Table of Contents

• This Week in Worship
• Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
• RE Info
• News and Announcements
• Events
• Social & Environmental Justice
• Beyond First Parish

In honor of Veteran’s Day, the office will be closed on Monday, November 11th.

This Week in Worship November Worship Theme: RESPONSIBILITY “OK, Now What ?”

Worship Assistant: Lisa White

Greeters: Deb Alsebai & Dianna Wilson

Audio: Colin Glazer

Social Hour: Bebe Williamson & Penny Knight

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 The Right Question Institute. RQI is an educational organization offering simple, powerful strategy that builds peoples’ skills to ask better questions, participate in decisions that affect them, advocate for themselves and to become active citizens on all levels of our democratic society. Chris Orchard, Director of Communications, joins us at service.

I’d like to geek out for a minute about democracy.

I had the privilege of working the polls last Tuesday at Morning Star Baptist Church on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan. We arrived around 5:45 am to set up the space. There was an air of excitement and gratitude for this shared duty.

A line had formed outside by 6:45 am, waiting for the 7 am opening. We were ready and pleased by the turnout. Throughout the day, people of all shapes and sizes, many different ethnicities, heritages, physical abilities and language challenges came to vote, each clear that their vote needed to be counted. We had 3 or four first time voters every hour, greeted with a loud “First time voter!!” and whoops and hollers among the workers. Not all the first timers were 18, some were decades older. Our voting machine broke down an hour before closing, so we all stayed after 8 to abide with the clerk who had to do a hand count. The day flew by. By 9:30 pm, tired from only an hour break, stomachs rumbling from not the healthiest of foods offered, we thanked each other and went home. 

“Democracy is not a machine that runs by itself once the proper principles and procedures are inserted” offers the Institute for Democratic Changes “A healthy democracy depends in large part on the development of a democratic civic culture.”[1]

In a democratic civic culture, each citizen is a thread within the texture of the life of society.  In a democratic civic culture, each citizen cultivates a civic consciousness. That civic consciousness weathers the outcome, honors the moment in time and lives on knowing that there are more elections and new days to come.

Let us keep this consciousness alive. It is a beauty to behold.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Vesper Service *TONIGHT*

• Thursday, November 7, 2024
• Meetinghouse 7:00pm-8:00pm

The national election results are on our minds and hearts, with the spectrum of hopes and fears commanding our attention. Let’s gather together to hold this time and one another for strength, company and resilience.

Music This Week

This Sunday Juan Suarez will be singing a song by Robert MacGimsey called “Think On These Things”. Mr. MacGimsey was born in Louisiana and was both an attorney and a composer, best known for his Christmas composition, “Sweet Little Jesus Boy”. Also Claudia Wellington and Franc Graham accompanied by Karl Pastore on the guitar will sing “American Tune” by Paul Simon.

Religious Exploration

This week, our spirit play class will talk about “Small Fry”, a story about acceptance and embracing the mystery of the world.

Passages will be reading “Stone Soup” and making a soup together based off of the themes of the book. Crossing Paths will be studying Judaism.

For centuries, the Jewish people have endured and survived persecution. Along the way, deep spiritual wisdom and innovative spiritual practice have helped them navigate that difficult journey. While our persecution and sense of exile is significantly different than theirs, we can still learn much from them. Who of us hasn’t felt “far from home” or even “forced into exile” at some point in our lives? Identifying resources to navigate such times is a major theme of this month. It’s also a gift to know that we are not alone when it comes to the struggle and the longing for home. And as the Jewish experience reminds us, these times of “diaspora” (painful dislocation from home) can also give rise to the creation of new and lifegiving resources and rituals. This also speaks to one of the wonderful paradoxes of the Jewish tradition: The suffering of the Jewish people is deep; but their joy and hope go deeper. This will become apparent as we explore their strong sense of community, joyful and adaptive rituals, and their long history of persevering by holding on to each other and their faith. This combination of difficult struggle and deep hope allows us to see a powerful connection to our own faith. Especially when it comes to the role of community in helping us hold on to hope in the midst of struggle. For both UUs and Jews, religious community reminds us that we don’t walk our paths alone.

News & Announcements

Window Installation

On Tuesday, November 12th, we are getting new, triple pane windows installed in the Link. Due to the space needed to install the windows and Monday’s holiday, we have had to move items in the Link in preparation. You’ll notice pictures off the walls in the offices, and desks looking a little bare. Fear not! Everything will be moved back into its normal spots by the next weekend. Thanks for understanding.

Prison Book Program Ends This Sunday, November 10th

For over 50 years, the Prison Book Program, a non-profit in Quincy, has been sending free books to people in prison, because everyone deserves the freedom to read. Volunteers write personal notes to offer connection to a community outside the prison walls. There are several ways to support this important program:

Book Drive: Between Oct 19-Nov 10, we are collecting gently used paperbacks in the following categories:

Nonfiction: language learning, trade skills, exercise, business, history, hobbies, self-help, science, sports, spirituality and books by LGBTQ authors and people of color.

Fiction: Westerns, thrillers, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, young adult

Drop off books through the office mail slot or bring them to church and put in box in Narthex.

Buy a special request: visit their wish list to buy the exact book someone asked for.

Events

Harvest Supper

November 9th 6:00pm- 9:30pm

We invite you to the annual First Parish Harvest Supper, Saturday, November 9, 6pm-9:30pm. It’s a potluck!  

Click here to RSVP and to sign up to bring a favorite dish. 

This is a much-beloved First Parish tradition of fellowship and good food. Childcare (and child-friendly food!) will be available. We look forward to seeing you there.

Navigating the Political Climate

We will be meeting by zoom from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm every other Tuesday. Upcoming dates are Nov 12 & 26. Contact Rev. Lisa at minister@fpmilton.org for the zoom link.

AGING TOGETHER ANNOUNCEMENT

Wednesday, November 13th 9:00 am via Zoom

The November meeting of FP’s Aging Together group will be an open meeting at which Dottie Pitt will share her research on local retirement communities. Please let Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com) know if you would like to attend, and you will be sent a Zoom link for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 11/13. Also let Penny know if you are interested in joining an AT group. Depending on how many people are interested, we will welcome new members to this group or form a spin off of the original group (now in its 5th year). We meet once a month, usually on Zoom, to discuss issues related to getting older and to get to know each other better. We range in age from mid 60s to mid 80s.

First Parish HOLIDAY FAIR – crafters wanted 

Saturday, Dec 14th from 10 am-2 pm We will have our amazing Holiday Fair again. More information will be coming but if you know crafters who might like to rent a table, please ask them to email me for information. We are lining them up now. Leslie at: lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

If you want to get involved again, let me know! December will be here before you know it!

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: November 20th

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

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.