 | 10 am Service
Join us this week for inspiring music and quality preaching.
Rev. Dana Allen Walsh, preaching as part of the Faith Across the Lifespan Intergenerational sermon series: youth and young adulthood
Did you miss last week's sermon? Catch it on-line here: Marked by Love, Rev. Dana Allen Walsh
6:15 pm Join us this week @ the Well in Clark Hall. Music by the River Rock Band.
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Programs for Children
The Season of Epiphany - Chapel Time and Classroom Activities
January 13, 20, and 27th - Theme: Praying with Jesus
Come join the circle as we explore the practice of prayer and Jesus' early teachings.
| If you have questions our programming for children at Hancock, please contact Pam Cochrane: pam@hancockchurch.org
Hancock Choristers--A Place For Your Child Shine!
Our children's choir, the Hancock Choristers, will resume rehearsals on Sunday, January 27th at 11:15 in Room 212. New members are always welcome! The choir is open to kids from 1st-5th grade. The choir is fun, fast paced, and each rehearsal lasts about 30 minutes. Directed by Mark Morgan. Any questions, contact Mark at mark@hancockchurch.org or just come by on the 27th!
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Junior Youth Organization
January 13, 20, 27th - Class Room Discussions: Prayer Practices and Signs of Gratitude and Grace
Save the Date: February 9th - Social Event with Pilgrim Church Youth - Woburn Bowladrome
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Hancock Youth Group
It's never a bad time to bring a friend to HYG. You can even help them register on-line:)
HYG Registration
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Hancock Weekly and other Communications Deadlines
The deadline for submitting news for this e-mail newsletter each week is Tuesday at 3pm. Submissions should be sent to: office@hancockchurch.org
Kindly send text and images as separate attachments. Thank you!
Click Here for the Communication Deadlines resource sheet.
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A New Baby Celebration
You are invited to celebrate Dana and Sean's (soon to be) new baby at a party on Sunday, February 3, 2013 following morning worship. We will give Dana and Sean a few gifts and enjoy fellowship and light refreshments in the dining room.
After speaking with Dana and Sean, we believe that a money gift toward a few select gifts is a great way to welcome the new baby. If you would like to contribute, we plan to give four gifts: a car seat for Dana's car (Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite Convertible Car Seat), a gift certificate to Isis, one of Dana and Sean's favorite stores and a great place to take parenting classes and purchase baby items, an Amazon gift certificate so Sean can purchase the many children's books on his wish list, and, a money gift in honor of the baby to Soul Possibilities at Fourth Church in Dorchester, the after school arts and crafts program where Sean volunteers after work.
If you have questions, email Yvette Kirby yvette.kirby@verizon.net or Robin DiGiammarino robin.digiammarino@gmail.com
If you would like to help with refreshments, contact Barbara Martin barhammar@gmail.com or 781-674-0017
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Sign Paul's Stole!
Last Sunday Paul was presented with a stole commemorating his 25 years of ordained ministry. We are hoping to have the entire congregation sign the back of the stole. It will be at coffee hour for the next several Sundays for people to sign who haven't had a chance to do so previously. Any questions may be directed to Joan Rutila, 781-862-6627, rutila@rcn.com.
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An Update from Joy Fallon
I am currently being considered as Senior Minister at King's Chapel in downtown Boston. I'm preaching there on Sundays January 20 and 27, meeting with various members of the congregation in the week between, and the Congregation will vote whether to call me as their minister on Jan. 27th. I ask that all of you hold me in your prayers during these days ahead.
Because of this, Paul and Dana are actively seeking to hire another Congregational Care Coordinator, and are interviewing candidates. Their hope is that they can get someone in place soon, to work not only on congregational care part-time, but possibly also on other ministerial roles while Dana is out on maternity leave. As a result, my last day at Hancock be on February 10.
Words cannot express what you all have given me during my two-and-a half years here: love, love, love. I'm very grateful. I came to learn about ministry, and you were wonderful teachers. Here I discovered that a minister can fall in love with her congregation, and be loved for and cared for in return. It gave me a hope and courage I needed to take the next step toward ordination. Thank you! I'll keep you posted as things develop. --Joy
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Come on a Tour this Sunday!
 If you're interested in learning more about proposed improvements to the kitchen, audio-visual systems, and Christian Education wing, there's nothing like a tour. Members of the Building Committee will lead a tour before morning worship this Sunday, January 20th; meet at 9 am outside the church office. Come see what's proposed and ask questions of our experts. Or to learn more about the improvements, read our summary here.
Annual Meeting Informational Session
Hancock's Annual Meeting will be held immediately following morning worship on the 27th. Want to learn more about what will be on the agenda? Have questions about the budget or the capital campaign? Come to an informational session after morning worship this Sunday, January 20th, in the Pearson Room.
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Not to be missed! January 26th Progressive Dinner: Make Reservations Now!
This year a Progressive Dinner will take place on Saturday January 26th at 6:30 pm. This wonderful event is not to be missed and is one of the social highlights of Parish Life activities throughout the year!
