The tree isn’t up yet in Rockefeller Plaza, but the SHARE gift trees are up at Messiah. That’s because we  have to get gifts for our adoptive family by December 7th. If you want to share Christmas this year then take a tag from the tree, write your name on its mate and put it in the basket provided. Wrap presents for adults (don’t wrap kids’ gifts), put the tag on the gift and also a regular Christmas gift tag with the person’s name on it. Your generosity is appreciated.

It’s time to gather up some good stuff to donate to our Charity Auction. It can be new, gently used, or imaginative (like pie of the month club!). Rubber chickens are okay.

You need to bring items to church before the auction. Call Carolyn J. for info on when.

The Auction is December 6th, and will be run by our own auctioneer, Chuck M. See you there?

Announcements!

It is that time of year to remember our college students. Once again we will be sending a care package of home made cookies to our students. How can you help? Make sure we have our students name and addresses, offer to bake cookies, sign up sheet on back table, drop off shipping supplies (tissue paper, mailing tape, gallon zip top bags), help put the packages together or pray for our students as finals time approaches.

We will put the care packages together either Tuesday 12/2 or Wednesday 12/3 at 6:30pm. Contact Kay 471-0384 or petersen@standex.com for info.

SHARE is looking for any gift cards to help buy turkeys this season. If you would like to pick one up please go to Market Basket or Shaws as it would be greatly appreciated.

Messiah’s Mission Focus Team has met and plans are underway!  Our first step is to set up individual interviews and focus groups with our Kairos consultant, Pastor Renee LiaBraaten, for the purpose of confidentially discussing opinions and ideas about Messiah, our mission goals, and the upcoming capital campaign.  This process is open to all who are interested and able to participate.  Interviews and groups will be held Nov. 20^th-22^nd.  If you’d like to participate, please contact Roxanne Meldrum at 672-5623 or at meldrumnh@verizon.net.  Find more information regarding the team’s process and progress in the November newsletter.

Anne Marie House is desperately seeking diapers and wipes!  Sizes 5 and 6 needed!  Give to Roxanne Meldrum or Marge Ball.

Nursery sign-up is in the back hall. Please help out!

FISH has developed into an acronym for Friends In Service Helping. It originated in England-during the war people would put the fish sign in their window and it would show that this was a safe haven for anyone to stay and be safe. The organization has been in this area for over 30 years.   It is a volunteer transportation service, transporting mostly the elderly to Dr’s visits, treatments, such as dialysis or physical therapy or counseling.   It is not restricted to the elderly.

All are invited to Messiah on Sunday, the 16th at 7:00 pm for a global family night experience led by Watermark. Watermark, a relational music ministry team sponsored by Youth Encounter, ministers in churches, schools, assisted living homes, detention centers, hospitals, and orphanages in the U.S. and Denmark.

Parcheesi, anyone? Messiah will host a Game Night on Saturday, November 15th at 7:00 pm. Come for an evening of fun, fellowship, and - yes - BINGO (with fabulous prizes!).

Anne Marie House is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a party on Sunday the 16th at 2:00-3:30 pm at Nashua Presbyterian Church. All Messiah members who volunteer at AMH are invited to come.

Interfaith Thanksgiving service to be held at Boys and Girls Club in Milford on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 4 pm. The theme will be “Home for the Holidays”.

Women’s Advent Tea - Women of Messiah are invited to the annual Advent Tea.  Friends welcome!  The Bonfiglio ladies will host on Friday, December 5^th at 6:00 p.m. Details to follow.

SAVE THE DATE- the December Holiday Dinner & Auction will be Sat., Dec. 6th; Details will follow. Have ideas see Jahns or Hammerstroms.

Mark your calendars for the weekend of January 3-4. On Saturday, you are invited to a Ministry Planning Workshop as the culmination of our Mission Focusing process. This event will serve to put what we have discovered in the process to work in the life of the congregation. On Sunday the 4th, our consultant, Pr. Renee Liabraaten will report to the congregation, and preach the word of God’s abundant grace.

Mark you calendar! “Faith, Hope & Love” will be putting on a benefit concert at Messiah on Sun. Jan. 18^th 2009. More Info to follow…

Share Food Pantry is in NEED! They are looking for any kind of rice, can fruits, fruit juice and shampoo. Please place in basket in the hallway. Thank You!

Bagging, Capturing, Mugging

Got your attention? These are not what they seem—they are duties of the Greeters, the Christ in Action (CIA), and the visitors visitors. Let’s go over them again, so you can refresh your memory as to what to do when you’re a greeter, etc.

