WEST PARIS — Shall we “… ring, happy bells, across the snow; the year is going, let him go; ring out the false, ring in the true.” We are likely looking forward to ringing bells of joy as we enter what is hoped to be a healthier new year. Being in community can help us in troubling yet hopeful times. All are welcome to join in at the First Universalist Church of West Paris, Sundays at 9 a.m.

For the present time, we are wearing masks during the worship service, but we are still singing to the beautiful music of Tom Coolidge.

Jan. 2: “What’s Past is Prologue” led by The Reverend Fayre Stephenson.

Shakespeare coined the phrase, “What’s past is prologue,” in The Tempest. What did he mean? Does the past predict the future or merely set the stage? Join us to consider what the New Year – our future — may hold for us and for Unitarian Universalism.

Jan. 9: “Our Favorite Things” led by guest speaker, Cynthia Reedy.

“The title of my sermon comes from The Sound of Music tune with a similar name and will look at the things we value as opposed to things that are considered valuable. My inspiration for this sermon comes from two sources: a photograph in my grandmother’s picture box and a sermon presented several years by Joe Perham called “Not For Sale.” I am hoping that during the service, members of the congregation will add a description or two of their favorite things.”

Jan. 16: “The Promise and the Practice” led by The Reverend Fayre Stephenson.

As we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the great successes of the civil rights movement, we will also reflect on what Dr. King thought the next steps should be. What did he have in mind for the movement’s march toward justice?

Jan. 23: “Speaking of Death: What do the Poets say?”  led by guest speaker Ellen Gibson.

What words can you offer to someone who is grieving? Condolences can feel so inadequate. What can we learn from the language of the poets?  A new worship service leader at our church, Ellen is a writer and educator; she raises goats and explores restorative agriculture on her farm in West Paris.

Jan. 30: “Living with Intention” led by The Reverend Fayre Stephenson.

Circumstances often seem to drive the decisions we make in our lives. We react as best we can. But, sometimes we can decide how we will live and make a change for the better — to help ourselves and to help others. This will be a service filled with stories of living with intention.

For more information about the church and services, please contact Marta Clements, 207-674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com, or Bob Clifford at 207-674-3442, bobarlen@megalink.net. To learn more about the Unitarian-Universalist Association, visit http://www.uua.org/.