Worship this Week
Please join us outside or online for our celebration of Pentecost this Sunday at 10am!
The service will be held in front of the church building. Please plan to bring a chair, social distance, and wear a mask.
If you are concerned about the uneven ground, please enter by the sidewalk on the other side of the church--next to the road--the surface is more even on that side.
The service will also be live streamed through Facebook Live here or on 3CX here. We hope you will join us in person or online.
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Strengthen the Church - UCC Special Offering - Now through June1st
The funds raised through this offering support leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations. By your giving, you build up the Body of Christ.
As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults.
The STC offering will be for the rest of May. You can bring a STC offering with you any Sunday or send it to the Church office. Checks can be made out to Hampstead Congregational Church with the memo line designating "UCC Strengthen the Church Special Offering".
As always, thank you for your continued generosity and support of our UCC special offerings!
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We REALLY Need You!
On Saturday, June 5th, our church will be hosting the Strawberry Festival.
Volunteers are really needed to make this a successful church event.
Our greatest need for volunteers is during the hours of 1PM - 3PM.
We also have a great need to have volunteers help at the grill. We have our cooks already, we need people to take orders and payment.
Do you have a popup tent you would be willing to loan us? We are looking for some tents to help keep some shade on the tables since all the tables are outside this year. Contact Ellen McCune if you have any popup tents.
You can sign up for a few hours, or more or less...whatever you are available.
Sign up here or call Ellen McCune at 603-329-5811 or email ellen.mccune@cgmtech.com if you have any questions.
Your help is needed and appreciated!!
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Graduation Sunday June 6th |
Please plan to join us on Sunday, June 6th for a special service to honor our graduates from 2020 and 2021. We have an amazing group of young people graduating from both high school and middle school, and we are honored to recognize them as they move to the next stage of their lives. |
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We have already collected 1,148 diapers! Thank you! Also, if you prefer to donate money, the Diaper Pantry is glad to buy what they most need. All donations are much needed and appreciated. |
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A Word from Peace & Justice--on housing
As the current extension of the rent and eviction moratorium comes to an end on June 30th, we’ve been thinking about the looming, staggering amount of debt that some renters will face.
In New Hampshire. the unpaid rent is not waived and neither are the late fees associated with the unpaid rent. With the lack of affordable housing – heck, any housing – in New Hampshire, this could be devastating for many individuals and families. It will also increase the strain on housing advocate agencies like Isaiah 58 NH and other support groups like food pantries.
There have also been articles about the hardship that the moratoriums have placed on “mom and pop” landlords – folks who own a couple of housing units to rent to supplement their income. Some have had to sell off their properties just to get at the income they were relying on the rental units to provide.
Seacoastonline reports: “For now, experts are hoping a new round of rental assistance in New Hampshire – and new changes to who is eligible for that system – could lessen the impact for tenants and landlords.” Marta Hurgin, an attorney with the Legal Advice and Referral Center here in New Hampshire, has pointed out that the landlords who have held on to this point will be in good shape because the vacancy rate is at 2%.
For more information from the State of NH regarding the details of the moratorium and what assistance is available in NH, both financial and legal, go to: https://legalfaq.org/covid/nh. The links to services are at the bottom of the page.
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Be part of our Special Music this Spring and Summer |
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Calling all Singers & Musicians...
If you like to sing or play an instrument, please consider volunteering your talent for one or more Sunday services.
Our Spring-Summer worship services are less formal than others, and the people in our congregation especially appreciate all the music that is offered in an outdoor setting.
To volunteer or to learn more. contact Judy Dobson at 603-329-8321
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Only 2 More Weeks Until Our Next Big Event! |
The Strawberry Festival will be held outside on Saturday, June 5th with safety protocols in place. Crafters have responded enthusiastically and slots are just about sold out!
We need your help. As in previous years we will have a raffle table, bake table, and a plant table.
- Please ask local businesses you frequent to make a donation to our raffle table.
- Make a raffle basket. Ideas: Children’s Beach Fun—Gardening—Cookout—Carwash, etc.
- As your perennials come up, separate and pot them for the plant table.
- Get Baking!
Sign up to volunteer here. As always, your help is needed and greatly appreciated. |
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Notes from the Music Director . . .
Sharing some interesting stories and facts with you about famous composers.
