Conway Village

Congregational Church

August 2020

The Good News!

Thanksgiving in August ~ Turkey Dinner To Go ~ Friday, August 7th

This Friday, August 7th the Conway Village Church will hold its first fundraising dinner since the January Suppers. We will be serving a full Turkey Dinner. However, instead of serving a sit-down dinner in Fellowship Hall, we will have the dinners all packed up and ready for you to take and enjoy in the comfort of your home.

We hope you will plan to come and buy dinner(s) for yourself and your family and pass this information along to your friends and coworkers. If you use Facebook, please “LIKE” our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheBrownChurchConwayNH and share the Facebook Event on your timeline. The Facebook event allows you to click “Going” and to pre-buy your dinner ticket(s). Doing either or both of these will help us to plan for the event. There is also an option to make a donation if you are so inclined and able to.

At the event we will accept, cash (preferred), checks and credit cards (we pay a 3% fee for credit card transactions). We will be set up at the front entrance of the church. If you have mobility issues we plan to have a few parking spaces open right in front of the church so you won’t need to get out of your vehicle.

Thank you for supporting this fundraising effort and your continued support of The Brown Church.

Click here to view or download the full PDF version of the

‘… but who do you say I am?’

Matthew 16:15

How Do You See Me?

Jesus asks an important question for Peter, “Who do you say I am?” Hidden in the question Matthew makes it clear who Jesus is. “I AM” is the name God gives when Moses encounters him at  the  “burning bush”.   The Hebrew word, “I AM” has multiple meanings because how we add the vowels (not written in Hebraic text) tells a great deal about what we ask of God. It could mean “I am who I  am”, meaning God is what God is.  Or, it could mean,  “I will become what I  need to become”, meaning God will reveal himself dynamically as he needs to in the future. The expression, “I AM” then goes on to more than a dozen other definitions, depending on how you reference the verb “to be”.

Concentrating on the second meaning above, “I will become what I need to become ”  is where we find ourselves as a church. How should God’s message be proclaimed.  Some churches use YouTube to prerecord sermons and music so they can be played at any time, at the parishion- ers’ convenience. When on YouTube the message is “out there” meaning it can be accessed by anyone on the Worldwide Web. Some churches are using FaceTime or Zoom, social platforms where people must be granted access. Some churches are using email or webpage links. What should God’s message become … how should it be used … how should it be proclaimed dynamically?

Our church is blessed with a “web team” willing to set up music, send emails, send weekly letters and organize special services. As we move ahead, we need to research and make decisions on how our “sanctuary space” will be used and what it needs to become. How many cameras effectively communicate when our message is shared virally? What lights are needed to convey our sacred space and the Gospel mes- sage? Do we need to have the capacity to edit what we produce? What is God calling the Conway Village Congregational Church to become?

God Only Knows What The Brown Church Will Do!

Rev. John Hughes <’}}><<<   <’}}}><<   <’}}}><<<<

Moderator’s Moment

The covid-19 pandemic has certainly caused many changes to virtually every person’s life. Our church’s life is no exception. The church has been closed now for over four months. The dinner bell has kept serving but through take-out only. The food pantry has continued to give out food, but does it in a different way.  Our Sunday worship services have been done online through zoom meetings as have all the board meetings. The worship services have been generally participated in by more people and our income from pledges and other giving has actually risen over the past few months. Our expenses are lower and thereby allowing us to meet our bills. We got some assistance from the government through the payroll protection plan and a grant from the UCC.

There are other things that have happened that are not so good. Most if not all of the groups that met in the church have stopped. Fundraisers that support the church’s budget like the Fryeburg Fair will not happen this year. While we are trying to figure out a way to do some apple crisp this year it certainly won’t be to the extent of the fair. The Holiday fair will be done differently as well. These are the easiest of the challenges facing the church.

The Capital Campaign has been the hardest hit. While we have still continued to do the necessary preliminary work, we are running out of money to complete the most critical phase of the campaign, which is the master plan and expense accounting of the project. Because the pandemic has created such financial strains on everybody, the resources for money have also dried up. The result will probably lead to a delay in completing the next phases which is phase three and four. We can probably scrape together enough for the completion of Phase three but we would need roughly another $35,000.00 to complete Phase four.

We have a tentative plan to open the church by the first Sunday of Advent if all goes well and we don’t see a surge in the virus like the southern states are experiencing. We are working on cleaning protocols and ways of doing online services while in the church. There is lots of uncertainty about the future and it will take even more work and devotion to keep things working.

