9/27/26 Bulletin
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
Service of Farewell and Release
September 27, 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
O God of those who have gone before us, / O God of our children and those still to be born, / O God of creatures and all growing things, / O God of the heavens and the seasons, / of winter’s barrenness and spring’s energy, / of summer’s fruiting and autumn’s ripeness, / you are the God of all life. / May we know you
and reverence you in all that lives.
*Indicates when we stand in body or spirit.
Announcements Deacon
Prelude I Will Exalt in the Lord Lani Smith
Welcome Rev. TJ Mack
*Introit How Could Anyone (3x)
How could anyone ever tell you / You were anything less than beautiful?How could anyone ever tell you / You were less than whole?How could anyone fail to notice / That your loving is a miracle?How deeply you’re connected to my soul.
*Call to Worship
One: Praise be to God, Creator of time and space!
All: Who has set eternity in the human heart.
One: Who gives us today
All: in which we can be happy and do good.
One: Today,
All: in which we can eat and drink and find satisfaction.
One: Today,
All: which is a gift from God.
One: Let us worship the One who makes everything beautiful in its time.
All: Forever and ever. Amen
Passing the Peace & Lighting Peace & Justice Candle
*Hymn What a Covenant / Leaning on the Everlasting Arms B. #471
What a covenant, what a joy divine, / leaning on the everlasting arms;
what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, / leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, / leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, / leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear, / leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Savior near, / leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain:
*Invocation (in unison)
Source of All, your steady rhythms humble us. Age after age, your seasons come and go, your sun rises and falls, your waters ebb and flow. Teach us to recognize the wisdom woven into everything around us and even within us. Your wise ways, incarnate in the flesh of the earth. There is so much here to help us. May we open our hearts. Amen
Children’s Message Mary Angela Davis
Scripture Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Special Music How Can I Keep from Singing American Folk Hymn/ Andy Beck
Sermon The Eternal Clock Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
*Hymn They Did Not Build in Vain B. #373
They did not build in vain who found-ed here a church
as witness to God’s love a-mid a world of pain;
They built up-on the rock that is the ris-en Christ,
the one foun-da-tion laid, that stands each earth-ly shock.
Those who have loved this place, a cloud of wit-nes-ses,
sur-round and urge us on as we now run our race;
Though the ho-ri-zon’s bend con-ceals the way a-head,
the foot-prints on the road show Christ waits at the end.
In ev-ery place our world is storm and tem-pest tossed,
the flames of fear and hate are e-vil’s flags un-furled;
Yet still the Spir-it’s power in wind and fire of love
pours gifts up-on the church for ser-vice in this hour.
Make this the meet-ing place where doubt finds grounds of faith,
where hurt finds heal-ing love, our pen-i-tence your grace;
Where God in Trin-i-ty is bridge from death to life,
from sin to ho-li-ness, time to e-ter-ni-ty.
Prayers of the People – Sharing Joys & Concerns –
The Lord’s Prayer (translated from Aramaic directly into English, rather than from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to English.)
O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration, soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where your presence can abide. Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of your mission. Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire. Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish. Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes. Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment. For you are the ground and the fruitful vision, the birth, power, and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again. And So It Is!
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 bring together our offerings, holding these multiple truths: many have too much, many have too little, greed and consumerism steal life away, and no one should have to struggle to make ends meet. Until we build the world anew, let us share all we have in love for each other.
Offertory Pastorale Robert Lau
*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 Maker, we are grateful that you require nothing more from us than becoming our most loving, authentic selves. Draw us deeper into the simple and sacred meaning woven into existence, woven into our being. In gratitude, we offer what we have. Amen
Liturgy of Release to Acknowledge the End of Rev. TJ’s Authorized Ministry
Greeting
Rev. Dr. Nick Davis; Hancock UCC President: Our church family is constantly changing. People come and go. Babies are born. Children grow up. People commit themselves to one another. Loved ones and friends among us come to the end of their lives. Individuals move into our community and church life. Others leave us, moving away to new places, new experiences, and new opportunities. It is important and right that we recognize these times of passage, of endings and beginnings. Today we share the time of farewell with our pastor who is leaving.
