ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOSTAugust 16, 2020, 10:00 a.m. Hancock United Church of Christ, Congregational •1912 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA

Photo by ÉMILE SÉGUIN on Unsplash

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WELCOME TO HANCOCKWe are delighted that you chose to worship with us today and are strengthened by your participation in our service! While we are sad that we cannot see you face-to-face this week, we are blessed to still be able to worship in a meaningful way. In these next few weeks, we will be having our worship televised and livestreamed via youtube.com/hancockchurch.

In these times, community is more important than ever. Because of this, we invite you all to share your ideas of how best to feel spiritually fulfilled in these times of limited interaction. You can send any thoughts to Hancock Church at 781-862-4220, or email Paul (paul@hancockchurch.org) or Barbara (barbara@hancockchurch.org).

www.hancockchurch.org

OUR VISION: Inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus, we are changing the world through love, compassion, and courage.

OUR MISSION: In the revolutionary spirit of our Christian faith, we invite you to join us as we

• worship God with all our hearts and minds

• walk our spiritual paths together

• cherish one another

• build community in a diverse world

• protect the earth

• work for the common good

OUR VALUES:

Vision, Mission, and Values

faithfulness inclusion compassion gratitude integrity generosity humility vulnerability courage

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MOMENT FOR REFLECTIONChristianity, Judaism and Islam, the three great monotheistic religions all have a thing about purity. Faithful people, each one teaches its followers, in order to approach the one God, must be pure, for God, who is perfect, cannot abide imperfection. Muslims must clean the body of all impurities before entering into prayer. Many Jews keep the practices of kosher, ranging from avoiding prohibited foods to rituals of purification. Christians are baptized for the forgiveness of sin, and many traditions require confession of sin as a prelude to worship. At their best, such practices show our desire to enter into right relationship with God, and many lift them up as foundational to faith. Yet as is the case with many things, an exclusive, or rigid approach to purity can often lead to exclusion of impure people or practices, or to judgement of others to justify mistreatment of them, or to turning commandments of purity into insistence on perfection, which, as we know, can never be achieved. This morning’s story from Matthew shows Jesus teaching the true meaning of purity, and then adjusting his behavior to be in harmony with his own teaching. It is, we will discover, an important teaching about the importance, and limitations, of purity.

PRELUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Every Time I Feel the Spirit . . . . . . . . . arr. by John Turner

WORDS OF WELCOME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Shupe

OPENING HYMN . . . . . Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .#407

1. Come, thou Fount of ev’ry blessing,Tune my heart to sing thy grace;Streams of mercy, never ceasing,Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,Mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I pause along my journey; By thy help thus far I’ve come;And I hope, by thy great mercy,

safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger,Wandering from the fold of God;Come to rescue me from danger,

Gave his body, shed his blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtorDaily I am called to be!

Let thy goodness, like a fetter,Bind my wandering heart to thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,Seal it for thy courts above.

Service of Worship

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PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul ShupeMatthew 15:10-28Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE:

GATHERING SONG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Walk With Me

Walk with meI will walk with you

And build the land that God has plannedWhere love shines through.

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CHILDREN’S TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David C Clark

THE MORNING OFFERING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul ShupeThis week our offering will be donated to the Household Goods Learn more at www.householdgoods.org. For information on how to give, see page 8.

OFFERTORY . . . . . . . . . Ubi caritas et amor (sung in latin) . . . . . . . . gregorian chant

Where charity and love are, God is there.Christ's love has gathered us into one.Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.

Let us fear, and let us love the living God.And may we love each other with a

sincere heart.

Where charity and love are, God is there.As we are gathered into one body,Beware, lest we be divided in mind.

Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,And may Christ our God be in our midst.

