Deaconer - April 2003
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- Council Meeting - March 20, 2003
- Happy Birthday
- Diaconate
- Mission Ministries Team
- Christian Education Committee
- Membership Committee
- Men's Club
- April Worship Services
- Basket Ministry
- Hashing It Out
- Reminder - Easter Memorial Flowers
- Come to the Table
- Maundy Thursday Service
- LVA / EC Scholarship
- Nightwatch
- Good Morning Telephone Reassurance Program
- Samaritans of the Monadnock Region
- April 2003 Calendar
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Thursday, March 20, 2003 Present: Chairman Don Umlauf, Phyllis Ames, Doug Popp, Steve Henrikson, Janet Goodrich, Tony DiAmbrosio and Jim Melhorn Chairman Don Umlauf called the meeting to order at
7:10pm
with Pastor Jim leading us in prayer.
The Collector’s Report was approved as presented. 6% of pledged amount received in February, 15% of pledged amount received in 2003 through February. Pastor’s Report: Much of the pastor’s report is covered in the context of other committee reports. [1] Jim noted the many contributions of time, talent and resources members of the congregation make outside the framework of the church, another form of stewardship. He is exploring “In my giving, I praise God” activity as one way of acknowledging and celebrating the many different ways we serve God in our lives. [2] Jim invited members of the council to attend the Semi-annual Association Meeting to be held in Gilsum on April 10 at 7:00pm. Our Church will facilitate the meeting program. Steve Henrikson will facilitate a session on electronic media. In addition, our church will present a program focusing on processes for welcoming and engaging new members into the life of the church. Members attending who are interested in carpooling should meet at the church at 6:00pm that evening. [3] Several wedding have been scheduled – April (1); May: (2) June: (2); July: (1); September (1). Janet will contact Mary Jane Sawyer for follow up information on the Sanctuary Use Policy that the Buildings and Grounds Committee was developing. [4] “Come to the Table” has been rescheduled for April 6 at 5:30pm. The Deacons and Christian Ed. are coordinating the evening’s program/ [5] The first “Hashing-It Out session has been held and was deemed a success by all who attended. [6] The annual planning meeting for the church will be held at Woodbound Inn on Sunday, March 30 at 12:30pm. Lunch will be served compliments of the council. Child care will be available. All church members are invited to attend and participate. The Long Range Planning Committee and Pastor Jim are planning the program. Christian Education: The Christian Education committee and the council extend many thanks to Vicki Skowronek for her work with the Youth Groups. She will be sorely missed. Any member of the congregation who is interested in working with Michelle Cormier and the youth group should speak with the Christian Education committee as soon as possible. Easter breakfast will be held April 20 from 6:00-9:00am. $5/adult; $12/family; $3/child. The Vacation Bible School planning meeting was held at Toa Nipi. See Christian Ed minutes for details. Deacons: As we welcome new faces into our church family, Deacons are exploring Name Tag Sundays. Membership: Steve Henrikson reported the Basket project is ready to go…. Music: Tony noted that to facilitate people’s schedules, the choir will be practicing on Sundays following church. The choir extends a invitation to anyone interested in singing with them on Sundays. Pastoral Relations: The council will invited the committee to join us at our April meeting. LVA: Phyllis explained the process the LVA follows to award the Koinonia [“Fellowship”] Award grant/scholarship they award to a student at Andover Newton Seminary. Mens’ Club: The next breakfast will be held on April 13 at 8:00am with the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scout Leaders as their guest. The meeting concluded at 8:30pm when Pastor Jim led the group in a prayer activity. Repectfully submitted,
April 4 - Kim Smith
April 18 - John Sampson
Diaconate Deacon of the month for April is Penny Chace. Communion will be on Easter - April 20th assisted by Steve Chace, Sue Chatwin and Robin Crowe. As a reminder, please sign up for Coffee Hour – if you have any questions, see Sue Chatwin. Plans are in the works for Come to the Table. The original date in March had to be moved to April 6th. Working with the Christian Education Committee, this program is designed to help children of all ages understand the sacrament of Communion. There will be four stations where various parts of Communion will be explained. Oh, there will be food. April is a very important month in the church calendar - please hold these dates Name Tag Sunday – one thing that continues to pop up is the use of Name Tags. They are important because not everyone knows everyone else. Wearing a name tag helps folks to know who you are. But wearing name tags every week never seems to catch on. So we’re trying something different. On a random basis, we will have name tags once a month. The first Name Tag Sunday will be Easter. Please stop by the table that Robin Crowe has set up to get a name tag. If you know of anyone who is ill or needs a visit, or even just a card, please speak to a Deacon or Rev. Melhorn – we will insure they are contacted. Next meeting will be April 3rd at 7:00pm in the vestry (this is a week earlier than usual to allow Jim and Steve to attend the Spring Association meeting in Gilsum on April 10th). Submitted by,
Mission Ministries Team
