Saturday, November 15, 2014

It’s finally here! The First Parish FunRaiser is this Saturday, starting at 7pm in the Parish Hall. Your $10 entry fee gets you one beverage, appetizers, desserts, live music, laughter, community socializing, and the opportunity to bid on many unique and exciting items in both a live and silent auction format.

Our Live Auction, led by auctioneer Tom Kemp, includes 7 spectacular vacation homes from Florida to Maine! See pictures and read all about them here:

Don’t miss this event which EVERYONE will be talking about Sunday morning!

This Week in Worship

Sunday, November 16, 2014

10:30am in the Meetinghouse

This Sunday I am pleased to have with us a dear friend, the Rev. Vail Weller who is the special Assistant to the President for Major Gifts at the Unitarian Universalist Association. Rev. Vail, will be helping us kick off our Stewardship Campaign.

As a parish minister, she served congregations in West Virginia, Michigan, and California. Previous to her calling to the ministry Vail worked with disabled zoo animals, becoming the leading expert in panther’s with hearing difficulties. Vail has written one book “Pour Some Salvation on Me” which discusses the praxis point where the Hosea Ballou’s Universalist theology of atonement and Rev. Weller’s work as a large animal trainer.

You will really enjoy this Sunday’s service.

See you in church,

Rev. Hank

Hang Out with Hank

The transition team, in the hope of helping the congregation get to know Rev. Hank better are sponsoring a number of “hang-out” opportunities. The next “Hang Out with Hank” is on Tuesday evening the 18th 7:30 pm in Hank’s office at the church. Please come!

Worship Services for November, the theme is Forgiveness

11/23 – A Thanksgiving Away
Come hear the story of the only time I ever spent Thanksgiving away from home, the only time I ever had Thanksgiving in the South.

11/23 –  Thanks for Giving Service at St. Mary’s 4:00
Everyone is invited to this wonderful service where members of the various religious faiths in Milton join together to give thanks, honor various volunteers in Milton and catch our breath before we dive head long into the Holiday Season.

11/30 – We Begin Again in Love
Part of Forgiveness is beginning again. It can be difficult if you are the one forgiving, but it is life giving for those who have been forgiven. There is only one way to begin again and that is in love.

Religious Exploration

The RE Booklet is available HERE!

Classes Sunday, November 16, 2014

Grades K – 2nd Spirit Play students go directly to their classroom.

Grades 3rd – 6th Small Group Ministry students will begin in the Meetinghouse before being dismissed to their Religious Education classes.

7th graders Neighboring Faiths go directly to the library.

8th Graders Owl Program – No OWL class scheduled for Sunday

8th – 12th Graders Youth Chat go directly to the youth room at 10:30am. Youth Group will be meeting from 12pm until 2pm

The Nursery is available for children ages 4 and younger

Last Saturday Our Neighboring Faiths Class had a wonderful visit to Dhammakaya Meditation Center in Quincy. So if these kids seem mellow to you, this is why. If you are interested in getting involved or learning more about what Religious Exploration is up to please contact me.

Namaste,

Miriam
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Youth Group Happenings

Sunday the 23rd, the Youth Group is going to Father Bills. We are going to serve shepherd’s pie, salad and layered cake. We are all excited to give back and it’s just in time for Thanksgiving!

Help support the youth group by bringing your unwanted cans and bottles to church and dropping them off in a labeled trash receptacle in the carriage house. You can drop them off whenever. There is no deadline. The cans will be collected weekly by the youth and all proceeds will benefit the youth group for social action initiatives and activities.

News and Announcements

Thanks For Giving service

Sunday Nov. 23rd at 4:00 at St. Mary’s of the Hills

Join with others in Milton as we honor the numerous Volunteers of the Year, from all of the religious communities in Milton. This year will be an exciting service with many new faces and voices. You are invited to bring with you a food item for the Milton Food Pantry.

More information on First Parish’s Volunteer of the Year to follow!

Jericho Road Roxbury Testimonial

During worship on Sunday, November 23th, Ernest Best, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance for Adult Literacy, will come to First Parish to share with us his non-profit’s experience with a First Parish volunteer through Jericho Road Roxbury. Come hear how volunteering for Jericho Road can transform a non-profit organization and First Parish Milton. In the meantime, learn more about Jericho Road Roxbury through our website. Or fill our our volunteer survey.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7

Please join us for the annual First Parish Fair Trade Holiday Sale, featuring beautiful handcrafts from Handcrafting Justice and the return of Julio Cochoy with exquisite Maya Skills jewelry from Guatemala.

Sale dates are Saturday 12/6 from 9 am to 1 pm and Sunday 12/7 from 11:30 am to 1 pm.

This is a wonderful way to get some holiday shopping done and make a positive impact on our global neighbors by supporting them directly and fairly.

We can accept cash, check, and credit cards for Handcrafting Justice. Julio can accept cash and checks. Spread the word and invite your friends and neighbors! We hope to see you there!

