Please join us for a Lenten book study during the four Wednesdays in March (4,11,18,25).

The same session meets twice in the same day to accommodate different schedules. We will meet in the pastor’s office as a brown-bag lunch group at noon, and then at 7pm.

Please email or call the church office by Feb 29 to register so that the books can be ordered.

An overview of our book:
As Jesus led his disciples during his last week in Jerusalem, he taught them along the journey. he taught through delivering prophecy, through allowing people to see his emotions on display, through his actions, through his responses to conflict and criticism, and through the way he completed his mission on earth. His audiences varied, and included his disciples and his followers, the crowds in Jerusalem, the religious leaders, the merchants in the Temple court, the political powers in Judah, and even the Roman soldiers. Everyone who encountered Jesus during this week had an opportunity to see or hear him teach. Studying Jesus’ teachings during this final week is like taking a master’s course in teaching. Jesus did it all . . . using methodology, understanding the audience, passionately conveying the content, and living out what he taught. Jesus taught from his authority as the Son of God and out of his deep love and compassion for mankind. Jesus passionately wanted to bring all people back to God, and he agonized when some of his audience rejected his message. Even when facing the humiliation and pain of the cross, Jesus did not change his message. Jesus provides us with the opportunity to see the supreme Teacher in action. Not only can we be changed during the process, but we might even become passionate about how we, too, teach with our words, actions, and lives.

Singing the Bible, Environmental Stewardship, Best Financial Practices for Churches, Secular Books for Sacred Discussion. Islam 101, Aging in Place, Socially Responsible Investing, Traveling to Zimbabwe as a Delegation Member, Promoting Your Church, The Comfort of Spirituality in Dementia (led by Rev. Donna Vuilleumier), and Financial Wellness Program for Personal Finance (led by Debbie Gray)……these are just a few of the workshops offered on Sat, Feb 22 at Pembroke Academy.

Beginning with Registration at 8am, and followed by worship at 9am, there are 4 workshop blocks to choose from, and a time for lunch and fellowship. Online registration is open until Feb 12 and is $40 for the workshops and lunch. To register or for more information, follow the link at www.nhcucc.org.

Our next week for Family Promise is March 1-8. If you have a particular day you would like to volunteer for, we will be setting our schedule soon and welcome you to call us with your choices. At this writing, there are three families. Things could change in a month. As usual, we will need people to sign up for evening meals, evening host and overnight people. Barbara and I usually sign up for Sunday host and overnight so that we can pass on any special circumstances of the families.

For more information or to sign up, 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.

Family Movie Night
“A young girl, on the threshold of her teen years, finds her life turning upside down, when she is accompanied by an unlikely friend.”
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., movie starts at 7:00 p.m. Please join us!!

THE SCENE
The SCENE (grades 1-5) met on Thursday, January 23. Thanks to Joy and Jeremiah Daley’s family for providing our afternoon snack (delicious apple crisp that Joy made herself!). We enjoyed the slightly warmer weather with the chance to play outside with snow tag and paint with snow markers, and had a good discussion about fairness.. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 20 from 330-5 PM. Please contact Jean Crowley (464-4013; jcrowley@gsinet.net) or Barbara Daley (464-5239; bdaley@tds.net for more information.

RBA
RBA is busy fundraising for our Washington DC adventure February 21-26. Spare change jars are available at the church (please let us know if you would like us to deliver one to you) and we are still selling shares of stock in RBA. We have a small group going to DC this time and will be joined by several members of InCasts. 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.

RBA SHARES OF STOCK FUNDRAISER FOR OUR WASHINGTON DC MISSION/ROAD TRIP

RBA is beginning their major fundraiser, which we hope will substantially reduce the individual costs of our road trip/mission trip to Washington DC on February 21-26, 2020. As we have done in the past, we will again be selling shares of stock in our upcoming mission trip. This has been a fantastic fundraiser for us in the past and we look forward to a repeat of that great fundraising.

By purchasing shares in our RBA Corporation, you will be supporting an incredible, transforming experience for our church community’s junior high youth – in addition to realizing firsthand the benefits of helping others, they will also have the opportunity to experience Washington DC, an area of the country where most of our RBA youth have not yet traveled.

Shares of stock are being sold for $10 each – feel free to buy as many shares as you like! Shareholders will receive a stock certificate for the shares they have purchased, a personalized postcard written by an RBA member while on the trip, and an invitation to the Shareholders’ Banquet in March (we will prepare a delicious meal while sharing our experiences of our road trip/mission trip- only shareholders will be admitted free), and our undying gratitude to you for making this trip possible and for showing our young people how vital they are to our church family and to our world.

Those of you who have attended the shareholders’ banquets in the past will attest to the fact that it is a great experience to listen to the youth talk so enthusiastically about their mission work.

Please fill out a form and drop it off (checks made payable to RBA) at coffee hour, mail it to Smith Memorial Congregational Church, PO Box 672, Hillsboro, NH 03244, attn. RBA, or give it to Barbara Daley, Jenna or Tyler Vaughan, or any RBA member.