Your Weekly Link – News and Updates 8/29/2019

Weekly Link 8/29/2019

This Week in Worship

Sunday, September 1, 20199:30am- 10:30am in the Children’s Church

“Building a World with Justice and Compassion” 

Sharing a personal journey of advocacy all the way to the Supreme Court.

Facilitated by: Myrtle Flight

Worship Associate: Rev. Lisa Ward

Musician:  Emma Jean Moulton

Minister

Rev. Lisa Ward

This next Sunday, Sept 1st, will be the last of our 2019 Summer Worship Services.  We’ve enjoyed a vibrant summer worship schedule this year, filling the Children’s Church most Sundays.  Each service offered poignant stories and wisdom from congregants.  I am grateful for the skilled organizational and spiritual support of the worship committee who upheld the schedule with grace.  And thanks, as well, to the musicians, who offered artistic flow and heart to the services.

Come September 8th, we move our Sunday worship over to the Meetinghouse and begin the full service church year.  Be sure to see the below announcement for our annual pancake breakfast.  We start the Ingathering service outside the Meetinghouse, and enter in with song. 

I find the opportunity of ingathering as a faith community an important endeavor, especially in these times.  There is much turmoil, anxiety, tension and fear in our cultural and civic lives.  The hopes for a just society and cultural harmony need the bolstering of many hearts and minds.  It is a vision that is too hard to hold alone, or even to see a way through.  Coming together, lifting each other up in simple recognition, powerful kindness, and brave aspiration literally creates a way for the just and healthy world we want to build, with faith, love, and compassion.

It is good to be together.  We have much to offer one another.

Blessings, Rev. Lisa

Religious Exploration

Religious exploration programming for children will resume on September 8 with our multigenerational whole congregation ingathering worship service. Remember to come at 9 am for the Pancake Breakfast!

There will be a Children’s Church service on September 15, and religious exploration classes will begin on September 22. This year the overall theme for preschoolers through grade 3 will be Unitarian Universalism, and grades 4 through 7 will be exploring faith traditions of all kinds. Grades 8 through 10 will participate in the Coming of Age program.

It is time to register your child or youth for classes next fall! The Religious Exploration Committee requests all families to register your child or youth before attending classes. Please use this link to our online form: Online registration form (or paper registration forms are available on the RE bulletin board in the Link hallway).

Sunday, September 8th at 9:00 am

Pancake Breakfast before the Ingathering Service!

Calling all pancake lovers! The youth of First Parish will help us kick off the congregational year with a great breakfast before our first regular fall worship service. Please come and reconnect with one another while munching delicious pancakes and bacon! Gluten-free pancakes and veggie bacon will be available. No cost to attend! Breakfast begins at 9:00am in the Parish Hall.

Events, News and Announcements

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There is an urgent need for Foster parents in our Milton/Quincy/Boston area. Cambridge Family & Children’s Service is having an upcoming free training class for prospective Foster Parents called MAPP.

Interested? For more information contact

First Parish Funds Coordinator, Noreen Dolan, at 

Phone:   (617) 696-1214

Email:  Miltonresidentsfund@gmail.com

https://www.helpfamilies.org/whatwedo/intensivefostercare/videos.html

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In 2019 ¡CelebrateMilton! hosted our 25th annual event, and distributed nearly $5000 in grants. Our event seeks to bring our community together to showcase the rich diversity of our town. Our grants further support that goal by providing funding to individuals and organizations who help bring our mission to life inMilton.

As our event continues to grow, we’d like to welcome additional Board members to our group.

Our Board members share a variety of roles, including:

Working with the local schools to secure student volunteers.

Assisting local businesses and not-for-profits who want to exhibit at the event.

Event promotion through local newspapers and social media.

Coordination of event entertainment.

If any of these roles interest you, if you’d just like to learn more, or just want to help out on a less formal basis, please contact Lori Bilewicz atloribilewicz@yahoo.com.

We meet 6 – 7 times a year to plan the annual event, review nominees for Community Builder Awards, and to make diversity-related grant decisions.

We need the help of 1-2 people for approximately 30 minutes in the morning next week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. We need help lifting the portrait of Rev. Stebbins back into his spot in his parlor. If you’re able to help, please let Susan (manager@fpmilton.org) know a time/date you are free. Your help is much needed and appreciated!

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September Event

The Roots and Fruits of Protest Music from Negro Spirituals to Hip-Hop

Directed by: Dr. Dennis Slaughter, PhD

Date and Time: Tuesday, September 17th from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church (112 Randolph Ave, Milton, MA 02186)

Brother Dennis will explain the history of protest songs and how they have been used in America through presentation and music. Join us in an interactive evening where members of the audience are invited to listen to and participate in protest songs.

Sign-up for Church Directory Photos!

First Parish Members: There are just two dates left to get your picture taken:

Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14th.

Be sure to sign up ASAP. Slots are filling quickly!

Please use this link to choose your spot:

https://booknow-lifetouch.appointment-plus.com/yr4jj9pk/

You can reach out to Leslie with your questions: lesliecmacpherson@gmail.com

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UU Retreat for Women

Womensphere, a Unitarian – Universalist women’s group in south-eastern New England, invites ALL women to the 2019 Fall Retreat “Circle of Women – Circle of Friends” at Senexet House in Woodstock, CT, on Saturday Sept. 28th – Sunday, Sept. 29th. Come, explore ritual in our lives and honor Gaia and our world. Join singing, dancing, crafts, games, meditation, and sharing. 

For more details, email bcdwomensphere@gmail.com

Green Gleanings

What are the most effective ways to curb climate change? Do you think you know the most effective ways?

On Earth Day this year, CNN published a quiz by Project DrawDown, a research organization that reviews, analyses, and identifies the most viable global climate solutions, and shares these findings with the world.

Take the quiz, and see what you can learn about actions to take to curb climate change!

Milton Change Makers Fundraiser

Protest and Change Through Music , Story, Song

Food-Drink-Raffle-Entertainent

Thursday, October 3, 2019 

7-10pm

Milton Arts Center

334 Edge Hill Rd, Milton, MA 02186

Suggested donation $20

more info: email kdghoran@gmail.com