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Future Hope
by Kaleigh Lambert
Sweltering, hot breathless sky
Longing for the clouds to cry
Loss of friends; shattered love
Angered lands; stained with blood
Fire burns within our souls
Will it quench? No one knows
Smoke and ash blot out the sun
Darkness falls on everyone
Tears run down a smoky face
Staring at this empty space
A hush, a silence, a crash, a scream
Blood runs cold as wintry streams
Hatred like an angry beast
On innocents was sent to feast
Where pillars once reached heavenward
Ruin in its wake now stood
And yet, the light of hope remains
A healing balm to ease out pain
It’s from the very depths of gloom
That love and joy spring forth to bloom
Our earth in peace will we learn?
Now the time has come to turn
The sun as our guiding light
Bears us through the dark of night
A world united ever more
On wings of peace mankind will soar.
In loving memory of those who perished on September 11, 2001.
In thanks to all who are risked their lives and to those who have lost their lives to protect our families and freedom. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost on September 11. For a full list of names check out this website.
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The members of the Personnel Ministry are thrilled to welcome Kayla Pingree-McCarthy to the South Church community! Kayla is our new Office Administrator. She is a graduate of Colby-Sawyer College and has experience working as a postal clerk, in human resources and in customer service. Kayla brings an outgoing, positive spirit, a willingness to learn and strong communication skills. In addition to her professional skills, Kayla is familiar with the UCC. Growing up, Kayla attended First Parish Congregational Church in East Derry. She is a mom to 8-month-old Rory, enjoys theatre (pre-pandemic), reading science fiction and playing board games. We are excited by her energy and look forward to her joining our wonderful church staff. Kayla will be in the office Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please help us welcome Kayla! | |
Join us on Sunday, September 19 in worship at 9 a.m. either in-person or on-line as we celebrate the faith journeys of Brianna Blake, Aiden Ciminesi, Madison Mayo, Alex McPherson, Will McPherson, Colby Nyhan, Nick Robie, Avery Sahr and Thomas Sargent. There will be a reception following worship in Fellowship Hall. Remember to wear red! | |
Worship on Sunday, September 19 will be additionally festive because we will be taking a few moments during worship and after to express our gratitude to Lou-Ann Poirier, our marvelous church administrator for five years who, with her husband Bob, will be retiring. | |
Embrace nature and see fellow South Church members on Sunday, September 26 at 2 p.m. in the parking lot at Broken Ground Elementary School located at 51 South Curtisville Road in Concord. The group will explore the Batchelder Mill Trails. There is a playground for the younger children to enjoy after the walk. All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Lorens Jorgensen. | |
Let’s catch up . . . in-person on Monday, September 27 at 10 a.m. If the weather is nice, we will meet outside. There will be coffee, tea and a special treat. Spend an hour catching up with Alison. If you are planning to attend, e-mail Alison. | |
We will begin church school for our younger children (K to Fifth grade) starting Sunday, October 3. We will be using a curriculum titled “Celebrate Wonder” that honors the spiritual life of children. It will engage the class in open-ended exploration of the Bible. Through hands-on activities, spiritual practices and reflections, we will help the children embrace the biblical context and fit it into their own lives. Our goal is to deepen the children’s faith, provide a safe space to ask big questions, and begin to identify with God. We do ask that the children wear a mask and we will practice social distancing. If you have any questions, contact Alison and to learn more about our curriculum, check out this website. | |
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The 2021 CROP Walk is on Saturday, October 9. For the past three years, South Church CROP Walkers have been the top fundraisers in Concord! In 2018 we raised $2,180; in 2019 we raised $5,500; and in 2020 we raised $3,800. Our walkers and supporters continue to do their part in feeding hungry people. Join our team.
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Sign-up to be a “South Church” walker on Saturday, October 9. Our Team Captain Cy Sherman is ready to add your name to the list. Feel free to email Cy for more information.
- Donate to the Walk! (Go online to Concord NH CROP Hunger Walk; hit "donate" on the top at the far right; and type in Cy's name).
Let's keep South Church as the top fundraiser for years to come and help stamp out hunger!
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As you know when Carlos moved on to pastor of the Pelham Congregational Church a year ago, that triggered the UCC’s “transition process.” Simply put, that is the time a church has a real opportunity to explore its future vision, calling and ministry needs. An “Interim Minister,” who has had training in guiding a congregation through this transition process, serves temporarily with the church to help the church family look deeply at itself, its work, the community around it, and to be prayerfully open to what the Spirit is calling us to do. Rev. Sean Dunker-Bendigo is our South Church Interim Minister.
We need to hear from each member, no matter how long you have been a part of South Church or how involved you are in the church. This is an exciting time of growth and transition for South Church. In the coming weeks, you will have opportunities to share your thoughts and dreams for South Church with each other. Below are listed dates and times for upcoming discussion groups. Further details for directions, time, and sign-up will be on our church website.
