Announcements for the first week of February, 2015

Ted Grimbilas is leading Worship on Sunday

Thomas “Ted” Grimbilas currently lives in Strafford and previously from Portsmouth/North Congregational Church.  He has been married to Jodi for 20 years.  They have 2 boys, Nicholas, 14, and Christopher, 10, who attend the Shaker Road School.  He has worked for OASIS Alignment Services in Rochester for 25 years as the Sales/Project Engineer.  His passions are family, friends, vacations, coaching youth sports, Boston sports, and golf.

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Mission Trip Participants

Jo Chase, Shelley Frost, Quinn Grady, Terry Mills, Wayne Mills, Bob Murphy, Gayle Murphy, Bill Nickerson, Claire Roberge, Norm Roberge, and Thomas Sheehan will all be on the Mission Trip to the Dominion Republic.  They flew out on Friday evening and will be working on a water system, distributing eye glasses, giving out beans, rice, toys, and clothing, and visiting schools and a church in our village.  Please keep them in your prayers this coming week.  They will be leading worship on February 8 so you will be able to share their experiences.  While Gayle is on the Mission Trip, the phone will be checked each day and Rev. Carol Meredith is on call for any pastoral emergencies.

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Mission Trip  Events on Facebook

Gayle and the group will be posting on to the Facebook Page throughout the Mission Trip.  Like us on Facebook and check it out.

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 Ash Wednesday

On February 18, we will kick off Lent.  At 6:00pm, we’ll have a simple soup supper and at 7:00pm there will be a brief Worship Service to bring us into the contemplation of our need for God.

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Prepared to Serve

On Saturday, February 21, the NH Conference, UCC, will hold its annual Prepared to Serve Training event.  This is one of the best things the Conference does in support of local church ministry.  This is a fun day of learning to inspire you, with over 70 workshops, 30 exhibits, great food, fellowship, and Worship.  The workshops cover Praying with Art, Creation Spirituality, End of Life preparations, Intergenerational worship, and Conversations with our Conference Minister.  Registration materials are on the table outside of Fellowship Hall.  Let us know if you are going so we can coordinate rides.

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Shovelers are Needed

In order to keep the church clear after every snowstorm, we need people to sign up to shovel for a week.  Anytime it snows during that week, we ask you to shovel the walkways and front porch.  Plowing and sanding are done by someone else.  Sometimes you won’t need to  shovel at all; other times, you do!

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Rovers Needed

Our child safety policy requires 2 adults be present whenever there are children present.  So each Sunday, we need a rover to be downstairs with our Sunday School children.  The responsibility for teaching is with our teacher, so we ask you to step forward for the privilege of being with our children to ensure their safety.

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Lunch with Gayle

Just as a reminder, we will NOT gather for lunch this week.

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Soup Lunches at the Church

Our wonderful free soup and bread lunch will continue through the winter.  Come for

fellowship and food, every Thursday from 11:30am - 1:00pm.   We welcome additional help for serving, cooking, or donating money for food.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact  Betty Smith or Gayle.

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Bad Weather Policy

Although we would hope that it would never storm on a Sunday, if it does storm, we are prepared!  We will try to have a service if we feel it is at all possible.  We want to be there for those who will travel through the snow to go to church.  But no matter if we have church or not, if you are not comfortable traveling, please stay home and be safe.  The decision to cancel church will be made on Channel 9 and on our telephone answering machine.  We will also send out an email to everyone on our email list, which will include something to think and pray about based on what we would have done in Worship. 

Only 10 weeks until Spring!!

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Have a great week everyone!!  ~ Mona

Announcements for the last week of January, 2015

Service of Hope:  For Those Who Have Suffered a Loss

We will be holding a Service of Hope January 25 at 4:00pm.  There are many reasons that life can become overwhelming:  grief, transition, loss of  employment, broken dreams.  This is a service where you can acknowledge the burdens you carry and find God’s healing spirit.  Even if this may not be a service for you but you know someone who might benefit, please invite them to join us.

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Gayle will be away

Gayle will be at a Conference in Portland on Monday and Tuesday.  The Conference features Eric Elnes, the author of The Phoenix Affirmation.  In case of an emergency, Gayle will be available on her cell phone.  When Gayle leaves for the Mission Trip, the phone will be checked each day and Rev. Carol Meredith is on call for any pastoral emergencies.

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Mission Trip Participants

Jo Chase, Shelley Frost, Quinn Grady, Terry Mills, Wayne Mills, Bob Murphy, Gayle Murphy, Bill Nickerson, Claire Roberge, Norm Roberge, and Thomas Sheehan will all be on the Mission Trip to the Dominion Republic.  They fly out on Friday evening and will be working on a water system, distributing eye glasses, giving out beans, rice, toys, and clothing, and visiting schools and a church in our village.  Please keep them in your prayers this coming week.  They will be leading worship on February 8 so you will be able to share their experiences.

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Farm Day at Heifer International Farm Saturday, February 21

Is this something you would like to do?

Attend Farm Day at The Heifer Farm in Rutland, MA to inspire us by  Heifer’s dynamic work, from 9:00am - 4:00pm.  There you will meet with other volunteers and strategize on Heifer’s outreach to faith   communities and schools.  The day will conclude at 3:00pm with an  optional ‘Animal Time on the Farm’ activity ~ be prepared with ‘Farm Shoes!’  A delicious farm lunch will be served from noon-1:00pm.  If you are interested in attending, please let Gayle, Margie, Tiffany, or MaryAnn know ASAP.  If there is enough interest and leadership, we will attend as a group.

