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
“A Matter of Principle”
Worship Assistant: Franc Graham
Greeter: Brigitte Miller
Music: Tim Steele
Social Hour: Bill & Deb Kelley
Audio: Colin Glazer
Sunday’s offering will go towards the services and ministries of First Parish Milton.
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.
After a couple months of juggling renters’ schedules, crafting a repair plan, multiple vendors coordination, choosing tiles and colors, the Activity Room has a new, more energy efficient construction. Before (photo on left in old color scheme, but with new heat pump!) and after pictures (with new floor and painted) below.
I note this during this time of collecting materials for our annual meeting to highlight that much happens behind the scenes, with multiple contributors and expertise. We enjoy all church gatherings because a crew is coordinating the food, set up and clean up, while others are planning the program, still others are advertising the event. Our worship services takes office, music and worship team preparations. Our community keeps in touch through small groups, committee work, cyber outreach and service projects. I could go on, but instead, be sure to come to our annual meeting following the service on May 21 to witness the magic of our local interdependent web called First Parish in Milton.
Every contribution of heart, mind and service shapes who we are.
In gratitude and admiration, Rev. Lisa
Music For Sunday
This Sunday we are happy to welcome back guest musician Dzidzor Amorin, who will be leading the music at our worship for the final time before he moves back to Texas. Dzidzor will be graduating from the Berklee School of Music this May with majors in composition and music production. We wish him well and thank him for his contributions to our worship at First Parish over the last two years!
Religious Exploration
Middle School Youth Group Program
Middle school aged youth (5th-8th grades) are invited to gather for an occasional junior youth group program. This spring, based on youth interest, we will be offering four sessions of gaming (Dungeons and Dragons) and an outdoor hike.
If your registered junior youth is interested in the Sunday evening gaming group, please email bridget@sitkoff.net. Friends are welcome, but will need to register with the RE program (at https://forms.gle/723pwAZSM9LHnXoAA – choose Youth Group or Junior Youth Group as your program option).
The group will meet from 5pm – 6:30pm in the Youth room at First Parish. First Parish youth mentor Xyla Sophinos will facilitate and two RE adults will be present at each meeting.
April 23rd
May 7th
May 21st
June 4th
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, April 27th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Milton Youth: Their Strengths and the Risks They Face
Nangeroni Conference Room, BID Hospital – Milton
Every three years, the Milton Coalition examines the status of Milton youth through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on substance use. Join us as we share these results, compare them to our past evaluations, and discuss next steps.
Masks are required. This meeting is open to the public.
Events and Meetings
From the Membership Committee
Walking Group
Like to walk and chat ? First Parish Membership is starting up our walking group again. Dianna Wilson will gather interested walkers at 12:15 pm on April 30th and May 28th at the entrance to the Pope John Paul Park in Dorchester.
And afterwards if there is interest, going to lunch at a nearby spot !
Contact Dianna for more information: diannaw710@gmail.com
Drop Offs for Ramadan Reminder April 21st Deadline
First Parish is collecting food, dry goods, and hygiene items. All items must have ingredient labels with current expiration dates.
All donations can be dropped off in marked bin located in the carriage house to be distributed by Interfaith Social Services in Quincy. This project is brought to you by Milton Muslim Neighbors (MMN), Milton Interfaith Clergy Association (MICA), and Milton Public Schools (MPS). For more info, please contact Tahra at tmg726@gmail.com.
MILTON GREEN UP: POP-UP PICKUPS
Sunday, April 30, Noon-ish*
First Parish Church Neighborhood
Register on SignUp Genius by clicking green button below.
Join Membership and Social & Environmental Justice folks after Social Hour to scour our neighborhood for TRASH! We will provide Milton DPW collecting bags (leaving filled ones by the Carriage Shed). Please wear long pants/sleese and check for ticks at home afterwards, and wear work gloves. All ages are welcome. *NOTE: If this time does not work for you, there are two other focus areas and times welcoming your support:
Saturday, April 29, 10 – Noon at the rear of Cunningham Park (specifically, the “pit” at the dog park)
Sunday April 30,1-3 along Truman Parkway/Neponset River Greenway
TREE Giveaway
The Wakefield Estate is offering 3 tree species this spring: Red Maple, Bitternut Hickory and Kousa Dogwood.
Contact Mary Blanchette for information on each species or you can google them to make sure you have the correct growing conditions. Reach out to Mary if
you want any. Her email is mbpa@comcast.net.
News and Announcements
Worship Committee-Summer Services
We now have some volunteers to lead summer services but need more – both old hands and adventurous newbies.
Please contact Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com or 413-658-4717) and pick a summer Sunday. You could think of it as a slight extension of a Faith Reflection. What could be important to you to share with us?
YES, we’re having another Yard Sale!
Start your spring cleaning ! The First Parish Yard Sale is happening again. We’ll be collecting items in June, specific dates and times TBD. The yard sale date is:
June 24th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Much more to come…
Dear First Parish Friends,
Years ago I was introduced to the Louis D. Brown Institute Mother’s Day Walk for Peace and it became a cherished family tradition. We’ve walked in all kinds of weather with lots of First Parish friends and have gotten to participate in and witness to the very heart of the Mother’s Day message. The governor comes along with the mayor (Mayor Wu is pictured here…) as well as other dignitaries such as Ayanna Presley. We are always home by noon and can meet up with other family and friends for a late lunch or early dinner. Thanks to this important event, my kids feel really connected to this day and its legacy of peace and justice. I hope you will join us this year! More info coming, feel free to email me with questions: Jennie Mulqueen, jenniemulqueen@gmail.com.
SEJC
NO FUTURE GAS 4 MASS CAMPAIGN
UU Mass Action Network, Mass Power Forward, and other climate justice organizations want to send Gov. Healey 10,000 signatures by Earth Day ’23 demanding NO FUTURE for gas infrastructure in our state. This is particularly urgent for front-line Environmental Justice communities in Springfield and Longmeadow, MA facing an Eversource pipeline expansion project right now.
Add YOUR signature here
Let’s aim for 500 if you share this with 5 friends.
Our UU environmental justice and climate values require it!
Urge Governor Healey to halt new gas system expansions until the state has a concrete plan for a just transition to a clean — and green — energy future. Please sign!
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, May 6th.
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 May 3rd and then every other Wednesday throughout the year. We will meet in the lower parking lot between 12:40 pm 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
ONLINE UU THEOLOGY SERIES – OPEN TO ALL!
Wednesdays, April 12 to May 17 9:00 pm – 10 pm, Eastern time on Zoom
The Faith Forward program out of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas is excited to offer an online session of our UU Theology series for all congregations. This series explores theological concepts through a Unitarian Universalist lens and helps participants clarify and act on their beliefs.
To register, email Faith Forward Coordinator Rev. Lora Brandis: lbrandis@dallasuu.org
Since we are subscribers to Faith Forward, this is a FREE event.
Please share this invitation with anyone who you think would be interested.
You can also reach out to Leslie with questions; lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com
Opportunity to Help a Community Partner, Our friends at City Life/Vida Urbana, a grassroots organization that promotes tenant rights and advocates on behalf of those facing eviction, reached out to ask for the help of this community. CLVU is planning an upcoming mailing to 2,000 people – to make them aware of their rights and available resources – as they face losing their homes. CLVU needs help preparing this mailing, and have asked for our help.
On Saturday, May 13th from 10:00am – 12:30pm, we will be meeting at the UU Urban Ministry with folks from CLVU to assemble this mailing. Can you join us? Email Vinnie Myles at vmyles@uuum.org to RSVP.
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.