat Smith was the first to share her story in our summer “Storytellers” series taking place during coffee hour each Sunday in July and August. I counted roughly 40 people gathered around to hear her share a bit of her life. It m...

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The Oasis - June 29, 2022

June 29, 2022
 The Oasis                      In what is being called the most significant gun measure to clear congress in nearly three decades, President Biden recently signed a bipartisan gun bill into law. The U. S. House Select ...

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The Oasis - June 1, 2022

June 01, 2022
A number of people have asked for a copy of the benediction I used to end the service this past Sunday. I offer it here for your reflection. I’m guessing it spoke to people, because of the anger and sadness many feel regarding the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I think this is ...

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The Oasis - May 25, 2022

May 25, 2022
“A voice is heard in Ramah,     mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children     and refusing to be comforted,     because they are no more.” — Jeremiah 31.15, NIV   &nb...

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The Oasis - May 18, 2022

May 18, 2022
     On March 26th I went to North Church of Portsmouth, United Church of Christ, to see the Rev. Traci Blackmon speak. Rev. Blackmon is the Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for the UCC. She receives requests to speak at chur...

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The Oasis - May 4, 2022

May 04, 2022
Pastor Eric Dupee      Our scripture reading his Sunday will by Psalm 23: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” As I reflect on that psalm, I’m thinking about the importance of how we think about God. For the psalmist, God is a shepherd th...

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The Oasis - April 6, 2022

April 06, 2022
     In Sunday’s sermon, I spoke about how, in 1882, the First Parish congregation decided to lift the church building and rotate it 90% so the entrance would face the main street. I think that’s a wonderful image for the desire to face and engage the c...

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The Oasis - March 30, 2022

March 30, 2022
March 30, 2022 by Pastor Dan      What are you waiting for?      No, I don’t mean that as an accusation. I’m legitimately curious: what is it that you’re waiting for?      This time of year, I’d guess it&r...

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The Oasis - March 23, 2022

March 23, 2022
Rev. Eric Dupee        Today’s submission in our 2022 Lenten Devotional booklet is a photo of flowers that could have only been taken on Easter Sunday. The colors are extraordinary. The photo exudes joy! I purposely placed that photo at about the ...

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The Oasis - March 16, 2022

March 16, 2022
Holy Week at First Parish During Holy Week, our worship experiences are designed to lead us through the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. By attending these services, we not only hear the story, we enter into it. The story becomes part of us in a deeper and...

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The Oasis - March 9, 2022

March 09, 2022
     I wanted to make one more invite to join me for a discussion of the daily devotionals in our 2022 Lenten Devotional produced with contributions from our members and friends. We gather on Zoom tonight and each Wednesday during Lent at 7pm here: h...

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The Oasis - March 2, 2022

March 02, 2022
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”  Psalm 51:10             At every church I’ve served, I’ve had a home office. It’s the one room in the...

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The Oasis - February 23, 2022

February 24, 2022
“But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you…Do to others as you would have them do to you…Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be ...

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The Oasis - January 12, 2022

January 12, 2022
On Monday we will celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. His actual birthday is January 15, 1929. Below are excerpts from the address he gave at the baccalaureate service at Wesleyan University on June 7, 1964. “And may I say my friends that we must continue to ...

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The Oasis - December 8, 2021

December 08, 2021
Music is such a big part of the Advent and Christmas seasons. We love the hymns and the carols. At First Parish Church, we are blessed with many fine singers and instrumentalists, led wonderfully by Wendell and Terrie. Unfortunately, given the state of the pandemic, we decided...

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The Oasis - November 24, 2021

November 24, 2021
November 24, 2021 As Thanksgiving approaches, I hope you are able to identify much in your life for which to give God thanks.  If you’re looking for words to say before a meal, wherever you may be, perhaps something as simple as this will suffice: “Give us ...

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The Oasis - November 17, 2021

November 17, 2021
November 17, 2021 Rev. Eric Dupee “Gratitude Sunday” November 21, 2021      The Sunday before Thanksgiving has come to be known at First Parish Church as “Gratitude Sunday.” It is a day for giving thanks to God for all we have. In res...

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The Oasis - November 10, 2021

November 10, 2021
A Prayer for You from Pastor Dan God of all, this week help me to feel the freedom to be vulnerable, to be foolish, to have fun, and to be cheerful, even (and especially) when things are tough. When worry weighs on my mind, when I struggle, when I suffer, guard me with your lo...

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The Oasis - November 3, 2021

November 03, 2021
     Greeting First Parish Church! I just wanted to share a few items with you. Relating to this Sunday, when daylight savings time ends and we “fall back” an hour, we will celebrate communion. Don’t forget to change your clock. We will have the p...

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The Oasis - October 27, 2021

October 27, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee             This Sunday, we will observe All Saints Day. All Saints is a day of remembrance for the saints, with the New Testament meaning of all Christian people of every time and place. On All Saints...

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The Oasis - October 6, 2021

October 06, 2021
October 6, 2021 by Pastor Dan God of the world: this week, celebrating World Communion Sunday, we broke bread shoulder to spiritual shoulder with faithful around the world. We give you thanks that we are all made in your image, with such richness of experience, perspective, a...

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The Oasis - September 22, 2021

September 22, 2021
September 22, 2021 by Pastor Dan      Last week I met someone with a scripture reference tattooed on his arm. It certainly wasn’t one I recognized just by chapter and verse. It was I Chronicles 11: something. I Chronicles isn’t a book I know by hear...

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The Oasis - September 15, 2021

September 15, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee Lately, I find myself talking a lot about self-care. We can’t eliminate the challenges and stressors life throws at us, but we most often can, to some extent, tend to our own needs in the midst of it. Being intentional about boundaries is a great way to c...

