Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- This Week in Worship
- Briefly with Bev
- Religious Exploration
- Music
- News & Announcements
- Events
- Social & Environmental Justice
- Beyond First Parish
Sunday Service September 13th
Begin Again
Join us this Sunday for our first service with our interim minister, Rev. Bev. We will gather all together as we welcome friends, old and new, back after a summer of wonderful lay led services. Rev. Bev is introducing a new way of doing the water ritual that many congregations start the new year with.
Please bring a small amount of water to mingle in the common bowl. Think shot glass or old-time film container. This water is symbolic so it does not have to actually come from a place that is meaningful to you but Rev Bev encourages you to think about the importance of water and the places we visit that have too much/too little or not clean water as you participate in this ritual. And don’t worry, we will have water available if you forget yours. This ritual will be done in silence while music is provided.
Worship Leader: Elise Henricks
Greeter: Leslie MacPherson
Social Hour: Mallory Digges, Anita Penta, and Glenn Pavlicek
Audio: Alex Feliz
This week’s offering will go towards the service and ministry of First Parish.
Briefly With Bev
In the Interim
As I said in a previous article, the tasks of the interim time are laid out pretty clearly. They are to explore:
- Heritage: claiming and honoring your congregation’s past; engaging and honoring its griefs and conflicts and letting go where needed in order to move forward in a healthy way.
- Identity: helping the congregation rediscover and clarify its unique identity, including its strengths, needs, and purpose.
- Leadership: Examining and clarifying leadership roles among the minister, staff, and lay leaders. Navigating the shifts in leadership that may accompany times of transition and encourage new leaders to emerge while seasoned leaders may shift roles, act as mentors, or take a break.
- Connections: Assess and strengthen, where needed, the congregation’s relationships with the broader Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and other outside resources.
- Future: Assisting the congregation in preparing for and envisioning its new future with a settled minister. The work of the interim period is meant to prepare the congregation for a successful search and a new, fruitful ministry.
I also said that some congregations in transition need more or less attention of one or more of these areas. And some of that difference is based on the goals you have for this time and for how those goals made be impacted by any given area. For example if a goal is to “change absolutely nothing,” then it would seem silly to clarify your unique identity, or look very long at strengths, needs and purpose.
So let’s look at the goals set forth in your congregation record when your search team interviewed and hired me.
- The growth of our membership is a key strategic goal for our congregation going forward.
- We aspire to demographically diversify our congregational membership.
Both clearly stated goals have to do with growth. What might be getting in the way of growth, especially from diverse populations? And if we can identify those barriers, how willing are you to change? These are the kinds of questions we will be asking, debating, and answering as this year proceeds. Let us begin!
With Love and Peace,
Rev Bev
Religious Exploration
🤝 RE Committee Meeting at 9a, all are welcome and childcare is provided. We will spend so time chatting about Trunk or Treat so stop by if you’re interested!
🎉 RE Kickoff for Kids PreK – 8th grade
First service of the year will include a Water Ceremony and we will have a short 30 minute RE class time for kids to learn what to expect in each class, do icebreaker, and then decorate a few pieces of a puzzle with what they want to learn or expect to learn this year and then will hide it in their classroom.
Parents, when you go to pick up your kiddos, they will want you to find their class pieces. Once you do, all together you can bring it to Parish hall during Social Hour so we can assemble the pieces from each class into one RE Puzzle for the year! There will also be a table set up for parents to register if they haven’t already, chat with other RE volunteers and sign up for volunteer opportunities.
📚 Coming of Age Interest Meeting for 9-12th graders & Parents at 1:30p in Youth Room
Find the full calendar and RSVP for events at https://linktr.ee/fpmilton
Want more ? Find all things Kids and Youth on the RE Linktree. For more information on any of the above contact Susannah at redirector@fpmilton.org or call 470-223-0337
Music
This Sunday the music helps us to reflect on the healing power of Water. The choir anthem will be “Healing River” by Cliff Hardin. A quartet of soloists (Sohyun Cho, Grace Allendorf, Christopher Remkus, and Michael Aoun) will be offering “Like a Mighty Stream”, by Moses Hogan and John Jacobson.
It’s never to late to decide to join the Meetinghouse Choir. Please contact Tim if you have any questions (eliztim95@gmail.com). There are no mid-week rehearsals; choir rehearsals take place only on Sunday mornings from 8:45-10:00, on those Sundays when the Meetinghouse Choir is singing during worship. No audition or regular time commitment is required. Come when you can, and enjoy making music with some extraordinary people.
Our Hunsaker soloists this year are soprano Carina Digianfilippo, mezzo-soprano Grace Allendorf, tenor Josaphat Contreras, and baritone Scott Ballantine. Carina and Scott will be starting in November due to the recent birth of their son Gabriel; Josaphat (our new tenor) will also be starting in November due to previous engagements. In the meantime we have an assortment of outstanding substitute musicians who will be filling in.
MILTON COMMUNITY CONCERTS UPDATE
Milton Community Concerts will be busy this fall with concerts on Saturday, October 3 at 7pm (“Sing For Their Supper 13”), and on Sunday, November 8 at 2pm (a world premiere of a new musical called “Faces of Love”). During the month of September MCC will be sharing videos from the May 9 AAPI concert on Facebook and Instagram (if you follow the Milton Community Concerts Facebook page). This will be part of a fundraising campaign during the month of September. You can support MCC with any size donation, using the QR code on its website: miltoncommunityconcerts.com or simply by writing a check to “Milton Community Concerts”.
