10/25/26 Bulletin
UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF HANCOCK
We respect tradition — and we welcome inclusive language about people and expansive language about God. Please pray using words most meaningful to you.
Open and Affirming of ALL God’s Children
October 25, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 848 8046 8016
Passcode: 616145
The first pew in front of the pulpit has books and quiet activities for people of all ages.
Please find something that suits you, take it to your pew, and return it after the service.
Silent Prayer
Save us, our compassionate Lord,
From our folly by your wisdom,
from our arrogance by your forgiving love,
from our greed by your infinite bounty, and
from our insecurity by your healing power.
- Muslim prayer
*Indicates when we stand in body or spirit
Announcements Deacon
Prelude Come Thou Fount Nettleton/ John Wyeth/ Jason Payne
Welcome
*Introit Send Down Your Truth, O God HoTL (Red) #232
Send down your truth, O God; too long the shad-ows frown!
Too long the dark-ened way we’ve trod: your truth, O Lord, send down.
*Call to Worship
L: We are called to be the people of God’s kin-dom.
P: In God’s realm we find healing and hope.
L: We are called to be people who love as God has loved us.
P: Therefore let us reach out with God’s love to all God’s people.
All: May God’s love fill our hearts, our worship, and our lives!
Passing the Peace & Lighting Peace & Justice Candle
*Hymn God Reigns o’er All the Earth TNCH (Black) #21 God reigns o’er all the earth! Green hills and val-leys low,
the farms and towns in golds and browns God’s grace and beau-ty show.
God reigns o’er all the earth! Stone banks and spread-ing plains,
in rain-bow hues— reds, yel-lows, blues— of streams and coun-try lanes.
God reigns o’er hu-man life! Through youth and ag-ing years,
in death, in birth, in grief, in mirth, in all our hopes and fears.
God reigns o’er hu-man life! Our in-spi-ra-tion still.
Through all our schemes, in all our dreams, we see God’s reign-ing will.
God reigns o’er time and space! In his-tory’s by-gone days,
Christ’s faith-ful folk in rev-erence spoke to bring God earn-est praise.
God reigns o’er time and space! O’er gal-ax-y and sun,
through time-less years the cos-mos hears the heaven-ly mu-sic run.
God reigns! Em-man-u-el! God with us ev-ery day,
in all our past, and to the last, our com-fort and our stay.
God reigns! Em-man-u-el! Let praise to Christ be sung!
God’s pres-ence here makes all things dear. Let joy-ful bells be rung!
*Invocation (in unison)
God, you have been our dwelling place in all generations, before the mountains were born, from everlasting to everlasting. You call us to walk in holiness, to love you with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Turn to us in grace, O God, and expand our ability to love you, ourselves, and all others as we worship you today. Amen.
Scripture Psalm 1
Matthew 22:34-46
Special Music All Beautiful the March of Days HoTL (Red) #525
Forest Green/ R.V.Williams/ Frances Wile
Sermon Kelly Brown
*Hymn Lord, I Want To Be a Christian TNCH (Black) #454
Lord, I want to be a Chris-tian in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be a Chris-tian in my heart.
Refrain:
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Chris-tian in my heart.
Lord, I want to be more lov-ing in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more lov-ing in my heart.
Refrain:
Lord, I want to be more ho-ly in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be more ho-ly in my heart.
Refrain:
Lord, I want to be like Je-sus in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be like Je-sus in my heart.
Refrain:
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns –
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father (Creator, Mother) who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen
Lead me Lord, lead me in thy righteousness, make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Invitation to Offering – We have heard God’s commandment to love, so let us respond with love to the needs of our church and our neighbors as we make our gifts this morning.
Offertory Spirit of Faith Come Down Bealoth/ Gilbert Martin
*The Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One. Amen
*Prayer of Dedication (in unison)
As you have poured your healing love into our lives, O God, we now offer these gifts to you. Let them be used in ministries of justice and compassion through the work of this church in your world. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.
*Hymn God Our Author and Creator TNCH (Black) #530
God our Au-thor and Cre-a-tor, in whose life we find our own,
make our dai-ly wit-ness great-er, by our lives make your love known.
Help us show how love em-brac-es those whom fear and greed down-trod;
in all yearn-ing hearts and fac-es let us see a child of God.
Like those first a-pos-tles, Sav-ior, give us strength to love and serve:
when our faint-ing spir-its wa-ver, fire our hearts and steel our nerve.
Teach us wis-dom and com-pas-sion: bid our rest-less thoughts be still;
by your guid-ance help us fash-ion lives con-formed un-to your will.
Keep us faith-ful, Ho-ly Spir-it, help us bear the mes-sage true,
that at last all lands may hear it: "God is love; Christ died for you."
Join our lives in might-y cho-rus till we come from ev-ery place,
with all those who went be-fore us, to the full-ness of God's grace.
*Benediction – May the manifold blessings of God, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, be with you this fine day and even forevermore. Amen.
*Sung Benediction Go with Us, Lord HoTL (Red) #336
Go with us, Lord, and guide the way
through this and every coming day,
That in your Spirit strong and true our
lives may be our gift to you.
Postlude Agincourt Hymn John Dunstable
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book
in the back of the sanctuary.
Kelly Brown, Executive Director, Next Step Domestic Violence Project. Kelly has worked at Next Step Domestic Violence Project for over 20 years, beginning her career as the Community Educator. She still loves opportunities to return to the community and speak with groups about a cause she cares deeply about. Her years as a helpline advocate have shaped the way she approaches this work, and she believes it is important to bring the voices and experiences of survivors into every conversation about domestic violence. Today, as Executive Director, she takes her role seriously and is committed to seeing Next Step continue to grow, strengthen its services, and reach more people who need support.
“One moment that has stayed with me was when I entered a woman into our shelter. As I opened the door to her bedroom, she looked at the room and said she didn't deserve such nice things. That moment reminded me why this work matters so much. I believe everyone deserves safety, dignity, and a welcoming place to lay their head. I am proud to lead and work alongside a team that believes the same and shows that belief through the care and support they provide every day.”
Support our Church Financially
Please visit Hancock (Maine) UCC on Facebook or our webpage www.hancockucc.com
or visit this link to our PayPal account: paypal.me/hancockucc
or mail offerings to:
Union Congregational Church, PO Box 443, Hancock, ME 04640 (Attention: Treasurer)
Contact Us
Vicky – hancockmaineucc@gmail.com – 207.422.3100
Jennifer – treasurer@hancockucc.com
Many thanks to those who make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Guest Speaker– Kelly Brown
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Tamara Wilson & Doug Kimmel
Liturgist – Vicky Espling
Audio-Video Support – Patrice Alexander
Office Administrator – Vicky Espling
The Body of Christ – You
Resources:
The New Century Hymnal (B.) Hymns of Truth and Light (R.)
Copyright © 1995 The Pilgrim Press Copyright © 1998 First Congregational
Church of Huston, Texas
"Permission to podcast / stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, License #A-738532. All rights reserved.”
God Reigns O'er All the Earth
Words - ©1987 Presbyterian Publishing/Westminster John Knox/Geneva Press
Contributors: Jane Parker Huber
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian / Harmonization
Music - ©1992 Pilgrim Press, The
Contributors: Joyce Finch Johnson
God Our Author and Creator
Music - ©1973 United Church Press
Contributors: Carl P Daw Jr
Go with Us, Lord
Words - ©1990 Hope Publishing Company
Contributors: Mary Jackson Cathey
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