Congregational Church of Temple U.C.C. Newsletter

Transcription

1 Congregational Church of Temple U.C.C. Newsletter 17 Main Street, Temple NH February 2016 Inside this issue: Pot Luck & Soup-er Lunch 2 Historian Corner 3 One Great Hour of Sharing 5 Christian Education 6 February Calendar 7 Holy Week Schedule 8 Worship begins at 10 AM every Sunday followed by Coffee Hour in Friendship Hall Our Church Office is located at the Parish House on 3 Leighton Road Office Hours are Tuesday Thursday 3:00 PM 1

2 QUICK NOTES WINTER WEATHER NOTICE If there is a closing of the church on Sunday morning due to severe weather conditions, you can find out on WMUR- TV listing of closings and cancellations. You can also go to select Alert Listings. The church is listed alphabetically by name Congregational Church of Temple. It is a rare occurrence that church is cancelled, nevertheless, we want everyone to be informed and to stay safe. Community Potluck and Soup-er Luncheon The first Friday of each month is POTLUCK NIGHT! Bring a hot dish, a salad or dessert, your own plate and eating utensils and a hearty appetite and join us for great food and fellowship at Friendship Hall at 6:30 PM. This is a community affair and ALL are welcome. Soup-er Lunch Here s the 2016 schedule: January 8th* & 22nd*, February 12th* & 26th*, March 11th*, April 8th & 22nd, May 13th & 27th. Lunch is served from 11:30 to 1:00. Lunch includes soup, rolls made by Ruth Quinn, a homemade dessert and a beverage. This lunch helps us keep up the hall of the church which in turn frees up money for the church to donate to great causes. It also provides a great place twice a month for our community to gather together over some good food! Free will donations accepted. So, come and enjoy some good home cooking, the fellowship of our community and donating to a great cause! If Conval school system is closed due to weather, souper lunch will be cancelled. Contact #

3 Some History of Friendship Hall At the 1993 Annual Meeting it was voted to form a study committee to decide the feasibility of an addition to the Chapel for badly needed additional space. Leonard Woods sketched a plan and in 1994, Alan Pickman did the architectural drawings for an addition ot the Goodyear Chapel that would be 36 feet by 50 feet. It was estimated that it would cost as much as $100,000, but with volunteer labor it could be whittled down to about $60,000. A building committee was formed with John Runge, William Wolfe, Tim Fiske, Richard Benotti, William Wildes, Alan Pickman, Cindy Hook, Joanne Stoughton and Herbert Henry and they started working on these plans. A crew of volunteers started work preparing the ground, the concrete was poured for the foundation and the word went out for volunteers and the building itself started to take shape. Many people had become interested in this project so that help arrived from many of the men in town. They spent their weekends working on this building. John Runge started working on fund raising in 1994 and by 1995, $50,000 had been raised and the expenses of $48,000 paid for the siding, doors, windows, lights, sheetrock, insulation, kitchen cabinets, a Garland gas range, floor tile, heating system, bathroom, plumbing, wiring and paint. A warming oven for the kitchen for $200 was paid for by the Ladies Aid. At the June Ladies Aid meeting in 1994, Ruth Runge announced she would start a soup lunch program on June 8th to serve soup, rolls, dessert, coffee and tea every two weeks and the proceeds would go to the building fund. continued page 5 3

4 Some History of Friendship Hall continued Another fund raiser was a July flea market done by John Dow. John Runge contacted businesses and the towns people for donations and support for this big project. With the exterior of the building finished; the building the inside work continued at a slower pace. Richard Benotti with the help and guidance of Willie Wildes completed all the wiring. The Ladies Aid paid for a dishwasher in Work continued on the inside of the building. In 1997, Don Kramer cut the pieces for the 60 panels and Chris Weston did the moldings. Will Wildes took the panels to Wheeland s Garage and spray painted them, then Bill Wildes and a crew from the Lions Club built and installed the panels used in the lower half of the room. The walls were painted by Ernie Harling. Roger Nutting painted the grids for the windows. The handicap bathroom was finished in 1998 with an access by Ernie Harling and sheetrock and painting done by Bob Netto. The Lions Club donated a window quilt for the pass thru from the kitchen to the Hall. Ben Blood put new doors on the back and built a handicap railing. The building committee was disbanded in A Chapel Maintenance fund was set up to be governed by the Trustees and was invested in the Granite Bank to be able to earn interest. This fund was to be used to maintain the new hall. Notes were taken from Annual Meetings, Annual Reports and Trustees meetings, drawings by Alan Pickman, Ladies Aid meetings, Pastors reports and building committee reports. There maybe other notes that I was unable to find, but this is a synopsis of the origin of Friendship Hall. Historian, Barbara Harling 4

