Nov 7: GRATITUDE Daily Devotiona
Scripture: Philippians 4:6 — Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Reflection: Pausing to pray with gratitude empowers us to face our concerns and anxieties. Releasing concerns creates space for calm and centeredness, the capacity to be renewed and present to whatever may be going on.
Prompt: Spend a few minutes in prayer, acknowledging your worries while also expressing gratitude. Release what is troubling you through prayer. Put it down, create space and liberate yourself to regain resilience.
SONGS:
- Prayer by Andrea Bocelli, Céline Dion: https://youtu.be/qt_OkgSOrkU?si=gOKuTa3HTDmlv6_n
On Prayer— Kahlil Gibran
Then the priestess said, Speak to us of Prayer.
And he answered, saying:
You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.
For what is prayer but the expansion of yourself into the living ether?
And if it is for your comfort to pour your darkness into space, it is also for your delight to pour forth the dawning of your heart.
And if you cannot but weep when your soul summons you to prayer, she should spur you again and yet again, though weeping, until you shall come laughing.
When you pray you rise to meet in the air those who are praying at that very hour, and whom save in prayer you may not meet.
Therefore let your visit to that temple invisible be for naught but ecstasy and sweet communion.
For if you should enter the temple for no other purpose than asking you shall not receive:
And if you should enter into it to humble yourself you shall not be lifted:
Or even if you should enter into it to beg for the good of others you shall not be heard.
It is enough that you enter the temple invisible.
I cannot teach you how to pray in words.
God listens not to your words save when He Himself utters them through your lips.
And I cannot teach you the prayer of the seas and the forests and the mountains.
But you who are born of the mountains and the forests and the seas can find their prayer in your heart,
And if you but listen in the stillness of the night your shall hear them saying in silence,
“Our God, who are our winged self, it is thy will in us that willeth.
It is thy desire in us that desireth.
It is thy urge in us that would turn our nights, which are thine, into days which are thine also.
We cannot ask thee for aught, for thou knowest our needs before they are born in us:
Thou art our need; and in giving us more of thyself thou givest us all.”
Events with JCC and around town: Thurs, Nov 7 – Sun, Nov 10
THURS, Nov 7
- Community Resource: LIBRARIES
- 10am-7pm • Jackson Library (more info: https://jacksonlibrary.org/)
- 2-5pm• Bartlett Public Library (more info: https://www.bartlettpubliclibrary.org/)
- Community Event: SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING
Noon-2pm • Carroll County Adult Education, 680 White Mountain Highway, Unit #10, Tamworth, NH 03886- Free
- Register Here: https://studentportal.literacypro.com/nh/providers/266
- Description: A Nationally Designated Best Practice Program. Training on how to recognize the warning signs of suicide increases and how to connect with the person to get appropriate help including strategies on how to understand and access key community services for an effective and comprehensive response.
- Community Event: MAJESTIC CAFE: Gia & Chris Osborne
7pm • Majestic Cafe, Conway- Walk-ins are always welcome, but space is limited; reservations are available to guarantee your seat and to indicate a seating choice.
- $5 per person cover charge.
- Doors at 6 pm; music at 7pm.
- Come in early and grab a panini before the music starts
- Info and tickets:: https://www.conwaymajestic.com/caf
- Community Event: SAW-WHET OWL RESEARCH PROGRAM
7pm • Jackson Public Library- The Northern Saw-whet Owl is the smallest (and some would say cutest) owl species in eastern North America. A New Hampshire resident, this elusive species often avoids detection due to its small size, nocturnal habits and preference for the densest forests. Unusual among North American owls, saw-whet owls migrate south in the fall, allowing researchers an opportunity to study them. In this presentation, Kathy Seymour will share her observations and photos from 15 years of saw-whet owl research for Mass Audubon. You will also learn about the unique adaptations that make the saw-whet successful as a bird of prey while also being prey to larger owl species.
- Community MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT around town:
- Shannon Door: Jeremy Dean • 6-9pm
- Shovel Handle Pub: Dan Parkhurst • 6-9pm
- FITNESS CLASS with Laurie McAleer
9:30am • Jackson Community Church- Free to all participants.
- Gentle, chair-based stretch and fitness for all levels of ability
- Community Resource: LIBRARIES
2-5pm • Jackson Library (more info: https://jacksonlibrary.org/) - Community Event: JAMES & The GIANT PEACH
7pm • Majestic Theater- Assigned seats $20
- Tiuckets: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=aim
- Performances:
November 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th at 7 pm
November 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th at 2 pm
- Based on one of Roald Dahl’s most poignantly quirky stories, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach JR. is a brand new take on this “masterpeach” of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery is destined to be a classic.
- Assigned seats $20
- Community Event: MAJESTIC CAFE FRIDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Mike Hathaway Quartet with Claudia Keller
7pm • Majestic Cafe, Conway- Walk-ins are always welcome, but space is limited; reservations are available to guarantee your seat and to indicate a seating choice.
