FIRST PARISH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

47 EAST DERRY ROAD, P.O. BOX 114

EAST DERRY, NEW HAMPSHIRE 03041

603-434-0628 ~ www.fpc-ucc.org

 

January 2006 Newsletter

 

 

 

SENIOR PASTOR’S MESSAGE

 

We all have our own patterns and traditions, and mine tend to run further behind than most. But it’s not just because I tend to run behind. When it comes to Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, I just don’t want to cut the days short, rush the process or leave out crucial pieces of the whole. I love the anticipation and preparation of Advent, as well as the breath stopping reminder of those ancient promises of peace and goodwill for all. I gradually and reluctantly tend to give in to the pressure to name the season Christmas before it really is, but in my heart I’m inclined to stretch Advent out for every moment possible. A colleague of mine used to talk about letting the tension build far longer than I have ever dared. He maintained a sense of Advent up until midnight, at the very end of the very last Christmas Eve service. It was only then that he was ready to bellow out the words, Merry Christmas, and turn on the “Hallelujah Chorus” as he did so.

 

But when Christmas does begin, I want to savor every last minute of all 12 of those blessed days – of gift-giving, Child welcoming, family celebrating, lights sparkling, music beckoning. It’s a wondrous, hopeful, open-hearted, generous, delightful time – made even more special once most of the hoopla has died down and I can just really savor the mystery and miracle. While the rest of the world is packing away the tree and storing the ornaments for another year, I’ve just gotten to the place of taking a long, slow drink of the great, good news of this tiny new life that has come among us, of God’s intimate presence, of Jesus’ willingness to be dependant on the likes of us. I need the quiet of the whole season to even begin to comprehend the scope and meaning of the amazing gift of Christmas.

 

And then there’s Epiphany. Talk about stretching a good thing out and squeezing every last breath out of it! Trees are down, the midnight revelry of New Year’s is a thing of the past, schools are back in session, sales are over and done, and THEN I want to drag out those delightful old camels and sing about the three visitors from the East. And since this year, January 6 falls on Friday, we’re even stretching it out to January 8. The decorations at the church will be up until then, the season will continue and we will welcome and embrace the light of that star and of Christ’s birth well beyond what any normal person would consider reasonable.

 

Epiphany is the day that we remember the Wise Men arriving at Jesus’ home, having traveled a long way from the east, following the light of an extraordinary star in the sky. We don’t know how long it took them to get there, but when neurotic old Herod heard about it, he had all the children two years old and younger killed. So we’ve tended to think that it may have taken them as long as two years to get there. Epiphany is also the day that we celebrate the light that shone to lead them on their journey, that shines in the life and love and ministry and presence of Jesus, that shines into our hearts and lives because of the gracious and ongoing work of God. Epiphany is the day when we celebrate the warming, revealing, comforting, disturbing light of God that shines on us and calls us to leave our easy chairs behind for the sake of service and outreach and discipleship.

 

This may be stretching a good thing to the point of absurdity, but I wonder if we managed to really observe and ponder the meaning and lessons and truths of each of these various seasons, if it might not have the potential of becoming a year long observance. Anyone who has ever brought a new baby into their homes knows there is no such thing as packing him or her away after a few weeks. If we really receive the Christ in our hearts, and let the light of God’s love shine into the darkest corners of our lives, we might discover that we’re living and thinking and loving and serving differently. Or as Howard Thurman has written:

      When the star in the sky is gone,

      When the kings and princes are home,

      When the shepherds are back with their flock,

      The work of Christmas begins:

      To find the lost – To heal the broken – To feed the hungry –

      To release the prisoner – To rebuild the nations –

      To bring peace among brothers and sisters –

      To make music in the heart.

 

Merry Christmas, my friends. And a warm, bright and beckoning Epiphany. May the Christ be born in each of us, and find a home in which to dwell throughout the year.

 

                                                                        Peace, my friends.

                                                                        Alice M.C. Ling

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 17-19, 2006

Walnut Hill, Raymond

 

Mark your calendars now ~ Watch for more information

 

The Other Christmas

 

 

I remember Geoffrey’s first awareness of Christmas. We were at his great-grandmother’s house, who was then close to 90, and we were all decorating the tree. At the last moment, when all was done, we turned the lights on. But the big moment was not the turning on of the lights. It was Geoffrey, sitting on my lap, age one and a half, letting out a loud, spontaneous “ooooooooo.”

 

I remember the year Emily was so sick. Bedford has a tradition of “Bedford Santa.” Parents bring presents to a central location and a legion of Santas deliver them to many of the Bedford homes. Emily was unable to get out of bed and both Bob and I were feeling disappointed that she couldn’t be part of Christmas Eve. But this stopped our Bedford Santa not at all. He asked, “where is she?” And he followed the light to her room.

 

We all have visions of what Christmas has been like in the past, what Christmas should be like this year. We may hang stockings in a certain way. We may exchange gifts according to a certain pattern. A turkey for dinner may be indispensable. Our vision of Christmas may sustain us. But it may also trap us. And for those who mourn a recent loss, it may simply be unbearable.

