November 2007

Dear Friends,

In the movie, “A Rumor of Angels”, a young boy, whose mother died in a car accident, strikes up a friendship with an elderly woman whose son died years before in the Vietnam War. The boy, distraught with grief, finds comfort in the friendship of this woman, who shares with him how she communicates with her son through their own special language. Through her, the boy finds healing and also a way to form a new kind of relationship with his mother.

I write this on All Saints’ Day, when we remember our loved ones who have passed on before us, who have attained, as we pray at memorial services, “blessed rest of everlasting peace, into the company of the saints in light.”

In Celtic spirituality, it is said that All Saints Day’ is a time when we can experience the notion of “thin places.” Theologian Peter Gomes describes “thin places” as “…where the visible and the invisible world come into their closest proximity….threshold places…where two worlds meet and where one has the possibility of communicating with the other.” (The Good Book, by Peter Gomes, pp. 214-215)

On a recent walk, I found myself caught up by the beauty around me: the leaves putting on their final autumn show, the sun capturing the colors just so, the bright blue sky, the warm air. It’s hard to explain, but I felt overwhelmed by a sense of loved ones being with me. I felt their presence as close as the soft breeze on my skin.

Whatever you might believe about heaven, life after death, our faith invites us to explore such places of mystery. Maybe you have experienced such moments – a sudden nudge to call a family member, a “coincidence” that delights or saves the day, a deep feeling of peace in the midst of a crisis. It is the sense of being guided, loved and embraced by a Presence who is always there for us, if we only attune ourselves to it.

As Peter Gomes writes, “The deep things of God of which the Bible speaks in nearly its every breath are not problems waiting to be solved but a mystery into which we are invited to enter, discover, explore, and indeed to enjoy, forever.” (The Good Book, p. 343)

May the sense of this mystery call us to grow ever deeper in our faith and renew our sense of joy and purpose knowing that we never walk alone.

In Christ’s peace and love,

Patrice

November Worship at Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC

Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

November 4^th – All Saints’ Sunday with Communion

November 11^th – Consecration Sunday – Seniors Sunday Dinner follows at 12:15 p.m.

Please bring your pledge offerings for a special blessing and celebration

November 18^th – Thanksgiving and Heritage Sunday

Join us as we give thanks for the blessings of the season and celebrate the rich heritage of our spiritual lineage

November 25^th – Family Worship Service

Bring your family and friends to join our voices together in a hymn sing!

Musings from the Moderator

It has been a very busy last few months. In some respects it seems as though our wonderful Open

House was ‘just a few weeks ago’! But, upon reflection, there has certainly been many things

happening! The Church School program is up and running with dedicated teachers and a

wonderful group of young children. From my vantage point in the choir loft I can’t help but notice

all the smiles out in the congregation as the children ‘dash’ up to hear Patrice’s children sermon.

And, of course, there is the Children’s Choir, and whether there are four , or eight of them

singing, it is a real delight to see their enthusiasm !

The committees have been hard at work , and as we are now aware, the Stewardship team is

reminding us of the many components that word implies. There was the Harvest Feast, with its

overflowing guests, AND rain ! Thanks to Linda and all those who helped put on a fabulous

spread!

And, of course there was the wonderful celebration for Dennis - I DO think he was surprised !!!

Once again, many thanks to the committee that organized this well-deserved honor for a truly

dedicated ‘minister of music’: Kim and Katie Bossey, David Henderson, Marjory Hillman, Herb and Bobbie Lauterwasser, and Patrice. Once again, to you Dennis, from all of us, we extend our heartfelt

appreciation for your commitment to the very special music ministry you bring to our worship

service.

Looking ahead, I would also like to mention the opportunity to join a team from our Conference

that will be traveling to Back Bay Mission in March, 2008. The Open House display of the 2007

trip will be available in the Undercroft as a reminder of the opportunity we have to share our

‘caring’ ministry. If you have any questions, feel free to visit with any of the four of us that went

this past March. The deadline for applications is Dec. 1st. Not that far away....

In His service,

Wally Strauch

Christian Education Committee

Our open house in September was evaluated by the Committee and it was generally felt that, in the future, we should consider other conflicting events in the community before we set the date. However the open house was considered a success and we will continue to have it..

Monies collected for UNICEF will be brought back to church on Sunday, November 4^th,

Following that, we will begin ‘Pennies for Peace’ project. Hopefully this will become a whole church effort. Collection of pennies will be sent to the Central Asia Institute to build schools, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This project originated from the idea presented in ‘Three Cups of Tea, Building Peace one School at a Time’, by Greg Mortenson and David Relin.

