Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 5/2/2013

Weekly Link 5-2-13

This Week in Worship & Religious Education

Sunday, May 5
Rev. Kristin Grassel Schmidt

Join us for Music Sunday! Our worship theme for this month is “play” and worship this week will be filled with a lighthearted story, fun music, and an exploration of the connection between the silly and the sacred.

Religious Education

Spirit Play I  and II (ages 3-6)  will meet in their classrooms downstairs, where they will hear the stories “Green and Gracious Dragon” (I) and “Things God Made for Joy” (II).
Passages (2nd grade) will begin in the meetinghouse for their concluding ceremony and celebration.
Small Group Ministries (grades 3-6) will begin in the meetinghouse before being dismissed to their classes, where they will reflect on the theme of Play.
Neighboring Faiths (7th grade) will gather in the parlor to reflect on last week’s visit from the Earth Centered Spirituality Group.

Register Now for Religious Education!

As we move toward the end of this church year, we are already beginning preparations for fall and another great year of Religious Education for First Parish children and youth.  Please register all children who will be participating in RE next year by completing this simple form:https://fpmilton.org/re-registration-form/   It helps us so much to have registrations completed early!  If you have any questions please contact reassistant@fpmilton.org

Seeing Red?  Say Hello!
Newcomers have the option of wearing a nametag with a red border.  If you see someone wearing one of these nametags, please introduce yourself and help to make them feel welcome in our community!

Events & News

Small Group Discussions Continue
First Parish has been in discussions with Temple Shalom of Milton for much of the last two years about the possibility of engaging in a shared-space building project on our campus. The Parish Committee believes that partnering with the Temple provides an opportunity to model our values of radical welcome and interfaith cooperation and to address very real facilities needs on our campus in a way that stewards resources wisely.  At this year’s Annual Meeting, to be held after worship on May 19, we will vote on whether to move forward in partnership with the Temple. This is a big decision for our church, and we want you to be informed and involved.Over the next several weeks, we will hold a series of small-group information sessions and discussions in which you will hear more about the proposal and have an opportunity to share your excitements and concerns. Please attend one of these important discussions.  You can view dates and sign up on doodle pool by using this link: http://doodle.com/6tutc8yyywpztsd2au9wr58k/admin?#table

Beltane

May 5, 3pm

First Parish’s Earth Centered Spirituality Group celebrates Beltane, the mid point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, Sunday at 3pm, in the parish hall and courtyard. The energy of life and growth and union are celebrated at Beltane, and we invite you to join us as we weave a traditional dance around our Maypole and enjoy stomping the ground to wake up the earth!…potluck feast to follow!

Questions:contact Mark Whall at markonwall@gmail.com

Phone 617 282 4075

Friday Film Night

Friday, May 10

7pm Parish Hall

Footnote

First Parish to Screen Taut Film About Fathers and Sons

by Jeffrey Stoodt

A 2012 movie that Philadelphia Inquirer critic Steven Rea insists should have won the best foreign-language film over A Separation.  The latter film “doesn’t achieve anywhere near the levels of psychological depth and emotional punch of its fellow nominee,” he writes.

Footnote tells the story of a deeply emotional rivalry between father and son. Both are Talmudic scholars. “If you doubt that a film set in the world of religious scholarship can pack such a wallop – it’s suspenseful, funny, crushing, heartbreaking – doubt not,” Rea says. The embittered father, whose brilliant work has long been overlooked, wrestles with his feelings after he’s been chosen to receive a prize. His son is forced to make hard moral decisions soon thereafter.

Footnote,” Rea concludes, “is a film about the nature of truth, about sacrifice, hubris, hypocrisy. It’s nothing short of brilliant.”

Louis D Brown Mother’s Day Walk for Peace
Sunday, May 12

mothersdaywalk4peace.org

Please join us for our annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace! We welcome all to live out our faith by walking in solidarity and witness with those who have lost loved ones to violence. Help us to reach our fundraising goal of $2000 We have had up to 90 people walk on behalf of First Parish in Milton in past years – let’s make this year the best ever!!

If you would like to carpool over, meet at First Parish at 7:45 am in the parking lot and we will travel together to the walk. Otherwise you can meet us there at 8 am.

In addition, we are making a quilt/banner to carry in the Walk. Please feel free to stop by our table in social hour to make a square!

Please contact Elise Henricks at tonyelise@earthlink.net or Tammy Tai at tammyvtai@gmail.com with any questions

Please see the link below to find our fundraising page and sign up. It is not necessary to donate in order to join us, but any contribution helps in the effort.

Pub Trivia Night

Wednesday, May 15

For the young and the young at heart – come join an FP trivia team at Sonny’s Pub!   Bring your wicked trivia knowledge to compete for prizes, or simply bring yourself to laugh and marvel at the strange things we all store in our brains.  Trivia begins at 8:00 sharp.  Come early to share dinner and drinks.  Sonny’s is at 750 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02122.  Contact membership@fpmilton.org for more information.

Annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

Sunday June 2nd  from 9-10:15 a.m.

Teacher Appreciation BreakfastThe RE committee is hosting the annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast to honor everyone who has been involved with Religious Education at First Parish this year.  Breakfast will be served to the teachers, substitute teachers and their families and all teachers will receive a gift of appreciation from First Parish.  If you would like to thank a teacher by contributing a breakfast item, please sign up on the doodle poll by using this link:  http://www.doodle.com/psd5penwyphn4gb8, or contacting Beth Greenawalt at kbgreenawalt@comcast.net

You have been CHOSEN!

In the interest of efficiency, the Worship Committee has designated a “Chosen Few” to assist during Worship Services as ushers for the remainder of the Church year.  Please check the list below to see if you are one of the “Chosen Few”.

The Worship Committee is grateful for your participation as an usher.  If, for some reason, you are unable to fulfill your usher duties on your  “Chosen” Sunday, please either trade with someone else, or find a replacement.

Thank you, in advance, for your help!

If you do not see your name on the list and you would like to usher, please let Miriam, our new office assistant, know and she will try to fit you in.

Happy spring!

The Worship Committee

Usher Assignments for May and June

May 5            Laurie Webster and Karl Pastore

May 12          Please let us know if you can help on this day!

May 19          Charlie Franich and Ruth Hannon

May 26          Dianna Wilson and Alyson Allen

June 2          Ruth  and Clara Heiden

June 9          Beth Gray Nix and Lisa Beck

THANK YOU!

On behalf of MIFRA (Milton Interfaith Refugee Assistance), we would like to thank the talented bakers and generous bidders who made the Chocolate Auction a huge success. The money raised will be used to help the Eritrean and Haitian communities in Dorchester and Roxbury. We are most thankful to our Auctioneer Extraordinaire, Chris Pitt, who made the auction productive and fun for all!

EVERY SUNDAY
Worship, 10:30am in the Meetinghouse
Meetinghouse Choir Rehearsal, 8:45am in the Parish Hall
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