This Week in Worship

Sunday, June 14 @ Starts at 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse

I love parades, I’m just one of those people who love big public celebrations and bands and all of that stuff. Ever since I was a little kid, I loved sitting on the sidewalk waiting for the military units to come rolling by, the church groups, and the scout troops and once while at the Moxie Day Parade (which honors the soda) I cheered for the Androscoggin County Star Trek fans. One of my favorite parades will be happening this Saturday with the Boston Pride Parade celebrating its Forty-Fifth year.

I love a parade and I love parades that also change people’s lives, and that is what this parade has done. Not only has it, and the thousands of other Pride events around the world, helped to the BGLT community feel proud of who they are, these parades help the new generation see being gay not as something shameful, but something to celebrate.

This weekend I hope you get a chance to attend the parade, and I hope you also come and attend our Children’s Sunday service when we recognize and honor our religious education teachers, the children and most importantly the values that we up hold. The values that we hope mold and shape our young people and give them the tools that they need to be the best people they can be.

See you in church,

Hank

Religious Exploration

Sunday, June 14

• Children’s Sunday Service
• Passages Ceremony, Teacher Appreciation and Graduate Recognition
• All are invited to attend the serve!
• The Nursery is available for children ages 4 and younger.

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Registration for Religious Exploration 2015 – 2016 is now open!

You can register online at the Members Page or stop by our table during coffee hour, register your child, ask questions and get involved!

The RE Committee held their retreat this past week and are excited to share the RE Vision. Please stop by the RE Bulletin board and take a look at the calendar for 2015 – 2016. Please remember it takes a village to run a successful RE program. Ask us how you can help! You can contact Lisa White, RE Chair or Miriam Saavedra, Religious Educator with any questions.

Social Media Release Form

We love posting pictures on Facebook and the website. We have learned, however, it is best practice to have written authorization for all (adults and children). Forms will be on the RE table during coffee hour this Sunday and online soon! Please complete written authorization and leave it in the name tag basket in the Parish Hall foyer.

Thank you,
Church Office

News and Announcements

Litha – Summer Solstice 2015 June 20th

Reaching for the light, rooted in the earth

The heat makes the earth shimmer under our feet, and the rain steams as it hits the ground. The hot breath of the sun fills our lungs; and the fertile smells of blossom, decay and growth are the bouquet of life.

Summer solstice marks the time when the sun ‘stands still’, offering us our longest daylight and our shortest night. Please join the Great Blue Hill CUUPS pagans for a celebration of joy as we walk the stone labyrinth on the grounds of the beautiful Mary B Wakefield Charitable Trust on Brush Hill Road in Milton at 6:00pm on Saturday, June 20th.

Walking a Labyrinth is like accepting an invitation to pray, meditate, contemplate, dream, celebrate or play. It is a place to find inspiration, satisfy a curiosity, examine metaphor, mythology or simply a place to explore on the Summer Solstice, a day “betwixt and between” spring and summer.

Things to bring:

• a flowing scarf or simple musical instrument (tambourine, etc)
• a flower or a fist-sized rock to add to the labyrinth
• non-alcohol libation or snack for our usual pot-luck social back at the Parish Hall after the labyrinth ceremony (approx 7pm)

With questions or to let us know if you are likely to attend, contact Mark Whall at 617-282-4075.

Flower Communion Sunday and Church Picnic June 21, 2015

Be part of the fun and fellowship.

FISCAL YEAR ENDS JUNE 30, 2015: PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FULFILLED YOUR FY 2015 PLEDGE

Please contact Kiki if you need to get details about your situation

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

Flower Communion Sunday is JUNE 21. Please remember to bring some flowers for the communion part of the service. For those of you that have the gift of a green thumb and a lovely garden, please consider bringing extra flowers to share with the congregation.

Check the Parish Hall entryway and coat racks to claim items left behind. There are eyeglasses, sweaters, mittens, and a number of miscellaneous items. The items will not be there upon your return in September.

Shout outs to those that recently have left the Parish Committee or Committee Chairs. Thank you Tony Dutzik, Kathy Fagan, and Richard Venable for your great service to the Parish Committee. Thank you Charlie Franich (Membership), Pat Gallivan (Social Justice), Debbie Alsebai (Youth/Adult Committee), and Tracey Robinson (Personnel) for your committee leadership. You have served FP well.

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!