Hancock Church



Love. Compassion. Courage.



Vision | Mission | Values



On February 10, 2019, a new era in the life of Hancock Church began...



At a congregational meeting that day, we voted to articulate a new statement of vision, mission, and core values for Hancock Church.


This is the fruit of conversations that began more than a year earlier and involved the entire congregation over many months.


The vision, mission, and values below will guide Hancock’s ministries and activities for years to come, and communicate to the outside world who we are and what we value as a community of faith.



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





At Hancock we worship God, together in communal worship as well as in our individual faith practices. Trusting in God’s grace, we believe our worth is God-given, not earned or achieved.


From this place we seek to worship in ways that are intellectually honest and relevant to the world in which we live, listening to the still speaking God and to one another with both head and heart.



Walk our spiritual paths together





We walk our spiritual paths together, without judgment, honoring where each of us is in our journey, and supporting and encouraging each other along the way. Questions and doubts are welcome.


Through lifelong learning we seek to feed the spiritual hunger in each of us with all that Christianity has to offer. We equip our children and youth with a foundation of faith and love that can adapt and sustain them as they grow.



Cherish one another





We cherish one another, and we ask for help when we need it. Authentic and vulnerable, we come together in community, accepting each other as we are, heart and soul, gifts and needs, laughing and crying together, throughout all of life.


You are welcome here. You are safe here. We take care of one another at all stages of life, honoring each other’s gifts, abilities, points of view, and graces.



Build community in a diverse world





We believe wholeheartedly that God loves everyone, and we work to live our covenant of welcome every day.


We respect other faith traditions, recognizing that the ties that bind us are much stronger than our differences. We actively collaborate with diverse faith communities to advance the common good.



Protect the earth





We are inspired by the beauty of the earth, and often experience God personally in nature. We recognize in humility that we are part of the intricate, evolved web of life on earth and not lords over it.


We seek to be good stewards of the earth, and commit ourselves to work for sustainability and climate justice to protect the earth and those who are most vulnerable to its degradation.



Work for the common good





We confront the systems and sources of injustice in the world today, including racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, poverty, and selfishness of all kinds. We seek to protect the most vulnerable. We inspire people to embrace love, dispel fear, and be a light in the world.



At Hancock Church, we amplify the voice of progressive faith as we speak to contemporary issues. We read scripture seriously but not literally. Through God’s love, we are transformed. Thus encouraged, we train leaders to carry this work into the world.





Wherever you are in your faith journey, you are welcome here.



Our Values



Our commitments to love God and one another, to work for social justice and to serve others are rooted in our core values of



● faithfulness

● inclusion

● compassion

● generosity

● gratitude

● humility

● vulnerability

● courage

● integrity



1912 Massachusetts Ave Lexington, MA 02421

781-862-4220 | office@hancockchurch.org

www.hancockchurch.org

An Open and Affirming Church





Hancock United Church of Christ