This Week in Worship

November 27, 2016 – Meetinghouse @ 10:30 am

November Worship Theme: Spirituality

Message from Rev. Lisa

Sent on 11/17/16

This Sunday will be First Parish’s annual corn bread communion. A timely event, indeed. With the tremors in mind and heart after the seismic political development of the election, it will be good to welcome nourishment, ground ourselves in body wisdom, and partake of the call of beloved community. Communion ritualizes equanimity. It offers the strength of generations honoring shared being, which is where justice, equity and compassion dwell.

Personally, it is just the right sendoff for me as I travel to North Carolina to visit my mother. She entered hospice in early September. It will be good to spend a week with her. I will be out of the office from Monday, 11/21 through Monday 11/28. The Caring Committee, chaired by Amanda Tobey, is available for pastoral concerns. Her contact information is with the office or in the member directory.

It is hard to believe that I started this pastorate nearly four months ago. Much is in the works already, and though we are just in the beginning of finding a rhythm together, the richness of this community is ever evident. First Parish Milton is abundant with treasures of the spirit, of the arts and of compassion.

May you find abundance in this Thanksgiving week.

Blessings,

Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse
Director of Religious Education

• On November 27 preschool children through grade 12 will attend the full multigenerational worship service in the Meetinghouse.
• Nursery care will be available during the service for infants and toddlers.
• Our Whole Lives class does not meet this weekend. The next Our Whole Lives class will be on Friday, December 2 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.
• Youth Chat and Youth Group do not meet this weekend.

News and Announcements

Holiday Gift Project – Milton Residence Fund

Our Annual Holiday Gift Project began on Sunday, November 20th!

This is our opportunity to help the children of Milton through the Milton Residence Fund Holiday Gifts Program, sign up to give 1 or more gifts. Come to social hour to get instructions and a gift tag for a boy or girl of your choosing. All presents/gift cards should be dropped off on Sunday, December 11.

Questions? please contact Beth Gray-Nix at: bgraynix@comcast.net

Midweek meditation has resumed

We meet in the Children’s Church on Thursdays night from 7:00 pm -7:30 pm.

For Thanksgiving, Midweek meditation will meet on Wednesday, the 23rd.

Spaghetti Dinners have returned!

Friday, December 2nd, is the first installment in the spaghetti dinner trilogy, beginning at 6:30pm. This dinner event will be put on by the Youth Group to benefit a later participation in City Reach. More information on City Reach can be found at http://commoncathedral.org/cityreach/

A $5 donation is suggested. This event will coincide with RE’s Holiday Craft Night.

FIRST-EVER FIRST PARISH SHARED SOCIAL HOUR — SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

Social Hour hosts Melinda and Harris Collins/Tucker and Hale Smith are trying something new: a shared Social Hour (think “potluck”) following church on 12/4.

If you are willing and able, please bring a plate, a bowl, a basket of a “finger food” food item to share with all who gather for coffee and cider. Drop it off in the kitchen when you arrive and label, please, if it’s gluten-free or contains nuts. Suggestions: cookies, animal crackers, cheese/crackers, veggies/dip/hummus, fruits (grapes, apples, dried), muffins, bagels/spread, coffee cake/pastries, etc.

The idea this day is to experiment with a system that has worked well elsewhere — lighten the load, share the love, do it when you can. Let’s give it a go!

Holiday Fair Trade Sale and Brunch and Christmas Tree Pick Up

When: December 3, 9 am – 12 noon

11th Annual Christmas Tree Sale

Pre-order your grade A1 premium Fraser Fir Christmas trees today! Trees are $65 and payment with pre-order is preferred. Trees will be cut down first week in December and will be available for pick up Saturday, December 3th during the Holiday Fair Trade Sale and Brunch at First Parish. Pick up a preorder form in the Parish Hall on the information table and place completed form and check in the gray box outside of the office. First come, first served.

Holiday Fair Trade Sale and Brunch

When: DECEMBER 3, 2016 9 AM – 12 NOON

We are again holding our holiday fair and celebration.

This event will begin at 9 am in the Parish Hall with a delicious free breakfast. Tables of crafts, jewelry, scarves, ornaments and items made all over the world will be for sale. Also featured will be Equal Exchange coffee, chocolate, cocoa and other items. Santa will be paying a visit and will pose for pictures with kids of all ages. Please come and bring your friends.

This year, if members also happen to be craftspeople, they can rent a table to sell their items for $25 per table. They will be responsible for all set up and clean up of their items and they should make the check payable to First Parish Milton. Please contact Leslie Macpherson Artinian for more details.

The fair will continue on Sunday, December 4 during coffee hour.

Kiki’s Corner

I am off on vacation from November 17 – November 27 returning on Monday, November 28. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Please check out the Social Action Committee News and Announcements. Great information on Community Servings, our 3rd Sunday collection recipient this month, and volunteer opportunities there.

Thanksgiving Week Office Schedule:

• Kathy Tracey will be in the office between 10 am and 2 pm Monday – Wednesday
• The office will be closed on Thursday and Friday November 24 and 25.

Social Action Committee

News and Announcements

The Social Action Committee will have its next meeting on Sunday, December 4 from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM in the Parlor at
FP Milton. Some of our members attended the Navigating Whiteness program and learned about the successes and challenges other congregations have had in addressing racial justice. Others have been attending Race Dialogues at the Milton Public Library. We are exploring ways to keep this conversation going and ways to take action.

We will continue with the mentoring program at the Timily Middle School this year. For more info contact Linda at lindacarneygoodrich@yahoo.com

Join us on Saturday, December 10 as we volunteer with Fair Foods – an organization that reclaims surplus health foods and provides it to people in need through out Boston. We will meet at Church at 10 a.m. to travel to the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry in Roxbury, or you can meet us there at 10:30 a.m.

Volunteer for an hour or two or with whatever time you can spare. Contact Tony at tdutzik@earthlink.net for details.

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!

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

• Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

MINISTER OFFICE HOURS

• Tuesday – Thurday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

The Church office is closed on Fridays.