April 23, 2018 Mainstreeter Online

 

April 23, 2018

Words from the Pastor

      Welcome to the third week of the Great Fifty Days of Easter. Easter is not a one day event but a season that in many ways defines who we are as followers of the Risen Christ. On Saturday we defined ourselves as a people of hope as we came together to celebrate the life of Roger Hall. Roger died back in January but for various reasons it was decided to wait until now to remember him and all of his accomplishments. The sanctuary was nearly full with around 225 people in attendance--quite a remarkable thing given that Roger was about as humble and quiet as they come. We heard about Roger's many commitments to church, Habitat for Humanity, family, and friends. We laughed a lot--especially at all the stories of Roger's frugality. It will come as no surprise that Roger's generosity will extend beyond his life as his estate continues to support all of the causes that were so special to him.

      Sunday was another day of celebration as we welcomed four youth as confirmands who made their baptismal vows and entered into church membership. These youth are unique individual who have committed themselves to being faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. They were all baptized as infants in the Main Street UMC and have been nurtured in our Sunday School program. Each has served the church in a variety of ways already--as liturgists, acolytes, assisting with bean suppers, and serving at the Nashua Soup Kitchen's Food Pantry. I am confident that the future of the church is in good hands with these and other youth and young adults who are actively serving God in and through the church. I am also grateful for each of their parents who have taken seriously the vows that they made at their baptisms and have faithfully raised these children to become followers of Jesus themselves.

      As noted below we fully expect to receive our occupancy permit this coming week which will allow us to begin to use the connector and elevator next Sunday. It is expected that the painting of the new nursery (on the second floor of the Wesley Building) will be completed this week as well allowing our families with young children to begin using it next Sunday as well. I am grateful for all of those who are helping with the final push to get our new spaces ready for use--Ted and Deb Luszey; Donna Swanson; Pam Breniser; Mark Morrissey; and others who I may be unaware of. Of course, there is more painting to be done in the Wesley Building, so if you are able to help out please let Ted know or speak to me soon.

      These are exciting times in which new life is breaking forth all around us--in new spaces, in transformed lives, and in the arrival of spring (finally!). Let us give thanks to God and continue to celebrate as we continue our journey through these "great fifty days".

Worship Ahead

4/29 The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Café Agape Presentation

Scripture: First John 4: 7-21; John 15:1-8|

Theme:  Bearing Fruit

As disciples we are called to bear fruit in our lives but this can only happen as we stay connected to the source of all life. Jesus is the true vine and staying connected to him will bring both fruitfulness and joy.

Announcements  

Calendar  for the Week of April 22

Connector and Elevator Use Pushed Back One Week  

Due to some unexpected delays (mostly attributed to the weather) we are now expecting the connector and elevator to be available for its first use on Sunday, April 29th. We hope that you will be with us for the inauguration of this new era in the history of the Main Street UMC!

Dedication of New Spaces Planned for May 20th

Just a reminder that we will be dedicating our new spaces including the newly refurbished sanctuary; the new sound system and video system; the elevator and the connector itself on May 20th during the 10:30am worship service.  We have extended the invitation to all who have worked on these projects with the hope that we can recognize each of them for their contributions. We will also have a number of special guests with us representing the city of Nashua; the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church; and the United Methodist Foundation. A reception will follow in the vestry.

150th Anniversary Plans Continue to Unfold  

Please save the date of Saturday and Sunday, September 28th and 29th for the major celebration of our 150th anniversary. Saturday will begin with a special concert in our sanctuary featuring Emily Adams. We will continue with an evening banquet that will be held in the St. Patrick's gymnasium located just up the street from us. It will be catered by Celebrations Catering and will provide an opportunity for many former pastors, staff, and members to return to join us in looking back to the past while preparing for a bright future. Finally, our Bishop, Sudarshana Devadhar will be our guest preacher on Sunday at the 10:30am worship service. You won't want to miss this spectacular weekend!

