 | | A Message from Pastor
When I was seminary, back in the day, our theology studies included stewardship of the earth as a foundational principle of our faith. Care for creation is not something we do but at the core of who we are as co-creators, partners with the divine.
And so, as we studied what it means to belong to an incarnational faith where love put on flesh and moved into the neighborhood. We considered how to live as if our bodies matter to God. We read scientists and theologians and finally "Diet for a Small Planet," the bestselling book by Frances Moore Lappé about the environmental impact of meat production. The book, written in 1971, advocated for more sustainable, plant-based eating based on the imposing threat of the climate crisis that threatens our society and world. It's still a best-seller behind many Meatless Monday traditions. The entire seminary class became vegetarian as a result. I don't know how many remain vegetarian to this day. But it doesn't hurt to consider that how and what we eat does have an impact on our impact on the earth.
As my professor, Sallie McFague, wrote:
Since the world, according to the incarnation, is where God dwells, it is
God's "house," and we should abide by God's house rules. The house rules for
the whole earth are right relations among all creatures, relations governed in
basic ways by economics. What God's house rules are—in terms of ecological
and economic imperatives—is one of the major tasks of Christian discernment.
Happy Earth Day and everyday as we are attentive to God's presence in our midst.
Pastor Kelly
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| Donated By | Heifer Gift | Sentiment | | Terri Kenny | Honeybees | In honor of Bill and Shirley Francis | | Phyllis Bowden | water pump, trees, seed, water buffalo, rabbits | In honor of family | | Sue Pederzani | tree | In memory of Guy and Louise Pederzani | | Sue Pederzani | 2 honeybees | In memory of Edmund and Fannie Lawrence and family | | Sue Pederzani | flock of chicks | In memory of Guy and Elizabeth Pederzani and family | | Carol Riley | water pump | In memory of my father | | Sherrie Parker/Stephen McCall | seeds | In memory of Beverly J. Helman | | Sharon and Kevin Kilduff | 1 goat, seeds, flock of chicks, honeybees | In honor of Christina Higginson | | David and Phyllis Appler | Heifer share, sheep | In memory of Beulah and Ralph Kline | | | | | | Mike and Marcia Brown | Share of heifer | In memory of Clifford Kepley and Denton and Martha Brown | | Kent and Donna Swanson | Water pump | In honor of the people of Ukraine | | The Campbell Family | Chicks | In memory of Meredith's Grandfather, Richard Horton | | The Campbell Family | Share of pig/goat | In memory of Meredith's Grandparents, Janet and Ralph Simon | | The Campbell Family | Ducks | In memory of Dave's Grandparents, Doris and Bert Campbell | | The Campbell Family | Share sheep/trees | In memory of Dave's Parents, Carolyn and Stephen Campbell | | Lynn Moseley | Bees, Water pump, ducks, geese, pig, fish, rabbits | In celebration of humanity | | | seeds | | | Paul and Sue Curtis | Pig | In celebration of family and peace | | Jim and Mavis Pyle | Water Pump | In memory of loved ones | | Jim and Mavis Pyle | 2 flocks of chickens | In celebration of our grandchildren Malcom and Gavin Brown | | Jim and Mavis Pyle | Trees | In honor of our church family, those who are with us and those | | | | who have joined that great cloud of witness | | David Appler | Flock of ducks | In memory of Virginia Appler | | Breniser Family | Honeybees | In celebration of Mason Flaccavento and Ell Spina | | Sharon Schmidt | Honeybees | In memory of my parents, Richard and Marjorie Buckley | | Karrie Lam | Flock of chicks | In honor of God | | Janet Bohs | Share of sheep | In memory of my life-long friend, Bette (Perrine) Johnson | | Deb and Ted Luszey | Honeybees, ducks, sheep | In memory of our parents, Albin S. Chichlowski and Mary Jane and Paul Herr | | | | | | Karen L. Boyer | 2 Shares of heifer | In memory of William and Louise Johnson and Amelia Sarmas | | Sherri Wilson | Heifer share, honeybees, 2 pig shares | In memory of my brothers | | Linda Ratoff | flock of chicks | In memory of my father, Clifton Culley | | Karen Tutt | Honeybees, flock of chicks | In memory of Barry Quimby | | Jerry and Karen Harrow | Llama | In honor of Allison Harrow Kedzierski | | Jerry and Karen Harrow | Fish fingerlings | In honor of Ashley Harrow | | Jerry and Karen Harrow | Flock of ducks | In honor of Angela Harrow |  | | New England Conference COVID Response Team Memo:
At this time, the CDC lists Hillsborough County as YELLOW (medium risk), and state data shows a higher case rate in Nashua than the county as a whole. We continue to monitor the situation. This week, the COVID Response team from the New England Conference of the UMC sent out revised guidance for our COVID Response in church. They wrote:
"Every church faces a challenge in searching for balance between: a. providing worship and community (now that most of us are vaccinated and there are effective and available therapeutics) AND
b. protecting those who are immunocompromised, frail or elderly. This is not an either-or decision. It requires adjusting and adapting based on church leaders' best knowledge at the time.
