Welcome to All Souls Church of Braintree, a liberal faith tradition
in Braintree, Massachusetts, since 1833.
A lay-led congregation

All Souls Unitarian Universalist church warmly welcomes individuals of all beliefs, including those who identify as non-religious. Our inclusive community values diversity and encourages open-minded exploration. Everyone is welcome to join us in fellowship and shared experiences.
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​As a Unitarian Universalist congregation, we strive to make the world a better place by living out our values. We covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of all persons as we engage in an ongoing search for truth and meaning.

Whoever you are, whomever you love, however you inhabit your body, and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome into the life of this church.

Located at:  196 Elm Street, Braintree, MA, corner of Church and Elm 
Parking:  on Charles Street or in our lot behind the church off Charles Street
Postal Mail:  PO Box 850219 Braintree, MA 02185
Call us at 781-843-1388
Text us at 781-817-3952​
​   Green Sanctuary, Accessible, Welcoming, Adaptive Hearing Devices, Large Print Orders of Service

All our meetings, connection circles, services and groups are streamed live on Zoom.  Sunday service is in person at All Souls Church, and live streamed on Zoom.
Go to Service Themes for Service Schedule
The zoom link is
​https://zoom.us/j/96571006038
 
Recorded services are posted here on our website. 



 
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church welcomes all people to our faith community. Services are in the sanctuary, in person, September through mid June, Sundays at 10:30 am. Our building is accessible; assistive listening devices and large print orders of service are available. Our orders of service, song lyrics and inspiring images are projected on the wall at the front of the church and shown on Zoom and FaceBook so you can easily follow along. 

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Whether you're in search of spiritual growth, meaningful connections, or avenues to make a positive impact, you'll discover a welcoming home at All Souls Church of Braintree.

Come just as you are, embracing the spirit of acceptance and belonging.
Reading Group

The reading group generally meets on the second Wednesday of each month. February’s meeting was cancelled due to illness, so at our next meeting on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 pm on Zoom, we will discuss the article originally planned for February. “The Shock of Faith: It’s Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be”, was written by David Brooks and appeared in the New York Times on December 19, 2024.

David Brooks is an Opinion columnist at the New York Times who writes about “political, social and cultural trends, the clash of ideas and the always tricky subject of moral formation.” In this article, Brooks takes us along on his own spiritual journey, which began growing up in a Jewish home, attending Christian school and camp and later identifying as an agnostic. Eventually shedding his agnostic stance, he describes experiences, insights, and epiphanies that have influenced the way he now understands the world.

​Here are some tantalizing quotes from the article:
“The word ‘faith’ implies possession of something, whereas I experience faith as a yearning for something beautiful that I can sense but not fully grasp.”
“We are all embraced within a moral universe that gives meaning to history and our lives.”
”The Jewish Jesus emerged amid revolution, violence and strife. He walked into the center of all the clashing authority structures and he overturned them all. The Jewish Jesus was a total badass.”

Please join us for what promises to be a lively conversation! It is a fascinating read, even if you cannot join us – but we hope you do!
If you need help accessing the article, contact Mary or contact your local library for assistance.



Connection Circles

Connection Circles provide a time to check in with old friends and welcome new friends in conversation.

During our time together, we engage in check-ins and open conversation.

March 5 –  Topic: Highlights of Sisters in Harmony Global Summit & sing-along 
(Topic was postponed in February due to illness)

March 12 - Topic: Hymn Exploration: “Wake Now My Senses” STLT #298

March 19 - Topic: Celebrate Spring with music by Judy.  You are invited to share your favorite poem about spring 
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March 26 – Topic: One hour of open conversation

We welcome new attendees who would like to forge new connections or renew old ones!​​
​Spiritual Writing Group

All Souls Writing Group will meet on Wednesday, March 26 at 4 pm on Zoom.
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The writing prompt for March 26, 2025 is
• An important object I have lost or was stolen…
o Did you ever lose anything that meant the world to you? What was it? How did you get it? Did you ever find it?

If you are interested in exploring creative and therapeutic writing, need an outlet to explore your hidden talents, or a new hobby for the new year, we are the group you should join!''

We hope to see smiles new and old as you join us through zoom on the last Wednesday of every month for an exciting creative journey!

The zoom link is
​https://zoom.us/j/96571006038

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Shake off the winter blues and join our vibrant Springtime Fiesta Pot Luck Supper on Saturday, March 22nd at 6 PM!   


Feel free to bring Mexican cuisine or any of your favorite party dishes as we celebrate the arrival of Spring and say a joyful goodbye to Winter.

To help us accommodate everyone’s dietary preferences, we kindly ask that you include a brief ingredient list with your dish. Whether it’s vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, or any other dietary need, we’ve got you covered !

