Please enjoy our newsletter for May 2017.
Beyond the Green Doors
The newsletter of the Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
May 2017
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Tue 2 UMW Meeting 12p
Wed 3 Fresh Air Study 6:30p
Wed 3 Discipleship Group 7:30p
Fri 5 Know Your Church Why 6-8p
Sat 6 Monadnock Hunger Walk 8a
Sat 6 Know Your Church How 12-2p
Wed 10 Discipleship Group 6:30p
Sat 13 Rummage Sale 9-1
Mon 15 HymnSing at Rivermead 11a
Tue 16 Ad Council meeting 6:30-8p
Fri 19 Open Mic Night 7p
Sat 20 Children and the Arts booth 9-4
Sat 20 Hundred Nights Tailgate Dinner
Mon 22 Newsletter due
Fri 26 Know Your Church What 6-8p
Sat 27 Men’s Monthly Breakfast 7:30a
Tue 30 Prayer Shawl Group 1p
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:
Katie French May 1
Greg Robidoux May 3
Membership Anniversaries:
Nancy Belletete, 17 years
Douglas Breda, 35 Years
Andrew Dunbar, 40 Years
Scott Keenan, 10 Years
Robert Venning, 10 Years
Lynda Volante, 37 Years
Submit your birthday:
Did we miss your birthday? Email your birth month and date and we’ll make sure you get recognition for your special day.
LETTER FROM THE PASTOR
For the past decade, and the last few years in particular, churches and pastors have been bombarded by a plethora of “experts” pushing their latest ideologies regarding the “cultural shift” that has been happening within the church. We are inundated with seminars, resources, and new terminology that supposedly addresses this cultural shift. But after all the discussions, the planning, the enthusiasm, and the trial runs, most often we, as pastors, are the ones left trying to explain why these programs and ideologies tend to fail within three to five years of commencement, leaving congregations feeling both incompetency and failure.
I, too, once believed in a cultural change occurring within the church, and within society. Now, however, I believe that it goes much further – much deeper. Instead of a simple change of culture, I believe we are living in and witnessing an irreversible paradigm shift, and one that is simply not being addressed by the church “experts.”
This paradigm shift is obvious when looking at the moda d’operandi of church. “Come, Listen, Leave,” had been the accepted practice for generations since the great revivals of the 1800’s. Now, however, and in particular with the Millennial generation, the accepted practice is,”Come, Learn, Do.” This young generation is not interested in merely hearing a good sermon and good music, as it demands life-changing, life-enhancing lessons which go hand in hand with opportunities of Christian apprenticeship in the real world. No longer is it accepted to just “be” a Christian, as this new generation demands proof. It is not a matter of walking the walk or talking the talk, but of both walking and talking in a unified force.
And this paradigm shift is what is creating an ever widening gap between the older generations that make up most of our congregations and the younger generations that are turning en force to those social and religious opportunities that provide the atmosphere to “Come, Learn, and Do.” As pastors, we often find ourselves falling within the gap. The older expect and desire only to “Come, Listen, and Leave” to the frustration and ire of those who desire to “Come, Learn and Do.” It demands of the pastor, patience, grace, understanding and the wisdom of Solomon. And I, for one, am often left feeling that if the church is going to move into the future, we must be willing to move with this paradigm shift or the baton will be dropped and not retrieved.
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 and the additional services provided.
This will be a short program during lunch.
Mark your calendars for our annual salad supper meeting on Tuesday, June 6th at 6 PM. The place will be announced later.
Details about the rummage sale on May 13th are in a separate article. Please plan to help with this important fundraiser.
Submitted by Carol Owen
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. Our goal for this fund raiser is $360 – $640. Any additional monies raised will either go to the Methodist home where Arun is living or to our Upper Room devotional program.
Would you please help us?
• We need your stuff!
We are accepting clothing (all seasons), linens and craft supplies/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!
Methodists are known for our food! If you are able to further assist the UMW by baking items to sell to hungry shoppers, please bake! We’d really appreciate it and could use your help.
• We need your time!
Many hands make light work. Now that the church has keyless entry, you may drop off your items anytime beginning Tuesday, May 9th. Official drop off and set up times are:
Tuesday, May 9th 5 pm – 7 pm
Thursday, May 11th 5 pm – 7 pm
Friday, May 12th 5 pm – 7 pm
Please look for the sign up sheet in fellowship hall to indicate when you are available to help both during set up times and on the day of the sale, May 13th. Thank you for considering this.
