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… 
Table of Contents
- This Week in Worship
- Message from Rev. Lisa
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
This Week in Worship
“Wise Willingness”
Worship Assistant: Chris Clifford
Usher: Paul Casaz
Greeter: Ellen Barr
Music: Dzidzor Amorin
Social Hour: Andy Strang & Amy Kavadlo
Audio: Nina Truog
Sunday’s offering will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.
Masks are strongly recommended in the meetinghouse; masks are still required for those who have not been vaccinated. Respect and consideration should be given to all regardless of their masking choice. Speaker
In several gatherings and a few surveys I’ve received recently, time is spent on evaluating what we’ve been through since the global outbreak of COVID. The hope is to discern who we are and how we are now. I understand the urge to have it all make sense and to feel the confidence of moving on with our lives. I offer, though, that we don’t yet know the full impact nor the seeds of innovation that are emerging.
The collective disruption needs to be considered in the realm of trauma response, involving reactivity, recovery and reframing. In this collective evaluation, we would also need to address the massive, even seismic ecological and militaristic disturbances in the mix of things. These are challenging times. These are galvanizing times.
We will not see, nor fully feel the effects of this collective transformation for some time. Realizing this has helped me ease the discomfort of not knowing and steady a kind of balance on shifting sands.
So what do we do now? I’ve been thinking of Leo Tolstoy’s wisdom tale of the three questions: “What is the best time to begin everything? Who are the best people to listen to? What is the most important thing to do?”
The answers being simply: “The most important time is now. The most important person is whoever you are with. The most important thing is help the person you are with.”
We’ll get there by being here and ever open to each other.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
Music For Sunday
This Sunday the music for worship will be led by Dzidzor Amorin. Guitarist/vocalist Charlie Franich will also be providing a solo by Pat Humphries/Emma’s Revolution called “We Are Swimming to the Other Side”.
Religious Exploration
RE classes will be held this Sunday.
Interested in an interfaith youth group? Several Milton Interfaith Clergy are exploring the possibility of a youth group, of middle to high school age, who would meet to create a supportive community, primarily designed by the youth. An informal gathering, including pizza, is scheduled for Sunday, March 5, at 5 pm, at First Congregational, across the town green. Please contact Rev. Lisa if there is interest (minister@fpmilton.org).
Events and Meetings
SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
OUR FREE CYCLE TABLE WILL ENCORE March 5th at SOCIAL HOUR
This was a popular attraction in February! Each month, one person will host the table and provide its freecycling “inventory” for folks to browse. What might tempt you……
8th Principle Listening Sessions
As a Unitarian Universalist congregation, First Parish in Milton affirms and promotes seven principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. Our congregation’s Racial Justice Task force is supporting a movement within the UUA to adopt an 8th principle focused on racial justice. To that end we will hold a series of listening circles where members and friends can learn about the proposed principle. We hope you can join us.
Sunday, March 5th 12:00 pm- First Parish
Monday, March 6th 7:00 pm ZOOM
ZOOM session link will be emailed to you prior to the session for which you register.
We care about the climate emergency, about environmental justice, about promoting clean renewable energy, and about municipal climate action. TOGETHER is the operative word.
11th Hour Calling
Monthly Stand Out for Climate Action & Justice
Saturday, March 11, 6-6:30 p.m.
535 Canton Avenue (next to Town Hall)
Canceled if snowing or sleeting
Gather, drum, chant, learn. BYO posters and percussion. Dress for darkness.
Commitment Sunday is Coming Sunday, March 19th
Sunday, March 19th, when we will close out our church community’s FY2024 Annual Budget Drive with a Gathering in Gratitude Brunch immediately following the service. We are planning a delightful array of food, some spirited entertainment, and the opportunity for members to express their gratitude publicly for any member whose gifts to First Parish they would like to celebrate.
Please join us for an uplifting event, and, by the way, if you haven’t yet submitted your financial commitment, your cordially invited to do so below.
