1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

UNDER THE STEEPLe
January 2015
Volume 12, Issue 2
“I don’t make New Years Resolutions,” a friend of mine
said a couple of years ago. “I make commitments.” I
didn’t have the heart to tell him they’re the same thing.
But I understand the sentiment. New Years
Resolutions, those oft-forgotten, overly-ambitious
traditions that we never really stick to. Here’s the thing:
big changes like that seldom work. What works better
is small, slow, incremental change. Instead of
committing to the “perfect” diet (whatever that may be), start by
changing two or three meals a week. Be sure to give yourself “cheat”
meals every now and then. Give yourself some grace. You get the
idea.
Inside this Issue
Annual Meeting/Service of
Installation
2
Birthdays, Anniversaries, and
Notes
3
Homebased Members/
Prayer Concerns
4
Missions
5
Fellowship/Flowers/Praying
with the Deacons
6
Volunteer Today!
7
Christmas Poinsettias
8
Church Office Hours
Secretary’s Hours
Mon, Tues, Wed
8 AM—2PM
Thursday—8 AM—12PM
Office closed on Fridays
Our spiritual lives are similar. If you have never really made a
practice of spending time with the Lord in prayer or reading your
Bible, starting out with an hour every morning is probably
unrealistic. Instead, try to ease into it. Maybe five minutes reading a
chapter of the Bible (a gospel—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John—might
be a good place to start) and five minutes praying (consider praying
for family members, friends, and asking God to draw you closer to
himself, even if you don’t feel like you’re very good at prayer), all
while you have your morning coffee. And see if that time eventually
doesn’t become fuller and richer.
There’s no silver bullet for a healthy spiritual life. It’s long, slow,
plodding work. “A long obedience in the same direction,” as one
author puts it. But that makes good sense, because we plant seeds,
not oak trees.
Imagine trying to plant a fully-grown oak tree in your back yard. You
would have to tear up your entire yard just to fit all the roots. There
would be no guarantee that the tree would take, and imagine all the
re-sodding you would have to do after you got the tree in the ground!
No, we don’t plant oak trees. We plant seeds, and then we water
those seeds and care for the saplings, and over time we get to enjoy
the massive, beautiful, shade-giving oak. Which brings us to one
simple question: What seed will you plant in 2015?
Chris
“Inviting the seeker, Guiding the follower, and Empowering the disciple”
Under the Steeple
Page 2
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OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Annual Meeting -- Sunday, January 18, 2015
The Annual Meeting of the membership of Middle Street Baptist Church will be held on Sunday, January 18,
2015, at 11:30 a.m. or immediately following worship service in Fellowship Hall. The purpose of the meeting
is to elect officers, board and committee members, and representatives; to hear annual reports for 2014; and
to transact any other business that may properly come before the membership. The meeting is open to
everyone and all church members are requested to be present in order to vote.
A light lunch will be served after the meeting.
If the Annual Meeting cannot be held on Sunday, January 18, 2015, due to a snow emergency, it will be held
on Sunday, January 25, 2015, at 11:30 a.m. or immediately following worship service in Fellowship Hall.
A note from the Moderator:
After reviewing the lengthy report prepared by the building inspector, the Board of Trustees brought a
proposal to the Church Council that our church membership once again consider selling the parsonage.
The Council voted that the Trustees present this proposal at the upcoming Annual Meeting. At the Annual
Budget Meeting in December our church membership voted to add the proposal to the Annual Meeting
agenda. The details of the parsonage proposal will be distributed along with the Annual Report in advance
of the meeting.
It is vital that church members attend our Annual Meeting. When you receive both documents, please read
them carefully and note your thoughts and questions so you will be prepared for any discussion.
SERVICE OF INSTALLATION
FOR
PASTOR CHRIS DUNAWAY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25. 2015
AT 3:00 PM
Under the Steeple
For February (and beyond) News
Deadline—January 20th, 2015
Please be prompt in submitting your
articles, notes, dates, and news.
E-mail—[email protected].