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The Oasis - September 8, 2021

September 08, 2021
  September 8, 2021 Pastor Dan Hollis      A few people have remarked to me since my sermon on Sunday that they enjoyed learning some new things about how the Bible was put together, and about the history of the people and the land this week’s Scriptu...

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The Oasis - September 1, 2021

September 01, 2021
Oasis 9-1-21             As Labor Day approaches, I’m mindful that finding work-life balance has been difficult for many of us. During the pandemic, many workers have been working from home, which has its advant...

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The Oasis - August 25, 2021

August 25, 2021
     I’d say we got pretty lucky here in York with Hurricane Henri. Some of the more worrying forecasts had people anywhere near  New England shorelines getting ready for a rough time. I’m grateful that we ended up on the better end of th...

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The Oasis - August 11, 2021

August 11, 2021
The Oasis August 11, 2021      Did you take a Church Membership class, here at First Parish Church, and never actually become a member? Have you been attending First Parish Church for some time and wondered when you would be invited to officially join? How woul...

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The Oasis - August 4, 2021

August 04, 2021
     I believe all persons of faith are theologians. That is to say we all reflect on divine matters. We all have beliefs and concepts we hold to be true. The question is are we good theologians? Are we intentional about it? Do we take our task as theologians serio...

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The Oasis - July 28, 2021

July 28, 2021
by Pastor Dan Hollis      The other night, I needed to drive over to the church to pick something up. It was late, and I was struck by how empty the roads were. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was because it wasn’t the weekend, but there was surprisingl...

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The Oasis - July 21, 2021

July 21, 2021
July 21, 2021 by Pastor Dan      What do you do when you need to focus? When there’s something you need to think long and hard about, or there’s something important you need to get done, and your mind just won’t settle. You’ve got all ...

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The Oasis - July 14, 2021

July 14, 2021
by Pastor Dan Are you worried about something today? Are you afraid of something coming down the pike? Are anxieties piling up? Are people standing against you? Is it fear of the unknown, or perhaps worse, fear of the known? Do you have to do something or go somewhere that&...

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The Oasis - July 7, 2021

July 07, 2021
July 7, 2021 by Pastor Dan I’ve noticed lately that our congregation has had a surprising number of surgeries and significant medical procedures taking place over the last couple of months, and that trend isn’t slowing down. People are getting things removed, thin...

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The Oasis - June 30, 2021

June 30, 2021
June 30, 2021 Community cannot feed for long on itself; it can only flourish where always the boundaries are giving way to the coming of others beyond them – unknown and undiscovered brothers and sisters.                  &nb...

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The Oasis - June 23, 2021

June 23, 2021
When’s the last time you overreacted to something? Was it the supermarket parking lot? The on-ramp of the highway? Sitting in front of the evening news with something highly throw-able within arm’s reach? It’s something all of us do at one time or another, an...

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The Oasis - June 16, 2021

June 16, 2021
      I feel as though we are living between two significant times. It appears the worst weeks and months of the pandemic are behind us, but we have not yet returned to a normal life. I feel both hopeful and antsy. I’m hopeful, because restrictions are being ...

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The Oasis - June 9, 2021

June 09, 2021
June 9, 2021 Rev. Eric Dupee This will not be the most inspirational Oasis message, but I wanted to share some important information. We are open for worship! Please join us at 9:30am, no signups or distancing required. Summer is typically a quieter time at First Parish Churc...

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The Oasis - June 2, 2021

June 02, 2021
     In a previous church I served, I had a conversation with a new member. He said, “One of the things that attracted me to this church was that it is Open and Affirming.” He went on to say, “I don’t fit into the LGBTQ category, but when I ...

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The Oasis - May 26, 2021

May 26, 2021
by Pastor Dan      A number of years ago, I was tasked with being the hike leader for a group of middle schoolers summiting their first 4,000-footer in the mountains of New Hampshire.      We were assigned Wildcat D, one of five peaks of the popu...

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The Oasis - May 19, 2021

May 19, 2021
            Jalaluddin Rumi begins his poem titled The Guest House writing, “This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.&rdq...

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The Oasis - May 12, 2021

May 12, 2021
May 12, 2021 by Pastor Dan It took me a long time to get into roller coasters. As a kid, there were countless trips to amusement parks, whether it was through school, youth group, or a family outing. I would go on the occasional roller coaster, but for years it wasn’t nec...

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The Oasis - May 5, 2021

May 05, 2021
Greetings First Parish Church,      The church is in the business of gathering people. Not being able to gather in the usual ways has made this year difficult on all of us. However, if everything goes as planned, on May 16, 2021 something will happen at First Pari...

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The Oasis - April 28, 2021

April 28, 2021
     This past week, I was in St. Charles, Missouri. I rented a bike in order to ride on the Katy Trail. The Katy Trail is a 237-mile rails-to-trail extending across most of the state of Missouri. It is the longest such trail in the country. Over half the...

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The Oasis - April 21, 2021

April 21, 2021
April 21, 2021 by Pastor Dan      They say in New England, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.” But what if you do  like the weather?      All this week, I’ve felt like the minute I get a ch...

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The Oasis - April 14, 2021

April 14, 2021
April 14, 2021 Rev. Eric Dupee      In the Muslim faith, the month of Ramadan began yesterday. I think that is why I have fasting on my mind. Here are a few thoughts on fasting from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. In the Christian faith, we emphasize fasting ...

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The Oasis - April 7, 2021

April 07, 2021
April 7, 2021 by Pastor Dan      And what a holy week it was!      From the triumphal entry of Palm Sunday (rung in so stirringly by Nate’s solo) to the dawning of new life on Easter (heralded by Joyce, Wendell, and so many others in betwe...

