11/2/25 Bulletin
- Feb 11
- 9 min read
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
Transformed
BY GOD’S LOVE
We offer a warm welcome to our Guest Minister Rev. Linette George
November 2, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. - Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 839 3635 9115
Passcode: 776780
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
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad,
you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Psalm 32:6-7, 10-11
* Indicates points in the service when we stand in body or spirit
Announcements
Prelude I Will Exalt in the Lord Lani Smith
Welcome
*Introit From All That Dwell Below the Skies (vs. 1) B. #27
From all that dwell below the skies let the Creator's praise arise; Alleluia! Alleluia!Let the Redeemer's name be sung through every land, by every tongue. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
*Call to Worship
One: I refuse to hide the worst piece of myself from God,Many: And through my transparency, God shares Divine Grace.One: I allow God to know the depths of my grief,Many: And through my openness, God shares Divine Peace.One: I refused to keep silent. In knowing my voice, God shares Divine Presence.Many: And through my vulnerability, God shares Divine Strength.
*Passing of the Peace (ASL) and Lighting of Peace & Justice Candle
*Hymn Come, God, Creator, Be our Shield B. #69
Come, God, Creator, be our shield, the / One to whom our cares we yield; / And in our worship, faith impart, your / grace and calm to every heart.
Come, gracious Jesus, be our guest, our / morning joy, our evening rest; / And in our daily lives impart your / love and peace to every heart.
Come, Holy Spirit, be our guide, our / strength to risk against the tide, / That in God’s world we shall impart your / light and hope to every heart.
*Invocation (spoken in unison)
Holy God, Divine Seeker of Our Hearts,We saunter about in our lives, seeking what’s shiny instead of pursuing you. Even so, you still search for us. You’ll climb trees with us, sit in the dust with us, and journey on long roads alongside us. You abide in our dwelling places - no matter their size or state of order. Today, we welcome you in our spaces: from the churches where we sing your praise to our homes where we rest for the upcoming week. May we recognize your presence and calling in our lives. Amen.
Children’s Message
Christian Scripture Luke 19:1-10
Contemporary Reading Living Psalm 32 by Alex Maldonado
Psalm 32: A monograph
Sometimeshappiness is a mistake.Like when Pereira,in Tabucchi’s novel,found a murdered manamong the watermelonsand the lemonade carts,or when he was talkingto the photo of his dead wifeand an Atlantic breeze blew through the window.
There are joys that aren’t joys;mistakes thatsimply can’t be erased.
The furious mob in the food courtthat threw chairs atthe man who had juststabbed his girlfriendwhile she was working.
The man founddead in a slumthe day afterstabbinganother woman.
The woman floating,drowning,the broken bargein the inlet,and the same Atlantic breeze,the body on its backtired,finally, no longer sees the sun.
It’s not happiness,it’s that your hand is heavyand the earth dries up.
Special Music Do Not Fear For You Are Mine David Lantz III
Message Rev. Linette George
*Hymn There is a Balm in Gilead B. #553
Refrain:
There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain, /
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
Refrain:
There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole,there is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul,
Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,
who, if you ask for knowledge, will never fail to lend.
Refrain:
If you can-not preach like Peter, if you can-not pray like Paul,you can tell the love of Jesus, who died to save us all.
Refrain:
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns
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 my way plain before my face. For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Invitation to Offering - Sally Knapp
The offerings we bring are a witness and a contribution to this church’s works in the world. May we freely share and participate in God’s work of grace and mercy, faith and justice. The morning offering will now be received.
Offertory If With All Your Hearts Mendelssohn/ R. Lau
*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 (spoken in unison)
God of Infinite Light, In the ways that you glow, we discover more about ourselves: how we excel and how we are to share from our talents, treasures, and time. May we have hearts of hospitality as we seek the Christ in our works. May we build God’s Realm, knowing that what we give will make a difference and bless our siblings across this world. Amen.
*Communion Hymn Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ B. #347
Let us talents and tongues employ, reaching out with a shout of joy: / bread is broken, the wine is poured, Christ is spoken and seen and heard. / Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again. pass the Word around: loaves abound!
Christ is able to make us one, at his table, he sets the tone, / teaching people to live to bless, love in word and in deed express. / Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again. pass the Word around: loaves abound!
Jesus calls us in, sends us out bearing fruit in a world of doubt, / gives us love to tell, bread to share: God (Immanuel) everywhere! / Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again, pass the Word around: loaves abound!
