Conway Village
Congregational Church
April 2024
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Trustees Message & Flood Recovery Update
Spring is here, but with a couple of feet of new snow on the ground. As a result of the storm, we were unable to have the Palm Sunday Service. It is always a tough call, especially since John, the Diaconate and Web team put so much time into preparing the services.
In March, the Trustees and Council continued discussing flood repairs. The crawlspace work is not done yet, the replacement of the soil is still to be done. The oil smell is still there. Cleaning out the food pantry and other parts of the church is ongoing; hard to do when it is cold inside. An application has been filed with FEMA, but it is a reimbursement program, so funds are not received until after repairs are completed.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the Special Meeting on April 21st. The worship service will start at 9:30, and the meeting will follow immediately after the service.
At the Annual Meeting, you were all given a list of 6 options and a survey to return. We received 13 surveys back. Each of the 6 options have been looked into and we will provide the findings to you. A packet of information will be mailed to all members for you to review prior to the meeting.
This meeting is important, and your feedback is needed. Once an option is decided on, the Council can move forward in planning the next steps.
Ideally, as warmer weather comes, we hope to get the Food Pantry and Dinner Bell back up and running. Funds will need to be raised to get the water and plumbing work done, install a hot water heater and connect a propane tank.
We have some fundraising events that are still in the planning stages. These help get the word out to the community about the flood and help raise funds for the repairs.
- The first one is at the American Legion, a Fish Fry on April 19th from 4-7:00pm; this one is set.
- The second one is on June 9th at the Tuckerman Brewery 3-6pm with the Blue Grit Blues Band, still working out details.
- The next one is a joint yard sale with the Conway Historical Society on July 13th.
We are not having the Spring Event this year, so we hope to have more along with the yard sale as we have done in the past at the Spring event. Lastly, is the Fryeburg Fair which is a “must do”. We are working on what needs to be done to the building to make that happen.
Anne Getchell
From the Deacon’s Bench
Looking Forward
Celebrating Easter, Christ’s resurrection and victory over sin and death leads to new beginnings for us. As stated in the well-known scripture John 3:16: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This was accomplished nearly 2,000 years ago on a cross and in an empty tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Thousands of people heard the story of Jesus from the many eyewitnesses of that first Holy Week and Easter morning. Lives have been changed and renewed from those Christ followers and those who followed after as they con- tinued to share Jesus’ story ever since. Hallelujah! What a Savior! He gives us the greatest gift of all: Love, Grace, Undeserved forgiveness, and Hope—new beginnings!
Spring brings new beginnings that we look forward to each year. Don’t you just love to see the spring flowers pop up through the soil and bring bouquets of color and fragrance to the world! The tree’s buds bring shades of lemony and lime green adding to the freshness of the spring air. Oh yes, we can’t forget the tweeting sounds of the birds singing to each other! It’s just glorious—another gift from the Father!
God did Good! So, so good!
Another thing I’m looking forward to is welcoming Deb Arnold to the membership of our congregation here at the Brown Church. Deb first visited our church last August. She quickly became active in our church community, helping wherever she could. She’s very active in the Women’s Bible Study group and lends her interesting comments to our discussion. Most recently, she volunteered to join the music team in selecting music for our worship services. She will officially join our church family on April 14th.
Throughout the year, we look forward to having special time with our loved ones, like family reunions or with friends. We look forward to the change of seasons and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation in our valley. Many of us look forward to the change of sports seasons, too!
Are you noticing a pattern here? God has gifted us with many blessings, one of which is new begin- nings. Some of the change is around us. The important change is within us.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
How do we accept change? Are we ‘a glass half empty’ or ‘a glass half full’ kind of people? Do we live in God’s will with the Hope that He has gifted us? Do we trust His Love and Grace? If so, are we look- ing forward to the April 21st Special Meeting following church to glimpse at God’s plan for our new begin- nings as the Brown Church? Are we praying for God’s guidance and wisdom in our decisions? I have been asking myself these questions and asking these things in my prayers.
Trusting in God’s wisdom and his faithfulness, I close with this promise:
“For I know the plans I Have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you Hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11