This Week in Virtual Worship

Sunday, March 7, 2021 10:30am

March Theme: Courage

“Step by Step“

Facilitated by:  Rev. Lisa Ward

Worship Associate:  Penny Partridge

Faith Reflection: Robert Johnson

Music:  Tim Steele

Audio Engineer: Brynne Mershon 

Virtual Social Hour Host: Amy Kavadlo

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.

Please be on the lookout for an Order of Worship which will be emailed to you on Friday, 3/05

Sunday’s offering will be dedicated to the services and ministry of First Parish.

We will continue having a social hour after services. Just stay on the Zoom worship call.  It will be good to worship together. Do join us on Sunday if you can!

This Sunday is our annual “Sermon on the Amount”, a time when we recognize the powerful agency possible in our faith community and the source of nourishment it provides in our lives.  I was reading a passage this morning in Mark Nepo’s meditation manual, The Book of Awakening.

He writes from his experiences of loss and disruption, including a difficult bout with cancer.  At one point, as he was reviewing his life, he came to a liberating realization:  “It became immediately clear”, he wrote, “that the only true purpose of money was to help make love work.”  That caught my eye and reminded me of another parallel sentiment voiced by Francis Bacon: “Money is like muck, not good except it be spread.”

We bring our resources of mind, heart and spirit to give agency to our mission, as “we welcome all to build a just and healthy world with faith, love, and compassion.”  This also calls for showing up in many ways; offering our time, our skills, and our financial contributions.  Because we do this together, our shared endeavor does have a powerful agency about it, to cast a wide circle of care and justice, and a deep abiding of love and learning.

Money helps us do this, in all the ways our stewardship committee has described in reaching out to you and all the ways your heart knows the value of this faith community.  So members, please do pledge, and friends, consider a contribution as we travel on together in this world so ready for more love, more care, more justice.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Family Spirit Circle: Family Spirit Circle packets were delivered this past weekend on the theme of Unitarian Universalism in all its complexity and simplicity, open endedness and challenge. Some people say that Unitarian Universalism is about ‘Deeds, not Creeds,’ because following the 7 UU Principles means that each of us will work to help others, for social and environmental justice, and for a better world. This is a big challenge!

Email fpmiltonre@gmail.com if you need the family spirit circle newsletter or would like to be added to our distribution list of RE families.

Minecraft for All Ages: Our ongoing Minecraft group meets on Sundays at 4:30 pm and is open to anyone who enjoys playing this absorbing game. Sessions are recorded and the recordings are retained for six weeks. Two youth must be present for the server to be opened.

Please email fpmiltonre@gmail.com if you would like to participate. You will need a copy of Minecraft (Java preferred but we have a server for Bedrock players as well) and an account. Let us know if you need help getting set up.

Middle and High School Youth: The Youth Visionary Volunteers remain committed to offering opportunities for fresh air, exercise and a chance for social connection during these isolating times. We welcome suggestions, especially regarding possible social justice youth activities.

[In-person religious exploration programs are suspended until we are able to gather together safely. There will be no Sunday morning nursery care, classroom programming, or youth group activities at First Parish Milton while worship services remain virtual only. Fear not! Religious exploration is continuing as we experiment with new ideas and approaches in this time of liminal space.]

MUSIC THIS WEEK

Composer R. Nathaniel Dett  was a Canadian-American Black composer who lived from 1882-1943. He attended Harvard University and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. This week Grace Allendorf will be singing a glorious song of his called “Hymn to Parnassus”, an inspirational song about overcoming trials and achieving your dreams. “The Garden Song” by David Mallett encourages us to make our garden grow “inch by inch, row by row”. This will be sung by Pat Neves, Claudia Wellington, Patricia Ostrem, Dottie Pitt, Penny Knight, and Bebe Williamson.

Table of Contents

For Events, News and Announcements 

1.   Church Announcement:  Photo submission
2.   Chruch Event: Racial Justice Conversations

3.   Church Event: Weekly Meditation

4.   Stewardship Committee News

5.   Social and Environmental Justice Committee News 

Events, News & Announcements

On March 14, 2021, we will mark the 1 year anniversary of “distanced” life co-existing with the Covid-19 virus. To commemorate  a year filled with great loss, hope, community and innovation- we invite you to submit a photo for our next photo collage. The photo should be of anything you wish that speaks to what your life experience in this Covid year has been.

Photos are due to Elise Henricks- please send to elisemhenricks@gmail.com- by March 7th, for inclusion in our March 14th service. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. 

Racial Justice Focus GroupConversations by Zoom with Rev. Lisa, Timothy Ellis and Debbie Alsebaimeets on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays monthly

All are Welcome!

Next Session: Wednesday, March 10th, 7:00pm – 8:30 pm

This focus group has been meeting since August. Each session is rich with stories, insights, questions, learning, re-learning, sharing of resources, sharing of wisdom. Each session stands alone, so you are welcome to attend at any meeting. Consistent attendance helps deepen trust and exploration. Dismantling systemic racism in ourselves and communities occurs incrementally, discovery by discovery. We recognize the importance of this life-long journey toward transformation and that it is a shared endeavor.  Contact the office to receive the zoom link: office@fpmilton.org.

