Hancock Weekly 
The Official Newsletter of Hancock Church
Worship With Us
Sunday, March 29
Palm Sunday!

Morning Worship, 10am
Paul preaches on Mark 11:1-11. Communion and Special music by the Bells Choir!

Stay for Palm Sunday Brunch after worship! All are WELCOME!

Evening Worship @the Well
6:15pm in Clark Hall
Pam preaches on Mark 1:1-11.
IN THIS ISSUE...
Editor's Note. There are so many ways to help this week, as we approach Palm Sunday! Which of these sound fun to you?

Preparing for Palm Sunday Brunch
Getting your hands dirty at the Indoor/Outdoor Work day
Gain a little piece of culture by hosting a German Exchange student
Make someone's day by delivering lilies on Easter Sunday
Be a welcoming presence at our biggest community event of the year at the Interfaith Choral Festival! 

Any of these are a great way to get to know each other and to "take on" Lent together!

If you are new to Hancock, please read our welcome message and general information HERE.

The Hancock Weekly is a newsletter distributed every Wednesday afternoon. The submission deadline is that same Wednesday at 9am. Read submission guidelines HERE.
Palm Sunday Brunch! You can help! See below.
Photo courtesy of Paul Topalian.
Today!
Tonight will be our last session of Centering Prayer & Meditation with Pam Cochrane!
Centering Prayer & Meditation

Tonight, 7-8pm in Pearson 


The first half hour will be silent centering prayer time, and the second half hour will be open to quiet meditation and reflection time. Pam Cochrane, Acting Minister of Faith Formation, will facilitate the sessions. This is an opportunity to learn and hone your personal centering prayer practice. All are welcome to one or all sessions.   

 

It's not too late! Dedicate an Easter Lily Today! 

Each year, the Sanctuary is filled with beautiful Lilies on Easter morning in memory of those loved by members of the congregation at Hancock. Dedicate an Easter Lily to a loved one today!  The suggested donation for each memorial plant is $10. ORDER ONLINE HERE. The deadline has been extended until tomorrow, March 26th. 

 


Help With Palm Sunday Brunch!
We are in need of volunteers to make the Crock Pot Breakfast Casseroles, Chili and Deviled Eggs. Carol Puschak can provide recipes. We also need help on Saturday at 3 PM setting up Clark Hall with tables and table cloths/chairs. We will also be cutting fruit and assembling the kabobs! Contact Carol Puschak at cpuschak@msn.com or (781) 863-8635. Please contact Carol today, if you can! 
Holy Week

March 29  

Palm Sunday
Morning Worship, 10am: We mark the last week of Jesus' life, from the triumphant Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem through his arrest and trial, to his death on the cross. Paul Shupe preaches and Bells play in worship! Children and Youth participate in worship. Join us after worship for Palm Sunday Brunch!

Evening Worship @the Well, 6:15pm:

We celebrate Palm Sunday, and Pam preaches on Mark 1:1-11.

 

April 2

Maundy Thursday 

The Maundy Thursday Service celebrates Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples. Communion, reflection, and prayer at 7pm in Clark Hall.

 

April 3

Good Friday 

Using scripture and candlelight, we face the difficult story of Jesus' death on Good Friday. This moving service includes readings by Confirmation Class and music from the River Rock Band at 7pm in the sanctuary.

 

 

(Photos from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday by Paul Topalian.)

 

April 5  

EASTER WORSHIP

 

 

6am Sunrise Service 

It has become a tradition to gather atop the hill at the Old Belfry (behind Hancock Church) for a simple Easter Sunrise worship service of singing, scripture, communion, and sharing the names of loved ones who have died. Park in the Cary Library lot, and climb the pathway across Clarke St. Dress warmly for the spring sunrise. 

 

   

9am & 11am Morning Worship  

Two full worship services are held in the sanctuary for Easter Sunday! Our Chancel Choir is joined by brass quartet and timpani for a festive morning of music, including our annual singing of the

Hallelujah Chorus! Children worship with their families. Paul Shupe preaches on Mark 16:1-8. Childcare provided for infants and toddlers. Coffee in the CE Commons

will be held at 10am between services. 

