Please enjoy our newsletter for August 2018.
Beyond the Green Doors
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
August 2018
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Weekly
Sun Worship Service 10a
Mon Confidential Meeting 6-8p
Wed Covenant Discipleship Group 6:30p
Thu Office Hours 9-12
Aug 12 Free Community Breakfast 8a
Aug 21 Trustees meeting 5p *date and time change
Aug 22 SPRC meeting 5:30p
Aug 23 & 24 Floor cleaning –do not access church building, no office hours
Aug 26 Free Community Breakfast 8a
Aug 28 Newsletter submissions due
Aug 28 Missions meeting 6:30p
Aug 29 Nominations meeting 5:15p
Sep 13 Carpet cleaning – do not access sanctuary
Sep 18 Finance meeting 5:30p
Sep 18 Church/Admin Council meeting 6:30p
Oct 12 Church Conference
Summer Break:
Adult Bible Class July + August
Book Group July + August
Men’s Monthly Breakfast July + August
Open Mic July + August
Choir resuming after Labor Day
Prayer Shawl resuming Sep 26
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Amy Clason-Gilmet Aug
Ella French Aug 31
Karen Keenan Aug 6
Linda Wallenstein Aug 3
No anniversaries this month! Don’t see your birthday? Email info@peterboroughumc.org or just leave a note in the church office!
PRAYER CORNER
We will never have pure enough motives, or be good enough, or know enough in order to pray rightly. We simply must set all these things aside and begin praying. In fact, it is in the very act of prayer itself—the intimate, ongoing interaction with God—that these matters are cared for in due time.
—Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home
Lord,
teach me how to still my racing thoughts.
Help me to come to You
arguing nothing,
pleading nothing,
asking nothing,
except to be still
in Your presence.
Give me the faith
that will enable me
to lay my burdens at Your feet,
and to leave them there
in exchange for the peace
which passes all understanding.
THE TWELVE STEPS OF HUMILITY
from St. Benedict’s Toolbox, by Jane Tomaine interpreted by Kathleene Card
I recommend Jane Tomaine’s book highly, and to whet your interest let me highlight what she has to say about humility. First off, Tomaine stresses that obedience to God requires us to “leave our own desires behind and respond in love to others.” Without truly understanding what she is proposing this can sound like making ourselves into doormats. So what does it mean to counter competitiveness and aggression with generosity and mutual consideration? It means we place God first. Humility is not humiliation. It means we understand that our life and our gifts are all given by the grace of God, and that the best way to use them is to seek God’s direction. We cannot do this if we are the center of our own lives. We are not open to listening if we feel we know best. St. Benedict compares being humble to climbing a ladder, here is a summary of the steps he suggests we need to take to be humble. We need:
1. To accept that God is present in our lives and to live from that awareness. (This is the most important step.) The touchstone to doing this is to recall the great commandment of Jesus Christ to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. This action is crucial in cultivating an attitude of observation. This mind-set will give us of a new awareness of what is happening around us. Now our own desires will bump up against any attempt to limit our own independence, so Tomaine advises that we start with what we do as work each day. She suggests we “do what we are given to do, accepting that it is the will of God.” Whether we like what we have to do or not, we are to do it “simply as an act of service.” A rather novel idea, if we have already committed to work for someone, and if we are not looking to change in the near future, we are to look at what we are doing—no matter what it is as an act of service!
2. To make doing God’s will our prime objective. I have never really thought that when I force my will I might be interfering with God’s objectives.
3. To recognize that we will not always be in control and to listen and respond to those who are. Stepping aside and letting someone else lead is not easy. Nevertheless, if we do not let others direct us at times, how will they know they are respected?
4. To be patient and steadfast when our obedience places us in a difficult or unfair situation. Staying centered on God, “enduring to the end,” (Matt, 10:22) is not easy, especially when things get dicey and even may be unfair.
5. To practice self-disclosure with someone we trust. Friends who are safe and who can hear our confession and help us to feel forgiveness are essential. To have a place where we can be heard, forgiven and healed is a way to wholeness that blesses us and every relationship we have.
6. To be willing to do the most menial tasks and be at peace with them. We must not think we are too good to do certain tasks.