Meditation NEW TIME

All are welcome to join for 30 minutes of silent meditation/prayer on:

Thursday evenings at NEW TIME 6:45 pm-7:15 pm 

Sunday mornings at 9:30am

Newcomers and friends welcome.

Please contact Tracey at tdr02186@gmail.com if you have questions or want to join us!  

COMMITTEE

We continue to appreciate the momentum generated by all that is happening at First Parish.  Thank you to the 60 members who have pledged to FirstParish for Fiscal Year-22, that begins July 1, 2021, in support of the many in-church and outreach opportunities available to us each week. There’s still time to pledge!

There are two important things to remember: 

– In order to help grow our congregation, our budget for next year includes an important step: the hiring of a full time DRE. 

– We are asking you to give as you are able.

Please consider an increase of 3% over your FY-21 pledge. If each of us gives as we are able, we will have what we need.

And REMEMBER – there is a special incentive to pledge BY MARCH 7.  A jar of chocolate sauce will be delivered TO YOUR HOME *IF *you pledge online byMarch 7.  Do it now so we all can celebrate together at the end of the worship service on “Hot Fudge Sunday”, March 14. 

Just click on this link to make your FY-22 Pledge: Click on this link to pledge

Getting to Zero “Getting to Zero” declares our intention. First Parish Milton’s Social and Environmental Justice Committee plans to propose this intention — to become Net Zero by 2035 — for a vote at the church’s Annual Meeting in May 16.  In advance of the annual meeting, we will learn together through a 3-part virtual discussion series:   what it means to become “net zero” and how to live more sustainably.  This is a critical issue, not only for our church but for our community, climate, and planet.  Each session stands on its own, so we invite you to zoom in to as many sessions as you can. 

Join us on this educational journey so that you will be prepared to vote on May 16. 

Save the dates: Wednesday March 17th 6:30pm-7:30pm Getting to Zero 101: 

The Big Picture Wednesday April 21st 6:30pm-7:30pm Getting to Zero 102: 

What’s involved & learning from other congregations Wednesday May 5th 6:30pm-7:30pm Getting to Zero 103:

Process and next steps   From your Social & Environmental Justice Committee

FROM THE

Social & Environmental Justice Committee 

CCTRJ is excited to begin another Zoom book club. This  time we will be reading “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent” by Isabel Wilkerson.

CCTRJ Book Group

Come join us every other Thursday – with the next being TODAY March 4th, 2021 at 7PM.  Other dates are  March 18, April 1st, 15th, and 29th. Thursdays, 7pm

Link to join 

~~~~~~~

A Green Medley

Save the Dates 

Online Speaker Series for March:

Climate Change in the Blue Hills

The Blue Hills Climate Action Coalition invites the community to explore how climate change will alter the Blue Hills and surrounding communities.  Experts from organizations in and around the park will reveal how the warming climate will affect the watershed, woodlands, birds, food production and other flora and fauna of the Blue Hills area.  To sign up for the Zoom link, visit https://www.bluehillsclimateaction.org/get-involved

The series’ aim is to raise public awareness about the local impacts of climate change and

showcase the groups in the Blue Hills area working to address them.  Each lecture will take place at 6:30 pm on the dates listed below. The issues and organizations featured in the series are:

Thursday, March 4-TODAY

A Local Farm’s Approach to Climate Change

Brookwood Community Farm

How most food is grown and transported has significant impacts on the climate and global warming. Approximately 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions is directly related to food production. But you can make a difference!  Learn how you can reduce your carbon footprint by eating locally and choosing food from local and sustainable farms. Brookwood Community Farm’s farm manager Sara Rostampour will discuss Brookwood’s commitment to sustainable practices and how you can become a member to its “community supported agriculture” program.

Thursday, March 18

Birds and Climate Change

Mass AudubonMassachusetts Audubon Society: Birds in the Blue Hills and Beyond. *Dr Jon Atwood, Director of Bird Conservationwill discuss impacts and mitigation strategies.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wonderful volunteer crew !

Volunteers are needed on Wednesday, March 10th. Volunteers acquire food and pack 10-20 lunches and deliver to the church between 12:45-1pm on Delivery day. One team lead drives all the lunches to the shelter in Brockton.

 If you can help, please contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com for instructions or if you already know the drill, signup on our schedule Mainspring SignupGenius – please indicate number of lunches you will bring.

 Crew at Fair Food Warehouse   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 on the 2nd Saturday of every month. Next session is Saturday, March 13th. If you want to volunteer please signup on Signup Genius by Thursday evening before the event. Start time and locations vary depending on Fair Foods’ needs, but typically start between 8:00 and 10 a.m. at Fair Foods’ warehouse in South Boston. Please wear a mask and bring gloves if you have them.    signup on Signup Genius  Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com