April 21, 2020
A Word from the Pastor
"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
Psalm 27:14
Truth be told, it feels as though my capacity to wait any longer is being tested severely. I've been waiting for winter to be over and spring to finally arrive only to see snow still flying in late April. I've been waiting for "stay at home" orders to be over or at least relaxed so that I can get on with the "real" work that I feel needs to be done. I am waiting for the start of a "new" normal whatever that new normal may prove to be. The waiting does not end though and I find myself needing to hear again the words of the Psalmist, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
It does indeed take courage to admit that even when one's capacity to wait seems to have come to an end one needs to wait still longer whether one wants to or not. It takes strength to wake up each day and know that today will be just like yesterday and that one will have to find God in the sameness of each day rather than in the newness of each day. It is good to remember that we are not the first to have to wait. Nor is our waiting more challenging than the waiting of previous generations who have likewise had to wait- for loved ones to return from war; for peace on earth to break forth; for the end to epidemics and other scares.
So, my job for today and yours as well is to do just that- to wait. To wait for God to bring forth healing and deliverance from pandemic; to wait for enough testing to be done to provide a clearer indication as to how we can move forward; to wait for a vaccine to be discovered and implemented; to wait until that day when we can reunited with family members, church members, friends, and neighbors, and know that we are doing so safely. May we find the courage to wait with patience and the strength to do so with grace.
Together in Waiting,
Pastor Rich
Staying Connected
Over the course of the "stay at home" time that we find ourselves in volunteers from the congregation have been reaching out by phone to our entire membership. One of things we have found though is that so many of you have given up your land lines or otherwise changed your phone number and we no longer have the correct number for you. We would love to up-date our data base with this correct information so please either e-mail the church office at office@mainstreet-umc.org or call at 603-882-3361. We expect to begin round 2 of our calling soon and would love to connect with you!
Worship Video
Although we are no longer able to do the live streaming of our worship service from the sanctuary, Pastor Rich is live streaming a service from home which is available on-demand on Facebook shortly after the service. You can use the Facebook app on a smartphone, or a web browser on a computer. "Like" our page and you will be notified when we go live each Sunday.
If you choose to not use a Facebook login, you can still access the live stream during the service time from our web site home page by going to the box to the right (you may need to refresh the page if you arrive early). Previous worship services are available by scrolling down through the postings.
Please note that Pastor Rich is also live steaming a Wednesday morning devotional reflection each week as well. Just follow the directions above to watch it live or any time afterwards.
Giving During This Uncertain Time
Although we are scaling back most of our church activities which will reduce our expenses during this time, we still have staff who will be working- cleaning the church thoroughly; providing office assistance from home; offering music for our "virtual" worship services; providing pastoral care remotely, etc.- so we will still be incurring expenses that will need to be covered as best we can. To the extent that you are able please maintain your financial pledge or give regularly. Contributions can either be mailed in to the church or you can utilize our on-line giving options by going to the following web address:
Thank you for your on-going support, for your prayers, and for your faithfulness to God and one another.
March 2020 Finance Snapshot
General Fund (GF)
Total GF Income Received as of 3/31/2020: $120,878.34*
Total GF Income Budgeted through 3/31/2020: $110,632
Total GF Expenses Paid through 3/31/2020: $105,316.50**
Total GF Expenses Budgeted through 3/31/2020: $118,827.95
* Includes $20,404 received for Heart of Nashua Continued
** A/C Expenses (Non Budgeted Gift) not included; Heart of Nashua Cont. payments included
Notes on General Fund
- Current on most payments due to providers through March
- We did not pay Ministerial Support for March and owe for most of February; World and New
England Missions unpaid except $300 each paid for the year using designated donations. Thank you.
These expenses can be paid later in the year.
- We are trying to keep funds to pay for upcoming expenses by delaying items which can be
paid later, but this is not working well due to incoming expenses.
Heart of Nashua 1 & 2 (GiF) (Capital Campaign/Elevator, Connector, Renovations)
Balance Due on HON Loan as of 3/31/2020: $167,880.67
In March the monthly payment of $1,769.53 was paid. We have enough to pay several months.
