Smith Memorial Congregational Church UCC

Month: February 2020

Family Promise Week March 1 – 8

Our next week for Family Promise is March 1-8. We are well supported with volunteers and are anticipating 2 families, so 4 adults and 3 children (3 and under), and always with the possibility of an additional family.

For more information you can contact Barbara at 464-5237 (bdaley@tds.net) or Fran at 464-3630 (fcharron@tds.net). Thank you for supporting this worthwhile ministry.

Barbara will be at the Dubben House on Sat 2/29 to do some spruce up cleaning and organizing and would welcome some additional helpers to ready the house for our guests.

Friday, March 4th – World Day of Prayer

Are you interested in learning more about why churches in Africa are growing faster than in USA? Do you like African music? Do you need to hear some uplifting messages during this time of cold winter weather and politics?

Come join a celebration planned by women from seven churches in Hillsboro, Antrim, Deering, Washington, and Henniker areas. The Program was written by women of Zimbabwe on a topic of :“Rise, Pick up your mat and Walk”.

Join people from 170 countries in the world in celebrating this annual event. This year’s program will be held at Deering Community church, since they have a sister relationship with churches in Zimbabwe (similar to other UCC Churches in NH)

LOCATION: Deering Community Church (Across from the Town Hall of Deering on Rte 149)
TIME: 6PM potluck- including some Zimbabwe dishes to try and a 7PM service.

A donation will be collected that will benefit projects around the world and locally in NH that help women and children in need. For further information, call 478-5650 The service is planned by women, but all are welcome to come (men and children as well).

Smith Memorial Church Prayed for at the Wailing Wall

The Wailing Wall is the sole remnant of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and was the western wall of the second Temple. According to Jewish teachings, God’s divine presence filled the Temple and still rests upon this wall. To this day Jews gather to wail and pray for the restoration of the Temple. Christians from all around the world travel to the Wailing Wall to pray, and to visit the Temple where Jesus prayed, taught, and overturned the moneychangers’ tables.

During his recent visit to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Pastor Paul O’Neil of the Hillsboro United Methodist Church, placed a list of the first names of the members and extended friends and families of Smith Memorial Church into a crevice in the wall after praying for each of us individually and as a vibrant, beloved, faith community of God. His prayers for us are part of more than a million that are left each year. After 6 months all of the slips of written prayers are ritually gathered and buried in the sacred cemetery in the Mount of Olives. In one way or another, all are prayers for peace, for shalom.

March Family Movie Night

Please join us on March 14th to watch Curious George Royal Monkey. “In a case of mistaken identity, George is swapped with a royal monkey with a totally different personality.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m., March 14, Movie starts at 7:00 p.m.

Youth Groups News

March Schedule

Joyful Noise – Wednesdays, March 4 & 18 10-10:30 AM
The SCENE – Thursday, March 19 3:30-5 PM
RBA – Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 6-7:30 PM
RBA Laser Tag adventure Saturday, March 28
RBA Shareholder Banquet Sunday, March 29 5 PM
InCasts – Tuesdays, March 3, 17, 24, 31 7-8:30 PM
InCasts – Tuesday, March 10 (cook dinner at Mapleleaf) 6-7:30 PM
Family Movie Night – Curious George Royal Monkey Saturday, March 14 7 PM

THE SCENE

The SCENE (grades 1-5) met on Thursday, February 20. Thanks to Oliver & Addison’s family for providing our afternoon snack of popcorn and pretzels. We had the chance to learn how to play hand chimes as well as some singing, games, and discussion about some of our favorite things and where we see ourselves in five years. Our next meeting is Thursday, March 19 from 3:30-5 PM. Please contact Jean Crowley (464-4013; jcrowley@gsinet.net) or Barbara Daley (464-5239; bdaley@tds.net for more information.

RBA

RBA enjoyed a fun “bring a friend board game night” early in February and learned how to play some new board games. By the time you read this, we will have finished our mission/sightseeing trip to Washington DC and we look forward to telling you all about it at our Shareholder’s Banquet on Sunday night, March 29 – appetizers at 5, followed by dinner and a power point presentation. We have had some very successful fundraising for this trip. In addition to a large grant from the NHUCC Strengthen the Church fund and a generous donation from the Trustees to help pay the cost of our rental van, our spare change fundraiser so far is at $249.46 and our shares of stock fundraiser is at $800. We love to welcome new members to our group. Please contact Jenna Vaughan (910-709-6132; jennakaylewis1996@gmail.com), Tyler Vaughan (491-4126; tylerrayvaughan@gmail.com) or Barbara Daley (464-5239; bdaley@tds.net) for more information.