Present: Alice Zwart, Penny Chace, Mary Alice D'Ambrosio, Betty Chenausky Communion Sunday offering (monthly) starting on March 9th. To be taken to help Sunday School purchase ducks through Heifer Project. One Great Hour of Sharing offering to be taken on March 30th. Betty to arrange with Jim which items will be included in service. Collection envelopes to be inserted in bulletins, as well as in the pews. Prayer chain going pretty well, possibility of drafting an update letter to be sent to those participating. Blanket Project was discussed & consensus is that it is a worthwhile project, possibility of participating in this to be worked out. Request from deacons to be aware of anyone that we think may be interested in receiving a taped copy of Sunday services. Contact Steve Chace or Rev. Melhorn. Discussed Today devotional that was handed out to committee members by Marty. Next meeting April 13th after church Respectfully submitted,
Christian Education Committee
We opened the meeting with prayer at 1:15pm In attendance were: Jennifer Skelton, Michelle Cormier, Doug Popp and Tia Suokko. Minutes to the previous meeting were reviewed and accepted. Youth Group: We discussed the need for permission slips. Jennifer offered to supply Michelle with the format that the Girl Scouts use. Victoria has decided to resign as a Youth Group Leader. Members of the committee will start asking around to see if anyone else is interested. Easter Breakfast: A meeting was held of the volunteers. There are enough volunteers, so the breakfast is a go. Jennifer to schedule the Town hall for the Saturday night before for set up. Come to the table: On for
Sunday VBS: Tia Suokko, of the Ashburnham Community Church, gave an accounting of expenses they have covered thus far – over $600.00. We decided to combine our funds at the Ashburnham Church and issue a check to them in the amount of $500.00. Tia extended an invitation from the Ashburnham Religious Education Committee to the Rindge Congregational Church to hold a joint worship in the afternoon of the Rally / Homecoming Day. The committee voted to recommend to Pastor Jim that we participate in this. Meeting closed with prayer at 2:00pm to attend a VBS presentation by Tia. Next Meeting to be held April 6, 2003 Respectfully submitted,
Membership Committee The Membership Committee met on March 6, 2003 at 7:00pm at the home of Lois May. We are in the final stages of actually doing Welcome Baskets. Very soon we will be delivering these baskets to new families in Rindge. We’ve decided to form a Basket Ministry. If you have a desire to visit new families in Rindge and bring a Welcome Basket, please contact Doug Popp or Lois May. See the ad in the Deaconer looking for volunteers. It looks like there is not sufficient interest in sponsoring a New Member class this spring. However, if you know of anyone who is interested in joining the church, please let Jim or a member of the Membership Committee know. Otherwise, we will plan to hold classes in the fall. Next Membership Committee meeting will be April 2, 2003 at 7:15pm in the Vestry.
Men's Club April 13th
-- 8:00am Men's
Prayer Breakfast - No cost All men are invited for
fellowship,
food, and engaging discussion.
April Worship Services April 6 –
Fifth
Sunday in Lent
April
13
–
Palm
Sunday
April
20
–
Easter
Sunday – Communion – Name
Tag Sunday
April
27
- Second Sunday of Easter
Basket Ministry Do you have a desire to welcome new families in Rindge? Do you have a flair for visitation? The Membership Committee is in the final stages of pulling together the Welcome Basket. We will be delivering a Welcome Basket to new families who have moved to Rindge. This basket will include various brochures covering organizations and services in the greater Rindge area as well as a church brochure, two of the new church mugs and a baked good. This is a good opportunity to help new families orient themselves to the community and also to introduce our church to them. The Membership Committee is forming a Basket Ministry comprised of folks like you who are interested on visiting with new families by delivering a Welcome Basket and welcoming them to Rindge. You would be available to answer questions about the area and the church as needed. Please see a member of the Membership Committee to volunteer for this worthwhile ministry. Thank you,
Hashing It Out We’ve started our video series, “Hashing It Out”, and all those participating have enjoyed the chance to discuss the real issues of the world from a perspective of faith. The premise of the series is two people, conservative radio host and author Steve Brown and teacher and liberal evangelist Tony Campolo, gathering together to discuss real life issues from very different outlooks. While the discussion is heated, it is always measured by the love these two Christian brothers feel for one another. After the brief video, those gathered have a chance to continue the discussion. Each session lasts about an hour. We are seeking more participants for our discussion sessions. Each session will cover a new topic, so jump in at any time! We meet to ‘hash it out’ either as a brown bag lunchtime discussion group or in the evening. If you have an interest in this kind of series but can’t make any of these times, please let Pastor Jim know, so that we can consider other dates and times. Scheduled sessions for April: April 1 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Reminder - Easter Memorial Flowers Don't forget to remember your loved ones with Easter Flowers. These flowers add to our beautiful sanctuary and make for a special day. A form is enclosed for your convenience.
