Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for January 8, 2023
All poor ones and humble and all those who stumble,
come hastening, and feel not afraid,
for Jesus our treasure, with love past all measure,
in lowly poor manger was laid.
Though wise men who found him laid rich gifts around him,
The oxen they gave him their hay,
And Jesus in beauty accepted their duty, contented in manger he lay.
Upcoming meetings, events, and opportunities
Choir will practice at 9:15 Sunday morning, to prepare for future services.
Sunday, Jan. 8th we will gather in our Sanctuary and on Zoom to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. As we do on the first Sunday of every month, we will also receive non-perishable food items, toiletries, and pet food for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.
Join our Sunday Worship Zoom link at:
Meeting ID: 883 2746 7219
Passcode: 131738
(Posted later for viewing on Facebook and YouTube)
Starting this month, and through the cold months, we will be setting the third Sunday of the month aside to take monetary donations to augment The Minister’s Discretionary Fund. If you would like to donate to this important fund, please notate it on the bottom of your check.
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 on Friday, January 13th at 12:00 pm
Trustees will meet on Wednesday, January 18th at 12:00 pm
Outreach will meet on Thursday, January 19th at 4:00 pm
Council will meet on Friday, January 20th at 12:00 pm
Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry could always use your help. If you are able to volunteer,
please contact Ken at loavesandfishesellsworth@gmail.com
or at 207-801-0688.
The Eagle Hill Institute (in Steuben) is looking for a live-in caretaker for the winter and early spring. An ideal applicant will be someone who would appreciate the quiet solitude of winter on a nature reserve on the coast of eastern Maine. The caretaker position is unpaid, but the responsibilities are modest and accommodations are free of charge. All we ask of the caretaker is that they commit to staying on-site most nights, and occasionally go through the classroom building to ensure that that heat and electric are working, and report to the Director with any issues. The caretaker will receive a private room in our classroom building, with access to the kitchenette. There is a washer, dryer, and fully equipped kitchen available for use in the Eagle Hill Commons Building. Meals are not provided. The caretaker will also be responsible for their own transportation, so a car is required. For ease of access, there is plenty of parking available close to the studio/classroom building, and the road is plowed and sanded routinely in the winter. Start-date is flexible, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Please send your resume, cover letter, and any questions to Chase Uy (chase@eaglehill.us).
Eagle Hill Institute PO Box 9, 59 Eagle Hill Road Steuben, ME 04680-0009
From our Conference Minister – Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
January 3, 2023
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1
When I was a local pastor, on our first Sunday of the new year we invariably sang the hymn of the same words. What a glorious way to celebrate that Emmanuel—God with us—is also our LIGHT through which our ministry shines! The ministry we do is the ministry of Emmanuel, with the Light of God through Emmanuel illuminating our path and guiding our steps. Our ministry is HOLY and SACRED. We are the spiritual guides of the people who look to us as we together do the HOLY and SACRED work of Emmanuel: to bring the gospel to life in our modern day; to fill the hungry and clothe the naked both spiritually and physically; to relieve the suffering of those who are bereft; to jostle the comfortable to be and become the hands and feet of Emmanuel. How your ministry unfolds is unique to each of your settings, according to the spiritual and physical needs of those within the four walls and the spiritual and physical needs of those in the community outside the four walls. As your Conference Minister, I pledge my support and encouragement; I offer comfort and challenge; and I will walk with each of you however you need for me to walk with you—for the ministry of your settings to be vibrant with the Light of Emmanuel; and for the outreach of the Maine Conference to be vibrant with the Light of Emmanuel into the whole state of Maine. God IS with us. God walks and works, lifts and provides, through us. May we all rejoice and sing: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Deep blessing and deep prayers, Marisa
News from the “Healthy Acadia” organization…
Grief Support Groups Hospice Volunteers of Hancock County will be offering their next series of grief support
groups beginning January 30 and continuing through March 24, 2023. Groups are for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The groups are completely confidential, free of charge, and meet once per week for eight weeks, both in person and online. Dates/times of the groups’ meetings will be determined by the availability of registered participants. For those who are looking for support but are not comfortable in groups, one-on-one support with a trained bereavement volunteer is also available. Registration Deadline is Friday, January 13, 2023, by visiting www.hospiceofhancock.org and clicking on the Services - Grief Support - Support Group Registration and fill out the form, or by calling the Hospice Volunteers
of Hancock County office, in Ellsworth, at 207-667-2531.
Warming Center Opens On any given night, hundreds of Maine people are temporarily unhoused or experiencing chronic homelessness. Healthy Acadia, with the support of local and state partners, is
responding to the urgent need for a warming center in our community during the coldest months of the year. On December 23, 2022, with support from many partners, we opened a temporary, overnight warming center at our INSPIRE Recovery Center, 24 Church Street, Ellsworth. The warming center is open every evening, including holidays, through April 30, 2023, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., to individuals and families who are unhoused in Hancock and Washington counties, as space allows. Coffee, drinks, and snacks are available, and a hot meal is offered daily at 7:30 p.m. At this time, we have received generous commitments from St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, First Congregational Church of Ellsworth, and Northern Light Health Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth to provide home-cooked meals to serve on a weekly basis.
January Birthdays and Anniversaries coming up:
06: *Erin* Ehrlenbach Collins
07: Sally Bryant
07: *John* Wood
07: Peter & Sally Bryant
09: * Rebeckah Philio
12: *Myrna* Coffin
16: *Everett* & *Vicky* Espling
21: *Gary* Hunt
23 Avabelle Havey
Contact Us at Union Congregational Church of Hancock:
TJ can be reached by cell phone at 207-323-6743 or by email at revtjmack@hancockucc.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
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