Table of Contents

• This Week in Worship
• Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
• RE Info
• News and Announcements
• Events
• Social & Environmental Justice
• Beyond First Parish

This Week in Worship

October Worship Theme: Facing Fear

“Small Gifts & Necessary Promises: a reflection on lessons in 10 years at the UU Urban Ministry”

Guest Speaker: Rev. Mary Margaret Earl

Worship Assistant: Steve Yakutis

Greeters: Brigitte Miller

Audio: Eli De Angeli

Social Hour: Amy Kavadlo and Jenny Mulqueen

 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 offering will be given to the UU Urban Ministry.  Executive Director Rev. Mary Margaret Earl will remind us why we support this organization which has been organizing and mobilizing UU congregations since 2006.

The Rev. Mary Margaret Earl has served as Executive Director and Senior Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry for 10 years. In this ministry, she works for racial justice and to strengthen connections between UUs and the Roxbury neighborhood where the UUUM operates. She has served on the leadership team of Moral Movement Massachusetts, the Roxbury Cultural Network, and the search committee for the Roxbury Community College president. Prior to her arrival at the UU Urban Ministry, she spent 10 years at a faith-based nonprofit in RI serving the homeless community, She is past president of the Board of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, recipient of the Heroes of Faith Award from the Rhode Island State Council of Churches for her interfaith work, and received a Courage of Conscience award from the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Ma. She’s a longtime vegan committed to standing up for nonhuman animals.

With the national election so close, and the incessant count down on the news, anxiety is running high. 

You may notice this in increased road rage, or tense exchanges. You may feel it in your body, your sleeping and your eating habits. We are tense, we are worried, we are incredulous, we are feeling unmoored. We are also hopeful, determined, defiant and vigilant.

In any case, the nation is more engaged than usual. More people are finding it quite important to claim a stake in what’s next. This is good news for democracy. The not so good news is the predatory use of relational power. The media keeps trying to find gotcha moments that are countered with spin. Politicking is rarely about discerning what’s productive and true for the nation. It’s often about finding what can grab the voters’ attention, in a flagrant means-justifies-the-end culture that has little respect for truth or consequences.

So, as we enter these heightened anticipatory days, it’s important to pay attention to what can ease the anxiety. We cannot save the world in the next few weeks. We can, however, unhook from the spin dance, pay attention to our bodies and our breath. We can simply do what is before us, and trust in our ability to respond to whatever comes next.

This I pray. With love, Rev. Lisa

Music This Week

This Sunday the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing a very familiar patriotic hymn in a beautiful arrangement by Doug Katsaros. Mr. Katsaros is an Emmy Award-winning composer who has written for Broadway, film, and television. Daon Drisdom will also be offering an inspirational solo called “Do You Fear the Wind?” by Douglas E. Wagner.

Religious Exploration

Crossing Paths Field Trip- RE classes for grades 4-6

Sunday, October 27th **To meet in church parking lot at 10:00 am**

Crossing Paths will first learn about a faith for several Sundays and then visit (physically or virtually) the associated house of worship. As we are starting with learning about the UU faith, our first field trip will be the historic Arlington Street Church, Unitarian Universalist, Boston on Sunday October 27th.  If your child would like to join us, please fill out this permission slip by Friday October 25th. The service begins at 11am. Paul Casaz and I can drive the kids to/from the service. If your kids will be traveling with us, please meet us in the church parking lot at 10am.

Alternatively you are welcome to attend, too, and can drive your child and meet us there – you can indicate this on the permission form. After the service, we’re happy to drive the kids back to your respective homes or we can meet you at the church parking lot for pick up. The service is entitled “Ancestors and Angels” and is described as “Mystical connections with folks who have passed are a part of nearly every faith tradition. What can we learn from stories of the presence of ancestors as we navigate our lives in the present? We invite you to bring photos or mementos of loved ones who have passed as we celebrate and remember those we have lost.” We think this will be interesting for the kids!

Jennifer Lofgren, RE Chair

Sunday, October 27th 6:00pm-7:00pm
** Meet at First Parish at 4:30pm**

First Parish Milton is organizing a field trip to the First Parish UU in Arlington MA to participate in a UU Youth Corps event – We will standing up for the Right to Shelter law in MA! The plan is to gather at First Parish Milton at 4:30pm on Sunday October 27 to talk about this important issue and make signs for the protest event. Then we will drive to the First Parish UU Church in Arlington MA to participate in the event from 6-7pm. 

This field trip is for youth age 12+. If interested in joining us, please contact Tracey Robinson at tdr02182@gmail.com.

Crossing Paths Parents- please note that this trip is separate from the field trip scheduled at 11am that day to the UU Arlington Church.