 

No Worship @the Well tonight  

 

 April 12 

SPECIAL EASTER CELEBRATION

Please join us the Second Sunday of Easter on April 12 for a special Gospel Night at Worship @the Well, 6:15 in Clark Hall. The New England Gospel Ensemble provides a night of rousing music to celebrate the resurrection! 

March
Friday, March 27
The next Hancock Game Night has been scheduled for Friday, March 27 at 6pm! Bring your favorite games, bring your family, and bring your friends, because we are having another game night at Hancock! We welcome and encourage everyone to join us. The fun starts at 6 pm in the CE Commons (the open area in the Children's Education Wing). Contact Scott Griffith at isb.scooter@gmail.com for more information.

Saturday, March 28
Join members of the Prudential Committee on Saturday, March 28 from 9-1pm for an indoor/outdoor work day. No special skills required...just the desire to roll up your sleeves and join friends of Hancock working on some maintenance, cleaning, and repair projects inside and outside the church. Join us for part of the time or for the entire morning. Check in at the Pearson Room when you arrive to see what needs to get done. For more information, contact Susan McClements, skmcclements@gmail.com.

This Saturday, we will welcome our German friends Sophie, Lea, Jan, Malte Vanessa, Kari, Sarah, Lynn, Leandra, Annika, Sarah, and Nathalie. Coming with them are group leaders Julie, Leonie, Gerald, and Sascha. HYG will be here Saturday evening to greet them, between 5-6pm, then they will go home with their host families.

 

DEADLINE REMINDER: HYG Kentucky Registration is due March 27th. The required documents include: Kentucky Permission Form 2015, HYG Registration Form 2014-15, and the HOMES Consent Form (link to PDF on website). If you have any questions about registration, please contact Jane Park. Any other questions regarding the trip can be answered by Andrew Harris.   

First and Third Thursday Discussion Group meets every month at 10am in the Pearson Room. Pastor's Class meets every Sunday at 8:30am in Pearson, but please note there is no class on Palm Sunday (March 29) or Easter Sunday (April 6).

Year-round, Hancock Church supports the ministries and women of Rosie's Place in Boston. If you are interested in volunteering to cook and serve a meal, please contact LaurenBShifflett@gmail.com. We also collect and deliver pantry items to the Lexington Food Pantry every week. Once a month we help distribute food. For more information, please contact Scott Griffith, isb.scooter@gmail.com or (509) 710-5371.
April
Paul Shupe Sabbatical
Paul's long-delayed sabbatical leave will begin on
April 6, and last until the end of June.  Alex Shea Will and Pam Cochrane will continue to serve as our Acting Ministers during that time. You can read a letter from Paul HERE.

Volunteers Needed for Choral Festival! 
The Lexington Choral Festival was cancelled in February due to one of the storms, but is back on for Sunday, April 12th! This will be the biggest community event we do this year, and is a great time to show off our new building! We need volunteers to help as greeters/guides for the choirs, ushers for the concert, and to help serve and clean up for the reception. Please contact Mark Morgan at 781-862-4220 ext 212 or mark@hancockchurch.org if you are able to help.
May
SAVE THE DATE! Hancock's 9th Annual Woman's Retreat will be May 1-2 at Friendly Crossways in Harvard, MA. All women, all ages, are invited! Friendly Crossways offers a country setting where the apple blossoms will be in bloom and the evening will be perfect for an outdoor bonfire. Pam Cochrane will lead the retreat. To learn more contact pam.cochrane@hancockchurch.org or READ MORE HERE.
Hymnal Dedication

Our new hymnal is at the printer and will be in our pews later this spring! You have the opportunity to dedicate a hymnal in honor/in memory of someone you love.This dedicatory bookplate will be placed in the inside cover of the hymnal as a reminder of your gift for all those who will use that hymnal in worship each week. In addition, your gift will help with the purchase of all of the hymnals for the sanctuary. For an additional fee, you can also purchase a personal copy of the hymnal for your use at home. Just fill out THIS FORM. Hard copy forms will be available during coffee hour. Please fill out one form per hymnal. 

