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BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
April 2022
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Sun 11a Sunday Worship Service in-person and online
Tue-Thu 9a-12 Office Hours
Apr 8 7p Open Mic Night doors open 6:30 pm
Apr 10 Easter Basket donations due
Apr 12 6:30p Admin Council via Zoom
Apr 14 7p Maundy Thursday in-person and online
Apr 15 4:30p Good Friday Prayer Walk @ Marlow UMC
Apr 16 12:30p Children’s Easter Egg Hunt @Wallensteins *contact church office for location details
Apr 17 11a Easter Sunday worship in-person and online
Apr 19 1:30p Book Group *location TBD
Apr 26 Newsletter submissions due
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Tori Keenan 4/1
David Southwick 4/5
Courtney Dunning 4/6
Bobby Venning 4/6
Beverly Paragas 4/7
Andy Wallenstein 4/7
Pat Woodward 4/11
Arnie Johnson 4/14
Karen Ravndal-Emery 4/18
Steve Gatcombe 4/20
Staci Keenan 4/28
Eno Ogo 4/30
Kat French 5/1
Membership Anniversaries:
Christine Robidoux 4/1
Greg Robidoux 4/1
Jeff Donath 4/12
Debra Gilpin 4/14
Dwight Jarest 4/14
Patricia Lawn 4/14
Chris Bartlett 4/17
Julia Bartlett 4/17
Deane DeHotman 4/17
Staci Keenan 4/17
Sandra Buck Pratt 4/21
Matt Rajaniemi 4/21
Jeff Woodward 4/21
John Woodward 4/21
Scott Johnson 4/8
Steve Gatcombe 4/9
Andy Dunbar 5/1
CALL FOR USHERS
Ushers/Greeters serve a very important position in our church. You are the first impression our guests will have and you will be relied upon to assist all worshipers in having an inspirational and rewarding experience.
We are looking for ushers to sign up on the Worship Sign Up sheet on the table near the sanctuary door in the fellowship hall.
You can review the usher duties here: https://www.peterboroughumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Usher-Greeter-Duties.pdf
Thank you for your time, talents, and service.
PUMC BOOK GROUP – April 19
After a serious discussion surrounding the book, Shaking the Gates of Hell, the group decided that a much lighter read is needed for the next book. Interest was captured by a quick description of Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs. The book is available in Kindle, Audible, as well as paperback and hardcover at bookstores and through public library loan. It is a light story about friendship and class struggle during the Victorian era. Think ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ or Downton Abbey meets light reading.
The group will discuss whether to meet in person in April. Exciting prospect! Stay tuned! if you need assistance in getting the book, contact Susan Lindquist, Ann Hampson, or Ellen Derby! We’ll be able to help you out! All are welcome at PUMC Book Group! Next meeting is April 19th at 1:30 PM. Location … stay tuned!
More about the book: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780063066465
UPCOMING FOR LENT
Maundy Thursday, Thursday April 14 7pm ET in-person and online
Good Friday, Friday April 15 4:30pm ET @Marlow UMC
Easter Sunday Worship, Sunday April 17 11am ET in-person and online
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Our congregation, along with much of the world, has endured a season of uncertainty and loss. We have not been able to worship or enjoy fellowship as we used to and we are going through a pastoral transition, too.
At this time, we find that our giving is falling short of what we need to continue our ministries as we had planned. Our expenses continued – maintaining the building, paying staff – even as we struggled through the pandemic and saw fewer people in our in-person worship services. Your faithfulness and generosity have allowed PUMC to continue to serve as a beacon of hope and possibility in the community.
Our finance team works diligently and creatively to make sure the numbers match up and that our projected income and expenses are aligned in the church budget. Appropriate salary compensation for experienced leadership from a staff and clergy who are prepared for their areas of responsibility is important to us. And for sure, our budget is tight. And over and over again, we are surprised by the blessings that pour out. What the budget does not reflect is the labors of love that staff and clergy devote above and beyond their salary. It doesn’t reflect the time and expertise that you as laity invest in the ministries at PUMC United Methodist Church. Your faithfulness multiplies the dollars to be more than the sum of their parts.
As part of the United Methodist connection, our gifts stretch far beyond this congregation. Our community of love and possibility touches people who are our neighbors in Peterborough and surrounding towns through special offerings and programs, and your gifts are shared through The United Methodist Church through Mission Shares sent to the District, affecting communities around the world.
