Rev. Lisa Ward has been our settled minister since August of 2016. Ordained in 1992, Rev. Lisa has served congregations in New York City, Queens, White Plains, NY and Harford County, MD. A graduate from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, she has engaged in social justice initiatives throughout her career… 
Table of Contents
- This Week in Worship
- Message from Reverend Lisa
- Music Info
- RE
- Events
- Social & Environmental Justice
- Beyond First Parish
- Actions for Justice and Democracy (COMING SOON)
This Week in Worship
“Mothering: Generating Life”
Rev. Lisa Ward
Please join us for service at 10:30am.
Worship Assistant: Dottie Pitt
Audio: Alex Feliz
Social Hour: Dianna Wilson
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 go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.
In our monthly zoom gatherings, “Navigating the Political Climate”, we share how we are coping with this mind-numbing, spiritually challenging time as news keeps pointing to violence, disregard and moral depravity in civic leadership. Gathering to share where we are and what we value is one way we can address the overwhelming feelings into an agency of hope. There are many ways we can do this. It can be as simple as a gesture of kindness or as intricate as addressing systemic oppression. Every movement towards relational health within ourselves, toward others and the earth adds to the energy of harmony, the wisdom of equity and the possibility of humankind.
Another gesture of hope is the annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace as a fundraiser for the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. The goal of this institute is to empower survivors and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief and loss to cultivate a culture of peace and healing.
First Parish in Milton has participated in this walk for years, even when it was virtual, during COVID precautions. Please find an article below of this year’s event.
Come join us in Town Field Park on Dorchester Ave (Fields Corner) between 8 and 9. We will meet toward the right of the stage (as you face the stage) up toward the stage. I stay for the opening rally then head back to church for the service. Others will walk with the many others who also embrace, in solidarity, this important cause.
Hope to see you there.
Music This Week
This Sunday the music will focus on our celebration of Mother’s Day. Carina Digianfilippo will be offering a beautifully-written heartfelt piece by American composer Jake Heggie on a text by Terrence McNally, called “A Lucky Child”. This was a part of a short opera/dramatic scene for soprano and piano which premiered in 2005. Jeff Stoodt will also be singing “My Mother’s Eyes” by Abel Baer and L. Wolfe Gilbert, from a 1929 film called LUCKY BOY, later recorded by Willie Nelson and others. The prelude and postlude will feature piano solos by African American women composers from the beginning of the 20th century.
RE This Week
The RE Committee wanted to give you a preview of the remainder of the church year as this is a very busy time of the year. Our calendar is as follows:
May 11 – Normal RE Classes, Spirit Play, Passages, and Crossing Paths
May 18 – We will all gather together for a workshop hosted by the Social Justice Committee. We will be making blessing bags for Immigrant Children, similar to the stocking stuffing activity held just before Christmas.
May 18 – Normal RE Classes: Spirit Play, Passages, and Crossing Paths
This is also the day of the General Meeting for First Parish. To facilitate attendance for families, we are happy to offer kid friendly lunch (cheese pizza and juice boxes) as well as childcare in the nursery for infants and toddlers and arts and crafts and a movie in the activity room for our preschool and older kids.
May 25 – RE Sunday – This is a multi-generational service where children will have a chance to share their experiences in RE classes this year.
June 1 – Final Wee The People workshop. During the time for all ages, Francie will be leading the entire congregation in a culminating activity to celebrate the learning they have done during the workshops this year. Afterwards the children will meet with Francie for their final workshop in the activity room.
June 8 – This is the last service of the year. It is a multi-generation service followed by our annual First Parish Summer Picnic
We hope that this calendar is helpful! Please reach out to anyone on the RE Committee (Jennie Lofgren, Bridget Sitkoff, Paul Casaz and Becky Stiles) if you have any questions.
News & Announcements
Seeking Lay Leaders for Summer Services
Sometimes just coming up with a good idea for a summer service is all you need to get started. On a recent Sunday, First Parish folks came up with some inspiration. If any of these ideas motivate you to try a service, please contact Lisa White (lisawhite1250@gmail.com) or Steve Yakutis (steve.yakutis@gmail.com).
- summer solstice celebration
- protest songs
- history of First Parish through pictures and music
- group meditation/meditation through movement
- advancing advocacy for our values with more activism
- music from the teal hymnal/favorite hymns
- six degrees of separation: what is the one thing that connects you to FPM? /what brought you to FP?
- the resistance and its part in saving democracy
- your personal journey
- principled opposition
- restoring humanity’s balance with nature
- history reframed through historic sites
- something interactive and kid friendly
Keep the coffee percolating!
