 | | A Message from Pastor
I'm not sure what the future of the church will look like and the United Methodist Church in particular, but I am encouraged by the young people God continues to call into ministry. In my work on the Board of Ordained Ministry (where I'll be next week), I have the privilege of interviewing all these folks and encouraging them on the way.
And conferences like the New England Annual Conference, who have committed to proclaiming the inclusive gospel, we've seen an increase in transfers of ordination candidates and clergy from other areas. Our conference's commitment to not persecuting LGBTQIA candidates and clergy who offer weddings to same-sex couples, means we are preferred location for many clergy who envision ministry to all. Our preacher this Sunday is one such person. Evan McElreath (and his spouse Katie and cat June) transferred from the North Georgia Conference in 2019 and has been working on an innovative new church-start since 2020 in Hartford. If you think ministering in an established congregation was difficult during a pandemic, it is near impossible to gather folks for a new congregational expression. So starting in July, he'll be pastoring a church in South Burlington, Vermont. But he brings a fresh church perspective and energy for the work of the church ahead. We're excited to welcome him.
And for those still uncomfortable joining us in the sanctuary, join us online or in-person, outdoors at 8:15 at our early communion service.
Pastor Kelly | |  | Sunday, May 1st is Native American Ministries Sunday.
Make checks payable to MSUMC (Native American Sunday on the memo line) or donate online at http://ResourceUMC.org/SSGive | | 
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Heifer Easter Tree of Life!!
MSUMC was able to provide the following:
10 - Honeybee donations
3 - Water pumps
3 - Trees
3 - Seed donations
1 - Water buffalo
2 - trios of rabbits
10 - Flocks of chicks
1 - Goat
6 - Heifer shares
2 - Sheep
3 - Pig shares
1 - Goat share
4 - Flocks of ducks
2 - Shares of sheep
1 - Share of trees
1 - Flock of Geese
2 - Pigs
1 - Fish Fingerlings
3 - Share of Fingerlings
1 - Llama
For a grand total of: $3,960.00 Outstanding support MSUMC!!!!
| | | Missions Update for May Heart of Nashua Food Assistance Ministry: We continue to shop for the Nashua Soup Kitchen Food Pantry, filling in items not provided by the NH Food Bank. Thank you for continuing to donate to the Food Pantry. We are happy to shop! Of course, if those items appear in our food pantry bin in the lobby, we just take them right over. Items needed include the following:
Rice, either in 1 or 2 lb. bags or in larger sizes for repackaging,
Dried beans
Soup, especially soups that do not have to be mixed with water
Canned chicken (we seem to have plenty of tuna at the Soup Kitchen at the moment from Food Bank)
Empty egg cartons
Sanitary pads
We will begin our third Sunday Food Pantry May 15th at the Nashua Soup Kitchen!!! Please help us get the word out! We will meet at 1:30, and the food pantry will be open at the Soup Kitchen from 2 to 4pm. Let Phyllis Appler know if you will be available to help. Since we haven't done this in awhile, we really need to make sure people know that we will be there.
UMCOR Sunday: Thank you for your responses to UMCOR Sunday, one part of the Lenten Mission Projects. Known for a long time as One Great Hour of Sharing, gifts on UMCOR Sunday "keep the lights on" at the United Methodist Committee on Relief, allowing special designated gifts to go completely to that designated need. Gifts to help those inside Ukraine and fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries may be donated by check, made out to the church, with Ukraine marked on the note space. Those gifts will go completely to help Ukrainian refugees and those who stay behind. You can also donate online https://umcmission.org/advance-project/982450 or by toll-free telephone: 888-252-6174
School Kits: We will get the count of school kits soon! Thank you! The Missions Committee will organize bags at its meeting after church May 1st.
 | | 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 | | A Message from the Conference
We are preparing to celebrate Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar's retirement and honor his ministry and mission with the New England Conference these past 10 years on the evening of June 10 at our Annual Conference in Manchester, NH. We hope that you will join us for the festivities and help support a gift in his honor that reflects his steadfast care and concern for our conference, especially in light of his having postponed his retirement twice already due to COVID-19.
Since Bishop Suda's arrival in 2012, he has raised awareness of the need for clergy support and therefore envisioned the creation of the "Pastors Respite Fund." As a gift to Bishop Devadhar upon his retirement, we invite everyone to prayerfully consider making a special donation to this fund.
Donations to the "Pastors Respite Fund" will be a wonderful gift to honor Bishop Devadhar as he retires, while at the same time, carrying on his legacy of concern for the welfare of all clergy in our conference. Please complete and include this form with your gift payable to: UMFNE, Attn: Pastors Respite Fund, and mail it to:
UMFNE
34 Route 111, Suite 102
Derry, NH 03038
If you wish to donate online, visit https://www.umfne.org/pastors-respite-donation-form.
Thank you for your generosity in making the Bishop's dream come to fruition!
Committee on Episcopacy
New England Annual Conference | | 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
. | | Parents of LGBTQ+ Children group meets May 2 Parents of LGBTQ+ Children Online Support Group is meeting next at 6 pm on Monday, May 2, 2022. The group is open to anyone caring for our LGBTQ+ kids of any age in the midst of church leadership, which brings unique challenges. FMI or to join the email list for group meetings, please contact Rev. Gwyneth Arrison at pastorgwyneth@gmail.com | |  | | 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. | |
March 2022 Finance Snapshot
General Fund (GF)
Total GF Revenue Available 3/31/2022 YTD: $135,078.07
Total GF Revenue Budgeted through 3/31/2022: $117,473.22
Total GF Expenses Paid through 3/31/2022: $107,570.34
Total GF Expenses Budgeted through 3/31/2022: $122,895.33
Notes on General Fund
Except for Conference mission shares (world and New England missions), we are current on payments due in March. In March we used a $300 donation given for missions and expect to pay $10,000 more using a bequest from Bill Hebel in April or May. We continue to be cautious in spending to ensure we can meet expenses on time.
Heart of Nashua 1 & 2 (GiF) & HON Cont. (Capital Campaign/Elevator, Connector, Renovations)
- Balance due on HON Loan as of 3/31/2022: $129,080.31 (Loan was $358,343.45)
- In March the monthly payment of $883 was paid as well as $500 on the principal. HON Cont. funds on hand 3/31/2022: $10,703.16.
- Loan pay off date is 2/8/2039.
- Total Paid (including interest) Using HON 1, 2 & Continued as of 3/31/2022: $1,909,849.89
Funding for the Future, 100 for $150 (Endowment) – Received this year as of 3/31/2022: $1110
Anyone can be one of 100 people or families giving $150 (or any amount) each year to grow our endowment for the future of this church.
Parsonage Mortgage – As of 3/31/2022 we owed approximately $61,000 on the parsonage. The parsonage mortgage will be paid off on 1/23/29. At the end of March, we received a $200 donation toward paying down the parsonage principal. This will be used when we make the April payment.
Thank You
Thanks to all who support this congregation by their prayers, service, participation and financial donations. Thank you to David Quimby for training and testing our members in food service at no charge to the church except for the tests which had to be purchased. In March, another pledge was paid in full for the year. Work has been started on the organ. Donations from members and from the Bill Hebel estate will pay for the organ repairs.
Recent and Current Expenses
Our church has seen recent electrical work (exit signs) and plumbing (back flow). The organ and piano were tuned. Printed mailing envelopes were purchased. Utility and other regular bills continue to arrive.
| | 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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