Youth Programs: May & June
Family Church-at-home-together Continues! Here’s an update on current plans!
- Young People’s Choir & Band begins Mondays, May 24, 4pm via Zoom.
- Choir director & musician Billy Carleton will meet virtually with young people who want to participate in weekly music-making.
- The goal will be to record songs every 4-6 weeks to share during worship.
- Voices and instruments welcome.
- At the first session, Billy will work with music-makers to decide on songs and ways to integrate some instruments as well.
- Note: Young people’s Zoom sessions are only open to young people and their family/guardians (if their adults wish to attend), but is closed to other community members for the safety of the young participants, except by invitation of the choir director or music team. The Zoom link will be circulated in a closed email group for participants and leaders only. Please RSVP if your family has under-18 members who want to join us, and you haven’t already received communication about this group.
- Note that Billy Carleton teaches for SAU9, so he is familiar with teaching and working with younger singers as well as adults.
- Leaders-in-Training (L-I-T) Program Starts in June
- Engaging older youth to continue last summer’s L-I-T experience.
- Should be 7th grade and older
- You will help create educational and entertaining challenges that invite younger participants outside in safe and creative ways (with their adult family/guardian members participation)
- Together we’ll create some physical/virtual challenges such as letterbox kits on-site around Jackson/Bartlett, design scavenger hunts for summer recrreation and other ways to have physical engagement outside, with prompts designed and facilitated by our Leaders-in-Training
- RSVP if you want to be part of the Leader=in-Training initiative (7th grade and older)
- Letter-boxing/geo-caching challenge designs
- Scavenger hunt design
- Extended game design
- Mystery game / live puzzle design
- Puppets and Story-telling:
- Expect a delivery of make-your-own puppet kits to families and “church at home” kits.
- We’ll create live-action puppet skits of sacred stories, filmed via Zoom or other ways, to share with the church once-a-month during worship!
- Young people who want to participate may pick characters for their puppets and tell the story in your own words, your own way! With your own puppet, that you make!
- You will choose the stories we tell also.
- Unless your family doesn’t want such a kit, we’ll plan to deliver one to all of our families as soon as the materials arrive (we hope to have them this week).
- We’ll schedule Zoom times to explore stories and work out skits, unless we can gather safely outside in small groups, with appropriate social distance precautions (to be determined as circumstances unfold)
- Church-at-home kits:
- We’ll deliver church-at-home kits with devotionals and art pages to your families for some quiet, contemplative activity options
- Prayer flags:
- We’d love to fly your flags!
- We’ll provide prayer flag materials, and we invite you to make ones to use at home
- We also want to share one of your prayer flags in a display outside the church.
- Prayer Fence:
- The chalkboard fence will be re-painted white and ready for public use by the end of May.
- Painting the fence has been adopted as a service project by one of our families.
- Community Care cards:
- We would love to include handmade cards or artwork from our young people in care packages that we’re continuing to distribute in the community.
- If you make cards, we’ll provide a safe place at church for you to return them, for redistribution to members, friends and neighbors who need your cheer & care
- Messaging is your choice, but we suggest cheerful, inspirational and optimistic messages with universal themes (these won’t be addressed to specific individuals or specific issues) like “thinking of you”, “have a nice day”, “smile”, “friendship”,”peace”, “hope”, “love” and/or “sending you prayers and good thoughts”
- Adopt-a-friend:
- As an extension of the Community Care card initiative, we have a small list of vulnerable community members who are lonely or isolated for different reasons. If we have an expression of interest among our younger families, we’d like to match families with some of these neighbors to create some inter-generational communication and relationship-building
- You can explore how to activate this connection might work.
- Occasional phone or zoom calls might work with some people, although hearing loss and technology challenges can make this a case-by-case option.
- Cards and mail are excellent ways to connect.
- Care package drop-offs are also excellent ways to connect(with social distance precautions)
- Social-distance visits to wave and chat are possible in some instances, if health isn’t an issue, but we should discuss case-by-case
- Youth Day(s) in Worship
- We’ll aim for youth-led worship at least every quarter, every 9-12 weeks with youth-led reflections, readings and music
- The first such worship session will take place toward the end of June – after graduation activities have concluded (more info to come) – integrating whatever contributions we can provide by that time
- Scripture readers:
- We continue to welcome the voices of our young people!
