Table of Contents

• This Week in Worship
• Message from Rev. Lisa
• This Week in Religious Exploration
• Events and Meetings
• News and Announcements
• Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Beyond First Parish

This Week in Worship

“A.K.A. God”

(also known as God)

Worship Assistant: Dottie Pitt & Owen McGonagle 

Greeters: Leslie MacPherson & Joanna Dahl

Flowers: Deb Larson-Venable

Faith Reflection: Mallory Digges

Audio: Nicholas Miller

Social Hour: Mallory Digges & Tracey Robinson

Sunday’s offering will be given to Granada House. Granada House is a residential rehabilitation service in Allston. Their mission is to help residents live productively and achieve long term recovery from addiction. They use a holistic approach: physical, mental, and spiritual with a strong emphasis on social inclusion with regards to racial, ethnic, socio-economic status, disability, health, and sexual orientation. Deb Larson-Venable, a Board of Directors member, will speak on its behalf.

Please join us for service at 10:30am.

 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.

Christmas Eve Volunteers Needed

Our traditional candlelight service- come into the meetinghouse or join on Zoom where we will share reflections, sing carols, lift up the prayerful message of peace for the world.

Greeters and Ushers needed. Click below to sign up.

Christmas Eve Sign up to Volunteer 10:00 pm Service

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Holiday season is upon us, with messages of celebration, heightened generosity and consumerism. Holiday season is upon us, with news of war, trauma, climate change and hope activism. We can get caught up in the busy-ness of these times and in joy competition: what’s the best kind of party, or gift, or gathering or holiday attitude. We can feel isolated in having “less” of what is talked about, or loved ones who will not be physically present in our celebrations, or limited funds for the incessant messages of extravaganza. In short this busy, complicated, heightened time calls for a spiritual discipline of keeping in tune with the hum of the universe which says you belong, you are held, you are enough.

Jewish mystic Abraham Heschel shared a concept for Sabbath – a time set aside for renewal and pause from our created and creative busyness: “It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world.” This kind of pause and transcendence of self-importance is a valuable way to nourish our lives.

Now, a day’s pause may seem impossibly out of reach, but a moment, a breather, a short break is absolutely available, if we discipline ourselves to venture in. Perhaps a step outside to ponder the sky, or a slower walk from one destination to the other with a little noticing outside of ourselves, or mindful comfortable breathing that reminds us of our embodied nature, or a noticing at a stop light or traffic jam of what is before and around us. These pauses, these noticings, among countless more, can give strength of spirit, whether we are aware or not.

It may not make sense to pause in the midst of a busy day, but it is a way to exercise our wonder, that which naturally invites a sense of possibility and a sacred hint of fullness. The hum of the universe is in all things. I choose to pay attention.

Blessings Abound, Rev. Lisa

RE This Week

Christmas Pageant 2023 Interest Form

Music This Week

This Sunday the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing “May the Mystery of God Enfold Us” by Andrew Carter, an British composer born in 1939, who sang and conducted at the York Minster for many years. Michael Aoun will also be singing “And Still the Last Abandoned Angel Sings”, with words and music by brin solomon. brin majored in composition at Yale University in 2018, and writes words and music in several different genres, including a recent full-length musical called “Window Full of Moths”.

Events and Meetings

Holiday Fundraiser

Andy Strang, a recently deceased beloved member, created many prints of his photography. 

For the next few weeks a silent auction of his photos is in place. The bidding will end December 17, at our holiday fair.  The proceeds will go to church operations. 

Come and admire his work, displayed in the Link Hallway. And feel free to bid!

Climate Action@HOME – upcoming discussions

The Climate team is planning monthly updates after worship for those who want to learn more about climate action. If you have topics you would like to discussion please contact Tracey Robinson at tdr02186@gmail.

December 10th- How can I reduce PLASTICS? – Discussion led by Mary Blanchette

Join us December 10 at 12 noon after social hour in the Chase Parlor.

January 14th- Heat Pumps: Come hear a panel of FPM members share info about their experience with installing heat pumps in their homes.

Our Holiday Fair Tree in the Narthex is in need of decorations! All new and gently used hats, gloves and scarves used to decorate our tree will be donated to the Milton Residence Fund and Immigrant Family Services Institute.

In preparation for the Holiday Fair here is how you can help!

Holiday Free-will Free-cycle

Find a unique, useful, or unusual gift, holiday supplies or decorating items in

exchange for a small free-will donation to help support the work of this church. 

