Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for October 20, 2024
Hear the parents all around us, those whose children live in fear.
See their anguish at the violence, let’s make justice persevere!
Let us learn from Rizpah’s mourning, may we hear her wailing cry.
Help us, Lord, to cease our fighting. May our mercy multiply!
Pastor TJ will be in Wisconsin from Oct. 17th - 31st. Her time there will be split 50% vacation and 50% work. We welcome to our pulpit this weekend the Rev. Dr. Kate Winters and Rev. Joel Kreuger. TJ was privileged to do her mentored practice with Kate and Joel at First Church in Belfast, from where they recently retired. The following week, October 27th we will be led by our student ministry intern, Sarina Brooks.
All are invited to join a meditation group at 9:00 a.m. on Fridays in our Sanctuary. In the spirit of the sessions led by Angela Absher at the Hancock Point Chapel we will begin with a lightly guided non-denominational meditation followed by a few minutes of discussion and ending with another 20 minutes of meditation. The program will be led by novices Alison Boden and TJ Mack. Now and again we may have guest speakers. Our goal is friendship and happiness. No experience is necessary. We leave in silence. Do come…
Help Keep Grammar School Kids Healthy and Focused - Bring your returnable beverage cans and bottles to the church and support our campaign to provide snacks for students at the Hancock Grammar School. The container deposits will be redeemed and the proceeds forwarded to the school for the purchase of snacks. It's an easy and painless way to collect lots of nickels which will add up to a meaningful contribution for the snack program and help the kids stay focused, healthy and thriving. Call David Wildes at 422-3739 with any questions. He can also pick up your bottles and cans upon request.
The Sunrise Association Fall Meeting will be held November 2nd - 8:30 am in Monroe.
The “Claiming Your Call for a Climate-Changed World” team – Amelia Ashmore, Alison Boden, Nick Davis, Pat Summerer and Pastor TJ invite you into a congregational conversation on Sunday Nov. 17th after our worship service. Help us to discern our “small project with radical intent.” Thank you in advance for your participation.
Information about the journey these five have begun on behalf of our church can be found at https://thebtscenter.org/claiming-your-call-for-a-climate-changed-world/
Last Sunday, October 13th, we welcomed Rev. Joshua Fitterling as a member of our church.
Meet Josh:
Hello All! My name is Josh Fitterling. I am a native of Pennsylvania, where I was raised, along with my brother, on the family dairy farm. Knowing early on that farming was not my calling in life (though I greatly value all it taught me), I went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics before attending Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, PA to receive my Masters of Divinity. I was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 2015 and have served churches in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maine. During my ministry in Maine, not only did I fall in love with the state, I fell in love with Pilgrim Lodge and have been a part of Camp Pride for LGBTQ+ youth and allies since it began in 2017. This past summer, I even had the chance to work at Pilgrim Lodge, serving as the Program Coordinator.
My partner and I currently live outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, where I am completing a Chaplain Residency program at UT Medical Center, the region's level 1 trauma hospital. We reside with our three pets – Hero (a black and brindle Pitbull), Nutmeg (a calico, long-haired kitten), and Marlin (an African Gray parrot). Here we enjoy bowling, learning piano, studying Spanish, spending time at the local coffee shop, and supporting local LGBTQ+ and outreach organizations.
I look forward to being a part of Hancock UCC during this season of life (even from afar – thanks technology and all those who operate it!)
From our Student Ministry Intern, Sarina Brooks:
Peace and Prayer Vigils
Union Congregational Church of Hancock, in solidarity with other local UCC churches, will be holding peace and prayer vigils during the months of October and November. Come, bring yourself, whoever you are, however you are feeling. Bring your worries, anxieties, hopes, and prayers for peace. This will be a time of quiet; for prayers, meditation, reflection or any other ways you seek to use this time and space. We will have printed prayers you may take; candles you can light for your prayers, and quiet music for reflection. Come and stay, for a minute or the entire hour. All are welcome. Please extend the invitation to others that you know. We will offer the following times in which the sanctuary will be open:
Monday October 21st @ 1-2PM
Monday November 4th @ 1-2PM
Monday November 18th @ 1-2PM
Other UCC churches offering Peace and Prayer Vigils
Centre Street Congregational Church Machias
Monday October 28th @ 12-1PM and 6:30-7:30PM
Tuesday November 5th @ 12-1PM and 6:30-7:30PM
Monday November 25th @ 12-1PM and 6:30-7:30PM
First Congregational Church of Cherryfield
Monday October 14th 2 4-5PM
Milbridge Congregational Church
Dates and times to be determined. We will let you know.
