From your Resource Presbyter
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Dear Friends,
So this afternoon I was reading an article in Presbyterian Outlook by Brian Coulter on the seven marks of a vital congregation that was just offered by the Offiice of Vital Congregations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Here they are for us all to ponder:
- Lifelong discipleship formation
- Intentional authentic evangelism
- Outward incarnational focus
- Empower servant leadership
- Spirit inspired woship
- Caring relationships
- Ecclesial Health
Share these with your session and see what conversation this stirs up, and know that we are here for each other as we seek to be vital congregations in PNNE! Let's talk!
Joy and Peace,
Scott
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Gospel reading for Friday, February 3: Mark 9:2-13
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 2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. 11Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? 13But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”
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The Transfiguration is recorded in all three of the Synoptic Gospels (Mark 9:2–13; Matthew 17:1–13; Luke 9:28–36) and is understood to have been the revelation of the eternal glory of the second person of the Trinity, which was normally veiled during Christ’s life on earth. The event can also be interpreted as an anticipatory Resurrection appearance, and the presence of the two prophets is often taken to signify Christ’s fulfillment of the Mosaic Law and the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament). According to tradition, the event took place on Mount Tabor. The Transfiguration is also referenced in the Second Letter of Peter, where Peter’s presence as an eyewitness to Christ’s majesty is used to assure the readers that his message is true (1:16–18).
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Common Prayer for Sunday Feb 5: Bedford Presbyterian Church, NH
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Rev. John Sawyer
4 Church Road, Bedford, NH, 03110
This Prayer and Blessing are from The Northumbria Community’s Celtic Daily Prayer. BPC has used these words over the past several years on Mission Trips and at the end of worship services.
Prayer
Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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~~~~~~~~ PNNE AND THE WIDER CHURCH
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Camp and Retreat Sunday - Feb 12
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 The PC(USA) designates various days on the church calendar for special emphasis. Click the button below for a file with resources for celebrating Camp and Retreat Sunday on February 12, 2023. (Or whenever your faith community chooses to lift up Camp and Retreat Ministry.)
PNNE is fortunate that Camp Wilmot and Camp At The Eastward (CATE) have operated within its bounds. Read about the background of CATE on the Mission At The Eastward (MATE) history page.
And, we are fortunate that the Camp Wilmot Vice Chair, Rachel Allen, has provided a bulletin insert for use on Feb 12. See the second button below for a PDF file, or download the file as JPG next to this text.
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Short-Term Mission Trip Toolkit
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Planning a mission trip in 2023? The Short-Term Mission Trip Toolkit from Presbyterian World Mission offers insightful resources and practical tools to plan, prepare for, lead, and participate in short-term, cross-cultural trips with humility and an openness to learn and grow. Free online resources are available. Click the button below.
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New Hampshire Council of Churches Action Alert, Feb 8
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Please join NHCC, the Statewide Gun Violence Prevention Coalition (led by our friends at Granite State Progress), Voices of Faith, and friends at the State House on February 8th at 8 AM for Gun Violence Prevention Lobby Day. We will offer presence and visibility from 8 AM-9 AM. Clergy, please be visible in a collar, or other vestments!
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Human Rights Watch 2023 World Report
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| The 2023 World Report Is Live |
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 From HRW:
"The obvious conclusion to draw from the litany of human rights crises in 2022—from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deliberate attacks on civilians in Ukraine and Xi Jinping’s open-air prison for the Uyghurs in China to the Taliban’s putting millions of Afghans at risk of starvation—is that unchecked authoritarian power leaves behind a sea of human suffering.
In a world of shifting power, we found opportunity in preparing our 2023 World Report, which examines the state of human rights in nearly 100 countries. Each issue needs to be understood and addressed on its own merits, and each requires leadership. Any state that recognizes the power that comes from working in concert with others to affect human rights change can provide that leadership. There is more space, not less, for governments to stand up and adopt rights-respecting plans of action."
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Montreat 2023 Women's Connection
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Women’s Connection 2023 will be a time for women to connect with  old and new friends; a time to care for yourself; a time for space and Sabbath. As in years past, we will do this together through powerful and authentic worship led by women, space for honest and faithful conversation, and allowing time for discernment and renewing rest. Our hope is you will experience spiritual nourishment, inspiration, and discernment.
Keynote speaker Kate Bowler is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and an associate professor of American religious history at Duke University.
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New Job Post: Synod of the Northeast Administrative Coordinator
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 The Administrative Coordinator will serve as a member of the Synod Mission Team providing administrative coordination for members of the Mission Team and ensuring the effective and seamless work of the mission and ministry of the Synod. This position will be responsible for supporting logistics, communication and administrative coordination of Synod programs and supporting the ecclesial work of the Stated Clerk.
