PASSAGES. The Congregational Church of Goffstown

Transcription

1 NOVEMBER 2014 FREE PASSAGES The Congregational Church of Goffstown Samaritan s Purse OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD shoebox collection 2014 Fill up time! This month our Missions highlight is Samaritan s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection. We hope that you will consider making a difference in the life of a child and support this ministry by filling a shoebox with gifts and supplies. You can even follow your box around the world via online tracking and discover its final destination. As Samaritan s Purse International Relief Organization states What goes into a shoebox is fun. What comes out is eternal. Decorative shoeboxes, labels and packing directions with gift ideas can be found in the church fellowship hall between now and November 16th.

2 Pastor s Letter Pastor Le*er November 2014 On a Mission Trip? For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (Romans 12:4-5) I found myself thinking, for a good long time, about a tweet I read by a Virginia church planter named Joe Holland. He wrote, Church membership is like joining a long- term mission team. I don t think we re supposed to spend much time thinking about tweets, because the next one will come along at any second. But that makes them all the more suspicious to me. It seems that, by its nature, a lot of social media communication is laden with errors and off the cuff quips. I don t mean to sound snobby, I just mean that social media seems to encourage quantity over quality. So I wondered, Is church membership really like joining a long- term mission team? Missionaries, by and large, have historically been long- term. Missionary families and teams go to the place they ve been called and stay there. Adoniram Judson, the Sirst American, Congregational missionary to serve overseas, was a missionary to Burma for almost 40 years. He and his Sirst wife, Ann, left the shores of Salem, Massachusetts in 1813, knowing they might very well be sacrisicing their lives for Christ, which eventually they did. They knew and lived among the Burmese people, loving them and telling them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ as often as they had opportunity. They had to learn the local language from scratch and Judson translated the Sirst Burmese to English dictionary, a great help to those who would go there after him. After their Sirst ten years in Burma, their church only had a few more than a dozen members, but they never left to Sind a place that was more to their liking or where they sensed God was doing a greater work. They realized that their Christian community needed them, and they needed it. They were individually members one of the other. They were committed to the body in which they were called, through good times and many bad. In many ways, Judson s story is a lot like life is supposed to be in the local church. Yet, how often do pastors and congregants view church membership like a short- term mission trip, attending and participating for a while, but without any real long- term commitment or investment? When the Sirst sign of conslict, change or disappointment arises, they re out of there, off to Sind the next perfect church, which will be ruined as soon as they arrive. We are fallen people, coming together with other fallen people, who are gathered and shepherded by fallen leaders, yet that is the context in which the Holy Spirit is at work building up and equipping Christ s people.

3 Pastor s letter continued It is the crucible in which we are being formed. It is the very place in which every New Testament letter encourages Jesus followers to thrive and endure, not leave or quit. The local church is also placed in a larger community in which its members commit to make an impact on their neighbors, loving them and telling them about Jesus, that they too may be drawn into Christ s body, nourished and sent out on mission. So while the statement made in that tweet might not be quite perfect, I do agree that if we think of church membership as being on a long- term mission team, we will be better focused and committed to our local church and our community. Maybe it will help us to see that church membership requires sacrisice and surrender, especially to Christ. Maybe we ll see it less about us, as individuals, and more about Jesus and His kingdom. Grace fully, Pastor Bob Missions Ministry News Operation Christmas Child - Fill up time. Since 1993, Samaritan's Purse has delivered some 69 million gift-filled shoe boxes to boys and girls in more than 130 countries. A gift donation to Operation Christmas Child helps cover processing and shipping expenses and allows our teams to share the Good News of God s love with children and their families. This year we will be collecting shoeboxes, filled by you with gifts and supplies, which will be due back to the designated area in the fellowship hall by Sunday November 16th. Please consider being a part of this ministry. If you have any questions or need more information please speak with our Deacon of Missions, Jim Donison. You may pick up an empty box or two, along with labels and packing instructions, in the Fellowship Hall/Vestry. Thank you for sharing in this ministry!

4 Ministry of Discipleship News But Jesus called the children to him and said Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Luke 18:16 Youth Group Our youth group has gone through a reformation & transformation process this fall! Thanks to God and all of the adults and youth who participated in this process, we now offer two youth groups each Sunday evening. They begin by meeting as one large group in which they have a common agenda. Following that period they break into two groups, based on their ages. Our younger members, 6th grade thru 8th grade, meet with Cheryl Anderson and Shelly Williams. They are working their way through a 14-week series called Jesus, Sermon on the Mount. The older high school members meet with Leader Sean Hopper and they discuss specific age appropriate, relevant topics. The youth group meets every Sunday evening from 6 7:30 P.M. in Stark Hall. All youth and their friends are welcome to join in anytime. Please speak with Sean, Cheryl, Shelly or Pastor Bob if you have any questions. Grades Pre K through 8th - Music is once again part of our children's Sunday School time. Thanks to Bonnie Bastian, Kar and daughter Siri Condikey for three 30-minute praise and worship music classes held on the third Sunday of every month. New Member Class Under the leadership of Elder Earl Pike, a new member class began on October 19 th. The seven-member class, which will meet for four weeks,will learn about what it means to become a covenant member of our church. Missed this class? There will be another one in the spring. Stewards of Children Following our August 20th meeting, in which 16 church members heard from 2 Social Workers from the Granite State Children s Alliance, concerning child abuse prevention & detection, We then had seven members who participated in a follow-up meeting on October 12 th. Our Kid s First policy was reviewed by this committee and suggestions were made to improve it. Based on these suggestions, the revised edition of the Kids First Policy will be published and released in early November. Thanks to all who attended these sessions. Please speak with Deacon Terry Paul for more information. Inclement Weather Notification Again this winter, if severe weather affects our Sunday morning schedule, you can find out about any changes or cancellations by going to the church conggoff.org or turn to channel 9 WMUR News. Upcoming Events: November 2nd - End of daylight saving time - Turn your clocks BACK 1 hour November 22 nd All Church Game Night sponsored by our youth group November 30th No Sunday School Thanksgiving Break Openings We currently have the following openings: In the Nursery - 1 Assistant and Substitute The sign up sheet is located on the wall in the nursery and on the coffee table in the fellowship hall.

