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

Why are UU?

An Elevator Speech Refresher

“Why r u u?” If you have been a member of First Parish for decades, you might not need this, but you still might find it interesting. If you haven’t been a UU for long at all, you might really need this. Leslie Macpherson will be helping us know what to say when asked what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. Some of you have heard her talk about “The Elevator Speech” online. This is a chance to review or to get the condensed course in person.

Please join us if you are around

if not, consider Zooming in.

Summer worship starts at 9:30 am

Facilitated by Lay Leader: Leslie MacPherson

 Worship Assistant: Steve Yakutis

Music:   Vimeo videos

Audio: Casey Miller

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.

This week’s news was filled with commentary and speculation about the fourth indictment of Donald Trump. There are some who repeated the phrase, uttered each time after the last three indictments, that this is “a sad time for the nation”. I disagree. This is what democracy looks like: accountability toward the civic choices one makes. Perhaps we actually have a backbone as a nation. Perhaps this is a timely challenge to see if this flawed and inspired experiment called “democracy” has the potential to have our back – all of our backs.

This is a time when loopholes in our system’s structure are being revealed, when limitations in our justice system are being highlighted, and when our dangerous lack of civic understanding is being exposed. We are also witnessing how history is made, with widely disparate declarations of truth and accusations of falsehood. What “truth” will be known in generations to come?

This is an important time, not a sad time. A perilous time to pay attention to, not a time to lament. And yes, a wake-up call. I’ve been thinking of Rumi’s poem, “Don’t Go Back to Sleep”:

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep.

We can wake up to these times. Together, and for each other.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Happy New Year ! As we approach a new year of Religious Education, you are invited to fill out the RE registration form for children and youth of all ages. The calendar for the upcoming year is currently a work in progress and will be complete in the next couple of weeks. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out to Louise at re@fpmilton.org

News and Announcements

Save the Date! First Parish is having a Welcome Back Brunch on September 24th, after church. More information and sign-ups will be coming, but we wanted to get the word out now. Hospitality and Membership are joining forces to welcome everyone back for our church year. What tasty dishes can YOU make??? Start thinking!

Sunday Service

First Parish is in need of volunteers for worship assistants, greeters, and social hour hosts.

If interested in signing up please use Signup Genius link.

We have appreciated your help in the past and hope you can help again.

Thank you in advance.

LAST TWO SUMMER SERVICES

9:30 a.m. Meeting House except for 9/4 

On 8/27, Chris Clifford will be back with a more traditional service (in the Meeting House, not in the woods) about kindness. Who doesn’t want more of that? Or more ABOUT that? Chris is a stalwart member of the Worship Committee and the kind man who likes to help kids ring the bell up in the steeple. 

Finally, on 9/4, Elise Henricks will lead our traditional outdoor Labor Day Weekend service. Many of you heard Elise talk about this service, and labyrinths in general, during our “Highlights of the Summer Services” last spring. The First Parish labyrinth will be laced together and laid out in the Courtyard between the Meeting House and the Children’s Chapel. Especially if you have never walked a labyrinth, this is a great opportunity.

Rev. Lisa:

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

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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.