Surrender.
The surrendering of our lives.
Surrendering any notion that we “possess” our own lives.
My life does not belong to me.
That is how I would speak about having died with Christ0
and being raised with him.
– Br. Curtis Almquist, Society of Saint John the Evangelist
MEN’S MONTHLY BREAKFAST
The PUMC men continue to meet on the last Saturday of the month for breakfast and fellowship. This month (April 29) the breakfast is being hosted by the Clasons. We will be meeting again in May and June before taking a short hiatus for the summer. All men, whether church members or not, are invited to the breakfasts
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Are you receiving our weekly email, What’s Happening? Many of our upcoming events are debuted in this message. It is an important part of our church family communications. If you would like to subscribe (or unsubscribe) just send an email. If you would like to submit something send an email by Wednesday evening to be included in the release first thing Thursday.
OPEN MIC NIGHT
Back in the late 70’s, the genius of local live music in Peterborough was created at a coffee/tea house on Grove Street, called “The Folkway.”
That iconic establishment is now just a pleasant memory, but…. now a similar activity is happening, on each third Friday evening (from 7 to 9 pm.), of the month, in the Fellowship Hall of the United Methodist Church on Concord Street.
Local musicians and authors are performing brief sets and readings, in a small cabaret type venue, with complimentary light desserts and beverages. Any musician or author is welcomed and there is no cover charge. All are welcomed to either perform or attend.
Contact the Lindquists or the Wallensteins for more information.
PUMC MISSIONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Peterborough UMC is a mission oriented church. The mission team at Peterborough UMC is focused on providing service to others following the path set out for us by Jesus the Christ. Last year the Mission Team set out to support needs of neighbors in other nations as well as those requiring assistance in the United States and locally in the New Hampshire District.
We hope you are aware of their activities in the greater church and locally. The team ensured the congregation was aware of the needs and accomplishments the church provides as a results of donations for Human Relations Day. Funds raised are used to encourage those seeking social justice and assist those working with at risk youth. For several years the Mission team has actively drawn attention to the work performed by the UMCOR, the Church’s rapid response disaster teams that provide practical items to those families affected by disasters.
The funds raised by the offering for Native American Ministries helps those seeking to enter the ministry with scholarships to attend Seminaries. In addition, the greater church’s World Communion Day support scholarships for graduate students through out the world find their calling in the faith. Further the United Methodist Student Day supports those students entering Christian Education or Ministry fields.
The United Methodist Church has once again set an ambitious goal for this year’s imagine no Malaria Campaign with action calling on churches to raise $1 million. Each $10 raised can prevent a child or at risk adult from contracting this deadly disease. So far the program has reduced the disease from taking a life every 30 seconds to once every two minutes. The Mission Team is working to raise $1,000 this year. That translates to 100 lives. There is no other program that has had a more direct impact on the lives of those who live in the infested areas of Africa.
The team has spent most of its efforts locally in supporting various programs affecting the lives of families who face financial hardship or an abusive living situations. The church has witnessed its faith in supporting the missions of Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter and Shelter from the Storm that provide temporary housing for those families who are without a place to live homes.
The church has for many years provided gifts and financial support to mothers with children who are homeless and find shelter at the New Life Home in Manchester, NH. Further, many team members support the efforts of the 100 Nights Shelter, which is the default homeless shelter in NH for those individuals who have no alternative place to stay.
In addition, the young people of the church have accepted challenges to raise funds for the NH Food Bank at Community activities including the Holiday Stroll and the Jaffrey Craft Fair.
All of this dedicated and endless planning has resulted in aid provided to our community and the greater church programs of over $3,000. We are very proud of the results of all of these efforts. Please let our Mission Team know what a wonderful job they are doing. Praise God.
Jim Poplin
Lay Leader
CAMPBELL’S SOUP LABELS
Many thanks to those of you who have been faithfully bringing labels to the church! The labels have been contributed to the Hattie B. Cooper Community Center in Roxbury, MA which is able to redeem them for needed supplies. Founded almost 100 years ago by United Methodist women, the Cooper Center provides many family services, especially for children, in some of the poorest communities in Boston. United Methodist Women across New England have joined together in supporting this mission.
