3/1/26 Bulletin

Mar 6
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

by T. Denise Anderson

Communion Sunday – March 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. – Second Sunday of Lent

Join Zoom Meeting

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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.

Second Sunday of Lent - the good news is... great love for God and neighbor

Silent Prayer

Holy God, today we pray: when it comes to our neighbors, give us eyes to see as you see. Give us hands to serve as you serve. Give us arms to hold. Give us feet to journey alongside. Give us hearts of compassion, just like yours.

* Indicates when we stand in body or spirit

Announcements

Prelude Bread of the World in Mercy Broken Tune: Wayfaring Stranger

American Melody/ Gilbert Martin

Welcome

*Introit Come and Find the Quiet Center (tune: Beach Spring)

Come and find the qui-et cen-ter in the crowd-ed life we lead; / Find the room for hope to en-ter, / Find the frame where we are freed; / Clear the cha-os and the clut-ter, / Clear our eyes, that we can see / All the things that real-ly mat-ter, / Be at peace, and sim-ply be.

*Call to Worship

Tell me something good!

God loves you more than you could imagine.

Tell me something good!

God loves all of creation more than you could imagine.

Tell me something good!

God’s love meets us in this service of worship. We are not alone.

This is good news indeed!

Let us worship our compassionate God.

*Passing the Peace (ASL) and Lighting Peace & Justice Candle

*Hymn Lord, Make Me More Holy (select verses) B. #75

Lord, make me more holy. Lord, make me more holy. / Lord, make me more holy, until we meet again. / Holy, holy, holy until we meet again.

Lord, make me more faithful….Faithful….until we meet again.

Lord, make me more humble….Humble….until we meet again.

Lord, make me more righteous….Righteous….until we meet again.

*Invocation (in unison)

Good news God, speak louder than the news updates. Speak louder than our mental distractions. Speak louder than our anger and louder than our fear. God, speak loudly to us today, because we long to hear your good news once more. With hope we pray. Amen

Children’s Message

Call to Confession

Family of faith, we long to love others as God loves us, but that work is easier said than done. We lose our way. We become distracted. We grow fearful. We need God’s grace. Fortunately for us, God’s grace is freely and abundantly given. So join me in this Prayer of Confession. Join me in being transformed.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, did we see you hungry and give you something to eat? Did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? Did we see you alone and offer you compassion? Or did we cross the street? Did we avert our eyes? Did we come up with every excuse in the book? God, we long to be people who love our neighbors with the same overwhelming love that you have for them. But we must admit, we have a long way to go. Forgive us for the times when we let bias, scarcity, or fear get in the way of love. Wash us clean and give us the courage to try again. With hope for a better tomorrow we pray. Amen

Words of Forgiveness

Faith family, even when we act with judgment, even when we are guided by fear, even when we turn our back on a neighbor in need, God does not turn Their back on us. So join me in this good-news declaration: We are seen. We are forgiven. We are invited to try again. Thanks be to God for this unending love.

Scriptures Luke 7:36-50; Matthew 25:35-40

Special Music ‘Tis Winter Now, the Fallen Snow Trad. English/ Vaughn Williams

Black Hymnal #432

Message Rev. TJ Mack

*Hymn Just As I Am (vs. 1-3) R. #410

Just as I am, without one plea but that your blood was shed for me,and that you called inviting me, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, you will receive, will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;because you promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

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 thy way plain before my face.

For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

Invitation to Offering - The New Century Hymnal #842

Having received new life through the generosity of God and the hope Christ brings, let us give thankfully and abundantly that we may be called God’s generous people.

Offertory Lauda Anima John Goss/ Kevin Norris

*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 The New Century Hymnal #845

O God, most merciful and gracious, of whose bounty we have all received: accept, we pray, this offering of your people. Remember in your love those who have brought it and those for whom it is given; and so follow it with your blessing that it may promote peace and goodwill among all people and advance the realm of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

*Communion Hymn Let Us Break Bread Together B. #330

Let us break bread together on our knees; / let us break bread together on our knees.when I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, / My God, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees; / let us drink wine together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, / My God, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees; / let us praise God together on our knees.When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, / My God, have mercy on me.