Participants are assigned to one of several host houses, and all the dinner parties join together later in the evening for dessert and coffee provided by Parish Life. Sign up now to participate. Guests are asked by their hosts to bring an appetizer or an addition to the main meal along with a beverage to share. The deadline to register for this Progressive Dinner will be Sunday January 20th. Contact Lisa Sandeen: sandeen.lisa@gmail.com, 781 863 8785 |
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Upcoming Events for Newcomers!
"Welcome to Hancock" Newcomers Dinner Sunday January 27th
The Welcoming Committee invites you to learn more about Hancock at a "Welcome to Hancock" Newcomers Dinner Sunday January 27th at 5pm in the church Dining Room. This event is an opportunity to meet others in the church in an informal setting, discover the church's activities, its structure and mission, and what it means to be a member.
You are welcome to attend if you are new to Hancock or have been at Hancock for many months and want to learn more about how this large, active, vibrant congregation operates. Rev. Paul Shupe will give a brief presentation about the church and you will have a chance to ask all your questions about Hancock. For more information or to RSVP, email Welcoming and Membership Committee Co-Chair Julia Potter at welcoming@HancockChurch.org
Hancock Will Welcome New Members on February 10th Several families are planning to join Hancock Church next month, and if you are interested in joining, email the Membership Committee or contact the church office. We will welcome new members into the church family on Sunday, February 10th, both in the 10 am morning service and in the 6:15pm evening service @ The Well. New members join the church by affirmation of faith or letter of transfer from their previous church. For more information call the church office or email membership@hancockchurch.org.
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Mardi Gras! Saturday February 2nd, 5-7pm
Mardi Gras is Coming to Hancock!
Mardi Gras will be early at Hancock Church in 2013! Please help us celebrate at our pot-luck supper and variety show, on
Saturday, 2 February, 5:00-7:00 P.M.
The festivities will start at 5 p.m. in Clark Hall with dinner and activities for children. This will be followed by a variety show featuring various folks from the Hancock Church community. Everyone is invited to contribute something tasty to the dinner and we hope many of you will also provide an "act" for the show.
What Can You Do? If you can sing (solo, duet, quartet, etc), play an instrument, jam in Dixieland style, tell a joke, juggle, give a skit, play the fife, spin pirouettes, read a poem, do magic tricks, or _?_, then there's a spot for you! Brainstorm about what you might do to make the evening fun and enjoyable for all. Rehearsal opportunities can be provided as needed. Acts should be about 2-3 minutes in length, so all who'd like may participate.
How to Sign Up. To sign up in advance for food and/or acts, fill out this on-line form or send an email to Steve Cooper-Music & Arts Committee Chair-at the address cooper.landlord@gmail.com, or John Campbell john_campbell@harvard.edu so that we can plan and organize another fun-filled evening for all ages.
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Junior Handbell Choir Rehearsals will resume Sunday, March 3rd
 Junior Handbell Choir Rehearsals will not occur this Sunday, January 6th, and will not resume for the Spring semester until Mar ch. Marting to Glory rehearsals, however, will take place as originally scheduled. Contact Lynn McClain with questions: lhmcclaine@rcn.com.
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Save the date for Brian Gruhn's Installation--March 10th!
Save the date! Brian Gruhn will be installed as Associate Minister at the Second Congregational Church in Newton, MA on Sunday, March 10, 3:00 pm. All Hancock friends are invited and encouraged to attend!
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First Thursdays Group moves to Wednesdays--February 6th, 9:30am in the Wilson Room
For the spring session The First Thursday Discussion Group will move to the first Wednesday of the month. To be held at 9:30 a.m. in the Wilson Room starting February 6, 2013. Seminarian Becca Lockwood will be leading the group. All are invited to join in on a lively discussion of "Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith" by Kathleen Norris. Contact: Lois Smith Martin smithmartin224@verizon.net 781-270-0304.
"The beloved author of "The Cloister Walk" takes readers on a moving journey in this thoroughly original investigation of faith. Taking as her starting point the "scary words" that can intimidate and distance us from our religious heritage--words like "judgment, faith, dogma, salvation", and "sinner"--Norris blends history, theology, storytelling, etymology, and memoir to reflect on their meanings." |
Bagels and Bible: 9am Sunday Mornings in the Wilson Room
The Bagels and Bibles discussion group meets at 9am Sunday mornings in the Wilson Room. We will take a few weeks to finish the parables and then we will investigate the history of the Bible. All are welcome to attend!
If you would like to learn more about Bagels and Bible, please contact Kerra Fletcher at harold3513@hotmail.com or Jason Troutman at j.e.troutman@hotmail.com. 
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Make A Joyful Noise-- Join the Choir!
The Chancel Choir is kicking off a 2013 membership drive. We can use new members in each section--no audition necessary! The choir rehearses each Thursday night at 7:30, and sings most Sunday mornings from September -May. If you haven't sung since high school or college, come on out and give it a try! Open to everyone from grade 9-adult. Directed by Mark Morgan. Any questions, contact Mark at mark@hancockchurch.org or 781-862-4220 ext 212.