5 Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King, His love endures forever!

6 Congregational Care News The Congregational Church of Goffstown Dinner Group Italian Night is Saturday, November 8 th at 6:30 p.m. at Rob & Stacy Bruckner s house. Dinner is buffet style, casual, bring your own beverages. Everyone keeps track of expenses as we all share in costs. This is an inexpensive, fun way to get together! Don t like to cook but like to eat? Bring something simple. Those that enjoy cooking can make more elaborate dishes. Everyone is welcome! For questions or to R.S.V.P. Call or Stacy Borden at sborden@hotmail.com or Kristie Palestino Himsel at kpalestino@gmail.com Church Family News Thank you to all who have stepped up to help cover childcare during both Sunday School and worship. This is an ongoing need, so please consider how you can help. One more person is needed to supervise the young ones during sermon time once a month (or two people who would be willing to do it once every 2 months!). Please see Kristie Himsel or Brenda Lashway if you are willing to help. Please let us know how you are willing to serve others in our church family by filling out the orange 'Congregational Care Opportunities' flyers, available at the back of the sanctuary or in the vestry. Dates to remember December 10th - Next Joni and Friends 'Mom's Morning Out' - 9:30-12 noon in the chapel. Refreshments and childcare help needed. Please see Ann Beltz or Jeanine Petreil. January 24th, "Women at Rest" women's conference. Mark your calendars now! Hannaford cards are available from Ann Beltz. If you shop at Hannafords, this is an easy way for the church to receive 5% of your grocery bill! NEW ADDRESS FOR Henry Hunter New Hampshire Veterans Home 139 Winter Street Rm 224 Tilton, NH November Birthday s 11/1 DONNA REEDER 11/20 HANNAH TAYLOR 11/8 LAURA MILES 11/23 REUBEN BROOKS 11/9 JIM CONLEY 11/24 ELIZABETH BIRON 11/10 NANCY BARNARD 11/25 ELENOR DUCLOS 11/11 LAURA STOCKTON 11/25 CLAIRE MARKEE 11/14 DOUG CULLEN 11/26 BARBARA MCLAUGHLIN 11/14 MARLENE TAYLOR 11/27 STEVE FENTON 11/16 RUTH PERKINS 11/30 ROB BRUCKNER 11/17 STEFAN BASTIAN 11/30 DAN NOLAN 11/19 AUSTIN HIMSEL 11/30 SANDY PARADIS

7 Lost and Found In Everything Give Thanks WOMENS MONTHLY BREAKFAST November 15th, 9-11am Stark Hall Dining room Please bring something to share with others. This will be a special time of fellowship, devotion, prayer, and encouraging one another. Please speak with Marilyn Nolan for more information. Church Library Update What have you been reading lately? Let us know and share a christian book review with us. We have ordered two sets of books for the library. One is a commentary series and one is by RC Sproul - his Crucial Questions series (there are 20 in all and the first 17 are available now on Amazon for free as a kindle download). They will both be excellent resources and Cheryl Anderson is going to be writing a review about them for the December issue of Passages. Please speak with her for more details and information. Momentum Men s Retreat at Monadnock Bible Conference, in nearby Jaffrey, NH November 14th-16th 2014 More information is located on the brochures posted on the bulletin boards in the Parish House office and the Fellowship Hall. For additional information and on-line registration you can go directly to MBC s website Hello from the editor: Thank you for looking at our monthly Newsletter! Please check out our for up- to- date sermons, videos, & notices. Also, check out our church Facebook page at facebook/conggoff for a weekly preview of the sermon and current events. If you would like to share a notice or article for the December Passages issue please submit your info via to cat.conley@comcast.net by the deadline of Friday, November 21st. We will be folding the Newsletter on Friday, November 28th at 9am in the Parish House chapel. Please join us if you can! As we grow together in the Lord, may His grace be upon you, Catherine Conley

8 The Congregational Church of Goffstown 8 & 10 Main Street Goffstown, NH THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GOFFSTOWN 8 & 10 Main Street Goffstown, NH Tel: (603) Web Site: CongGoff.org pastorgoffcong@gmail.com Facebook: 9:15am-10:15am Adult & Children s Sunday School 10:30am 11:45am Worship Service Coffee, Snacks & Fellowship