The Lord’s Supper
Invitation to Holy Communion
One: Dearest friends, at this table the Spirit welcomes us all. Here she gives special honor to the hungry and the poor. Here she renews creation with healing and peace, and pledges a graceful world to come, a world of joy and dignity for all. And here she lets us taste it, the new way of being together: bearing each other’s burdens, sharing each other’s joys, practicing pardon, eating in peace, justice in all we say and do. Here there is a seat at the table for all people. This is not the table of the Union Congregational Church of Hancock, nor the table of the United Church of Christ. This is the table of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and all people present on line or in this room are welcome to eat their fill at this divine table.
PRAISE (Responsive)
One: From the first day to the last, O God, you are generous and kind, filling the world with mercy’s bread, pouring the cup of mercy’s joy.
Many: You give us gifts too many to count: our hearts overflow when we remember you. Even in death, life abounds.
One: And so we praise you, singing your glory with every creature you made:
Many: Holy, holy, holy God of love and majesty, the whole universe speaks of your glory, O God Most High.
REMEMBERING JESUS
One: And now, O God, with grateful hearts, we remember Jesus. When all seems lost, when we are stuck in shame, when nothing we try resurrects our fading hope, he comes to us; he brings the morning’s light.
Many: He tells us where to cast our nets. The catch is abundant; our nets are full. He knows we are always hungry; he feeds us hope.
One: On the lakeshore he lights the breakfast fire, grills fish for us, and bread. In the mist of morning, guilt is gone, shame fades away. We eat together, speaking only of love.
Many: It is always this way with him—food and pardon, mercy and life.
One: Even on that night when we betrayed him, he gave us bread and wine and told us to remember him and all his mercies whenever we gather to eat.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
One: Consecrate, therefore, by your Holy Spirit, these gifts of bread and wine, and bless us that as we receive them at this table, we may offer you our faith and praise, we may be united with Christ and with one another, and we may continue faithful in all things. For all who receive these gifts in faith, make them food and drink of lasting life, until the new age of justice comes and every creature beholds it. Amen.
SHARING THE ELEMENTS
One: The body and blood of Christ broken and shed for you. Your bread of life and cup of joy and blessing are the gifts of God for the people of God. Come now for all things are ready.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING (Unison)
Thanks be to you, O God, for from the beginning you have entrusted us with your word and have called us to give heart, mind, voice, and love to serving its truth, even as Jesus Christ brought it to life among us. Amen
*Benediction (in unison)
May the Spirit of Strength sustain us on our journeys.May the Christ of Grace fill our hearts with understanding.May the God of Presence lead us from the depths of shadows into the light.May we know we are never alone in treetops, in corners, or on roads.
The steadfast love of God travels with us wherever we go!
*Sung Benediction Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing (vs. 1) R. #333
Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace; / let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace: / oh, refresh us, oh, refresh us, traveling through this wilderness.
Postlude I Sing A Song of the Saints of God Tune: Grand Isle/ R. Powell
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book in the back of the sanctuary.
We welcome to our pulpit this morning the Reverend Linette George, an ordained and authorized Pastor and Teacher of the United Church of Christ since 2013. A graduate of John Bapst Memorial High School, Reverend George was a paralegal for thirty years working in Bangor, Portland and Boston, prior to answering her call to ministry. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with an emphasis in American Public Policy from Stanford University, and a Master of Divinity degree from Bangor Theological Seminary. She served the Holden and Dedham UCC congregations for about ten years, and is nearing the end of time of respite. She served on the Board of Directors for the Maine Conference of the UCC, Personnel Committee, and Resourcing the Local Church Team. She is co-chair of the Anti-Racism Resource Team. Linette is a member of Hammond Street Congregational Church, UCC in Bangor. She resides in the family homestead in Glenburn, with her sister, Stacy and cat, Ella.
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 Jennifer TJ
207.422.3100 207.323.6743
Many thanks to those who make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Mary Angela & Nick Davis and Doug Kimmel
Liturgist – Vicky Espling
Audio-Video Support – Mike Summerer
Office Administrator – Vicky Espling
Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack
The Body of Christ – You
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.
From All That Dwell Below The Skies
Words and Music - ©2022 Stephen DeCesare / Exultet Music
Contributors: Isaac Waats, John Hatton, Stephen DeCesare
Come, God, Creator, Be Our Shield
Music - ©1994 Pilgrim Press, The
Contributors:
There is a Balm in Gilead
Words and Music - ©2003 Alfred Sacred
Contributors: African American Spiritual, Mark Hayes
Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ
Words - ©1975 Hope Publishing Company
Contributors: Fred Kaan
Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing
Words and Music - ©pd Public Domain
Contributors: Public Domain
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