Quote of the Week:

“I choose the term ‘Peace’ for that Harmony of Harmonies which calms destructive turbulence and completes civilization. Thus a society is to be termed civilized whose members participate in the five qualities—Truth, Beauty, Adventure, Art, Peace.”  ​

      — Alfred North Whitehead, Adventures of Ideas, 283


​​Bible Studies:​​

  We have a Bible study at the church on Thursdays, now at 10:00 am, downstairs. We are now reading passages from the current issue of Upper Room. Open to everyone. Personal insights and sharing welcomed. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84534175240?pwd=dFkvQzVOdFRDOXZiYWVla1h5QUt1QT09 If they ask for a passcode, it's 527525 (but they probably won't ask).

We also have a Tuesday evening study at 7 pm at the church, not Zoomed, also using The Upper Room. Come one, come all. 

The First Church. Preaching the Gospel of Jesus.

29 Howard St., P.O. Box 361, West Bridgewater, MA​​ 02379

​Sunday worship, 10:00 a.m.                                            Established 1651

Bible study on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.                            (508) 587-3118

Our folks at the School on Wheels fundraiser, May 2024:

Pastor

Pastor Steve Finlan (MTS, Boston University, 2013; Ph.D. University of Durham, 2004) began serving at First Church in August 2018. Some of his sermons are posted below.

From Blessing of the Animals, 2020:

​ ​


United by love and guided by ​the teachings of Jesus,we maintain a

   welcoming house for the worship of God.

We study the Bible, and teach in Spirit and in truth. We seek to build 

   a sustaining and caring community of faith. Reflecting our

   history, we have affiliation with both the UCC and the UUA.

​​Sunday Worship

Church services take place at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Those who are vaccinated need not wear masks. 

  The pastor pre-records the sermon at home and posts it Sunday morning at Facebook.com/Stephen.Finlan1. You can click on the videos that'll be there. Video links of the most recent sermons are also posted here. Or go to the pastor's YouTube channel.

READ A SERMONClick on a title. A tab will open at far lower left of screen. Click on that to open the Word file.
2017:
1-29: The Pure in Heart
3-19: In Spirit and in Truth
10-22: Forgive, Hand It On
2018:
1-21: Pour Out Your Heart
1-28: No Deceit
2-11: Healing the Broken Hearted

SERMONS AT THE FIRST CHURCH:
7-8: Who Does He Think He Is?
7-15: Righteousness and Peace Will Kiss
8-5: Bread from Heaven
8-19: That I Should Lose Nothing
​9-16: Divine Things
9-23: First Pure
9-30: Whoever Is Not against Us

10-7: Created the Worlds

10-21: Lord It Over

10-28: May the Lord Deal Kindly w/ you (Ruth)

11-4: Love 'm Both?

11-18: Shine Like the Stars

11-25: The Letter and the Spirit

12-2: With the Clouds

12-9: All Flesh: The Theme of Peace

12-16: With All Joy

12-23: To Love Kindness

12-30: Debating with Scholars

2019

1-6: The Word Dwells in You Richly

1-13: I Will Be with You

1-27: Drink of One Spirit

2-3: To Proclaim Release

2-17: Be . . . As Your Father

2-24: A Spiritual Body

3-3: From One Degree of Glory to Another

3-10: Hearts and Mouths

3-17: Under His Wing

3-31: We Had to Celebrate

4-7: Con-formed

4-14: A New Thing

4-19 (Good Friday): Who He Is

4-21 (Easter): My Father and Your Father

4-28: Swallow Up Death

5-12: I Will Comfort You: ​Hear My Voice

5-19: Alpha and Omega

6-2: The Secret of Unity

6-9 (Pentecost): The Spirit of Truth

6-23: Jew or Greek

6-30: For Freedom

7-7: The Dust of Your Town

7-14: The Word is Very Near

7-21: Hospitality

7-28: Jenny Williams's sermon:

    For the Beauty of the Earth

8-4: How Can I Give You Up?

8-11: The Real Treasure

8-25: Warren Turner's sermon:

​   The Jesus Ethic

9-1: Repairer of the Breach

9-8: You Will Do Even More

9-15: A Broken Spirit

9-22: Faithful in a Little

9-29: The Good Fight

10-6: The Kingdom Within

10-20: Build Houses

10-27: Other Rogues

11-3: A Son of Abraham

11-10: My Redeemer Liveth!

11-17: Rivers of Living Water

12-8: Fulfills the Law

12-15: The Least in the Kingdom

12-22: Scattered the Proud

12-24: From the East

12-29: The Fear of Death

2020:

1-5: Children of God

1-12: To Fulfill All Righteousness


​​​More Sermons at The First Church

2020, cont.

