Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 5/30/2019

Weekly Link 5/23/2019

This Week in Worship

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Worship at 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

“Trust in the Universe”

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

minister@fpmilton.org

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”

– Carl Sagan.

I love this quote: it both puts us humans in our humble place and encourages awe.

We are free and responsible creatures, given the honor and challenge to nurture, respect and cultivate the inherent dignity of creation’s gesture that is our life. To do less undervalues life itself.  To do less short changes creation.  For we are, as UU minister Tom Owen-Towle once pointed out, “offspring of the Cosmos”.

One of the most profound messages, as important as Copernicus’ claim that the sun and not earth is the center of our solar system, is that we humans are not the center of the universe.  We are a part of an intricate miracle of life systems that we must mutually care for in order to thrive.  We have been blessed with the ability to be aware of our existence, to interact and respond to this miracle.  But the only way we will survive is through the power of connectedness and respect for the interdependent web of all existence.

May we ever seek ways to engage our interdependence in a way that cares for this earth, our home.  May we be ever mindful of the choices we make to honor the blessed invitation of the Cosmos to be alive in this vast swirl of being.

This I pray.  Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

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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, June 2, all children from preschool through grade 8 will begin in the Meetinghouse and then move to the Children’s Church for a worship service celebrating the approaching season of summer with all its warmth, growth and fun.

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

10:00am – 11:30am Youth Chat: Arrive early and settle in with a hot beverage before the formal programming begins at 10:30. Next year’s 9th graders are invited to join the group for Youth Chat and the family picnic afterwards.

Community Activity Time (CAT): Youth and family picnic and informational meeting on Sunday, June 2 from noon to 2:30 pm. See family email for more details on location and menu plans.

MUSIC THIS WEEK

This week the choir will be singing “The Blue Green Hills of Earth” from EARTH MASS, by Kim Oler and Paul Halley. You will also hear a duet with Jennifer Sgroe and Grace Allendorf with violin obbligato, “The World is Full of Poetry” by David L. Brunner.

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Join us this Sunday after worship in the Parish Hall for our Monthly Potluck!

The Worship and Hospitality Committees are now asking for volunteers to support our Sundays for next year. Known as “Choose or be Chosen”, this is an important part of our Sunday worship and social hour, insuring that there are flowers up front, ushers at the door, and coffee, tea and sustenance after the service. Many members think that they are being flexible and helpful if they don’t sign up and wait to be assigned a date, but not only does this significantly increase the work load on the Worship Committee and Hospitality Committee as they try to assemble volunteers for next year, it also brings about comments like this one: “I would never have agreed to X weekend because we have standing plans to go away on that date.” If you pick your dates yourself, this can be avoided. So please, sign up for Flowers, Ushering and Hospitality to continue supporting our welcoming and beautiful Sunday Services and Social Hour.  If you have a child who would like to light the chalice and ring the bell, please sign them up as well.

If you are not receiving your email updates from signup genius, perhaps, we need an updated email address for you in that program.  If you think there is a problem, please let Mallory Digges (madigges@gmail.com) know. Many thanks!

Summer is coming! And that means lay-led summer services at 9:30 am in The Children’s Church. Is there some aspect of your spiritual journey that you have wanted to share with the congregation? Is there some part of your social action work that you would like to present to others? This is your chance!  Please email Mallory Digges (maldigges@gmail.com) if you have interest in leading a service. 

INQUIRY: WOULD YOU ENGAGE IN THIS OFFERING?

If there’s enough interest, we will find a schedule together.  contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org

SPIRITUAL JOURNALING GROUP

There are many paths that awaken the heart.

What helps in the journey is finding words to guide or companion you along the way.  These words are in you.

This will be an offering for two hours, once a month: we’ll start with each session standing on its own, so that it is open to drop in’s to try out this practice.

We will approach writing in freestyle, with occasional suggested forms, using prompts through words, meditations or sensory witness (walks, e.g.) 

OUR ANNUAL FLOWER COMMUNION IS JUNE 9th

We invite you to bring a flower to worship 

The Flower Communion is a traditional UU ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.

Originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek of Prague, Czechoslovakia, the Flower Ceremony was introduced to the United States by Rev. Maya Capek, Norbert’s widow.

In this ceremony, we bless the flowers brought in by the community and then choose a flower to take home.

Church Picnic

Join us in the courtyard after the morning service on June 9 to enjoy our annual end-of-year picnic! Freshly grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and vegetarian burgers will be served. Also, delicious sides, salads and beverages. Rain or shine. All food is provided, however, you may contribute a dish to pass if you wish. Courtesy of the Membership Committee, with grilling by the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

First Parish Members – It has been many years since we have updated our directory and if you have been wanting a resource that can help you contact members, take heart:  a new First Parish Member Directory is coming!

The Membership Committee is taking on this organizational task: working with Lifetouch, scheduling portraits and distributing the final products. More information on scheduling and procedure will come soon.

Our photography dates are as follows: 

Tuesday, August 6th (good time for families with youth going out of town in the fall)

Friday, September 13

Saturday, September 14

We are aiming for 100% participation.  There is NO COST to participate and everyone who does will receive one free 8 x 10 portrait. You will have the opportunity to purchase more family portraits if you choose.

Let me know what questions you have. Thanks, in advance.

-Leslie ( lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com)

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THEOLOGY ON TAP*

Wednesday, June 5th, 6:30-8:30

Come gather with Rev. Lisa at the PRIME PIZZA Restaurant

88 Wharf Street in Lower Mills
to enjoy a beverage and explore issues of faith and spirituality. We will
start with a prompt to get the conversation going and let it flow from there. The first round of drinks is paid for, after that food and refills is up to the individual. We’d like to get an idea of numbers, so rsvp to office@fpmilton.org by June 4th at noon.

*(*In 1981 an idea sparked to hold planned theological discussions in bars
or restaurants, inviting all to join in on a conversation about faith or
spirituality in a different, casual location. Begun by Father John Cusack
and Father Jack Wall, the tradition has now spread to many denominations.)

Green Gleans

First Parish folk, “Do You Know Your Home’s MPG?”  Join Sustainable Milton and local architect Henry P. MacLean next Wednesday evening, June 5, 7-8:30 p.m. at Milton Public Library (downstairs auditorium) for another timely Green Homes Conversation.  This is part 2 of a year-long series inspired by climate urgency, with two more topics scheduled in the fall.  Through informal Q+A, participants will learn how to enhance their home investment AND help our towns move towards a net-zero energy future.  Admission is free, accessible, and welcoming.  Please come, engage, learn, and be inspired! 

First Parish Yard Sale

Saturday, June 22nd, 9 am – 1pm

BRING US your gently used furniture, sporting equipment, toys, clothes, books, lawn and garden items, “boutique” clothes, household goods, bicycles, and more…you can declutter and help us raise funds!!

DONATION DROP-OFFS JUNE 1- JUNE 15:

  • Saturday, June 1st, 9am-12pm
  • Sunday, June 2nd 9:30-10:15am
  • Sunday, June 2nd, 11:30am-1pm
  • Saturday, June 8th, 9am-12pm
  • Sunday, June 9th. 9:30am-10:15am
  • Sunday, June 9th, 11:30am-1pm
  • Tuesday, June 11th- 9am-11pm
  • Thursday, June 13th, 4-7pm
  • Friday, June 14th, 9am-11am
  • Saturday, June 15th, 9am-12pm

WHERE:  Drop off your items at the First Parish activities room (basement level) –  use the side door near the carriage house parking lot.                        

If these times don’t work for you, email Jen Pinkus (jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com) to arrange an alternate drop-off time.  We can also arrange to pick up your items!

Please note:  we cannot accept donations of mattresses, bed linens, TVs, cribs, stuffed animals, car seats, underwear, bathing suits, t-shirts, electronics (unless new) and moldy books.  Please help our volunteers – make sure your items are clean and in working order.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to staff the drop-off times. If you can help, even for a couple of hours, contact Anita Penta (anita.penta@gmail.com).

For more info about the yard sale and volunteer opportunities, email Jennifer Pinkus at jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com