Rev. Lisa Ward has been our settled minister since August of 2016. Ordained in 1992, Rev. Lisa has served congregations in New York City, Queens, White Plains, NY and Harford County, MD. A graduate from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, she has engaged in social justice initiatives throughout her career… 
This Week in Worship
5:00 pm: Outdoor Worship Service Only- No Zoom Option (will be held rain or shine)
10:00 pm: Join us In Person inside the Meetinghouse service or via Zoom
This is a DIFFERENT Zoom Link than Sunday Services.
December 26, 2021
“Homemade by the River”
Facilitated by: Matt Meyer
Worship Associate: Tom Kemp
Music: Matt Meyer
Audio: Brynne Mershon
This will be a hybrid service. You are welcome to join us in the Meetinghouse (masks required for those over 5 years old and childcare will be available). If you prefer, you are welcome to join us via Zoom.
Please 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.
Sunday’s offering will go the service and ministry of First Parish.
Email Schedule
12/24- The Order of Worship for the 10pm service will be sent in the morning.
12/25- The Order of Worship for the 12/26 service will be sent in the morning.
Social Hour Moves Inside
It’s time for Social Hour to move inside to the Parish Hall on Sunday Mornings. Due to our COVID precautions, we will not be offering coffee or food, so our masks stay on. But come to Parish Hall after worship service for great conversation with fellow congregants!
I am writing this column on the first morning after the longest night of the year: the winter solstice. It’s hard to believe, on this grey morning, that daylight is now on the rise for the next six months.
I don’t mind grey winter days. The structure of leafless trees are majestically apparent and the calm of a blanketed sky speaks to slower breaths and internal nourishment. Grey skies also speak to the in between – neither here nor there – the liminal time of boundary less possibility and pause; to let be, to regroup.
The Latin translation of ‘solstice’ is ‘sun stands still’. We humans, as relational earth creatures, feel, in the depths of our being, the transitional movement of dark and light. Knowing the sun is vital for our survival, we celebrate its presence and perpetual giving of light. We are aware, as well, of the complementary presence of darkness, that the two interweave and dance for the substance of our lives.
Carl Jung, 20th century Swiss psychoanalyst, offered that “one does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” Know that in our struggles, there is an abiding healing. We can live into these times of, yet again, a pandemic set back, with the assurance of incremental wisdom brought to light.
Happy Solstice. Blessed Be. Rev. Lisa
Religious Exploration
If you are participating in the Christmas Pageant on Christmas Eve, please arrive at First Parish by 3pm if you are crew and 3:30pm if you are the cast. We will be making magic together. Your friends and family are most welcome to attend and/or join in for the 5pm pageant.
Class on Sunday 26 December will look at the joys of our many late fall/early winter holy days where light is a key element. Check your children in on the Contact Tracing Sheet in the Parish Hall when you arrive. We will begin our morning in the Parish Hall. Depending on weather conditions, we may go outside for part of our hour. Closing Circle, Extinguishing the Chalice, and parent pick-up will be in the Parish Hall after worship. No OWL classes until Sunday 9 January.
Many of us are traveling over the holidays, some short distances, some longer. May your travels be safe and your holidays warm and bright however you gather with family and friends at this special time of year.
Molly B. Nolan, Transitional Director of Religious Education
Music Selections
For the 10pm Christmas Eve service there will be plenty of familiar seasonal carols to sing. Violinist Barron Clancy will be sharing his talents playing the violin, and our three Hunsaker soloists will be going the extra mile providing some beautiful music by Jester Hairston, Leslie Adams, Malcolm Dalglish, and others. On Sunday, December 26th we are happy to welcome back percussionist Matt Meyer to lead the service.
Staff Holiday Break
Rev. Lisa Ward-out of office 12/25 thru 01/03/2022
OFFICE CLOSED MONDAY 12/27 AND 01/03
Molly Nolan, RE Director- out of town December 28 through January 3. Reachable by email at dre@fpmilon.org or cell 860-893-4818.
Table of Contents
News, Announcements and Meetings
1.Guest Speaker Bio
2.Revised Safety Policies
3.Milton Community Concerts Season Announcement
4.Social and Environmental Justice News & Events
5.UU Urban Ministry Architecture Series
Matt Meyer is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist with a long background as a musician and worship leader for UU congregations.
Matt lives in Boston but travels as an itinerant worship leader, bringing the good news of Unitarian Universalism to hundreds congregations all over the country. He serves as the Director of Operations for Sanctuary Boston, a contemporary UU worship community, with rockin’ music and engaging worship.
Matt’s children’s story “Desmond Gets Free” was recently published as a book by Skinner House Press. To get a copy for a child, teacher, or any justice-maker in your life, check out the link in the chat online, or you can get a copy here after today’s service.
To share in the online chat:
You can follow Matt and get resources and inspiration for Music and Worship at: click here
You can order Matt’s children’s book, “Desmond Gets Free,” click here
And Matt’s home congregation, Sanctuary Boston, offers contemporary worship on Wednesday evenings: click here
Revised Safety Policies
As we enter the 4th month of our church year, we are happy to report that our hybrid worship, outdoor RE, and outdoor social hour events are going well. As we enter the winter months, the Parish Committee has approved some changes to our safety policy, as recommended by the Phased ReOpening task group in collaboration with RE leadership and the Hospitality committee. These changes accommodate some indoor activities during cold winter weather months. We expect these changes to be in effect through March. Updated guidelines are posted at the top of our church website homepage for easy reference. If you have questions about these guidelines contact Tracey Robinson (email is best: tdr02186@gmail.com) or contact Rev Lisa Ward.
Milton Community Concerts is now offering the opportunity between now and December 31st to view any of the live stream concerts from this past year for free. Just go to the website to find the link, and to donate to the concert series if you are so moved. You will also find a listing of upcoming concerts for 2021-22.
News from S & EJ Committee
Mainspring Lunch Bag Program
Next date is Wednesday, January 5th
The sign up Genius below has the Wednesday dates listed- you can sign up now!
If you require more information or have questions please contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com
Sign up to volunteer on Sign up Genius
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that
would otherwise be wasted and uses it to feed our communities. We volunteer together unloading and sorting food and packing bags once a month.
The next volunteer date is Saturday, January 8th
If you want to volunteer, please sign up on Sign up Genius by Thursday
evening before the event. Start time and locations vary depending on Fair Foods’ needs, but typically start at 8:30 a.m. at their warehouse at 70 Amory Street in Roxbury.
Other volunteer opportunities are also available at Fair Foods on weekdays from early morning until mid-afternoon.
Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com
Sign up to volunteer on Sign up Genius
“Do you love our historic meeting house?? This is a program for you!! For those interested in old Boston churches, architecture, and the Urban Ministry, zoom on in!”
The Treasures of the Meetinghouse series
Episode 3
January 10th 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
In the third installment of the “Treasures of the Meetinghouse” series, William Cheney, Executive Director of the Willard House & Clock Museum, to discuss the many historic clocks on both the exterior and interior of First Roxbury Church.
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.