Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 12/17/2020

Weekly Link 12-17-2020

This Week in Virtual Worship

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Sunday, December 20, 2020 10:30am

“Nourishing Darkness, Welcoming Light”

Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward

Worship Associate:  Christopher Clifford

Music: Tim Steele

Audio Engineer: Madeleine Miller

Virtual Social Hour Host: Tracey RobinsonPlease see the zoom link below. 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.

Please be on the lookout for an Order of Worship which will be emailed to you on Friday, 12/18 Sunday’s offering will go to the Milton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. The Milton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is part of a growing national movement. It addresses the public health epidemic of addiction by developing a prevention-oriented focus coupled with a compassionate approach. This past year, MSAPC, was bestowed a national award for its success in partnering with Milton’s community organizations to reduce alcohol and drug use among its youth. The Coalition is funded by grants and donations and its director, Laurie Stillman is with us today to talk about the MSAPC and its work  We’ve added the offering to the service with a new way to give- text to giving! We will continue having a social hour after services. Just stay on the Zoom worship call.  It will be good to worship together. Do join us on Sunday if you can!

Table of Contents

1. Grief and Grace: Navigating  the  Holiday Blues

2. Fair Foods volunteer opportunity

3. Covid-19 Testing

4. UUU Ministry Community Conversation

5. Racial Justice Conversations

6. Lunch brigade & Father Bills volunteer opportunity

7. Weekly Meditation 

Vaccines have begun to be distributed.  A constant phrase in the media these days is “seeing the light at the end of the tunnel”.  Most acknowledge that it is a long tunnel and that there are months to go before any sense of pulling out of this time of pandemic is possible. 

There’s some poetry in this beginning, arriving around the winter solstice, when the light of the sun begins its journey back into our lives.  The message of the solstice is not to dismiss or denigrate the dark, it is to recognize the nourishing darkness which gives strength to welcome the light.

As we live these times, seeing, perhaps, an end to the tumult, let us remember that we are living history, and that what we are experiencing right now can inform who we are and want to be.  For those who have any propensity to write or journal, I recommend you document what you are going through, what you are seeing, what you are hoping.  It is not only a gift of companioning for yourself, it is wisdom to share as the light journeys back to our days.

And in the meantime, do check out all that this community is offering.  Come together as you are and are able.  It is a vital companioning.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Sharing the beautiful ad featured in the Milton Times this December. With gratitude to the talent of Franc Graham and the Communications team for working on this. Zoom Links are listed below for services!

Look for more Christmas Eve Service Details below!

Important Christmas Eve Announcements

We will be offering 2 Christmas Eve Services this year. For extra Zoom security, we are CHANGING our zoom links for the services from our normal Sunday link. Both the 5pm and 10pm Services will have unique Zoom Links.

This is the link for the 5pm Service.

                                                   Meeting ID: 838 2134 3006
                                                           Passcode: 627164

The Link for the 10pm Service is:

                                                    Meeting ID: 839 2054 8132
                                                           Passcode: 692127
 

With the holiday next week, our email communication schedule will also be changed.

The Link: Look for it in your inbox on 12/23

Order of Workships for both 5pm and 10pm Services- Scheduled to arrive in your inbox by 9:30am (in 2 separate emails) on 12/24.

If you do not receive the order of worship by 10:30am for the service you wish to attend, please email office@fpmilton.org

Order of Worship for 12/27 Service- scheduled to arrive in your inbox 12/26.

OUR MUSIC THIS SUNDAY    This Sunday we celebrate the holiday season with two Christmas solos. The first is “Blessing of the Season” by Jay Althouse, sung by Grace Allendorf. The second is “There are Angels Hov’rin Round” by Uzee Brown, Jr, sung by Jennifer Sgroe. Dr. Uzee Brown, Jr. is Professor of Music at Morehouse College and has served as president of the National Association of Negro Musicians.   Looking ahead to our 10pm Christmas Eve service, plan to log in early to hear a musical prelude that features the talents of many musicians in our congregation.