News & Announcements

SOCIAL HOUR hosts needed for Sundays, November 10th and November 17th !

If you are available to help, please contact Marie-Laure at marie-laure@bostonbrowns.org.

Available other dates?

Click here to sign up

Haven’t hosted before or need a refresher? No worries! A member of the Hospitality Committee will be in touch to answer questions, provide instructions, and stop in on Sunday morning. 

 Thank you for your hospitality!

MCC Musical Marathon this Saturday, October 26th

This Saturday, October 26 will be Milton Community Concerts free Ten-Year Anniversary Celebration, beginning at 2:00. MCC presents “A Musical Marathon Fundraiser: Celebrating Ten Years of Milton Community Concerts.”

This will be a full day and evening of music for the entire family, featuring outstanding performers from the past nine years of concerts. It may well be the most impressive group of musicians performing together on the same program ever in Milton.

Come as you are, and come and go as you please. From 2:00-5:00 will be a series of “mini-concerts”:

2:00-3:00 — soprano Yoonjeong Yoo and baritone Philip Lima

3:00-3:30 — jazz/folk pianist and world-class juggler Stuart Ryerse, with guest musician Victoria Dobbs

3:30-4:00 — tenor David Won

4:00-4:30 — sopranos Sarah Callinan and Jane Shivick (from MCC’s very first concert)

4:30-5:00 — jazz accordionist Cory Pesaturo

From 5:00 until 6:00 there will be dinner available in the Parish Hall, including food donated by MCC supporters and local restaurants. This will also be a chance to meet some of our performers.

From 6:00-9:00 will be a spectacular concert called “Showstoppers”, during which many of our past performers will get a chance to shine with their one favorite aria, musical theater selection, or instrumental piece. 

For more information visit miltoncommunityconcerts.com

Events

Navigating the Political Climate

We will be meeting by zoom from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm every other Tuesday. Upcoming dates are October 29th and Nov 12 & 26. Contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org for the zoom link.

TOMORROW IS THE Halloween Hang-out

Friday, October 25th 5:00pm-7:00pm

First Parish Friends ~ It’s spooky season and the Membership Committee wants you to come and have a low-key seasonal good time.

On Friday, Oct 25th, we will be in the Parish Hall from 5-7. We will have pizza, salad, treats and drinks plus spooky music and craft projects for all. Costumes encouraged but not necessary. 

This is a family-friendly event for all ages! Easy crafts and fun for all. 

Please RSVP with this easy link

We want to know how much food to have and if you have dietary needs. THANKS

or email Leslie with any questions lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

Don’t be scared — it’s just for FUN

The Bridging Dinners with Church of the Holy Spirit have returned!

November 1st 5:00pm-7:00pm

Mark your calendar for Friday, November 1 from 5 PM to 7 PM at First Parish Milton in the Parish Hall. Cost is $20 per adult and food will be catered from Fresh Food Generation in Dorchester. Hope to see you there!! Free child care is available. Please let Sherri in the office know if you plan to attend office@fpmilton.org

Harvest Supper

November 9th 6:00 pm-9:30 pm

We invite you to the annual First Parish Harvest Supper, Saturday, November 9, 6pm-9:30pm. It’s a potluck!  

Click here to RSVP and to sign up to bring a favorite dish. 

This is a much-beloved First Parish tradition of fellowship and good food. Childcare (and child-friendly food!) will be available. We look forward to seeing you there.

First Parish HOLIDAY FAIR – crafters wanted 

Saturday, Dec 14th from 10 am-2 pm We will have our amazing Holiday Fair again. More information will be coming but if you know crafters who might like to rent a table, please ask them to email me for information. We are lining them up now. Leslie at: lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

If you want to get involved again, let me know! December will be here before you know it!

Social & Environmental Justice

Next date: November 20th

S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches a month to support shelter guests.

Please signup whenever you can help out by clicking on button below.

We are counting on your support!

Prison Book Program

For over 50 years, the Prison Book Program, a non-profit in Quincy, has been sending free books to people in prison, because everyone deserves the freedom to read. Volunteers write personal notes to offer connection to a community outside the prison walls. There are several ways to support this important program: 

Book Drive: Between Oct 19-Nov 10, we are collecting gently used paperbacks in the following categories:

Nonfiction: language learning, trade skills, exercise, business, history, hobbies, self-help, science, sports, spirituality and books by LGBTQ authors and people of color. 

Fiction: Westerns, thrillers, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, young adult

Drop off books through the office mail slot or bring them to church and put in box in Narthex.

Buy a special request: visit their wish list to buy the exact book someone asked for.

Beyond First Parish