THE

COMMUNICON JUNE 2018

Union Congregational Church, UCC

An Open and Affirming Congregation

Peterborough, New Hampshire

Bob’s Byte

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a

time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted . . . — Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

I don’t know about you, but I have been really waiting for this time of year! I love June: I love the green

of the trees, I love the blooming flowers, and I

love the warm air. All winter I heard people

complaining about the winter. In the fall, people

were looking forward to complaining about the

winter. And this year, we seemed to have winter

well into spring.

When faced with challenges, we tend to look

forward to some potentially happier time. Or

we look back to a time when things were great

— not like they are now. During the times of

year when the weather is part of the daily work

of shoveling snow or raking leaves, we wish we

were in a different time, so things could be bet-

ter. This, I believe, is human nature, and we are stuck with it.

We look for some perceived perfection that seems to be just a season or two away. When summer

comes, everything will be perfect again. That is our hope. Now that we are in late spring and things are

beautiful outdoors, and the snow piles have finally melted — congratulations, Megan! — life can be

perfect for a while.

It is now time for planting gardens, and vacations are on the horizon. Flowers are blooming, and swim-

ming pools are being cleaned and readied for summer fun. That is all good, very good! AND every time

I go out to the garden, I am swarmed by blackflies and mosquitos, and I usually find at least one tick on

me. This is also the season for severe weather and higher gasoline prices.

When we get to the summer, with its heat, and bugs, and weather, and other issues, some people will

look forward to another time when things will be perfect. This is how humans roll. It is what we do. We

find it difficult to be at peace with our life in this world. When people complain about the heat, remem-

ber that it won’t be long before they begin complaining about the cold and snow once again!

Bob

2

Worship This Month

June 3

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Mark 2:23 - 3:6

Sermon: Containing Love

June 10

2 Corinthians 4:13 - 5:1

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon: Inside Out, and Upside Down

June 17

2 Corinthians 5:1-17

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon: Hidden Possibilities

June 24

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon: Stormy Seas

See you in church!

To make a prayer request for the weekly worship

bulletin, please contact the office

by 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

Thank you!

Bible Studies

Our Wednesday-morning Bible Studies class will

be finishing up the Letters of John

by June 20. You’re welcome to join

us at 10 a.m. After that, we’ll be

taking a summer hiatus until Septem-

ber, when we’ll begin discussing the

Gospel of John.

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 and Emma C

Lisa and Patrick F

Kathleen F

Debbie H

Katherine, friend of Carele M

Lynn N

Cheryl N

Marty P

Kathy and Larry S

Ron S, Larry S’s brother

Joe W

all those with hidden sorrows or challenges

and everyone in our church community

To add or delete names from this ongoing prayer

list, please contact in the office

(at 924-3272 or officeucc@comcast.net)

by the twentieth of the month.

Summer Worship Schedule

Starting on July 1, we will begin Sunday worship

at 9:30 a.m. We’ll also start Lemon-

ade on the Lawn after summer wor-

ship services. We will keep to this

earlier schedule through Sunday,

September 2.

A Word of Thanks

I want to thank all my church friends for their

prayers, get well wishes and

cards while I am recuperating

at home. I miss being in-

volved and seeing everyone,

but in a few weeks I hope to

be back.

—Margaret McCormack

A Brief Note about Announcements

During Worship Services . . .

Keep ’em short!

3

Summer Schedule for the Church Office

Pastor Bob and will be taking some

vacation (or “working vacation”

time) in July and August.

He will be away from his office

during these dates:

July 9–15 July 23–29

July 30–August 4 August 20–26

Summer Communicon Schedule As in years past, there will be only one issue of

the Communicon published in July

and August. This “midsummer issue”

is for all events taking place during

those two months. The deadline for the midsummer

issue is 10 a.m. on June 20. (Our regular monthly

schedule will resume with the September issue.)

Enjoy these summer days!

Congrats, and Prayers, for Graduates

Here are recent graduates among our church fam-

ily members. Congratulations and

blessings!

– Sandy and Dick Benotti have sev-

eral grandchildren who recently

graduated from college: Bryan

Leete, from George Mason Universi-

ty; Lyndsay Evans, from James Madison Universi-

ty; Jack Benotti, from the University of Delaware;

and Morgan Attaway, from San Juan College of

Nursing.

– Lilly Grisafi graduated summa cum laude from

the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor

of Science in Recreation Management and Policy.

Lilly is moving to San Antonio, Texas, to work with

City Year, an educational nonprofit program of

AmeriCorps.

– Alexis Newcomb is graduating eighth grade

from South Meadow School.

