Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for July 2, 2023

Let heaven your wonders proclaim, let angels your faithfulness praise,

for who in the heights or the depths can equal your majesty, O God?

Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities

Our Monteux student musicians for this Sunday, July 2, will be … Harris Andersen on violin and Laura Salgado on cello. Harris Han Andersen (1st year; conductor) is currently a First-Year Master’s student studying Orchestra Conducting at the Frost School of Music in Miami, FL under the guidance of Gerard Schwarz. In the past season he served as Assistant Conductor of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (NY), Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra (MI), and as Cover Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He held the position of Assistant Conductor and Repetiteur for the inaugural installation of the 2022 Ithaca College Opera Studio and was invited to attend the Riccardo Muti Opera Academy in Tokyo, Japan in 2023. He has been featured as soloist and section player on both piano and violin in such orchestras as the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and at the Bach and Beyond Baroque Festival. A graduate of the Ithaca College School of Music, Harris studied piano with Charis Dimaras, violin with Calvin Wiersma, and conducting with Grant Cooper. Cellist Laura Salgado (1st year) born in Mexico City, began her cello studies at an early age before studying with Monica Del Aguila and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Performance with Mastery in Cello. From an early age, Laura was introduced to chamber and orchestral music. She was part of the Carlos Chavez Youth Orchestra and the Eduardo Mata University Youth Orchestra of UNAM. As part of the Eduardo Mata Youth Orchestra she performed at the Auditorium Parco della Musica of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome and participated in the Emilia Romagna festivals in Imola and Music Weeks in Merano Italy, also performing with the violinist Massimo Quarta (winner of the 1991 Paganini Prize). Laura has appeared in masterclasses with Denis Parker, Jesus Castro Balbi, Steve Doane, Hans Jensen, Alan Rafferty, Sarah Kim, Johannes Moser, and Alban Gerhardt, among others. She has actively participated in national and international festivals such as Morelia Music Festival, SA’Oaxaca, Cello Fest in Dallas Ft. Worth, and the Santa Catarina Brazil Music Festival, performing actively as a chamber, orchestral, and solo musician. Laura now performs as a guest musician in the major orchestras of Mexico City, and is a cello instructor in the Delegation Orchestras of Mexico City Program.

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

Next week, July 9 we will switch from Zoom to Facebook Live for the summer months.

You will be able to watch the service in real time (our summer services begin at 9:00 a.m.)

or watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube .

Find us at Hancock UCC | Hancock ME | Facebook or

on YouTube at Hancock UCC - YouTube

The Union Congregational Church of Hancock, United Church of Christ will hold a special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, July 16, 2023 immediately following the morning worship service for the following purposes:

● To approve the Treasurer to take funds from the Camden Wealth Management cash reserves to pay the overage of replacing the septic system at the parsonage.

● To act on any other business that may come before the congregation.

Jeanne Edwards, Clerk June 18, 2023

During the month of July we will be receiving the Neighbors in Need Offering. Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the US. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministries. Two-thirds of this offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. Envelopes are available in the back of the Sanctuary.

Meet Our Congregation

Meet Orrick Damboise… Orrick grew up Catholic in Caribou, Maine. He is an only child. He started his work life early. His first jobs included delivering newspapers, mowing lawns and shoveling snow.

When Orrick was a senior in high school he was working full-time at the AMP potato processing plant in Fort Fairfield as a forklift operator. He tried to schedule all his classes in the morning so he could get some sleep before his shift began at 11 p.m. but when that didn’t happen he dropped out of school.

When his employment at AMP ended Orrick took a job dishwashing at an all-girls camp where his grandfather’s brother Lucian was a cook.

Orrick and his friend Willy decided to move to the town of St. Helens, Oregon where they knew some people at Loring Air Force Base. During the year that he lived in Oregon, Orrick worked for a logging company operating a D6 bulldozer / log skidder. When the machine caught fire and burned up he took a job with Boise-Cascade as a factory laborer.

Orrick returned to Maine and then enlisted in the Army where he served for 2-1/2 years. His Basic Training was in Louisville, Kentucky and much of his enlistment was served on the base in Baumholder, Germany driving a 5-ton wrecker and maintaining the generators on the base.

When his military career ended Orrick spent a couple of years in Dalton, Georgia where he first gained experience as a printing press operator (letterhead, business cards, envelopes).

He later moved to Odessa, Texas where he was a newspaper press operator.

Orrick lived and worked in numerous states but Maine called him home again and again. Once again living in Caribou, Orrick became an iron-worker, erecting steel structures.

Orrick’s favorite occupations were those that involved operating heavy equipment.

Orrick has three grandchildren by his daughter Erica, who sadly died at the young age of 42. Her children, his grandson Curtis, and granddaughters McKenna and Julianna all live in Maine.

Orrick is a social, people-pleasing person and likes companionship. Prior to moving here he had been living in the Presque Isle and Easton area and then briefly in Thomaston. He has been living at Golden Acres in Hancock for 1-1/2 years.

Orrick wears two pendants around his neck, close to his heart. One is a shield and cross with an inscription of Ephesians 6:16-17. “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” The other is a medallion of St. Christopher, the Patron Saint of Travelers, that he received after joining our church. The back of the medallion is inscribed, “St. Christopher – Protect me and lead me safely to my destiny. Amen.”

Welcome, Orrick. We are so glad you have joined us!

