Rev. Lisa Ward has been our settled minister since August of 2016. Ordained in 1992, Rev. Lisa has served congregations in New York City, Queens, White Plains, NY and Harford County, MD. A graduate from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, she has engaged in social justice initiatives throughout her career… 
Table of Contents
- This Week in Worship
- Message from Rev. Lisa
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
This Week in Worship
“Fierce Love”
Worship Assistant: Lisa White
Faith Reflection: Pat Neves
Greeters: Pat Neves & Leslie MacPherson
Flowers: Beth Gray-Nix
Audio: Nina Truog
Social Hour: The Dahl Family
Please join us for service at 10:30am.
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.
This week’s service will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.
In our grey hymnal, there is a responsive reading attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (#584). It begins: “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny.”
Dr. King insisted, throughout his public ministry, that the practice of beloved community (that network of mutuality) required a fierce love of being and soul knowledge of inherent worth.
He felt that justice was the birthright of every human being, and when that was attained for all peoples, the world would transform into a dynamic unity of being in blessed diversity.
Yes, we seem far from that vision right now, far from even believing enough people are reaching toward it, but perhaps you can feel its possibility. You can know by the love you feel that, deepened and widened, it could transform the world.
Much of what we do here is practice love of being and soul knowledge of inherent worth. It is what keeps bringing us together, to find that transformative salve which keeps us keeping on.
Come to worship this Sunday as our Racial Justice Task Group will help encourage our gathering and reaching toward that hope for humankind, that vision of beloved community.
Blessings Be. Rev. Lisa
Music This Week
This Sunday we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his message of strength and resistance through non-violence. The choir will be singing “Like a Mighty Stream”, arranged by the internationally renowned composer and arranger Moses Hogan. Daon Drisdom will be singing a song composed in 2020, “Serenity Prayer” by Jerrell R. Gray. Mr. Gray is a graduate of Southern University and A&M College, and he composed this piece during the pandemic in memory of his mother.
Childcare during Choir Rehearsals
Childcare will be available in the nursery starting at 8:30am for caregivers to attend choir rehearsal. If you have any questions about joining the choir, please contact Tim at eliztim95@gmail.com. If you have any questions about childcare, please contact Louise at re@fpmilton.org.
Religious Education
We’re so excited to be offering a UU-themed week of summer fun this year! Our week will include play, worship, community, crafts, movement, and adventures as we learn more about our faith as Unitarian Universalists. Our community will mainly be folks at First Parish Milton, with plans in the works to bring in friends from nearby UU churches. Everyone is welcome at our week of summer fun, as long as they are fully aware that our week will be centered around UU values and incorporate UU traditions. Details:
-August 19th-23rd from 9-3 (with options for early drop-off at 8 and late pick-up at 4 – a previous communication said late pick-up at 9, which isn’t true. But, if your family needs more flexibility, we can have a conversation.)
-For children entering grades 1-6 (with some flexibility)
-Sliding scale $200-400 (financial support available)
-At First Parish Milton
If your family is interested, please use this form to express interest. More details will be coming in the next month! Email Louise (re@fpmilton.org) with questions. And definitely definitely email Louise if you are interested in helping out with this endeavor :)
Events and Meetings
Message from Mary Blanchette
Fun Footstool Project
You may have noticed some of the footstools in the meetinghouse are worn and I have been thinking about recovering them. I did one with the help of a friend who knows what she’s doing and has offered to help with the rest. I think it would be fun to get a group together to recover the rest of them.
If you are interested in this fun and rewarding project let me know and we can make a date. It will be a nice way to spend a winter morning or afternoon. No experience necessary.
Contact Mary Blanchette at mbpa@comcast.net
Climate Action@HOME – upcoming discussions
The Climate team is planning monthly updates after worship for those who want to learn more about climate action. If you have topics you would like to discussion please contact Tracey Robinson at tdr02186@gmail.
February Date TBD – Heat Pumps: Come hear a panel of FPM members share info about their experience with installing heat pumps in their homes.
News and Announcements
In honor of the MLK holiday, the offices at First Parish are closed Monday, January 15th.
ANNUAL BUDGET DRIVE
The Stewardship Committee announces that this year’s Annual Budget Drive has begun! The financial commitments that we hope to secure from our members and friends over the next two months will be used to cover First Parish’s operating expenses for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins on July 1st. Each household will be receiving an email from Stewardship in the next couple of weeks asking for your contribution. Embedded in the email will be a “link” via which you can simply and easily submit your financial commitment for next year. We also include the link here for your convenience.
If you have already been a financial supporter of First Parish, we are very grateful. Our hope is that you would consider a 3% addition to the amount you contributed last year. If this is your first time making a financial commitment, we will be very grateful for whatever you choose to contribute.
Thank you,
The Stewardship Committee of First Parish in Milton—Charles Franich (chair), Rob Dahl, Mallory Digges, Eric Miller, and Mark Ostrem
HELP THE TOWN OF MILTON MAKE BLESSING BAGS!
Blessing bags offer grace that is small but love-filled! They contain personal care items for people who are un housed / unstably-housed in downtown Boston, and will be distributed to a number of downtown communities on Monday, January 15th. Join with your community to pack these items in bags, or donate them for a community event on the 15th!
Each bag includes…
white unscented bar soap
toothbrush
toothpaste
comb
shampoo
deodorant
hand lotion
sunblock
tissues
small hand sanitizer
paper face mask
…all sized to be packed into a gallon-sized freezer Ziplock bag.
Event Details
Monday January 15, 2024 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Bring loose items to assemble bags with others to Cunningham Hall located at 77 Edgehill Road, Milton (masks required and provided) or bring already prepared bags for drop-off to St. Michael’s Church located at 112 Randolph Avenue, Milton, MA 02186 by 11:00am that day.
Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)
January 17th is the next date!
S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the first and third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches twice a month to support shelter guests.
See updated instructions on the Mainspring SignUpGenius page and signup whenever you can help out.
We are counting on your support!
Racial Justice Task Force
Bridging Dinner
First Parish and Church of the Holy Spirit’s next Bridging dinner will be held on Friday, January 19 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Debbie Alsebai’s house at 11 Morton Road, Milton.
The dinner will be catered by a local black owned restaurant and dessert will be Deb’s popular carrot cake. $25 per person.
Please RSVP to Deb Alsebai debalsebai@gmail.com if you would like to join the gathering.
A New Year’s Invitation to Learn Together:
Environmental Justice and Building Our New Grid – Where Should It All Go?
Saturday, January 20, 2pm – 3:30pm, First Parish Hall (hot cider/snacks)
Join our Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC), UU Mass Action, MA Environmental Justice (EJ) Legislative Table, other statewide UU churches, and several metro-Boston organizations our church has supported through its monthly Share the Plate (STP) program for an educational afternoon. The elephant in the room is: How do we build the renewable distributed electric grid we need — fast — while not repeating mistakes of the past? We will hear about the shared vision for MA infrastructure, energy democracy, and centering frontline* communities as well as the EJ Table’s current policy proposal to greenlight good projects quickly and nip bad projects in the bud. We will Zoom the event while enjoying each other, snacks, and the opportunity to learn how to advocate for change. Spread the word.
*[Frontline communities are those that experience the “first and worst” consequences of climate change. These are often communities of color whose communities were placed in the least desirable areas of cities, often with high exposure to climate impacts like flooding. Source: CareAbout Climate.Org]
BEYOND FIRST PARISH
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.