Our Faith in Action

Our Current Faith in Action Initiatives Include:  

• Feed the hungry and build community through monthly Community Dinners
• Work to provide interpretive signage within our historic Meeting House to offer a more honest look at our past, with guidance from the Racial Justice Team.
• Advocate for Unitarian Universalist values in the public arena via the statewide Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network (MUUSAN).
• Protect our planet and its people by working for socially just solutions to climate change as part of the Climate Action Team.
• Provide education and advocacy on behalf of the Wabanaki people with the Wabanaki Ally Team.
• Organize Public Forums and Rally4Justice events – including weekly rallies in Monument Square! – to address today’s issues in light of Unitarian Universalist values

If you are interested in learning more about our Faith in Action programs or wish to get involved, contact fiacoordinator@firstparishportland.org. You can find out more about each Faith in Action program below:

Youth and Family Outreach (YFO)

YFO is First Parish’s oldest Faith-In-Action endeavor. Though YFO has been independent of First Parish for over 30 years, the ties between us are still strong and healthy.  Members of First Parish have served on the YFO Board of Trustees since its inception, and continue to be active volunteers and stewards to this day.   The First Parish Bylaws call for the “official” endorsement of YFO Board members at our Annual Meeting each spring. YFO has a rich and unwavering history of serving some of Portland’s most disadvantaged children and families. Founded in 1844 as a community outreach mission of the Unitarian congregations of Portland, from the very start its mission has been to serve those who are under-resourced. Throughout its long history, YFO has provided many different kinds of support to this important part of Portland’s population. Since 1986, YFO has run an early childhood care and education program for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. In line with its mission, 60-70% of the approximately 60 families YFO serves are low-income families.

Community Dinners

The first Sunday of each month, First Parish volunteers prepare and serve a free dinner to our community. Volunteers are always needed to prepare the meal (2-4:30) as well as to serve and clean-up after the meal (4:30-7).  We serve dinner at 5pm to about 40 people each month. Historically, we received support from the Wayside Food Program.  Starting in 2016, we’ve continued to provide Community Dinners thanks to generous contributions from local businesses.  Trader Joe’s donates flowers, Standard Baking Company supplies bread and pastries, the Portland Food Co-Op has donated $150 per month for food supplies, and we’ve received donations from Maine companies. In addition, a portion of the First Parish annual budget is dedicated to Community Dinners and the Women’s Alliance of First Parish wants to support the dinner by supplying baked goods.

The Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network (MUUSAN)

Continuing in the Unitarian Universalist (UU) tradition of social activism, MUUSAN gives voice to our UU values in the public arena. We seek to amplify individual and congregational efforts by joining together at the state level to influence policy development and to promote a more just society. MUUSAN meets at 10a.m. on the 2nd Saturday of every other month (January, March, May, July, September and November) at the UU Community Church of Augusta.

Climate Action Team

The main goals of the Climate Action Team are to promote climate-related activism among First Parish members, facilitate energy efficiency, and work with local and state climate-related organizations.  Members have advocated for a statewide energy policy and the Portland community solar farm, lobbied in Augusta for climate action and solar power, and participated with groups such as the Citizens Climate Lobby and the Sierra Club. The team offers an annual worship service on Earth Day, bringing guest speakers and providing inspiring music and readings.

Wabanaki Ally Team

The Wabanki Ally Team has been central to First Parish’s work in researching and acknowledging its past, including acknowledging that founders of the congregation were involved in scalp bounties and the attempted genocide of the Wabanaki people. Signage in the church vestibule explains this history, and it holds a sacred place at the beginning of each Sunday morning worship service. The Wabanaki Ally Team team offers regular workshops and presentations, advocates at the legislative level, and organizes an annual worship service in October.

Public Forums

From time to time, First Parish organizes public forums to bring together speakers from city, state, and local organizations to address pressing issues of the day. Public forums are an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of a particular issue, ask questions, and come together as a community. Past forums topics include immigration, living wage, education, LGBTQ+, Earth Day, Labor Day, Portland’s future, elections, and a Portland mayoral debate.