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… 
This Week in Worship
“ Spiritual Companioning “
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Associate: Chris Clifford
Music: Tim Steele
Audio: Nina Truog
Worship Services will continue to be remote-only through 2/6/22.
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 be dedicated to the services and ministry of First Parish.
It is a joy to continue meeting with the Racial Justice Focus Group, now approaching our 20th meeting next month. All through last year we met twice a month, learning together through TED talks and trainings, discussions and storytelling, touching on the depth and breadth of racial justice advocacy. Each session we realized that there was so much more to uncover, relearn and dismantle as we saw white supremacist culture in our ways and walking. This is a hard discernment, one that calls for courage and change, yet a joyful engagement with advocates ready to teach and learn and make mistakes and risk not knowing.
This year, the Racial Justice Focus Group will be concentrating on two related initiatives offered by the the larger UU community. The first is to examine our own history and culture in Unitarian Universalism and in our congregation as applies to racial justice. There is a Report from the UUA Commission on Institutional Change, named Widening The Circle of Concern, equipped with a study guide and advocacy suggestions. We will be engaging this report for the rest of our church year, taking our time to continue the deep and wide discernment of the call in both our hearts and much of nation for systemic change. We welcome all who are interested to come to our monthly meetings, the fourth Wednesday of the month, from 7-8:30 pm. We have hard copies. There is also online access: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening
This groundwork will help us in bringing forth the second initiative that has resonance in many congregations: the adoption of an 8th Principle to our By-Laws (we now have seven), that is explicit about accountability in anti-racism and anti-oppressive action, as an integral part of our faith. First we need to create a foundation of understanding and shared vision before launching into this discussion.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. Do contact the office: office@fpmilton.org, if you’d like to be on the racial justice focus egroup. We’ll keep you informed through general announcements and would love to welcome your wisdom and heart to the work.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa Ward
Religious Exploration
Following the direction of the Phased Reopening Committee, we will not be meeting in person for Religious Exploration or OWL this Sunday or next. The Phased Reopening Committee will meet on 6 February to reassess the situation and make additional recommendations. Meanwhile Religious Exploration materials will be sent to RE families on Friday afternoons for use by families at home. Hang in there, we will be meeting together soon!
This Sunday we have a special video presentation for our Story for All Ages. Everyone will be pleased to see who the readers are! The story comes early in the service so families can begin the worship together and children can step away from the screen, if they need to, after the story concludes.
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Week Two of Thirty Days of Love focuses on Democracy & Voting Rights. Each week’s playlist of activities follows a Read, Watch, Act, Listen and Worship format with additional spiritual nourishment opportunities. The playlist for this week includes the story, Granddaddy’s Turn, based on the true story of one family’s struggle for voting rights in the civil rights–era South, this moving tale shines an emotional spotlight on a dark facet of U.S. history [Amazon.com]. There is a short video on the history of voting rights and a podcast on local government. Suggested actions are working the polls and/or phone banking. There are several options for worship listed. All can be found at https://sidewithlove.org/week-two-january-24-30-democracy-voting-rights
Molly B. Nolan, Transitional Director of Religious Education
This Sunday Grace Allendorf, Amy Kavadlo, Penny Knight, and Leslie MacPherson will be singing together in an arrangement of “Gather the Spirit” by Jim Scott. Grace will also be offering “Mystery” by Jeremy Geffen with a text from the Missa Gaia/Earth Mass by the Paul Winter Consort.
Table of Contents
News, Announcements and Meetings
1.Tax Letters
2.Share the Plate
3.Cooking for MainSpring
4.Electrical Vehicle Presentation
5.Social and Environmental Justice News & Events
6.MCC Concert Postponed
7.UU Urban Ministry Architecture Series- Episode 4
Tax Letters
All required tax donation letters were mailed this week to donors.
Please allow up to a week to receive with USPS delays.
If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Susan via email (manager@fpmilton.org) or phone 617-698-6329.
