 George Garawun (Djinang [Aboriginal Australian], 1945–1993), Calling the Disciples, natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark, Maningrida Church, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Source: The Bible Through Asian Eyes, p. 93. In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Week's Service: Don't Swamp the Boat Photo by Amir Hosseini on Unsplash What in your life has surprised you so much that you wanted to pretend it didn’t happen? You’re just going about your business, perhaps literally, when, WHAM! the unimaginable happens. Do you jump to seek an explanation? Do you just want to forget it happened, go back to yesterday? Do you revel in the opportunity? Do you want to lash out at the presumption? We all have our gut reactions to the unexpected. “The miraculously unexpected can turn skeptics into believers” (Dexter Morgan in Dexter) How does such an event affect your "thrown" way of being? What does it take to go forward from that point? There is a story in the gospel of Luke (chapter 5) about people whose world was rocked when they first encountered Jesus. They became Jesus’ followers and friends. Join us as we consider the implications of this story for us today. Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/VYaysly9md8 Message: Rev. Jody Betten Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler You will always find our latest church bulletin and service music at Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin 
Last Week's Service: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany How do we do church in an increasingly punitive country? How do we do church when church itself, as we know it, is threatened? Last Sunday Dan gave us an alternative way of being in and gathering strength and courage for this time. Here is his homily, “What’s A Church To Do In A Culture of Contempt?” Jody and Dan Office Hours
🎶A Note from Your Music Team 🎶  This month, we honor Black History through the rich tradition of African-American spirituals, gospel songs, and hymns rooted in Black history. Born from resilience and hope during times of oppression, these songs carry the legacy of a people’s faith, struggle, and triumph. As a congregation, we sing these hymns to celebrate the profound contributions of African American culture to our shared spiritual heritage. Through this music, we embrace empathy, understanding, and unity, allowing its timeless beauty to connect us more deeply to one another. We invite everyone who would like to sing these spirituals to pick up a service music booklet, available at the front of the church next to the large-print editions. These booklets feature harmony parts, echoes, and call-and-response sections to sing along with our song leader. They are printed in larger fonts with bolded lyrics, providing a more accessible option for those who may find the regular program text challenging to read. For Black History Month: A Labor of Love and Justice," All Saints, February 12, 6:30pm Our friends at All Saints Episcopal in Saugatuck are honoring Black History Month in partnership with Lily of the Valley Church in Covert, welcoming their Praise Choir and Dancers to All Saints’ for a Black History Month celebration on the evening of February 12. In addition wonderful Gospel music, Pastor Daryl Williams and congregant Dorothy Sherrod will offer some remarks that evening about the role of African Americans in the U.S. labor movement—the theme that has been identified for this year’s Black History Month.This event is part of All Saints' “Crossroads of Healing” initiative, events exploring the intersections of spirituality, social justice, and the arts. All Saints invites all of us to attend and help spread the word: All are welcome! Call to Courage, February 16 Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash We find ourselves in a time of tremendous uncertainty. Our daily feeds are filled with unsettling news. Many of us feel fear about the next era in our country and what may come. Here in our church we are entering a new season of leadership and direction. For many, the wellbeing of family and friends weighs heavily on our minds. In moments like these, it's easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure about the path ahead. To help us navigate this challenging time with strength and purpose, we are excited to offer "A Call to Courage," a program inspired by Brene' Brown's acclaimed Netflix special. We are invited to explore what it means to live courageously by embracing vulnerability and facing challenges with authenticity and resilience. We'll reflect on such questions as:
Our gatherings will include group discussions, practical exercises, and moments of reflection, all designed to help us tap into our inner strength and build emotional resilience. It's a journey of learning to show up fully in our lives, not in pursuit of perfection, but in a commitment to authenticity, joy, and connection. Our first informational gathering will take place on Sunday, February 16 after the worship service. There will be substantial snacks. Then, we'll head back into the sanctuary to watch the Brene' Brown special. This is open to everyone, regardless of your familiarity with Brene' Brown's work. It's perfect for anyone looking to navigate life's challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and courage. Let's come together as a community to face this season with bravery, compassion, and connection. Please join us and invite a friend. For more information, please contact Jeremy Lund, or sign up in the Isabel Graham Center. Let's Get Windy! Exploring Wind Power Photo by Koushik Chowdavarapu on Unsplash The Creation Justice Team is sponsoring a Creation Justice Sunday on Feb 23 thinking about Wind as a Sacred Resource, especially wind as a resource to address climate change. If anyone has any experience or knowledge of using wind personally to defray household costs, we would love to hear from you! If you have any connection with the wind turbine initiative on the Great Lakes, we also would love to hear from you! Please contact Pete Wehle, Chris Clark or Jody Betten. Thanks! How To End White Christian Nationalism, Thursdays Our Social Justice Team invites everyone in the church, and anyone from the community to join our book read. The book is titled, How to End Christian Nationalism, by Amanda Tyler, and is available at your favorite bookseller. As background for the discussion, the SJT team points to two documentaries available to stream on Netflix called "God and Country," and "The Family," with the same theme. Discussions are held at the Isabel Graham Center, 5:30pm on Thursdays this month. NEW: If you would like to do more exploring of this topic, we have compiled a Resource Page with other books, articles, documentaries and podcasts. Here's a link to the live resource. If you can recommend other media to add, please let Julie in the office know.
February Peanut Butter Drive Photo by Maryam Sicard on Unsplash Our annual peanut butter drive for Christian Neighbors begins next week, January 24, and runs through the end of February. Please bring jars of peanut butter to the Isabel Graham Center or drop them off at Christian Neighbors. If you don't have time to shop and drop, please consider making an online donation to Christian Neighbors, so they can stock peanut butter for our hungry neighbors. Caregivers and Grief Group Photo by Pablo Merchan on Unsplash The CareGivers and Grief Support Groups have combined, (caregiving and grief go hand-in-hand, after all), meeting the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at the Retreat House at 11 AM. Rev. Marty is on a sabbatical, so our church member Wendy Hamlin will be coordinating the sessions in her absence. How to Know When We Cancel Services for Bad Weather
Prayer Requests Edie Plantinga (Nancy’s Mom); Jim Solazzo (Anne Hotwagner's uncle); Virginia Stuart; Family of Nancy Grib; Paul and Carrie (Julie Ridl's brother-in-law and sister); Dan McGavin and Family of Carol Brown; Rev. Marchiene Rienstra Family; Ann and Jim Hopkins; Janice Campbell children & grandchildren (Pete Wehle's friends); James Higgins (Friend of Shane Anderson and Michael Tuleja), Joe Scarpone (Friend of Tom Fahlstrom); Fred Hamlin; John Kerr; Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Mary Westenbroek; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother) Birthdays & AnniversariesBIRTHDAYS: February 9: Mason Gerrans/Harvath February 10: Libby Greene February 11: Kirt Oliver, Lin Wisehart February 12: Demetrhea Terrien, John Grib February 15: Loran Atkinson Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can reach out to one another. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory. Financial StewardshipIn-Person Attendance, February 2: 87
Total Views for February 2 worship videos: 193 January Podcast Downloads: 5,549 Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $972.00 Online Giving: $1,074.22 Total, General Support: $2,046.22 Thank you!! Your generous giving allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service in the world. Please consider giving online, which is easily done by texting your donation amount to 844-931-2849. |
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