This Week in Worship

Sunday, April 8, 2018
Theme: Transformation
Worship at 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

This coming Sunday, April 8th, is our annual Unity Sunday. It is a time when First Congregational Church in Milton and First Parish in Milton worship together. Each year we alternate between venues. This year the Rev. John Allen will be preaching in our meetinghouse. We are the two churches that share the town green. Stories of the past include the two ministers coming together at the gazebo on the town green to shake hands. This is an important gesture of affirmed reconciliation from a time in the 19th and early 20th centuries when the two congregations were at odds with each other, due to theological differences. Some time ago, it was recognized that working together, honoring differences, was the preferred stance for these two faith institutions, and so the Unity Sunday was created. I am pleased to welcome my colleague to the pulpit. He is a treasured member of MICA (Milton Interfaith Clergy Association) and a fellow Union Theological Seminary graduate. Do come this Sunday and enjoy the richness of shared community.

Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Laurel Whitehouse, Director of Religious Exploration

Nursery and toddler care is available every week in the Link hallway from 10:15 to 11:45 am. This week our caregivers are Daisy and Bella. Stop by and say hello!

Religious Exploration for Sunday, April 8: Preschool children through grade 8 will attend the first part of the worship service in the Meetinghouse and then move to the Children’s Church. Please note that our Children’s Church service ends at 11:40 am.

Once a month children in all grades gather together for a worship service in the Children’s Church after we leave the Meetinghouse. This week’s Children’s Church worship will focus on UU Source #6: The harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life we share with all living beings. We will explore different ways of welcoming spring and celebrating the seasons.

Register your child or youth! The Religious Education Committee requests all families to register their children and youth. Paper registration forms are available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway.

Youth Yacking

Sara Elizabeth Santa Cruz, Youth Advisor

Coming of Age, 10:30am – 12pm

This week we are going to be exploring our personal theologies! What have we learned so far, and how to we form our knowledge and experiences into our own theology?

Community Activity Time (CAT), 12pm – 2pm

After Coming of Age, we are going to carpool from church to the Blue Hills and go on a hike! All youth and mentors are invited, and everyone can disperse/be picked up from First Parish at 2pm. Please make sure to remind your youth to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for hiking.

Lucy Stone Co-Op Potluck Dinner, 6:45pm – 9pm

Youth and Mentors are both encouraged to attend! Sunday night, we will be attending a potluck dinner at the Lucy Stone Cooperative house! We will be having a vegetarian dinner at 7pm followed by a shared service of singing UU songs as a community. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about ways in which people live UU values through cooperative living! Everyone who will be attending is asked to bring 1 vegetarian potluck item to share. The address is 28 Moreland St, Roxbury, MA 02119.

*We will be traveling to the cooperative house separately, but please let me know…

a) If you are able to make it. If so, will you need help carpooling?

b) What you are bringing for a vegetarian friendly potluck item.

*Save the Date: UU Heritage Trip, Sunday April 22nd

Mentors and youth are both invited! We will be walking around downtown Boston and seeing bits and pieces of our important UU history. We will be meeting at Ashmont Station at 9:15am. We are hoping to return by about 2pm. We are asking everyone to bring money for MBTA fair and lunch. More details to follow, but please get this very cool event on your family calendar!

Events, News and Announcements

Green Team

The next Green Team meeting is Thursday, April 5, at 7PM at Hale and Tucker’s home (1632 Canton Avenue — END OF CARBERRY LANE CUL-DE-SAC)

Please join us for a Passover Seder on Friday, April 6th, from 6:30 to 8:00pm, celebrating old and new traditions.

Our family family friendly seder with a UU spin will feature an overview of the holiday, fun songs and good company. We will share a Passover style meal, including chicken, potatoes and traditional matzoh ball soup.

To complete our potluck, please consider bringing a vegetable main or side, salad, fruit salad, or dessert. In keeping with Passover traditions, we will be avoiding bread and other baked goods.

Thanks!

