Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for May 25, 2025

Take my hand and be at peace, the spirit of our love I send;

And with this love you will be free, until I come again.

Peace I leave with you, my friends: Shalom my peace, in all you do. Peace I leave with you, my friends, I give to you, so you can give to others, too.

The choir rehearses Sunday mornings at 9:10 a.m. All are welcome.

This June, July, and August in addition to the 10:00 Worship Service in our Sanctuary, Pastor

TJ and a small contingent of volunteers plan to offer an alternative contemplative service inspired by John Philip Newell prayer books. These outdoor services will begin at 7:00 a.m. at Tidal Falls (rain or shine) and are expected to last 20-30 minutes. Please join us!

Memorial Day Breakfast and Observance in Hancock

Our Christian Education Team will host Breakfast on the Green at the Town’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Hancock Village Memorial Lot on Monday, May 26th. The Lot is located at the intersection of Point Road and US Route 1 in Hancock. Breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, muffins, fruit, coffee, water, and juice boxes will be available by donation at 9 am prior to the start of the Ceremony.

The Memorial Day Observance activities will start at 9:30 a.m. with the Posting of the Colors by the Fire Department Honor Guard and music selections by the Hancock Grammar School Band. Remarks by Secretary of State and Hancock native, Shenna Bellows, will follow.

All are invited to a congregational conversation on SUNDAY, JUNE 1 following our morning service to discuss innovative uses of the acreage owned by the church that is between the parking lot on the south side of Route 1 and the shoreline.  This discussion is one outcome of the Small Church Leadership Community program of the BTS Center.  For the last 8 months Pastor TJ, Nick Davis, Carol Skinner, and Alison Boden have been representing our church in that initiative, and look forward to sharing some of what they've learned and to hearing the congregation's ideas.

Upcoming vacations

Vicky will be on vacation from May 23-June 6.

Please email or call Pastor TJ in Vicky’s absence.

Pastor TJ will be on vacation and working from a distance June 4-18. Rev. Dr. Alison Boden will lead our service on June 8. Pastor TJ will preach from Wisconsin via Zoom on June 15.

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Myrna’s friend Donna J., Gerry’s friend Jason; Vicky. Prayers for Pat Shannon’s daughter, Mary Riley; for Alex & Savannah and Andrew & Tamara; and for Tyler Crabtree. Prayers for Donald B.; Kenny V.; Orrick; Brian; and Jane of Golden Acres. Prayers for Cynthia W.; Judith C.; Eleanor A.; Ira and Ginny; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Sally’s friend, Sue Barger; Herbie Lounder; Ruth; Marie; Jim Snyder; Jonathan Holmes; Sue Davies; Sue Davenport; Kenny Stratton & Joy & David & Lori & Melissa; Debbie & Lincoln & son-in-law Aaron, daughter Ashley, and granddaughter Brielle; Sandy Phippen; Kevin and Vanessa & family. Prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion. Prayers for individuals and families affected by addictions. Prayers for all caregivers; those who are grieving; and prayers for all that is in your heart…

May Birthdays and Anniversaries

26: Vicky Espling       27: Andrea Bernard         29: *Sally Knapp

31: Marty Johnson      31: Clint & Eleanor Ritchie

June Birthdays and Anniversaries

  01: Jim & Liz Singletary   02: David Wildes       05: Debbie Riley

08: Doug Kimmel        09: Brad Bamford           10: Catherine Genn

12: Eleanor Ritchie         12: Jackie & Bobbi Hunt       13: Bob Schmid

14: Clancy King          15: Roslynne Lowry    17: Ginny Shaw Coleman 

          17: David Mack

From Our Maine Conference

Our Conference Office is moving to Pilgrim Lodge!

Where?                  The Farmhouse

When?          After extensive renovation, Summer 2026

How?               Proceeds from the sale of Rockcraft in 2024   

A New Capital Campaign

After about a year of contemplating, planning, discerning, and praying, the Board of Directors voted this past Saturday to renovate the Farm House at Pilgrim Lodge for our Conference Office! For those who are not familiar with the Farm House, it is the first building on the right when you turn onto Pilgrim Lodge Road on your way to the camping area. It has long been the first building to greet campers and visitors who begin their journey down the long dirt road to camp. Over the years, it has been used for various purposes from housing for staff to serving as the winter office for Pilgrim Lodge and even a satellite conference office when the Pennell Center in Yarmouth was still the primary site of the Maine Conference UCC.

In recent years, however, the building has fallen into disrepair and has only be utilized for winter storage of supplies from camp. It has been waiting for new purpose—and becoming the primary site of the Maine Conference UCC is a perfect way to unite the operations of the Conference with Pilgrim Lodge. 

We are very excited that our Conference will be in one place, with the Conference office, Pilgrim Lodge, and MESOM in one area of operation, showing the unity and covenant of our ministries and mission. Folks can witness all of our operations in proximity and covenant with one another.

CM Marisa has said” I remember sitting early last spring 2024 with Liz Charles to talk about my “dream” of the conference operations being in one place. When Rockcraft sold early in 2024 and the Board of Directors was open to considering moving the office to the Farmhouse, I was heartened in faith and gratitude. This coming together physically of all of our conference operations is a beautiful way to remind us that we are One as the Maine Conference, despite our cultural and geographical vastness. I pray that we will celebrate together that we are indeed “one, as Jesus and God are one.”

Pilgrim Lodge Director Liz has said: “I am so excited that the Conference office will be co-located with Pilgrim Lodge. Seeing the building in use will be a welcome sight to for our campers to see the energy and vitality of our conference. At the same time, it will provide us with wonderful opportunities to work more closely and efficiently as a conference staff while welcoming visitors who want to see all of our operations and ministries at one time. Sharing space together on the same property is a huge opportunity to demonstrate the work of the conference with all who come to participate in camp, MESOM programs, or the work of the Conference itself.”

With deep, deep gratitude:

Conference Office Exploratory Committee for their year-long discernment, wisdom, and hard work assessing the feasibility of the project and drafting a budget that was presented to the BOD this past Saturday: Elizabeth Charles McGough, John Steelhammer, Hariph Smith, Oscar Wallace, Sue Burgess, Andrew Hunter, CM Marisa

Elena Barrantes, member of the Pilgrim Lodge Leadership Team and Architect, who donated her time and talent to drawing up architectural plans, Elizabeth Charles McGough for working closely with Elena and John on quotes and design, John Steelhammer for his commitment and diligence for finding quotes for materials and labor

Some important information thus far:

The renovation will begin this week, with John Steelhammer as our Clerk of the Works

Anticipated completion will be Summer 2026.

Anyone who wishes to donate their time to demolition now or finishing touches later (ie. painting, moving), please contact our Conference Minister Marisa who will oversee the project.

We will begin a Capital Campaign this summer—stay tuned

If you have questions or thoughts, please feel free to reach out to our Conference Minister Marisa, as she will be the Overseer of the Project and the Capital Campaign

Let us rejoice together as we have one more way to celebrate our covenant in the Maine Conference; a way that brings all of our conference-level ministries to one sacred space.

With deep blessings and continued prayers,Chair Stef MichaudVice Chair Brad On behalf of the Board of Directors