Conway Village
Congregational Church
September 2025
Click the newsletter link below to view or download the full version of the newsletter
CVCC Council Meeting August 13, 2025, Summarized Minutes
Cash Report Reviewed: Total deposit for the last four weeks was $16,940.53. Bank balance is $9,529.50 We have drawn $21,000 from the endowment so far this year. – This is not sustainable.
Duddie asked Nancy to check which account Zeffy funds are going to – are both campaigns going to the operating account?
John discussed the severity of the situation with the parsonage driveway. The work needs to be done before winter. The quote to rebuild and repair the driveway is $6,880. The council approved sending a Trustee Appeal to the membership to help with the cost.
We are requesting photos of church and of our church family & events to update content on the website, social media, and print materials. Please send any photos from church services, fellowship, Bible Studies, events, out in the valley, etc.
We are ordering Church T-shirts, with the large logo on sage green shirts and small logo on light blue shirts. We hope to have them for the Sept 11th event, if not at least in time for the fair. We will charge $10 per shirt.
We have building use requests from Altrusa for their monthly meetings, they are a good fit for us, some already help with the apple peeling; and Bergeron Technical Services has requested a 2-day midweek SOLO wilderness first aid training for their employees.
Fryeburg Fair:
- We need more people to help with bagging the dry ingredients on September 10th
- Carl will get the work done on the trailer.
- We have a plan to set up FH so it will work for both apple processing, crisp pans cooling (using speed racks instead of tables) and for worship without having to rearrange for Sunday services.
- We will use the 10oz cups this year. We will order most paper goods when Melody returns from the new supplier we found.
- Beth will order the pans and covers and dry ingredients.
Upcoming Events:
- Tuckerman Brewing Trivia Night September 11th
We need raffle prizes. If you can donate a prize, please contact the office ASAP
- Fryeburg Fair – September 27th – October 5th
- Conway Legion Fish Fry – October 17th
- Christmas Fair – December 6th
Next meeting: September 17th 4:30 PM
I CAN’T DO IT, BUT I CAN DO…….
I Can’t Cut the apples, but I Can Peel them.
I Can’t Peel the apples, but I Can Cut them.
My hands Won’t make it for 3.5 hours,
but I Can Do it for a couple of hours most days.
I Can’t Be there on Wednesday, but I Can Be there the rest of the days.
I Can’t do the morning shift because I work, but I Can do
a couple of hours at the evening shifts.
I Can’t tell jokes or stories, but I Can Laugh!
I Can’t eat apple crisp because I can’t have sugar,
but I Can Buy a couple to Give to someone else.
You get the picture
God Loves a cheerful giver.
Let’s Do This!
You’ll Be Happy you did.
If you can’t join us, please pray for the good health
and endurance for the many volunteers
and for others to join us in this effort.
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”
2 Corinthians 9:7
Let’s make God smile! See you there!
Judy
Diaconate: Judy Workman, Beth Campbell, Jill Reynolds, Charles Boswell, Charles Monaghan
Outreach – Food Pantry
Our Pantry Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon has been rescheduled to September 9th in order to accommodate the majority of our volunteer’s schedules. If you have volunteered in any way for our food pantry, please join us so we can celebrate our accomplishments together!!
Thank you for all you do!
We welcome donations for our pantry. Food donations can be dropped off when the church is open on Sunday mornings or during regular office hours. Please do not leave food outside. If you wish to schedule drop-offs, please call 603-447-3851. Checks can be mailed to PO Box 333, Conway, NH 03818. Thank you for supporting our mission!
Food Pantry Coordinators: Melody Bergman & Anne Getchell
Food Pantry Wish List:
Canned fruit
Assorted Canned pasta
Canned baked beans
Tuna Helper
Mayonnaise
Pancake mix
Ramen Noodles
Canned beef stew
Ketchup
Hamburger Helper
Pancake syrup
Canned tuna fish
Rice-a-Roni
Applesauce
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Tomato Sauce
Soup (packaged or canned)
Personal Care Items
(unopened only)
Toilet paper
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Paper towels
Dish detergent
Small laundry detergent
Bar soap
Deodorant
Celebrating 50 Years of Preaching
This month we joyfully congratulate Pastor John Hughes on the fiftieth anniversary of his preaching ministry. For five decades, Pastor John has faithfully proclaimed God’s Word and shared Christ’s love with congregations in Massachusetts and, for the past several years, here in Conway. We are truly blessed by his dedication, wisdom, and compassion. 