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Sign-ups for this year's Panama service trip with SHI have begun!
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Hurrican Sandy Home Rehabilitation legacy build with the Fuller Center
Hurricane Sandy Home Rehabilitation-Hancock is sending a contingent of adults to New Jersey the week of April 28-May 3 as part of the Fuller Center for Housing's effort to rehabilitate housing for families devastated by Hurricane Sandy. More than 40,000 people are still homeless as a result of this horrific natural disaster. No prior home building skills are needed, only a desire to learn and work hard as a team with hundreds of volunteers from around the country to get families back in their homes. If you are interested in learning more about this adult mission trip, you are invited to attend an informational/planning meeting Monday, January 28 at 6:45 pm in the Conference Room. Visit http://www.fullercenter.org/millard-fuller-legacy-build-2013 or contact Cheryl Kraley at cheryl@kraley.com for more info or questions.
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A note about charitable contributions and tax breaks from Treasurer Tom Ransohoff
We recently received a note from Renee Liabraaten regarding information on IRA transfers that may be of interest for those who are 70-1/2 and over and who are considering donations to Hancock or other charitable organizations in 2013 or (belatedly) 2012:
The recent American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act") extends the ability for IRA owners to make qualified charitable distributions ("QCDs") and contains two special limited-time opportunities.
First, the Act extends for 2012 and 2013 the ability for IRA owners age 70 ½ or older to make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000-including the required minimum distribution (RMD) amount-from their IRAs directly to a qualified charity. Although IRA owners will not receive a tax deduction for the charitable gift, they pay no tax on the amount gifted from the IRA to the charity. This provision has been popular in recent years because it can satisfy the IRA's RMD without a tax consequence to the IRA owner.
Second, the Act contains a special, limited-time opportunity for IRA owners who were paid an IRA distribution in December 2012 to treat it as a QCD if the distribution is transferred in cash to a qualified charity before February 1, 2013. IRA owners who took an RMD (or any distribution up to $100,000) in December 2012 may treat that distribution as a QCD if the distribution amount is transferred by personal check to a qualified charity before February 1, 2013. This provision may be beneficial for IRA owners who reluctantly took an RMD in December when it appeared that QCDs would not be permitted for 2012.
Finally, the Act allows any direct distribution from the IRA to a qualified charity made during January 2013 to be deemed as if it was made on December 31, 2012. Thus, IRA owners may still receive QCD treatment for 2012 on QCDs actually made in January 2013.
Clients taking advantage of these opportunities should consult their tax advisor about tax reporting for the QCDs.
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Pledge Update
The weeks have flown by since November 18th and Faith Promise Sunday. Over the past two months, two hundred thirty four Hancock families and individuals have pledged their financial support for the year 2013-including twenty-nine new families. We have received pledges totaling $686,170 dollars, pledge income that will support the ministries of worship, education, congregational care, mission and outreach in the year 2013.
To those who have yet to pledge, please know all gifts are appreciated. If you think your pledge will not make a difference, please know that no pledge amount is too small. Everyone's gift and treasure is cherished and appreciated.
What's important is that we all act as good stewards of what God has given us, giving in proportion to the blessings we have received. We continue to invite you to consider pledging as a way to commit to doing God's work at Hancock Church. It's never too late.
Thank you.
The Stewardship Task Force
Robin DiGiammarino, Julia Potter, Bess Deck,Louise Haldeman, Manuel Navia, Skip Iriving, Dean Rutila
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Lexington Food Pantry - January is spaghetti sauce month / February is Whole Kernel Corn month
If you donate food in January, please consider spaghetti sauce / in February whole kernel corn. Donation baskets are in the narthex, as well as outside the office and dining room. For more information, contact Caroline Nijenberg 781 862-4465 or carolinen@rcn.com If you wish to volunteer, to help distribute food at the pantry, please contact her to see if volunteers are needed.
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Thursday, January 17th:
6:30p Boy Scouts
7p Building Committee-- Conference Room
7:30p Chancel Choir--Choir Room
Friday, January 18th:
9:30 Morning Glories--Bell Room
Saturday, January 19th:
8 AA Women's Step Study--Chapel
10 AA Meeting--Dining Room
2p Brass Group--Choir Room
Sunday, January 20th:
9 Bagels and Bible--Wilson
10 Morning Worship--Sanctuary
10:20 Church School--Children's Chapel and Classrooms
10:20 Junior Youth Org.-Upper Room
11 Fellowship Hour --Dining Room
11 Welcoming Coffee for Newcomers-Wilson
11:30 Spirituality Across the Lifespan--Dining Room
11:30 Annual Meeting Information Session--Pearson
6:15p Worship @ the Well--Clark H.
Monday, January 21st:
Martin Luther King Observed-Church offices Closed
9:30 Projects with Purpose--Conference
1:30p Skyloom--Kathie Stuart
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Tuesday, January 22nd:
10 Staff Meeting--Conference Room
11 Worship Staff Planning--Potter Library
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