Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for August 31, 2025

Oh, use me, Lord, use even me Just as you will, and when, and where, Until your blessèd face I see, Your rest, your joy, your glory share.

Our Sunday morning contemplative services inspired by John Philip Newell prayer books have been extended through September. These outdoor services begin at 7:00 a.m. at Tidal Falls (rain or shine) and last 25-30 minutes. Please join us!

Meditation continues every Friday morning at 9:00 am at the Hancock Point Chapel through September 26, then returns to the Union Congregational Church until next July.  Reach out to Pastor TJ or Alison Boden (aboden3321@gmail.com, 609-865-3236) with any questions.       All are welcome!

Our meetings are open to all. If you would like to attend a meeting, please let Vicky know and she will provide the Zoom link, or you are welcome to attend in the Fellowship Hall.

The Outreach Committee will meet on Thursday, August 28 at 4:15 p.m.

WIC is hosting their 4th Annual Community Baby Shower in Ellsworth on Saturday, September 6th, and you can help!  This event is a great way for young families to receive vital infant care items for free, and connect with organizations that support families throughout Hancock and Washington Counties.  There are two easy ways to offer your support - 1)  You can purchase baby wash, baby lotion, diaper rash cream or baby wipes and bring them to the church any time before Friday, September 5th.  2) Cash donations are easy and appreciated!  Pick up can be arranged with Tamara.  Just give her a call at 207-460-4148. 

This is a great opportunity to support the young families in our community and help give them a positive start!

The Outreach would like to thank all who donated sets of new PJs for Comfort Cases of Maine. 16 pair were donated and delivered to Leslie. Thank you all!

The Minister’s Discretionary Fund helps people in need, members of our church family and people in our communities. It is a minimal church budget item, supported mainly by donations made to that specific fund. If you would like to donate, envelopes are available at the back of the Sanctuary, or notate your desired donation on your check. Thank you. 

Please keep the following people in your prayers this week:

Our prayers are with Debbie Riley while she is home recovering from a fall. Our prayers remain with Alex & Savannah and Andrew & Tamara; and Tyler Crabtree and his family. We pray for David M,; Donald B.; Kenny V.; Brian; Sherry; and Jane of Golden Acres. Prayers for all in Hospice Care. Prayers for Morgan E.; Gerry M.; Dexter B.; Cynthia W.; Judith C.; the Raymond Family; Eleanor A.; Hollis & Debbie; Bruce’s sister Lynn; Sally’s friend, Sue Barger; Herbie Lounder; Ruth; Marie; Jonathan Holmes; Sue Davies; Sue Davenport; Kenny Stratton & Joy & David & Lori & Melissa; Debbie & Lincoln & Aaron, Ashley, & Brielle; and Sandy Phippen. 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 loss or change; and prayers for all that is in your heart…

September

02:*Chris* Nowell          07: Rohanna Madigan           08: Tamara Crowley  

08: Jane Coffin           09: Parker Fuller   11: Kenny Stratton     

14: Roger & Denise Chandler                              

Pilgrim Lodge

Were you ever a camper, counselor, dean or staff member at Pilgrim Lodge?

Did you ever send your child to camp, or support Pilgrim Lodge through your church?

You are invited to this in-gathering of people who love Pilgrim Lodge

on August 31st from 1-9:00 pm.  Learn more and register!

Finding Our Center of Stillness

Meditation Retreat: September 18-21

In the midst of a tornado there is a still, peaceful center. Spend four days with Khenmo Drolma of the Vajra Dakini Nunnery at Pilgrim Lodge discovering how to return home to your inherent peaceful heart/mind. Khenmo will offer classic meditation and mindfulness training. You will learn skills to navigate the chaos of life while dwelling in calmness, replete with resilience and authentic joy. Learn more and register here.

Sumner High School project needs support                

My Project

Our high school has been working on building a positive school climate that includes looking out for each other and celebrating our successes. This year, we were able to begin offering students the opportunity to bake bread in the student kitchen as well as share bread and toppings with our students in the hallway just before the last block of the day. The students have loved it.

We want to get supplies so that our students can keep baking bread.

It is the best feeling to have students stopping by the tables and fixing a sandwich or getting a slice of their favorite sourdough flavors as they head to class. It is positive, it is delicious, and it feeds more than their bellies.

We need to get safe containers to hold our flour and to build our supply of inclusions and toppings. Even our toughest kids are saying please and thank you. We are literally breaking bread together. It is making a positive difference in our school. Please help us continue to provide this for our school family.

Hi All,

I have personally supported a project at Sumner High School that still needs support, and I thought some of you might be as interested as I am. A group of students supervised by Mrs. Edgecomb bakes bread every school day and offers bread and toppings to other students during the break before the last class period of the day. She needs sponsors for additional food-safe equipment to continue and expand the project, and she needs this support by September 1st or her project expires without any funding. Did you know that more than 1/3 of Sumner students come from low-income households?

