First Sunday of Pride Month (Seventh Sunday of Easter)

5/28/2025

In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:

BEING THE CHURCH

This Week's Service: First Sunday of Pride Month
Last Week's Service: Ascension Blessings
Jody and Dan's Office Hours This Week
SEEING RED
Congregational Meeting June 29
Two Grant Committee Openings -- Is This Your Thing?
Media Mavens! AV Team Wants YOU!
UCC's Lily Grant for Intergenerational Services -- Let's Explore This!
Prayer Requests
Birthdays & Anniversaries This Week
Reports & Minutes
Financial Stewardship
Church Calendar

VOLUNTEERING & GIVING

Letters for Gaza
Closing our Cereal Drive -- Thank You For Your Generous Giving!
Next Week's Special Offering: Strengthen the Church

CLASSES

Qigong is back! Tuesdays at 3pm, Retreat House Lawn

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!

Sign Up Today: Pride Booth Volunteers!
Archiving Lesbian History: From Sports to Music, June 4
Pride Event: ACLU Legal Update and Funder, Kirby Hotel, June 5
Two Dana Nessel Events in Saugatuck/Douglas!
All the Pride Events in Saugatuck-Douglas
All the Pride Events in Holland.

MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS

Lakeshore Community Chorus Concert This Weekend!
June 14: No Kings Day

BEING THE CHURCH

This Week's Service: First Sunday of Pride Month

People who live outside of the dominant culture in our country have had to get by for too long. This includes, BIPOC (Black Indigenous and People of Color) and LGBTQI+ individuals, who we celebrate with the Progressive Pride flag during Pride month (and here at DUCC we celebrate them all the time!) This year, if you have been paying attention, you know that transgender folk have been persecuted more than most. Pew Research Center reports that 1.6% of adults in the US identify as trans or non-binary, and 5% of youth do. The ACLU reports that there are 496 active anti-LGBTQI+ bills currently being considered in the US. The Human Rights Campaign reports that 35% of trans teens live in states that ban gender affirming care. Why is it that politicians believe it is their business what someone's gender identity or expression is, and can discriminate against a person for deciding to make their gender identity and expression consistent? This Pride season we will focus on those who are (still) being discriminated against, celebrate who they are, and seek to bring justice where we can. Join us on Sunday mornings this Pride season. And this week, to celebrate our trans siblings.

Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel.
Message: Rev. Jody Betten
Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Lauri Donaldson
You will always find our latest church bulletin and service music at Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin

online_bulletin_june_1_2025.pdf
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Last Week's Service: Ascension Blessings

Last week we honored Ascension. In more than thirty years of standing in pulpits on Sunday mornings, Dan preached about the ascension of Jesus exactly once. The account of the ascension can be found in the last chapter of Luke’s gospel and in the first chapter of the book of Acts. Mentioning it twice doesn’t help us understand it any better. The disciples didn’t seem to get it either, at least not immediately. They went home scratching their heads. Actual fact or fake news? Either way there’s a lesson here. What Jesus was able to do when his feet were on the ground: heal the broken-hearted, feed the hungry, offer forgiveness, and much more, we as well are able to do because his message, his cause, the essence of who he was is very much alive. Last Sunday we, once again, ascended to the work.

Click the Dan pic above to enjoy the whole service, and the button below to watch his homily..

Here's the Homily»»

Jody and Dan's Office Hours This Week

For the Week of June 2:

Wednesday: Noon to 5pm
Thursday Noon to 6pm
Friday Noon to 5pm

For evening visits on those days, please call for an appointment.

*Reminder: if you need to see Dan or Jody, please make an appointment with them. Sometimes they are in Douglas but not at the office.

Please call to schedule an appointment:
Jody: 616-706-3549
Dan: 616-828-2293

SEEING RED

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, and you know what that means! It's the Sunday when we dress like a church on fire in all the shades of RED, and take a family photo.

So come prepared to say cheese-us!

Congregational Meeting June 29

Our Annual Congregational Meeting is June 29, 2025, immediately following the Sunday service in the Friendship Hall.

The agenda will include a vote to approve the budget for 2025-26, a progress report about capital improvements to the campus and the Campus Stewardship Drive, a summary of church activities in the past year, and a vote to install new members to Church Council, among other agenda items.

