Smith Memorial Congregational Church UCC

Author: smithchurch

Deborahs

When the Deborahs disbanded, it was mentioned that many years ago they had held fundraisers, and started a fund to build a memorial garden. That money is still invested in a fund, the money is invested in a United Church Fund with a value of $8,793.63. Several years ago, I was at a memorial service in Pembroke, NH, and at the end of the service, the young woman’s ashes were worked into the soil of their memorial garden. There was a plaque added to a stone giving her name and dates.  I was very impressed with the concept.

Several of us are suggesting that members of our church take a field trip to Pembroke to view their garden. Both men and women who are interested are invited. We have a place on our grounds that we think might be developed for this purpose. Someone has also suggested it could be combined with a quiet prayer/meditation garden. We have a member of our church who has given some thought to how it might be laid out.

I am suggesting that people who are interested, meet at the church at 10 AM on Wednesday, August 8th. We will travel to Pembroke and visit their garden. If there is interest, we could also go out to lunch together and keep the dialog going. If this is something that interests you, please speak to Fran Charron or Judy Hatfield.

Strong Living Exercise Group

Strong Living Exercise Group
Healthy Living

Although we have been meeting during the hot weather of July, we have decided to take a well deserved break in August. Our last session before our break will be July 30th. We will resume meeting on September 6th.

If you have not tried out our group, we invite you to join us in September. Everyone starts at their own level. We work on flexibility, bone strength and balance. The program was developed by Tufts University especially for seniors. A small donation is taken once a year and given to the church. Both hand weights and leg weights are provided. But, the biggest bonus is the social aspect that develops among participants.

Join us, Monday and Thursday mornings at 9 AM.

Prayer Shawl

It seems as if the summer is speeding away. Here we are talking about dates for the August Prayer Shawl gathering already. It will be on Wednesday, August 15th, 10:00-12:00 here at my house.

Yarn, needles, directions, coffee, tea, and goodies are all provided. Don’t feel like knitting. Just come and visit and catch up with some of the people you don’t see so often in the summer. We have a good time.

If you would like to know more about the Prayer Shawl ministry in general or our Prayer Shawl group in particular or would like us to bless a shawl for someone you would like to receive one, please call me, Judy Hatfield, at 464-3458.

Deacon’s Pen

As I experience happenings in our church this summer, I am reminded of a verse in Genesis, “Surely God is in this place”. The other thought that runs through my head is from Ecclesiastes, 3:1, “To everything there is a season. A time for everything under the sun.”

For the Diaconate, starting the summer without a minister can be overwhelming. However this summer, our pulpit has been filled with wonderful ministers that more or less, just happened to be where we needed them to be at the right time.

We thank Elizabeth and Charles Hambrick-Stowe for leading inspiring worship. We are pleased to also welcome them into our membership. Rev. Dawn Berry has been here before and always leaves us thinking and ready to welcome her back. We are also pleased that she was chosen to work with our search committee. Was it hard to fill our pulpit? No, it took very little work for very rewarding results. Surely, God is in this place!

August comes next and with the new month, comes a new Interim Minister. The timing was perfect! (Our season). Rev. Carolyn Keilig might not have been available if our opening was earlier or later. She comes with much to offer our congregation and we are excited to have a person who will give pastoral care, and is interested in Christian Education. We will welcome her on August 5th.

It is our “season”, and surely we are blessed with God’s presence in this place!

RBA Erie Canal canoeing trip…..


Eight youth and four adults just completed our third leg of the Erie Canal canoeing 20 miles from Lock #12 to Lock #8 just west of Schenectady from July 20-23.

The weather was exceptional and we are very proud of all our paddlers, particularly those who were canoeing for the first time. Going through a lock in a canoe is quite an experience and one nice lock operator let us go through and then turn around and come back the other way to unload at a convenient spot and still be able to have the lock experience.

Those who have canoed the canal with us all three years have now accumulated 125.5 miles!

We very sadly say goodbye to our 8th graders who will be moving up to InCasts in the fall. We wish all of our youth a happy and safe summer. Look for information in August about the youth groups starting up in the fall! Please contact Barbara Daley at 464-5239 or bdaley@tds.net for any information.

Save the Date ~ Church Picnic


It is time to celebrate a great summer with some fun! On August 5th, after welcoming Rev. Carolyn Keilig to our pulpit, we will travel to the lake house of Rob Charron and Karen O’Brien for a church picnic. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided. We are asking everyone to bring a dish to share to complement the meal. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we will enjoy swimming, kayaking, boat rides and fellowship. It will be a great chance to meet Carolyn in a less formal setting. Put the date on your calendar and join us!

Remembering Victor Schmid


On Sunday, July 15th, at the Lower Village Chapel in Hillsboro, there will be a memorial service remembering and celebrating the life of our friend, Victor Schmid. The service will begin at 11:00 o’clock.

Victor passed away right before Christmas last year. The Rev. Peter Foss, former minister at Smith Memorial Congregational Church, will lead the service. On that Sunday, the Diaconate will hold a brief half hour service at our church so that people may then attend the memorial service. Victor and Trudy were both very active at our church over the years and it will be great to see Trudy and her family.

Following the service, there will be a reception and time of fellowship in the lower level of the chapel. Please note that the chapel is not handicap accessible. Smith Church will be helping the Ladies Aid society with the reception. Those who signed up to help with our new “Reception Committee” may be called on to bake a treat.

Deacons Pen

Our front door is wide open, windows are flung open and a new breeze is flowing through our sanctuary.

I am reminded that in some Biblical languages, wind and spirit are used interchangeably. Are we experiencing a new spirit in our congregation? Perhaps so. Many changes are taking place.

On the same day that we accepted Pastor Duke’s resignation as our interim minister, we found a new couple in our congregation who just happened to be retired ministers. By the time you read this, we will have been led in worship by both Elizabeth and Charlie Hambrick-Stowe. They brought a new energy to our pulpit and one of them will also lead us in worship on July 8th. They have appreciated the warm welcome they have received.

On July 1st and 22nd, we will again hear from Rev. Dawn Berry. Dawn has preached at our church before and we are pleased that she has agreed to fill two Sundays. The leadership of the church and the Diaconate met with and hired a new interim minister who will begin August 1st, Rev. Carolyn Keilig who resides in Hopkinton. She has a lot of experience being an interim and is excited to be working close to home. She has been hired for 30 hours a week which means she will help with Hillsboro House, be part of the Ministerium and have time for visiting some of our shut-ins. Those of us who have met her appreciated her energy and compassion. She also has experience with Christian education for all ages.

Our search committee for a settled pastor is working well together and awaiting the right profile.

At Church Council, we decided that we need to spend some “play” time together! On August 5h, which will be our first Sunday with Rev. Keilig, everyone is invited to the lakeside home of Rob Charron and Karen O’Brien for an after-church picnic. Good food (of course,) boating, swimming, kayaking and just relaxing are all part of the plan. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. We ask that everyone bring a side dish to share. This will also give you a chance to meet and chat with Carolyn in a more informal setting.

The next month will be exciting and hopefully bring renewed energy to our congregation. Won’t you join us at 9:30 on Sunday mornings as we renew our commitment as the Christians Jesus hoped we would be?!

Come and be part of the planning for our coming church year!