- RSVP to let us know if your family member(s) want to be on our scripture/sacred text reading team, so we can put you on the schedule and get you involved.
- We’d love to have your family member(s) record yourselves reading scripture in anticipate of upcoming Sunday worship (you can decide re. audio-only or video).
- Poetry or other literature are also welcome, too! We would enjoy intergating these into our gatherings.
- Graduate Recognition:
- Please RSVP if you have a pending graduate!
- Please share bios/photos of your graduates, whether they’re finishing high school, college (any level), professional certification programs/training or other educational milestones that we may not have named here
- In June, we’ll celebrate these young people in the church newsletter and other communication platforms (though not to social media unless we have permission to do so)
- We want to include all Jackson-based youth plus any local youth (Bartlett, Conway, etc) connected as friends or members of our faith community
- We welcome updates on other young people connected to our friends and members as extended family such as grandchildren (even if they live in other locations)
- Music & Art contributions:
- If you are a musician or singer or artist, we continue to want to share your special music!
- The contributions of several families have already made worship and other gatherings a richer, deeper experience, and more such offerings are welcome if and when you’re able to share them
- Sacred and/or secular music selections are both welcome
- Pre-recorded audio-only or video performances are best for now
- Open-ended Outdoor Summer Challenges
- With the help of Leaders-in-Training, we’ll offer a variety of active outdoor engagements that are educational and entertaining, and can be completed on the family’s schedule, such as scavenger hunts, letterboxing exploration, and more
HOLY WEEK with JCC: April 8-12 (Easter)
Do you need support of any kind? We have volunteers ready to assist with errands, access to emergency supplies, and Rev Gail is available for emotional and spiritual companionship. Email the church: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org.
Wed, April 8
- BREAKFAST with REV GAIL (via ZOOM)
8am • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/170985789 (password required)
Social gathering. Option: Call in via touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID: 170985789, (password required – contact jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- LIFT your SPIRITS (via ZOOM) – firepit & beverages
6pm • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/170985789 (password required)
Social gathering. Option: Call in via touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID: 170985789, (password required – contact jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
Thurs, April 9
- MAUNDY THURSDAY GATHERING (via ZOOM)
7pm • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/467763000 (password required).
Plan to celebrate an after-dinner ritual of washing hands (symbolic of foot-washing), stripping altar, and putting out candles as darkness falls and we enter the Triduum: three holy days of Easter weekend. Option: call in via touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID: 467763000 (password required – contact: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)).
Fri, April 10
- BREAKFAST with REV GAIL (via ZOOM)
8am • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/170985789 (password required)
Social gathering. Option: Call in via touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID: 170985789 (password required – contact jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org) - WAY of the CROSS
Live-streaming via Facebook.com/JacksonCommunityChurch & JCC website
Virtual contemplative journey through stations of the cross. Share where you would direct your prayers for each station of the cross, Rev Gail will post reflections at different Jackson and Bartlett locations to symbolize each station of the cross. This will take place throughout the week, but we especially welcome your comments during the hours of Christ’s crucifixion and death. We will use Marcia McFee / Design Worship Studio materials to focus. - LAST SEVEN WORDS Holy Friday Event (via ZOOM)
5pm • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/531729008) (password required)
Reflect on the events of Holy Friday through the last seven words of Christ. Option: Call in via touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID: 531729008 (password required – contact: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- ECUMENICAL GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION
6:30pm • Youtube Channel hosted by First Church of Christ in North Conway. Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xGhkZ9fG6YvNtYZMf5VmQ. Clergy of the Eastern Slope lead this video compilation: Rev Gail participates.