Fax-(603)431-1839 or
Leave in the Box on the Office Door
MIDDLE STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
Reception immediately following the Service
Thanks and great appreciation for the wonderful love gifts that were given to us at Christmas.
We wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Bonnie Orr, Tamara Rozek, Dan & Ben (Custodians)
Dear friends,
There are no words, really, to express our gratitude to you all over the past several months.
We brag about this church and how generous, gracious, and helpful you all have been with
our many recent transitions, not least of which included our move to Portsmouth. Now you
topped it all off with a generous Christmas gift to us! You have been a sure blessing to us, and we look forward to
a long, fruitful friendship with you all.
Chris and Jaime
Page 3
Volume 12, Issue 2
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Notes
To My Church Family,
This is a continued thank you letter from last month.
1
2
3
9
11
12
14
17
20
26
31
Jay Wendell
Warren Jones
Patricia Malone
Norma Lang
Louise Dusto
Elaine Jousset
John Folland
James Davis
Colton McNall
Barbara Brown
Ray Fernald
Andrea St Jean
Kathleen Pearl
Jamie Moynihan
Rod Powers
Because of being in so much pain and unable to put any weight on
my left foot I wasn’t able to attend church on November 9th. It was
a very difficult morning for me and I missed worshipping with my
Church family.
Pastor Chris called me at the beginning of the week and I told him
about my mini-prayers that Sunday. He asked me to write and
share my experience in the Newsletter.
I explained to Chris I had made three mini-prayer requests. 1. A
telephone call from some one from church. (By Monday I had
received two). 2. A meal (our son called and said he made soup for
us and our daughter-in- law would bring it on Monday). 3. A
telephone call from our kids. (That evening Kim and Mark called).
You never know when you will be an answer to someone's prayer.
Thank you for holding me in your prayers. I am doing much better
after two cortisone shots and several weeks of physical therapy I
was even able to be the Angel of the Lord and climb a ladder in the
Living Nativity. That was an answer to prayer also.
Love,
Audrey Foster
January 30th
Rosalie and Evan Churchill
♥ Celebrating their Golden Anniversary
50 years together
Dear Friends at Middle Street
I have great appreciation for your love, thoughts, caring, notes, and
cards.
ThankYou.
Love,
Becky Beard
Thank You for your prayers, cards, your love and support. Thank
You Ann Judson for the plant.
Love,
Lisa Beard
Sunday Coffee Hour Servers :
Thank you for the Christmas plant. It is so bright! I also enjoyed the
visit from Lou Dow.
January—Christian Education Board
God Bless the Church Family,
February
Marjorie Little
To Middle Street Baptist Church—Everyone!
Many thanks for the plant at Christmas—blessed me, more than
words can say!
Jack Foster brought it by, it was a joy to visit together in the Lord.
A Blessed New Year in Christ,
Prayers and Love,
Wilbert Gough
Under the Steeple
Page 4
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HOMEBASED MEMBERS
Our Friends and Members Based at Home
This list includes individuals and their family members whose mobility may be temporarily or permanently restricted.
This may include long- term recuperation, a limiting physical or emotional condition, long term assisted living, or caretaking.
At Home
Rebecca Beard  204 Wildrose Lane, Box 127, New Castle, NH 03854 603-436-7857
Ray and Carlotta Fernald  25 Field AVE, York, ME 03909 (207) 363-4372
Martha Jones  33 Hannah Lane, Newington, NH 03805 (603) 294-0995
Norma Lang  30 Summer ST, Portsmouth, NH 03801 (603) 436-1587
Assisted Living
Mark Wentworth Home, 346 Pleasant ST, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Carolyn Harvey, Norma Lang, Marjorie Little
Edgewood Centre, 928 South ST, Portsmouth, NH 03801 (603) 436-0099
Mildred Johnson —(603) 766-2425, Marion Schroeder
Marjorie Caldwell  Oceanside Skilled Nursing, 22 Tuck Rd., Room 306, Hampton, 03842 (603)758-5062
Al Coyle  Maple Suites, 30 Holiday DR #118, Dover, NH 03820 (603) 343-1079
Marge Hoefle  The Lodge at Otter Creek, 350 Lodge RD, #336, Middlebury, VT 05753 (802) 388-1220
Phyllis Jackson  The Inn at Village Square, 123 School ST, Room 216, Gorham, ME 04038
Viola Wilson  St Andre Health Care, 407 Poole St, Biddeford, ME 04005
(207)282-5171
PRAYER CONCERNS
Updated December 29, 2014
Cards and notes of encouragement are especially important at times of major transition in people’s lives
– Just go ahead and send a word even if you do not know someone well. If you need an address check
the church family directory or feel free to call or e-mail the church office.