Here's the link to the project and donation information:

     Warm Bread Full Bellies @Sumner High School, Sullivan ME

     Teacher: Mrs. Edgecomb

     https://www.donorschoose.org/project/warm-bread-full-bellies-focused-mind/9309533/

The platform, Donors Choose, vets the schools, the teachers, and the purchase list with prices, before listing any project.

I hope you will join me in personally supporting this project!

Thanks,

 Donna Herring, President of the Hancock Woman’s Club     

From the Sunrise Association

Dear Friends,

As you all know the fall meeting of Sunrise Association is scheduled for Oct. 4 at 9 am at First Congregational Church in Cherryfield. 

There are several key vacancies that need to be filled and as all of us are aware, finding folks who have both the time and interest in doing this kind of work is a bit of a challenge. Some of the positions that need to be filled are: Clerk for the Sunrise Association, Committee On Ministry – Members serve 3 year terms – renewable once, a Trustee, a Personnel Committee member, a Governance Committee member, the Anti-Racism Resource Team and the Honduras Partnership each need a vacancy filled.

Should anyone have ideas for folks who may be interested please contact Jack, Joe or Kathy. COM folks should go through Lisa or Andi. Coordinating council is Sept. 9, it would be great to have some nominations at that time as we will be planning the fall meeting.

Thank-you

Jack

P.S. Here are email addresses for Jack, Joe, Lisa, Andi and me if you are interested or know of people we might reach out to. Many thanks!

Jack Lacy - jalacey7@aol.com;          Joe Cistone - jfcistone@IPMconnect.org

Andi Lloyd - andi@tcpoc.org             Lisa Durkee - pastor@bluehillcongregational.org

Kathy Woodside - woodsidekat@gmail.com

The Sunrise Association is seeking to build a list of MID’s, Licensed clergy, retired clergy or lay preachers who would be interested in doing Pulpit Supply in Waldo, Hancock and/or Washington County UCC churches. If you are interested, please send your name, contact information and recent profile or resume to:

Kathy Woodside @ woodsidekat@gmail.com

or Jack Lacy jalacey7@aol.com

News from our Maine Conference

A Letter from our Associate Conference Minister

               Rev. John Fiscus

Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear

Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes

                                How do you measure, measure a year? (Jonathan Larson, RENT)

The musical RENT offers in its best-known song a great question for pondering. How do you measure a year in a life? That question has been running through my head for weeks. As of August 15th, I have officially completed a year as the Associate Conference Minister. In the lyrics of the song there are several suggestions made about the measuring stick. They offer the following suggestions: In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee, In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. My list of measuring tools might be made of meetings, church visits, and the shared cups of coffee.

As the ACM I serve as a liaison to our ministry teams. So, measuring in meetings would be one way to offer an accounting of my year. But meetings are only ways we direct ourselves to work that is to be done. Resourcing the Local church has aided, churches, students, and lay people, do ministry in Maine. Disaster Relief Team has laid plans and prepared for natural disasters across Maine and the country. The Social Action Committee keeps an eye on legislation and developments that the Conference and Churches believe are past of our mission. Our Racial Justice Team keeps a vigilant eye on local troubles and builds relationships with those on the margins. They have built our cooperative efforts with the Wabanaki Alliance.

One of the other ways that I could measure this year would be on connections to our churches. Last year as I began, I wrote about my need to learn the territory of the Conference. I have preached or attended Association meetings in every Association in Maine. My work with churches in search has meant countless calls, zooms, prayers, and visits. At this moment my church visit list is hovering around 50. That feels like an accomplishment and then I remember that the number of churches yet to visit is around 90. As much as I have learned, seen, and experienced, I know I still have several mysteries to attend. If you are reading this and want to invite me, I still have a few spots in my 2025 calendar and am already embracing what 2026 might hold.

If you know the musical RENT and the song, I am using to unfold these words, you have probably guessed already where I am headed in my conclusion. The Song is known as Seasons of Love. Ultimately the truest measurement of the year in question is to measure it in love. Over the last year I have been invited into so many expressions of love. I have broken bread at  communion tables, in Fellowship halls, among pastoral support gatherings, and Association luncheons. I have sung of Christ’s love for us in gatherings of five mighty souls and over one hundred worshipers. I have heard churches wrestle together to map their future and then attended General Synod in Kansas City to see our denomination bravely address these same concerns. I laughed, prayed, cried, and passed peace in so many amazing places. All the time and places I have been are united in our love of God and doing the continuing mission of Christ. Maine Conference I want to thank you for the Seasons of Love you have given me. I continue to hold you close and send love and prayers back.

In Christ Love,

 Rev. John Fiscus