EASTER SUNDAY, April 12
- VIRTUAL SUNRISE SERVICE (via livestream to Facebook/JacksonCommunityChurch & JCC website)
6am • Go outside, bring your phone, and share sunrise together! Brief sunrise reflection. - VIRTUAL EASTER BREAKFAST (via ZOOM)
8am • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/142985761 (password required)
Gathering to celebrate Easter with breakfast (bring your own to the Zoom gathering), conversation, readings & prayer. Option: Call on touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID# 142985761 (password required – contact: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org)
- CHOIR PRACTICE (via ZOOM)
9:15am • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/142985761 (password required)
Choir practice with choir director Billy Carleton and music director Alan Labrie. Option: Call on touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID# 142985761 (password required – contact: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org) - VIRTUAL EASTER SERVICE (via ZOOM)
10:30am • ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/142985761 (password required)
Join us for worship, special music including flute duet by Lauren Weeder & Jeanette Heidmann, choral performance by JCC’s choir & harp with Dominique Dodge, plus prayer, reflection and interactive transformation of the cross with butterflies on this special Easter Sunday! Service will also be live-streamed to website and Facebook, and afterward, recordings of service will be posted to FB, youtube, vimeo. Option: Call on touch-tone phone: 929.436.2866, meeting ID# 142985761. (password required – contact: jcchurch@jacksoncommunitychurch.org) - BUTTERFLY the CROSS
All Day • Jackson Community Church (outside)
All day on Easter Sunday, you may add a butterfly to the cross, which will stand outside the church (weather permitting), or take one home, if you need an Easter symbol. If you can’t be here, send us your prayers and we’ll add your butterfly for you.
Sunday, March 29 Worship
Facebook Live video.
This Week: MON, April 1 – SUN, April 7
THIS WEEK
at Jackson Community Church and Around Town
MON, April 1
- SCOUT PACK 321
6pm • Jackson Community Church
Den meeting at church to work on ‘pew holders’ for sanctuary. - LENTEN RETREAT
7pm • Our Lady of the Mountains, No Conway
Theme: Easter journey. A 3-day retreat (April 1-3, each day at 7pm).
TUE, April 2
- CLERGY of the EASTERN SLOPE LUNCHEON
12:30pm • No Conway, NH
Lunch and working group for local clergy and spiritual community leaders. Rev Gail attends. - LENTEN STUDY GROUP: Anne Lamott’s Almost Everything
4pm • Jackson Community Church
Come if you started the book. Come if you want to pick it up and begin. Come if you just want good conversation. Anne Lamott’s essays are good for the soul. Rev Gail facilitates this group. 1-2 copies available at church, others at library. Please RSVP to Rev Gail if you plan to attend this study group!
WED, April 3
- Community Event: WILDER than WILD
7-8:30pm • Tin Mountain Conservation Center
Movie Screening! Four years in the making, this one-hour documentary reveals how fire suppression and climate change have exposed our forests and wildland-urban landscapes to large, high intensity wildfires – and explores strategies to mitigate the impact of these fires. David Govatski, retired US Forest Service Fire Management Office, will lead a discussion following the film.
THURS, April 4
- BLISS YOGA with Anjali Rose
9am • First Floor, Parish House / Jackson Community Church. Beginning stretch, flow and align yoga; safe for new practitioners. Weather dependent; if schools are delayed or closed, the class will be cancelled. - AA
6:30pm • Second Floor, Church. - SPRING EPHEMERALS
7-8:30pm • Whitney Community Center
Join Tin Mountain’s Executive Director Lori Jean Kinsey for a pictorial journey of early spring wildflowers. From hepatica to Dutchman’s breeches she will look at what makes each flower unique from its pollinators to its habitat. Free for Tin Mountain Members, otherwise $3/pp or $5/family.
FRI, April 5
- PASTOR’s DROP-IN HOURS
7-9am • J-Town Deli
Come for caffeine, conversation. Or make a separate date to meet with Rev Gail by calling her cell (978) 273.0308 or email. - PASTOR’s OFFICE HOURS
9:30-11:30am • Jackson Community Church
Drop by or make an apt with Rev Gail by calling her cell (978) 273.0308 or email. - Community Event: 10th Annual Opening Reception for ART CELEBRATES PLACE for Upper Saco Valley Land Trust
5pm • Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center, Fryeburg, ME. More info www.usvlt.or
SAT, April 6
- Community Event: RISE UP AGAINST HUNGER
10am • Setup & 11:30m • Meal Prep
River Church, Center Conway, NH
Volunteers of all ages welcome. Hosted by the River Church by McSherry’s in Center Conway, NH. Sponsored in part by local Rotary. Set up starts at 10am. The actual preparing of 10,000 or so meals starts around 11:45am. If 80 volunteers show up; we prepare 10,000 or so meals in less than two hours. If 40 – 50 volunteers show up; it may take us the full 2 hours to complete the project. Once the two hours to prepare the 10,000 or so meal are finished, we then help clean up. - Community Event: Mountain Top Music School’s 24 HOURS OF MUSIC!
