This Week in Worship

Sunday, September 13 Worship @ 10:30 am in Parish Hall

Well Homecoming Sunday is upon us and with it the hopes and dreams of the coming year. Much has been written and much more will be spoken in the coming weeks about what this year will bring us, but as no one should enter any great or important occasion without first invoking the blessing of deity, allow me to share with you this week a prayer written by the Rev. Vivian Pomeroy, minister of First Parish from 1924 until 1954.

I’ll see you all at the pancake breakfast on Sunday.

– Rev. Hank

A New Prayer in the Old Church

O God, we speak the same name when we lift our hearts to you, but you know that we each mean something a little different, and some of us scarcely know what we mean. We come again that we may repose and reinforce our souls in you; for we feel that our lives have meanings beyond all that we have been able to discern of good and evil; meanings higher and deeper than our worst fears or loveliest dreams. So teach us to pray by somewhat yielding to the Greater Spirit which is beyond any name; and answer our prayers by the up springing of some fresh courage and wisdom. Forbid that we make our God in our own image and that alone; yet help us to know you in the depths of our own being, in all that concerns our truest selves and our love for others. Help us to hear in the worst the cry for the best, and to realize that all the patient, undaunted struggles are shared by you. Help us that we may help one another along the winding road of life, not merely by getting through but by getting up, by a gathering together nearer to a Light and Love including us all. Whatever else we receive in this time of worship, may we be touched by some assurance that the best is yet to be, because it is already in thy holy will for us and for all people; and we are yours now and forever.

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The Nursery will open Sunday, September 13th. All children are welcomed to attend the service.

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Religious Exploration

We are still in need of Religious Exploration Teachers!

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.

Thank you!

Miriam Saavedra
Religious Educator

September 20 – One Room Schoolhouse
September 27 – First Religious Exploration classes

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

News and Announcements

The Ministerial Search Committee Needs You!

The Ministerial Search Committee has created the Congregational Survey and the survey is now live! We ask that each member and friend of First Parish and youth who have completed Coming of Age please put aside some time to complete the survey by October 4th. We estimate it will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete the survey. We are seeking thoughtful responses, so please plan accordingly. (Check out “The Search is On” below for more detailed information about the survey)

Sunday, September 13th

Homecoming and Pancake Breakfast!

Once again the youth of First Parish help us kick off the church year with a great breakfast so come and celebrate Homecoming Sunday with a full belly!

Pancake Breakfast Begins at 9:00am

Mandatory Parent Meeting for Parents of Youth Group Members (9th – 12th grade)

This Saturday, September 12, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

The official beginning of the church year is this Sunday September 13th!

We kick of the year with our traditional pancake breakfast, hosted by the youth group.

Saturday September 12th will be an orientation for youth and parents followed by the sleep over. In order for a youth to attend this sleepover or any future sleepovers, there needs to be a parent present at this meeting.

The joint staff, parent, and youth orientation will be at 5:30pm – 7:30 and include a potluck style meal. Please bring a dish to share while we prepare for the new year! The youth group sleepover will follow immediately afterwards. If a parent cannot attend this meeting, please contact Rev. Hank Peirce.

It is important for all youth to be registered for RE in order to attend the sleepover and future events.

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!

Saturday, October 3 @ 6:00 pm

Do you have fond memories of the First Parish Supper? We think it’s time to make some new memories like that! In one of the best First Parish traditions, the Hospitality Committee is bringing back this time-honored event on Saturday, October 3rd, from 6-10PM. This is for the whole family. The dinner will be pot-luck. We are working out the details as we speak. This is for the whole family. The dinner will be pot-luck. We are working out the details as we speak. We can promise a special children’s activity while the adults get to mingle, music, good food & drink and good company. More details will be available after church on the 20th and the 27th. Please come, we want you there!!

The Search is On!

The Ministerial Search Committee has created the Congregational Survey and the survey is now live! We ask that each member and friend of First Parish and youth who have completed Coming of Age please put aside some time to complete the survey by October 4th. We estimate it will take approximately 30-60 minutes to complete the survey. We are seeking thoughtful responses, so please plan accordingly.

The survey has 45 questions designed to help us represent our community accurately in the congregational profile that will be viewed by ministers seeking to lead a new congregation. Though most questions are multiple choice, we have included six open-ended questions for a more qualitative response, which are included below to kickstart your thinking. These responses s will be provided without editing to interested ministers as part of the congregational profile, along with the analysis of the survey’s aggregate data.

All survey responses are anonymous.

Note that once you close out the webpage, the survey is considered complete. Therefore, please make the time to complete the survey in one sitting.

Your responses to the survey are a critical component for the congregational profile. We want EVERYONE to participate. This is your chance to be heard. If you have any questions, please contact any member of our committee.

Open-ended Questions:

1. What first brought you to First Parish in Milton?
2. What current strengths does our congregation possess that you would like to either see maintained or developed in the immediate future?
3. What are the main things you would like the congregation to accomplish or get involved in within the next 3-5 years?
4. What current church problems or challenges concern you?
5. What qualities (professional skills, expertise and personal) should our next ministre possess? What is your profile for our Hoped-for Minister?
Are there any special issues that you would like our Ministerial Search Committee to consider, and on which you would like to express your views?

Warmly…

Your Ministerial Search Committee:

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

Mark your Calendars!

October 4 – Final date for taking Ministerial Search Committee Survey
October 18 12 – 3 pm – Beyond Categorical Thinking Program

Kiki’s Corner

Welcome back! The parking lot has been repaved; there is a new dishwasher in the kitchen. The carpets have been cleaned in the Meetinghouse and our sexton, Kevin Harnden, has been making the place look extra special for our official kick off to the program year. Miriam has been preparing for the various Religious Exploration activities that accompany the beginning of the program year and upgraded the nursery space. We are grateful in particular to Roger Gray, chair Buildings and Grounds, and Lisa White, chair of Religious Exploration for partnering with the staff all summer. We think the place is looking good and the RE programming will be terrific. There is so much to share but here are my 5 items of the week.

1. Office hours are 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Monday – Thursday. We are usually around other times. Just call and set up a time to meet.

2. Committee Chairs – Remember our Pancake Breakfast Tradition – please bring a pound of cooked bacon for the Pancake Breakfast on September 13th at 9 am. This is your first committee project of the year!! Also mark your calendars for All Church Council on September 27 and Beyond Categorical Thinking on October 18.

3. from our friends at the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.

JOIN OUR PURPLE PEACE RIBBON CAMPAIGN:

The most well-known way to put the principle of UNITY in action and believe that Peace is Possible is to join in the purple peace ribbon campaign as we prepare for September 21st –International Day of Peace. We need volunteers to come in to our open house to help us make peace ribbons on: Wednesday September 16 at 4:30-6:30pm, Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, 15 Christopher St., Dorchester, MA 02122. RSVP HERE.

4. Our fabulous Hospitality Committee has done their annual kitchen clean up and cleans out. They have found a variety of items that do not belong to the First Parish kitchen. A table will be set up on Sunday for folks to reclaim what is theirs and return it to its real home. We will do this for two weeks and then items will be recycled.

5. With the start of the new program year, we have lots of information to share with you. We will have a table at the Pancake Breakfast on the 13th and Social Hours the next couple of Sunday, with lots of good church information including:

• Full message from your Ministerial Search Committee about the Congregational Survey
• First Parish All Church Events Calendar with staff and committee chair listing
• Social Media Release Form
• Schedule for Sunday Volunteer Services (Flowers, Social Hour Hosting and Ushering)
• Pledge Payment Information Sheet and Electronic Authorization Form

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!