This Week in Worship

Sunday, March 17th, 2019

Worship at 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

“Influences from the Past”

Youth Service on March 17th

You don’t want to miss this offering, it is usually one of the highlights of the worship year! – Rev. Lisa

Our service this week will be led by our high school youth group members. Their theme is influences from the past, the legacies we have received both from our ancestors and from ideas. All the youth members contributed to the planning process, selecting hymns, readings, and reflection topics that explore various aspects of this rich and thought provoking theme. Hearing the youth speak their wisdom is a not to be missed opportunity to gain a window to their world.

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

This next week, starting on this Sunday, I will be attending a workshop at Kripalu, a retreat center in Western Massachusetts that was introduced to me by the First Parish community.  A center devoted to wellness, creativity and spiritual practice, it invites intentional exploration toward one’s truth within and agency of being.  The stillness moment in our worship is a brief reminder of the need for this kind of exploration, which can be done in many different ways.

 We’ve been talking about mission, as a community, and what it is we want to focus on in our being together.  What actions, what explorations, what contributions do we want to offer or work toward offering?  That discernment begins with one’s own self-understanding: what brings you joy, what opens your heart, what would you like to see in the world?  It grows from there: what do we learn together, what do we see because of each other, what can we create together?  And it finds its agency in our ways and walking:  what do we say with our lives, how do we fill our days, how do we open to the world?

We give each other this opportunity, this space for these explorations.  Thank you for all you do to bring First Parish in Milton to life.

Blessings, Rev. Lisa

Rev. Lisa will be on study leave from Saturday March 16th to Saturday March 23rd.

We’re getting busier!

Do you have an upcoming meeting or gathering and need to book a room at the church?

Contact our Church Calendar Keeper, Megan Benders, at office@fpmilton.org to reserve space.

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.

Religious Exploration for Sunday, March 17: Preschool children through grade 8 will attend the first part of the worship service in the Meetinghouse and then preschool to grade 2 children will move to their classroom. Please note that class end at 11:40 am.

Preschool through grade 2 will be enjoying the Spirit Play program in the Preschool classroom. This week’s story will be “Mother Mawu Wants Peace,” a story from the African tradition. Grades 3 through 8 will remain in the Meetinghouse for the full youth service.

Our Whole Lives Program: Does not meet this week. The next class will be on March 24.

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 

Youth are invited to the sleepover starting at 8pm on Saturday evening to rehearse and finalize the final bits of the youth led service this Sunday! Youth are asked to come having eaten dinner and are invited to bring any snacks to share for the evening. We are also requesting families bring an item to share for the social hour on Sunday. Sunday morning, all youth are invited to participate in the youth led service. Please come early to help out if you are unable to join us for Saturday night’s sleepover.

Every year I look forward to the church’s youth led service. I am so excited for this coming Sunday to share with all of you the incredible work that our youth have done in this youth service. I am lucky enough to have worked with the youth of this church for a number of years, and this year’s youth led service is truly something special. Centering on the theme of spirituality’s connection to our past, the youth have dug deep within themselves to really say something powerful. We often are so focused on teaching youth that we forget that they often have their own lessons to teach, and this service really showcases that. From amazing music to profound words, I hope you all come to this service to enjoy the amazing work these future leaders have put forth.

MUSIC THIS WEEK

Our talented high school youth will treat us to some wonderful music this Sunday during the Youth Service! Barron Clancy will play Allemande and Courante from 

Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. Rowan Leggett will sing “Who Am I?” and Anderson Korman will sing “The Bishop’s Song,” both from Les Miserérables composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg.

Events, News and Announcements

Thanks to all who participated in the Commitment Sunday celebration – it was a joyous occasion on many levels!

If you were unable to attend or submit your pledge earlier, you can still drop your pledge form off (THIS WEEK please) in the gray box next to the Office door.  That will save your Stewardship Team a follow up call. Thanks again for all your support!

Fifth annual “Sing For Their Supper”

On Saturday, March 16th at 7pm Milton Community Concerts presents the fifth annual “Sing For Their Supper” free benefit concert. It will take place at First Parish of Milton, 535 Canton Avenue. Ten local opera singers will be performing a variety of songs, arias, and musical theater selections to raise money for the Milton Food Pantry and the Milton Residents Fund.

Admission is free; an offering will be taken. (Snow date is March 23).

https://www.miltoncommunityconcerts.com/

Join the First Parish CUUPS as we welcome Spring!

Ostara, the Vernal Equinox, represents the first day of Spring.  This is the time of balance between the hours of daylight and darkness as

Mother Earth awakens from Her long winter’s sleep and life springs forth from death.  It is a time of new beginnings, seeds, and paths.

Celebrate a renewed sense of energy and focus with thoughts of warm days and bright flowers.  We’ll honor the end of Winter, rejoice in the arrival of Spring, and plant the hopes of the new season.

Sunday, March 24

2:00-4:00pm

Parish Hall

Pot Luck social hour to follow.

Dr. Anne-Marie Barron, of the First Parish community,  has just received the Living Legend Nursing Award.  This award recognizes a nurse who has made significant lifetime contributions to the profession of nursing on a state, national or international level.

