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Worship This Week
Please join us
in the Sanctuary
or online at 10am for the
Third Sunday of Easter
Coffee hour will be held
after the service.
The service will be live streamed
on Facebook Live here
or on 3CX here
Reader: Brad Robie
Coffee Hour Hosts: Janet Kliska & Bernie & Sam Longbook
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Hampstead Eats Food Festival
The rain didn't stop HCC from hosting Saturday's food truck fest! The band took over the stage in Hadley Hall and tables and chairs were set up so everyone could come inside to eat, listen to music and stay dry. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this a great event, in spite of the weather.
Special thanks go out to Roxanne McGaffigan for all of her hard work and dedication to this annual event!
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Rev Paige's Corner: Moving Into Our Yoked Relationship
Last Sunday the pastor fo the Atkinson Congregational Church, the Rev Jim Thomas, announced his retirement. Rev Jim has served the Atkinson Church for nearly eight years - a time that has included Covid, new bylaws, a vision statement, becoming Open and Affirming, technology upgrades, and solar power projects. Rev Jim's last Sunday will be September 8.
So as we begin a new program year in the fall, we will also begin this new reality of a shared pastorate and I will shift to serving as the Interim Pastor for both congregations as a joint search committee moves into gear to seek a settled pastor that will serve both congregations. The newly organized Covenant Team with representatives from both congregations will be finalizing the details in the next few months.
I am excited about the possibilities for both congregations and honored to serve through this transition into this shared reality. (Really a return to a model that served both churches well in the mid-20th century.) At the same time, I will confess to some twinges of concern about the shifting work expectations as we begin to sort out the priorities for both congregations for their part-time pastor given that both congregations are used to having full-time attention. As your interim, my hope is to have worked through much of this so that the new settled pastor doesn't begin with confused expectations.
Meanwhile, I would ask for prayers for our friends at ACC and for Rev Jim and his wife Lynn as they prepare for retirement, celebrate this time together with ACC, and prepare for the goodbyes ahead.
With blessings!
Rev Paige Besse-Rankin
PS Our Conference Minister (who also happens to be my husband) wrote a very thoughtful column about what it means to be a welcoming congregation. I would commend it to you. You can find it here: Conference Minister Corner
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Volunteer Recognition
In our ongoing efforts to recognize a group of volunteers each month, this month we
would like to recognize our Fundraising Team. This group, consisting of Barbara Wallack, Ellen McCune, Linda Tilden, Roxanne McGaffigan and honorary member and all-around helper Kari Allard, coordinates events such as The Strawberry Festival, The Christmas Craft Fair and the very popular Food Truck Festival.
Quite a bit of time and effort goes into the planning of each event and then making sure
everything runs smoothly the day of the event. The Church and its members
acknowledge and appreciate the amount of work that happens behind the scenes to
make each event successful. We see you.
Many thanks to the members of our Fundraising Team!
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A Message for Plant Enthusiasts
It is finally spring, and the young perennials are popping up in the gardens. Consider dividing your perennials now and potting up a portion of them for sale at the Strawberry Festival. Right now, the tops are small, and the roots are strong. Potting them now and caring for them will give us full, beautiful, unstressed plants for the sale. Please label your plants with any information you can: type, variety, color, anything is helpful.
Houseplants are also popular now. Do you have something from which you could take cuttings and start new little plants? Succulent type plants like Christmas Cactus, should be cut, then let to air dry and callus over for a few days before sticking them into a well-drained soil. If you know the name or color of your plant, please label it. If you have questions about propagating, feel free to ask me. Kariallard1@msn.com Maybe you have more houseplants than you need these days. Consider donating healthy plants that are taking up too much room, or of which you have duplicates. All donations of healthy plants are appreciated.
Many thanks in advance from the Strawberry Festival Plant Table Team!
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Looking for Volunteers!
Spring Clean-Up
Saturday, May 10th, 9am-12pm
The Operation Team requests your help to do some Spring cleaning, both inside and outside the church. Bring work gloves and tools, and your favorite cleaning supplies. Share some fellowship with fellow members and other volunteers.
