This Sunday's Worship

in Hadley Hall

Weather allowing, Sunday worship will be held in Hadley Hall this week to make it easier to transition to our Annual Meeting.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

HCC Annual Report

If you would like an electronic copy of the Annual Report, please click here.

Slate of Officers for Election at Annual Meeting

Auditor - Maura Mulhall 

Clerk - Seneca Moyer

Collector - Barbara Wallack 

Co-Moderators - Fred Malcolm & TJ Arndt (Siwacki)

Treasurer - Dave Chin

Thanks!

Fred Malcolm, Moderator 

In Loving Memory

Sending our love and condolences to Ellen McCune and the entire McCune family for the loss of their mother and "Mammy", Margaret "Peggy" Favorat. Peggy was a frequent visitor here at HCC and will be fondly remembered by all.

To see her obituary and sign her online guestbook, click here.

Gisela Koester was born on June 17, 1926, in Giessen, Germany, 30 minutes north of Frankfurt. Her father was a Geology professor and her mother, who had her own PhD in Chemistry, was a leader in civic society and church. The two brothers and two sisters grew up steeped in music and learning but also followed the expectation to participate in Nazi youth activities. The oldest brother, Ulrich, was killed in action on the Russian front, and Gisela eventually worked in a munition’s plant.

18 years of age at the end of the war, her childhood home uninhabitable after being hit by a firebomb, her country in ruins, Gisela nevertheless went to study at the nearby University of Marburg. There she met the young theology student Helmut Koester, who shared her passion for music, religion, and making a better world. Gisela earned a pedagogy degree in Geography, History and German and began a high school teaching career. Eventually, she joined her new husband Helmut, who now worked in Heidelberg, and gave birth to two daughters, Reinhild and Almut. Soon after came the call for Helmut to teach at Harvard and the family moved first to Cambridge, then to Lexington MA.

Gisela insisted on keeping a German home but embraced life in middle-class America. She learned English, then to drive, shop in supermarkets, and navigate the school system for her children. Two boys, Ulrich and Heiko, joined the family as the 60’s moved along. Gisela grew to love the land and soil of New England – growing herbs and roses in her garden, camping and hiking in the White Mountains and cross-country skiing. She also enjoyed into her 90’s swimming in the beloved Walden Pond as well as in the community pool. There she earned a 100-mile award!

Much of what Gisela loved in Germany she rediscovered at an American church – University Lutheran in Cambridge. Here there was intellectual activity and an international congregation. Gisela’s leadership skills blossomed as she joined the Lutheran Church Women, led a musical ensemble for the youth, and served on many committees. While she did not pursue her teaching career after coming to the US, she remained a teacher at heart, sharing her specialist knowledge with her children and instilling in them a love of German language and literature as well as working with local ESL programs and tutoring Harvard Students.

For decades, Gisela led the Madrigal Group at Harvard Divinity School, where Helmut was her most faithful participant. Active with the Lexington chapter of Amnesty International, she organized letter drives at area churches and spent many an evening writing to the despots of the world and demanding they free their political prisoners. In 2011, at Amnesty’s Northeast Regional Conference, she received an “Activist Recognition” awarded for her service to the organization.

In the later years, with the children grown, Gisela enjoyed annual trips back to Germany, visiting with relatives and old friends. Yet another country became beloved by Gisela when she joined Helmut’s study trips to Turkey with his students.

When Helmut died 9 years ago, Gisela moved first to Concord MA and then to Windham NH. She loved making and listening to music to the end, was delighted by her children’s visits, and walked outside every chance she could get. She often participated in our Book Group and its activities and attended worship here from time to time with her daughter Reinhild.

Many will miss her friendly nature, her deep interest in others, and her song.

HCC Receives $4,500 Grant for Insulation Project

This week we received a $4,500 grant from New Hampshire Interfaith Power and Light. Thanks to generous funding from the Katy Gerke Memorial Fund, Interfaith Power and Light offers grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

The grant will go towards the work that was completed over December and January to add insulation and improve air-sealing in Hadley Hall, which will improve the efficiency of our mechanical and electrical systems, reduce our annual energy costs, and make the space more comfortable for our congregation, Stepping Stones students and teachers, and the many community members who use this space each week.

The mission of NH Interfaith Power and Light is to inspire and mobilize people of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change. Their campaign intends to protect the earth’s ecosystems, safeguard the health of all Creation, and ensure sufficient, sustainable energy for all.

The Katy Gerke Memorial was established to honor the memory of Dr. Katy Gerke and to help Christian congregations in New Hampshire to lower their church buildings’ carbon footprint.

You can learn more at their website: NH Interfaith Power and Light

Valentines for Disaster Victims: Hygiene Kits Project

In an effort to do what we can do for those recently affected by the California fires and hurricanes of 2024 we are putting together Hygiene Kits – a UCC/Church World Service mission.  

For the month of February, we will have hearts on a tree in Hadley Hall with items needed for the Hygiene Kits. We are hoping to put together twenty kits and will assemble them in March at our next Loaf and Ladle (date TBD). If you would like to assist, please take a heart and supply the goods on the tag. Each tag requests 4 of the same item, also there is a $2 processing fee per kit so some hearts will ask for $8, check made payable to HCC, with a note Hygiene Kit in the memo section. We will have a collection box in the Sanctuary on Sundays and in the foyer of Hadley Hall during the week. 

A Hygiene Kit includes:

• Washcloth

• Toenail clipper

• Toothbrush (individually wrapped)

• Bath size bar of soap (in original packaging)

• Travel size deodorant (3.4 oz or less, non-aerosol) 

• Travel size lotion (3.4 oz or less, fragrance free, new only)

• Travel size shampoo (3.4 oz or less, new only)

• Travel size toothpaste (3.4 oz or less, expiration date of 1 year)

• Sturdy wide-tough 6” comb

Music Corner by Herb Tardiff

Unusual musical instruments

Gobijeu

★★★★★ - "Beautifully made!"

An extremely unique stringed musical instrument from India. This one is similar to the guitar but features only 1 string that can be adjusted whilst playing to create something out of this world. As the pitch can be adjusted by the wooden dowel, this allows for some intense creativity. Whilst plucking the string you can create some natural phasing sounds that is amplified by the bottom chamber to create resonance.

This multicolored Indian instrument is fantastic for sound designers that work in TV and film, but also for music producers who are looking for something unusual for their next hit single. Stand away from the competition and do something different! Not just for professionals, these are a great instrument for general fun. Kids and beginner instrumentalists will love experimenting with it and will enjoy exploring its capabilities. A gobijeu is made from thick bamboo, wood, rope and recycled plastic.

Saint Anne's Food Pantry

It's a new year and the food pantry has new needs: Au Gratin potatoes, coffee/tea, tuna fish, mayo, cereal (no oatmeal), Hamburger Helper, crackers (Saltines, Ritz, Triscuits), maple syrup, rice pilaf, strawberry jam, pancake mix, Chef Boyardee items, spices, salad dressings and English muffins.

Thank you to everyone who helped out during the holiday season and thank you in advance for any donations. 

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.

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.

2/11/2025 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 2 pm