Union Sunday – Pot Luck Social Hour

This Sunday, April 8, is Union Sunday and we’ll be hosting our friends from First Congregational Church. We’re trying a pot-luck social hour for this event. If you can bring a dish, would you please email Jen Pinkus to help us with our planning. Thanks so much for your help.

Please join us for 2nd Annual “Open Mosque Day” on Sunday 8th April, 2018 at Islamic Center of New England Quincy Center located at 470 South Street, Quincy, MA 02169.

Learn about Islam, meet your Muslim neighbor and enjoy time with us!

Program Schedule:

• 3.00pm – 3.45pm : Presentation
• 3.50pm – 4.40pm: Q&A session
• 4.45pm – 4.55pm: Prayer Break
• 5.00pm – 6.00pm: Mosque Tour & Social Activities

Refreshments will be served.

* Every one is invited.

SUMMER SERVICES

Summer is coming! And that means lay-led summer services at 9:30 am in The Children’s Church. Is there some aspect of your spiritual journey that you have wanted to share with the congregation? Is there some part of your social action work that you would like to present to others? This is your chance! Please email Mallory Digges if you have interest in leading a service.

Provides healthy produce to low income familites in the greater Boston area.

Meet to carpool in the lower parking lot, 10 am : Saturday April 14.

SPRING 2018 CIRCLE SOCIALS

Blue Hills Hike & Happy Hour – Saturday April 14

Please join us for the next round of collaborative get-togethers — no agenda other than making and renewing friendship.

Register with Tucker Smith (tsmith62676@gmail.com) — your name (s), how many, and contact email/phone. Hosts will coordinate food/beverage offerings directly.

BLUE HILLS HIKE & HAPPY HOUR

Saturday, April 14 (Raindate Sunday, April 29), 2 – 4:00 p.m.; Hale and Tucker Smith; multi-generational number welcome; 1632 Canton Avenue (END of Carberry Lane cul-de-sac, directions will be sent)

MainSpring in Brockton

Sunday, April 15th

3 – 6 pm

The Social Action Committee is seeking volunteers to prepare and serve dinner at MainSpring in Brockton from 3PM-6PM. Sign up at the Social Action table during social hour or email Peter.

Sunday, April 29, 2018, 3:00 – 6:00PM

Active Bystander Training First Parish Milton, 535 Canton Ave. Spots are limited: see us at the SAC table at coffee hour for more info.

Monday, April 30th, 7:00 – 9:00PM At Milton High School (25 Gile Road)

Panel discussion with Boston Globe “Spotlight” Reporter, Adrian Walker on the Globe’s series confronting racism and racial disparities in Boston.

Please join us for the 22nd Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace: “Dignity and Compassion for All”

The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is a celebration of our potential to create more peaceful communities. Every year families from across the state and region walk together toward peace. Join us on Mother’s Day to demand dignity and compassion for all families impacted by murder.

The Mother’s Day Walk is also the Peace Institute’s most important fundraising event. We’re asking you to invest in community-based solutions to a complex problem.

All walkers must register. Registration cost this year is $10 per walker, however no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Where?

Town Field Park, Dorchester Ave, Fields Corner, Dorchester, MA

Registration Begins: 7:00 am—Meet at church 7:30 am to drive over together, or meet us there—look for our FP Milton sign

Opening Remarks: 8:00 am

Walk Begins: 8:30 am

Finish at Government Center: approx. 1pm. You don’t have to walk it all! Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome.

How can you sign up?

Go to https://www.mothersdaywalk4peace.org/ and register as a participant to join in our team, First Parish Milton. As this is a fundraiser, we are also seeking donations.

What is our fundraising goal?

We’d like to raise $1000 for the Louis D Brown Peace Institute.

We’d also like to have at least 50 walkers signed up from First Parish!

Please join us!

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 – 2:00 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, 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse
• Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
• Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church

EVERY THURSDAY

Silent Prayer & Meditation, 7:00 pm in the Children’s Church (Note new time)

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.