Dear Friends,
 
What a privilege it is to be part of the Sanbornton Congregational Church United Church of Christ for these summer weeks! I have felt connected to you for years, and this time together proves what I have always understood: You are, collectively and individually, a faithful and committed people, manifestations of God's presence and gifts with hands and mouths and minds that turn your words into work and give your witness substance and significance.
 
Patrice’s absence for her illness and recovery has meant that you have been not just ministers but THE ministers, taking on many of the responsibilities usually given to a pastor. Communicating, planning, meeting, deciding, doing -- all take on extra significance when the pastor isn’t available to be the principal organizer and operator of your system. 
 
People become pastors because they can't imagine doing anything else. They cherish working with others who take a vital, personal interest in the life of the church. And when you (yes, YOU!) are involved in a rewarding ministry that uses your unique talents and experience, you cherish it also.
 
When Patrice returns from her medical leave, her pastoral responsibilities won’t be any less time-consuming or stressful than they were before her illness. The work reserved exclusively for a pastor requires all the time and energy that can be given to it. No matter how dedicated a pastor is, doing all the work of the church is beyond the capacity of any one person; doing a part of it is within anyone’s reach. 
 
The good thing about much of the work of the church is that the gifts necessary to do it are already present in the congregation.  Together, you are the Body of Christ.  As Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;" (I Cor 12:4) and "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Cor 12:7). 
 
So keep it up!  Keep looking for your unique role in the ministry and mission of your church, and continue appreciating the gifts of others as they make a difference in your life together. Working in community is why Jesus called disciples instead of going it alone; using your gifts for your faith is why God gave them to you in the first place!

Love, Andy

 

MODERATOR’S MUSINGS

 

Greetings to one and all, and I hope you are enjoying a beautiful, restful and enjoyable summer!  It is hard to believe August is already upon us. I know we all share one thing in common this summer -  that is our constant thoughts and prayers for Patrice as she gains strength and looks forward to returning to her loving and caring Church family.

 

One thing that certainly lifted my spirits was the wonderful representation our Church had in

Sanbornton’s Old Home Day! If you missed it, be sure and check out the pictures that “Photograper Phil” took that day!  We also made the Laconia Sun.

 

We all owe a heartfelt thanks to Sue Long who graciously responded to my request to put

together our float! WOW, did I say “respond?!”   Sue jumped in with both feet, creativity, and super organization, to put together in the span of two weeks, (I would say), the Grand Champion of the parade!!!  And the turnout on Tuesday and Thursday before the parade was great. The kids all painted their own sandwich boards, which they wore for the parade. I think the whole town of Sanbornton knows our commitment to “Going Green!”  Sue designed the large church banner as well as all the sandwich boards and trailer banners!  Michelle Chapman and I had the honor of carrying the banner.

 

Thanks to Marty and Liz Merry for providing the trailer (Marty drove). Our dear friend, the Garbage Monster, occupied the trailer.  Sue also prepared a bunch of bookmarks that the kids handed out along the parade route - all giving different ‘hints’ on how to “Go Green!”  On the back of the bookmark had the date of our September “Open House.”  Was that thinking Ahead, or what? Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sue! And a special thanks to everyone, especially the kids, who helped make this a very special Old Home Day for us!

 

A special thanks to Andy Jepson for her special attention and concern for our congregation.

Although this has been a testing time for all of us, I truly believe we have gained strength and the Spirit has been with us as we have prayed for Patrice and her continuing recovery. I am confident that as we enter this Fall and a new Church year, we will find that this year of ‘spirit - raising’ and “fun – raising” will serve us well as we continue to ‘pray’ for each other and those we are called to serve - each in our own way.

 

May his Peace and Love be with each of you,

 

Wally

 

p.s. I hope all of you have marked your calendar for the great time we will have at the Aug 17th Worship Service and Picnic, at Frank Baker’s in East Andover! The swimming and boating is waiting for us ! It will be a terrific time!!!   See you there ....

 

MINISTER OF MUSIC

 

With the choirs on vacation, we have enjoyed having people step forward to provide special music for our worship.  There is still time for others to volunteer…let Michelle Chapman know if you’re willing.

 

We were saddened to learn of the death of Ned Dahl earlier this month. The Dahl family have been regulars at our church during the summer months for over 50 years.  I remember well when Rev. and Mrs. Dahl, along with their children, would increase the sound of  singing by about fourfold.

 

Ned was our first soloist this summer.  He also sang the “Libera Me” in the Faure “Requiem” two years ago during Lent.

 

We hope to have a remembrance of Ned during worship, late in September.  His family, for whom our church is important, is planning to attend.

 

For the eighth year, Kim Bossey and I will be taking part in a Royal School of Church Music cathedral singing week, this year at Durham Cathedral, in the north of England.  Matthew Owens of Wells Cathedral will be directing the course again this year.  Matthew is a superlative musician;  his choir at Wells is now considered one of the very finest cathedral choirs in the UK, no small achievement.   Katie Bossey, who sang with a singing week for girls and adults last summer at Bath Abbey, has also been accepted to the Durham course.  The minimum age for the Durham course is 18, but Katie acquitted herself so well on the Bath course that the rule has been waived (though she only has a few weeks left to reach 18!).

