September 5th Weekly Word | |
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Beginning this week, the office
will be back to the following hours:
Monday 9am to 3pm
Wednesday 9am to 3pm
Thursday 9am to 3pm
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Worship This Week
Please join us
in the Sanctuary
or online at 10am for the
Sixteenth Sunday
after Pentecost
Coffee hour will be held
after the service
in Hadley Hall
The service will be live streamed
on Facebook Live here
or on 3CX here
Reader: Linda Tilden
Coffee Hour Host: Jane DeRosa
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Rev Paige's Corner: Imagining Together
I will confess that not every Stewardship Theme is particularly inspiring to me. But some years, the suggested theme really speaks to me. Thus is the case for this year's theme: Imagine Together.
I can see how it will fit nicely with this year's Stewardship program as we reflect on the life of our congregation and consider our commitments for the coming year of our time, talent, and treasure. As we imagine together where God is calling us in the days ahead and how combining our resources will allow some great things to happen here, perhaps we find inspiration.
But I have also been thinking that 'Imagine Together' is a wonderful theme for the work we are trying to do together in these days of transition as we talk about our hopes for the future of the congregation and the community and as we think about what we would like to share with candidates applying to be our pastor.
My last couple of articles have been about "Knowing our why". But the journey to "knowing our why" also includes imagining what God might be doing, what is possible, what is needed, and how we might live our God's word. That is the imagining part. But the "Together" part is also really important. How do we come together and develop a common vision?
An ancient image for the church is a boat. But sometimes churches can feel like the cartoon above with people trying to row in all different direction. While a church can be about more than one thing and serve in more than one way, I believe the ones that thrive are those who have a common understanding of where God is calling them.
Our "Imagine Together" materials have 8 different scriptures with different kinds of imagining. We will use them through the common year in worship and Sunday School. I hope they inspire our Stewardship and our Transitional work in the days ahead. I very much look forward to our conversations as we Imagine Together.
With blessings!
Rev Paige Besse-Rankin
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New Association structure being proposed for NH UCC
The United Church of Christ is organized into 4 settings: The national setting overseen by General Synod; Conferences (in our case the NH Conference); Associations (in our case the Rockingham Association) and local congregations. This is not a hierarchical structure and no setting has authority over any others. Instead, it is a set of covenantal relationships where we support one another in our ministries.
In New Hampshire, our Associations of Churches are fairly small in terms of geography and number of churches. Remember that many were organized before automobiles where people would have to travel on foot or horse and carriage to participate in meetings. Among other things, Associations are where decisions are made about who to ordain and authorize for ministry.
But in recent years, many of our Associations in NH have struggled to stay active, to get volunteers and to stay active. This has led to challenges. So a Task Force has been working over the the last 2 years to look at our model, so learn what is happening other parts of the country, to organized listening sessions, and to propose a new structure.
The proposal coming the fall for consideration involves combining all Associations who want to join into one statewide association. Would you like to learn more? There is now a web page with information and there are listening sessions coming later this month. Check here for more information: Association Task Force materials
We will need delegates for participate in listening sessions and in our association meeting later this fall to vote as representatives of our congregation. If you would be interested, please speak with Fred Malcolm or Rev Paige.
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Sunday School
Begins this Sunday
September 8th
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HCC Historical Designation Marker on Display
As most of you know, Hampstead Congregational is now officially on the
New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places! Last week we received the official historical marker to display on the church.
Special thank you, Brad Robie, for all of your hard work and dedication
in accomplishing this amazing fete!
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Book Discussion Group is back for the Fall
After our summer break, our Thursday morning Book group will be returning! This group is open to any who would like to join.
We are beginning with a field trip that had been rained out. On Thursday, September 5 at 10 am, we will meet at the church to visit the Episcopal Church in Exeter and their outdoor Labyrinth. We should return to the church at noon unless the group wants to stop for lunch.
Thursday, September 12 from 10 - 11:30 am, we will meet with "muffins and mugs" to talk about "what I did/read for my summer vacation." Some of of the group have had some wonderful adventures. Bring a couple of photos to share! Others have been reading - some even from our summer book list. So let's catch up and share our summer adventures.
The suggested book for the fall. It is "Freeing Jesus" by Dianna Butler Bass. It is available on Amazon in paperback, digital format and audible version. It can also be purchased used for $3 or so. Here is the book description: "The award-winning author of Grateful goes beyond the culture wars to offer a refreshing take on the comprehensive, multi-faceted nature of Jesus, keeping his teachings relevant and alive in our daily lives. How can you still be a Christian? This is the most common question Diana Butler Bass is asked today. It is a question that many believers ponder as they wrestle with disappointment and disillusionment in their church and its leadership. But while many Christians have left their churches, they cannot leave their faith behind.