Continuing Concerns
Carolyn Harvey now at Mark Wentworth Home
Audrey Foster  treatment for sciatic nerve pain
Cathy Davis continued prayers for healing
Norma Lang Currently at Mark Wentworth Home
Lisa Beard Still receiving chemo, Dec. 26th—Bone Marrow Biopsy and testing at Dana Farber; Jan. 16th—long dose of
strong chemo; Jan. 26th—procedure to insert line into artery followed by 3 to 3 days of stem cell collection
Lyle Webb Health Concerns
Bill Perkins  Health Concerns
Our Soldiers in Service
Lt. Joe Freda, Jr., Navy 
Eli Sewell, Navy
LncCpl. Andew Hussey, Marines
Maj. Becky Resendes, Army
PFC Peter Clark, Army,
PFC Logan Lewis, Marines
Friends and Family
Flora Goddard sister of Dottie Steere-Doyle, recovering at Rockingham Rehab after hip replacement surgery
Mark Wise  brother of Tara Wise
Dana Wise  brother of Tara Wise
Praise and Thanksgiving
Spencer Davis Brother-in-law of Roxanne Ferrin, at home recuperating from kidney transplant surgery
Volume 12, Issue 2
Page 5
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January Communion Offering—The Deacons Fund
The Deacons Fund receives offerings for those ‘close to home’ - our neighbors and church members who need
support during times of crises, illness, and life’s unexpected difficulties. What a blessing for each of us to be a part
of a church family that cares for one another.
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor
‘come back later; I’ll give tomorrow’ when you now have it with you.” ~Proverbs 4:27, 28
*Please use the Deacon’s Fund envelopes provided in this newsletter or in the pews at church and make
check out to “Middle Street Baptist Church”.
December was a busy month filled with mission happenings.
We sent to The Place, our American Baptist Special Interest Home Mission in Norwich, NY, all the hats, scarves,
and gloves that you so generously donated for the 33 children and teens at risk who are enrolled in programs at
this Neighborhood Christian Action Center. Also, because of your generosity, we were able to send a check for
$194 to them so the staff can purchase a small gift for each of the kids. We have received a thank you for our
support from Rebecca Sands, the executive director of The Place. Thank you to all who gave to this holiday
mission outreach.
On December 5th several folks from MSBC gave their time to be Bell Ringer volunteers for the Salvation Army.
Thank you to Pastor Chris, Jack Foster, Barbara Kirkham, Jeanne Finnemore, Tom and Janet Hand, Dick and
Elaine Wilder, Dick and Janice Clark, Tom, Deirdre, and Olivia Hammer, Doran and Julie Morford, Louis Dow,
Gary Sama, Sharon Hartford, Melodie Chapman, and C.J. Lisi. Also, thank you to our December volunteers in
the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen… Al Gillette, Gary Sama and Peter Gustafson.
Last spring several MSBC women were involved in a White Cross mission project of tearing sheets into strips,
stitching the strips into designated lengths, and rolling them into bandages to be used by our missionary doctors
in Congo hospitals. We have received a thank you from Katherine Niles, one of our missionaries serving in the
Congo, saying the bandages had arrived as part of a shipment of 35,000 pounds of bandages and other White
Cross supplies from American Baptist churches throughout the country. Katherine is the White Cross coordinator
in charge of dispersing the rolled bandage ansd supplies to all the Congo hospitals.
During December, American Baptists honored our Retired Ministers and Missionaries with a special offering to
say thank you for their love and service. As of December 21st, $397 had been received toward MSBC’s goal of
$1,000.
