Announcements for our Third Week of May 2015

Proposed By-laws Revision Hearing SUNDAY after Worship

As we have lived into this new structure, there are 2 changes to the by-laws that need to be made.   Please join us tomorrow after Worship.

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

New Bible Reading Group Starting Sunday! 

New!  Bible Reading group starts tomorrow after coffee hour.  One-half hour of reading and free conversation.  We will be in the Choir Room on the second floor.

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

Confirmation Program Meeting, Wednesday, May 20

There will be a meeting in Fellowship Hall, this Wednesday evening, May 20, from 6:30pm-8:00pm, for all Confirmands and a parent.  We will be reviewing expectations and the schedule. 

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

Church Picnic, Sunday, May 31

Save the date for the church picnic!  It will be held on Sunday, May 31, after Worship.  Bring your kayaks for the lake and plan to have fun.  Picnic sandwiches will be provided but please be thinking of a salad or dessert you would like to bring to share.  Looking forward to seeing everyone there!               ~ Renae Vater

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

Church Yard Sale

Spring Cleaning?  Please save your gently used or nearly new items you’re cleaning out this Spring for our church’s yard sale during the Strawberry Festival in June!  If you really want them out of your house, you may put them in the last classroom on the left.  Please mark them Yard Sale.  More information coming soon.

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

Stewardship Update

Stewardship Sunday was May 3rd and solidly opened our drive with 22 Pledges for 2015-2016 totaling $29,320.  That is a great start and we are hoping to build on this.  If you have yet to make a pledge of offering, we welcome you to do so at any time.  You can drop your pledge slip in the offering plate, mail them in, or email them to Matt Caron.  Our goal is to reach pledges of $57,000 this year.  We are already more than half way there!  ~ Matt Caron

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

NCC Sanctuary Project Update

Our team has been busy working on selecting the professionals that will be working on our sanctuary project.  We have hired Preservation  Timber Framing of Berwick, ME to furnish a study of our specific needs.  That firm and one other will provide quotes for the project.  We hope to have our selection made by early June.  We had hoped to already have a contractor hired but the lengthy winter delayed the process.  Our team has decided that it is more important to get the work done carefully than hastily.

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

Thank you for helping on Church Care Day today

Thanks to all of you who came by this morning  to help out with the Spring Cleaning of our beautiful church.

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

 Gayle’s Sabbatical

Gayle will be on Sabbatical from May 4 - July 30.  There are wonderful plans in place for Worship, Pastoral Care,   Community Building, and engaging some of the materials Gayle will be studying.  If you need anything, leave a message on the church answering machine.  There will be a candle lit in worship every Sunday to remind you to keep Gayle in your prayers, as she will keep you in hers.

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

Resources Available in Gayle’s Office

During Sabbatical, Gayle’s office has been turned into a resource center.  Each month there will be a study of the same material which Gayle is studying.  Copies of the book and related books are grouped in her  office for you to use and sign out.  This way when Gayle returns, we will be able to have a dialog of some of the ideas.

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

Have a great week everyone!    ~ Mona

Church Care Day, tomorrow morning, Saturday May 16

Our Spring Clean-Up day will be on Saturday morning, May 16, from 8:00am to 12:00pm.  We will be raking, cleaning the Fellowship Hall windows, painting trim and doors weather permitting, and cleaning the kitchen.  Please bring your rakes and shovels for outdoor yard work.  Also, if people can bring a leaf blower, paintbrushes, or windex, that would be helpful.  If anyone is interested in bringing  coffee cake, we can take a short break mid-morning!  If any questions, please contact Peggy Kofer or Dan Ferguson.

Announcements for our Second Week of May 2015

Gayle’s Sabbatical

Gayle will be on Sabbatical from May 4 - July 30.  There are wonderful plans in place for Worship, Pastoral Care,   Community Building, and engaging some of the materials Gayle will be studying.  If you need anything, leave a message on the church answering machine.  There will be a candle lit in worship every Sunday to remind you to keep Gayle in your prayers, as she will keep you in hers.