- The Friday Night jazz series has a $10 per person cover charge.
- Doors at 6 pm; music at 7pm.
- Come in early and grab a panini before the music starts
- Info and tickets:: https://www.conwaymajestic.com/cafe
- C3: Cocktails & Christian Conversations
Resumes Fri, Nov 15 - Community MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT around town:
- Wildcat Tavern: Al Shafner • 6:30pm
- Red Parka: Drk Side • 8-11pm
- Shannon Door: Dan Aldrich • 6-9pm
- Ledge Brewing: JT Home • 6-8pm
- Shovel Handle: Randy Messineo • 6-9pm
- COMMUNITY YARD SALE
9am-Noon • Parish Hall off JCC- Co-sonsored by Whitney Community Center and JCC
- Held in Parish Hal
- The Whitney Community Center and Jackson Community Church are collaborating to help address a ’too much stuff and what to do with it issue’ that so many of us are experiencing.
- 11 tables with a variety of items. As of today all tables are spoken for.
- Stop by for great deals and to find that item you have been long searching for. If you have any questions, contact Greg Marsello at gregmarsello@gmail.com.
- SLOW WALKING
10-11:30am • Tin Mountain Conservation Center
- Join Tin Mountain’s Outreach Coordinator, Heather McKendry, for a slow-paced exploration of Tin Mountain’s beautiful property. Whether we visit Chase Pond, the 1800’s granite quarry or the Accessible Nature Trail – our Albany trails offer spectacular wandering for all ages. November is the perfect time to get outside before the snow flies and enjoy the wide open landscape.
- $15 per person/$25 per household
- Members are free… consider a membership!
- Pre-registration welcomed, but not required. Rgeistration: https://tinmountain.org/what-we-do/program-and-event-calendar.html/event-form/registration-form/100353/tickets
- Community Event: JAMES & The GIANT PEACH
2pm & 7pm • Majestic Theater- Assigned seats $20
Tiuckets: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=aim- Performances:
November 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th at 7 pm
November 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th at 2 pm
- Performances:
- Based on one of Roald Dahl’s most poignantly quirky stories, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach JR. is a brand new take on this “masterpeach” of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery is destined to be a classic.
- Assigned seats $20
- Community Event: MAJESTIC CAFE SATURDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Dark Train Express
7pm • Majestic Cafe, Conway- Walk-ins are always welcome, but space is limited; reservations are available to guarantee your seat and to indicate a seating choice.
- The Friday Night jazz series has a $10 per person cover charge.
- Doors at 6 pm; music at 7pm.
- Come in early and grab a panini before the music starts
- Info and tickets:: https://www.conwaymajestic.com/cafe
- Community Resource: LIBRARIES
- 10am-2pm • Jackson Library
Contact the library for additional help: 603.383.9731 or by email: staff@jacksonlibrary.org - 11am-3pm • Bartlett Library
More info: https://www.bartlettpubliclibrary.org/
- 10am-2pm • Jackson Library
- Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
9am-3pm • Jackson Historical Society-
Also open by appointment.
More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
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- Community MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT around town:
- Shannon Door: Dan Parkhurst & Rafe • 7-10pm
- Red Parka: Ed Bradley Project • 8-11pm
- Wildcat Tavern: Jonathan Sarty • 7pm
- Ledge Brewing: Now Is Now • 6-9pm
- INTERFAITH GATHERING
8am • Outside or indoor at Old red Library (weather determines location)- Join us for poetry, prayer, and conversation
- WORSHIP
10:30am • Jackson Community Church & Zoom- Join us for song, prayer, scripture and message
- Livestreaming to Facebook & jxncc.org (church website)
- Music by Sharon Novak
- Theme: Sermon on the Mount
- Message: rev Gail Doktor
- HOSPITALITY following church
11:30am • Parish Hall - Community Event: JAMES & The GIANT PEACH
2pm • Majestic Theater- Assigned seats $20
Tiuckets: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=aim- Performances:
November 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th at 7 pm
November 9th, 10th, 16th, 17th at 2 pm
- Performances:
- Based on one of Roald Dahl’s most poignantly quirky stories, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach JR. is a brand new take on this “masterpeach” of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery is destined to be a classic.
- Assigned seats $20
- NORTH COUNTRY ASSOCIATION MEETING
3pm • JCC-
The first item on the North Country Association’s fall meeting agenda will be presentation and vote on the recommendation to restructure the Association as recommended by the Association Task Force (ACTF) to consolidate functions of the Association across the state.
