Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 8/20/2020

Weekly Link 8-20-2020

This Week in Virtual Worship

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Sunday, August 20 , 2020 9:30am

“Turn the World Around

Eco Buddhist Philosopher Joanna Macy teaches the idea of the Great Turning and has created a program called The Work that Reconnects to empower activists who want to turn the world around. The Work That Reconnects unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honoring our Pain for the World, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. This service will engage the spiral through song and story. 

Facilitated by: Jennie Mulqueen

Worship Associate:  Penny Partridge

Music:  Peter Smith

Sound Tech: Madeline Miller

Virtual Social Hour Host: Mary Blanchette

ZOOM LIVE-STREAM WORSHIP PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 9:30AM

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. 

Please be on the lookout for an Order of Worship which will be emailed to you on Friday, 8/21. 

Sunday’s offering will be dedicated to the services and ministry of First Parish Milton.

We’ve added the offering to the service with a new way to give- text to giving!  We will continue having a social hour after services. Just stay on the Zoom worship call.  It will be good to worship together. Do join us on Sunday if you can!

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

minister@fpmilton.org

Yesterday, I was sworn in as a committee member for the Milton Select Board’s “Equity and Justice for All Advisory Committee”.  I was asked by my fellow colleagues to be the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association designee on the committee.  The committee is still being formed, so will probably have its first meeting within a month.  I am touched and honored, also a bit daunted, to explore aspects of equity and justice in Milton’s civic life with this committee.

The charge for the committee is to look at systemic issues.  This means engaging in recognizing what feeds inequity and what creates freedom of being.  It means not looking for quick fixes, which would mirror our habits rather than engage new learning.  It means listening and listening and listening till new harmonies emerge.

This could be an emergent time.  A time when we say, “this is what we see, and we want it to change”.  Please do let me know if there are issues you recommend need addressing. Every day is a day that brings possibility.  Let’s find a way to find those possibilities come to life.

Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa


Religious Exploration

Children, Middle School and High School: Programming will resume next fall. Wishing all families a summer full of moments of connection, beauty, and spiritual renewal !

~ Our bodies may not be touching, but our hearts are still connected.

Events, News & Announcements

*Seeing the World With New Eyes? *

Jennie Mulqueen is soliciting individual contributions of 1-3 sentences about ways in which you might be seeing the world with new eyes. With your permission, she plans to read these testimonies as part of the service; it can be anonymous or you are invited to read your own! Let her know your preference. 

All contributions due Friday, August 21 12:00pm PLEASE EMAIL jenniemulqueen@gmail.com

Seeking photos for our Ingathering Service!

Please submit a photo of yourself for a photo slideshow during our Ingathering worship service in September. Choose a photo of a summer activity, a favorite hobby, or any photo you’d like to share. Family group shots or individual photos are welcome. We hope to get photos of as many folks as possible.

Please send your jpg photos by September 7 to fpmiltonre@gmail.com.

MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

First Parish is pleased to be joining the Reclaim Our Vote Campaign to help end voter suppression in this year’s critical election.

Postcards will be sent to people of color in the southern states. The focus at this point is Texas, as strong volunteerism has covered other campaigns.

Our goal is to send 2000 postcards in the next 2 months. We will provide the postcards, labels, script and addresses.

Writers will be responsible for paying the $.35  postage per card. For more information – actionnetwork.org

Questions? Contact Cynthia Guise at clguise@comcast.net

To order postcards through our church, click on the link belowhttps://forms.gle/imd8iiTqJYjbrA8XA

Service Opportunity from the Milton Resident’s Fund

The Outreach Commission of Saint Michael’s Parish in Milton, in conjunction with The Milton Residents’ Fund, is working to collect much needed school and health supplies for Milton children to be successful with the upcoming hybrid/remote school year.

An Amazon wishlist has been created by Milton Residents’ Fund Coordinator, Noreen Dolan, who will organize and distribute the supplies to Milton families experiencing a financial crisis during these stressful times.

If any member of the First Parish Milton community are interested and able to assist by purchasing supplies, please visit the amazon link to the wishlist at:  https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/OSW9EX13REHH?ref_=wl_share The Milton Residents Fund is also continuing to gratefully accept grocery gift cards to Shaws/Star Market or Stop & Shop for Milton Families as the weekly school meal pickup service is ending August 31st.

Any gift cards can be mailed to First Parish attn: Milton Residents Fund, 535 Canton Avenue, Milton, MA 02186.

IN-PERSON CHECK-IN CHATS WITH THE MINISTER

(Have mask will travel, while the weather is good)

As we will remain in physically distanced community, exploring ways to connect through cyberspace most likely through 2020, I’d like to check-in with as many members and friends of First Parish who would like a physical visit or a brief time together outside on our campus. 

On Campus:

 Adirondack chairs, lovingly crafted by Karl Pastore, will be set out in a safely distanced circle for a 45 minute chat.

I have set aside Thursdays, from 4-6:45 (excluding Aug 27th) for folk to come on by, by appointment.  We can have as many as four people meet together.

