Volume 27, Issue 5

May 2026

CALL TO ANNUAL MEETING

Members of the Bristol United Church of Christ

are called to the Annual Meeting on 

Sunday, May 17, 2026, 11:00AM

following the morning worship service

The purpose of the meeting is to:

1. Receive reports of officers and committees,

2. Elect officers and committee members,

3. Act on other business that may properly come before the meeting.

 /s/ Mary Kay Haines, Clerk

DATE: May 9th

TIME: 9AM

PLACE: Bristol United Church of Christ

“Many hands make light work”!

                                           Proverbs 11:21

Join your fellow church members in some fresh air and camaraderie and help us clean up the church

property for a couple of hours on Saturday morning. Bring your friends, brawns and equipment. We need a leaf blower, rakes,

shovels, old brooms and bring your pick-up truck if you’ve got one

RAIN DATE

MAY 16th 

The Trustees are trying to hold off

mowing around the church until the end of May

in order to create / preserve habitat and

forage for early season pollinators.

Early wildflowers, dandelions, and the like provide food for these

creatures that are so important to food chains and healthy ecosystems.

One of the lines in our

 “Be the Church”banner

reminds us to

"Protect Our Environment".

In a small way that is what the

Trustees are attempting to do.

Creation Care is one response to our good Creator’s love.

Office Hours:

Monday thru Friday 9A - 12P

In-person Attendance + Zoom

April 2nd Maundy Thursday - 16

April 5th Sunrise Service - 24

April 5th Easter Sunday - 55

April 12th - 32

April 19th - 43

April 26th - 33

THE PASTOR'S PEN

Nicodemus Came by Night

             Nicodemus, a Pharisee, teacher, and leader of the Judeans, came to Jesus by night. He said to Jesus, “We know that you are a teacher from God by the things you do.” (John 3:1-2 my paraphrase)

             Some of the religious and political authorities at Jerusalem (these were mostly the same people then) recognized that Jesus was a teacher from God. And yet many of those powerful people were opposed to

Jesus and ultimately worked to have the Romans execute him. Nicodemus was not one of those opposed to Jesus but did he ever speak up among his peers on Jesus’ behalf, or on behalf of those to whom Jesus

ministered: people who were physically, spiritually, emotionally, or socially broken or cut off from the mainstream? It seems doubtful and the author of John does not tell us. Now, when the Council was discussing Jesus and his teachings being offensive (John 7:50-52), Nicodemus protests that if they have not heard Jesus’ teachings for themselves, they cannot and should not condemn them or him. This is not a statement of faith in Jesus; rather, it is a procedural objection to the Council’s discussion. And then finally, just before dusk on the day of crucifixion, Nicodemus assists a man named Joseph take down and bury the Lord’s body. Nicodemus never seems to have become a full-fledged follower of Jesus, at least not openly.

What about us? Are we full-fledged followers of Jesus Christ? Do we stand up for him? Perhaps more pressing, do we stand up for those to whom he would minister? Do we stand for and try to minister to those who may be broken physically, or who are hurting mentally, spiritually, or emotionally? Do we support the ones who are being neglected, abused, or harmed by other people including those in powerful places? Or do we, like Nicodemus, come to Jesus only by night, in private prayer, conversation, or other religious devotion? If all one can do is pray, and I believe that there are those people, then that is enough for them to do. But most of us can do more than pray. We can advocate for others near or far; send

contributions to those who work for and with others to whom Jesus would go. We can speak up as protectors of ourselves and others in the light of day. With what shall we honor the Lord and show ourselves faithful, asks the prophet Micah. (Micah 6) What the Lord requires is that we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God in the ways of the Lord.

Blessings,

NARRATIVE LECTIONARY READINGS  

ESTELLE'S CORNER

THE JOYFUL NOISE UKULELE BAND

The Joyful Noise Ukulele Band

We will be having ukulele practice at

9:30 on Mondays. 

New people are always welcome. 

Contact the church office before coming so that we have materials ready for newcomers.

We have ukuleles that people can sign-out to borrow.

Ukulele Schedule:

May 9 – Earth Day Program at the Laconia

               Congregational Church from 10-12.

May 26 – Playing the Senior Center in

                Plymouth, NH—Open Mic

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Train up a child in the way they should go; even when they are old they will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 

“Jesus’s parables are simple and memorable stories, often with imagery,

that teach a lesson in daily life.”

During the 2025-26 Sunday School year we are going to study

13 of the Parables that Jesus used to teach important lessons about faith and living a good life.

The first Sunday of each month is Intergenerational Worship, so there will not be any formal Sunday School Lessons. Nursery care is usually offered.

We will be running our Sunday School like a “little one room   schoolhouse”: Attendance, Singing, Prayer, a multi-age lesson on the Parables, independent work for the older students, and guided activities for the younger students. Each week we will have Ms. Sal leading us in song.