– Tyler Newcomb is graduating from ConVal

High School this year. He’ll be going to Lyndon

College in Vermont this fall.

Please!

Our church pays bills all summer. By faithfully

sending in your weekly pledge, you help us make

ends meet. Thank you!

Did You Know?

Our church has a “Who You Gonna Call?” list of church committees and their members. A copy of this list appears on the inside back cover of the current, hot-pink church directory. A copy also is posted on the office door. If you have a question about church matters, now you can find the most appropriate person to talk to!

A Note from Martha CB

When I started working at the church in 2015, I

expected to stay until I retired. I

imagined that someone would

eventually tell me, “You have to

leave now. Step away from the

computer.” But I’m facing some unexpected chal-

lenges, and I need to work more hours than the

church can be expected to pay for. I’m also mov-

ing to be closer to my extended family.

Please know that I am deeply grateful to all of

you for making this job such a blessing. You were

patient with me as I was learning the ropes —

and getting to know you and supporting the mis-

sions of Union Congregational has made coming

to work each morning a pleasure. Also know that

I’m taking you with me in my heart.

— Martha Carlson-Bradley

4

Hunger Walk 2018 Wrap-up

On May 5, the Second Annual Monadnock Hunger

Walk took place in Peterborough on a beautiful

Saturday morning. There were about 80 walkers,

including about 16 from our Union Congregational

Church team. Over $15,000 was raised, with

100% going to local food relief organizations and

pantries. We had twice as many walkers and

raised twice as much money as we did for last

year’s walk. A big THANK YOU to all the walkers

and sponsors of this highly successful event. We

are already anticipating our May 4, 2019, walk.

Busy Baskets and Summer Fun

The school year is winding down, but life in our

church family is always active. As Sunday

school nears summer break, we want to

bring attention to our busy baskets for our

young (and young at heart) members. It

can be difficult to sit through a long ser-

vice and remain attentive and quiet. In the narthex

there are busy baskets to help with the wiggles.

The baskets contain coloring materials, puzzles

and books for a variety of ages. In the weeks to

come, as we prepare for the summer months,

check out the baskets, as there will be some new

things for our slightly older attendees such as col-

oring mandalas, mazes and crossword puzzles.

Women's Fellowship Annual Meeting

Attention all women (and men, too, if you’re inter-

ested) of the church! Watch for the announcement

of our annual June meeting in Church Bytes, the

Sunday bulletin, announcements, etc.

Hopefully, when we have a date, you can come to

help make decisions for next year.

— The Steering Committee

UCC Summer Theater

It seems odd to be writing about the UCC

Summer Theater show when school is not yet out.

However, the news is exciting: we have fifteen

cast members already planning to present a

great show! Rescue in the Night (The Story of Dan-

iel in the Lions’ Den) will be performed on

August 10 at 7:30 p.m. and August 11 at 4

p.m. in Fellowship Hall by a talented group of

2nd to 5th graders. Come see how the egotistical

king is tricked by his shady advisors into throwing

Daniel into the lions’ den! Listen to the sassy lions

sing about Daniel’s fate and how his faith in God

saves him. There is still room for more cast mem-

bers, so please spread the word. Registration

forms are available at the church or by contact-

ing Mary Ann Fleming at 562-6109.

Church Yard Sale

The Church Yard Sale is coming up

fast. June 8 and 9 are the days! There

are three ways you can contribute.

– First, we need stuff to sell. We’ll take

anything that’s better than trash, except for old

mattresses, old skis and bicycles, old TVs and com-

puters, and furniture made out of pressboard. If

your stuff is too big or too voluminous for you to

move, please contact Dick Loudon (218-9931) to

arrange a pickup of your stuff.

– Second, we are also having a plant sale. If you

have extra house plants, or if you have perennials

you can divide in your garden, we would love to

have them.

– Third, we will also have a bake sale, so get out

your recipes.

If you have questions, or if you are able to help

with the setup or the sale itself, please contact

Mark Fernald at 924-3440, or Katie Richardson

at 924-8750.

A Gift to the Church

Union Congregational Church has received a very

generous gift. Frederick P. and Virginia M.

Koallick have made a bequest to us in the amount

of $19,604.93, “for [the church’s] general purpos-

es, in memory of the Maker and the Maker’s

spouse.” We are very grateful for this gift, which

will help to balance our current budget. Church

Council is discussing how to use any additional

funds remaining after balancing the budget.

5

Left to right: Sharon, Katherine, Carol, Joni, and

Judy are all smiles at the church Cupcake Corner

at Children and the Arts Festival on May 19.