July Birthdays and Anniversaries

01: *Allison* Boden 02: *Joyce* Cornwell 07: *Betty* Lewis

08: *Joey* Espling 14: Brookelin Harriman 16: Morgan Espling

18: *Zachary* & Aimee Spaulding 23: Aaron & *Ashley* Ehrlenbach Johnson

19: Patrice Alexander 21: *Mike* & *Pat* Summerer 24: *Bob* Courchesne

25: *Phoebe* Devenish 27: Joy Stratton 28: *Robin* Long 28: *Artie* & *Jen* Ashmore 31: Matthew & *Rachel* Philio Umphrey

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

The Monteux School & Music Festival presents two public weekly concert series each summer: Monteux Festival Orchestra and ‘Mainely’ Chamber Music (MCM). All concerts are held in the Forest Studio at 42 Melody Ln (off Old Track Road) in Hancock.

MONTEUX FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 5:00 PM

Sundays – July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Tickets: General Admission $30; Students $10;

Youth under 18 are free with an adult.

Doors open at 4:30 PM.

These concerts frequently sell-out. It’s recommended that you purchase tickets online in advance.

‘MAINELY’ CHAMBER MUSIC 5:00 PM

Wednesdays – July 5, 12, 19, and 26

Tickets: Adults $20; Students $5; Youth under 18 are free with an adult.

Doors open at 4:30 PM. Tickets available online or at the door.

A FREE Children’s Concert will be held on Thursday July 13

from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

For ticket information please visit the school’s website at monteuxmusic.org

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

The family and friends of Tommy Merchant; Jane Preble; John Wood;

Steve Crabtree; Debbie & Lincoln’s son-in-law Aaron, daughter Ashley, and granddaughter Brielle; Jim Snyder; Coulter; Mary Ann and Artie Smallage; Mary Angela’s mother, Caroline; Mary Thomas; Finn & Parker & Madison; Kate Winters; Dave Marden; Kenny Stratton; Joy & David & Lori; Amy Nickerson; Trudy Clark; Denny Doucette; Mike and Cindy Merritt; Sandy Phippen; Renata’s sister-in-law Joanne; Judith Crowley; Austin’s cousin Danny; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Debbie Maddocks and her Aunt Linda Reed; Liz & Jim; Renata and the women for whom she cares; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew and family; Betty & step-daughter Mollie; Margaret B; Eleanor’s step-daughter Holly; all affected by memory loss; healing prayers for a family seeking solutions to significant mental health issues; all individuals and families experiencing addictions; 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; the people of Sudan; all in your heart…

News from the Maine Conference

A Word from The Maine School of Ministry

Acting Dean

In June, Members in Discernment from across the conference spent retreat time at Pilgrim Lodge, huddling by the warm fireplace, learning about theology for ministry and "The Marks." This June Intensive featured in-person experiences and a two-night stay on the lake. We listened to the Holy Spirit and to the loons.

Conference Minister Marisa Laviola met with students, as did Leslie Foley who brought insight from experience serving on a COM, and TJ Mack who became an ordained pastor through multiple paths.

One area identified by MIDs and Committees on Ministry is the challenge of knowing what to expect from the process, and how difficult it is to ascertain equivalencies from the variety of learning experiences that different students bring. As a resource for both MIDs and COMs in the process of preparation and formation for ministry, and to clarify what readiness looks like, "The Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers" were developed across the UCC to highlight eight competencies for ministry. The Marks include theological praxis, spiritual foundation, leadership, and more.

Just as COMs use ordination papers to know what a MID is capable of, COMs can view MID portfolios to look across the eight areas of The Marks. When they see the gifts that God has made available for the church, an association can take action to authorize someone for local service temporarily, or they can prayerfully examine for ordination, representing the United Church of Christ over time and across generations.

In this way The Marks are used both for development, and for assessment.

At our retreat, students spent time in groups discussing each Mark and all the Marks together. Individually students spent time preparing with prayer, research, and writing to gauge their own progress on the journey and to display their calling and capabilities to others. The process resembled both practical skill-building and profound spiritual direction, a methodical catchment for plenty of surprising and sacred stories in church life and leadership.

Committee on Ministry members as volunteers have a huge job: to keep track of, pray for, resource, and when the time comes, assess the readiness of Members in Discernment. Just as MIDs were invited into an online discussion area during our June Intensive course, featuring key topics relating to the theology of ministry and The Marks, so too Committee on Ministry leaders are invited into a similar area for online learning with each other. Contact me if you would like access to this extended conversation through Google Classrooms. What does ministry mean in our past and in our future?

For a more focused discussion, COM leaders can put on their calendar now a follow-up session on Sep. 11, at 6:00 p.m. – an educational workshop hosted by MESOM and the UCC Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization Team. Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson, Minister for Members in Discernment, will Zoom with COMs. You are invited to bring your questions and discuss how The Marks can be most useful here in our associations in the Maine Conference.

To RSVP for the COM workshop on Sep. 11, 6:00 on Zoom, email: mhimschoot@maineucc.org.

Rev. Malcolm Himschoot, DMin

Valo Retreat for Teens

Valo is hosting a weekend retreat for teens across Maine’s faith communities this fall.

On November 11th - 12th, we’re planning to hold a Valo retreat for young people involved in faith communities across Southern Maine. The focus of the retreat will be on bolstering emotional wellbeing and the program is open to young people in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. The retreats are secular in nature, with an emphasis on bringing people together across faith and belief systems to engage in rich and meaningful conversations and connections.

The cost of this one-night retreat would be $300 per young person and would include lodging, meals, and the guidance of two trained Valo guides. The program requires a minimum of 10 teens across faith communities to participate. Interested? Email meg@valomaine.org to sign up.