 | |
A Message from Pastor Kelly
Beloved MainStreeters,
At the Church Council meeting on Monday, we talked about the stressors we've been experiencing because of the pandemic. In the news, we keep hearing about staff shortages, increased resignations, and the lack of civility.
We heard from our members, especially those in the fields of education, health care and mental health, how bad things have gotten for them. Staff are overwhelmed, patients and students are unable to get needed services. Students report not feeling safe at school. Parents are stressed about students and teachers who are sick and about their youngsters who aren't able to be vaccinanted yet. Students complain of larger classes with ill-prepared substitutes, safety protocols that aren't followed. Staffs are overloaded. Reports from those who are the front-line or essential workers are much worse than other occupations.
We also heard from those who have experienced unrealistic expectations from others or judgmental attitudes toward them as they make choices to reduce their risk of infection. And several named feeling disconnected from community and struggling to find ways to be a part of something good without putting their health at risk. Others are feeling the strain of physical distancing, increased sanitation, and restrictions on day-to-day activities. They drop by the office to vent their frustration at it all – and we're glad to be here to help with that!
While many who are sick with Omicron experience mild symptoms, others are harder hit and more disturbingly, the long-term impact of even mild cases have been troubling.
For others, business is good, co-workers are vaccinated, life goes on. Some retirees feel in control of their circumstances and surroundings and their anxiety level is low and some are stressed and conflicted about how to keep their grandchildren virus-free.
Clearly, how this pandemic affects you varies on whether you have health insurance, whether you are immune-compromised, what occupation you have, and who in your circle are at risk. We each have to realize that our own experience of this pandemic is not everyone else's experience.
The Joyful Shepherds have done courageous work of visitation and connecting but even they are feeling the weight of restrictions brought about by Omicron variant. And it's been a joy seeing the work so many of you have shared with us for this Drawn In series. Pam has brought new energy to the sanctuary with all your creative offerings. (There's still time to film your creative endeavors.)
Tell us what practices keep you connected to your God-given creative nature. What keeps you going during this pandemic?
--Pastor Kelly
| |
January 20, 2022
Rev. Kelly Turney
Main Street United Methodist Church
154 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060
Grace and Peace in the Name of our Lord!
As District Superintendent of the Granite District of The United Methodist Church I hereby give permission, according to ¶246 of the 2016 Book of Discipline, for Main Street United Methodist Church, Nashua, NH to hold a SPECIAL CHARGE CONFERENCE on or after January 31, 2022, at 6:30 pm via ZOOM.
The sole purpose of this SPECIAL CHARGE CONFERENCE IS: To ratify the 2022 compensation of Kristy Besada from $20,000 to $30,000
I will preside at this meeting. It is understood that all the provisions of the 2016 BOOK OF DISCIPLINE as outlined in ¶246: 1-10 including giving at least ten days' notice to members and providing minutes of the meeting to the District Superintendent shall be duly observed.
Shalom,
Rev. Taesung Kang
Granite District Superintendent | | 
Liturgists Needed
We could really use people to record the scripture readings (from home or away or even the sanctuary if you want to come in during the week) -- so that we have readings without a mask on to help those who have a hard time hearing when they can't see a mouth. Just pick a week's scripture, film it using your phone and upload to the shared drive "Drawn In" folder. If you need help with this process, please contact the Main Office at (603) 882-3361.
HELP WANTED/HELP NEEDED- I am sure by now all of you have seen these signs everywhere and heard frequent stories about this in the news. Unfortunately, MSUMC is in the same position as we are in desperate need of counters.
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church and the Financial Guidelines state: - No immediate family members of any appointed clergy may serve as counter
- The committee on finance will appoint at least two people (preferably more) to assist in the counting and depositing
- Counters cannot be related to the treasurer or financial secretary
- There should always be at least two unrelated people performing the count
- Preferably, the counters should be rotated from one week to the next
- Preferably, the count should take place in a secure location at the church as soon as possible following the offering
- Volunteers who handle money should not hold positions for more than three consecutive years
Qualifications helpful (but not necessary) for the job include: - Spiritual gifts of administration, helping, giving, and faith
- Experience or interest in financial record keeping and the ability to keep detailed/accurate records
- The willingness and capability to maintain appropriate confidentiality (this is critical and necessary)
- The ability to work with other individuals and the Financial Secretary
- The willingness and ability to work on Sundays after church services are completed for approximately one hour
- Ten fingers and ten toes (just kidding to see if you are still reading 😊)
The desired goal is to have enough counters so no one needs to work more than one Sunday per month.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides…" (1 Peter, 4:10-11).
