Afternoons or evenings. the choice is yours! The Northwood/Nottingham Evening Book Discussion Group met at the Chesley Memorial Library on Tuesday, December 2, at 7:00 p.m. to discuss “The Reading Group” by Elizabeth Noble. The Afternoon Book Discussion Group will  meet at the Chesley Memorial Library on Thursday, December 4, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss “Christmas In Plains” by Jimmy Carter. New members are welcome in both groups. Call the library at 942-5472 for more information.
 

On December 6, Northwood School will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair to coincide with the PTA Holly Fair. The Book Fair will be set up in the cafeteria along with all the other vendors and activities planned for the Holly Fair. The hours are 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. This is a great time to drop by and choose some books for Christmas gifts. The book fair profits will be added to the school library book budget.
Thank you!
 

It’s time for another fair at the First Congregational Church in Pittsfield. On Saturday, December 6th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Dorcas Guild will be sponsoring the Annual Craft Fair which features several different crafters from Pittsfield and surrounding towns. This fair has gained a wonderful reputation over the years for the great variety of unusual items offered by the artisans in the area. If you haven’t attended before, make an effort to attend, you will be glad you did.
 

Bear-Paw Announces Field Trip To Recently Protected Property In Deerfield

Bear-Paw and the Deerfield Conservation Commission are hosting the following fieldtrip. The program is free and open to the public. Please pre-register at [email protected], www.bear-paw.org, or 603-463-9400.

Freese Town Forest Fieldtrip
December 6, 2009
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Freese Town Forest, Mount Delight Road Deerfield

Please join Bear-Paw and the Deerfield Conservation Commission for a walk at the recently conserved 175-acre FreeseTown Forest in Deerfield. The property is part of an 8,000-acre unfragmented forest that straddles the headwaters of the Lamprey River and the Suncook River watershed and was protected with funding from the Town of Deerfield, the Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), the Fields Pond Foundation, and the New Hampshire Estuaries Project. Participants will meet at the entrance to the Freese parcel, just west of #107 Mount Delight Road in Deerfield.
Bear-Paw Regional Greenways now holds easements protecting 26 properties and 2,288 acres and it has assisted on other projects protecting more than 3,347 acres in the region. Bear-Paw is a non-profit land trust with a mission to permanently conserve a network of lands that protects our region’s water, wildlife habitat, forests, and farmland. Established by resident volunteers, Bear-Paw works to conserve open space in Candia, Deerfield, Epsom, Northwood, Nottingham, Raymond, and Strafford through outreach, education, and land protection project assistance. Our Goal is to safeguard our irreplaceable water resources, important wildlife habitat and travel routes, and productive forests and farms. We envision a region of scenic beauty and rural character where diversity and quality of life are sustained. For information about how to become a member, land protection options for landowners or volunteering with the land trust, please contact Daniel Kern at Bear-Paw Regional Greenways, Post Office Box 19, Deerfield, NH 03037, 603 463-9400, or [email protected]. You can also visit their website at www.bear-paw.org.

Santa’s Helpers

The members of Northwood Fire-Rescue Association are requesting the assistance of the citizens of Northwood in providing Christmas gifts for children living in Northwood with many families finding they can provide only the basic needs.

Our donation boxes marked Northwood Santa’s Helpers will be in local merchants the first week of December for your donation of new toys for children birth to 18 years old. If you decide to wrap your gift, please mark with the suggested gender and age group. PLEASE NOTE: We do not receive assistance of other organizations also collecting toys in town. Northwood Santa’s Helpers donations are only for Northwood children.

Cash donations used to purchase winter clothing can be mailed to: Northwood Santa’s Helpers, c/o PO Box 353, Northwood, NH 03261.

Items usually requested are: coloring books and crayons, dolls, trucks, games of any age, stuffed animals, balls of any type, action figures, school and art supplies, crafts. Gifts for the teenage group are always appreciated.

If you are in need of assistance, forms are available at the Northwood Town Hall, fire station weekdays and community bulletin board at the Northwood Post Office. Please note you must be a Northwood resident to obtain assistance.

Thank you for any assistance you may be able to provide in these difficult economic times.

CBNA Winter Arts Festival

The Winter Arts Festival Committee is pleased to announce that this year’s festival will take place on Wednesday, December 3rd from 6:00 to 9:00 PM with a snow date of Thursday, December 4th.  The festival will open at 6:00 pm with an exhibition of The Scholastic Art Award of New Hampshire submissions in the Multi-Purpose Room.  At 6:50 PM, the Select Chorus will sing the National Anthem.  At approximately 7:15, the Master of Ceremonies and Dean of the Student Services Division, Mrs. Sally Aseltine, will introduce the Scholastic Art Award’s Gold Key recipients while Mr. Unrein and Mr. Chatfield present certificates of merit.  A brief Power Point presentation that showcases the top 30 artworks will also be presented.  The CBNA Chorus under the direction of Mr. David Deardorff will perform songs varying in style from spiritual to contemporary to seasonal.  A drama presentation under the direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Lent will follow and the Drama II class will perform.  The evening will conclude with the CBNA Concert Band, directed by Music Director, Mr. Bruce McCormick.  Students, faculty, friends and community members are all invited.  As in the past, this special evening in the arts helps provide additional financial support for supplies and repairs that cannot be planned for in advance.  Your continued generosity is greatly appreciated.  Admission is free to all participating students while general admission is $5.00 each or $20.00 for a family of four or more.
 

