September 2008
Dear Friends,
Our yard is showing the signs of our being on vacation this month. Tall grass and weeds overwhelm the perennials. Annuals need to have passed blossoms, dead-headed and show signs of not enough water. It is always a bit hard to return home and see so much work to be done, but it will happen. I figure, if I do a little bit each day, they will be fine. Things will look better in no time.
Thankfully, our church is not like our garden! During my time of medical leave and vacation, not only have you been generous with your support and prayers, you have sustained the life and mission of our church. This congregation lives and embodies our polity of the United Church of Christ – that each of us is a minister of Christ. You have lived this calling fully, continuing the work of the church, ensuring that our garden continues to blossom, grow and flourish.
The fruit of your efforts are everywhere: the magnificent float at the Old Home Day parade, a wonderful time of worship, fellowship and recreation at the church picnic. The book group and prayer shawl ministry have continued to meet. Committees and boards have planned programs for the fall. Thanks to Rev. Andy Jepson’s outstanding leadership – you have been challenged by her dynamic preaching and reached out to one another in times of need. I am so proud of our congregation!! You demonstrate our strength, our health, our strong lay leadership.
I cannot thank Andy and all of you enough for your efforts. What comfort it brought to hear reports of how smoothly and well things have functioned in my absence, to read how we continue to make progress toward the plans and goals set in motion earlier this year.
Thank you all so much for your generous outpouring and support during my time of recovery. I have made excellent progress and continue to feel stronger and more myself by the week. Fatigue still presents a challenge but physically I am doing quite well.
As they say, “life happens.” I sure didn’t foresee this curve ball and am still adjusting to the impact it has had on me – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Healing is of mind, body, soul and spirit and my journey continues.
Again, I am so grateful to Andy Jepson for her willingness to step-in so enthusiastically and with such energy. Knowing that you were all in such capable, strong hands allowed me to focus my energy on healing and getting well. Thank you, Andy – you are truly a gift from God!
Fred and I feel so blessed to be part of this loving congregation. We thank you with all our hearts for your prayers, meals, calls, emails and visits during this challenging time. You have brought grace, light and love when we needed it most. We look forward with much anticipation and joy to our reunion on August 31st and continuing our shared ministry together.
God bless you, wonderful people of the Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ! The light of Christ shines brightly through you!
With love and much appreciation,
Patrice
September at
Sanbornton Congregational Church, United
September 7: Worship with Communion at 9:30 a.m., Rev. Patrice Ficken, preaching
September 10: Church Council Meeting, 7 p.m.
September 11: Church Open House, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Church school registration;
Junior Choir rehearsal, 7:00 p.m.; Senior Choir rehearsal, 7:30 p.m.
Please bring a friend or neighbor who may be seeking a church home!
September 14 Worship at 10:00 a.m.. Church school and Choirs resume,
Rev.Patrice Ficken, preaching
September 16: Prayer Shawl Ministry, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Woodside, Taylor Community
September 17: Book Discussion Group, 6:30 p.m. at the home
of
September 21: Worship at 10:00 a.m.; Rev. Janet Heslam preaching
September 28: Worship at 10:00 a.m.; Rev. Charles Heslam preaching;
Seniors Sunday Dinner, 12:15 p.m.
More From the Pastor about the Fall Schedule
As you know, Fred and I will be traveling to
Also, I have tentatively signed up for a course at
Patrice
Spirituality Group to
Resume in October
As mentioned above, the Spirituality Group will resume on Thursdays beginning in October. The theme will be “Listening for the Heartbeat of God.” I would like to propose meeting from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. However if the 5-6 p.m. timeframe works better, please let me know. If you are interested in participating, please contact me at patricebf@comcast.net
OPEN HOUSE
The Church will be hosting an Open House on Thursday evening, September 11, 2008 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – all members are encouraged to attend and to bring a neighbor or friend who might like to learn more about our church and its programs. The Church’s historic bell will be rung at five minutes to seven o’clock to commemorate the anniversary of September 11, 2001.
The Church’s dedicated teachers will be on hand to welcome
children whose parents wish to register them for
Representatives from all committees will be available to talk about plans for the upcoming church year and to answer questions about all the different ways to make a difference in our church and community.
The Junior and Senior Choirs will
have their first rehearsals at 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. The Church is noted for its fine choirs led
by Choir Director
We hope you will come and bring a friend!
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
It is with great enthusiasm that we are gearing up for the opening of our Church School year 2008-2009. Open House is planned for September 11th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Classrooms will be set up, curriculum displayed for review, registration forms and permission slips ready to be completed, and there will be light refreshment provided. This is the time for families, new and old, to gather together to learn about our church.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Then on Sunday, September 14th,
Our younger children, Preschool/Kindergarten and Grades 1
& 2, will be using a new curriculum from Cokesbury
entitled Rock Solid. The older classes
will continue to use One Room Sunday School from Cokesbury. New curriculum will be reviewed this year by
a subcommittee, the participants being:
The date for Children’s Sunday has been tentatively set and we have come up with a tremendous theme. This is always a very special day and the children approach it with abandon.
