Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for June 4, 2023

He joins us here, he breaks the bread, The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead. The one we love the most is now our gracious host, Come take the bread

Come drink the cup Come share the Lord

Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities

While the Choir is on hiatus anyone wishing to sing or play an instrument during the service is invited to be in conversation with our Music Director, Debbie Riley.

Starting June 4th, Sunday Worship Services will begin at 9:00 AM (until after Labor Day).

We will be receiving Holy Communion this week

and we will also be collecting non perishable food items for

the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.

Join us in our Sanctuary at 9:00 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.

Deacons will meet Friday, June 9 at 12 noon in the Fellowship Hall and on Zoom

Outreach will meet Thursday, June 15 at 4:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall

Council will meet Friday, June 16 at 12 noon in the Fellowship Hall and on Zoom.

A graveside gathering will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 3, for Frances Smart Trefts

at Maxfield Cemetery with a potluck to follow. All family and friends are welcome.

We are pleased to host Winter Harbor singer-songwriter

Gordon Thomas Ward in concert on Sunday June 4th at 4 pm.

Gordon is a Grammy-balloted, award winning singer-songwriter

-storyteller who paints musical portraits that plumb the depths of our emotions and bring the past to life while pointing to a hope-filled future. His music features Contemporary Folk Rock and Alternative Folk Rock genres, influenced by the singer-songwriters of the late 1960’s through the 1970’s. He has collaborated and played with many nationally recognized recording artists and has produced a number of #1 charted songs.

For more information about the concert, please see our Facebook page or ask Pastor TJ.

Pay as you are able. Suggested donation at the door is $20. Everyone is welcome.

Wear Orange on Friday, June 2 for National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

How did Wear Orange start?

On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton, a high school student from the south side of Chicago, marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, Hadiya was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s childhood friends decided to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods

to protect themselves and others.

Wear Orange originated on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday.

Now, it is observed nationally on the weekend of the first Friday in June.

Join Pastor TJat Ellsworth Pride, Sunday, June 11 at Knowlton Park from 11:30-4:00.

Anyone interested in volunteering; here are some needs as indicated by Pride organizers:

● On the 11th, we would need folks as early as 9 or 9:30-ish for set up.

● We need 1-2 relief people, to just go around and check in with people staffing the Ellsworth Pride table, the Welcome table, and the Silent Auction table, to see if they need a bathroom break, food break, or some time to check out the rest of the event......so it would be over a 3-4 hour period of time, but not continuous.

● and we need people at the end to help with taking things down, gathering trash and recycling, winding up extension cords, and that sort of thing.

Folks could choose tasks they would be most drawn to, as far as time and interest.

NO PRESSURE, just offering the opportunity if people are interested.

thanks again for your constant support,

Lucille Poulin 610-2729

Sue Collins 546-6735

June Birthdays and Anniversaries

05: Debbie Riley 08: Doug Kimmel 10: Catherine Genn

10: John Holt & Joyce Cornwell 12: Eleanor Ritchie 12: Gary& Bobbi Hunt 13: Bob Schmid 14: Clancy King 15: Roslynne Lowry

17: Ginny Shaw Coleman, David Mack 19: Ron Schwizer, Sandy Phippen

21: Herbie Lounder 22: Jack & Priscilla Hirschenfofer

23: Steve & Mary Beth DiMarco 25: Kenny Houghton 26: Pat Shannon

29: Ted & Ann Atkinson

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

This year Pentecost Sunday was also New Member Sunday.

Donald Hynes, Orrick Damboise, and Kenny Houghton joined our church. Don, Orrick and Kenny are no strangers to us as they have been attending for quite a while now. Please be sure to welcome them into membership when you next see them.

All Church Read – Pentecost to Juneteenth Challenge

The Maine Conference Anti-Racism Team in conjunction with The United Church of Christ National Office is encouraging our engagement in “the moment-by-moment work of creating greater racial equity” by reading and discussing Ibram X. Kendi’s book, “How to Be an Antiracist.”