Dr. Barron has spent her long and highly distinguished career as an advanced practice nurse, educator, academic leader, and scientist committed to elevating the role of the nurse in providing compassionate care. She has done so by combining an active clinical practice in psychiatric nursing and oncology with academic leadership. Her teaching, practice, leadership and consultation have influenced nursing practice and education regionally, nationally, and internationally. Her significant contributions to the profession of nursing have been in illuminating the power of nursing to transform suffering and promote healing. Dr. Barron’s impact is extensive and occurs in the classroom, her clinical practice, and in consultation in Bangladesh.

  Thank you, Anne-Marie for all you do, and congratulations!

First Parish has a Podcast!

With many, many thanks to the talents of Eric Miller

You can now listen to each week’s sermons via podcast! Podcasts will typically be made available within 48 hours of the service.  We will have podcasts available to download on both ITunes and Google Play!

To subscribe to the First Parish podcasts on Apple devices, open the iTunes Store, click the Search button at the bottom of the app and type in “fpmilton” and tap “Search”. (This search should get you only one listing.)You will see available episodes as well as the Podcast itself, to subscribe to get every new Sermon, tap the bigger image instead of the episode and it will take you to the Apple Podcast app and you then click “Subscribe”.

To get the First Parish Podcast on your Android device, launch Google Play Music (you may need to download this app) and type “fpmilton” in the search bar. You will get a list of Videos at the top and, right below the videos, you will see the Podcasts section. The only podcast listed will be for First Parish. Tap the Podcast and then tap “Subscribe” on the next page.

Now every new sermon will automatically become available to you and you can catch up on ones you’ve missed or re-listen to your favorites!(You may have to download the Podcasts app if you don’t already have it on your phone.)

SPIRITUAL WRITING WORKSHOP

First Wednesdays: 7 pm – 8:30 pm (Next workshop April 3rd, 2019)

Children’s Church, First Parish in Milton

Facilitator: Rev. Lisa Ward

There are many paths that awaken the heart.  What helps in the journey is finding words to guide you along the way. These words are in you. Come find your voice through writing exercises.  We will compose invocations, meditations, prayers, hymns, benedictions, and readings.  You do not have to be experienced at writing, simply bring your experiences.  Ages 16 and older welcome. 

Please RSVP to Megan at:  office@fpmilton.org.  Plan on one more session.

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.

Join the March Courageous Conversations event

History of the School to Prison Pipeline​

March 18th, 2019

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Church of Christ, 330 Edge Hill Road, Milton, MA 02186.

There will be no yoga class on Monday, March 18th, 2019.

UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Spokane, Washington

June 19-23, 2019

“The Power of We”

General Assembly is the annual business meeting of our denomination, and it’s a whole lot more. Inspirational worship services, informative workshops, entertaining programs, and a bustling exhibit hall help make GA an unforgettable experience for the thousands of Unitarian Universalists that attend. Attendees leave with a renewed sense of energy, inspiration, and innovative ideas to take back to their congregations and communities.

Visit uua.org/ga for

• Programming Information

• Registration and Housing

• Financial Aid Information

• Volunteer Opportunities

Green Gleanings

Life with Less Plastic

“The root cause of waste… is using things only once,” says Tom Szaky, Terracycle CEO — and food packaging comprises approx. 45% of solid waste in landfills.  The ban on single-use, plastic retail bags adopted in Milton and many other communities is a great first step but we can do more. Consider using a glass jar or stainless steel container to store grains, nuts, flour or even laundry detergent.  Some liquid containers are now made of pressed paper instead of plastic. Shop the bulk aisle at the market and bring your own jar or container along with your reusable shopping bag. Use washable, reusable drawstring mesh bags in the produce aisles — these can be found in stores or online (Earthwise is one brand).  Forgo plastic straws and stir-sticks.  Carry a “spork” (spoonXfork, with a small serrated edge for cutting) in your handbag, satchel, or backpack.

For more information on jars, containers, and other cool products, check out:

http://lifewithoutplastic.com/

How do I create an account on Signup genius??

By creating your own account you can log in and sign up for Sunday Service Participation opportunities, swap your dates with other congregants, or enroll in signups created by the Church.

Here’s how to creat your own account:

-Go to https://www.signupgenius.com/index.cfm?go=c.Login

-Then click on new account. (Located below the facebook login option)

-Enter your own email and password.

-Click on the search button/magnifying glass icon that in the right top corner.

-A page should appear that says ‘search for a signup’. 

-Enter the office email (office@fpmilton.org) and click the “I’m not a robot button’. Then the church’s signups will appear.

-Be sure to go back into your email account and open the email from Sign up Genius, subject line “Welcome to SignUpGenius”. Then click on the orange button that says “Activate my account.” Otherwise you won’t be able to log in again.

That’s it! You’re all set to use SignupGenius!

STAY CONNECTED

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

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Other times by appointment

MINISTER OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday – Thursday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Other times by appointment

The Church office is closed on Fridays

Sundays through mid June

• Worship, 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse
• Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
• Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

EVERY THURSDAY

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 7:00 pm in the Children’s Church (Note new time)

SIGN UP GENIUS (formerly known as the Planner)

The link to SignUp Genius is: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d44aca728a02-sunday1

You can sign up for one our our Sunday volunteer positions.