As far as Stewardship is concerned, plans are being made for Grades 3-8, Mrs. Harbrook’s class, to provide the meal for Bread and Roses on Veterans Day. Where it is a Holiday, it is hoped that parents can also be involved in this volunteer effort.

The 2008 Budget request from the committee has been submitted along with a ‘dream budget’ requesting needs in the future.

Our search for a pager system for the church school is ongoing. Karna Feltham has been contacting local churches who have this system to get their feedback. Pagers will be purchased by the end of 2007.

Teachers are needed for our next term. Karna Feltham and Shirley Strauch will be recruiting soon.

It is hoped that we can have an Advent Workshop, a gathering for families, early in December. A definite date has yet to be determined.

Both Karna Feltham and Shirley Strauch attended ‘Apple Polishing’, a NHUCC conference at South Congregational Church in Concord, NH. Shirley attended Safer Places, a session about requirements and policies that affect Christian Education programs so that church space is really a sanctuary for our children. She also attended a session about the Jesus Doll Ministry. Included was practical information for making and/or purchasing the doll and how to get started in this ministry. Karna attended a workshop on a new curriculum called “Gathering ‘Round”. This curriculum is being introduced by the UCC and is based on work by the Mennonites. It is Bible-based, nurturing children, youth, and adults to become followers of Jesus. It deals with modern day issues and is heavily weighted towards Peace and Justice. She also attended a session on Spiritual Practices. This offered ways to pray and different ways to get children to engage in prayer.

11/07 Report submitted by Karna Feltham for the Christian Education Committee

Amazing Grace Farm Update

Rev. Dr. Robert Robertson and his wife Catherine have hit a road block in their plan to start a ministry to discharged prisoners on a farm in the Monadnock region. The Zoning Board in the Town where the Farm is located has denied a variance that would allow them to do this. If you recall, they were open about their plans before they purchased the property and encouraged by the Selectmen to buy it. Once the sale went through, the Zoning Board passed a new regulation stating that no more than members of two families may occupy the same property in the Town. At least a dozen legal options are open to them. They are asking for help in choosing the right path. Please pray for discernment and guidance for them in selecting the next step toward their goal.

A Tribute to Dennis Akerman

Eighty people, including at least a dozen children, gathered at the church on Sunday evening, October 21, to honor our Minister of Music Dennis Akerman and to thank him for his forty years of service to our music program as Choir member and Director. It was a surprise party, and Dennis was surprised! The festivities began with a reception at which Dennis found a college classmate and his wife from Maine, a couple from Connecticut who have become friends through music workshops in the UK, several ministers with connections to the church, family members and almost the entire congregation. A potluck dinner was served at 6 p.m. Everyone enjoyed a huge and varied number of delicious entrees and salads followed by a special cake. Our former Interim Minister, Rev. Robert Borden, who had to leave before the program started, gave an informal, humor-filled tribute to Dennis at the meal. “Bob,” as we called him, always arrived at the church very early on Sunday mornings to hear Dennis rehearse the Senior Choir and to listen to Doug Embree play the organ, both experiences more than worth the early rising.

Promptly at 7 p.m. the whole assembly moved up to the Sanctuary for the formal tributes. After Doug Embree’s Prelude at the organ, our pastor Rev. Patrice Ficken welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming. There were letters, read by Kim Bossey and Marjory Hillman, from colleagues at the Royal School of Church Music in England and from organist Andrew Shenton, who has led RSCM workshops at Princeton and is now a Music Professor at Boston University. Doug Embree, our equally gifted organist, alternately roasted and praised Dennis. They have been collaborators for close to thirty years. Susan Bayer read two funny poems about Dennis. One was composed by Kay Stewart for his 50^th birthday and read at a party on that occasion. Mary Ruth Scott led the Junior Choir in a novelty song that had the boys and girls alternately popping up and down. Then Mary Ruth led an augmented Senior Choir, including Jerry Turner, in a rousing rendition of “Old 100.” Rev. Gayle Whittemore who learned hymns and how to sing them as a member of the Senior Choir in this church, told amusing stories about Dennis and claimed that his gift of making the music a form of worship itself, changed her faith life and led her into the Ministry. The New Hampshire UCC Conference Minister, Rev. Gary Schulte, added his own words of praise to a congratulatory letter from Rev. John Thomas, National United Church of Christ President. He spoke of the ways in which Dennis has shared his knowledge of music with other churches in the NH Conference.

