Good day to you, Church!
As I gaze out the living room window next to my cozy wood stove, the snow is gently falling. It’s a welcome sight after last night’s rain–although, it sure would be nice to see the sun one of these days! The dark grey skies are starting to get to me a little.
What are your tricks for overcoming the gloomy weather? I’d love to hear.
Here’s the news for the week:
Learn about Hospice Care Jan. 25th
If you’d like to learn more about the services that Hopsice offers in the North Country, join us this Wednesday night at 7pm for a special zoom session. The program is sponsored by the Potsdam Interfaith Community.
ZOOM link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83921663734?pwd=aUcrMEM0MUVQc3lWQUdFbjBBR2U4Zz09
Meeting ID: 839 2166 3734
Passcode: 946215
Community Supper This Thursday Night
There’s still room to help volunteer at this month’s community supper. If you’d like to participate, contact Jane Wells.
Jeff Mitchell to Preach Sunday, Jan. 29
As you know, I have one Sunday a month off from preaching, and this month we welcome a new friend of the congregation to the pulpit, Jeff Mitchell. Jeff has taken courses from seminary and has some experience with preaching at his last church in Maryland. I hope you’ll join us next week as Jeff brings us a word from God’s Word!
We’re Switching to Local, Sustainable Electricity!
I recently learned that there’s more than one option for where we can purchase electricity from. Apparently, National Grid is not the only service provider in our area. There is also a small, local company called Northern Power and Lights that offers electricity to local residents and it comes from a nearby, renewable resource– the Sissonville hydrodam, located a couple miles outside of town on the Raquette River.
The cost for electricity from NP&L is exactly the same as it is with National Grid, so Session decided that we need to put our money where our faith is and switch electricity providers.
If you’d like to join the church in supporting local, sustainable electricity you can switch your service over too. Click on the following link for more information and to learn about how to sign up: https://www.npandl.com/
Winter Blues
Friends, right now is a hard time to live in the North Country. It’s wet, icy, cold, and grey.
If you’re like me, these are key ingredients for seasonal depression– otherwise known as The Winter Blah’s.
When we get the Blah’s, we can either fall into that black hole and feed the sadness and the grouchiness that comes with it, or we can try something else. I’ve recently met a new friend who talks constantly about “flipping the situation”– about finding a way to reframe what you’re going through; to see hard things as an opportunity instead of a burden.
Taking his advice, how might you be able to flip the Blah’s on their head? Can you get outside and do some fun winter activities? The World University Hockey tournament is still going on for a few more days. What if you leave the house and catch a game? Or head out into the yard to make a snowman?
If you’re like me and can’t do outside activities right now, what fun, adventurous things are there to do inside? Can you find a new recipe and try your hand at cooking a fun meal? Is there a letter you’ve been wanting to write to a long-lost friend? Maybe there’s a craft project you haven’t had the courage to undertake.
Now is the time to seize the day! What creative joy is hiding inside of you that wants to come out? Winter is the perfect time for these sorts of explorations.
Every single day God gives us the gift of new life– an opportunity to find joy in the hidden folds of everyday living, and winter, especially, is an opportunity for treasure hunting like this.
May you find a way this week to “flip” the Blah’s and discover untold treasure in your everyday life!
On the treasure path with you,
Pastor Katrina