Mainstreeter Blast July 1, 2021

Click here for July 4th, 2021 Bulletin   Fellowship Virtual Coffee Hour Be sure to join us for our Virtual Coffee Hour and Fellowship Time following the 10:30 am service.  We look forward to seeing you there! https://www.mainstreet-umc.org/activities/coffee-hour Staff Summer Reading For the next several weeks, we will be featuring a staff member Summer reading list.  This week the list comes from Natasha Drew.   To be honest, I must admit that I am not much of a reader.  I always read to my children from the moment they were born, but I never really spent time reading for me.  I like to read.  I admire people who love to read.  All of my dearest friends enjoying reading.  So this is my chance to give myself the gift of reading this summer. One program I have always been inspired by is the Nashua Library: Nashua Reads, One City, One Book.  This year the selection is Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Homegoing is the debut historical fiction novel by Ghanaian-American author Yaa Gyasi, published in 2016. Each chapter in the novel follows a different descendant of an Asante woman named Maame, starting with her two daughters, who are half-sisters, separated by circumstance: Effia marries James Collins, the British governor in charge of Cape Coast Castle, while her half-sister Esi is held captive in the dungeons below. Subsequent chapters follow their children and following generations. Another selection that I have on my list is High Conflict by Amanda Ripley.                                                                                                       I had really hoped to join the book study that was led by Pastor Kelly, but the timing was not good for me.  I have heard several discussions here in the office about various aspects of this book and I am excited to be able to participate and really explore these insights more in depth.      My daughter, Haleigh, is an avid reader.  Any book she is interested in or recommends is always a delight.  She gifted me a book for my birthday in early June with a homemade coupon for a beach day together.      T. Greenwood's Keeping Lucy is a heartbreaking and uplifting story, inspired by incredible true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.   This book is set in Dover, Massachusetts in 1969.  I am excited to spend a day at the beach reading with Haleigh this Summer!  My final Summer read is not yet published to the public.  We have dear friends, actually Haleigh's godparents, who are both UCC ministers (retired).  They decided to co-write a book.  It is a mystery that takes place in a church.  I have started it and enjoy reading in their voices.  Once it has been released, I will share more with anyone that might be interested. - Natasha   Summer Worship Our 9:35 am Summer streaming service is now open for in-person registration. Worshipers may join us in the sanctuary. Safety protocols will be followed and masks will be required. Please use the link provided below to register, walk-ins are welcome as space allows.  If you have any questions or need assistance in registering, please contact the main office at (603) 882-3361 or office@mainstreet-umc.org Sunday, July 4th Worship Please arrive no later than 9:15 am so that you have time to go through the screening process.   Missions Update     Father's Day/Tools of Hope:  Thank you for your generous gifts in support of Church World Service Tools of Hope Sunday.   We missed dropping those gifts into Bill Hebel's toolbox, but smile with the memory of his support of this ministry for so many years.  Hoping that next year we will be able to each pin a tool onto the bulletin board at the front of the church and remember and honor our fathers and those who acted as fathers to us one by one.          Food Pantry: The Nashua Soup Kitchen will be returning to its former hours on July 1!  Volunteers are needed to fill these new spots! Your blue apron is waiting!  We will be open from 11 to 2:45 Monday through Friday. If that is too long for you, please consider coming to volunteer for two hours, from 11 to 1 or 1 to 2:45. Now that people are choosing their own food, more volunteers are essential!  Shampoo and conditioner are much-requested items at the Soup Kitchen.  Soup supply could use some cans of Progresso-type soup that does not need to be diluted. Dried beans or lentils are appreciated by many of our New American families who do not use canned beans.  Since many of these families do not eat meat, the dried beans serve as a protein source. Our Heart of Nashua Food Assistance Ministry provides food ordered from the NH Food Bank and from USDA sources, but sometimes we shop to add variety to the choices. The photo shows a recent shopping trip. If you need food or know someone who does, please come to the Nashua Soup Kitchen.  Hours are listed below: Pantry Services at the Soup Kitchen, 2 Quincy St.: Non-perishable food boxes and fresh produce available. Monday through Friday: 11 am-2:45 pm, starting July 1   Thank you from the Missions Work Area   Kids Corner   This week, as we enter into our summer series of considering birds, we will think about the eagle.    