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Rites of passage at First Unitarian
Major Unitarian Universalist rites of passage include the following:
Child dedications -- to welcome children in the world and/or into the church community.
Weddings -- to formally unite couples as they form a new household.
Memorial services -- to celebrate the life, and mourn the death, of someone who has died.
In addition, many young people go through a Coming of Age ceremony when they are about thirteen or fourteen years old, celebrating their passage into the rights and responsibilities of the adult church community.
Weddings
Unitarian Universalist wedding services focus on the couple getting married, and on their friends and family who will support them as they become a new household, a new family. Weddings in a Unitarian Universalist church reflect the personalities of the couple, while upholding the deep Unitarian Universalist belief in the inherent value and worth of every human being.
As a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we welcome participation by all persons "without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed." We actively support same-sex marriage.
Our church just might be the perfect place for your wedding. Our stone Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1838, and it is capable of holding over five hundred people. The stained glass and the magnificent Tiffany mosaic of the sanctuary make for a beautiful place in which to hold a wedding. The acoustics are excellent, perfect for both music and spoken word.
To request a brochure and fee schedule for weddings, please contact the church office at 508-994-9686.
The interior of the church in morning light, looking up the central aisle towards the Tiffany mosaic.
Child dedications
We welcome children into the world with a ceremony known as a child dedication. In a child dedication, we dedicate children to the highest purposes in life, and we dedicate ourselves as a religious community to actively supporting children and their families.
A typical child dedication takes place as a part of a regular worship service. Often, a child is dedicated when he or she is a baby, and we celebrate the child's arrival into the world by proclaiming his or her uniqueness and his or her connectedness with the wider human community. When a family with older children becomes a part of the congregation, the older children can also be formally welcomed with a child dedication ceremony. (Of course for older children, the ceremony is somewhat different from the ceremony for babies.)
To see a typical child dedication ceremony, click here.
There is no fee for a child dedication that is part of a regular worship service.
Memorial services
A memorial service in the Unitarian Universalist tradition is typically a celebration of the deceased person's life, as well as a chance to grieve his or her death. Music, hymns, are a part of tyhe service. The minister spends time with the family before the service, and, based on their memories, offers a reflection or summary on the deceased person's life. Family members or loved ones may also choose to offer short memories of reflections on the deceased person's life. Memorial services last anywhere from half an hour to an hour. In most Unitarian Universalist memorial services, the casket is not present in the church during the service.
To see a typical memorial service, click here.
Receptions can be held in the Parish House afterwards (any food must be prepared off-site or supplied by a caterer). Our music director should be contacted separately about providing music for the service; if he is not available, we have a list of other musicians who may be available.