Books have arrived and we have begun reading.

Discussion days and times will be determined according to participant preferences.

The Fostering Imagination Team Update

The Fostering Imagination team invites you to join in reading Rob Hopkins book,

“From What Is to What If:

Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want”

We have completed the first part of our journey, the wondering.

We have completed the second part of our journey, identifying projects.

We will read for clarity of purpose as we move toward action and implementation.

You can purchase your own book or ask Pastor TJ to buy one for you.

We will begin reading immediately and hope to join in discussion throughout the summer.

Spring is in the air and that means Comfort Cases is busy again!

They are in need of:

● pajamas in all sizes from infant to Adult XXL.

● dental floss

● baby washcloths and bibs

(if you want knitting or crocheting directions for washcloths, let Lesley know!)

● books for all ages. Gently used books are great!

● coloring books, crayons, journals, and pens.

● travel size toiletries (travel size only, please!) including shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion and the same for babies but include diaper ointment

● stuffed animals no bigger than 10"

Remember, we don't expect anybody to buy everything. If you see a good deal on any of these items, we appreciate any help...and let us know where the good bargains are!

Items can be dropped off at

● Lesley’s house - 766 Eastside Road, Hancock

● Alberta's Hair Designs at 125 Oak St, Ellsworth

Thanks in advance.

Lesley Robinson, Comfort Cases Volunteer

ews From the Sunrise Association

Members and Friends of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine are delighted to invite you to the Service of Installation of Rev. Dr. Andi Lloyd as their settled pastor, 11:00 AM, Saturday June 3rd at the Trinitarian Congregational Parish, 68 Main Street, Castine.

Reception to follow. Clergy are invited to robe and process.

News from the Maine Conference

Please join us for an Open House at Pilgrim Lodge on Sunday, June 11 from 1-3 PM.

Bring folks from your church to check out camp, take a tour, walk the labyrinth, or simply come and spend some time in a rocking chair or swing. We look forward to welcoming you for this free event at Pilgrim Lodge.

The Magic of Pilgrim Lodge

A Letter from the

Director of Pilgrim Lodge

Liz Charles McGough

“11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Earlier this month, Pilgrim Lodge volunteers gathered at camp to begin preparing for the summer season. At camp, we sometimes like to think that what happens in the world of Pilgrim Lodge is something “magical.” We embrace a sense that when we drive down the dirt road, we are transformed into an idyllic world that is different than the world we live in and the lives we lead the rest of the year. While it is a fun idea, I have come to appreciate that the “magic” we create at camp is truly about creating a culture with a great deal of intentionality and care.

Throughout the day we spent together as staff, counselors and deans for the summer, a theme emerged. It was the idea of being “with” one another. The Latin prefix “com” meaning “with” offers us such a rich, deep lexicon of words that describe camp. We experienced restorative practices of talking and listening to one another in circles and realized that truly listening to someone else’s perspective is a deeper form of communication (deriving from the Latin “communis” which means to make common or to share). We talked about our mission project from the summer and realized that when you ask someone “how would you like me to be in relationship with you?” the answer sometimes demands more of us than writing a check. When we hear the response, we are often invited to accompany someone (“be in company with”) in a way we were not expecting. We talked about embarking on a learning journey as a community (the Latin root com- and the word unity both mean “together”) as we begin to learn about the history of the place of Pilgrim Lodge and the indigenous people who originally inhabited the region. What a blessing it is to be “with” one another.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he reminds them to live in unity: “Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” Friends across the Maine Conference United Church of Christ, what a blessing we have to be “with” one another. You are invited to join us in the community at camp that is a space for us to come together to be reminded of the richness that we have when we unite as people of faith.

Curious to learn more about what we’re up to?

Come on out for our Open House on Sunday, June 11 from 1-3 PM.