Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for September 10, 2023
God is here! As we your people meet to offer praise and prayer,
May we find in fuller measure what it is in Christ we share.
Here, as in this world around us, all our varied skills and arts
Wait the coming of the Spirit into open minds and hearts.
Join us in our Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m. or on Facebook Live.
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
Choir Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am. All are welcome!
Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities
Fall Handbell Ringing Because of travel and Play commitments this Fall, handbell practices won’t start until mid October. Here’s the plan: Rehearsals Sundays after church 11:30–12:15ish Oct. 22, 29 and Nov. 5th playing a Thanksgiving tune on Nov. 12th (Annual Meeting date). Then resuming rehearsals Nov. 19, and Dec. 3, and 10th, playing our Christmas selections on Sunday, Dec 17th . (We can discuss playing on Christmas Eve, but Pat S. will be gone.) We need 7 participants to commit to a majority of these rehearsals to be able to ring. Please call Pat Summerer at 963-7182 if you are interested. Thank You. If you are a new ringer, or just curious to find if this is something you’d like – we can have a beginner’s exploratory practice on Sept. 17th after church. Please consider joining us. It’s fun and rewarding to be part of a group playing to the Glory of the Lord without being judged for your expertise. Again, please call Pat if you would like to try ringing!
During the month of September we will be receiving Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) Offering. This is one of the 5 for 5 offerings supported by the Maine Conference. OCWM provides funding from congregations for Conferences and the national ministries of the United Church of Christ (Wider Church Ministries, Local Church Ministries, Justice and Witness Ministries, General Ministries, and Pension Boards).
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 meet Friday, Sept. 8th at Noon in the Fellowship Hall and on Zoom.
Budget Committee will meet Friday, September 15 at 9:00 in the Fellowship Hall & on Zoom
Community Blessing of the Animals Service
Sunday, September 24 at 10:00 AM
Hancock Town Monument Lot
Corner of US Route 1 & Point Rd.
All types of pets welcome!
Outdoor Service. Dress for the weather. Bring your chair.
In case of rain, service will be at the church.
It’s getting to be that time of year again when we start gearing up for Annual Reports. If you are responsible for getting a report ready for the annual meeting, please be thinking about it.
All reports are due in the office NO LATER THAN October 15th. Thank you!
Book Group beginning on Wednesday, October 25th from 7:00-8:00 p.m.
From What Is To What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want, by Rob Hopkins, was one of the guiding texts of our 2022 Fostering Imagination program facilitated by The BTS Center (the successor to the Bangor Theological Seminary).
Join us as we gather to discuss ways this book speaks to us, our church and our evolving
place in our communities. Please let Pastor TJ if you would like a copy of the book.
At our recent Deacons meeting we unanimously agreed to donate $100.00 from the Minister’s Discretionary Fund to the UCC Disaster Relief Fund for victims of the wildfires in Hawaii. We invite you to consider making a donation of your own.
September Birthdays and Anniversaries
11: *Kenny* Stratton 14: Roger & Denise Chandler
15: *Nancy* Cooledge 15: *Priscilla* Hirschenhofer 16: Jaimie & Gina Tansey
19: *Tony* Burkart 19 *Joey* & Morgan Espling
20: *Cliff* Manchester 20: *Jim* Singletary
Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:
Prayers for the family and friends of Helen Thomsen who passed away July 8 in Baltimore, MD. Prayers for Jane Preble; William in hospice care; Sue Davies; Coulter; 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; Renata’s sister-in-law Joanne; Austin’s cousin Danny; Liz & Jim; Margaret B; Betty & her step-daughter Mollie; Debbie and Hollis Maddocks and her Aunt Linda Reed; Tom & Judy’s son Andrew and his family;
Prayers of strength and healing for all awaiting diagnoses and for all recovering from surgeries; Prayers for all individuals and families experiencing addictions; for all caregivers;
prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion;
and for all that is in your heart…
From the Maine Conference
Please welcome our Part time Bridge Associate Conference Minister
for Search and Call
Rev. Samantha Houser
Rev. Houser has joined our staff as a temporary part time ACM for search and call to fill the needs of pastors and churches until a new Full time ACM is hired, hopefully by the end of March 2024. Rev. Houser has served as ACM in the Tri-Conference (Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota) of the United Church of Christ, and because of family and personal reasons is now working remotely as a bridge ACM for the Maine Conference. She has extensive experience with search and call with churches of all sizes, particularly smaller churches in the rural areas of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. She also has experience working as a remote bridge ACM. With her start date of September 5, Rev. Houser will be in conversation with CM Marisa and outgoing ACM Alexis over the next week to fully acquaint her with search and call in Maine, and to connect her with churches in search. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Marisa.
May we join our hearts and prayers as we together venture onto this road of our journey. Please pray especially for our churches and our pastors in search, and for Rev. Houser.
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