Join us as we journey through this Lent with Henri Nouwen! Sign up to get the short daily devotional in written and audio format delivered to you via email every morning during Lent. Link in bio. #etnanh #hanovernh
Notes from Sunday’s sermon. Catch the whole message on the podcast. Link in bio. #church #hanovernh
Join us tonight @ 7pm for a special Christmas Eve candlelight service. All are welcome! #etnanh #hanovernh
Socks for Ukraine: We have 100 pairs of wool socks for soldiers in Ukraine, and we will be collecting money for the socks (they cost $6 per pair, and we’ll help pay for shipping). Sofia, our new friend from Ukraine who talked with us Dec. 4, said prayers are just as important to boost morale for the men and women defending their country—they are buoyed by knowing that people around the world are praying for them. So the prayers are as vital as the socks—hence “pairs and prayers.” There is a collection box for the financial contributions and written prayers in Trumbull Hall. We’re collecting through December. Write checks to Etna Baptist Church, memo line: “Ukraine socks.” Thank you!
“Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1) What is this? This is mercy. Yes, the stump of Jesse is the proof of our own failure. But there is mercy even here, especially here. God delights to bring hope from hopeless situations, to bring life where no one thought it could possibly happen. Mercy is the outpouring of God’s abundant love on people who haven’t done anything to deserve it. Mercy is a shoot growing from the stump of Jesse. Mercy is waiting for you and me.
It all unravels Sunday, December 11 at 3pm!
At Unique Gifts from Luxurious Yarns (U.G.L.Y.), ugly is beautiful! At the factory of the world’s leading supplier of ugly Christmas sweaters, founder Sam Ebenezer pulls all the strings to make sure no stitch is dropped. With a huge order looming to get out the day before Christmas, the team of Bob Cratchit (“that’s pronounced Crochet”), Tiny Tom and others weave together a plan of attack, while Sam encounters three mysterious visitors who not only help overcome some ugly obstacles, but bring the beautiful good news of Christmas! With apologies to a well-loved Christmas Carol, don your ugliest Christmas sweater, and have a dickens of a good time with A Christmas Yarn!
Free admission for all! Caroling and refreshments will follow the performance.
So we are two churches but we’re one church… I’ll explain.
We are a small town, interdenominational church family here in the villages of Etna and Hanover Center. Our “yoked” church is a partnership between the American Baptist Church (est. 1771) in Etna and the United Church of Christ (est. 1768) in Hanover Center. As a result of this “yoke” our church family has grown to represent a variety of church traditions: Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Northern American Baptist, Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, and various other Bible churches.
So, two churches but one church family. Did that make sense?
Grace is gift. There is no pre-qualification process. Full episode available via link in bio #joseph #etnanh #hanovernh
Our second annual Fall Festival is just around the corner! Excited to host this together with all our friends here at the church and at the @etnacountrystore . Come one, come all! #hanovernh #uppervalleyvtnh
Relaunched the podcast. New name, new plan, same old me.
Hop over to the bio and click the link to subscribe.
One of my (Chris) favorite moments on Sunday is the Kids Moment. Every week all the kids come to the front and we talk through the question of the week (catechism). I’m never quite sure what those kids are going to say! Sometimes is silly. Sometimes it’s just profound. But no matter what, before we send them out to their small group discussion I let them know that their church family loves them and is proud of them. I’m just convinced that the community of faith is what our children need these days more than ever.
Jesus has a few entries in the “famous last words” category. Swipe and see if you can fill in the blanks.
In the book of Malachi, the world is in disruption. Even the religious institutions are failing. But then it says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another…”
This week we’re starting down the pathway of discovering how the conversations we have with one another are literally world-shaping.
Hope you’ll join us.
The Easter Sunrise service is a particular favorite. And this year, the Easter Breakfast is back!
In response to multiple requests, we are extending our prayer vigil for peace between Ukraine and Russia to every Sunday evening. This prayer vigil will be held from 7:00pm-7:30pm, in person and online. Check out our website for more details.
Join us this Sunday evening at 7pm for a prayer service for the peace between Ukraine and Russia. #hanovernh #uppervalleyvtnh
Every week, @cchristophergreen makes a short video guide to the coming Sunday's service. The goal: to prepare our hearts for worship before we come together. You can check them out over at our website ever week.
In the Scriptures, the wilderness is a place of testing. It always means being separated from our normal means of providing for ourselves so that we would learn to trust God for our life, health, and growth.
Sometimes we are thrust into the wilderness without a choice. The loss of a job, of health, of a loved one. A situation that we can't find our way out of.
Lent, though, is the wilderness we get to choose. None of us are forced to do it or judged if we don't. But by laying something down for the 40 days of Lent and by choosing to turn our attention to God instead, we are choosing to find our comfort, joy and peace in God alone - to trust Him for all our needs.
We’ve put some resources together on our website for you to use during this season of Lent. Check out the link in our bio @etnahanovercenterchurch .
We’re convinced that if you make church fun, engaging and meaningful for kids, they will WANT to be there! Here’s the latest project that @marjorierose284 and @robin.b.henry helped put together. Loving that our kids are making their faith (and their space in the church) their own!
The latest issue of the Vine is out there! Swing by the church to pick up your copy or sign up for our weekly newsletter and you’ll get it via email this Friday.