Total Received Heart of Nashua 1 & 2 (2013-12/31/19): $1,848,782.64
Total Paid Out Using HON 1 & 2 Funds: (2013-1/27/2020): $1,848,782.64
Loan Received in 2018 for HON Construction: $358,343.45
Total Paid Using HON 1& 2 Funds and HON Continued as of 3/31/2020: $1,859,174.38
Funding for the Future, 100 for $150 (Endowment) – Received Jan.- March 31, 2020: $1395.00
Our goal is to have 100 people or families give $150 each year to this fund to grow our endowment for future generations of the church. Other amounts are gratefully accepted.
Thank You
- We continue to be grateful for the gift of snow plowing as we pay a portion each month.
- Thank you for those who continue to donate to the church during this pandemic.
- Thank you for your support of this church and its members via phone calls, prayer, e-mail, etc.
Upcoming Expenses
- Despite social distancing, we need your continued financial support if you are able. Checks may be
mailed to Main St. UMC, 154 Main St., Nashua, NH 03060 Attn.: Financial Secretary, or
donations may be made using PayPal or Vanco or by direct deposit to our bank account.
- Our annual financial audit is currently scheduled for May and will cost a bit over $1000.
- Our new pastor is scheduled to be here in June and moving expenses will be around $5000.
- Installation of a phone jack for the receptionist will cost $500.
- We will need to catch up on CRSP pension payments, utilities, repair charges, ministerial support and mission
Mission News for May, 2020
Many thanks for your participation in our special Lenten Mission Projects. Stay tuned for updates. This is what has happened so far:
Blanket Sunday is scheduled for Mother's Day, May 10. If we are in church then, we will pin our pieces of blanket with our mother's name onto the bulletin board. If we are still worshipping remotely, we will find another way to honor our mothers or those who have served as mothers to us by purchasing blankets for Church World Service. When we needed extra blankets for our recently arrived refugee families, we called Church World Service, and Main St. UMC received 100 wool blend blankets! Now it is our turn to give back.
Health Kits: Several Health kits for UMCOR were brought to the church early, and we know that there are more kits out there! They will be welcome when we reopen our doors. The Missions Committee will check them, pack them, and take them to the UMCOR Depot at St. James UMC in Merrimack. In addition, United Methodist Women and their wonderful friends have been busy sewing gowns and shirts, knitting baby sweaters and blankets, and buying diapers and washcloth, so layette kits will be joining our health kits at the UMCOR Depot in Merrimack.
One Great Hour of Sharing/UMCOR Sunday gifts to UMCOR will be held later in the year.
Letter Carriers Food Drive: The Food Drive has been postponed. We will let you know when it is rescheduled.
Food Pantry Needs: Current needs at the Nashua Soup Kitchen's Food Pantry include Mac and Cheese, dry spaghetti, canned baked beans and black beans, and canned vegetables such as beets, mixed vegetables, corn, and carrots. You can drop them off at the back door by the loading dock M-F 9 to 4. Ring bell if you don't see anyone.
Heifer Project: In spite of the challenges of donating animals this Easter, we will be sending three flocks of chicks, 3 heifer shares, 5 sheep shares, 1 goat share, 5 rabbit shares, 1 flock of ducks, one flock of geese, and seeds to honor loved ones at Easter through our Heifer Easter Tree of Life project. A total of $670 will be sent to the Heifer Project to start the chain of caring for plants, animals, and each other. Thank you to each family for "Passing on the gift!" You are still welcome to donate to the Heifer project! We will update the totals if more animals, trees, or water pumps are added!
Heifer Alternative Easter Gifts
Sentiment Heifer Gift Donation by
In Memory of Virginia Frey Appler and Frey and Appler Grandparents Flock of Chicks David and Phyllis Appler
In Memory of Phyllis' Parents, Ralph and Beulah Kline Share of a Heifer, 5 shares of a sheep David and Phyllis Appler
In Memory of Millie Sarmas, William and Louise Johnson, and 2 Shares of a Heifer Karen L. Boyer
In Celebration of the Junior/Senior High Sunday School class
In Memory of Janet Simon Share of a Goat The Campbell Family
In Memory of Bert and Doris Campbell Flock of ducks The Campbell Family
In memory of Carolyn and Steve Campbell Flock of Geese The Campbell Family
In Honor of Geraldine Smedler 5 Shares of a Rabbit Al James
In Memory and Honor of the Caylor Family and a Celebration of Life Seeds Cynthia Magarell
In Memory of Abel Mazaiwana Flock of chicks Lydia Mazaiwana
In Memory of my father, Kip Cilley and my mother Shirley Cilley Flock of Chicks