 

Our choirs will be back on September 14…please let me know of potential junior or senior choristers.  I would love to discuss our music with them.

 

Dennis

 

STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

 

The Stewardship Committee has been meeting since late April. One of our first tasks was to choose a theme for the 2008 Stewardship Program.  Last year we chose the "Seeds of Stewardship" theme, marking graphically the putting down of tiny roots, then larger ones, each little root system begetting sprouts, which, on our logo, grew over time to become the big GENEROUS TREE.

 

This year we would like to extend our "Seeds of Stewardship" theme as a "growing" theme.  After asking ourselves "what is growing?" we have answered with "It is the Spirit which is growing within each of us and within our church family." Thus, our theme for 2008 will be GROWING THE SPIRIT.  Starting the first Sunday in August, we will run a weekly message in the Church bulletin called Signs of the Spirit.

 

Lee Hart and Shirley Powers

 

HELP US MEET OUR CHALLENGE

 

Even before we have our Open House on Thursday, September 11th, when we may pick up more children registered in Church School, we seem to be bursting at the seams. 

 

Our Nursery class will consist of five ten to eighteen month olds.  Our Preschool/Kindergarten class will consist of 6 three and four year olds.  Grades 1 & 2 will consist of 8 students.  That leaves us with 11 students for grades 3 – 8.  Therefore, we feel we must split this class into two classrooms.  Grades 3 & 4 will consist of 6 students, and grades 5-8 will consist of 5 students.

 

Consequently, the Christian Education Committee must not only locate additional space, but will need additional teachers.  Shirley Strauch will approach the Council about this at their next meeting for suggestions on how to resolve this wonderful dilemma we have.

 

We are very grateful that Shirley Strauch has offered to teach Preschool/Kindergarten for at least the first term and Polly Fife has offered to teach Grades 1& 2.  If anyone feels they would be able to volunteer for teaching this year, please contact either Shirley Strauch or Karna Feltham.

 

Both Shirley and Karna will be actively calling people to recruit.  There are three terms during the Church School year.  If anyone can teach only for one term, that would be very helpful.  Our goal is to have two teachers per classroom.

 

Can you believe that August is already here?  The Christian Education Committee will be meeting on Sunday, August 24, after church.

 

Submitted by Karna Feltham

 

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY

 

The Prayer Shawl Ministry has continued meeting throughout the summer and we continue to grow in numbers.  The next meeting is Tuesday, August 19th from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the craft room at Woodside.

 

We have presented twelve prayer shawls and two prayer squares since we began knitting.

A pastel crocheted baby sweater and hat set was presented to an unborn baby who will be born soon without one hand.

 

We all have found this ministry very emotional and caring and we have come together spiritually over the course of the last few months.  Anyone who wishes to join us, please just come.  You are more than welcome.  Our group consists not only of people from our church, but people from the Taylor Community and the general public.

 

Submitted by Karna Feltham

 

WILL YOU SPONSOR A TOMBSTONE?

 

Looking at the quiet, shaded homes that line main street in Sanbornton Square, it is hard to imagine that in the 19th century, the street was filled with factories and shops and an Inn that was a stagecoach stop on the Boston to Montreal run. Many of the people who lived and worked there are resting now in the Town’s oldest cemetery, Centre Cemetery, established in 1775, on Tower Hill.  The first person to be buried there, probably in 1780, was a man named John gibson, who drowned at Union Bridge or Lochmere, which was at that time a part of Sanbornton. He left behind a wife and small children.  The Congregational Church has been caring for the cemetery for 233 years.  Volunteers do some of the maintenance. The Church’s historian recently spent 6 hours cleaning the stone of the Town’s first historian, Rev. Moses Runnels. No fees were charged for burials until after 1950, so the funds available for care of the grounds and gravestones are totally inadequate.

 

The Cemetery deserves more care than the present congregation is able to give. In Centre Cemetery repose many of the pioneers who settled the Town: farmers, drovers, traders, teamsters, blacksmiths, tanners, tailors, hatters, shoemakers; soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War and others who fought in the Civil War; doctors, teachers, town clerks, selectmen, school board members, sheriffs and fire fighters; Walter Ingalls, an artist of considerable reknown; and the first four pastors of the Congregational Church, Rev. Joseph Woodman, Rev. Abraham Bodwell; Rev. James Boutwell, and Rev. Moses Runnels, who wrote a two volume history of the Town;  all of their wives; and many of their children.

