Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for July 19, 2026

Who holds our days within His hand?

What comes, apart from His command

And what will keep us to the end?

The love of Christ in which we stand 

Sunday, July 26, we will join our friends and neighbors at the Hancock Point Chapel for our Annual Joint Service at 10 am. Rev. Dr. Alison Boden, preaching.

The choir will meet at 9:30 am at the chapel to practice for the 10 am service.

We want to thank Rev. Hannah Mondrach who has led our worship services for the month of July while Pastor TJ is on her Pilgrim Lodge sabbatical. Rev. Hannah has also been “on call” for pastoral visits.

Our Monteux student musicians for this Sunday will be violinists Evan Thornton and Zongheng Zhang.

Evan Thornton is a violinist and recent graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned his degree in Music Performance and a minor in Event Management. He’s now continuing at UF in the Master of Science in Management program, where he’s looking to blend his background in music with skills in leadership and organization. Evan has been playing violin since he was six and has always been passionate about connecting with people through music. Outside of rehearsals and concerts, he enjoys movies, running, and discovering all kinds of music. Whether on stage or behind the scenes, Evan is excited to keep building meaningful experiences through the arts.

Zongheng Zhang is a conductor, violinist, and educator currently pursuing dual Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Violin Performance at Michigan State University. He serves as Assistant Conductor of the MSU Symphony Orchestra, MSU Concert Orchestra, and MSU Opera Theater, where he also works as an opera coach. His recent conducting engagements include appearances with Musique 21 Ensemble for Contemporary Music, Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, and MSU Opera Theater productions of La Cenerentola, The Ghost of Gatsby, and The Grapes of Wrath. In 2024, he conducted Le Faucon by Dmitry Bortniansky at the Butler Opera Center. Before joining Michigan State, Zhang earned his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin, where he served as Director of the University Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the UT Symphony Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor of the Butler Opera Center and Austin Opera Center. His work there included opera coaching, cover conducting, backstage conducting, livestream production, and performances broadcast on KMFA 89.5. Also active as a violinist and violist, Zhang has performed with professional ensembles including the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Central Texas Philharmonic, and The Orchestra Now. He previously served as Concertmaster and Principal of the Bard College Conservatory Orchestra and The Orchestra Now. His awards include recognition as a finalist in The American Prize Opera Conducting Division, the MSU Research Enhancement Award, and the MSU Running Start Award.

Join us at Tidal Falls each Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. for a 25-30 minute contemplative service grounded in the prayer books of John Philip Newell. No experience needed. All are welcome! Thank you to Nancy Gourlie and Robin Stratton for volunteering to be our leaders this summer.

Angela Absher is back and the Meditation Group is meeting at the Hancock Point Chapel on Friday mornings  at 9:00 am for the summer. All are welcome! Reach out to Alison Boden with any questions. (aboden3321@gmail.com, 609-865-3236)

During the month of July, we will be receiving the Neighbors in Need offering. NIN is a Special Mission Offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion in the United States, with one-third of the offering given to the Council for American Indian Ministries and the remaining two-thirds supporting UCC justice ministries. Envelopes are available at the back of the Sanctuary. Thank you for your support and generosity! This is one of the 5 for 5 offerings supported by the Maine Conference.

A Celebration of Life for Kenny Stratton will be held Sunday, July 19th, Noon-2:00 pm at Stratton Family Shore. Bring a chair and beverage.

Alison Boden will be reciting from memory the whole of Mark's gospel (as she did at our church in Lent) at the First Congregational Church of Blue Hill next Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 pm.  The event is free and open to the public. 

The Union Congregational Church of Hancock, UCC, will host a concert by the students of the Monteux School and Music Festival for the benefit of the scholarship fund of the School—Thursday, July 23 at 3pm. 

Donations encouraged.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Your help for the Plant Sale is needed!

The plant sale will, once again, be part of the Church Fair.  We need donations of perennials (native plants are welcome!), house plants and all plant related items such as clay or ceramic pots, gardening tools, etc.  If you need help with your plants, contact Robin Long at 249-8021.  Thank you!

July Birthdays:

19: Patrice Alexander            24: Bob Courchesne           25: Phoebe Devenish       27: Joy Stratton                 28: Robin Long

A Letter from our Conference Minister Marisa

Dear Beloved of our Maine Conference,

Please join me in prayer for the senseless killing of Joan Sebastian Guerrero, by ICE agents in Biddeford Maine yesterday (July 13). Please join me in prayer for his family, especially his wife and daughter. Please join me in prayer for the neighbors who witnessed and for the town of Biddeford that reels and grieves.

