THE WEEKLY NEWS

April 25, 2023 | Volume 15 No. 18

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CONFERENCE NEWS

 

Clergy Convocation Breaking News!

Last week we received the sad news that the Marie Joseph Spiritual Center is closing in June. We mourn this loss of place, one that is filled with wonderful memories, and we pray the sisters will be moved to a comfortable location to live out their days.


Join us September 18-20 at the Pilgrim Pines Camp and Retreat Center in Swanzey, NH. It is a beautiful place and we hope you will join us there. Information about the program will be coming soon.


Pilgrim Pines Website

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Earth Day Art Contest Winners

 Sponsored by the Environmental Justice Mission Group

Person in yellow rain coat using pink watering can to pour water onto dark mass turning it into beautiful flowers.

The winners of the NH Conference Earth Day Art Contest have been announced. The Contest, sponsored by the Environmental Justice Mission Group, received 47 entries from seven churches and one school in Agra, India. There will be displays of the winning art work at the NH Conference Office, and at Horton Center, as well as several churches.


The Grand Prize winner is Laura Ciminesi, 14 from South Congregational Church Concord (Picture featured above). In addition to a certificate, she is the winner of a $300 scholarship to Horton Center, funded by an anonymous donor. The other winners are:


James Chambers, 6, Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, UCC, Hanover


Annabel Nolan, 12, Hampstead Congregational Church


Jessie Fisher, 16, Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, UCC


Sajal Jain, 17, Agra Public School, India


Bob Fellows, 73, Union Congregational Church, Peterborough


There will be a complete listing of Honorable Mention winners in an upcoming issue of the NH Conference CE Newsletter. Thanks to all who participated

View Pictures Here

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Spring Boundary Training

June 3, 2023

The Foundations of Understanding Boundaries

(A Basic Boundary Training Session)


Date: June 3, 2023

Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Format: via Zoom

Facilitated by: Gordon Rankin

Fee: $25.00


We expect to announce an Advance Boundary Training opportunity and a weekday Basic Boundary Training opportunity to be held in the fall sometime in the next couple of months.

Register Here

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Lessons From Improv: Reuse of Materials

A New Thing Task Force

Join us on May 20th from 9 am to 2 pm at the First Congregational Church of Littleton, UCC for Lessons from Improv Reuse of Materials led by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth McGill. Learn how to give new life to old or broken materials and explore recycling as an act of care and love for creation.

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UCC Webinar on Police Violence and Environmental Justice

In Atlanta, faith leaders have been involved in a struggle to confront violence in multiple forms as they seek to prevent the destruction of the Weelaunee Forest for the building of a police training facility in a predominantly Black community. Through their actions for a just world, these faith leaders have additionally sought to honor Manuel “Tortuguita” Terán who was killed by the Georgia State Police while protecting the forest. This webinar will feature faith leaders from Atlanta as they share with us about this cause of justice. Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it.

Register Now

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NHCUCC Board of Directors

April 2023 Meeting Summary

Read the meeting summary of the April 15 Board Meeting.

Meeting Summary

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All Age Campers Belong at Horton Center

Here are this summer's camp sessions for Adults and Family campers:

Spring Work Weekend: Do you like to accomplish stuff? Then join Rueben and Tim as we get Horton Center ready for the coming summer! We'll fix things, make some new things, clean up, set up and generally make the site ship shape for campers! NOTE: this is an adult (18 +) camp. We do allow 16 & 17 year-old campers when accompanied by a parent/legal Guardian. Contact Tim to discuss.


Peace Faith and Rejuvenation: Join Deans Emmi Sander and Alex Cross for this all adult women weekend. This is a special time to be on the Mountain with an all women camp to worship, sing, eat (someone else is preparing the food!), hike, sit around a campfire and more!


Family & Friends: Bring the whole family to Horton Center for Labor Day weekend and enjoy all that Dean Jon Gray has in store to keep all ages busy, engaged, chilling, and laughing! ALERT: There is every indication that the Briefcase Olympics will be making another appearance this summer! Don't miss it!


Fall Work Weekend: Help put Horton Center away for the winter. We'll fix things, clean up, disassemble and store equipment and generally make the site snug for the winter! NOTE: this is an adult (18 +) camp. We do allow 16 & 17 year-old campers when accompanied by a parent/legal Guardian. Contact Tim to discuss.


Don't wait! Click Here to register!


Check out our website with videos, photos and more: www.HortonCenter.org


Shalom my friends, shalom.


