The Alliance is the women’s organization in our church, with a mission to support the women in our congregation, and through that support to advance the interests and efforts of our entire church. Formal membership in The Alliance is open only to women, but Alliance activities are inclusive across gender and age: men attend meetings as guests and as speakers, and The Alliance is supportive of, and supported by, the youth and children of First Parish. The Alliance hosts several programs each year from October to May. Most programs are held on Friday evenings. Click here for the list of Alliance Board Officers and more information about our charitable 3-year Giving Plan.

Click here for more information on Alliance membership or use the link in the side-navigation or contact alliance@firstparish.info.

Alliance Programs & Gatherings 2021-2022

Boxed images of smiling Alliance Board members at Zoom meeting

Save the dates! All programs will be held on Zoom.

The Zoom link will be sent to the Alliance membership via email. If you are not a member, email us at Alliance@firstparish.info.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

program: An Evening of Literary Sharing
Friday, January 7, 7:30-9:00PM

The anticipated story telling program is postponed until it can be held in person as story tellers benefit from a live audience! In its place will be an Evening of Literary Sharing. We will hear members of our congregation share short stories, poems, or passages of their own or by others. Join First Parish friends, Pamela Powell, Ellen Robertson, and Robin Schoenthaler, along with new friend, Selgai Ata for a wonderful, uplifting evening!

In response to the escalating Omicron COVID situation, we will not be gathering to share our traditional January Chowder Supper. Click here for links to recipes for how to prepare fish, corn, or clam chowders (creamy, clear or vegan) and for the website to local Fresh Pond Seafood in Arlington for excellent fish or clam chowder.

Program: Narayan Helen Liebenson, Guiding Teacher of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
Friday, February 18, 7:30-9:00PM
Program: Menstruation Taboo
Friday, March 11, 7:30-9:00PM
Annual Alliance sunday service Speaker: Claire O’Neill of Earthwise Aware
SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 10:00am
ALLIANCE Annual meeting and Program: Michaela Kirby and the Survivor Quilt Project
Friday, may 6, 7:30-9:00PM

The Alliance will hold its Annual Meeting to review the Board officers for the coming year and vote on the budget for the coming year. A program will follow the meeting.

PREVIOUS FALL 2021 PROGRAMS:

Program: ARTISTS TALK

Three artists from the First Parish community share images of their artwork and talk about their backgrounds, creative processes, and how they have balanced art-making with competing roles and responsibilities. What is informing their work today? Audience response and questions are welcome. The participating artists are Patty Crotty (Patricia Crotty), Erica Licea-Kane (Erica Licea-Kane), and Suzanne McLeod (Suzanne McLeod).

Friday, October 1, 7:30-9:00pm

Program: What a weird time to give advice: An Evening with Meredith goldstein
Friday, November 5, 7:30-9:00PM

The Boston Globe’s “Love Letters” advice columnist and podcast host will talk about what it’s been like to do her job during a very complicated year. She’ll also explain how one becomes an advice columnist to begin with and about how writing fiction makes her job a lot easier. Join her for a night of questions, answers, confessions, and empathy. Meredith Goldstein is an author and longtime advice columnist at The Boston Globe. Her books include the novels Things That Grow, Chemistry Lessons, and The Singles. Her memoir Can’t Help Myself: Lessons and Confessions from a Modern Advice Columnist is based on her longtime Globe column, “Love Letters,” (also a popular podcast now in its sixth season). Meredith lives in Boston with a carnival-sized cotton candy machine and many action figures. She has spent the last year reading wonderful feminist romance novels. For more about Meredith and her column, click on the link, Meredith Goldstein – Love Letters Columnist and Features Writer – The Boston Globe