Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 6/6/2019

Weekly Link 6/6/2019

This Week in Worship

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Worship at 10:30am in the Meetinghouse

“Stories Guide Our Way”

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

minister@fpmilton.org

Several congregants and friends gathered last night for our first “Theology on Tap” outing.  We enjoyed a libation, food and nourishing conversation.  The beginning focus was derived from our 19th Unitarian forebear, Rev. Theodore Parker, who introduced the concept that the “moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”  This concept, as many of you know, was picked up by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was fond of Parker’s work.

We shared our own concepts of justice, and value, and what a moral compass might mean.  At the beginning I offered a toast: “All is One and all are worthy!”  We spoke of our religions of origin and a bit of our journeys toward Unitarian Universalism.  We shared some despair about the times we are in and some hope for that long arm bending toward justice. It was a rich, nourishing conversation and just the beginning.

We deepen our faith journeys as UU’s in community.  With the seven principles as guides, we affirm inherent worth and dignity as ground for a healthy and just interdependent web.  We need each other to come to a more expansive understanding of our lives and the meaning of our days.  It is good to find ways for having these intentional conversations.

Stay tuned for future dates to come together, monthly, at a local establishment for “Theology on Tap”.  Our next gathering will be some time in August.  It is a good way to invite friends who may be curious about Unitarian Universalism. 

I look forward to many more conversations, in many different gatherings.  It is good to be together.

Blessings, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

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Throughout the year we collected an offering at each of our monthly Children’s Church worship services. At our final Children’s Church service, the children decided to split their money into three equal donations to their favorite charities. Therefore the Milton Animal League, St. Jude’s Hospital, and a local children’s hospital will receive donations from the generous hearts of our children.

Nursery care will be available from 10:15 to 11:45 am in the Link hallway for infants and toddlers up to age 3.

Religious Exploration for Sunday, June 9: Preschool children through grade 12 will attend the whole congregation Flower Communion worship service in the Meetinghouse this week. Remember to bring a flower to share!


Summer RE Break: Formal religious exploration programming ends this week and will resume on September 8 when regular worship services start again. Enjoy your summer, and remember to make time for spiritual practices – especially practicing gratitude!

It is time to register your child or youth for classes next fall! The Religious Exploration Committee requests all families to register your child or youth before attending classes. Please use this link to our online form: Online registration form (or paper registration forms are available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway).

Youth Yacking for June 9, 2019

Congratulations to our graduating high school seniors! They will be recognized during this week’s service.

Youth are encouraged to attend the whole congregation Flower Communion worship service this Sunday, followed by the congregational picnic.

Summer Break: Formal youth programming ends this week and will resume on September 8 when regular worship services start again.

MUSIC THIS WEEK

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This Sunday the choir will be offering a spirited rendition of “We Are . . .” by Ysaye M. Barnwell. Also our three Hunsaker soloists and guest soloist Guy Pugh will be joining forces in “Music, Spread Thy Voice Around” by Georg Friedrich Handel. To close our service and our church year all singers and instrumentalists from the congregation are invited to join the choir in singing the Hallelujah Chorus from MESSIAH, by Handel. We will have music for you on the piano, so simply walk up during the final hymn, grab some music, and take your place. And if you would like to rehearse it beforehand, you can come at 9:45 to do so (not required!). 

OUR ANNUAL FLOWER COMMUNION IS JUNE 9th

We invite you to bring a flower to worship 

The Flower Communion is a traditional UU ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.

Originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Norbert Capek of Prague, Czechoslovakia, the Flower Ceremony was introduced to the United States by Rev. Maya Capek, Norbert’s widow.

In this ceremony, we bless the flowers brought in by the community and then choose a flower to take home.

Church Picnic!

Join us in the courtyard after the morning service on June 9th to enjoy our annual end-of-year picnic! Freshly grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and vegetarian burgers will be served. Also, delicious sides, salads and beverages. Rain or shine. All food is provided, however, you may contribute a dish to pass if you wish. Courtesy of the Membership Committee, with grilling by the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

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There will be no silent prayer and meditation this Thursday June 6th.

Sunday morning silent prayer and meditation is cancelled and will resume in the Fall.

Thursday evening silent prayer and meditation, starting on June 13th, 2019, will be 6:00pm – 6:30pm rather than 7:00pm – 7:30pm

The Worship and Hospitality Committees are now asking for volunteers to support our Sundays for next year. Known as “Choose or be Chosen”, this is an important part of our Sunday worship and social hour, insuring that there are flowers up front, ushers at the door, and coffee, tea and sustenance after the service. Many members think that they are being flexible and helpful if they don’t sign up and wait to be assigned a date, but not only does this significantly increase the work load on the Worship Committee and Hospitality Committee as they try to assemble volunteers for next year, it also brings about comments like this one: “I would never have agreed to X weekend because we have standing plans to go away on that date.” If you pick your dates yourself, this can be avoided. So please, sign up for Flowers, Ushering and Hospitality to continue supporting our welcoming and beautiful Sunday Services and Social Hour.  If you have a child who would like to light the chalice and ring the bell, please sign them up as well.

