September Scriptures and Sermons

September 2 James 1:17-27Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23Sermon: Arise, My Love

September 9 - Rally Sunday James 2:1-17Mark 7:24-37Sermon: Open for Business

September 16 Mark 8:27-38James 3:1-12Sermon: Learning Manners

Sept 23 - Cathedral of the PinesPsalm 121John 1:1-18Sermon: Listen to the Mountain

September 30 James 5:13-20Mark 9:38-50Sermon: Bumbles, Stumbles, and Missteps

TheSeptember

SEPTEMBER 2018

UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, PETERBOROUGH, NHAn Open and Affirming Congregation

Bob’s Byte

C MMUNICON It started when I was up on Pine Mountain for Arts on the Mountain a few weeks ago. I saw the first leaves turning color. This is always a shock in the early days of August, but it was in the shadow of Mount Washing-ton, so I just accepted it as part of being in the mountains. But last week I really got the wakeup call – we saw leaves turning color down in Connecticut!

I don’t mind changes. I like when the change is pleasant, like when the sun comes out after a few weeks of clouds. That is a change I can get behind. I like the change of having a new(er) car after driving a clunker. I like to see changes in society that make life better for those in need, better for those who have been margin-alized, better for the oppressed. Some changes are positive and are well received, but those are not the only changes that occur in life.

The change of seasons is just a small reminder that life is always in flux and that we need to take the good with the bad. Autumn will arrive bringing changes. It is the end of vacations, the end of summer fun – cookouts, swimming, hiking, and the end of the lush green of summer. It is time to get back to school, work, and regular activities. It is time to begin the process of buttoning up for the winter, topping off the wood piles, and putting the garden to bed. Soon enough the leaves will need to be raked and then comes the cold of winter, and dare I say it, snow!

Now I know that for some the coming of winter is, in itself, a reason to get excited. Skiing, snowmobiling, and snow shoeing are great fun, but there are many people who look at the winter as a time to hide and await the spring. Conversely, for some the summer is a time to hide from the heat and await the winter.

Perhaps the changes themselves are less important than the way we approach the changes. I could be sad because the summer is ending, but I can also look forward to the beauty of a New England snowfall. I may be excited about the beautiful fall colors but dread the fall allergies. And while I will miss the summer, with all its fun adventures, I will not miss the hot sticky nights that come with heat waves.

While we say farewell to one season, we welcome a new season that is also a gift from God. We will share our stories of the summer past while planning for the activities of fall. We have said farewell to one Adminis-trative Assistant while greeting a new companion on the journey. We give thanks for the lessons and blessings of the past while preparing for the promised possibilities of a new day, a new season.

Let the wild rumpus begin! Bob

All-Church Picnic September 9th

1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Hosted by Mary Ann and Don Fleming

They will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and rolls, plus

tableware.

Bring a lawn chair and a dish to share.

Look for the sign-up sheet in the hall, so they can have a head

count by Sept. 5th.

Hello everyone! Can you believe that we are back at school already? Sunday School is very excited to be back, especially with our Kick-Off Camp-Out on Saturday, September 8th at 6:00 p.m. We are still looking for chaperones so if you are interested, please contact Emily Foote.

This summer the Christian Ed Committee got together to look at how our youth and children engage with and learn from the Bible and we are excited to begin a new workshop approach for Sunday School. Again this year our volunteers are an important part of our ability to hold Sunday School each week. A schedule of stories and activity styles are listed below through Christmas. Please take a look and if you would like to help on a specific Sunday, please contact Emily Foote to sigh up to help! Thank you for all of your continuing support!

September - Daniel and the Lion’s Den 9/9 Bible skills and games 9/16 Art 9/23 Music 9/30 Science

October - Jonah and the Big Fish 10/7 Bible skills and games 10/14 Creative Drama 10/21 Science 10/28 Art

November - Noah’s Ark11/4 Bible skills and games11/11 Cooking11/18 Music11/25 Art

December - Advent and Christmas12/2 Bible skills and games12/9 Computer Lab/ Art12/16 Video12/23 Christmas Contata - No Sunday School

Sunday School News

The Bell and Senior Choirs begin rehearsals on Thursday, September 6! Bells begin at 6:30 and the Senior Choir begins at 7:30 in the Chapel. If you’d like to give either choir a try, please contact Carele Mayer (bells) or Mary Ann Fleming (choir). The Junior Choir begins rehearsals on Thursday, September 27, at 6:30 in the upstairs Music classroom.