7. To truly believe in our hearts that others are better than we are. Now really—this is getting tough. Admitting that someone else might have a better way to approach something is a start—and it enables us to learn from others.
8. To take no action except those endorsed by people who show wisdom and understanding. In Benedict’s community this means checking with the elders of the monastery, in our case it would be checking the Rules of Benedict and seeking out guides who have demonstrated that they know the paths that are worthy to walk.
9. To listen more than to talk. “When words are many, transgression is not lacking.” (Proverbs 10:19)
10. To not laugh excessively. Excessively is the key here. We know when laughter is can be harmful—when it is at another’s expense or sarcastic, or hurtful and giddy.
11. To speak quietly and briefly with humility and restraint. To be gentle and brief is to be courteous to the person who has agreed to listen.
12. To know ourselves and our own sinfulness and therefore to be humble inwardly and outwardly. If we ever reach this step our prayer would most likely be, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13.)
This is definitely not what we usually hear this day and age. But ask me about the example given of how this works. It made all the difference in the world to me. Not too many people walk around saying, “I am just too humble!”
NEWS FROM THE TRUSTEES
A new computer was purchased and installed in the church office. This computer is more modern with a faster processor and more storage capacity. The new operating system will better protect our church files. Research has been completed to upgrade the church telephone and internet service. A decision has been made that will provide the church with more telephone features and speed up internet access. One concern that had been raised in the past is that with the reduced hours of the church office, many messages could go days before being answered. With call forwarding and other features, it is hoped that the new telephone service will help with this challenge.
The roof to the fellowship hall and classroom section of the church building will need to be replaced in the near future. Repairs had been made in the past, but for the long-term integrity of the building, a new roof will be needed. The Trustees are in the process of soliciting bids from local contractors. More information concerning the roof will be coming.
Please remember that the floors in the church will be professionally cleaned on Aug 23 and 24 and that the Sanctuary carpet will be cleaned on September 13. These areas will be closed on those days.
The Trustees are involved in the annual facility review. If there is anything that you feel needs attention, please leave a note in the Trustees mailbox in the church office.
Lastly, please remember to lock all doors and make sure all lights are off when exiting the building. It is important that we all be good stewards of our church resources.
Respectfully submitted by,
Bruce Batten,
Trustees Chair
MISSING BOWL
My large white enamel bowl with a geometric band of orange and purple at the top is missing after our celebration lunch on July first. It had potato salad in it. If you brought it home by mistake, please return it to the church kitchen and I’ll pick it up there.
Thanks, Laura C.
UMW CAKE SALE
Sending out a great big THANK YOU to ALL who helped bake and make the United Methodist Women’s Jaffrey Riverfest CAKE SALE a success. We made $178.55 toward helping ARUN with his living expenses and schooling with the purpose of expanding concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of our church. Sue NP
BACK TO SCHOOL BACKPACKS!!
It’s that time of year again when parents are watching the sales to fill up their children’s backpacks with school supplies. Last year, the church family at PUMC was able to provide packs and supplies for each of the school children in families served by MATS and SFTS. The children loved their new backpacks and the parents were very appreciative – the cost of supplies can really strain a budget!
We’d like to do it again this year! You can contribute by:
1. Bringing in standard school supplies like pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue sticks, notebooks, etc and placing them in the collection box in the fellowship hall
2. Write a check and put the word ‘backpack’ in the subject line and your donation will be used to buy backpacks for the children
3. Help shop for packs and supplies with the donated money
4. Help us stuff the packs at the end of August so the kids will be ready for a new school year!
Any questions? See Laura Constantine or Linda Wallenstein.
Thank you so much, the Missions Committee
BEYOND THE GREEN DOORS
Everyone is invited to contribute to the newsletter! Send in your thank yous, birthdays, photos, events, testimonials, prayer submissions…
Please submit all materials for the next newsletter (September) to our editors by the last TUESDAY of the month, September 25. This is the newsletter that will be released on September 30 and cover until Sunday November 4. Send to Melissa French at 924-4294 or email info@PeterboroughUMC.org, 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. 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 Reverend Card.