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

Resources Available in Gayle’s Office

During Sabbatical, Gayle’s office has been turned into a resource center.  Each month there will be a study of the same material which Gayle is studying.  Copies of the book and related books are grouped in her  office for you to use and sign out.  This way when Gayle returns, we will be able to have a dialog of some of the ideas.

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

NCC Sanctuary Project Update

Our team has been busy working on selecting the professionals that will be working on our sanctuary project.  We have hired Preservation  Timber Framing of Berwick, ME to furnish a study of our specific needs.  That firm and one other will provide quotes for the project.  We hope to have our selection made by early June.  We had hoped to already have a contractor hired but the lengthy winter delayed the process.  Our team has decided that it is more important to get the work done carefully than hastily.

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

Church Care Day Saturday May 16

Our Spring Clean-Up day will be on Saturday morning, May 16, from 8:00am to 12:00pm.  We will be raking, cleaning the Fellowship Hall windows, painting trim and doors weather permitting,  and cleaning the kitchen.  Please bring your rakes and shovels for outdoor yard work.  Also, if people can bring a leaf blower, paintbrushes, or windex, that would be helpful.  If anyone is interested in bringing  coffee cake, we can take a short break mid-morning!  If any questions, please see Peggy Kofer or Dan Ferguson.

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

Proposed By-laws Revision

As we have lived into this new structure, there are 2 changes to the by-laws that need to be made.  Proposed revisions will be on the table outside of Fellowship Hall.  A hearing for those proposed changes will be on May 17 after Worship.

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

New Bible Reading Group Starting May 17! 

New!  Bible Reading group starts May 17 after coffee hour.  One-half hour of reading and free conversation.  We will be in the Choir Room on the second floor.

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

Church Yard Sale

Spring Cleaning?  Please save your gently used or nearly new items you’re cleaning out this Spring for our church’s yard sale during the Strawberry Festival!  If you really want them out of your house, you may put them in the last classroom on the left.  Please mark them Yard Sale.  More information coming soon.

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

Have a great week everyone!  ~ Mona

Dessert Auction Sunday April 26 after Worship!

TOMORROW!  DESSERT AUCTION AND SABBATICAL SENDOFF!

A DESSERT AUCTION!  Join us after Worship  tomorrow morning, April 26, for this fun gathering.  Let’s send Rev. Gayle off on sabbatical with sweet hugs!  We hope you have fun bidding on someone else’s intriguing sweet treat while enjoying the comedy talents of our Special Emcees - Priscilla Merrill and Michael Magoon.  Proceeds to benefit Gayle’s sabbatical. 

P.S.  Forks and laughter to be provided!!

Announcements for our third week of April 2015

Rockingham Association Meeting and Spring Training Sunday, April 19 at 1:00pm to 5:30pm

There will be our regular Association meeting and then a “mini-Prepared to Serve” with workshops and a keynote speaker.  Come to learn, connect with people in the wider Church, and participate in the life of our Denomination.  Talk to Gayle if you are interested.

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

Talent and Interest Sheets

In order for our new structure to work, people need to indicate their talent and passions.  There is an envelope for everyone in the church with Talent and Interest Sheets so you can let us know what you like to do.  Unfilled forms will be mailed out soon so save us the postage!  There is a basket for filled out forms.

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

NEXT WEEK - April 26th …DESSERT AUCTION AND SABBATICAL SENDOFF!

A DESSERT AUCTION! …...  Join us after Worship on April 26 for this fun gathering.  Let’s send Rev. Gayle off on sabbatical with sweet hugs!  To participate, bring one (or more) homemade, single serving desserts in “grab bag” style to be auctioned to the highest bidder!  Be creative with whatever packaging you decide to use.  Have fun bidding on someone else’s intriguing sweet treat.  Proceeds to benefit Gayle’s sabbatical. 

P.S.  Forks and laughter to be provided!!

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

New!  Bible Reading Group Starting May 10

New!  Bible Reading group starts May 10 after coffee hour.  One-half hour of reading and free conversation.  We will be in the Choir Room on the second floor.

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

Proposed By-laws Revision

As we have lived into this new structure, there are 2 changes to the by-laws that need to be made.  Proposed revisions will be on the table outside of Fellowship Hall.  A hearing for those proposed changes will be on May 17 after Worship.