Easter Flower Form Again this year, an opportunity is available to place Memorial Flowers in the church on Easter Sunday. Barbara Wells will be accepting orders for Lilies, Tulips and Daffodils. For your convenience, please use the order form below (or the one in your hardcopy Deaconer) and return it to Barbara in an envelope or call her at 899-5460. ( ) Yes, I would like to order___________ plants to be used in the Sanctuary on
Come to the Table
We will offer another communion workshop and time for fellowship. Since our church officially opened the communion table to children of all ages, we wanted to find a way to educate both children and adults into the many meanings of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Rather than lectures or classes, the intent is to involve participants in a holistic experience. Through a series of workshops that explore the meaning and origin of the elements of the communion service, participants will gain new insights and a fresh perspective. All children and adults are invited to share a simple meal, participate in the workshops, and then come together to share a Communion meal with other members of the Church family.
Maundy Thursday Service We will celebrate the Passover much as Jesus did when he gathered in the upper room. We will gather on Thursday, April 17 at 6:30pm in the Town Hall room of the church. The Passover Seder meal has been a staple in the Jewish tradition for thousands of years, and is still observed today. Its primary purpose is to teach children the meaning and significance of God’s deliverance and salvation through retelling the story of the Exodus from Egypt. So, of course, our Seder meal will be kid friendly. It is a time for our whole church family to gather together, all ages, singles, families, and friends. During the meal, we will learn not only about the traditions of the seder and the story of the Exodus, but also we’ll deepen our meaning of how we as Christians understand Jesus’ call to ‘do this in remembrance of me’. Food, fun and fellowship will be provided. Simply come, learn, and enjoy.
Ladies Vestry Association / Evening Circle Scholarship The LVA / EC will again be giving a scholarship(s) to a deserving student within our church family. If your are interested in applying, see Lois May or call her at 899-6651. Deadline for applications will be May 16th.
Nightwatch Announcing an upcoming "Nightwatch" date: May 16 for all High Schoolers: current 9th graders and above. We have a confirmed date to attend Nightwatch, a youth program of fun and spirituality held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, in New York City. I have extended an invitation to the United Church in Jaffrey and some of their high school youth may also be attending. Here's the deal: we will leave early in the afternoon (yes, you may even have to miss some school) on Friday and travel down to NYC. We'll grab something to eat, and make it to the Cathedral (in upper Manhatten) by 6:00pm or 7:00pm. The program takes place in the Cathedral, which is really cool when its dark and empty. After some free time, we gather at midnight around the great alter and share in communion. Lights out and, hopefully, sleep are somewhere around 1:30am. We sleep on the floor of the gym, so you'll need modest sleepwear and sleeping bag/pad/ etc. Next morning, we're up at 7:00am for breakfast, washing up (no showers, birdbaths in the school's sinks) and a tour of the cathedral in the daylight (the stained glass windows are incredible!) At 10:00am, the official Nightwatch program is over. Senior high groups are allowed to stay an extra night, so we will have the day to tour and explore NYC - I don't know exactly what we'll do or where we'll go. I've got some ideas - visiting Ground Zero of the 9/11 attack, Chinatown, sightseeing, the Village, shopping... maybe some time to check out how Christians are ministering to those in need... what ideas do you have? We'll arrive back at the Cathedral by 6:00pm or 7:00pm and have some other type of program on Saturday night, and then have some free time and back to bed. Sunday morning, we'll wake up early again and be out of the Cathedral by 9:00am. I'd like to find an interesting place to worship - perhaps at Riverside Church, one of the largest UCC churches, or perhaps a rocking service at a Baptist church in Harlem! Again - I'm open to ideas. After worship, we'll load up and head North. The ride is about 4.5 hours one way. The cost will be minimal - the church should pick up a part or all. Besides, where else can you stay in NYC for 30 bucks a night? We will have to bring our own food + have money for food in NYC. Please let me know if you're interested. I reserved 10 spaces, but we can have up to 14. I'll also need parents or other adults, probably 1 adult to 4 or 5 youth. I'm not sure yet about transportation, but we'll work those details out as we get closer to the time. I'm excited about this, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Jim
Good Morning Telephone Reassurance Program This is a new program sponsored by The Monadnock Volunteer Center. The program provides a telephone call to area residents, over 60 years of age, who may be home bound, living alone, or at risk for falls or sudden illness. There is no charge for this service. Each morning between 8:30am and 10:30am, the older person receives a call from a telephone volunteer to verify that he or she is OK. If the person does not answer, arrangements are made to check on them with a name & number given for emergency situations. If you, or someone you know, would like to receive a call, please call the Monadnock Volunteer Center at (603)352-2008 for more information & to make arrangements for the service. The center is also looking for "Telephone Volunteers" to make the calls. (This is an easy way to provide a much needed service to our community).
Samaritans of the Monadnock Region The Samaritans of the Monadnock Region has been providing a suicide hotline since 1981. The hotline is staffed entirely by volunteers. If you are compassionate, a good listener and are interested in increasing your knowledge about suicide risk factors, warning signs and prevention - please call 357-5510 - to apply or for more information. Our next training will be held on April 11th and 12th. Please call for details. We hope to see you there!
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Happy Birthday