"In Freeing Jesus, Bass challenges the idea that Jesus can only be understood in static, one-dimensional ways and asks us to instead consider a life where Jesus grows with us and helps us through life’s challenges in several capacities: as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. Freeing Jesus is an invitation to leave the religious wars behind and rediscover Jesus in all his many manifestations, to experience Jesus beyond the narrow confines we have built around him. It renews our hope in faith and worship at a time when we need it most."
We will finalize our choice on Sept 12. Other suggestions are welcome.
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An Update from the Transition Team
Friends,
The Transition Team continues to meet during the Summer months and we are gathering information which will help the Search Committee prepare a Church Profile and attract applicants who will meet the needs of our congregation.
One aspect of this work is to review the demographics of our community and identify groups within the population who may be a potential "fit" with our congregation and the programs, mission and services that we offer. We have been using a tool called "MissionInsite". One of the groups identified by the MissionInsite analysis is labeled "Booming with Confidence" and is made up of "Prosperous, established couples in their peak earning years living in suburban homes". This group represents a significant portion of the Hampstead population. The people in this group have interests that match well with our congregation and our style of worship. People in this group tend to be attracted to churches that welcome grandchildren and offer a Children's Message or Message for All Ages as part of the worship service.They are also attracted by "blended worship services" and are interested in Book groups, the Arts and Social outreach/Mission programs. The members of this group of people would be potential participants in one or more of our programs and services. Communication with them to make them aware of what we offer will be an important factor as we move forward as a church.
We are continuing to review information about other segments of our community which may match well with our congregation. By understanding the direction and nature of our congregation, our community and "Who is God calling us to become?", our Search process can be targeted to meet those objectives.
Should you have questions about the work of the Transition Team please feel free to reach out to Rob Reeves, Lynn D'Adamo, Barbara Wallack or Rick Little
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Exploring Our Faith Program for 2024/25
We are organizing a program for youth and adults to explore the basics of Christian Faith through discussion, activities, and experiences. This will function like a Confirmation Class for those who have never confirmed their baptism vows. But it will also be open to those who took Confirmation years ago and would like to explore again or for those considering becoming a Christian. It will be a place to ask big questions.
To provide the most flexibility for those with busy schedules and the most chance to personalize exploration to participants own interests, this program will gather monthly for an overview of the theme of the month. Then small groups will have the chance to select and schedule activities around that theme that most interest them and to work together on those activities.
There will also be the opportunity for a mission trip and a retreat as the group has interest. There will be an informational/organizational meeting in early September. This program is open to those in high school and older.
If you are interested in more information, please sign up in the book in Hadley Hall or use this link to register: Faith Journey sign up form
Please see Rev Paige if you have questions!
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Visitation Team being Organized!
One of the challenges of pastoral transition time is that long-time members who are homebound can get lost in the shuffle. It can take a while for a new pastor to get to know folks. And even when a pastor has been settled for a while, 1 person is often not enough to keep folks who are homebound feeling closely connected. A Visitation team can make a big difference with visits, cards, and regular check ins. While this has been happening informally in some cases, we want to organize it just a bit so we can make sure everyone is supported and connected. If you would be interested in volunteering for a visitation team or just learning more about what would be involved, please sign up in the sign-up book in Hadley Hall or contact the office. We plan to have an organizational meeting in early September.
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New UPPER ROOM Devotionals
We have copies of the
September/October Upper Room
devotional available
in the foyer to Hadley Hall.
If you need a copy mailed to you, please contact the main office.
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Peace & Justice
For Labor Day: Last weekend I read an article in the Washington Post about employer run programs meant to allow hiring persons with disabilities for jobs equivalent to their skills for wages less than the minimum wage. The program is also required to provide training that would allow the person to move onto higher paying jobs in the larger community. Employers who wish to participate need 14(c) certification (described in the fact sheet below).
Labor Department data indicates that as many as 38% of the workers in these programs are not being paid at appropriate levels (some as low as $0.25 / hr) and / or not receiving training to progress. Oversight of different aspects of the 14(c) program is fragmented between four federal agencies — the departments of Labor, Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services. However, no federal agency is in charge of making sure individuals move from 14(c) programs into community employment.
Three decades of government reports have flagged abuses and called for tightening oversight or ending the program entirely. Thirteen states, including NH, have disallowed participation in the program as these reports have become known.
Fact sheet Wage and Hour Division US Dept of Labor
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Music Corner by Herb Tardiff
Listed below is some of the longest running Broadway Musicals.
1. “The Phantom of the Opera”
A worldwide phenomenon and the longest-running Broadway musical in history, “The Phantom of the Opera” opened in 1988 to rave reviews and multiple awards. The epic Andrew Lloyd Webber masterpiece was performed 13,981 times at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre before closing in 2023, wowing audiences for over three decades.
