Newsletter with images in PDF format
BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
April 2021
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Events:
Sunday Worship streaming on YouTube Sun 10a http://bit.ly/pumcYouTube
and posted online http://bit.ly/pumcworshipvideo
Online Fellowship Hour Sun 1p https://bit.ly/pumcfellowship
Daily Morning Devotional daily 7p http://bit.ly/revcardfb
daily 7a Grand Sweep bible study online via Rev Card’s Facebook
Apr 1 7p Maundy Thursday online via YouTube
Apr 2 12noon Good Friday online via YouTube
Apr 3 Easter flower order pickup
Apr 4 6a Easter Sunrise service @Cathedral and YouTube 10a
Apr 4 10a Easter Sunday service online via YouTube
Apr 4 1p Children’s Sunday School Easter Egg Hunt
@Grammy Linda’s *contact the office for details
Apr 4 3p Hundred Nights Dinner
Apr 18 Native American Ministries Sunday
Apr 26 Newsletter submissions due
Apr 27 1:30p PUMC Book Group online via Zoom
May 1 Hunger Walk virtual event
Stay Involved:
Digital Welcome Card bit.ly/pumcwelcomecard
Bulletins bit.ly/pumcbulletin
Children’s Bulletins bit.ly/pumckidsbulletin
Sunday School To Go bit.ly/sundayschooltogo
Offering bit.ly/pumcoffering
Online Giving bit.ly/pumconlinegiving
Facebook bit.ly/pumcfacebook
YouTube bit.ly/pumcyoutube
Instagram bit.ly/pumcinsta
SHOULD WE PRAY IN PUBLIC? WHEN AND HOW?
By Rev. Kathleene Card
In this time of social unrest, it is helpful to examine how and when and why we pray in public. There is more at issue here than whether we allow prayer at school or at graduation: before we even try to discuss that, we need to examine what we think of prayer in public in any situation. An African American woman who is an American Baptist minister has written a great book addressing this issue. It is called Praying the Sacred in Secular Settings. Since I have frequently been asked to do public praying at various secular events, I found her comments reassuring. She says, “Public prayer is a call, a response, a stretching forth of the open hand of the soul; it is opportunity. To be asked to offer a public prayer—invocations, benedictions, and other formal and informal offerings—is both awe(ful) and glorious.” She wants people to know that gathering, even in a secular setting has a quality of sacredness, and that public prayers are “‘present’ before they are received in the person who will speak them.” I found this concept both reassuring and interesting. Especially in this time where we have very limited times when we can gather for those sacred times together.
While there will always be individuals and groups who seek to block prayer, the idea that a prayer sits in the room waiting to be proclaimed, intrigues me. In a world that curses easily, the most offensive action these days seems to be the act of bringing God’s blessings.
The pluralism of our religious beliefs can make praying in public a challenge. But I feel that challenge is a great place to begin. Who better to ask for help in trying to communicate among the many faith traditions we share in our country and our world—than God? Well, I would really like to know what you think.
Write me an email or call me and express your thoughts. Public prayer is more than a moment of silence or a secular issue involving the church-state debate. It just might be the beginning of a way to communicate with others who have faith traditions we do not understand. And of course, if public prayers are there for us to receive, as Rev. Bowman has suggested, some believers are going to hear them and say them whether people approve, or not. God does not ask our permission if God wants something said. I do not know about you, but I find the mysterious way God works in the world to be exhilarating and life affirming. So, let us have an open conversation about this. Is blessing people in public through prayers a positive or a danger? What do you think?
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Tori Keenan 4/1
David Southwick 4/5
Courtney Dunning 4/6
Bobby Venning 4/6
Andrew Wallenstein 4/7
Pat Woodward 4/11
Arnie Johnson 4/14
Karen Ravndal-Emery 4/18
Steve Gatcombe 4/20
Andrew Lawn 4/21
Ellen Dunbar 4/26
Staci Keenan 4/28
Eno Ogo 4/30
Katie French 5/1
Membership Anniversaries:
Christine Robidoux 4/1
Greg Robidoux 4/1
David Bemis 4/6
Steve Gatcombe 4/9
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
John Bemis 4/18
Sandra Buck Pratt 4/21
Matt Rajaniemi 4/21
Jeff Woodward 4/21
John Woodward 4/21
Andrew Dunbar 5/1
EASTER BASKETS UPDATE
Thank you so much for your very generous contributions to the Easter Basket project! We filled 15 baskets with candy, toys, and books for MATS and SFTS. And we provided lots of candy and empty plastic eggs so that the moms at New Life Home can make baskets or have egg hunts for their children. We pray that these gifts will bring joy to these families and that they will know God’s love through our actions.
ZOOM FELLOWSHIP UPDATE – Easter Sunday – April 4th
Due to a bunch of family obligations and mission work on Easter Sunday, the weekly Sunday ZOOM Fellowship Hour at 1 PM will be cancelled. We hope you’re able to have some face to face fellowship at the 6 AM Sunrise Service earlier in the day at Cathedral of the Pines! Get outside and hunt some Easter eggs! Drop by Peterborough UMC and place some springtime blooms in the “He is Risen” Cross at the front of the church! Take a nice walk in the Monadnock Springtime to celebrate nature reborn and popping up everywhere you look!
Happy Easter to all!
