Sunday, November 17th, 2019

“Mend and Repair: What does it take to heal what’s broken between us?”

A reflection on the legacy of slavery, the ongoing challenge of racism, and how we build relationships from there.

Guest Minister: Rev. Mary Margaret Earl

OUR GUEST MINISTER

The Rev. Mary Margaret Earl is Executive Director and Senior Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry. In this ministry, she has worked to strengthen bonds between UUs and the Roxbury neighborhood where the UUUM operates. She is on the Faith in Solidarity leadership team, which works to connect faith leaders with those impacted by poverty, and serves as co-chair of the Roxbury Cultural Network. 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 is a longtime vegan committed to standing up for nonhuman animals.

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

Please welcome our new Administrative Assistant, Sherri Moldaver..  As Megan Benders leaves her position to spend more home time with her infant son, we are happy to include Sherri as a member of our staff team.  

Sherri Moldaver has an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration.  She is a native of New Bedford, Massachusetts and has lived in Randolph for 23 years.  She and her husband, Gary, have 3 children: one young adult and two teenagers.  We are enjoying getting to know Sherri as a part of the staff team and have learned, as of this column, that she enjoys reading, scrapbooking, nature walks, and Sunday night game nights with her family. Her hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. 

If you have a chance come by the office and introduce yourself to Sherri.

Blessings, Rev. Lisa

SOLAR PANEL EXPLORATION UPDATE

The structural analysis of our roofs and electrical systems arrived from Resonant Energy, Inc. on Friday, November 8.  With good news about the possibilities, the Parish Committee met on Sunday to map out our road toward a congregational vote, scheduled for Sunday, January 12, after worship service (snow date on January 26).

We hope you will engage in this important discernment leading to the congregational vote.

December 8:  Isaac Baker, of Resonant Energy, will be available after worship service to discuss the solar proposal and answer technical questions.  A description of the proposal will be posted next to the solar survey results on the wall at the end of the Link hallway.  We will send a detailed summary of the proposal in an email, as well, next week.

December 1 – 15: Listening Circles. Members are invited to gather in smaller groups to discuss the project and funding possibilities. A sign up genius email will be sent tomorrow.

December 22: A warrant for a special congregational meeting will be sent to membership.

January 12:  Congregational vote on what is stipulated in the warrant. (Snow date January 26)

Please do share your voice in this process.  With a project of this scope, it is important that the members of the congregation are engaged in the outcome.

Religious Exploration

Nursery care will be available from 10:15 to 11:45 am in the Link hallway for infants and toddlers up through age 3.

Religious Exploration classes will meet on Sunday, November 17. All children from preschool through grade 7 will begin in the Meetinghouse and then move downstairs to their classrooms.

• Preschool through grade 1 will be enjoying Spirit Play in the Preschool classroom. The story this week will be The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything. 
• Grades 2 and 3 will be exploring the UU Principles during the fall and the Passages program beginning in January, meeting in the Juniors classroom. This week they will read Grace for President as they discuss Principle 5: Each and every person should have a voice and a vote about the things that concern them.
• Grades 4 through 7 will be continuing the two-year Friends and Neighbors curriculum, learning about various faith traditions through videos and visitors. Our focus this week will be on Hinduism. This group meets in the Activity room. 
• Grade 8 will be participating in the Coming of Age program this year.

Please register your child or youth for RE classes! The Religious Exploration Committee requests all families to register your child or youth. Please use this link to our online form: Online registration form (or use the paper registration forms available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway).

Create fun and decorative holiday crafts! Everyone of all ages can join in to make a flurry of handcrafted items from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday, November 22. All materials will be supplied, just add your creative imagination! Homemade soups will be accompanied by bread and fruit. No cost to attend. Hosted by the Religious Exploration Committee.

Youth Chat (for grades 8 through 12) will meet on Sunday, November 17th. Youth are invited to begin arriving at 10 am to make a hot beverage and settle in. Formal Youth Chat programming runs from 10:30 to 11:30 am. This week we will be deciding on what service projects the youth group with be dedicating their time to during Youth Chat. Come ready to discuss your out of the box ideas and issues that you are passionate about!

Coming of Age (for grades 8 through 10) will meet on Sunday, November 17th from noon to 1:30 pm. This is a joint session with mentors! If your youth is unable to attend class this week, please be sure to communicate this to their Coming of Age mentor so they may coordinate accordingly. The previous plan to make lunch for the Lucy Stone Co-op has been cancelled. Instead, we will be returning to the discussion of the credos and exploring our history and relationship with our spirituality thus far.

Please note that the evening trip to the Lucy Stone Co-op on Sunday the 17th has been canceled as the Lucy Stone Co-op has currently suspended their potluck dinners. However, we will still be having the Coming of Age class with mentors at our normally scheduled time. Hope to see everyone there!

Music Selections:

This week the choir anthem will be a special choral arrangement of “We Are” by Ysaye M. Barnwell. During the offertory soprano Melissa Joseph will be singing a song recently commissioned by White Snake Projects for the concert “Sing Out Strong: Immigrant Voices”. This song, “A Life of Honor” was premiered by Ms. Joseph in August, 2019. The song is an immigrant story of a young girl who immigrated to America from Cape Verde with the support of Vovo, her grandmother, who advised her, “Each stone you meet on your way, take it with you. At the end you will build a castle with those stones that you carried on your back.” The composer is Shuying Li and the text is by Rute Pires

Events, News and Announcements

Christmas is coming!