​Participation is completely optional, and we want everyone to feel at ease and included. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kathy and/or Joe. 
 
We can’t wait to see you there and make this fiesta an unforgettable celebration for all. Let’s raise a glass to new beginnings, delicious food, and great company!

Cheers to a fantastic fiesta,
   Kathy and Joe 
 
Sunday Service

Sunday, March 23 at 10:30 am
Let the Mystery Be
with Carole Bundy, Molly Ruggles and Will McMillan
Please join us for our Sunday Service with Carole Bundy, Molly Ruggles and Will McMillan. They will explore the subject of mystery and the challenges of learning to live with the unknown. Songs include "Holy Now," by Peter Mayer and "Let The Mystery Be" by Iris Dement.

Carole Bundy, Will McMillan, and Molly Ruggles are excited to bring their music ministry to All Souls Church of  Braintree, UU. For the past seven years, they have been performing together — sharing songs in rich three-part harmony — in churches and on stages and porches throughout New England. 

​Their programs include original songs and inspirational favorites from the American songbook, with audience participation encouraged. Accompanying the group on piano, Molly is a former music director at UU Medford, where Carole is an active member. You can find them singing on Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other streaming platforms, or you can listen to their music by clicking here.


WEAV is various intentions woven together. The threads consist of practices for the heart, body and mind to engage participants. These same threads are also introductions to various fields of knowledge and ways of knowing. The ten very distinct sessions take participants on a journey through an overview of a repair process which can be practiced in your congregation. 

In addition, the sessions provide participants with differing paradigms of learning to experience new ways of engaging ourselves and others in our UU community and beyond. There are times when the sessions might seem unconnected. Yet, all of the various sessions are to provide insight into the complexity of the issue of antiracist work involving spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. 

The learning emphasis is placed on the growth and transformation and concluding commitments of each participant as a UU, as we grow in community and witness each other’s growth and are witnessed for our own.

Our ten Zoom session commitment began January 11, 2025, meeting on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, through May 24, 2025.  Each session is approximately 90 minutes, from 10am-11:30am ET.  

Please contact Kellie Kinsman
​ ([email protected]) 
with any questions you may have, and to register for WEAV!  The Zoom link will be provided to all who register.  

I look forward to this journey with you!

​Kellie
globe in snow Picture

​Social Action and Environment Group 
meets Tuesday, March 11 at 7:15 pm on Zoom 

UU MASS ACTION ADVOCACY DAY – April 8, 2025

Have you heard of Advocacy Day?  Did you know that more than half-a-dozen All Souls members have participated in at least one Advocacy Day over the last twenty years? Initially, Massachusetts UU’s from all over the state would gather in Boston for an entertaining, energizing and educational meeting followed by a networking lunch.  In the afternoon, teams of people from the same districts headed to the State House to visit their Senators and Representatives.   

During the pandemic, the event migrated on-line and has remained a virtual event ever since.  A virtual Advocacy Day means that more UU’s from around the state can meaningfully participate.  We still gather together on ZOOM in the morning for entertaining, energizing and educational time together.  A lunch break is factored into the day’s schedule, followed by smaller Zoom meetings with Senators and Representatives in the afternoon. 

In both instances, whether in person or on Zoom, I always felt nervous before meeting with someone as important as my legislator.  However, I have been pleasantly surprised that my UU colleagues and I were welcomed and treated with respect, as legitimate constituents of whatever legislator we were speaking with.  
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UU Mass Action provides a wealth of information to help us understand the issues, and we can share that information directly with our legislators.  If you decide to participate, UU Mass Action will provide you with a 1 ½ hour training session on Zoom or give you access to a recording of one of these training sessions. 

We are at the beginning of a new two-year legislative session when thousands of potential bills are filed.   UU Mass Action Advocacy Day will focus on five key areas of legislation:   Immigrant Justice, Climate & Environmental Justice, Economic & Housing Justice, Indigenous Justice, and De-carceration & Ending Solitary Confinement.

In these times, we are learning that a healthy democracy is not static and boring, but is a living, breathing system that invites people to be active in the world so that we can “build a promised land that can be.”  (From STLT Hymn 121, We’ll Build a Land.}   

This year, why not take this step together with All Souls Braintree and UU Mass Action to send at least ten people from the All Souls Community to Advocacy Day to meet with legislators on Wednesday, April 8th!   Might one of those ten people be you?   
We welcome your questions!   Find more information and register HERE.   
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Mary Mitchell, for the Social Action and Environmental Committee (SAEC)
SAEC Chair: George Goss    SAEC Members: Lin Steiner, Ross Edwards, Mary Mitchell



 
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