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

Snow Cancellation Information:

During the week: if the Milton Public Schools close for snow, so does First Parish. 

ON SUNDAYS: We will call it by 8 a.m. on Sunday. Look for cancellations in three places. If you don’t see cancellation information, we are open.

• Channel 5, WCVB television. Look for First Parish – Milton. Check their website if you want to get automatic, direct notification through the TV station. www.wcvb.com.
• Check our Facebook page. First Parish Milton UU. We will post cancellations there. 
• Check our website, www.fpmilton.org. We put a banner on the home page with closing information.

This Week in Worship

“When Love Isn’t Enough”

Worship Assistant: Chris Clifford

Faith Reflection: Charlie Franich

Greeter: Charlie Franich

Audio: Nicholas Miller

Social Hour: Lisa White, Jeff Stoodt & Karl Pastore

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 be given to the Stone House. The Stone House combines the security of a safe environment with a range of programs and services — residential and community based — to support trauma recovery, personal growth and development of essential life skills. Their overarching mission is to help participants create a path to a secure, positive and fulfilling life. Jim May will speak on their behalf.

So we’re ringing in the new year with turmoil everywhere, wondering what news each day will break our hearts or lift our spirits. This is clearly a time for faith, for an overall belief in the gift of life that provides wisdom beyond our fears.

I am not speaking of a passive faith, but one that converses with intuition, leans into life and trusts affirmation.  We are born with the instinct to survive and the reality that, as relational creatures, we rely on interaction to come fully alive. Our intuition ever senses the larger connection while our ventures co-create our worlds.

We can get lost along the way, as we all do, from time to time.  Finding our way back takes affirmation – noticing the good.

Sometimes it is just enough to come together, to laugh together, and to learn together. Sometimes we simply need to lean into one another until a sense of strength in mutuality inspires us to venture out and expand the agency of goodwill.

At times such as these it is close to imperative to do just that, for the load of the world is way too heavy for any one of us to carry. Find your groove and share it. Trust your compassion and choose it. Know your relationality and honor it.

We may not “get it right” very often, but the only way we can “get it wrong” is by giving up. There is wisdom that affirms us all. We can find it.

This I pray, Rev. Lisa

Music This Week

The anthem for this Sunday will be on a text by Helen Keller, called “What the Heart Sees”, with music by Gerald Custer. Mr. Custer is a Grammy-nominated composer and arranger who currently teaches at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Michael Alexander Aoun will also be singing a solo from SINGING OUT LOUD, an as-yet-to-be-made film musical with a screenplay by William Goldman. The solo is called “Sand” and was written by Stephen Sondheim. 

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 Exploration

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)

-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

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.

January 14th- Heat Pumps: Come hear a panel of FPM members share info about their experience with installing heat pumps in their homes. 

Join us 12:00 pm after social hour in the Chase Parlor.

News and Announcements

Social Hour Hosts needed for:

Sunday, January 14

 CLICK HERE to sign up

Haven’t hosted before or need a refresher? No worries! A Hospitality Committee member will reach out to you the week before to answer questions and provide instructions.

Thank you!

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 ite ms to assemble bags with others to Cunningham Hall located at77 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)

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 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]

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!

BEYOND FIRST PARISH

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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.