This Week in Worship

Sunday, November 12 , 2017 @ 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

Diversity is Survival

November Worship Theme – Presence

Minister Rev. Lisa Ward

We, as a denomination, have been given an extraordinary invitation to recommit our anti-racist aspirations in a deeper, more expansive way than we have before. The UUA Board is calling all congregations to join them in supporting Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) in funding initiatives that build multiracial, multicultural communities and to address the justice work of dismantling the culture of white supremacy (systemic privilege) and paternalism.

The UUA Board has set aside one million from the UUA endowment toward a commitment to raise 5.3 million. A UU family responded by offering one million as a matching grant. This grant will match the donations of congregations toward this goal. The family has challenged congregations to donate the equivalent of $10 per member. If achieved a match of that number will be given to the BLUU initiative.

Our third Sunday collection for November 19th will be devoted to this matching call to each and every one of us. I am sharing this 10 days before the collection so that you can research the issue if you choose. A special message from Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray can be found here: https://www.uua.org/giving/areas-support/funds/promise-and-practice/message-susan-frederick-gray.

This is the beginning of an exciting initiative that was seeded in last year’s General Assembly. Our delegates will speak a bit of the experience on Nov. 19th. We will have the collection and then communion.

A blessed day indeed.

Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse, Director of Religious Exploration

• Nursery and toddler care is available every week in the Link hallway from 10:15 to 11:45 am. This year our caregivers are Daisy and Grace. Stop by and say hello!
• Religious Exploration for Sunday, November 12: Preschool children through grade 8 will attend the first part of the worship service in the Meetinghouse and then move to the RE classrooms for a special program. Please note that our activities end at 11:40 am.
• See the Youth Yacking column for news on grades 9 through 12 this week.
• Register your child or youth! The Religious Education Committee requests all families to register their children and youth. Paper registration forms are available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway.
• The Coming of Age Program is beginning this weekend. The first class will be on Sunday, November 12 from 10:30 to noon. The Opening Orientation/Worship Service for youth and parents will be held on Sunday, November 19, from 6 to 7 pm in the Children’s Church. The goal of the Coming of Age program is for youth to explore big questions, reflect on their beliefs, and solidify their confidence to make decisions based on their values. Each youth is paired with a mentor and they travel a spiritual journey together over the year, culminating in a worship service of celebration on Sunday, April 29, 2018.

Youth Yacking!

Sara Elizabeth Santa Cruz, Youth Advisor

This week’s youth programming:

• Coming of Age, 10:30am – 11:30am
  This week marks the first Youth Chat time slot that will be dedicated to the exciting Coming of Age program! The other co-teacher, Paul Casaz, and I are excited to see everyone for the start of this amazing program.
• CAT (Community & Activity Time), 12pm – 2pm
  CAT will continue our efforts on improving the youth room. We will also be discussing and planning some upcoming youth group social action initiatives.

News and Announcements

Sunday, November 12 – Potluck Social Hour

The Hospitality Committee is trying out Potluck Social Hours again this year. It was a great success when Tucker Smith
brought this idea to First Parish.

On Sunday, Nov 12th, Claudia Wellington will set up the coffee, tea and cider for Social Hour. If the spirit moves you, bring a coffee cake, some cheese and crackers, fruit or anything else and add it to the table. Knowing First Parish, we’ll end up with an interesting buffet indeed! Our goal is “No Stress.”

We’ll try this model occasionally throughout this church year. Look for notices of other upcoming pot-luck social hours in the Link and
the Order of Worship.

The 2017-18 season for Milton Community Concerts at First Parish is all set. We hope you will be able to attend many of these events during the year!

Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 7pm “Record Setter”, a triumphant return for jazz accordionist Cory Pesaturo.

Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 7pm (in case of snow, Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 7pm)

4th Annual “Sing For Their Supper”, ten local opera singers are featured in this free benefit concert, with all proceeds from a free-will offering going to support the Milton Food Pantry and the Milton Residents Fund.

Sunday, March 18th, 2018 at 3:00

“A Glimpse into the Future”, a rare opportunity outside of Boston to hear this talented group of future opera stars in an entertaining program of scenes and arias, featuring graduate students from the New England Conservatory Opera.

