Conway Village
Congregational Church
August 2026 Community News
Click the newsletter link below to view or download the full version of the newsletter
A Blessing of Music
One of the many blessings of worship is music that lifts our hearts and draws us closer to God. Since the COVID pandemic, our congregation has relied primarily on worship music videos to accompany our singing. While they have served us well, there is something especially meaningful about gathering around live music.
We are especially grateful to church members Jill Reynolds and Dick Vierus, who have recently begun leading us in familiar hymns on the third Sunday of each month. Their willingness to share their musical gifts has added a special joy to our worship services.
We were also delighted to welcome the DellaValla Trio—teenage siblings Molly (guitar and lead vocals), Joseph (banjo and dobro), and John (mandolin and bass)—joined by their friend Isaac Houghton on bass. Their outstanding bluegrass music blessed us with pre-service selections, special music during the service, and a spirited patriotic medley for the postlude.
We hope that, in time, live music will once again become a regular part of worship at Conway Village Congregational Church. Until then, we are especially thankful for the talented musicians who share their gifts with us, and we invite you to join us on the third Sunday of each month as Jill and Dick, along with occasional guest musicians, lead us in song.
Why is life so complicated?
When things seem to be going in the wrong direction and we get frustrated there are several ways we can respond. Are you the kind of person who goes with the flow? Or flips your lid? A fixer who tries to figure things out? There are probably as many ways to approach things as there are people. Especially since you may not respond yourself in the same way. The reality is we have freedom of choice. God doesn’t control what happens to us. We don’t know what his plan is, we have to ask for his guidance. If you don’t like what is happening, rely on God to get you through. Remember we are never ever alone.
Blessings,
Your Deacons: Beth, Boz, Jill and Judy
Serving More Families with Fewer Resources
How You Can Help Keep Our Food Pantry Shelves Stocked
Our Food Pantry continues to serve more families each month. We are also welcoming two to three new clients on a regular basis. Last month alone, we added two new families with a total of ten family members.
While the need continues to grow, the amount of food we receive from some of our largest sources has declined.
Following our 13-month closure after the December 2023 flood, the New Hampshire Food Bank required us to reapply as a participating pantry. As a result, we returned to Tier 1, which provides smaller food allocations than we received before the flood. Although our client numbers have steadily increased, tier levels are reviewed only once each year, so our allocations have not yet caught up with the growing need.
The NH Food Bank also provides funding through its NH Feeding NH program, allowing us to purchase fresh food from local farmers. We have partnered with Sherman Farm for many years, but this year we received only half of last year’s funding—the lowest amount in many years.
At the same time, Walmart has reduced its donations of fresh produce, breads, pastries, and meats, and several local farmers who once donated produce are no longer able to do so.
What does this mean? Simply put, we must purchase more food locally and rely even more on donations from our community. Every food donation, financial gift, and volunteer hour helps us continue serving our neighbors in need.
A special thank you to Janet Lottman, who for many years has shared the joy of giving with her grandchildren by taking them shopping with our food pantry wish list. This year, she encouraged them to do the shopping themselves—and they did a wonderful job! Thank you, Janet and your grandchildren, for your years of kindness and support.
Finally, thank you to everyone who volunteers and donates to our food pantry. Your generosity truly makes a difference in the lives of local families.
Melody Bergman Pantry Co-Coordinator
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Alexander and Madalena Lottman recently completed their semiannual shopping trip for the Conway Village Church Food Pantry. They take great pride in doing the shopping themselves, learning the importance of giving back to their church, serving their community, and honoring the Lord through acts of kindness. We are grateful for their generous hearts and the example they set for others.
