Table of Contents
- Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
- This Week in Worship
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- This Week in Music
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
This is a highly charged weekend in the Judeo-Christian world. Our Jewish siblings are celebrating Passover beginning at sundown this Friday, and the Christian Holy Week is rounding out into Easter this Sunday. Both these religious observances lift up the seminal stories of the shaping of Judaism and Christianity.
Holy Week and Passover speak to the journey through hardship, adversity, courage and awe toward the forming of people of faith to claim the Yes of their lives. Each are faith stories of liberation and mystical assurance, transforming the status quo into a new way of being.
These faith streams are part of our Unitarian Universalist heritage. Our forebears reached beyond the constraint of dogma to welcome diverse dialogue and the reaching toward meaning, assured, as well, by the Yes of their lives.
So how do we celebrate on Easter Sunday? As you might imagine, in many different ways. We speak of blooming and resurgence or ways toward liberation of tyrannies near and far. We celebrate life in all its splendor and recognize that the vast cosmos has wonder and guidance beyond our making.
Come gather together. Let’s celebrate our lives, with praise and humble recognition, honored wisdom and new beginnings.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
This Week in Worship
“Rising, Renewing, Re-Sourcing”
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Assistant: Tom Kemp
Music: Tim Steele
Audio: Madeleine Miller
Worship Services are hybrid.
Join us in person or on Zoom.
Please see the zoom link below. Please log in at 10:20, to give some lead time for the service at 10:30. You will be muted, but you can communicate through the chat box. If you do not have zoom on your computer, please download it ahead of time. It is free.
Sunday’s offering will go to the service and ministry of First Parish.
There will be no Social Hour after services this week.
This Week in Religious Exploration
This Week in Religious Exploration
Nursery care for young children is available starting before worship and continuing until noon. Children participating in our Religious Exploration program gather in the Meetinghouse for the beginning of worship. We will proceed to classes together after the Story For All Ages. Children and youth are also always welcome in the Meetinghouse during worship.
This week, children and youth will gather outdoors after the Story For All Ages to celebrate rebirth with a planting project and the story of Renchenka’s Eggs. All children are welcome to join us, or to remain in the Meetinghouse for the full worship service.
Please join us after the service for the return of the First Parish Egg Hunt! Children are encouraged to bring a bag or basket. We will gather in the Parish Hall at the end of service for directions before setting out to fill our baskets!
Looking ahead, there will be no Religious Exploration programming on April 24th, but nursery care will be available.
This Week in Music
This Sunday we celebrate Easter with a rousing anthem by the Meetinghouse Choir called “I Feel the Spirit”, by Nancy Price and Don Besig. Trumpeter Daniel Hirsch will also be collaborating with the choir on an introit and special music selections. Vocalist Claudia Wellingtons and guitarist Karl Pastore will perform, “Be Still” by The Killers.
Events and Meetings
Louis D. Brown 26th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace
For several years, members and friends of First Parish Milton have participated in this walk and have collected donations to support this important event. After a two year pause due to Covid, walkers will again be meeting in Dorchester to join numerous groups & individuals to march to end violence. Additional information on the walk (distance, route, meeting place etc.) will be provided over the coming weeks.
There will be two ways to provide financial support to Louis D. Brown. The organization will be accepting on-line donations and First Parish has registered as a donor team – First Parish UU Milton. The second way to support this work will be at the May 1st Sunday service at FP Milton. A speaker from LDB will be speaking at this service and proceeds from passing the plate will go to LDB.
To donate on-line, begin by going to the Louis D. Brown Mother’s Day Walk website page. Under the 26th Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace heading, you should select Donate. Now, scroll to Choose Your Recipient and select Team. Enter our team information: First Parish Unitarian Universalist Milton and then complete your donation info.
A brief history of this walk and the work of the organization is attached.
Any Questions regarding this event can be directed to the FP Social & Environmental Justice Committee. We hope to see you on the walk.
Pat Gallivan
ANNUAL TREE GIVEAWAY
Our church will be joining the Wakefield Estate and other local organizations to distribute and plant trees in our community. The Wakefield Estate is asking for a $5 donation per tree. This year’s choices are:
River Birch
Gray dogwood (shrub)
Common ninebark (shrub)
Silver maple
Butternut hickory
Bur oak
White spruce
Please email Mary Blanchette at mbpa@comcast.net by Sunday, April 17, so we can put our order in.The trees will be available to pick up on Sunday, April 24th after church. If not available that day please contact Mary Blanchette.
The Yard Sale will be June 18th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Start your spring cleaning and organizing your treasures for donation. We’ll be collecting items from June 4th – June 15
Much information more to come…
Social and Environmental Justice
The Social and Environmental Justice committee will be hosting a movie night on Friday, April 22nd 6:30-8:30pm in the Parish Hall. The movie is made available through Interfaith Power and Light.