Remembrance and Recognition
Giving and Sharing Symbols
Recognition of the End of Rev. TJ’s Service to Hancock UCC
Nick: On August 11, 2019 this local church called Rev. TJ Mack to begin serving on October 1st as Settled Minister.
Rev. TJ Mack: I thank the Union Congregational Church of Hancock, its members and friends, for the love, kindness, and support shown me these last seven years. I ask forgiveness for the mistakes I have made. I am grateful for the ways my leadership has been accepted. As I leave, I carry with me all that I have learned here.
People: We receive your thankfulness, offer forgiveness, and accept that you now leave to minister elsewhere. We express our gratitude for your time among us. We ask your forgiveness for our mistakes. Your influence on our faith and faithfulness will not leave us at your departure.
TJ: I forgive you and accept your gratitude, trusting that our time together and our parting are pleasing to God.
*Vows of Release
Nick: Do you, the members and friends of the Union Congregational Church release TJ Mack from the duties of being your Settled Minister?
People: We do, with the help of God.
Nick: Do you offer your encouragement for their ministry as it unfolds in new ways?
People: We do, with the help of God.
Nick: Do you, TJ, release this local church from turning to you and depending on you?
TJ: I do, with the help of God.
Nick: Do you offer your encouragement for the continued ministry here and on the relationship with another who will come to serve?
TJ: I do, with the help of God.
Witness of the Sunrise Association, Maine Conference
(Church officers may come forward.)
Rev. Dr. Joe Cistone: On behalf of the Sunrise Association of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, I witness to the words spoken: words of thankfulness, forgiveness, and release. The member churches of our association and conference hold each of you in prayer. We pledge our support in the transitions signified in this service.
Officers: Thanks be to God.
Prayer
Nick: Let us pray.
*All: God, whose everlasting love for all is trustworthy, help each of us to trust the future which rests in your care. The time we were together in your name saw our laughter and tears, our hopes and disappointments. Guide us as we hold these cherished memories but move in new directions, until that time to come when we are completely one with you and with each other in Christ. Amen
*Hymn Blest Be the Tie That Binds R. #368
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love;The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.
Before God’s gracious throne we pour our ardent prayers;Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares.
We share each other’s woes, each other’s burdens bear,And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
When we are called to part it gives us inward pain,But we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.
*Benediction Rev. Dr. Nick Davis
Go now, surrounded by our love and led by the promises of God, the presence of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen
*Sung Benediction May the Blessing of God R. #346
May the blessing of God go before you. May her grace and peace abound.
May her Spirit live with-in you. May her love wrap you ‘round.
May her blessing remain with you always. May you walk on holy ground.
Postlude Give Thanks Unto God Emma L Ashford/ Michael Ryan
(Please remain seated for the Postlude)
If you are visiting with us today, please sign our Guest Book
in the back of the sanctuary.
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.
Guest Minister – Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
Music Minister – Debbie Riley
Deacons – Alison Boden & Pat Summerer
Liturgist – Rev. TJ
Audio-Video Support – Mike Summerer
Office Administrator – Vicky Espling
Settled Minister – Rev. TJ Mack
The Body of Christ – You
Resources:
Silent Prayer – J. Philip Newell
Call to Worship – Spacious Faith; Joanna Harada
Invocation, Offertory Prayers – enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters, August 3, 2025
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.”
How Could Anyone
Words and music by Libby Roderick© Libby Roderick Music 1988BMI All Rights reserved.
What a Fellowship/Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Words and Music - ©1887 MennoMedia Inc.
Contributors: Elisha A. Hoffman, Anthony J Showalter
They Did Not Build in Vain
Words - ©1990 Hope Publishing Company
Contributors: Alan Luff
Blest Be the Tie That Binds
Words and Music - ©2012 Public Domain
Contributors: Public Domain
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