Where charity and love are, God is there.And may we with the saints also,

See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:The joy that is immense and good,

Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Shupe

*DOXOLOGY . . . . . . . From North and South and East and West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S-29

Service of Worship

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CALL TO PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . Just As I Am . . . . . . . . . . . . . #410, verses 2 and 3

Just as I am, though tossed aboutWith many a conflict, many a doubt,Fightings and fears with in, without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, you will receive,Will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because your promise I believe,O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

PASTORAL PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Clark

A TIME OF SILENT PRAYER

THE LORD’S PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

THE SERMON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Purity Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Shupe

CLOSING HYMN . . . . . . . . . We Are One in the Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .#386

1. We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,

We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord,

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

Refrain: And they’ll know we are Christiansby our love, by our love,

Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2. We will walk with each other,We will walk hand in hand,

We will walk with each other,We will walk hand in hand,

And together we’ll spread the newsThat God is in our land:

Refrain

3. We will work with each other,We will work side by side,

We will work with each other,We will work side by side,

And we’ll guard each one’s dignityAnd save each one’s pride:

Refrain

BENEDICTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Shupe

Service of Worship

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BENEDICTION RESPONSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . God Be With You Till We Meet Again

God be with you ‘til we meet again,Loving counsels guide, uphold you,With a shepherd’s care enfold you:God be with you ‘til we meet again.

PASSING THE PEACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David C Clark

POSTLUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fugue a quinti toni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pachelbel

Cherish one AnotherJoin Us for Virtual Coffee Hour Following Morning Worship!

Join us immediately following Morning Worship for virtual coffee hour via Zoom! Here's how to participate! To join by video:

• Download the Zoom app on your phone, tablet, or computer that you will use for the conference. A non-handheld device is best.

• Click "Join a meeting." Then enter the Meeting ID Number: 835-957-432, followed by your name.

• Select "Join with Computer Audio." A picture will appear if your camera is enabled. Use your device settings to enable the camera if there is no picture.

To join by phone:

• Dial 646-558-8656.

• When prompted, enter the Meeting ID Number, 835-957-432, followed by #.

Help Us Maintain OUr secUrity On ZOOM!In order to maintain our security during Zoom gatherings such as meetings and coffee hours, please be sure that your Zoom account name is reflective of your actual name, first and last. You can change your Zoom name by going to zoom.com and editing your account. Doing so helps us know who and who not to admit to meetings and gatherings. Thank you!

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Walk Our Spiritual Paths TogetherMOrning Offering

During this time of “virtual church”, please note our updated instructions for participating in the offering.Each week at Hancock we accept an offering of gifts for two purposes:Mission Partner of the Week. Each Sunday we accept gifts for one of our mission partners, a select organization doing God’s work in the world. Many are local or regional organizations whom we’ve worked with for years; all are effective organizations making a difference in people’s lives. These donations are passed directly to the organization and are in addition to the donations included in Hancock’s budget.Sustaining Hancock’s Vision. Gifts are also welcome in the Sunday offering plate for Hancock Church that supports our staff, our building, community outreach and all of the worship and programs at Hancock. You may make a gift for either in one of three ways:• Through our website. Go to www.hancockchurch.org, click on the Give button in the upper right, and follow the instructions to make a gift by credit or debit card or ACH bank transfer. Be sure to indicate in the dropdown menu whether the gift is for “Mission Partner” or

“Hancock Church.”• Send a check. Make it payable to Hancock UCC, and note on the memo line either “Mission Partner” or “Hancock.” Our address is 1912 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington MA 02421.• Text to give. From your smart phone or tablet, text the dollar amount along with "Mission" or “Hancock” to 781-386-0866 and tap the link to enter your credit card information. Upcoming Offerings: August 16: Concord Prison Outreach

August 23: Household Goods

OUtdOOr evening WOrsHip On aUgUst 19We will be holding a small outdoor worship service in the church parking lot on Wednesday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m. Space is limited to 30 people and will be allotted first come, first served. Before signing up, those interested should review the Covenant for Church Sponsored Events. Go to https://hancockchurch.breezechms.com/form/22760b91 to sign up.

This is not a replacement for our Sunday community worship. Instead this is a short service for prayer, scripture, Communion, and fellowship.

Those attending will need to bring their own chairs and their own Communion elements (bread and cup). Bathrooms will not be accessible. If you have questions, please contact David Clark: David@hancockchurch.org

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Walk our Spiritual Paths TogethercHUrcH tie-dye nigHt!