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The Oasis - March 31, 2021

March 31, 2021
March 31, 2021 Rev. Eric Dupee      For Easter, we need a new message for the sign in front of the church. It only takes a few words. I could come up with one myself. I could consult my Bible or just make up something. However, I decided to do an internet searc...

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The Oasis - March 24, 2021

March 24, 2021
March 24, 2021 Pastor Dan Hollis      A wilderness journey often reminds us what we’re missing—our shortcomings, our gaps, our insufficiencies. Trudging along a desert highway from your broken-down car to the gas station miles away with four drops lef...

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The Oasis - March 17, 2021

March 17, 2021
March 17, 2021 by Pastor Dan “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little l...

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The Oasis - March 10, 2021

March 10, 2021
March 10, 2021 by Pastor Dan      I don’t know how old I was—7 or 9 maybe? Surely not 10. My mom used to go get tennis lessons, and when my little brother and I had nowhere else to be she would take us with her. I remember it as kind of a fancy faci...

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The Oasis - March 3, 2021

March 03, 2021
Pastor Dan Hollis      “Giving up something for Lent” was never a part of my life growing up. It wasn’t part of my family’s tradition, and it wasn’t part of my church’s tradition. Neither was fasting. Until I went through Semina...

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The Oasis - February 24, 2021

February 24, 2021
Pastor Dan Hollis      With our virtual Annual Meeting coming up this Sunday (February 28 at 10AM, contact the office for access), I find myself reflecting on each of the last three Annual Meetings I have been here for at First Parish. Truly, this year was un...

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The Oasis - February 17, 2021

February 17, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee      Today, between 7:30-8:30am, Sue Wierzba and I greeted a number of people in front of the church and offered ashes-to-go. It was early. The temperature was a bit brisk. As I stood in the stiff breeze and waited for folk to drive up, I had to ...

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The Oasis - February 10, 2021

February 10, 2021
Pastor Dan Hollis      I’m sure many of us grew up occasionally needing a babysitter, and there are probably many of you who needed to employ a babysitter to watch your own kids from time to time. I remember having a few different ones over the years, and ...

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The Oasis - February 3, 2021

February 03, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee             When Isaiah proclaimed, “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,” he was saying we need to be remolded. Clean up your act, he urged. In the wilderness, change your head, ...

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The Oasis - January 27, 2021

January 27, 2021
by Pastor Dan Today is January 27th, a day designated by the United Nations as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. I plan to keep this week’s reflection brief, for one because I share this week’s Oasis with some important words from Pastor Eric, but also to leav...

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The Oasis - January 20, 2021

January 21, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee      I was so pleased by the conversation that took place yesterday over Zoom regarding the solar farm proposal before our church. Not everyone was of the same mind, but each listened to the other. There were disagreements, but the conversation r...

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The Oasis - January 13, 2021

January 14, 2021
January 13, 2021 by Pastor Dan      “Breathe deep, seek peace.” A favorite mantra of mine since I was a kid, taken from a favorite book by James Gurney.      Who needs to feel the peace of God right about now? I know I do. And day to d...

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The Oasis - January 6, 2021

January 06, 2021
Rev. Eric Dupee      Today is epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas. It is the day we recognize the Wise Men making it to Bethlehem and finding the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). It is also the day our camel, Charlie, makes his final appearance of the Christmas s...

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The Oasis - December 30, 2020

December 30, 2020
Rev. Eric Dupee Dear Members and Friends,      We are just days from the end of 2020. I don’t know anyone who is sad to see it go. I get the sense resolutions are not as popular as they once were. In fact, some professionals are advising against it this...

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The Oasis - December 16, 2020

December 17, 2020
December 16, 2020 Rev. Eric Dupee              One of my fondest memories as a kid is worship on Christmas Eve. For me, there has always been something special about crowding into a house of worship, singing carols, hearing the story of the ...

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The Oasis - December 9, 2020

December 09, 2020
December 9, 2020 This week, as we continue our journey through Advent and light the candle of Peace, our Oasis reflection comes from church member Joanne Myers. We encourage you to take a few deep breaths and seek the calming presence of God as you read it: Peace eludes me....

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The Oasis - December 2, 2020

December 02, 2020
December 2, 2020 Rev. Eric Dupee      Have you met “Charlie the Camel?” Did you know First Parish Church has a camel as tall as me that lives in the church parlor? The first time I saw Charlie, I thought of the Christmas greeting card image of the W...

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The Oasis - November 25, 2020

November 25, 2020
November 25, 2020 by Pastor Dan Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good week! Even in difficult, complicated times such as these, I have faith that there are always things to be thankful for. Our lives are full of blessings, if we but allow ourselves to see them. As f...

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The Oasis - November 18, 2020

November 18, 2020
Rev. Eric Dupee      Have you ever felt pressured to have it all together? Have you ever felt compelled to hide your struggles or pretend you were merry when you really felt stressed and exhausted? If so, I want to invite you to join me in reading an Advent devo...

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The Oasis - November 11, 2020

November 11, 2020
Eric Dupee      At Sunday’s outdoor worship service, I invited all the veterans to either stand or raise a hand so we could acknowledge them and offer our gratitude for their service. There were quite a few veterans in attendance.      &n...

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The Oasis - November 4, 2020

November 04, 2020
November 4, 2020 Rev. Eric Dupee       Today, I’ve spoken with a number of people who claim to be tired after staying up too late watching the election results. It seems we are all anxiously awaiting a result. Recently, I came across a quote from Sister J...

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The Oasis - October 28, 2020

October 28, 2020
October 28, 2020 by Pastor Dan      There is a lot of anxiety in the communities we live in these days. Many are anxious about the virus we have been living with for months, that shows no signs of slowing its frightening work. Many are anxious about making en...

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The Oasis - October 21, 2020

October 21, 2020
October 21, 2020 Rev. Eric Dupee All Saints Sunday  During the course of the pandemic, I’ve sensed an enormous amount of grief and loss. My prayers are with those whose loved ones have died, but also with those who grieve the loss of family gatherings, the loss ...