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

Horton Center 2015

Registration has opened for Horton Center’s summer Camp Programs in Gorham at the top of Pine Mountain.  They have programs for new campers for 1/2 week, off-site hiking camps for middle and high school, family camp, grandparents and grandchildren week, and adult flex week for as many days and as much activity as you would wish for.  The Camp is well run with reasonable pricing and scholarships available.  Brochures are on the table outside of Fellowship Hall and registration is on line at www.hortoncenter.org.

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

Soup Lunches at the Church

Our wonderful free soup and bread lunch will continue through Spring.  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.

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

Happy Spring!

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

Have a great week everyone!  ~ Mona

Announcements for our Second week of April 2015

Thank You from the SouperFest

Our church received a very gracious thank you note from SouperFest co-ordinator,  Mr. Jim. 

Dear Gayle and Northwood folk,

     What a treat to experience the love and spirit of Northwood Congregational family and the most lovable person of Pastor Gayle.  Clearly the Souperfest was an awesome success. ….  Northwood piloted the model of rotation in church groups…. Many thanks, Mr. Jim

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

Talent and Interest Sheets

In order for our new structure to work, people need to indicate their talent and passions.  There is an envelope for everyone in the church with Talent and Interest Sheets so you can let us know what you like to do.  Unfilled forms will be mailed out soon so save us the postage!  There is a basket for filled out forms.

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

NH Conference Women’s Fellowship Spring Retreat - Saturday,

April 18, from 9:30am to 3:00pm

The retreat will be held at First Parish Church in East Derry.  The theme of this event is “Recharging Your Spiritual Batteries” with Rev. Dr. David Reynolds talking about replenishing spiritual energy and   Debbie Gline-Allen talking about “Recharging our Singing Spirits.”  Registration is $12.00 and is due by April 10.  Forms are on the table outside Fellowship Hall.

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

Rockingham Association Meeting and Spring Training Sunday,

April 19 at 1:00pm to 5:30pm

There will be our regular Association meeting and then a “mini-Prepared to Serve” with workshops and a keynote speaker.  Come to learn, connect with people in the wider Church, and participate in the life of our Denomination.  Talk to Gayle if you are interested.

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

SERRV Fundraiser

We are taking orders from the Spring 2015 SERRV catalog.  SERRV is a fair trade, non-profit organization working worldwide.  NCC will receive 10% from our total sales.   Please visit www.serrv.org and click on “Interactive” underneath “Our Catalog.”  Order Forms are available on the bulletin board.  Orders need to be given to Faith Levesque by TODAY, April 12th, or by phone at 608-1121. ~ Faith Levesque

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

Coming April 26th …Fun with Priscilla and Michael in Fellowship Hall after church!

A DESSERT AUCTION…….. Laughter and Groaning guaranteed!  Pie Heaven or Pie in the Sky?  When?  When Pigs Fly! ….  To participate, bring one (or more) homemade, single serving desserts in “grab bag” style to be auctioned to the highest bidder!  Be creative with whatever packaging you decide to use.  Have fun bidding on someone else’s intriguing sweet treat.  Proceeds to benefit Gayle’s sabbatical.  P.S.  Forks to be provided!!

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

New!  Bible Reading Group Starting May 10

New!  Bible Reading group starts May 10 after coffee hour.  One-half hour of reading and free conversation.  We will be in the Choir Room on the second floor.

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

Horton Center 2015

Registration has opened for Horton Center’s summer Camp Programs, in Gorham at the top of Pine Mountain.  They have programs for new campers for 1/2 week, off-site hiking camps for middle and high school, family camp, grandparents and grandchildren week, and adult flex week for as many days and as much activity as you would wish for.  The Camp is well run with reasonable pricing and scholarships available.  Brochures are on the table outside of Fellowship Hall and registration is on line at www.hortoncenter.org.

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

Have a great week everyone!  ~ Mona

Maundy Thursday April 02, 2015

Please join us on Thursday for a soup and bread supper at 6:00pm followed by a Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service at 7:00pm.