Please remember to keep all our missionaries in your prayers, and may 2015 be a year of passionate mission
outreach for us at MSBC.
Until next month,
Your Board of Missions,
Marilyn Gustafson, Barbara Brown, Lynn Hart, and Matthew Spencer
Under the Steeple
Page 6
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Daughters of Eve
A Women’s Bible Study Group
Praying With The Deacons
The Last Sunday of every month you can ask for
prayer from the Deacons.
We invite all women to come and find out
how a group of women connect with their
daily walk with Christ, learn more about one
another, and have a great time together!
After the Worship Service, two Deacons will be in
the chapel (across from the church office) for about a
half hour. If you desire prayer you can enter and we
will pray for you or with you. Your prayer request can
be very specific or it can just be something like, “I
need prayer, but I am not able to say what the problem is.” We will lift you up into God’s presence.
Tuesday, January 20th —Chapter 6
Lynn Hart leading
Tuesday, Februay 17th—Chapter 7
Linda Leading
We will be meeting in the Dorcas Room at the church from
6:30 to 8:00 PM. We are currently doing a study of the book
of Proverbs using the book, “A woman’s WISDOM” by Lydia
Brownback.
If you have any questions or would like additional
information please contact Lynn Hart (207) 676-2115
Your prayer requests will be kept confidential, unless
you request otherwise. If we are praying with
someone, please come in and have a seat on one of
the pews and open you heart and soul to prayer. We
will pray with you as soon as we can. Please join us.
One of our greatest roles as Christians is to pray for
one another
ANN JUDSON FELLOWSHIP
The Ann Judson Ladies Group will meet for lunch and fellowship on Monday, January 12th, 12:45 PM at Nostimo’s on
Mirona RD in Portsmouth.
All ladies of the church are invited to attend.
Sign up sheet will be on the podium right outside the
en door. Any questions, call Jan Witham….
(603) 436-7252
kitch-
The Flower Committee would like to take this
opportunity to thank all of those who donated flowers
in the past months.
There are many openings in the winter months
ahead, so if you would like to donate flowers in
memory/honor of someone, please sign up on the
calendar downstairs or speak to a member of the
flower committee.
Ellie Hayes—(603)964-6587, Beverly Dow—(603)
436-7182, Jan Witham—(603) 436-7252
RED CROSS
BLOOD
DRIVE
At Middle St Baptist
Church
Friday, January 2nd
12 Noon—5:00 PM
Volume 12, Issue 2
Page 7
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Volunteer Opportunities In Our Community
Cross Roads House
Operation Blessing
Operation Blessing has been around since 1987 and was
founded by Rick and Rachel Sparkowich. The ministry
began because Rachel saw a need to be filled and she did
something about it. This is reflected in our vision—”Find a
need and fill it. See a hurt and heal it.”
We accept many different kind of donations from food,
furniture, clothes, and household items that are in reusable
condition. Everything that is donated is sorted, cleaned, or
fixed and then given away free of charge to those that are in
need. We strive to provide our clients with an atmosphere of
hope and love while providing the crucial assistance they
need. Monetary donations are also a blessing and are tax
deductible because Operation Blessing is a 501 (c)
(3) tax-exempt non-denominational Christian ministry.
Here is a list of volunteer opportunities at OB center.
New Directions for the Homeless
The success at Cross Roads House would not
be possible without the help of volunteers.
Whether you can give a couple of hours a week
or a couple hours a month, we would appreciate your time
and energy. We typically need help in this area:
Soup Kitchen
Dinner is served seven nights a week at our shelter.
Volunteers are needed to prepare and cook meals; serve
dinner to residents; and assist with organization of food
donations. Find out how you can become a volunteer by
attending Volunteer Orientation on Tuesday, January 6, from
5:30—6:30 PM at the shelter. Orientation includes a shelter
tour, an overview of kitchen operations, and volunteer
expectations.
If you have any questions about volunteering or about our
orientation program email JoAnn Rohde at
[email protected] or call (603)436-2218, ext. 107.