Sunday, May 13th at 3:00

“Women’s Voices: A Rally for Rosie’s”, celebrate Mother’s Day in this free benefit concert, with all proceeds from a free-will offering going to support Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in Boston.

12th 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 the last week in November and will be available for pick up Saturday, December 2nd at First Parish.

Pick up a preorder form in the Parish Hall on the information tables or from the bulletin board in front of the office. Place completed form and check in the gray box outside of the office.

First come, first served.

COMING UP:

Saturday, November 11
Fair Foods, Inc.
Meet at FP at 10 am

Saturday, November 11
Serve Lunch at Father Bill’s

Wednesday, November 15
Courageous Conversations – 4pm
First Congregational Church

Thursday, November 16
The Green Team
7:30pm – Jennie Mulqueen’s Home

Thursday, November 16
Social Action Committee Meeting
7:00pm – Library

Sunday, November 19
Thanks for Giving Interfaith Service
4pm – St. Elizabeth’s Church, Milton

Social Action Committee News

Check out the Social Action Calendar at the information tables in the Stebbins Parlor and Parish Hall Foyer.

The Next Social Action Committee meeting is Thursday, November 16 @ 7:30 PM to 9:00PM in the Library.

Sign up during social hour to volunteer with Social Action on upcoming Saturdays:

• November 11, 2017
• December 9, 2017
• January 13, 2018
• February 10, 2018
• March 10, 2018

Fair Foods Inc. rescues surplus fruits and vegetables from Boston industry source and distribute the food to those in need. (www.fairfoods.org)

November 11th Lunch Service has been cancelled.

Next Courageous Conversation:

Wednesday, November 15, 2017 7:00PM -9:00PM
At First Congregational Church, 495 Canton Avenue, Milton MA, 02186

The Courageous Conversations Team, in partnership with the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, Milton Reflecting, and Milton for Peace, invites you to a monthly series of dialogue-centered programs on racism and privilege designed to address racial healing and justice in our town. Now more than ever, we must engage in this critical work of recognizing and dismantling racism in our society.

The Green Team

The next Green Team will meet at Jennie Mulqueen’s house on
Thursday, November 16 from 7:30-9pm.
There are still slots open on the team.
Email Jennie for questions.
Together we can make a difference.

Kiki’s Corner

We are getting close to the holiday season and the church office will have special schedules, staff taking time off, holidays closings and adjusted deadlines. Our church news will get out in the Link each week and we will have announcements in the Order of Worship on Sundays. If you have an event scheduled for late November or December or even early January, we encourage you to get the information to us for posting as soon as possible. Here is the office schedule and deadline for The Link the week of Thanksgiving (November 23).

Office Schedule Week of November 20, 2017:

Monday, Nov. 20 &Tuesday, Nov. 21 – 10 am – 2 pm. Wednesday, Nov. 22 – 10 am – 12 noon. The office will be closed November 23 – 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday and reopens, November 27.

Deadlines for The Link/Order of Worship Announcements:

Tuesday, November 14 for The Link sent on November 16.
Thursday, November 16 for The Link sent on November 23.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook and get updates, poems, announcements and more. You’ll be glad you did!

REMINDER THE LINK DEADLINE IS TUEDAYS

“Brevity Matters” – Peter Bowden, Social Media Guru and wise UU

Deadline for submissions is Tuesdays. You need to address email to both office@fpmilton.org and director@fpmilton.org to assure your announcement will be included in the weekly Link. Written announcements for the Sunday Order of Worship are derived from the announcements for The Link. We, from time to time, will also publish non-church events with a connection to a member of the church. Your submission may be edited due to space requirements. We recommend that you submit no more than 1 – 2 paragraphs.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Other times by appointment

MINISTER OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday – Thurday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Other times by appointment

The Church office is closed on Fridays

SUMMER SUNDAYS

June 25 – September 3
Worship, 9:30 am in the Children’s Church
Silent Prayer & Meditation, 8:30 am in the Children’s Church
No Religious Exploration Program , Nursery Care, Choir Rehearsal

Beginning Sunday, September 10

Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse
Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

EVERY THURSDAY

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 6:30pm in the Children’s Church

SIGN UP GENIUS (formerly known as the Planner)

The link to SignUp Genius is:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d44aca728a02-sunday?1472051612751