Table of Contents
This Week in Worship
- Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
- RE Info
- News and Announcements
- Events
- Social & Environmental Justice
- Beyond First Parish
This Week in Worship
This Week in Worship
January Worship Theme: UNITY
“We’re All In This Together”

Worship Assistant: Lisa White
Greeter: Jen Grant
Flowers: Beth Gray-Nix
Faith Reflection: Penny Partridge
Audio: Colin Glazer
Social Hour: Steve Yakutis & Guy Pugh
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 offering will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.
It’s cold, flu and covid season!
In order to keep our community healthy, we encourage the wearing of masks at worship services if you have cold symptoms or have been exposed to a communicable illness. Masks and Hand sanitizer will be available at all church entrances if needed.

Civically, I would say we are in rough waters. Tides rapidly shift with another news cycle or confirmation hearing. A wave of oligarchy rushes in as monied people openly gain political power. Not that that is very different than before, but it is far more blatant and unapologetic, and, if we don’t pay attention, lethal to democracy. Another wave of Christian Nationalism hits the breakwater. Not that this perspective is new, but it is far more popular and apocalyptic than in generations. And then there’s the disregard of facts, the disrespect of truth, and the insistence, regardless of reality, on one’s way of seeing things. There goes the possibility of civic strength.
“Turn back, turn back, foreswear thy foolish ways” , the hymn easily comes to mind, “would we but wake from out our haunted sleep.”
Thank you for that moment’s indulgence, now back to finding a way through.
A resident theologian remarked the other day that we need to encourage one another to pay attention. That is not as passive a suggestion as it first may seem. It means having faith in our discernment. It means having faith in our responsiveness. It means having faith in shared wisdom. It means having faith in a life affirming community.
We have all of these strengths here at First Parish. By my next column, a new President will be in the White House. We have sea legs enough to wade in these waters.
This I pray. Amen.

Music this week
This Sunday Daon Drisdom will be offering a selection called “Songs for the People” by African American composer Rosephanye Powell, from a set of songs called MISS WHEATLEY’S GARDEN. The text is by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911). Pat Neves and Karl Pastore will also be presenting “Somewhere to Begin”, by T.R. Ritchie.
Religious Exploration
This week we welcome Wee the People for another Social Justice Workshop. RE classes will resume the following week.
News & Announcements

GREETERS NEEDED!
Please take a look at your calendars and see when you can take a Sunday. It’s an easy way that we contribute to our First Parish community.
Please reach out to Leslie, if you have any questions: lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com
Proposed Gathering for your spirit
Please find below possible programs to be facilitated by Rev. Lisa this Winter. Other than the grief group, the programs would meet once a month. Please contact the office (office@fpmilton.org) if you have an interest in attending. Scheduling will follow according to interest.
Meditation with Spiritual Prompts
Once a month for one hour (day and time tbd)
Need at least 4 participants
To expand our experience of stillness at Sunday worship and to share varied techniques or prompts to deepen in meditation.
Navigating the Political Climate
Will meet via Zoom on the first Wednesday of the month 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Need at least 4 participants
We will meet once a month to help each other sort through the impact of the political climate and share ways to ground ourselves.
Contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org if interested.

Grief Support Group
Four Tuesday sessions, once a week. 7 pm – 8:30 pm
Need at least 4 participants
When we lose a loved one through death, the world is different, our lives shift in meaning, our ground is shaken. We can feel isolated by our grief. We can also feel a lack of strength or initiative to find a way through. One way to help adjust to the new reality and find our inner resources is to share our journey of loss and recovery with others. There are many ways that we grieve and many kinds of losses. This group is focused on loss due to the death of a loved one. The loss can be recent or from years gone by. We ask participants to commit to at least three of the sessions.

