*Attention

Email and Text spoofing scams - The Reverend Eliza Tweedy will not ever send out a text or email asking anyone to purchase a gift card or give out anyone's personal information. If you receive any such communication please do not reply, but contact the Laconia UCC Church at 603-524-0668

Please never, ever give out financial information or gift card codes.

GOOD FRIDAY TO EASTER MORNING PRAYER VIGIL

The Diaconate will be holding our annual Holy Week Prayer Vigil from Good Friday, March 29 beginning at 3 p.m. until Sunday, Easter Sunrise at 6 a.m.

What is the Prayer Vigil? – Each one of us is invited to sign up for an hour (or two) of prayer from Good Friday afternoon until Easter Sunday morning. The small chapel located in the back of the sanctuary will be available during the day with books for your reflection and a comfortable chair to sit quietly and pray.   

Good Friday, Holy Saturday, to Easter morning is traditionally a time of reflective waiting as we anticipate celebrating the resurrected Christ on Easter morning. 

The vigil reminds us that we are part of a loving community of faith. We will pray for one another, our community, and our world. We will think of our own lives and ask God to fill and use us. A journal will be on the chapel altar to write your thoughts, a prayer, or insight if you wish. 

This year we will be participating both in church and virtually. 

Good Friday 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. will be held in the small chapel at church. 

Friday 7 p.m. to Saturday 7 a.m. will be held virtually (you can be at your home, a favorite place to pray, away on vacation.) 

Saturday 7a.m. to 7 p.m. will be at church and finally virtually from 7 p.m. to Sunday 6 a.m.--Easter Sunrise.

How to sign up? - A Sign up schedule for the vigil will be available this Sunday before church, (Narthex–Pleasant St. entrance) there are a few more spots available.   

Come enjoy a simple supper with soups, breads and desserts prepared by our Diaconate. Our theme this year is Prayer led by our Pastor. All are welcome!

Transitioning to Clean Energy

April 4, 2024 Lunch & Learn 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Church Hall

Perhaps in the past you found yourself listening to the engaging Sam Evans Brown on Outside-In, NH Public Radio's program about the natural world. Sam has moved on to a position as Executive Director of Clean Energy, NH, an organization dedicated to educating concerned residents, organizations, and community leaders (that's us!!!) to work toward NH's clean energy transition.

Lucky us, Sam has agreed to come to our church on Thursday, April 4 for a Lunch and Learn talk on this subject and how his organization helps towns and businesses achieve their energy goals. Bring your lunch and your curiosity to the Church Hall on April 4 to learn how the transition to clean energy can happen - is happening - in NH. Muff Kruse Educational Ministries

Vote for Climate Hope 2024 Art Contest

by Brooks Berndt | published on Dec 19, 2023

Register now!

The UCC is conducting a Vote for Climate Hope Art Contest. UCC children and youth are invited to draw, paint, or color about the world and the environment in which they want to live. What are their hopes for the world? What is it that they value and want to have protected? What is it that adults should remember and take to heart when they vote this year We’ll accept art submissions from March 1 to April 16. An online award ceremony for finalists will be held on May 4, and the winning art will be featured on “Climate Hope Voter Pledge Cards” that church members throughout the UCC will collect during the summer and fall before Election Day.

Registrants will receive:

1. A printable “Vote for Climate Hope” art template.
2. A link to a video promoting the art contest.
3. Regular updates and resources about the “Vote for Climate Hope” campaign.

Questions? Email the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt.

Vote for Climate Hope Art Contest

To give our children and youth a voice this election season (while also reminding adults of their responsibility for the next generation when they vote), the UCC is conducting a Vote for Climate Hope Art Contest. UCC children and youth are invited to draw, paint, or color about the world and the environment in which they want to live. Art submissions can be made from March 1 to April 16.

Register now to receive a printable art contest template, updates, and more!

FAITH FORMATION

On the Second Sunday of every month, we have Faith Formation class for all school-aged kids and youth. Everyone goes to the sanctuary with their families for the first 10 minutes or so of the worship service, and then we go together across the bridge to share and learn in a multi-age group. All are welcome whether you’re new to the Church or grew up here! We’d love to see you on March 10, April 14, and May 12.

CONFIRMATION

           Our church is the host and facilitator for this year’s Confirmation Experience. There are three youth from our church, and three more youth - one from each of these area churches: Plymouth, North Barnstead, and Center Harbor. It’s great for the youth to be part of a group, make new friends, and re-establish friendships from Horton Center as they learn about what it means to be confirmed. They discover more about their faith and developing beliefs during the group meetings and through monthly meeting with their mentors. They learn about the UCC and we introduce them to people from other faith traditions. One of their favorite parts of our time together is spending silent time in our sanctuary. And because they’re teenagers, we play games and have lots of snacks! We’ll keep you posted on the date for Confirmation Sunday.

“Grandma Clara’s Irish Spring Rite”

One of my favorite inspirational stories is one I found when sitting for our Easter vigil. It’s found in this year’s Lenten Devotional Booklet. The story is “Grandmothers Clara’s Irish Spring Rite”, a story about spring cleaning and more. The writer challenges us to think about “making way for the new, suggesting that new growth starts when you let go of the old”.

