Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 1/5/2023

The Weekly Link

Table of Contents

  • This Week in Worship
  • Message from Rev. Lisa
  • This Week in Religious Exploration
  • Events and Meetings
  • News and Announcements
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Beyond First Parish

This Week in Worship

“Nourish Chi”

Worship Assistant: Christopher Clifford

Usher: Beth Gray-Nix

Greeter: Jonah Beukman

Flowers: Beth Gray-Nix

Music: Tim Steele

Audio: Brynne Mershon

Sunday’s offering will be given to Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice.  Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice is a monthly series of dialogue-centered programs on racism and privilege designed to address racial healing and justice in our community.   Our speaker is  Karen Groce Horan, Sr. Director of United Way, DEI Priorities. 

Masks are strongly recommended in the meetinghouse; masks are still required for those who have not been vaccinated. Respect and consideration should be given to all regardless of their masking choice.

My niece, who endured the sudden death of her father last summer, sent me this poem by Donna Ashworth on New Year’s Eve. In tribute to her wise and beautifully brave offering, I share it here, with you all.

 “On the stroke of midnight tonight, you can resolve to be better, if you like…

to be fitter,

to eat cleaner,

to work harder.

On the stroke of midnight tonight,

you can resolve to become a whole new you,

if you so choose.

Or, you can take a moment to acknowledge, all you already are.

Because it’s a lot.

You’re a lot.

And you deserve to be commended.

On the stroke of midnight tonight, perhaps you could congratulate yourself,

for coping.

For breaking, again,

and for rebuilding, again.

For catching the stones life has thrown at you,

and using them to build your castle that little bit stronger.

You have endured, my friend.

And I don’t see the need to resolve to become a whole new you,

when you are already so very much indeed.

Happy new year.

You made it.

Now let us face another 365 day-turn, arms wide,

accepting, embracing and seeing each other,

for all we are.”  

— Donna Ashworth

To which I say, Amen!

With love, Rev. Lisa

Music For Sunday

One of Chris Pitt’s favorite song texts was from a song called “Think on These Things”, by Robert MacGimsey. This Sunday Grace Allendorf will be singing this song in his memory and to honor his life. Guest soprano Vanessa Naghdi will be offering a solo arrangement by Margaret Bonds of the spiritual “This Little Light of Mine”.

Religious Exploration

Religious Exploration

On January 8th, our workshop series continues with a visit from the Ecotarium with their “Turtle Travels” program. Please mark your calendars, and invite friends!

How do turtles survive in different habitats? How might their behavior change when humans move in? Meet a live turtle, handle real turtle biofacts, and gather information about turtle adaptations and life cycles in this interactive program! We will also take on a real-world conservation issue to develop a parcel of land while still keeping the needs of local turtles in mind.

Events and Meetings

From Membership Committee

First Parish Membership is starting up our walking group again. Dianna Wilson will gather interested walkers at 12:15 pm on Sunday, January 15th at the entrance to the Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester. Contact Dianna for more information: diannaw710@gmail.com or 857-251-2485

New Member Orientation

First Parish Membership will be offering another Orientation session at the end of the month. It will be held in two parts, over Zoom, on the evenings of January 31 and February 7th.

If you have wanted to become a member, let Leslie or Rev Lisa know that you are interested in attending. Let us know if you have questions,too! Lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

Milton Interfaith Clergy Association

ANNUAL REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION

A time comes when silence is betrayal

Monday, January 16, 2023

6:30 pm- 8:00 pm

Concord Baptist Church

180 Blue Hill Ave.

Milton, Ma

HELP THE MILTON INTERFAITH CLERGY ASSOCIATION 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 through the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on Monday, January 16.  Join with your community to pack these items in bags!

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 16 2023

Bring loose items to assemble bags with others to Cunningham Hall located at 77 Edgehill Rd, Milton from 8:00 am to 11:00 am 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.

News and Announcements

Service Information for Christopher Pitt

Visiting hours with the family will be from 3:30-6:30 on Tuesday, Jan 10th in the Parish Hall.

A celebration of Chris’s life will be held at 1:30pm on Wednesday, Jan. 11th in the Meetinghouse. A Zoom option will be available.

Due to the limited parking available onsite, we are asking for members to consider walking and/or carpooling if attending.

For further information and updates visit the website: cspittmemorial.org

11th Hour Calling

Monthly Stand Out for Climate Action & Justice

Wednesday, January 11, 6:00 p.m. -6:30 p.m.

First Parish Church lawn

Standing out publicly states that we care about the climate emergency; community action; environmental justice;100% clean, renewable energy to power our lives; and municipal response planning wherever we live. Show up, drum, chant, learn. BYO posters and percussion. It will be dark: dress reflective/neon; headlamps; flashlights.

What’s all this talk about an 8th Principle?

As a Unitarian Universalist congregation, First Parish in Milton affirms and promotes seven principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. Our congregation’s Racial Justice Task force is supporting a movement within the UUA to adopt an 8th principle focused on racial justice. To that end we will hold a series of listening circles in January where members and friends can learn about the proposed principle. We hope you can join us. 

Sign up on-line (URL to be announced)

Sunday, January 15 – 12:00pm

Wednesday, January 18 – TBD

Sunday, January 22 – 12:00pm

Thursday, January 26 – TBD

Sunday, January 29 – 12:00pm

An Update on Stewardship’s Hoped-For Souper Supper of Gratitude Event for Saturday, January 21st

Sadly it now appears that, with the rise of Covid infections regionally as well as within the First Parish community, it will not be feasible to hold a face-to-face Souper Supper of Gratitude gathering in the Parish Hall on January 21st. The Stewardship Committee will continue to explore the possible alternatives and will keep you all posted. 

In the meantime, consider using this season to find ways to express your gratitude to those in our community you have been meaning to thank—for their service, their talent, their generosity, their smile, for anything you can think of. And hang in there while we all muddle through!

The Stewardship Committee—Charlie Franich, Mallory Digges, Eric Miller, and Mark Ostrem

Fair Foods

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, January 14th.

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.

Sign up here!

Other volunteer opportunities are also available at Fair Foods, especially on Friday and Saturday mornings. Contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685 with any questions or for more information.

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, January 14th. 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. Sign up here!

First Parish Milton volunteers provide bagged lunches to MainSpring adult shelters in Brockton twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Members of the Social & Environmental Justice committee will make the delivery to Brockton.

Volunteers are needed to acquire food and pack 10 lunches and deliver to the church between 12:45 pm-1:00 pm on Delivery day. One team lead drives all the lunches to the shelter in Brockton. Please note how many meals you are making in comments. We are looking for 70 lunches for each delivery day. Lunches should include sandwich, fruit, drink, snack/chips and sweet/cookies.

The next delivery day will be on Wednesday January 18th and then every other Wednesday throughout the year. We will meet in the lower parking lot between 12:40 and 1:00 PM.

If you haven’t made lunches in a while OR if you are a new volunteer, sign up on MainSpring Sign Up Genius or contact Pat Gallivan at pl.gallivan@verizon.net for more info.

Thanks to all the volunteers that have made this program a success for more than two years !!

Sign up here

Beyond First Parish

GIFT BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

“Milton Grows!”is a year-long programming initiative of Milton Public Library. Two book discussions will take place in 2023: January 11th 7pm-8pm will feature Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future by Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland and special U.N. Climate Envoy). 

The second, March (date TBD), will be Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard by Douglas W. Tallamy (professor of “bugs,” author. lecturer).

These inspirational books are aligned with our congregation’s social and environmental endeavors so consider gifting, or getting, or checking them out! Register on the EVENTS tab at Milton Public Library’s website


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.

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.