Monday, October 19, 2015

Sanctuary Restoration Project Mid-October 2015 Update

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Sanctuary Restoration Project
Mid-October 2015 Update
Northwood Congregational Church UCC


First of all, thank you to all who have made our sanctuary rehabilitation project possible; there are far too many to list.

Over 5 years ago the trustees of Northwood Congregational UCC decided it was time to fix the front deck of the church. The closer we looked, the more evident it became that this was more than a project for the weekend warrior carpenters within our congregation. In fact, it was quite clear that this remarkable sanctuary’s post and beam frame was desperately in need of repair and preservation. photo 3.jpg

As we examined the 1840 structure, we knew that we needed professional help and needed to raise money to do the work properly. We researched funding sources. NH has a program called LCHIP (lchip.org) which matches funds for projects which help to preserve our state’s heritage. Using their guidelines, and with the assistance of a grant from them, we contracted with an architect to generate a report to provide guidance with our restoration plans. Our congregation voted to maintain our listing on the National Register Of Historic Places (http://www.nps.gov/nr/) and that would dictate how we approached the repairs.

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Thankfully, we have a congregation that is both generous and adequately blessed to help raise over $250,000 with a thoughtfully directed capital campaign. With that successfully achieved, we qualified for a $200,000 LCHIP grant.

Well, it’s 2015 and the project has started. Preservation Timber Framing (http://www.preservationtimberframing.com/) was selected to provide the frame and foundation repairs desperately needed to preserve this structure which is regarded as one of the best preserved examples of this architecture in New Hampshire.

The sanctuary has been gently lifted in order to repair decaying sills. The portico on the north side will be supported and the beautiful columns have be removed for careful restoration off site. A new reinforced foundation system will be constructed and the building’s frame will be straightened as much as practical. The deteriorated framing members of the bell tower will be replaced and the parapet seen in older photographs will return to grace the top of the bell tower. IMG_7048.jpg

Concrete frost supports have been poured to ensure the firm foundation we promised you! Very little, if any, new concrete will be readily visible when we the work is finished.

In addition, the entire exterior of the sanctuary will have any loose and flaking old lead paint safely scraped clean the remaining paint edges slightly feathered with a sander. The building will then receive two coats of primer as well as two coats of high-quality finish paint. Some of that work has already been completed.

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The excavation firm has greatly improved the drainage around the entire church to minimize water problems which cause decay on the wooden portions.

So far the weather has been particularly cooperative. At this point, it seems very likely that the project will be quite complete before winter sets in.

We are in the final stretch of what has been a long process but with our faith in God, and ourselves, we know that this sacred place will stand strong for many generations to come.

Friday, September 18, 2015

Announcements for our fourth week of September 2015

Report Back to the Church on Gayle’s Sabbatical

             Sunday - Worship Service will reflect the Sabbath/Sabbatical theme.
             Sept 27 - Thanks to all who made the Sabbatical so successful. After Worship there will be a Slide show and Presentation of what Gayle did, studied, and thought about.  Gayle will provide treats.
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Want to Help Plan Worship?
This group is starting on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 9:00am - 10:30am, at the church. We are a group of people who will meet with Gayle weekly to determine what God has to say this week. No homework! No depth of knowledge required! We will look at the Scripture passage and see what speaks to us, what is confusing, what is hard to accept. Then we will outline the flow of sermon and what the service can do to carry the message. This is a practice Gayle saw at Countryside Church and the group finds it so exciting they plan their week around it and worship is much better. See Gayle if you are interested.
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Bibles to 4th Graders

It is our joy to give every 4th grader a Bible.  If you know someone we should include, please give us a call.
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Flu Shot Clinic on Sept. 30

A Flu Shot Clinic will be held here at the church from 4-6:00pm on Wednesday, Sept. 30, sponsored by Hannaford’s Pharmacy.  We have paperwork in Fellowship Hall that can be filled out ahead of time.  Please bring your insurance card.  If you don’t have insurance, the shot will cost $20.00 unless you are under 21.  All shots for children are free.
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Eric Elnes is Coming to NH