She is happy to help!
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First Parish would like to thank you for January donations. We are lucky to have your support !
UU Mass Action $641.40
International Institute of New England $771.15
Cooking for Mainspring
This coming Sunday, January 30th
Last chance to sign up !
The Membership and Social and Environmental Justice (S&EJ) committees are teaming up to prepare and deliver a hot, healthy, homemade meal to Mainspring in Brockton on Sunday, January 30th! On Saturday January 29th from 10am-12pm, Steve and Debbie will lead one of their famously fun cooking classes. Debbie will supply recipes; S&EJ will supply the disposable baking pans; Volunteer cooks will prepare Shepards Pie and/or Apple Crisp. Tracey Robinson will be contact with those signed up about how to get your completed dishes to her for delivery to Mainspring on Sunday. Deadline to register is today!
FUN IDEAS:
MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR: ask children to join you in cooking or to join the 10am cooking class; cooking as a family is a great winter weekend activity
YOUTH CAN EARN SERVICE HOURS: invite the youth in your house to do the cooking – you can help by delivering to the church on Saturday afternoon
COOK A DOUBLE BATCH: one for Mainspring and one for your family dinner!
Sign up now to receive recipes and details
Electric Vehicle Presentation
Sunday, February 6th, noon
Eric Miller will help you decipher Electric Vehicle (EV) terminology, how they work, and the factors that can help you decide which EV could work best for you.
After the presentation, Eric will show the EV specific features of some example vehicles. Presentation will be on Zoom only.
Please sign up and let us know you’ll be attending.
Thank you!
News from S & EJ Committee
Community Conversations
Gentrification
Root causes | Impact on individuals and families | What’s being done to combat it, and how others can help those efforts.
Tuesday, Feb 08th, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Join us for this virtual event
Join us and our guests Ronel Remy, David Mynott and Paula Coar from City Life/Vida Urbana
City Life/Vida Urbana is a grassroots community organization committed to fighting for racial, social, and economic justice and gender equality by building working class power.
The organization promotes individual empowerment, development of community leaders, and building collective power to affect systemic change and transform society.
Thank you to our event sponsor: First Parish Church Weston
Climate Justice
Take 2 ACTIONS for Massachusetts
1.Oppose polluting Peabody Peaker Plant [5.3 min. YouTube video). Contact:
Gov. Charlie Baker 888-870-7770 constituent.services@state.ma.us @MassGovernor
*see link below
Sec. Kathleen Theoharides 617-626-1000 env.internet@mass.gov @EEASecretary
[A peaker plant runs only in periods of high electricity demand; site is in the middle of a designated Environmental Justice community. UU Mass Action campaign item.)
2.Support Green Future Act for MA (H.3292)
[Milton’s State Rep. Bill Driscoll, Jr. is its lead sponsor. Goals: net-zero MA emissions by 2050 by charging fossil fuel importers to fund green infrastructure. 60% of all spending must benefit Environmental Justice communities. Time-sensitive!]
Mainspring Lunch Bag Program
Next date is Wednesday, February 2nd
The Sign up Genius has the Wednesday dates listed- you can sign up now!
If you require more information or have questions please contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that would 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, February 12th
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
MCC CONCERT POSTPONED
The Milton Community Concert originally scheduled for February 12th will be postponed due to the latest COVID surge. This concert, “A Night of Cinema Magic” featuring silent film organist Peter Krasinwski will take place on Saturday evening, May 28th. Please mark your calendars for this exciting event. All other concerts are taking place as scheduled at this point.
Click here for more information
Behind the Scenes: Tackling a Major Restoration of an Historic Structure
Feb 07, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Join us for Episode #04 of Treasures of the Meetinghouse as we speak to architects and project managers from DREAM Collaborative and historical preservationist, Andrea Gilmore, about all that goes in to restoring and renovating a building – and historic landmark – like First Church Roxbury.
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.