Table of Contents
- Annual Meeting
- Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
- This Week in Worship
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- This Week in Music
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
This Sunday is the Annual Meeting!
May 15, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Log-in Information is below.
The Annual Meeting Warrant 2022 and the full Annual Meeting Report are now available on the members’ section of the website.
To get to the members section of the website, go to fpmilton.org, then at the top of the page, click on the “Members” tab on the far right. Type in the password, “miltonuu” if needed and then look for the warrant under “Congregational Meetings”.
We recommend downloading and/or printing the document so you can adjust the print size to your personal preference.
If you would like a copy emailed to you, or have difficulty getting into the members page, please email the office at office@fpmilton.org. We will have a few copies available after service on Sunday as well.
The Annual Meeting will begin promptly at 12:00 pm on May 15th. Please log in a bit early so the clerk can check you in. Two people can be logged in to watch on the same screen- the clerk will give you instructions on how to make sure both of you have your names checked off on role call.
Topic: Annual Meeting
Time: May 15, 2022 11:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Office Administrator, Susan DeMinico will be out of the office from May 17th thru May 31st.
Rev. Lisa will be attending the Greenfield Minister’s Study Group in New Hampshire from May 23-25. She is on call.
Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
Witnessing the preparation of our annual meeting reveals such earnest and loving work toward the health of this faith community. The finance committee over the years has incrementally created a budget that lends itself to transparency and reliable fiscal history. A shout out to Hale Smith for his guidance and persistence toward this outcome, let alone the entire committee, who have worked for hours to dot i’s and cross t’s, so to speak.
The nominating committee reached many congregants who have said “yes” to serving on committees. Our volunteerism is strong, even with a smaller pool than our aspirations might demand (a constant in church life). Thank you to Paul Casaz, Richard and Deb Larson-Venable for their steady recruitment. Also a huge shout out to Susan DeMinico, our church administrator, who wrangled reports and formatted the 65+ pages of documentation describing this year’s activities.
I hope all members will attend this Sunday’s Annual Meeting, which is being held on zoom. There are many more thank you’s to come.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
This Week in Worship
“Beholding Beauty”
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Assistant: Franc Graham
Music: Tim Steele
Audio: Madeleine Miller
NO SOCIAL HOUR THIS WEEK
Worship Services are hybrid.
Join us in person or on Zoom.
Please see the zoom link below. 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.
Sunday’s offering will be given to the Sunrise Movement. The Sunrise Movement is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. We’re building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and well being of all people.
This Week in Religious Exploration
This Week in Religious Exploration
This week, our Soul Matters class reads Sulwe. This book and lesson “gives kids a chance to unpack that sometimes we all have moments where we can get down on ourselves and may not love what we see when we look in the mirror. This lesson lifts up ways for kids to remind themselves of just how wonderful and beautiful they are!” Our Whole Lives meets Sunday afternoon from 3-5, as they begin to wrap up this phenomenal program.
We encourage children, youth, families and graduating seniors to attend worship on RE Sunday on May 22nd. Even if your child hasn’t been able to attend class recently, we have roles for anyone interested in joining us that morning!
This Week in Music
This Sunday the choir will be sharing an anthem called “Love is the Spirit of This Church” by Paul Ayres. Grace Allendorf and Daon Drisdom will be singing a duet called “Beautiful” by Stephen Sondheim.
Thanks to all who attended the MCC concert this past weekend and donated so generously to Bridge Over Troubled Waters. In all, $512 was collected through a free-will offering.
The next two Milton Community Concerts are coming up quickly, so please mark your calendars:
Saturday evening, May 28 at 8pm: “A Night of Cinema Magic”, a rare opportunity to view two feature silent film classics with live organ accompaniment by Peter Krasinski
Sunday afternoon, June 12 at 3pm: “Sing For Their Supper” free benefit concert.
Events and Meetings
Adaptive Change Meeting with RE Transition Specialist, Lily Rappaport
We have the opportunity to meet with a Religious Exploration Transition specialist at our next meeting to focus on ways to envision building and growing our Religious Exploration Programming as an integral part of our faith community. This will be a zoom gathering, to be held Saturday, June 4th 4:00 pm-5:30 pm. Lily Rappaport is a Senior Consultant for the Guild of Interim Religious Educators (GIRE).
The team would like to invite anyone in the Parish to attend & observe/participate in our work/conversations.
Member Orientation/Reorientation
Rev. Lisa and the Membership Committee will be leading a two-part gathering on the history of Unitarian Universalism and what it means to be UU at First Parish. These will serve as both a pathway for those who want to join the church AND we are opening it up to all in the church who want to come and learn more about us and our history.
Please rsvp as to your interest to Leslie MacPherson at lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com.
Session 1: May 22, noon – 2:00 pm (light lunch served)
UU history and theologies
led by Rev. Lisa
Session 2: May 26, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
UUs at First Parish
A brief history and focus on UUism at First Parish
led by Leslie MacPherson and Glenn Pavlicek
Yard Sale
The Yard Sale will be June 18th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Start your spring cleaning and organizing your treasures for donation. We’ll be collecting items from June 4th – June 15. Reach out to Jen Pinkus (jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com) if you want to be part of the organizing committee.