We need your continued gifts of time, treasure, and talents to keep this church prepared to fully live out the mission God has put before us. As you consider and give thanks for all the ways in which God has blessed you, your gift joins with others, adding up to so much more than the sum of their parts to impact this church, the community and God’s world.
Thank you for your faithful generosity.
To donate:
By mail: Send a check to “Peterborough United Methodist Church,” 43 Concord St, Peterborough NH 03458
Online: Make a one-time or monthly donation through JustGiving http://bit.ly/pumconlinegiving
PUMC YARD SALE AND RUMMAGE – June 4
Spring is here and it’s time for yard a sale! As a first time event in a good while, a yard sale seems the perfect way for our church to jump back into the community event scene!
An organizing group met last Sunday to begin planning for an outdoor event. The planning committee has scheduled the yard sale for Saturday, June 4. As you clean out this spring, take a look around and see if you have any of the following ‘gently used’ items for donation. Thanks in advance for your help on this event and stay tuned for more info coming your way!
Here are some of the things we’re looking to bunch together and sell:
- Outdoor and Sporting Goods – tents, camping gear, bikes, trikes, and things that go, yard games, yard maintenance tools and such, stakes, rope, buckets and gardening stuff.
- Books – hardcover and paperback books that are in good condition, gently used children’s books that are not marked up
- Kids Toys, Games, and Puzzles – gently used and in good condition … puzzles that are complete with no missing pieces, please!
- DVD’s and Music CD’s – all genres of music and movie titles that are not racy (you know what we mean! )
- Tools and Home Appliances – in good working order – cleaned up and made presentable. NOTE: No computers or electronics, please.
- Spring and Summer Clothing for Rummage – washed and folded, please!
- Plants – divided houseplants or potted annuals or vegetable seedlings are MOST welcome
- General Household Goods – cookware, dishes, utensils, glassware, vases etc – in good shape and clean, please!
- Seasonal Holiday Decorations – summertime and fall home decorations, please! Silk flowers, garlands, and seasonal wreaths and such.
- NOTE: Please hold back on Christmas decorations for our Holiday Stroll donation collection.
SINGING AND CHILDREN – RETURN TO WORSHIP SERVICE!
Now that our COVID Community Level is green, we are welcoming the children back into the worship service. Wow! How they’ve grown in two years! And the choir and congregational singing are back, too! It is so good to share the joy, strength, and encouragement of worshipping together in person again.
During the course of this pandemic, the re-opening committee has been working to provide a way to worship together and also take care of each other. We continue to strive to love our neighbors as ourselves by taking steps to make our gatherings as safe as we can. The best things we can all do are to stay up-to-date with our COVID-19 vaccine and to follow the guidance of the CDC.
We have decided that masks will no longer be required in the church building or at services. People who are not vaccinated yet or who have personal health concerns may still decide to wear masks and we extend a gracious welcome to all. If our COVID Community Level is considered Medium by the CDC’s measurement, we will ask that congregants mask while singing in the worship service. Since we are now at Low, no masks are required while singing. Also hot beverages will be served during Fellowship time after the service.
We are so happy that some restrictions have been lifted! We will be watching our COVID Community Level each week and we will be adjusting our behavior accordingly so that we can continue to take care of each other. One important thing each of us can do is to be aware of our own and our children’s health. If you have symptoms – fever, cough – get tested and please consider wearing a mask to church to prevent asymptomatic transmission of the virus. If you’ve had close contact with someone who tested positive, please wear a mask at church even if you have no symptoms. These are simple yet highly effective ways to help ensure that we’ll stay in the Medium or Low COVID Community Level – we don’t want to go back to High!
We hope to see you this Sunday at PUMC!
OPEN MIC NIGHT
2nd Friday of each month – Saturday, April 8
Doors open at 6:30pm, music starts at 7pm
MONADNOCK HUNGER WALK
Area groups working together for hunger relief
On Saturday, May 7th, the United Church of Jaffrey will be host to the Monadnock Hunger Walk
Area churches and community groups will be coming together to celebrate the season and walk for hunger relief
https://www.facebook.com/monadnockhungerwalk
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 (May) to our editors by the LAST TUESDAY, April 26. This is the newsletter that will be released Sunday, May 1 and cover until Sunday, June 5. 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.