This Week in Worship

“Endless Possibilities in All of Us”

Worship Leader: Louise Erb-Smith, Family Ministries Director

Worship Assistant: Lisa White

Audio: Colin Glazer

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 be given to the Louis D Brown Peace Institute. The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace is a beloved Boston (and FPM) tradition and celebration of our potential to create more peaceful communities. It is the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s largest fund raising event to support their services, advocacy and training. Member, Jennie Mulqueen will be speaking.

So, this week, if we can weed out the incessant inflated drama of Donald Trump in court, we have a vital and real test to democracy on college campuses throughout the nation.

To start, this nation was founded on protest and disruption. A nation cannot be sustained if that is a constant in society, but it could, now and then, reignite the passion and struggle for freedom: its challenge, its complex universality and, yes, its limits in human capacity. At least for now.

Columnist Mary McNamara points out that “the demonstrations have largely been peaceful protests…(and) have included gestures of interfaith solidarity such as prayer circles and Passover Seders.”

Of course, the media and politicians zero in on the troublesome spots and outlier extremism, both disturbing and unnerving. However, calling in law enforcement and academic retribution in campus protests inevitably makes matters worse. It is also true that protests goaded into group think bigotry can wreak havoc in the plea for peace.

What this is is the desperation of being unheard, disregarded and demoralized. It is seeing the inhumanity of over 35,000 deaths, including starvation. It is fear for hostages and contempt for war. Some of the tactics are counterproductive, some of the rhetoric vial in its ignorance, but most of these demonstrations are simply calls to wake up, to have heart, to stop the trance of war and revenge. STOP.

Columnist McNamara points out that this is a conflict between two historically threatened and marginalized groups for more than a century. This has us fall into a complexity of pain, accusation, resentment, fear and hopelessness. Listen to the protesters. The ones calling for peace and an end to savagery. They have something very important to say.

This I pray, Rev. Lisa

Music This Week

This Sunday the Meetinghouse Choir will be singing a modern arrangement of a very old Irish tune. Written in the 1600’s by composer and harpist Ruaidri Dall O Cathain, “Give Me Your Hand” was arranged with new words by Michael Ryan. Elaine Daiber and Daon Drisdom will also be singing a duet called “I Have a Dream”, by Mary Donnelly, arranged by George Strid.

SEEKING DELEGATES FOR THIS YEAR’S UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Would you like to represent First Parish in Milton at this historic GA?

This year, it is online from June 20th-June 23rd.

The minimum commitment ranges from 2-4 hours a day. You must be a member of our congregation.

As a delegate, you will vote on Article Two on behalf of the congregation. This historic vote won’t happen again until at least 15 years.

Interested? Contact Jen Pinkus, chair of the Parish Committee: jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com.

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

SAVE THE DATE

The Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, May 19th after worship service in Parish Hall. You must be present to vote. See you there!

We sincerely thank you for your generous gift to the organizations listed below in March and April. We are so lucky to have your support.

World Food Program $432.74

Bikes Not Bombs $1,172.68

Alternatives for Community & Environment $1,287.59

Sunflower of Peace $592.94

---

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)
Link to sign up

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

Register to walk and donate

Donate ONLY

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 & Meeting

Last Circle Supper

Our first two Circle Suppers filled up and were a big success. The last opportunity to socialize with First Parish friends and acquaintances in an informal setting is TOMORROW, 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.

Link to sign up

May 18th Storytelling Event

Attention tellers of tales, fish stories, anecdotes and other ephemeral memories of lives well lived:

We are having another story hour on Saturday May 18 at 4PM. Our format is simple: come with a 5 minute long tale related to the theme, which this month is “Rivalry”.

You can also just come listen, though we found out from our first gathering on April 27 that all who came shared a story. Stories beget memories which beget stories. Come and be a part!

Annual Yard Sale is 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)

May 15th 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