The service will also be live-streamed through Facebook Live here or on 3CX here. We hope you will join us in person or online.

We are concerned about the rapid rise of the new Delta Variant of Covid that is being experienced right in our own Rockingham County.

The positivity rate is increasing much faster than we could have anticipated!

Given the updated CDC guidance, we encourage everyone to wear a mask when in worship and other gatherings at the church.

If you’d like some fresh produce, feel free to stop by the foyer of Hadley Hall! Right now there are several zucchini available. If you'd like to make a donation, all proceeds go to RIP Medical Debt. Donations can be placed in the basket (on Sunday mornings) or in the lockbox in the foyer.

 If you have extra crops from your garden you would like to share with other church members and help an amazing cause, please bring them to Hadley Hall when you come for Sunday Service, or drop them off in the foyer. Thanks!

Please consider joining us after this Sunday's service.

If you want to take charge of the food items for one Sunday or more, please contact the Church Office or sign up after service.

Our operations team has been busy with some building updates.

A new keypad has been installed at the following locations:

Entrance To Hadley Hall

Timberlane Street Entrance

Playground Side Entrance

Your passcode is still the same 5 digit numeric code to access the building. Instead of pressing * after your 5 digit code, you will now press #.

Example:

Old Code 01234*

New Code 01234#

The General Synod of United Church of Christ completed their work a short while ago. One of the reports of interest to the Peace and Justice group is shared below.

Dear Pollinators,

The UCC prides itself on its historic firsts, and our recent General Synod gathering continued that tradition as the UCC became the first mainline Protestant denomination to affirm and declare that nature has rights. For those who are unfamiliar with the rights of nature movement, the focus of the resolution may at first blush sound like the off-the-beaten-path concern of a few environmentalists, but it is not. The global movement for the rights of nature has become a significant force over the last 15 years. Ecuador has embedded the rights of nature in its constitution, while other nations such Bolivia and New Zealand have made significant strides to acknowledge the rights of nature. In the United States, there have been locally enacted laws recognizing the rights of nature, and notably, the Ho Chunk Nation enshrined the rights of nature in its constitution.

Indigenous environmental leaders have frequently been at the forefront of the movement with Winona LaDuke of Honor the Earth and Tom Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network being key proponents in the United States. For Christians, affirming the rights of nature is especially significant because it is a central part of decolonizing our faith. Too often, misguided conceptions of "dominion" over nature have gone hand-in-hand with a conquer and plunder ethos that treats nature as something to own and exploit. At its heart, the rights of nature movement replaces such worldviews with both an affirmation of our interconnectedness with nature and a recognition that the rest of nature inherently deserves to flourish and thrive. Truly caring for God's creation requires this fundamental outlook. With gratitude to the Rev. Robert Shore-Goss for authoring the resolution and the New Hampshire Conference for spearheading it, let's celebrate this critical advancement in our faith tradition.

With gratitude for your ministry,

Brooks Berndt

PS: Further articles on the passing of the resolution can be found here and here. One can also read the resolution in its entirety. It urges that UCCers subscribe to this newsletter!

Francis Jane Crosby was born into a family of strong Puritan ancestry in New York on March 24, 1820. As a baby, she had an eye infection which a quack doctor treated by placing hot poultices on her red and inflamed eyelids. The infection did clear up, but scars formed on the eyes, and the baby girl became blind for life. A few months later, Fanny's dad became ill and died. Mercy Crosby, widowed at 21, hired herself out as a maid while Grandmother Eunice Crosby took care of little Fanny.

Grandmother took the education of her little granddaughter on herself and became the girl's eyes, vividly describing the physical world. Grandmother's careful teaching helped develop Fanny's descriptive abilities. But Grandmother also nurtured Fanny's spirit. She read and carefully explained the Bible to her, and she always emphasized the importance of prayer. When Fanny became depressed because she couldn't learn as other children did, Grandmother taught her to pray to God for knowledge.

In 1834 Fanny learned of the New York Institute for the Blind and knew this was the answer to her prayers for an education. She entered the school when she was twelve and went on to teach there for twenty-three years. She became somewhat of a celebrity at the school and was called upon to write poems for almost every conceivable occasion.

On March 5, 1858, Fanny married Alexander van Alstine, a former pupil at the Institute. He was a musician who was considered one of the finest organists in the New York area.

One evening, Fanny's friend and composer Phoebe Palmer Knapp was visiting and played a tune on the piano, asking Fanny what it sounded like. Fanny responded "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine!" Phoebe and Fanny then continued to sing the melody and write the lyrics together.

Erin McCune has offered to provide some of the rides for some HCC members that wish to come to Church services but are no longer driving. We could use others to help too. Erin cannot provide rides on 8/1.

Please reach out to our office at 603-329-6985 or at hcc1752@gmail.com.

Just a reminder: If you are using the kitchen, please wash your dishes and put them away.

Dirty dishes left in the kitchen during the summer attract ants.

Thank you!

If in doubt, please call the church or send an email to pastorkathyucc@gmail.com.

For more information, or to get the address to attend, contact Linda Tilden at latdet50@comcast.net or call 978-973-7681.