News & Notes 2/25/2010
Hello to you, my Sisters and Brothers,
The weather we’re having feels very “Lent-like,” doesn’t it? It’s wet and dreary. We don’t even have the beauty of a new-fallen snow to make it look better. The purpose of Lent, though, is to face up to the “dreariness” of sinful attitudes and behaviors - those things that witness to our lack of trust in God. So while acknowledging the “wet and dreary,” I want to lift up signs of faith and trust - places where I see examples of people trusting the living Christ.
Last night - in spite of the heavy rain - a great group of people came to St. John’s to worship in the name of Christ, as we prayed for healing. As a wonderful example of faith and trust, our Healing Team presented a service that was rich and meaningful.
During these days of Lent there are four groups of people within our church that are growing in our faith as we study Adam Hamilton’s book entitled “24 Hours That Changed the World.” It is insightful, with some challenging questions. By the way, if you’d like to watch the sermons that Hamilton is preaching on this topic during this season of Lent, check out his congregation’s website (www.cor.org) and click on the arrow in the box on the right.
Brenda Borchers includes me in the emails that she sends out to our youth. Their whole schedule is exciting, but two recent things pop out to me. There is great excitement about attending their upcoming “Snow Camp” - an annual event that serves deepen a walk with Christ for both youth and adults who attend. And then - knowing that they can’t “stay at the top of the mountain” forever, they’re anticipating preparing and serving the next Dover Friendly Kitchen meal on March 9th - very Wesleyan . . . putting faith into action!
What wonderful examples of faith and trust. Kind of makes the dreariness go away, doesn’t it?
Now for some news: Our February Public Supper will happen this Saturday, from 4:30 till 6 PM!! As always, more helpers would be great - particularly for clean-up - which takes less than an hour (Wouldn’t it be wonderful if enough people showed up to help clean up, that the crew that worked the supper could simply go home and leave the clean up to the “new arrivals?” Maybe some day!!).
Jean and Mike Moore are former members of St. John’s, so I thought this would be important news to some of you: “Jean Moore, co-director of Wanakee United Methodist Center in Meredith, NH, died early this morning. She had a long, valiant, and difficult struggle with leukemia. Originally from Merrimack, NH, Jean began as co-director of Wanakee with her husband Mike in November of 2005. Previous to her work at Wanakee, Jean was an elementary educator. Jean grew up attending Wanakee as a camper, and later as summer staff and a volunteer throughout the years. She served as chairperson of the Wanakee Board prior to becoming her job as co-director, and both she and Mike have said they “are blessed to be a part of the camp and to be able to share in the development of campers’ faith.” Mike, their three children, and the family are understandably devastated. The family appreciates your prayers, love and support, and respectfully asks not to receive phone calls at this time. Condolences may be sent to 75 Upper New Hampton Rd, Meredith, NH 03253-9516. Details on services will be sent when arrangements have been made.”
We have been invited to the Sixth Anniversary celebration of the Maranatha Indonesian United Church of Christ, in Madbury - this Sunday, beginning at 1:30 PM, in the Madbury Town Hall. These folks know how to party, so you might want to make this a priority!!
At the request of the Church Council to address one of our current goals, over the next couple of months, the Worship Committee, with representation from the Education Committee, will be seeking your input on how to address some important needs of our fellow brothers and sisters - our church family. These issues relate to our Sunday morning schedule.
Here are the questions:
* How can we help our Sunday School children and youth grow in their understanding of a worship service - how to do it - what it means - how it shapes us? And what can we do to encourage them to attend a church service?
* How can we facilitate meaningful worship for the people who serve as Sunday School teachers?
* What needs to be done in order to enable people who want to teach Sunday School AND participate in worship that is meaningful to them?
* And how might we work to increase our Sunday morning Adult Education ministry?
The Worship Committee would LOVE to have your input - questions/comments/suggestions on these issues. To get that input, they are doing a number of things.
Two people from the Worship Committee will be visiting every committee meeting in the next month, or so - taking fifteen or twenty minutes to get the ideas of the committee members.
In order to get input from those who don’t serve on any committees, there will be “open meetings” on Sunday, March 21st. For those people who attend the second service, the meeting will begin at 9:40 AM, in Hartford Hall. For those who attend the first service, the meeting will begin at the conclusion of Coffee Fellowship - 10:30 AM - in the same room. The Worship Committee hopes parents of Sunday School participants, in particular, will attend this second meeting!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to speak to a member of the Worship Committee (Jana Marie Whitten [Chair], Jim Avrett, Jeff Mitchell, Rita Murphy, Kevin Quigley, Neil Sewall, David Thompson and Kim Willett).
Don’t forget that this Sunday is “Undy Sunday,” and you’re invited to bring a package of new children’s underwear (sizes 2-14) and/or flip-flops to church with you - to send with a medical team from Dover, on their next trip to Haiti. We have been very generous toward Haiti in the last month and a half. It’s a shame, but the need is still REALLY great.
Jinny Scott reported during announcements last Sunday morning that there will be a continuous collection of clean, empty prescription bottles, with the labels removed. These will be given to a retired United Methodist pastor, David Kerr, who travels once or twice a year with another medical team to Haiti. The collection box is presently located on the shelf outside the window to Sandy’s office.
His request approved, the Fox News photographer quickly used a cell phone to
call the local airport to charter a flight. He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport. Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger. He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, ‘Let’s go’. The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off. Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, ‘Fly over the valley
and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.’ ‘Why?’ asked the pilot. ‘Because I’m a photographer for Fox Cable News,’ he responded. ‘And I need to get some close up shots.’ The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, ‘So, what you’re telling me, is . . . you’re NOT my flight instructor?’
That’s it for today. See you at the Public Supper, and in church. Peace, Mark