First Parish in Framingham Goes Solar

First Parish in Framingham is the first of four religious institutions in town installing solar panels, the others being United Church of Christ Conference Center, Edwards Church and the Lutheran Church of Framingham.

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Framingham is converting to solar power. SunBug Solar Company installed 84 high efficiency solar panels on the roof of the church's Parish House at 24 Vernon St. the last week fo February. The panels will provide 75 percent of the electric power required for the church's Parish House and Meeting House. The panels, manufactured by the SunPower Corporation, are mainly constructed in the United States. They are 20% efficient in the conversion of the sun's energy into electricity and are the most efficient panels on the market today, with an estimated 30 year useful life. The solar panels installation is part of a faith commitment to reduce the energy consumption of the church with an ultimate goal…

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Photo of the Day

Winter Farmers Market Discovery

Thursday was the opening of Framingham's first Winter Farmers Market at First Parish Church hall.

Thursday was the opening of Framingham's first Winter Farmers Market at First Parish Church hall. Students from the preschool downstairs took the opportunity to explore and discover new things. Pictured is Framingham Centre Nursery School student Sadie Olin, 4, checking out a live lobster, which she told the other preschoolers was not scary to touch as his claws were taped. Shoppers were picking up fresh fish - haddock and cod were sold out by 1 p.m. - bread, scones, jams, jellies, vegetables and holiday greens and wreaths. The winter farmers market, managed by Jackie Meninno, will be open the first Thursday monthly at the church's hall.

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'Barely Aging' Exhibit Opens Today at Amazing Things

Amazing Things Arts Center will host a reception today from 2-4 p.m. in honor of the opening of Lynne Damianos 'Barely Aging' photography exhibit; some of the models will be in attendance.

Lynne Damianos didn't photograph the typical calendar guys and gals. Her 24 photos of senior men and women, which were first featured in calendars at First Parish of Framingham, will open as an exhibit at Amazing Things Arts Center today, Nov. 5. There is a reception today from 2 to 4 p.m. Some of the models will be at the reception, too. The photo exhibit runs through Nov. 15.

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VIDEO: Pies, Crafts, Pies, Jewelry, Pies, Kids Activities and More Pies

First Parish in Framingham held its 21st Annual Pies on the Common this weekend. There were lots of pies, crafters and vendors.

First Parish in Framingham held its 21st Annual Pies on the Common this weekend. There were lots of pies, crafters, vendors and of course more pies.

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Men From First Parish Bare Almost All For Calendar

A group of men from the First Parish Church stripped away their clothes for a calendar shoot. The men showed off skin to raise money for their church.

Framingham Comedy Fundraiser for Team Hoyt

Father-son duo Dick and Rick are racers, triathletes and Boston Marathoners since '81. Inspiring pair created team who race for youngsters with disabilities.

Dennis Charles has raced in triathlons with Dick and Rick Hoyt, the Wayland father-son team who have particpated in the Boston Marathon since 1981. As a result of oxygen deprivation to his brain at the time of his birth in 1962, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. Doctors told Dick and Judy Hoyt to institutionalize Rick. But the Hoyts were determined that Rick would lead as normal a life as possible. That hasn't happened. Rick, and his dad Dick, are internationally renowned and have competed in more than 1,000 races. Dick pushes Rick in a wheelchair, and tows him in a boat or behind a bike in triathlons and duathlons. Besides their personal success, the Hoyts have used the publicity surrounding their racing to…

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Dennis Charles

7:56 pm on Saturday, March 19, 2011

Thanks for the great write up! It was a pleasure meeting you last night. To find out more about the Hoyts and their foundation (and to make a donation! ;) ) visit www.firstgiving.com/dennischarles Dennis Charles   more ›

Laptop Stolen From Church Preschool

Framingham Center Nursery School is hoping someone will donate a Netbook to replace the one stolen from its location in the basement of First Parish church. Someone broke into both First Parish and St. Andrew's Church this month.

Monday afternoons at Framingham Centre Nursery School preschoolers wait patiently for their turn to use the laptops and netbooks during a new computer enrichment program. Today, they had to wait even longer because one of the four laptop computers/netbooks used by the preschoolers was stolen, earlier this month, when someone broke into the basement of First Parish in Framingham church, where the school is located. The school had recently started the computer program for preschools in the extended day program, at no additional charge to families.  The little ones, ages 3-5, would log onto www.Starfall.com and learn how to use a mouse, play alphabet learning games, and more, explained Jacey Norton, the nursery school's manager. Fortunately, …

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'Laramie Project' Keeps Demonstrating Its Power

Last night's community forum on the high-school production offered unexpected insights on bullying, tolerance, stereotypes and how the play has changed Framingham.

In the hope that the Framingham High School Drama Company's production of The Laramie Project echoes long and loud, about 60 people added an encore to the play's Saturday finale at the First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church in Framingham Tuesday night. The Rev. Kathleen Hepler, who performed in the play as a Unitarian minister, a role she knows inside-out, hosted cast members, students and town residents for a discussion of stereotypes, religion and change. Cast members reprised key scenes from the play, a fact-based account of the aftermath of the torture and murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, in 1998. The night's theme – acceptance of people's differences – took unexpected turns several times. …

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Theatre Performances Inspiring Community Forums

After the curtains have closed on "The Laramie Project," First Parish Church and the Framingham High Drama Company will host a forum the following week, where the community can come together and talk about this issue.

Because of the sensitive issues addressed in "The Laramie Project," Framingham High is making efforts to support the students in a variety of ways. To help the student actors, artistic director of the Framingham High Drama Company Donna Wresinski and her assistant artistic director, Stephanie Henry, decided to include adult members of the community as part of the cast. "I liked the idea of including the community so the students wouldn't have to face the controversy on their own,'' said Henry. "When we are at rehearsal, we are very focused, we are working on the play, and that's important for the kids to understand. We are working artistically and with integrity.'' One student actor, Danielle Solomon, a 15-year-old sophomore at …

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