Fourth Sunday in Season of Creation

9/25/2026

Photo by OPPO Find X5 Pro on Unsplash

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

This Week's Service: Becoming Refugia
Jody, Dan & Claire's Office Hours This Week
Social Justice - SPS Family Support Drive, Big Success! Thank You All!
Neighbors in Need UCC - Advocacy & Justice Ministries
World Wide Communion Sunday, October 4
Blessing of Pets at Beery Field, October 4
Prayer Requests
Birthdays & Anniversaries This Week
Financial Stewardship
Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed
Last Week's Service: New House Rules
Church Calendar

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST NEWS

Michigan Conference Annual Meeting in Grand Blanc UCC, October 2 & 3
Grand West Association Prayer Circle, Park Congregational UCC

CLASSES

This Week Qigong & Tea Will be Held on Wednesday, September 30

COMMUNITY EVENTS

October is "SOUP-TOBER", Food Pantry Getting Ready for Winter
Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention in September & October
Out on the Lakeshore, Building Belonging All Year Long
DUCC's Afghan Family is Growing - A Used SUV/Minivan is Needed
Stand in Protest - Holland, Fridays from 12-1pm
Men's Coffee and Conversation

This Week's Service: Becoming Refugia

Photo by Sandie Clarke on Unsplash

As we wrap up Season of Creation, we risk the possibility that we feel we have done our duty, studied a bit, were challenged by what we learned, and now can go forward comfortably. And, we should remain uncomfortable until we see The Great Work of restoring creation to some semblance of normal; which means we have to continue to do our Little Work. This week we consider the messiness that occurs before the restoration can occur.

Please join us, Sunday at 10:00 am in our Sanctuary, online, live on our Youtube Channel.
Message: Rev. Jody Betten
Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler

DUCC Bulletin/Hymns September 27
File Size:	1664 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Jody, Dan & Claire's Office Hours This Week

Photo by Dan Plasman

JODY'S EMAIL

DAN'S EMAIL

For The Week of September 27:
Wednesday: 12-7pm, Jody & Dan
Thursday: 10-3pm, Jody
Friday: 10-3pm, Dan

Claire's Office Hours:
Tuesday: 12-4pm
Wednesday: 9-4pm
Thursday: 10-5pm (work from home)
Friday: 9-4pm

Dan and Jody each work half time. Some of their hours each week are worked in their home office. Some of their hours are spent in Douglas. Some of their hours in Douglas are in the office and some are in the community. If you would like to meet with one of them, please contact them directly by text or email to set up a time.
Jody: 616-706-3549; Dan: 616-828-2293;

If you receive an email from Jody or Dan asking for money, this is a scam.

Social Justice - SPS Family Support Drive
Big Success! Thank You All!

We are so grateful for your generous donations for the Saugatuck Public Schools family drive. We collected $2,740 for the SPS drive. This Social Justice Fund Raiser will go to assist the families of the students attending our public schools who face food or housing insecurity or difficulty affording gas.
We are still taking donations until the end of September. If you would like to donate, DUCC members can still donate cash or checks and note they are to be directed to the SPS (Saugatuck Public Schools) Family Support Fund. We will then use the cash and checks we collect to purchase gas and food cards. These donations can be placed in an envelope in the offering plate during the Sunday service or sent directly to the office.

We will deliver these cards to Superintendent Neidlinger at the end of September and he will distribute them at his discretion to families facing food insecurity or unable to afford gas.
We would also ask you to keep Superintendent Neidlinger and the SPS faculty, students and families in your prayers.

Neighbors in Need UCC Offering
Advocacy & Justice Ministries

There will be envelopes in the Sanctuary designated to Neighbors in Need offering. If you would like to donate please place the donation in the offering plate during Sunday service. You can also clearly label the offering for Neighbors in Need and send it, or drop it off at DUCC office.

World Wide Communion Sunday, October 4

Photo by Luke Hodde on Unsplash

Sunday, October 4 is World Wide Communion Sunday, when we celebrate our connection to the world-wide community of faith. In a show of our various traditions, we invite you to contribute a loaf of bread which represents your family or heritage in some way, for our Communion Celebration and Coffee Hour. Please let us know if you are available to contribute a bread for communion/coffee hour or a spread for coffee hour. Thanks! Jody, or Mike VerMerris

MIKE'S EMAIL

JODY'S EMAIL

7th Annual Blessing of the Pets, October 4

Photo by Krista Mangulsone on Unsplash

Blessing of the Pets
October 4, 2026 at 2pm
Located at Beery Field
8 E. Center, Douglas, Michigan

Please join us for the 7th Annual Blessing of the Pets on October 4, at Beery Field. If you are unable to bring your pet, you can bring a photo. Please make sure pets are leashed, or in a carrier for everyone's safety.

