Smith Memorial Congregational Church UCC

Author: g1bbyR0cks

Growth & Evangelism

RALLY DAY, Sunday, September 13th following church
While socializing at this year’s Rally Day will be a bit different, the sense of the church year getting underway will definitely be felt. Do plan to gather with us at Manahan Park Beach, bringing food for your family to enjoy, and “relishing” the chance to chat with one another while socially distanced. There will be no Coffee Hour that Sunday.

PJs and PIZZA group for children, ages 3 ~ 7 resuming
Plans are underway for the fun activity/ religious/ supper format for our younger friends. Tentatively, the group will reconvene in mid- October.

BOOK OF THE MONTH (not club) or WHAT IS SMITH CHURCH READING
We are in the process of putting together a new format for a book study, minus the constraints of book clubs. Each month, a title will be suggested. Those who wish to read that particular selection would do so, sourcing the book individually. Then, on the designated “Book of the Month” day, a group would convene, in person and via Zoom, for those who wish to discuss the book. If you have a favorite book (best seller, religious, any genre) please call or e-mail Donna to suggest your ideas by Sept 15.

Church Building Reopening Task Team

Our committee to reopen our sanctuary has met twice. One of our first solutions to our present situation, is to have hymnals available for people to have during our services outside. Linda plays the hymns, but since the hymns are chosen especially for the scriptures, it would be nice to have the words in front of us, so we could sing along in our head. People will be given a hymnal such as signing a book out of the library, take the hymnals home with them and bring them to Sunday services. This will also be your hymnal when we again are worshipping in the sanctuary. We started this July 26. If you are worshipping at home, and would like one, stop in and sign it out, or call the church office and one can be brought to you.

When we return to upstairs worship, people will enter the narthex, and one set of stairs will be for going up, the other for coming down. People will be expected to wear masks and stay socially distanced from each other.

Realizing that our sanctuary is fairly large, we have spoken about how to space people. People in the same family can sit together. All others need to sit 6 feet from others. We are considering assigning pews, keeping some for one-time visitors. Every week you would be expected to sit in the same pew.

Planning for a wedding in October, with many visitors, is still being worked on. Meanwhile, let’s hope for sunny Sunday’s until after Labor Day, and enjoy worshiping out in the splendor of our back lawn.

Members of this team are Fran Charron Harry Morehouse, Nancy Niven and Debbie Gray.

Music News

Heather Daley and family/friends have submitted several musical selections for us to use in our worship services. Mike Bradley is going to play guitar for the offertory at our August 16 service.

Sandra Mullaney, the arranger of the handbell piece that we have recorded Be Now my Vision, has granted us permission to use that recording in our worship service, and thanked us for reaching out. We’ll use the handbell piece later in August.

Gary Lanier, the arranger of several of our flute/piano duets that John Brinton and Linda Bissonnette have done and recorded has granted permission to share the recordings of those duets which folks have enjoyed We are very blessed!

Senior Living Exercise

Our exercise program for seniors has resumed. We meet Monday’s and Thursdays at 10 AM. Weights are provided, although during the pandemic, we are asking you to bring a bag to put them in.

When possible, we will meet out in back of the church in the shade. Outside, we can spread out and exercise without our masks on.

Depending on weather conditions, we sometimes will be spread out in the vestry. Inside, we need to wear masks, have our temperatures taken and answer questions about our health.

Exercises were developed by Tufts University, especially for seniors. Everyone starts at their own level. All are welcome!

Worship Services in July

Through Labor Day weekend we will be worshipping at 9:30 on Sundays on the lawn between the church and the Dubben House. Chairs will be available, but you may also bring your own. We will also be live-streaming the service on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/smithmemorialucc. This is same link as the pre-recorded service. If you miss the live event the service is recorded and remains available. Please join us for a ZOOM coffee hour at 11.

In case of rain we will worship in the vestry. This is a change in original planning based on the success of the hybrid Zoom/vestry in-person Quarterly meeting. Once the task team has established safe guidelines for cleaning the sanctuary we can anticipate worshipping there.

It always bears repeating that we were all locked down at the same time, but our return will and must be a personal choice. We have creatively adapted, and will continue to refine, the ability to worship and meet in a hybrid format online and in-person.

