Week of July 7, 2024

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)

Summer -- in Hanover Center!  Starting THIS SUNDAY (July 7), our Sunday morning service moves ca. 2 miles up the road to the beautiful Hanover Center church!  Our summer services start, as usual, at 10 am.  If you go to Etna first, you should notice that the parking lot's fairly empty. Just go back out to the road, turn right, and head to Hanover Center.  We'll have some signage (is that a word?) posted as well.  

(Both) Summer Bible Discussions continue:  Again this summer, we'll continue to offer a Bible discussion on Sunday mornings at 9 am in the fellowship hall at the Hanover Center church.  Our topic will be a chapter-by-chapter discussion of the Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy).  Join us for coffee, some morning-appropriate snacks, and a chance to spend some time in consideration and discussion of God-inspired, gracious advice and instruction written (originally) for early leaders of the Christian church -- words that echo  through the millennia.

Our Wednesday morning Bible discussions, which explore and amplify topics from the previous Sunday morning's sermon, also continue this summer.  As usual, we'll meet at Trumbull Hall in Etna at 10 am Wednesdays.  Also as usual, there'll be coffee, snacks, fellowship, and great discussion.

Communion Sunday:  We will be celebrating Communion in our 10 am Sunday worship service this week. If you livestream with us, you should have a cracker or a piece of bread and a small cup (sip) of juice or other drink available if you would like to join us in this celebration.

Crafting Together: This long-running fellowship group meets this month on Monday July 8 at 1 pm in Trumbull Hall. Bring a craft and enjoy the company of others while you knit, sew, or pursue some other way of making things.

A Summer Tradition -- Coming Soon:  Our 7th annual Upper Valley Community Band Concert, with homemade pies and ice cream is just a few weeks away!  
Saturday July 20th at 6:30pm on the Etna Green 195 Etna road. Rain or shine, free, donations are welcome for our Christian Outreach.
There will be a pie sign-up sheet at our Sunday Services on July 7th and 14th. We ask that the pie(s) can be brought to the Etna Church, Trumbull Hall by 5 pm on July 20th, to allow time to prepare them for serving .
The annual summer Band Concert is always a good time for great music, fellowship and pie and ice cream.
The photo below is from our first Summer Band Concert. 

Hanover Center Old Timers’ Fair:  Dina Cutting announced last Sunday that last Saturday's Hanover Center Fair raised about $7200, and there were additional generous donations totaling ca. $5000!  Said Dina: "I think the church is going to get painted!".   She also added that the joy of the event comes not as much from the funds raised, but mostly from the spirit of community and fellowship embodied by the fair.  She thanked everyone who volunteered and helped out in so many different ways to make the fair the success it was.  God is good indeed!

 Mark Your Calendars -- BIG Auction Event Coming Soon!
Saturday, August 10 at noon until sold out
Under the tent on the Etna Baptist Church lawn
195 Etna Road, Etna, NH
Food will be available for sale!
Cash or check only!
Please consider making donations of furniture, collectibles, artwork, and tools. For drop-off details, contact Susan Johnson.
Albert Roberts, Auctioneer, #2802
Sponsored by the Etna Ladies Aid Society.
Proceeds to benefit the Upper Valley community and service organizations.
Thank you for your support!

The passage from Ecclesiastes 3 quoted above shows my age, as I cannot think of it without hearing the Byrds' version of Pete Seeger's song (Turn, Turn, Turn) playing via the music streamer that seems to dwell in my head! ;)  But our lives, and the church, really do have seasons.  Summer is the time for growth, for maturation. The statement under our church "logo" on our website's home page crystallizes our intent:  Helping people move toward God.  We pray that you join us on the journey.