Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for February 5, 2023
Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities
There will be NO Choir practice this week.
Join our Sunday Worship Zoom link at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88327467219?pwd=Mis3ME4waGE1RmRBN zFXK3VUaDJXdz09
Meeting ID: 883 2746 7219 Passcode: 131738
(Posted later for viewing on Facebook and YouTube)
We are bringing in new members on Sunday, February 5th at our 10:00 Worship Service.
Meet Jenifer Remick:
Likes: Thousands of them. Dislikes: Lima Beans
Top two passions: My family and our home and secondly my work.
Work: I am a Professional Registered Nurse/Health Services Consultant/State Surveyor. I
have worked in hospitals, nursing homes and for the past 22 years/currently work for the State
of Maine/DHHS/Division of Licensing and Certification. I am blessed and every day I give
thanks, and take nothing for granted. Laugh and have a little fun every day!
Our meetings are open to all. If you would like to attend a meeting, please let Vicky know and she will provide the Zoom link, or you are welcome to attend in person.
Deacons will meet Friday, February 10th at 12:00 noon
Outreach will meet Thursday, February 16th at 4:00 pm
Council will meet Friday, February 17th at 12:00 noon
Trustees will meet March 1st at 12:00 noon
Rev. Dr. Nick Davis will lead our service on February 19th while Pastor TJ is on vacation
Liz Charles McGough, Director of Pilgrim Lodge will bring us a message on Feb. 26th
Andy Matthews and Charles Dayhoff from Loaves & Fishes will join us on March 12th
Ash Wednesday - Soup and Service at Noon - details next week
Lenten Study Group - Wendell Berry and the Sabbath Poetry of Lent - details coming soon
Pilgrim Lodge - Save the dates
Adult Lighten Up Loosen Up Camp (LULU)
August 7 - 11, Monday - Friday
We’ll all be ready for camp after our Church Fair weekend -
Register by the night or stay for all four nights - invite a friend or two!
In addition, we are invited to schedule a retreat at Pilgrim Lodge. This is an opportunity for a vibrant experience to be in community together at camp on Lake Cobbosseecontee in West Gardiner, Maine. They’ll cook and do the dishes and we can create the programming just for us!
Options are available with no minimum participant requirements including the weekend of May 12-14 and a weekend specifically for churches of the Maine Conference: September 22-24. Contact Liz at Pilgrim Lodge to learn more
(207-724-3200, echarles@pilgrimlodge.org).
During the month of February we will be receiving the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is one of five special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ. This Lenten Offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the
United Church of Christ within Wider Church Ministries.
The Church has a new website!
www.hancockucc.com
Where do I find....
Sunday Service Zoom Link – Zoom button on the Home Page (scroll down).
Current Weekly Messenger and Bulletin – “Quick Links” at bottom of Home Page
Upcoming Events – “Upcoming Events” on Home Page or Get Involved→Calendar.
Committee information and meeting times – Church Boards→committee or
Get Involved→Calendar.
Electronic donations – Donate button or “Give” link at top of all pages.
Archive of written sermons – About→Our Minister (there’s a list of
current sermons along the right side of the page or click “Archived
Sermons” for all the files.
Archive of Weekly Messengers and Bulletins – Click on any of the “Quick Links” at the bottom of the Home Page and then the appropriate link at the top of the page.
Or, About→Our Church and click the links at the bottom of the page.
Special Announcements – “Quick Links” at bottom of Home Page and News
Recordings of past Sunday Services – YouTube button at bottom of Home Page or About→Our Church (click the Service videos link at bottom of page) or YouTube button
at the top of every page.
Personnel email and other contact information – At the bottom of every page and Contact.
Link to church Facebook page – at the top of every page and Contact.
