Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for July 21, 2024

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,

And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.

That’s how it is with God’s love once you’ve experienced it;

You spread His love to ev’ry one ,

You want to pass it on.

Upcoming services, meetings, events, and opportunities

Join us for Worship in our Sanctuary or on Zoom at 9:30 a.m., 

or watch the recording later on Facebook or YouTube 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82224252518?pwd=aEd4WENqcjFHakFTcVFyQnltNzl1UT09

Meeting ID: 822 2425 2518          Passcode: 755650

Find us at Hancock UCC | Hancock ME | Facebook or

on YouTube at Hancock UCC - YouTube

Sunday, July 21 we will be celebrating “camp Sunday”.

Come dressed as if you were at camp and we will be singing some camp songs.

Our Monteux student musicians for Sunday morning will be Mary Kimble, horn and JT Adinolfi, tuba. 

Mary Kimble is a horn player from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is currently obtaining a bachelor’s in horn performance at the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Peter Kurau. At Eastman she performs in numerous large ensembles, and enjoys playing chamber music in her horn quartet, wind quintet and the Eastman horn choir. Outside of music, Mary enjoys crocheting, watching sports and taking long walks.

Julian (JT) Adinolfi is a Tuba and Bass Trombone player based in Northern New Jersey and New York City. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education from Montclair State University. He holds the Principal tuba position in the Montclair State University Wind Symphony and the Montclair State University Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bass Trombone and Second Tuba in the Grammy Award-winning New York Youth Symphony Orchestra, and a founding member of the Hermes Brass Quintet, which is the brass quintet in residency at the 2024 Kinhaven Young Artist Seminar. Throughout his time and Montclair State, JT has collaborated with Bruce Yurko, Evelyn Glennie, Michael Daughtery, James Blachly, Irfan Tengku, DECODA, Armando Bayolo, Christian McBride, Arturo Sandoval, Eric Whitacre, Eric Jacobson, Xian Zhang, and the New Jersey Symphony. During the summer of 2021, JT traveled to Prague and Vienna with the Montclair State University Wind Symphony to perform at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles. Beyond low brass, JT is an active member of the Montclair State University Chorale where he has performed Faure’s Requiem and Orff’s Carmina Burana with the New Jersey Symphony. He also holds a teacher’s assistantship with the Keyboard Musicianship department, where he gives private piano lessons to music majors taking keyboard classes.

During the month of July, we will be receiving the Neighbors in Need (NIN) Offering. This is one of the 5 for 5 offerings supported by the Maine Conference. 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 the offering supports the  Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds are used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to support a variety of  justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants.

All are welcome to join in a shared book group between the Point Chapel and Hancock UCC communities.  We will meet at the Hancock church at 10:00 – 11:30 am on Wednesdays July 24, and 31.  Our book will be Refugia Faith, description below.  It can be ordered on Amazon.  Please send any questions to Alison Boden (aboden3321@gmail.com) or Mandy Schumaker (mandy@mandyschumaker.com).         

Join us in person or on Zoom. Here is the Zoom link (same link as Sunday morning). https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82224252518?pwd=aEd4WENqcjFHakFTcVFyQnltNzl1UT09

Meeting ID: 822 2425 2518          Passcode: 755650

Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth explores how Christian spirituality and practice must adapt to prepare for life on a climate-altered planet.

Refugia (reh-FU-jee-ah) is a biological term describing places of shelter where life endures in times of crisis, such as a volcanic eruption, fire, or stressed climate. Ideally, these refugia endure, expand, and connect so that new life emerges.

Debra Rienstra applies this concept to human culture and faith, asking, In this era of ecological devastation, how can Christians become people of refugia? How can we find and nurture these refugia, not only in the biomes of the earth, but in our human cultural systems and in our spiritual lives? How can we apply all our love and creativity to this task as never before?