So, if you have the desire, ability, or willingness to serve MSUMC as a counter please let me know by emailing paul.curtis@mainstreet-umc.org or calling the church at 603-882-3361 and leaving me a message.
Thanks.
Paul
MSUMC Financial Secretary
| | Missions News February 2022
Heart of Nashua Food Assistance Ministry:
Souper Bowl of Caring will be celebrated this year with a banging of pots by our youth. They will bang their pots as they begin their Nor'easter Walk on Sunday, February 6, to support 20 "safety net" agencies of the United Way in Nashua. On Super Bowl Sunday, we will all get to hear the recorded banging of the pots. You get to choose the volume! In response, if you are in Church that day, you can put actual money in an actual soup pot. Or you can shop for dried or canned beans or tuna or rice and put them in the Food Pantry bin in the vestry. If you shop for your dried beans or rice on Amazon Smile, be sure to choose Main Street UMC Nashua as your charity and have the food delivered right to the Soup Kitchen!
SOCKS! Thank you for all of the socks donated for those in our community who need them. They will be keeping feet warm!
Photo by Johnstons of Elgin on Unsplash
BLANKETS! The blankets that we received when we requested them last year from CWS are the heavyweight woolen variety. We donated more to the social workers at the Nashua Soup Kitchen and some immediately went to someone who is living in a tent in this frigid weather. If you know someone who needs a blanket, we still have a few left. Please let us know.
*Missions Fun Fact- From Jan. 1st, 2021 - Dec. 31st, 2021 MSUMC acquired 36, 065 lbs. of food from the NH Food Bank. The fees paid by MSUMC for the aforementioned product was $855.17. Fair market value for that amount of food would be $62, 731.10!!
We are thankful for our partnership with the NH Food Pantry.
| | | Equalization Members for Annual Conference
Each year the district elects lay members to attend annual conference. These members are needed to help balance (equalize) the numbers of clergy and lay people who attend annual conference. Lay "equalization" members have full voice and vote.
This year's annual conference is scheduled for June 9-11, 2022, and it is likely that it will have a hybrid component so that members can participate remotely. Our district should elect 17 equalization members of which 2 should be high school age (18 or younger) and 2 should be young adults (under age 31).
Equalization members must have been members of the United Methodist Church for at least 2 years preceding election and active participants in the United Methodist Church for at least 4 years preceding election. This requirement may be waived for young persons under thirty-one years of age. In this case, the young person must be a member of The United Methodist Church and an active participant at the time of election.
If you are interested in representing MSUMC at the annual conference please contact the Main Office at: office@mainstreet-umc.org
| | | Altar Visuals
This week we have a beautiful photograph of the Grand Canyon taken by Bill Bowden, during a trip there with wife, Phyllis. The yellow quilt top was stitched by Beverly Fazio. Up close you can see bees and beehives. Beverly also made the quilt that was on the altar last week. She contributes lots of items to the annual fair. Beverly learned how to weave the handmade basket from a woman who could only work with one hand. Beverly says she was an amazing teacher. Beverly made the felt hearts in the basket as well. Mavis Pyle beautifully embroidered "For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven" with a different scene for each season. She started it before her daughter Kelly was born, in 1989. She worked on it off and on for the next 5 years. When she finally finished, she never wanted to look at it again! Jim said she should frame it, and took it to a framing shop. When she went to the shop to pick it up, she didn't recognize it, it looked so good! Maggie Dechene crocheted the multi-colored blanket with predominant yellow stripe. Several years ago she started a Prayer Shawl Group for knitters and crocheters that met once a month. It has been on hiatus since the pandemic started.
  
If you have any creative objects to share for one Sunday on the altar such as pottery, baskets, weaving, sewing, knitting, painting, drawing, wood working, stained glass and the like, please contact Pam at pjbreniser@gmail.com. We would love children's art and any stories that go along with these creations. | |  | Just because the building is closed, due to weather, DOES NOT mean that worship is canceled.
You can use the listed resources to see if the building is going to be closed: WMUR, the MSUMC website, or our Facebook page.
In the event that the building is closed, the service will ALWAYS be live-streamed.
When we know in advance what our plan will be, we will include it in the blast, just as we have today.