Wednesday-Fri day: 10am-4pm
Answering Phones
Sorting Donations
Repair Shop
Drivers
Delivering Furniture
Cooking Lunch for the Volunteers
Food pantry workers
Seacoast Adopt-A-Block
Another one of our outreach ministries who help the elderly,
disabled, widowed and single parent homes. Adopt-A-Block
is here to help people any way we can. Over the
past several years our volunteers have painted, raked, shoveled, trimmed bushes, cut down trees, cleaned gutters,
mowed grass, planted flowers, cleaned houses, grocery
shopped, delivered gifts, made crafts, sang Christas carols,
moved furniture, delivered food and medicine, provided
bedding & clothing, cleaned up the city streets, helped in
our city housing projects, and many other countless projects.
Whether it is a college class requirement, a court ordered
mandate, a business community outreach, or just someone
wanting to serve their fellow man, people can find a place of
service through Seacoast Adopt-A-Block.
For more information on our volunteer programs please call
Tammy Joslyn at 603-988-2671.
YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CEN TER
Families First Health & Support Center is a leader in
integrated care, offering high-quality health care, dental
care and parent & family programs, all in one location.
Families First's services are for everyone — infants to
seniors, single people and families, insured or uninsured,
all income levels. Opportunities for volunteers at Families
First include:
 Assisting the Families First children's services staff




in providing child care while parents are in parenting
groups or medical appointments. If you have music, art,
storytelling or other talents, this is a great place to share
them with kids.
Sharing technical, writing or other office skills.
Helping with large mailing projects.
Helping out at our bimonthly senior luncheons.
What else would you like to do? Make us an offer!
To find out more about getting involved at Families First,
e-mail Julia Provoznik, or call her at (603) 422-8208 ext.
126.
Under the Steeple
Page 8
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CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
GIVEN BY
Bill and Vickie Walters
Bob and Kathy Pearl and Family
Erdine Ramsdell
Dick and Janice Clark
Bill Poor
Barbara Hodgdon
Janet and David Splaine
Robin and Chris McKenna
Beverly Splaine
Eleanor Hayes
Loving Family Member
Jeri Palmer
Audrey and Jack Foster
Martha Petruzzi
Louie and Bev Dow
Martha McGovern
Bill Keech Family
Martha Jones
Olivia F. Phipps
Dottie Steere-Doyle
Barbara Brown
Peter and Marilyn Gustafson
Ruth Mouton, Ellen, and Gail
Martha N. DeStefano
Susan Anderson
Bob and Jan Witham
Helen and Victor Tine
Melodie Chapman
Alan and Suzanne (Wilder) Cleveland
and Family
Tom and Janet Hand
and Irene
IN MEMORY/HONOR OF
Our Parents
In memory of our son, Jason T. Pearl and parents
Arthur and Gladys Pearl and Lloyd and Beverly Jordan
My Husband, Bernard Ramsdell
Richard M. Clark, Sr., Jim Clark, Kenneth and Geneva King;
Kenny King
In memory of Priscilla Poor
Stephen and Louise Perham from the family, George and
Winifred Strickland from the family and Paul A. Hodgdon, Sr.
from his family
Arthur E. Splaine
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen G. Perham
Mr. and Mrs. George Strickland
My husband, John Hayes, and Our Parents
In memory of Harold and Lillian Leonard
Loved Ones
Audrey’s sister, June Brower
Loved Ones
Our Parents
My Dad, Richard Jurkowski
In memory of Bill Keech
Loved Ones
Harold and Millicent Phipps, and Donald S. Phipps
Steere Doyle Family and Flora Goddard
Loved Ones
Our Parents
Richard P. Moulton
Parents, Edith and Freeman Norris and Husband,
Skip DeStefano
In memory of my mother, Kathleen Anderson and
Grandmother Mary Cohee and In Honor of my father,
Verne S. Anderson, Sr.
In Honor of our two daughters, Heidi and Amy and their families
Loved Ones
In Honor of Timothy and Lucyana Chapman
Earl and Mildred Wilder
Our Parents, Parker and Olive Hand, George
Lippincott, and our Aunt Nancy F. Fleming