The Lord’s Supper

Invitation to the Table

All: Tell me something good!One: God prepares a table for us.

All: Jesus welcomed the overlooked, the hungry, the forgiven — and he welcomes us now. This table is not earned. It is given.One: Come, because you are loved.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

One: The Lord be with you.All: And also with you.

One: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

One: Loving God, when fear grew louder than compassion, you sent Jesus to show us love in action —

All: feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, forgiving freely.

One: On the night before he gave himself for us, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and said, “This is my body, given for you.” He took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant, poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

All: Pour out your Spirit on these gifts and on us, that we may be Christ’s body in the world — more holy, more faithful, more humble, more loving. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ. Amen

Sharing the Elements

One: These are the gifts of God for the people of God.

All: Tell me something good!One: God feeds us with grace. Come, for all things are ready.

Prayer After Communion (in unison)

Generous God, you have met us at this table with mercy and love. Now send us out to see you in our neighbors and serve you in the world. We leave nourished, forgiven, and ready to try again and again.

*Benediction

*Sung Benediction Go With Us, Lord R. #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 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Arr. Lloyd Larson

(Please remain seated for the Postlude)

If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book

in the back of the sanctuary.

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

TJ – revtjmack@gmail.com – 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 – Tamara Wilson, Doug Kimmel, Pat Summerer

Liturgist – Carol Skinner

Audio-Video Support – Ron Schwizer

Office Administrator – Vicky Espling

Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack

The Body of Christ – You

Resources: A Sanctified Art

Cover art: T. Denise Anderson, Inspired by Matthew 25:35-40, 14”x18” Acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement: Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus uses diminutive language to refer to people of importance⁷ and describes small, humble things (like sheep, lilies, and sparrows) as precious. He uses a mustard seed in a parable about faith,⁸

and tells his disciples to be like children.⁹ For Matthew’s Jesus, little is a big deal!

For that reason, we should pay attention to Jesus’ use of the word “least” in this text. In a book where Jesus talks about little things being loved, the word “least” here takes on new meaning: most loved. Indeed, God loves everyone, but there are certainly those for whom God has a special affinity. As the Confession of Belhar states, “God is in a special way the God of the destitute, the poor, and the wronged.”¹⁰

7 For example: Matthew 11:11, 11:25

8 Matthew 13:31-32

9 Matthew 18:1-14

10 The Belhar Confession is a statement of faith originally professed by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in 1986 during the struggle against apartheid. It has since been adopted by several churches and denominations globally. Read the confession here: pcusa.org/resource/belhar-confession

The New Century Hymnal (B.) Hymns of Truth and Light (R.)

Church of Huston, Texas

Come and Find the Quiet Center (BEACH SPRING)

Contributors: Shirley Erena Murray, Joe Galyon

Lord, Make Me More Holy

Contributors: Public Domain

Just As I Am

Contributors: Charlott Elliott, William Bradbury, Joseph M Martin

Let Us Break Bread Together

LET US BREAK BREAD

Go with Us, Lord

Contributors: Mary Jackson Cathey

If God Lived Next Door

If God lived next door,

I’d drop off a loaf of bread.

I’d use my mom’s best recipe.

I’d wrap it in parchment and ribbon

and place it on the front stoop.

If God lived next door,

I’d leave a note with my phone number.

Call anytime you need anything!

I’m always happy to help!

If God lived next door,

I’d keep sugar on the shelf,

just in case she needed a cup.

I’d put a picnic table in the front yard

and begin taking my coffee there.

Whenever God passed by with their gaggle of rescue dogs,

I could say, Want to sit for a moment? Want to rest your legs?

I’d keep a jar of dog treats and water by the mailbox

and change my doormat to one that says:

All are welcome here.

I’d invite God over for dinner.

She’d bring bread and juice.

I’d host a block party,

so that everyone could meet her.

I’d start a community garden

so that the kids could run between rows of squash and tomatoes

while we adults put our hands in the dirt.

We’d share stories while we weeded,

and eat harvest meals at the end of the season.

If God lived next door,

I’d want to build something beautiful.

Then again, who says she doesn’t?

Rev. Sarah Speed, Founding Creative Partner of A Sanctified Art

Rev. Teresa (TJ) Mack

3/1/26 Bulletin

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