This is a full-time, exempt position – salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applications are open to all qualified persons. Once employed, the staff person must live within the bounds of the Synod of the Northeast. Relocation costs are not provided. Full medical benefits are provided through the Board of Pension. The position has a 180-day probation period. |
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Young Adult Volunteers (YAV) Update
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 The YAV program announces two new program updates for 2023! The Tucson YAV Site is turning 20! We are grateful for the success of our oldest YAV site ministry and look forward to celebrating Tucson’s achievements. If you would like to learn more about how you can engage with virtual and in-person events to celebrate Tucson, use this link: tucsonborderlandsyav.org/20years.html, or reach out to James Martin at tucsonborderlandsyav@gmail.com. Also, for the past seven years we have been partnering with the Church of Scotland to send United States YAVs to Scotland, but we are excited to announce that for the 2023–24 year, we will be welcoming Scottish YAVs to join our national program! Stay tuned for more details as we welcome the Scottish young adults into our YAV program.
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~~~~~~~~ PNNE AND CHURCH'S EVENTS
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REMINDER: Events previously featured in Connections will be on the PNNE HOME PAGE until the date of the event passes. If you're looking for an event you saw in Connections, check our home page.
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Community Church of New Boston, NH - Valentine Serenades
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 Note: Not all Connection readers will be in their service area, and, the reservation deadline has passed! ~ ed.
Valentine Serenades: The choir of Community Church of New Boston is again offering Valentine Serenades from February 6- 14. Members of the choir will come to your house to sing 1-2 songs. The serenade also comes with a rose, a box of artisan candy, and a card. This year they are adding the option of a song appealing to children. Cost is $35.
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Bedford PC, NH, Schedules All-Church Potluck
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Bedford PC has scheduled a Potluck Lunch for Febrary 5, 11:30 AM after their Annual Congregational Meeting. They are celebrating all that is good in the life of their church through Fellowship and food! The focus is on chili!
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Month: January Year-to-date
Income $1,330 $1,330
Expenses $19,842 $19,842
Balance ($18,512) ($18,512)
Notes: the sizable negative balance demands an explanation. PNNE reports on a cash basis, meaning that income is not counted until it is received, and bills are uncounted until paid. Half of the above expenses are the yearly Synod obligation and yearly liability insurance premium. Next will be the General Assembly payment.
PNNE’s two major sources of income are member churches’ Per Capita and Mission Giving. Here is where the cash basis comes into play. We record this income as we receive it during year and it often lags behind the expenses. The income and expenses, however, even out at the end of the year.
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Kearsarge Community PC (NH) participating in Souper Bowl of Caring
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 Kearsarge Community PC (NH) has designated Feb 5 and Feb 12 as their focus for the national Souper Bowl of Caring. They'll put a table-sized football field in the narthex for placement of donated items at one end of the field if they favor the underdog (that's KCPC's term ~ ed.) or at the other end if the favored team is supported. KCPC has a great history of donating food items to local food pantries -every- Sunday. Donations go to pantries in Danbury, Wilmot, and New London. The organizers of the pantries are very appreciative.
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"In Vermont" - Talent is Discovered!
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The link to this video was sent along by the folks from the Presbyterian Church of Barnet, VT, with the following explanation. If you want to skip ahead and see the credits, they start at about 3:00 into the video ~ ed.
"Here is a fun video from our 'tech guy' in Barnet, John Heartson. He has worked closely with our pastors these past few years, and with their help and our organist (and ukulele-ist), Amanda Cashin, they had an idea. During the depth of the pandemic, those 3 would put together our worship service and send it out on Facebook.
After sufficient pondering, they asked Derrick Samuels, Trustee, from Jamaica for help (he does catering and has a food stand by the local store on Sunday afternoons in the summer). They rounded up other folks from our church and from our neighborhood. John worked countless hours with new computer software on this project. That is Pastor Dakota on the drum set!" ~ Dennis Kauppila
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~~~~~~~~ REGULAR FEATURES.........
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Connecting: For All Ministers
We have two weekly opportunities for ministers to connect for support and encouragement. Click here to join the Zoom meeting at the days and times, below.
- Mondays at 10:00 am
- Tuesdays at 3:00 pm
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Connecting: For Retired Clergy
Fourth Wednesday of the Month at 10am.
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February – Maine
This in-between month bears the brunt
of being not quite ready to get ready.
A fair amount of lingering goes on, not daring
to look forward yet, reluctant to look back.
The jovial season fades, fast dissolving into memory.
Valentines and Presidents Day raise a mild, almost
pathetic cheer. And all the while the chill persists,
the snow pack clambers ever higher, well sprinkled
with the customary condiments of salt and sand,
those vinegary splashes where the dogs performed their duty.
And, for the shortest of them all, this month - that only leaps
once every four - can seem to hang around forever,
‘til it slumps, imperceptible at first, toward
the melting of mud season, the mercifully
downward slopes of March.
J. Barrie Shepherd
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