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
- News and Announcements
- Events and Meetings
- Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
This Week in Worship
“Our Living Faith“
Worship Assistant: Brigitte Miller
Faith Reflection: Ellen Barr
Audio: Nicholas Miller
Social Hour: The Membership Committee
Please join us for service at 10:30am.
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.
This week’s offering will go towards to the service and needs of First Parish.
Everyone has a sermon within them. In fact, most probably, we all have more than one. Perhaps you’d rather call it a reflection. The stories in our lives are both particular and universal – describing a unique wisdom in the tapestry of shared being. What might that sermon or reflection look like? It could be a personal connection to a reading that inspires meaning in your life. It could be an experience that changed you and brought you to a new way of seeing. It could be a series of images that answer the common query, what is the point? It could share a new insight that comes from a surprising encounter. In general, a sermon offers a query, or a quandary, or a cynicism, or a wonder that leads to hope, to a willingness to live into this enterprise of being.
The sermon or reflection can be shared in many ways: through art, through analysis, through stories, through open questions. And it is often accompanied by singing, silence, opening to a larger sense of being and rounding out the learning. We all have this within us.
That’s why the summer services here are so valuable. We get to hear a bit of another’s life journey, distilled for our wonder, our understanding, our witness.
This Sunday, several such preachers will share their experience of shaping a summer worship service. Come and take in the wondrous variety and possibility of lifting voices with reverence for one another.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
Music This Week
This Sunday our guest pianist Arman Mohammad will be offering his musical selections throughout the service. Hunsaker soloist Michael Aoun will be singing a solo from the musical A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, called “Love Who You Love”.
RE This Week
UU Summer Fun Registration!
It’s time to formally register for our UU summer fun! Follow this link to register. If you signed up on the “Express Interest” form, we still need you to officially register with this link! Per the recommendation of the Religious Education Committee, we are shifting our age range to also welcome preschoolers whose older siblings will also be attending our summer fun and/or who attend Spirit Play but may not be entering first grade. Please reach out to Louise (re@fpmilton.org) with questions about this new policy. We continue to want to be flexible and accommodating, while still prioritizing safety and a quality experience for all involved.
News & Announcements
Happening soon on Town Green and in our First Parish front yard!!
This is a full congregational call for First Parish volunteers!!
Help is Needed for the following categories:
Shifts needed for Saturday, May 4th rain or shine
8:30am-11:00am / Set-up team in FP courtyard – 1 person
- involves tent, canopies, and tables (heavy lifting and toting)
11:00 – 111;11 am / Eleventh Hour Calling crew
- Sanctuary Steeple Bellringers – 2 people (bring gloves)
- Children’s Chapel Bellringers – 2 people (bring gloves) — this is great for a family
- Drum Circle (bring any kind of percussion or bells, shakers, etc.) — volunteers unlimited; great for a family
– 3 people
- various duties like welcome to Children’s Chapel; assist at Mme. Brown’s “Living the Green Life” table; assist with scavenger hunt items on our campus; be a friendly presence and circulate/ answer questions
– 3 people
- various duties like welcome to Children’s Chapel; assist at Mme. Brown’s “Living the Green Life” table; assist with scavenger hunt on our campus; be a friendly presence and circulate/answer questions
3:00 – 3:30 pm Break down and Clean Up – 3 people
- involves collapsing and storing tent, canopies, and tables (heavy lifting and toting)
Dear First Parish Friends,
Mother’s Day is on the horizon and I hope you can join us for this important annual event right in our neighboring Dorchester area; it is a longstanding tradition at First Parish. Participating with my kids has been a great way to live into our faith and values, and it was by coming to First Parish that I learned about the history of Mother’s Day and how it is rooted in a movement for peace. The walk usually takes several hours, so probably good for ages 10 and up.
Click on the register tab. Join our team by search for FP Milton UU team to join our team. Once registered, you will be given your own fundraising page to send out to friends.
Warmly, Jennie Mulqueen
Art Exhibition in the Link hallway
Come view the new art work by by First Parish artists Lynne Stack and Cynthia Guise!
Keep the coffee brewin’!
We are looking for social hour hosts for May 5th.
CLICK HERE to sign up.
Haven’t hosted before or need a refresher? No worries! A Hospitality Committee member will reach out to you the week before to answer questions and provide instructions.
Events & Meetings
Two More Circle Suppers
Our first two Circle Suppers filled up and were a big success. There are two more opportunities to socialize with First Parish friends and acquaintances in an informal setting. These potluck gatherings, April 26th and May 4th will include facilitator-led discussions of the proposed changes to Article II, which we’ll be voting on at Annual Meeting in May so that our delegates to General Assembly can represent our wishes.
Sign up for your preferred date and food contribution here:
STORYTELLING IN THE CHILDREN’S CHAPEL
April 27th at 4:00 pm
Do you have a story you want to share? Come join us at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, in the Children’s Chapel. Our gathering will be like the Moth Radio Hour with a five minute limit for each story – but it’s not a competition. You can just listen if you want. The theme will be “Beginning.”
Questions? Contact Dan de Angeli (dandda14@gmail.com) or Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com)
Yes, we’re having a Yard Sale this year!
Save the date: June 22nd
Save your stuff!
Save some time on your calendar to help out.
Looking forward to working with everyone on this fun event!
Social & Environmental Justice Committee (SEJC)
Bikes not Bombs Tour:
Saturday April 27th
10:00 am-11:00 am
Bikes Not Bombs uses the bicycle as a vehicle for social change to achieve economic mobility for Black and other marginalized people in Boston and the Global South.
Join us for a BNB tour in Jamaica Plain with Ndaye Kanonga on Saturday April 27 from 10-11am. All ages welcome!
Register on Sign-up Genius. Please include note in signup if you want to carpool.
Contact Tracey Robinson at tdr02186@gmail.com if questions.
May 1st is the next date!
S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the first and third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches twice a month to support shelter guests.
See updated instructions on the Mainspring SignUpGenius page and signup whenever you can help out.
We are counting on your support!
Climate Action@HOME
SUNDAY May 5, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm Chase Parlor
Climate Action at Home wraps up our year-long series of discussion. Come learn more about Carbon Footprints!
A small FPM group has been meeting for several months learning how to calculate our own Carbon Footprints. We would like to share what we learned and see if others are interested in learning more about their own carbon footprints. Please join us.
Beyond First Parish
Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice’s next read will be “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein.
We will meet on Zoom on Tues 5/14/24 and 5/28/24 from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
For 5/14/24 we will read through Chapter 7 and we will finish the book on 5/28/24.
It is not readily available at the Milton Library or the Boston Library (online at least) without a wait, but used copies are available at BooksRun and new and used at Amazon.
Ibram X. Kendi in “How To Be an Antiracist” pointed out that policy is either racist or antiracist. This new book seems to add support of this concept.
For Questions and or the Zoom link please reach out to Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net.
AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
Sponsored by
Milton Interfaith Clergy Association
Thursday, June 27th 1:00 pm-6:00 pm
Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills
18 Shoolman Way
Milton, MA 02186
The blood drive will be live and ready for scheduling by March 18th.
To schedule appointment on or after Mar 18 please visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: MICA Or call 1 (800)-Red-Cross
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.