Please enjoy our newsletter for April 2017.
Beyond the
Green Doors
The newsletter of the
Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
April 2017
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Thu 13 Maundy Thursday service 7p
Fri 14 Good Friday service 7:30p
@Union Congregational Church
Sun 16 Easter service 10a
Fri 21 Open Mic Night 7p
Sat 22 Quilters Group 10:30a
Tue 25 Prayer Shawl Group 1p
Wed 26 Newsletter due
Wed 26 Book Group 7p
Sat 29 Men’s Monthly Breakfast 7:30a
Sat 29 Know Your Why Workshop 9a
May 2 UMW Meeting 12p
May 5 Know Your Church Why 6-8p
May 6 Monadnock Hunger Walk 8a
May 6 Know Your Church How 12-2p
May 13 Rummage Sale 9-1
May 16 Ad Council meeting 6:30-8p
May 26 Know Your Church What 6-8p
Weekly
Sun Worship Service 10a
Sun Adult Bible Class 11:15a
Wed Lent Study Group 6:30-7:30p
(through April 12)
Wed Open Sanctuary 10-1
Thu Lenten Suppers 5:30p
(through April 13)
Thu Choir Rehearsal 6:30p
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Arnie Johnson Apr 14
Staci Keenan Apr
Eno Ogo Apr 30
Lourey Savick Apr 19
Katie French May 1
Greg Robidoux May 3
Membership Anniversaries:
Chris and Julia Bartlett, 6 years
Lucy Jane Benton, 6 years
Sandy Buck, 29 years
Deane DeHotman, 6 years
Jeff Donath, 30 years
Steve Gatcombe, 22 years
Debra Gilpin (Crowe), 49 years
Dwight Jarest, 49 years
Staci Keenan, 6 years
Patricia Lawn, 21 years
Laura Nerz, 3 years
Doris Parry, 4 years
Matt Rajaniemi, 29 years
Greg and Christine Robidoux, 10 years
Jeff Woodward, 29 years
John Woodward, 29 years
Kay Wreck, 22 years
Submit your birthday:
Did we miss your birthday? You have to send it to us! Email us your birth month and date, just like above, and we’ll make sure you get recognition for your special day.
LETTER FROM THE PASTOR
Dear Friends and Family;
Mornings filled with the chorus of robin, cardinal, and sparrow bring these words of hope and promise from Song of Songs 2: 11-12 to mind:
“For now the winter is past, The rains are over and gone.
The blossoms have appeared in the land, The time of singing has come;
The song of the turtle dove is heard in our land.” (JPS Tanakh 1917)
This is the time of year that the warmth of spring seeps into our winter weary souls. Light dispels darkness; our faith and hope renewed as we witness the rebirth and revival of flora and fauna. That which appeared dead and without life is suddenly adorned in the delicate lace of leaf bud.
So too with us. Aches and pains that have chilled our souls for a season now melt in the warmth of God’s love. His peace “that passeth all understanding” gently dispels the darkness of our fears and uncertainties. Assurance that all is not without hope, without life, suddenly buds forth in expectancy – we know God is about to do a new thing! Renew us, Oh Lord! Renew us!
Hope – Always!
Pastor Lena
The Life Jar of PUMC – Workshops
At various times in the life-cycle of a church the question is raised, “What’s the Point?!” What’s the point of all the pebbles and sand we are using in effort to fill the Life Jar of PUMC? And in so doing, are we becoming disillusioned, dissatisfied, and discontent, feeling that something is missing?
The theory of the Life Jar is simple. The Jar symbolizes your Life – what you put into it and what you leave out. Your inspiration, motivation, values, intentions, actions, and the resulting effects and outcomes are product suggested by rocks, stones/pebbles and sand. (See illustration at right)
Our tendency is to concentrate our energy in our actions and values( vis. stones), and/or our outcomes and results (sand) without the substance and foundation of inspiration and motivation (rocks), leading us to ask, “What’s the Point?” This same can be said for churches.
In order to give substance and foundation to your Life Jar, it is necessary to “Know Your Why.” When you know your “Why,” (https://www.startwithwhy.com/learnyourwhy) you can then intentionally choose what make up the rocks in your Life Jar. The collaboration of our personal findings as a church community will be the compass point for PUMC to identify our “Why.”
