First Parish Art, Experiences, & Self Care Auction

First Parish is a welcoming congregation in the heart of the city.
Our mission is to Nurture the Spirit, Grow in Community, and Help Heal the World. Please view are Art, Experiences, and Self Care Auction and place some bids to win some fantastic Auction items all while supporting First Parish to continue doing the great work that supports the Portland, Maine and surrounding Community! Proceeds go to First Parish in Portland, Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

First Parish is a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Portland, Maine. We are a theologically, culturally, and economically diverse congregation.  We welcome and affirm all people who seek a sanctuary to practice, create and discover their own spiritual path in community.

Members and visitors to our congregation identify as lifelong Unitarian Universalists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists, Humanists, Buddhists, Pagans, as well as all those who seek answers to life's biggest questions. We are united by love, a sense of justice, a passion for truth, and service to the greater community. We commit ourselves and our resources to “Nurture the Spirit, Grow in Community and Help Heal the World.”
 
First Parish in Portland, a Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Our Work in the Greater Portland Community  

• First Parish provided an emergency warming shelter for its unhoused neighbors throughout the winters of 2023-24 and 2024-25. It now partners with Preble Street and the department of Health and Human Services to provide hunger relief every Thursday, distributing warm meals outside on Cotton Street, come rain or shine. 

• Once a month, First Parish hosts a Community Dinner. A delicious home cooked meal is provided for free to anyone in the community, especially those who suffer from food insecurity. 

• First Parish's Wabanaki Ally Team works to support the Wabanaki Tribal Nations in regaining their sovereignty and land rights, and to heal the wounds from generational trauma.

• First Parish's Climate Action Team works to raise awareness and inspire action in our community to protect and improve the planet. In September 2025, they participated in "Sun Day," to celebrate the power of solar energy. And in the early months of 2026, they lobbied for passage of state legislation, including "Plug-in Solar" and "Make Polluters Pay." 

•  “In response to the recent surge of unconstitutional ICE activity in Maine, First Parish delivered meals and provided transportation to immigrant families unable to leave their homes, provided a welcoming and observant presence on the steps of Portland High, and played an active role in organizing rallies and prayer vigils.

• The First Parish Governing Board’s recent accomplishments include setting Vision Goals related to strengthening Faith-in-Action endeavors and providing better support to First Parish families. Both goals were unanimously adopted at last year’s Annual Meeting and are now well underway.

• In their continuing stewardship of the First Parish building and endowment, the Trustees have designated funds and begun work on replacing the slate roof of the Meeting House and are researching climate control options that will greatly enhance use of the site.

• The Faith-in-Action Coordinating Team presented a Community Forum on Immigration last year and will offer one on Transgender Rights this year. Other projects include asset mapping to better tap the many professional resources within the congregation.

• The recently formed Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) team offers regular opportunities to research, discuss, and act upon pressing issues of social justice.

• First Parish is a supportive spiritual home available to anyone in need of spiritual, emotional, and communal fulfillment. That spirit of welcome is embodied in the religious symbols above the pulpit, which represent Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan, Christian, Jewish, and Taoist traditions.

• First Parish shares the Sunday offering with a range of community partners each month. In addition, it gathers donations annually for specific needs of the Wabanaki community as part of its commitment to restorative justice.

• First Parish fosters community building by opening our building to and supporting:  various AA groups, Preble Street, SPACE Gallery, the Maine Assistance Program, Grace-Street Ministries, Portland Symphony Orchestra, Portland Ovations, Portland Theatre Festival, Opera Maine, Maine Historical Society, Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine, and the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.