Hancock UCC Weekly Messenger for September 7, 2025

Would I have answered when you called, “Come, follow, follow me!"?

Would I at once have left behind both work and family?

Or would the old, familiar round have held me by its claim

and kept the spark within my heart from bursting into flame?

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!

Sunday we will share Holy Communion.  For those who will receive the sacraments at home, please prepare a piece of bread or a cracker, and a cup of juice or wine and join us at the table. Also, we will be receiving non-perishable food items, toiletries, and pet food for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. Envelopes are available at the back of the Sanctuary for monetary donations as well.

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!

During the month of September we will be receiving the Our Church’s Wider Mission. OCWM provides funding from congregations for conferences and the national ministries of the United Church of Christ (Wider church Ministries, Local Church Ministries, Justice and Witness Ministries, General Ministries and Pension Boards). Envelopes are available at the back of the Sanctuary. This is one of the 5 for 5 offerings supported by the Maine Conference.

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 Board of Deacons will meet Friday, September 12 at 4:00 pm

Church Council will meet Friday, September 19, at 11:00 am

The Christian Ed Committee will meet Wednesday, September 17 at 12:00 noon

The Outreach Committee will meet Thursday, September 18 at 4:15 pm

Gearing up for Our Church Annual Meeting

The Budget Committee will meet Wednesday, September 10 at 11:00 am

The Nominating Committee will meet Thursday, September 11 at 11:30 am

WIC is hosting their 4th Annual Community Baby Shower in Ellsworth this 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 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; James B.; and Jane of Golden Acres. Prayers for all in Hospice Care. Prayers for Gerry M.; Dexter B.; Cynthia W.; Judith C.; Eleanor A.; the Raymonds; 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

07: Rohanna Madigan           08: Tamara Crowley             08: Jane Coffin          

09: Parker Fuller   11: Kenny Stratton      11: Norman Bamford   

14: Roger & Denise Chandler   14: Rachel Dow     15: Nancy Cooledge       

15: Priscilla Hirschenhofer    16: Jamie & Gina Tansey   19: Tony Burkart        

20: Dianne Eckhardt       20: Cliff Manchester   20: Jim Singletary      

30: Rachel Umphrey

Pilgrim Lodge

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.

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

I have officially walked through the portal of my second year of ministry in the Maine Conference. When I was hired my title felt quite daunting. Being the Associate Conference Minister for Vitality and Transition was a lot to consider and prioritize while new to the state. Much of my focus in the first year really was around the transitions piece of my job. I have helped pastors, churches and search committees look at pastoral transition. There is still much work to be done here but I have a better understanding of this work. One of my personal goals in this new year is to dive deeper into church vitality.

One of the ways I am embracing this is through spending time and energy learning what the new “Manual on Local Church” can offer us. For many years the United Church of Christ has had a Manual on Ministry. That text is meant to be a source for equipping our churches with ministers that hold shared values about ministry. Pastors and our Committees on Ministry use it as a resource and in many ways a yardstick to measure effective ministry. Over the years a group of concerned ministers, lay people, and denominational staff felt that a companion piece for churches could prove useful.

In 2019 a working group was formed to take on this task. With all the regular work of the church and the coming of Covid-19 there were delays to the process. As of the 2025 General Synod, a finalized version of the document has now emerged. It is available in printed format from UCC resources (www.uccresources.com) or as a PDF online. There is a lot of information to read, process and unpack in this guide. I would like to invite pastors, moderators, and governing boards to consider exploring this book with me. There are multiple pieces of this book that offer us ways to explore our churches and their vitality.

As Fall rapidly approaches there are two topics I would like to unpack with churches. The first is the Congregational Code for Local Churches in the United Church of Christ. It has an analog in the Code of Ministry. It provides a framework for healthy churches to remain healthy. The second topic is a deeper dive. The Marks of Faithful and Vital Local Churches in the UCC offers us a measuring stick to look at who we are and how we are functioning as churches. It mirrors the Marks of Effective Ministry which invites Ministerial discernment for ministers entering or practicing ministry.

I am asking you to let me know what you think and how we might explore together. I think workshops and gatherings on both these areas could be useful. If, like me, you are a church geek or nerd and want to explore these topics email me jfiscus@maineucc.org . To stir some interest in this process I want to offer the definition of church from the manual. This definition grows from our Constitution, Bylaws and Statement of Belief. I hope this expanded definition opens a conversation I want to have with you. Let me know!

A CHURCH

GATHERS to explore faith, hope, and love through worship, learning, and service in person, virtually, or both;

FINDS theological resonance in conversation with the UCC’s Statement of Faith and seeks to be in conversation with every generation to make the faith its own;

DEMONSTRATES an ongoing commitment to covenantal relationship with the UCC through the Congregational Code in the Manual on Local Church;

PRACTICES ongoing spiritual growth and congregational health as described in the Marks for Faithful and Vital Local Churches in the Manual on Local Church;

ENGAGES in discernment, seeks to be recognized as a Local Church by the Association (or Conference acting as an Association), is granted Congregational Standing with the denomination, and maintains Congregational Standing; and

FULFILLS the responsibility of congregational autonomy by discerning God’s call for the congregation, setting the congregation’s missional priorities, organizing the gathered community, and attending to the corporate and legal responsibilities of being an organization. (Manual on Church, 8)

Looking forward to the Journey,

Rev. John Fiscus