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special servicesThe Meeting House is open to anyone in the community for services marking a life passage; and as a church community, we hold special Sunday services to mark special occasions in our church year.
Weddings and Services of Union Old Ship Meeting House is a beautiful setting for a wedding or service of union; there is no requirement that one be a member of First Parish, Hingham. For information on availability, please contact the office. To plan a service, please contact our minister, Rev. Edmund Robinson. We have an account on Pinterest "Old Ship Church" which contains many pictures of past weddings performed at Old Ship. Memorial Services Through the centuries, the quiet grace of the Meeting House has been the site of countless memorial services, celebrating the lives and marking the deaths of our members and friends. Please contact our minister, Rev. Edmund Robinson, for details, or to discuss a service. Child Dedication This lovely ceremony welcomes new babies or older children into our Old Ship, First Parish community. Parents may choose to have a child dedicated during a regular Sunday worship service, or in a private ceremony. Please contact our minister, Rev. Edmund Robinson, if you wish to arrange a child dedication. Christmas Eve On this festive night of the year, the Meeting House is filled to the rafters with family and friends in a service that has become a beloved tradition for many. Interfaith Thanksgiving Service A tradition of many decades, the Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service is sponsored by the Hingham Hull Religious Leaders Association and held on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. Clergy and other religious leaders from a variety of congregations in Hull and Hingham will participate in the service, including representatives from Congregation Sha'Aray Shalom; Temple Beth Sholom; St. Paul's Catholic Church; Glastonbury Abbey; Christ Church United Methodist; St. John's Episcopal Church; First Baptist Church; Hingham Congregational Church; House of Prayer, Lutheran; First Church of Christ Scientist; First Parish in Hingham, Old Ship Church (Unitarian Universalist); Second Parish in Hingham (Unitarian Universalist); New North Church; the Bahai Faith; and the Wellspring Multi-Service Center in Hull. These services happen on Sundays, as part of our church calendar: Water Communion "Members bring to the service a small amount of water from a place that is special to them. During the appointed time in the service, people one by one pour their water together into a large bowl. As the water is added, the person who brought it tells why this water is special to them. The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources." (from the UUA website) Union Sunday Service Every spring, five neighboring Unitarian Universalist congregations, First Parish Cohasset, First Parish Norwell Unitarian Universalist Church, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Scituate, Second Parish in Hingham (UU), and Old Ship Church/First Parish in Hingham gather for a joint Sunday morning worship service. Hosting this special event rotates among the five congregations. New Members Sunday In the spring, we formally recognize and welcome individuals who have made the choice to become members of First Parish, Hingham. Coming of Age Service Usually in late Spring, this special worship service is the culmination of our year-long Coming of Age program. The Coming of Age ceremony usually features the youth reading their statements of personal belief (credo statements) and provides the youth and their mentors a chance to share what they have learned, and gives the congregation an opportunity to affirm their accomplishments. Contact: Janet Asnes or Colin McGinnis. Flower Communion "The Flower Communion usually takes place in the spring. In this ceremony, members of the congregation are asked beforehand to bring a flower to the Sunday service. Upon entering the sanctuary, each person places his or her flower on the altar or in a shared vase. The flowers are blessed by the minister or congregation during the ceremony, and the sermon usually reflects upon the flowers' symbolism. At the end of the service, each person brings home a flower other than the one that he or she brought."Reginald Zottoli wrote "The significance of the flower communion is that as no two flowers are alike, so no two people are alike, yet each has a contribution to make. Together the different flowers form a beautiful bouquet. Our common bouquet would not be the same without the unique addition of each individual flower, and thus it is with our church community: it would not be the same without each and every one of us. Thus this service is a statement of our community." (from the UUA website) Summer Worship Services Every week during the summer, lay-led worship services are held at 10:00 a.m. in the Meeting House. Structured but informal, these services are coordinated by our Worship Committee. For information or to lead a service, please contact Karen Churchill Services that happen as part of our church calendar, but not on Sundays: December Vespers Services Wednesday evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas we hold our annual Vespers services at 6:30 in the Old Ship Meeting House. A gently lit Meeting House, readings, music, and plenty of silence for quiet contemplation, all contribute to a peaceful pause in the midst of the holiday season. All are warmly invited! Winter Solstice Poetry Circle This season's Crossing Time is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year which heralds the return of light. Leave the busyness of the holiday rush and come share and replenish creative energy. Bring a poem to read or speak or simply come and listen. The choral quintet Crossroads will perform some winter carols and poetry set to music. Come and bring a friend. All are welcome. For more information contact: Elizabeth Torrey 781-749-0543. |
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