The Conway Village Church Food Pantry depends on dedicated volunteers to serve our neighbors in need. Whether you can help regularly or offer an hour or two occasionally, your time and talents can make a meaningful difference. To learn how you can help, please contact the church office at 603-447-3851
Community Honors Major John Edgerton
as July 4th Grand Marshal
As this year’s Conway Fourth of July Parade made its way through town, spectators waved and applauded as Major John David Edgerton led the procession as Grand Marshal. Many know John as a friendly and active member of Conway Village Congregational Church, but few realize that behind his warm smile is an extraordinary Air Force career that included
Grand marshal USAF veteran pilot Maj. John Edgerton, 91, of South Conway waves to the crowds at the Town of Conway’s Fourth of July parade in Conway Village on Saturday. (RACHEL SHARPLES PHOTO)
157 combat missions during the Vietnam War and service aboard Air Force One during the Nixon administration.
John’s dream of becoming an Air Force pilot began while he was still in high school. After earning his Air Force wings in 1956, he served nearly twenty years in the United States Air Force, flying a variety of military aircraft at bases throughout the United States and overseas.
During the Vietnam War, John flew 157 combat missions from bases in the Philippines, Okinawa, and Guam. Later, while stationed at March Air Force Base in California, he was selected for duty with the Air Force One flight crew. His responsibilities included traveling ahead of presidential trips to help coordinate airport operations and ensure every aspect of the President’s arrival and departure was carefully planned.
John flew four missions involving the presidential aircraft, including one carrying President Richard Nixon. He recalls that the aircraft was divided into three sections, with both Secret Service agents and Air Force security personnel controlling access between them.
The extraordinary planning and security surrounding every presidential flight left a lasting impression.
Following additional assignments in Guam and later at Pease Air Force Base, John retired from the United States Air Force in 1975 with the rank of Major. Retirement did not end his commitment to service. He has remained active in the Mount Washington Valley community and continues to be a valued member of Conway Village Congregational Church.
It was fitting that Conway selected Major John Edgerton to serve as Grand Marshal of this year’s Independence Day Parade. We join the Conway community in congratulating John on this well-deserved honor and thank him for a lifetime of distinguished service to our nation, our church, and our community.
Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America
With Stories
You Thought You Knew
On Tuesday, October 20th and Tuesday, October 27th, two programs with be offered on the theme “Stories You Thought You Knew”.Each program will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
They will be evenings to celebrate with music and hand-held refreshments, if all goes according to plan! The purpose of the program is to explain “why things happened” in our nation rather than “what happened”.We will listen to and share the “stories behind the stories” that we usually tell, like Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” series on radio, which premiered during our nation’s bicentennial celebration.
The program format each night will be divided into two parts, with an intermission in between. This structure will limit the amount of time guests spend seated and allow ample opportunity for people to share their reactions and stories. Each presentation will last approximately 35 minutes and will be displayed on the two monitors.
The tone and purpose of the presentations are to present historical information joyfully, humorously, and factually, with entertainment as the primary goal. While some may find the format surprising—or perhaps unorthodox—the aim is to present the American experience in a memorable and engaging way. The process and format grew out of historical walks offered in the greater Boston area for more than 40 years. This will be the first time this approach has been presented at the Brown Church so who knows what the celebration may bring?
John Hughes August 2026
Some articles and images in this newsletter were created or edited with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.
Moderator’s Moment
The semi-annual meeting went very smoothly. The church will be signing up at the casino and if they do what they said they would do, it might be possible to get moved up on the list and maybe see some income before the year-end.
It was also nice to finally call Rev. Hughes as our called minister.The reason this was important to do, was two-fold. First, it was necessary for Rev. Hughes to be officially called so that he can have his standing moved from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. He needed to have Standing in New Hampshire to continue to be authorized for ministry. His pension plan and insurance coverage also were dependent upon his standing in New Hampshire. In an aside, I would hate to have a minister serve the church, possibly being the longest serving pastor in church history and never have been officially called or have standing in the state where he was ministering. Rev. Gagnon was our longest standing pastor at 16 years. Rev. Hughes is only 7 years away.