Greeters – arrive early for worship (10 am would be super!), stand by the front door and greet visitors. [How do you know they’re not members you don’t know? Ask them if they are visiting today. NOTE: Members should not be miffed by being asked this question, they should go out, have a cup of coffee with the greeters and get to know them better!] Hand the visitor an Information for our Guests brochure, from the table by the door. Help the visitors either find a seat, or introduce them to a handy member who will chat with them.

CIA – this super secret squadron of hospitality helpers patrols the narthex, waiting to spot visitors. Once they are found, CIA agents engage them in welcoming language and introduce them to others. They also encourage visitors to fill out a visitor’s card, so that they might receive a mailing from us. First or second time visitors are bagged. (Given a bag full of information, crackers for the kids, and lovely parting gifts!

Visitors Visitors – No, I’m not repeating myself – these are people who visit our visitors. They’re also called “muggers” since they bring a gift of Messiah coffee mugs. Marge coordinates the VV, who work the varying towns.

What should you do, as a regular worshiper? Not everyone is a greeter, CIA agent, or Visitors Visitor (though you can be if you’d like). But everyone can have a conversation. Look for folks who appear to need someone to discuss the sermon with, or find out about the upcoming social event. And you know what? They don’t have to be visitors! The idea is to include people in your after worship coffee circle.

Here’s news from our own Ryan B., who is traveling through middle America with Captive Free….

October 9, 2008 11:21PM

I’m writing my first blog. I pray that I won’t be up too long. I can’t sleep and I have nothing to do. (plus KJ’s mom asked us to write some, so I figure if people have noticed then I should). I guess I will start with training. I never thought that I would meet a better group of random people from across the globe. 50 or so teamers and staff. I have me some really great people that have really helped me stay focused and enhance who I truly am (and to my team, its the weird crazy one who kids seem to be attracted too).

With so many people, you expect them to be nothing like your friends back home. I found that people I first thought were very different from me were actually some of the people that I miss the most because we became so close. In one month you don’t think you could get so close to so many but I miss all of them very much.

So far the road has been everything they told us it would be. Ups and downs and the unexpected. I remember that the best in our first booking. We were all very excited to start on the road. When we got there we started setting up, next thing we knew it was five minutes before we were supposed to be ready. GAH!!!!

At that first booking, we had a very interesting and meaningful experience. We went to a prison. Since Andrew was only 17, he couldn’t legally join us. So he had to go and wait. We had to then figure out what to do without our djembe player. KJ had to stay on guitar and Chantelle on vocals. SO it was up to me and Kara. Well I had never played a djembe before and been able to get a beat so Kara played that. Many think that sound techs aren’t the most talented people in the world. I was the only one left to play bass. I had knowledge in guitar and applied it to bass. I had trouble getting used to a five string bass but other than having to read he music from a binder and figuring out where some notes were I did great. “Just a Sound Tech.” PSH!!!

I am very glad we have a very diverse team musically. We have with us 14 instruments (3 basses, 2 acoustic guitars, 2 electric guitars, a drum kit, a djembe, an alto saxophone, a viola, a recorder, a melodica, and a keyboard). Taking away all the Youth Encounter equipment, I own the most instruments on the road (and I’m not even on stage that much!!) We are trying to incorporate all the instruments as much as we can as we adjust to life on the road.

I would like to thank all those who have supported us so far whether it be people from home or those we have met. We have met some really great host families and some really great people. I hope that everyone has had a similar experience we have ad or better.

I would like to end with this. While at the prison, we had a Q&A time. Towards the end of it a gentleman seated towards the back stood up and thanked us for being there (as all the others so far had)  he then continued and thanked us for being positive role models for youth especially in this day and age. That is something my team and I have really took to heart. It really helps knowing that the hour we spent with those inmates gave me a personal goal for this year to be a better role model for youth. We may be with the inmates for a short while but if I give an extra five minutes to someone it can pplant a seed that can grow to touch even more.

Thanks for reading my first blog!! Peace!
JEA BOY!!! ITS DONE!! MLCY!! 11:23PM

Ash Street Shelter Meal for Nov. 13th  -   Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
1 bag of frozen hash browns (cubed)
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 lb. pkg diced ham
Combine all ingredients, put into 9 x 13 casserole.

Top with 2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

At a special congregational meeting on September 14th, the fellowship of Messiah determined that they would contract the services of Renee Liabratten of Kairos to lead us in a Mission Focus process and a Mission Freedom Campaign to retire once and for all the debt incurred with the construction of the church building. The focusing process will enable us to view ourselves from the outside and discern the next path we should follow in service to our Lord. The debt reduction campaign will enable us to free up resources for the ministry opportunities we discover. The two together will energize us and point us in the direction of growth in faith, growth in stewardship, growth in outreach to our community, and growth in our evangelism!