 The Sunday is Labor Sunday, a day to lift up workers, celebrate their contributions, and support their struggles. It is also a day to commit ourselves to improving jobs so that all workers have wages, benefits, and work hours that allow them to be self-sufficient and live lives of wholeness. All in attendance with receive a pin (pictured above) from the UCC, which reads: "Every Worker Deserves a Living Wage: So All God's People May Thrive." Please join us this Sunday at 9 AM or 11 AM for an inspiring message and uplifting music, featuring a special performance from singer/songwriter, Pamela Chappell. Coffee Hour outside between the two services. This Sunday will be our last Sunday with two services until next summer. Starting on September 8, we will go back to one Sunday service at 10 a.m. We're having so much fun at Sunday Coffee Hour, outside between the two services! We have been sharing the abundance from our gardens at our "Gardening is Giving" table.  Thank you to our church member, Chris Maitner, for designing, crafting, and installing the beautiful new handrail on our church's altar. We are so grateful for his talent and generosity. Last Thursday was the final Douglas Social of the summer. Our Douglas UCC Food Booth was a big hit all summer. We took in a total of $1,672 in donations at the socials this season. Thank you to all who came out in support, and thank you to our Food Booth Team: Gregg Smith, Larry LaBine, Greg Harvath, Gemina Petruzzelli, Ed Korson, Peter & Kathleen Mueller, Annie Hotwagner & Marty Coffin.  Click below for the latest editions of our Church Council Minutes and Pastor's Report:
 Our Pastor Sal will be one of six speakers taking part in “Failure Lab” at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on Saturday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m.. “Failure Lab” is like TEDx, only the focus is on personal stories of failure. This will be a powerful evening of music and storytelling. Tickets are $25 and available online at www.sc4a.org/failure-lab.   Seeking Volunteers for Car Event- On Saturday, September 14, the Michigan Indiana LGBT Collector Car Club will be here in Saugatuck/Douglas as part of their annual visit. This year, for the first time ever, about 70 of the classic cars will parade through downtown Douglas and Saugatuck. Around 24 volunteers are needed to spend two hours helping to route this procession through the streets. Teams of two will be assigned specific locations to direct traffic as the cars move through. You will be needed from 6 to 8 pm. Please sign-up in the Friendship Hall on Sunday if you can help. Thanks.  Thank you to Nancy Plantinga and the Huggett Sisters (Hannah, Hailey, and Molly) for the wonderful Offertory song last Sunday. You can watch it at the link below: Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:August 25: Attendance: 158 (9 AM: 94 + 11 AM: 64) Collection: $1,267 Online: $3,487.16 Total: $4,754.16 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  "Woman, thou art loosed!" Jesus declares in Sunday's Gospel, as a woman is miraculously healed of her afflictions. Many of us feel bound or burdened by circumstances in our lives, but we have the power to be loosed and lifted to a Higher Place. Come join us this Sunday at 9 AM or 11 AM, as we learn how to "let loose" and set ourselves free. Special Music by Nancy Plantinga. Coffee Hour outside between the two services.  We are excited to announce that PETER BLACK is the new Director of Music at Douglas UCC! Peter has been the pianist at our church since 2004, and his performances each week are often the highlight of our Sunday worship. We are so grateful to Peter for his willingness to step into this new role.  Members of our Douglas UCC family joined Peter behind the piano at his other Sunday gig at Marro's in Saugatuck. Great to begin and end your Sunday with the music of Peter Black!  Thank you to all who attended last week's Movie Night for a screening of the documentary, "Traces of the Trade," facilitated by our church's Social Justice Team. More than 25 people took part, and a lively discussion followed.  Great to welcome Gloria Larrieu to our rotation of special musicians. Her stirring rendition last Sunday of "People Get Ready" already has more than 100 views on our YouTube channel.  Congratulations to our Douglas UCC church member, Jack Ridl, who was officially proclaimed the very first "Poet Laureate" of the City of the Village of Douglas this past week. More than 20 Douglas UCC church members were on hand for the proclamation at City Hall.