The current Council will present the following slate of three candidates for leadership positions on the 2025-26 Church Council:

Barb Witt, Moderator Barb brings expertise as an HR professional with a background in organizational development.
Wayne Titus, Treasurer Wayne brings expertise in financial management and best practices for fiscal responsibility.
Bill Briggs, Financial Secretary Bill brings expertise in education and organizational management.

DUCC is grateful for the service of the following Council members: Mark Johnston, Moderator (resigned and moved in March); Stacy Honson, Treasurer (2 two-year terms); Jim Kern, Financial Secretary (2 two-year terms); and Mike Mok, At-large (1 two-year term).

We sincerely hope you will participate in this important annual meeting of the congregation.

A Zoom link for the meeting will be provided to church members upon request. Just write to Julie to request the link before June 28.

We will be voting to accept the draft minutes from last year, posted below, and on new officers for the church, and our budget (which will be posted in the E-Pistle soon), with copies in the IGC, so all members' attendance is highly encouraged!

june_2024_annual_congregational_meeting_minutes.pdf
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Two Grant Committee Openings...
Is This Your Thing?

Photo by Micheile Hendersen on Unsplash

Our grant committee, which oversees giving Isabel Graham Fund grant monies to support the work of area non-profits, is looking for two new members. Could this be you? Read the post description, below, and email Committee lead Tim Lemanski if you are interested.

grant_committee_openings.pdf
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Media Mavens! AV Team Wants YOU!

Photo by Galina Nelyubova on Unsplash

Got tech skill? We need you! We need one more person to staff the sound booth (Hey if the pastor can do it, you can! Ask Pastor Dan about his experience!), and one more person to handle the video camera. We will train you! Cool kids team! Super important! Once a month opportunities! Please contact Chris Clark or Lewis Corbin for more info. These people get the best seat in the house every Sunday!

UCC's Lily Grant for Intergenerational Services -- Let's Explore This!

The Michigan Conference of the UCC has received a Lilly Endowment Grant to explore Intergenerational Services in Churches. If you are interested in exploring this idea for DUCC or have questions, please let Pastor Jody know (text 616-706-3549) with name and "Yes to intergen service" or email her at [email protected]. Thank you

Prayer Requests

Orie Hawkes; Tony & Stephanie (Wendy Hamlin's family); Maciek (Matt) Wozniak (Robert Fisher's partner); Family of Fred Hamlin; Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart’s sister); Dave Lawson; Chris Warner (friend of Pete Wehle); Ken Rans (friend of Pete Wehle); Rich Marth; Christine Kerney; Nancy Plantinga and her family; Dan McGavin and Family of Carol Brown; Rev. Marchiene Rienstra Family; Ann and Jim Hopkins; James Higgins (friend of Shane Anderson and Michael Tuleja), Joe Scarpone (friend of Tom Fahlstrom); John Kerr; Ruth Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom’s daughter); Mary Westenbroek; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's dad); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother)

Birthdays & Anniversaries This Week

Birthdays: June 1- Floyd fleming, 2- Dale Lower, 3- Tim Buszka,
4- Jane Grady, 5- Juniper Overweg, Lynne Snyder
Anniversaries: June 1- Marbara & Michael Flynn, Ginny & Bob Kruse, Dee Baker & Lin wisehart, Arturo Inda & Ed Korson

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.
Battling Power outage! Stay tuned!

Reports & Minutes

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

approved_church_council_minutes_apr-22_2025__1_.pdf
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Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, May 25: 98
Total Views for May 25 worship videos:

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,449.00
Online Giving: $1,572.35
Total, General Support: $3,021.35

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.

Church Calendar

Our Church calendar is online! Use it to look for space for your event, click on an event to get all the details, or copy an event to your own calendar software. So convenient!

When you have events to schedule anywhere on campus, scan the calendar for a spot, then contact [email protected] to make your reservation. Reservations are first come, first served. Email is best so she can keep track of requests.

To the Calendar»»

VOLUNTEERING & GIVING

Letters for Gaza

Here's an opportunity to add to our prayers for Gaza: A letter-writing campaign to participate in and share with your friends and neighbors. It's always a good time to demand action from our representatives. The power of now is joining in a national movement to do so.

Participate Here»»

Closing our Cereal Drive -- Thank You For Your Generous Giving!

Thanks so much for your generous donations of cereal, at our church and around the region! The collection ends Saturday. We so appreciate all your efforts to keep area kids well nourished all summer!

