THE

COMMUNICON JANUARY 2018

Union Congregational Church, UCC

An Open and Affirming Congregation

Peterborough, New Hampshire

Bob’s Byte

The calendar hanging on the wall is new. It says the year is new. There are new possibilities and new

opportunities. Yet with the new year comes an awareness that too

many of our sisters and brothers are dealing with challenges.

Many families have used meager resources to make Christmas

special, only to have nothing left for an emergency. For so many

families, a car breaking down could be the final straw that

leaves them on the street.

On a recent visit to Hundred Nights, a cold-weather shelter in

Keene, one of our members saw several families in the shelter

and was overcome with sadness seeing young children with no

home. I could get into the systemic societal issues that leave fami-

lies so close to the edge, but the immediate issue is that people are struggling to survive in what had

been the most prosperous nation in the world. Yes, we can work to change the system that has brought

us to this place, but the first step is to see what is happening in our world.

We have just celebrated the birth of the Christ Child, a child born to shine a light on the suffering of the

world, a child born to turn the tables on the powerful and greedy, a child born to show us that we are

all bound together as humans in one family. When one person suffers, all suffer; that is the nature of

love. If we say we love the poor but do nothing to change their lot, are we loving? If we say we love all

the children of God but do not offer hospitality, are we really loving? If we hate our enemies, is that

loving? These are the very questions posed by Jesus himself.

I think our hardest job is to look with open eyes at the world around us and to see clearly the suffering

of our neighbors. We don’t want to see others suffer. It hurts us, so we may avert our gaze and think of

more pleasant things. Yet each person suffering in our world today is a brother or sister of Christ; each

of them is our neighbor. The homeless person, the drug addict, the refugee, the immigrant, the incarcer-

ated, the poor, the forgotten, the infirm, they are all our sisters and brothers — each one is our neigh-

bor.

As our year begins, we are given new opportunities to make the world more the way God wants it to

be, a world where love reigns. This begins with us, as we share the love that we receive from God, the

love revealed in Jesus the Christ.

Happy Epiphany!

Bob

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Worship This Month

January 7

Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-9 Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon: Reveal Your Light

January 14

Genesis 1:1-5

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon: Starting Out

January 21

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon: Turned Around

January 28

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon: Trust and Faith

See you in church!

Please Keep in Your Prayers Many people feel supported and blessed by our continuing prayers. Please remember to keep the following people in your prayers:

Carl and Marilyn B Gio C and Emma C

Ruth C, friend of Deb H Lisa and Patrick F

Kathleen F Debbie H Sandy H

Katherine, friend of Carele M Lynn N

Cheryl N Omosasa Fellowship Center in Kenya

Larry S Ron S, Larry S’s brother

Brian and Ellen S Joe W

To add or delete names from this ongoing prayer list, please contact Martha CB in the office (at 924-3272 or officeucc@comcast.net) by the twentieth of the month.

To make a prayer request for the weekly worship

bulletin, please contact the office

by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Thank you!

Bible Studies ...

Bible Studies will reconvene on January 10 at 10

a.m. We will resume our study of

Paul's Letter to the Romans at the

eleventh chapter.

This will take us up to the beginning

of Lent, when we will move on to

the Prophet Amos.

Everyone is welcome to attend

each session, and no prior knowledge is required

as we look to the scriptures for guidance in our

lives today.

Interested in Joining Us? (New Dates!)

Are you thinking that you might be interested in

joining the church but are unsure just

what’s involved? Pastor Bob and the

deacons would love to have you join us

at a two-part informational meeting in

the parlor after church on January 14

and January 21. (Please note the

change of dates.) Come to ask ques-

tions, come to learn more, come to get

to know some members of our church

community. All are welcome, and there’s absolute-

ly no obligation. Interested? Please speak to

Pastor Bob or any of the deacons (Mike Crocker,

Martha Dahl, Laura Gingras, Pattie Ingelstrom,

Karen Loudon, Mary Reis, Suzanne Schoel, or

Sharon Smith). We’d love to save a chair for you!

“And now we welcome the new year

Full of things that have never been.”

—Rainer Maria Rilke

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New Committee Time and Date?

If your new committees for

2018 are changing their

meeting dates and times,

please let Martha CB in the

office know as soon as you

can, so she can be sure to

schedule your meetings in

the church calendar. Thanks!