Please keep the following people in your prayers this week: David Mack recovering from a heart attack and a bad fall; Linda K. recovering from foot surgery; for a church family seeking solutions for significant mental health issues - prayers for effective intervention and treatment and healing for all; Judi Crowley; Debbie R.; Steve Crabtree; Debbie M. and her Aunt Linda; Barbara Reeve; Ginger and John Cunningham; John Wood; Andrew and Tamara; Austin’s cousin Danny; Kathy’s sister Patti Wotton; Roberta Scott; Betty Johnston; Betty’s step-daughter Mollie; Margaret B; Kenny & Joy & David; Liz & Jim; Gary E.; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Renata and the women she cares for; Eleanor’s step-daughter Holly; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew and his family; Cynthia; Nancy; all individuals and families experiencing addictions; all caregivers; all affected by memory loss; those living with depression and other mental health issues; for all victims and loved ones of gun violence, especially when it is by the hands of those whose vow is to serve and protect; those in war ravaged regions; those impacted by laws limiting reproductive justice; those experiencing food and housing insecurity; all in your heart…
February Birthdays and Anniversaries:
08: *Cynthia* Johnston
09: *Phil* Devenish
10: *Jack* Hirschenhofer
10: *Ethan* Hunt
12: Xyerra Harriman
13: *Amy* Philio
15: David Stratton
16: *Will* Stephenson
18: *Sara Beth* Denoncourt
21: *Pat* Summerer
24: *Heath* Hudson
25: *Michael* Hodgdon
27: Antonio Blasi
Contact Us at Union Congregational Church of Hancock:
TJ can be reached by cell phone at 207-323-6743 or by email at revtjmack@gmail.com
Vicky can be reached at 207-422-3100 or by email at hancockmaineucc@gmail.com
Jen can be reached by email at treasurer@hancockucc.com
News from local non-profit organizations
Community Matters More voting is open.
Community Matters More is a program of The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation that directly engages the public in grant awards. Throughout February, community members will cast their votes to determine the recipients of grants awarded to local nonprofit organizations.The nonprofit with the most votes in each geographical region will receive a $5,000 grant.
Vote online at www.bangor.com/cmm by selecting up to five different nonprofit organizations from any of the regions listed, or enter any other eligible nonprofit organization(s).
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.
The BTS Center (thebtscenter.org) invites you to join them for upcoming offerings:
On Thursday, February 2, they will host a Lament with Earth event.
And please join them on Thursday, February 16 for a very special event with Debra Rienstra, author of Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth.
Statement from the National Setting of the United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ National Officers and the Conference Minister of the Missouri Mid-South Conference UCC offer public condolences and prayer as the City of Memphis releases video footage of the fatal Jan. 7 beating of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols by Memphis police. Nichols died from his injuries three days later.
Five police officers are charged with his murder.
The United Church of Christ joins all whose anger, grief, and horror have been triggered by the recent beating by Memphis police officers that resulted in the tragic death of Tyre Nichols.
We extend to his mother, to whom he cried out repeatedly during the sustained beating he endured at the hands of five Memphis police officers, and to his family and loved ones our sympathy, our prayers, and our promise to continue the work of calling for an end to this kind of police brutality. Violence like this is criminal and demands response. Protests, demonstrations of public outrage and calls for accountability should ensure that those responsible for this tragedy are brought to justice; and also to reduce the chances of it happening yet again.
People of faith must lift their voices in anger, in outrage, and in grief over this tragic killing. Our lament will continue until every mother’s child knows they can walk the streets without worrying that those mandated with protecting us are the danger we fear or face.
In memory of Tyre Nichols, and in solidarity with his mother, his family, his loved ones, and with the collective voice of all who feel this deep pain we offer our own lament.
God whose image every child bears, hear us as we cry out in grief over the tragic loss of our brother Tyre.
God whose vision for the world is Shalom, hear us as we cry out for an end to brutality and violence at the hands of peace officers.
Go
d whose hope is that all will be treated with respect, hear us as we express our outrage at another black body mauled and left without breath by those wearing a badge.