How many eagles can you find or see when you are out in your neighborhood or running errands with your family? Here is coloring page link for you to decorate and display: Eagle Coloring Page Be sure to share photos with the office office@mainstreet-umc.org Request from your Lay Leaders and Nominations team Given the challenges of the past year and the reduced capacity of our teams during the pandemic, we're asking for an extra year of team membership, a freeze on committee changes for this upcoming year, if you're willing. There are a couple of notable exceptions, openings like the Finance Chair, which we must fill, but for the most part, many teams couldn't get done what they wanted to do, so we're having a do-over. Contact Pastor Kelly or the lay leaders if you still want to rotate off of your team assignments this year or if you have interest in working on another ministry area. Thank you.  Silver Knights Outing!!!   Take MSUMC out to the ballgame!!!  Friday, August 6th is the date!  If this is something you would like to be a part of, please contact the main office, office@mainstreeet-umc.org , so that we have you on our ticket list.  If we get 15 people or more, the ticket price is discounted to $6/each.  Looking forward to a night of fun, fellowship and fireworks!!  Thank You from the Office   I greatly appreciate the ink cartridges that are donated for the recycling program at Staples.  The last round of  coupons I received totaled $150!!!  Thank you very much for continuing to drop off your used ink cartridges.  These perks help SO much!                                                                  -Natasha Drew May 2021 Finance Snapshot:   General Fund (GF) Total GF Income Received as of 5/31/2021:      $204,630.73* Total GF Income Budgeted through 5/31/2021:      $183,125.00 Total GF Expenses Paid through 5/31/2021:      $169,000.84 Total GF Expenses Budgeted through 5/31/2021:   $191,670.69 *  Includes $10,260.00 designated for Heart of Nashua Continued and CARES Act PPP Draw 2 Funds of      $41,352.00 received and used for GF expenses.   Notes on General Fund We did not pay World and New England Mission Shares leaving us two months behind ($3902.52).   We MUST make this up later in the year.   The last of the Cares Act PPP funds were used in May for the May 15 payroll.  The PPP money was an immense help in meeting our financial obligations.  We will apply for forgiveness later this summer. We are current on other expenses.   Heart of Nashua 1 & 2 (GiF) & HON Cont. (Capital Campaign/Elevator, Connector, Renovations)  -  Balance Due on HON Loan as of 5/31/2021:  $141,793.76 (Loan was $358,343.45) -  In May the $1,769.53 monthly payment was paid.  HON Cont. funds on hand 5/31/2021 ($8696.72) will cover payments for five months.   -  Total Paid (including interest) Using HON 1, 2 & Continued as of 5/31/2021:  $1,893,427.65   Funding for the Future, 100 for $150 (Endowment) – Received this year as of 5/31/2021:  $1895.     Anyone can be one of 100 people or families giving $150 each year (or donate any amount) to grow our endowment for our future.   Parsonage Mortgage – As of 4/30/2021 we owed $67,395.07 on the parsonage.  We are paying $896.22 per month.  At the present rate, the parsonage will be paid off on 1/23/29.  We have been using income from the Scrip's gift card fundraiser program run near Christmas to paydown the principal.  If you wish to donate directly to reduce this balance, please mark donations for parsonage paydown.   Extra Mile Giving Opportunities - At this time, we have two opportunities and one anticipated opportunity for extra mile giving.   -The church will replace the bark mulch along the plantings with river rock.  This will be longer lasting than mulch and will help prevent cigarette fires and damage to our sprinkler system which have been an issue.  The total expense is $2750 and the work will likely occur in July.   Donations may be made for this and should be marked "landscaping."   -We received notice of a partial approval of $882 on a matching grant from the New England Conference Together for Tomorrow grant program.  It will help provide incremental upgrades to the existing A/V systems of the church to enhance our ability to reach our community.  The application was for a matching grant of $1181 to match $1181 from the church (totaling $2362).  Areas of our outreach to be enhanced:                  ·    Improved production quality of our online video stream, and enhanced video capability.                ·     Simplified production for volunteer technical team                ·     Support for audio amplification for inperson outdoor worship                ·     Preparation for future hybrid online/in-person worship Please mark donations A/V. -We plan on replacing flooring in Kristy's office with the same as in the vestry.  We have not yet   received a quote for this.   For additional information on the landscape stones and flooring, contact Donna Swanson.  Contact Jerry Harrow for information on the A/V production updates.      Thank You  Thank you to all who support this congregation.  Your financial gifts, service and prayers are all appreciated and needed to meet our budget goals.  It is a lean budget and barely covers needs.   Please us the following link for Summer Food Resource Information: Summer_Food_Resources_2021.pdf Pastor's Sabbath Days: Pastor Kelly: Tuesday Pastor Kristy: Friday Days to Reach Pastors Pastor Kelly: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Pastor Kristy: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Mainstreet United Methodist Church · PO Box 1517 · Nashua, NH 03061-1517 · USA