Surprise!
If you read your blast regularly, you might be wondering why I'm writing to you today--I was supposed to be out for the next few weeks for surgery. Well, as life would have it, my surgeon fell and is injured enough that he is unable to work. (Let's pray for him!) And so my surgery and the associated leave will be postponed until March. Of course, I didn't learn about any of this until I had rescheduled the whole of my January-February life till March-April. As many of you know from first-hand experience, it's frustrating when you've planned for every eventuality except the one that actually happens. And yet, this is often just how it is. We don't always get what we expect and so we gather up the pieces of our plans and move on, sometimes wondering how and why.
Today is Epiphany, the day we celebrate the Magi who followed a LIGHT in the sky to find a king. They didn't find what they expected, either! I can only imagine their shock when they learned that the newborn king was not in the palace, but in a humble feeding trough, born to parents with no land and few connections. The Gospel writer doesn't give us any of the private dialogue between the Magi on their way, but I suspect that they, too, were at least a little bit rattled as they wondered what might come of this child whom they had just so richly gifted. As the people hearing the whole story, we know that Jesus would grow to be a very different kind of leader--a Messiah--whose life, death and resurrection brought love to the world in a new way, blessed beyond all expectations.
And so, in these days of rearranging my schedule AGAIN, I am trying to follow the model of the Magi--I am looking for the LIGHT. While this is not what I expected, I know that if God is involved, there will be blessings along the way. And that is where I am to focus my attention.
This Sunday marks the beginning of our new worship series where we focus on LIGHT as an antidote for the "spiritual blahs" that are so common at this time of year. I hope you'll join us in the sanctuary or tune in online. I'm glad to be able to spend this time with you!
Love and LIGHT,
Pastor Kristy | | | Sharing letters of gratitude for our year end missions to the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Front Door Agency. Your donations continue to make a large impact on our community. | | | The Funeral for Ian Clarke-Pounder is this Saturday, January 7th at 11:00 AM at Main Street United Methodist Church. All are welcome to attend. | | Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity will begin construction this spring on a single family home on Granite Street in Nashua, NH. The application process will open on 2/1/23 to select our next Partner Family. The family must meet HUD Income limits of 30-60% of AMI to qualify.
Habitat for Humanity will be hosting 2 information sessions open to the public in January. If you or anyone you may know qualifies, please pass this information along. | |  | | JANUARY 19, 2023 (NEW DATE)
NEXT PLANNING BOARD HEARING
Pastor Kristy and Nancy Long have continued to attend visibility events coordinated by GSOP to educate the community about the asphalt plant proposal for Temple Street. This plant will be harmful to the many neighbors near the site, who will be subjected to pollution, noise, and a significant increase in asphalt truck traffic on pedestrian routes. The Planning Board hearing has been tabled until January 19th (new date) to allow the environmental impact study to be completed.
We would appreciate those who are willing to write letters to the planning board to please do so at pb@nashuanh.gov. If you are willing to speak against the plant at the Jan 19th meeting (at this time both zoom and in person are available), please reach out to Pastor Kristy for more information on how to do so and what criteria are most important to the Planning Board. | | | Applications due for this program by January 24, 2023 | | | The UNH Extension Master Wellness Volunteer Program is an opportunity for adults to engage in learning sessions focused on creating community change for health.
This unique program allows volunteers to connect with others as they build toolboxes for impacting individual and community health factors, environments and systems.
Topics covered include: - nutrition
- physical activity
- disease prevention
- health equity
- public speaking skills
- and so much more!
For those interested in creating community change and becoming health champions, we are currently inviting adult individuals who are interested in volunteering in New Hampshire to the Spring Session 2023 of the Master Wellness Volunteer Program. Learn more on the website here: extension.unh.edu/health-well-being/programs/master-wellness-volunteers | | Pastors' Sabbath days:
Pastor Kelly: Tuesday Pastor Kristy: Friday | | | | | |
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