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- Community Event: THIRTEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ONE THING Potluck Meal & Film Discussion
5-8pm • Whitney Community Center- Enjoy a potluck meal, watch the movie Thirteen Conversations About One Thing with Matthew McConaughey, Amy Irving, Alan Arkin, and others while enjoying some movie theater snacks, and then like a book club, discuss the film. Bring your own comfy chair, bean bag, or whatever works best for you. This program is hosted by the Friends of the Whitney Community Center, is FREE and runs Sunday, November 10th from 5-8 pm at the Whitney Community Center. Unlimited. To help us better plan, please Click Here to sign up and let us know what you will be bringing.
- Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society (Also open by appointment.)- More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
- Community MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT around town:
- Shannon Door: Jeremy Dean • 6-9pm
- Red Parka: Mitch Alden 5-8pm
- Ledge Brewing: Al Hospers’ 77th Birthday Jam! • 4-7pm
Nov 6: GRATITUDE Daily Devotional
Cultivate gratitude each day this month.
Scripture: Micah 6:8 — God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.Reflection: We are relationship with all humans, and we live ina world that is defined by its interconnectedness. Adovacy and justice work help us understand our responsibility to bear witness and to act in alliance and partnership with those who face injustice.Prompt: Reflect for yourself how you volunteer or support causes that make a difference in the life of your neighbors, near and far. Then ask yourself, who has advocated for you, when you have needed support, because you were vulnerable?
SONGS:
- Justice Song by IJM Ghana: https://youtu.be/yxTGsxxX_fA?si=hxdC9-Yt8GA5g6XL
- Then I Will by Lauren Daigle: https://youtu.be/kKBQrWWX570?si=t-yZX7_kGD2CFyA9
Excerpt from Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings—Joy Harjo,
… Bless the poets, the workers for justice,
the dancers of ceremony, the singers of heartache,
the visionaries, all makers and carriers of fresh
meaning—We will all make it through,
despite politics and wars, despite failures
and misunderstandings. There is only love…
Nov 5: GRATITUDE Daily Devotional
Cultivate gratitude each day this month.
Day 5: Grateful for Challenges
Scripture: James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…
Reflection: Rather than becoming a point of failure, conflict and challenge become opportunities for growth. Difficult experiences can help cultivate wisdom. Finding gratitude in difficult times can transform our perspective.
Prompt: On a day when the nation votes, consider this social situation or other current challenge and write down or discuss with someone else what you are learning or how you are growing through it.
full article: https://plumvillage.app/generating-joy-and-embracing-suffering-in-times-of-crisis/Do you know how to generate a feeling of joy? Do you know how to handle a feeling of pain? If I ask myself those questions, the answer is partly yes, partly no. We can also ask ourselves, ‘How often do I remember that I can generate a feeling of joy? Could I do it more? In what situations?’If you’re with a group of friends and everybody’s in a good mood and something lovely is happening, it’s not difficult to generate joy. So the real question is, ‘Do I know how to generate a feeling of joy when things are difficult or neutral? When I’m feeling restless or distracted?’ These are practices that we have to look into.Another question is: ‘Do I know how to do it when I’m on my own? And do I know how to do it collectively?’ Do you know how to recognize when you are avoiding a painful feeling?This has something to do with knowing how to handle a painful feeling – because we can’t transform it until we recognize it. That must be the first step: recognizing. …
In my approach to the practice, I focused on suffering for many years. I didn’t understand that generating a feeling of joy and being in touch with the wonders of life is a way of handling suffering. So I need to recognize that I may be underestimating how powerful well-being, joy, and simple happiness can be as a response to the situation we are in globally and collectively.
In the 16 exercises of mindful breathing, the Buddha was very clear: generate a feeling of joy and happiness before getting in touch with a feeling of pain. That way, we create an environment where the feeling of pain can be held and embraced, and where it doesn’t overwhelm us.
Nov 4: GRATITUDE Daily Devotional
Cultivate gratitude each day this month.
Day 4: Grateful for Community
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 — Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Reflection: Humans are designed to be in relationships and to cultivate belonging. Gratitude flourishes in community. Together, even when we are divided in our views and perspectives, we often fund common causes and values that bring us together. In community, at our best, we offer support, love, and encouragement to each other in ways that enrich our lives.
Prompt: Reach out to a friend or family member to express gratitude for their presence in your life.
A Community of the Spirit — Rumi
There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight
of walking in the noisy street
and being the noise.
Drink all your passion,
and be a disgrace.
Close both eyes
to see with the other eye.
Open your hands,
if you want to be held.
Sit down in the circle.
Quit acting like a wolf, and feel
the shepherd’s love filling you.
At night, your beloved wanders.
Don’t accept consolations.
Close your mouth against food.
Taste the lover’s mouth in yours.
You moan, “She left me.” “He left me.”
Twenty more will come.
Be empty of worrying.
Think of who created thought!
Why do you stay in prison
when the door is so wide open?
Move outside the tangle of fear-thinking.
Live in silence.
Flow down and down in always
widening rings of being.