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

“Old Ships & New Traditions”

We’ll explore the depth of tradition and the benefits of renovation through a journey at sea. Join us for a service of song and story as we reflect on what makes a ship seaworthy and a heart courageous. 

Worship Assistant: Steve Yakutis

Greeters: The Dahl Family

Social Hour: Becky Stiles and Bridget Sitkoff

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.

This week’s offering will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.

Matt Meyer is our guest minister this Sunday. Matt is an itinerant troubadour and worship leader who has led hundreds of services for UU congregations across the country. He has a degree in hand drumming and serves as Director of Community Life for Sanctuary Boston, a vibrant worship community that meets on Wednesday evenings.

On our way to fellowship hour in Parish Hall we walk down a long hallway known as “the link”. With coffee and conversation on our minds, we often bypass the offerings on both walls of the hallway for our perusal. On the left we often have an art display loaned to our congregation by a member. Photographs, quilts, water colors, three dimensional pieces add to the creative tapestry of our congregation. Occasionally, there is a pause while art pieces are gathered, as will be true this coming Sunday.

However, on the right side (as we are walking to Parish Hall) are bulletin boards with various subjects of interest for the congregation. We have a staff bulletin board with pictures and bios, a news bulletin board, a social justice bulletin board, and a religious exploration bulletin board. This last Sunday, one of the bulletin boards was reworked by the children in religious exploration classes to render thoughts and ideas about our discernment around Article II of the UUA bylaws. This is a project for all ages this year, to explore how we want Unitarian Universalism to be formally described in the denomination’s bylaws. More news on this discernment will be forthcoming. Be sure to check out the artwork and ideas on the board, halfway down the hallway.

It is good to be in community with one another.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Music This Week

We are happy to welcome back percussionist Matt Meyer to lead worship this Sunday. He has led hundreds of worship services all over the country, sharing a message of love and justice through rhythm and song. Don’t miss it!

RE This Week

UU Summer Fun Registration!

It’s time to formally register for our UU summer fun! Follow this link to register. Per the recommendation of the Religious Education Committee, we are shifting our age range to also welcome preschoolers whose older siblings will also be attending our summer fun and/or who attend Spirit Play but may not be entering first grade. Please reach out to Louise (re@fpmilton.org) with questions about this new policy. We continue to want to be flexible and accommodating, while still prioritizing safety and a quality experience for all involved.

Events and Meetings

MILTON COMMUNITY CONCERT UPDATE

“SING FOR THEIR SUPPER” IS THIS SUNDAY!

Milton Community Concerts presents the ninth annual “Sing For Their Supper” benefit concert on Sunday, February 25 at 3pm. This is a FREE concert, and an offering will be taken to support the Milton Food Pantry and the Milton Residents Fund. Ten outstanding singers will be presenting opera arias and musical theater favorites. This promises to be one of the outstanding concerts of the MCC season, so please plan to attend, and bring friends and family!.

Sunday, April 28 at 3pm: “In Community: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Stories”

Commitment Sunday is Almost Here

Please Make Your Pledge

And Join Us for a Celebration on March 10th

THANK YOU to all those who have thus far submitted their financial commitment for this year’s Budget Drive. But with just over 2 weeks to go before Commitment Sunday we have yet to hear from about 40% of the congregation. We are counting on you. Here is the link:

Pledge Here

Then please mark your calendars to join us after the Commitment Sunday service for our Gathering in Gratitude celebration. Make sure to give some thought to whom you would like to recognize either for their service to the First Parish community or for ways they have influenced your own personal growth.

Thank you,

The Stewardship Committee of First Parish in Milton—Charles Franich (chair), Rob Dahl, Mallory Digges, Eric Miller, and Mark Ostrem

Grief Support Group

Four Tuesdays: March 5, 12, 19, 26

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Facilitator: Rev. Lisa Ward

When we lose a loved one through death, the world is different, our lives shift in meaning, our ground is shaken. We can feel isolated by our grief. We can also feel a lack of strength or initiative to find a way through. One way to help adjust to the new reality and find our inner resources is to share our journey of loss and recovery with others. There are many ways that we grieve and many kinds of losses. This group is focused on loss due to the death of a loved one. The loss can be recent or from years gone by. We ask participants to commit to at least three of the sessions, no new participants after March 12.

Please contact Rev. Lisa: minister@fpmilton.org  if you would like to attend.

SAVE THE DATE

First Parish Spring Auction

April 6, 2024

We’re looking for donations of items and services for our April 6 auction fundraiser.

Can you offer a homemade dinner or bake a cake?

How about a vacation home?

How about Red Sox tix?

Can you sing for a dinner party?

Do you make something you could donate—jewelry, quilts, artwork?

What item or service could you offer? 

If you have a item or service you can offer, we’d appreciate you filling out this form for us!

Paper forms will be available after Sunday’s service as well.

Thank you for your support of the auction!

News & Announcements

• Fundraising News

An impressive $2,281 was raised from the Chocolate Auction. Thank you to all who contributed, helped out and bought! The success of the auction would not be possible without generous folk like you!

Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)

March 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!

Climate Action@HOME

THIS SUNDAY February 25, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm Chase Parlor

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

The next Racial Justice Task Force meeting is:

Wed. Feb 28th

7:00 pm-8:30 pm

Beyond First Parish

The RJTF will be offering First Parish Members and friends a chance to read “Waking Up White” by Debby Irving.

Copies are in the Racial Justice Library and at local public libraries.

The next sessions will be on Zoom Thursday 3/7 and 3/21 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We will review 3 chapters each session. Whether this is your first time reading this book or you have read it before it can be eye opening, life changing and surely will generate courageous conversations. 

If these Thursday nights do not work for you on Sunday’s February 25 and March 3 we will gather in person after church for informal discussions of the book from 12:0O to 1:00.

Please RSVP Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net if you would like to participate in either event.

Name change event at First Parish in Needham

Sunday February 25th 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

This event is in partnership with Mass Trans Political Coalition. Registration is highly recommended. For any questions email: namechange@uuneedham.org.

First Parish & Church of the Holy Spirit’s 4th Bridging Dinner

Friday, March 1 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

First Parish Milton, 535 Canton Ave, Milton.

We are excited to be able to host more people and provide Babysitting. The dinner and dessert will be catered by a local black owned restaurant. Suggested donation is $25 per person. Please RSVP to Deb Alsebai at alsebai@verizon. net if you would like to join the gathering.

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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.