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

November Worship Theme: RESPONSIBILITY

“Moving Forward Through Consultation Rather Than Debate”

Guest Leaders: Eamon Ahgdasi & Robert Johnson

Worship Assistant: Amy Kavadlo

Greeter: Jennifer Mulqueen

Audio: Eli De Angeli

Social Hour: Joanna Dahl, Theresa Clearman & Ethan Deyle

 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 IFSI. The Immigrant Family Services Institute provides targeted academic support and enrichment services, using an holistic approach that addresses the unique challenges of immigrant children as a way to maximize their full potential in school and beyond.

It’s cold, flu and covid season! 

In order to keep our community healthy, we encourage the wearing of masks at worship services if you have cold symptoms or have been exposed to a communicable illness. Masks and Hand sanitizer will be available at all church entrances if needed.

A group of church members from First Congregational, First Parish UU, and St Agatha’s have been brainstorming options of how faith communities can respond to the present immigration housing and shelter crisis.

 A letter to the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, entitled “families helping families” put into focus what is urgently needed.

 “Newly arriving immigrants continue to arrive at state run Welcome Centers in Quincy, Brighton, and Mattapan. These families have fled violence, devastation, and poverty in Haiti, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba. They came legally into the US through a federal government temporary humanitarian program. For newly arrived families, the critical issue is finding shelter. The MA state emergency assistance shelters and temporary respite centers are full and waiting lists are long. Many local faith communities are trying to figure out how they can help.”

Two proposals have been recommended to faith communities: develop a network of host families willing to provide short term housing, and contribute to the BIJAN Hotel Fund, which is used for 1-2 night stays in local hotels as the immigrant registration process is in motion

Cynthia Guise, Pat Gallivan and Tracey Robinson have been hard at work learning about the situation, reaching out to build coalition and volunteering to assist in ways they can. If you would like to join this effort, in whatever capacity, please do contact one of our impressive, stalwart volunteers.

As the initiative continues, we will share more news and action plans.

Let’s help families help families.

 In Admiration, Rev. Lisa

Music This Week

This Sunday the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing a beautiful and lyrical anthem called “Love is the Spirit of This Church” by Paul Ayres, on a text by James Vila Blake (1842-1925). Mr. Ayres is a prolific composer of vocal, choral, and theatre music who currently lives in London. Guest soprano Deborah Selig will be offering a newly-composed song called “I am Malala” on a text by Malala Yousafzai. This song is part of a set of four songs called “Wings to Fly”, by local composer Gregory Zavracky.

For planning purposes, here’s the upcoming schedule for the RE program.

Religious Education

Nov 24th: Wee the People Workshop for all class groups

Dec 1st: RE kids and teachers will work together to prepare the Social Hour food and drinks

Dec 8th: RE classes will meet as usual

Dec 15th: Music Workshop: the kids will learn a song together and sing it in big church, led by Claudia and Penny 

Dec 22nd during Worship: Ornament making: the kids and teachers will make holiday ornaments together

Dec 22nd at 4pm– Annual Christmas Pageant – at a new date/time! If interested in participating, please contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org or Steve Yakutis at steve.yakutis@gamil.com

December 29th– No RE classes. Children under 10 welcome to go to the nursery.

News & Announcements

For planning purposes, here’s the upcoming schedule for the RE program.

Nov 24th: Wee the People Workshop for all class groups

Dec 1st: RE kids and teachers will work together to prepare the Social Hour food and drinks

Dec 8th: RE classes will meet as usual

Dec 15th: Music Workshop: the kids will learn a song together and sing it in big church, led by Claudia and Penny 

Dec 22nd during Worship: Ornament making: the kids and teachers will make holiday ornaments together

Dec 22nd at 4pm– Annual Christmas Pageant – at a new date/time! If interested in participating, please contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org or Steve Yakutis at steve.yakutis@gamil.com

December 29th– No RE classes. Children under 10 welcome to go to the nursery

Lost and Found

It is believed that someone accidently took Tom Kemp’s coat for their own after the Harvest Supper. The coats are similar. If you have this coat in your possession, please let Sherri in the office know.

