December, 2009

 

FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR

 

Greetings,

 

I wanted to take this time to introduce and tell you about myself.  I am Rev. Jean O’Bresky and I am honored and excited be your interim minister in this time of transition between settled pastors.  I currently live in Concord with my partner of 15 years Shelly Sechrest. 

 

I previously served as Associate Pastor of First Congregational Church in Concord, NH for 2 ½ years as their minister of community outreach.  Included in my duties was being a director for a cold weather shelter during the winter months.  It was an enriching ministry that made me grow and stretch in ways that I never thought possible.  Unfortunately due to the economic crisis, First Congregational Church, UCC was unable to financially sustain this position and so I joined the ranks of those laid off during what we are now calling “The Great Recession.” 

 

I found this event to be quite providential in that I realized that God was calling me to different forms of ministry.  I took this as an opportunity to explore different models of ministry and was told by more than one colleague that I had gifts for interim transitional ministry.  I took a workshop last spring on this vocation and found I was intrigued by this very specialized ministry. 

 

The work of an interim transitional minister is unique in that the interim pastor guides and supports a congregation in its work on envisioning a new ministry and finding a settled pastor that can lead them into this new vision.  This is done through five interim developmental tasks:

 

            1.  Coming to terms with the congregation’s history.

            2.  Discovering a new identity.

            3.  Allowing needed leadership change

            4.  Renewing Denominational linkages

            5.  Committing to new directions in ministry.

 

I will describe each task more in detail in newsletter articles to come.

 

It seems good and right that we begin our ministry together in the Advent season.  The season of Advent is where we prepare for the coming of Emanuel, God with us.  It is a time of waiting and yearning, of excitement and anticipation.  Most of all it is a time of preparing and reflecting.  Preparing for the coming of the Christ Child and reflecting upon what we can do to bring the peace of God in our midst.  Interim ministry is also about preparing and reflecting, preparing this church community for a new settled pastor and reflecting on what God is calling Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC to do God’s ministry in the world.  I look forward to joining you for this journey.  May God bless you all this holiday season and bring you peace.

 

Shalom, Pastor Jean

 

MODERATOR

 

Here we are in December, coming to the end of a year that has certainly been one of most interesting and challenging that I can remember! And at this time of a year-ending, we have already started a new beginning. We began Advent this past Sunday, and we were elated to be able to welcome our new Interim Minister Jean O’Bresky into our pulpit. Pastor Jean comes to us from Concord where she had been an Associate Pastor working part-time at First Congregational Church, working with the homeless program there. She also has been working at the UCC Conference office in Concord in the Library. She is now working with us 2/3 time, about 27 hours a week, and will continue to work at the UCC Conference Library for the remaining 1/3 of a week. We are delighted to have Pastor Jean with us, and know she will be a great help to the church during this interim time.

 

At the end of November, we also voted on and approved our new Search Committee for a “settled pastor”. The following people have agreed to take on this very important task, and we are all very grateful for their willingness to serve: Michael Harbrook, Diane Farrell, Marge Whedon, Ann Emerson-Knott, Wally Strauch, Patsy Wells, Barbara Akerman, Kim Bossey, and Katie Bossey. This group will spend anywhere from 6 months to a year to find the right individual to become our new settled Pastor. Right now, the plan is the committee will convene its first meeting sometime in the new year after the Christmas holiday.

 

The other thing I’d like to mention in this time of change is that the nominating committee has been very busy putting together a slate for next year. First I’d like to thank the nominating committee for their hard work, for this is not an easy task! Secondly, I’d like to thank those of you who have been contacted to serve in a position and have agreed to serve. Your work on the committee you work on will be important! Third, I’d like to thank those who were asked to serve on a committee, but declined because they knew that they either didn’t have the time or they felt they would be miserable in the job. The honesty in these instances is important, as it is hard sometimes to say “no” when we really need to, but it’s important we do so. But, in my last point, I want to encourage you to consider serving if asked by the nominating committee, if you can make the time and if the spirit moves you. The “new blood” on these committees is vital, and participating on a new committee can also bring new meaning and reward to your involvement at church. I’m reminded of an old TV commercial where a deep voice says, “Try it; you’ll like it!”

