This Week in Worship
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Worship at 9:30 am in the Children’s Church
Minister
Rev. Lisa Ward
It was a heart-wrenching/heart-warming ordeal, witnessing the worldwide operation to save the 12 Thai boys and coach trapped deep in a cave. Ninety divers from all over the world assisted the Thai Navy Seals who were successful, over a series of days, to save the entire team.. One former Thai Navy Seal, Saman Kunont, died while helping set up the treacherous rescue routine.
I kept thinking that this is the news we need to focus on. More of this. More witness of our capability as a species to work together in adversity and find a way through. There was no sense of “us” and “them”, no blame, no frivolous information. There were simply the efforts and the prayers and the witness for these boys, the coach the rescuers and their loved ones. The emphasis was on the united effort and the collective emotional longing for their safety.
Not so much for the immigrant families seeking refuge at our borders: separated and demonized by far too many in our government and citizenry. Yes, the issue is far more complicated and the scope far larger, but the sentiment, the desire for children to be safe, reunited with their parents or families, given a passage out of danger is by no means universal. I do want to lift up, however, that the “Families Belong Together” rally that I was able to attend in Washington D.C. was hopeful in its approach to the systemic issues of interdependence in a multicultural world. It’s up to all of us to frame our lives differently than the prevailing narrative of “my way or the highway”. It’s up to all of us to work together, to learn together, to see together a way through for all.
This I pray. Blessings, Lisa
Religious Exploration
Laurel Whitehouse, Director of Religious Exploration
Religious exploration programming for children will resume in September. Enjoy your summer, and remember to take time to enjoy the boundless beauty of nature!
Youth programming will resume in September. Youth room painting will be continuing on August 18 and 19 – helpers needed! Please email restaff@fpmilton.org if you’d like to volunteer on this much-needed project.
Events, News and Announcements
This upcoming Sunday 9:30am in the Children’s Church
July 15 – Julie Baker – “Storytelling”
“The Moth” and “Story Slam” winner and storyteller extraordinaire Julie Baker will share how to embrace the stories you carry within and how sharing them can be transformative.
Our full summer services schedule is available on our website.
Click to view: https://fpmilton.org/summer-services/
**Schedule Change**
Sunday morning 8:30am silent prayer and meditation has been cancelled for the rest of the summer effective 7/15/18. Stayed tuned for updates on when Sunday silent prayer and meditation will resume.
Thursday evening silent prayer and meditation will continue to meet 7:00-7:30pm in the Children’s Church.
The Membership Committee is looking for greeters to welcome newcomers and regulars alike to church services in the coming year. You will be assigned 3 Sundays to arrive early, don a “Greeter” tag, greet visitors warmly as they arrive, and engage in friendly conversation with any newcomers following service. If you like meeting new people and sharing the joys of this church, this is for you! You don’t have to know everyone in the church, but it’s a good way to get to know them. Contact Richard Venable to sign up.
Yoga is back! Join us Monday nights 7:30pm – 8:30pm in the Parish Hall.
Join our summer book discussion: WAKING UP WHITE by Debby Irving
An initiative of the First Parish Social Action Committee in collaboration with Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice
Debby Irving grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, a predominantly white, upper middle class community. In this book, she shares her journey toward recognition of white privilege. This is an accessible book that invites deeper knowledge of our culture and our way through toward clarity, which is a necessary step toward transformation of our society at large.
We will meet every other Tuesday from 7- 8 pm in the Parish Hall. Our next meeting is July 10th. The reading assignments will offer an easy pace through the summer. We will create opportunities for zoom conferencing for an option to call in for the discussion.
Please contact the office if you are interested, or speak with Debbie Alsebai. Debbie has copies of the book that you can purchase.
Courageous Conversations
Thursday, July 26th, 6-8:30pm, Milton Public Library, 476 Canton Ave., Milton. Join us for a screening and discussion of the award-winning documentary I am Not Your Negro. Directed by Raoul Peck and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, the award-winning documentary is based on an unfinished manuscript by James Baldwin and recounts the lives of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, and Medgar Evers.
We found a Men’s blue LL Bean jacket in the narthax of the meetinghouse. Please contact Megan, Admin Assistant, if it’s yours or you know who it belongs to!
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 – 2:00 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, 10:30 am in the Meetinghouse
- Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
- Silent Prayer & Meditation, 9:00am in the Children’s Church
EVERY THURSDAY
Silent Prayer & Meditation, 7:00 pm in the Children’s Church (Note new time)
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.