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The Oasis - October 14, 2020

October 14, 2020
October 14, 2020 by Pastor Dan      It has been a dry season. Yesterday’s rain was a balm to the cracked skin of our lands, but days like that have been a bit of a rarity lately. In fact, the lack of rain the last couple of months made yesterday’s w...

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The Oasis - October 7, 2020

October 07, 2020
Rev. Eric Dupee              In my first contribution to the Oasis I want to thank this community of faith for the welcome and hospitality I’ve received. I’m so thrilled to be with you.  This is a special time to be in Yor...

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The Oasis - September 30, 2020

October 01, 2020
September 30, 2020 by Pastor Dan      We are made in the image of God. It says so in Genesis. But what does that mean, exactly? Does it mean that God looks like a person? Does it mean our minds are similar to God’s mind? Does it mean that there are qualitie...

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The Oasis - September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020
September 23, 2020 by Pastor Dan 2 Kings 2:1-14      Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me ...

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The Oasis - September 16, 2020

September 16, 2020
Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends,  It has been a true honor to journey with you for these past 21 months; a time that included a number of significant events in the church’s history.  I want to thank you for placing your trust in me and for opening your li...

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The Oasis - September 9, 2020

September 09, 2020
September 9, 2020 Pastor Dan Hollis      The problems of our lives and our world can easily become so big for us that they are all that we can see. They are certainly what we need to be focusing on in order to make a better world for ourselves and those who come ...

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The Oasis - September 2, 2020

September 02, 2020
Rev. Estelle Margarones “I’m not that kind of Christian.” Have you ever said this in response to someone’s perception about Christians?   I’ve said this many times…including a few this week. I dread having to say, “I’m not ...

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The Oasis - August 26, 2020

August 26, 2020
August 26, 2020 by Pastor Dan      Keeping cool is a never-ending proposition, isn’t it? And I’m not talking about the kind of cool where you pop on a pair of sunglasses and a leather jacket and hip-check the jukebox at the local soda fountain. That...

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The Oasis - August 19, 2020

August 19, 2020
August 19, 2020 by Pastor Dan Hollis      The other day I made my twice-monthly trip into civilization to shop for necessities. By this point, most of us are familiar with the register lines in bigger stores with markings on the floor asking shoppers to wait in...

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The Oasis - August 12, 2020

August 12, 2020
Rev. Estelle Margarones There are 12 school teachers in my family, ranging from pre-K to the university level, so it’s not really a surprise that the upcoming school year is a hot topic of conversation in my family right now. Given all of the implications surrounding child...

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The Oasis - August 5, 2020

August 05, 2020
August 5, 2020 by Pastor Dan        These last few months, many have been spending more time at home than we’re used to. We’re treading the same paths, seeing the same sights, and discovering the routines that work for us. I wonder if, in the ti...

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The Oasis - July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020
July 29, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones I prayed about what to share with you today. The phrase that immediately sprang to mind is, “Fill your own cup first.” Humans can live for about 3 weeks without food, but only approximately 3 days without water. Water is an...

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The Oasis - July 22, 2020

July 22, 2020
Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends, My driveway and yard are full of brown leaves. It seems rather autumnal, though the thermometer registers 95 degrees today. We expect leaves to fall in late September or October (but not in July).  Initially I was concerned about the...

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The Oasis - July 8, 2020

July 08, 2020
July 8, 2020 First, a note from Pastor Dan: This week’s Oasis features a submission from one of our Deacons, Sue Wierzba. Today Sue shares with us a spiritual practice that has great meaning to her, to me, and to many across the world. At her home in York, she has creat...

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The Oasis - July 1, 2020

July 01, 2020
July 1, 2020 by Pastor Dan "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will nev...

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The Oasis - June 24, 2020

June 24, 2020
The Oasis June 24, 2020   First, a note from Pastor Dan: This week’s Oasis features a thoughtful and faith-filled message from a member of First Parish Church’s Mission Board, Phil Woodman. Phil has been a part of our church’s regular mission trips to G...

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The Oasis - June 17, 2020

June 17, 2020
June 17, 2020 by Pastor Dan      If our buildings were open, this past Sunday would have been Children’s Sunday, a day to celebrate the faith formation our young people have been undergoing all year long as children of God, disciples of Christ, and curiou...

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The Oasis - June 10, 2020

June 10, 2020
June 10, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones Sunday 6:55 AM: I woke up to an ugly truth today about my bias and my place in a racist society. I knew I was privileged, but I didn’t even grasp how much the systems were stacked in my favor and against people of color. Tears ar...

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The Oasis - June 3, 2020

June 03, 2020
A Pastoral Preface: These are extraordinary and tumultuous times. Our stability has been rocked. Our patience continues to be tried. Our nerves are frayed. And yet, our core is intact! God is! Hope lives!  Today, Pastor Dan shares some information about systemic injust...

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The Oasis - May 27, 2020

May 27, 2020
May 27, 2020 by Pastor Dan      “What kinda mon eat after him mudder-in-law buried?” A phrase that has sat in the deepest corners of my mind since childhood. A phrase narrated by Denzel Washington in a Jamaican accent on a cassette tape my little br...

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The Oasis - May 20, 2020

May 20, 2020
May 20, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones   I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was 8 years old feeling the chill of the air conditioning as I sat on the hard metal table; the white paper crinkling as my legs swung off the side. Dr. Morrissette, my pediatrician listene...

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The Oasis - May 13, 2020

May 13, 2020
May 13, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends, It’s been two months since the Coronavirus disrupted our lives. Many of us have sought to firm up our foundations through things that bring comfort. Perhaps, for you, it’s been reading the Bible, or building, gar...

