 In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Week's Service: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Photo by Kalea Morgan on Unsplash Increasingly we’ve become a punitive country. The only religion that matters is a mean-spirited brand of Christianity. White males are self-appointed gatekeepers. Any lifestyle beyond a heterosexual one is deemed perverse. Women can’t be trusted to control their own wombs. Every non-white immigrant is a threat. Close our borders now! More guns than US citizens. All of this is part of the ethos of Christian Nationalism. My message this coming Sunday seeks an alternative way of being: “What’s A Church To Do In A Culture of Contempt?” We hope you can join usl Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/live/UPOVvUXoXhg Message: Rev. Dan Plasman Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler You will always find our latest church bulletin and service music at Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin 
Last Week's Service: Third Sunday after Epiphany We probably can all remember when someone was Jesus in our lives; an encouraging word when we feel defeated, a cup of soup when we're sick, a hug when we're sad, a kind word when we've been rejected, a literal life saver when we're at our wits' end. But can you remember a time when someone was Jesus for you, and you wanted to "throw him off a cliff"? (Figuratively speaking?! ) A time when someone told you a truth that you didn't want to hear, but it changed your life? A time when you were confronted about your behavior that opened your eyes? A time when someone else's behavior demonstrated an appropriate path that you never imagined you could follow? Our story this week is about Jesus -- hometown boy makes good. Then there is an abrupt turn. The people want to throw him off a cliff. Join us to find out about how this cliffhanger relates to our story! Jody and Dan Office Hours For the week of Febuary 3, Dan and Jody will offer office hours on Thursday from 2 to 8pm and Jody will have office hours on Friday from 10am to 3pm. Call ahead for an appointment, please. 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. 🎶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. Let's Get Windy! Let's Explore 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 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. We will share news of location soon. Sign up to join in, in the Isabel Graham Center, 5:30pm on Thursdays this month. NEW: If you would like to do more exploring of this topic, we are compiling 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 knowe lost the Christian Nationalism Book Read announcement last week.
Peanut Butter Drive, January 24 through February 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. Are You A Quiet Contemplation Wannabe? Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash Are you a contemplative prayer wannabe? Have you tried to meditate, but just can't quite get it? Are these times we are living in making your mind tired, or fuzzy, or afraid? Do you just need a place to sit in stillness by yourself sometimes? Our Thursday night services are made for all of these situations -- a perfect way to start or build on your contemplative skills, or anchor your contemplative practice in our lovely old sanctuary, among loving souls. Always open to everyone, wherever you are in life. Just come as you are, or learn more by reaching out to our church member Paul Burdick. 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); Stuart Family; Mary Westenbroek; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother) Birthdays & AnniversariesBIRTHDAYS: February 3: Jeff Chinski February 4: Jim Codman Frebruary 5: Beth Stallinga February 8: Linda Knieriemen ANNIVERSARIES: February 2- Scott Bryers' Liver Transplant! 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, January 26: 78
Total Views for January 19 worship videos: 115 Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $2,299.00 Online Giving: $1,779.89 Total, General Support: $4,078.89 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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