As we celebrate our 200th anniversary it is a great time to explore together what it means for our church community to make way for the new, and let go of the old, including how we wish “to project/shine to Veterans Square and to the world who we have been, who we are and who we aspire to be for our next two hundred years”.

This also fits well our theme for Celebration 2024 - Founded in Faith and Forward in

Spirit!

Parish House re-naming / re-imaging committee

Re-IMAGINING THE PARISH HOUSE in 2024

April 7 at Coffee Hour and Conversation

As we celebrate our 200^th Anniversary, we continue to follow the theme “Founded in Faith, Forward in Spirit”! Since our vote to Re-Name the Parish House at Annual Meeting, there have been many views shared about ways to identify and renew the building. New Paint and awnings? New Name? New Signs? Please attend this meeting to discuss, listen, and share ideas about any and all of these topics as we move forward to Re-Imagine the Parish House! (There will be a Zoom available to those who wish to participate from afar.)

Would you like to sponsor flowers

on the Altar on a Sunday in April.

If so call Louise Bastille 603-630-8804

The Altar Guild is responsible for the lovely flowers on the altar every Sunday. Following is a list of each month and the member to contact if you would like to donate flowers for one Sunday: January - Dawn Dupak, (973) 714-6871; February - Diane Wells, (603) 527-1401; March - Maureen Bastille, (603)293-0353; April - Louise Bastille, (603) 293-0182; May - in need of a volunteer to join the Altar Guild. Please contact Claudia Wright (603) 387-5275; June - Carolyn Hunt, (603) 524-5779; July- Margie Kreitler, (603) 260-3673; August - Mary Ellen Azem, (603) 455-0972; September - Catherine Tokarz, (603) 998-3811; October - Diane Lockwood, (603) 524-3076; November - John Gill, (603) 520-4248; December - Claudia Wright (603) 387-5275

Red River Theaters in Concord will be offering a series of films on Palestinian life in Gaza. The first film, Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 PM, is “Killing Zone,” which focuses on the experiences of an Irish journalist in Gaza. The Irish are the strongest supporters of justice for the Palestinians because they have been through the struggle and are living proof that peace is possible.

Red River will show “The Angel of Gaza" Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00. Ten-year old Malak narrates her family's arduous journey of romance, sacrifice and reunification.

Both films will be followed by a discussion led by a Palestinian/American. Come, bring your questions and your heart.

The films are sponsored by the NHCUCC Peace with Justice Advocates and NH Peace Action.

Help! Fund-Raising Help Needed!!

Greetings friends. As we all know, our fund-raising efforts are very important to our

budget. We have 3 or 4 per year, depending on whether or not we decide to

have a 2nd

Rummage Sale in the Fall.

Council feels that we need to have a Chair or point-person for each. Hollis has taken

Pumpkinfest, we need at least 3 folks to step forward to head up the Spring Rummage sale, a Fall rummage sale, and the Christmas Fair.

If interested, please contact any Church Officer with your willingness.

Wayne Domin, Kathy Giovanni, Hollis, or John Walker.

PLEASE consider. Our fund-Rising efforts are very important. Thank You

Hello,

The following message is from Hope Ministries: First Methodist Church of Gilford-Laconia (HM-FUMC) 

HM-FUMC received a request from a Ukrainian family looking for a sponsor “to start a new life in the USA”. The husband, wife and 12y.o. son are presently in their home country, seeking to relocate to the U.S. for safety reasons. They are applying to come through the Uniting through Ukraine program of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department. Details are here: www.uscis.gov/ukraine

Mainly they need help with completing paperwork required for the program and financial support. HM-FUMC is working to create a sponsor group of volunteer individuals or faith communities to assist in those areas. Of note, Catholic Charities of Manchester has attorneys who can advise and assist in the relocation process.

For more information about this family or becoming a member of the sponsor group, please contact HM-FUMC member, Bonnie Weston at phone (603)387-9258 or email bonniewweston@gmail.com . 

Thank you for your kind consideration of this request.   

Our church is providing a meal for Salvation Army on April 10th and we would appreciate volunteers to provide prepared food or ingredients for us to use to prepare a meal.

The Altar Flowers are in Loving Memory of Stan Lund on March 17, 2024 given by Annie Lund

Next book discussion will be on Wednesday, March 27th at 10:00am

The book is Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Join us for coffee and conversation!

Come and Worship

We welcome and invite you to worship with us in any of these ways. 

!!! In Person !!! at 9:30 AM, or via Livestream

●      Via livestream through YouTube Sundays starting at 9:20 AM:

Go to YouTube and search for Congregational Church of Laconia

●      On our website www.laconiaucc.org any day and any time.

●      On Public Access TV Channel 25 Sundays at 4pm and 9:30pm

or Mondays at 5am.

If you are new to the church, please introduce yourself! Let the Church Office know if we can help you in any way! 603-524-0668. Seeking to be the church God desires for us to be.

Congregational Church of Laconia, UCC | 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH | 603.524.0668