Space is limited to 15 participants at each, so act fast! Sign up links for the following:

Sun. Aug. 23rd 3- 4:30pm: https://hancockchurch.breezechms.com/form/22760b91767839

Drop by anytime in your sign-up window. Tie-Dying takes at least 30 minutes from start to finish. There is a small supply of Hancock Church School and Hancock 150th shirts in both youth and adult sizes. Email david@hancockchurch.org if you need one.

1. Folks 6th grade and under should be accompanied by an adult.

2. All supplies, other than what you'll tie-dye, are provided.

3. You will leave with your tie-dyed item in a bag. The last step is at home!

4. Wear clothes (and shoes) you wouldn't mind getting dirty.

What should I bring to Tie-Dye?

Anything 100% cotton, already laundered & dried fabric works best. White is standard, but any light color will work! If you want to dye something that is denim, a beach/bath towel, bed sheets, or more than two yards of fabric, please email David ahead of time.

seniOr Minister discernMent sUrvey resUlts

Thank you to all who completed the survey conducted by the Hancock Discernment team, as well as those who communicated through small group discussions, phone, and email. The survey has concluded, and you can view the results by going to the Hancock weekly. The discernment

process is two distinct steps:

1. Guided by Hancock's Vision and Mission, to discern, with the congregation, the gifts and graces Hancock needs in the next Senior Minister

2. Guided by Hancock's Vision and Mission, to discern with Barbara Callaghan whether her gifts and graces align with the congregation

The Discernment Team has completed the first charge and are now turning our focus to the second. We greatly appreciate the level of participation by the congregation during this time of being apart and hope to share information related to the second charge early this fall.

Sincerely, Yvette Kirby and Leanne Rodd, Co-chairs

Our Mission is To...

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Worship God with all our Hearts and MindsBiBle stUdy WitH tHe preacHers On Wednesdays via ZOOM

Bible study with the preacher is offered every Wednesday at noon via Zoom. Here's how to participate! To join by video:

Download the Zoom app on your phone, tablet, or computer that you will use for the conference. A non-handheld device is best.

Click "Join a meeting." Then enter the Meeting ID Number, 751-145-448, followed by your name.

Select "Join with Computer Audio." A picture will appear if your camera is enabled. Use your device settings to enable the camera if there is no picture.

To join by phone:

Dial 646-558-8656.

When prompted, enter the Meeting ID Number, 751-145-448, followed by #.

Weekly sHaring and prayer every tHUrsday

Please note that Thursday morning Weekly Prayers will now be held at 9:00 a.m. for the foreseeable future. We invite you to join us each week via Zoom to share in a time of prayer of led by Hancock's ministers. To receive the Zoom login information, please contact office@hancockchurch.org to sign up for the Hancock Daily.

sHare yOUr MUsical talents WitH Us in WOrsHip!If you would like to participate musically in our services, we invite you to contact Mark Morgan at mark@hancockchurch.org. You can record yourself singing or playing at home, or you can come in during the week and we can record you here. Mark or Marilyn is available to accompany you if you would like. We invite anyone of any age who plays an

instrument or sings to share their talent with us for Sunday morning worship.

BOOk discUssiOn grOUp On aUgUst 19Join us for Book Discussion Group on Wednesday, August 19 at 8:00 p.m. via Zoom (Meeting ID Number: 898-6241-3233; Passcode: 718614). Rev. Barbara Callaghan will lead us in a conversation about Jon Gordon's The Garden: A Spiritual Fable About Ways to Overcome Fear, Anxiety, and Stress. All are welcome!

Our Mission is To...

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Build Community in a Diverse WorldlUncHes fOr OUtdOOr cHUrcH Of caMBridge: yOU can Help!

Hancock provides 40 lunch bags every other Sunday for homeless men and women who participate in The Outdoor Church in Cambridge. With the lunch bags we send granola bars, fruit (clementines or bananas), and waters (about 80 waters) and often cookies. For more info on The

Outdoor Church, check out their website.

