St. Robert Bellarmine Parish is a church that accepts all to join in the worship of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. The church shares space with the Andover Country Day School. St. Robert Bellarmine's Parish also embodies strong community values, and members are encouraged to connect with the overall community. The church has a sister parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, in Luhanga, Tanzania. The church also operates a child abuse prevention team and is certified to do so by the Archdiocese of Boston.
The Good Shepherd Parish serves the Roman Catholic community with two locations: St. Zepherin Church and St. Ann Church. St. Zepherin Church also serves as the pastoral center and offers Sunday and weekday services. Additional services are held at St. Ann Church. The parish offers many opportunities for community and spiritual involvement at both locations, including youth programs, religious education and ministries.
The First Parish Universalist Church is now celebrating 266 years of religious worship. The church is located in downtown Stoughton on busy Washington Street. Plenty of free parking is available in the lot as well as on the street.
Founded in 1745, the current church was formed when the original congregation made up of liberal and orthodox members split in 1822. The liberal majority remained as First Parish Universalist Church. The church is a welcoming and open congregation. The services range from a wide variety of religious matters, both traditional and innovative. Worship services are every Sunday from 10:30am to 11:30am. After worship, members may enjoy free coffee and conversation in the Fellowship Hall.
First Parish Unitarian Universalist, established as two sepearte church communities in 1717, has services on Sunday mornings. The church offers programs for children and adults, including small groups, religious education for children and volunteer opportunties.
The Church of the Advent was founded in 1844 by a handful of wealthy Beacon Hill families who wanted to establish a church where their servants could afford to worship. The church prides itself as being the first in Boston not to require its members to pay to rent out pews -- an average cost of $20,000 a year per family in today's dollars. In a $3 million-renovation in 2007 the church's exterior was scrubbed down for the first time in its history with immaculate results. Rev. Allan B. Warren III, a deacon and three assistant reverends lead masses and morning prayers at the church every day of the week. Sunday mass is celebrated three times at 8am, 9am and 11:15am. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mass is celebrated at 12:15pm; on Wednesdays at 6pm and on Saturdays at 9am.
The United Church of Christ church has been serving the residents of Andover and the surrounding communities for over 200 years. The church accepts all individuals that seek to worship under the United Church of Christ denomination with the West Parish Church. Church staff and members are active in the national and state United Christ of Church organizations. Outreach programs range from involvement in local chapters of Habitat for Humanity to providing Thanksgiving dinners to hosting blood drives.
St. George Orthodox Church is tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The Church School has classes for students from preschool age to high school seniors. The Adult Fellowship program brings parishioners together to provide outreach to other ministries. There is also a monthly book club within the fellowship program. Archpriest Timothy Ferguson is the current pastor.
Known as a welcoming, diverse place of worship, First Parish is open to all religious backgrounds, ages and persuasians. Heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexuals and trangendered people make up its congregation, and this church attracts a population not only from Northborough, but surrounding towns. The minister is Rev. Dr. Judith E. Wright.
First Parish in Wayland was founded in 1640 and met in several different buildings before the current building was erected in 1814. Under the leadership of Reverend John Burt Wight, the church adopted its Unitarian position in the 1820s.
The hymn "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" was written for the First Parish Sunday School by the church's minister Edmund Hamilton Sears. A plaque in the church commemorates the event.
Rev. Laurie Rofinot, Priest-in-Charge
All are welcome to join Trinity Episcopal Parish for its worship services, celebrations, to study and to serve the community. This is an Anglo-Catholic church and holy communion is offered weekly at their 8am and 9:30am mass times. Mass is followed by coffee and conversation. Trinity Episcopal Parish has a facebook page at and also hosts a preschool. The pre-school website can be found at the following link:
www.preschoolstoughton.com
Built in 1914, Christ Church Parish serves the towns of Plymouth, Carver and Kingston. The Episcopal church is known for its many beautiful stained glass windows.
Founded in 1645, North Parish is the oldest church in town. It's a Universalist Unitarian church with a congregation of 500 that hosts various community events and educational programs for people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Rev. Christopher L. Dodge leads weekly services at 10am on Sundays. Ongoing church activities include a health ministry, religious education (communion and confirmation classes), a senior and a youth choir and community service activities that take place throughout the year.