I also invite prayers

   that peaceful protest will make a difference;

   that the truth of this horrific tragedy will be revealed;

   that justice will be meted and perpetrators will be held accountable.

Mostly I pray that we can all come together in solidarity to heed and act upon Jesus' teachings and example: love freely first of all and for all, no matter who; welcome the stranger and care for them; wrap our arms around everyone who is shunned, marginalized, and ignored; feed the hungry and care for the poor.

This is what Jesus did; that is what following Jesus means.

For a scripture you can pray upon, to follow in Jesus’ ways:

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸ And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹ And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ ⁴¹ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

I am your servant and your partner in Christ who brings us from darkness into the light of new life—right here and right now,

Marisa

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Bruce’s sister, Lynn, as they mourn her passing on Tuesday, July 14th. The family expresses their gratitude for the many prayers extended to them over the past few months.

Prayers for all God’s creation, that peace may prevail here and around the world. Our prayers remain with Aaron & Ashley, Lincoln & Debbie, Alex & Savannah, Andrew & Tamara, Tyler Crabtree and all of their families. We pray for all those who live and work at Golden Acres. Prayers for Bobby, recovering from a stroke. We pray for Betty Johnston; Sonny & Gerry; Scott; Dean; David; Don; Dexter B.; Cynthia W.; Judith C.; Debbie; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Kirk; Ruth & Peter; Patrice’s step-sister Patricia; Herbie Lounder; Sandy Phippen; David Mack; Sue Davies; Sue Davenport. Prayers for all in Hospice Care and for all caregivers. Prayers for all that are unsafe, unhoused, hungry & in need of care & compassion. Prayers for individuals and families affected by mental illness and addictions. Prayers for those who are experiencing family conflict; and prayers for all that is in your heart…

The Crabtree Memorial Library has been updated.

Please stop by and take a look, and check out something of interest to you. The library is located in the Choir Room.

Utopia or Microcosm?

A Message from Liz Charles McGough,

Pilgrim Lodge Director

I was sitting in a Pilgrim Lodge Leadership Team meeting this past Saturday when our Chair, Rev. TJ Mack closed her eyes and recited a poem by Judy Chicago. It begins like this…

And then all that has divided us will merge

And then compassion will be wedded to power

And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind

This is a week when the headlines of the world are harsh and unkind. I read about what is happening in our broader world and our streets of Maine with grief and heaviness on my heart. I read about what is happening while watching children at camp exploring together in the woods, worshipping together in our outdoor chapel, and paddling boats together on the lake. I’ll admit to a feeling of cognitive dissonance as I process external atrocities while watching children play in what feels like a sacred space we have carved out together away from the world.

When I meet with volunteers each week for orientation before the campers arrive, I ask them to reflect on the question, “Do you consider camp a microcosm of society or a utopia?” It’s a fun way to discuss together the experience we aspire to create for our campers (we strive for a feeling of utopia) while recognizing that we each arrive at camp as our whole selves as socialized in a world “that is harsh and unkind.” This is an opening for us to talk about the concrete strategies that we use at Pilgrim Lodge in the goal of our mission to nurture “authentic self-expression in a safe environment.” We discuss how to support campers with disabilities and how to address microaggressions. We talk about facilitating conversations that promote building empathy for one another’s lived experiences and our goal to affirm campers of all identities at camp. We share resources on facilitating a restorative culture at camp, recognizing that conflict is a natural part of our human experience and can be generative and lead to growth when handled with care and responsibility. In the realities of our microcosm, we must be intentional in our words and actions if we seek to create utopia at camp…a.k.a the Kindom of God.

While grief weighs on my heart, I watch the children with hope. A hope that demands our action, care, attention and striving… because they deserve it. In that spirit, I share with you the entirety of Judy Chicago’s poem that we may be relentless in our aspiring toward the Kindom of God.

And then all that has divided us will merge

And then compassion will be wedded to power

And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind

And then both men and women will be gentle

And then both women and men will be strong

And then no person will be subject to another’s will

And then all will be rich and free and varied

And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many

And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance

And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old

And then all will nourish the young

And then all will cherish life’s creatures

And then all will live in harmony with each other and the earth

And then everywhere will be called Eden once again