Christmas Tree Order Forms can be found this Sunday in your Order of Worship. 

If you’d like an order form emailed to you, please email the office at office@fpmilton.org.

Trees are 6-7 Frasier Firs from Sibgo Family Farm in New Hamshire. Cost is $65. Pick-up times are Saturday, November 30th from 9am-1pm or Sunday, December 1st from 11:45am-1:30pm. Weekday pick-up’s can also be arranged with the office. Proceeds go to First Parish. Thank you!

Trees in front of Meetinghouse

After conferring with our tree service company, we’ve made the difficult decision to cut down the two dying maple trees in front of the Meetinghouse. During the past two storms, both trees have had branches fall across Canton Ave, making the trees a safety concern. Two new maple trees (gifts from the town of Milton) were already planted along the Canton Ave side of the campus this past spring, as well as a tulip tree. We look forward to seeing these new trees on our campus!

Towards Social Justice

The Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coaltion is holding their 15th annual thanksgiving luncheon on Beacon Hill on Tuesday, November 26 from 12-2pm.   “Our Shared Table” is a gathering for immigrants and refugees to share a meal with legislators, advocates, and other political and business leaders.  Held in the Great Hall of the State House, the luncheon is a celebration of our communities’ rich diversity and a chance to come together in a warm and friendly environment.   AG Maura Healey will be one of the guest speakers.  Please consider supporting MIRA in sending the message that “here in Massachusetts, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels safe, valued, and respected, no matter where we came from or how we got here.”

If you are interested in attending the luncheon or making a donation to support this important event, contact Tracey Robinson for more information.

Gratitude Sanctuary: A spiritual alternative to “Black Friday”

November 29, 1-5pm in Parish Hall.

When we create space to deeply contemplate the blessing of life, our humble hearts can be filled with deep joy for being. You are invited to bring one item for a gratitude altar as well as journals, dream/vision boards, or any other contemplative project that makes your heart hum. We will begin and end with singing and sharing, and the heart of our time together will be for silent meditation/individual project work. All ages welcome. 

Please let us know (office@fpmilton.org) if childcare is needed by Thursday, 11/21.  617-698-6329

Theology On Tap Returns

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Prime Pizza, 88 Wharf St.  Milton

6:00pm – 7:30pm

Join fellow First Parishioners for a lively and informative discussion around current challenges – moral, social, religious, etc.

This will be the second Theology on Tap offering.  Those who attended the gathering last June found it interesting, compelling, and delicious.  We enjoyed beverages and sustenance (Dutch treat) as well as conversation.

FAIR FOODS

Fair Foods is a nonprofit organization that rescues nutritious wholesale fruits and vegetables about to be discarded for distribution to members of the community. Join First Parish’s Social Justice Committee for our monthly volunteer day with Fair Foods at the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, 10 Putnam St. in Roxbury. Arrive in Roxbury at 10:30 or e-mail Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com if you’d like to join a carpool leaving from First Parish at 10 a.m. or if you have any questions. Upcoming dates include the following Saturdays: December 14 and January 11.

World Market Holiday Craft Fair

December 7th, 2019

 9:30-1:30

Parish Hall

SAVE THE DATE.!!

First Parish members: Our World Market Holiday Craft Fair is coming!! This year, we are doing something new; we have invited local artisans to come and offer their crafts for holiday purchasing. In addition, we will have our usual tasty assortment of Equal Exchange Fair Trade items — coffees, teas and cocoa — plus new items from a co-op of West Bank farmers which includes dates, nuts, olive oil and couscous. Also new this year: CHOCOLATE from Goodnow Farms.

There will be holiday music and treats to nibble while you shop and socialize with friends old and new. 

Local crafters encouraged to contact the

church for an application. Crafts only,

no food or mass-produced items.

$35 per table

Contact: office@fpmilton.org

617-698-6329

Green Gleans

Recycle Winter Clothing – NOW!!!

Let’s help our neighbors, Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills and Interfaith Social Services of Quincy*.  Between Sunday, November 17 – Thursday, November 21, the synagogue welcomes donations of new and gently-used clothes at 18 Shoolman Way (off Lodge Street) in Milton on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 9-10:30, and Monday 18th through Thursday, 21st, between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. All types of clothing are needed for all ages: winter coats/jackets, tops, bottoms, shoes, boots, hats, gloves, etc.  Please bring donations in plastic trash or shopping bags sorted and labeled by age/size, if possible.

For more information about the Winter Clothing Drive or the synagogue’s “Third Thursday Community Service Mitzvah Program,” please call 617-698-3394, email office@BethShalomBlueHills.org, or visit www.BethShalomBlueHills.org.

*[Interfaith Social Services is a multiservice center helping South Shore families and individuals in need since 1947.]

Did you know that clothing and household linens beyond repair can be bagged and put into white bins behind most Milton Public Schools?  Periodically, the bins’ contents are collected and repurposed for industrial use, with a reimbursement fee going to our school district.  Discarded textiles are a solid waste issue we can help to avoid!

June 24, 2020-June 29, 2020, Providence RI

Early Bird Registration is now Open!

Click here for more informaiton.

Snow Cancellation Information:

If the Milton Public Schools close for snow, so does First Parish. Sundays we realize are trickier.  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.  Our Facebook page also feeds our Twitter account @FPMilton.

~Check our website, www.fpmilton.org.  We put a banner on the home page with closing information.