Choirs Resume

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Women’s FellowshipThe New Hampshire Conference UCC Women’s Fellowship Fall Gathering – Different Ways to tell the Story – will be gathering in Sanbornton on Saturday, Septem-ber 22, at 9:30. (See information on the WF bulletin board.)

If you are interested in going please let me know. I willbe going and driving. The WF treasury will cover the $12cost per person which includes lunch. As there is limited space (60), we need to get our reserva-tions in by September 1st to be assured of space. If you wish to go, LET ME KNOW ASAP!!!

Carele Mayer

ConVal 68 Hours of HungerThis year’s summer extension of End 68 Hours of Hunger went very well; by distributing through local rec programs and other locations where kids were already congre-gating, we were able to send food home with nearly 150 children on summer weekends. We went through about 600 pounds of pea-nut butter, almost all provided by UCC! Thank you so much!Now, as school starts up again, so does the regular End 68 Hours distribution through the schools. The good news is that we still have 240 pounds of peanut butter on the shelves, thanks to all of you. The bad news is that we’ll run out in roughly two and a half weeks. So, if you’re willing to reach into your wallet or your shopping cart once again and share whatever you can, a lot of kids in the ConVal School District will be very grateful—and a lot less hungry. Thank you for your ongoing support. You really are making a difference.

Monday, September 10 is fast approaching. On that evening we begin suppers for the 2018-2019 season. We are expecting most folks who work on meal prepara-tion and cleanup to be back. As usual, the evening’s supper includes an entrée, salad, assorted breads, beverages and desserts. The menu varies weekly, but you can count on homemade soups as the entrée

on the first Monday of each month. We serve a variety of soups – usually two or three each night. The rest of the month our entrees also vary, with lots of favorites and maybe a new dish once and a while. A vegetarian option is available each evening. We serve promptly at 5:30 p.m. We are always looking for new help for both the preparation of the meal and then for cleanup. If you cannot commit to helping weekly, consider being on our substitute list. You would be called when we need help on a specific Monday. Prep workers come around 3:30 p.m. Cleanup people usually come about 5:45 p.m . We also want to invite you all to come join in for supper any Monday night. You do not need to let us know ahead – there is always plenty of food. This is a great place to live the words of our Open and Affirming Covenant as we greet our guests and join with them at the meal. We have seniors, single folks, young families, life-sharing community members, teenagers, and special visitors who gather to share a meal and fellowship. Questions? Contact Martha Dahl or Luciel Wilson for meal preparation. Sharon Smith is the contact for cleanup.*

Elizabeth Goodhue is joining our staff as the new Administrative Assistant on September 4th. It has been one year since she returned from working overseas – first as a teacher in Tampico, Mexico, and then as a writer for an e-learning company in Kuala Lumpur, Malay-sia. Before that, Elizabeth taught high school English Language Arts at Hillsboro-Deering High School and then at ConVal. She has lived in the Monadnock region for 31 years. She has three children; her son William Cochran lives in Greenfield, her daughter Kate lives in Brook-lyn, and her youngest, Claire, is a nurse in Phoenix, Arizona.

*See p. 7 for the letter sent to the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation, regarding the grant we received from them.

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Sisters of Mercy Super Haiti BreakfastAmerican Legion Humiston Post, Webster Street, Jaffrey, NHSunday, October 21, 20188:00 - 11:00 a.m.All proceeds go to help the Women of Plaisance, HaitiAdults: $5 Under 12: $2.50 Under 5: Free

Menu includes pancakes, sausages, ham, scrambled eggs, homemade breads, pastries, beans, home fries, coffee, tea, and orange juice.

Thisyearwewillbehavinga6-BasketRaffleincludingthefollowing: Kitchen Basket, Movie Night Basket, Wine and Cheese Basket, Chocolate Basket, and 2 Kids’ Baskets. Each basket will be worth over $100. Tickets are $5 each.

If interested, see Carol Crocker or Arlene Macarthur. Also, if anyone would like to make a chocolate item for the Chocolate Basket, please give it to Carele Mayer. A million thanks for all you do for the women and children of Haiti. Joni O’Donnell

Thank YouA huge thank you to all of our church friends who sent cards and notes, gave us hugs, and spoke to us in person following the death of Karen’s mother, Eileen Sprague. We can’t begin to express how much that has meant to us.

We also want to thank you for giving her such a warm welcome when she came to live with us 3 years ago. You made a tough tran-sition easier with your kindness.

A memorial service has been set for October and will be held on Cape Cod at the church she attended for more than 30 years.

