This Week in Worship

Sunday, May 24 @ 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

I first want to thank everyone for such a well-run and respectful annual meeting last week. Having sat through many others and am very grateful. This Sunday we will be having a very different sort of Memorial Day Worship Service; one that I hope will be meaningful.

We will, of course, begin here at 1st Parish at 10:30, where we will hold a shortened service, then we will drive down to the Milton Cemetery for 11:00ish and hold a service where we will recognize the first ministers of our congregation. You are invited to attend both parts of Sunday’s service, but also feel free to come to only one part if you wish. At the cemetery enter in the main gate and park on the right; the oldest graves are closest to the street.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day and we’ll see you in church,

Rev. Hank

The Worship theme for May is Transcendence

May 24 Memorial Day

This service is still coming together more information will be forthcoming in the days ahead.

May 31 Acquaint Thyself

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous Divinity School Address made 175 years ago set the American religious world on its ear, with his idea that we should get to know God ourselves. Why did this idea that is now at the center of our faith scare so many?

We will also be recognizing those who completed of the Our Whole Lives curriculum.

Religious Exploration

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Multigenerational Service

All Children are invited to attend the worship service

NO Nursery on Sunday

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only 2 more classes left in the formal church year!

May 31st and June 7th and we will end RE with Children’s Sunday on June 14th.

June 7th is Union Sunday, a time when First Parish and First Congregational Church come together to worship. Worship will be held at First Congregational Church of Milton, 495 Canton Ave. Just next door and their service starts at 10am.

We will have RE Class at First Parish starting at 10am, please drop your children off at the Parish Hall before going next door.

Register for Religious Exploration 2015 – 2016

Starting June 7th registration will be open for 2015-16. A table will be set up in the Parish Hall. Please stop by, take a look at the schedule for 2015 – 2016, register your child, ask questions and get involved!

A list of volunteer opportunities will also be available. Please remember it takes a village to run a successful RE program. Ask us how you can help! Please contact Lisa White, RE Chair or Miriam Saavedra, Religious Educator with any questions.

News and Announcements

REMINDER – NO COFFEE HOUR ON SUNDAY, MAY 24

Friday, May 29 6:30 pm – All Church Council

The Parish Committee invites Committee Chairs and members to the All Church Council. We would love to see all committees represented by their chair and at least one other member. If you got more curious about what is happening at First Parish this is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this evening. Please let Miriam or Kiki know if you need childcare that evening.

The Annual Meeting was held on May 19

The Annual Meeting was held on May 19. Thanks to the Hospitality Committee for arranging a wonderful lunch, Thanks to Glenn Pavlicek, Finance Chair for guiding the congregation through the budget process. Welcome to new committee members and chairs for FY 2016.

It is going to be an exciting year.

Curious about the Annual Report? It is posted on the Members Page of the website.

“Choose or Be Chosen” Returns to First Parish

Friends: As you know, this past year has been a year of big changes for First Parish. Our efforts to keep a regular slate of ushers, Social Hour sponsors and flower-providers has had mixed success. To keep these important aspects of life running smoothly, the Worship Committee, in conjunction with the Hospitality Committee and the Flower Committee has decided to return to our earlier model of commitment and volunteering: Choose or Be Chosen.

Starting this Sunday, there will sheets for signing up that will include Sundays for our next worship year which beginnings in September. If every able member signs up for at least one Sunday of ushering, one Sunday of Social Hour and one Sunday of flowers, our next year will run much more smoothly. Sign-ups will continue through the end of May. Any spots not filled by that date will then be “drawn” by members of each committee and the entire calendar will be posted.
We are excited to bring this back to First Parish. If you have any questions, please speak with Leslie MacPherson Artinian or any member of the Worship Committee. Thank you all for everything you do.

Sign Up Genius is available to use for dates between May 2015 and June 2016

Thanks to all who attended Milton Community Concert last Saturday. About $1,844 was raised to support the Milton Food Pantry and Milton Residence Fund.

Thank you to each and every one of you who attended and assisted with the church potluck and concert on May 16th, “Sing For Their Supper”. As a result a grand total of $1844 was raised to support the Milton Food Pantry and the Milton Residents Fund. All the singers were uplifted by the audience response and the incredible generosity shown by you. Kudos! — Tim

• May 29 – All Church Council
• May 31 – OWL Youth Presentations during the service
• June 7 – 10:00am Union Sunday at First Congregational
• June 14 – RE Sunday, Passages Presentation & Children Celebration
• June 21 – Flower Communion, last Sunday of formal church year, church picnic

REMINDER: Notices for The Link must be submitted by 5pm each Tuesday. Please keep the notice to one paragraph. We welcome a small graphic or photo. This deadline allows us some time to review the information, and prepare The Link and the Order of Worship. Community Events are listed if there is room available. Depending on the length of the announcement, it may be edited to fit our space limitations. We need to have the deadline met and the email sent to both email address to assure that your announcement is in The Link and Sunday Announcements. We aim to have The Link finalized by noon on Thursday as well as having announcement printed by then. The office is closed on Fridays.

Kiki’s Corner

REMINDER: OFFICE IS CLOSED MONDAY< MAY 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

Some things to put on your to-do list about church:

1. Take a look around the Parish Hall foyer and Narthex for items you might have left behind over the course of the last few months. By the end of July, we will dispose of these items. Also if you have been contacted about cleaning out areas of the church, please do it sooner than later. We appreciate the help. We have limited storage and we are holding on to items that have not been used in a few years.

2. Send updated phone, email and address information to me so the directory will be as up-to-date as possible.

3. Consider attending summer services. They will be held in the Parish Hall each Sunday from the end of June through Labor Day. We hope to publish a worship schedule by the end of June

4. Attend All Church Council (May 29) and the Church Picnic (June 21)

5. If you are a Committee Chair, please let both Miriam and I know when you are scheduling your committee meetings. We are planning to work on a consolidated calendar and want to know what others are planning in the year ahead.

6. Express your gratitude to those that have served in lay leadership this year. They have done a good job of keeping things moving along during this first year.

7. Register your child/youth for Religious Exploration program next year.

8. Sign up to usher, bring flowers, or be one of the social hour hosts for next year.

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!