Noon, Sat, Apr 6 – Noon, Sun, Apr 7 • Locations around the valley.
Valley musicians and Mountain Top students perform for dollars at Merrill Farm Inn and locations around the valley. This is Mountain Top’s biggest music school fundraiser of the year. Students are challenged to recruit sponsors for their performances, a la the popular “walkathon” format. More info.
SUN, April 7
- INTERFAITH GATHERING @ OLD LIBRARY
8am • Old Library. Hot beverages available. Come for poetry, literature, conversation and prayer. - CHOIR REHEARSAL
9am • Jackson Community Church
Ellen Schwindt works with church choir. Drop-ins welcome. - WORSHIP
10:30am • Jackson Community Church.
* Story: Rev Gail
* Accompanist: Alan Labrie
* Choir: directed by Ellen Schwindt
* Sunday School: Lisa White, teacher. Please RSVP to Rev Gail if you plan to attend Sunday School! - Community Event: POETRY WORKSHOP
2pm • Jackson Public Library
Learn about poetic forms, and write your own poetry with professional poet, Sarah Audsley. Some forms we will explore include the sonnet, ode, ghazal, and epistle. - SECOND CHANCES CONCERT with Bennett & Perkins and Taylor Whiteside4pm • Jackson Community Church
Kathy Bennett, Thom Perkins and Taylor Whiteside: featured artists. Supports the Way Station: more info about the Way Station here.
This Week: MON, Feb 25 – SUN, Mar 3
At Jackson Community Church and Around Town
At JCC: Mon – Scout Dinner, Tue – Clergy Lunch, NH Conference Planning Mtg, Wed – Fitness & Womens Group Thurs – Yoga & Drum Lessons & AA, Fri – Pastors Hours & Youth Group Overnight, Sat – Way Station Community Service Work Day (Nativity Lutheran) & Youth Group Overnight, Sun – XC Blessing & Worship. Around Town: Tue – Affordable Housing Panel, Thurs – Coalition on Homelessness & Grammar School Ski-a-Thon, Sat – Guided Snow Shoe Tour. Save These Dates: Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Celebration & Ash Wednesday Observances plus Classes in Advanced Facilitator Training on Active Listening & Impact of Homelessness on Children & Harvard EdX course on Religion, Conflict and Peace
MON, Feb 25
- PACK 321 SCOUT BLUE and GOLD DINNER
5:30pm • Parish House
Scout dinner for pack sponsored by Jackson Community Church! The pack will be providing community service with the church in March.
TUE, Feb 26
- CLERGY of the EASTERN SLOPE
12:30pm • Lunch for local clergy from Mt Washington Valley faith communities. Rev Gail attends. - United Church of Christ / NH Conference Event: ANNUAL MEETING PLANNING COMMITTEE
2-4pm • Conference Call
Rev Gail participates in planning NH Conference annual meeting scheduled for autumn 2019. - AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISCUSSION
6-7pm – social • 7pm – panel discussion.
Eastern Slope Inn, No Conway, NH.
Sponsored by our local Home Builders Association.
WED, Feb 27
- TUNE UP FITNESS with Laurie McAleer
9:30am • Parish House.Fitness class. Free; open to public. These classes will continue through the end of February, then the instructor will re-evaluate whether she can continue into March. Classes remain weather dependent; if schools are delayed or closed, the class will be cancelled. - WOMEN’S GROUP
10:30-Noon • Parish House
Social gathering of friends and members of the church. - THREE MINUTE FICTION SLAM
6pm • White Birch Books, No Conway
Sponsored by Jackson Women’s Writing Group as part of the statewide NH Writers’ Project.
* Open to the public. Anyone 17 years old or older may compete. Writers take turns presenting original flash fiction pieces of no more than three minutes in length when read aloud.
* Email Anne to register.
* Questions? Call Anne at 603-236-6724 or White Birch Books at 603-356-3200
The judges keep a private score for each piece. At the end of the night, the contestant with the highest score wins. Regional winners are invited to participate in the Three Minute Fiction Slam state finals run by the NH Writers’ Project. Among other prizes, the winner of the finals gets free entrance to The 603 Conference (the region’s largest literary conference) on April 27, 2019. There they will read the winning work before an audience of publishers, editors, agents, and fellow writers.