 

But what about that other Christmas? That Christmas that is utterly unexpected, utterly unplanned for. The moments. Coffee brought in bed. A call on the phone saying, “I love you.” A teenager giving a spontaneous hug. The ring of a door bell in a lonely house. One who has been housebound able to make it to the Christmas Eve service.

 

But wait, I’m getting it wrong. This “other Christmas:” this is Christmas. Because it’s these moments, these moments that seem sent by angels that are the ones we will remember, that truly touch deep into our hearts. The moments are fleeting. They are ones in which light truly shines in the dark, ones in which Jesus is not just an idea but a living flesh and blood tiny helpless child. An unlikely birth in an unlikely place.

 

Laura Thomas-Roy, our baby Jesus in the 7:30 Christmas Eve service knew this. She didn’t want to sit in her Mom’s lap, waiting to be quietly held by a waiting Laura Summey who was Mary. Not at all. She wanted to go up to that manger all by herself. She saw the lights, she saw those intriguing steps: this was her moment, her Christmas.

 

All of us knew this at the end of the service. In that climactic moment of candle lighting, in the drama of our sharing the light, someone clinked glasses. And as Alice and I walked down the aisle at the end of the service, it felt like a party.

 

Oops, I almost forgot. It is a party. Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Lucy

JANUARY WORSHIP SCHEDULE

SUNDAY SERVICE 10:00 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mission Statement

First Parish Congregational Church, UCC, is a community of faith built upon a firm foundation of worship, prayer and education. In affirming diversity, we are dedicated to welcoming all people who seek the Word of God, Christian fellowship and service to others. In partnership with Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, we reach out to the ever-widening community through active and loving ministry.

 

Nursing Home Friends

Velma Allen

Ida Ceresale

Haven Health Center, Derry

 

 

 

 

 

Better late than never…..

A heartfelt thanks to all who breathed life into

“The Showdown at Dry Gulch”!

We couldn’t have done it without you! From the tireless efforts of the cast and crew, to the “behind the scenes” work of so many - especially costumes (Sue Weaver and Lynne Mann) and technical nuances (Dan Allen, Ben Crosby, and Paul Lindemann), to the parents and spouses who gave up family time and probably a bit of their sanity hearing the endless strains of “Rain, rain, rain - we’ve waited so long for some rain!” through the house - thank you! Thanks also to those who offered tools and hardware to the set crew, as well as those who gave us a community link through the Derry News. If I’ve forgotten a gift someone offered us, please know it is not a slight - merely the workings of a sometimes befuddled brain!!

Cindee Cadieux, Nick Couture, and Patti-Ann DiNapoli gave it their all in their leadership capacities and made my work a whole lot easier. I appreciate all they did.

And thank YOU! Without the support of our congregation, our work would have been in vain. Thank you for attending worship on October 30 and hearing the wonderful story of Elijah retold with music and dance.

It was a terrific experience. Thanks to one and all! - Sue Handy

 

 

An Annual Training Event

PEMBROKE ACADEMY, PEMBROKE, NH
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

"Prepared to Serve" is designed for all persons - ordained and lay - who share leadership in the congregations and associations of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ. This year "Prepared to Serve" will be held at a new location - Pembroke Academy in Pembroke, NH. The schedule of the day includes:

 

?      two WORSHIP services...

 

?      40 WORKSHOPS on a variety of topics including Christian education, diaconate responsibilities, stewardship, finances, youth ministries, outdoor ministries, worship resources, music, liturgical dance, committee leadership and MORE...

 

?      EXHIBITS sponsored by the New Hampshire Conference, UCC Commissions, committees, and working groups...

 

?      a buffet LUNCH and conversation with over 400 church folk from all corners of the Granite State.

 

Registration material is posted outside the church office, and the deadline for registration is February 1. Speak with Alice Ling for more information.

 

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Pledge and Plate Update

 

Council continues to monitor the budget for the 2005/2006 fiscal year.  We are managing to keep up with expenses, but with the heating and snowplowing season upon us our challenges will increase.  Pledge and plate income are currently running in line with the budget.  Following is a review of our pledge and plate income through the first 35 weeks (through December 4):

 

Budgeted Pledge for 35 weeks       $144,711 ($215,000 budgeted for Pledge Income)

Pledge Received                             $143,663

Excess/(Deficit)                                   -$1,048

 

Budgeted Plate for 35 weeks           $20,192 (total budget $30,000)

Plate Received                                 $21,690

Excess/(Deficit)                                 $1,498

                                                     

Beginning January 8^th and continuing through February 12^th, we will study together the book: The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus Borg. The book has been described with these words: "For the millions of people who have turned away from many traditional beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible, but still long for a relevant, nourishing faith, Borg shows why the Christian life can remain a transforming relationship with God. Emphasizing the critical role of daily practice in living the Christian life, he explores how prayer, worship, Sabbath, pilgrimage, and more can be experienced as authentically lifegiving practice." Many years ago, many of us studied Borg's book Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time.

 

The study will take place on Sunday evenings from 5 to 7 pm in the Cook Conference Room. Copies of the book will soon be available in the church office for $12.10. Speak with Alice Ling for more information.

