This Week in Worship

10:30 a.m. in the Meetinghouse
Sunday, February 19, 2017

This month’s theme: Justice

Message from Rev. Lisa

I have had the pleasure of attending two stewardship gatherings and find the discussions valuable on so many levels. It’s a privilege to hear how congregants see how First Parish enhances their lives and that of the larger community. It’s fascinating to hear the stories of the Parish, both near and far, that have made an impression and ground our gatherings. Most of all, I have heard potential articulated and demonstrated in how we are with one another. I have heard compelling visions for the strength and gift of our faith community. There is much we can do together. These stewardship discussions help focus on the abundance of our resources to find the way toward supporting the living of our values. We teach other when we share our stories, and our longings, and our affirmations.

I will be on vacation next week, having another opportunity to visit my mother in Asheville, North Carolina. I am sorry to miss next week’s stewardship conversations. They really are worthwhile and such a good way to deepen of knowledge of one another and shape our future.

Blessings Be,
Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse
Director of Religious Education

What’s happening in religious exploration this weekend?

• Nursery care will be available from 9:00 am to noon for infants and toddlers.
• On February 19 preschool children through grade 12 will attend the full multigenerational worship service in the Meetinghouse.
• Nursery care will be available during the service for infants and toddlers.
• Our Whole Lives class does not meet this weekend. The next Our Whole Lives class will be on Friday, March 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
• Youth Chat and Youth Group do not meet this weekend.

News and Announcements

The Third Sunday Collection

(February 19)

This month’s Third Sunday Collection will be for the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), which operates from a 117,000-square-foot Yawkey Distribution Center in South Boston.

“The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) was founded with a bold and compassionate vision to end hunger here to create a hunger-free Eastern Massachusetts within its 190 cities and towns.

GBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. Last year, we distributed 57.7 million pounds of nutritious food to people who struggle to have enough to eat. We are committed to increasing our food distribution to provide at least one meal a day to every person in need in Eastern Massachusetts while supporting healthy lives and healthy communities. Our progress toward this goal is documented by town on our interactive map.” – From their website.

SING FOR THEIR SUPPER RETURNS ON FEBRUARY 26TH

On Sunday afternoon, Februrary 26th at 3pm Milton Community Concerts presents the third annual “Sing For Their Supper”, a free benefit concert featuring ten outstanding opera singers from the Greater Boston community.

All proceeds raised through a free-will offering will go to support the Milton Food Pantry and the Milton Residents Fund. All singers are donating their time and talents for this event, which will feature favorites from opera, musical theater, and the Great American Songbook. Singers featured have sung at the Metropolitan Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and at Carnegie Hall.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to hear some amazing music right here in Milton and support two important local charities!

SAVE THE DATE!

Cafe Blue Hills is returning!

Save Saturday, March 4 evening for a swingin’, rockin’, groovin’ evening of music and good times in our very own Parish Hall!

Enjoy delicious desserts and the company of good friends. If you would like to perform yourself, or know someone who does, please contact Dianna Wilson. If you would like to contribute a dessert, non-alcoholic beverage or a decor item, let Deb Larson-Venable know..

Proceeds will be given to a worthy cause.

CHOCOLATE AUCTION GREAT SUCCCESS

Many thanks to all who participated in this year’s Chocolate Auction – those who brought in the fabulous items we bid on, those who got into the spirit of the bidding, the dedicated bidders who stayed to the bitter end, the really helpful Youth Group volunteers who helped set up chairs, and all who helped clean up. As always, a true group effort. A fun time was had by all, and we raised a whopping over $1700 to support the work of our friends at Fair Foods Inc. in Dorchester! (Check out their website at http://www.fairfoods.org/ and volunteer to work with them through our Social Action Team.)

Your humble Auctioneer,

Chris Pitt

Live Our Values, Give Our Values Stewardship News

Each week we will have a Faith in Action commentary from our various committees in The Link and Sunday Announcements leading up to Commitment Sunday, March 12.

