Newsletter with images in PDF format
BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
February 2021
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Events:
daily 7a Grand Sweep bible study online via Rev Card’s Facebook
Feb 2 7p Technology meeting (volunteers welcome)
Feb 4 Easter Flower Orders Due
Feb 7 Valentine’s Surprise Due
Feb 7 Human Relations Sunday *please send your offering beforehand
Feb 9 6:30p Admin Council meeting online via Zoom (all are welcome)
Feb 17 7p Ash Wednesday Service online via YouTube
Feb 18 10a Pray. Act. Pray Again. Lenten Study Begins online via Zoom
Feb 23 Newsletter submissions due
Feb 23 1:30p Book Group online via Zoom
PRAY. ACT. PRAY AGAIN. LENTEN BIBLE STUDY
I am willing to offer a Pastor’s Study for Lent on Zoom at 10 am on Thursday if anyone is interested. I will use my Book, PRAY. ACT. PRAY AGAIN. Expanded Lenten Edition (make sure it’s the Expanded Edition with the Lenten content). You may have read through this with me online when I first got here–but it is written to be used more than once. If there is interest, I will offer the class. We also have classes other people can offer–just let me know if you would like to teach a different class and I will give you the information. Susan is using Adam Hamilton’s Lenten class called “THE WAY.” I have information on that if someone wants to use that one. The leader’s guide and video are available if someone wants to facilitate this. Just let me know. There is also a new class by Margey DeVega–and I have the information–if someone wants to facilitate that one.
My Lenten Devotional would begin on Thursday, February 18, if there are people interested. The dates would be the following. Please let me know if you are interested. I will set it up on Zoom. If there is no interest, I understand. Please let me know if you have any interest.
February 18
February 25
March 4
March 11
March 18
March 25
Blessings,
Rev Card
Pray. ACT. Pray Again. a 40-Day Walk with God (Expanded Lenten Edition)
Pray. Act. Pray Again. is designed to be a private Lenten devotional book but can also contains lessons for a group prayer study during the seven weeks of Lent. Pray. Act. Pray Again. presents personalized versions of familiar prayers from scripture with commentary on how these prayers can motivate action in the life of the believer. It contains 40 prayers found in Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles, all changed to the first person. They will help the believer respond personally to God’s call to prayer. The 40 prayers are to be used Monday through Saturday during Lent. There is a special Sabbath prayer based on the 23rd Psalm to be used every Sunday. Each prayer has a brief commentary to provide context for the prayer, as well as for the actions that might result from the prayer.
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Isabelle Southwick 2/5
Priscilla Crowe 2/21
Matt Keenan 2/26
Membership Anniversaries:
Arnie Johnson 2/1
EASTER FLOWERS – Order due Feb 4!
The worship committee is already planning for Easter. Usually, we adorn the altar with flowers but again this year we won’t be together in church. We would like you to be able to have Easter flowers for your home. We place an order with Coll’s, Amy will pick them up and deliver them to the church for pick up on Saturday April 3rd. We have a short window to place our orders due to the limited number of growers. Your order needs to placed by next Thursday February 4th.
Below are the options:
These are all 6-inch pots
Tulips- red, white, purple, yellow, pink, orange and mixed
Hyacinth- blue, pink, white
Daffodils.
Please email your selection to Amy Clason-Gilmet. Consult your directory or reach out to the office for contact info.
Include flower choice, number of pots and color selection.
Thank you,
PUMC Worship Committee
A VALENTINE SURPRISE!
Want to help make Valentine’s Day fun for our Sunday School kids? Get yourself a box of old-fashioned classroom
Valentines and write one out for each of the children in our church’s Sunday School! Deliver them or send them in a large envelope to the church before February 7th. Then, when Susan C sends the Sunday School lessons out, she’ll stuff the envelopes with extra Valentine love!
Pass the love around!
Here’s a list of the children that Susan sends lessons to each week. Use the child’s first name and last name initial when you address the cards.
Avery D.
Eli H.
Jasper C.
Angelina W.
Ella F.
Katie F.
Jace S.
Thea S.
Jesse B.
Joey B.
Ashlynn M.
Carlee F.
Evie M.
Ellie M.
Lily M.
Carrie M.
Jennifer M.
Hunter D.
Decota D.
Adeline R.
Noah R.
Clara R.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
PUMC: 43 Concord St, Peterborough NH 03458
EASTER BRINGS HOPE!
Last year, at this time, we began a voyage that no one expected to last this long! Our world was turned upside down, when we began to experience a time of sickness, isolation, and uncertainty. Our church building closed, we became a community of Christ that struggled to cling to some sense of routine, we shuffled the ways we worship and came up with ways to connect on-line and over the phone. We kept tabs on each other, gathered in new and novel ways, learned new technology, and persisted in our pursuit of walking with God and each other through this pandemic and onward in light.
Now, we come to another Lenten season in a time of hope for vaccine appointments, a springtime of fresh air and chances to gather together in worship and fellowship! We are still forced to worship on-line, but there is hope! Our children’s ministry has grown, our worship attendance has grown, our connections in the community have continued and been strengthened by new participants and growing community support.
The Holy Spirit has moved in and among us, leading people to our church and inspiring many of our church members to greater spiritual growth and more community ministries. We have been blessed!