Social hour hosts needed for:
May 25th
Click HERE to sign up. Thank you for your hospitality!
Events
Milton Creates! A Fabulous Evening
First Parish was filled with beauty on Saturday night. Creativity and talent from First Parish and the larger community were on display: art, music, food, and floral designs. The parish hall was also filled with more than 150 exuberant, smiling, laughing, hugging people. Our first ever Milton Creates! was a balm for the soul.
We are so thankful for our talented and generous artists, our incredible and resourceful musicians, and our small army of volunteers who made this event so joyful.
—The Milton Creates! Committee
The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace (MDW4P) is a beloved Boston tradition honoring the lives of our loved ones who have been murdered. It is the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute’s (LDBPI) largest fundraising event to grow and sustain our services, advocacy and training.
This year’s theme is “Cultivating Cycles of Peace.” In our society, we are constantly looped into cycles of violence that overshadow the transformative power of peace. We have the agency to cultivate these cycles by empowering survivors, supporting returning citizens and their families and investing in Generation Peace, the young people shaping the world.
Thank you for walking with us on Mother’s Day as we Cultivate Cycles of Peace in our communities. With your help, we can reach our goal of $600,000 together by Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025!
Click on the register tab. Join First Parish 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.
Click to Donate Only
Walk with First Parish! Meet up at Town Field Park on Dorchester Ave (Fields Corner) between 8 and 9. Meet toward the right of the stage (as you face the stage) up toward the stage.
Social & Environmental Justice Meeting
May 14th 7:00pm
Will be held in the library and via ZOOM.
We are hiring! We are actively recruiting for our new Director of Lifespan Faith Exploration. We are hoping that everyone at First Parish can share the job opening with their professional and personal circles. One way to do so is to go to First Parish Milton UU on Facebook, and then “Share” that post on your feed. Another way is to right-click on the image above, save the image, and then use that .jpg to create your own post on any of your social media accounts. And of course, use word of mouth to direct anyone to https://fpmilton.org/job-opportunities/. Please, help us to spread word of this opportunity far and wide, and thereby help us to find someone who will be a great fit for our community!
Annual Meeting
SAVE the Date!
- Sunday, May 18th
- Held in Parish Hall, starting 11:45am
- Lunch and childcare provided!
MCC FINAL CONCERT ON 5/18 AT 3:00pm
On Sunday, May 18 at 3pm Milton Community Concerts presents its final concert of the season featuring a renowned local string quartet, the Boston Public Quartet. This FREE concert is called “Source Code: Music She Wrote”, and will feature music celebrating five landmark women composers from the late romantic period to the present. Two of the composers, Florence Price and Amy Beach, lived in Boston. Other music will be presented by Fanny Mendelssohn (Felix’s older sister), and Grammy winner Jessie Montgomery. Founded in 2007, the Boston Public Quartet is dedicated to normalizing the amplification of historically excluded voices in classical music: musicians, composers, students, and audience members. It was created to connect, inspire, and innovate as an ensemble-in-residence in Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. For more information visit miltoncommunityconcerts.com.
SAVE the date and save your stuff!
Annual First Parish Yard Sale
Saturday, June 21
More info to follow!
Bike Drive (with Bikes not Bombs) June 21st
A truck will be on site and we will collect any used/donated bikes for their bike refurbishing/ recycling efforts.
More info to follow
Social & Environmental Justice
Next date: May 21st
S&EJ (Social & Environmental Justice committee) is looking for volunteers the third Wednesday of each month to contribute lunches. We hope to deliver 70 lunches a month to support shelter guests.
Please sign up whenever you can help out by clicking on button below.
We are counting on your support!
Actions for Justice and Democracy
Coming up this week…
ELEVENTH FOUR CALLING for DEMOCRACY
Sunday, May 11th rain or shine
- 6:00 p.m. Gather in front of First Parish
- 6:11 p.m. Steeple Bell ringing (11 minutes) with participant percussion & vocal response
- 6:30 p.m. Conclusion (no potluck or program following)
Meet, greet, sing, share, chant, drum, stand up, stand out!
Bring your signs (“G-rated”), flags, and sound-makers.
Families are welcome. A special invitation to all the children and youth of first Parish to come out for bell ringing on May 11 at 6pm. What better gift for mother’s day!
STAND OUT FOR OUR DEMOCRACY
East Milton
Adams Street Overpass
EVERY Wednesday 4:30pm-6:30pm
Brought to you by Milton Indivisible
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.