 

David Henderson, Church Moderator

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT

If you have been to Church in the last three weeks, you can’t HELP but NOTICE the driveway and parking lot additions!  What a tremendous improvement!  Of course, the concrete berms were about a week too late as a guest minister had his vehicle slip into the side of the Church.  Fortunately, neither the minister, the car, nor the Church suffered any injury.  Many thanks to both Jean and Dennis for their constant checking with the Town.

 

A special thanks, also, to the Sanbornton Fire Department for conducting the annual fire drill.  I was home nursing a cold, but I understand everything went smoothly.  Best to be prepared!

 

The Trustees were pleased to submit the name of Michael Harbrook to represent the Trustees on the Search Committee for the settled pastor.

 

The Finance Committee is in the process of pulling together the 2010 Budget. Committee requests will be reviewed and the combined Stewardship program and budget proposal will be presented to the congregation.  Final presentation of the 2010 Budget will occur at the Annual meeting at the end of January.

 

Wally Strauch, Chairperson

 

CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER 2009 AND JANUARY 2010

 

December 6.…..Worship 10:00 am Second Sunday of Advent

December 9.…..Church Council 7:00pm Undercroft

December 10.…Christian Education Meeting 6:45 Undercroft

            Junior Choir 7:00 pm , Senior Choir 7:30pm

December 13.….Worship 10:00 am Third Sunday of Advent

            Senior Dinner First Baptist 12:15

December 17.…..Junior Choir 7:00pm , Senior Choir 7:30pm

December 20.…. Worship 10:00 am Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 24.…..Christmas Eve Service 7:00pm

December 25.…..CHRISTMAS

December 27.…..Worship 10:00am

January 1.………ANNUAL REPORTS DUE

January 3.……….Worship 10:00am

January 7.………Junior Choir 7:00pm, Senior Choir 7:30pm

January 10.…… Worship 10:00 am

January 13.……..Church Council 7:00pm Undercroft

January 14.……..Junior Choir 7:00pm Senior Choir 7:30 pm

January 17.……..Worship 10:00 am

January 20.……..Book Group 6:30pm Akermans A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY

January 21.…….Junior Choir 7:00pm, Senior Choir 7:30pm

January 24.…….Worship 10:00 am followed by Pot Luck Lunch and ANNUAL MEETING

January 28.…….Junior Choir 7:00pm, Senior Choir 7:30pm

January 31 …….Worship 10:00 am

 

Annual Meeting Reports for January  2010

 

All committee reports are due on or before January 1st 2010.  If possible, please E-mail documents to Phil Nichols. (See Church Directory for E-mail address). 

Use Microsoft Word. 

Font type – Times New Roman. 

Font size – 12 pt.

 

Those of you who don’t have a computer, please give your reports to Phil Nichols at Church.

 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

 

UNICEF COLLECTION:  Congratulations to our Sunday School Children— the collection has reached $219.20. Every penny counts; there was one child that collected $26.01. Children all over the world will benefit from UNICEF. The collection was blessed following the Worship Service on November 1st. Thanks to the children, parents, and all who made donations.

 

ADVENT WORKSHOP:  On the first Advent Sunday, sixteen children and seventeen parents and adults CELEBRATED by making small replicas of Mary, Joseph, the donkey, and baby Jesus. Thanks to Sue Long, we had detailed instruction, lots of fabrics and craft supplies.  We were pleased to have Pastor Jean join us for the Gathering. The Christian Education Committee appreciates everyone who came; and join all in anticipation of each day in Advent with Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

 

DECEMBER OUTREACH PROJECT:  Classes are being encouraged to bring in baby food for our local food pantries; this is part of our December expression of love as we remember babies in our community in need of nutritious food.

