Rev Paige’s Corner: The Spiritual Practice of Thanksgiving

   When I was a kid, opening presents on Christmas morning could not begin until my mother had put her hands on her yellow legal pad. As each present was opened, she would add it to a list of people who needed thank you notes. Christmas vacation was often spent sitting at the kitchen table grumbling about all the thank you notes we had to write before we could play with the new toys. This was my perception as a kid. I now have greater appreciation for the social graces my mother was trying to teach us. But I had the sense of saying thanks as an obligatory chore. 

   Through the years, I have come to better understand thanksgiving as a spiritual practice that shapes our perception of our lives. Nancie Carmody once wrote: “I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home…. I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.”  I think this reflects a sort of attitude adjustment that recognizes the blessings we have in our lives – that takes time to notice and to allow that recognition to bring us a deeper sense of joy and wellbeing.  

    I have heard that some in recovery keep a gratitude journal or use a gratitude app. Each day, they stop and list a number of things for which they are grateful. Turning ourselves into a sense of gratitude is healing.

   This doesn’t deny the struggles and the pain that can be a very a real part of our lives. Rather it keeps them in perspective and strengthens us to face them.

   Some come to the Thanksgiving holiday with wonderful family gatherings and joyful traditions. Others find the holiday itself a challenge. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. Wherever you find yourself this year, I hope you will pause from the holiday hubbub and take time for the spiritual practice of gratitude and thanksgiving.

Blessings!

Rev Paige Besse-Rankin

Diaper Pantry Shoutout to HCC

On the video below, Tia, who with her husband runs the Manchester Diaper Pantry, explain a bit about their mission, apologize for having to reschedule and gave a shoutout to Hampstead Congregational Church and Shannon West – who volunteers every time the Diaper Pantry is open. 

Tia emphasized that the Pantry depends on donations and is so thankful for the donations.

VIDEO here.

Also, see below the information on our latest Diaper Drive for the month of December!

A Mission Opportunity Challenge

We are well aware that the number of individuals and families facing food insecurity is increasing.

Our challenge to the congregation is to meet this demand by helping restock the shelves in the pantry at Saint Anne's Charitable Outreach.

Every Sunday through November 23rd, please bring a canned good or other non-perishable food item to the church. Place these items on the alter as we watch our congregation meet this significant challenge of food insecurity.

Greens Workshop

To make items for the Christmas Fair

Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30pm

Get a few friends together and have a fun night of creating wreaths, swags and centerpieces with fresh evergreens, which we will then have for sale at the craft fair. Kari will guide provide guidance so even if you have never done it before, you will still have fun!

We will be looking for donations of cut evergreens. They can be left in the basement anytime up to a week before. Pine, arborvitae, holly, spruce, boxwood, mountain laurel,

all make great arrangements. Pinecones are also great!

We hope you can join us!

Please bring pruners, scissors and/or wire cutters to use.

Also, if anyone would like a ride, Linda Tilden has graciously offered to pick up and drive home anyone who isn't comfortable driving at night. Call or text her at 978-973-7681.

Need 2026 Offering Envelopes?

If you would like Offering Envelopes for 2026, please let Maria know in the office by either calling 603-329-6985 or email at HCC1752@gmail.com.

Please specify if you would like weekly or monthly envelopes, or something else. We can print to order.

Coming Events at

Atkinson Congregational Church

What We Still Need for the Craft Fair on December 6th

Things we need:

• Baked goods & Soup (We have containers to divide it.)

• Raffle Items like gift cards, theme baskets, kids’ items and homemade crafts. 

• Upscale gently used hidden gems. Leave items in the foyer at any time. 

Let’s all contribute to overflow our congregation’s table.  

Sincerely,

The Fund-Raising Team 

The Music Corner

by Herb Tardiff

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

As far as holiday traditions go, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is about as essential to the cozy November holiday as turkey and stuffing.

While it’s had some interruptions and mishaps along the way, the show has still managed to go on almost every year for nearly a century.

Let’s look back at five historical facts about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

The original store was about 20 blocks south on Sixth Avenue near 14th Street. Macy’s has been at its current flagship location, at Broadway and 34th Street, since 1902. Continuing expansion made the location what Macy’s called the “world’s largest store,” an entire city block with more than 1 million square feet of retail space.

In celebration, employees organized a Christmas parade in 1924 featuring “floats, bands, animals from the zoo and 10,000 onlookers,” according to a Macy’s history page. It also started way up at 145th Street. The parade concluded with Santa Claus and the unveiling of the store’s Christmas windows. Three years later, the Christmas Parade was renamed the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Saint Anne's Food Pantry

Thank you all who continue to donate food for St. Anne’s Food Pantry! 

They have updated their needs list: Ensure, Coffee/Tea, Tuna Fish, Mayo, Jelly/Jam, Hamburger Helper, Protein Soups, Saltines/Ritz/Triscuits, Rice Pilaf, Spices, Salad Dressing, English Muffins, Brownie/Muffin/Cake Mixes, Nutrigrain Bars, Maple Syrup, Canned Chef Boyardee Items, Spam, Lunchbox Snacks.

St. Anne’s Food Pantry has also updated their

 Amazon Wish List

in addition to listing items here.

Please no expired items. Non-perishable items only.

Drop off is in the foyer of Hadley Hall.

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.

11/18/2025 Newsletter

Each week, we will update this section of our Weekly Word with the new link

for the current newsletter.

Our Mailing address:

61 Main Street

Hampstead, NH 03841

Church Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00am to 3pm