This Week in Worship

Sunday, July 22, 2018
Worship at 9:30 am in the Children’s Church

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

Here we are at mid-summer already. I hope you are finding time to breathe in and breathe out, to play, take walks, visit with people who nourish you. This, of course, is a year round hope, but summer lends itself to that invitation.

One summer activity at First Parish involves varied committee retreats, creating opportunities to plan and vision engagement and support in the 2018-2019 church year. Planning, of course, helps; and doing so while spending time in reflection brings a creativity and mindfulness of purpose that guides our endeavors together.

That is why I look forward to a church-wide discernment around our mission this next year. Arriving at a sense of mission within our church visioning helps provide an underpinning and focus that gives shape to our engagement with each other and the larger community. Who are we as a faith community? Why are we, and what gifts do we give to the world? With this clarity, we shape the limited time we have together to purposefully nourish our lives. . With this shared vision, we encourage engagement of our gifts of being. With this willingness, we offer refuge and resilience in a confusing and challenging world.

It is good to be together. Blessings, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

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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 Church Courtyard

July 22 – First Parish Green Team – “Sustainability for an Historic Church”

The Green Team invites you to join in a walking meditation around First Parish’s beautiful and historic campus, mindfully contemplating our role as stewards in the interdependent web of existence — bare feet, optional. Weather not permitting, the service will take place in the Parish Hall. Families with children/friends are especially welcomed!

Bring your: favorite folding camp or “Soccer Mom” chair, if you wish; Carl Pastore’s rainbow Adirondack chairs will be available and folding chairs (not as fun/comfy), hydration bottle; lemonade will be available but no cups.

Please bring a biodegradable “donation” for our new composting system, for example: fruit/veggie peelings or scraps; coffee grounds/spent teabags; wilted flowers; stale bread; egg shells; etc. (PLEASE, NO WEEDS, MEAT, BONES, DAIRY, or GREASE).

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.

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, at office@fpmilton.org if it’s yours or you know who it belongs to!

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.