And while this milestone is Pastor John’s, we also extend a word of thanks to his wife, Marilyn, whose quiet support has accompanied him along the way.
Congratulations, Pastor John, on this remarkable achievement—and thank you for continuing to share your ministry with us!
With gratitude from the members of the Conway Village Church.
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
As we pause to honor the hard work and dedication of so many this Labor Day, we also give thanks for the faithful work of our church family. Your time, energy, and generosity continue to make a difference as we move forward together.
We’re glad to welcome John and Melody back from vacation! Pastor John Hughes, we hope your time at the lake with family was both restful and refreshing. Melody, we trust your Alaskan adventure was a memorable one. Many thanks to Charles and Carl for stepping in to lead worship while they were away.
Building Updates
There will be no changes to our building projects until Shawn Bergeron returns in early October from his trip. Our top priority remains getting heat into the Sanctuary. After that, Shawn will begin costing out the additional repairs. Siding work is scheduled for the spring.
We are grateful to soon receive a FEMA check in the amount of $149,260. However, this will not cover all of the work required, so additional fundraising will be necessary to complete the projects.
Parsonage Driveway
The parsonage driveway needs to be replaced. If it is not repaired this fall, John and Marilyn will not be able to use it during the winter months. The cost of this unexpected project is $6,880. A Trustee Appeal letter will be sent out soon.
Fryeburg Fair & Apple Crisp
The Fryeburg Fair is just around the corner, and that means Apple Crisp season is here! This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and we need all hands on deck. If you are able, please join us for any of the following:
- Ingredient bagging: Wednesday, September 10 at 9 AM
- Fellowship Hall setup: Tuesday morning, September 23
- Apples arrive: Tuesday afternoon, September 23
- First peeling session: Tuesday, September 23 at 4:30 PM
Apple Processing & Baking Daily Wednesday, September 24, through Wednesday, October 1st (except Sunday) daily from 8 AM–12 Noon, and from 4:30–7 PM (no evening shift on Saturday).
To volunteer, please call the office or sign up online at https://volunteersignup.org/4AJHR.
Dear Members and Friends,
It has been both a challenging and truly amazing two years since the flood forced us out of the church building. The past two years have been concentrated on getting the church repaired and brought up to code. There has been a tremendous amount of work completed and after a year and a half, we are once again worshipping in our own building. Granted it is in Fellowship Hall, but the church is operating again, and groups are returning to the church to hold their meetings and activities. I applaud all the hard work by the many people that have stepped up to ensure that Conway Village once again has a community minded church to represent the many different needs of the community.
I am writing to you now about the parsonage. While all of our focus has been on the church, we have looked past the parsonage and the issues that are present there. One issue cannot be put off any longer. The paved driveway from the road down to the garage will no longer be passable in the winter. The snow and ice over the years, along with tree roots and erosion has caused the pavement to break apart and has been both sliding down the hill and breaking apart. The Trustees have received an estimate to repair and re-pave the driveway. It will cost $7,000.00 to have the work done. If the work is not completed, then the garage will not be able to be used this coming winter. No one will come to plow such a mess. This means that our pastor will have to park up on the front lawn.
Rev. Hughes was incredibly gracious to stick with us during the toughest times I believe this church has ever gone through. Many other pastors would have jumped ship, never mind doing more work for the same pay. He also worked through with little to no time off. On behalf of the Council and the Trustees, a Trustee Appeal for the $7000.00 is being made. Envelopes dedicated to the Trustee Appeal Parsonage Driveway will be made available. I understand that these are challenging times, and finances are tighter probably than they ever were. In the nearly 35 years that I’ve been a member here; the church has never failed to rise to the moment of need. Our church is truly blessed with a congregation of loyal, faithful and God loving people. It is, perhaps, the church’s greatest testament.
Sincerely,
Carl F. Vitters
Moderator
Conway Village Church T-Shirts for Sale
We are excited to share that new Conway Village Church T-shirts are on the way—just in time for our fall events!
We will have:
- Light blue shirts featuring a small version of our logo on the left chest
- Green shirts with a large logo across the front
Each shirt is just $15.
We hope to have the shirts available before our September 11th event at Tuckerman Brewing. After that, shirts will be available on Sunday mornings and during some of our apple peeling sessions.
Show your church spirit—get yours while they last!