This week, the True North Women's Group traveled to the Muskegon Museum of Art to see the permanent exhibit and a special exhibit of female artists titled Rising Voices. Our church member, Maryjo Lemanski, was kind enough to share her expertise and enthusiasm and guide us through the exhibits. Our visit to the museum was followed by lunch together at the Lakehouse. It was a wonderful day! New members always welcome! Watch last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:August 18: Attendance: 155 (9 AM: 87 + 11 AM: 68) Collection: $1,518.54 Online: $1,412 Total: $2,930.54 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  Jesus's words in this upcoming Sunday's Gospel are shocking. The Prince of Peace actually says, "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division, so that even families will be divided among themselves!" What did Jesus mean by these shocking words? Come join us on Sunday at 9 AM and 11 AM, as we explore the spiritual understandings of "vision and di-vision." Special music: Gloria Larrieu. Coffee Hour will be held outside in front of the church between the two services. Farewell, Jeff!Last Sunday was an emotional (and tear-filled) one at Douglas UCC, as we said, "Farewell" to our Director of Music, Jeff Spangler, who is moving full-time to Palm Springs, California. Jeff served as our Director of Music for 13 years, and we are so very grateful for his service and ministry to our church. He will be greatly missed. Congratulations, Jack!!
 TONIGHT: Our Social Justice Team is hosting a screening of the PBS Documentary, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, tonight, August 16, in the Friendship Hall at 6:30 p.m. This documentary was shown on PBS several years ago, and it is still very relevant to help understand White Privilege in this country and around the world. This is a free event. Bring a friend or two. All are welcome.  TONIGHT: Friday, August 16 At tonight's PFLAG meeting, we will view and discuss My Life in Pink, a film about a 7-year-old boy who believes he is really a girl. A winner of the Golden Globe's Best Foreign Language Film award, this 90-minute film in French with English subtitles was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. We will begin with a business meeting and support at 7 PM, then have a time for refreshments at 7:50 PM, followed by the film. At 6 PM, Gender SAFE (Supporting All For Equality) will be meeting. Gender SAFE is a support group that is open and welcoming to all people who are or who love someone who is transgender or gender diverse (TGD). We also welcome those who are gender affirmative and who are interested in learning about the TGD community. We hope you will join us! Both PFLAG and Gender SAFE meet on the ground floor of Grace Episcopal Church, 555 Michigan Avenue, across the street from Holland Hospital. (Gender SAFE also meets the first Saturday of every month 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Out On The Lakeshore, 451 Columbia Ave., Holland).  The last Douglas Social of the season will be Thursday, August 22, from 5:30 to 9 PM at Beery Field in Downtown Douglas. Please stop by our church's Food Booth and show your support for our community.  Seeking Volunteers for Car Event- On Saturday, September 14, the Michigan Indiana LGBT Collector Car Club will be here in Saugatuck/Douglas as part of their annual visit. This year, for the first time ever, about 70 of the classic cars will parade through downtown Douglas and Saugatuck. Around 24 volunteers are needed to spend two hours helping to route this procession through the streets. Teams of two will be assigned specific locations to direct traffic as the cars move through. You will be needed from 6 to 8 pm. Please sign-up in the Friendship Hall on Sunday if you can help. Thanks.  Each Sunday this summer, we invite you to share of the abundance from your garden. Please bring in vegetables and flowers from your garden and place them on the "Gardening Is Giving" table outside the church on Sunday for others to take home and enjoy. Thank you to our church's Creation Justice Team for facilitating. Check out our Creation Justice Team's latest blog post: DUCC Creation Justice Team.  Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:August 11: Attendance: 162 (9 AM: 90 + 11 AM: 72) Collection: $1,212.87 Online: $1,751.66 Total: $2,964.53 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus says, "It is God's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." Jesus spoke often of the "Kingdom of Heaven." He said we've been given the keys to this Kingdom. So, what exactly is the Kingdom, and how does one find it? Come join us this Sunday at 9 AM or 11 AM as we explore "The Keys to the Kingdom" together. Special music by Jeff Spangler and Friends in celebration of Jeff's final Sunday with us.  