Tivvi Pare - she/her/hers - Summer Director

Tim Hughes - he/him/his - Executive Director

Horton Center, NHCUCC

As always you can contact Tim at: 603-545-9660 thughes@nhcucc.org

Star Island Conferences

August/September offerings

Come to beautiful Star Island in the Isles of Shoals off Portsmouth, NH. Besides many conferences on natural history, arts, yoga, birding, history, etc., UCC offers four conferences for families and youth in August/Sept. 2023.

 

Go to www.starisland.org for complete program listings and information on costs and transportation.

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UPCOMING CONFERENCE EVENTS

 

NEAUCE Conference

Swanzey, NH

Learn More

May 4 - May 6

Hillsborough Association Meeting

Hollis Congregational Church

May 7

2pm

GOS Association Meeting

Location to come

May 7

2pm

Search Committee Webinar

Virtual Event

Learn More

May 10

Horton Center Work Weekend

Horton Center

Learn More

May 19-21

Merrimack Association Meeting

Congregational Church of North Barnstead

May 21

2pm

Rockingham Spring Association Meeting

Deerfield Community Church

May 21

2pm

Horton Center Open House

Horton Center

Learn More

June 17

Horton Center Hike the Hill, Alumni Homecoming

Horton Center

Learn More

June 17

11am to 4pm

Horton Center First Day of Camp

Horton Center

June 25

General Synod 34

Indianapolis

Learn More

June 30 - July 4

Conference Calendar
 

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

 

All those living in war zones. We pray for the people of Sudan, the people of Ukraine, the people of Yemen, and everyone living in places and spaces of violence. We pray for their health and safety, for their world to return to a place of stability and normalcy. We pray for peace, for an end to violence, and an end to war. God, in this Eastertide, a time of resurrection hope, we turn to your promises as bright, guiding stars, leading us towards new ways, new possibilities, new visions of how to be your people. May our churches here in New Hampshire live into these possibilities and visions of peace with justice for all God’s people and may we care for those who are suffering.


O God, in your tender mercy, Hear our prayers

 

ACROSS THE CONFERENCE

 

Debora-Ellen Brown and Kathleen Alger will serve as Co-Transitional Pastors at the First Congregational Church of Wilmot, Wilmot, NH. Their start date is April 30th.


The Rev. Mary Jane Barber has announced her resignation from the position of Pastor and Teacher of the Union Congregational Church of Hebron, UCC. Rev. Barber will conclude her ministry in Hebron on April 30, 2023.


The Hillsborough Association will hold its Spring Meeting on Sunday, May 7 at 2:00 at the Congregational Church of Hollis, UCC. This meeting will be held In-Person and via Zoom.


The Grafton-Orange-Sullivan Association will hold its Spring Meeting on Sunday, May 7 at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College. This meeting will be held In-Person and via Zoom.

 

WIDER CHURCH RESOURCES

 

United Church of Christ

Click Here

Association of UC Educators

Click Here

Global Ministries

Click Here

UCC Volunteer Ministries

Click Here

 

CONFERENCE MINISTER

ASSOCIATE CONFERENCE MINISTER

Sunday Schedule: May 7, 2023

The Rev. Gordon M. Rankin

The Conference Minister will be preaching at the First Congregational Church of Lebanon where the Rev. Steve Silver serves as Pastor.

In the afternoon, the CM be attending the Grafton-Orange-Sullivan Association Spring Meeting and Ecclesiastical Council for John Torrey.

The Rev. Sara Marean

In the morning, the Associate Conference Minister will be preaching at the First Congregational Church of Milford, UCC where the Rev. Allen Hoyt serves as Pastor and Teacher.

In the afternoon the ACM will represent the New Hampshire Conference at the Hillsborough Association Spring Meeting.

 

Conference Center

Monday - Friday | 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Gordon Rankin

Conference Minister

Sara Marean

Associate Conference Minister

Cindy Bradley

Administrative Assistant

Diane Tinkham

Christian Formation Resource Specialist

Lydia Frasca

Finance Officer

Susanne McCarron

Search and Call

Tim Hughes

Horton Center Executive Director

Thaddeus Sieverding

CTE Specialist

Phone Number:

603-225-6647

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The Weekly News is published to promote the mission and ministry of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ.


These announcements are intended to be brief, timely, and of a general interest to our Conference readers. Supportive links are provided whenever they are available. We encourage you to forward these materials to others in your church using the link below and to share them in your bulletins and local church newsletters.


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