Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for April 23, 2023
Banish thoughts of sadness, for the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in;
though the clouds may gather, those who love the Savior still have peace within. Though I bear much sorrow here, still in you lies purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure!
Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities
Choir practices Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. All are welcome.
Join us in our Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. or on 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)
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.
Council will meet Friday, April 21st at 12:00 noon in the Fellowship Hall and also on Zoom
Pastor TJ will be on Study Week April 24th - 30th.
On April 30th, Pastor Jeff Jeude will be our guest preacher while Pastor TJ is away.
Meet our Congregation
Meet Judi Crowley… Ellsworth is my hometown. I was fortunate enough to have lived in Japan (where Tamara was born) and the Philippines when married to Tamara's dad who was active duty Navy! After moving home to Ellsworth I got a job at a local bank and then moved to a great job at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in 1974. An unexpected illness forced my retirement in 2019. I also have a son, Kevin, who lives in Old Town with his family.
I love music, sang with Acadia Choral Society for nearly 20 years. I love books and dogs on a nearly equal basis. I used to be a good cook and had a great little Cafe in Northeast Harbor for 5 yrs. These interests take second place to the love I have for my 2 amazing grandsons Austin and Declan!
I found this beautiful church home as a result of an invitation from Ron Schwizer, who assured me it was a loving place to be. The friendships I have made here are invaluable. My years with the choir are some of my favorite blessings!
April Birthdays and Anniversaries:
26: *John* & Chris Wells
30: *Ruth* Butters
Scholarships for Hancock residents
The Leon S. and Calista B. Thorsen Education Fund is accepting applications for funds to assist town of Hancock students or people of any age who will attend an accredited academic institution of higher education at the undergraduate or graduate level, or who will pursue learning in an accredited/certified academic or vocational program.
Applicants must be permanent legal residents of the town of Hancock who have been so for
at least the past three years (36 months).
Decisions will be based on academic achievement, personal aspirations, contributions to community, financial need, timely submission of application and supporting documents and availability of funds.
Applications must be postmarked by May 15.
Contact: thorsenedfund@gmail.com or write to Thorsen Education Fund,
P.O. Box 261, Hancock, ME 04640.
Greetings!
I hope this note finds all of you well. If all goes according to plan, I will arrive in Maine in late
May. My understanding is that my guest room is full of contents for Comfort Cases. My hope is that upon arrival, I will hit the ground running sorting contents and then packing and distributing Comfort Cases. It's been a long cold winter in Maine, and I suspect that there are many children who would love having a Case. So in your travels, please keep an eye out for great contents for children ages 0-18. Toiletries are best if they are travel sizes as they fit easily into a backpack. Also, as of right now, I have no backpacks. Ideal sizes are 15", 17" or 19". We are also in need of stuffed animals but they have to be 10" or smaller to fit. I'm including a link that details what goes into our Comfort Cases.
You all have been so good to me and children experiencing foster care in Maine in the past. I could never do this project without you.
Please feel free to share this message with anyone who might want to help!
Thank you and Happy Spring!