During the year, Hancock middle school youth [JYO] make sandwiches and assemble these lunch bags once a month for The Outdoor Church. Until we can all be together again at Hancock, a team of Hancock adults is assembling The Outdoor Church lunch bags and other food and beverage items every other Sunday. Next dates are 8/16, 8/30, and 9/13 with more days likely through the fall. With COVID-19, the need is even greater.

How can you help? While we have many items signed up for through August, always welcome for those dates are extra small bags of grapes or clementines or bananas or small bags of cookies or brownies. Or if you are interested on future dates in making 20 sandwiches or providing granola bars or water or cookies or fruit or cookies or brownies, we will add your name to future “Sandwich Sundays.”

Sandwiches and other items are brought to the Hancock parking lot around 7:20 a.m. on the designated Sunday morning. Each item prepared with carefully outlined food safety protocol. Lunch bags are assembled (with face masks, gloves, and social distancing) and the lunch bags are picked up along with the other lunch supplies and taken to The Outdoor Church.

If you are interested in helping with The Outdoor Church lunches, please contact Daryl Battin (781-789-3763 / darylbattin@gmail.com) who will coordinate a schedule for the lunch contributions. Also contact her if you have lunch items to contribute which need to be picked up.

Thank you so VERY much for your help - these lunches are an essential part of the day for The Outdoor Church attendees.

Another way you can help is with donation funds for a supply of disposable face masks, for brown paper lunch bags, for $5 Dunkin Donut gift cards, for granola bars and waters included each “Sandwich Sunday” with The Outdoor Church lunch bags. Donations for The Outdoor Church can be made to Hancock Church by check or online - please specify “Outdoor Church” on a check or in the comment field for online donations. Thank you again!

Our Mission is To...

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Work for the Common GoodlexingtOn fOOd pantry dOnatiOns

Clean, regular-sized paper bags (all the same size) are once again needed!

The Lexington Food Pantry has been serving approximately 87 families weekly during the pandemic. Hancock is no longer accepting food donations. However, you can help by dropping off your food donations directly to the Church of Our Redeemer, 6 Meriam St., Lexington. There is

a donation cabinet, donated by the Lions Club, located next to the back second (lower) entrance along the driveway of the Church of Our Redeemer.

Items the Pantry is in need of on a regular basis are:

• Baked beans

• Canned fruit

• Canned vegetables

• Macaroni and cheese

• Pasta and pasta sauce

• Canned tuna

• Peanut butter

• Rice

• Toiletries

Clean, regular-sized paper bags (all the same size) are once again needed!

Food donations can also be dropped off at Stop & Shop, 36 Bedford Street, Lexington, between registers 1 & 2.

Our Mission is To...

We welcome all who seek to know God.

We believe that, although we are many members, we are one body in Christ.

We have been called as well as challenged by God to respect and reconcile our differences.

We recognize and love each individual as a child of God.

We welcome, respect, support, and lovingly encourage people of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical and mental

ability to join us on our journey of faith.

The faith journey indeed calls Hancock Members not to be silent in the face of prejudice, injustice, and exclusion, but to express our faith, in word and deed,

for justice and inclusiveness for all humanity.

As Paul wrote in Galatians, “In Christ there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one...”

Hancock Covenant of Welcome

Paul Shupe Senior Minister paul.shupe@hancockchurch.org

Barbara Callaghan Minister barbara.callaghan@hancockchurch.org

David C Clark Minister of Children and Families david.clark@hancockchurch.org

Genna BeattyMinister of Youth and Young Adultsgenna.beatty@hancockchurch.org

Mark Morgan Director of Music

mark.morgan@hancockchurch.org

Marilyn Becker Associate Director of Music

marilyn.becker@hancockchurch.org

Kathryn Dominguez Church Administrator

kathryn@hancockchurch.org

www.hancockchurch.org

Church Office Phone: (781) 862-4220Hancock Community Prayer: (781) 862-6845

For Emergency Pastoral Support: Paul: (781) 698-8953 | Barbara: (336) 558-1242

For bulletin announcements, corrections, or suggestions, email office@hancockchurch.orgTo conserve trees and your pledge dollars, consider sharing your bulletin. Please recycle.