Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for December 11, 2022

Creator of the stars of night,

your people’s everlasting light,

O Christ, redeemer of us all,

we pray you, hear us when we call.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Candle of LOVE

December 18, 2022

Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities

The Choir practices at 9:15 on Sunday mornings. All are welcome to join.

Are you doing your holiday baking? How about making a platter for our Cheer Baskets?

Please bring cookies and bars to the Fellowship Hall on or before noon on Tuesday, Dec. 20th.

The Handbell Choir will play this Sunday morning at our 10:00 service

Christmas Eve service will be at 7:00 p.m. in our sanctuary and on Facebook Live

There will be a Christmas service posted to our Facebook page the morning of Dec. 25th

Pastor TJ will be on vacation December 25th – January 3rd.share

January 1st we will gather together in our Sanctuary and worship with Rev. Dr. Peter Allen

and the Union Congregational Church of Hingham, Massachusetts

We are invited to join St Andrew Lutheran in “adopting a family from Ukraine.”

Let Pastor TJ if you are interested in finding out how you can help.

We will be taking donations for the Christmas Fund (also known as the Veterans of the Cross offering) for the next few weeks. This is the last of the 5 for 5 offerings, supported by the Maine Conference UCC, for the year. The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. Envelopes are available on the back tables in the Sanctuary, or simply note your donation on the bottom of your check.

Thank you for your continued support of this important fund.

Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry could always use your help. If you are able to volunteer,

please contact Ken at loavesandfishesellsworth@gmail.com

or at 207-801-0688.

Also, Loaves & Fishes will soon be publishing their very own collection of Maine recipes in cookbook form. They are planning to use the cookbook during events, pantry tours and other gatherings – and as a marketing piece for conversations with prospective supporters.

They want your input – specifically, your recipes! Please send recipes for your favorite dishes, (holiday or otherwise) to Debra Gillespie-Fowles (debgillespie23@gmail.com), or drop them at the pantry during open hours. If you have suggestions for dishes that can be easily made with ingredients from Loaves & Fishes, that’s a big plus. They are especially interested in dinner entrees such as casseroles. And, please let them know if you’d like to be acknowledged for your contribution in the published book! Thanks in advance for helping make this project a win for the pantry. Happy Holidays from Loaves & Fishes!

Contact Us at Union Congregational Church of Hancock:

Due to recent issues with our email account, the church office now has a new email address.  When writing to Vicky, please begin using this email address: hancockmaineucc@gmail.com.  

TJ can be reached by cell phone at 207-323-6743 or by email at revtjmack@hancockucc.com

Vicky can be reached at 207-422-3100 or by email at office@hancockucc.com see above

Jen can be reached by email at treasurer@hancockucc.com

December Birthdays and Anniversaries

15: *Frank* Dorsey

16: *Ashley* Ehrlenbach Johnson

18: *Barbara* Reeve

20: *Sheila* O’Neill

21: *Mary Angela* Davis

27: *Jennifer* Ashmore

30: *Keith* & *Pam* Bowie