Faith in Action

Building and Grounds Committee

The mission of our committee is to preserve, protect, maintain and improve our campus. This is a challenge given the age of the building and the funding that is available. There are all the regular jobs to do, cleaning, plowing, and general items to be maintained. In recent year we have been doing upgrades in a variety of areas. The biggest project, sometime ago was repairing the steeple and the foundation of the main church. Like many large projects more damage was found when we opened up the walls. The structure was reinforced and the main sill across the front had to be replaced. We have 2 handicapped bathrooms and handicap seating in the Big church. The area in front of the altar was enlarged and made accessible. The floors were redone and carpet replaced in the aisles .The sound system has continually been upgraded. We have replaced the stoves with more user friendly and less costly models. We have had energy audits that led to putting insulation throughout the Parish Hall and replacing most of the light fixtures with energy efficient ones. A new energy efficient furnace replaced the old boilers. Repairs have been made to the Children’s Church too. We have replaced exterior doors with more fire safe and heat efficient models on the main church and in 3 places in the Parish Hall. We have worked with the music committee to have the organ box fixed so we can continue to enjoy its beautiful music. With all this going on we try to keep a sense of humor about our regular disasters. This week an ice dam caused the window in the Men’s room to leak……Come and join us for the ongoing saga of CHURCH CHALLENGES……

Beth Gray-Nix
Co-chair Building & Grounds

Sign Up for a Stewardship Conversation

Please go to the link below to sign up for a gathering . We have scheduled them at a variety of times and on a variety of days with the hope that one of them will work for you.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8TcEUTaZofaT0tWB6jy427feA5d71MzUAIyDGbufYV8gn-Q/viewform

Choose from the following dates: (If you signed up via paper, please also sign up electronically)

• Tuesday, February 21, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Mark and Patricia Ostrem’s house. Light refreshments will be served.
• Friday, February 24, 12-1:30 pm, Tracey Robinson’s house. Lunch will be provided.
• Sunday, February 26, 12:00pm, Chase Parlor. Child care provided.
• Tuesday, February 28, 7:00-8:30 pm, Jeff Stoodt’s and Lisa White’s house. Dessert and beverages will be served.
• Wednesday, March 1, 10:00 – 11:30 am, Moustafa and Debbie Alsebai’s home
• Thursday, March 2, 7:30 – 9:00 pm, Bebe Williamson’s home

Check out the Social Action Flyer on the Information Tables in the Parish Hall and Stebbins Parlor. Most Sundays, the Social Action Committee will also have information available on their table during social hour.

Join for our next volunteer date taking place on Saturday March 11th. We meet at First Parish Milton at 10 am. Save the dates for April 8th and May 13th. Proceeds from our Chocolate Auction are being donated to Fair Foods, Inc. this year.

Volunteers from First Parish Milton needed make and serve meals to the clients at Father Bill’s on the following dates in 2017:

When: Saturdays Feb 25, March 25 and April 23

Please come to the SAC table at coffee hour for more details.

Courageous Conversations towards Racial Justice
(formerly known as Dialogue on Race)

Make up Date: Sunday, March 19, 2017

• Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Where: To Be Determined

Please contact Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net or call 617-696-1276

Kiki’s Corner

The office is closed on Monday, February 20, 2017 for President’s Day. Rev. Lisa is on vacation this coming week. Please call 617.216.2218 (my cell) in case of a pastoral emergency.

REMINDER THE LINK DEADLINE IS TUESDAYS
“Brevity Matters” – Peter Bowden, Social Media Guru and wise UU

Deadline for submissions is Tuesdays. You need to address email to both office@fpmilton.org and director@fpmilton.org to assure your announcement will be included in the weekly Link. Written announcements for the Sunday Order of Worship are derived from the announcements for The Link. Your submission may be edited due to space requirements.

We recommend and encourage that you submit no more than 1 – 2 paragraphs. We are in the age of social media where 140 characters is a maximum for some platforms. We also encourage submitting graphics or photos with your writen submission. We typically run announcements for 3 cycles.

Feel free to contact me if you want to plan out a general communications plan for your group or committee’s event.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook and get updates, poems, announcements and more. You’ll be glad you did!

EVERY SUNDAY

Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

THE SUNDAY PLANNER

Please consider volunteering for important Sunday worship positions like ushering, hosting social hour, providing flowers for worship, and lighting the chalice. Sign Up Here!

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

• Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

MINISTER OFFICE HOURS

• Tuesday – Thurday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

The Church office is closed on Fridays.