YOUTH v GOV follows 21 young Americans suing the world’s most powerful government to protect their constitutional rights to a stable climate. If they win, they will change the future. As people of faith we care about climate justice for future generations.
Join us for a special screening of the film.
The Racial Justice Focus Group invites you to join us in understanding the Widening the Circle of Concern UUA report.
In a nutshell, the report, which reads more like a book than a report, is about addressing the White Supremacy Culture within Unitarian Universalism.
Explore with us why we are engaging in studying the recommendations in the report with the intent of taking action toward implementing the recommendations. For example, many UU churches, have placed BLM signs on their front lawns, now many are adopting or in the process of deliberating adoption of the 8th principle which is about building a “beloved” community and dismantling racism and other systems of oppression within ourselves and within our communities. These are great first steps, but what does it mean to actually “live” the 8th principle?
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7-8:30PM. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Lisa for the zoom link: minister@fpmilton.org.
If you can’t stomach yet another zoom meeting, we encourage you to at least pick up a copy of the report to read on your own and provide suggestions or feedback on what recommendations speak to you. Several copies are available at the office. You can also access a pdf, with audio access, here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening.
News and Announcements
Worship Committee-Summer Services
We now have lay leaders for about half the summer services. Some people are signing up in pairs to share what is usually done by a leader and a Worship Associate. Two people planning a service together can be both less intimidating and more fun. Have you thought what you might like to share on a summer Sunday? Feel free to contact Katie Vhay (katievhay@msn.com) or Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com)
Volunteer Opportunities
Ramadan Food Drive
When : Friday, April 8- Friday, April 29
Where: All Milton Public Schools (bins in school lobby)
First Parish Milton, UU – 535 Canton (bins at carriage house near lower lot)
Congregation Beth Shalom – 18 Shoolman Way (bins in lobby, April 8-15 and 25-29)
Who: YOU! Anyone can participate!
Why: Join your Muslim neighbor! Ramadan is a very special time of year for Muslims to do good deeds. It is important to practice gratitude and give to those struggling to put food on their tables.
How: Donate food, dry goods, and hygiene items. All items must have ingredient labels with current expiration dates.
Most needed items:Canned meat or tuna;Mac and cheese; Cereal or oatmeal;Pasta and sauce; Peanut butter & jelly; Canned fruit and vegetables; Healthy snacks for kids; Dry or canned beans; Juice boxes; Condiments; Shelf-stable milk; Salad dressing; Rice; Cooking oil/olive oil; Canned soup; Diapers, wipes; Personal care items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, unscented bar soap, shampoo, body wash
Donations to be distributed to local food pantries and social services. This project is brought to you by Milton Muslim Neighbors, Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, and Milton Public Schools. For more info, please contact Amal at amalkimawi@gmail.com.
Social Hour Host Needed
Our in-person courtyard social hour is back. But we need hosts! It’s the simplest social hour ever and it’s so lovely to gather together after church.
Ushers and greeters are needed during service.
We have appreciated your help in the past and hope you can help again. Please sign up here if you are interested.
Main Spring Lunch Program
The next volunteer date is April 20th.
Great news: We have a group of YOUTH VOLUNTEERS who make lunches for our April 20 delivery! Youth will gather in the First Parish kitchen to make the lunches together on 4/19, Tuesday afternoon 2pm-4pm. Lunch Supplies for the youth team will be provided. Contact Tracey Robinson tdr02186@gmail if you are a youth member who would like to join us!
We also have enough adult volunteers to get to our 100 lunch target! So we should have all the lunches we need for April 20!! No more volunteers needed – so enjoy the week off!
If you have questions for April 20, contact Tracey at tdr02186@gmail.com
*Next delivery date is May 4!! Feel free to Sign up early.
Fair Foods
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that wwould otherwise be wasted and uses it to feed our communities. We volunteer together unloading and sorting food and packing bags once a month.
The next volunteer date is Saturday, May 14th.
If you want to volunteer, please sign up on Sign up Genius by Thursday
evening before the event. Start time and locations vary depending on Fair Foods’ needs, but typically start at 8:30 a.m. at their warehouse at 70 Amory Street in Roxbury.
Other volunteer opportunities are also available at Fair Foods on weekdays from early morning until mid-afternoon.
Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685.
Beyond First Parish
Celebrate the Moms in your life – AND support the Peace Garden at the UU Urban Ministry at the same time.
The Urban Ministry will send a card for every $25 donation if you provide the address.
If you are interested in visiting the new Peace Garden at the Urban Ministry, talk to Tracey or Mary.
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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 – 1:00 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, 9:30 am in the Meetinghouse
- Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
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.