11/9/25 Bulletin
- Feb 11
- 7 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
Annual Giving Sunday
November 9, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. - Twenty-second 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
God of All Seasons, you are close in both joy and grief, delight and sorrow. Your attention is never far from the needs of your people. May we be among those who perceive - who feel and touch and notice and seek - your divine presence among us, between us, around us, within us and especially, wherever love is needed most. Amen
* Indicates points in the service when we stand in body or spirit
Announcements
Prelude This Is My Father’s World Arr. Van Denman Thompson Terra Beata
Welcome
*Introit God of Grace and God of Glory (vs. 1) R. #477
God of grace and God of glory, on your people pour your power; / now fulfill your Church’s story; bring its bud to glorious flower. / Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour, / for the facing of this hour.
*Call to Worship
One: In life and in death, we belong to God.
All: God is the world that births us.
One: God is the love we practice.
All: God is the community we make.
One: Like the prophets of the past, we join the chorus of our neighbors crying out near and far.
All: “How long, O God?” How long will violence and injustice have their way? How many will be disappeared? How many will go hungry?
One: God is the creative force that enables and strengthens us. How soon will we respond? When will compassion be wedded to power?
All: Come, Spirit of New Life! Spark us into action. Draw us ever nearer to creating your Kin-dom here on earth – that Holy Place where love is made eternal.
*Passing of the Peace (ASL) and Lighting of Peace & Justice Candle
*Hymn Here in This Place (Gather Us In) R. #250
Here in this place, the new light is streaming, now the dark night has vanished away.
See in this space, our fears and our dreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken, gather us in, our spirits inflame.
Call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name.
We are the young - our lives are a mystery; we are the old, who yearn for your face.
We have been sung throughout all of history, called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty, gather us in, the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly; give us the courage to enter the song.
Here we receive new life in your waters; here we receive the bread of new birth;
here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion, give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well, and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
Not just in buildings, small and confining, not in some heaven, light years away,
here in this place the new light is shining; now is God present, and now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever, gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in, all peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
*Invocation (spoken in unison)
Patient Listener, our hearts are spilling over with love that is fierce and alive. We are concerned for our neighbors. We are eager to make fruitful contributions to collective life. Open our eyes and hearts to your call on us at this time. Nurture our creative capacity to respond alongside our neighbors to everything that threatens life and lives. We trust in your guidance and lean on your support. Amen
Children’s Message
Scriptures Psalm 98 (The Message) and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 (NRSVUE)
Special Music Blest Are They Whose Spirits Long G.F. Handel/ Hal Hopson
Message Rev. TJ Mack
*Hymn Great Is Your Faithfulness B. #423 Great is your faithfulness, O God, Creator with you no shadow of turning we see. You do not change, your compassions they fail not; all of your goodness forever will be.
Refrain:
Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness!Morning by morning new mercies I see;All I have needed your hand has provided,Great is your faithfulness, God, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,sun, moon and stars in their courses above,Join with all nature in manifold witnessto your great faithfulness, mercy, and love
Refrain:
Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness!Morning by morning new mercies I see;All I have needed your hand has provided,Great is your faithfulness, God, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace so enduring,your own dear presence to cheer and to guide.Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.
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 - Mary Beth DiMarco
Offertory Do Not Despair, O Little Flock Trad. German Melody/ Lani Smith
*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)
With the time and materials entrusted to us, we pray that you would make us bold and brave in our purpose together. May we deepen our care for each other and trust in the web of interdependence. Receive our offerings and make it so. Amen
*Hymn Higher Ground (I’m Pressing on the Upward Way) B. #442
I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound, “O plant me, God, on higher ground.”
Refrain:O lift me up, and I shall be by faith in heaven eternally,
a higher plan than I have found, O plant me, God, on higher ground.
My heart has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound, my prayer, my aim is higher ground.
Refrain
O lift me up, and I shall be by faith in heaven eternally,
a higher plan than I have found, O plant me, God, on higher ground.
I want to live beyond the world, though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught a joyful sound, the song of saints on higher ground.
Refrain
I want to scale the utmost height, and catch a gleam of glory bright;
but still I’ll pray till heaven I’ve found, “God, lead me on to higher ground.”
Refrain:
*Benediction
*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 Rigaudon Robert Lau
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book in the back of the sanctuary.
The Union Congregational Church of Hancock, United Church of Christ will conduct its 2025 Annual Church Meeting on November 16, 2025, immediately following the 10:00 AM Worship Service for the following purposes:
1. To Elect Church Officers, Board and Committee members;
2. To receive Board and Committee Reports;
3. To vote on the Proposed 2026 Church Budget
4. And to hear any other business to come before the congregation.
Vicky J. Espling, Clerk
October 31, 2025
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
Resources
enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters
Many thanks to those who make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Vicky Espling and Ron Schwizer
Liturgist – Ron Schwizer
Audio-Video Support – Patrice Alexander
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.
God of Grace and God of Glory
Words and Music - Public Domain
Contributors: Public Domain
Gather Us In / Here In This Place
Words and Music - ©1982 GIA Publications, Inc.
Contributors: Marty Haugen
Great Is Your Faithfulness
Words - ©1923, 1951 Hope Publishing Company
Contributors: Thomas O Chisholm
Higher Ground
Words and Music - ©1990 Carl Fischer, LLC
Contributors: Johnson Oatman, Jr, Charles Gabriel/Ron Harris
Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing
Words and Music - ©pd Public Domain
Contributors: Public Domain
Comments