Second, it will be a great boon for the church. The siding will be completed. Rev. Hughes will be celebrating his 50th year as an ordained minister come October and we are working on having his installation service in October as well. It will afford the church the opportunity to do a big fanfare and be wonderful publicity for the church. If we can raise the funds and continue to make progress to pull off getting back into the sanctuary for November – or as soon thereafter as possible – the promotion of the church can continue through year’s end. The holiday fair can be back in Fellowship Hall, Thanksgiving will have tremendous meaning and Advent will be even more joyful.
All this will give the church the opportunity to promote the church and possibly attract new members, who will join us in worship and become part of our church family. A growing congregation is also the most effective long-term way of strengthening the church’s financial future Add to all this, Rev. Hughes will be offering two new programs, again showing that the church has survived all the set-backs and is a vibrant part of the community once again.
This is an important step for the church and we can’t let this golden opportunity slip by. It will be a hectic few months, particularly with the Fryeburg Fair going on. Speaking of the Fair, the trustee appeal for the new apple peeler is doing well. I suspect we will be able to order it by the time we need to. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this appeal. Your generosity continues to shine through, no matter what is going on in the world.
I look forward to all the excitement in the last half of this year. Let’s make it truly a year that we will remember. Not remembered for disaster or pandemic, but for hard work and celebrations. Let 2026 be the rebirth of the church.
Respectfully yours,
Carl F. Vitters
Moderator
Trustees Tidings
Planning Ahead for a Successful Fall
As we move into the second half of the year, the Trustees remain focused on strengthening the church’s financial future, caring responsibly for our building, and supporting its ministries. Rising costs and changing giving patterns have created an ongoing operating deficit. To address this challenge, the Trustees are pursuing several initiatives to increase income and reduce expenses so Conway Village Congregational Church remains financially sustainable.
Fryeburg Fair Preparations
Planning is well underway for our largest annual fundraiser, the Fryeburg Fair Apple Crisp Booth. Volunteer sign-up sheets are available in Fellowship Hall, along with online sign-ups for those who prefer to register electronically.
Volunteers are needed for apple and crisp preparation, baking, and booth shifts. Whether you can help for a few hours, a full day, or several days, your time and talents are greatly appreciated. Please review the schedule and sign up for one or more shifts. Every volunteer helps ensure the continued success of this vital fundraiser.
Trusteee Appeal: Apple Processing Machine
The Trustees recently launched an appeal to purchase a commercial machine that will peel, core, and slice apples in a single operation. Volunteers currently spend well over 300 hours each year hand-peeling apples before the crisp can be made for the fair. This machine would dramatically reduce those hours, allowing volunteers to focus on crisp preparation, baking, and other important tasks while helping ensure the long-term success of our largest fundraiser. We are grateful for the generous support already received and hope to have the machine in service for this year’s fair.
Holiday Fair Returns to November
This year’s Holiday Fair will return to its traditional pre-Thanksgiving dates, Friday and Saturday, November 20–21. In recent years, the fair was held in early December and reduced to one day. After reviewing attendance and feedback, we believe the earlier dates and two-day format will better serve the church and community.
Many shoppers are seeking Thanksgiving hostess gifts, holiday decorations, baked goods, and early Christmas gifts before the season becomes crowded with competing events. We will again welcome donated crafts, baked goods, and items for the gift basket raffle. More information and volunteer opportunities will be shared in upcoming newsletters and weekly eblasts.
Strengthening Our Financial Future
At the July 12 Semi-Annual Meeting, the congregation authorized the church to register with the New Hampshire Charitable Gaming program, allowing us to be placed on the state’s list of eligible nonprofit beneficiaries.
Registration does not provide immediate funding, but it is an important first step. If selected as a recipient for one of the gaming periods, the church anticipates using the funds to offset flood insurance costs and support building repairs, maintenance, and capital improvements. This additional income could reduce pressure on our operating budget and some traditional fundraising efforts.
