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
Bible Studies:
We have a Bible study at the church on Thursdays, now at 10:00 am, downstairs. No meeting Oct. 17. 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. No meetings Oct.15 or 22.
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.
From Blessing of the Animals, 2020:
Our folks at the School on Wheels fundraiser, May 2024:
Come and see us at the Fair!
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.
Quote of the Week:
“Longing itself brings the cure . . .
and what you want to happen must be sacrificed.”
— Jelaluddin Rumi, Soul of Rumi, 96
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.
READ A SERMON: Click 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
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
7-14: The Word is Very Near
7-21: Hospitality
7-28: Jenny Williams's sermon:
8-11: The Real Treasure
8-25: Warren Turner's sermon:
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
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
10:5-11 > 7-7-19 10:16 > 5-10-20
10:18 > 3-14-21 10:18-20 > 7-7-19
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 > 7-19-20, 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 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:
More Sermons at The First Church
2-2: The Meek Will Inherit
2-9: Let Your Light Shine
2-16: First Be Reconciled
3-1: Joseph Aoude’s sermon:
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
7-19: Groaning for Redemption
7-26: A Pearl of Great Value
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:
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
5-29: You Have Loved Them > video
2022, cont.:
6-5: The Father Is in Me > video
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:
10-30: To Seek Out and to Save > video
11-13: Be Not Led Astray > video
11-20: Joyce Marble's Sermon:
12-4: Prepare the Way > video
12-11: The Lame Shall Leap > video
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
1-29: 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
10-8: Give Him the Produce > video
10-15: A Feast for All Peoples > video
10-22: Joyce Marable's sermon:
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
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:
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: (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.