Sunday Morning: What to Expect
Wonder. Our Sunday morning service inspires wonder: about God, about ourselves, about the meaning and purpose of our lives.
Welcome. Friendly faces greet you, and make you feel at home. Look around: see teens and toddlers, parents and grandparents, and single people of all ages. Faith is new to some of us, and a life-long endeavor for others. Some are seeking; some know that they’ve been found. You’ll fit right in.
Look! Watch the sunlight dance through the stained glass. Ponder the beauty of the woodwork, and let the spaciousness of the sanctuary stir you.
Listen! The music of the organ and instruments of great variety will call to you. Vocal choirs of adults and children will inspire. Hand bell choirs for all ages will amaze and delight. But this is not mere performance. Our music carries us beyond ourselves, into sweet realms of harmony and transcendence, where God makes us welcome.
Ponder. Bible stories, taken seriously, but not literally, suggest new ways of living. The preaching is thoughtful and engaging; not the last word on any subject, but a contribution to conversation. And prayer is offered: words to guide you, and silence for your own use.
Intimacy and awe, solitude and companionship, searching and finding. Come and see for yourself.
Before you enter our sanctuary, you will be greeted by an usher or Deacon. If you have any questions about how to find the bathrooms or the nursery, don’t hesistate to ask them! In the Narthex (the foyer outside the sanctuary), there are nametags that you can fill out if you’d like people to get to know your name. As you enter the sanctuary doors, an usher will hand you a bulletin. This is an instruction manual for worship service. You can follow the order of the service, the parts in bold are when the congregation reads or sings, the places where you see an asterix is when you stand. But don’t worry about getting it right the first time, just follow your neighbor and you’ll soon catch on! There are Bibles and hymnals in the pews. Sometimes there are not enough, so feel free to ask someone to share with you.
If you are worshipping with children, see “Families with Children” section below for more information.
After every worship service, there is a fellowship time in the Dining Room. Coffee, baked goods, and treats for children are free to enjoy. Join us!
Sunday Evening: What to Expect @ the Well
Follow your ears as the River Rock Band calls you into our worship space. It’s candle lit, chairs for all curving around the table Jesus gave us, a family, your family, gathering to be fed, to share the news of the day, to be at home.
Our music is rich and varied, bluegrass and jazz, Celtic and soulful, rock and gospel. It’s not performed for you, it involves you, whether you can sing a note or not. Nothing stilted or stuffy, it’s the kind of music you love.
We share @ the Well. If you want to, you can lift up the joys of your daily life, and express your gratitude for being alive. If you need to, you can tell the truth about the pain and hurt that we all know. If you can’t find the words you need, light a candle, and trust that God already knows them. You’re safe here. We are accustomed to telling the truth, and support each other in it.
There is food for the mind, too, reflections on Bible stories that will remind you that faith is really pretty simple: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
And each week we break the communion bread, lift up the communion cup, the forgiving and transforming love of God made visible, shared by one and all without distinction.
Then the River Rock Band sends us back out, to live and to love, to serve and to grow. We never leave the same as we came in. God, you see, is very, very good.
As you enter Clark Hall, you’ll see a welcome table. Feel free to take a minute and fill out a nametag. Then find a seat in the semi-circle. There’s no paper bulletin for this service, instead you’ll see the words for the songs and the Scripture passage on the projected slides. We serve communion each week at The Well. Everyone is welcome to participate, there are no barriers to God’s table! After the minister invites people to come forward, stand and join the line, rip off a piece of bread and dip it into the cup of grape juice and then eat immediately. Then find your way back to your seat.
If you are worshipping with children, see “Families with Children” section below for more information.
Families with Children
At Hancock we welcome and support with love and rejoicing all children!
For Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for such belongs the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”
Mark 10:14-16
Recognizing the children as important members of the congregation, children take part in worship services on a regular basis, sharing their gifts with the congregation through music, art, and storytelling. Hancock aims for children to become life-long learners of faith while making deep faith connections through active learning!
Children and youth are an important part of the Hancock community and are welcome to participate in worship. Upon arriving at Hancock, families will find bulletins, names tags & pew packs for kids in the Narthex near the historic entrance to the Sanctuary. “Greeters” are on hand to offer any assistance needed.
Each Sunday morning children begin in worship with their families. Following the Gathering of Children in the sanctuary children are invited to process to the Education Wing where they gather in the children’s chapel to share joys and concerns, collect their weekly offering to Heifer International, sing, and offer prayers of thanksgiving. Children then break into smaller groups for a lesson and activity based on their grade level (K-1, 2-3, 4-5). On several Sunday’s throughout the year, all children and youth are invited to participate in Hancock’s intergenerational worship services.
Nursery care and toddler care is also available in the Christian Education wing with trained Childcare Providers and student helpers. Our goal is to meet the individual needs of families while offering a safe, nurturing and caring environment for infants and young children. Live streaming of morning worship is available in the Nursery Room.
Middle School Youth (grades 6-8) are invited to Hancock’s Junior Youth Organization class in the Upper Room.
Click here to read more about our programming for children and Spiritual Formation.
Worship with children @ the Well: At Hancock, we believe that families should have the opportunity to worship together so children of all ages are invited to join in worship @ the Well. Before worship children and youth are invited to help prepare the space for worship. Lighting candles, setting the communion table, helping as greeters, are all ways children and youth can be part of the preparation for worship. Pew packs, children’s books and bibles and carpet squares are also available at the welcome table.
Accessibility
Accessible Parking:
- two spaces in the “in” driveway near the handicap door just past the archway as you drive into the church.
- one space in the “out” driveway. (very last spot)
- two spaces in back parking lot closest to the door.
Accessing the Handicapped Entrance to the Sanctuary in the east driveway:
- On Sunday mornings the door is programmed to open in the morning during times of regular services. At other times, contact the church offices (781-862-4220) to ensure that someone is available to unlock it for you.
- The lift from the accessible door to the Dining Room, Sanctuary and Clark Hall can fit wheelchairs and also has a seat. If you are planning to visit Hancock anytime other than ordinary service times, please call the church (781-862-4220) to make sure that someone will be available to operate the lift when you arrive.
Accessible Restroom:
There is a handicap bathroom in the lower hallway accessed from the Dining Room for wheelchairs. Ask one of our staff or one of the ushers on Sunday mornings to help you find it.
Hearing Assist:
The church hearing assist units are available on Sunday mornings for use in the Sanctuary. Pick one up in the Narthex on your way to the service or ask an usher to provide you with one. Hearing assists are also available for funerals.
Directions to Hancock Church at 1912 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington MA 02421
Nearby Parking (parking areas are marked in blue)