Eric Elnes, the author of the Phoenix Affirmations, will be coming on October 4-5.   Eric is one of today's most articulate spokespersons for Progressive Christianity.  He will talk about his new book Gifts of the Dark Wood which proposes that those places which are dark and we try to avoid, in fact, have great gifts to give us.   The cost of the event is $45. for both days, $25 for a single day.   It will take place at the Brookside Church.  Eric featured predominately in Gayle's travels and study during Sabbatical.
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Deerfield Fair Volunteers Needed

A sign up sheet and instructions are available outside Fellowship Hall for those wishing to participate in the Deerfield Fair, Thursday, October 1.
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Craigslist Help

We are still looking for someone who can take pictures of several items leftover from the Strawberry Festival Yard Sale and post them on Craigslist, to bring some additional income into the church.  If you can help, please contact Faith Levesque to discuss.
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Fellowship Meals

We would like you to approach our fellowship dinners in a new way.  When asked for meals for the sick or needy, people think to themselves that they are not a good cook, or they have no time, or it is too expensive.  When it comes to helping a church family member, gourmet meals are not needed.  We are looking for Fresh Homemade comfort food.
This is not Meals On Wheels.  The intention is to provide two meals a week to supplement the quick meals that their caregivers are preparing.  We are sending a warm meal along with our prayers!  Please ask yourselves:
*  What do you like to cook?
*  Do you have a meal you can double easily?
*  Is it affordable?
*  Do you make it a couple times a month?
*  Does it  freeze well?
*  How is it reheated?
If you can commit to cooking one meal a month we should be able to extend this fellowship.  Please let me know your thoughts on this approach or any other helpful comments.  Thank you !
                                                                                                                                      ~  Diane Kizirian 
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Items for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

As a new school year begins, great deals can be found on crayons, colored pencils, chalk, glue sticks, erasers, small notebooks, stationery, pens, pencils, and hand-held sharpeners at Wal-Mart, Target, Staples, Office Max, etc.  Please keep our shoeboxes in mind, when you walk by these store displays or get flyers in the mail.  Our Operation Christmas Child “gold box” will be set up in Fellowship Hall to accept your donation(s) until National Collection Week in November.  If you have any questions, please contact Faith Levesque.
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                        Autumn Starts September 23!


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Have a great week everyone!!   ~ Mona




Saturday, September 12, 2015

Announcements for our third week of September 2015

Our Guest Musician Sunday is Lonnie Wescott
Lonnie Wescott is the Music Director for R. W. Traip Academy in    Kittery Maine.  Traip is the public high school for Kittery and Kittery Point.  He is originally from Casco, Maine.  Growing up, he attended the Casco Village Church, U.C.C., where his mother was the church organist for over 50 years and his dad sang bass in the choir.  He and his wife Leisa live in Berwick, Maine, and have four children and two grandsons.  They enjoy traveling, motorcycling, and on most weekends Lonnie plays piano and saxophone with his Motown band, “The SoulMate Band”.  Leisa never misses a show.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unity Sunday!! - SUNDAY!!

Immediately after Worship, we will have a Quarterly Congregational Meeting to vote on items for our starting renovation project, keep you informed about what is going on, share some exciting fall plans, and receive your guidance in our new structure.   Then, because our Sunday morning brunches have been such a hit, we invite you to eat with us.  It is a great spread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to Help Plan Worship?
Gayle is looking for a group of people who will meet with her weekly to determine what God has to say this week.  No homework!  No depth of knowledge required!  We will look at the Scripture passage and see what speaks to us, what is confusing, what is hard to accept.  Then we will outline the flow of sermon and what the service can do to carry the message.  This is a learning from my Sabbatical, and in Countryside Church the group finds it so exciting they plan their week around it and worship is much better.  See Gayle if you are interested.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Report Back to the Church on Gayle’s Sabbatical

Sept 20 - Worship Service will reflect the Sabbath/Sabbatical theme.
Sept 27 - Thanks to all who made the Sabbatical so successful. After Worship there will be a Slide show and Presentation of what Gayle did, studied, and thought about.  Gayle will provide treats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deerfield Fair Volunteers Needed