(If you want to donate a few “free-cycle” items contact Tracey tdr02186@gmail.com or Tucker tsmith62676@gmail.com

Little Elf Shop

Kids will be able to buy gifts for their teachers, families, neighbors, and friends for $1

or less. Contact Dianna Wilson at diannaw710@gmail.com if you would like to

donate some of these gifts.

Holiday Sweets Bake Table

Yummy Holiday Treats will be available for sale. Donations of home baked Holiday cookies, breads, candies, cakes, pies, etc. would be welcome. Text Didi Emmons at 617-285-4312 with what you would like to contribute.

Holiday Lunch

Warm and tasty meat and vegetarian chili with corn bread and salad will be available. Donations of Chili, Cornbread and Green salads would be welcome. Text Debbie Alsebai at 617-821-9460 with what you would like to contribute.

Elves for Set Up and Clean Up

We need a few elves to hang flyers around town and a few to come early to set up the Parish Hall from 8 AM to 10 AM and clean up from 4 PM to 5 PM pm 12/17. Contact Leslie MacPherson at lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com with your availability . 

Contact Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net or 617-821-9460 for more information or to offer to help.

News and Announcements

We sincerely thank you for your generous gift to the organizations below for month of November. We are so lucky to have your support.

UU Mass Action $538.12

IINE- Haitian newcomers $1142.15

The Milton Resident’s 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 (as they sell everything), 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. Provide the donor name and mailing address if a tax donation letter is requested. The goal is to distribute all gifts and items b 12/15/23.”

Regards,

Noreen K Dolan, MSW, LCSW

Fund Coordinator

Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)

IMPORTANT — MILTON ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY — NOW!!

MBTA COMMUNITIES ZONING 

At a Special Milton Town Meeting (December 4th), Town Meeting Members will vote on whether to adopt two proposed Warrant Articles to amend the town’s General Zoning By-Laws to create an “MBTA Communities Multi-family Overlay District” and remain in compliance with state law. Inform yourself with facts available on the town’s MBTA Community Zoning webpage and on the Planning Board Public Hearing presentation on October 26. Please:

• read and reflect on these articles through the lens of our shared UU beliefs and values  
• contact your precinct’s Town Meeting Members and advocate for your position

First Parish Milton’s Social & Environmental Justice Committee joins Affordable Inclusive Milton (AIM) and Sustainable Milton in supporting these articles in the belief that they will: address the state’s acute housing shortage and in Milton: expand multi-generational housing options and affordability; expand social and economic diversity; support smart growth through climate-friendly and sustainable development; boost the town’s tax-base through increased residential and mixed-use properties. Check out our bulletin board at church, too, or stop by our table during Sunday Social Hours.

December 6th is the next date!

S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the first and third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches twice a month to support shelter guests.

 See updated instructions on the Mainspring SignUpGenius page and signup whenever you can help out.

We are counting on your support!

Beyond First Parish

Join CCTRJ & The Milton Public Library

Keyes Room-Milton Public Library

Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

What is happening to our freedom to read? Why and how are books being challenged and banned?

Hear what David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library, William Adamczyk, Director of the Milton Public Library and Joshua Cohen, Elementary Librarian of the Milton Public Schools have to say about this growing trend in censorship.

Register

Free Event with Light Refreshments will be served.

Community Conversations: A Long Road Home: Roots of Homeownership Inequity

Join us and our guest, Aja Kennedy from the Boston Indicators to discuss some of the state’s homeownership support programs, and policy tensions related to design and implementation of these programs, as well as recommendations for how to strengthen them.

A Long Road Home: Roots of Homeownership Inequity

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 – 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Co-sponsored by: First Parish in Lexington and Follen Church

About Aja and Boston Indicators:

Aja is a Racial Wealth Gap Research Fellow with Boston Indicators. She is currently pursing a Ph.D. in Economics and Public Policy at Tufts University, where her research areas include urban and public economics, with a particular interest in housing, residential segregation, and land use.

Boston Indicators special report “A Long Road Home: A Racial Equity Analysis of Homeownership Support Programs in Massachusetts” leads with a history of our region’s racial homeownership gap and provides a thorough landscape scan of affordable homeownership programs in Massachusetts, diving more deeply into six key state programs and policies. The paper ends with recommendations for strengthening the existing system, derived from a series of focus groups and stakeholder interviews.

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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.