News & Notes 6/10/2010
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord, Jesus Christ,
We’re in the season of high school graduations (having come through the season of College graduations). Remember how we call the graduation ceremony a “commencement?” It’s a beginning - of the next phase of life - the next opportunity. I am thankful for every day, because it’s like a “commencement” for me - the opportunity to start new and fresh - the chance to experience God in new and unexpected ways. When I put my feet on the floor in the morning, the first thing I do is to say Wesley’s Covenant Prayer (not my original idea, but important to me nonetheless). The prayer is a wonderful focus for my day, for my life, for the plans that God has for me. And each time I say it, it is like a “commencement” all over again. I commend it to you.
I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low by you.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
you are mine, and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
There are a number of things happening around the church this weekend. This Saturday evening - and next week, too - we host the Youth Mission Team from Carlisle, PA - as they travel to their work in Washington County, Maine. They have spoken about worshipping with us on Sunday morning, but I’m not sure they’ll want to hang around that long . . . we’ll see.
On Saturday, from 9 AM till 4 PM there will be an orientation meeting at St. John’s to establish a program to minister to youth in northern New England through weekend events that are nothing less than a spiritual encounter with God. The events are called Chrysalis weekends, and are the youth/young adult version of Walk to Emmaus. Brenda Borchers and I have been active with a Steering Committee, getting this venture started. Adults - whether you’ve attended a Walk to Emmaus or Tres Dias or Cursillo weekend or not - are invited to this training. And youth who may be interested in attending a weekend event and then help provide leadership for future weekends are invited as well.
On Sunday morning we’ll celebrate the Educational ministries of our congregation, as we hold Children’s Sunday. The children and youth of the church will lead us in worship, and they have a number of excellent things planned for the service - including the new youth band, and homegrown movies. College scholarships will be announced on Sunday morning as well. Then the Youth Groups will go to Newcastle Common for their year-end picnic/party!!
I want to use this opportunity to thank the Sunday School staff, Education Committee, Youth volunteers and Brenda Borchers for providing quality ministry to the children and youth of St. John’s. You have given of yourselves in ways that will make the lives of our children and youth richer and fuller. God bless you, and thank you.
Next Tuesday evening is our “Friendly’s Fund Raiser” at the Dover Friendly’s. Remember: we don’t want to break you household budget, but if you have monies set aside to go out to dinner or for an ice cream, why not make it Tuesday at Friendly’s? Anytime between 5 and 8 PM. See you there.
Steve MacKenzie mentioned at the second service (he forgot to do this at the first service) last Sunday that the choir will begin (on June 20th) to gather on Sunday mornings at 8:15 AM for summer choir rehearsal (no more Thursday rehearsals until September). If you’re interested in singing in the choir and can’t make the regular commitment on Thursdays, or if you’d just like to sing for the more laid-back summer style, why not try the summer choir. Speak to Steve of Jeff Mitchell if you have questions.
This Sunday will be our last opportunity to give blankets (for Church World Service) in memory or in honor of our Dads and Granddads - if you want them listed in the Father’s Day bulletin, that is. The forms will be in the bulletin. It’s only $5 per blanket!!
Next week I’ll be leaving on Wednesday afternoon for Annual Conference - our Lay Member, Diana Schuman will come on Thursday. Members of our Healing Team will be there for parts of Friday and Saturday as well. And some other folks from St. John’s will be coming and going throughout the 3+ days. We will be well represented there!!
Annual Conference LIVE!
This year, the Conference will be webcasting many of the Annual Conference sessions during the event! Church members and friends can view the schedule and the webcast at www.neumc.org/ACstream during the Conference sessions from Thursday, June 17 to Saturday June 19. Some of the events that might be of particular interest to watch are:
*Memorial Service - Thursday at 2 PM
*Conferencing Session with Worship (A River Runs Through Us), with Rev. Dr. Zan Holmes preaching - Thursday at 6:30 PM
*Mission Celebration - including Lee Dormann and the 2010 Ziegler Award Preacher - Friday at 7 PM
*Ordination service - Saturday at 2 PM
Hi Pastor Mark, I am writing to you to see if it is possible to get a message out to members of the church asking for some help. I am moving back to NH as you know to help with mom and to be closer to family. I will arrive in town some time on the 28th and am looking for help to unload the truck on the 29th. I know it is a weekday and a work day for most, but any help I could get would be greatly, GREATLY appreciated. I have to have the truck turned back in that afternoon/evening. Our home is in Barrington, right across from the mobile home park. There is a shipping company, On The Way Shipping, at the end of our driveway. You enter that same driveway, go behind the building and there is a house out there — the only house — and that is where I will be. I’ll be up early in the morning, so if people want to come by as early as 8am that is fine with me. The address is #156 Rt 202/9 in Barrington, the business out front is #154. Thank you for your help with this. Can’t wait to be back!! Kaera Sawler (Note: this is Ann & Martin Kippley’s daughter)
Don’t pass by this next thing just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm.. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?
Finally, you know you are living in 2010 when…
1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.
2. You haven’t played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don’t have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn’t even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. 
12. You’re reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
15. You actually looked back up to check that there wasn’t a #9 on this list.
That’s all the news for this week. See you in church!! Peace, Mark