Social and Environmental Justice
The Racial Justice Focus Group invites you to join us in understanding the Widening the Circle of Concern UUA report.
In a nutshell, the report, which reads more like a book than a report, is about addressing the White Supremacy Culture within Unitarian Universalism.
Explore with us why we are engaging in studying the recommendations in the report with the intent of taking action toward implementing the recommendations. For example, many UU churches, have placed BLM signs on their front lawns, now many are adopting or in the process of deliberating adoption of the 8th principle which is about building a “beloved” community and dismantling racism and other systems of oppression within ourselves and within our communities. These are great first steps, but what does it mean to actually “live” the 8th principle?
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7-8:30PM. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Lisa for the zoom link: minister@fpmilton.org.
If you can’t stomach yet another zoom meeting, we encourage you to at least pick up a copy of the report to read on your own and provide suggestions or feedback on what recommendations speak to you. Several copies are available at the office. You can also access a pdf, with audio access, here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening.
Membership Committee
On May 21st, we are working with the Social Justice team to cook up a meal that will be taken to Father Bill’s in Quincy. On the morning of May 21st from 10-noon, Debbie Alsebai and Guy Pugh will lead another fun Zoom Cooking Gathering. Our recipes will include: chicken and ziti with broccoli & butterscotch oatmeal cookies. You don’t have to join the Zoom to cook for the meal but it’s certainly fun, if you do. We will have aluminum trays available for pick-up at church, if you need one.
Please let Leslie (Lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com) know if you plan to cook. and reach out to Debbie for the recipes (debalsebai@gmail.com).
Once we know how many are cooking, we will coordinate with everyone about dropping off the meal that afternoon. Let’s get cooking !
News and Announcements
Worship Committee – SUMMER SERVICES
Looking for one more lay leader for our Summer Services. Take a look at the first four, and see if they inspire you. On eleven summer Sundays, we will have hybrid services. You can come to the Meeting House, which is wonderful for the people leading these services. Or you can zoom in from wherever you are. The last summer Sunday will be outside in the courtyard with First Parish’s portable labyrinth.
6/19 Penny Partridge and Franc Graham, “In Awe and Praise of Friendship”
6/26 Guy Pugh and Steve Yakutis, “Simple Gifts: Lessons from the Amish”
7/3 Jeff Stoodt and Lisa White, “Musings on Independence Day”
7/10 Jennie Mulqueen and Amy Kavadlo, “Sing a Song into Prayer”
Please contact for more information: Penny (ppartridge@icloud.com) and Katie (katievhay@msn.com).
Volunteer Opportunities
Greeters Needed
Membership wants to reach out to those of you who have done Greeting in the past to help us from now until the end of the year. Please let Leslie Lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com know if you can help us on one of the Sundays between now and June 12thl
We have appreciated your help in the past and hope you can help again. Please sign up here if you are interested.
Main Spring Lunch Program
LUNCH MAKERS NEEDED! Wednesday, May 18th. Tracey will deliver on May 18th. QUESTIONS? tdr02186@gmail
Fair Foods
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that wwould 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 14th.
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 on weekdays from early morning until mid-afternoon.Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685.
AFAB
Early in December, Carline Desire spoke to our church about AFAB. It is a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering low-income Haitian women and their children. They are looking for a volunteer for mornings or afternoons to help out with office work. For more information and an application, check their website at afab-kafanm.org or call Carmelle at 617-286-0096.
Beyond First Parish
General Assembly (GA) is the annual meeting of our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Participants worship, witness, learn, connect, and make policy for the Association through democratic process. Anyone may attend; congregations must certify annually to have voting delegates
Multi-Platform General Assembly
General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. That remains true even when we cannot gather physically. In 2021, GA had more than 4,000 registered attendees participate from remote locations around the world. Although we give up the face-to-face interaction and hugs that are prevalent when we meet in-person, we retain our dedication to community and make our experience more accessible and more environmentally sustainable.
In 2022, we will have the option of meeting online or in-person! For those who enjoyed the convenience and accessibility of remote participation, General Assembly will continue to offer virtual attendance with robust programming and enhanced delegate discussion tools. For those who have been missing the physical experience, GA 2022 will also feature face-to-face interactions, hanging banners, a browsable exhibit hall, meals with friends old and new, local site attractions, and more! Join us June 22 – 26, 2022 online or in-person in Portland, Oregon.
Registration for General Assembly 2022 in-person in here
Visit for https://www.uua.org/ga more information.
The Supreme Court is preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer, leaving millions of people across the country without access to critical reproductive health care. This Saturday, we are standing up and saying loud and clear: abortion is health care—and Massachusetts will always fight for abortion care for all.
Location:
Parkman Bandstand
139 Tremont St, Boston
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.