November 20, 2017
Words from the Pastor
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Seasons of Life
Dear Lord, thank you for your presence with us through all the seasons of life
through the times of milk and honey and through our wanderings in the wilderness.
Lord, we give thanks for children; for their boundless energy, their curiosity, their love, their openness, their joy of life.
Lord, we give thanks for young adults; for their growing search to build meaningful lives, for their new ideas and approaches to the problems of society, for their children and the loving families they seek to build.
Lord, we give thanks for those in the middle of life; for the families they have guided into adulthood, for the life work they have built and sustained, for the faith they have nurtured in others, for the presence they provide as they walk life's path with their parent's and older friends.
Lord, we give thanks for those grown-up and grown older; for the experiences they have survived, for the wisdom with which they have been blessed, for the spiritual richness of their lives, for their witness of faith.
Lord, we give thanks for the cloud of witnesses that has gone before us, leaving their imprint of life and faith upon each of us and upon the world.
Creator God, we are indeed thankful that in each stage of life you bless us with your presence. At every age, and especially in old age, you mold and shape us with your potter's hands into people with purpose and value who can reach out to others, touching humanity with the love that only you can give us.
Praise be to God. Amen.
*Taken from "Remembering Your Story: A Guide to Spiritual Autobiography" pages 37 and 38 by Richard L. Morgan: Upper Room Books, 1996, Nashville.
While we normally think of the Thanksgiving season as a time to give thanks for the fruits of the harvest and the richness of the earth, most of us, when asked for what we are most thankful, tend to focus on our relationships as family, friends, and church. We acknowledge the people in our lives who bring us great joy and are grateful for the presence of people, old and young, who enrich us and help us to be more fully human. On this Thanksgiving Day let us remember with fondness the loved ones who have joined the "cloud of saints" while cherishing the time we have left on this earth with those who love us and whom we love as well. Thanks be to God for the seasons of life and all those who fill each and every season.
With Gratitude,
Pastor Rich
Worship Next Sunday – November 26
Christ the King Sunday
Choir Anthem
Scripture: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Matthew 25:31-46
Theme: For What Does God Hold Us Accountable?
On this final Sunday of the Christian year, this familiar gospel reading from Mathew 25 reminds us that we are accountable to God for how we treat our fellow human beings. When we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, cloth the naked, visit the prisoner, welcome the stranger, etc. we do it as to Christ himself.
Announcements Calendar for the Week of November 19Mission News
Gifts for the King: On December 10, we will celebrate Gifts for the King Sunday. Please take a tag from the tree that will appear in the vestry. Then you can bring your unwrapped gift up to the sanctuary on Gifts for the King Sunday and you may place these gifts under the Chrismon Tree when your birthday month is called. This year, our gifts will go to children from the Front Door Agency here in Nashua.
Holiday Baskets: Thank you for your gifts of food for our Thanksgiving Baskets. We were able to provide food for this special meal for many families from our own refugee community and through the Nashua Soup Kitchen. At Christmas, we will do it again!! Ingathering of food will be on December 10, the same day as Gifts for the King. We will need all of the extras that go with a good Christmas dinner. Yams, canned vegetables, celery, pie crusts, and brown sugar are sometimes overlooked, but we will appreciate whatever you bring! Without your help, these families would not have a happy Christmas meal to enjoy. Food such as rice, dried beans, and fresh greens might be more useful to some of our refugee families than the usual cranberry sauce! Thank you!
Food Pantry: Thank you to all who remembered to put out a bag for "Scouting for Food" this year. Main Street got its regular share of Scout food, and it was loaded onto the Nashua Soup Kitchen truck and has been much appreciated.
Refugee Help: Thanks to the United Methodist Women and others who have helped supply needs of two of our refugee families who have recently added a baby boy. You have provided clothing, booster seat, diapers, as well as taking people to appointments. This makes a tremendous difference for them! Be sure to support the Downtown Crossing Bake Sale during the Holiday Stroll!
CROP Hunger Walk: Thank you for walking, supporting, and singing! Will report on our total when CROP reports it to us! Remember that 25% of the money raised stays here in Nashua to fight hunger locally.
Alternative Christmas Gifts: Through the United Methodist Church's "gifts of hope" catalog,
http://www.umcmission.org/appeals/christmasyou can purchase anything from a latrine in Guatemala to a bed net in Ghana. The Heifer Project also has lots of animal and plant gift ideas at https://www.heifer.org/gift-catalog/
-submitted by Phyllis Appler
Greening of the Church and Souper Supper
4:00pm
All members and friends of the Main Street are invited to join the F Troop, our over 40 fellowship group, as we decorate the church for the Holiday Stroll and the Advent Season. After the greening, we will partake of a variety of delicious soups and enjoy the beauty we have created before the hectic holiday season begins. This event is open to all--the more the merrier!
-submitted by Mavis Pyle
Holiday Stroll
On Saturday, November 25th, we will once again be a host site for Nashua's Holiday Stroll. There will be a dance recital held at 5:45 followed by musical performances at 7:10 and 8:35pm. Our choir will not be performing this year. Downstairs in the vestry there will be a joint fundraiser by our own Downtown Crossing along with the non-profit "Chefs of NH" group. The Gate City Immigrant Initiative will also be passing out free food and providing a welcome for immigrants during this same time frame. We are still in need of volunteers to help. If you could give an hour or two, that would be great. Please speak to Jerry Harrow or Pastor Rich in order to sign up to volunteer. Thanks in advance for all your support.
| Fundraising Updates Yuletide Fair Earnings : $2,654.05Heart of Nashua: Growing in Faith: Heart of Nashua I: Ham 'n Bean Un-Supper Tallies: 3 Beverages3 Bread 5 Cole Slaw 4 Ham 4 Kidney Beans 5 Pea Beans 5 Pie 6 Potato Salad |
| We hope you like our new look for news! Feel free to send comments to mainstreeter@mainstreet-umc.org |
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