Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 5/12/2016

Weekly Link 5/12/2016

Church

This Week in Worship

Sunday, May 15 @ 10:30 am in Meetinghouse

I was reminded of where our religious life and politics intersect this past Monday as I rode my bike to Cambridge City Hall. I was going to meet with some friends whose wedding I’ll be performing and I was reminded of how 12 years ago I counted down to midnight with thousands of others as the first marriage licenses in our nation’s history were to be issued to same-sex couples. I was a fun couple of days, and ones that shaped my ministry since.

For many years so many of us worked to move this rite forward into the public eye, and then into the realm of politics. Not because we thought it was cool, or would win us friends, but it was right and just and it how God calls us to be in the world and in our relations with other people. This Sunday, with our annual meeting, this church celebrates the fact that our faith instructs us to operate as a democracy, to make it’s own choices and to point the church in the direction where we think God is leading us.

I hope you all will join us for a worship service where the Search Committee will reflect on the spiritual nature of the search process and then for the annual meeting of the congregation.

See you in church!

Hank

Religious Exploration

Regular Classes on Sunday, May 15

The nursery is open for children 4 and under.

News and Announcements

ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHT – Proposed By-Laws Amendments

You have all received in the mail copies of the Warrant announcing the Annual Meeting of the Parish, which will take place in the Parish Hall Sunday, May 15, starting at noon. All documents related to the Annual Meeting are on the Members Page including the Warrant and other documents mailed May 5th.

One of the articles to be acted upon is a series of proposed amendments to our By-Laws. The text of the various proposed amendments can be found on the First Parish Members’ Page

Also posted on the Members’ Page are the current (2009) By-Laws

Check them out! Hope to see you at the Annual Meeting!

Chris Pitt, Chair, Parish Committee

“Sing For Their Supper II” on May 21st

Don’t miss out on the final Milton Community Concert at First Parish on Saturday, May 21st at 7pm. This free benefit concert will raise money through a free-will offering to support the Milton Food Pantry and Milton Residents Fund. Following the success of last year’s concert this year’s will feature ten new opera singers singing favorites from opera, operetta, and musical theatre.

CARING COMMITTEE NEEDS A FEW GOOD COOKS!

The Caring Committee is looking for some help to provide meals on Wednesdays from May 18 through the end of June. Please contact Walt Hagenbuch walt@hagenbu.ch for sign up instructions for the website “Take them a Meal”. We will be adding more information on Caring Committee activities and needs on the Member’s Page of the website shortly.

Family Friendly Volunteer Opportunity!

Next Date: May 21

Please join us the 3rd Saturday of every month (May 21, June 18) at 9:00 AM at First Parish Milton’s parking lot. We will then caravan into Roxbury to help unload, sort and distribute fresh produce to an underserved community. This is a family-friendly event… kids of all ages are welcome. Feel free to stay for 30 mins or 3 hours!”

“Choose or Be Chosen” for next year September 2016- June 2017

SIGN UP IN THE PARISH HALL through MAY 22

You may choose now or be assigned later

Please sign up for the following Sunday morning volunteer jobs.

Flowers ,Ushers, Social Hour and Chalice Lighters

During the year, one detail that the Worship Committee got feedback about was a lack of children and families lighting our chalice on Sunday mornings, which we are addressing in the sign-up for next year. We are including chalice lighting in our slate and ask that next year, families and couples light our chalice as a group at the start of worship.

Please sign up in the Parish Hall during Sunday social hour for one Sunday each of ushering, providing flowers, being a Social Hour host, and lighting the chalice. Sign-ups will continue through May 22. Any spots not filled by that date will then be “drawn” by members of each committee and the entire calendar will be posted. Like last year: first come, first served. If you choose your Sundays in the next month, you should be able to pick the weeks that will work best for you. e. If you have any questions, please speak with Leslie MacPherson Artinian or any member of the Worship Committee. Thank you all for everything you have done this year!

Leslie MacPherson Artinian, Chair, Worship Committee
lmacpherson@hds.harvard.edu

Looking for a few Greeters for 2016- 2017

Please consider being part of the Membership Committee’s Greeter Program. You will welcome our visitors and newcomers to our worship on Sunday mornings, escort them to Social Hour and engage other members to meet our visitors. Training provided by the Membership Committee.

Contact Richard Venable, Co-chair, Membership Committee if you are interested.

Kiki

Kiki’s Corner

Factoids of the Week

  • Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 15. See Chris Pitt’s note above. Hospitality Committee will provide refreshments before the meeting starts. Childcare is available until 1 pm. This is for children 10 and under only. Parents will need to sign in and sign out their child(ren) at the nursery. Children will return to the Parish Hall at 1 pm if the meeting has not concluded.
  • Dave Egan, and Leslie MacPherson Artinian are your delegates to the UUA’s General Assembly in Columbus, Ohio June 22 – 26. There are still delegate slots available if you make a decision to attend in person or online.
  • All Church Council is scheduled for Friday, June 3 at 6 pm. A good opportunity to for committee chairs and members to gather as well as anyone else interested in church businesss. Look for an evite the week of May 16.
  • I am out of the office May 17 – May 25 and June 21 through June 27.

Monday Office Closings

May 23, May 30, June 6, June 27, July 4

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!