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BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
December 2021
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Sunday Worship 11a in-person or on YouTube http://bit.ly/pumcYouTube and posted online http://bit.ly/pumcworshipvideo
Tue-Thu 9-12 Office Hours
Wed (1-22) 10a Heart That Grew Three Sizes study via Zoom or in-person
Dec 5 11a Pastor Todd Layton’s first service
Dec 14 6:30p Administrative Council meeting via Zoom or in-person
Dec 19 New Life Home donations due
Dec 21 1p Book Group via Zoom
Dec 21 5p Homeless Memorial Vigil w/MATS @Townhouse
Dec 24 7p Candlelight Christmas Eve service via YouTube or in-person
Dec 26 Take home poinsettias after service
Dec 28 Newsletter submissions due
WELCOME PASTOR TODD
Peace brothers and sisters,
I am honored to have opportunity to worship with you guys. Life is a journey and this part of the journey we will take together.
A brief introduction – I am a local licensed pastor and also serve the Marlow UMC community. I am bi-vocational – meaning I also have a full-time non-clergy job where I work with hospital software. I am a single dad of a college aged young man – and I have two dogs – one of which Is blind. I suppose we make a funny looking family, but God’s love is in our strange looking family. I am very easy going and love to talk. I laugh easy and love to laugh at myself. Feel free to call me anything you want but I prefer just “Todd”.
Marlow was my first church appointment. Prior to that, I was a lay speaker working with young people in detention centers.
More than anything I believe in what Jesus can do in our lives. I really was one of those awful “wretches” you hear about. My life was a mess and then God put my feet on solid ground. I believe with every fiber of being that God can do that for everyone.
I look forward to meeting you guys – either in person or virtually. We will share life together. Please bear with me as I make mistakes.
I will close with a quote from John Wesley, “Best of all, God is with us”
Peace,
Todd
You can contact Pastor Todd at pastortodd@peterboroughumc.org, or come meet him Sunday at 11am.
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Debra Gilpin 12/10
Susan Miller-Lindquist 12/10
Lena Mark 12/11
Nancy Belletete 12/12
Greg Nerz 12/13
Eli Hipp 12/15
David Belletete 12/16
Michael Crowe 12/18
William Robidoux 12/18
Steve Venning 12/22
Scott Keenan 12/28
Membership Anniversaries:
Bruce Batten 12/6
Deb Batten 12/6
Richard Clason II 12/6
Richard Clason 12/6
Amy Clason-Gilmet 12/6
Kristel Gatcombe 12/6
Hiel Lindquist 12/6
Susan Miller-Lindquist 12/6
Andrew Wallenstein 12/7
Linda Wallenstein 12/7
Daniel Price 12/11
Liz Price 12/11
Leslie Crossmon 12/14
Priscilla Crowe 12/30
Ron Crowe 12/30
Nancy Baldvins 12/31
George Walthour 12/31
Jean Walthour 12/31
NEWS ABOUT FAREWELL GIFT FOR REV KATHLEENE CARD
Thanks to your generosity, PUMC was able to donate $3,740 to the US-Afghan Women’s Council in honor of Kathleene Card! We have benefitted from Rev. Card’s leadership for over three years and we have been blessed by her grace, kindness, leadership, and strength. We know that the US-Afghan Women’s Council is very important to her, and we know she’ll be so pleased by this gift.
HEART THAT GREW THREE SIZES BIBLE STUDY
We are offering an Advent Study by Matt Rawle “The Heart That Grew Three Sizes
Finding Faith in the Story of The Grinch.” Matt Rawle is the Lead Pastor at Asbury
United Methodist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana. He is the author of Series of books
that looks at Pop Culture through the lens of faith. Join us to see how the Grinch doesn’t steal Christmas but reveals to us truths about ourselves, God, and redemption in Whoville.
Ellen Derby is the facilitator with the technical help of Hiel Lindquist.
Sessions are live at the church and on Zoom Wednesdays at 10am December 1-22.
Books are available at the church. Please let us know if you are interested.
BOOK GROUP – Tuesday, December 21st @ 1:30 PM
The December read for PUMC’s Book Group will be a series of short stories written by Pete Hamill called The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories. Return to post-WWII Brooklyn to meet a cast of colorful characters living their lives in the Brooklyn neighborhoods. Meet the merchants, the workers, the gang members, the immigrants, the cops, the kids, and the women … a slice of life from a different era.
Hope to see you on Zoom! Read as many of the short stories as you wish. Bookmark a favorite short story to chat about. Bring your memories of the 40’s, 50’s and forward … it should be a fun and low-stress time. Brew the tea, grab a Christmas cookie and join the fun!
More about the book: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/pete-hamill/christmas-kid/
CHRISTMAS WITH NEW LIFE HOME
Gifts for the residents of the home that we’ve provided in the past will again be our privilege to contribute.
This year the list is the smallest we’ve ever had – 8 children and 6 women.
The sign up list with names and suggestions will be available December 5 in the fellowship hall. Please choose a name and return wrapped and securely tagged no later than December 19.
Other items of paper goods, coffee, tea, snacks, etc. will be greatly appreciated.
Any questions please call the Crowes or the church office. Thank you in advance.
UPDATES FROM MISSIONS PROJECTS
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL – HOMELESS PERSON’S MEMORIAL DAY
A candlelight vigil is offered for National Homeless Memorial Day in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday, December 21st, the longest night of the year. We gather to remember those in our region, country, and throughout the world who have died due to homelessness and hardship. The local sponsor is Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter (MATS). MATS strives to provide shelter and a connection to other community resources to individuals, couples, and families who are homeless in the Monadnock region. The vigil is outside the Peterborough Town House at 5:00 pm. For more information on the Peterborough event contact MATS at 603-924-5033 or on Facebook @matsnhorg https://www.facebook.com/matsnhorg
Antique Roadshow Tickets: http://shelterfromthestormnh.org/html/events.html
PUMC ADVENT SCHEDULE
Sundays December 11a (*note new time) – Sunday worship service
Wednesdays Dec 1, 8, 15, 22, 10a online – The Heart That Grew Three Sizes Study
Dec 21, 1:30p online – Book Group
Dec 21, 5pm @Town House with MATS – Homeless Memorial Candlelight Vigil
Dec 24, 7pm – Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
Everyone is invited to contribute to the newsletter! Send in your photos, thank yous, birthdays, events, testimonials, poems, letters, printable artwork, prayer submissions…
Please submit all materials for the next newsletter (January) to our editors by the LAST TUESDAY December 28. This is the newsletter that will be released Sunday January 2 and cover until Sunday January 30. Send to Melissa French at 603-924-4294 or email info@peterboroughumc.org, with the subject “Newsletter submission.” Thanks!
Want to subscribe? You can email or call the office (above) to get a print copy of the newsletter, or visit http://bit.ly/subscribepumc to get it in your email.
PETERBOROUGH UMC COMMUNICATIONS
In addition to “Beyond the Green Doors,” Peterborough UMC offers the following ways you can keep in touch.
We are on the web: https://www.PeterboroughUMC.org
We are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pumcnh/
This newsletter was compiled by Melissa French. Any concerns with content can be addressed with the pastor.