Friday, August 28, 2009

Hello, North Street Community!

Well, summer activities are winding down and we're headed for September, the time when summer schedules cease, college students return, and cooler weather prevails! Join us this Sunday as we continue in the series on American Idols. We'll be looking at "Security" this week. And then plan to come to the table at the Remembrance at 6:00 in the evening.

New Worship Time!
The Church Board decided this month to move our Sunday morning gathering of worship a half-hour earlier. So, beginning in September, we will worship at 10:30 AM, with Sunday School at 9:30 AM. Don't forget!

Community Notes:

• Meghan and I want to thank you for the BedandBreakfast.com gift card you gave us last October that we were finally able to use this week. We had a great time at a nice B&B on the Cape in Brewster. It was refreshing and relaxing!
• David Restrick reports that he has a case of tendinitis. Here's his latest report: "Hi Everyone. this is super short because i can only type with my left hand. my mom has diagnosed mw with tendonitis in my right fore arm making it impossible to type with my right hand. I will keep you appraised of my condition. I would appreciate your prayers. God Bless, David"
• Charlie DiSante has had a bit of a bout with high blood pressure in the last week or so. She reports that things are better, but is taking it easy the next couple of days.
  

Offering & Giving Report
For multiple reasons (disclosure, accountability, awareness, etc.), the Church Board has decided to make more readily available the basic finances of the church community each week. As always, a financial report is given at each monthly board meeting, and the complete spending and budget is presented each year at the Annual Meeting in the spring, but the board feels that a weekly awareness is also important, especially in the difficult financial times.
August 23rd Offering - $467.00
Year-to-date Offering - $28,316.66
August 23rd Faith Promise - $60.00
Year-to-date Faith Promise - $2,600.00

In addition, you'll remember that we're hoping to purchase a partition for the Newell Gathering Room that will provide space for the new children's Sunday School class. We'll need almost $2000 to make the purchase and we're currently at $1525.00. We're almost there!

Calendar
As always, use the online calendar to keep up with our gatherings.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Greetings in Christ! There are all sorts of exciting things to consider these days. Read on!

The recording from this past Sunday's installment of the American Idols series ("Stuff") is finally online. Sorry for the delay. You can listen to it here or any of the previous weeks by clicking on the topics here. If you would like to watch the video from Sunday night's The Remembrance gathering, visit www.storyofstuff.com.

This coming week, we will be looking at the idol of "celebrity." Sure, we all would likely admit that our country has an infatuation with those in the spotlight. But don't we realize that we are the ones that make that spotlight brighter? Come and hear about how this affects our relationship with God and each other, and even how it affects how we look at ourselves.

Also this coming Sunday, we will return to the Hingham Beach/Park for our monthly gathering to fellowship. Plans are a bit different this time: just bring good food (as you always do) that we can share, that is pick-nicky in nature. We gather on the side of the beach near the rest rooms. Ed DiSante checked with Hingham Town Clerk and grills are not allowed, so bring it ready to eat!

The summer is quickly moving towards September and this means a whole bunch of things, but in particular this year, it means some new directions for our Sunday School. Here's a note from our fearless leader:
We are pleased to announce that as our children grow in size and number, we will be starting another Sunday School class! Our new year will start in September, and we need your help! We need an assistant for our older childrens Sunday School class and substitutes for both our older and younger children's classes, who could fill in when our regular teachers are away. Please contact Dawn Haskell, (617) 910-7212 or sunshine_3773@hotmail.com, if you are interested in helping in any way! Thanks, Dawn

Creating room for this new class is a challenge, as you know, recognizing our limited space in the church building. Our Ministries Committee recommended to the Church Board that we purchase a partition for the Newell Gathering Room. This has been in discussion for months and the timing seemed right to move with the purchase. The board agreed, but noting the economic difficulties of the times that have not left even our church community alone, decided that the partition will not be purchased until the money is fully raised specially, outside our regular budgetary concerns. The partition will cost almost $2000, but as of this evening, $900 has already been given for this purpose by some in our church community. Would you prayerfully consider this opportunity as well as we seek to provide clean, safe, and well-organized space for the spiritual formation of our children? We look forward to other possible uses of the partition as well!

