8/10/25 Bulletin
- treasurer593
- 9 minutes ago
- 8 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
Welcome to Guest Preacher Peter Schay
August 10, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. - Ninth 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
What does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8
* Indicates points in the service when we stand in body or spirit
Prelude When Morning Gilds the Skies Tune: Laudes Domini/ by Joseph Barnby
Announcements & Welcome
*Introit Here We Gather as God’s People R. #383 Here we gather as God’s people with our friends from far and near; / let our voices sound with praises knowing Christ has called us here. / Now we seek and greet each other, now in joy approach our friends. / Here we mingle, bound together as to all our love extends.
*Call to Worship
One: By faith we get up in the morning,
All: learning from the rising sun how to begin again.
One: By faith we go out into the day,
All: courageously asking God to meet us where we are.
One: By faith we gather together,
All: honoring the Divine Light in one another.
One: By faith we fan the flames of justice—
All: for we have known the Spirit of Transformation.
One: Come, let us worship the Faithful One,
All: the Living God is in our midst.
*Passing of the Peace (ASL) and Lighting of Peace & Justice Candle
Prayer: O God, we ask… the blessings of heaven, the blessings of earth, the blessings of sea and sky – on those we know and love – and on those everywhere, connected to us through our shared humanity. May all be blessed. May all be safe. May all be valued. May all be loved. ~ J. Philip Newell, adapted
*Hymn The God of Abraham Praise B. #24
The God of Abraham praise, all praises to God’s name, / who was and is and is to be, for e’er the same! / The one eternal God, before what now appears; / the First, the Last: beyond all thought through timeless years!
God’s spirit freely flows, high surging where it will; / God spoke of old in prophet’s word; that word speaks still. / Established is God’s law, and changeless it shall stand, / deep written on the human heart, in every land.
God has eternal life implanted in the soul; / God’s love shall be our strength and stay, while ages roll. / All praise the living God! Extol that hallowed name, / who was, and is, and ever shall be still the same!
The God of Sarah praise, all praises to God’s name, / who was, and is, and is to be fore’er the same! / The one eternal God, before what now appears; / the First, the Last: beyond all thought through timeless years!
*Invocation (in unison)
God of the joyful morning and of the dark night of the soul, thank you for your sustaining love. Sometimes it feels easy to be connected to your compassion. Other times, we grapple for ways to be faithful to the path of love. Unjust systems distract and divert us. Ground us in your steadfastness, Living Christ, that we have clarity and courage to live by your example. Amen
Children’s Message Let There Be Peace on Earth
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me; / let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. / With God our creator, children all are we. / Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony. / Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now. / With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow: / to take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. / Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Special Music More Love to Thee Tune by William Doane/ David Paxton
Scriptures Genesis 15:1–6 and Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16
Message “The Faith of Abraham” Peter Schay
*Hymn Faith of the Martyrs B. #381
Faith of the martyrs, living still in spite of / dungeon, fire, and sword; O, how our hearts beat high with / joy, when we recall their faith’s reward; /
Refrain:Faith of the martyrs, living faith! We would be true in life and death.
Martyrs confined in prisons bleak were still in / heart and conscience free; and no less blessed will be our / fate if we, like them, live faithfully:
Refrain:
Faith of the martyrs! We will love both friend and/ foe in peace or strife; and sow the seeds of hope and / faith by strengthening word and fearless life:
Refrain:
Faith of the martyrs, living faith! We would be true in life and death.
Faith of the martyrs! Faith and prayer shall long out- / live sin’s tyranny; and through the truth that comes from / God all human-kind shall then be free:
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 thy way plain before my face. For it is thou Lord, thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.
Invitation to Offering – Let us keep dreams of thriving alive for ourselves and one another by gathering our shared resources on this day.
Offertory Our Hearts in Christian Love Mark Roberts
*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)
Out of faithfulness to your radical and creative love, oh God, we give these offerings to our community, and in doing so, give them to you. For the Holy Spirit moves within us and among us. Thanks be to God. Amen
*Hymn This is My Song B. #591
This is my song, O God of all the nations, a song of / peace for lands afar and mine. This is my home, the / country where my heart is; here are my hopes, my / dreams, my holy shrine; but other hearts in other lands are / beating with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.
My country's skies are bluer than the ocean, and sunlight / beams on cloverleaf and pine; But other lands have / sunlight, too, and clover, and skies are every- / where as blue as mine. O, hear my song, O God of all the / nations, a song of peace for their land and for mine.
*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 With Resounding Joy Douglas Wagner
(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 church’s Hook & Hastings Pipe Organ was built in 1929 (OP 2577) for the Northern Conservatory of Music in Bangor. It was moved to Bar Harbor and to Hancock Point and was given to the Church by Edward Steinbach (1887–1984). It was installed by Stoddard Smith (of Northeast Harbor) in 1988 and was restored in 2020 by Messrs. Czelusniak et Dugal, Inc., Northampton, MA.
We welcome our Guest Preacher – Peter Schay
Our guest lay preacher, Peter Schay resides in Burlington, NC, and works as a cybersecurity operations manager, having 53 years of professional experience in information technology and consulting. His extended family has owned a home on Jellison Cove Road in Hancock since the late 1980s.
Mr. Schay has been an active member of UCC churches in Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and North Carolina. He has served as both chair of the Board of Deacons and chair of the Board of Trustees at United Church of Chapel Hill, NC, which he joined in 2014. He has also been active in the UCC above the local church, serving as a lay member on the Committees on Ministry of the Fairfield West Association (Southern New England Conference) and Eastern North Carolina Association, President of the Board of Directors of the UCC Southern Conference, and as a voting delegate from the Southern Conference to the UCC 2023 and 2025 General Synods.
Mr. Schay has a BS from Yale University, MS from Northwestern University, and MBA from Boston University.
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
207.422.3100 207.323.6743
Resources
Call to Worship, Invocation, Offertory Prayers – enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters
Peace & Justice Prayer – J. Philip Newell, adapted
Many thanks to those who make this service possible –
in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
Guest Preacher – Peter Schay
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Sally Knapp and David Wildes
Liturgist – Gina Tansey
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.
Here We Gather as God's People
Words - ©1995 Christian Board Of Publication
Contributors: Daniel B Merrick
The God of Abraham Praise
Words and Music - © Oregon Catholic Press
Contributors: LEONI
Faith of the Martyrs
Word alterations Copyright ©1992 Pilgrim Press, The
This Is My Song
Words - ©1934 Lorenz Publishing Corporation, The
Contributors: Lloyd Stone, Jean Sibelius
Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing
Words and Music - ©pd Public Domain
Contributors: Public Domain
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