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The Oasis - May 6, 2020

May 06, 2020
May 6, 2020 by Pastor Dan      It is so strange to see signs of new life right now. The sun has been shining so often lately, and fresh green is sprouting from the garden in the front of my home. Birds are singing. Easter has come, and with it it brought resurr...

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The Oasis - April 29, 2020

April 29, 2020
April 29, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends, Yesterday Governor Mills extended the stay at home order and outlined a stepped approach to returning to reopening the state. First Parish will also take a stepped approach. This is just the beginning of a time of dee...

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The Oasis - April 22, 2020

April 22, 2020
April 22, 2020 Rev. Estelle and Pastor Dan would like to thank Linda Drew of First Parish Church’s Mission Board for writing this week’s Oasis message. We hope that this Earth Day is a chance for you to experience gratitude for God’s wondrous creation, as we ...

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The Oasis - April 15, 2020

April 15, 2020
The Oasis April 15, 2020 A Note from Pastor Dan: If you don’t receive the United Church of Christ’s Daily Devotional, you will have missed out on this meaningful message on Monday written by Molly Baskette. I include it below as a moment of spiritual groundin...

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The Oasis - April 8, 2020

April 08, 2020
April 8, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones This is Holy Week, the week between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) and Christ’s Resurrection (Easter). A lot happened in that week and we are experiencing it this year as we have never done before.  There is...

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The Oasis - April 1, 2020

April 01, 2020
April 1, 2020 by Pastor Dan The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled s...

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The Oasis - March 25, 2020

March 27, 2020
March 25, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends,  We find ourselves in a time like none we’ve ever experienced. There is global uncertainty and collective concern, yet there is hope. As Christians, we’ve got Resurrection hope. We know that we will rise...

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The Oasis - March 18, 2020

March 18, 2020
March 18, 2020 by Pastor Dan Healthy or sick, we have to remember to breathe. Whether we can fill our lungs or only take shallow breaths, we all need air. But in these times of uncertainty and anxiety, we often forget to take time to breathe. Let us remember there was a time ...

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The Oasis - March 11, 2020

March 11, 2020
March 11, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones A Special Letter from your Senior Pastor and Church Moderator Dear friends, On behalf of church leadership, we want you to know First Parish has a comprehensive plan in place to mitigate any potential effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-...

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The Oasis - March 4, 2020

March 04, 2020
March 4, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones In just a few days, I'll be celebrating one of my favorite days of the year. It's not St. Patrick's Day. It's the first day of Daylight Saving Time. After so many months of rising in darkness, I feel giddy upon waking to sunlight on that ...

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The Oasis - February 26, 2020

February 26, 2020
February 26, 2020 by Pastor Dan      What do we do when God shows up?      Because God shows up every day. God isn’t just out there in some far-flung Heaven that only the strongest prayers can ever hope to reach. God is active here, among ...

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The Oasis - February 19, 2020

February 19, 2020
February 19, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones You’ve surely heard the expression, “What a difference a day makes!” In reflecting upon yesterday’s weather, it is certainly true of yesterday and today. In fact, after the biting cold on Tuesday, 32 felt downr...

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The Oasis - February 12, 2020

February 12, 2020
February 12, 2020 by Pastor Dan “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” –John 13:34-35...

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The Oasis - February 5, 2020

February 05, 2020
February 5, 2020 Rev. Estelle Margarones Like many New Englanders, I sat down to watch the Super Bowl this year more enthused about the snacks and the commercials than the game itself. The buffet was great, the game was good, and the commercials, well...read on.   I'm st...

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The Oasis - January 30, 2020

January 30, 2020
January 30, 2020 by Pastor Dan      We build prisons for ourselves out of a lot of things. Prisons of hate and intolerance. Prisons of fear and misunderstanding.      We build prisons for ourselves every time we don’t treat our fellow man ...

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The Oasis - January 22, 2020

January 22, 2020
January 22, 2020 by Pastor Dan      Saturday night snowstorms are a dreaded phenomenon in my profession. Church is Sunday morning and the snow is coming down; what do you do? How do you handle this? What could go wrong? And then if you’re like me and you&...

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The Oasis - January 15, 2020

January 15, 2020
January 15, 2020 by Pastor Dan      The last several months at times feel like the world has been facing disaster after disaster without respite; some natural, some not. Today Australia burns, the Philippines face volcanic eruption, and Puerto Rico won’t ...

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The Oasis - January 8, 2020

January 08, 2020
Rev. Estelle Margarones The signs that it's over are all around us. Decorations are coming down. Living rooms are once again 'just so'. Specialty items are now in the 'clearance' bins at Hannaford. Savvy marketers are already have aisles featuring Valentine candy. But this year,...

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The Oasis - December 31, 2019

December 31, 2019
December 31, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones Many years ago,I handed each of the children in church a note card that I had paper-punched.  In the corner of each card was a tiny circular hole. I asked the children to hold it up to one eye and look through it. Each did and ...

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The Oasis - December 24, 2019

December 24, 2019
December 24, 2019 by Pastor Dan People keep taking off their gloves in order to shake my hand. I don’t know if it’s some ancient custom passed down from Aristotle or Benjamin Franklin, or if shaking hands with gloves on was considered the ultimate vulgarity at tha...

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The Oasis - December 18, 2019

December 18, 2019
December 18, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones A few years ago, my brother announced to me, “Christmas is a secular holiday.” I was so taken aback that I didn't respond well. I've had some time to think about it now, and here's my response: Yes, there may well be more th...

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The Oasis - December 11, 2019

December 11, 2019
December 11, 2019 by Pastor Dan      Life is all about new beginnings. Sunrise after a long night. Eggs and flour and sugar and all manner of things being transformed into something completely new when it comes out of the cake pan. Newborn babies, to whom every...