As Lent approaches, let us all continue in the light and seek a meaningful strategy of one sort or another to reflect on the path our Christ took to the cross, the tomb, and beyond. There will be many ways to move along the Lenten way. Consider a Lenten study group, choose your own daily spiritual discipline, or join in helping with the Lenten services.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17th. Join us on-line for an evening service to begin your Lenten journey. Continue with us as we journey toward the hope that bursts forth on Easter morning. We’re waiting with open hands and open hearts! Let’s walk the path together!
Ash Wednesday February 17 7pm
Pray. Act. Pray Again. Lenten Bible Study begins February 18 10am
Palm Sunday March 28 10am
Maundy Thursday April 1 7pm
Easter Sunday April 4 10am
Lent To Go packets will be available, details to come.
PUMC BOOK GROUP –
Leaving Church – A Memoir of Faith
The next read for the PUMC Book Group will be Leaving Church – A Memoir of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor. The group will meet via ZOOM on Tuesday, February 23rd @ 1:30 PM.
This month’s read follows Barbara Taylor’s journey from leading a large urban congregation in Atlanta GA to a smaller congregation in Clarksville, GA, and then beyond to mission work and further activities. Along the way, Taylor reflects on the many ways that God moves in our lives, leads us to places that surprise and challenge, and offers opportunities for change and renewal.
Research the book and author a bit by checking the link below:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5723546
Join us in discussing the book! The group is open to all. Simply snag a copy of the book through the local library, on-line purchase, Kindle or on-line Audible download, or by purchasing at a local bookseller.
MANY THANKS
A big thank you to everyone that has dropped off supplies in the food box outside the church. The local food pantries are very thankful for the donations.
CHURCH TECHNOLOGY MEETING
Looking forward to later this year, we are optimistic that we just might have in-person worship services again. Our live stream has been in operation for almost a year now and it is time to start thinking towards the future. We will eventually need more help in operating the technology. We also need some ideas on additional tools and equipment location. A ZOOM meeting has been scheduled for February 2 beginning at 7 PM. Please join the meeting if you would like to help or if you have suggestions. Send a note to pumclivestream@gmail.com to receive the meeting id and password.
HUMAN RELATIONS SUNDAY
But the one who is greatest among you shall be a servant
No one ever became poor by giving We, as United Methodists, are called to make an impact in communities where our brothers and sisters in Christ lack the resources or tools to reach their God-given potentials. Our gifts are part of building beloved community through faith-based volunteer programs, community developers and programs that work with at-risk teens. For more than half a century, United Methodists have observed this churchwide special Sunday in recognition of the message Jesus demonstrated during his life: Each of God’s children is equally important. In order to contribute, please send your check to the church made out to the church, and indicate on the memo line Human Relations Sunday Offering. Thank you for your loving gift to help those in need.
We will be honoring Human Relations Sunday on February 7, 2021.
Donate online here, with the message “Human Relations Sunday Offering:” https://www.peterboroughumc.org/inside_worship/online-giving/
Learn more here: https://www.umc.org/en/content/human-relations-day-sunday-ministry-article
When you support Human Relations Day, your gift builds community leadership and resources. In Chicago, churches are in partnership to engage in community-based alternatives to juvenile incarceration. In the Philippines, organizations strengthen family resiliency to address substance abuse, particularly with those who are living in the Manila North Cemetery. And in West Congo, United Methodist Churches are working with ecumenical partners to provide pastoral support and advocacy for children and youth who are in prison. Buena Vista United Methodist Church’s slogan is “Building beloved community.” Among the programs of the Alameda, California, church is a partnership with the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI) to engage in joint immigration advocacy. Members have co-sponsored “Know Your Rights” trainings, lobbied for human rights legislation and attended monthly protest vigils on behalf of incarcerated immigrants. Working with IM4Hl and its East Bay affiliate enables the church to network and advocate with other congregations. The church’s immigration committee in 2016 began its accompaniment ministry and provided temporary housing to the Alva-Garcia family from Guatemala. That allowed the family to establish residency in Alameda and to welcome other family members entering the country seeking asylum. Lynette Lee, chair of the Buena Vista Community Institute, and Alton Chinn, the immigration committee’s new chair, want to increase participation and indigenous leadership in the ministry and do more to protect and support immigrants. According to Chinn, “COVID-19 doesn’t change our commitment to this ministry.”
Please write your check to your local church with “HRD” on the memo line and mail to the church or give online with the message “Human Relations Day.”
JOYS
We gave these lovely Asian lilies to my sister-in-law for her birthday. Every time I see them, they bring me joy because when they were first purchased, they were not opened and were a very pale pink on the outside. When they bloomed, it was a wonderful surprise!
Thanks,
Pat Woodward
ANNUAL REPORT SUBMISSIONS
It’s that time again! Time to prepare your reports for the PUMC Annual Report. This is the public-facing report for the 2020 calendar year. You can see last year’s report here: https://www.peterboroughumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PUMC-Annual-Report-2019-final.pdf
Please submit all materials for the next newsletter (March) to our editors by the LAST TUESDAY February 23. This is the newsletter that will be released February 28 and cover until Sunday April 4. 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.