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

“Deliberate Legacy”

Worship Assistant: Dottie Pitt

Greeters: Leslie MacPherson & JR Sousa

Audio: Nina Truog

Social Hour: Steve Yakutis & Guy Pugh

Sunday’s offering will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.

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.

Tomorrow night, the Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills is holding a community gathering (notice listed below this column). Rabbi Benjamin has invited MICA colleagues (Milton Interfaith Clergy Association) to speak. Honored by the invitation, I will be offering a prayer.

But what to say? 

First and foremost on our hearts is the agony of rampant brutality. Brutality erases nuance, obliterates negotiation and incites malice. The brutality must stop: in both offense and retaliation. Equally terrorizing is the trauma of violence, loss and depravation. Trauma stuns the senses and upends trust in life. 

The malice is overwhelming right now, infecting us all in one way or another. It insists on taking sides, othering, dehumanizing, and simplifying a situation wrought with complexities, protracted agonies, and oppressive tribalism.

 It is hard to hold onto a hope that the people of Israel and Palestine can find a way forward, a freedom for all. Hamas has struck to destroy that hope. We must defy this invasion generating hopelessness and hate.

So what will I pray? For wisdom, clarity, strength and attentiveness to the way of healing, peace, justice and defiance of malice.

Hold onto each other and our inborn wisdom toward shared being.

With love, Lisa

COMMUNAL GATHERING

Friday, October 13,2023 at Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills 

SHABBAT SERVICE: 7:00 – 7:40

COMMUNAL GATHERING: 7:45 – 8:30

• TO DENOUNCE TERRORISM
• TO SUPPORT ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO LIVE IN PEACE AND SECURITY
• AND TO LIFT UP AND STRENGTHEN THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO SEEK PEACE BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS

Music This Week

This Sunday Daon Drisdom will be leading the choir and providing prelude and postlude music on the piano while Tim is on a brief sabbatical. A small ensemble from the choir will be singing “We Begin Again in Love”, with Steve Yakutis narrating.

Pat Neves, Jennifer Mulqueen, Daon Drisdom, and Atticus D’Alessandro will be singing “I’m Gonna Lift My Sister Up” by Faya Rose Toure.

“EMBRACING CORETTA”, MCC CONCERT ON 10/28

On Saturday evening, 10/28 at 7pm Milton Community Concerts presents a free benefit concert called “Embracing Coretta”, which will raise money through a free-will offering for the League of Women for Community Service. The concert will feature four singers, a pianist, and a narrator as they present songs and spirituals which will tell the life story of singer, activist, wife and mother Coretta Scott King.

This concert will also be repeated on Monday, 10/30 in Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory as a celebration of the 70th anniversary of Coretta’s graduation from NEC. This program is a collaboration between Embrace Boston and the NEC Office of Cultural Equity and Belonging, as well as a sabbatical project by Tim Steele.

*See flyer below in the Beyond First Parish section

Events and Meetings

TOMORROW, Friday Oct. 13th

6:00pm – 8:00pm

Open to ALL!

Please join the Committee Chairs as we plan the church year ahead and our discernment process of Article II.

Trunk or Treat at First Parish!

Sunday, October 22 at 12:00 p.m.

Halloween is just around the corner!

On Sunday, October 22, bring your decorated car to First Parish, and give out candy to trick-or-treaters!

Ways you can participate:

•  Decorate the trunk of your car

•      Donate candy

•      Help out at the event (set up, direct cars to spots, clean up, etc.)

•      Bring your kids and their friends in their Halloween costumes to trick-or-treat from car to car

If you’re interested in helping, please let Lisa White know: lisawhite1250@gmail.com.

Ps. Extra cardboard boxes are available in Carriage house in case you need for decorating your trunk!

Harvest Supper Saturday, November 11, 6:00 pm in the Parish Hall 

The return of our Harvest Supper tradition!  Saturday, November 11, 6pm, in the Parish Hall.  A potluck sign up sheet to follow. Join us for fellowship and conversation and great food!

News and Announcements

“Hymns of the Spirit” Give Away

We will soon be donating copies of “Hymns of the Spirit”, an older hymnal First Parish has not used in many years. If you’d like a copy of it before it gets donated, please let the office know at office@fpmilton.org and we will keep a copy for you to pick up this month.

Anyone wanting to inquire about using space at First Parish, what is on the calendar, or wanting items to be added to the weekly newsletter, announcements, etc. please send email to Sherri, Admin. Asst. at office@fpmilton.org

October 18th 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.