What's Happening at First Universalist Church of Rochester, NY
Find out what's going on and join us for one of our upcoming events.
Weather & Emergency Updates on this week's service will be posted here:
We’re thrilled to share that the elevator in our building has been fully repaired and is now back in working order!
Upcoming Services
Sunday Service:
No One Stands Alone
1/18/26 at 10:30am
As we celebrate the bold life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let us remember that he was not a lone hero but the representative of an entire movement, spanning nations and generations. Power, when it moves toward justice, is broad and diverse.
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Speaker(s): Rev. Eileen Casey-Campbell (she/her)
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This will be a hybrid service, with the in-person portion being held in the sanctuary of First Universalist, and the virtual portion being held on Zoom.​
Other Upcoming Events
January 18, 2026
Monthly Open Connection Circle
Looking to have deeper conversations about our faith? Want to connect with other congregants about spirituality? Or maybe you want to discuss the sermons and seasonal themes in more depth?
Starting Sunday, January 18, we will be launching a new drop-in connection circle. Every third Sunday at noon (following church service), join us in the Chalice Room (2nd floor) for this new open group series on dedicated spiritual topics and themes.
Open to all, attend when you can!
January 20, 2026
Drop-In Discussion:
Open Topic
This week, you have the choice of attending the inaugural onsite ‘Dinner Church’ service in person (details forthcoming from the Church) or you can gather with us in our Zoom drop-in room to discuss whatever issues or topics are on our minds. It’s your choice. John Lukes will moderate our Zoom discussion. ​
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​Drop-in Discussions meet via Zoom Tuesday nights from 6:30-7:30pm.
Fall 2025
Eastman at Washington Square - Spring 2026
The Eastman Community Music School is proud to present free weekly concerts featuring artists from the Eastman School of Music and ECMS. Faculty and Student Performances from both schools offer an excellent opportunity to hear some of the best musicians that Rochester has to offer and all performances are absolutely free!
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Concerts begin around 12:15pm, and run until 12:45 to 1pm. We hope to see you there!
January 8
Spanish & French Renaissance Guitar Music
In a historically oriented performance played on a replica historical instrument presenting the earliest printed guitar music ever published, Pedro Sperb brings to modern audiences the first original Spanish and French Renaissance guitar music ever written specifically for the instrument.​​
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January 15
She Plucks Her Pen
Harpist Sunshine Quan presents solo harp works by female harpist-composers Pearl Chertok, Sophia Dussek, Caroline Lizotte, and Ekaterina Walter-Kuhne.
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January 22
Janus Trio
The Janus Trio is named after the Roman God depicted with two faces – one looking backwards and one looking forwards. In that vein, Logan Wadley, tuba and serpent, Benjamin Kim, trumpet and baroque trumpet, and Ethan Pound, trombone and sackbut, will bring to life both archaic and new music for brass chamber ensemble.
January 29
Piano Extravaganza
The students from the studio of Professor Alan Chow will dazzle you with piano masterpieces.
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February 5
Korean and Taiwanese Art Song
Join us for a celebration of the Lunar New Year of 2026! We’ll be featuring beautiful Korean and Taiwanese art songs performed by soprano Joanna Hyunji Kim and Yu Jen Tsai, with Samuel Ka-Ming Leung at the piano.
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February 12
All American
Soprano Tyler Cassidy-Heacock and composer/pianist Daniel Pesca will present a program of vocal music by American composers using texts from American writers.
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February 19
Music for Violin and Piano
David Bowlin, violin, and Tony Cho, piano, perform William Grant Still’s Pastorela and Sonata for Violin and Piano by Francis Poulenc.
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February 26
“A Woman’s Hand”
Lynn McGrath performs a program that highlights charming works of the 20th century by women guitarist-composers María Luisa Anido, Ida Presti, and Louise Walker.
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March 5
The Sound of Low Brass
Enjoy the magnificent sound of ESM Trombone Choir directed by Larry Zalkind and Mark Kellogg.
January 18, 2026
January Social Justice Plate Offering: Foodlink
Our January Social Justice Plate Offering is designated for Foodlink.
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"We believe that the fight against hunger and the fight against poverty are one and the same. We envision a future in which food is recognized as a human right and every person is able to feed themselves and their families in dignity."​
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​Foodlink has a 46-year history of mobilizing a diverse network of community partners to address both the symptoms and root causes of food insecurity throughout the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region of New York. They advocate for equity and creating healthy futures for every community they serve. In light of recent challenges with Federal funding, your generosity is needed now more than ever.
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Please contribute to support this important work. For more info, visit their website, foodlinkny.org/.
February 1, 2026
Save the Date: Annual Service Auction!
Do you have your 2026 calendar yet? And have you marked Sunday, February 1 as a special day?
Our Annual Service Auction will be held in the Clara Barton lounge after our worship service. Mark the date and be sure to participate! More info to come!
March 29, 2026
Book Club is BACK!
The Book Club is BACK! We will be discussing the UUA Annual Read, "Social Change Now!". This book is available for rent in our library, or purchase at inSpirit: uuabookstore.org.
Even if you haven't read the book, you are welcome to attend and learn about this practical guide and the lessons within for us all. We hope you can join us: 3/29 at noon (after church service) in the Chalice Room (Rm. 23).
January 20, 5-8pm, 2026
Dinner Church
Join us in the Clara Barton Lounge for a new and different way of worshipping! Come at 5:30pm to help prepare food and set up or gather at 6pm for dinner, stories, songs, and meditation.
This is a service for all ages; children and their noises are welcome. Please feel encouraged to bring a friend.
April 5, 2026
Rochester Theater Organ Open Listening Session
Members of the Rochester Theater Organ Society will practice their favorite pieces on our Hope-Jones organ—just for fun! Usually performing on the Wurlitzer at the Rochester Museum & Science Center (currently under renovation), they’ll be playing at First Universalist instead.
Bring your family and friends! Drop in anytime to listen, chat with organists, and enjoy this free event.
TBA
UU & You
Are you interested in learning more about our faith?
Our minister, Rev. Eileen, and our Congregational Life Coordinator, Justin Wilson, will be leading a UU & You session after the service on Sunday 10/19/25 in the Chalice Room.
This brief discussion is designed for visitors or newcomers who are looking for a general introduction to help decide if First Universalist Church would be a good match for them.