This Week in Worship

Sunday, August 30

Worship Leader: Rev. Hank Peirce

A sealed bag containing a scrap of wall paper dating from the 19th century, a container of floppy disks, a cabinet full of cassette tapes from before I was ordained, and a change counting machine. All this and more was found while cleaning up the church office this morning. And oh, what a glorious day it was. I have mentioned previously that I have found a wide variety of historic items all around the church. I’m a church nerd and I love searching for and finding all that stuff.

Today’s work was something different, it was about freeing up the office. Our wonderful staff have for a long time worked in the midst of last centuries collections of things that no one wanted to throw away. Well today we threw them away. Of course we made sure we kept all the important, cool and valuable things, but the box of phone chargers is gone. There are still plenty of things that we need to do so that the office looks and feels like an office, but we made a start. Anyone want an old safe?

Now let me give you a little update as to what is coming up in the next few weeks. This Sunday I’m going to try something new during worship so please come and see what it is I have planned. On Sunday September 6th we are going to have a very special treat, Mr. David Won (aka the singing Uber driver) will be singing two pieces during the service in the Meeting House. David, a student of Tim Steele’s, has been selected to perform during the September 11th event at the State House and we’ll get to hear the two pieces chosen first. Also on the 6th we’ll be blessing backpacks and cell phones as we all get back to our lives outside of First Parish.

See you in church.

Hank

The Nursery is closed for the summer but will be available starting
Sunday, September 13th. All children are welcomed to attend the service.

August Worship Schedule:

August 30th Worship Leader – Rev. Hank Peirce / Music – Tim Steele

Religious Exploration

Religious Exploration Teachers Needed!

As the formal church year approaches we begin our search for Sunday School volunteers. We invite you to come along on a spiritual journey, consider being a guide, a teacher of sorts. You will be truly enriched!

Teacher Training is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 9am-12pm

If you are not sure about teaching RE we invite you to attend the training, ask questions and come see all the exciting things we are doing!

For more information or to RSVP to attend Teacher Training please email me at: office@fpmilton.org

Thank you!

Miriam Saavedra
Religious Educator

We need all children and youth to register for Religious Exploration classes, so if you have a child or youth coming back in the fall. PLEASE REGISTER YOUR CHILD TODAY!

News and Announcements

FIRST PARISH CHOIR UNITE!

Calling all singers: Come add your voice to the First Parish Meetinghouse choir!

Our first Choir Sunday is September 13th. Rehearsals are on Sunday morning at 8:45 in the Meetinghouse. No audition necessary, no long-term commitment required. Come try it out. For more information contact Tim Steele. And if you would like to contribute to the music at First Parish in any other way please contact Tim.

First Parish Orientation

Saturday, September 19, 2015 — 9:00 am – 12 noon

Want to learn more about First Parish in Milton?

Are you interested in becoming a member? Just curious? Come join us for First Parish Orientation/New Member Class on September 19th. Rev. Hank will talk about Unitarian Universalist and First Parish Milton history and have you tour all over the campus. We will share our spiritual journeys and talk abou the path to and responsibilities of membership. We will be reaching out to those that either have expressed an interest or have been coming over the past 6 months or so. But know everyone is welcome, just contaact the office to say you are coming.

THE RETURN OF THE HARVEST SUPPER!

The Hospitality Committee is bringing back this popular First Parish tradition! A fun-filled family event of food and fellowship on Saturday, October 3rd, from 6:00PM on. What better way to kick off the new church year? Mark your calendars now, more details to follow.

Pull out your planner, phone or other device and save the dates for September and October

• Sunday, September 6 – Worship in the Meetinghouse
• Sunday, September 13 – Ingathering!
• Saturday, September 19 – First Parish Orientation
• Sunday, September 27 – RE Classes begin
• Sunday, September 27 – All Church Council
• Saturday, October 3 – Harvest Supper
• Sunday, October 4 – Membership Sunday
• Sunday, October 4 – Celebrate Milton
• Friday, October 30 – First Parish Halloween Party

Website Updates:

• Updates – We are in the midst of making some updates to our web page. This currently is a work in progress. So if you notice something that is not right or not working, let Kiki know the specifics. We are looking for updated information from our committees. Write something about what you do, annual events, etc. We will add it to the website.
• Social Media Waiver – We are asking everyone in the congregation to complete a Social Media Waiver. It will soon be in the members page of the website and paper forms are available at church. This is a best practice for social media photographs and videos (website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). As we get release forms back, we are in a good position to update and add photos to things. This is done for the protection of both you and the church.
• Reminder re electronic pledges – We are now in a new fiscal year. If you have traditionally filed a form with the office to do electronic withdrawal, the form expired June 30, 2015. You can contact the office for another form. You may go to our website, and click on the Donate button on the home page to set up electronic withdrawal. You may also set up automatic bill pay through your own bank or write us a check. Questions? Please contact the office.

Dear First Parish Families,

I’m currently teaching Music Together classes at First Parish every day. Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and the adults who love them.

First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement.

Music Together classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical. Children birth through age six along with their parents and caregivers engage in songs, chants, instrument play, movement and dance for 45 minutes a week for 10 weeks. Each family takes home a songbook, a quality CD and downloadable music and a DVD Parent Handbook.

We are currently enrolling families for our Fall session starting Sept. 14th. You can check out our website for more information and try out a free demo class HERE.

Thanks,

Jennifer Grant

The Search is On!

Greetings to all of our First Parish family from your Ministerial Search Committee. We have been hard at it for a little over a month and are thrilled to be working with one another. We just wanted to say hello as the summer winds down and let you know some of what is in store for this fall.

We will be asking a lot of you all during September and October so that you can let us know as clearly as possible the profile that you envision for our next minister:

1. First up will be our Congregational Survey, which we will be making available online in the next few weeks. We expect each member and friend to complete the survey by
September 27th and will be relying heavily on your responses to shape both our Congregational Profile and the Profile of the Minister we will be seeking. We really can’t do this without your help.

2. Then we will be visited by a team from the UUA Transitions Office on Sunday, October 18th for a workshop on Beyond Categorical Thinking. All are encouraged to attend.

3. And then we will be scheduling a series of “cottage meetings” in late October to allow each of you to elaborate on your vision and hear those of your pewmates.

We have an initial deadline of November 30th to submit our Congregational Profile (who we are), our Ministerial Profile (our ideal minister), and a draft of our Compensation Package (to be developed by our 3-person Negotiating Team). At that point our information will be “unveiled” for prospective ministers to review. Then a month later in early January we will learn of the ministers who are interested in us, and the fun really begins!

So buckle up and get ready for a roaring start to our coming church year. We look forward to seeing you all on September 13th, if not before. In the meantime we hope you have a stimulating/relaxing rest of this glorious summer.

Warmly…

Your Ministerial Search Committee:

Debbie Alsebai, Charlie Franich, Franc Graham, Elise Henricks, Jim May, Brigitte Miller, and Tracey Robinson.

Kiki’s Corner

We are heading towards the beginning of the program year. The parking lot has been repaved, there is a new dishwasher in the kitchen. We are making preparations for the meetinghouse to look its best as worship moves from the Parish Hall to the Meetinghouse on Sunday, September 6. We have tackled some ongoing housekeeping and technical issues over the summer. The office hours schedule is in transition. Through September 3, the office is open Monday – Thursday 10:30 am – 2 pm We will be closed Labor Day, September 7. Office hours beginning September 8 are 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. We are usually around other times. Just call and set up a time to meet. Welcome Back Sunday (September 13) is not far away.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow First Parish on Facebook 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!