5 One Great Hour of Sharing March 6 During World War II and immediately following, Protestant churches made appeals for relief and reconstruction. At the prompting of newly-elected Presiding Bishop Henry Knox Sherrill of the Episcopal Church in 1946, a goal of one million dollars per year was set for World Relief. On nationwide radio, he challenged members to raise one million dollars in one hour to help people and communities in need. During the first three years, Episcopalians raised $3.8 million. In 1949, church leaders from several denominations formed an ad hoc committee to organize an appeal aimed at supporting the separate campaigns of American churches. Their joint statement in support of this effort in essence conveyed the importance of strengthening the vitally important relief and rehabilitation work of the churches overseas. Pulling together, they could prove to the world the great power generated when Christians united in a common cause. In 1950, the title One Great Hour of Sharing was used for the first time. Its goal was to make the love of Christ real for individuals and communities around the world who suffered the effects of disaster, conflict, or severe economic hardship, and for those who serve them through gifts of money and time. From the beginning this has been an ecumenical effort. As denominations changed and merged, One Great Hour of Sharing has varied from eight to twenty-nine participating communions. Currently, the One Great Hour of Sharing committee officially comprises eight Christian denominations: American Baptist Churches USA, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Church of the Brethren, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, and Church World Service. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) calls the offering Week of Compassion. In various ways, all work in cooperation with Church World Service, the relief, development and refugee assistance arm of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. The purpose of One Great Hour of Sharing has remained the same: to collect special gifts to assist those in need. Today, projects are underway in more than 100 countries, including the United States and Canada. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, receipts have exceeded $20 million annually. While specific allocations differ in each denomination, most use their One Great Hour of Sharing funds to make possible disaster relief, refugee assistance, and development aid. Contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing make a difference in the lives of real people. Leaders of impacted communities identify the needs of their people. Priorities for short, medium and long-term solutions are then made for the purpose of improving the quality of life for individuals and the communities. Around the world, One Great Hour of Sharing continues to respond to needs equally critical as when it was first created. Water Projects Hunger Relief Disaster Relief Empowerment 5

6 Christian Education This winter has been busy for the Christian Education Committee. Our youngest children continue to learn about their faith through the kind guidance of Pam Worcester and Amanda Holt, and have many wonderful projects and stories to share with the adults at coffee hour. Meanwhile, a group of adults has been meeting on Thursday evenings to continue studying the Book of Acts, and discussing how God not only spoke in the time of the Disciples, but that God is still speaking now. God is still speaking to us, to God s people, today in the midst of our lives. It has been an enjoyable time of sharing, and has led us to choose a study for Lent. Starting on Thursday, February, 11 th, at 6pm, the Christian Education Committee will be leading a Lenten Study on Forgiveness. Please see the description below for more information about this new study, and how to join! Lenten Study on Forgiveness Do we Christians always have to forgive? The Christian Education Committee invites you to join us on Thursday evenings, 6-7 pm, February 11-March 24, as we strive to answer that question. Forgiving others and humbly asking for forgiveness are central disciplines for all Christian believers. Lent, a time to reflect on our Christian journey, is an appropriate time to deepen our understanding and practice of forgiveness. Marjorie J. Thompson, author of the best -selling book Soul Feast, takes a close look at our understanding of forgiveness in this encouraging study. We will be meeting as friends in Friendship Hall, to reflect on what Jesus taught us. Please contact the church office to enroll in this study so that we are sure to have enough materials for all. In December the Ladies Aid with the help of Linda Bollinger and her Christmas Carolers, put together and delivered 11 Christmas bags to families in Temple. We would like to thank all who contributed to these gifts. 6

7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00 PM Ladies Aid Bible Study 6:30 PM Potluck Supper 11:00 AM Chair Yoga 7:15 PM Choir :00 AM Worship Sunday School and Childcare Ash Wednesday Trustees Bible Study 11:30 AM Soup-er Lunch 7:15 PM Choir 11:00 AM Chair Yoga 14 10:00 AM Worship Sunday School and Childcare :00 PM Council. 18 Bible Study 7:15 PM Choir :00 AM Prepared to Serve 11:00 AM Chair Yoga 21 10:00 AM Worship Sunday School and Childcare :00 PM Christian Education 25 Bible Study 7:15 PM Choir 26 11:30 AM Soup-er Lunch 27 11:00 AM Chair Yoga 28 10:00 AM Worship Sunday School and Childcare 29 Note new office hours Tuesday- Thursday 3-6 pm 7

8 Save the Date Palm Sunday is March 20 Maundy Thursday is March 24 Easter Sunday is March 27 8