Youth Groups News

Rev. Vuilleumier hosted pizza at the parsonage for the youth leaders of RBA and the InCasts on Tuesday, June 23. The group discussed what the next season will look like. Rusty Wightman and Jessica Granger agreed to continue as leaders of InCasts and are looking forward to the fall season. Tyler and Jenna Vaughan offered their resignation as youth leaders of RBA looking ahead to August when they will be welcoming a baby girl to their family and Barbara Daley also offered her resignation as a co-leader of RBA. A lot of time was spent brainstorming for potential youth leaders for RBA and Donna will take the lead on finding new youth leaders. The evening ended with Donna thanking all of the leaders for their work this year.

This year was Barbara Daley’s 20th year as a youth leader at Smith Church and she decided last fall that this would be her last year with the good round number of 20 years completed. Barbara enjoyed working with many leaders in RBA and InCasts over the years – Jay Crowley, Dave Dick, Heather Veitch, Sonya Edsall, Keith Audette, Fran Charron, Rusty Wightman, Jessica Granger, and Tyler and Jenna Vaughan. She has loved being a part of the amazing youth program at Smith Church and will miss the interaction with all of the youth, but it feels this is the right time to ” retire.” Thank you all for all the fun and laughter and conversations and adventures!

Pledges and Gifts to Support the Ministries of Smith Memorial Church Can Now be Received by Mail or Online

Smith Memorial Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, strives to be a church that breaks down walls and is open to all. Through spiritual nurture, we seek to create a visible, active sign of God’s presence in our community and beyond. Although our building is closed, our Church remains wide open for our ministries which include the support of local, national and international projects and needs, such as:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Family Promise program
  • Three active, ecumenical youth groups who now meet on Zoom
  • Hillsborough District Area Food Pantry
  • UCC Partnership with UCC Churches in Zimbabwe
  • Special offerings to support the ministries of the UCC

Pledges and gifts to support the ministries of Smith Memorial Church can now be received by mail or online.

By mail: Financial Secretary
PO Box 867–Hillsboro, NH 03244

Online here at our website – option for PayPal, Credit Card or Debit Card.

Thank you for your generous support of our ministries.

Our Next Week for Family Promise is June 7-14

There are now three families in the Family Promise program. One family is staying at the Day Center in Concord, another in a hotel in Bow, and the third in Franklin. The only needed support at this time is for dinner, and there is a need for gift cards to local restaurants for them.

Thank you to those of you who have already offered cards or checks! If anyone else would like to donate money or gift cards, please contact Barbara at 464-5237(bdaley@tds.net or Fran at 464-3630 (fcharron@tds.net). Thank you for supporting this worthwhile ministry!

Growth and Evangelism

During this time of “social distancing” while we are not worshipping at Smith and contributing to the Food Pantry on the first Sunday of each month, G & E would like to suggest an alternative way of giving.

Several members / friends of Smith Church are on “the front lines” during this pandemic – putting their lives at risk as they serve us. Folks in this capacity include health care providers, first responders, postal workers, grocery store employees, etc. Simultaneously, small businesses here in town are desperately trying to stay afloat. If you know of someone at the forefront, we suggest that you buy a gift card to one of our local eateries and give it to them.

Interested, but need help in finding someone? G & E is developing a list and can help you. G & E members: Fran Charron, Pam Cornwell, Val Kulbacki, Sue Fournier, Barbara Daley, Monique Kayden, Don Descoteaux

Strengthen the Church Offering

The Strengthen the Church offering is one of our ‘5 for 5’ special mission offerings during the year as it supports the expansion of ministry and growth of UCC local congregations. Your support of this offering will help the UCC fulfill on its commitment to creating a just world for all by investing in new ministries and practices that meet the emerging needs of local communities.

As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults. This annual offering will be received on Pentecost, May 31.

In addition to our generous giving to this offering over the years, we have also benefitted from the giving of others, as Barbara Daley wrote:

The Strengthen the Church fund was established to grow the United Church of Christ’s future by initiatives that promote growth and renewal. The New Hampshire Conference has directed these funds to use for developing and nurturing youth programs. the youth groups at Smith Church have been the beneficiaries of this fund twice for our Washington DC mission/sightseeing trips in 2017 and 2020 in the amount each time of a $2500 grant. This, along with donations from the Trustees to pay for our rental van and our fundraising and payments from parents, has enabled us to make these trips very affordable for our youth and has allowed everyone who wishes to go the opportunity to do so. Please give generously to this much-appreciated offering!