Rev. Lisa Ward has been our settled minister since August of 2016. Ordained in 1992, Rev. Lisa has served congregations in New York City, Queens, White Plains, NY and Harford County, MD. A graduate from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, she has engaged in social justice initiatives throughout her career… 
Table of Contents
- This Week in Worship
- Message from Rev. Lisa
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
This Week in Worship
“Fresh from General Assembly”
Our Service this Sunday will be brought to you by the team of Debbie Alsebai, Ellen Barr, Leslie MacPherson, and Jim May, who represented First Parish Milton this year at the 62nd UU General Assembly (held both online and in Pittsburgh in June). GA is an annual gathering of UUs, where business is conducted but also where “we explore the theological underpinnings of our faith and lean fully into our mission and principles.” Debbie, Ellen, Leslie, and Jim will each be sharing what moved them at GA, what they learned there, and what they brought home with them for our consideration. Music will include what our four sang at GA with all those other UUs. It will be accompanied by pianist Deborah Galiga.
Summer worship starts at 9:30 am
Please join us if you are around. If not, consider Zooming in.
Facilitated by Lay Leaders: Ellen Barr, Debbie Alsebai,
Leslie MacPherson and Jim May
Music: Deborah Galiga
Audio: Nina Truong
Worship Services are hybrid.
Join us in person or on Zoom.
Please see the zoom link below. Please log in at 9:20, to give some lead time for the service at 9:30.
You will be muted, but you can communicate through the chat box. If you do not have zoom on your computer, please download it ahead of time. It is free.
Sunday’s offering will go towards the ministry and service of First Parish.
I had the privilege of visiting southwest Ireland for a week. It was an organized hiking tour. Each day, our guide would tell stories as we rode in a van to our next destination. Many of you may know that weather in Ireland is unpredictable, changing often each day. Our guide told us that each weather broadcast included a daily phrase: “We’ll have sunny spells and scattered showers.” Much like life, don’t you think?
If we plan our days accordingly, with a readiness for change and a willingness to field circumstance, we can find a way to cope, a way to abide, a way to honor the days we are given.
Here’s a poem written by Irish author and radio broadcaster, John Quinn, who wrote this remembrance of sunny spells as a memorial upon the death of his good friend and poet, John O’Donohue. It is entitled: “Envoi”
Sometimes
A voice is sent
To calm our deepest fears
Sometimes
A hearty laugh
Will banish all our tears
Sometimes
Words will wing
Our dreaming ever higher
And sometimes
A mind will set
Our imagining afire
John Quinn
May you notice it all and welcome it all, each changing day, each living moment.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
Religious Exploration
This summer, our kids and youth have two opportunities to help First Parish’s social justice committee provide bagged lunches to the Mainspring/Father Bill’s program.
Middle and high school youth are invited to come to First Parish at 11 am on August 1st. We will make and pack 70 lunches and enjoy a chance to reconnect.
Elementary and Spirit Play kids are encouraged to contribute a dessert to the lunches, either by dropping off something baked at home, or by joining us at 9 am on one or both of those dates to bake together. For this age group, we ask that an adult caregiver stays to help out in the kitchen if your child joins us.
Please RSVP to bridget@sitkoff.net. Kids and youth are welcome to help on both dates or just one.
If you are able to help with the cost of lunch supplies, donations are welcome.
News and Announcements
New Pledge Year
As of July 1, First Parish begins its new fiscal year, and pledges for FY23-24 start.
If you have a pledge from this fiscal year you’d like to pay, there’s still time! Please contact us if you have any questions.
If you changed your pledge for this upcoming year, and wish to update a monthly giving amount, now is the time to do it! If you give via Vanco, you can:
1. Go to Vanco and change it yourself in your account settings
2. Contact me, and we can change it for you. If you’d like us to change it, please confirm the monthly amount you’d like us to change it to. My email is manager@fpmilton.org
Please note that we DO NOT change any pledge or giving amounts without your express permission- so if you have questions, concerns or need help- please just reach out. We’re always happy to help.
Susan DeMinico
Church Administrator
UPCOMING LAY LED Service
Thank you to all who have attended any of our four (so far) summer services. We have had a wonderful and well received variety. It means a lot to the people who plan these services to have you there.
On Sunday July 30th, we will have “Song into Prayer,” that perennial treat from Jennie Mulqueen and Amy Kavadlo. Jennie and Amy will sing for us but will also help you sing as you may never have before. If you have missed this service other summers, do try to come. If you remember one or more of them, you know it will make you feel like singing.
On August 6th, Katie Vhay will be leading a service about JOY. As one of our youngest adult members of First Parish, Katie led a summer service two years ago which was one of the best attended summer services ever – and very well received. She is an eloquent speaker and a JOY to have doing another summer service.
Then, for something completely different, please see below Chris Clifford’s intriguing invitation to his “Worship in the Woods” August 13th.
My name is Chris Clifford and I am hoping you will join me for summer worship in the woods.
Not the meditative pace of forest bathing but definitely not trail running.
On Sunday August 13, 2023 anyone interested is invited to join me on a short walk in one of the less traveled segments of the Blue Hills reservation.
We will meet at 9:30 on Ridgewood road less than a mile from First Parish and travel a loop on quiet paths. We will see remnants of past habitation and the resilience of nature. This is a walk, not a hike but sturdy footwear, long pants, water, and bug spray are necessary. The walk is suitable for young and not so young and if you are willing, shine or rain.
Parking is readily available at the trailhead. I will have my silver Honda CRV parked there at 9AM.
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that would otherwise be wasted and uses it to feed our communities. We volunteer together unloading and sorting food and packing bags once a month.
The next volunteer date is Saturday, July 22nd.
If you want to volunteer, please sign up on Sign up Genius by Thursday evening before the event. Start time and locations vary depending on Fair Foods’ needs, but typically start at 8:30 a.m. at their warehouse at 70 Amory Street in Roxbury.
Other volunteer opportunities are also available at Fair Foods, especially on Friday and Saturday mornings. Contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685 with any questions or for more information.
Beyond Milton
Support Local Youth Farmstand
This year we “shared our Sunday collection plate” with a local organization: Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. Please consider supporting their Vigorous Youth Farmstand program. Stop by their farm stand at the Mattapan Community Health Center on Blue Hill Ave in Mattapan Square on Thursday afternoons through August 10th.
Rev. Lisa:
Aug. 4-13: work away: Minister of the Week at Chautauqua Institute, NY
Aug. 27 – Sept. 4: Vacation
Susan DeMinico:
In office on Tuesday & Thursday – Off Mondays and Fridays, 1/2 day remote Wednesdays.
On Vacation 8/18-8/29.
Sherri Moldaver:
Mon-Thurs in office 8:30 am-1:30 pm
Kevin Harnden
Monday-Friday in office 8:30-11am
Tim Steele returning in the Fall
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 – 1:00 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, 9:30 am in the Meetinghouse
- Choir Rehearsal (most Sundays) at 8:45 am
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.