Lesley Robinson, Volunteer
Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
The family and friends of David Wood who passed away this past weekend; Judith’s cousin Bob died Friday of Covid-19, please pray for his wife Linda and their family and friends; Ruth Dietze recovering from injuries sustained in a fall; Kate Winters scheduled for heart surgery on May 4th; Myrna’s neighbor Dave Marden; Kenny Stratton; Joy & David & Lori; Gary & Jeanne’s grandson William; Gary Edwards; Kathy’s friend Amy Nickerson; Trudy Clark; Debbie R.; Samantha and her family; Mike and Cindy Merritt; Nick’s sister Susan; Denny Doucette; Sandy Phippen; Renata’s sister-in-law Joanne; Coulter Huyler; Judith Crowley; Sally’s brother-in-law Jim; Cheryl and her husband Jeff; Andrew and Tamara; Austin’s cousin Danny; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Debbie Maddocks and her Aunt Linda Reed; Liz & Jim; Renata and the women she cares for; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew and his family; baby Alexander; Betty and her step-daughter Mollie; Nancy; Cynthia; Margaret B; Eleanor’s step-daughter Holly; Cathy C.; all affected by memory loss; healing prayers for a family seeking solutions to significant mental health issues; all those living with depression and other mental health issues; all grieving losses, both ancient and new; all individuals and families experiencing addictions; all caregivers; for all victims and loved ones of violence; those impacted by laws limiting reproductive justice; those experiencing food and housing insecurity; the people of Syria and Turkey; the people of Ukraine and Russia; President Jimmy Carter and his family; all in your heart…
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 the Maine Conference
During the past 6 months I have learned and continue to learn so much about the beloved pastors and congregations of our conference. You have been so gracious in inviting me to preach. You have been willing to engage in honest and heart-felt conversations around feeling neglected by the conference, teetering on losing hope, mourning the loss of folks in the pews, wondering how to continue as church in new ways, and wondering if you’re making a difference in the lives of hurting folks all around us. And in our times together, you have been so open to considering the message of hope that God is with us lovingly, is guiding us into a new way with comfort and challenge, is leading us into a future that we do not yet know or understand—with glimmers of trust that God sees the future and holds our future that is truly blessed! I am filled with gratitude for folks I have met and folks I will meet in so many settings. Between the workshops in Kittery and Winthrop I will have met over 100 folks. And the Bethel and Bangor registration is still open for May and June. Together we prayerfully and joyfully consider that all churches can be alive and thrive, any size!! I am grateful that I will be meeting with MIDs and COM Chairs together in May to discuss and celebrate the blessed preparation of our future pastoral leaders. During Praycation in June at Pilgrim Lodge, we will relax, pray, and all get to know one another better. And at Annual Meeting in October we will meet in hybrid format with two days of workshops, fellowship, worship, and my installation; so that all can attend and enjoy one another. I am aware there are so many of you that I have not yet met. I am reminded that will take time. It will also require us to continue to reach out to one another in invitation and reception, in holy conversation and sacred visioning for the mission of our churches and our conference. I want to hear from you if I have not already heard from you. I want to hear what is on your minds and hearts. I want to walk with you as you discern the future God has for you. I am your partner in Christ, Marisa
A Call to Action to Maine's Faith Communities Seeking Gun Safety Laws in Maine from the Maine Conference Social Action Committee
All of us want the people of Maine, young and old, to be safe from gun violence. Yet, there is steady growth in death by guns in Maine. Most alarming, suicide by guns in Maine grew by 45% from 2012 to 2021. This is not what we want for ourselves, our veterans, our children, or our grandchildren.
Today in Maine, anyone can buy any gun, including semi-automatic weapons and large capacity magazines, in a private sale, without a permit, without safe gun use training, without a background check.
Maine is a source state for criminals who come here to buy guns that they can't buy in their own states that have universal background checks. The shooter last year in Canada who killed 22 people bought his guns in Maine. And there is little in the way of safeguards to protect Mainers from becoming the targets of such violence.
As people of faith, we affirm that life is sacred. We are called to love and protect one another, and to be peacemakers – shalom makers: wholeness of life and joy of wellbeing in heart, mind, body, and soul.
We are encouraged and hopeful that the Maine legislature is considering gun safety measures in the spring of 2023.
As people of faith, let us call for the 131st Maine State Legislature to pass these three common sense gun safety laws:
1. A bill to require criminal background checks of buyers of firearms for private sales, transfers or exchanges at gun shows or private sales, transfers or exchanges resulting from advertising or marketing subject to certain exceptions; (L.D. 168)
2. A 72 hour waiting period before a gun is delivered from a seller to a buyer; (L.D. 60)
3. A "red-flag" law so family or friends of a person threatening gun violence to themselves or others can get a gun-confiscation court order; (no L.D. yet assigned)
Delegates to the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Maine Conference UCC passed a resolution entitled An Urgent Call for the Prevention of Gun Violence. It resolved to “require universal background checks and safety courses for all sales of guns, including sales at gun shows and between private individuals.” The Social Action Committee of the Maine Conference endorses these proposed laws, asking and praying that our churches and members will support these measures to keep our neighbors, ourselves, and our families safe.
Stephen L. Hastings & Kathy Woodside, Co-Chairs, Social Action Committee
On behalf of the Maine Conference of the UCC
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