News & Notes
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
It is good to be back in the swing of things after my vacation time. I thank you for the time away, and for the welcome back that many of you have expressed! Our trip to and from Geneva, New York, for Kristin’s graduation went wonderfully. We had a great time, and it was a real cause for celebration in our family! And Wendy and I spent a good deal of my vacation time getting our home in Cumberland ready to put on the market - doing those things that I should have been doing all along, but never seemed to get to!! Oiveh! I needed to come back to work to get a little rest!!
My thanks to Cheri Nixon for filling-in for worship leadership last Sunday - and to Judith Custer for taking the full load of visitation - and to Earle Custer for being available should pastoral emergencies arise! It was nice to know that I left the care of our congregation in such good hands!
I understand that I missed a wonderful concert last Sunday afternoon - by the African drummers and dancers! I’m sorry to have missed that. I’ve heard the sentiment that it would be great to have them come back again, soon!
Sadness has struck one of the large families of our congregation this week. Debbie H’s nephew - Miriam B.’s grandson - and Amanda, Becca & Cynthia’s cousin - was killed in a motorcycle/auto accident on Monday. His name was David Bemis, Jr. He attended St. John’s as a child. Please keep his whole family in your prayers. David’s funeral will be at our church at 10 AM, with a reception to follow. A large crowd is expected, and Claramae Hebert would love to have extra items (i.e. goodies) baked for the reception. If you have questions, please give her a call tonight - or simply bring your contribution to the church tomorrow morning.
This Sunday we will baptize two more babies, at the first service. What a joy to have the kingdom of God grow in this way.
This is also “Food Pantry Sunday” (the third Sunday of every month) at St. John’s. I’ve not mentioned this in . . . forever, but wanted to do so today - to encourage you to bring one or more non-perishable food items to church with you when you come. We support the Dover Cooperative Ministries Food Cupboard, which is housed at the First Parish Church. Please be generous!
May 27th is PENTECOST SUNDAY. Pentecost is the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church — sometimes called “the birthday of the church.” The color red is the liturgical color used to represent the power of the Holy Spirit. We encourage you to wear red on that day.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE is just around the corner — United Methodist clergy and laity from all over New England will again meet at Gordon College in Massachusetts from June 7-10. Barbara MacKenzie is St. John’s lay member to conference, and Wanda Winnicki and MaryAnne MacKenzie are equalization members. Even though most members of St. John’s Church will never attend a session of Annual Conference, you are invited to consider signing up to pray for a 15 minute time slot during one of the days of Conference. An online sign-up sheet is available to select a 15-minute time period to hold us in prayer during our Holy Conferencing June 8-10 (and during the clergy session on June 7). Go to www [dot] neumc [dot] org/acprayer. I know it would be deeply meaningful to MaryAnne, Wanda, Barb and me to know that folks at home here were praying for us all.
Volunteer In Missions Trip to Slidell, LA
Mary Ann and Skip Danforth will lead a mission trip during the week of Oct. 28th - Nov 3rd. A previously announced trip for the week of Nov 4 - 11, 2007 is FULL, so an additional week has been scheduled. Volunteers who would like to spend a week in The Gulf Coast helping to repair homes damaged by hurricane Katrina are invited to get in touch with Skip and Mary Ann for all of the details. It is expected that this trip will also be filled quickly, so volunteers are urged to respond as soon as possible. The Danforths can be reached by E-mail kitesky[at] comcast [dot] net , phone 508-430-0778, or US mail- PO 1747, West Chatham, MA 02669.
A date for orientation will be set, and volunteers who have not yet served in The Gulf Coast are always welcome. All skill levels are needed and no one should stay home because they feel they are not qualified. The team will serve under the direction of The United Methodist Committee on Relief and their staff of Construction Specialists will be on hand to supervise all of us. October sounds like a long way off, but necessary preparation in needed…It is not too early to sign up.
REMINDER: Scholarships Deadline June 15
The application deadline for New England Conference scholarships for clergy and those preparing for full-time ministry in the United Methodist Church is June 15, 2007. Award notifications will be made by the end of the month. You may request a hard copy of the application by emailing Tom Getchell-Lacey at ptgl3 [at] aol [dot] com, phoning him at 603-673-2669, or by mail at Milford UMC, P.O. Box 476, 327 North River Rd., Milford, N.H. 03055.
I guess that’s all the news for today. Stay warm and dry - see you in church! Peace, Mark