The finale was highlighted by a “Musical Medley,” chosen, written and orchestrated by Interim Associate Conference Minister Rev. Andy Jepson, sung by the Reverends Patrice Ficken, Andy Jepson, Les Norman, Gary Schulte, and Gayle Whittemore led by Andy and accompanied by and Doug Embree on organ. The medley consisted of new words, describing Dennis, to tunes such as “Hyfrydol,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” “Immortal, Invisible,” and “The Church’s One Foundation.” David Henderson presented a gift from friends and members of Dennis’s church family. Dennis responded with thanks, appreciation and a story about the man who founded the Royal School of Church Music’s Choir Workshops. A group attending a workshop at Addington Palace in London wanted to surprise this gentleman with a party and a tribute. They rehearsed a special piece of music while he was away from the Palace. After the party, he asked, “When did you prepare this?” “While you were away,” they answered. “If I had known you were going to do this,” he said. “I would have stayed away longer!”

Benediction was a musical reprise of “The Church’s One Foundation”:

Our musical Foundation is Dennis Akerman;

He leads them through our anthems; his arm-waving is fun.

His face shows his emotion; his eyebrows raised on high

Means they’ll have extra practice before the week goes by.

Whereupon Patrice pulled out her red Red Sox cap, plunked it on her head, shouted, “Go Red Sox!” and led us all in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” It was exactly 8 p.m. The Committee for the Dennis Akerman Celebration had adhered to a very tight schedule to ensure that neither Dennis nor the rest of us would miss the game seven in the American League Championship Series! And happily, in the wee hours of the morning of October 22, we knew that the Red Sox were going to the World Series.

Holiday Fair

The Fair is being held in two weeks, November 16 and 17, in the Undercroft. Church goers on November 18 will have another chance to buy what is left (bargains!) and to have lunch instead of Coffee Hour if we have left over food. This is always a fun morning. On November 11, we are hosting our last Senior Dinner of the year, so do not bring items for the Fair on that day. You may bring them on any of the following days, beginning on Monday, November11. The Undercroft will be open because Richard and Elizabeth will be working on the set up for the Fair. Bring these items to be sold: gift items including gift baskets (make your own); craft items, books, children’s toys and games. Be sure all items are clean and in workable or usable condition. No attic treasures this year. We will be pricing on Thursday and Friday. Bring baked goods wrapped, with ingredients listed on the package, on Friday and Saturday

Enjoy Kathy LeBel’s delicious Country Ham and Bean Supper on Friday night, 5 to 7:30 p.m. There will be lots of good things to accompany the entrée plus a surprise dessert. $8 adults; $4 children 6-12; under 6 free. Saturday’s Soup and Sandwich Lunch with Dessert and Beverage will be $6 – 11:30 a.m.to 2 p.m.

This is our second largest fund raiser of the year, and we need to raise a substantial sum to meet our year’s goal. Thank you for your support!

Michelle Chapman, Chair

Shoppers’ Breakfast and Book Sale

On Saturday morning, December 1, on your way to the Lane Tavern to pick up the wreath you ordered from the Sanbornton Historical Society and visit their craft fair, stop at the church and treat yourself to a sumptuous breakfast buffet, prepared by Gail Meinhold and David Henderson. The December Belfry will print the full menu with prices. But see the next paragraph for a clue as to the fare.

On Sundays between now and then, check out the sign-up sheets Gail has placed in the Undercroft. She is looking for donations of such items as farm eggs, sausage, orange and cranberry juice, maple syrup, vanilla yogurt, strawberries, granola, bagels, potatoes, baked beans, stewed tomatoes, broccoli, shredded sharp cheddar, grits and homemade tea breads (blueberry, banana, zucchini, pumpkin, cranberry, etc.). Slab bacon has already been donated.

The more food donated, the higher our profit. David is donating his biscuits and gravy. Gail will get the farm eggs if no one else donates them. Both Gail and David are contributing their time, talent and labor.

We have so many donated books this year, we will be selling them at both the Holiday Fair and the Shoppers’ Breakfast.

Liz Merry for Stewardship

Stewardship Update

Remember the Sunday Lee said the Stewardship Committee was looking for a miracle? Remember

Marg Whedon waving her arms in the back of the sanctuary? Well - Marg WAS the miracle! She

turned our Stewardship 2007 theme (Seeds of Stewardship) into wonderful graphic art, which

we have used on the bulletin, the letters that have gone out, labels, and 2 posters. The potential for

roots and sprouts have been suggested by Marg's logo. It remains to be seen how deep those roots

go, and how high the sprouts go, as we pursue our vision to make our church self-sustaining. Dave Henderson has given us wonderful, unselfish assistance in getting the Stewardship letter printed

and mailed. We thank both of these members of the church family for their interest and assistance.

Next Sunday (Nov. 4th) Lee & Shirley will talk about Stewardship and the church. We also want to thank Phil Nichols, who helped us a lot, both with bulletin covers featuring the LOGO, and with some of the envelopes involved. We would have been "stumped" without his assistance & counsel.

