The Christmas Fund
Campaign and will be taken up on December 22, 2019 during the Sunday service. This Christmas Fund collection is for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is a Special Mission Offering that congregations have been supporting for over 100 years. The offering is administered through the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance, the charitable arm of the Pension Boards. Funds provide direct financial support to those who serve the church and are facing financial difficulties. Active and retired clergy, lay employees, and their surviving spouses may be eligible for the Supplementation of Small Annuities, Supplementation of Health Premiums, Emergency Grants, and/or Christmas “Thank You” Gift Checks.

Annual Stewardship Campaign
Annual Stewardship Campaign Currently we have received 21 pledges with $52,910.00 being committed to the church operating budget. Although pledges are down from last year, the total money raised is in increase of $770.00 from last year. If you have not received a Stewardship letter please contact Larry DeLacy at (603) 547-0625 and he will ensure you get your letter. For those that have not returned their pledge cards it is not too late to fill them out and return them to the church. You can either put them in the collection plate during Sunday service or mail them to the church. The Stewardships goal is to raise the funds from pledges to 50% up from 35% over the next 3 years. We thank everyone who contributed to this year’s Stewardship Drive and for those who give their time and talents to Smith Church in helping us reach our goal.

With 5 boys we met for the second time on Nov 17 to talk about gratitude, read Let the Whole Earth Sing Praise (by Tomie DePaola) and to make a mobile of the blessings for which we give thanks. Their gratitude ranged from pizza to favorite toys to a baby sister coming in March.

Our next gathering will be on Dec 15 from 4-5:30 (note-this is one week earlier than the original date). We will be reading God Gave Us Christmas (by Lisa T Bergren) to learn that Jesus is the best present of all. We will be creating a children’s creche set in the sanctuary while listening to the birth of Jesus through Luke’s gospel.

Family Movie Night
Finish off the Cookie Walk and Old-Fashioned Christmas Day on December 7 by joining us in watching the nostalgic film It’s a Wonderful Life at 7 PM. Popcorn will be served.

Joyful Noise
Come hear our youngest singers sing in worship on Sunday, December 8. We currently have 6 singers in the group and are always happy to welcome new singers ages 3-5. Please contact Barbara Daley (464-5239; bdaley@tds.net) for more information.

The Scene
The SCENE (grades 1-5) meets once a month after school on Thursdays from 3:30-5 PM. Many thanks to Reverend Donna for hosting the group for our November meeting. Our December meeting will be held on Thursday, December 19 and we always love to have new members join us. Please contact Jean Crowley (464-4013; jcrowley@gsinet.net) for more information.

RBA
big thank you to Jenna and Tyler Vaughan for hosting RBA on Tuesday, November 5 for games and appetizers at their house. The left-right-center candy game is always a fun event! A special thanks to InCast Charity Joyner and her mom for making supper for both youth groups on November 19. Our November adventure was a day trip to Salem, MA where we visited the Salem Witch Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum, and checked out the waterfront and the playground.