By weaving nature writing, personal narrative, and theological reflection, Rienstra grapples honestly with her own fears and longings and points toward a way forward--a way to transform Christian spirituality and practice, become a healer on a damaged earth, and inspire others to do the same.

The Hancock Point Chapel offers a weekly meditation on Fridays at 9 AM. We begin with a lightly guided non-denominational meditation followed by a few minutes of discussion and ending with another 20 minutes of meditation. The program is led by Angela Absher who has been a Hancock Point Chapel participant all her life. She has also taught English and studied Buddhism with Thrangu Rinpoche in his monastery in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. Now and again we have guest speakers. Our goal is friendship and happiness. We leave in silence. Do come…

Our meetings are open to all. If you would like to attend a meeting, please let TJ or Vicky know and they will provide the Zoom link, or you are welcome to attend in person.

Council will meet on Friday, July 19 at 11:00 a.m. in person and on Zoom4

Sunday, July 28 we will have our Annual Joint Service with the Hancock Point Chapel.

For this service only, worship will be at 10:00 a.m. at the Chapel. Participants from both congregations will assist with the service and Pastor TJ will deliver the message.

We're looking for several volunteers to help with departments during the fair. If you haven't committed and are available to help, please email Jennifer Ashmore at jk_ashmore@yahoo.com.

Our annual Church Fair, Yard Sale, and Silent Auction will soon be here on Saturday August 3rd. Please save the date. We need lots of help and donations to make our biggest fundraiser of the year a success. It's a very important event in the life of our church and we can't do it without you!

The Kitchen Cupboard is requesting donations of baked goods (cakes, pies, bread or individually wrapped goodies like cookies, squares, brownies, cupcakes, etc. Items can be dropped off at the church the Friday Aug. 2nd or Saturday morning before 8am.

Do you have perennials in your garden that are getting a little crowded? Would you like to donate a few to the Church Fair plant booth? We can even come and, with your guidance, provide the physical labor. We are also looking for yard and garden items to sell. Call Robin at 385-7051.

In particular, the Silent Auction needs gift certificates from your favorite stores and restaurants, paintings, artwork, unique one-of-a kind items, high-end small appliances and sports equipment, and donated services to create auction excitement and high bids. The Silent Auction consistently brings in a lot of money and we need your help to be successful again this year. Please coordinate your donations with David Wildes (422-3739).

The Union Congregational Church of Hancock, UCC, will host a ‘mini pops’ concert by the students of the Monteux School and Music Festival for the benefit of the scholarship fund of the School—Thursday, July 25 at 3pm.  Donations accepted.

Upcoming July Birthdays and Anniversaries

23: Aaron & Ashley Johnson          19: Patrice Alexander      21: Mike & Pat Summerer  22: Donald Hynes         24: Bob Courchesne    25: Phoebe Devenish   27: Joy Stratton           28:  Robin Long    28: Jen & Artie Ashmore   31:  Matthew & Rachel Umphrey

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Prayers for Bruce’s sister Lynn, Sally’s friend, Sue Barger; Judith C.; Dr. John; Yvonne.  Prayers for Herbie Lounder; Ira; and Cathy C.  Prayers for Cynthia’s Aunt Barbara, and Jenny and William at Golden Acres, all receiving Hospice Care. Prayers for Ruth; Marie; Joyce; Doris; Mary Angela & Nick’s son Joshua; Ron & Kathy; Graham; Jim Snyder; Brandon Perry-Hudson; John Wood; Jonathan Holmes; Sue Davies; Sue Davenport; Austin’s cousin Danny; Liz & Jim; Debbie & Lincoln & son-in-law Aaron, daughter Ashley, and granddaughter Brielle; Kenny Stratton; Joy & David & Lori; Sandy Phippen; Betty & her step-daughter Mollie; Debbie & Hollis & Holly and Debbie’s Aunt Linda Reed; Amy Nickerson; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew & family. Prayers of strength and healing for all awaiting diagnoses and for all recovering from surgeries & procedures. Prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion. Prayers for the people of our nation and of our world experiencing escalating wars, conflicts, and disasters. Prayers for all individuals and families experiencing addictions; prayers for all caregivers; and prayers for all that is in your heart…

