This Week in Worship

Sunday, January 4

10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

Bully For Justice

What motivates us to do justice is it something long in coming or is it an Epiphany? This Sunday is Children’s Church and Communion Sunday.

Interim Thoughts from Rev. Hank Peirce

One hundred percent is a term you are going hear a bit more of during the next few months. You will hear about it from two committees, first from your wonderful Stewardship Team as they are endeavoring to get 100% of the members of the church to take part in the yearly pledge campaign. What an important way to claim your place in the life of the church by contributing to its financial health. Another thing for you to remember is that when potential candidates for your next minister look at the of your church’s giving they not only look at how much, but how many.

The next committee that will be asking for 100% participation is the Bridging Committee. They have a very special task of getting everyone in the church to a meeting where you will be asked your opinion about the life of the community. Over the next six weeks you will have a chance to participate in one of these meetings. I really want to stress the importance of these meetings. As they will give the Parish Committee a “snap shot” of where this church is and what sort of direction the congregation wishes to go in.

This Sunday there will be sign up sheets in the Parish Hall where you can sign up to attend one of these meetings.

See you in church and Happy New Year!

Hank

The Fraters

From afternoon of January 25th through the 28th I’ll be at a minister’s retreat. The Fraters of the Wayside Inn first met in 1903 when local Universalist clergy invited some friends together for a pre-Lenten retreat. The following year the retreat moved to the Wayside Inn in South Sudbury, which before long would give the retreat its name. The retreats have continued since that time and have a three-fold purpose – spiritual growth through worship, intellectual stimulation through presentations and discussion, and interpersonal bonding through fellowship.

Upcoming Worship Services

The Worship Theme for January is Justice

January 11 – Worship Committee Service

January 18 – MLK Sunday: Redemption and the New Jim Crow
On this Sunday when we honor the work and words of Rev. King we should realize that the Civil Rights Movement ended with his death. The need for protecting these rights won continues and must be upheld by each generation. Much of this Sunday’s service will come from the recent work of author Michelle Alexander.

January 19 – Milton Martin Luther King Jr. Service 6:30 pm
Join Rev. Hank and other members of the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association for the yearly MLK service at Concord Baptist Church, 180 Blue Hills Ave.

January 25 – Liquid Democracy
What breaks your heart? How do we decide what we as a community should support? How does what we support further our church’s mission, and perhaps as important what does that say about us and how does that belief change who we are?

Religious Exploration

Sunday, January 4, 2014

Children’s Church

K – 7th graders will begin the month with a worship service in the
Children’s Church.

8th graders in the OWL Program will go directly to class. Owl will be meeting in the Parlor from 10:00am – 11:30am.

Youth Chat will meet in the youth room upstairs.

Youth Group will meet at noon.

The Nursery is available for children ages 4 and younger

THANK YOU!

Our Spirit Play class made a thank you card to those who donated legos to the class. It’s the orange card on the RE bulletin board.

News and Announcements

Here are some highlights of January and February Events at First Parish. Stay tuned for details but mark your calendar now!

• Saturday, January 10 morning – Visiting Steward Training in the Parish Hall
• Saturday, January 10 afternoon – Musical Performance in the Meetinghouse
• Sunday, January 25 after social hour – All Church Council
• Saturday, February 7 evening – Sweetheart Dinner (Youth Group sponsored)
• Sunday, February 8 after social hour – Chocolate Auction
• Sunday, February 15 – Laura Graham, Ministerial Settlement Rep, is in the pulpit for the morning service, meets with the congregation after social hour.

New Years Day OPEN HOUSE INVITE!

Hello friends,

I am having an Open House on New Year’s Day to ring in 2015! You are invited! The invitation can be viewed HERE.

Hope to see you there,
Laurie Macintosh
c: 617-686-3663

Kiki’s Corner

There are a number of ways you may make payment on your FY15 pledge. You may mail us a check or make payments electronically by going to the Contribute button on the bottom our home page. You may put a check in the collection plate (please mark “pledge” in the memo line). To have your payment credited for the 2014 calendar year, we need to receive the payment by December 31, 2014 (or postmarked that date if you are sending it by mail).

2015 looks to be a very busy and exciting time at First Parish. One of the best ways to get your church event publicized is to include it as an item in The Link and Order of Worship announcements. For announcements beginning in January, please submit via e-mail to Miriam and Kiki by 5pm each Tuesday.

Have you signed up for ushering yet this church season? Hosted Social Hour? Gave flowers for the Meetinghouse? If not, make it part of what you do for First Parish in 2015. Please use SignUp Genius to select your date(s).

STAY CONNECTED

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

EVERY SUNDAY

Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

THE SUNDAY PLANNER

Please consider volunteering for important Sunday worship positions like ushering, hosting social hour, providing flowers for worship, and lighting the chalice. Sign Up Here!