We'll gather for The Remembrance again this coming Sunday evening. Come at 6:00 to prepare for worship and we'll begin at 6:14. By popular demand, we've begun compiling songs that we often sing during these gatherings as a YouTube playlist. Click here and select "Play All" to listen to them.

As always, use our online calendar to know what's going on and when.

See you soon!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Happy Wednesday!

We're almost halfway through this week.  Have you listened yet (or again) to Sunday's sermon?  Click here for all the recordings from the American Idols series.  A quick note for today: You may find that not every topic is a difficult one for you (i.e.: you may not struggle with "busyness" or living in the moment), but be assured that many others do.  So if you listen to any one topic and are left wondering, "What is he talking about?!", don't feel badly.  In fact...feel just the opposite!  We need your voice and experience to help the rest of us with that given topic.

This week's topic is American Idols: Stuff.  Scripture is pretty clear about not storing up treasures on earth as it becomes a distraction from whom we are meant to be as God's people, and we'll look at that a bit.  But there are other consequences on a global scale.  While we'll consider this Sunday morning, I also invite everyone to Sunday evening's gathering of The Remembrance where we'll watch a video about the "stuff" we use before we gather at the table.  Here's a video teaser (if you're viewing this in an e-mail, you'll likely have to click on our North St. News site to see the video):



In other news, we wrapped up our softball season last night with a great win!  I was reminded again about what a great team we have - we have a blast whether winning or losing.  Thanks to Jason, Herb, Nate, and Ryan who helped organize us this summer.  (I can't believe it's over!)

Sarah Troxler is moving into her new apartment next Tuesday, 8/11.  We want to have a good group to help her.  We'll begin at 12:30 and have pizza after we've finished.  She says she doesn't have much (she just graduated from college, remember!), so it shouldn't take us too long, but with a good group, we'll get things done easier and more quickly.  E-mail me for the address in Quincy near Quincy Medical Center.

In community notes:

• Paul Goodwin reports that his father is doing well and is in good spirits.
• Betty Jean Goodwin had minor knee surgery on Monday and is doing well resting at home.
• Today is our good friends' Andrew & Becky Rankin's 3rd wedding anniversary.
• Dorothy Newell is trekking across Canada and the US with her son, Kerry.  Here's a note she wanted you all to read: "Hi to all, Kerry and I made it safely across the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchuan, ending up in US just after Winnepeg. The country is beautiful and the animals interesting when they're not in the road. Had some close calls, good misses like the wind and hail at the last place we had lunch and  fire that destroyed a camper we'd passed not so long before. We have sung every song we ever knew, from "Climb, Climb up Sunshine Mountain" to "You are Awesome in this Place, Mighty God!"  We're now in Pennsylvania, distributing supplies  that the paddlers used on the river. And leaving the car with it's owneers. Rena is to bring the car from Heuvelton on Friday to get Kerry and the canoe back home. Looks like I will get the weekend I've  hoped for since grandpa died in March with grandson Kelcy in DC. He will also be coming up Friday  to rescue me and arrange for my homegoing. Thank you all for your prayers, as knowing the problems we've missed makes it all so sure there's stuff we know nothing about."  Love mom, g'ma, sis, auntie, cousin, friend (Dorothy)
• Jeremy & Meghan Scott's pregnancy continues to go well.  Meghan had an appointment this morning, and all looks good.  (We're still at a loss for a name...suggestions are welcome!)
• Jeremy will be going to the Leadership Summit tomorrow and Friday by the generous support of the Nashua Community Chapel CotN.

I look forward to seeing you soon hopefully even tonight as we gather for community dinner at 6:00 and study John 13:21-38 at 7:00.

In Christ,
Jeremy

P.S. Are you on Twitter?  Let me know so I can add you.  My name is "JeremyDScott"