Thanks go out to everyone who has stepped up to the challenge so far. We still need your ideas and support to make it the rest of the way. This is truly a time of faith.

May God be with us during our time of need.

All God’s Blessings,

Carl F. Vitters, Moderator

Trustees

It hardly seems possible, but it is August already!   The trustees have been working on budget concerns and want to thank everyone who participated in the budget discussion and approval on July 12th.  We still have many challenges ahead to maintain our operating budget.  Contributions from members and friends of our church are greatly appreciated!

Our next new challenge is a fundraiser “To Go”!   A turkey dinner with all the fixings will be offered on August 7th between 5-7 PM as a “to go” dinner.   This is new territory for us, but we are looking at every opportunity to generate some funds to support our budget.   Please come, encourage your friends to come and support our church by enjoying a delicious dinner.   Volunteers are needed to serve the food  into take-out containers and deliver dinners out the door.   We appreciate your help and support!

The trustees also continue to evaluate the information in our area on Covid-19 as it relates to re-opening our church building.  Our focus is assuring whatever plan we may be able to develop, everyone will have a safe environment!   At this time, we will continue to have food pantry and dinner bell operations and our on-line church services.  We appreciate the efforts of many in our church to allow us to worship together and maintain our connections through the Zoom platform.   Although, our building is not  fully open, we would also like to thank those folks who are maintaining the outside plantings and assuring our lawn area is mowed.

Our prayers and best wishes through these challenging times for good health and peace (as an old song says) to the “dear hearts and gentle people who live and love in our home town!”

Outreach/Food Pantry

With the Corona Virus we have closed the pantry down to clients coming inside. What we have them do is stay in their cars, we take the red wagon out to the bottom of the ramp, and the volunteers go back inside.  Then the client comes and takes the cart to their car to unload and bring it back to the bottom of the ramp. The cart in wiped down with disinfectant outside. Then brought in and we load up for the next client. The hardest part for me is not talking one on one with the clients, asking how they are doing, how’s the family etc. I know all the volunteers feel the same.

I would like to share a conversation with a client that came in, Paul took the cart out to her car and when she saw how much was in it she almost started to cry. I was standing on the ramp I waved to her and said hi. She brought the cart back to the ramp and said that there was a card inside. Then she started to cry and said if it wasn’t for all of you I wouldn’t have made it thru. She threw a kiss and said love you all, take care and stay safe and Thank You for all you do.

Some are unable to be with family right now, the only contact they might have is the Food Pantry.

We are looking for Volunteers to help in the Pantry if you would like to, or know anyone who would like to help, have them call the office  603-447-3851  and leave a message and we will get back to them.

Until further notice we cannot accept any plastic or reusable bags. We have ones that we buy from a distributor. Thank you

The CVCC Food Pantry is open by Appointment Only Tuesdays 9am – 1pm
Serving the villages of Conway, Center Conway, East Conway, Albany, Chatham and Eaton.

The time will come again when we can give hugs and let everyone know we missed them, until then Take Care, Stay Safe and God Bless.

The Outreach Committee:
Anne, Laura, Dawn, Charlyne, Shawn and Sylvia

August Worship Schedule 2020

Sunday, August 2nd 
Scripture: Psalm 8
Special service: remembering our friend Buel “Star” Almquist-Lee

Sunday, August 9th 
Scriptures: Psalm 85:8-13
1 Kings 19:9-18
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
Sermon: “tbd”

Sunday, August 16th
Scripture: Psalm 133
Genesis 45:1-15
Romans 11:29-33
Sermon: “Desperate Faith”

Sunday, August 23rd
Scripture: Psalm 124
Exodus 1:15-22
Romans 12:1-8
Reflection: “Doing What is Humanly Possible”

Sunday, August 30th
Scripture: Psalm 26:1-8
Exodus 3:1-15
Romans 12:9-21
Sermon: “Standing on the Threshold of Glory”

Diaconate Message

Reminder that the first Sunday in August Service will be dedicated to and in remembrance of our dear sister-in-Christ “Star” Buel Almquist-Lee. We hope you will join us on Zoom. Please email cvccwebteam@gmail.com if you are not already on our Virtual Worship email blast.

