Last Sunday at the UCC Grand West Association Meeting, our Pastor Sal was among the UCC clergy installed as Officers and Committee Members. Pastor Sal will continue to serve on the GWA Planning Committee. We are grateful to our Association leaders for all their hard work.

How's your "30-Day Gratitude Challenge" coming along? Here's some ideas to keep you going:

A sold-out crowd at last night's "Poetry & the Spirit" event at Douglas UCC! 
​Such an inspiring conversation with Pastor Sal and Jack Ridl, Poet Laureate of Douglas.

We're so proud of our Douglas UCC church member, Pete Wehle, whose essay was recently published on Progressive Christianity.org.  Click the link to read.

​We are excited to be welcoming best-selling author Scott Stabile (Big Love) back to Douglas UCC on Saturday, November 2. Scott will be facilitating a workshop entitled, "Love Yourself Madly."  Scott says, "In this workshop, we are going to look at ourselves honestly and love ourselves madly. We'll learn how to shift our self-abusive thoughts into self-loving ones, and how to empower ourselves with our thoughts and actions. We'll shift the focus of our inner critics and turn them into our inner cheerleaders."  To learn all the details, cost, and registration, please visit www.ScottStabile.com.  Scholarships are available.

​Save-the-Date: On Sunday, November 17, we will be having a "Groups Fair" at Douglas UCC, immediately following our worship service.  Our church groups will be spread out across our church campus. Each group will have its own table, where they'll give out information about their group and have sign-up sheets for new members.  It'll be a great (and fun) way to raise awareness about all of our groups, as well as to get new people involved.

In Sunday's gospel, Jesus tells the disciples a parable, which has become known as the "Parable of the Persistent Widow."  In the parable, a widow fighting for justice refuses to give up in her quest to be heard. She, like many of the bold women in the Gospels, inspires us to speak our truth, even if our voices are shaking. Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM, as we explore together how to "Ask Boldly & Live Justly."  Special Music: "If I Were Brave" by Nancy Plantinga and Brenda Marcy.

Douglas UCC partnered with Interfaith Action on Monday night for a "Symposium on Gun Violence Reduction," featuring a keynote address by Dr. Bill Durston of Americans Against Gun Violence, as well as a panel of physicians, police, educators, clergy, and students. More than 100 people were in attendance! Thank you to our church's Social Justice Team, Beverly Hawkes, and Julie Ridl for organizing this event. The Holland Sentinel newspaper was there and wrote a front cover story on the event, too!  Watch the video of the event on our Douglas UCC YouTube channel.

More than 50 people packed the Friendship Hall on Wednesday night, as our church member, Dr. Shannon Connell of Neuropsychological Associates of West Michigan spoke to us about "Healthy Aging."  We are so grateful to Shannon for sharing her wisdom with us.

In the latest edition of his podcast, "Into the Mystic," our UCC President, Rev. John Dorhauer, reflects on the spirituality of the fall season. Listen HERE for an inspiring 5-minute reflection.

Please join us on Saturday, October 26, from 9 AM till Noon for our "Fall Clean-Up Day." We will be cleaning up the church grounds. Bring garden tools, if you have them. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall if you can help. Thank you.

​A BIG THANK YOU to our church members, Michael Bojko and Patricia Denner, for their very generous donations to help us purchase a new video camera for our church.  We are so very thankful for their thoughtfulness and generosity. 

Save-the-Date: On Sunday, November 17, we will be having a "Groups Fair" at Douglas UCC, immediately following our worship service.  Our church groups will be spread out across our church campus. Each group will have its own table, where they'll give out information about their group and have sign-up sheets for new members.  It'll be a great (and fun) way to raise awareness about all of our groups, as well as to get new people involved.

We are excited to be welcoming best-selling author Scott Stabile (Big Love) back to Douglas UCC on Saturday, November 2. Scott will be facilitating a workshop entitled, "Love Yourself Madly."  Scott says, "In this workshop, we are going to look at ourselves honestly and love ourselves madly. We'll learn how to shift our self-abusive thoughts into self-loving ones, and how to empower ourselves with our thoughts and actions. We'll shift the focus of our inner critics and turn them into our inner cheerleaders."  To learn all the details, cost, and registration, please visit www.ScottStabile.com.  Scholarships are available.

Click below to download the latest editions of our Pastor's Report and Church Council Minutes:

In this Sunday's Gospel story,  Jesus ministers to 10 people, but only one of them comes back to say, "Thank You."  Jesus is letting us know that gratitude is such a powerful spiritual tool with life-changing effects. Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM, as we learn how to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude."  Special music: Elizabeth Estes. Followed by our 2nd Sunday of the Month Potluck.

Wow! We are so very proud of our Douglas UCC CROP Walk Team who raised more than $3,700 at last Sunday's CROP Hunger Walk in Saugatuck/Douglas!!  We had more walkers and raised more money than ever before! Thank you to our team and to all who sponsored their efforts. The monies raised help fight hunger here in Allegan County and around the world. 

Please join us this Sunday, immediately following our worship service, for our 2nd Sunday of the Month Potluck in the Friendship Hall. Please bring a dish to share. We are also in need of one or two people to stay afterwards and help clean up. Thank you. 

We had such a wonderful evening on Thursday night, as we welcomed award-winning author, Frank J. Cunningham, to Douglas UCC to discuss his book, Vesper Time: The Spiritual Practice of Growing Older.  More than 20 people were in attendance for an inspiring discussion.

​Please join us on Wednesday, October 16, at 6:30 PM, as Dr. Shannon Connell of Neuropsychological Associates of West Michigan (and a Douglas UCC church member) will be speaking on "Healthy Aging: A Neuropsychological Perspective." This event is free and open to the public. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall if you plan on attending.

All are welcome to attend our UCC Grand West Association fall meeting on October 20 in Grand Rapids, but advance registration is required. Please let Pastor Sal know if you are interested in attending. You can email him at [email protected].

We are excited to welcome back best-selling author, Scott Stabile, to Douglas UCC on Saturday, November 2. Scott will be facilitating an uplifting and empowering workshop, "Love Yourself Madly."  Watch Scott's video below, then click HERE to register.

​THANK YOU!!
Thanks to all who contributed to last Sunday's special collection for the UCC's Neighbors in Need Fund. We collected $321, which our church will match for a total of $642 to help our church's wider mission. Thank you, as always, for your generous giving.

On the first Sunday in October, Christian churches of different denominations all around the world celebrate "World Communion Sunday."  This tradition began all the way back in 1933. Since then, the celebration has grown into an international day of unity.  It is a day when we break bread together and remember Jesus's words: "That they may all be one."  Special Music: Stan Greene.

This Sunday, we will be taking a special collection for the UCC's "Neighbors in Need" Fund.
"Neighbors in Need" is a Special Mission Offering of the United Church of Christ. Every year,  congregations have the opportunity to receive grants to continue work for justice, advocacy, and service to their local communities. We invite you to support this good work by donating to the "Neighbors in Need" Fund this Sunday, using the special offertory envelopes in the pews.  Watch the video above or visit www.ucc.org/nin for more information.

The CROP Hunger Walk is this Sunday. Thank you to our Douglas UCC Team (Chris Clark, Julie Ridl, Dan Mack, Beverly Hawkes, Norm Capello, Mike VerMerris, Wendy Hamlin) for walking and thank you to all who have sponsored them. You can still sponsor our team at www.crophungerwalk.org/douglasmi/ducc

September 29:  Attendance: 120   ​Collection Plate: $945.39    Online Giving: $1,307.66     ​ Retreat House Use: $750       Friendship Hall Use: $360       Total: $3,363.05
     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.