If you would like to volunteer to help with the sale, including set up, please contact Elise Henricks or (617)306-1608.

PRE-ORDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE FOR PICK UP ON DECEMBER 6 during First Parish Fair Trade Holiday Sale.

Order forms on the Information Table during Social Hour. Return to the gray box outside the Church with your check.

A Message from the “Coordinating Committee”

As part of the many-faceted process of preparing for and accomplishing the selection of our next settled minister for First Parish Milton, the Parish Committee has asked a group of us to help with setting up a series of meetings to have a facilitated discussions amongst members and friends of the congregation. The questions center on the future of FP Milton.

We will be arranging with as wide an array of the congregation as possible, in a series of meetings (yes, more meetings!) from mid-November through January. Some of the meetings will be in members’ homes; meetings may also be held with some other committees of the congregation and, if needed, at the church.

We hope that you will find a way to participate in one of these gatherings, that you will think about the future of First Parish that you will make your voice heard in these discussions.

You can contact Walt Hagenbuch, “head” of the subcommittee with any questions. Sandra Kohler and India Ennis are the other members of the committee.

Paintings by our own Ian Torney on exhibit at the First Parish Gallery

At The Horizon – studies and paintings, an exhibition of works by painter Ian Torney, on exhibit at the First Parish in Milton Church Gallery from November 9th through December 22,2014. Evolving out of his longtime practice as a traditionalplein-air landscape painter, Mr. Torney has recently moved his process into the studio to produce more contemplated images. His new works abandon the conventional horizontal landscape format in favor of the iconic square, with the distinct horizon line fading in greater atmospheric ambiguity, as he experiments with the tension between realism and abstraction in works as much about paint as about subject. Critic James Stroud recently wrote of Mr. Torney’s work:_“The artist displays a passion for the materiality of the medium – paint and image coalesce into one despite the suggestion of an observed motif….”_ The exhibition will feature a series of older and smaller studies along with a few more recent and larger finished paintings.

Silent Prayer & Meditation

Sundays, 9:00am & Wednesdays, 7:00pm
Children’s Church
Each week we offer a brief reading on a spiritual theme, followed by 30 minutes of silence. Whether you are new to silence or a longtime practitioner, you are welcome to join us for this restoring practice.

Inaugural Theodore Park Lecture, Sunday December 7, 2014 at 2pm
Theodore Pariker Church, 1859 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA

Rabbi Brian Walt
The Prophetic Challenge: Breaking Silence Speaking Truth.

You are invited by our sibling UU church to come listen to Rabbi Walt. Music and Reception to follow. Donations welcome. Take a flyer from the Information Table with more details.

Kiki’s Corner

Office Comings and Goings:

Miriam and I are typically scheduled in the office Monday – Thursdays. We try to keep office hours from 10 am – 3 pm. Rev. Hank is scheduled in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Our staff meetings are Tuesday mornings. It is best to check ahead to make sure one of us is there before you drop by.

Thanksgiving week – Hours will be varied Monday – Wednesday. Please call ahead if you are planning to visit the church. The office will be closed Wednesday – Friday, November 26 – 28. I will be out of the office from November 21 – November 30.

This is a busy place.

The Carriage House Nursery School is in session Monday – Friday mornings on the lower level of the Link.

Music Together, a toddler music program, uses our Parish Hall 6 mornings a week now, including Saturday mornings. There is a Sunday program in the Activities Room facilitated by our own Jennie Mulqueen.

We have hosted AA meetings since the 1980s in the Parish Hall on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Monday night, we sponsor a yoga class as part of Lifespan Religious Education program. Wednesday evening we have an Irish Step Dance group practicing.

As you have figured out, we are a very busy place most of the week. The Library is available for meetings of committees or other small gatherings. If you are looking for meeting space or space for a private event or wedding, please contact Miriam Febres. She manages requests and does all the coordination.

Items for The Link are due Tuesday at 5 pm. Please email both Miriam and Kiki at the office to make sure your item is included.
To quote Peter Bowden, social media guru and UU, “brevity matters”. Please keep your announcement limited to one paragraph. We may limit or edit text.

Have you liked our Facebook Page? If not, You should. Rev. Hank has been sharing some historic photos, others are sharing RE news, FP upcoming events, and photos from this fall.

First Parish is refreshing its public relations materials and will be undertaking more photography and videography of church activities, including religious education events, classes, and children’s church. These images may occasionally be shared with the broader community, e.g. through local media. If you do not want your child’s or your image to be shared beyond the First Parish community, please contact the office.

Items for The Link are due Tuesday at 5 pm. Please email both Miriam and Kiki at the office to make sure your item is included.
To quote Peter Bowden, social media guru and UU, “brevity matters”. Please keep your announcement limited to one paragraph. We may limit or edit text.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook and get updates, poems, announcements and more. You’ll be glad you did!

EVERY SUNDAY

Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

THE SUNDAY PLANNER

Please consider volunteering for important Sunday worship positions like ushering, hosting social hour, providing flowers for worship, and lighting the chalice. Sign Up Here!