Two videos for your consideration:
Simon Sinek’s TED Talk that explains “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” (including knowing your Why) https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action
Michael Jr.’s “When you know your ‘why’ then your ‘what’ has more impact, because you’re working towards your purpose.” https://youtu.be/LZe5y2D60YU
In the next few weeks we will be releasing several workbooks” intended to spark our thinking, both individually and collectively, as we walk through the process of filling PUM’s Life Jar by identifying our “Why,” understanding knowing our “How” and setting our course to reach our “What.”
We hope that this will be a time of inspiration, clarification and motivation as we unite together in setting the course of PUMC’s worship, ministries and missions for the years to come.
The first workshop will be a personal development exercise that is open to the public. If you know anyone, cousins, spouses, friends, who wants to explore their own Why you can invite them.
The first workshop working on our personal Whys has been scheduled for Saturday April 29 at 9 am. The following workshops involve the whole church family.
Once we have established a personal Why we will develop a Why for the church, then a How, then a What. It is important for everyone to be involved in this process as much as possible.
Please RSVP on our Facebook event so we know how many people to expect. https://www.facebook.com/events/1468875196480208/
Sat Apr 29 Know Your Personal Why 9-12
Fri May 5 Know Your Church Why 6-8p
Sat May 6 Know Your Church How 12-2p
Fri May 26 Know Your Church What 6-8p
RUMMAGE SALE
UMW Rummage and Bake Sale to benefit Arun!
Saturday, May 13th, 9AM – 1PM. Bag sale at Noon!
All proceeds from this rummage sale will go to the support of Arun Hanumanthu, the 13 year old boy PUMC has sponsored for almost 10 years through World’s Children. Arun lives at the Methodist boarding Home for Boys and Girls in the south central area of India.
Our annual commitment to Arun is $360. Any additional monies raised will either go to the Methodist home where Arun is living or to our Upper Room devotional program.
We need your stuff! We are accepting clothing (all seasons), linens and craft items. Please start cleaning out those closets, but hold onto your items until the week before the sale. If you need help getting your items to the church, please talk to Karen well ahead of the sale to arrange a time for her to assist you.
We need your baking! If you are able to further assist the UMW by baking items to sell to hungry shoppers, please bake! We’d really appreciate it.
Please see Karen Keenan or Sue Norton with any questions.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1859873310931872/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE BLOG
Did you know you can subscribe to our blog and get an email every time PUMC posts something on the web site? You’ll get an email every time we post something big like the Know Your Why workshops, as well as weekly events like when the worship video is posted.
To subscribe go to https://www.peterboroughumc.org/. In the sidebar on the right is a “Subscribe to Blog via Email” section. Enter your email in the form and hit Subscribe. You will be sent back to the home page. You will receive an email and you must click the button to confirm that you wish to subscribe.
Unitarian Universalist Church Hosts April Auction
On April 15, 2017. the Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church will host a live and silent auction. The auction takes place from 6:30 to 9:00 in the Parish Hall. Some of the exciting items being auctioned will include services such as dog sitting, handyman work around the house, yoga lessons with Peggy Cappy, window washing and more. There will also be items and gift cards from local merchants, hand-made furniture, a nighttime sky watch, gourmet desserts and handknit items. Proceeds benefit the maintenance and work of this historic church. PUUC invites you to attend and bring a friend! Handicap access is available through the rear entrance.
PRAYER CORNER
‘The disciple is not above his master’ (Matthew 10:24) Do we think our lot ought to be better than Jesus Christ’s?…We say, ‘I do wish Jesus did not expect so much of me.’ He expects nothing less than absolute oneness with Himself as He was one with His Father. God does not expect us to work for Him, but to work with Him…
Now that you are a disciple you can never be as independent as you used to be.
Jesus has prayed that you might be one with the Father as He is; are you helping God answer His prayer or have you another end for your life?”
—Oswald Chambers, If You Will Ask
You turn things upside down!
Shall the potter be regarded as the clay?
Shall the thing made say of its maker,
“He did not make me”;
or the thing formed say of the one who formed it,
“He has no understanding”?
