Please enjoy our newsletter for November 2016.
Beyond the
Green Doors
The newsletter of the
Peterborough United Methodist Church
43 Concord Street, Peterborough, NH
November 2016
STRAIGHT TALK WITH PASTOR LENA
Dear Friends,
Do you remember when autumn was known as the time to “Button-Up?” Screen windows were replaced with glass “storm” windows; the bounty of the garden was tucked neatly into the root cellar or canned and sitting in neat, colorful rows on pantry or jelly cupboard shelves; meat had been butchered and was hanging in the smoke house sending out tantalizing aroma; and wood harvested in the early spring was split, stacked and at the ready in the wood shed. In those days before insulation, skirts were built around the perimeter of the houses and filled with leaves, straw, pine boughs and even shredded newspaper in an effort to create a buffer from the bite of old man winter’s wind and freezing temperatures.
Spiritually speaking, I wonder how many of us think to “button-up” against the biting winds that life and Satan send our way. Do we pay heed to what we allow to enter in through the windows of our minds? Do we keep our strength, courage, and hope well-stocked? Do we cure our temperance and meekness, our faith and trust? Have we an ample supply of his love, joy and peace to keep us warm in those times when the chill of life seeps into our bones? And what about our skirting: is it high enough and deep enough? Is it packed and weighed down so the winds of winter cannot set a-stir our long-suffering, gentleness, and kindness?
As we are in this season of buttoning-up, may we all pay heed to our spiritual homes – our hearts, and minds, and souls – that we may ward off the icy chill of a spiritual winter.
Praying – Always,
Pastor Lena
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Thu 3 HymnSing at Rivermead 11a
Sat 5 Service for Barbara MacInnes
Thu 17 Church Conference 7p
Fri 18 Open Mic Night 7p
Sat 19 Holiday Stroll 9a-2p
Sun 20 Greening of the Church
Tue 22 Prayer Shawl Ministry 1p
Sat 26 Men’s Breakfast 7:30a
Wed 30 Newsletter due
Wed 30 PUMC Book Group 7p
Tue Dec 6 UMW Meeting 7p
Tue Dec 13 Ad Council 6:30p
Weekly
Sun Worship Service 10a
Sun Adult Bible Class 11:15a
Wed Wesleyan Devotional 10a, 7 p
Wed Open Sanctuary 10-1
Thu Choir Rehearsal 6:30p
OFFICE HOURS
Monday and Tuesday are Pastor Lena’s days off, unless it is an emergency she will not respond to emails until Wednesday.
Wednesday 10-1 are Pastor Lena’s office hours. You may call or email to schedule an appointment.
If you need access to the building, Melissa is in the office Thursdays 9-11.
CHURCH FAMILY CELEBRATIONS
Birthdays:
Richard Clason II Nov
Melissa Wassenberg Nov 1
Membership Anniversaries:
Wendy Dunning, 28 years
Patricia Echavarria, 24 years
Steven Griggs, 3 years
Patrick Troy, 3 years
Steve Venning, 24 years
Patricia Woodward, 28 years
PHONE DIRECTORY UPDATE
An updated phone directory will be produced during the month of December. Please send all updates to names, address, phone numbers, email addresses and photos to KLVK139@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Karen Keenan
Membership Secretary
HOLIDAY STROLL
NOVEMBER 19th, 9am – 2pm
Each year since 1994, the churches of Peterborough have joined together the Saturday before Thanksgiving in hosting a town wide craft fair. Each church puts their own flair and uniqueness to the day and people from all around the area spend the day strolling from church to church starting their Christmas shopping and enjoying the day.
We have chosen to participate once again this year and are starting to make plans. Bagley Hall will be decked out with red tables full of Christmas offerings: everything from homemade apple pies to lovingly made Christmas crafts to gently used Christmas decorations, while the Sunday School rooms will be used to offer a Soup & Bread luncheon to the hungry shoppers (and the hungry workers!)
The Plan:
Fair Trade (it’s back!) – Unique handcrafted products offered through UMCOR’s Serrv program.
Deck the Halls – Recycled Christmas items and decor
The Christmas Shop – Fine handcrafted items, new Christmas decorations including plant materials and wreaths
Grandma’s Goodies – Pies, breads, cookies, candies, etc
We Three Kings Gifts – Re-gifting of nearly new/unused items, Christmas storybooks (please save yard sale quality items for next May’s yard sale!)