A CELEBRATION OF JEFF Please join us in the front of the church this Sunday at 10:30 AM, as we celebrate our Director of Music, Jeff Spangler, on his final Sunday with us before moving full-time to Palm Springs. There will be cake and gifts. Be sure to sign the "big card" for Jeff, too. Watch as our UCC President, Rev. John Dorhauer, reflects on the recent mass shootings and what we, as people of faith, must do to create a just world for all. Photos: 4th Annual Douglas UCC Church PicnicWow! Over 150 people attended our 4th Annual Douglas UCC Church Picnic this past week at Beery Field in Douglas. Thank you to photographer, Mark Reiman, for capturing these wonderful photos (more to be found on our church's Facebook page). Thank you to all who helped with planning, shopping, set-up, grilling, serving, recycling, flowers, games, photos, and clean-up: Floyd Fleming, Annie Hotwagner & Marty Coffin, Debra Carr, Karen Clark, Nancy Plantinga, Kathleen & Peter Mueller, Fritz Royce & Sarah Hurley, Sarah Swift, Greg Harvath & Greg Gerrans, Wendy Hamlin, Beverly & Orie Hawkes, Hannah, Molly and Kelly Huggett, Larry LaBine, David Geen, Jane Brodt, Mark Reiman, Stan Greene, Stacy Honson & Dick Bont, Chris Maitner, Bud Baty, Mike VerMerris, and Lynne Snyder. And, an extra-special thank you to Gemina Petruzzelli for coordinating the entire event. We are so grateful for all her hard work. IN MEMORIUM: Our condolences to Brother Al Mascia, former pastor of Douglas UCC, on the death of his mother, Mary Mascia. Cards of condolence can be sent to: Brother Al Mascia, 1717 W. 13 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073.  The Douglas UCC Social Justice Team will be hosting a screening of the PBS Documentary, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, on Friday evening, August 16, in the Friendship Hall at 6:30 p.m. This documentary was shown on PBS several years ago, and it is still very relevant to help understand White Privilege in this country and around the world. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall if you plan on attending. Thank you.   Each Sunday this summer, we invite you to share of the abundance from your garden. Please bring in vegetables and flowers from your garden and place them on the "Gardening Is Giving" table outside the church on Sunday for others to take home and enjoy. Thank you to our church's Creation Justice Team for facilitating. Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:August 4: Attendance: 170 (9 AM: 100 + 11 AM: 70) Collection: $1,428 Online: $1,592.16 Total: $3,018.16 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  In this Sunday's Gospel story, Jesus tells the "Parable of the Rich Fool." Is money really the root of all evil? Are material possessions really a stumbling block on the spiritual path? It is really that difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Come join us this Sunday at 9 AM or 11 AM as we explore together what a prosperous and abundant life really looks like, and how we can manifest it now. Coffee Hour outside between the two services. As you can see from the video above, we are having so much fun this summer at Coffee Hour outside between the two services. Be sure to stop by our Creation Justice Team's "Gardening is Giving" table where we're sharing the abundance from our gardens.  Our Director of Music, Jeff Spangler, has sold his home in Saugatuck and will be moving full-time to Palm Springs, California. Jeff has served our church for 13 years, so he will certainly be missed by all of us at Douglas UCC. Jeff's final Sunday with us will be August 11. We will be honoring Jeff during our worship services that Sunday, as well as celebrating him with a cake and gifts during Coffee Hour between the two services.  The Douglas UCC Social Justice Team will be hosting a screening of the PBS Documentary, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, on Friday evening August 16th in the Friendship Hall at 6:30 p.m. This documentary was shown on PBS several years ago, and it is still very relevant to help understand White Privilege in this country and around the world. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall if you plan on attending. Thank you.  Our Annual Church Picnic is Wednesday, August 7, from 6 to 8 PM at Beery Field in Douglas. We need to know how many of you plan to attend, as we need to know how much food and drink to buy. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall on Sunday if you plan to attend the picnic.  Our very own Pastor Sal will be a guest this Saturday, August 3, on the "Morning Grind" Radio Show. He will be talking about all the wonderful things happening at Douglas UCC this summer. Tune in to 92.7 FM, "The Van," at 8:30 a.m.
Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:July 28: Attendance: 169 (9 AM: 95 + 11 AM: 74) Collection: $2,903 Online: $1,227.66 Total: $4,130.66 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING |
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