UUFSMA: “Building Bridges — A Joint International UU Service”

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Online Service

“Building Bridges — A Joint International UU Service”

Speakers: The Reverends Cynthia Landrum and Tom Rosiello

Sunday, January 31, 2021

10:00 AM Central (Mexico) – 11:00 AM Eastern (U.S.)

Please note special Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/fpcsma

Meeting ID: 958 5754 4127

Password: 01775 

By Joseph Plummer

UUF Secretary

This Sunday two Unitarian Universalist congregations, both pioneers in online virtual services during the COVID pandemic, will together share prayer, song, and reflection. Virtually bridging the international border and the thousands of miles between San Miguel de Allende and Stow, Massachusetts, the UUFSMA and the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton will share each other’s style and spirit of commitment to their home communities, social justice, volunteer service, and spiritual growth. UUFSMA’s Minister, the Reverend Tom Rosiello, and the Reverend Cynthia Landrum, Minister of the First Parish, will share this Sunday’s unique virtual double pulpit.

Rev. Rosiello, who is also Minister Emeritus of the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, says, “Our San Miguel UU Fellowship aspires to be a bridge builder. This Sunday we will build a bridge between two cultures as our physically separated communities gather virtually in story, sermon, and song.”

Already known for its storied history, First Parish Church traces its origins to colonial America where in 1683 the town of Stow settled its first minister, 150 years before the church became a Unitarian house of worship in 1833. Nearby Acton, meanwhile, became the birthplace of The Universalist Church when the Reverend Hosea Ballou began preaching sermons on universal salvation in 1814. After the merger in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Churches of America, the Universalist Church of Acton and the First Parish Church of Stow combined to become First Parish Church of Stow & Acton in 1969. By comparison, the UUFSMA was founded in 1987.

Together this Sunday, despite 304 years separating their deepest roots, these two communities will share a service that celebrates their common values.

Please note the special time for this service. It will begin at 10 AM Central Time in San Miguel and 11 AM Eastern Time. Participants are encouraged to sign in by Zoom ten minutes early to facilitate clearance through the service’s “waiting room.”  Microphones will be muted and screen sharing and chatting will be disabled for this service.  Moreover, the room will be locked to new participants about 15 minutes into the service.  Please arrive early. 

To participate, use this link: https://tinyurl.com/fpcsma.

The Meeting ID is 958 5754 4127. The Password is 01775.    

Through grants and awards, UUFSMA donates at least fifty percent of its budget to support nonprofit organizations that provide health, educational, and environmental services for underserved communities in the San Miguel region. Please support this work by clicking on the Donate button of the UUFSMA website home page. A growing collection of previous online services can be found on the UUFSMA’s YouTube channel. Go to https://www.youtube.com/ and enter UUFSMA in the search box. The UU Fellowship welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.