2-2: The Meek Will Inherit

2-9: Let Your Light Shine

2-16: First Be Reconciled

3-1: ​Joseph Aoude’s sermon:

    Lead Me Not into Temptation

3-8: Born Again

3-15: Gushing Up

3-22: Who Sinned?

3-29: Speaking the Truth

4-5: The Sheep Will Be Scattered > video

4-12 (Easter): There They Will See Me > video

4-19: Suffer Trials

4-26: Burning within Us

5-3: They Know His Voice

5-10: If You Know Me

5-17: Another Advocate

5-24: Taken Up from You

6-14: Freely You Received

7-5: Revealed to Infants

7-12: It Shall Not Return to Me Empty

7-26: A Pearl of Great Value

8-2: Increasing and Yielding

8-9: Where Are Prophets without Honor?

8-16: From the Heart

8-23: The Living God

8-20: Even the Dogs

9-6: Regaining That One > video link

9-13: Live to the Lord > video link

9-20: May Not Perish > video

​9-27: Change Your Minds > video

10-4: To Collect His Produce > video

10-11: ​Invite Everyone? > video

10-18: Not the Son of David > video

10-25: Render to God > video

11-22: The Least of These > video

11-29: One Like a Son of Man > video

12-6: Prepare the Way > video

12-13: Cause to Spring Up > video

12-20: She Who Believed > video

12-24: The Whole Life

12-27: Living on Hope > video

2021:

1-3: He Has Made Him Known > video

1-17: Baptizes with the Holy Spirit > video

1-24: Drop What You're Doing > video

1-31: Teaching with Authority > video

2-7: In Whom There Is No Deceit > video

2-14: Many Who Were Sick > video

2-17: The Moth Does Not Consume > video

2-21: Sharon Fenn's sermon:

    Search for the Rainbow in your Heart

2-28: What Were You Arguing about? > video

3-7: Overturning the Tables > video

3-14: Falls into the Earth > video

3-21: Not by Might > video

3-28: (Palm Sun.): Deeply Grieved > video

4-4 (Easter): Why Are You Weeping? 

4-11: God Is Love > video

4-18: We Will Be Like Him > video

4-25: There Will Be One Flock > video

5-2: Abide in Me > video

5-9: I Call You Friends > video

5-23 Pentecost: He Will Declare It to You > video

5-30: Born of the Spirit > video

6-6: My Mother and My Brothers > video

6-13: Jenny Williams's sermon: Be Kind

6-20: It Grows, He Knows Not How > video

6-27: Wholesome Forces > video

7-4: A Prophet among Them > video

7-11: Troubling Prophets > video

7-18: Sheep without a Shepherd > video

7-25: Take Him by Force > video

​8-1: Give Us This Bread > video

8-8: The Bread of Life > video

8-15: Wisdom Was There > video

​8-22: It Is from Within > video

8-29: Spirit That Gives Life > video

9-5: Jenny Williams's sermon: United

9-12: No Magical Escape > video

9-19: One Such Child > video

9-26: A Cup of Water > video

10-10: Who Then Can Be Saved? > video

10-24: Call Him Here > video

11-14: When Will This Be? > video

11-21: Jenny Williams's sermon:

      On Being Thankful, part 2

11-28: A Righteous Branch > video

12-5: Spiritual Milk > video

12-19: I Will Write Them on Their Minds  

        > video

12-24: Compassion for Others

12-26: All Were Amazed > video

2022:

1-2: The World Came into Being > video

1-16: His First Sign > video

1-23: Release to the Captives > video

1-30: Many Lepers > video

2-6: Love Hopes All Things > video

2-13: Blessed Are You Who Weep > video

2-20: Be Merciful > video

2-27: Being Transformed > video

3-20: Neither He Nor His Parents > video

3-27: Like a Hired Hand > video

4-3: Leave Her Alone > video

4-10: Command Peace > video

4-15 (Good Friday): My God, My God

4-17 (Easter): Say to Them > video

4-24: The Doors Were Locked > video

5-1: Jump in the Lake > video

5-8: Our God > video

5-29: You Have Loved Them > video

6-5: The Father Is in Me > video


Partial Index:

​Micah
3:6 > 11-5-23                                3:9-12 > 11-5-23

5:2-5 > 12-23-18

6:6-8 > 1-29-17, 2-11 & 12-23-18, 10-6-19, 1-29-23
6:7 > 10-27-19, 9-15-24              6:8 > 4-16 & 8-20-23