Unfortunately, the Campbell Soup label program will be ending this summer, so please be sure to bring any labels you have collected by July 15th. If you have never collected labels, it’s not too late to start! Participating products include Campbell’s, Pace, Spaghettios, Pepperidge Farm, Swanson, and V8. Labels may be deposited in the envelope on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall or given directly to Janet Hazel.
PRAYER CORNER
We must take as from God the haphazard arrangements of our lives. If we accept the Lord Jesus Christ and the domination of His lordship, we also accept that nothing happens by chance, because we know that God orders and engineers circumstances…and we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God.”
—Oswald Chambers, If You Will Ask
“I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
Job 42:2
O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day
with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely without embittering or embarrassing others.
Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray You Yourself in me.
—François Fénelon (1651-1715)
BENEFIT DINNER
The missions team would like to thank everyone for their participation in the benefit dinner last Saturday April 8. A special shout out goes to all the volunteers, people who donated food, and especially all those who came and ate! We raised over $800 which will all go to benefit MATS and Shelter from the Storm.
PUMC QUILTERS BEGIN A PROJECT
Stitchers in our congregation have begun meeting to create a quilt for our Holiday Stroll. Scraps of cotton fabric get a make-over into little four patch squares. Then, it’s time to swap some, place some into the quilt basket, and look around for more scrappy fabric. if anyone has 100% cotton calicos, shirting, juvenile prints, or reproduction fabrics that they would like to clear out of their closets, please see one of the quilters to donate them to the cause ! You may see your scraps in the ‘church quilt’ come November!
Thus far, the PUMC quilters are Deb Batten, Gladys Bugler, Laura Constantine, Karen Keenan, Susan Lindquist, Joanne Martin, and Laura Nerz. There’s always room for more around the sewing circle though! Much of the work is being done at home and at the individual sewer’s convenience. If you’d like to be a part of the project, yak it up with one of the quilters and they’ll get you started on the project!
PUMC BOOK Group
The PUMC readers have chosen The Stars Are Fire by Anita Shreve as the next read for the group. The story revolves around a devastating fire that took place along the coast of Maine in October of 1947. A young mother and her two children watch from the waves along the coast as their town, their friends, and their lives are destroyed in the flames. Rebuilding their lives will be a challenge…
The group will meet on Wednesday evening – 7 PM, May 31st in the fellowship room at the church. All are welcome to come discuss. The book is available in Kindle versions, through library loan or for sale on-line or in local bookstores. Let someone in PUMC book group know if you’re interested in getting a book, they can help you out!
HUNDRED NIGHTS DINNER – May 20th
Calling all summer picnic recipes! The next tailgate supper for Hundred Nights will be held on Saturday, May 20th. Since it’s so close to Memorial Day weekend, it’s looking like a picnic supper is in order! So, check out your favorite cold pasta salads, fruity salads, plates of cool snacks, easy cookies/bars because we’re grilling up spicy chicken wings and heading out to Hundred Nights to give folks a fun barbecue supper. Sign-up on the list in the fellowship room by the kitchen hallway! Many thanks!
CHILDREN AND THE ARTS FESTIVAL
Saturday, May 20th … Interest ???
Hey kids and families! Is there any interest in making a big puppet and forming a parade group for this year’s theme … Out of This World ? If so, let’s talk soon! We can do something with heaven and stars and rainbows and such! A couple days pf cardboard, glue, paints, and paste and we’ll be all set!
Hey Missions folks! is there an interest in having a bake sale table for one of the missions projects at the Festival? If so, get in touch with the organizers to get a spot and let’s get baking! Talk with Susan Lindquist if you’re interested in getting messy in the kitchen or the craft room and having some fun and fellowship!
MONADNOCK HUNGER WALK FAST APPROACHES
Thus far, our church has two folks volunteering to walk a while in Greenfield on May 6th. If you would like to join the walking team, please grab a walking registration form off the easel in the fellowship room. This walk is an important way to support local food pantries, which have a time of stress during the summer months when families need extra help with this breakfasts and lunches that schools provide during the school year. So, consider getting a posse of your friends together to sponsor you (or walk WITH you!) and join in for the first Monadnock Hunger Walk.
See details on the flyer below or talk with Susan Lindquist. She’ll give you the low-down.
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 (June) to our editors by the last Wednesday of the month, May 31. This is the newsletter that will be released on Sunday June 4 and cover until Sunday July 2. 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.