Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 3/13/2020

Weekly Link 3-13-2020

This Week in Worship

Sunday, March 15th, 2020

In Person Worship Service and Religious Exploration is CANCELLED.

There will be YouTube worship offerings until in person worship services resume, beginning this Sunday. 

Go to the website YouTube.com.

In the search bar, type First Parish Milton UU.

A worship offering will be posted by 9am Sunday. 

Events that are CANCELLED:

  • Sunday Worship through March
  • Sunday RE Classes through March
  • Circle Supper- March 15
  • Theology on Tap on March 19
  • First Parish Auction (Postponed until June 6th)
  • Bring a Friend Sunday on Mar 22
  • Immigration Justice Lecture and Luncheon on March 22
  • Aging Together- March 25
  • Committee Fair on March 29

Milton Community Concert April 4  Committee chairs are encouraged to use Zoom to host scheduled committee meetings. Contact Susan (manager@fpmilton) or Lisa (minister@fpmilton.org) to schedule the meeting and get technical support.

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

minister@fpmilton.org

This is surreal, the corona virus pandemic.  Surreal, and very real.  We are being radically guided by this circumstance to love our neighbors as ourselves.  First, pay attention to your own hygiene and habits and then recognize that the health of others is as important and interrelated in our interdependent web of existence.  It is hard not to physically gather and to have our routines disrupted, but we are still connected, still a community, still a part of each other’s lives.

These times challenge the New England work ethic, to be stoic about illness or fatigue.  Staying home and isolated if you feel sick is really not a discretionary suggestion during a health emergency.  And that’s hard for those of us who have always “soldiered on”.  So we have to love ourselves well in order to love others well: “soldiering on” in these times is negligent, not noble.

And we are given the opportunity to recognize the gift of connection with one another.  With news of increased isolation in various parts of the world, I find myself feeling simple joy after a passing exchange with a stranger.  A laugh,or eye to eye contact, a recognition of shared humanity is far more precious than I normally notice.  Mindful of each other and of our interactions, we notice them more.

Which brings me to our logistics in faith community.  With social media and the internet, we have so many kinds of communication and convergence available to us.  We can cherish our interactions from afar.  I am thinking of various possibilities for our continued faith journey….Zoom small groups?, Internet vespers?  Various youtube offerings?  If you have suggestions, feel free to email me: minister@fpmilton.org.

I find myself holding you all in gratitude and prayer.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Until further notice, all RE- including Youth Chat and Coming of Age- is cancelled. All youth events are cancelled. We will be in touch when we can gather together again.

Care packages are cancelled for this year.

Other Upcoming Dates to Note:

  • 4/12 Easter Sunday – Youth hide the Easter eggs for the annual Easter egg hunt
  • 4/26 UU Heritage Walking Trip in Downtown Boston
  • 5/1 Coming of Age Celebration Potluck
  • 5/3 Coming of Age Worship Service

Events, News & Announcements

Spring is Arriving! 

as is the First Parish Auction!

 At A later Date !

Saturday, June 6th

Due to an abundance of caution, First Parish is postponing its Annual Auction until June 6, 2020.

With the rescheduled date, we have more time to collect auction items ! The new deadline date is April 1st.

To those that have already collected auction items for us, THANK YOU.  Please hold on to your auction items until further notice.

You will be sent a new evite to the auction later in the spring.

Thank you for understanding and we look forward to seeing you June 6th

S-L-O-W (or N-O) Is the Word in Lawn Care

Spring arrives in about a week!  I’ll bet you a Fair Trade coffee that Home Depot and other big box retailers will display pallet loads of quick-release nitrogen fertilizers to tempt you into spreading on your lawn. “STOP!” says Neponset River Watershed Assoc. and Ocean River Institute.  Buy some pansies instead.

Excess nitrogen is a primary cause of toxic algal blooms in our waterways. If you feel you must fertilize (fall or spring, not summer), opt for slow-release nitrogen products. Even better: retain and spread your grass clippings (or organic compost), mow to 3″ height, and only water deeply if needed. “Without fertilizer, grass roots go deeper… and are able to form stronger underground systems for water and carbon uptake.” 

Re-think your lawn care practices with some tips below:


CANCELLED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH

EXPLORING AGING TOGETHER

Second and Fourth Wednesdays of the Month

11 am to 1 pm, (Bring a Bag Lunch)

Chase Parlor (next to the kitchen)

Open Meeting.  Come when you can.  Newcomers welcome.

Next Session: April 8

What can we learn from each other as we age? We all have stories within us of facing the unknown and navigating changes, of adjusting to loss and appreciating what’s before us. We will meet twice a month to share our wisdom, our queries, and our wonderings.  Each session will focus around a theme. More questions?  Contact Penny Partridge at ppartridge9@icloud.com.

Has been CANCELLED

FOR Sunday, March 15, 5 – 8 PM

New dates will be announced at a later time.

SAVE THE DATE !!!

Sunday, April 19th at 3pm — “A Hundred Thousand Days of Light”, a free Gala Benefit Concert by international soprano Barbara Quintilliani and pianist Stewart Robert Schroeder. 

Milton Community Concerts will share 50% of the proceeds from a free-will offereing with BIJAN Boston (Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network), a volunteer-powered statewise organization working to reduce the escalating harm of our immigration system in matters of family separation, detention, and asylum.

Solar Panel Talking Points!!

• First Parish Congregation has chosen to raise contributions to place 193  – 63KW Solar Panels on First Parish Roofs in the Summer of 2020.  Funds will also be raised for the electrical infrastructure upgrade necessary for accommodation of the panels and to bring First Parish up to current electrical standards. 

• The First Parish Solar Panel Program is a good way for those unable to install panels on their property to participate in efforts to lower carbon in the world’s atmosphere.  Thus far 74 3/4 panels have been sold !

* The power created will be eliminating First Parish’s electric bills.

* Excess power will be sold at a discount to area nonprofits whose values align with First Parish’s mission. 

• A personally significant donation is encouraged however big or small and by whatever terms the donor wishes during this three year legacy campaign.

• When possible payments are encouraged now as this will reduce the funds to be borrowed from the Parish Endowment.

• Donors may write checks and drop them in Sunday Service collection basket or the gray box outside the office but please WRITE: “SOLAR PLEDGE” IN THE CHECK MEMO, so that funds won’t be mistakenly put towards a donor’s Stewardship pledge. Donors also may pay yearly or monthly for up to 3 years.

• There will be a Solar Panel Legacy Recognition Installation (SPLR). To be recognized on the SPLR installation, we will place up to four names on one panel –meaning a $200 donation will guarantee your name placed on the SPLR installation.

• Please fill out the Solar Panel Donor form stipulating the details of your contribution and the name or names to be assigned to the Solar Panel Legacy Recognition Installation.

• Be sure to see the graphics showing the completed solar panel installation and ideas for the Solar Panel Legacy Recognition Installation in the Parish Hall at coffee hour.

Image result for uu general assembly 2020

June 24, 2020-June 29, 2020, Providence RI

Early Bird Registration is now Open!

Click here for more information.