The First Parish Blog

First Parish Affirms Vaccine Science & the Dignity of All Minds and All Bodies

from Rev. Catie Scudera and John Newhall

At First Parish in Needham, we covenant to love, encourage, comfort, and support one another as we live our beliefs through action and care for our world. Our Unitarian Universalist Values include respecting the dignity of every person and the scientific process. We live out these shared values in many ways, including engaging in climate and human rights activism; offering lifespan learning opportunities; partnering with our neighbors in both secular and interfaith justice and charitable work; and, lifting up our cares and concerns from around the world on Sunday mornings.

Following discriminatory and objectively false statements from powerful governmental officials, including the President of the United States and the Secretary of Health & Human Services, we (Rev. Catie Scudera and John Newhall) want to emphasize First Parish’s values and practices regarding vaccination and the diversity of human minds and bodies.

First and foremost: you are welcome at First Parish, and we affirm your inherent worth and dignity — whoever you are, whoever you love, wherever you’re from, whatever your age or stage, whatever your background or ability.

First Parish strongly encourages its members and friends to protect themselves and others through vaccinations and boosters, which have saved untold numbers of lives in the past 200 years. Our congregation also protects the physical health of our community members through other scientifically-valid methods to reduce the spread of communicable diseases: offering online and outdoor gatherings; respecting mask-wearing; and, ensuring that the air in our Sanctuary and program building rooms is effectively ventilated and/or filtered. Our Unitarian Universalist faith celebrates breakthroughs in medical science and unfolding scientific knowledge — and we denounce rhetoric and policies that discourage and restrict vaccine access.

First Parish affirms the scientific and medical consensus that there is no established “cause” of autism — and that, regardless, autistic people are inherently worthy and are not a “problem to be solved.” Our communities are enriched by diversity in minds and bodies, and we offer support to all those who face discrimination and difficulties due to mental and physical health conditions. We advocate for universal healthcare so every person can access medically- and psychologically-sound care and therapy. Our Unitarian Universalist faith celebrates neurodiversity and body diversity — we denounce rhetoric and policies that demonize and seek to “eliminate” such diversity.

You can find UU resources on these topics from our national denomination (for vaccines, neurodiversity, and fat liberation), EqUUal Access, and UU Fat Liberation. We also recommend secular advocacy and support organizations like the American Public Health Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Autism Self Advocacy Network, the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, and the Mass Behavioral Health HelpLine (833-773-2445). Below, Rev. Catie also offers a list of children’s picture books (available at local libraries and local bookstores) that affirm medical science and neuro- and body diversity.