Pastor’s Message

Returning to Worship

“David and the whole house of Israel
were celebrating with all their might
before the Lord…”
2 Samuel 6:5

Returning to worship in Jerusalem, after being denied that freedom for so long, David and the whole nation return with exuberance. They play every instrument they can lay their hands on to sing their praises to God. We too will be returning to our Sanctuary on Sunday, July 4^th, for the first time after a long absence.

Helping us raise our voices to God in praise will be Jane Wilcox Hively at the piano. Being a daughter of a former Minister and Interim Minister, the Rev. Dr. Richard Wilcox, makes Jane well acquaint- ed with our church. Jane received her voice training from a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University and a Master’s in Music Degree from Schiller Colle-Strasbourg-France. She has studied opera in London, England and Celtic Harp studies in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has used her music at the Cotting School for Disabled Children in Lexington, MA. and performed regularly for MUSE (Music Service the Elderly) in the greater Boston area. Jane has taught voice at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. and at Brewster and Fryeburg Academies. Her husband and she run “Mountain Stream Music” and play for weddings, seminars, and special occasions. She has played for two N.H. Gubernatorial Inaugurations. She is an accomplished harpist, guitarist, and dulcimer player as well as taking professional classes in playing the organ for 3 years in Portland, M.E.

Jane has agreed to serve as our Interim Music Director, Choir Director and Soloist. for the 2021 worship season. She looks forward to beginning Choir practice on Thursday, August 12^th, at 7:00 p.m. with our Choir looking forward to beginning worshipping music in September.

For the foreseeable future, the parking around, and access to, our Church will be a problem. Construction has removed our parking area in front of the Brown Church, though we have been assured parking will be available each Sunday in the dirt area that has been created. The sidewalks have been removed, so walking surfaces will be uneven with loose gravel and dirt. People who have mobility issues should be allowed to use this area or the area behind the Church Building (on the lower level) or the parking spots on the drive normally used by our Pantry.  People who have no mobility issue may park behind the former Method- ist Church (across the street from the Brown Church) or in the School Parking lot. Those who feel these provisions are not safe for them may continue to use Zoom until the construction is finished.

On Sunday, July 4^th we will be offering Communion and singing traditional and contemporary hymns while we see how music translates across the Zoom platform. Jane Wilcox Hively will be offering preservice music – a medley of American Spiritual Selections. We will of course return to singing our beloved hymns and our traditional liturgy.

Looking forward to exuberance and praise, Rev. John Hughes

Rev. John Hughes
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What would America look like
without its churches and
faith-based communities?

“Why bother with this teacher [Jesus]
anymore?”
Mark 5:35

      If our churches closed and our faith-based communities ceased to exist, the people who are most vulnerable would suffer. As fewer and fewer people find themselves in a house of worship each weekend, hearing about how faith groups are helping people in need does not happen. In light of this reality, Faith Counts, a nonprofit organization that works to boost religion’s image, has launched a new website spelling out how people of faith serve the broader world.
Did you know?
17% of hospitals in the U.S. are faith-based and
3.8 million American kids attend religious schools.
The Salvation Army, a religiously affiliated charity, has handed out more than 50 million free meals since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Samaritans Purse, a faith-based religious group, set up the medical tents in Central Park, NYC to help with the onslaught of Covid-19 patients that needing tending.
Religion contributes 1.2 trillion dollars to the US economy.
Religion has 600,000 followers on social media, which gives us 1.4 million positive messages on a variety of social media platforms.
There are 344,000 US congregations.
There are 1.5 million programs that help society which are religiously based.
40% of the top charities in the USA are faith-based

These statistics show us that Our Faith Counts! Our faith works both to connect us to our own lives and, through love, kindness, and a deeper sense of purpose, it allows us to connect to people in need. The Brown Church of Conway Village is part of this great American reality.

Do you know someone who would like to be part of this revelation of faith?
Invite them to come with you to worship
or participate with you on Zoom.

Rev. John Hughes