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The Oasis - December 4, 2019

December 04, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Advent: The period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting (http://www.Merriam-Webster.com/dictionary/Advent.) On Thanksgiving Day, I saw several facebook posts from folks wh...

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The Oasis - November 27, 2019

November 27, 2019
November 27, 2019 by Pastor Dan      In case you really haven’t been paying attention, it’s Thanksgiving time again. A time to gather with friends, family, and community to practice gratitude for the blessings we experience in our lives. And for the...

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The Oasis - November 20, 2019

November 20, 2019
November 20, 2019 by Pastor Dan      Why do we pray?      In my personal life (that is, when I’m not praying as a part of my duties as a pastor), I find myself praying far more often when I need something than when I do not. I prayed for s...

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The Oasis - November 13, 2019

November 13, 2019
November 13, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones I got quite a surprise when I went outdoors today. Winter is knocking at the door! As I write, it’s 35 degrees outside and a woman at the Post Office told me that it’s going to be 14 tomorrow! (Don’t panic-it’...

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The Oasis - November 6, 2019

November 06, 2019
Matthew 19:26 With God, all things are possible! Dear friends, The Bible tells us that with God, all things are possible, but it doesn't say that all things will be easy. The Bible doesn't tell us that that we will never experience tumultuous times, but it does say that Go...

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The Oasis - October 30, 2019

October 30, 2019
October 30, 2019 by Pastor Dan Hollis      Sitting in my office right now is a bag of dog treats. They’re not the standard cookie-cutter bone shaped biscuit things either; I managed to come into possession of a bag of “gnaw bones,” made of wha...

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The Oasis - October 23, 2019

October 23, 2019
October 23, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones Dear friends, The Bible is full of stories of triumph over oppression and faith over fear. We must continue to place our hope in God and to press on. Isaiah 40:31 tells us we shall run and not grow weary. The York Weekly toda...

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The Oasis - October 16, 2019

October 16, 2019
10/16/19 Rev. Estelle Margarones In the church office, there's a credenza that holds various historical artifacts including a silver-plated tea urn that dates back to the 1890's. It is an ornate reminder of yesteryear. A little card tells us that it was used for 20th century ...

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The Oasis - October 9, 2019

October 09, 2019
Today is Yom Kippur, the most holy day observed by our Jewish brothers and sisters. It actually began at sunset last evening and will end just after sunset today. Christianity is rooted in Judaism so I thought I'd share some interesting notes about Yom Kippur, which, by the way, ...

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The Oasis - October 2, 2019

October 02, 2019
October 2, 2019 Pastor Dan Hollis      It’s hard to watch the news these days and see a road to a bright future. The chrome-plated flying-car dreams of yesteryear sometimes seem a foolish hope in the face of the crises and dangers and threats we hear about ...

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The Oasis - September 25, 2019

September 25, 2019
September 25, 2019 by Pastor Dan Does not Wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: “To y...

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The Oasis - September 18, 2019

September 18, 2019
9/18/19 Rev. Estelle Margarones Do you remember the children’s television show Romper Room with the teacher who would look through her magnifying glass and “see” the children watching the show? She would name them each week, “I see Jimmy and Susie and Ma...

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The Oasis - September 11, 2019

September 11, 2019
September 11, 2019 by Pastor Dan      There’s something that’s been coming up in conversation for me several times over the last couple of months. I think it comes up a lot because it’s such a common human reality. We have a bad relationship w...

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The Oasis - September 4, 2019

September 04, 2019
September 4, 2019 by Pastor Dan      Being family isn’t just about being related to someone, is it? We have to take part in that family. We have to set the table, do the dishes, mow the lawn, feed the cat, change the diapers, pay the bills, play the board...

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The Oasis - August 28, 2019

August 28, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Each of us is a unique and integral part of the whole of humanity and the entirety of creation. For anything in the natural world to bear fruit, there needs to be an interaction. This is true of things and ideas. Positive interactions tend to bear ...

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The Oasis - August 21, 2019

August 27, 2019
August 21, 2019 by Pastor Dan      When I was in seminary, I read a book by Margaret Bendroth, director of Boston’s Congregational Library. In it, she told a story of a visit she made to an old old New England church with a long history and its share of fam...

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The Oasis - August 14, 2019

August 14, 2019
by Pastor Dan      We build prisons for ourselves out of a lot of things. Prisons of hate and intolerance. Prisons of fear and misunderstanding.      We build prisons for ourselves every time we don’t treat our fellow man as a brother. Ever...

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The Oasis - August 7, 2019

August 07, 2019
Prayer and Encouragement in the Wake of Violence, Rev. Estelle Margarones I write, keenly aware that many are still feeling shock, grief, and outrage following two mass shootings over the weekend. Those acts of violence brought the number of incidents to 251 this year. That&rs...

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The Oasis - July 31, 2019

July 31, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Over July 4th, I spent a few days with family in Old Orchard Beach. All three of my sisters were there and we had a nice visit. I'm an “early to bed and early to rise” type, so while everyone else was still sleeping, I took a long walk on the ...

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The Oasis - July 24, 2019

July 24, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Just over a month ago, I had the opportunity to both bear witness to God’s grace and to experience it myself. I, along with Joanne Myers and Susan and Ray Mancinelli, joined folks from St. George’s Episcopal Church and the York-Ogunquit Method...

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The Oasis - July 17, 2019

July 17, 2019
July 17, 2019 by Pastor Dan      We leave on the High School Mission Trip this weekend, to serve others and worship God in new and different ways. Each year, our high schoolers travel to a different community to spend a week working with those in need, rebuildi...

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The Oasis - July 10, 2019

July 10, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones “In God We Trust” so says our money. On the one hand, I've always found a particular comfort in that. I do trust God so I can understand faith (trust) as a currency.  On the other hand, I know that God's grace isn’t for sale ...

