This October we are excited to engage with our neighborhood in multiple ways. Most permanently, we are happy to announce the installation of a Little Free Library in our garden on Marlborough Street. The library offers both neighbors and church members the opportunity to pick up an intriguing book or leave one they want to share. Our built-in tiered seating makes the perfect place to sit down and read or browse books.

Additionally for book lovers, we are thrilled to be a host site on October 24 and 25 for the Boston Book Festival. At 3:00 on October 25, our sanctuary will be the site of the BBF Memoir Keynote presentation, when Drew Gilpin Faust will interview Geraldine Brooks.

As another resource to the community, we are happy to open our building for restroom use—including a changing table— during Trick-or-Treating on Marlborough Street on Halloween.

First Church is engaging “spooky season” throughout the month as we engage with the idea of “monsters” as part of our year-long exploration of the theme of “story.”  Our weekly 11am Sunday services will explore the ethics of hatred on October 5, the echoes of monsters in our history on October 12, how to fight monsters on October 19, and, on October 26, the role of joy and beauty in sustaining us amidst the monstrous in our world. After preaching on October 26, the Rev, Mary Katherine Morn, President of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) will share more about their global human rights work.

The origin story of the UUSC will be featured in a film screening of “Defying the Nazi’s” on Wednesday, October 22, 7pm. This documentary produced by Ken Burns tells an inspirational story of a couple from Wellesley who fought to protect refugees in Europe from the dangers of Nazis. Then, on Tuesday, October 28, Senior Minister, Rev. Dr. Stephanie May, will lead a discussion of the book, Defy by Dr. Sunita Sah, as another resource for fighting monsters within and around us.

As resistance to the tumult that frightens us, we are also happy to support the arts at First Church as a source of free expression, beauty, and inspiration.  We are proud to be host to Patrick Martinez’s neon work Cost of Living, visible through October 31 as part of the Boston Public Art Triennial.  Also visible outside as well as inside, the art show, “Fragility, Promise and Potential”, curated by Alex Kalil ends on October 19. Featuring 20 different artists, we encourage you to stop by on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening to see the art before it is gone. Or contact the office for more questions about access.

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