Luncheon – Soups, muffins/bread, and desserts
The Schedule:
Set up:
Sunday, November 13th after church/fellowship hour
Tuesday, November 15th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Wednesday, November 16th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Thursday, November 17th 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Friday, November 18th 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Saturday, November 19th 8:00 – 9:00 am
Drop off:
Donations: Sunday November 13th after church,
or during scheduled setup times November 15th through 19th
Bake Sale items: Friday November 18th 4:00 – 6:00 pm
or Saturday November 19th before 9:00 am
Fair: Saturday, November 19th 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Cleanup 2:00 – 3:00 pm
KEEP IN TOUCH
We now have multiple ways of keeping in touch with the PUMC church family. Learn more about how we are communicating and how you can share.
Item Type Method Due Released
Bulletin insert announcements short 1-2 lines Wed Sun
Extra bulletin insert extra half page for special events Wed Sun
Moment verbal announcement quick and concise Wed announced Sun
Beyond the Green Doors monthly newsletter mailed/emailed and posted on the site, pretty pictures welcome, web version has links last Wed of month Sun after due
What’s Happening weekly email plain text preferred, emailed, posted on the events board near the kitchen Wed Thurs
Church-wide emails for church family info special circumstances
Site/blog posts for public info posted on the site and emailed to subscribers, links, attachments, pretty pictures welcome, min 200 words
Facebook posts and shares for public info links, pretty pictures welcome
Sign up sheets posted on the events board
Handouts and flyers If you need help designing a flyer you can ask for assistance
Site/Google calendar for building use or church family events
Calendar on the Trustees board for any building use, church events check and update when you schedule an event that involves building use
WMUR check for church cancellation
Phone Tree cancellations or emergency in progress, sign up at Church Conference
Have something to share with the church family or community? How to reach people:
The folks who don’t use email or computer:
Bulletin insert, Beyond the Green Doors, What’s Happening, Calendar on the Trustees board
The folks who use email, but don’t use the internet:
Beyond the Green Doors, What’s Happening, Church-wide emails
The folks who use both email and internet:
Beyond the Green Doors, What’s Happening, Church-wide emails, Site/blog posts, Facebook posts and shares, Site/Google calendar
Not sure or need help? Ask our church secretary, Melissa French, for guidance on the best way to share. Melissa’s office hours are Thursdays 9-11. Items are due on Wednesday so that at 9 am Thursday a tornado of productivity can occur, including printing the bulletin and/or newsletter..
UMW WORLD THANK OFFERING NOVEMBER CALENDAR
The United Methodist Women will again this year have a calendar to remind you of all the conveniences you enjoy and take for granted each day.
The World Thank Offering is an opportunity for individuals to respond to God’s abundance and grace with spontaneous gifts of gratitude.
The funds collected are used in the total program of the mission of aiding women and children around the world. Internationally, these UMW funds support 121 programs carried out by 107 organizations in more than 110 countries.
The calendars will be available Sunday, October 30. Please have fun with this. Do as many or few as you wish. All donations will be appreciated.
Donations may be given to Karen Keenan or Carol Owen by December 4 th so that our collection donation can be sent to the national UMW organization by the end of the year. Please make any checks payable to UMW.
If you would like to participate but are unable to pick up a calendar, please contact Carol Owen at 525-4125.
UNITED METHODIST WOMEN
The United Methodist Women are enthusiastically meeting to serve our mission of aiding women and children.
In July, $525 was sent to World’s Children Fund for Arun’s sponsorship and money for the orphanage Christmas and Birthday fund. We thank everyone for helping us meet this goal.
The November calendars are available for the congregation to participate in the World Thank Offering which is a month of showing gratitude for our blessings. See the accompanying article for details.
Several of the women have made busy bags for the children to use during worship. These will hold crayons and coloring books, etc. and will be located in the front entry of the church.
UMW is still collecting Campbell Soup labels until next July when this program will end. There is a collection envelope in the fellowship hall. The labels are sent to the Cooper Community Center in Boston. They receive money for the labels and buy needed supplies. This is a UMW mission.
We will again be collecting mittens, hats, and socks for MATS and Shelter From the Storm. We will soon have the exact sizes that are needed.
Remember to pick up your new Upper Room. A very generous person has anonymously donated these.
Our next meeting is December 6 th at Phyllis Porter’s at Rivermead.
Carol Owen
CHRISTMAS AND UMW
The next meeting of the United Methodist Women will be a celebration of Advent! Come for a cookie exchange at the home of Dr. Phyllis Porter! Bring a platter with a small batch (a dozen or two) of cookies to exchange, an extra plate to gather your cookies, and a special Christmas story of your family traditions. The evening will be all about fellowship and sharing. For directions to Dr. Phyllis’s place, see Phyllis or any of the members of the UMW!
