Table of Contents

• This Week in Worship
• This Week in Religious Exploration
• Events and Meetings
• News and Announcements
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Beyond First Parish

This Week in Worship

“Shift Happens”

Worship Assistant: Amy Kavadlo

Usher: Natalie Monroe

Social Hour: Debbie Alsebai & Dianna Wilson

Music: Tim Steele

Audio: Sophie D’Alessandro

Sunday’s offering will be given to UU MASS Action.  Director Rev. Jo Murphy will remind us why we support this organization which has been organizing and mobilizing UU congregations since 2006.

Masks are optional for vaccinated people 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.

Looking outside my office window, I see that the construction for the Milton Fire House has begun. That is a change from five months ago. I also noticed the newly painted exterior of First Parish’s Link Hallway, along with a stunning art exhibit of photos, writings and sketches along the interior of the Link Hallway. This is an apt metaphor for how change is constant inside and out. Being gone for a time brings that truth into sharper view.

Upon arriving I found balloons and a beautiful “welcome back” poster, hand-made and lovingly filled, to invite my re-entrance. This, coupled with a recent breakfast meeting with Rev. Tricia, solidly brought me back with the realization that some things change and other things stay relatively the same.

Your hospitality, your care, your earnestness of shared endeavors, your support of staff, your wisdom and whimsy, your hope-filled gatherings continue to thrive, to be alive within your stewardship of faith community. Tricia and I had such a nourishing breakfast singing your praises. I’m so glad you and she could be in shared ministry for a time. I am so grateful for the gift of time that you gave me.

I have also discovered that five months produces emails (over 2000!!). Many are news outlets and advertisements and group mailings, but, still, it will take a bit to fully catch up. I look forward to settling back into work, conversation by conversation, to see where it is we are now. Wherever that may be it has hope and possibility about it: that will not change.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Music For Sunday

This Sunday the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing a beautiful arrangement of the Langston Hughes text, “I Dream a World”, by Andre J. Thomas. Jennifer Sgroe and Daon Drisdom will also be singing a gospel arrangement of two familiar melodies to familiar texts adapted by Alice Walker in “You Can Talk”, by Jacqueline Hairston. This piece was premiered in Carnegie Hall in 2016 by Hope Briggs and Phillip Harris.

Religious Exploration

Religious Exploration classes are in session this Sunday. We look forward to our Spirit Play, Holy Days and Holidays and Friends and Neighbors students joining us in the meetinghouse and then proceeding to classes. Spirit Play classes will be enjoying the story of the Man in the Moon, while Holidays and Holy Days learns about the celebration of the Dance of the Deer from the Huichol of Mexico. Our Coming of Age class meets at 4:00 pm. If you would like to register a child, please click here.

Next Sunday, November 27th, will be a multi generational service. No classes will meet but we encourage children and youth to join us in the meetinghouse for worship.

Events and Meetings

The Milton Residents Fund gratefully accepts financial or gift card donations throughout the year to assist families and individuals who are experiencing a financial crisis. We especially need gift cards during November and December to respond to holiday gift requests for those requesting additional assistance with the purchase of food or basic necessities, and teens/young adults/parents and seniors who have requested help with a holiday gift, sneakers, bedding or winter clothing. The following would be particularly helpful: grocery (Shaw’s or star market work best), target (as they sell everything), Dicks Sporting Goods (for athletic needs of teens,) Gamestop as several older youth have only listed video games on their holiday wish list, TJ MAxx/Marshall’s or Amazon. All else would also be gratefully accepted. Generally we distribute in increments of $25 and $50.  Donations can be left in the grey box in the church hallway. Provide the donors name and mailing address if a tax donation letter is requested.”

Regards,

Noreen K Dolan, MSW, LCSW

Fund Coordinator

Thanks-for-Giving Celebration

On Sunday afternoon, Nov. 20th, the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association will be hosting the annual celebration of Thanks-For-Giving. It will be back in-person this year, hosted by the First Congregational Church across the green. There will be a light supper of soup and bread served after the service. You can also Livestream  the service.

This is a town-wide gathering designed to highlight honorees from various town organizations on behalf of their volunteer service for the year. First Parish has so many volunteers who are doing amazing work for our congregation as well as the larger community. However each organization is asked to highlight one or two.

The Parish Committee unanimously nominated Amy Norton and Cynthia Guise for the

leadership they provided to the Refugee Resettlement Project. Their generosity, creative solutions and collaboration with people across Milton provided a warm welcome to the Syrian family who moved into a new home and a new life in Milton.

Amy Norton

Amy was the point person for donations to the home for the MICA Refugee Resettlement Initiative. In just over two weeks, she managed to coordinate donations from people across Milton and create a warm, welcoming and beautiful home for our new neighbors. Her attention to detail and care for the whole family was inspiring.

Cynthia Guise

Cynthia led the transportation and clothing teams for the MICA Refugee Resettlement Initiative. Her prior experience with the Refugee Immigration Ministry (RIM) informed her understanding of the issues the family would face. She provided a strong voice to ensure the teams worked to empower the family toward independence.

COME CELEBRATE WITH MILTON COMMUNITY CONCERTS ON 12/3

On Saturday, December 3rd at 7:00 pm Milton Community Concerts will be presenting “Let’s Celebrate”, a unique and entertaining program which will provide a sneak-preview of four newly composed musical dramas highlighting living holiday traditions from various cultures in America. “Let’s Celebrate” is a production of White Snake Projects, and will receive its fully- staged world-premiere performance the following week in Boston. This Milton performance, taking place at First Parish of Milton (535 Canton Avenue) will be a rare chance for local audiences to experience a “room run” of the piece with piano before it moves into the theater for its tech and orchestra rehearsals. Admission is “Pay as you can” (suggested donation $20) and the net proceeds will go to support the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. For more information visit https://www.miltoncommunityconcerts.com/

News and Announcements

What’s the deal with the Inflation Reduction Act?

Back in August, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), America’s biggest-ever investment in fighting climate change. Much of that money is aimed at people like you and me to make our homes more efficient and to switch from fossil fuel-powered to electric vehicles, heating, appliances and more. It’s a huge opportunity to save energy and save money.

The organization Rewiring America has put together two excellent and very accessible guides – a guide to electrifying your home and a guide to the incentives available under the IRA-that everyone should read. And Tony Dutzik recently published an article with a few tips for how to get started in electrifying your home. See more info on the Getting to Zero section of the FPM website.

Volunteer Opportunities

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, November 19th.

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.

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.

We are grateful to youth from the Coming of Age class for volunteering to make all the lunches for the Nov 23 delivery!! We are still looking for a few youth volunteers to join us on Wednesday morning, Nov 23 to make lunches. Contact Tracey if you are interested tdr02196@gmail.com

Sign up here

Beyond First Parish

Another Milton Grows Event

“Let’s Compost! What are you waiting for?”

Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:45 p.m

Milton Public Library (MPL) 

Keyes Room (lower level – accessible)

476 Canton Avenue

Milton Grows is a year-long MPL initiative focused on gardening and sustainability in collaboration with The Friends of MPL and Sustainable Milton. Local duo Tucker Smith and Sita Cochran will cheerlead for home composting. It will be interactive, enthusiastic, and educational, with lots of show and tell to inspire you and your family. Free to all.

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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.