112 Main Street Derby Line, VT 05830 1uuderbyline@gmail.com
(802) 873-3563
September 10th
Worship Speaker - David Killam
"Diverse Concepts of God"
Bio - David is a retired music teacher who also
happens to have a Master’s in Divinity degree with an emphasis on the far liberal point of view. He is also a published poet, author and amateur naturalist.
Topic – God. This discourse presents a bold challenge to the prevalent if unspoken assumption that when we speak of God we are all talking about the same thing. Not necessarily so.
Worship Speaker - David Killam
"Diverse Concepts of God"
Bio - David is a retired music teacher who also
happens to have a Master’s in Divinity degree with an emphasis on the far liberal point of view. He is also a published poet, author and amateur naturalist.
Topic – God. This discourse presents a bold challenge to the prevalent if unspoken assumption that when we speak of God we are all talking about the same thing. Not necessarily so.
September 17th
Worship Speaker - Richard Ossias
"The Human Condition in Poetry and Song: Change, Nostalgia, Regrets, and Seizing the Day"
Bio - Rich Ossias is a relatively new resident of Derby Line. Originally from the small city of Newburgh in the Hudson Valley of New York, Rich spent most of his adult life living in Washington D.C. and rural Maryland working as an air-pollution attorney for the US EPA, raising a family with his wife Barbara. Rich and Barbara run a hobby farm containing many kinds of rescued and otherwise-obtained farm animals. He and Barbara moved to the North Country in 2013 to spend more time in Orford, Quebec (which they had visited with their children for many winter breaks). Through happenstance or some greater force, they have been blessed to become part of the Derby Line community as well. Rich is on the board of Orleans County Citizens Advocacy, and at other times he helps take care of the family menagerie of 6 cats, 2 dogs, 4 birds, and a hedgehog.
Topic – Rich will select 4-5 songs by known artists that will highlight the sermon of being human. He will introduce each song briefly describing its context and meaning, then read the song’s lyrics poetically portraying this aspect of the human condition, and finally play a recording of the song itself—thereby making those thoughts more powerful through beautiful music. The goal is to use the arts of poetry and music to focus the congregation’s thoughts on the changes that life can bring (for good or for bad), and the ways that we can cope with them.
Worship Speaker - Richard Ossias
"The Human Condition in Poetry and Song: Change, Nostalgia, Regrets, and Seizing the Day"
Bio - Rich Ossias is a relatively new resident of Derby Line. Originally from the small city of Newburgh in the Hudson Valley of New York, Rich spent most of his adult life living in Washington D.C. and rural Maryland working as an air-pollution attorney for the US EPA, raising a family with his wife Barbara. Rich and Barbara run a hobby farm containing many kinds of rescued and otherwise-obtained farm animals. He and Barbara moved to the North Country in 2013 to spend more time in Orford, Quebec (which they had visited with their children for many winter breaks). Through happenstance or some greater force, they have been blessed to become part of the Derby Line community as well. Rich is on the board of Orleans County Citizens Advocacy, and at other times he helps take care of the family menagerie of 6 cats, 2 dogs, 4 birds, and a hedgehog.
Topic – Rich will select 4-5 songs by known artists that will highlight the sermon of being human. He will introduce each song briefly describing its context and meaning, then read the song’s lyrics poetically portraying this aspect of the human condition, and finally play a recording of the song itself—thereby making those thoughts more powerful through beautiful music. The goal is to use the arts of poetry and music to focus the congregation’s thoughts on the changes that life can bring (for good or for bad), and the ways that we can cope with them.
September 24th
Worship Speaker - Gabriella Brand
"Stories to Live By"
Bio - Gabriella Brand is an educational consultant, a linguist and a writer. A former school head, she spends her summers in North Hatley, Quebec. A Unitarian since the age of sixteen, she also serves a UU fellowship in the Virgin Islands each winter as a lay minister. She is married to the Reverend Douglas Peary. The couple live in Connecticut, and have four grown children and six grandchildren.
Topic – All human beings live by stories. They are the basis of religion, family lore, news cycles, our personal experiences, gossip, and entertainment. In this sermon, Gabriella Brand looks at five different narratives, taken from the Koran, Buddhist literature, children’s tales, classical works, and folk legends. As we listen, we realize how stories can heal, comfort, instruct, mystify, and delight.
Worship Speaker - Gabriella Brand
"Stories to Live By"
Bio - Gabriella Brand is an educational consultant, a linguist and a writer. A former school head, she spends her summers in North Hatley, Quebec. A Unitarian since the age of sixteen, she also serves a UU fellowship in the Virgin Islands each winter as a lay minister. She is married to the Reverend Douglas Peary. The couple live in Connecticut, and have four grown children and six grandchildren.
Topic – All human beings live by stories. They are the basis of religion, family lore, news cycles, our personal experiences, gossip, and entertainment. In this sermon, Gabriella Brand looks at five different narratives, taken from the Koran, Buddhist literature, children’s tales, classical works, and folk legends. As we listen, we realize how stories can heal, comfort, instruct, mystify, and delight.
Our fellowship hall is the perfect venue for your meeting place or special occasion
To reserve please print and mail or complete our online application
To reserve please print and mail or complete our online application
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The mission of First Parish is to sustain a safe home for our spiritual growth and to support each other as we put our beliefs and principles into action.
1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person
