Table of Contents
- Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
- This Week in Worship
- This Week in Religious Exploration
- This Week in Music
- Events and Meetings
- News and Announcements
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Beyond First Parish
Message from Rev. Lisa Ward
This Sunday, Christians world-wide will be observing Palm Sunday, the commemoration of Jesus’ final journey into Jerusalem. Here, at First Parish, we traditionally celebrate communion on Palm Sunday, honoring our Christian heritage as one of the faith streams that informs Unitarian Universalism.
The last communion we celebrated together was on April 14, 2019. Time is surreal these days, isn’t it? Finally, with masks at the ready and pews set for shared distance, we can revive this age old tradition.
There are many meanings and traditions around the concept of communion. Communion is about shared participation, mutual experience. The Latin root of communion is “common”. It engenders a feeling of connection to our common source of being.
The communion service, using bread and wine, is an ingenious ritual. It connects us, through the experience of nurturance, to our embodied life: our connection to earth and each other. That connection, which is ever with us, is articulated in the simple sharing of gifts from life’s abundance. Once taken in it is with us, the sense of belonging to one another, the sense of nourishing our being together.
So, come to worship on Sunday and bring yourselves to this embodied celebration of community.
Blessings Be, Rev. Lisa
This Week in Worship
“Shifting the Paradigm”
Facilitated by: Rev. Lisa Ward
Worship Assistant: Christopher Clifford
Music: Tim Steele
Social Hour Host: Amy Kavadlo
Worship Services are hybrid.
Join us in person or on Zoom.
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
Sunday’s offering will go to the Back Bay Chorale Bridges program. The Back Bay Chorale is a 120 member auditioned chorus which hosts an annual concert series. BBC shares music with the Boston community through its Bridges program which offers an ESL program to make music and improve English language skills for participants. Susanne Powers, Executive Director will speak on behalf of the organization.
This Week in Religious Exploration
This Week in Religious Exploration
Nursery care for young children is available starting before worship and continuing until noon. Children participating in our Religious Exploration program gather in the Meetinghouse for the beginning of worship. We will proceed to classes together after the Story For All Ages. Children and youth are also always welcome in the Meetinghouse during worship.
This week, we will tell the story of the Scratched Diamond and explore the theme of waking up to wonder and beauty while making tissue paper flowers. Our youth who are participating in the Our Whole Lives program will gather from 3 – 5pm in the Parish Hall to continue their programming.
Youth Chat is an informal gathering of teens and mentors during Sunday worship service to talk about worship themes or anything else on their minds. If your youth would be interested in joining us to bring this program back to First Parish, please let the office know (office@fpmilton.org)
There are several service and social opportunities for youth in the spring months ahead. Please make sure we have your contact information so that we can include you in these activities!
This Week in Music
This Sunday Jennifer Sgroe will be singing a solo by Lena McLin called “The Year’s at the Spring”, text by Robert Browning. Daon Drisdom will also be sharing a solo titled “Songs For the People”, from a set of three songs by Rosephanye Powell called MISS WHEATLEY’S GARDEN, in honor of the American poet Phyllis Wheatley.
Events and Meetings
ANNUAL TREE GIVEAWAY
Our church will be joining the Wakefield Estate and other local organizations to distribute and plant trees in our community. This year’s choices are:
River Birch
Gray dogwood (shrub)
Common ninebark
Silver maple
Butternut hickory
Bur oak
White spruce
Please email Mary Blanchette at mbpa@comcast.net by Sunday, April 10, so we can put our order in. You may order up to two trees/shrubs per family. The sooner the reply the more likely you will get the trees you choose.
Pick up date and times will be determined soon.
The Yard Sale will be June 18th, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Start your spring cleaning and organizing your treasures for donation. We’ll be collecting items from June 4th – June 15
Much information more to come…
Membership
Theater– Membership committee is putting together a group of First Parish Theater goers to attend “To Kill A Mockingbird” on Sunday, April 10 at 6:30 at the Boston Opera House. This is the stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel starring Richard Thomas as Atticus Finch. Limited Orchestra seats are available for $108 or $80 (Seniors& Students $70 or $50) and Mezzanine seats for $102, $80 and $65 (Seniors & Students $60, $50 or $40). Masks are required if you are not actively eating or drinking in the theater. Please email Debbie Alsebai at alsebai@verizon.net with the number of seats you would like to purchase and the price range you are interested in. Please also note if you would like to carpool.
Social and Environmental Justice
April’s 11th Hour Calling-Our Climate Action Standout
Monday, April 11th 6:00 pm-6:30 pm (if bad weather postponed to Wed 4/12)
First Parish Lawn, gather round the spotlight, spread the word-bring your friends.
The Racial Justice Focus Group invites you to join us in understanding the Widening the Circle of Concern UUA report.