Board of Trustees: Anne Getchell, John Edgerton, Duddie Andrews and Nancy Irving
There is much happening at Conway Village Church this autumn! We hope you will join us for one or more of these special events and volunteer when possible:
- Apple Crisp Preparation – Volunteers prepare for our Fryeburg Fair fundraiser.
- Fryeburg Fair Apple Crisp Booth – Enjoy our famous apple crisp while supporting the
- Pastor’s Installation & Anniversary Celebration Celebrate the installation of Rev. John Hughes as our called pastor and the 50th anniversary of his
- America at 250 Historical Series – History, music, refreshments, and fellowship.
- Traditional Holiday Fair – Handcrafted items, dinner, baked goods, lunch and gift baskets
Whether you are a longtime friend or a first-time visitor, we would love to welcome you!
250 Years Ago, This Month ~
Freedom had been declared; now it had to be defended.
The joy of July was fading. Across New Hampshire, the excitement of declaring independence gave way to a sobering reality. Freedom had been declared; now it had to be defended.
On August 2, 1776, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to sign the formal parchment of the Declaration of Independence. Among them were New Hampshire’s three delegates—Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, and Matthew Thornton. By placing their signatures on that document, they pledged not only their own lives and fortunes, but those of the people they represented. There would be no turning back. The Declaration had been signed, but winning independence would require far more than signatures on parchment. It would demand sacrifice, courage, and faith.
Josiah Bartlett was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and moved to Kingston, New Hampshire, as a young physician. A respected doctor, statesman, and patriot, he was the first delegate to vote for independence and the second to sign the Declaration after John Hancock.
William Whipple, born in Kittery, a former sea captain and Portsmouth merchant, served in the Continental Congress and later as a brigadier general in the New Hampshire militia.
Matthew Thornton, an Irish-born physician and statesman, led New Hampshire’s Provincial Congress before joining the Continental Congress and signing the Declaration.
New Hampshire entered this moment especially well prepared. Months earlier, in January 1776, it had adopted the first independent written state constitution in America, replacing royal government with one chosen by its own citizens. The people of New Hampshire had already begun governing themselves. Now they had to defend that freedom.
After the British abandoned Boston, the war shifted south to New York. General Washington urgently called for more men. Farmers left their fields, merchants closed their shops, and fathers kissed their families goodbye as New Hampshire regiments marched south.
On August 27, Washington’s army suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Brooklyn. Yet what happened next would become one of the most remarkable escapes in American history. On August 29–30, the Marblehead Regiment worked through the night ferrying nearly 9,000 soldiers, their horses, cannons, and supplies across the East River. As dawn approached, a dense fog concealed the final movements. Many believed that without Glover’s Marbleheaders’ skill—and perhaps God’s providential hand—the Revolution might have ended there.
Back home, Portsmouth remained on alert while shipbuilders completed the 32-gun frigate Raleigh, one of the first thirteen warships authorized by Congress. The vessel on New Hampshire’s state flag and seal is the Raleigh, honoring both the ship and New Hampshire’s role in the birth of the American Navy.
By the close of August 1776, celebration had given way to sacrifice. Freedom had been declared with ink and parchment, but it would be preserved only through courage, perseverance, and faith.
August Worship Schedule
Sunday, August 2 – Carl Vitters ~ Worship Leader
Psalm 17:1-7, 15
Genesis 32:22-31
Matthew 14:13-21
Sermon: Let’s Wrestle with God!
Sunday, August 9 – Curt Reynolds ~ Worship Leader
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Sermon: Life with the Bible
Sunday, August 16
Psalm 67:1-6
Isaiah 56:6-7
Matthew 15:21-28
Sermon: Revealing the Truth
Sunday, August 23
Psalm 124
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20
Sermon: Shifting our focus for God
Sunday, August 30
Psalm 105:1-6
Romans 12:1-2
Matthew 16:21-27
Sermon: God still desires sacrifices