A list of specific tasks in addition to general clean-up is being prepared. All are welcome to assist. Many hands make short work. Thank you!
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Strawberry Festival - Saturday, June 7th
We need your help!
Are you ready for some Strawberry Shortcake? Our annual Strawberry Festival is happening soon. If you can help in any way on Friday, 6/6 and/or Saturday, 6/7, it would be greatly appreciated.
Another way to help--donate baked goods--they can be dropped off Friday, 6/6.
Things you can do to help:
- Friday--Help with Setup starting at 4PM
- Saturday--Help with Games - multiple timeslots starting at 8:30AM
- Saturday--Help with Bake Sale Table - multiple timeslots starting at 8:30AM
- Saturday--Help with Grilling - multiple timeslots starting at 8:30AM
- Saturday--Help with Serving the Shortcake - multiple timeslots starting at 8:30AM
- Saturday--Help with Plant Table - multiple timeslots starting at 8:30AM
- Saturday--Help with Cleanup starting at 3:00PM
Signup Sheet is in Hadley Hall or you can contact the office at 603-329-6985 and we will help get you signed up.
Let’s make this event a huge success!
As always, thank you for your support,
Your Fundraising Team
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The CROP Hunger Walk is back on Sunday June 1st! We are happy to announce that, after a hiatus, the Hampstead/Atkinson/Plaistow CROP Hunger Walk is coming back. HCC was a longtime supporter of this event and we are looking forward to being involved again.
We have started a team if you would like to walk and/or fundraise. You can also get involved by making a donation to our team to support this wonderful cause.
To make a donation or find out more about the walk please visit https://events.crophungerwalk.org/crophungerwalks/event/hampsteadnh
In the coming weeks we will be talking more about this wonderful event that helps raise funds to provide meals for people in our local communities as well as around the world. Stay tuned for more details about the walk and how you can help.
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HCC Today and Tomorrow! May 31 at the Meetinghouse
As we continue our Interim work and begin preparations for our pastoral search, we want to take time to focus in on our visions and goals for the church in the days ahead. We are hoping to have a broad conversation involving as many stakeholders in church life as is possible.
We promise fun, fellowship and food will be part of the mix!
HCC Today and Tomorrow will be held on May 31st at the Hampstead Meetinghouse. More details to come very soon.
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Save the Dates! Upcoming Events
May 10th – Spring Clean Up at 9am
May 31st - HCC Today & Tomorrow Retreat at the Hampstead Meetinghouse
June 1 – Crop Walk at 1pm
June 7 – Strawberry Festival at 9am
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Peace & Justice
May is Mental Health Awareness Month with the theme SPEAK OUT, SPEAK UP. GIVE HELP. GIVE HOPE. The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, is celebrating with the In Every Story, There’s Strength Campaign. They encourage anyone who can to share their personal mental health journey. The goal is to remind others that they are not alone. This action celebrates the power of storytelling to fuel connection, understanding, and hope for those navigating their own mental health path. Each story is a testament to the possibility of recovery and reminds us that strength lies within us all.
You can share in the form of a video, an audio recording, or written story posted to social media with the hashtag #MyMentalHealth. Se the campaign link below for more details and suggestions. If you don’t have social media, you can submit your work on this page as well.
Reminders: NAMI Helpline is available M-F 10am – 10pm by
phone 800-950-6264
text “Helpline” to 62640
online chat name.org/help
In Crisis, call or text 988 (available 24/7)
Blessings, Debra
More about NAMI and the Every Story Campaign
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Music Corner by Herb Tardiff
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were told to use various instruments in their worship of God.
"Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" (Psalms 150:1-6).
In contrast, the New Testament tells Christians only to sing.
"Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-20).
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).
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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: Salad dressings, Coffee, Mayonnaise, Cans of Grated Cheese, Flour, Sugar, Gluten Free Items, Juice Boxes, Spices, Cereal (no oatmeal).
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.
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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.
4/29/2025 Newsletter
Each week, we will update this section of our Weekly Word with the new link
for the current newsletter.
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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 Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00am to 2 pm
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Hampstead Congregational Church Website
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