7:1-2 > 11-5-23

Zechariah
​4:2 > 12-4-22                       4:6 > 1-29-17, 7-15-18

4:10 > 12-4-22                     8:16 > 1-16-22

9:9 > 4-2-23

9:9-10 > 8-19-18, 4-14-19, 10-18-20, 3-7 & 3-21-21, 4-10-22

9:9-12 > 7-9-23                    9:10 > 4-2-23

12:10 > 1-27-19

Luke
1:26-32 > 12-18-22                1:33 > 12-6-20

1:35 > 2-7-21                         1:35-45 > 12-20-20

1:38 > 12-18-22                     1:39-45 > 12-19-21

1:39-53 > 12-22-19                2:7 > 12-24-21

2:10 > 2-7-21                         2:21-39 > 1-1-23

2:22-40 > 12-27-20, 12-31-23        2:25-32 > 7-18-21

2:25-36 > 12-24-19                2:30 > 7-26-20

2:38 > 7-26-20                       2:41-52 > 12-26-21

2:42-52 > 12-30-18                2:52 > 4-3-22

3:1-6 > 12-9-18                      3:15-17 > 12-16-18

3:21-23 > 1-13-19                  

4:16-21 > 8-19 & 12-30-18, 2-3-19

4:18 > 12-4 & 12-11-22 , 10-29 & 12-10-23

4:18-19 > 1-30-22                    4:21 > 1-30 & 12-11-22

4:21-30 > 1-30-22                   4:24-30 > 2-3-19

4:25-27 > 3-24-24                   4:29 > 8-9-20

4:44 > 12-26-21                      5:10 > 1-24-21, 1-21-24

5:21 > 1-8-23                            5:23-25 > 1-8-23

5:31 > 6-27-21                          5:31-32 > 9-15-19                    5:32 > 10-30-22                       6:17 > 6-14-20, 1-30-22

6:17-21 > 2-17-19                    6:17-23 > 2-13-22

6:20 > 3-21-21                         6:26 > 2-13-22

6:27-28 > 2-20-22                   6:27-36 > 2-17-19                    ​6:31-38 > 2-20-22                    6:35 |> 1-2-22