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The Oasis - July 3, 2019

July 03, 2019
by Pastor Dan Hollis      Have you ever been just the right person that did just the right thing for someone when they needed it most? One of those beautiful moments when everything just happens to line up and you say the thing they needed to hear or do the thin...

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The Oasis - June 27,2019

June 27, 2019
Pastor Dan Today is the last day of Kids’ Camp (what some of you know as Vacation Bible School) here at First Parish this year. There’s been a lot of great energy on the church grounds these mornings. Kids doing crafts, running in the grass, laughing, singing, an...

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The Oasis - June 19, 2019

June 19, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones “Where is God in this situation?” is a question I learned to ask in my chaplaincy training and it serves me well to this day. No matter what you’re going through, God is always there.   If you’re willing to do so, I&...

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The Oasis - June 12, 2019

June 12, 2019
Pastor Dan Hollis Are you worried about something today? Are you afraid of something coming down the pike? Are anxieties piling up? Are people standing against you? Was that tax refund not the promised land you had hoped for? Do you have to do something or go somewhere that&rsqu...

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The Oasis - June 5, 2019

June 05, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Last Sunday after church, six of us from First Parish attended the United Church of Christ (UCC) York Association meeting, a gathering of pastors and delegates from the 21 UCC churches in York County. I arrived dutifully during the registration time (...

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The Oasis - May 29, 2019

May 29, 2019
May 29, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones When I was little, my mother had a coffee cup collection. There must have been 20 or 30 mugs in our dish cabinet. As a child, I knew she loved her coffee. My siblings and I would get her a mug for every birthday, for Mother's Day, and for ...

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The Oasis - May 22, 2019

May 22, 2019
Dan Hollis      Once upon a time, there was a pig. This pig built a house for herself out of wood: logs, fenceposts, whatever she could find. The finished product didn’t look half-bad; it certainly wasn’t no straw  house, no sir.  ...

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The Oasis - May 15, 2019

May 15, 2019
Philippians 4:6–7.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jes...

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The Oasis - May 9, 2019

May 09, 2019
May 9, 2019 by Pastor Dan Hollis      I once knew an 82-year-old woman who woke up one day and decided that she needed to help the homeless. It was nothing like anything she had ever done in her life, but it was something she just knew she needed to do. Now, sh...

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The Oasis - May 1, 2019

May 01, 2019
by Pastor Dan Hollis      As windy as it can get here on the seacoast, we can’t actually see the wind. We can see the leaves move and we can feel it on our faces and we can hear it whistling around outside the house, but we can’t see the&...

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The Oasis - April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019
April 24, 2019 by Pastor Dan Hollis      There’s a movie I loved when I was young called “Titan A.E.” It told the story of the human race after our planet was destroyed and we were left to wander the stars without a home, trying to scrape out ...

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The Oasis - April 17, 2019

April 17, 2019
     I love finding out something I didn’t know before. That feeling of “huh, neat,” you get when you learn some new factoid. For instance, did you know that just like humans, cows moo in regional accents? Or that in 1915 a man named Cecil Chubb b...

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The Oasis - April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019
April 10, 2019 Pastor Dan Hollis      What are you waiting for?      No, I don’t mean that as an accusation. I’m legitimately curious: what is it that you are waiting for?      This time of year, I’d say it&rsqu...

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The Oasis - April 3, 2019

April 03, 2019
Pastor Dan Hollis      Recently I went on a drive with some friends to Burlington, Vermont. It’s more than a three-hour drive one-way, and as luck would have it one of my friends was happy to be the driver as long as the rest of us paid for gas.   &n...

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The Oasis - March 27, 2019

March 27, 2019
March 27, 2019 Dan Hollis      What do you do when you need to focus? When there’s something you need to think long and hard about, or there’s something important you need to get done, and your mind just won’t settle. You’ve got all kind...

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The Oasis - March 20, 2019

March 20, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones I must have been about 6 years old and I was out with my aunt. I wanted a package of crayons, but didn't have any money. She offered to lend me the 32 cents if I would pay her back. I did and that was my first purchase ever. Fast forward a year or two. I ...

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The Oasis - March 13, 2019

March 13, 2019
     It’s not an uncommon sight at my house, the sight of dishes slowly but steadily accumulating. Many homes have excellent discipline surrounding dirty dishes, and as with many things the simplest solution is often the most effective: do the dishes after ev...

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The Oasis - March 6, 2019

March 07, 2019
Pastor Dan Hollis       “Breathe deep, seek peace.” A favorite mantra of mine since I was a kid, taken from a favorite book by James Gurney.      “Ruach.” An ancient Hebrew word meaning wind, breath, or spirit.   &nb...

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The Oasis - February 27, 2019

February 27, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Ash Wednesday is a week from today. It marks the start of the Lenten Season, the time leading up to Easter. Lent is a reflective time where Christians consider the life and ministry of Jesus. We may choose to give something up for Lent as a way to ho...

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The Oasis - February 20, 2019

February 20, 2019
Rev. Estelle Margarones Early last Thursday morning, there was some excitement at the parsonage. I distinctly remember hearing the church bells “bong bong bong” at three AM. 'Uh-oh', I thought, 'this isn't good'. You see, I'd worked all day, had a committee meeting, ...

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The Oasis - February 6, 2019

February 06, 2019
February 6, 2019 Rev. Estelle Margarones It's back to winter today, but the beginning of the week reminded me of March and I found myself wondering what the yard will look like this spring and summer. What is even now, gathering energy to be reborn and renewed? Sometimes the ...

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The Oasis - January 23, 2019

January 23, 2019
January 23, 2019 Pastor Dan Hollis      The snowy season is home to some of my favorite and least-favorite things. As much as I dislike being cold all the time, and how hard it is to drive even as the plow operators work tirelessly to clear roads and make life ...