Submit your FY2024 Pledge here
Gratefully,
The Stewardship Committee of First Parish: Charlie Franich (chair), Mallory Digges, Eric Miller, and Mark Ostrem
UU Elevator Speech Group is happening again!
Last spring, Membership held a series called the Elevator Speech, meaning: if you were going to try to explain to someone what being a UU means during the length of an elevator ride, what would you say?
We are doing it again! Everyone is welcome to join us for a virtual conversation on three Wednesday evenings in March from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm. We will meet on March 1st, 15th and 29th.
Last year’s group found it to be an empowering experience. If you are interested in joining us, please email Leslie: lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com
Mark your calendars for the next Milton Community Concert on Sunday, March 19 at 3pm.
It will feature the amazing talents of Stuart Ryerse in a program called “Tunes and Tosses”. Stuart will not only be providing folk, classical, and Celtic music on four different instruments, but he will also be showcasing his dazzling juggling artistry.
You won’t want to miss this!
More information to come, or visit miltoncommunityconcerts.com.
News and Announcements
Getting to Zero Survey deadline is Sunday, March 5th
The Getting to Zero task force would like to hear from you about how we can best help each other to learn about climate change and take action.
Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey. It is available online (web address in the Weekly Link) or see Tony Dutzik or Tracey Robinson after worship.
Click button below to fill out the survey online.
The survey will continue to be available on the S&EJ webpage on the FPM website.
Sunflower of Peace
On March 12th First Parish’s offering will be given to Sunflower of Peace. Their mission is to save lives, address urgent needs and improve the well-being of Ukrainians gravely affected by the Russian military invasion. The organization is raising money to prepare first aid medical tactical backpacks for paramedics and doctors on the front lines. Each backpack is designed for groups of 5 to 10 people. What started as a small non-profit, has grown rapidly to one of the leading aid-providing organizations.
Social Hour Announcement
We are so glad that Social Hour in Parish Hall is once again a possibility after service. It is a wonderful time to be in community.
However, we need your help to make it happen. We need volunteers to help set up coffee, tea and simple snacks. It does not need to be elaborate. And help is available to plan the morning.
We realize we are out of practice because of years of COVID restrictions. We have very few volunteers signed up for the rest of the year.
If you can help, please go to the link below to view the online church planner. Simply click on one of the available dates to sign up.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D44ACA728A02-20222023
If you have never hosted and would like more information please email Jen Pinkus at jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com.
Volunteer Opportunity for Evening Dinner at MainSpring
In need of up to six volunteers to cook and serve an evening dinner at MainSpring in Brockton on Sunday March 19th 3:00pm-6:30 pm
Anyone who would like more information can contact me via email: pl.gallivan@verizon.net .
Fair Foods
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, March 11th.
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, especially on Friday and Saturday mornings. Contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685 with any questions or for more information.
First Parish Milton volunteers provide bagged lunches to MainSpring adult shelters in Brockton twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. Members of the Social & Environmental Justice committee will make the delivery to Brockton.
Volunteers are needed to acquire food and pack 10 lunches and deliver to the church between 12:45 pm-1:00 pm on Delivery day. One team lead drives all the lunches to the shelter in Brockton. Please note how many meals you are making in comments. We are looking for 70 lunches for each delivery day. Lunches should include sandwich, fruit, drink, snack/chips and sweet/cookies.
The next delivery day will be on Wednesday March 15th and then every other Wednesday throughout the year. We will meet in the lower parking lot between 12:40 and 1:00 PM.
If you haven’t made lunches in a while OR if you are a new volunteer, sign up on MainSpring Sign Up Genius or contact Pat Gallivan at pl.gallivan@verizon.net for more info.
Thanks to all the volunteers that have made this program a success for more than two years!
Beyond First Parish
GET THE BOOK & GET READING!!
Join Tucker Smith on Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. * to dive into author Doug Tallamy’s book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.
Copies of the book will be available to reserve/read in advance. Together, we will brainstorm ways to create America’s newest, largest National Park without any government involvement.
This event is part of “Milton Grows!,” a year-long Milton Public Library program.
[* Note: unknown yet this will be in-person or via Zoom.]
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.