Memorial for Roger Hall

This past Saturday, April 21st, the church was filled with people who came to celebrate the life of Roger Hall. He was a member of the Main Street United Methodist Church for more than 40 years. During those years he served as a church trustee and on the missions committee, sang in the chancel choir, and was known as the "Ham Man" for the church's monthly ham and bean suppers.

Also known as "Mr. Fix-It," Roger was a highly skilled carpenter who helped maintain whatever needed attention at the church. After the Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity was established in 1994, he willingly used his time and talents to assist in their projects. He was presented with the NH Spirit Award from Habitat for Humanity in November 2017.

Originally from Miami, Oklahoma, he left there with a BS in industrial technology from Central State University in Edmond, OK and served in the U.S. Army for two years, spending nine months in Korea. While working at Honeywell International Inc. in Oklahoma, he was transferred through the company to Billerica, MA where he worked until he retired in 1996. He took another job at Philips Medical in Andover, MA and was employed there for another eighteen years.

At the memorial celebration, friends and members of the Hall/Taliaferro families sang and spoke in his honor. He will be greatly missed by all.

Mission News

Many thanks for your participation in our special Lenten Mission Projects. This is what you gave:

Health Kits: Health kits for UMCOR were brought forward to the altar and celebrated on Palm Sunday. The Missions Committee has packed over 50 health kits so far. Thanks to the extra kits packed by the Sunday School classes, we have quite a few more kits than we did last year. In addition, United Methodist Women and their wonderful friends have been busy sewing gowns and shirts, knitting baby sweaters and blankets, and buying diapers and washcloths, so twenty layette kits will be joining our health kits at the UMCOR Depot in Merrimack. If you haven't brought your kit yet, bring it in and we will start a new box!

One Great Hour of Sharing gifts to UMCOR totaled $1442. This keeps the United Methodist Committee on Relief ready to respond to emergencies, of which there were so many in the last year. We know that our kits and UMCOR donations will be put to good use.

Heifer Project: Some people bought a whole llama or sheep or donkey; some bought a flock of chicks, and others chose seeds or ducks or shares of a cow or even six water pumps! These were the items chosen to honor loved ones at Easter through our Heifer Easter Tree of Life project. A total of over $3100 will be sent to the Heifer Project to start the chain of caring for plants, animals, and each other. Thank you to each family for "Passing on the gift!" Rabbits like to hop around, and five rabbit shares donated by Al James in Celebration of Geraldine Smedler were elsewhere when the Easter Heifer list was compiled. Thank you, Al, and all of the others who shared this Alternative Easter Gift.

Because all of these special gifts were in addition to your funding the budget of the church and contributing to our Heart of Nashua Growing in Faith Campaign, they mean even more. Thank you all so much.

Letter Carriers Food Drive: Please support the food drive by National Association of Letter Carriers. They will be collecting non perishable food items on May 12, the Saturday before Mother's Day.  Please place food items in bags in or outside of your mailboxes that day. The donated food will be distributed among local food pantries.

Food Pantry Needs: Thank you to everyone who helped with the Nashua Soup Kitchen Sunday Food Pantry, hosted by Main Street United Methodist Church. Fruit, rice, and canned beans, plus the always-needed toilet paper would be appreciated at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. Our Sunday School Classes enjoyed packing health kits so much that they are going to try making personal care bags. We will ask you to label those donations and put them in the blue food pantry bin. Here is what goes into a Nashua Soup Kitchen personal care bag. You do not need to assemble the bag—Sunday School students will do that! And you do not have to buy everything on the list. We would love to be able to take the bags with us on our next Food Pantry Sunday, May 20.

Soap and body wash

Shampoo and conditioner

Toothpaste

Toothbrush

Deodorant

Razors

Shaving Cream

Toilet Paper

Comb

Blanket Sunday is scheduled for Mother's Day, May 13. We encourage you to honor your mother, grandmother, or another special person on Mother's Day with a Church World Service blanket. We will bring our gifts forward and honor our mothers with a special "blanket note" on the bulletin board. Mother's Day cards will be available on a table in the vestry.

Thank you for all that you do for missions in Nashua and around the world!

-submitted by Phyllis Appler