If you happen to find out that the building is closed and are worried that others might not know, be sure to text or call and spread the news! | | | UMW Information
United Methodist Women's News
Next Meeting Feb. 16, 2022
7 PM via Zoom
At our January meeting we planned out our budget for the year based on funds in hand. We will dedicate part of the February meeting to planning an outline of meetings and events through June. We may consider a spring fundraiser. Some time will be spent in learning self-care and we hope to share information about one of the community programs we contribute to. The ZOOM link will be sent via email closer to the meeting.
We are more than a monthly meeting! We have 6 people participating in our twice a month (weather permitting) Writer's Circle. Thanks to Lynn Moseley for hosting. Thanks to Maggie Dechene for leading a book study on Right Here, Right Now, The Practice of Christian Mindfulness by Amy Oden. This is part of the UMW Reading Program. We had 9 participants! We have several members volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and Day Cafe and many others around town.
All are welcome. If you would like to be added to the UMW email list, please let the office know at office@mainstreet-umc.org.
| | 
We have a team and are ready to have you support or join right in. The Strangely Warm Frogs is our name and we are ready for some winter fun!! If you are interested in joining them on Sunday, February 6th 2022, or would prefer to donate, please use the link listed below.
https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/nashnoreaster22/team/StrangelyWarmFrogsMSUMC
We SO close to doubling our goal!! There is still time to donate!
We are just hopping with enthusiasm and thank you for your support!!
 
| | Register now to join the 2022 Pilgrimage to Taizé All youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 35 are invited to join a life-changing pilgrimage to Taizé, France, a place which is filled with deep Christian spirituality and broad ecumenism. This week-long experience will be led by Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar. The 2022 Pilgrimage is July 22 to Aug. 1. Deadline to register is Feb. 15, 2022.
Learn more and register https://www.neumc.org/taize
 | | | December 2021 Finance Snapshot:
General Fund (GF)
Total GF Income Received as of 12/31/2021: $399,679.24*
Total GF Income Budgeted through 12/31/2021: $444,288.47
Total GF Expenses Paid through 12/31/2021: $391,358.70
Total GF Expenses Budgeted through 12/31/2021: $413,918.70
* Includes $4,159 designated for Heart of Nashua Continued and CARES Act PPP Draw 2 Funds of
$41,352.00 received and used for GF expenses. All Cares Act funds were spent and we received
forgiveness from the SBA for the loan which is marked "Paid."
Notes on General Fund
At year's end, we were current on all bills received and paid all mission shares in full. (Some bills typically received in December did not arrive and were paid in January when they showed up as late on the next invoice.)
Heart of Nashua 1 & 2 (GiF) & HON Cont. (Capital Campaign/Elevator, Connector, Renovations)
- Balance Due on HON Loan as of 12/31/2021: $131,747.49 (Loan was $358,343.45)
- In December the monthly payment was paid. HON Cont. funds on hand 12/31/2021 ($10,209.01) will cover payments for about six months.
- Total Paid (including interest) Using HON 1, 2 & Continued as of 12/31/2021: $1,905,814.36
Funding for the Future, 100 for $150 (Endowment) – Received this year as of 12/31/2021: $2485
Anyone can be one of 100 people or families giving $150 each year (or any amount) to grow our endowment for our future.
Parsonage Mortgage – As of 12/31/2021 we owed $62,466.73 on the parsonage. Payments are $896.22 per month. At the present rate, the parsonage will be paid off on 1/23/29. We have used income from the Scrip gift card program to pay extra on the mortgage principal.
Your Continuing Help Needed
We typically begin each year with general funds at a low and high utility bills for the winter. The General Fund pays utilities, maintenance, insurance and staff as well as connectional obligations to the New England Conference of the UMC. This fund can be used to pay any expense rather than being directed to specific uses.
Thank You
Thank you to all who support this congregation. In December, we received extra giving to support missions and to help provide a salary in 2022 for our associate pastor. Thanks to those who donated to Heart of Nashua Continued supporting the connector and elevator renovation. We appreciate those who carefully consider the needs and resources of the church when making purchases for the church. Thank you to all those who volunteer.
Recent and Current Expenses
Utility bills have been high in January. Some bills typically received in December did not arrive or came in late and were paid in January. Thanks to your donations we were able to pay them. In January we paid $2507.09 for gas and $2129.08 for electricity. Other expenses include $410 for wiring changes for office lights and boiler room outlets and $178.20 for new office lights. Boiler chemicals and their delivery was $645.31. Electrical panel repair was $1020 and dishwasher service was $353.
| | 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 | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.