A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
A PRAYER FOR LENT BY JOYCE RUPP
Taken from Fresh Bread and Other Gifts of Spiritual Nourishment, page 16
Can it be?
Have I for so long
forgotten to feed myself?
Yes.
For nigh a year now
I was slowly starving.
Getting lost in busy days,
tossing aside the hunger
that chewed away inside.
Yet, I did not die.
By some quiet miracle
I made it to this moment
of truth:
I nearly starved to death.
It was not my body
that I failed to feed.
It was my spirit,
left alone for days
without nourishment or care.
And then one day
I paused to look within,
shocked at what I found:
So thin of faith,
So weak of understanding,
So needy of encouragement.
My starving spirit cried the truth:
I can!
I will!
I must!
Be fed!
As Joyce Rupp rightly recognizes in her Lenten prayer our spirits (or souls) need to be fed as much as our bodies do. Lent is a season that encourages us to slow, examine our lives, and drink deeply of the water of life and eat fully of the bread of life. I hope that your Lenten journey will prove to be a time of nourishment for your soul as you more intentionally pause to engage in the spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, scripture reading, quiet reflection, meditation, and whatever you find helps to feed you. Don't allow yourself to waste away spiritually but rather carve out the time and space to be fed!
WORSHIP AHEAD
3/8 The Second Sunday in Lent
Anthem- by the choir
Scripture: Romans 4:1-5; 13-21; John 3:1-21
Theme: You Must Be Born Again, and Again, and Again!- To speak of oneself as a "born again" Christian today generally means that you agree to a particular understanding of the Christian faith that is anathema to other people of faith. Yet Jesus clearly says that we "must be born again" in order to see or enter the kingdom of God. We will explore a broader meaning of what Jesus might have meant by this and in doing so discover that to be "born again" is not meant to be a one time experience.
Our Sympathies
Our love, prayers, and sympathy are extended to Gem Anderson and family following the death of Gem's husband, Herb, on Tuesday, February 25th. A memorial service will be held here at the church on Thursday, March 12th at 11:00am. If you would like to send a card or note to Gem please send it to her daughter Rachel's attention at 90 Patch Hill Lane, Milford, NH 03055.
Our love, prayers, and sympathy are also extended to Stacie Laughton following the death of Lisa Laughton on Sunday, March 1st. A memorial service will take place here at the church with the date yet to be decided. If you would like to send a card or note to Stacie please send it to her home address: 80 Elm Street, Apt. 1, Nashua, NH 03060.
Dear Mainstreeters,
BE OUR GUEST AT CHOIR! Our sanctuary choir rehearses Thursday nights from 7:30-8:30 pm. You are welcome to come to any rehearsal with no pressure to perform or come back! Kelly and Irene are always happy to help people find their musical strengths. Please come and visit with us and share one of the greatest joys we have as Christians; praising God in a loving community!
MEETING OUR NEW PASTOR The Rev. Kelly Turney and her husband, Steve Hilbun will be our guests for the weekend of March 21st and 22nd. They will be attending the youth and family potluck dinner on Saturday and experiencing both the 8:15am and 10:30am worship services on the 22nd before joining the new member luncheon at noon. You will want to make sure to take this opportunity to meet Pastor Turney and Steve as they begin the transition from her current appointment in East Longmeadow, MA to the Main Street UMC.
OPERA ON MAIN STREET RETURNS Our collaboration with Jane Cormier and the offering of a "salon" series of operatic concerts will resume this month. Here is the schedule for the winter and spring:
March 28. Presenting the Coffee and Peasant Cantatas by Bach.
All concerts take place in our sanctuary at 7:00pm. There is a cost of $12.00 per person or $10.00 for senior citizens with children and youth free. A portion of each ticket supports the church's organ fund.
CONFIRMATION PLANS ANNOUNCED
Confirmation classes for youth in grades 7 – 12 will be held during the months of March and April. It has already been decided that the classes will be offered during the regular Sunday School time at 9:00am each Sunday morning. Confirmation itself will take place on Sunday, April 19th. Classes will be led by Pastor Rich along with assistance from various members of the congregation.
March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 10:30 AM – Noon, Vestry
Come join us on a Lenten Journey using the spirituality of nature as we broaden our perspective and move from All is One to One is All. There will not be a class book, but rather we will use sacred texts and poetry from a variety of faiths. We will spend class time in small group conversation, sing hymns and have creative experiences. Child care will be provided. We left February 26, Ash Wednesday, free so you could use your time to attend a service. A sign-up sheet and pre-class assignment will be available during coffee hour or email Pam Breniser (class facilitator) at pjbreniser@gmail.com.
Speaking in Tongues
We are blessed here at MSUMC with members and guests from a wonderful variety of backgrounds and cultures. Unfortunately, come might have difficulty in communicating in English. And so, with the goal of truly being a loving and welcoming community of faith in mind and heart, we'd like to create a database of members that have a fluency in other languages. This is not a committee, there are no meetings to attend or big time commitments. We'd just like to know who might be able to help if a language barrier presents itself. If you would be willing to share your gift with us please email Paul Pederzani at: pped@comcast.net and type MSUMC in the subject line. Thank you for your continued support of our church and church family.