In a nutshell, the report, which reads more like a book than a report, is about addressing the White Supremacy Culture within Unitarian Universalism.
Explore with us why we are engaging in studying the recommendations in the report with the intent of taking action toward implementing the recommendations. For example, many UU churches, have placed BLM signs on their front lawns, now many are adopting or in the process of deliberating adoption of the 8th principle which is about building a “beloved” community and dismantling racism and other systems of oppression within ourselves and within our communities. These are great first steps, but what does it mean to actually “live” the 8th principle?
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 7-8:30PM. All are welcome. Contact Rev. Lisa for the zoom link: minister@fpmilton.org.
If you can’t stomach yet another zoom meeting, we encourage you to at least pick up a copy of the report to read on your own and provide suggestions or feedback on what recommendations speak to you. Several copies are available at the office. You can also access a pdf, with audio access, here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/widening.
News and Announcements
S & EJ Committee
- Milton’s Select Board approved using ARPA funds to conduct a townwide greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment, Phase 1 of the town’s Climate Action Plan.
- Local Elections: wherever you live, engage all candidates in conversation about climate action and their response plans, from Town Meeting representatives to Select Board, Planning Board, School Committee, etc. VOTE!!!
Worship Committee-Summer Services
We now have some volunteers to lead summer services but need more – both old hands and adventurous newbies.
Please contact Penny Partridge (ppartridge9@icloud.com or 413-658-4717) and pick a summer Sunday. You could think of it as a slight extension of a Faith Reflection. What could be important to you to share with us?
Volunteer Opportunities
Social Hour Host Needed
Our in-person courtyard social hour is back. But we need hosts! It’s the simplest social hour ever and it’s so lovely to gather together after church.
Ushers and greeters are needed during service.
We have appreciated your help in the past and hope you can help again. Please sign up here if you are interested.
Ramadan Food Drive
When : Friday, April 8- Friday, April 29
Where: All Milton Public Schools (bins in school lobby)
First Parish Milton, UU – 535 Canton (bins at carriage house near lower lot)
Congregation Beth Shalom – 18 Shoolman Way (bins in lobby, April 8-15 and 25-29)
Who: YOU! Anyone can participate!
Why: Join your Muslim neighbor! Ramadan is a very special time of year for Muslims to do good deeds. It is important to practice gratitude and give to those struggling to put food on their tables.
How: Donate food, dry goods, and hygiene items. All items must have ingredient labels with current expiration dates.
Most needed items:Canned meat or tuna;Mac and cheese; Cereal or oatmeal;Pasta and sauce; Peanut butter & jelly; Canned fruit and vegetables; Healthy snacks for kids; Dry or canned beans; Juice boxes; Condiments; Shelf-stable milk; Salad dressing; Rice; Cooking oil/olive oil; Canned soup; Diapers, wipes; Personal care items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, unscented bar soap, shampoo, body wash
Donations to be distributed to local food pantries and social services. This project is brought to you by Milton Muslim Neighbors, Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, and Milton Public Schools. For more info, please contact Amal at amalkimawi@gmail.com.
Main Spring Lunch Program
The next volunteer date is April 20th.
Our goal is to have a total of 95 lunches for delivery to The Evelyn House in Stoughton and the Mainspring shelter in Brockton. We are always looking for new volunteers so please signup in Signup Genius and indicate the number of lunches you plan to donate in the COMMENT field. For more details see the description on the Signup Genius page.
If you have questions or need to arrange early drop off, contact Peter Schneider at peterlschneider@gmail.com.
Fair Foods
Fair Foods is a non-profit program that rescues fresh produce that wwould 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, April 9th.
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 8:30 a.m. at their warehouse at 70 Amory Street in Roxbury.
Other volunteer opportunities are also available at Fair Foods on weekdays from early morning until mid-afternoon.
Any questions or for more information contact Tony Dutzik at tdutzik@gmail.com or 617-291-4685.
Beyond First Parish
Celebrate the Moms in your life – AND support the Peace Garden at the UU Urban Ministry at the same time.
The Urban Ministry will send a card for every $25 donation if you provide the address.
If you are interested in visiting the new Peace Garden at the Urban Ministry, talk to Tracey or Mary.
Annual Mother’s Day Walk For Peace
In partnership with the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, the UU Urban Ministry will be hosting two informational sessions on the annual Mother’s Day Walk For Peace. At these sessions, you’ll learn more about the mission of the LDBPI, the importance of the Mother’s Day walk, and how you can start your own team to support LDBPI. You’ll also hear from special guest Chaplain Tina Chery, the founder, president, and CEO of LDBPI, on the importance of faith communities in LDBPI’s vision for a peaceful future.
There will be a morning and evening session, both held via Zoom. Links and dates are below:
Tuesday, April 12 6:00 pm
Friday, April 15 8:00 am
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.