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Shovelers are Needed

In order to keep the church clear after every snowstorm, we need   people to sign up to shovel for a week.  Anytime it snows during that week, we ask you to shovel the walkways and front porch.  Plowing and sanding are done by someone else.  Sometimes you won’t need to  shovel at all; other times, you do!

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Rovers Needed

Our child safety policy requires 2 adults be present whenever there are children present.  So each Sunday, we need a rover to be downstairs with our Sunday School children.  The responsibility for teaching is with our teacher, so we ask you to step forward for the privilege of being with our children to ensure their safety.

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Lunch with Gayle

We have a fun time together and we would like you to join us or invite someone in town who would benefit from this fellowship or exposure to the church.  We are at Ma’s and Mine next to Hannaford’s on Wednesdays from 11:30am until 1:00pm.

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Soup Lunches at the Church

Our wonderful free soup and bread lunch will continue through the winter.  Come for

fellowship and food, every Thursday from 11:30am - 1:00pm.   We welcome additional help for serving, cooking, or donating money for food.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact  Betty Smith or Gayle.

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Press Release - Open Democracy Walk

for immediate release:

Monday, January 19, the Northwood Congregational Church, UCC, will host at least 40 walkers from the Open Democracy/NH Rebellion Walk.  Walkers will be braving the winter weather traversing the entire state, with our walkers originating from Portsmouth, ending in Concord to meet the other walkers on January 21.  The walk is a non-partisan effort to make a statement about how special interest money has infected our politics.

You are invited to join us on Monday, January 19 in Northwood for a Potluck Supper at 5:30pm and a Town-Wide Martin Luther King, Jr. Service at 6:30pm.  The church is located at 881 First NH Turnpike (Route 4), just east of Coe Brown Academy.  Noted Blues and Jazz artist and activist T. J. Wheeler will be our featured speaker.

Learn about what Open Democracy is all about, catch the passion of these people for fair democracy, and celebrate the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with us.  All are welcome.

If you have questions, contact the Northwood Congregational Church, UCC at 942-7116 or at ncc@myfairpoint.net   For more information about the walk check out www.opendemocracy.me      

Announcements for mid-January, 2015

Mission for January - Minister’s Discretionary Fund

Churches often get requests for financial assistance of all kinds.  The Minister’s Discretionary Fund is how we are able to answer them here in Northwood.  Most requests are for food or gas but we have helped with rent, utility bills, and vehicle repairs.  Northwood Congregational Church, UCC, is the only church in town which is able to help people who are not members of a church.  That is an important witness and helps meet an essential need.  Thank you for your continued generosity to people in need.

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Walk for Open Democracy

Our church will be hosting 30 walkers on Monday, January 19, coinciding with Martin Luther King Day.  They will walk from Portsmouth to Concord with the same non-partisan organization that Granny Dee walked.  We will have a Town-wide Potluck at 5:30pm and a MLK Service at 6:30pm while they are here.  We need help with additional food for potluck or sleeping pads or blow-up mattresses.  Please see Margie Nickerson, Sue Masison, or Amy Lindsay.

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Service of Hope:  For Those Who Have Suffered a Loss

We will be holding a Service of Hope on Sunday, January 25 at 4:00pm.  There are many reasons that life can become overwhelming:  grief, transition, loss of employment, broken dreams.  This is a service where you can acknowledge the burdens you carry and find God’s healing  spirit.  Even if this may not be a service for you but you know someone who might benefit, invite them to join us.

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Annual Giving Statements

Annual Giving Statements were mailed out on January 12 and include giving to the Sanctuary Campaign.  For questions, please contact Matt Caron.  Thank you all for your generosity and God Bless.  ~  Matt Caron, Finance Secretary

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Shovelers are Needed

In order to keep the church clear after every snowstorm, we need people to sign up to shovel for a week.  Anytime it snows during that week, we ask you to shovel the walkways and front porch.  Plowing and sanding are done by someone else.  Sometimes you won’t need to shovel at all; other times, you do!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rovers Needed

Our child safety policy requires 2 adults be present whenever there are children present.  So each Sunday, we need a rover to be downstairs with our Sunday School children.  The responsibility for teaching is with our teacher, so we ask you to step forward for the privilege of being with our children to ensure their safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Farm Day at Heifer International Farm Saturday, February 21

Is this something you would like to do?

Attend Farm Day at The Heifer Farm in Rutland, MA to inspire us by  Heifer’s dynamic work, from 9:00am - 4:00pm.  There you will meet with other volunteers and strategize on Heifer’s outreach to faith communities and schools.  The day will conclude at 3:00pm with an optional ‘Animal Time on the Farm’ activity ~ be prepared with ‘Farm Shoes!’  A delicious farm lunch will be served from noon-1:00pm.  If you are interested in attending, please let Gayle, Margie, Tiffany, or MaryAnn know ASAP.  If there is enough interest and leadership, we will attend as a group.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lunch with Gayle

We have a fun time together and we would like you to join us or invite someone in town who would benefit from this fellowship or exposure to the church.  We are at Ma’s and Mine next to Hannaford’s on Wednesdays from 11:30am until 1:00pm.

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Have a wonderful week everyone!  ~  Mona