Our get together will begin at 7 PM, RiverMead Life Care Community, 50 Timber Pond Rd, Apt # 2205, Peterborough. Come celebrate with us!
FOR STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION
“O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (From the Book of Common Prayer)
Dear Friends,
As you might understand from the prayer above, it is again time to look at our donations to the body of Christ, our Church, to see where God leads us. We have distributed a pledge letter for your consideration. It includes a pledge card for 2017 and a pre-addressed envelope for your convenience. You may mail it to the Church or drop it in the collection basket as it passes during Sunday services.
We ask that you give your most careful consideration to your pledge and help us achieve another successful year at PUMC. Please complete the pledge card and return it to the church by no later than Sunday, November 13, 2016. Your Finance committee will need this information to complete the preparation of the budget and presentation to the Ad Council for review and approval at the 13 December meeting.
With Grace and Peace,
Jim Poplin
Lay Leader
CHURCH CONFERENCE
The Church Conference is coming! Thursday November 17 at 7 pm, with SPRC meeting with the DS at 6 pm. Come and join this time of worship and church business. All are welcome.
PRAYER SHAWL GROUP ASKS FOR HELP
Every month a small group of knitters gathers in the fellowship hall to sit and gather their shawl projects in a circle. Between the clicking of needles, small talk ensues.
Sometimes a prayer, sometimes sharing funny stories, sometimes planning church events, sometimes sharing things read or seen in the outside world. It’s a relaxing time of fellowship.
This past month, the group took inventory of its supply of wool and worsted acrylics yarns… and found a need. So, an appeal rings out! If you have extra wool yarn or acrylic skeins sitting in your closet, hiding in a bag or taking up space in your craft room, please consider donating it to the group! It will get used by the knitters in the prayer shawl circle to make something wonderful for someone in need of a warm embrace from God and the knitters. Thanks!
And speaking of knitters, one of the group donated her shawl and this beautiful article at the last gathering. Thank you, Leslie Crossman!
The God Who Knits by Lori Erikson – read and enjoy!
http://www.beliefnet.com/wellness/2006/01/the-god-who-knits.aspx
PEAK INTO PETERBOROUGH
A big thanks to everyone who helped to make our booth at Peak Into Peterborough a success, we raised $206 for Imagine No Malaria! The church is well on its way to its missions goal of $500. Stay tuned for a special Sunday offering and events planned around UMC’s Imagine No Malaria campaign.
PUMC BOOK GROUP
A light and uplifting read comes our way for the month of November. An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive and an Unlikely Meeting With Destiny by Laura Schroff will be the topic of the reading group. Laura Schroff was a young, high power sales exec in the magazine industry when she chanced upon a little boy who was also working the streets of Manhattan. That chance meeting changed both their lives. During this month leading up to Thanksgiving Day, this is the perfect story to ponder. A fast but rewarding read.
The next meeting of the PUMC book group will be on Wednesday, November 30th @ 7 PM. Books maybe be acquired at your local library, through online downloads, or via used book websites or at your local bookstore. The book is available in paperback… feel free to join the discussion. All are welcome!
OPEN MIC
Open Mic is alive and well ! There were 18 merry souls at our last song circle! Guitarists, an autoharpist, a pianist, a poet, a storyteller, and an audience willing to hum along! Next month’s Open Mic will be held on Friday, November 18th @ 7 PM. There’s room in the song circle for many more! Come for an evening of song and fellowship! Bring your instrument if you wish or just sip some coffee and hum along!
The Open Mic planning group is hoping to design a canvas banner for the flag pole mount out front of the church. If you have artistic skills and would like to help design a banner logo, please check with Andy Wallenstein, Hiel Lindquist or Melissa French. We have the canvas and the acrylic paints, we just need an artist!
GREENING OF THE CHURCH
Advent approaches! On Sunday, November 20th, it will be time to begin bringing in the greens and dressing our sanctuary with Christmastime colors. Plan to stay for a while after the church service that day to join in the excitement! If you have access to holly, ivy, winterberry, hemlock or pine boughs, bring a bouquet of greens to arrange. Spare vases, fresh red bows/ribbon, and small battery operated votive candles (white lights, please) are also needed and can be brought in ahead of Greening Sunday. Someone from the worship team will take them off your hands and see that they are stored for use during the Advent services. Many thanks.
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 (November) to our editors by the last Wednesday of the month, November 30. This is the newsletter that will be released on Sunday December 4 and cover until Sunday January 1. 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 at pastorlena@peterboroughumc.org, or in person.