Summer Projects
Over the years, I’ve lovingly referred to this end of summer column as my “what I did this summer” book report to the congregation on building projects. While building projects are only part of my job, the summer is often the perfect time to accomplish things, so the “big” projects happen then.
While each summer I aim for a book report that sounds like an easy beach read (projects on time, on budget and get wrapped up with a bow by end of summer), this summer felt a bit more like a Dean Koontz book. A lot of mystery and suspense!
The congregation approved the budget for the lower level renovation last spring. A project of this scope requires many actors- project manager, general contractor, subcontractors- and permits. While we’ve had all the actors lined up for many months, the town of Milton has been taking a very long time to approve our final permits. The initial, or “demo” permit was approved in early July. The downstairs bathrooms are gutted and we’re down to the studs in the old nursery classrooms. Anything that could be done under the demo permit, has been done.
We are currently on week 7 of waiting for a final permit. Until we receive that permit, work is at a standstill. We are currently projecting a mid-December finish. However, I would put that date in pencil.
As you can imagine, this has been a frustrating experience for all involved. For the fall, it is also going to require us all to have extra grace and patience with each other. Classrooms and rental space we expected to have ready in early October, will not be. Rental income will be down, and we will have to be creative with our space for RE and renters. Outside of weekend or one time rentals (weddings, memorials, recitals) we will not be renting space to any new vendors through 2026. The priority for next 4 months is keeping our current renters happy, prioritizing RE space, and making room for the contractors to work.
In addition to the lower level project, we are in the midst of a small kitchen redesign. We had to replace one of the dishwashers. We bought a new cabinet for storage and easy access to those items we use often, but not every week (hoping to reduce the amount of times parishioners get on chairs to get things from on top of cabinets!). The gas stoves are in the process of being replaced with induction stoves, along with new cookware. Due to- you guessed it- a permit- and ordering times, we are still in process of finishing this renovation. But I hope everyone finds the kitchen to be safer and more energy efficient when done.
If anyone has any questions on the projects, please feel free to reach out- manager@fpmilton.org
Happy fall,
Susan DeMinico, Congregational Administrator
News & Announcements
Regular Sunday service resumes this Sunday September 13th at 10:30am.
Help us celebrate our opening of the fall church season! SOCIAL HOUR hosts needed for throughout the year.
You can sign up here Sign up Genius link
THANK YOU for keeping the coffee brewing!
A Celebration of Life
Invitation to Sam’s Celebration of Life from Ellen Barr
October 3rd, 2026
12:00pm to 3:00pm
Trailside Museum
First Parish Welcome Back Brunch
SAVE THE DATE: September 20th
Members and Friends ~ It’s Brunch Time! Soon we will be back in regular community at First Parish. Save the date for our annual brunch. Presented by Hospitality and Membership, we will have a delightful array of treats for you to enjoy as you catch up with each other after church. September 20th is the date; mark it on your calendar!
Social & Environmental Justice
ELEVENTH HOUR STANDOUT
Friday, September 11th
Assemble by 6:00 p.m.
First Parish Front Lawn
535 Canton Avenue (Milton Town Center)
This date is layered with significance including Rosh Hashanah at sunset and the anniversary of the World Trade Center Attack in 2001, and our current times are conflicted with many significant issues. Whatever your cause(s) — peace, jobs, healthcare, trans rights, affordable housing and food access, ICE OUT, immigration — this monthly event offers a brief time to unite. So BYO signs, flags, chairs, singing voices, percussion, friends, and neighbors. 30 ENERGIZED minutes will amplify continued resilience and resistance. Quoting Katie, a dedicated participant, “I believe events like this are important because they fuel us in this marathon and give us chances to connect with one another… feeling filled up with energy and courage, with a heart of renewed hope.”
The next event will be Sunday, October 11, same time and place. All are welcome.
TWO WAY$ TO $UPPORT DEMOCRACY THIS MONTH
Highlighting the Movement Voter Project
1. Dance the night away at a local benefit event (Saturday, September 19 — see flier above)
– OR –
2. Share the Plate collection & guest speaker in church (Sunday, September 27), sponsored by First Parish Milton’s Social & Environmental Justice Committee. To be clear, funds collected in church will go to the Movement Voter Project, a 501(c)4 educational organization. The Movement Voter PAC is a “hybrid political action committee” (per website).
– OR BOTH –
Beyond First Parish
Join First Parish Friends to see the musical “Operation Mincemeat” at the Colonial Theatre on October 25th at 6;30 PM. Debbie Alsebai will be leading a group to carpool to the theater and potentially have a Potluck diinner beforehand.
‘Operation Mincemeat” is the true story of the secret mission that won World War II. The show won an Olivier Award and Tony for the Best New Musical. Entertainment Weekly said it was the #1 Broadway Show in 2025!
Email Debbie Alsebai at Alsebai@verizon.net or text tel:(617) 821-9460 with number of seats, seat location and at cost group price you prefer.
Please note there is no elevator to the Dress Circle or Balcony.
- Orchestra $155, $140 or $118
- Dress Circle $100 or $78 (Senior >65 and Students $80 or $70)
- Balcony $62 and $51 (Senior >65 and Students $62 or $51)
Tickets are limited so get your orders in ASAP
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, 10:30 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: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D44ACA728A02-64605820-copy#/
You can sign up for one our our Sunday volunteer positions.