End 68 Hours Update

Anyone who thinks there are no hungry children in

the ConVal School District should see the bags of

food that End 68 Hours of Hunger is sending home

each weekend. Just before Christmas, the count

was up to 187. That’s a whole lot of peanut butter

to send home every other week, and your gener-

ous donations have made a huge difference for

hungry kids.

The need doesn’t end when the year ends, of

course, so if you can continue to include a contain-

er of peanut butter on your weekly grocery list,

that would be wonderful. Or—even easier and

cheaper—let Carele Mayer do the shopping for

you. Carele, our Shopper in Chief, can usually get

a case of 12 containers of peanut butter for

around $20. Whether you can buy a case, part of

a case, or one jar, your donation will help to feed

a child for a weekend. Thank you so much!

Above: Please help us fill the End 68 Hours of Hunger

shelves! The need continues in the new year.

Please Note:

The January 5

Epiphany Party has been canceled.

Come to Paint Night, either January

9, 6:30–8:30 p.m. or January 20,

10 a.m.–noon. Fight cabin fever and

explore creativity for only $10. To reg-

ister, contact the office at 924-3272 or

officeucc@comcast.net.

Left: The actors in our December 17 Christmas pageant

are dressed for the part, perhaps in unexpected ways.

Ruby’s Runaway Pageant could definitely have been

described, in Ruby’s words, as a “walking garage sale,”

but when her perfectly planned Christmas event was

thwarted on all fronts, she came to realize that it was

always God’s plan for a humble and ordinary birth of

the Christ-child.

4

Winter Film Festival Starts in February

The ninth year of our annual Winter Film Festival focuses on the theme “Heroes—Likely & Otherwise.”

We begin promptly at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoons, but get to church at 1:45 for treats! All films are

free, shown in the chapel, and open to the public. Bring a friend! We promise warmth and good com-

pany for those cold winter afternoons. Here’s this year’s schedule.

February 4: I Am Sam

(2001) PG-13 2 hrs. 14 min. After fathering a child with a homeless woman, Sam — a grown man

with the mental capacity of a 7-year-old —raises the baby himself until an incident at a birthday

party finds Child Protective Services deeming him an unfit guardian. With the help of a yuppie lawyer,

Sam attempts to regain custody of his daughter and prove that, despite his handicap, he’s a truly

loving father.

February 11: A special Spaghetti and a Movie will be presented after church by Christian Ed., so the

Film Festival takes a break.

February 18: The BFG

(2016) PG 1 hr. 58 min. Roald Dahl’s spooky children's book is transformed into a family-friendly

fantasy centering on young orphan Sophie and her encounters with a colossus called the Big Friendly

Giant — who's exiled from his peers for refusing to eat boys and girls.

February 25: Sully

(2016) PG-13 1 hr. 36 min. In 2009, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, nicknamed “Sully,” guided his dis-

abled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However,

even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation

skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

March 4: Queen of Katwe

(2016) PG 2 hrs. 4 min. A Ugandan girl’s life changes forever when she discovers she has an amazing

talent for chess, in this celebration of the human spirit.

March 11: Moneyball

(2011) PG-13 2 hrs. 13 min. The true story of Billy Beane, a former jock turned general manager who

uses unconventional methods to bring the best players to the Oakland A’s, a Major League Baseball

team struggling against financial hardship.

Monadnock Center for History and Culture

Did you know that Union Congregational has a business membership with the Monadnock Center for His-

tory and Culture? (This doesn’t come out of the church budget; an anonymous donor covered the fee.)

This means that UCC is entitled to:

5 free admission passes to the Center’s exhibits

Discount on ticketed Monadnock Center events for up to 5 admissions per

event

10% discount on books and merchandise

Since membership information comes to Sharon Smith as church clerk, please see her to take advantage

of any of the above.

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6

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1

New Year’s Day Office closed

2

2 p.m.: Staff (P)

6:45 p.m.: Council

(P)

3

8:30 a.m.: LifeLine

Screening (FH)

10 a.m.: Silent

Squad (P)

4

6:30 p.m.: Bells

(C)

6:30 p.m.: Jr. Choir

(U)

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

7:30 p.m.: Senior

Choir (C)

5

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

6

8 a.m.: Men Making

Breakfast (K, FH)

1 p.m.: Kiburis me-

morial service (S)

7

10 a.m.: Worship,

Communion, Jr.

