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We come together in love to seek after truth and goodness and to find spiritual transformation in our lives, and in the spirit of love we care for one another and promote practical goodness in the world. We are bound together, not by some creed or dogma, but by this covenant. If you feel in harmony with our search for truth and goodness, come join us for Sunday worship!
Sunday worship services at 11:00 a.m.
May 11, 2008: "Mother of us All" Rev.Dan Harper
Music by Randy Fayan, First Unitarian Folk Choir
Read about our new Director of Religious Education.
Your first visit to our congregation? Here's what to expect.
Directions to the church: From I-195, take Rte 18 S exit marked "Downtown." Go 1.25 miles. At second traffic lights, turn right onto Union St. Go 0.3 miles on Union St. After 4th traffic light, take next right onto 8th St. Church is the big stone building at corner of Union and 8th St. Detailed directions and parking information.
We value our differences of age, gender, race, class, national origin, sexual orientation, physical ability, and theology. Our bylaws specifically state: "Any person of any gender, age, race, color, national origin, or sexual orientation who is in sympathy with the puprpose and program shall be eligible for membership in the church."
At left: Cora Peirce and Jorge Pereira at a recent church dinner.
Our worshipping congregation includes ~ non-members and members ~ children, teens, young adults, middle-aged adults, and elders ~ women, men, and transgender persons ~ European Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and other racial/ethnic groups ~ middle-class people, people on public assistance, and well-off people ~ people born in the United States, Canada, Portugal, the Azores, France, the West Indies, Cape Verde, Vietnam, and Ireland ~ gay, lesbian, and straight people ~ people of many different physical abilities ~ atheists, theists, Christians, Jews, humanists, Buddhists, pagans, and every theology in between (all this diversity with less than a hundred members!).
At right: Everett Hoagland, member of the congregation and former poet laureate of New Bedford, reading one of his poems at a celebration of First Unitarian's 300th anniversary, January 18, 2008.
Our path: We value Western religious traditions, but we don't take the Bible literally. Read a sermon which treats the Bible respectfully but critically. We are open to non-Western traditions, and some of us pursue non-Western religious traditions and practices. As a central religious value, we are committed to making this world a better place -- we want to get some heaven into the world now, rather than trying to get some people into heaven later! In particular, our congregation is committed to ecojustice and racial justice issues. Read a sermon on ecotheology showing how the Bible can inspire us to care for Nature. Read a sermon that shows how racial justice is a central religious value. More sermons.
Come join us, as we pursue our spiritual paths together in religious community!
Contact us:
Mail: First Unitarian, 71 8th Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: 508-994-9686
Office: M-F, 9-1 (closed Jul/Aug)
Email: NBU718 @ aol . com
Want more about Unitarian Universalism? See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)!
Make a day of it in downtown New Bedford! After you come to church, here are seven more things to do in downtown New Bedford.
Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, come join us on Sunday mornings!