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Vivaldi was born in Venice, Italy. Apparently an earthquake shook the city the day he was born causing his parents to immediately baptize him and some say anointed him into priesthood. Regardless, he decided to officially become a priest at 15 years old, while still choosing to follow his calling to music.
His wild red hair earned him the nickname il Prete Rosso - the red priest in Italian. Most know him for his epic series of violin concertos called ‘The Four Seasons’, but Vivaldi also composed over 40 operas and even some vocal ensembles to be sung at a children’s orphanage, where he worked as a teacher.
His career tragically aligned with the fall of the Venetian Republic in the late 18th century, which was a contributing factor to his dying without a penny to his name, despite being the most famous Baroque composers of the time.
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5 for 5 Church Update
Once again, we are thankful for your giving as we continue to be a 5 for 5 Church supporting the UCC special offerings.
Our church received $145 for The Veterans of the Cross offering and $1,325 towards the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.
Your giving changes the futures of people and communities most in need.
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·Sun Screen
·Bottled Water
·Non-Perishable Snacks including individual packages of:
·Granola Bars
·Goldfish
·Pretzels
·Fruit Snacks
·Peanut Butter or Cheese filled
Crackers
·Cookies
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Until June 30, we will be collecting the items for the Upper Room’s summer session.
This summer, the Upper Room’s older youth will be spending time on outdoor community service projects and the younger youth will be spending time on outside activities including hikes.
You can leave your donations in the foyer of the church any time. Please no fresh items – only shelf-stable, non-expired products.
Thank you as always for your generous donations to the Mission Team’s community needs drives!
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This month we help serve on Wednesday, May 26th. To sign up, click here. |
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The Sonshine Soup Kitchen needs volunteers to prepare and package the food for "To Go Meals." We partner with Atkinson Congregational Church once a month on the 4th
Wednesday of the month to help out from 3-6pm.
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Blankets for Project Linus
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For those of you who have been busy sewing, quilting, knitting, or crocheting, we have an new opportunity to donate those handmade items!
We located a national organization that has local chapters called Project Linus (https://www.facebook.com/projectlinussouthwestnewhampshire/). This organization's mission is "to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans". Blankets are given to children in need through NH.
*We welcome all styles of blankets made in child-friendly colors/prints.
*Crocheted, knitted, quilted (100% cotton or flannel), fleece….you don’t have to be an expert!
*Blankets must be NEW, HANDMADE and WASHABLE.
*Fabric blankets can be quilted by machine, hand or tied. If you are tying the blanket make sure the ends are trimmed to 1” and the knots are secure.
*Please do not add any embellishments to the blankets such as buttons that could be swallowed by a child.
*If you are using a no-sew fleece pattern, please be sure to trim off both selvages FIRST. Not sure what selvages are? Ask the clerk who is cutting your fleece to please show you, they’re those odd looking edges at the top and bottom of the piece you have, sort of raggy looking.
*We accept all sizes of blankets. We donate to children, infants through teen years, so any size is appropriate. Baby blankets are typically 36”X36” or 36”X42”, toddler-pre-teen are typically about 40”X60”, and teen blankets are at least 60"X72".
Blankets can be dropped off in the bassinet in the entry way of Hadley Hall.
Thank you for your support of this project!
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Emails are often sent, saying they are from Pastor Kathy or another staff member. She (or they) will never send out a generic email--she'll address it to your name. She will never ask you for money/gift cards over email. Also, it will always have her signature line on the bottom with her phone number/address. If in doubt, please call or send an email to pastorkathyucc@gmail.com. |
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Are you on Facebook? Do you follow Hampstead Congregational Church? Please like our page to know about all the great events in the church. Liking also supports our church when people check us out. If you are already connected, share our good news!
Rev. Kathy also has a page for all who are interested to follow.
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If you are on Instagram, please follow us, and let your friends know about us by sharing our posts! Click this link
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Want to get the word out about what’s happening at HCC? If you want to publicize your event or remind the congregation about something, please email the office (hcc1752@gmail.com) by Wednesday at noon so that your information can be included in that week’s Weekly Word. Feel free to send in information up to three weeks in advance of an upcoming event. We want all of the congregation (not just the Team leaders) to be empowered to get the word out about all the activities that are happening at Hampstead Congregational Church!
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Our Mailing Address:
61 Main Street
Hampstead, NH 03841
See what's happening on our social sites
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Hampstead Congregational Church Website
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