In Romans 12:9-21 Paul explains what it means to live in complete submission to Christ and gives us our marching orders and it is quite a list that is not always easy. Here’s my abbreviated list:

    • Love sincerely and genuinely
    • Hate evil but hold what is good
    • Love and honor one another
    • Work hard and serve God enthusiastically 
    • Enjoy all people
    • Serve the Lord always
    • Be joyful in hope
    • Patient in affliction
    • Faithful in prayer
    • Share with the needy
    • Practice hospitality
    • Bless those who persecute you
    • Live in harmony
    • Do not take revenge leave that to the righteous anger of God

I know I fall short in many of these and most of them, if not all, at one time or another. Reading this frequently as a young girl, when I was given instructions for what should be done before taking communion. Reading the Ten Commandments, I thought okay this is not so bad, but when my minister’s instructions added that when reading each commandment, you need to add ‘in thought’, then ‘in word’, and then ‘in deed’ after each commandment. It became clear that I was in trouble! But I also learned that God’s Grace does prevail with repentance.
Thank you, Jesus for your sacrifice for us! So, with the right attitudes, right actions of forgiveness, and love will lead to good feelings and bring us all into a closer relationship with our gracious God. The road will be rocking and will include suffering at times. But this is our journey to a glorious eternal life with Christ.
Our prayers and hopes are that our church family is well and being safe as our area is coping with this COVID-19 virus. Continue being patient and prayerful waiting for how we will redesign our worship service and how the country redesigns rules for travels, conducting businesses, and
socializing in the future.

Have a wonderful month and may God Bless you.

Your Diaconate Team

History Corner

This month we will highlight a son of A. Crosby Kennett and his wife Lora (Ferren)

Frank Edison Kennett and his wife, Etta (Churchill).  Frank was born in the village at the turn-of-the century in 1896. The Kennett homes stood and stand proudly on West Main Street. One Victorian was later the home of the Kennett principal where Kennett Middle extension now stands; another to the south of the bank going toward the old lumber yard; also, the two imposing edifices across the street. He was educat- ed in Conway schools but later matriculated at the Congregationalist founded Phillips-Exeter, graduating in 1916.

After school, Frank helped his father with lumber manufacturing until his dad’s death. He became assistant treasurer of the Conway Wood Heel Company; general manager of the Conway Box Company; direc- tor of the Carroll County Trust Company (bank); director of the Carroll County Telephone Company; trustee of the Memorial Hospital as well as the Conway Public Library; Conway Board of Education; second fire chief for the Town of Conway (1936-1948) after Bert Macomber (of our church); chairman of the Republican Town Committee as well as a member of the Governor’s Executive Com- mittee; New England Coal Dealers’ Association; YMCA executive committee; Kearsarge Country Club; Maine Lumberman’s Association; Phi Theta Pai Fraternity; State Sanitorium of Glencliff trustee; the Masons of Mount Washington Lodge; Palestine Commandery and Mystic Shrine. Quite a list of achievements indeed!

Etta Kennett had a most valuable role in the history of Conway. She was the conductor of the Conway Vil- lage Orchestra which she established in 1932. Among the members of that group were Dr. Charles Smith, and Bill Parker, who was one of the Parker Brothers of Monopoly fame. (He used to feed his dozens of cats ground hamburg and steaks during the Great Depression – much to the envy of his neighbors). Profits from concerts were given to Kennett High, the U.S.O, and the Red Cross. Both Etta and Frank joined the church on April 15, 1923 under Reverend H. Rees Jones who hailed from Rindge, New Hampshire. That same day, the parents of beloved teachers Kay and Jeanne Lord also joined – he being Kennett’s secretary for many years.

Etta was frequently at the forefront of musical events at the church – being it plays or musicals or regular ser- vices. She also was a member of the Ladies Circle. Frank was a guiding financial advisor for decades.  He was a trustee during the 1956 expansion of the church during the pastorate of Reverend Lewis Chase. Etta was a member until her death in July 1983 – thus a sixty-year member. Their son, Frank Jr. was also a member of the nominating committee. His three children were active members of the Sunday School when they and their mom, Carol, was a Sunday School teacher. May we thus remember the many contributions of this renowned couple of Conway Village and the extended family.

Contributed by
Brian P. Wiggin
Church Historian

“LIKE” us on Facebook

If you use Facebook please “LIKE” our Facebook Page by clicking the “Like” button at the top of our Facebook page TheBrownChurchConwayNH/ . This will help folks who may not be familiar with our church and are well regarded within the community. You will be notified on your Facebook notifications when we post something new. You in turn, if you choose to, can share that post on your page, which is very helpful in promoting the church, particularly for promoting our events.

Thank you for your support & God Bless