Also, if one of these water bottles belong to you; you can pick up in the Lost and Found bin on the kitchen counter.

Thank you!

Please remember to close all exit/entry doors to save heat! When you hear it click…it is secure.

Social Hour Hosts Needed for these dates:

December 8th, December 15th, December 22nd, and December 29th.

Please click here to sign up on Signup Genius.  

Haven’t hosted before or need a refresher? No worries! A member of the Hospitality Committee will contact you the week before with instructions and to answer questions and provide support.  Thank you for your hospitality!

Events

Navigating the Political Climate

Meeting by zoom from 7:00 pm-8:15 pm Tuesday 26. Contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org for the zoom link

We have crafters, we have Fair Trade items, we have music. Now, we have some specific needs that we hope you can help with:

• Holiday items for out Holiday Freecycle table (You know, those millions of decorations you haven’t used in years? This is it: donate them!)
• Yummy baked goods for the Bake Sale table
• Little items that would be appropriate for the Kids Room, little gifts kids can buy for $1 and wrap as gifts (ex cute unused bars of soap, lotion, etc.)
• Chili, cheese, corn bread and drinks for lunch 
• Volunteers to help with set up and clean up.

There will be boxes in the library at church for donated items, and you can use this Sign-up Genius for both the lunch and bake sale table.

We will have the MITTEN TREE set up again too — so please bring your hats, mittens and scarves for the tree. It will be set up in the Narthex this week and items will be given to those who need to stay warm.

Reach out to Leslie if you want to help; lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

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 early 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 gifts, sneakers, or winter clothing. The following would be particularly helpful: grocery (Shaws or Star Market work best), $25 Target, or Amazon. Gently used snow boots for teens and young adults as well as gently used snow jackets are also welcomed (leave in FP library marked MRF). Gift card donations can be left in the grey box in the church hallway, Marked MRF. Provide the donor name and mailing address if a tax donation letter is requested. The goal is to distribute all gifts and items before 12/13/24.

Social & Environmental Justice

Next date: December 18th

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 sign up whenever you can help out by clicking on button below.

We are counting on your support!

Beyond First Parish

Milton Interfaith Clergy Association

Invites all to the Annual

Thanks-For-Giving Celebration

Sunday Afternoon, November 24, 2024 4:00pm-5:15pm

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church

112 Randolph Avenue, Milton, MA

This Year’s Theme:

Embracing the Divine through the Divinity of Others:

Cultivating Compassionate Conversations

Guest Speaker

Rebecca Berwick

Humanities Department Chair, The Rashi School

Followed by a dessert reception

First Parish Honorees: Charlie Franich and Lisa White

Donations will be accepted to support

Milton Food Pantry, Milton Residents Fund & Immigrant Family Services Institute

Canned Goods & Non-perishable Food Items also accepted

Culture Con is happening at Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 8! Please see below for a warm invitation from UUCSR and for more information on registering youth and their adult advisors:

For those of you who are unfamiliar with youth conferences, this is what they consist of — a two-night overnight event that includes all high schoolers from UU congregations in the surrounding area. The activities at the Con will include discussion-based programming, sports, art, and general fun and silliness. Cons are run by the youth and for the youth with adult supervision, but the youth are the central focus in decision-making, planning, and leading.

Culture Con will be a celebration of the UU value of Pluralism, where we honor that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, experience, and theology! Come to Culture Con excited and ready to express whatever it is you are passionate about!  The official registration forms for youth and their adult advisors are live. Please keep in mind, there are 3 forms for youth to submit and 2 forms for their adult advisors to submit.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jamie Walowitz, UUCSR Youth and Adult Faith Engagement Coordinator via email or her direct line: (516) 472-2943

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.