 

ROCK SOLID BIBLE STUDY PLAN FOR WINTER 2009-2010:  Our classes will be centered around the “Good News of Jesus, Touched by Jesus and Healed by Jesus” during December, January and February. Our teachers are Heather Max and Shirley Strauch in the Preschool/Kindergarten Class; Sally and James Wood and Jonathan Marchant in the Grades 1, 2, and 3 Class; Kara Downes and Mary Morris in the Grade 4 and 5 Class; and Marg Whedon and Volunteers in the Grade 6, 7, and 8 Class. We send our appreciation to all as they continue planning and teaching each week.

 

Shirley Strauch, for the Christian Education Committee; Sarah Harbrook, Sue Long, Mary

Morris, Shirley Powers, Marg Whedon

 

ADVENT WORKSHOP

 

Sunday, November 29th, the first Sunday in Advent, found twenty-four teachers, parents and children attending an Advent Workshop sponsored by the Christian Education Committee. Sue Long had materials and directions for making a simple creche and those in attendance constructed Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus and a donkey from the materials. A simple supper of soup, bread and crackers and cheese was enjoyed as the work on the creche figures was completed.

 

The parents and children had an opportunity to get to meet Pastor Jean in a more informal setting and to prepare for the season of Advent with church family and friends

 

From the Minister of Music

 

Here is some of the music we'll be singing during Advent:  On Dec. 6 and 13 we'll sing an aria and a chorus from "Messiah".  Julie Ellerbeck will be the alto soloist on the 6th, and Herb Lauterwasser will be the bass soloist on the 13th.  On December 20 we will sing "The Holy Birth" by Herbert Sumsion.

 

Both choirs will sing at the Christmas Eve service at 7 on the 24th.

 

We continue to work on the organ.  Our team in recent weeks has been Katie Bossey, David Henderson, Jean Surowiec and yours truly.  We are making progress, but not as fast as we would like.  Since we started the latest work a year ago, 210 hours have been contributed;  I've been keeping careful records!

 

We're always on the lookout for new singers.  If you have an interest, please let me know.

 

Dennis

 

Pastor Jean, Our Interim Minister

 

Rev, Jean O’Bresky preached at Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC, for the first time as our Interim Minister on Sunday, November 29, 2009, the first Sunday of Advent and the church year.

 

Pastor Jean graduated with a BA in psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1990, and worked in the business world; fifteen years later she entered United Theological Seminary in Minnesota. She received a Master of Divinity degree in 2005 and worked as a Hospital Chaplain. In 2007, she traveled from Minnesota to New Hampshire, to take on the exciting challenge of establishing a homeless shelter and a food pantry at First Church, UCC, Concord. This venture was a great success; and she was Associate Pastor at First Church for two years until, unfortunately, the grant money that supported the shelter ran out. She has been serving as a supply minister in local churches and working part-time in the conference Media Center, reorganizing the Center and adding new materials to the collection.

 

Pastor Jean is committed to social justice and peace. In her “Statement on Ministry” she says, “As a parish pastor I am called to equip communities of faith to be God’s hands, feet and voice in the world to build God’s kingdom on earth. I do this by preaching the word of God, celebrating the sacraments, providing pastoral care and guiding the life of the community in its worship and mission.” Sanbornton’s congregation welcomes Pastor Jean as our preacher, teacher, guide and leader, as we begin the search for a new, settled pastor.

 

THANK YOU

 

Dear Church Family,

 

As two months of recuperation from total hip replacement comes to an end I thank you all for your part in my recovery.

 

Thank you so much for the thoughtful cards and messages from the deacons, the council, the "best small church choir in New Hampshire", as well as  all the individual encouragement with cards, newsy letters, and phone calls. "Bless the little children"(Shirley Strauch's class) for their handcrafted artwork which decorated the family room throughout the fall season.

 

The beautiful, warm, cuddly prayer shawl has been my constant companion, and Phil Nichols has kept me up to date by emailing copies of the Sunday bulletin. Most of all thank you for your prayers!