 
Committee Updates

Note from the Nominating Committee 

At Hancock, the work of the church is overseen and organized by committees. Every member should consider joining a committee. It is a way to get to know the other members of our church. It is an important part of our participation in the life of the church. To following will help you familiarize yourself with our committee work. Please contact Linda Williams, lbwilliams@comcast.net. or or Andy McClain awmcclaine@rcn.com for questions or to sign up.

To read full descriptions of all the committees READ MORE HERE.

 

Seeking Applications for the Good Samaritan Fund! 

The Christian Service committee is seeking applications for projects to be supported by Hancock's Good Samaritan Fund. This fund is set up to lend support to all members young or old in their fundraising efforts as they embark on missions, volunteer projects, or travels. Recipients are asked to share their experiences with the Hancock greater community by writing an article with photos for the Hancock Herald, offering a presentation of the special event, or blogging about the their experience.  If you are planning a project and are interested in support from the Good Samaritan Fund, please contact alex.will@hancockchurch.org.


Where were you born?
The Potter Library Committee has posted a world and USA map for all to add a pin on the location of where you were born. It is located on the wall bulletin board adjacent to the library room. It is already showing how diverse our community is, so please add your headcount, too! It is making interesting reading for all ages.

From the Potter Library
The Potter Library is once again in place for your use. Do check out the table of FREE books and help yourself. These books are duplicates, out of date, unused donations, or no longer suitable for our Hancock collection. Available for a limited time only. 
HANCOCK YOUTH GROUP
MARCH EVENTS

Mar 28
5pm, Welcome our German friends with a pizza dinner!

Mar 29
10am, Morning worship followed by Palm Sunday Brunch!
6pm, Worship @the Well
7pm, HYG in the Upper Room

Apr 2
5:30pm, Dinner
7pm, Maundy Thursday with Andrew and Alex

Apr 3
11am, Brunch at Hancock, followed by games and hang!
5pm, Dinner
7pm, Good Friday Worship

Apr 5
Easter Sunday!
9am & 11am Worship
 

JUNIOR YOUTH ORGANIZATION
MARCH EVENTS

Mar 29
Palm Sunday
All youth stay in worship

Palm Sunday Brunch

CHILDREN'S PROGRAM
MARCH EVENTS

Mar 29
Palm Sunday
All Children and Youth stay in Worship!

Palm Sunday Brunch

Each week we invite adults to join in the children's activities as project leaders and helpers. Look for the sign-up sheets in the CE Commons area or contact CE Co-chairs Sarah Kuli and Sara Felton.
 
Infants and Toddlers
Childcare is provided for children age 3 and younger in the Infant/Toddler Room each Sunday beginning at 9am.
CONTACT US!
Church Offices
(781) 862-4220
office@hancockchurch.org

Sr. Minister Paul Shupe
paul@hancockchurch.org

Acting Minister of 
 Faith Formation 
 Pam Cochrane
pam@hancockchurch.org

Acting Minister of Congregational Care 
 Alex Shea Will
alex@hancockchurch.org

Student Ministers
Andrew Harris
andrew@hancockchurch.org
&
Nancy Rottman
nancy@hancockchurch.org

Welcoming & Membership Committee Chair Al Bukys
albukys674@gmail.com

Children's Education 
Co-chairs
Sarah Felton
sarah@manasas.com
&
Sarah Kuli
sarahkuli@comcast.net

If our offices are closed, and you are in need of immediate pastoral assistance, please dial our pastoral care number 

(929) 500-1912.

 


HANCOCK UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
1912 MASS AVE
LEXINGTON, MA  02421
(781) 862-4220 | hancockchurch.org