New in this Issue:

Sign up for events
Stamp Out Hunger - this Saturday, May 11th
UMW (United Women in Faith) Next Meeting / UMCOR Kits
UMM Meeting and Golf Tournament Sign Up
Ham & Bean Retrospective Meeting - this Saturday, May 11th at 11:30
- Lunch will be provided

Click Here to Donate Today to MSUMC

Resurrection Stories - Unlock Yours!

Beginning Sunday, March 31st

Watch Live

One of the many joys of General Conference is witnessing the world-wide UM connection come together. It's a beautiful, colorful, diverse body of Christ. It speaks several languages and we all had our personal translation devices to listen to all the delegates. And we get to interact with leaders around the globe. The Western Jurisdiction have offered leaders in the movement toward inclusion and marriage equality.

Here are the WJ Bishops in their wrap-up of the General Conference "Love Without Limits" including several of our LGBTQ bishops and allies who put their ordination on the line to resist discrimination since the 1980s.

It's a wonderful new day for the UMC, free from restrictive rules and harmful language. But we'll have to live into the welcome and equality we voted on. We adopted new Social Principles that prioritize creation care and sustainable development. But we'll have to build trust to show that we mean what we say. For those who have left the church or found the church to be irrelevant, we still have much to do to live our faith out loud in the public square. It's an exciting place to start.

I look forward to building that church together. We will show more wrap-up reels and videos soon.

Blessings,

Pastor Kelly

Watch Teen Mental Health Resurrection Story

Resurrection Stories Guided Journal

Click Here for Sunday's Bulletin

Jodi Bencks welcomed her granddaughter on Monday of this week, May 6th. Evelina and mom Ellen are doing really well and big brother Luca is adjusting to his new sister.

Thank you all for the warm wishes and prayers!

Another new arrival at the church is a small bunny in our fenced in area near the connector ramp. This new bunny is small as you can tell in comparison to the leaves around him.

United Women in Faith - UMW

Meeting Wed. May 15, 7PM

In person in the church vestry

Online via google meets

At our next meeting we will watch a video of the United Women in Faith presentation at the UMC General Conference. We will also spend some spiritual renewal time. Please find one nature item: stone, leaf, cone, feather, shell, etc. to bring with you. Take a walk outside if you are able to or find something in your home or a photo. We would love to have you share how this brings to mind some part of your spiritual journey or how it speaks to you about God, maybe how you find nature to be healing. Share only as you are comfortable, but plan to look for something as an exercise for yourself even if you are attending virtually.

We will spend the latter part of the meeting packing up the UMCOR kits. See the sign-up link below if you are interested in donating items for the feminine hygiene kits or clean up kit. Money may also be donated for a designated shopper to buy items. Bring items to the meeting or drop them off in advance to the marked barrel in the back entrance.

Please contact Pam Breniser at pjbreniser@gmail.com or 603-566-2632 (text or call) if you need a ride or have a question about the link for donating items.

We hope to see you next week either in person or online. The google meets link is below.

PS. Deadline for signing up for UMCOR kit items is Sunday May 12 through the link below. Items need to be to the church in time for the meeting on the 15th. Any monetary donations are preferred in cash or check made out to Kathy Romano, who is our designated purchaser.

Google Meets Link

UMM Breakfast Meeting
Saturday, May 18 at 8:30 AM

Meeting to start at 9:00 AM

ALL are invited to attend

The United Methodist Men Breakfast Meeting for the month of May will be held on Saturday, May 18th in the vestry. We will meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. followed by our program which this month will be about Artificial Intelligence (AI) presented by Jerry Harrow.

Jerry is a Principal software engineer in the Hewlett Packard Enterprise AI Division where he leads a team working on AI deployment.

He will review:

What is AI?

How does it work?

What can it do?

Should we be scared of it?

Come prepared with your questions!!!

All men and women of the church are invited to attend to learn about AI and its many uses to make your lives easier. If you can attend the breakfast and the program please RSVP to this e-mail letting us know that you will be coming so we can provide food for you. If you come just for the program you don't need to RSVP.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

In Christ,

Kent Swanson

P.S. Also, it is time to get your green fees in to Mark Morrissey or the Church Office so we can plan the UMM Tournament which takes place this year on Saturday, June 22nd at the Amherst Country Club! Please set up your foursomes and get ready for some great golf on on of the areas super courses.

Call Mark for any more details or find sign up forms in the connector lobby to return to the Church Office. This is one of our signature events and we all have a great time at the tournament and "after" that tournament when we hand out trophies and prizes. Details are located in the Weekly BLAST and the Monthly Newsletter. Please join us!

Don't wait, get your tickets now for the Granite State Ringers concert here at MSUMC on May 18th at 2:30 PM.

Buy Tickets Here

Golf Tournament Sponsor Form

Register now for Safer Sanctuaries

Online training

While we have a safe sanctuary policy in place, this new information will help you to expand your understanding of how to keep everyone safe in a new era – both digital and in person. You can attend any one of the following sessions, even if it is not being held for our district:

May 4 Granite District 9 am to noon
May 6 Many Waters District 5-9 pm (includes breaks)
May 7 Seacoast District 6-9 pm
May 8 Green Mountain District 6-9 pm
May 18 Commonwealth East District 1-4 pm
May 20 Commonwealth West District 6-9 pm