UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF HANCOCK
We respect tradition — and we welcome inclusive language about people and expansive language about God. Please pray using words most meaningful to you.
Open and Affirming of ALL God’s Children
Celebrating Pilgrim Lodge
March 3, 2024 - Third Sunday of Lent
This service will be in-person and on Zoom at 10:00 (Recorded for Facebook and YouTube)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 822 2425 2518
Passcode: 755650
The first pew in front of the pulpit has books and quiet activities for people of all ages.
Please find something that suits you, take it to your pew, and return it after the service.
Silent Prayer
Holy God, we try to fix and fasten you, but you will not be stayed. You are love in motion:
always breathing us into being, calling us to serve, sustaining us in the wilderness. Come to us as the morning breaks. Soften what has grown dry and brittle in our hearts until we worship with abandon, for we pray in the name of your Son and through the Spirit that gives us life. Amen
* Indicates points in the service when we stand in body or spirit
Announcements
Prelude Communion T. Dubois
Welcome
*Introit Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (v.1) B #43
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven on earth be found,
Fix in us a humble dwelling, all your faithful mercies crown;
Jesus, you are all compassion; pure, unbounded love impart.
Visit us with your salvation, enter every trembling heart.
*Call to Worship
One: Sing to the Lord and bless God’s name.
All: Tell of God’s saving power from day to day.
One: Worship the Lord in holy splendor.
All: Tremble before God, all the earth.
*Passing of the Peace (ASL) and Lighting of Peace & Justice Candle
*Hymn Morning Has Broken R. #258
Morning has broken like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain's new fall sunlit from heaven,
like the first dew fall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God's recreation of the new day!
Morning has broken like the first morning.
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the word!
*Invocation
Spirit of life, teach us to pray as we ought. Meet us in words written, in words spoken; intercede for us with sighs too deep for words, until we shine with the hope that is hidden in our hearts. Amen
Children’s Message Liz Charles McGough - Director of Pilgrim Lodge
Hebrew Scripture Psalm 96:11-12
Special Music When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Arr. Robert Lau
Message Liz Charles McGough - Director of Pilgrim Lodge
*Hymn How Great Thou Art (vs. 1&2)
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
[Refrain]
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze
Refrain
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns
Our Father (Creator, Mother) who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
Lead me Lord, lead me in thy righteousness, make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Invitation to Offering – God invites us to give in gratitude and joy so that we can bless others
as we have been blessed.
Offertory A Garden Prayer Roberta Rowland-Raybold
*The Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen
*Prayer of Dedication (spoken in unison)
O God, you call us to be a blessing for all people on this earth. Give us the wisdom and the courage to be a blessing to this community and to this world. Through these offerings may we be channels of your compassion and healing. Amen
*Communion Hymn Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread B. #342
Be known to us in breaking bread, but do not then depart;
O Savior, stay with us and spread your table in our heart.
Here share with us in love divine, your body and your blood;
That living bread, that heavenly wine, be our immortal food.
Holy Communion Liturgy
(We serve gluten and gluten-free bread. The fruit of the vine in our cup is grape juice.)
Invitation to the Table
One: Friends, what we are about to do is to celebrate the Joyful Feast of the people of God.
All: When we are able, with the Holy One, to experience the vision of love for God’s Global Village here on earth – then all of creation will come as equal companions to sit at this table.
One: In the meantime, you and I are invited to eat and drink, to be nourished and renewed for the ongoing work of justice, embracing mercy and walking humbly with God.
All: This is an open table at which all are welcome.
Words of Remembering
All: On the night when Jesus was betrayed, he gathered with his disciples in the upper room, where an ordinary meal became an instrument of God. At this table, Jesus broke bread with those who would betray him. At this table, Jesus drank wine with the one who denied him. At this table, Jesus communed with those who would abandon him. At this table, Jesus gave a new commandment.
At this table, we learn to love one another as God loves us.
One: Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” When the supper was over, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks to God, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is the cup of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of our sins, and in hope for the new life to come. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Blessing the Bread and the Cup
One: Gracious God, pour out your Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, that they might be for us the presence of the living Christ. Pour your Spirit upon us also, that we may be one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until we arrive at the heavenly banquet of God.
All: With this one loaf, we who are many, become one. With this one cup, what was before has been renewed.
One: Come, for all things are ready.
Sharing the Bread and the Cup
The bread of life, given for you. AmenThe cup of blessing, given for you. Amen
Prayer of Thanksgiving
All: Our Creator, our Redeemer, our Sustainer – In this holy mystery, you have given yourself to us. We are eternally grateful. Empower us, that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves to each other in the name of Jesus Christ who gave his life for all. Amen
*Benediction
*Sung Blessing Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing (vs. 1) R. #333
Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace;
let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace:
oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us, traveling through this wilderness.
Postlude Adagio Benedetto Marcello
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book in the back of the sanctuary.
Support our Church Financially
Please visit Hancock (Maine) UCC on Facebook or our new webpage www.hancockucc.com
or visit this link to our PayPal account: paypal.me/hancockucc
or mail offerings to:
Union Congregational Church, PO Box 443, Hancock, ME 04640 (Attention: Treasurer)
Contact Us
207.422.3100 207.323.6743
Many thanks to those who make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Guest Speaker - Liz Charles McGough - Director of Pilgrim Lodge
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Everett Espling, Doug Kimmel, Robin Long
Liturgist – Pastor TJ
Audio-Video Support – Ron Schwizer
Office Administrator – Vicky Espling
Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack
The Body of Christ – You
Resources, adapted
enfleshed: liturgy that matters and UCC Worship Ways and
Feasting on the Word, Worship Companion
"Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE,
License #A-738532. All rights reserved.
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Words and Music - ©1993 MorningStar Music Publishers / Birnamwood Publications
Contributors: Charles Wesley, Sid Davis
Morning Has Broken
Words: Eleanor Farjeon ©1957 Harold Ober Associates, Inc.
Music: Traditional Gaelic melody, harm. David Evans © 1927 Oxford University Press.
How Great Thou Art
Words and Music - Public Domain
Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread
Words and Music - Public Domain
Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing
Words and Music - Public Domain
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