 

The Trustees of the Church and the Cemetery Committee, both chaired by Elizabeth Merry, are launching a “Sponsor a Tombstone” appeal to raise approximately $35,000.00  as a Fund to ensure appropriate perpetual care for Centre Cemetery.  This represents $200 per tombstone to cover lawn mowing, stone cleaning and repairs, and markers for pathways and plots. The Committee will be contacting as many descendants of the families as they are able to find.  The Committee hopes that members of the community will come forward also to help preserve a cemetery that is part of the Town’s cultural heritage. 

 

One person may sponsor a tombstone for $200.  Ten people might get together to sponsor one for $10 each; a group of 20 people could sponsor one for $5 apiece.  All contributions will be gratefully accepted.  Please make checks payable to Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC, and send them to Elizabeth Merry, Chair, Board of Trustees, Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC, P.O. Box 126, Sanbornton, NH 03269.

 

PEACE & JUSTICE & THE GREEN TEAM

 

CAUSE AND EFFECT - but let's take it in reverse - Effect and Cause. The Effect is on yourself, and it can occur about once a week, daily, on Sunday - in church, at home, other places. It goes something like this:

 

1.) You discover that suddenly you have a feeling of accomplishment, of self-worth, almost of smugness. 2) There is a comfortable feeling of oneness with the climate of good things about you. 3) Your garage somehow seems more spacious.  4) You have helped remove a certain ugliness from the roadside. 5) You feel that you are no longer a wasteful person.  6) You have delayed the choking of a certain land space in your town. 7) You have sensed a warmth of gratitude toward all the other good people who are willing to pitch in.   All of this, in the space of a few minutes, has been the EFFECT. Upon you!  And what was the CAUSE of all this euphoria?

 

Here it is: You have recycled your old newspapers and magazines, empty bottles, flattened metal cans, acceptable plastic containers (check with your town's rules), mixed paper. It has been a good day. Don't fail to enjoy the EFFECT!

 

Our church has made a difference. Did you see the wonderful "Garbage Monster" float that our children and their church school teachers built for the Old Home Day parade? The children displayed Green Tips on the sandwich boards they wore (they picked out their favorite Green Tips and painted them on the poster boards.)  They also walked along the float handing out specially printed Green Tip bookmarks to those viewing the parade from the roadside. Children & adults working together to raise the sensitivity of the community to the harmful “footprints" people leave on our planet earth, by being excessive in our consumerism.

 

Our church and its families, through its Green Church Policy, is making an effort to protect our planet. Thanks to the Christian Ed committee, the teachers, the children.  It's fun when we are all working together for an important  cause. 

 

THE GREEN TEAM and the entire Peace & Justice Committee will begin meeting again in September. Each member has taken a single issue to study, with the intention making ACTION recommendations when we meet. The Green Tips in the Bulletin will continue.

 

Lee Hart, for P. & J.               

MUSIC IN THE OLD MEETING HOUSE ON TOWER HILL 1775-1833

As described in the 1871 Centennial Book, being a portion of the Memories of Deacon Redford Lane, “There was the choir of men and women that nearly filled the front of the long gallery opposite the pulpit, with accompaniment of stringed instruments and sometimes of flute, clarinet, and bassoon besides.”

How well I remember the portly form of Deacon Joseph Sanborn with bass voice like the stop of an organ; Richard Hazleton, with tenor of surprising purity; Betsy Brown, whose rich soprano suited well the beauty of her countenance, and many others of varied excellence.  All were under the grand leadership of Charles Jesse Stuart, the lawyer, who stood so erect and proudly at the head, the green plaid cloak, which was the fashion of the day, hanging carelessly from this ample shoulders. Don’t you remember old “Denmark” on Thanksgiving Day?  “Before Jehovah’s awful throne.”

I was a child then and I have not often heard singing since which has moved me as much as that did. As I look back, it seems to have made quite a large part of the pleasure of my Thanksgiving Day as plum pudding and mince pie.

I think that I may say that the singers in this congregation in those days were rather remarkable, both for the time and tune. Yet they sometimes made mistakes. You remember “Uncle William,” the father of Deacon Joseph Sanborn?  He used to sit in the square corner pew next to Lieut. Perkins, (a man of stalwart proportions and great muscular power,) who came to meeting in breeches, his ample calves covered with thick woolen stockings, colored in deep blue in the “dye pot,” which was always standing in the chimney corner of the huge fire place of every farm house of that day.  His broad shoulders were covered by a drab great coat of stout English cloth, which no rain could penetrate. That coat is still extant. Our friend, Deacon Bodwell Sanborn, finds it an excellent protection when he has to go out in a heavy rain storm to fetch the cows.

Uncle William had been a grand singer in his day, but had retired from the singer’s gallery to the family pew. On a certain pleasant Sunday, as the large choir was laboring under the stress of evident difficulty through one of Watts’ unequalled hymns, the old man was observed to be uneasy in his seat.  He was gazing with troubled countenance at the singers, till at last, unable to bear it any longer, he rose to his full height, and in clear tones and unmistakable emphasis said, “You hain”t got the right pitch and you make an awful noise!”

Submitted by Milly Shaw, Historian