A Service in Celebration of the Life of Sandra Joseph.

This Saturday, Decemeber 15th, 2018 at noon in the Meetinghouse.

Reception to follow in the Parish Hall.

This Week in Worship

Sunday, December 16th, 2018Worship at 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse”Welcome Yule”

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

The swirl of the holidays is in full swing, as is the swirl of emotions.   Our congregation is directly experiencing, with the death of Sandra Joseph, wife and mother of the Johnson Joseph family,  what many experience during the holidays: a heightened sense of grief and loss in many forms.  Family and church gatherings, holiday volunteerism, and office parties provide not only a focus on the holidays, but an opportunity to be with one another. 

Amidst the natural flow of change in our lives we have the ability to inspire courage and kindness, trust and connection.  These are ever with us to celebrate the whole of life in our ways and walking.  In times when days are shorter, we especially need one another to recognize each other, to hear each other, to sup together.  It may seem more like an obligation to some, yet it is a gift of shared being that we offer.  That gift of being strengthens us, inspirits us, enfolds us.

So reach out when you can and ask for help when you need.  See the light in each other, especially through difficult times.  Fear not, we have all we need to live with full heart and vibrant hope.

Blessings and gratitude for you, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Nursery care will be available from 10:15 to 11:45 am in the Link hallway for infants and toddlers up to age 3.

On Sunday, December 16, all children from preschool through grade 8 will begin in the Meetinghouse and then move to the downstairs Activity Room for a Christmas Eve pageant rehearsal. We will be practicing the pageant action and music. Children who will not be participating in the pageant can help out by creating props for the performance.

Our Whole Lives Program (Grades 8 and 9, parental permission required): The Our Whole Lives class is on holiday break. Next class will be on January 6th.

Register your child or youth! The Religious Exploration Committee requests all families to register your child or youth before attending classes. Please use this link to our online form: RE Registration Form (or paper registration forms are available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway).

YAC Yaking for December 16th, 2018

Youth Chat, 10:30am-11:30am

We will be talking about social action and the way it plays into different faiths, including our own!

Parent Youth Meeting, 12pm-1:30pm, Children’s Church

All youth and parents are invited to attend this meeting to talk about the remainder of the youth calendar for this church year. Please bring your own calendars!

MUSIC THIS WEEK

This week the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing “When Darkness Nears” by David Hurd and “Strike Up Your Instruments of Joy”, a piece by John Edmunds and Brian Holmes, as performed and recorded by The Revels.

Grace Allendorf will also be offering a energetic solo arranged by Mark Hayes, “Make a Joyful Noise”. 

Events, News and Announcements

Join us for Christmas Eve Services! December 24th, 2018 in the Meetinghouse 5pm Service- Pageant, Carols & Candlelight 10pm Service- Choral Music, Reflections & Candlelight

Holiday Gift Card Donations for Milton Families in Need  

My Brother’s Keeper and the Milton Residents Fund are partnering in order to ensure all Milton families in need of holiday gifts for their children can get them. Those who would like to support our program during the holidays can donate gift cards – Target, grocery store or others. We have found that gift cards collected at the holidays have been a huge help to families struggling throughout the year.

Gift card donations can be put in the grey box outside of the church office.  Please label the envelope: Holiday Gift Program. Contact Noreen Kearney Dolan, LCSW for more information.  Email: miltonresidentsfund@gmail.com

Courageous Conversations is a monthly series of dialogue-centered programs on racism and privilege designed to address racial healing and justice in our town. Each month the Courageous Conversations leadership team in partnership with the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association brings together a diverse group of people representing a wide array of life experiences, circumstances, and choices. All events are open to the public—anyone can attend a meeting whether or not they have attended in the past.

Tuesday, January 1st, 2019, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Church of Our Saviour, 453 Adams St, Milton. New Year Drumming Circle.

You are invited to join the New Year Drumming Circle. There will be a potluck meal.

 Monday, January 21st, 2019 from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM, Concord Baptist Church, 180 Blue Hill Avenue, Milton. Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

Milton Interfaith Clergy Association invites you to participate in the Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

MainSpring in Brockton

We are thrilled to report that we have a great team of volunteers for our Mainspring dinner on Dec 16!  

We are looking for volunteers to cook and serve at Mainspring on Sunday, January 13. If you are interested, please stop by the Social Action table at coffee hour and signup!!

Snow Closing Information

Winter is coming. Just a few reminders about how First Parish handles Sunday worship and weekeday office closings. On Sundays, we will make a snow closing decision by 8 a.m. Look for cancellations in several places:-First Parish Milton Website-First Parish Milton UU Facebook page

-Channel 5/WCVB television & website

If the Milton Public Schools close for snow, so does the First Parish office. 

If you don’t see cancellation information, we are open.

Effective 12/19/18, Wednesday Evening Service of Centerting is cancelled until further notice.

Susan DeMinico, our office manager, will be on vacation from Wednesday, December 12th until Tuesday, December 18th. If anything urgent is needed, please contact admin assistant Megan Benders at office@fpmilton.org