October Birthdays and Anniversaries
20: Ruth Dietze 24: Susan Davies 29: Ron McGlinchey
30: Chris & Melissa Nowell
Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
Prayers for Ron’s brother, Joe; Kathy’s brother, David; both receiving radiation or chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Prayers for Donald B. and Kenny V. and Orrick of Golden Acres. Prayers for Sarina’s dad, James Brookman; Xyerra, as she learns to navigate a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes; Everett’s sister, Libby, recently diagnosed with lung cancer; Judith C.; Don and Heather; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Sally’s friend, Sue Barger; Dr. John; Yvonne; Herbie Lounder; Ira; Cathy C.; Jane; Ruth; Marie; Doris; Ron & Kathy; Jim Snyder; Jonathan Holmes; Brandon Perry-Hudson; John Wood; Sue Davies; Sue Davenport; Liz & Jim; Kenny Stratton; Joy & David & Lori & Melissa; Debbie & Lincoln & son-in-law Aaron, daughter Ashley, and granddaughter Brielle; Sandy Phippen; Betty & her step-daughter Mollie; Debbie & Hollis & Holly and Debbie’s Aunt Linda Reed; Amy Nickerson; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew & family; Kevin and Vanessa & family. Prayers of strength and healing for all awaiting diagnoses and for all recovering from surgeries & procedures. Prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion. Prayers for all caregivers; and prayers for all that is in your heart…
For those joining our Sunday Worship 10:00 service via Zoom, here is the link.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 822 2425 2518 Passcode: 755650
From the Maine Conference
A Note from our Associate Conference Minister
Rev. John Fiscus
Ruth 1:16 … “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
The book of Ruth is coming up in the lectionary soon. It stands as one of the historical stories in the Hebrew canon. It does not contain law or prophetic utterances. It is not songs or poetry. It is a tale of gentility. That being said it weaves a story of both a call to a purpose and the deepest meaning of faithful covenant keeping. As we prepare for the annual meeting and its focus on covenant it might speak to you as it spoke to me.
Ruth offers a deep promise of connection. Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people. As I moved to Maine I did so feeling that the spirit wanted me here. I had delays and set backs that postponed my planned arrival to August. I have been paddling upstream as fast as I can and trying to get caught up with my own expectations. I have now had the great honor of visiting and preaching in multiple churches. I have a better sense now that your people are my people and we are connected.
Most of my work focuses on churches in transition. Search and call are my everyday tasks. When I walk into a church my primary message is you are not alone. We are held in covenant with each other. To reiterate this point, I have started an old-fashioned prayer chain. I ask the place I am preaching to pray for my next two stops. I also let them know that my last two stops are praying for them. Our West Brookville and Kittery Point churches are three and a half hours, and 190 miles apart. But on Sunday morning they are side by side supporting and praying for each other.
Ruth was a daughter-in-law to Naomi. They were united first in familial bonds then in the bond of widowhood. Ruth had every right to walk away and not return. But God had pulled them together and blessed their faithfulness to each other. The churches of the Maine conference are bonded in the same way. God calls God’s people to intentional connections of care and purpose. This Friday and Saturday I will be at the annual meeting of the conference to broaden that connection. While we are there the good people of North Parish have been asked to pray for us. We will be connected in a prayer covenant. But my journey will not and cannot end there. In the next year, I hope to offer the good news in every corner of this beautiful place I am calling home. I ask you to begin the work of praying with and for the other churches now! We are in this together. Your people are my people and our God calls us together.
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