Rev. Lisa Ward has been our settled minister since August of 2016. Ordained in 1992, Rev. Lisa has served congregations in New York City, Queens, White Plains, NY and Harford County, MD. A graduate from Union Theological Seminary in NYC, she has engaged in social justice initiatives throughout her career… 
This Week in Worship
September 12, 2021
September theme: Embracing Possibility
“The Lens of Opportunity “
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Associate: Joe Ayoub
Faith Reflection: Jennie Mulqueen
Music: Tim Steele
Audio Engineer: Daniel and Nia Truog
Remember to join us at 9:45am for a welcome back breakfast in the courtyard! Hospitality and Membership will be offering muffins, fruit and coffee before the service.
Service start is 10:30am!
Please remember the change in service time; service is at 10:30am!
This will be a hybrid service. You are welcome to join us in the Meetinghouse (masks required for those over 5 years old and childcare will be available). If you prefer, you are welcome to join us via Zoom. The Zoom link below is NEW, so please save this link.
Please see the zoom link below. Please log in at 10:20, to give some lead time for the service at 10:30. You will be muted, but you can communicate through the chat box. If you do not have zoom on your computer, please download it ahead of time. It is free.
“I know how the wind feels”, came a comment in an interview with a sister of a passenger who was on Flight 93, “I know how that land smells. I know what certain tree bark feels like. …” Flight #93 crashed from such velocity in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, that all but miniscule particles remained to mark the site. Having nothing directly tangible to hold onto, many embraced the site as sacred ground, honoring loved ones who fell victim to that infamous day of terrorism commemorated as “9/11”. Three planes: two crashing into the World Trade Towers in Manhattan and one in a field in Pennsylvania, claimed 3000 lives.
This being the 20th anniversary of that traumatic day, many observances are planned, including a commemoration on Milton’s town green at the gazebo on Friday, Sept. 10 at 6 pm. Our church bells will add solemnity and hope to the service, along with the church bell at First Congregational. Barron Clancy, a youth from a member family, will be providing a violin solo.
Many speak of 9/11 as a day of lost innocence; a day when the United States recognized that safety was not a given in our lives. I am hoping, as I have, really, from the beginning, that other “innocent” assumptions pass away. I would name these more as distortions which do not serve our nation or world. These are the distortions of exceptionalism and entitlement. Too many of us were shocked that such a thing could happen to “us”, the United States of America. And too many of us jumped to the justification of war and violent counter terrorism as if it was owed us. This hope is more of a break in an ideological habit than “loss of innocence”, but it is essential that we level our self-importance to shared humanity.
Instead of asking “why did this happen to us”, we need to ask “why does this happen at all”. We need to set our sights to a shared world rather than protected territory. The intuition of sacred ground in the fields of Pennsylvania speak to the wisdom of such a transformation: in the wind, the soil, the trees, the grief, the hope, the honoring.
The principles of Unitarian Universaliism speak to this honoring and hope. May we find a way forward with, for and because of each other throughout the lands.
This I pray. Rev. Lisa
Religious Exploration
Religious Exploration Teachers please choose your Sundays
This Ingathering Sunday, Religious Exploration for Children and Youth will
be offering childcare for those children too young to be vaccinated to be
held in the courtyard. Please sign your children into and out of childcare.
If you have a child or youth in our program, or eligible to be, I would
like to talk to you about your family’s needs and plans for the coming
year. Please use the link below to schedule a time that is convenient for
you.
MUSIC THIS SUNDAY
The Meetinghouse Choir will be singing outdoors as a prelude to the worship service this Sunday (weather permitting). They will offer “Take Up the Song” by Carole Etzler and Brenda Chambers, and “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen. During the service a Bruce Springsteen song called “The Rising” will be sung by the trio of Pat Neves, Karl Pastore, and Claudia Wellington. During the offertory Tim will be playing “Adoration for Organ” by Florence Price.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW HUNSAKER SOLOIST, DAON DRISDOM
Tenor Daon Drisdom has agreed to be our new Hunsaker soloist. Daon, a Georgia native, is a versatile singer and teacher, known for his expertise in performing gospel, jazz, and classical music. He is a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music where he completed his Masters Degree and studied with Carole Haber. Based in Boston, he works as a free-lance singer and public school teacher in the area, and last year served as Minister of Music for the Union Church in Waban.
Safety Guidelines (as of September 12, 2021)
First Parish sent out an email with our safety guidelines for the beginning of this church year last week. We recommend that you read that email in its entirety, but here is a summary of the safety guidelines for returning to in-person worship.
• All members of the congregation are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated . The science indicates that this is the most important action we can take to keep ourselves and our community safe.
• Updated mask recommendations for Sunday worship:
- Masks are required in the meetinghouse for all , regardless of vaccination status ; please continue to wear your mask when sitting in your pew .
- Masks are optional for children 5 years and under .
- Worship leaders may remove masks when speaking in the front of the meetinghouse; each worship speaker /soloist should have a dedicated microphone and podium ; social distancing between worship leaders should be maintained throughout the service .
• Social distancing ( at least 6 feet) will be required in the meetinghouse ; seating will be limited to alternate pews .
• Special requirements for choir members: because of the close proximity among singers in the choir , vaccines will be required for all active choir members , including soloists. Special mask s for vocalists will be provided by the church and will be required f or all singing performers in the meetinghouse.
• We are asking everyone attending worship to sign in for every worship service . This will facilitate contact tracing if needed.
• All worship participants are asked to leave the meetinghouse directly after the service
. Social hour will be held outdoors in the courtyard until further notice.
Table of Contents
For Events, News and Announcements
1. Meditation
2. Yoga
3.COVID VACCINE POP UP CLINIC
4.SJ&E Action Committee News
Meditation
All are welcome to join for 30 minutes of silent meditation/prayer on:
Thursday evenings at 6:45 pm-7:15 pm
Sunday mornings at 8:30am-9:00am
Newcomers and friends welcome.
Please contact Tracey at tdr02186@gmail.com if you have questions or want to join us!
Yoga classes are now hybrid !
6:30pm on Monday evenings
You can come into Parish Hall with guest yoga instructor, Jayne Ogata.
Or if you choose to continue with Zoom, link below:
Parkway United Methodist Church & Whittier Street Health Center
COVID VACCINE POP UP CLINIC
Tuesday, September 21st
12:00pm – 6:00pm
Parkway United Methodist Church
158 Blue Hills Parkway, Milton
617-698-3028
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
OPEN TO EVERYONE ELIGIBLE
From S & EJ : Social Action Committee News
On Saturdays between now and October 30, consider shopping at Mattapan
Square Farmers Market. This is one way to support local farmers and
vendors and meet neighbors across the Neponset River. Its location near
Mattapan Square is convenient. Its organizers, Mattapan Food & Fitness
Coalition, offer volunteers a variety of Saturday market tasks, too. Call
MFFC’s office at 617-696-2900 or check its informative website.
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that would
otherwise be wasted and uses it to feed our communities. We volunteer
together unloading and sorting food and packing bags once a month.
The next volunteer date is Saturday, September 11th
If you want to volunteer please sign up on Sign up Genius by Thursday evening
before the event. Start time and locations vary depending on Fair Foods’
needs, but typically start at 8 a.m. at their warehouse in Roxbury.
Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com
Sign up to volunteer on Sign up Genius
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, 9:30 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: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d44aca728a02-sunday1
You can sign up for one our our Sunday volunteer positions.