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 27th
Follow the Goosebumps
Exploring the moments that take our breath away and how these goosebumps can change our world.
Worship Assistant: Amy Kavadlo
Greeter: Penny Knight
Audio: Jeremiah Sitkoff
Social Hour: Allison Zippay & Jim Kelly
This week’s offering will be given to the Movement Voter Fund. The MV Fund is non-partisan and supports grassroots organizations and their local issues/causes. Pam Bender, member of MVF Eastern Mass Steering Committee, will speak on their behalf.
Guest Minister
Rev. Ali Jablonsky is an affiliated minister at Arlington Street Church, an instructor at Harvard Divinity School, and a chaplain. After working in healthcare chaplaincy for ten years, Ali is now the Director of Spiritual Life and Campus Chaplain at Emerson College. Ali loves empowering others to define what is holy. Ali finds holy ground in poetry, in long walks, and in fashion.
Briefly With Bev
Koko The Gorilla
Do not ask me what I was researching when I went down the internet rabbit….well gorilla hole Tuesday afternoon. Whatever it was I came to a calendar of “holidays” and learned that today, September 24 is World Gorilla Day.
This is an international awareness day dedicated to celebrating gorillas and promoting their protection in the wild. September 24 marks the anniversary of the founding of the Karisoke Research Center in 1967 in Rwanda by primatologist Dian Fossey. This holiday was first established in 2017 and has since become a global event involving zoos, conservation organizations, schools, and the public.
I remember hearing about Dian Fossey and watching TV shows about her and her work. But the book I owned was about a different gorilla. Remember Koko? Koko was a gorilla that was taught sign language beginning at the age of one in the early 1970s. Animal psychologist Dr. Francine “Penny” Patterson’s work with Koko was centered around exploring the cognitive and language capabilities of great apes and bridging communication between species.
Why, you might wonder is this the topic of my column this week? Well, the other thing I remember about Koko is how she mourned her kitten, All Ball, showing publicly Koko’s emotional capacity. As a religious tradition that largely rejects traditional hierarchies that place humans completely apart from or above nature and that affirms a responsibility for the interdependent web of all existence, this feels theological; an example that love, grief, and soulfulness extend beyond humanity.
With Love and Peace,
Rev Bev
Religious Exploration
Click here to shop items to be delivered directly to church.
We’d love to bring everyone to Muse Paint Bar in Dedham on Nov. 1 from 3-5pm, but we need to have at least 10 folks before we reserve the space! Wanna go?
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 we welcome guest soprano Sohyun Cho to sing a beautiful arrangement of “This Little Light of Mine” by Margaret Bonds. Bonds was a prolific American composer, pianist, and arranger of multiple African-American spirituals, often in collaboration with poet Langston Hughes. Claudia Wellington will also accompany herself on guitar with “Take Up Your Spade” by Sara Watkins.
MILTON COMMUNITY CONCERTS
On Saturday, October 3 at 7pm Milton Community Concerts presents the thirteenth annual “Sing For Their Supper”, a free benefit concert to support the Milton Food Pantry and Milton Residents Fund. This year’s concert will feature ten outstanding singers who will each present their favorite opera and musical theater selections. Admission is FREE, and a free-will offering will be taken to support these two important organizations.
News & Announcements
First Parish needs YOU to help with our weekly support for services.
We need folks to sign up to Greet on Sundays AND to host Coffee Hour.
Please click HERE to Sign-up and choose your dates now!
Events
Social & Environmental Justice
Help Get Out the Vote — Postcard Writing on Oct. 4
On October 4, join us in the Parish Hall after Social Hour to help get out the vote for the midterms. Teaming up with Reclaim Our Vote, we’ll write postcards to voters in underrepresented communities in swing states and encourage them to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.
Bring your energy and we’ll supply the rest – including stamps and the script for the postcards. There’s nothing more democratic than voting!
(Can’t stay for the event? Pick up a packet and write the postcards at home – but you’ll need your own stamps.
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
The Message
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
The CCTRJ Book Group will be reading “The Message” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The author takes us on three pilgrimages—to Dakar, Senegal; Columbia, South Carolina; and Palestine—exploring how the stories we
tell can either expose or distort our realities. Please join us for a discussion on untangling ourselves from destructive myths and embracing the
liberating power of truth.
October 6th: 7:00 PM – 8:30PM (Zoom),
Discuss Parts I, II, and III
October 26th: Time and location TBD (in person vs on Zoom)
Discuss Part IV.
Please register Here or email CCTRJbookgroup@gmail.com
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.