April 14, 2006

Dear Hancock Family,

It gives us great pleasure to inform you that based on the recommendation of the Search Committee, Hancock Church has called Dana Lee Allen Walsh for the position of Associate Minister, and that she has accepted the call.

Dana will graduate this May with a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. Since September of 2004 she has been Student Minister at Holmdel Community Church in Holmdel, New Jersey. At Holmdel, she has revitalized the youth group, led a youth mission trip to Kentucky, and been actively involved in adult education, social justice initiatives, small group bible studies, pastoral visits, and preaching.

Those of us who interviewed Dana were very impressed with her high energy, intellect, confidence and maturity. She has a passion for both youth ministry and social justice. She has already been involved in 12 mission trips, and initiated and organized a work trip for Princeton Seminary students and professors to Biloxi, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina.

The Search Committee initiated its search in 2004 for a new minister with an extensive process of gathering input from the congregation and staff. Based on the understanding gained from the discussions with church committees, several general meetings and individual interviews they began the search for a candidate. Over the course of this search the committee continued to receive additional input from members of the congregation as well as the staff.

During the past two years the committee reviewed 89 profiles, contacted 18 candidates, and had at least one face-to-face interview with 12 of them. Without reservation, the committee's unanimous recommendation was Dana Allen Walsh. Standing Committee unanimously approved this recommendation.

Dana will begin her ministry at Hancock on August 13, 2006. We plan to formally introduce her to the congregation in May or early June. Dana's responsibilities at Hancock will include: guiding youth and adult spiritual education programs, continuing to strengthen the outreach and social justice ministry, developing strong pastoral relations with members of the church, and contributing to the worship life of the church including preaching many times during the year.

We would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the entire congregation, to express our deep gratitude to the Search Committee for all their hard work and for a very successful conclusion to the search. The members of the Search Committee are Jim Grunst (Chair), Lynn Batty, Meg Bradley, John Campbell, Yvette Kirby, Peggy McKibben and Phil Terry.

We all look forward to welcoming Dana into the Hancock family.

Faithfully yours,
Nariman Behravesh, Moderator; Peter H. Meek, Senior Minister

We have received a thank you note from Vonnie Ward, our Hurricane Katrina guest, for the contributions of furniture and gift cards that we have provided. Come see the poster in the front hall featuring her note and the photograhs she took the day we brought furniture to her apartment in Dorchester. Vonnie has made an appeal to FEMA to extend her housing in Dorchester through July 2007, but has not yet received an answer. We have suspended furniture deliveries until the issue of her housing is resolved, but contributions of gift cards are still very much needed. Gift cards to Stop & Shop or Shaw's grocery stores and Wal-Mart or Target can be put in the offering plate or left in the church office in the Christian Service Box in an envelope marked "For Vonnie Ward". Thank you for your support. Questions - Cheryl Kraley 781-862-2209.

"God doesn't reject people. Neither do we."
"Ejector seat," the Buck's newest television commercial, will begin airing nationally on April 3, just in time for Easter. Playing to church's expressed concerns about alienation - first emphasized in the UCC's controversial "bouncer" ad that aired on cable networks in December 2004 and March 2005 - "ejector seat" employs a bit of humor to underscore one of the campaign's central themes. To see all three ads, visit the UCC Site.