This Week in Summer Worship

at Houghton’s Pond — Sunday, July 20, 2014

“The Church has left the Building”

A Service at Houghton’s Pond on Mindfulness

Worship Leader: Elise Henricks

Meet at Houghton’s Pond, Hillside Street in Milton We’ll meet next to the snack bar off the main parking lot for a simple service of reflection, meditation, and appreciation of the beauty surrounding us.

Please bring a blanket or a folding chair to sit on if you’d like. We’ll have some available in case you forget!

If you’d like a ride over, please meet in the First Parish parking lot by 10:20 am.

Any questions, please contact Elise Henricks.

Summer Worship

Slowing down is one of the special gifts of summer. Coming to summer worship allows you to slow down and savor the relationships we usually need to speed by during other times of the year – church staff, fellow congregants and even ourselves.

Summer worship will also offer some new ways of being together in celebration and prayer – something a little different from our beloved traditional liturgy and just right for the sense of freshness and possibility that summer brings.

Summer Worship will be held from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall.

All children are welcome to attend Summer Worship.
Nursery available to children under 4

Upcoming Services:

July 27 – Action: It’s Not the Thought That Counts – Worship Leader: Joe Ayoub

August 3 –  To Be Announced

August 10 – The Alchemy of Marriage: What does marriage have to offer us once the fairy tale bubble has been burst? Worship Leader: Melinda Collins

August 17 –  The Power of Song: In this age where music is constantly streaming and a part of the background, has the individual song lost its power? In this service we’ll reflect upon the various kinds of deep spiritual connections that can be made with music. Worship Leader: Jeff Stoodt

August 24 & 31 – Rev. Hank Peirce

News and Announcements

We mourn the loss of Frances (Fra) Field

With sadness we share the news that Frances (Fra) Field passed away on June 2 at the age of 93. A longtime First Parish member, Frances had not been active in recent years, but raised her family here. She kept close track of the goings on in the church and was a wonderful conversationalist. She will be missed.
Messages of condolence may be sent to Judith Laing, 987 Canton Ave., Milton, MA 02186.

Blessingway & Potluck

Sunday, July 27, 5pm to 7pm in the Parish Hall

Come for a final good-bye and blessing of our dear Parisa as she makes this big transition from leading our congregation to working as a multicultural guru. A Blessingway ritual comes to us from Native Americans and is more or less a “crunchy granola” fete during which each person is given an opportunity to bless the honoree.

Whether you have had a chance to say a formal goodbye or not, this is an opportunity to embolden and inspire. Parisa is especially looking for wisdom and blessings for balance and crossing borders for the Blessingway. We would love for the blessings to come for the whole family as they make this adventure together, please bring a poem, reading, song, dance that speaks to this wondering and vulnerability.

Also, this lovely ritual ends with a pot luck feast of favorite foods. Parisa’s family favorite foods include watermelon, guacamole (or anything with avocado), summer salads, fruit, beans and rice.

Meditation

Wednesdays evenings and Sunday mornings

Meditation continues every Wednesday evenings at a new time 6:00pm-6:30pm as well as Sunday from 9:00am-9:30am both meet in the Children’s Church. All are welcome to join us and enjoy some peaceful, restful quiet.

OFFICE UPDATES

Summer Office Hours:

Monday, July 14 – Thursday, Aug 28 Hours 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (Monday – Thursday)

The staff will be around during the summer. We will be working on some projects best suited to be done during the summer, taking vacation or getting some training. Rev. Parisa Parsa will be leaving at the end of July. Rev. Hank Peirce joins First Parish in mid-August. We are happy to make appointments with you outside of these hours, just call or email us.

We are committed to sending out The Link each week. If you have news you want to share with the congregation, please submit via email by Tuesday at noon.

Summer Clean Out During July and August, we plan to do some clean up and purging in the office and around the campus. If you have something you have left behind, check the lost and found box or check where you might have left it. Otherwise, it will either be donated or thrown away.

Religious Exploration

RE classes will resume in mid-September.

On-Line Registration is open!

Register your child(ren) for Religious Exploration classes for the coming year. It helps us greatly in planning the number of adults needed as well as which space we’ll use if you sign up early. Go to the members page on our website. Please feel free to contact the office with any questions or concerns contact the office.

VOLUNTEER! Sign up to teach a Religious Exploration unit in the fall or spring of next year. You can lead a single workshop, sign up for an ongoing class, be a mentor to a youth in Coming of Age, chaperone a youth sleepover… the sky is the limit! We especially need folks who do not currently have kids at home to sign up. If you are interested please contact Miriam.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook! “Like” our page www.facebook.com/FirstParishMiltonUu 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!