Isaiah 29:16 (NRSV)
O Lord, give me a greater desire to follow You on the way that You create
for me and to accept the cross that You give to me.
Let me die to the desire to choose my own way and select my own cross.
You do not want to make me a hero but a servant who loves You.
— Henri Nouwen
Submitted by Janet Hazel
ANNUAL REPORT
We are on the home stretch for the annual report. To save costs we are releasing the report as a PDF. If you would still like a print copy please let Melissa French know.
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
The UMW will meet on May 2, 2017 at 12 noon at the church. Please note this change in time. We are hoping that those who cannot attend at night will be able to come to the meeting and those who work can join us at lunch time.
Bring your lunch. The beverage and dessert will be provided.
Pastor Lena will be telling us about the history and work of Hundred Nights. We have helped with the Hundred Nights dinners but it will be interesting to learn how it all started. This will be a short program during lunch.
Thank you to Karen Keenan and Sue Norton who are co-chairing the rummage sale on May 13th. The details are all in a separate article. Please plan to help with this important event.
Submitted by Carol Owen
FINANCE REPORT
Each year the Finance Committee and the Advisory Council struggle to compile a church budget that reflects the needs of the church versus donations from our congregation. Each year our budget seems to come up a little short but we go forward in faith that “things will somehow work out”. The Finance Committee would like to sing praises that, as of the end of March, things have worked out and we are current on all our bills and finances are in balance. We have received more than what was anticipated and even with added costs, such as the numerous times the plow guy came through and the cost of maintenance and utilities, the church finances are in balance. The Finance Committee would like to thank everyone for your support during the first few months of the year.
We would also like to give a shout out of thanks for all the little things that are done that do not show up in the church finances. Small donations large and small, such as paper goods that appear in our cupboard, coffee in the pantry, or additions to our sound system, contribute greatly to the support of the church.
In addition to the support of our church finances, we would also like to praise all the contributions to the missions of our church. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
So, we sing praises and thanksgiving for your stewardship.
Submitted by Hiel Lindquist
MONADNOCK HUNGER WALK – Saturday, May 6th
As Spring returns to the Monadnock region, area churches and community groups will be
coming together to celebrate the season and step out to fight hunger. Taking a page out of the
‘support local’ movement, representatives of Greenfield Covenant Church, Peterborough
Unitarian Universalist Church, Peterborough Union Congregational Church, Fitzwilliam
Community Church, and Peterborough United Methodist Church have begun inviting other area
churches and civic groups to join in organizing a major fund raiser for regional food pantries.
The idea is to canvas family, friends, and local businesses in a major effort to provide much needed financial support for our regional food pantries. All administrative and publicity efforts for
organizing the walk will be donated so that 100% of each donation will go to the pantry of the
donor’s choice.
Details for the walk are evolving, but the basics have been decided. On Saturday, May 6th, the
Greenfield Covenant Church will be host to the first Monadnock Hunger Walk. Check-in for the
walk will begin at 8 AM with individual walkers or larger walking teams turning in their
registration/sponsor sheets and donation checks. The walk will step off from the Greenfield
Covenant Church’s Ministry Center, 12 Depot Drive at 9 AM. The walking route is a gentle stroll
away from Greenfield village and out around Zephyr Lake . In all, the route is about 5 miles.
Walkers will work within their churches or civic groups to form teams that gather sponsors.
Sponsors support their walking friends by donating checks made out to the participating food
pantry of their choice. Walkers will collect the donation checks and turn them in at the walk,
where they will be gathered, tallied, grouped by food bank, and immediately sent on their way.
To form your own walking team or to join the church’s walking team, please contact Susan
Lindquist.
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/170020040184060/
PETERBOROUGH UMC COMMUNICATIONS
In addition to “Beyond the Green Doors,” Peterborough UMC offers the following ways you can keep in touch.
We are at the church, silly. Come visit us, Sunday at 10 am!
We are on the web: http://www.PeterboroughUMC.org
We are on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peterboroughunitedmethodist/
This newsletter was compiled by Melissa French. Any concerns with content can be addressed with Pastor Lena.
43 Concord Street (Rt. 202)
Peterborough, NH 03458