6:36 > 9-17-23                         6:37 > 9-17-23

6:42 > 1-31-21                         7:6-10 > 8-8-21

7:9 > 12-24-23, 3-24 & 5-19-24

7:13 > 3-12-23

7:50 > 10-7 & 12-23-18, 1-31-21, 7-9 & 12-10-23   

8:2-3 > 4-9-23

8:15 > 10-7 & 10-21-18, 2-7, 6-20, 8-15 & 8-22-21, 4-10-22, 12-10-23, 2-11-24

8:16 > 12-10-23                      8:17 > 2-17-19, 7-25-21

8:19 > 7-25-21                        8:26 > 9-8-24

8:26-37 > 6-19-22                   8:37 > 9-8-24

8:48 > 1-31-21, 12-10-23       8:50 > 4-30-23

9:4 > 6-14-20                         9:20 > 2-27-22

9:28-36 > 2-27-22                  9:49 > 12-3-23

9:50 > 12-3-23                       9:52 > 6-14-20

9:52-55 > 1-28-18                 9:54 > 1-3-21

10:1 > 10-13-24                    10:4-5 > 10-13-24

10:16 > 5-10-20                     10:18 > 3-14-21

10:25-29 > 7-10-22               

10:25-37 > 7-14-19, 7-10 & 9-4-22

10:28 > 12-5-21                       10:39 > 4-12-20, 4-3-22

10:42 > 4-7-19, 4-12-20, 4-3-22     11:5-13 > 7-24-22

11:20 > 4-21 & 9-15-24           11:50-51 > 3-17-19

12:4 > 4-30-23                         12:13-21 > 8-4-19

12:32 > 4-5 & 8-30-20, 9-12-21, 12-3-23, 9-15-24

12:32-36 > 8-4 & 8-11-19         13:1-5 > 3-17-19, 3-20-22

13:10-17 > 8-21-22                    13:11 > 6-2-24

13:14 > 6-2-24                            13:15-16 > 6-2-24

13:20-21 > 9-8-19                      13:30 > 9-19-21

13:31-35 > 3-17 & 12-22-19          14:1 > 9-4-22

14:7-11 > 9-22-19                       14:7-14 > 9-4-22

15:3-7 > 6-19-22                        15:7 > 3-27-22

15:8-10 > 9-15-19, 3-31-24

15:10 > 3-27-22                          15:11-32 > 3-31-19, 3-27-22

15:21-24 > 9-15-24                    15:28 > 7-7-24

16:1-13 > 9-18-22                      16:8 > 1-2-22, 2-5-23

16:10-13 > 9-22-19                     17:1-4 > 10-2-22

17::11-21 > 10-9-22                    17:19 > 12-10-23         ​

​17:21 > 7-14 & 10-6-19, 2-18, 8-11 & 11-3-24

18:1 > 2-19-23                         ​18:1-8 > 10-20-19, 1-1-23

18:8 > 4-11-21                         18:9-14 > 10-27-19

18:19 > 12-27-20, 11-13-22       18:25, 27 > 1-31-21

18:34 > 3-26-23                         18:38-42 > 5-10-20

18:42 > 10-7-18, 7-9 & 12-10-23

19:1-10 > 11-3-19, 10-30-22      19:8 > 7-23-23

19:9 > 5-10-20, 5-8-22, 7-23-23     19:12-24 > 12-22-19

19:29-40 > 4-14-19                  19:35-40 > 4-10-22

19:41-44 > 2-14-21                   19:46 > 7-11-21, 8-20-23

20:27-38 > 11-10-19                21:1-4 > 1-28-24

21:2-4 > 7-11-21                      21:5-6 > 11-28-21

21:5-8 > 11-13-22                    21:20 > 11-28-21

21:20-24 > 11-13-22, 12-1-24       21:25-27 > 11-28-21

22:31-34 > 4-5-20                    22:43 > 2-7-21

22:54-62 > 4-5-20                   22:61 > 1-28-18

23:34 > 12-24-21, 2-20-22, 11-3-24   23:46 > 4-7-23

24:10-11 > 4-12-20                   24:11 > 4-4-21

24:13-32 > 4-26-20                    24:13-35 > 4-16-23

24:35 > 4-4-21                            24:38 > 4-4-21

24:47 > 4-2-23                          24:47-53 > 4-14-24


Colossians

​1:15 > 5-10-20, 8-27-23

1:16 > 10-7-18, 5-24 & 8-2-20, 4-25-21, 2-13-22, 4-23-23, 7-28-24

1:27 > 12-18-22                         2:3 > 12-3-23

2:7 > 12-3-23                             2:9-10 > 12-22-19

3:3 > 4-17-22                            3:10 > 8-9-20

3:12-17 > 1-6-19, 12-26-21      3:22 > 9-8-19


James

1:2 > 6-9-24                                1:5 > 6-9-24

1:5-6 > 7-21-24                           1:15 > 9-10-23

1:17 > 1-2-22                              1:17-21 > 9-1-24

1:22 > 9-30-18, 7-14-19             1:27 > 9-30-18

2:1-5 > 9-8-24                            2:12-18 > 9-30-18

2:17 > 9-8-24                             2:20 > 9-26-21

2:24 > 9-26-21                            3:1 > 9-15-24

3:1-6 > 9-16-18                           3:3-9 > 9-12-21

3:4-10 > 9-15-24                         3:9-11 > 10-7-18

3:16-17 > 7-15 & 9-23 & 9-30-18

3:16-4:3 > 9-19-21, 9-15-24        4:1-8 > 7-15 & 9-23-18

4:7-8 > 9-19-21                           5:13-20 > 9-30-18​​, 9-26-21

5:16 > 2-12-23                            5:16-20 > 9-29-24


Easter, 2021:

​​​​​2022, cont.:

6-19: Those Who Did Not Seek Me > video

7-10: Which Was a Neighbor? > video

7-17: Sharon Fenn's sermon:

      What a Friend We Have in Jesus

7-24: Persistence > video

8-14: Reckoned Righteous > video

8-21: Be Set Free > video

9-4: They Cannot Repay You > video

9-18: Faithful in a Little > video

10-2: No Offense > video

10-9: The Kingdom Within > video

10-16: Jean Upton's Sermon:

      Don't You Think It's Time

10-30: To Seek Out and to Save > video

11-13: Be Not Led Astray > video

11-20: Joyce Marble's Sermon:

     The Trinity

12-4: Prepare the Way > video

12-11: The Lame Shall Leapvideo

12-18: The Obedience of Faith > video

12-24: What Child Is This? > video 

2023:

