This Week in Worship

10:30 a.m. in the Meetinghouse — Sunday, March 12, 2017

This month’s theme: Compassion

In Our Giving We Find Our Way

Message from Rev. Lisa

Here we are days away from our First Parish Commitment Sunday. Commitment can be a loaded word, especially in this fast paced, divergent world where we are pulled in many directions and often struggle just to find our foothold. However, commitment it is not a concept that is meant to confine or limit our possibilities. Commitment is about growing in potential because of our shared endeavor. And that is something to celebrate, something to lift up and embolden, something to claim as a sacred choice in our lives: showing up with and for each other.

More often than not, the size of one’s commitment grows as the engagement deepens. We find the value of our lives in the living of them. Our stewardship pledges are our pooled resources which become more important as we share our lives together. Whatever the size of your pledge, it is this act of shared faith in this community that gives it life. Let’s celebrate what we can do to help it thrive. The amount will be different for each of you and up to you.

Here’s how it will work:

Pledge forms and envelopes will be provided at the worship service.

We will have many of the elements of worship, with a time, much like when we include a communion service, for a pledge parade. We will be invited to bring forward our pledges in sealed envelopes to be recorded later, confidentially, by the stewardship chairs and Director of Congregational Life.

There is provision to pledge on-line if you will not be here on Sunday. The stewardship committee does need to know your pledge amount by Sunday. Here’s the member link: https://fpmilton.org/annual-budget-form/ or members can go to the website, go to members page, then “donations”, then “online pledge.”
Friends and visitors are most welcome at this worship service. We are also hoping to update our contact info with the pledge forms, so you can simply fill out the contact info and bring the envelope forward….perhaps with a note “pledge tbd”…Please do come and celebrate First Parish with us.

See you at church bright and early – since we spring forward our clocks in the wee hours of Sunday am (DAYLIGHT SAVINGS).

Blessings Be,

Rev. Lisa

Spring Forward

Don’t forget to turn your clocks forward on Sunday, March 12th !!

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse
Director of Religious Education

What’s happening in religious exploration this weekend?

Children’s Church

• On March 12th nursery care will be available from 9:00 am to noon for infants and toddlers.
• Preschool children through grade 7 will attend the first part of the worship service in the Meetinghouse and then move to the Children’s Church.
• Please note that classes end at 11:40 am. Children will be walked over to join Social Hour in the Parish Hall at the end of class and need to be met there by a parent.
• Preschool through grade 7: Children’s Church service on Ideas of God
• Grade 8 and 9: Our Whole Lives class (parental permission required) will meet from 10:30 to noon in the Activity Room downstairs
• Youth Chat (grades 10 through 12 and grade 9 youth who are not taking Our Whole Lives) will meet from 10:30 to 11:30 am in the
• Youth room upstairs.
• Youth Group does not meet this week.

Save the date: There will be a multigenerational Passover Seder Interfaith Haggadah service on
Friday, April 7 from 6:30 to 8 pm in the Parish Hall.

A Passover-style potluck dinner will take place during the service. All are welcome.

News and Announcements

When: Saturday, March 11th

New Meeting Time: 10:30 AM in our church parking lot.

Next volunteer days are April 8 and May 13!

Fair Foods Inc. rescues surplus fruits and vegetables from Boston industry sources and distributes the food to those in need. (www.fairfoods.org)

Share the Vision

ALL ARE WELCOME

The 1st All Church Council (ACC) of 2017 is this Sunday March 12th, from 12 noon 2:30 PM in the Parish Hall.

Light lunch will be served and childcare is available. Please respond to the Evite sent last week.

Care Packages

The Caring Committee and the Youth Group are teaming up again to provide care packages to our young adults. We would like to receive monetary donations to offset the shipping costs. Please let us know if you’d like to donate goods to create the care packages.

There will be a signup at coffee hour or you can send the youth’s name, mailing information, and any dietary restrictions to Amanda Tobey at amandatobey@gmail.com or 508-579-5118.

Third Sunday Collection – March 19th, 2017

CityReach is an overnight urban outreach program begun in March 1996 for youth (with accompanying adults), young adults, and college students from churches of any denomination. The program gives these young people the opportunity to learn first hand about homelessness from people who have experienced it. During the 20 hour session, participants join CityReach staff in street ministry and offer hospitality, food and clothing. This is followed by times of sharing and reflection.

The Youth from First Parish will be attending this program later in the Spring.

Check out the Social Action Flyer on the Information Tables in the Parish Hall and Stebbins Parlor. Most Sundays, the Social Action Committee will also have information available on their table during social hour.

Courageous Conversations towards Racial Justice
(formerly known as Dialogue on Race)

• Make up Date: Sunday, March 19, 2017
• Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Where: First Parish in Milton, Parish Hall (Same Place)

Please contact Debbie Alsebai

Help Us Serve Meals

Volunteers from First Parish Milton needed to make and serve meals to the clients at Father Bill’s on the following dates in 2017:

• Saturday, March 25
• Sunday, April 23

Please come to the SAC table at coffee hour for more details.

Kiki’s Corner

Online Pledging

If you are not able to join us for Commitment Sunday,March 12, you may make your pledge electronically via www.fpmilton.org.

The link to the online pledge form is first item under Donations on the Member’s Page.

Here is the link to the online pledge form: https://fpmilton.org/annual-budget-form/

You can also access it by going to the Member’s Page. Login. Click on the Donations box. The online pledge form is first item under Donations.

Some Meeting information from our Unitarian Universalist denomination

Our UUA’s General Assembly 2017 is from June 21 – 26 in New Orleans, LA. First Parish Milton may send up to 4 delegates and there are some funds available to help with registration expenses. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please let me or Rev. Lisa know. The rates for registration increase on May 1.

All sorts of information is on the website at http://www.uua.org/ga including program themes, guest speakers, and housing information.

Closer to home, the New England Regional Assembly takes place April 21-22 in Woburn, MA. Friday evening you are invited to the UUA presidential forum with all three candidates in attendance. This is free but you still need to register. Saturday is worship and programming. Rev. Robin Bartlett is the worship preacher. For more information, check out their website at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-england-regional-assembly-2017-registration-28581951386

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook and get updates, poems, announcements and more. You’ll be glad you did!

EVERY SUNDAY

Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

THE SUNDAY PLANNER

Please consider volunteering for important Sunday worship positions like ushering, hosting social hour, providing flowers for worship, and lighting the chalice. Sign Up Here!

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

• Monday – Thursday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

MINISTER OFFICE HOURS

• Tuesday – Thurday 10:00 am – 3 pm
• Other times by appointment

The Church office is closed on Fridays.