Choir (S)

8

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

9:30 a.m.:

Women’s

Fellowship (P)

3:00 p.m. Girl

Scouts (P)

5:30 p.m.:

Community

Supper (FH, K)

9

8:30 a.m.: Worship

Planning (P)

6:30 p.m.: Paint

Night (FH)

10

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

7 p.m.: Finance (P)

11

8:30 a.m.: SNHS/

WIC (C, P)

6:30 p.m.: Bells

(C)

6:30 p.m.: Jr. Choir

(U)

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

7:30 p.m.: Senior

Choir (C)

12

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

13

9 a.m.: Diaconate

(P)

14

10 a.m.: Worship,

Jr. Choir (S)

11:30 a.m.: New

Member

Orientation (P)

15

Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Office Closed

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

5:30 p.m.:

Community

Supper (FH, K)

16

8:30 a.m.: Staff (P)

17

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

18

1:30 p.m.:

Summerhill

Worship (OS)

6:30 p.m.: Bells (S)

6:30 p.m.: Jr. Choir

(U)

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

7:30 p.m.: Senior

Choir (C)

19

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

20

10 a.m.: Paint Night

(FH)

21

10 a.m.: Worship,

Bells (S)

11:30 a.m.: New

Member

Orientation (P)

22

Late office hours: 2-5 p.m.

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

3 p.m.: Girl Scouts

(P)

5:30 p.m.:

Community

Supper (FH, K)

6:45 p.m.: Council

(P)

23

8:30 a.m.: Worship

Planning (P)

24

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

Noon: Pastoral

Leadership

Development

Group (P)

6:30 p.m.:

Monadnock

Chorus (FH)

25

6:30 p.m.: Bells

(C)

6:30 p.m.: Jr. Choir

(U)

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

7:30 p.m.: Sr.

Choir (C)

26

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

27

28

10 a.m.: Worship

(S)

11:30 a.m.: Annual

Meeting (S)

29

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

5:30 p.m.:

Community

Supper (FH, K)

30

31

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

6:30 p.m.:

Monadnock

Chorus (FH)

Key: C = Chapel FH = Fellowship Hall P = Parlor K = Kitchen KC = Kitchen just for coffee

OS = Off-site PO = Pastor’s Office S = Sanctuary U = Upstairs

Calendar is subject to change. Please visit www.uccpeterborough.org/calendar-of-events for updates.

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The Subs Are on a Roll Again!

You can be a hero for our Kids4Action group by preordering a freshly made sub or homemade soup,

which will be ready for pickup after church on Sunday, February 4!

Subs are made with your selection of meats, veggies, cheese, and condiments and

can be accompanied with chips and/or homemade chocolate cookies! New this

year is the option of a small or large bowl of chili or corn chowder! (You will need

a way to heat it!) If you’re feeling hungry, order a combination soup and

sub! What’s not to like about that?

Pick up an order form from the Souper Bowl Subs envelope located on the Chris-

tian Ed bulletin board in the church hallway, print out the attachment in the Com-

municon, use the e-mail attachment in upcoming Church Bytes, or contact Mary Ann

Fleming for information.

Orders must be received by January 28. Let’s support our youth’s efforts to do-

nate proceeds to a charity of their choice!

Union Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

33 Concord Street

Peterborough, NH 03458

COMMUNICON Vol. 64 No. 1

Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ An Open and Affirming Congregation

33 Concord Street

Peterborough, NH 03458

Minister: The Rev. Dr. Robert Marrone pastorbob@uccpeterborough.org; 425-4578

Pastor’s office hours: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Mon.–Thurs.,

except for 2–5 p.m. on Mon., January 22

Worship Service: 10 a.m.

Sunday School and Nursery Care Provided

Church Office: 924-3272 Kitchen: 924-7821

Church office hours: 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri.

officeucc@comcast.net www.uccpeterborough.org

https://www.facebook.com/uccpeterborough.org

Editor: Martha Carlson-Bradley

Proofreaders: Karen Loudon and Sharon Smith

Silent Squad Support Team:

Janet Brown, Randy Brown, Carolyn Peacock

Deadline for February issue: 10 a.m., January 19