If you are not receiving your email updates from signup genius, perhaps, we need an updated email address for you in that program.  If you think there is a problem, please let Mallory Digges (madigges@gmail.com) know. Many thanks!

Summer is coming! And that means lay-led summer services at 9:30 am in The Children’s Church. Is there some aspect of your spiritual journey that you have wanted to share with the congregation? Is there some part of your social action work that you would like to present to others? This is your chance!  Please email Mallory Digges (maldigges@gmail.com) if you have interest in leading a service. 

First Parish Members – It has been many years since we have updated our directory and if you have been wanting a resource that can help you contact members, take heart:  a new First Parish Member Directory is coming!

The Membership Committee is taking on this organizational task: working with Lifetouch, scheduling portraits and distributing the final products. More information on scheduling and procedure will come soon.

Our photography dates are as follows: 

Tuesday, August 6th (good time for families with youth going out of town in the fall)

Friday, September 13

Saturday, September 14

We are aiming for 100% participation.  There is NO COST to participate and everyone who does will receive one free 8 x 10 portrait. You will have the opportunity to purchase more family portraits if you choose.

Let me know what questions you have. Thanks, in advance.

-Leslie ( lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com)

Green Gleans

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On May 15 I attended Mass Power Forward Campaign Local Action Training at the Bedford UU church, a meeting organized by UU Mass Action. Mass Power Forward is a coalition of over 200 faith and secular organizations working for environmental justice in Massachusetts. While the meeting was primarily attended by UUs, perhaps the most important take away is a reminder of how critical it is to work in coalition and across boundaries. Because of our congregational polity, UUs can often lose sight of the importance of building partnerships. Rev. Lisa has been a guiding light in her work with MICA, and certainly when it comes to the enormity of the problem of climate change, we simply must follow a mandate to collaborate and move outside our familiar zones of comfort. UU Mass Action is empowering us at FP Milton UU to do just that.

As you probably know, we have twelve years to reverse catastrophic climate change. Working with UU Mass Action through Mass Power Forward is a clear, logical way forward for FP Milton.   It is critical that we gather communal support for legislation now pending in MA for 2020 and consistently communicate that support to our state rep Dan Cullinane. The MPF campaign has three outcomePriorities: Environmental Justice, 100% Renewables, Green Infrastructure Investment.  To read more about the corresponding legislation, read here.

First Parish Yard Sale

Saturday, June 22nd, 9 am – 1pm

BRING US your gently used furniture, sporting equipment, toys, clothes, books, lawn and garden items, “boutique” clothes, household goods, bicycles, and more…you can declutter and help us raise funds!!

          DONATION DROP-OFFS JUNE 8- JUNE 15:

Saturday, June 8th, 9am-12pm

Sunday, June 9th. 9:30am-10:15am

Sunday, June 9th, 11:30am-1pm

Tuesday, June 11th- 9am-11pm

Thursday, June 13th, 4-7pm

Friday, June 14th, 9am-11am

Saturday, June 15th, 9am-12pm

WHERE:  Drop off your items at the First Parish activities room (basement level) –  use the side door near the carriage house parking lot.                        

If these times don’t work for you, email Jen Pinkus (jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com) to arrange an alternate drop-off time.  We can also arrange to pick up your items!

Please note:  we cannot accept donations of mattresses, bed linens, TVs, cribs, stuffed animals, car seats, underwear, bathing suits, t-shirts, electronics (unless new) and moldy books.  Please help our volunteers – make sure your items are clean and in working order.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to staff the drop-off times. If you can help, even for a couple of hours, contact Anita Penta (anita.penta@gmail.com).

For more info about the yard sale and volunteer opportunities, email Jennifer Pinkus at jennifer.pinkus@gmail.com

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UUA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Spokane, Washington

June 19-23, 2019

“The Power of We”

General Assembly is the annual business meeting of our denomination, and it’s a whole lot more. Inspirational worship services, informative workshops, entertaining programs, and a bustling exhibit hall help make GA an unforgettable experience for the thousands of Unitarian Universalists that attend. Attendees leave with a renewed sense of energy, inspiration, and innovative ideas to take back to their congregations and communities.

Visit uua.org/ga for

• Programming Information

• Registration and Housing

• Financial Aid Information

• Volunteer Opportunities