A sign up sheet and instructions are available outside Fellowship Hall for those wishing to participate in the Deerfield Fair, Thursday, October 1.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Fiscal Year begins in September

Last Sunday, the new Church Fiscal year and the new pledge offering year began.  If you would like a new set of offering envelopes for this year, there is a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall to request them.  Matt will check and put out requested sets starting this Sunday for those  already requesting them.  You can also contact Matt to request new envelopes.  These are available for any member, pledging or otherwise for their convenience.  If you had envelopes this past year, the set number will change again as we  exhaust our supply.  This will not affect the tracking of your giving for your annual statements.
Thank you all for your continued support of our Church. 
~ Matt Caron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NH UCC Conference Speakers

There are 2 great opportunities offered by the NH Conference to meet some of our great contemporary Christian thinkers:  On Sept 18, Quinn Caldwell, who contributes to the UCC Daily Devotions will be speaking at "Ambassadors of Abundance" Conference in Laconia.   The Conference is to educate us about the Our Church's Wider Mission monies that we send to the Conference and Quinn Caldwell is worth the price of a ticket all by himself.   Costs are $16.95.
Also, Eric Elnes, the author of the Phoenix Affirmations will be coming on October 4-5.   Eric is one of today's most articulate spokespersons for Progressive Christianity.  He will talk about his new book Gifts of the Dark Wood which proposes that those places which are dark and we try to avoid, in fact, have great gifts to give us.   The cost of the event is $45. for both days, $25 for a single day.   It will take place at the Brookside Church.  Eric featured predominately in Gayle's travels and study during Sabbatical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fellowship Meals

We would like you to approach our fellowship dinners in a new way.  When asked for meals for the sick or needy, people think to themselves that they are not a good cook, or they have no time, or it is too expensive.  When it comes to helping a church family member, gourmet meals are not needed.  We are looking for Fresh Homemade comfort food.
This is not Meals On Wheels.  The intention is to provide two meals a week to supplement the quick meals that their caregivers are preparing.  We are sending a warm meal along with our prayers!  Please ask yourselves:
                          *  What do you like to cook?
                          *  Do you have a meal you can double easily?
*  Is it affordable?
*  Do you make it a couple times a month?
*  Does it  freeze well?
*  How is it reheated?
If you can commit to cooking one meal a month we should be able to extend this fellowship.  Please let me know your thoughts on this approach or any other helpful comments.  Thank you !
~  Diane Kizirian  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Items for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
As a new school year begins, great deals can be found on crayons, colored pencils, chalk, glue sticks, erasers, small notebooks, stationery, pens, pencils, and hand-held sharpeners at Wal-Mart, Target, Staples, Office Max, etc.  Please keep our shoeboxes in mind, when you walk by these store displays or get flyers in the mail.  Our Operation Christmas Child “gold box” will be set up in Fellowship Hall to accept your donation(s) until National Collection Week in November.  If you have any questions, please contact Faith Levesque. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a great week everyone!  ~ Mona







Saturday, September 5, 2015

Announcements for our second week of September 2015

Our Guest Musician Sunday is Lonnie Westcott

Lonnie Wescott is the Music Director for R. W. Traip Academy in Kittery Maine.  Traip is the public high school for Kittery and Kittery Point.  He is originally from Casco, Maine.  Growing up, he attended the Casco Village Church, U.C.C., where his mother was the church organist for over 50 years and his dad sang bass in the choir.  He and his wife Leisa live in Berwick, Maine, and have four children and two grandsons.  They enjoy traveling, motorcycling, and on most weekends Lonnie plays piano and saxophone with his Motown band, “The SoulMate Band”.  Leisa never misses a show.
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Gift Card Orders on Sunday

Please see Pam English to place your Gift Card Order.  It is a simple way to truly assist the church with meeting its budget.
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Unity Sunday!! - Sunday, September 13

Come one, come all to celebrate, share Fellowship, and worship together again.  The Northwood Congregational Church will rally and re-unite from summer travel, Sabbatical leave, finding God in other  places, and WE WANT YOU HERE!   Unity Sunday will be the kick-off to the new year, Sunday School, choir, and small groups.  Be a part of the anticipation and excitement of the new year.
Immediately after Worship, we will have a Quarterly Congregational Meeting to vote on items for our starting renovation project, keep you informed about what is going on, share some exciting fall plans, and     receive your guidance in our new structure.   Then, because our Sunday morning brunches have been such a hit, we invite you to eat with us.  It is a great spread and a sign-up poster will be in Fellowship Hall for the next 3 weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to Help Plan Worship?