We meet for 45 minutes, which gives me 15 minutes to sanitize the chairs for the next small gathering.  Masks required.  We will honor the 6 foot distance.

Here is the sign-up genius for those meetings, which will begin August 20th.

Please sign up by the preceding Wednesday here.

At your home:

Have mask will travel:  I am open to house calls.  We can meet outside your home.  Masks required.  We will honor the 6 foot distance. If you are interested in a visit to your home, please contact me at minister@fpmilton.org.

All ages welcome for a check-in.  Minors must have a parent or guardian present. 

It is good to be with one another.

Blessings, Rev. Lisa

Building Bridges!

Exciting Youth Summer Project !!!

Saturday, August 22nd

First Shift: 10:00am-11:30am or 2nd shift: 12:00pm-1:30pm 

Church of the Holy Spirit, 525 River St., Mattapan

Youth between 6th and 12th grades from Mattapan, Milton, Hyde Park & Dorchester are invited to create a Heart as a fundraising activity to support Essential Workers.  For additional information please contact:  Debbie Alsebai @ 617- 821-9460 Social Distancing will be maintained and masks must be worn. Cleaning will take place between shifts.

Let your love shine on NEPONSET NEIGHBORS TOGETHER FUND

to support residents in:

Mattapan

Milton

Dorchester

Hyde Park

 Thanks to Amy Norton, Lynne Stack and Ruth Hannon for helping the Neponset Neighbors Together Fund supply food bank workers, their clients and children and seniors with face masks.

They have answered my many calls for masks and have been instrumental in helping these folks cover up safely and beautifully!

If you have not gotten your heart sign to show essential workers you support them email Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net.

Signs are free with either a $25 or $100 donation to the Neponset Neighbors Together Find managed by the United Way. https://unitedwaymassbay.org/covid-19/local-funds/neponset

Inspiration 

*In 2014 Eric Garner died after a  police officer put him in a chokeholdwhile arresting him for selling single cigarettes. He repeated “I can’tbreathe” 11 times while pinned down on the sidewalk. *

“A Small Needful Fact”by Ross Gay Is that Eric Garner worked for some time for the Parks and Rec.Horticultural Department, which means, perhaps, that with his very large hands perhaps, in all likelihood, he put gently into the earth some plants which, most likely, some of them, in all likelihood, continue to grow, continue to do what such plants do, like house and feed small and necessary creatures, like being pleasant to touch and smell, like converting sunlight into food, like making it easier for us to breathe. *Submitted by the Social and Environmental Justice Committee*

Solar Panels

We are overjoyed that the solar panels will be installed next week!

If you haven’t submitted your 2020 pledge already every dollar we collect now helps reduce our loan and interest paid.

There is still time if you have not made a pledge yet. Recognize loved ones in this once in a blue moon legacy project. Stay tuned for an exciting socially distanced solar panel celebration in September!!

For pledge information, submitting creative installation ideas or pledge extension requests please reach out to Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net

First Parish has restarted  Monday night yoga classes- virtually via Zoom! Elyse, our yoga instructor for many years, will be teaching Mondays from 6:30-7:30pm.

Elyse describes her yoga classes as slow flow Vinyasa with modifications offered to allow for all levels.

Use your breath, poses and meditation to regulate your nervous system and allow yourself to come up for some air.

This class is open to all- even  if you never attended the in-person yoga classes before!

Cost for the yoga classes: $15 for one class, or 8 for $80. If you previously paid for yoga classes that were cancelled due to the pandemic, we are honoring those payments.

If you are new and need to pay for classes, you can do so with ease from your cell phone. Text (617) 539-7576 and the amount you are paying with the word “yoga”- so a text message would say “$15 yoga”.

For those of you that have already set up text giving with us, it is the same phone number and system, so you will not have to set up another account. If you haven’t set up text for giving, when you text the number, it’ll prompt you to create an account.

Once you create the account, giving really is as simple as a text message. You can always mail a check to the church (putting yoga in memo line) if that is more comfortable for you.

After shutting down in the wake of COVID-19, Fair Foods is back up and partially running again, rescuing produce and other food items that would otherwise go to waste and distributing them in Boston and beyond. Currently, volunteers are needed on Fridays 10:00 am and on 9:30 am Saturdays at First Parish in Dorchester,  though details vary by week.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com

Meditation continues ….

All are welcome to join for 30 minutes of silent meditation/prayer on:

Thursday evenings at 7:00pm 

Sunday mornings at 8:45am

Newcomers and friends welcome.

Please contact Tracey at tdr02186@gmail.com if you have questions or want to join us!

OFFICE SUMMER SCHEDULE

Rev. Lisa Ward, Minister

Vacation: Aug. 24 – Sept 1

Susan DeMinico, Office Manager

Summer hours:

Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30-4:30,  Thursday mornings

Vacation: August 14-24

Sherri Moldaver, Administrative Assistant

In the office  Monday-Thursday 8:30am-1:30pm

Laurel Whitehouse, Director of Religious Education

Out of Office June 25-June 30 & July 20-24

Tim Steele, Music Director

Back in the Fall