Cupcake Success!

It’s amazing what you can do with twenty pounds

of frosting and a whole lotta cupcakes! Oh, and

did we mention a bunch of hungry kids? UCC’s

Cupcake Corner at this year’s Children and the

Arts Festival was a hit right up until the downpour

began in the afternoon, and those cupcakes

brought in nearly $700 to fund church activities

and missions.

Many thanks to all the bakers, decorators, table

transporters, booth staffers, and take-down crew

members. And special thanks to Judy DeWitt, the

mastermind of the whole cupcake extravaganza,

who handled everything from securing appropri-

ately themed gummy worms to providing bins for

transporting the cupcakes.

Well done, everyone!

Paint Night … Pastor Bob had a full house for the May 12 Paint Night. Our next Paint Night sessions

will be on Tuesday, June 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and on Saturday, June 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. No

experience is necessary! Just come and explore the pleasures of making art. Both children and adults

are welcome (children under 12 accompanied by an adult). The $10 fee covers the cost of materials. To

register, please contact the office and let us know which date you want to sign up for and give full

names for everyone you’re registering. Join the fun!

Thank You!

6

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1

Noon: Red Cross

Blood Drive

2

UCC Golf

Tournament —

Golf at 8 a.m.;

BBQ at 11:30

a.m. (OS)

3

Last day of Sun-day School

10 a.m.: Worship,

Communion,

Jr. Choir (S)

11:00 a.m.: Spe-

cial Congrega-

tional Meeting

(S)

11:30 a.m.:

Planting of

Marigolds

4–5 p.m.:

Animaterra

Concert (S)

4

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

9:30 a.m.:

Women’s

Fellowship (P)

3 p.m.: Girl

Scouts (P)

5:30 p.m.:

Community

Supper (FH, K)

5

8:30 a.m.: Staff

(P)

6

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

Noon: Setup

begins for

Church Yard

Sale (FH)

7

8:30 a.m.: SNHS/

WIC (C, P)

6:30 p.m.: Bells

(C)

7 p.m.: AA (P)

7 p.m.: Senior

Choir (S)

8

5–8 p.m.: Visit to

UpReach Open

House (OS)

5 p.m.: Early Bird

Sale (FH)

9

8 a.m.–1 p.m.:

Church Yard

Sale (FH)

10

8 a.m.:

Christian Ed (P)

10 a.m.:

Worship, Bells

(S)

11:30 a.m.:

Diaconate (P)

11

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

5:30 p.m.: Last

Community

Supper for the

season (FH, K)

7 p.m.: Finance

(P)

12

8:30 a.m. Real-

tors (FH)

8:30 a.m.: Wor-

ship Planning

(P)

9:45 a.m.:

Maintenance

(P)

6:30 p.m.: Paint

Night (FH)

13

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

14

7:30–9 a.m.:

ConVal Senior

Class

Breakfast (FH,

K)

Noon: Setup for

Kiwanis Yard

Sale begins

(FH)

7 p.m.: AA (P)

15

Kiwanis Yard

Sale setup

continues (FH)

5 p.m.: Kiwanis

Early Bird Sale

(FH)

16

8 a.m.–1 p.m.:

Kiwanis Yard

Sale (FH)

17

Father’s Day

10 a.m.: Worship

(S)

18

Late office hours, 2–5 p.m.

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

3 p.m.: Girl

Scouts (P)

6:45 p.m.

Council (P)

19

8:30 a.m.: Staff

(P)

20

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

10 a.m.:

Communicon deadline for

July/August

issue.

10 a.m.: Bible

Studies (P)

Noon: PLDG (P)

21

First Day of Summer

2 p.m.:

Summerhill

Worship (OS)

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

22

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

23

1–3 p.m.: Paint

“Night” (FH)

24

10 a.m.: Worship

(S)

25

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

26

8:30 a.m.: Wor-

ship Planning

(P)

27

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

28

7 p.m.: AA (FH)

29

9 a.m.:

Jazzercise (FH)

30

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.

June

7

Union Congregational Church

Income/Expense Report

Have You Seen Us on Facebook Lately? For the most up-to-date photos and comments on

our church activities, be sure to visit us at https://www.facebook.com/peterboroughucc. Our

thanks to Leslie Inglis, Pastor Bob, and Martha CB for keeping our Facebook page current

and interesting!

Union Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

An Open and Affirming Congregation

33 Concord Street

Peterborough, NH 03458

COMMUNICON Vol. 64 No. 6

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.

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.,

except on Monday, June 18 (2–5 p.m.)

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 July/August issue: 10 a.m., June 20