Gayle is looking for a group of people who will meet with her weekly to determine what God has to say this week.  No homework!  No depth of knowledge required!  We will look at the Scripture passage and see what speaks to us, what is confusing, what is hard to accept.  Then we will outline the flow of sermon and what the service can do to carry the message.  This is a learning from my Sabbatical, and in Countryside Church the group finds it so exciting they plan their week around it and worship is much better.  See Gayle if you are interested.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Report Back to the Church on Gayle’s Sabbatical

Sept 13 - Unity Sunday - Reuniting with those who have been gone.
Sept 20 - Worship Service will reflect the Sabbath/Sabbatical theme.
Sept 27 - Thanks to all who made the Sabbatical so successful. After Worship there will be a Slide show and Presentation of what Gayle did, studied, and thought about.  Gayle will provide treats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New Fiscal Year begins in September

Sunday, September 6 begins the new Church Fiscal year and the new pledge offering year.  If you would like a new set of offering envelopes for this year, there is a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall to request them. Matt will check and put out requested sets starting this Sunday for those already requesting them.  You can also contact Matt to request new envelopes.  These are available for any member, pledging or otherwise for their convenience.  If you had envelopes this past year, the set number will change again as we exhaust our supply.  This will not affect the tracking of your giving for your annual statements.
Thank you all for your continued support of our Church.  ~ Matt Caron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Choir Starts Up Again on September 10

We will host an ice cream social for all choir members and those who might like to become a part of our Church Choir.  The first Sunday for choir participation is September 20.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NH UCC Conference Speakers

There are 2 great opportunities offered by the NH Conference to meet some of our great contemporary Christian thinkers:  On Sept 18, Quinn Caldwell, who contributes to the UCC Daily Devotions will be speaking at "Ambassadors of Abundance" Conference in Laconia.   The Conference is to educate us about the Our Church's Wider Mission monies that we send to the Conference and Quinn Caldwell is worth the price of a ticket all by himself.   Costs are $16.95.
Also, Eric Elnes, the author of the Phoenix Affirmations will be coming on October 4-5.   Eric is one of today's most articulate spokespersons for Progressive Christianity.  He will talk about his new book Gifts of the Dark Wood which proposes that those places which are dark and we try to avoid, in fact, have great gifts to give us.   The cost of the event is $45. for both days, $25 for a single day.   It will take place at the Brookside Church.  Eric featured predominately in Gayle's travels and study during Sabbatical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a great week everyone!!  ~ Mona





Saturday, August 29, 2015

Gift Cards Orders Due September 8

As you may know the church participates in a gift card fundraiser.   It is ongoing, year round, and doesn’t cost the purchaser of the gift card anything.  I will be placing an order for cards Sept. 8 after church.  Read below for how you can plan ahead and truly assist the church with meeting its budget.

There are two ways to get the gift cards, the quick method and the slower method.  Here’s the slow method (though it is usually a week turnaround or less):  Fill out an order form for any gift cards you’d like to purchase.  (Order forms are on the table.) Write a check payable to the Northwood Congregational Church or (NCC) in the amount of your order.  Drop your order form and check off to the church.  For example, let’s say you’d like to give someone a $50 gift card to Best Buy for their birthday.  You would fill in the order form for one gift card to Best Buy and write a check to the NCC in the amount of $50.   After the church order is placed and received, I will bring your gift card(s) to church.  The church receives a percentage of each card, but you receive face value.

If you are interested in participating, please take a look at the attached list of participating stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc.  There are hundreds.  And many more options than is available by the “quick” method.

The quick way to get gift cards:  show up Sunday at church.  We have many cards on hand. 

Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Bertucci’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chili’s, Chipotle, Cold Stone Creamery, Chuck E Cheese, D’Angelo’s, Ninety Nine, Pizza Hut, Panera Bread, , Ruby Tuesdays, Subway, TGIFridays, Texas Roadhouse, Uno’s, Darden Restaurants (which is about 6 different restaurants), Restaurant.com, Lowes, Home Depot,  Best Buy, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Claire’s, Bath & Body Works, iTunes, Cabela’s, Barnes & Noble, JC Penney, Sears, Kohl’s, LL Bean, Macy’s, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, Michaels, Pottery Barn, Jo-Ann Fabrics, American Eagle, Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athelta, Piperline, Staples, Circle K, Shell, AMC theatre tickets, Regal, etc.  etc.  

Thanks for considering purchasing your gift cards this “old school” way.   (There is a way to purchase online, but it costs the church money because we are a small congregation.)


Pam English

Announcements for last weekend of August, first week of September 2015

Our Guest Musician on Sunday is Lonnie Westcott

Lonnie Wescott is the Music Director for R. W. Traip Academy in Kittery, Maine.  Traip is the public high school for Kittery and Kittery Point.  He is originally from Casco, Maine.  Growing up, he attended the Casco Village Church, U.C.C., where his mother was the church organist for over 50 years and his dad sang bass in the choir.  He and his wife Leisa live in Berwick, Maine, and have four children and two grandsons.  They enjoy traveling, motorcycling, and on most weekends Lonnie plays piano and saxophone with his Motown band, “The SoulMate Band”.  Leisa never misses a show.
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 Gayle will be away

Next week, Gayle will be away on a study retreat to Squirrel Island with colleagues from seminary.  Gayle’s time will be spent planning for the fall and   summarizing her Sabbatical.  She will be available by phone or email, so please don’t hesitate to contact her if there is a need.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Want to Help Plan Worship?

Gayle is looking for a group of people who will meet with her weekly to determine what God has to say this week.  No homework!  No depth of knowledge required!  We will look at the Scripture passage and see what speaks to us, what is confusing, what is hard to accept.  Then we will outline the flow of sermon and what the service can do to carry the message.  This is a learning from my Sabbatical, and in Countryside Church the group finds it so exciting they plan their week around it and worship is much better.  See Gayle if you are interested.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Back to the Church on Gayle’s Sabbatical

             Sept 13 - Unity Sunday - Reuniting with those who have been gone.
             Sept 20 - Worship Service will reflect the Sabbath/Sabbatical theme and thanks to all who made the Sabbatical so successful.
             Sept 27 - After Worship there will be a Slide show and Presentation of what Gayle did, studied, and thought about.  Gayle will provide treats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 New Fiscal Year begins in September

Sunday September 6 begins the new Church Fiscal year and the new pledge offering year.  If you would like a new set of offering envelopes for this year, there is a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall to request them.  Matt will check and put out requested sets starting this Sunday for those already requesting them.  You can contact Matt request new envelopes.  These are available for any member, pledging or otherwise for their convenience.  If you had envelopes this past year, the set number will change again as we  exhaust our supply.  This will not affect the tracking of your giving for your annual statements.
Thank you all for your continued support of our Church. 
~ Matt Caron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unity Sunday!! - Sunday, September 13

Come one, come all to celebrate, share Fellowship, and worship together again.  The Northwood Congregational Church will rally and re-unite from summer travel, Sabbatical leave, finding God in other  places, and WE WANT YOU HERE!   Unity Sunday will be the kick-off to the new year, Sunday School, choir, and small groups.  Be a part of the anticipation and excitement of the new year. 
Immediately after Worship, we will have a Quarterly Congregational Meeting to vote on items for our starting renovation project, keep you informed about what is going on, share some exciting fall plans, and receive your guidance in our new structure.   Then, because our Sunday morning brunches have been such a hit, we invite you to eat with us.  It is a great spread and a sign-up poster will be in Fellowship Hall for the next 3 weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Choir Starts Up Again on September 10

We will host an ice cream social for all choir members and those who might like to become a part of our Church Choir.  The first Sunday for choir participation is September 20.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a great week everyone!! ~ Mona