Please enjoy our newsletter for January 2017.
Beyond the Green Doors
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
January 2017
STRAIGHT TALK WITH PASTOR LENA
Dear Friends:
“Are You Kidding Me?!”
I do not know about you, but I am heartily fed up with all these snow storms that decide to pay a visit during morning commutes? ? I mean, we’ve got places to go and this to do in the morning! Did someone pay off Old Man Winter or something?!
As the snow was swirling about in the frigid wind this last storm, I was attempting to navigate the slush covered sidewalk of Main Street and the stride over the snow mounds on the curbs to the parking meter, my conversation with God went something like this,
“Are You Kidding Me, God?!” I have so many things I am supposed to get done this morning and here we are in yet another *morning* snow storm! Just Great!!! (Stamp, Stamp, Slip, Whoa! Little steps to the car)
After brushing off the snow which purposely got down my coat sleeve and into my glove and….and! had fallen into the car when I opened the door and, of course (!!!) landed on the seat, I thought of the words in a recent devotional,
“God gets His greatest victories out of apparent defeats. Very often He comes in and upsets all the work of the enemy, overthrows the apparent victory…”
Laying my head against the headrest and taking a deep breath, I reflected a few moments on
2 Corinthians 2:14, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.”
Okay, God. These snow storms and delay may appear to be defeats but in reality we are on the Winter’s Side of the Spring of Triumph.
I encourage you, in the days ahead, to look with expectancy to triumph and to victory. The God who raised an army from dry bones; who maketh all things new; who never leaves us nor forsakes us, has promised.
Hope – Always!
Pastor Lena
Please check and make sure that your contacts for Pastor Lena is pumcpastor@peterboroughumc.org. This allows Pastor Lena to separate church business from regular emails on her days off.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Thu 5 HymnSing at Rivermead 11a
Fri 20 Open Mic Night 7p
Wed 25 PUMC Book Group 7p
Wed 25 Newsletter due
Tue 27 Prayer Shawl Ministry 1p
Tue 31 Prayer Shawl Group 1p
Tue 31 Ad Council Meeting 6:30p
Weekly
Sun Worship Service 10a
Sun Adult Bible Class 11:15a
Wed Open Sanctuary 10-1
Thu Choir Rehearsal 6:30p
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Melissa French Jan 10
Hiel Lindquist Jan
Membership Anniversaries:
George Eastman, 76 years
Eno and Billi-Jo Ogo, 1 year
Kenneth Schultz, 8 years
Liz Welty, 4 years
Mark and Pam Welty, 4 years
NEW LIFE HOME
Thank you to everyone who donated gifts for New Life Home!
MANY THANKS
Many thanks to everyone who helped make the Christmas Service such a lovely day.
ANNUAL REPORT
Short and sweet, well-crafted reports from each PUMC project, committee, and leadership role should be turned in by Wednesday January 18. The report should cover 1/1/16 to 12/31/16.
NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOD BANK
Some of the PUMC Sunday School kids were at the Jaffrey Craft Fair raising funds for the New Hampshire Food Bank. They raised $359. That’s 718 meals!
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
For everyone born, a place at the table,
for everyone born, clean water and bread,
a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
for everyone born, a star overhead,
And God will delight when we are creators
of justice and joy, compassion and peace:
yes, God will delight when we are creators
of justice, justice and joy!
For woman and man, a place at the table,
revising the roles, deciding the share,
with wisdom and grace, dividing the power,
for woman and man, a system that’s fair.
For young and for old, a place at the table,
a voice to be heard, a part in the song,
the hands of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
for young and for old, the right to belong,
For just and unjust, a place at the table,
abuser, abused, with need to forgive,
in anger, in hurt, a mindset of mercy,
for just and unjust, a new way to live,
For everyone born, a place at the table,
to live without fear, and simply to be,
to work, to speak out, to witness and worship,
for everyone born, the right to be free.
and God will delight when we are creators
of justice and joy, compassion and peace:
yes, God will delight when we are creators
of justice, justice and joy! UMW
The United Methodist Women will meet on February 7th at 7:00 PM at the church (weather permitting).
Do you know what KIVA is? Susan Lindquist will be informing us about this interesting organization that we have heard about in our mission moments. If you can volunteer for devotions or refreshments, please contact Carol Owen.
All women are invited to attend, so mark this date on your calendar.
MITTENS
The UMW thanks the church congregation for helping with purchasing the mittens for Shelter From The Storm and MATS. We were able to
completely supply the need. Thank you very much!
PUMC BOOK GROUP
LaRose by Louise Erdrich
When: January 25th, 2016
Where: Peterborough UMC
Time: 7 PM – 8:30 PM
If you need help finding a copy of the book or have questions about the book group, contact Susan Lindquist.
BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
Church leaders should not be the only ones contributing to the newsletter! Send me your birthdays, photos, events, testimonials, prayer submissions…
Please submit all materials for the next newsletter (February) to our editors by the last Wednesday of the month, January 25. This is the newsletter that will be released on Sunday January 29 and cover until Sunday February 26. Send to Melissa French, with the subject “Newsletter submission.” Thanks!
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