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Our Mission
To sustain and enrich a church and community that:
Fosters the individual spiritual growth and development of people of all ages;
affirms the inherent worth and dignity of each individual and welcomes
diversity;
preserves our tradition of independence, freedom of thought and
democratic process;
encourages openness to new ideas, service and caring in
a sharing and supportive environment -
through worship, a shared ministry, education and social and outreach programs.
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Who We Are Now
We are a community of about 100 people from all walks of life. Our members live in Dedham, Norwood, Boston and many neighboring towns, with a few joining us from farther afield.
Membership in our church requires no creedal affirmation or requirement of belief, but as a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we share certain positions in common with other UU congregations.
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Where We Gather
First Church was founded more or less at our current location in 1638. Our current Meeting House, where we hold most worship services, was begun in 1761. There have been extensive additions and renovations over the years, especially in the 1820s when the Parish House was begun, and in 1913 in preparation for the 275th anniversary of the church's founding. The parsonage was acquired in 1929, and the church school wing was added to the Parish House in the 1970s.
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Our Journey Through History
First Church was founded in 1638 as an independent church with no affiliation to a particular religious denomination. As was common at the time, the whole town, or parish, of Dedham, which at that time extended south almost to Rhode Island, was taxed to support the church, although not all parishioners chose to become members of the church. This happy state of affairs was ended in the 18th century, and today the church is self-supporting.
A disagreement among members over the calling of a new minister led to a division of the congregation in 1818, with the disaffected minority moving across the street to form the Allin (Congregational) Church. The new minister, Alvan Lamson, was a proponent of the liberal movement then gaining ground in America, which would shortly lead to the establishment of Unitarianism.
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