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The Oasis - January 16, 2019

January 16, 2019
Dear friends, I remember a convention I went to in Boston. I don't remember the year or the even the speaker's name, but what left a lasting impression is the speaker's story. She was over six feet tall. She talked about being a teenager and having to wear men's clothing. Women'...

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The Oasis - January 9, 2019

January 09, 2019
Dear friends, On Sunday we celebrated Epiphany, a special day in the church that marks the time when the Magi arrived to pay homage (respect) to infant or toddler Jesus. My message was based on Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1-16. I focused on the star as light in darkness, pointing...

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The Oasis - January 2, 2019

January 02, 2019
January 2nd, 2019 Rev. Dan Hollis 2 Kings 2: 23-24 [The prophet Elisha] went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!” When he turned arou...

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The Oasis - December 27, 2018

December 27, 2018
December 27th, 2018 by Pastor Dan Hollis Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time t...

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The Oasis - December 20, 2018

December 20, 2018
Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the ri...

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The Oasis - December 13, 2018

December 13, 2018
John 20:24-29 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the m...

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The Oasis - December 5, 2018

December 05, 2018
Luke 3:2-6 During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words...

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The Oasis - November 28, 2018

November 28, 2018
Job 1:1-3 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of ...

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The Oasis - November 14, 2018

November 14, 2018
Acts 16:25-28 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’...

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The Oasis - November 8, 2018

November 08, 2018
Job 41:9-14, 25-27 Any hope of capturing it will be disappointed; were not even the gods overwhelmed at the sight of it? No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up. Who can stand before it? Who can confront it and be safe? —under the whole heaven, who? I will not keep si...

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The Oasis - November 1, 2018

November 01, 2018
Job 41:9-14, 25-27 Any hope of capturing it will be disappointed; were not even the gods overwhelmed at the sight of it? No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up. Who can stand before it? Who can confront it and be safe? —under the whole heaven, who? I will not keep si...

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The Oasis - October 24, 2018

October 24, 2018
Genesis 7:17-19, 23-24 The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mighti...

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Pastor's Pen - September 19, 2018

September 19, 2018
"They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."   &nb...

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Pastor's Pen - September 12, 2018

September 12, 2018
Pastor’s Pen  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”       Jeremiah 29:11  Ten years ago over a glass o...

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Pastor's Pen - September 6, 2018

September 06, 2018
September 6, 2018  The Pastor’s Pen              “Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work…Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for f...

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Pastor's Pen - August 29, 2018

August 29, 2018
Philippians 4:12-14 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In...

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Pastor's Pen - August 22, 2018

August 22, 2018
The Pastor’s Pen                        “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”          &nb...

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Pastor's Pen - August 15, 2018

August 15, 2018
August 15, 2018 Pastor’s Pen            “When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established, what is humankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?&rdq...

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Pastor's Pen - August 8, 2018

August 08, 2018
The Pastor’s Pen                 “The Kingdom of God is like: a mustard seed, yeast, a pearl, a chlld…”            &nb...

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Pastor's Pen - August 1, 2018

August 01, 2018
August 1, 2018 Pastor’s Pen   Romans 12:9-13 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be ...

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Pastor's Pen - July 25, 2018

July 25, 2018
The Pastor’s Pen  “O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!”   Psalm 96:1  One of my favorite readings at memorial services turns out to be a modern day parable written by Alice Walker. She may not have intended it so...

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Pastor's Pen - July 18, 2018

July 18, 2018
July 18, 2018  The Pastor’s Pen  “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:26  At first the death of a loved one may seem a cruel intrusion on such a ripe and gorgeous summ...

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Pastor's Pen - July 10, 2018

July 10, 2018
July 10, 2018 Pastor’s Pen                             “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sa...

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Pastor's Pen - July 5, 2018

July 05, 2018
Psalm 90:13-17 Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work...

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Pastor's Pen - June 27, 2018

June 27, 2018
Matthew 18:1-5 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingd...

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Pastor's Pen - June 20, 2018

June 20, 2018
The Pastor’s Pen “Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: ‘a farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up…Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produc...

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Pastor's Pen - June 6, 2018

June 06, 2018
1 John 3: 18-22 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. ...

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Pastor's Pen - May 30, 2018

May 30, 2018
May 30, 2018 Pastor’s Pen “Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Love one another and know that I will be with you.” Matthew 7:12 The season of testing begins. Visitors from away backed up traffic on Route 1 over the weekend in the annual mad dash ...

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Pastor's Pen - May 23, 2018

May 23, 2018
May 23, 2018 Pastor’s Pen  “And (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  Luke 22:19 NIV  We experience deep emotion before we le...

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Pastor's Pen - May 16, 2018

May 16, 2018
Pastor’s Pen  “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you...

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Testimony - Nelson Walter

May 11, 2018
Please take a moment to read this inspirational message by Nelson Walter, a member of the First Parish Church Open and Affirming Task Force.   Testimony by Nelson Walter April 29, 2018 I’m Nelson Walter and I’m part of the committee evaluating whether it&rsqu...

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Pastor's Pen - May 9, 2018

May 09, 2018
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”                              &n...

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Sharing Good News

December 29, 2017
Join us weekly for Vital Conversations on Race, a cooperative venture between York-Ogunquit Methodist Church, St. George's Episcopal Church and First Parish Church. We continue this Lenten series at the York Public Library from 10-11:30 each Saturday though March 25. Participant...

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If You're Reading This Message…

December 29, 2017
All the best thrillers include a phrase like "If you're reading this message, it means…" It's either a plea from a character expecting their own death, or a good-bye from someone who successfully made their getaway, or a bad-guy who's about to monologue their whole plan be...

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