Thanksgiving

By Pastor Ted White
First of all, who do we thank? What do we thank Him for? I truly thank Him that we can freely worship Him and openly live for Him in this country. At least for now. Most American Christians take this for granted. There are so many places in this world where this freedom does not exist.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we read “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Too many times we only thank God during the good times. How many of us are thankful when difficult times come upon us? Yet God calls us to be thankful during those times as well. You see, God is in control in good times as well as in the tough times. He is always working, always carrying out His plans and purposes. Nobody can stay His hand or control the circumstances as much as we would like to think we can.

I am so thankful that God has allowed me to know His Son. Recently, I was in Africa and I saw so many who have trusted Jesus and were thankful. Most of these dear Christians have very little material wealth, even when compared to the poor of this country. Yet, they were thankful. Many come to Jesus in very difficult circumstances. Let me share just one story that I personally had contact with.

One day, as we were sharing the gospel with people on the street, one man kept following us. Finally he caught up with us. He said, “I know what you are saying about Jesus dying for our sins on the cross, being our Substitute in our place, is true. But, here’s my dilemma. I came from another country, I had to flee, and I have no relatives here. I stay with a particular religious family. If I trust Jesus and they find out, they will kill me. What should I do?” How many of us in the U.S. have come from circumstances like this? Yet, there are hundreds, thousands in other parts of this world who come from these type backgrounds where they could die simply for trusting Jesus and wanting to live for Him.

This man trusted Christ and like so many like him, are truly thankful to God for the greatest gift ever given, eternal life through Jesus Christ - even if it means death for trusting Him! What keeps you from trusting Jesus? In this country, it is not having to fear death for trusting Him! May this thanksgiving season find us thanking God for His salvation offered by His Son and having accepted Him. Now, may we live according to His purposes as He reveal in His Word, the Bible.

God wants you to enjoy the life He has given you and to escape the consequence of death, which is separation from Him forever, under His wrath in Hell. To do so go to www.newhopenorthwood.com or call 942-7729 or to find peace with God http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp or http://www.simplysharejesus.com/

CBNA FFA Chapter Members Receive Greenhand FFA Degree

Greenhand Degree recipients pictured with FFA Advisors Sarah Ward and Charles Whitten and State Officers Tianna VanderWoude, Colton McCarthy, and Alicia McLean.

In November, 30 members of the CBNA Much-To-Do FFA Chapter received the Greenhand FFA Degree.  This honor recognizes the members’ demonstrated knowledge and achievements in agricultural awareness, leadership, career development, and community service programs. It is the first degree awarded to high school members of the National FFA Organization (FFA).

The honorees received their Greenhand Degree during a state officer visit at Coe-Brown at a banquet held on November 25.  Each recipient received a bronze emblem pin and a certificate to commemorate this accomplishment.

Those receiving the Greenhand FFA Degree include David Grant, Thomas Jesseman-Mulari, David Rice, Amanda Torosian, Skye Hopps. Ryan Mooers, Bradley Lampron, Jacinta Madore, Kathryn Reid, Kelsey Brown, Jenna Brown, Seth Brown, Beau DeVeau, Shannon Guffy, Joshua Landry, Justin Renner, Katherine Soiett, Matthew Stevens, Stephen Tetreault, Richard Young, Kevin Chadwick, Christopher Madore, George Donovan, Hannah Anthony, Kaitlyn Wood, Lee Harris Jr., Adam Kimball Izaak Ruel, and Dakota Snow.

There are more than 495,046 FFA members across the country.  Student members belong to chapters that are organized at the school level.  Agricultural education instructors serve as chapter advisors.  FFA members develop leadership skills and are preparing for one or more of the 350 careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. FFA programs allow members the opportunity to practically apply the knowledge that they gain in the classroom to real-world experiences.  They also measure their expertise through local, state and national competitions.

Northwood Food Pantry

The Northwood Food Pantry volunteers extend a sincere THANK YOU to all the people who have so generously answered the call for support over the past few months. The huge outpouring of food donations and financial support has allowed the pantry to continue to serve those in need as the level of requests for food has increased.  Thank you to Northwood Hannaford, Thespian Society of Coe-Brown Academy, Northwood Democrats, Northwood Boys Scouts, Northwood Girl Scouts, Senator Jack Barnes and all the individuals and families throughout Northwood; each supporter is an important part of what makes it possible to continue to serve our neighbors. 

The Northwood Emergency Food Pantry (NEFP) provides a supply of food, soap, and paper goods to individuals or families in need. NEFP was organized by a group of people representing many civic organizations and the local churches to meet the needs of people in the community facing a food shortage for any reason. Some of the people who have been served include those who are unemployed or recently lost a job, family crisis such as separation or divorce, and people on fixed incomes unable to meet their basic needs. Formed in the early 1980’s the pantry has been able to continue to provide this service for over 25 years due to the generous support of many individuals and organizations throughout Northwood. It has been the hope of NEFP volunteers that no child or adult in the community would be without needed food or basic health supplies.

To request help from the pantry, please contact Food Pantry Coordinator Pat Jacobsmeyer at 942-8912. There are no set hours that the pantry is open; food is supplied on an as needed basis.