 

To stay with my daughter Sheryl and son in law Peter during this adventure was one of the wisest decisions I have ever made, but I did miss you all!

 

I am most grateful to Sheryl and Peter for their tender care and for Peter for keeping you posted as to my progress. What a team they are! My son and daughter in law Chuck and Jan have been very much in the picture as best they could from Schenectady NY.

 

How blessed I am! I thank God many times a day. May you all have a wonderful holiday season with those you hold most dear.

 

Let us enjoy the festival of lights of Hanukkah and truly celebrate the birth of the Messiah.

 

Bless you and thank you,

 

Shirley Powers

 

Missions Committee Report

 

It’s hard to believe that the year is almost over!  We’ve all been busy this year and together we are reaching out to help those in needs.

 

We are pleased to report that we've created Hygiene kits that will be delivered to Carey House homeless shelter and New Beginnings Crisis Center in Laconia.   We've also collected a dozen plus warm coats, sweaters, hats and scarves to the Shea Farm Halfway House in Concord to aid female inmates as they reenter the job market.  All of these items will be so gratefully received. 

 

We have just sent out checks for $100 each to both the Town of Sanbornton Food Pantry and First Fruits Food Pantry as part of our on-going support of our Local Hunger Relief mission.  Also, our church, through the great work done by Michele Chapman and her daughters, still serves a meal four times a year at the Bread & Roses Kitchen in Franklin.  We hope to recruit more help for Michele in this coming year.

 

The Mitten Tree is up in the sanctuary and we are collecting mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for the children served by the Tilton-Northfield-Sanbornton Santa Fund.  All donations will have to be delivered to the Santa Fund by December 14th so the time is short (only two more Sundays).  For over twenty years we have supported the fund and helped little hands and heads stay warm.  Won't you help, too?

 

During the service on Sunday, December 20th (before the longest night of the year) the Mission committee will take a brief moment to acknowledge the plight of the homeless in our nation.

 

On Sunday, February 7th, we will once again celebrate "SOUPER Bowl" Sunday!  We will collect soups, stews, chowders and any other canned goods for the First Fruits Food Pantry and Bread & Roses Kitchen.  This is a fun tradition in our church and we hope you'll be inspired to be part of it.

 

Respectfully submitted with our best wishes for a healthy, happy holiday season from your friends on the Missions Committee.

 

From the Green Team  

 

The Christmas Card Tree will be up on the bulletin board on Sunday, December 6th.  You are invited to put ONE card, with your Christmas greetings to all your church family, on the tree. Think of all the

paper you will save - think of the saved space  at the landfill. With the money you will save on postage, perhaps you can do something good, in the manner of Jesus's example. Mittens for the mitten tree, food for the food pantry, or YOUR IDEA.

 

Lee Hart

 

HISTORICAL TIDBITS:  A POORHOUSE IN SANBORNTON By Milly Shaw, Church Historian. 

 

For 40 years (1829-1869), the town had a poorhouse farm on Woodman Road. Previously the poor, as individuals, were vended by the Selectmen annually to the lowest bidder. The town records showed, for example, that “Dr. Jacobs gave in 1789 ‘maintenance’ to a Mrs. Shores and her daughter for $16.75” and others were reimbursed for special service to care for paupers. At a special meeting in 1813 the town voted the Selectmen appoint in each school district, a man who would inquire into cases of people who may be sick or need assistance. In 1817 Selectman appointed a committee to make a draft for a poorhouse and report the same with probably expenses. That year the town’s poor were many on account of the cold and the failure of crops.

 

Finally in 1829 a purchasing committee raised and borrowed $2200 plus $650 for furnishing a farmhouse and land. Throughout the years an inventory of food and goods, as well as the names of the paupers, were listed in the Town Reports.

In 1867 it was voted to “abolish pauper settlements by the towns and throw the entire support of paupers upon counties.”  The poorhouse was sold in 1869, the date of the town’s division. Tilton took 2 adults and 2 children, Sanbornton 3 adults.