God whose justice we long for, hear us as we grieve another tragic and untimely death from those who lord their power over others.
God whose love conquers all, hear our cry now for love to heal a grieving mother as she buries her son and who had to suffer the indignity of visiting his broken body in the hospital.
Hear our cry.
Receive our lament.
Transform our anger into action, our fear into hope, our brokenness into healing.
This is our prayer.
Amen
The Elected Officers of the United Church of Christ
The Rev. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President
The Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister and Vice President
The Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister and Vice President
and
The Rev. Mary W. Nelson, Conference Minister, Missouri Mid-South Conference UCC
News from the Maine Conference
From our Conference Minister – Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
February 1, 2023
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-6; 9-11) In the 3 months I have been blessed to be your new Conference Minister, I have learned so much, (and have so much more to learn). I have learned that the pastors and laity of our conference are faithful and committed to the health of all of our churches and the care all of our people. I have learned that even when there are squabbles and kerfuffles, disagreements and territorial skirmishes, you love one another with the oneness that Jesus prayed for his original disciples. You are fiercely congregational, and you lean more toward autonomy than covenant. You are suspicious of any hints of hierarchy and welcome working together for the common good of all. And you have a heart of mission, especially for New Mainers and all those who do not have a place to lay their heads. And as Paul said words of greeting and prayer for the people in Philippi, I say “I thank God for all of you. When I pray, I pray with joy and confidence that God is alive in your midst, and is welcoming you into your unknown future that God holds dear for you. And I pray that your love and wisdom will continue to grow as you discern where God is leading you—for the good of the people, whoever they are; for the good of the churches, whatever their size.” And then, my friends, I pause. I pause because I also hear of your hurt of the past; your hurt that feels like the Conference is not relevant to you; that the Conference Minister doesn’t really care. And my heart aches and I am so sorry for your wounds. And I pause to wonder. How do I, as new Conference Minister help to introduce a new day where the Conference is relevant and I indeed do care. Saying so would be true, but just words don’t prove anything. Actions—new actions—must follow words. So what actions can we covenant to engage in to change the lens, to refocus, to live into a new day? Beloved, I yearn to have conversation with you, to be a pastoral presence for pastors and a soothing and hopeful presence for churches of any size. Please invite me to chat, to visit, to meet with your congregations. I will respond with great joy. My hope is that my schedule becomes so full that I will be scheduling out a few months for in person visits. But emails, chats, zooms, can happen a whole lot sooner. And will I get back to you? Yes I will. It may take an hour, a day, sometimes a few days depending on my schedule. And I will get back to you. Beloved people of God, I look forward to learning more and more about you. I look forward to meeting more and more of you. I look forward to us working together, in partnership, to discern the vision for our conference going into the future that God holds for us. With deep gratitude,
Marisa
This spring, Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola will be offering a vitality workshop,
Alive & Thrive at Any Size, at four locations around the state.
The workshops focus on church vitality for the
21st century, including the topics of:
● Becoming a mission church: reaching out into the greater community
● Engaging community partners for mission
● “Right sizing” governance to prevent burn out as numbers in the pews decrease
● Creative ways for pastors and lay leaders to work together
● Reaching the unchurched and inviting them into the life of the church
Please consider registering for one of the following events:
Hybrid options are available at the April 22 and June 10 meetings.
Questions? Contact Marisa mlaviola@maineucc.org
Wabanaki Stories World Premiere
Saturday, February 4, 2023 3:00PM - Merrill Auditorium, Portland
The land and waters known as Maine have been home to Wabanaki People for over 12,000 years. This vibrant production of Wabanaki stories and music spotlights five Wabanaki artists coming from several different nations and traditions. Musician Tania Morey (Tobique) sings of the Wolastoq; Jennifer Pictou (Mi’kmaq) regales with spirit stories told in the company of a large puppet. For more information visit merrill.auditoriumme.org
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