1-1: Falling and Rising of Many > video

1-8: That Message Spread > video

1-15: Only Speak the Word > video

​1-22: Follow Me > video

1-29: Blessed Are the Merciful > video

2-5: Practice What You Preach > video

2-12: Be Reconciled to Your Brother > video

2-19: That Voice > video

2-26: Worship the Lord > video

3-5: Born of the Spirit > video

3-12: The Hour Is Coming > video

3-19: The Sassy Blind Man > video

3-26: I Am the Resurrection > video

4-2 (Palm Sun.): Mounted on a Donkey > video

4-7 (Good Friday): Into Your Hands

4-9 (Easter): Do Not Hold on to Me > video

4-16: Our Hearts Burning > video

4-23: God Raised Him Up > video

4-30: He Did Not Threaten > video

5-7: Show Us the Father > video

5-14: In Him We Live > video

5-21: Alta Pratt's sermon:

    In God's Time, We'll Understand

5-28: I Pour Out My Spirit > video

6-4: In the Names > video

​6-11: Mercy Not Sacrifice > video

6-18: Your Faith > video

6-25: A Resurrection Like His > video

7-2: Slaves to Righteousness > video

7-9: Revealed to Infants > video

7-16: God's Will Be Done > video

7-23: You Judge with Mildness > video

7-30: What Is New and What Is Old > video

8-6: Milk without Money > video

8-13: A Still Small Voice > video

​8-20: I Will Gather Others > video

8-27: What Is Good and Perfect > video

9-3: Showing Honor > video

9-10: The Three-Step Method > video

9-17: Having Mercy > video

9-24: The Daily Wage > video

10-1: I Go, Sir > video

10-8: Give Him the Produce > video

10-15: A Feast for All Peoples > video

10-22: Joyce Marable's sermon:

      The Gospel of Thomas

10-29: Whose Son Is He? > video

11-5: All Brothers > video

11-12: The Dead in Christ > video

11-26: You Gave Me Food > video

12-3: Any Spiritual Gift > video

12-10: One Coming > video

12-17: What Is Sown > video

12-24: Hope of the Magi > video 

12-31: The Consolation of Israel > video

2024

1-7: Heavens Torn Apart > video

1-14: We Have Found Him > video

1-21: A Prophet Like Moses > video

1-28: Was Tested > video

2-4: Become All Things > video

2-11: The Face of Jesus Christ > video

2-18: The Kingdom Is Near > video

2-25: Faith As Righteousness > video

3-3: Zeal for Your House > video

3-10: Saved by Grace > video

3-17: The Law Within > video

3-24: The Gate of the Lord > video

(Easter): The Holy Spirit w/ Power > video

4-7: Peace Be with You > video

4-14: The Messiah's Name > video

4-21:Our Hearts Do Not Condemn Us > video

4-28: Sharon Fenn's sermon:

      Do You Trust God?

5-5: Faith Conquers the World > video

5-12: Joy Made Complete > video

5-19 (Pentec.): What Does This Mean? > video

5-26: Born from Above > video

6-2: Sabbath Made for Humankind > video 

6-9: Being Renewed > video

6-16: The Seed Would Sprout > video

6-23: He Made the Storm Be Still > video

6-30: Created for Incorruption > video

7-7: My Grace Is Sufficient > video

7-14: Gather Up All Things > video

7-21: Compassionate Leadership > video

7-28: From Whom Every Family > video

8-4: The Bread of God > video

From here onward, clicking "video" causes a box to pop up asking you to log into Facebook. Just close that box, and you can then watch the video.

8-11: Taught by God > video

8-18: Wisdom Sets a Table > video

8-25: My Words Are Spirit > video

9-1: What Comes Out > video

9-8: For Saying That > video

9-15: Who Do You Say? > video

9-22: You Ask Wrongly > video

9-29:A Deed of Power > video 

10-6: Life and Growth > video

10-13: Able to Sympathize > video

10-27: The Law Was Weak > video

11-3: With All Your Heart > video

11-10: Hope for Widows > video

11-17: Not Led Astray > video

11-24: Joyce Marble's sermon:

      Worry Not

12-1: Times of the Gentiles > video

12-8: (not yet)


Links to Pastor Steve's books

browse To Unite the Scattered Children of God

browse Salvation Not Purchased: Overcoming the Ransom Idea to Rediscover the Original Gospel Teaching

browse The Family Metaphor in Jesus' Teaching

browse Bullying in the Churches

a chapter from Problems with Atonement

a chapter from The Apostle Paul & the Pauline Tradition

excerpt from Sacrifice and Atonement: Psychological Motives and Biblical Patterns

Link to writings at ResearchGate.

Link to writings at Academia.edu


Steve’s email: sfinlan@bu.edu

Link to Steve’s own website, with more sermons, book links, and research links.