Events, News & Announcements

Grief and Grace: Navigating  the  Holiday BluesFriday, December 18th from 7:00 -8:00 An Interactive zoom worship service Co-led by Rev. Lisa Ward, Timothy Ellis and Leslie MacPherson Come spend an hour together, finding support in community, as we name the difficult patches of these holidays. Come hold space together out of isolation into a circle of care. Bring a favorite candle to light during the service. Zoom link

Fair Foods is looking for volunteers to help sort and bag rescued food thisSaturday, December 19th. Approximate time: 9 a.m. Location: either FirstParish in Dorchester or Fair Foods’ new warehouse in South Boston. If interested, please text or e-mail Tony Dutzik at 617-291-4685 ortdutzik@gmail.com  by 9 a.m. Friday. Thanks! Please wear a mask – gloves will be available at the site.

In partnership with Fallon Ambulance/Transformative Healthcare, the Town of Milton will offer free COVID-19 tests on Sundays in December to Milton residents and those that work in Milton. Drive-through testing will be available each of the next four Sundays at the DPW Yard, 629 Randolph Avenue (Route 28). December 20th, 10am to 3pm, and December 27th, 10am to 3pm
To receive a test:  You do NOT need to be showing symptoms of COVID-19. Tests are first come, first serve, with no pre-registration. Please bring personal identification.For the safety of yourself and others, please wear a mask or face covering and remain in your vehicle unless directed by staff on site.

Tune in to UU Urban Ministry Community Conversation  Several weeks ago, the Rev Mary Margaret Earl joined our worship service to share news from the Urban Ministry at First Church in Roxbury.  She invited us to participate in a series of Community Conversations organized by the Urban Ministry.

The next Conversation is on December 22:Mental Health and the Holidays in the Black Community,” presented by Toy Burton, founder of DeeDee’s Cry, a mental health awareness organization focused on communities of color. Tune in from 6 to 7:30 on the 22nd here.

Special thanks to Conversation sponsor The Aegis Group at Morgan Stanley.

Racial Justice Focus GroupBi-weekly Conversations by Zoom with Rev. Lisa, Timothy Ellis and Debbie Alsebai

Next Session: Wednesday, December 23, 7:00pm – 8:30 pm

The isolation due to Covid-19 and the stark, unequivocal events of racial injustice in this nation has encouraged a widespread willingness to examine what is needed for true equity and justice for all. Let’s answer the call.Part of the work is seeing more clearly. This does not call for shame and blame, but for the courage of discomfort and openness to new choices and new changes. What does it mean that history is white washed? How does white privilege play out, even among well-meaning liberals? What is the networking of systemic racism? We’ll meet every other week to share stories, examine articles and short videos, and encourage one another to further see the culture we have been taught to navigate. This is a hope-filled endeavor.Please join us and invite your friends. A zoom link will be sent out the week of the conversation. Interested?  Contact the office: office@fpmilton.org.

As of this week, First Parish members have made 1,737 lunches for the clients of MainSpring House in Brockton and Evelyn House in Stoughton. With much gratitude to all the lunch makers who have contributed to this ongoing effort since March. We hear that the clients appreciate our nutritional meals.”

Volunteers are needed on December 30th. Volunteers acquire food and pack 10-20 lunches and deliver to the church between 12:45-1pm on Delivery day. One team lead drives all the lunches to the shelter in Brockton.

 If you can help, please contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com for instructions or if you already know the drill, signup on our Mainspring Signup

Genius – please indicate number of lunches you will bring.

Meditation continues ….

All are welcome to join for 30 minutes of silent meditation/prayer on:

Thursday evenings at 7:00pm 

Sunday mornings at 9:30am

Newcomers and friends welcome.

Please contact Tracey at tdr02186@gmail.com if you have questions or want to join us!