8/23/26 Bulletin
- 21 hours ago
- 6 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
August 23, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
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
Mysterious One, we hope to hold with care the tensions of our traditions. Help us to honor the best of what we have inherited. And to release what conforms to harm and destruction. Few of us have felt the freedom to question what we are taught. Few of us have been encouraged to respect our own thoughts, intuition, or experiences. Bless our searching and our seeking that we may exercise our own muscles of faith. Amen
* Indicates when we stand in body or spirit.
Announcements Deacon
Prelude Adagio Benedetto Marcello
Welcome Rev. TJ Mack
* 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
One: Believers, Skeptics, Heretics, and Seekers
All: We gather together with questions and convictions,
Tussling and wrestling with the mysteries of faith
One: The Spirit delights in our discernment of Wisdom
All: God has given us agency, creativity, and imagination
One: We are set free to pursue a multitude of truths
All: Let us discover what it is we believe.
Passing the Peace & Lighting Peace & Justice Candle
* Hymn Take My Life, God, Let It Be B. #448
Take my life, God, let it be consecrated faithfully.
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my spirit, let it move at the impulse of your love.
Take my intellect and use all its powers as you choose.
Take my will; your will be done! Make your will and mine be one.
Take my heart, and by your grace make of it your dwelling place.
Take my love and help it grow; let my loving overflow. Take me now, and help me be part of Christ’s community.
* Invocation (in unison)
May our eyes be opened on this day, O God, to the immensity of love that you are. May we share your passion for all of creation. May we honor your concern for the well-being of the earth and all of your planets! Teach us how to reach out with compassion to all our siblings who have yet to find joy in these glorious gifts. Amen
Children’s Message
Scripture Exodus 1:8-2:10
Special Music If With All Your Hearts Felix Mendelssohn Kathleen Scott Meske Pat Summerer
Message Rev. TJ Mack
* Hymn When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land B. #572
When Israel was in Egypt's land, Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go.
Refrain:
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land,
Tell old Pharaoh: Let my people go.
“Thus spoke our God,” bold Moses said, “Let my people go;
If not I’ll smite your first-born dead, Let my people go.”
Refrain:
No more in bondage shall they toil, Let my people go.
Nor spill their blood on Egypt’s soil, Let my people go.
Refrain:
Oh, let us all from bondage flee, Let my people go.
And let us all in Christ be free, Let my people go.
Refrain:
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns –
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father (Mother, Creator) 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 Greek word in the New Testament for ‘church’ is ekklesia. It means ‘the assembly of the people.’ We come together to influence one another and to be influenced. To dream. To support. To hold. To advocate. May we, assembled in the company of God, bring our resources together for the co-creation of the world we hope to build.
Offertory Prayer L.Van Beethoven
* 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 (in unison)
Holy One, for the many sources of wisdom you have surrounded us with, we give you thanks. May we embrace the whole collage of teachers through which you speak. Open us to the guidance of the land and its creatures. Teach us through our neighbors with stories unlike our own. Nurture our trust of our bodies as carriers of knowledge. That we may discover hidden aspects of you, each other, and our own intimate lives. Amen
* Hymn My Life Flows On in Endless Song R. #427
My life flows on in endless song; above earth's lamentation,
I hear the sweet, though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die? I know my Savior’s living.
What though the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he’s giving.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
* Benediction
* Sung Benediction Love God with Your Heart R. #79
Love God with your heart and your neigh-bor as your-self;
Love God with your mind and your neigh-bor as your-self;
Love God with your strength and your neigh-bor as your-self.
Postlude Pastorale Domenico Zipoli
(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 Altar flowers this morning were given to the Glory of God and in celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Nick and Mary Angela Davis.
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 – Mary Angela & Nick Davis
Liturgist – Peggy Karns
Audio-Video Support – Ron Schwizer
Office Administrator – Vicky Espling
Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack
The Body of Christ – You
Resources:
Silent Prayer – enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters
Call to Worship – enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters
Invocation – unknown source
Offertory Prayers – enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters
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.”
Take My Life and Let It Be
Words and Music - ©2000 Alfred Sacred
Contributors: Frances Havergal, Mark Hayes
My Life Flows On in Endless Song
Robert Lowry, Jean Anne Shafferman
Words and Music - ©2019 Jubilate Music
Comments