Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for August 6, 2023

So take my five loaves and two fishes

Do with it as you will

I surrender

Take my fears and my inhibitions

All my burdens, my ambitions

You can use it all

No gift is too small

Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities

Join us in our Sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. oron Facebook Live for the summer months.

You will be able to watch the service on Facebook Live in real time

or watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube .

Find us at Hancock UCC | Hancock ME | Facebook or

on YouTube at Hancock UCC - 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.

The Church Fair and Yard Sale will be held Saturday, August 5 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Please wear your Church T-shirt if you are working the fair. If you don’t have one, there are a few left in the Fellowship Hall.

Deacons will meet Friday, August 11 at 12 noon in the fellowship hall and on Zoom.

Outreach will meet Thursday, August 17 at 4:00 pm

There will be a graveside service to honor the life of John Holt

at the Lamoine Baptist Church cemetery at 4:00 pm on Sunday, August 13.

Parking is available in the church lot, at the Lamoine school, and at the Grange.

Those who need to park close should turn up the drive on the east side of the cemetery. Volunteers will be present to assist with parking directions.

A reception will follow in the Lamoine Baptist Church hall.

We are joining with the Lamoine Baptist Church to provide a reception

immediately following the graveside service.

We need about a dozen volunteers to make food and deliver it to the Lamoine church.

We need finger food for 125-150 guests that can be served cold or room temperature.

Suggestions include fruit, small sandwiches, little pastries or tiny quiches (sweet or savory).

(The Lamoine Church is taking care of the drinks and the table set up

including linens and serving platters and trays.)

Please contact Barbara Reeve (at 207 460 0527) to volunteer and to obtain additional details.

The church potluck picnic will be held at 4:00 pm on

Sunday, August 20 at Tidal Falls.

Please plan to attend and bring your family and friends!

Curtis and Helen Beach’s youngest daughter, Ruth Anne Beach passed away in early July. Her memorial service is planned at the Blue Hill Congregational Church Aug. 19th @ 11 a.m.

RIVERSIDE CEMETERY PRESERVATION-RESTORATION PROJECT 2023

The Hancock Riverside Cemetery Association (RCA) has hired Joe Ferraninni of “Gravestones Matter” again this year to continue our long-term restoration project. We made some major improvements last year and hope to accomplish even more this year.

There are still many gravestones of our ancestors in poor condition and a lot that are broken and have fallen over.

We hope to have volunteers do much of the preparation work before Joe arrives. If we can do the cleaning and some of the digging it will allow us to use Joe’s time and our $ to perform the heavy lifting and specialty equipment/materials tasks. Thus, we will accomplish a lot more work in the 3 days he is here. It’s also your chance to learn the proper way to clean gravestones without causing damage.

Can you help? Of course, donations are also very much appreciated. These 3 days of activity will cost the RCA approximately $3000 and we hope to raise sufficient funds to allow us to continue this work for at least a few more years.

WE NEED HELP--Volunteer Work Schedule:

8:30AM -10:00AM each of the following dates:

Tuesday Aug 8, Friday, Saturday & Sunday Aug 11-13—Work with Gravestones Matter

Contact Bob Foss if you need more info or just show up wearing old clothes

azbfjf@yahoo.com 480-617-0700

Tax deductible donations can be mailed to the Riverside Cemetery Association at

PO Box 419 Hancock, ME 0460

August Birthdays and Anniversaries

08: *Gary* & *Jeanne* Edwards 09: *Denny* Doucette 11: Antonio Blasi & *Renata* Moise 14: Amelia Ashmore 15: *David* Wildes & *Cynthia* Wood

19: *Doug* Kimmel & *Ron* Schwizer 23: Gerry Mehl 24: *Cynthia* Wood

25: Austin Crowley-Dunn 29: *Nick* & *Mary Angela* Davis

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Prayers for Jane Preble; Steve Crabtree; William in hospice care; Coulter Huyler; Debbie & Lincoln & son-in-law Aaron, daughter Ashley, and granddaughter Brielle; Prayers for Kenny Stratton; Joy & David & Lori; Amy Nickerson; John Wood; Jim Snyder; Mike and Cindy Merritt; Sandy Phippen; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Dave Marden; for all caregivers; Renata’s sister-in-law Joanne; Austin’s cousin Danny; Liz & Jim; Margaret B; Debbie Maddocks and her Aunt Linda Reed; Gratitude for Pilgrim Lodge, the campers, counselors and staff members; Prayers of strength and healing for all awaiting diagnoses and for all recovering from surgeries; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew and his family; Betty & her step-daughter Mollie; Prayers for all individuals and families experiencing addictions; for all victims and loved ones of violence; prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion; and for all that is in your heart…

Sunrise Association of the Maine Conference,

United Church of Christ

Cordially invites you to the installation of

The Reverend Vicki L. Reeser

as Pastor and Teacher at the

Somesville Union Meeting House,

United Church of Christ

1134 Main Street, Mount Desert, Maine

Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 3:00 PM

Clergy are invited to wear stoles (red) and process.

Please gather in the Parish Hall by 2:45 pm.

Parking is limited at the church so please consider car-pooling.

Additional parking is available at Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88356783577?pwd=U2hBamZqK3Q4REF3b3 VyVW1mTklwUT09 Meeting ID: 88356783577 Passcode:100998

Reception to follow

News from the Maine Conference

Hello Beloved People of the Maine Conference,

I have returned from vacation filled with God’s grace, gratitude for spending time with my adult children, the peace of restoration, and the joy of rest. I pray that each of you has found a measure of grace, gratitude, peace, and joy this summer.

There are so many thoughts and wonderings I could share, two weeks’ worth of thoughts and wonderings. And then I realize less is more, shorter is better, one contemplation is worth more than many words.

One of my God-moments of contemplation was the vivid realization that I have more years behind me than I have in front of me at this stage of my mortal time on this earth. This realization beckoned me to observe the stages of a sunset, so beautifully crafted over the bay outside of our vacation cabin. I was beckoned (by God?) to pray over each stage and wonder: what are the stages of the sunset of my years as mortal on this earth? How would God will me to live and love and serve during the time I am blessed to be here?

And then I heard a voice say to me: “Your children. Contemplate your children.” And I knew that as I sunset, my children are my sunrise.

From my family to yours: deep blessings for

love that is unconditional,

peace that passes all understanding,

joy in the midst of every circumstance,

hope that God is always making things new and is in charge of our future.

Amen and Amen.

Marisa