PUMC BOOK GROUP – Tuesday, April 27th @ 1:30 PM
The next book group discussion will revolve around The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. Meeting will be via ZOOM on Tuesday, April 27th at 1:30 PM. Look for reminder posts the week before and ZOOM invites in your email box on Monday, the 26th. Til then, keep calm and read on!
Thanks! Peace and Hope!
Susan
NEW HIRE – WELCOME
The church has just hired Ian Melewski as part-time technical assistant to help Hiel Lindquist with the production and live-streaming of church services. Ian will be filling in while Hiel and Susan take a well-earned break starting mid-April. He will be on call for occasional work thereafter.
Ian is a senior at Franklin Pierce who’s about to finish a degree in Sports Media. He has extensive experience in videography and live-streaming at Franklin Pierce and on other assignments.
Please welcome Ian when your path crosses his at church.
GRANITE DISTRICT UNITED METHODIST WOMEN TO MEET VIA ZOOM – Saturday, May 1st
Registration for Granite District United Methodist Women Spring Meeting
Saturday May 1, 2021 Via ZOOM
“Mothers. Daughters, Friends”
We wish to invite you to join us on Zoom for an inspiring program to honor our mothers, daughters, and friends. There is no fee.
We are requesting you, if you are able, to give an ingathering offering to your favorite charity or food bank within your community. They will be thankful.
How do I register to attend?
Please send your email to Graniteumwomen @ comcast.net to give your name and your local unit. MJ (MaryJane Anderson), District Treasurer will give your registration to the host Nancy Fransen, District President. Nancy will send you the Zoom link and other related data so you can sign in.
Best times to sign in on Zoom: 9:40 am – 9:55am; before 10am.
Please have your bread/cracker and water nearby for communion.
The Spring UMW meeting is a special “Tribute to Mothers.”
Debbie Adams-Brennan will lead us with our special theme.
We are limited to 25 minutes in our program for this tribute. We welcome attendees to volunteer to speak a few words, a favorite poem, a short event that you wish to share or address to your love one at this meeting. To do this, please inform us when you send your email or to register by phone. It is best that Debbie will know who to call on to share their loving words.
Here are the highlights for the Spring Meeting Agenda (approx time)
10:00 am -Welcome – President Nancy Fransen
Video -What is UMW?, Book Reward update, and other announcements.
Opening Prayer -Sylvia Greene
Fairbanks Video on spring Nature
10:25 am – Video – “Mothering God“ with lyrics by Wesley UMC choir.
Tribute to Mother’s – Debbie Adams-Brennan
10:50 am – A Spring craft with Crystal Berwick and Rev. Shannon Keeney
11:10 am – A Break out segment of 3 to 4 people per group to discuss a couple of selected Questions that will be given by President Nancy 11:20 am – Hymn” In Remembrance of Me” by Bow Mills UMC choir with The Bow Mills sacred dancers.
A Communion Service led by Rev. Kelly Turney, Main Street United Methodist Church, Nashua, NH.
11:45 am Closing – President Nancy
Hymn “Blessings.” video by Wesley UMC Electric Praise band.
GREETINGS FROM THE MISSION COMMITTEE!
The spring weather is just around the corner and so is Easter. Laura Constantine is again organizing the Easter Baskets for the children at Shelter From the Storm, Monadnock Area Transitional Housing and New Life Home. As this is being written we are collecting candy and other goodies and will fill the baskets for delivery at the end of March in time for Easter. We hope to capture some pictures for the May “Beyond the Green Doors” newsletter.
During February, we recognized the UMC Human Relations Day ministry. We raised $290, so a thank you to everyone that donated.
There has also been overwhelming support with the food donations. We took a boat load of food to the Peterborough Food Pantry in February. The March donations will go to the Helping Hands Food Pantry in Troy. Several Hannaford gift cards have also been donated and we have passed a couple of them along to the food pantries each month.
In addition to the Easter Baskets, coming up in April is the UMC Native American Ministries Sunday. Watch for more on that in the weekly “What’s Happing” newsletter.
Here is a card from Arun. (Christmas was some time ago but it takes the sponsoring agency, Worlds Children, a bit of time to process and mail things).
I am sure Arun would love to hear from some of us, especially our children. Cards and letters can be sent to:
World’s Children
P.O. Box 2345
Sisters, OR 97759
You can also send an email to info @ worldschildren.org. In both cases, include the name of our child – Arun Hanumanthu.
Our Arun sponsorship of $420 for the year is coming up soon and it is not to early to donate. Just make a note on your donation “Arun Sponsorship” and we will apply the donations to the annual payment.
Thanks for all that you do in support of PUMC’s missions!
Mission Committee
MONADNOCK HUNGER WALK – Virtual Walk – April1st – May 1st, 2021
Want to walk for hunger relief this year? Grab a friend and take a walk … 2-3 miles is recommended … call a few of your friends and family members to support you with pledges to their favorite food pantries or anti-hunger programs. Have them send their check donations with a memo line entry – ‘Monadnock Hunger Walk’. Take your walk and then, go home to download a few picture or selfies of you on your walk. Send the photos to Hiel or Susan Lindquist and then celebrate being a food warrior!
See the FB link below to explore and find documents that help you give family and friends addresses of most area food pantries and programs, list your sponsors so you know who you’ve contacted and who needs a quick call. The FB page makes things pretty easy for you … does everything but lace up your walking shoes! See you on the rail trail!
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 27. This is the newsletter that will be released May 2 and cover until Sunday May 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 Reverend Card.