Parenting As A Spiritual Practice
Fridays 5:30 – 7:30 pm, with a light dinner and childcare (once a month)
Need at least three families to participate
There is much about parenting that speaks to spiritual practice. We must live with a constant letting go, as children grow into and out of stages of growth. We see ourselves echoed in our children. We are asked existential questions that have no one answer.
Letting go, self witness, wonder – these and more challenge us along with the day to day logistics of parenting.
We explore together and share wisdom on ways toward resilience and finding flow.
Events
MILTON INTERFAITH CLERGY ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION
Keynote address by James Hills
Founder of #JavawithJimmy
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

Monday, January 20, 2025
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH
180 BLUE HILL AVENUE
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
www.cbcboston.org and click on live stream

UPCOMING MILTON COMMUNITY CONCERT
“SING FOR THEIR SUPPER 10” ON SATURDAY, January 25th
Please mark your calendar for the evening of Saturday, January 25 when Milton Community Concerts presents the tenth annual “Sing For Their Supper” benefit concert. There will be free admission for this 7pm concert which will raise money through donations for the Milton Food Pantry and Milton Residents Fund. For more information visit http://miltoncommunityconcerts.com/
SAVE THE DATE !
Chocolate Auction
Sunday, February 9th
@11:45am in Parish Hall
Stay tuned for a special email next week with more details.

SAVE THE DATE!
First Parish Art Festival and Fundraiser
Saturday, May 3rd
Visual arts – paintings, photography, and selected crafts (quilts, pottery) will be offered for sale (silent and live auction).
We will feature works from our own First Parish artists, as well as other local and regional artists.
Would you have artworks to contribute?
Would you like to join the committee or assist with the event?
Contact: jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com
Social & Environmental Justice
DAY OF SERVICE MAKING 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 20th. Join with your community to pack these items in bags, or drop them off at the event !
Each bag includes…
white unscented bar soap
toothbrush
toothpaste
comb
shampoo
deodorant
hand lotion
sunblock
tissues
small hand sanitizer
…all sized to be packed into a gallon-sized freezer Ziplock bag.
Event Details
Monday January 20, 2025
10:00 am to 11:00 am
Cunningham Hall located at 77 Edgehill Road, Milton (masks provided)
OR
Bring already prepared bags for drop-off by 11:00 am that day to St. Michael’s Church located at 112 Randolph Avenue, Milton, MA 02186
Bridging Families Network – Info Sessions
A group of members from United Congregational, First Parish Milton UU, St. Michael’s, and St Agatha’s churches have established the Bridging Families Network to discuss ways to extend a helping hand to local refugee families struggling with housing and other basic needs. Thanks to BFN efforts, local congregations have raised funds, collected clothes, and assembled stockings filled with Christmas gifts for newly arrived children and families. We are interested in engaging the broader community of Milton in this effort and so, with support from MICA, BFN has decided to host two community info session (on Zoom). Join us on:
- January 23rd from 7:30pm to 8:30pm
- January 28th from 5:00pm to 6:00pm
We will share information about what it is like to host families and how we might create a family hosting cluster in Milton, including hosts and non-host helpers to provide short term housing and support for one or more refugee family in the coming months.
We will have guests who will share their experiences hosting refugee families and the “host cluster” model.
Choose which time works best for you.
If you have questions, feel free to contact Cynthia Guise, Pat Gallivan, or Tracey Robinson at their emails below:

Next date: February 19th
S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches a month to support shelter guests.
Please sign up whenever you can help out by clicking on button below.
We are counting on your support!
Beyond First Parish
Join the Women’s March/People’s March in Boston!!!
Jan. 18th 11:00am-1:00pm
For those of unable to attend the People’s March in Washington DC on January 18, please consider adding your energy and your presence to the BOSTON Women’s March/People’s March on Saturday January 18th. Starting at the Boston Common Parade Grounds at the corner of Charles St and Beacon St the event runs from 11am-1pm on 1/18.
Sign up here. For those interested in walking as a FPM team, email Tracey (tdr02186@gmail.com) and we can plan to meet up at Ashmont Station at 10:15am on January 18th!!!

FREE Performance followed by refreshments
UU Urban Ministry, 10 Putnam St, Boston, MA 02119, USA