This Week in Worship

10:30 a.m. in the Meetinghouse – Sunday, March 5, 2017

This month’s theme: Compassion

Message from Rev. Lisa

As I was driving on my road trip down to North Carolina, I thought of the many gifts of First Parish Milton, a place I am only beginning to get to know. I received many good wishes for my trip to visit my mother, as you have a natural pastoral presence about you – caring about each other’s journey, knowing we share aspects of living and learning and having being. In a time when harsh language and hardened perspectives ever flood our cyber world and airwaves, the simple strength of an open heart steadies our days. It is important that we practice this together. I thought of our Third Sunday offerings and the testimonies that are given to honor a social action initiative as we reach out to the larger community. In a society that often defaults to a feeling of scarcity, the courage to reach beyond our own needs brings richness to the world about us. It is important that we encourage each other’s generosity. I even thought of our committee meetings (it was a long drive) and marveled at the care given to organize our ways and walking as a community. In a day and age when isolation and loneliness is rampant, finding the worth of each other is a teaching that can heal our world. It is important that we experience shared projects together. In pondering this week’s “Sermon on the Amount”, I am in the midst of a wealth of images that speak to your worth, your potential, your gifts to each other and the world. We simply need to be mindful of what we can be together and make it so.

Blessings Be,

Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse
Director of Religious Education

What’s happening in religious exploration this weekend?

• Our Whole Lives class will meet on Friday, March 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Activity Room downstairs.
• On March 5th nursery care will be available from 9:00 am to noon for infants and toddlers.
• Preschool children through grade 7 will attend the first part of the worship service in the Meetinghouse and then move to their classrooms. Please note that classes end at 11:40 am. Children will be walked over to join Social Hour in the Parish Hall at the end of class and need to be met there by a parent.
• Preschool through grade 1: Spirit Play in the Preschool classroom
• Grades 2 through 5: Spirited Adventure in the Activity Room
• Grades 6 and 7: Friends and Neighbors in the Primary classroom
• Grade 8: Invited to join Youth Chat this week

Youth Chat will meet from 10:30 to 11:30 am and Youth Group will meet from noon to approximately 1 pm. Both groups meet in the Youth room upstairs.

Save the date: There will be a multigenerational Passover Seder Interfaith Haggadah service on Friday, April 7 from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Parish Hall.

A Passover-style potluck dinner will take place during the service. All are welcome.

News and Announcements

As of this mailing, we have need for two ushers this Sunday. Please contact Leslie Macpherson Artinian at MacPherson Artinian.

SHARE THE VISION

The 1st All Church Council (ACC) of 2017 is Sunday March 12, from 12 noon 2:30 PM in the Parish Hall.

First Parish Milton is committed to the concept of Faith in Action and the ACC is an opportunity to see that in practice. Members of each standing committee will report on their activities, success, work to be done and dreams for the future.

Everyone and anyone with an interest in who we are, what we are doing, where we are going and sharing in the experience as we build our collective vision of the future is welcome to attend.

When: Saturday, March 4th from 7pm – 9pm in The Parish Hall!

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music. The Blue Hills of Milton, that is!

The First Parish of Milton (UU) is hosting a Coffee House/ Open Mic night event this Saturday night, March 4th, 2017 from 7 – 9 pm. Musicians are invited to come sing/play some tunes. On tap right now, is a band from the Newton/ Arlington townships, Count Backwards, and they will be playing some good Ole Rock’s Roll. Also scheduled to perform: Alicia Zipp, Ese Peters, and Cliff Oodle.

This is a resurrection of the Café Blue Hills begun over 10 years ago by some members of the congregation. We hope music lovers will come out and be or listen to the talent. Dessert and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.

• Suggested Donation: $10.00
• Family Rate: $20.00

All proceeds to benefit the Youth Group and their renovations to the Youth Room.

??Questions??:

• Music – please contact Dianna Wilson
• Food/Beverage/Decor – please contact Deb Larson-Venable.

The Caring Committee and the Youth Group are teaming up again to provide care packages to our young adults. This would include youth who are now in college, recently enrolled and serving in the armed forces, completing a year of community service like AmeriCorps, or off on their own just starting their first job.

There will be a signup at coffee hour or you can send the youth’s name, mailing information, and any dietary restrictions to Amanda Tobey or 508-579-5118.

Also, we would graciously receive monetary donations to offset the shipping costs and also let us know if you’d like to donate goods to create the care packages.

Share the vision!

Save the date: There will be a multigenerational Passover Seder Interfaith Haggadah service onFriday, April 7 from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Parish Hall.

A Passover-style potluck dinner will take place during
the service. All are welcome.

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

Amy Kavadlo and Jen Pinkus Co-Chairs

While the hospitality committee is a nuts and bolts committee, our true mission is to elevate the soul through shared experiences, bringing together the community and literally feeding it. We provide opportunities for our members to nurture each other, every Sunday at social hour, as well as at the Harvest Supper in the fall and the Annual Luncheon in May.

We make sure there are hosts to make coffee and serve refreshments as people mingle after the service. We keep the kitchen clean, in working order, and stocked with staples and supplies. Last summer, we worked with B&G and the Parish Committee to purchase and install 2 beautiful and safer new stoves. We also updated the hot water system to insure a better supply. And for fun, we worked with Membership to throw the 2nd annual “Return of the Harvest Supper” party last fall with plans to make it an ongoing part of the church year.

What we would do:

1. Put more emphasis on the annual luncheon, to encourage people to come and stay for the annual meeting. It’s an important event where people come together and commit to the church’s future.

2. We’d like to also host a spring event, not only to nurture ourselves, but also to reach out to the larger community both in and beyond Milton. There was a successful precedent several years ago with the joint pot luck with Template Shalom. We believe that could serve as a model for future events.

The hospitality committee would like to thank everyone at First Parish for all your contributions all year long.

Social Action

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.

Time: We meet at First Parish Milton at 10 am.

When: Save the dates for April 8th and May 13th too!

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

Next dates are 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: First Parish in Milton, Parish Hall (Same Place)

Please contact Debbie Alsebai or call 617-696-1276

Kiki’s Corner

Check out our information tables in the Stebbins Parlor and in the foyer of the Parish Hall. There is what we call our traditional newcomer information: First Parish brochure, yellow cards for visitors to get on our emailing list, and “We are the Unitarian Universalist” brochure (UUA). And for those who have been members for a while, we just restocked our Caring Committee Volunteer Form and Social Action has a one page information sheet on what opportunities there are to serve and participate in programs. It’s all good and at your fingertips. Please check it out.

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.