The following Sunday (Nov. 11th) is Consecration Sunday, when we will all bring our pledges to church. Then comes a partial reporting, a week later, at the service on Nov. 18th.

For the Stewardship Committee, Lee Hart and Shirley Powers

Study Groups Underway for Fall Season

Two groups have begun meeting as part of our program offerings this fall. The Spirituality Group meets at five most Thursdays and has been working with the Psalms and meditation and praying using the Psalms as inspiration. Several have been writing Psalms. There are as many as ten or eleven and as few as five gathering together in the undercroft. All are welcome and Patrice makes the content of the time varied…you won’t feel “out of the loop” if you can only drop by once in a while.

The Book Group has met twice so far…both times on Wednesday early evenings. We enjoyed discussions on THREE CUPS OF TEA in September and on FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB in October. The group will be meeting at the home of Arlene Ilgenfritz on November 7^th to discuss A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS. Discussions are lively and opinions are diverse. Watch for the next book (probably for January) to be announced and join this lively discussion group.

- Barbara Akerman

From the Minister of Music

Many thanks to all for the wonderful celebration on October 23^rd.  I know a lot of planning and effort went into it, and a great time resulted!  I'm honored by your thoughtfulness.

Most of all, though, thanks for the support you give to our music...it takes the whole church family to make effective and successful church music, and everyone plays a part.

I hope we can keep it going for many years to come.

- Dennis

November Historical Tidbits………………By Milly Shaw, Historian

November, 1871-----For a year the member of the Congregational Church in Sanbornton (as it was called in the beginning) had been planning the Centennial Anniversary to be held on November 12 and 13, 1871,

The Sunday services on November 12 in the meeting house included opening services and prayer by the Pastor Moses T. Runnels and sermon by the Rev.. Frederic T. Perkins, “God is Love” followed by an intermission with a Sabbath-School concert, and a Memorial Communion Service.

Professor Joseph C. Bodwell of the Hartford Theological Seminary delivered the Historical Address on Monday, November 13^th. During the evening exercises at the Town Hall there were many recognitions and responses by those representing each group honored. These included:

-----The younger Congregational churches of Franklin and Tilton,

------The sister churches of Sanbornton,

------The two first deacons of the Congregational Church in Sanbornton, Benjamin Darling and Nathaniel Tilton,

------The Sanborns of “our ancient town, prominent among our original grantees”, being the earliest settlers and “distinguished, useful, and exemplary citizens,”

------Hon. Nathan Taylor, foremost among the then citizens of Sanbornton in the War of Revolution, in peace, in esteem of the fellow townspeople and his brethren of the church,

------The oldest member of the church and the oldest living citizen of the town, the venerable Capt. John B. Perkins,

------The Lane family, a respected and prominent among the officers of the town and church,

------Deacon Benjamin Philbrick and the Philbrick family,

------The Prescotts of old Sanbornton, who use to travel six miles on horseback every Sabbath to attend church,

------The ladies of the town, their wanderings here to settle their hardships, mothers to 8 to 12 children, their housework, planting, spinning and weaving to make their husbands and children clothing,

------The physicians of Sanbornton, namely March, Sanborn, Gerrick, Hill, Carr, and Abbott,

------The teachers of Sanbornton, Abraham Perkins, Benjamin Colby, and the preceptors of the Woodman Sanbornton Academy.

And so this church will be 236 years old in November 2007… 

With Thanks from the Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee wishes to thank all those who have agreed to take offices and positions on church committees. As of October 31, most of the positions for 2008 have been filled.

Missions Committee

Our donation to Neighbors In Need this year so far is about $300. We’ll be sending it along soon. Last year we were able to send almost $500 to the Neighbors In Need campaign, which gives a majority of your donation to projects and work here in New Hampshire. We hope that you will prayerfully consider and donate generously.

Because of a shortage of volunteers, our Local Hunger Relief project work at Bread and Roses is going to be changing. We will be heading up a team to cook and serve a meal two or three times per year as a substitute group. The donations you make on the first Sunday of every month to the "Food Pantry" and "Bread and Roses" is greatly appreciated and will continue to buy much needed foodstuffs to help the needy especially as the winter months come upon us.

The Missions Committee will be gathering and assembling hygiene kits for the Carey House homeless shelter and New Beginnings in Laconia. If you are able to donate an extra bar of soap, toothpaste, or shampoo, that would be a tremendous help. Please just bring the items to church and place in the basket in the Narthex.

Working together we do make a wonderfully positive difference in many people’s lives.

Committee members:  Patsy Wells, Chair, Ann Emerson-Knott, Edna Hansen, Harriet Mitiguy,

Darlene Sellars, and Tracy Wood.