From Our Maine Conference

A Letter from Our Conference Minister

Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

(Psalm 46:1-5)

Beloved,

Today I write you as a traveler alongside you, as we journey through the paths of God’s ways for ourselves, our families, our churches, and our conference. Only as we seek God’s face, hear God’s voice (in a whisper), walk in the paths God has marked for us, can we know the way into our future—for ourselves, our families, our churches, and our conference.

The events of this past weekend with a candidate for President wounded, one beloved killed, two beloveds critically injured, we may indeed wonder what the path is for us—for our country mostly, but also for ourselves, our families, our churches, our conference. Many have spoken in the last few days about needing to set a new course—a course away from violent threats and enmity and toward unity and peaceable discourse. And I say, with deep sadness, that once the rubber band snaps back, we may very well see the all too familiar violent threats and enmity that were rampant right up to the fateful Saturday.

It is so disappointing and tragic that it takes extreme acts to get our attention. From what I have learned about human beings, that’s the way we are. We respond to something extreme, vow to act differently; but more often than not, we fall back into our old ways as the events become more and more distant in our rearview mirror.

As followers of Jesus, how do we not fall back into the ways of tumult and enmity, anxiety and uncertainty? Some may say it is not possible right now. The tide is not only strong, but the waves are high and overwhelming. But I have hope. I have deep and wide hope that we who profess Jesus as our Head and the Holy Spirit as our guide can in fact not fall back. If we see Jesus as the voice and hands and feet of God, we do have a model to follow—a model that gives us the Beatitudes, that shows us how to welcome those we do not wish to welcome (including political persuasion), a model that walks with the certainty that no matter what happens, God will prevail, as we read in Psalm 46.

And be assured of this Beloved, we cannot do it alone. It is not a coincidence that Jesus had 12 close friends surrounding him. It is not a coincidence that Jesus sought out his God so often to be reminded who he was and what he stood for.

How do we stay on the path, God’s path, toward peace and justice, welcome of all, speaking the truth only when it is steeped in love? There are a few opportunities this fall that I will offer here.

1.  Pastor Jack Lacey is hoping to gather folks together by zoom to have discussions about a Godly response to the violent atmosphere this election cycle. If you are interested in hearing more, you can reach Jack at jalacey7@aol.com. As of now, a date has not been set.

2.  The Conference and the Maine Council of Churches are in the process of offering two opportunities: 

• September 28 day-long workshop with Father John Dear, "Living Peace, Practicing Nonviolence: The Lessons of Jesus, Gandhi and King for Today"--in partnership with St. Joseph's College (workshop will be held on their campus in Windham)

• De-Escalation and Active Bystander Training, (Location, format, dates TBD) in partnership with Prevention.Action.Change and funded, in part, by a grant from the Sam L. Cohen Foundation Issuing a joint statement of our member denominations in advance of the election, vetted by all seven of our MCC member denominations

My deep prayer is that we, the members and friends of the Maine Conference, can join together to truly wonder in this tumultuous time: What would Jesus say? What would Jesus do? Talk with one another, with friends, family members, in your places of worship. Pray that you will open your hearts to God’s leading for a path of peace and justice.

I leave you with a prayer I put on Facebook Saturday evening after the shootings:

May we join our hearts and open our spirits to come together in prayer for our divided country that is on the precipice of speaking through violence: through our words and actions. God, in your mercy, heal us. Help us to see one another as you see us: beloved and invited to follow you in the way of peace and justice with civil and civilized discourse; to love as we are loved, no matter who we are, especially when we see more differences than similarities in one another. O God of grace, help us to open ourselves to your healing. Amen and Amen.

Marisa