Our Poem for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

   “March Mad”

                               by May Sarton

The strangely radiant skies have come

To lift us out of winter’s gloom,

A paler more transparent blue,

A softer gold light on fresh snow.

It is a naked time that bares

Our lightly worn-down hopes and cares,

And sets us listening for frogs,

And sends us to seed catalogues

To bury our starved eyes and noses

In an extravagance of roses,

And order madly at this season

When we have had enough of reason.

Our Lenten Poem for the Week

By expenditure of hope,

Intelligence, and work,

You think you have it fixed.

It is unfixed by rule.

Within the darkness, all

Is being changed, and you

Also will be changed

Now I recall to mind

A costly year; Jane Kenyon,

Bill Lippert, Phillip Sherrard,

All in the same spring dead,

So much compansionship

Gone as the river goes.

 But won’t you be ashamed

To count the passing year

At it’s mere cost, your debt

Inevitably paid?

For every year is costly,

As you know well.  Nothing

Is given that is not

Taken, and nothing taken

That was not first a gift.

The gift is balanced by

Its total loss, and yet

And yet the light breaks in,

Heaven seizing it’s moments

That are at once its own

And yours.

By Wendall Barry

Maren Tirabassi is Coming to Visit

You won't want to miss Maren on March 23 as part of our year long 25th Anniversary Celebration.  Rev. Maren Tirabassi was our minister here from 1996 to 2003.  We are excited to welcome her back for a visit.  She will be our guest preacher during worship and then will stay afterwards for a light lunch so we will have plenty of time to visit and catch up.  Save the date so you can join us for this special day.
 

Mission Trip

These are some photos from our Mission Trip to the Dominica Republic.  Working through Christian Medical Mission we built a house, constructed decking and stairs to connect two mission, distributed food, clothing and eye glasses.  It was an amazing trip to a beautiful country and we were changed by the experience.  Participants included Ken Flesher, Charlie Henry, Janet Henry, Bob Murphy, Gayle Murphy, Bill Nickerson, Margie Nickerson, Gregg Pitman, Sandi Straus and Jan Walsh.

Stay Tuned

Gayle and friends will be returning on Saturday from their trip to the Dominican Republic.  Stay tuned, I'm sure we'll have pictures and stories come soon.

Missions Trip and Sunday Worship

Today a group of ten people will be leaving for the Domincan Republic on a Missions Trip.  While in the Domincan they will be working on a construction project.  Say a prayer for their safety travelling and that they manage to accomplish what they set out to accomplish while their away.
Because Gayle is travelling with them, we are blessed to have Jane Roberts as our Lay Preacher on Sunday.  We hope you will join us to hear what she has to say about time.

First Sunday of Epiphany

Holly Tomilson - Our Visiting Preacher

This Sunday, our  guest minister will be Holly Tomilson.  Holly graduated from Andover Newton Theological School last May where she received a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Pastoral Care. Holly has served both as a chaplain and in churches. She is seeking ordination in the NH Conference of the United Church of Christ. Holly comes to us from Deerfield, NH where she lives with her husband, Jim, a yellow lab named Jacko and a tortoiseshell cat named Cub.

Please join us for worship and communion at 9:00 am on this first Sunday of Epiphany.