Next Week's Special Offering:
Strengthen the Church

This week you'll find envelopes in your bulletins for next week's special offering. Each year on Pentecost Sunday, we take this offering to show our shared commitment to people across the United Church of Christ to build up the UCC cooperatively. Conferences and the national setting equally share the gifts given by members and friends through their local congregations. The funds raised support leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations. You build up the Body of Christ with your generosity to this offering. As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults.

Give Online Here»»

CLASSES

Qigong is back! Tuesdays at 3pm, Retreat House Lawn

Photo by Sajad Nori on Unsplash

Once again Kat VanHammen will be offering Qigong at the backyard of the Retreat House on Tuesdays at 3pm. Qigong is a wonderful 5,000 year-old practice from China, very much like Tai Chi. It involves simple movements that build strength, flexibility, balance and well being. It also employs visualization, breath, and mindfulness to integrate the body, mind, and spirit and develop our felt sense of Interbeing. Class is one hour long and involves both sitting and standing practice although it can be done sitting if needed. There is a requested donation of $10 per class but for those of you on limited incomes, any amount will be gratefully received.

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!

Sign Up Today: Pride Booth Volunteers!

Community Pride month is in its final push of planning, and right along with it, our DUCC Pride Team. They are in search of folks to serve as our welcomers and representatives at our Community Pride event on Saturday, June 7. Signup sheet for booth shifts is in the IGC building. And the event calendar is up and ready for you to shake out your rainbow gear and make your plans to take pride in our PRIDE.

Archiving Lesbian History: From Sports to Music, June 4

ACLU Legal Update and Funder, Kirby Hotel, June 5

Featuring Jay Kaplan, the LGBT Staff Attorney from ACLU of Michigan. Attendees will gather to hear today's most pertinent issues, drawing from his extensive experience advocating for civil liberties, and at a time when many of those liberties are under attack. Cash bar and complementory hors d’oeuvres beginning at 5:30 PM, Jay at 6:00 PM followed by \fundraising dinner for the ACLU at 7:00PM in the dining room. The funder requires making a reservation for this event at Open Table.

Two Dana Nessel Events in Saugatuck/Douglas!

Michigan Attorney General is going to be Priding all over this month including TWO (2!) visits to Saugatuck-Douglas mid-June. Saugatuck-Douglas Indivisible will host her on June 16, in person and on Zoom. Register for this event. And we at Douglas UCC will be hosting her here on June 17 for Pride, in the IGC at 10am. Come hear from our Proud AG!

All the Pride Events in Saugatuck-Douglas

Hit the links for more and detailed pride events. It's almost time!

Local Saugatuck Douglas Pride events...
https://www.communitypridemi.org/#/

All the Pride Events in Holland.

Our neighbor Holland celebrating Pride events...
https://www.outonthelakeshore.org/holland-pride

MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS

Lakeshore Community Chorus Concert This Weekend!

A razzle dazzle of Broadway tunes from composers like Cole Porter, Steven Sondheim, and Rodgers and Hammerstein are currently in the works as the Lakeshore Community Chorus prepares for their spring concert, Saturday, May 31, 4 pm, and Sunday, June 1, 2 pm at First Congregational Church of Saugatuck, 296 Hoffman Street.

The chorus will sing about fascinating bosom buddies, who have loved and fought their way across the stage in Broadway musicals for decades. Celebrating friendship in word and song, they’ll share memories of friends we love, those who drive us crazy, and those we’ve lost.

Audience members are invited to submit tributes/shoutouts to best friends, old friends, and lost friends as they place their ticket orders through “BOSOM BUDDYGRAMS.” Tell your stories of enduring friendships and those that went awry, of birds-of-a-feather friends and unlikely matches as well. Share your thoughts on the importance of friendships in your life. Submitted stories/shoutouts to friends will be inserted in the concert program and posted as part of the décor for the concert.

Tickets for the BOSOM BUDDIES OF BROADWAY concerts and BOSOM BUDDYGRAMS are available through

https://lakeshorecommunitychorus.ludus.com/ Adults $20, Students $10. Buddygrams $5

June 14: No Kings Day

Have you been hearing the buzz about the No Kings protests scheduled for June 14? Because our country doesn't do kings?

It's happening. Everywhere, all at once. There is a protest scheduled in Holland at 2pm, Centennial Park, hosted by Indivisible.

Or find one closer to you on this map, searchable by Zip Code. You'll have a whole lot of protests to choose from.

These protests are being sponsored by a very many organizations. Here's the list.