THURS, Feb 28
- Community Event: MEETING of MWV CARE & SERVICE PROVIDERS (public, nonprofit, private) re HOMELESSNESS & HOUSING INSECURE ISSUES
9-11am • SAU#9 Professional Development Building
Rev Gail attends. - FLOW & ALIGN YOGA with Anjali Rose
9am • First Floor, Parish House / Jackson Community Church. Beginning stretch, flow and align yoga; safe for new practitioners. Weather dependent; if schools are delayed or closed, the class will be cancelled. - Community Event: GRAMMAR SCHOOL SKI-A-THON
12:30-4:30pm • Jackson XC Center Fields
This annual fundraiser by the PTO provides funds to support the enrichment programming for the school! The PTO splits the profits with a charity selected by the Student Council, which selected “Molly’s Place” at the Children’s Hospital in Dartmouth as the recipient of their proceeds. Molly’s Place is a center at the hospital where children can play, relax or unwind while they or a sibling are being treated. - Private Event: DRUM LESSONS with Brian Craig
4:30-7:30pm • Parish House - AA
6:30pm • Second Floor, Church.
FRI, Mar 1
- PASTOR’s DROP-IN HOURS
7-9am • J-Town Deli
Come for caffeine, conversation. Or make a separate date to meet with Rev Gail by calling her cell (978) 273.0308 or email. - PASTOR’s OFFICE HOURS
9:30-11:30am • Church. Drop by or make an appointment to meet with Rev Gail by texting or calling her cell (978) 273.0308 or by email. - Community Event: GUIDED SNOW SHOE TOURS
10am & 1pm • Start from Jackson XC Ski Touring Center
$15 includes ticket and tour; rental equipment available. Tours are approx. 90 minutes. More info. -
YOUTH GROUP OVERNIGHT
9pm, Fri – Noon, Sun • Parish House.
Youth Group from First Church in Ipswich, UCC will be hosted at our church on Friday and Saturday. They will participate in community service and recreation at local ski areas (XC and downhill) and also join us for worship on Sunday morning. Local middle and high school youth are welcome to join them for community service, recreation and dinner on Saturday.
SAT, Mar 2
- WAY STATION WORK DAY
9am – 4pm • Nativity Lutheran Church
Come help paint and prep more rooms at Nativity Lutheran Church to welcome guests of the Way Station, a day resource center to provide essential services to the valley’s homeless and housing insecure population, including showers, laundry, internet access, post office box, lockers and more. Wear old clothing. Supplies and paint will be provided! - YOUTH GROUP OVERNIGHT
9pm, Fri – Noon, Sun • Parish House.
Youth Group from First Church in Ipswich, UCC will be hosted at our church on Friday and Saturday. They will participate in community service and recreation at local ski areas (XC and downhill) and also join us for worship on Sunday morning. Local middle and high school youth are welcome to join them for community service, recreation and dinner on Saturday. - Community Event: GUIDED SNOW SHOE TOURS
10am & 1pm • Start from Jackson XC Ski Touring Center. $15 includes ticket and tour; rental equipment available. Tours are approx. 90 minutes. More info.
SUN, Mar 3
- YOUTH GROUP OVERNIGHT
9pm, Fri – Noon, Sun • Parish House.
Youth Group from First Church in Ipswich, UCC will be hosted at our church on Friday and Saturday. They will participate in community service and recreation at local ski areas (XC and downhill) and also join us for worship on Sunday morning. Local middle and high school youth are welcome to join them for community service, recreation and dinner on Saturday. - INTERFAITH GATHERING @ OLD LIBRARY
8am • Old Library. Hot beverages available. Come for poetry, literature, conversation and prayer. - BLESSING of BODIES, BOOTS & BINDINGS
9:15am • Jackson XC Ski Touring Foundation
Rev Gail offers blessings to staff, volunteers and skiers. - WORSHIP
10:30am • Jackson Community Church.
* Story: Rev Gail
* Accompanist: Alan Labrie
* Guests: First Church of Ipswich, MA Youth Group/UCC