New students are always welcomed to join us at any time during the year! 

Here is the calendar for the month of May:

May  3 – Intergenerational Worship Sunday

May 10 – Parable of the Tower Builder – Mrs. Vogel

May 17 – Last Day of Sunday School



We would like to thank everyone who participated in our Loaves and Fishes Sunday. 

We hope you had as much fun as we did!

Thanks go out to everyone who helped us with our

2025-26 school year. 

We will see you again in September!

MISSIONS

Mother’s Day and Blankets!

It’s May! Missions turns its thoughts to the CWS Blanket Program. Your donation will supply warm blankets sent by our warm hearts to those who need them. 

How about honoring someone special with a donation for a blanket? 

Or perhaps a memorial to person who was caring? 

On May 3rd, gift cards will be available should you want to do that. On May 10th, a Mission Moment about the program will be a part of the service. 

Donations will be accepted throughout the month of May. 

Thank you!

CHURCH COUNCIL

Council Minutes April 22, 2026

In attendance:

Bill Nieman, Mary Kay Haines, Debbie Doe, Betty Seeler, Lucille Keegan, Tom Keegan, and Andrew MacLeod.

Bill called the meeting to order at 1:32 pm.

Andrew led us in prayer.

The minutes of the March 18 2026 meeting were reviewed Lucille made a motion to accept as presented that was

seconded by Tom and the motion passed.

Receipt of reports – This was a time for questions, concerns and clarification of the reports members received prior to this meeting.

OLD BUSINESS

Bylaw update and recommendations for next steps - Andrew has met with Ned Gordon. Ned has sent him some changes and recommendations that need to be reviewed and discussed by the Ad Hoc committee before we can bring the new document to the congregation for consideration and a vote. It is not possible to get this done in time for the Annual Meeting on May 17. Andrew will get back to Ned to see if he has some dates and times when the Ad Hoc committee could meet with him to discuss further and hopefully, we can have a special meeting in the fall to finalize it. None of Ned’s changes and recommendations are major issues and it appears that the Ad Hoc committee did a good job. An open invitation was extended to anyone on council not already on the Ad Hoc committee to join in the discussion with Ned as we move forward.

Status of energy audit – Tom reported that we have two reports from the energy audit, one for the Fellowship Hall and another for the church that cost us $1,710.00. Tom will be applying for a grant to help offset that cost up to $2,000. They have two quotes for weatherization and the installation of insulation of the pipes and Tom is looking into grants that could help with those costs. The trustees have also found a window sill in the downstairs meeting room that is rotting from the water runoff from the roof that will need to be addressed and is not in the budget. The fire department has also advised that we need to have the kitchen hood inspected by a third party and that this is something that needs to be done annually and which we were not aware of. They are looking for a third party to do that and do not know what that will cost, also not a budgeted item. Tom will be meeting with the real estate agent next Friday April 30 to look at the space downstairs where the seniors used to be.

A motion to accept committee reports was made by Betty second Debbie and the motion passed.

NEW BUSINESS

Lucille advised that with the Annual Meeting approaching there are still at least two vacancies, one on Missions and one on Finance that should be filled. Anyone interested needs to let her or Karen know so it can be voted on at the meeting.

The Council will not meet in May because of the Annual Meeting and the next council meeting will be on Wednesday June 24 at 1:30 pm.

Andrew offered a closing prayer

Betty made a motion to adjourn that was seconded by Debbie and the motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 2:21 pm.

Submitted by Mary Kay Haines

COMMUNITY

BRISTOL COMMUNITY SERVICES

FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

Pasta & Canned Sauce,

Chef Boyardee Meals,

Baked Beans, CEREAL, Green Beans, Canned Fruit, Soup, Canned Chicken,

Small Peanut Butter Jars & Jelly

Cake, Cookie, Brownie & Muffin mixes

Oil, Salt, Pepper & Spices

DRINKS

Snacks & Desserts

Condiments

(Salad Dressing, ketchup & mayo)

Toiletries,

Cat & Dog Food

Dish & Laundry Soap

CELEBRATIONS

We extend our warmest welcome and invite you to join with us each week in praise and worship. 

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

Sunday Worship 10:00AM 

In-Person & Zoom

The deadline for all newsletter submissions is the 20th of the month.

                Articles that come in after that date will be used in the following month’s newsletter. 

REV. ANDREW MACLEOD, Pastor and Teacher



Office: (603) 744-8132

Residence: (603) 217-0704

Email: pastorbucc@breezelinebiz.net 

BRISTOL UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST

“The Church on the hill”              

15 Church St.

PO Box 424

Bristol, NH 03222

Main Office Summer Hours:    

Monday thru Friday 9AM - 12:00PM

Office: (603) 744-8132

Email: bristolucc@breezelinebiz.net

Pastor’s Hours: 

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday

9AM - 12 Noon and by appointment   

Email: pastorbucc@breezelinebiz.net