Here are positive and proactive measures you can take: 1. continued masking at indoor gatherings.
2. optimizing ventilation indoors (ex: open windows with the warmer weather).
3. holding outdoor events when possible.
4. Encouraging participants to be vaccinated, boosted, and to discuss a second booster
with their health care provider. *.
5. Educating people that those who are older or with underlying medical conditions should
contact their health care provider as soon as possible..."
The entire document can be accessed here: https://neumc-email.brtapp.com/files/imagelibrary/e+news+photos/2022+jan+-+july/april+20+2022/4.20.22+covid+update+neac.pdf | | | 
Ecumenical Earth Day Service: Weathering the Storm
Each year, over a billion people around the world celebrate earth day through acts of service and worship.
This year, Creation Justice Ministries is hosting an ecumenical service that you can join from anywhere. Join Christian siblings from across theological traditions to celebrate Earth Day and worship the Creator. We hope that you are able to join us for this short service of prayer to celebrate the Creator and all of creation! Friday, April 22
12pm-1pm Eastern Time
Register Here | | "We depend on nature not only for our physical survival. We also need nature to show us the way home, they way out of the prison of our own minds. We got lost in doing, thinking, remembering, anticipating - lost in a maze of complexity and a world of problems.
We have forgotten what rocks, plants, and animals still know. We have forgotten how to be - to be still, to be ourselves, to be where life is: Here and Now."
-Eckhart Tolle | | | Bring us your used computers, laptops, phones, printers, and other tech items to be recycled. Not only will this help the environment, but the funds raised will also go to the United Way of Greater Nashua's School Supplies program. Rid yourself of clutter and help children prepare for the future. Accepted items and suggested fees. See link below for more details. Contact the United Way if you are interested in volunteering for this event. https://unitedwaynashua.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/United-We-Recycle_8.5-by-11-1.pdf
| | Adult Vestry Class: Examine the most difficult teachings of Jesus with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine.
Jesus provided his disciples teachings for how to follow Torah, God's word; he told them parables to help them discern questions of ethics and of human nature; he offered them beatitudes for comfort and encouragement. But sometimes Jesus spoke words that followers then and now have found difficult. He instructs disciples to hate members of their own families (Luke 14:26), to act as if they were slaves (Matthew 20:27), and to sell their belongings and give to the poor (Luke 18:22). He restricts his mission (Matthew 10:6); he speaks of damnation (Matthew 8:12); he calls Jews the devil's children (John 8:44).
In The Difficult Words of Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine shows how these difficult teachings would have sounded to the people who first heard them, how they have been understood over time, and how we might interpret them in the context of the Gospel of love and reconciliation. Paul Pederzani will lead the Vestry Class through this 6 week study, starting Sunday, April 24th at 9:00 a.m. Participants can attend in the Vestry or join through Zoom at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81723594937?pwd=NklVREs0TmJxOW56N00yZ0R2OEZNdz09
. | |
 Registration open for
2022 Annual Conference Registration is now open for the 2022 Annual Conference session, June 9-11. This is a hybrid session, and members can attend in person at the DoubleTree Hotel in Manchester, NH, or virtually. All voting members must register whether attending online or in person in order to be able to vote. The voting platform will be the same for both. The session will be livestreamed. Registration fee is $100. Register and pay in full by May 1 to get a $25 early bird discount. Registration will close May 18; all registrations must be fully paid at that time. There will be no in-person registration and registrations will not be accepted after May 18.
Register now | |  | | Golfer's Wanted
$72/Golfer
Team in Individual Sign-Up must contact Mark Morrissey
We can use additional support in the following ways: Personal Hole Sponsors @ $50.00/sign
Corporate Hole Sponsors @ $75.00/sign
Each sign is 8-1/2 x 11 laminated and attached to a sign board.
United_Methodist_Men_golf_sponsorship_1_.pdf For more information, call of email:
Mark Morrissey (603) 244-0738
markm196114@msn.com | |  | DO NOT miss out on our 2nd Annual MSUMC at the Silver Knights Outing!! We have our own section of seats. Emily will be singing, we will enjoy a game and fireworks together, as well as snacks, conversation and laughter.
Contact the Main Office for more information or to get your name and number of tickets on the list. Friends and family are welcome. Let's spend some time together before summer plans scatter us. | | 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 | | | | | |
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