2. “Chicago”
Though Broadway’s original 1975 production may have closed after a (relatively) short two years, the current revival of “Chicago” has been jazzing it up at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre since 1996. The latest iteration has won numerous awards across its 10,000-plus performances and has featured dozens of star turns (Bebe Neuwirth, James Naughton, and Ann Reinking headlined the original revival). Celebrity headliners have included Jerry Springer, Wendy Williams, Usher, and many more.
3. “The Lion King”
This wildly popular Disney musical directed by Julie Taymor redefined Broadway when it debuted in 1997, wowing audiences of adults and children by creating an animal-filled savannah through life-size puppets and gorgeous African-inspired costumes. Broadway’s highest-grossing musical to date, with over $1.5 billion earned and counting, this family musical will probably not be going anywhere anytime soon. “The Lion King” is, well, king.
4. “Wicked”
Stephen Schwartz knocked it out of the park with this original, family-friendly musical based on Gregory Maguire’s popular 1995 novel of the same name. (Very) smart Broadway casting put Kristin Chenoweth in one of her best roles to date as the bubbly Glinda, with Idina Menzel as the heroic (and green-faced) Elphaba and Norbert Leo Butz as Elphaba’s love interest, Fiyero, in the original production. Numerous actors have made star turns in the same roles ever since. “Wicked” opened on Broadway in 2003 and has had nearly 8,000 performances.
5. “Cats”
Another iconic Webber musical, “Cats” was an instant classic when it debuted on Broadway in 1982. The highly visual, lyrical, and musically driven show based on T.S. Eliot’s poetry collection “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” was unlike anything Broadway had seen before, and it ran for an impressive 18 years before closing in 2000, with a revival in 2016. Fun fact: Elaine Paige, famous for her role as the original Grizabella, was brought into the London cast at the last minute to replace an injured Judi Dench.
6. “Les Misérables”
Before the 2006 revival at the Broadhurst Theatre and the 2014 revival at the Imperial Theatre, the original “Les Mis” enjoyed a record-breaking Broadway run from 1987 to 2003—that’s 16 years, if you’re counting. The epic musical based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name opened on Broadway with Colm Wilkinson in the lead role of former prisoner Jean Valjean and Terrence Mann as police inspector Javert. Also, in the original Broadway production? A 9-year-old Lea Michele, who joined in 1995 in her first major role of Young Cosette.
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New Hampshire Conference UCC
Weekly News
We thought you might enjoy reading the NH Conference UCC weekly newsletter. You can read it with this link.
9/3/2024 Newsletter
Each week, we will update this section of our Weekly Word with the new link
for the current newsletter.
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New AMAZON Wish List for
Saint Anne's Food Pantry
St. Anne's Pantry is seeing an increase in the number of families who shop with them. They've almost doubled the amount of families who shop weekly since this time last year. They try to keep their shelves stocked as much as they can.
They are reaching out for some help...donations are needed. They thought they would try an Amazon Wish List in addition to listing items here.
Thank you in advance for any donations.
Please no expired items and non-perishable items only please.
Drop off in the foyer of Hadley Hall.
Looking for the following: cereal(no oatmeal), coffee, tea, Ritz Crackers, Saltines, granola bars, Nutrigrain bars, cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, canned Chef Boy r Dee, condiments, salad dressing, brownie/cake mix, Coffee/K-Cups, Quickbread/Muffin mixes, Easter Candy, Ensure, Scalloped/Au gratin potatoes.
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To sign up for the next volunteer opportunity click here. If you are interested in volunteering contact Jane DeRosa via email at janederosa@comcast.net. | |
The Sonshine Soup Kitchen needs volunteers to prepare and package the food for "To Go Meals." We partner with Atkinson Congregational Church once a month on the 4th Wednesday of the month to help out from 3-6pm. | | |
Are you on Facebook? Do you follow Hampstead Congregational Church? Please like our page to know about all the great events in the church. Liking also supports our church when people check us out. If you are already connected, share our good news!
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Help Us Continue Our Mission at HCC | |
Want to get the word out about what’s happening at HCC? If you want to publicize your event or remind the congregation about something, please email the office (hcc1752@gmail.com) by Wednesday at noon so that your information can be included in that week’s Weekly Word. Feel free to send in information up to three weeks in advance of an upcoming event. We want all of the congregation (not just the Team leaders) to be empowered to get the word out about all the activities that are happening at Hampstead Congregational Church!
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Our Mailing Address:
61 Main Street
Hampstead, NH 03841
Church Summer Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00am to Noon
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Hampstead Congregational Church Website
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