November 27, 2017
Words from the Pastor
An Advent Prayer
Help me be faithful, O God,
to receive what awaits me
at the holy manger
and to show others
the way.
Help me be faithful, O Christ,
to hold close the hopeless
and to linger with the lost.
Help me be faithful, O Spirit,
to give voice to the silenced
and manna to the starved.
With the poor,
O Spirit,
let me proclaim
the good news
with my life.
Help me be faithful, O God,
to Christ,
by your Spirit.
This is my Advent prayer. Amen
Taken from Prepare the Way: Cultivating a Heart for God in Advent, copyright 2016 by Pamela C. Hawkins, published by Upper Room Books
December 3rd marks the beginning of the season of Advent and the beginning of the Christian liturgical year. Advent is a season of watching, waiting, and anticipating God's presence and activity in our lives and in our world. It is, ironically, a season that invites us to think not so much about beginnings but about endings--in other words about God's bringing the world to its completion. Although Christians believe that God is at work in the world and is moving the world along towards a sense of completion we also recognize that God chooses to do this work in partnership with us. In Jesus, the celebration of whose birth culminates this season, we have one who shows us the way through his life, death, and resurrection. In Jesus we see love incarnated and experience the transforming power of love in people's lives and in the world. May God help us to be faithful to this task even as we follow Jesus' lead and live our lives with compassion, justice, and love.
With Advent Longing,
Pastor Rich
Worship Next Sunday – December 3
First Sunday of Advent
Holy Communion
Lighting the First Advent Candle
Scripture: Mark 13:24-37
Theme: Living Attentively in Challenging Times
As we work together with God to bring the world to God's desired completion, we need to be attentive, awake, and alert to God's presence and love in our midst. Advent serves as a liturgical "wake up" call for the church.
Announcements Calendar for the Week of November 26
Finance News
First I want to emphasize the generosity of the people of this church, who gave significantly to enable our accessibility and visibility. Recently we received gifts to pay off our steeple loan and replace an urgently-needed electrical panel. Our congregation feels strongly about the work we do here in Nashua and gives accordingly.
I see God working through us uplifting our community. Individuals are deeply touched by what we do here, and tell me their appreciation. Even our professional fundraising consultant was moved by the work we do here and made a substantial personal commitment to our capital campaign.
With all of our giving, how has 2017 been such a difficult year for our general fund? Last month I mentioned how we were tracking a shortfall of $50,000 for the year. Many of you have made additional donations above your pledge amount to help defray the shortfall. Maggie and I have been giving additionally over our tithe this quarter. At this time of writing, we received your extra funds, but not enough to pay our 2017 bills. You still have time to make an "over and above your pledge" substantial general fund gift for 2017. Please make your gift soon so we can count it for the 2017 audit year.
Although we've kept the budget flat for the upcoming year, please pledge and give the next higher amount in 2018. If you give $150 a week, please consider $175. If you give $50 a week, please consider $60. This will help us avoid the situation we faced this year.
I will be happy when this construction is finished and paid for. At that time we can focus on applying our new facilities and accessibility to grow our church and our ministries and missions.
If you have thoughts on how we can grow our ministries and missions, I am listening. You've read my columns about expanding our ministries to include more youth, young adults, and young families. I am looking to put my focus in that area especially when it's time for me to hand over the finance committee chair to my successor. At that time I am aiming to have a stable general fund, our debt addressed, and a congregation energized about our future.
-submitted by Joe Dechene
Invitation to All
Please join the family of Nonny Egbuonu as they celebrate the
wedding of
Phyllis Ijeoma Egbuonu
&
Ejikeme Fidelis Ukatu
Saturday
The 9th of December 2017
2pm
Main Street United Methodist Church
154 Main St., Nashua, NH 03060
Refreshments at
San Francisco Kitchen
133 Main Street, Nashua, NH
(Right across the street)
4pm
RSVP
Nonny Egbuonu
(617) 304-9078
Gifts for the King 2017 Instructions:
-submitted by Phyllis Appler
Fundraising Updates
Heart of Nashua: Growing in Faith:
Amount received:--$460,448
Heart of Nashua I:
Amount received: - $941,634
Ham 'n Bean Un-Supper Tallies:
5 Beverages
5 Bread
7 Cole Slaw
7 Ham
8 Kidney Beans
9 Pea Beans
7 Pie
14 Potato Salad
Cookbooks--$743.00
Change for Church--$1080.22
Amazon Smile--$24.98
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