Karen and Dick Loudon

Come to a Gathering About Our Endowment Fund

Do you have questions or opinions about how the UCC endowment fund is/isn’t/should be/shouldn’t be used? Do you have a favorite food that you like to share?

Save the date: Sunday, October 14.

Immediately after the worship service, we’ll be sharing a potluck lunch, and then all will be revealed about the current state of the endowment fund, courtesy of your hardworking Finance Committee. That will be followed by what’s sure to be a lively discus-sion, so bring your questions, your opinions, and your food!

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Please Keep in Your PrayersMany people feel supported and blessed by our continuing prayers. Please remember to keep the following people in your prayers:

Carl and Marilyn BGio and Emma C

Priscilla CLisa and Patrick F

Kathleen FDebbie H

Katherine, friend of Carele MLynn NMarty P

Kathy and Larry SRon S, Larry S’s brother

Joe Wand those with hidden sorrows or challenges and everyone in

our church community.

To add or delete names from this ongoing prayer list, please contact Elizabeth in the office (at 924-3272 or officeucc@comcast.net).

To make a prayer request for the weekly bulletin, please contact the office by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

$50,184

June-July YTD Annual Budget 58% of Year

$17,664 $88,578 $136,014 65.12%

$2,129 $9,425 $16,000 58.91%

$1,000 $4,295 $9,000 47.72%

$11,000 $22,000 $44,390 49.56%

$2,837 $4,556 $3,000

$1 $5 $8 62.50%

$1,693 0.00%

$19,605

$34,631 $148,464 $210,105 70.66%

$4,321 $17,765 $32,520 54.63%

$662 $2,813 $5,739 49.02%

$0 $0 $0

$23 -$37 $650 -5.73%

$1967 $4132 $9,329 44.29%

$3,844 $24,532 $44,630 54.97%

$3,956 $12,508 $23,373 53.51%

$1,500 $7,266 $10,815 67.18%

$15,953 $52,568 $98,256 53.50%

$0 $68 $200 34.00%

$4,448 $4,448 $0

$105

$36,674.00 $126,168 $225,512 55.95%

$48,141

Interest

Endowment 5% Total Return

Christian Service Committee

Church Use

Christian Educ. Committee

Administration

Maintenance Committee

Fuel Oil from 2016 prepaid oil account

Finance Committee

Diaconate

Expense

Outreach

Total Expense

Stewardship

•$4200 transferred to Specified Activities/Sabbatical Fund from Koallick bequest, $20 to Book of Remembrance in memory of deceased members, $228 for advertising for new Admin. Assistant.

Pastor

Music Committee

Miscellaneous Expense•

Ending Balance July 30:

regational Church Income/Exp

Other income- Koallick bequest

August

Fund Raisers

Total Income

House Mgmt Insurance Share

Beginning Balance May 31:

Loose Offering

Operating Account

Pledges

Income

1

Union Congregational ChurchIncome/Expenses Report

To: Grimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation

Dear Trustees,It is with great gratitude that we report our use of the grant you have given to us. It has been a busy year for the Monday Night Community Suppers at Union Congregational Church. The monies, given us as an unso-licited gift, have allowed us to not just continue serving the greater Peterborough community, but to fill new needs as our situation changes. Because we come under the church’s umbrella, we do not have a formal report or other paperwork to send. We have shared our news of the grant in our church’s monthly newsletter, The Communicon. Notice also goes in the weekly “Church Bytes,” which goes out electronically. Newsof the initial receipt of the grant is announced by us at a church service. Another very successful method of sending out word of the grant is through personal contact with our guests and community members. It is not just the two of us letting the com-munity know of our joy and thanksgiving, but all those who share in the preparation, serving, shopping, and cleanup, let others know of this grant. We will also be reading our report to the congregation. The members of the church completed a three-year self-study and evaluation towards voting to be an Open and Affirming church – welcoming all who come regardless of their circumstances. The Monday Sup-pers have had this philosophy since their inception. We served as a role model to show others that uncondi-tional love makes much possible. The vote was unanimous. Our usual workers have continued to help on either the meal-prep crew or the clean-up crew. A few new people joined us. We can find tasks for anyone who wants to be involved. We were lucky to have our two “scullery boys” with us again. They alternate weeks and do all the washing up of the things used in meal prep. Dick and Neal (who comes from Divine Mercy Parish in town) have been with us many years. Many of our desserts are provided by Karen and other volunteers. It was a year where we had more teenagers involved than we have had in a while. Two, Katherine and Jack, sister and brother, were with us all year. They genuinely enjoyed the work. They were not just there for the community service hours for the middle school. Jack is a true “jack of all trades.” He was valuable for many chores, but especially when things were on the top shelves. His height was a gift to us! Katherine has amazing cooking skills for a teenage girl. We could give her any cooking task and she could execute it beautifully on her own. We also had a Girl Scout troop come and help make grilled cheese sandwiches for our tomato soup and cheese sandwich night. They worked as an assembly line of buttering bread, adding the cheese slices, and topping with more buttered bread. They made over 120 sandwiches which were baked. The scouts were so excited that they asked to stay and serve the sandwiches once the supper started. Our outreach continues to anyone who is unable to get out due to health or other issues. Meals are put in containers and then delivered to the families by our workers when they are going home. We had seven or eight families on a regular basis. The CONVAL school district has been involved in a program called “End 68 Hours of Hunger.” Over 100 children of the district are food insecure, especially over the weekends and vacation. At this time there is no school breakfast or free lunch available. We have been able to partner with them several times. Having enough funds, we purchased cases of soup which were not “kid friendly,” given to End 68. The soups were perfect for our use and the 68 hours committee could purchase things that they needed which were not donat-ed. In return, the group sent us any food stuffs that did not go out to the children and we gave it to our guests. (Union Church members supply the thousands of jars of peanut butter needed. “We are the PB church – we spread love.”) The high school has opened a pantry closet in the guidance office. Older teens can come to the office and take items they need without the pressure of getting a bag of food given to them. Much of the push to start the program grew from people involved in the suppers. We tried to expand our menus to again include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Most went into cre-ative salads. Several times we served an all fresh fruit medley in place of a greens salad or cole slaw. Your grant gives us that extra funding so we can do this. A few items to improve our kitchen were purchased – several long handled spoons and forks and a safety mat that goes in front of the stove. The church has been on a tight budget this past year. As we are the group that uses the kitchen and stoves the most, we contributed to the propane gas bill for the year. September 10th is approaching soon and the suppers will begin again. Our menu that night will be baked chicken pieces, potato salad, tossed salad, breads, and dessert. As always, there will be a vegetarian option, too. The invitation to come join us and see the love working in the supper community is always open. We serve at 5:30 p.m. Sincerely, Martha Dahl and Luciel Wilson

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COMMUNICONSEPTEMBER 2018

Vol. 64, No. 8

Union Congregational Church, United Church of ChristAn Open and Affirming Congregation

33 Concord StreetPeterborough, NH 03458

Minister: The Reverend Dr. Robert Marronepastorbob@uccpeterborough.org ; 425-4578

Pastor’s office hours: 8:30 a.m.--12:30 p.m. Mon.- Thurs.

WorshipService:10:00am(beginningSept9)Nursery Care Provided

ChurchOffice:924-3272Officehours:8:30a.m.--12:30p.m.Mon.-Fri.

Email:officeucc@comcast,netwww.uccpeterborough.org

https://www.facebook.com/uccpeterborough.org

Editor:KarenLoudonProofreaders: KarenLoudonandSharonSmith

Silent Support Team:Janet Brown, Randy Brown, Carolyn Peacock

Deadline for September issue: 10 a.m., September 22

SEPTEMBER 2018Book StudyAs we regather for the new season of activity, you are invited to join in reading The Idolatry of God by Peter Rollins. We will gather on Tuesday afternoons at 1 p.m. for discussion beginning September 18 and running for ten weeks. Copies of the book will be available, and attendance for discussions is not required in order to read the book.

The blurb online says: Theological firebrand Peter Rollins asserts that mainstream Christianity reduces God to an idol, made in our own image, for the purpose of providing certainty and satisfaction.

You can’t be satisfied. Life is difficult. You don’t know the secret.

Whether readers are devout believers or distant seekers, The Idolatry of God shows that we must lay down our certainties and honestly admit our doubts to identify with Jesus. Rollins purpose-ly upsets fundamentalist certainty in order to open readers up to a more loving, active manifestation of Christ’s love.

In contrast to the usual understanding of the “Good News” as a message offering satisfaction and certainty, Rollins argues for a radical and shattering alternative. He explores how the Good News actually involves embracing the idea that we can’t be whole, that life is difficult, and that we are in the dark. Showing how God has traditionally been approached as a product that will render us complete, remove our suffering, and reveal the answers, he introduces an incendiary approach to faith that invites us to joy-fully embrace our brokenness, resolutely face our unknowing, and courageously accept the difficulties of existence. Only then, he argues, can we truly rob death of its sting and enter into the fullness of life.