 

 

 

On Wednesday, January 28, at 7 pm in the AB Room, people are invited to gather and discuss Love in the Driest Season by Neely Tucker.

 

The publisher describes the book with these words:

In 1997 foreign correspondent Neely Tucker and his wife, Vita, arrived in Zimbabwe. After witnessing the devastating consequences of AIDS and economic disaster on the country's children, the couple started volunteering at an orphanage where a critically ill infant, abandoned in a field on the day she was born, was trusted to their care. Within weeks, Chipo, the baby girl whose name means "gift," would come to mean everything to them. Their decision to adopt her, however, would challenge an unspoken social norm: that foreigners should never adopt Zimbabwean children. Against a background of war, terrorism, disease, and unbearable uncertainty about the future, Chipo's true story emerges as an inspiring testament to the miracles that love-and dogged determination-can sometimes achieve.

 

                      

Board of Christian Outreach & Mission

 

 

Another year has come to an end & BOCOM would like to thank all of you for your generosity. You are the reason this committee exists. You have given so much to so many people. We have been able to support the Soup Kitchen, The Food Pantry, the Upperroom, Community Caregivers & Vintage Grace on a monthly basis. We have given Christmas gifts, Thanksgiving Baskets, aid to hurricane victims, supported prison ministries, helped seminary students with scholarships, helped bring our Ukama partners here to share with us &so much more. Your gifts have given many people a better life.

 

We were able to give Thanksgiving Baskets to 15 families this year. Thank you for your gifts of money, canned goods & turkeys. A Special thanks to those of you who delivered the baskets.

 

We gave to our regular monthly donations in December.

 

We have 10 spots saved for us to go to New Orleans to help with hurricane rebuilding. The date for the mission trip is April 30-May 6. Look for more details elsewhere in the January newsletter. If you are interested in going please let Pastor Alice or one of the BOCOM members know.

 

Paul Lindeman has done a great job updating our mission web page. You can go WWW.FPC-UCC.ORG to check it out.

 

The Board of Christian Outreach & Mission wishes all of you a most blessed New Year.

 

Beth Hunter, Pat Crowell, Lucy Alexander, Russ Danson,

Leslie Horner-Wright, Marnie Willis, Jill Buelte, Carol Guerrin

            Musical Notes         

Kudos to everyone who was involved with Dry Gulch. The production was fantastic!

 

Ken Williams has seven hand chime tables, seven foam pads, and covers for each pad. Seven of each is all he needs. Each table can be adjusted to a comfortable height for each choir member. To those who contributed to the cause many thanks

 

Folks, the members of the music board would like to know how you, the parishioners, feel about the organ vs. the piano. During services which would you rather hear, the real organ or the electronic keyboard which can sound like a piano or as an organ? So that the board can gather information, a short questionnaire will be available in the future.

 

Janice Burke, Cindee Cadieux, Ray Crowell, Sue Handy, Sue Hunt, Lynne Mann

 

Thank you to all of those who help and participated in the Advent Workshop. It was a fun and successful day.

 

There will be an in depth discussion on the 23^rd Psalm for all classes from January 8^th to February 12^th.

 

The teacher Christmas party on December 15^th was fun. It was a nice to spend time and appreciate the Sunday school teachers and all they do.

 

There will be a January retreat for CE’s next meeting on January 8^th. It will be at Cathy Baumann’s house from 12:00 to 4:00. Bring food for everyone to share.

 

Lucy Alexander, Cathy Baumann, Beth Bellevue, Ruth Brooks, Rachel Cobban, Anne-Marie DesRoches, Jane Dunn, Andy Keller, Kim Mann, Jeanne Martin, Lori Montgomery, Julie Turner, Melanie VanSteensburg,

 

Robert R. Minter and Pamela J. Robichaud Married on October 29, 2005 by Rev. Lucy M. Alexander	Shaun R. Wilson and Paula D. Hayes Married on November 25, 2005 by Rev. Chester R. Hamm

 

 

 

What New Years resolutions have you made? How can I improve myself? How can I be a better person for my family, friends, work and for the Lord? Well, if I become closer to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, won't the rest fall into place. With a bucket of organization, this could happen for me (as many in the diaconate and my husband can testify to). We hope you all have success with your resolutions.

 

    Moira Merrill has been accepted as an in-care student. We couldn't be happier. What does this mean you may ask!?! It's the first step in the ordination process. As Moira studies for her Master of Divinity degree, she has begun an official relationship with the Rockingham Association of the United Church of Christ. This will include conversations with a mentor, as well as other support and encouragement. Both Moira and Alice will give you more detail in next month's newsletter.

          

    Our prayers are with Marcie Zingo. She has been through several surgeries on her knee and was very pleased to get home just before Christmas. She still welcomes our prayers for the healing and strengthening of her knee.

 

    We in the Diaconate hope you are full with the Holy Spirit and have had a Joyful Holiday.

 

Kathering Cummings, for the Diaconate

Diane Breeden, Bill Burke, Lee DeBell, Ken Gould, Sue Kachuck,

Jane Mallinson, Pat Plouff, Diana Sweeney, Heidi Webster,

Marcie Zingo