Our hopes are to have at least one Youth Group event this year. Plans are in the works for an Advent Workshop in November. More on these two events later.
The next meeting date
for CE Committee will be on September 21, at 11:30 a.m.
Submitted by
DEACONS
On Sunday, August 17th, we enjoyed a different kind of worship service, and
by different, I mean wonderful.
Somewhere around 40 people (I was too in awe of the scenery to take an
exact count) from our congregation stood at the shores of
Frank Baker has opened his family’s lakeside retreat to our congregation for many years, in order for us to celebrate our annual church picnic. This year, one of our Deacons, Kara Downes, suggested that we hold worship service there as well. What a great idea, we all thought! With Patrice out on medical leave, the deacons planned a “water” themed worship. Marg Whedon and Mary-Ruth Scott provided music with their guitars. The children (Shelby, Sydni, Liam, Serena, Katherine, & Abby) provided special music, and several members of our congregation were kind of enough to read. Thanks to all who were involved that day – you helped to make it amazing.
After worship, we had burgers and dogs, beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, watermelon, cookies, and more. WE WERE STUFFED! The kids (and some adults) couldn’t stay out of the water – they kayaked, canoed, and rode in the pedal boat.
If you were there, no doubt you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you weren’t, I hope to see you next year!
Thanks again Frank Baker & family – it was AWESOME!
Michelle Chapman
For the Deacons
The Committee is acutely aware of the growing needs in our community. Between the increase cost of groceries, fuel, and the generalized stress caused by uncertainty, many folks need extra support. Please help us by being our "ears and eyes" and if you see a need where we might make a difference, bring it to our attention. Our goal is to reach within and beyond our church family to be a helping hand and prayer partner.
Your continued generous support of Local Hunger Relief, special collections like Neighbors in Need in October, One Great Hour of Sharing, and other needs we bring to you is so appreciated. Working together in faith we help create positive energy and make a difference in lives every day.
Patsy Wells for the
Missions Committee
FROM THE CHOIR
DIRECTOR….Update on the Organ
As many of you know, our organ needs work involving re-leathering pneumatic valves. This need is evidenced by “ciphers” (notes which won’t stop sounding). We’ve had an increasing problem with these and have been working on them on a piecemeal basis, which is difficult and very time-consuming work, and is not always successful. We need to attack the problem.
Having the job done professionally is, I fear, entirely out of the question. It would cost tens of thousands; pros would dismantle the entire organ and remove it to their shop for the work.
Our plan is to recover most of the pneumatics in the ‘Swell’ division on a systematic basis, using skillful volunteers for the removal, recovering, and reinstallation of the pneumatics. It is not rocket science, but it must be painstakingly and accurately done. There are several hundred pneumatics to recover.
Dave Henderson will do the most difficult, uncomfortable job of lying on his back and removing each pneumatic from the wind chest. They are held in place by glue and two tiny screws. We will then take them downstairs for recovering by the skillful people who have volunteered to learn and do this exacting, if not complicated, work. Then Dave will reinstall them, an even more awkward and uncomfortable job.
It involves removing the old leather, re-cutting new leather using the old as a pattern, then gluing the new onto the wooden frame, making a duplication of the original. People who are good a fine work, sewing, etc., or are manually dexterous, will find this ‘doable’. I have done it (if slowly) so those with skillful hands will soon learn. Bill Brys was a master at it, of course. I think having about six or eight workers would be best.
If you would like to volunteer, please let me know, and I’ll advise details of our first session. You will need to bring smallish scissors and a small sharp knife. Saturday morning, September 6 is our target. Please call me or email dennisa@metrocast.net to volunteer or with questions. Many thanks.
Dennis Akerman
FROM THE
HISTORIAN….MILLY SHAW
This is a portion of the Historical Address given 237 years ago at the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of the Sanbornton Congregational Church Nov. 13 and 14 by Rev. James Greer.
“Imagine, if you can, the difficulties our fathers
confronted when they held that special town meeting for the purpose of securing
a settled minister. They were struggling with all the terrors of the
wilderness, to found a home for themselves and their families, living on the
plainest food--bean porridge, coarse bannocks and potato bread, clothing
themselves in garments spun, woven, sut and made up
in their own humble cots. The country itself was involved in that fearful death
struggle with the mightiest military power on earth. Blood had been shed in
At a special town meeting it was voted ‘to ordain Mr. Woodman on the 13th of November next.’ He was to serve from 1771-1806.