In-Person Gatherings:
Zoom Gatherings:
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The Memorial Bell choir is happily getting together again after a hiatus since January. They rehearse every Wednesday evening in Fellowship Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and an occasional Saturday morning. They usually play during worship on the third Sunday of each month and on Christmas Eve. We are always looking for new players, so if you might like to give it a try, email Carlene. No prior music experience is necessary, just a willingness to try a new skill that involves cooperation and coordination, and sense of humor.
The Chancel choir has started up again! They rehearse every Thursday evening in the Sanctuary from 7 p.m. to 8:30p.m. Sue Berlenbach is happy to be holding rehearsal and providing opportunities to sing during worship. Please note that mask are required and we will practice social distancing at rehearsal and on Sunday mornings. If you have any questions, e-mail Sue.
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South Congregational Church is blessed to have a beautiful, historical space dedicated to the worship of God in the heart of downtown Concord. With its position of prominence in the city, South Church is a beacon for all of those seeking refuge, sanctuary, joy, and salvation. The Property Stewardship Ministry (PSM) has a vision for the importance of our buildings in service of the broader mission of South Church.
For more than 160 years, our present building has maintained an important position as a gathering spot for the community. We hope to see our spaces used not just for Sunday service, but to serve the community as a whole. To that end, we have undertaken a number of projects to maintain and revitalize the spaces. These efforts would not be possible without generous donations from faithful members of the congregation, members of the community who rely on our building, and those who enjoy the beauty of South Church.
The Property Stewardship Ministry thanks Horace Blood, the Concord Chorale, Betsy Clardy & Richard Nelson, Michael & Eileen Gfroerer, Carl & Becky Levick, the Mosely Trust, Mary Lynne & Peter Rahlson for their generous donations in support of ongoing building improvements. To read more about the hard work the PSM is doing, check out this article that details the restoration of the stain glass windows and the engergy changing improvements throughout the entire building.
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Cheryl and Chris Simmers want to thank everyone that has supported them through Cheryl’s recent trauma. The prayers, cards, phone calls, visits, meals, flowers, and gifts have been such an amazing support for them. Cheryl’s walls at the hospital were covered with your cards and now that she’s home they are on the kitchen wall; she calls this her wall of love! Every time she looks up, she knows their church family was there with them. You have provided the strength they needed to get through it all. They cannot truly express how much it means to them. | |
A special thank you to Mary Ewert for coordinating our flower arrangements on Sunday mornings. For 12 years, Mary has connected with members of our congregation, listened to their prayers, and honored them will beautiful arrangements for our worship services. Mary has decided to retire from this ministry, but we did not want it to go unnoticed. I am pleased to announce that Dianna Powers will be taking Mary’s position. Welcome Dianna! | | |
The 220th Annual Meeting of the New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ will be held on Saturday, October 16 via Zoom Webinar and YouTube Livestream. As part of the preparation for the upcoming meeting, the Worship Planning Committee invited us to send your prayers. We have missed the deadline, but we want to create a South Church prayer. We ask send responses to Alison.
- The past year has felt . . .
- We lost . . .
- We remember . . .
- What hurt was . . .
- And yet, we discovered . . .
- We gained . . .
- We remained grateful for . . .
- We celebrated . . .
- Now, as we gather, we pray for . . .
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The Concord Multicultural Festival will be held on Sunday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Keach Park in Concord. This annual event is to celebrate the beauty of diversity in the Capital Region, featuring foods, performances, art, activities and a parade of flags from members of our local community members. This event is to foster an appreciation for diversity by providing engaging opportunities to share and learn about the many different cultures within the Capital Region. All are welcome to attend. For more information about the Multicultural Festival check out their website. | |
In 2015, Sue Moore traveled to Haiti on a medical mission trip with an organization called “Forward in Health” created by Dr. John and Paula Mulqueen. “Forward in Health” built a medical clinic in Les Cayes. This clinic opened while Sue was serving the Haitians. Recently, this community experienced a 7.2 earthquake followed by a hurricane and flooding. Fortunately, they sustained minimal damage and are able to serve victims of the earthquake. The clinic seeking donations of the following items: Betadiene, diclofenac (NSAIDS), Voltaren, sutures, bandages, gauze, gloves, masks, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, glucometers and strips, blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, summer clothing and underwear. A donation box has been placed in the side of the church for your contributions and will be there until Friday, September 24. For more information about “Forward in Health” check out their website or contact Sue Moore. | |
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The next e-Lation will arrive on Thursday, October 7.
If you wish to add something to our newsletter,
please submit your article by Monday, October 4 to Alison.
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