Heifer Project Easter Tree of Life
Heifer International's mission is to end hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth using gifts of livestock, seeds, trees and training in sustainable agriculture community development projects to help millions of people become self-reliant. Since 1944, Heifer has helped transform the lives of more than 30 million families by giving them gifts of cows, goats and other livestock. Look for our Easter Tree of Life, and honor someone with the gift of an animal. Fill up our tree! We offer vegetarian options.
Today, March 6th, 10:00am, Hunt Community, Nashua
At this meeting, we'll be learning how retirees can help support inclusion of social and emotional learning in school curricula in Nashua and around the region through the "Choose Love" Enrichment Program. Shannon Desilets, Program Coordinator for the effort in New Hampshire will speak about the project. Contact Sara Ceaser at sceaser@unitedwaynashua.org or (603)864-0201 to register.
Display of Crosses and Easter Symbols
Our display of various crosses and other Easter symbols is now set up in the cabinet that Roger Hall made in the Ladies Parlor. Take the short ramp from the first floor lobby. Come and enjoy! The display will be up through Easter. Thanks to everyone who donated items
March Ham and Bean Supper!
Adults: $10 Seniors: $9
Children 6 to 12: $4 Children 5 and under: Free!
If you would like to help with the Ham and Bean, contact David Appler at pappler@earthlink.net
See you at the Ham and Bean Supper Saturday, March 7th!
Ice Cream Fundraiser
Do you like ice cream? Would you like to support our Bell Choir and their goal of purchasing a fourth octave of bells? On March 11, you can do both! On that day, you can enjoy a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or ice cream at Friendly's in Merrimack, NH and 20% of your check will be donated to the church when you use our vouchers.
If you wish to just make a donation, please note on your check or envelope that you wish to donate to the handbell fundraiser. Thank you for your unending support to the bell choir and other music ministries here at Main St.
A Call to Prayer and Self-denial United Methodist Women's Offering
Years ago our United Methodist Women (UMW) would have a retreat and take up a collection for the annual Call to Prayer and Self-denial. While we are not planning a time away from church and home this year, you have the opportunity on your own to make an offering to important missions for women and children in the United States and around the world. Add to your envelope all during the season of Lent or write one check made out to MSUMW, with "Call to Prayer" in the memo line. One hundred percent of your donation will go directly to these missions. Envelopes and more information about the program and the missions supported are on the bulletin board in the lower lobby. Envelopes may be turned in to UMW Treasurer, Erica Borroto, or put in the Sunday offering plate by Easter.
United Methodist Women-March 18, 7 PM Church Vestry
Come join a great group of women for our March meeting. We start with a devotion and intercessory prayers, then wonderful fellowship and snacks. We actually get a little work done too. This month we are finishing up the layette kits we started in February. We will also begin work on the ornaments we give out to children at the Christmas Eve service.
And if you love to shop, we are starting to collect items for camp bags for kids. A full bag would contain a comb, shampoo, bar soap and soap dish, toothbrush and toothbrush holder, face cloths, towels, beach towels, rain poncho, flashlight and sunscreen.Hope to see you then.
Great news for our March UMM Breakfast and Meeting debuting on Saturday, 7 March, at 8:30 a.m. in the Main Street United Methodist vestry. Our guests and Program leaders for our meeting will the General Manager, Cam Cook and the Assistant General Manager, Katie Arend, of the new Nashua Silver Knights Baseball Team! . Breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m.
If you ever loved the game of baseball and want to enjoy the team and our great facilities at Holman Stadium, come on 7 March to share in one of our community's great family activities and learn about your new team! I look forward to seeing you all there. Please let us know the that you are coming so we can be sure to have plenty of food and space for all.
If some of you can come a little earlier around 8:00 a.m. to help us setup the vestry you are most welcome
COME ONE COME ALL! Baseball is in the air!
Luncheon to Celebrate March Birthdays
When: Sunday, 03/08/2020
Time: 12:30PM
Where: Uno Pizzaria & Grill at 593 Amherst St., Nashua, NH
All Invited the More the Merrier!
Please let one of the committee members below know if you're interested in attending before the event so that we can reserve a table!
No gifts are needed, "we each pay our own way" we go dutch..., this is a Luncheon to celebrate birthdays of the month and have fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ.
It's best to email us if you plan to attend so we know who the birthday attendees will be for the given month and we can reserve a table however, we can accommodate should you decide at the last minute!
FYI: This will be a "running" Dough-Raiser of which MSUMC will receive up to 20% at end of the year, a contribution from all attendees to MSUMC while supporting our local merchant and being in fellowship with one another; when applicable we may also use 25% off coupon for entire table in addition to fundraising, a Win, Win for ALL!
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