Table of Contents
- Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
- This Week in Worship
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- This Week in Music
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
At our racial justice focus group last night, we discussed UU theology and how it impacts our lives. One urging by many racial justice advocates in our religious movement is to approach Unitarian Universalism as a liberative faith, one that embodies and advocates freedom of being for all, and a vision of wholeness in our diverse ways and walking.
One way that this may be expressed in Unitarian Universalism is the true embodiment of the inherent worth and dignity of every person (or being) within the interdependent web of all existence, with a mindful lens toward diversity, equity and inclusion. This ties the freedom to be as a part of a larger harmony of being. It connects truth with responsibility. It honors self in relation.
Unitarians and Universalists throughout our histories grew and thrived upon issues of freedom and justice. One example are our Unitarian forebears in Poland in the 16th century, named the Polish Brethren. They were inspired to embody the “kingdom of god” on earth. Each worthy, each a part of a larger circle of being, each inspired by the harmony of being known in creation.
How might you live into a Unitarian Universalist liberative faith? What frees you, what saves you, what emboldens you?
Joyful in the learning, Rev. Lisa
This Week in Worship
“Abiding Faith”
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Associate: Elise Henricks
Music: Dzidzor Amorin
Social Hosts: Anita Penta & Natalie Munroe
Audio: Sophie D’Alessandro & Madeleine Miller
Bell Ringers: Asa Skofield, Ian Skofield and Laura Reis
Worship Services are hybrid.
Join us in person or on 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 be dedicated to the service and ministry of First Parish.
This Week in Religious Exploration
Please bring your Guest At Your Table boxes to First Parish this Sunday. You can count up what you collected and write a check for that amount, made out to First Parish, with GAYT in the memo line. Or you can bring your box of coins (we have some eager counters available). Thank you for your support and generosity.
Nursery care will be available this Sunday after the Story For All Ages.
Molly B. Nolan, Transitional Director of Religious Education
This Week in Music
This Sunday jazz pianist Dzizdor Amorin will be returning to lead the music during worship. This week he will also be joined by a fellow Berklee student, bassist Hazel Royer.
Events and Meetings
Yard Sale is Back!
Start your spring cleaning! After a 2-year hiatus, the First Parish Yard Sale is coming back. So, start organizing and cleaning your treasures for donation. We’ll be collecting items from June 4th – June 15.
The Yard Sale will be June 18th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Much more to come…
Membership
Theater- Membership committee is putting together a group of First Parish Theater goers to attend “To Kill A Mockingbird” on Sunday, April 10 at 6:30 at the Boston Opera House. This is the stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel starring Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch. Limited Orchestra seats are available for $108 or $80 (Seniors& Students $70 or $50) and Mezzanine seats for $102, $80 and $65 (Seniors & Students $60, $50 or $40). Masks are required if you are not actively eating or drinking in the theater. Please email Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net with the number of seats you would like to purchase and the price range you are interested in. Please also note if you would like to carpool.
UU Elevator Speech- This course was designed by the UU Church in Dallas to help you voice what Unitarian Universalism and your membership at First Parish means to you, in a comfortable, conversational way.
Even if you missed a session, you are welcome at this one. We recorded previous sessions so you can watch it and get caught up.
Next date is Tuesday, March 29th from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm over Zoom
Please email Leslie and let her know if you plan to attend: Lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com
Cooking – Save the date! Membership is celebrating April Fools Day with FOOLISH FOODS! We will be cooking a silly assortment of foods that may or may not be what they seem. (Are they cupcakes or meatloaf??) Friday, April 1st. More info will be coming.
The Racial Justice Focus Group invites you to join us in understanding the Widening the Circle of Concern UUA report.
In a nutshell, the report, which reads more like a book than a report, is about addressing the White Supremacy Culture within Unitarian Universalism.
Explore with us why we are engaging in studying the recommendations in the report with the intent of taking action toward implementing the recommendations. For example, many UU churches, have placed BLM signs on their front lawns, now many are adopting or in the process of deliberating adoption of the 8th principle which is about building a “beloved” community and dismantling racism and other systems of oppression within ourselves and within our communities. These are great first steps, but what does it mean to actually “live” the 8th principle?
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7-8:30PM. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Lisa for the zoom link: minister@fpmilton.org.
If you can’t stomach yet another zoom meeting, we encourage you to at least pick up a copy of the report to read on your own and provide suggestions or feedback on what recommendations speak to you. Several copies are available at the office. You can also access a pdf, with audio access, here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening
News and Announcements
Caring Committee
There will be a table at social hour on Sunday, March 27th and on Sunday, April 3rd to collect any items and financial contributions for the packages that will be sent to our college aged youth in early April. We are hoping for any small food items or fidgets for the packages and funding to cover postage and small gift cards. Help us remind our youth that they are important to us.
Worship Committee
There are different ways to worship and different ways we can minister to each other. Our Summer Services are a good time to expand what we can do together as a spiritual community. Here are some things you might want plan a service around: What have you learned in the recent past that you would like to pass along to others? Who has been a role model to whom you would like to pay tribute? What has your experience on an FP committee taught you? If you could recommend a book, film, good deed , or new habit to everyone in the congregation, what might it be? Is there someone you’d like to partner with to do a summer service? What would it be like to ask them (today!) to do it with you? Surprise us with what you have to share. Contact Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com or 413-658-4717) with questions, ideas, and/or a summer Sunday for which you’d like to plan a service. Thank you!
Saturday’s Milton Community Concert
Thank you to all who were able to attend Milton Community Concerts program this past Saturday evening, “The Heart of a Woman”. The singers from Opera On Tap Boston (and pianist!) were overwhelmed by the audience response as we all ventured back into live music-making together. The warmth and enthusiasm of the audience was palpable, and contributed greatly to the performances. I can’t remember when I’ve seen a group of singers so moved by the generous response of an audience following a concert.
I would encourage you all to make an important donation in the next week to our charity before we wrap up our accounting for the event, even if you weren’t able to attend. Renewal House is a part of the UU Urban Ministry as a shelter for individuals and families experiencing domestic violence. You can donate (as I just did) by texting the number 44-321 and typing in the words “Renewal House”.
Thank you for your support- Tim Steele
Volunteer Opportunities
Sunday Service
We are in need of ushers, greeters, and social hour host for Sunday Service. We have appreciated your help in the past and hope you can help again. Please sign up here if you are interested.
Main Spring Lunch Program
The next volunteer date is April 6th
Our goal is to have a total of 95 lunches for delivery to The Evelyn House in Stoughton and the Mainspring shelter in Brockton. We are always looking for new volunteers so please signup in Signup Genius and indicate the number of lunches you plan to donate in the COMMENT field. For more details see the description on the Signup Genius page.
If you have questions or need to arrange early drop off, contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com
Fair Foods
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that wwould 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, April 9th
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 or 617-291-4685
Beyond First Parish
Virtual Lunch with an Artist
Bithyah Israel, UUUM’s Social Justice Fellow for the Arts and Humanities, has set up an exciting series for March, called Lunch with an Artist. This is a series of virtual lunchtime meetings where a Roxbury artist will share their virtual gallery and discuss process and worldview.. Zoom link and more info here; a flyer is attached.
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.