Prayer Requests

September 20 Service: Dean hospitalized in Florida, Dick Lucier's sister Janet whose cancer has re-activated, for those who suffer dislocation because of climate change, for long-standing trees that lived a good life and are eventually taken down, for the Native Plant Restoration Project that will appear soon at DUCC

Ongoing Prayers: Bill Klatt (Jim McHugh's husband); Hugo, Carmen & Hannah (Greg & Kris Sherman's family); Anne Hopkins and the family of Jim Hopkins; Bev & Orie Hawkes; Jenny O'Neal (friend of Laurie VanDenBelt & Shirley Lawson); Adelle Van Daalen and the Family of Jay Van Daalen; Charlene Burdick (Paul Burdick's mother); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart’s sister); Dave Lawson; Christine Kerney; Ruth Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom’s daughter); Mikey (friend of Ruth Fahlstrom); Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Ian Blumer (C. Blumer's nephew); Park Congregational UCC

Birthday's & Anniversary's This Week

BIRTHDAYS
September 28: Wayne Titus
October 2: Nan Belschner, Gary Nicodemus

ANNIVERSARIES
September 28: Bill Briggs & Jeff Chinski
September 29: Amy & Bill Stratbucker
October 3: Linda & Dick Riekse

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 Stewardship

September 20 Onsite Attendance : 80
September 20 Total Online Views: 116

Total Offerings: $4711
SPS Family Support Drive: $1,550
Native Plant Restoration: $200

Thank you!!
Your generous giving allows us to sustain our church community
and our mission of service in the world.

Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed

Photo by Briana Tozour on Unsplash

Remote sign up method for DUCC coffee hour volunteers.
The coffee committee is hoping to get more volunteers involved in staffing the coffee hour after Sunday services. Making coffee takes only about 10-15 minutes of your time prior to church, or helping with the cleanup can take about 30 minutes.
Once or twice a year, or as often as you'd like, helps to avoid burnout of the current volunteers.
You will be paired with a "buddy" to show you the ropes (and the coffee grinds!).
And now you can sign up remotely, from anywhere at any time. Easy peasy!

Many hands make light work. For any questions, please email Bert Hallewas
To sign up (or just to "look at") the remote sign up sheet, please click below,
or use the QR code:

BERT'S EMAIL

Last Weeks Service: New House Rules

Photo by Praveen Maleesha on Unsplash

Last Sunday Pastor Jody wondered about how the planet will survive and what we can do about it. Our Little Work, doing things like, getting to know our other-than-human kin, inquiring into how we can live more aligned with their flourishing, considering what actions we take cause more harm than good, and more, are invaluable in contributing to The Great Work of addressing the condition of our planet. Pastor Jody invited us to think of other creatures as our roommates on this planet, and therefore be more inclined to have their well-being in the back of our minds as we make decisions of life. We considered these options last week as we looked at the second creation story in Genesis. Watch full service and/or Jody's message.

FULL SERVICE

JODY'S MESSAGE

Church Calendar

Photo by Stacy on Unsplash

EXPLORE THE CALENDAR

UNIITED CHURCH OF CHRIST NEWS

Michigan Conference Annual Meeting
Grand Blanc UCC, October 2 & 3

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Grand West Association Prayer Circle

Photo by Maxwell Andrews on Unsplash

September - Park Congregational UCC Church

The Grand West Association Council of the Michigan Conference UCC
facilitates a prayer circle for all our churches.

Thank you for keeping Park Congregational UCC Church in your prayers.

PARK UCC

CLASSES

NOTE This Week Qigong & Tea on Wednesday, September 30 from 3-5pm

Qigong Winter Class
Wednesday, 3pm - 4 pm
Followed by Tea/Chat 4 - 5pm
Friendship Hall
Led by Kat VanHammen

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.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

October is "SOUP-TOBER"!

Christian Neighbors Food Pantry is getting ready for winter and would like to stock its shelves with canned soup for its clients.
For the month of SOUPTOBER (Oct 1-31)
Christian Neighbors is requesting donated cans of soup.
Soup can be dropped off at Christian Neighbors (6874 Wiley Road)
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday form 9:30 am-12:00 pm.
Many other drop sites are available in the community
including participating churches and the community sites below:
• Lake Vista Market, 237 W Center St. Douglas
•Saugatuck-Douglas District Library, 174 Center St. Douglas
• Blue Star Barns, 3483 Blue Stat Hwy, Saugatuck
• Saugatuck Public Schools, 401 Elizabeth St, Middle/High Schools Main Office
Financial donations are also welcome,
and can be made on the Christian Neighbors Douglas website, ChristianNeighborsDouglas.org

TO DONATE

Suicide Prevention Walks throughout Michigan September & October

INFORMATION & DONATION

Out On The Lakeshore
Building Belonging All Year Long

Out On The Lakeshore is a Holland-based LGBTQ+ nonprofit working to create a more inclusive, connected, and welcoming Lakeshore. While many people know us through Pride, our work happens all year through community programs, support groups, youth resources, education, advocacy, partnerships, wellness initiatives, and our Community Center.

A big part of our focus right now is building more sustainable community support through our League of Allies. League of Allies members are individuals (and businesses sponsor levels) who choose to support our work monthly at whatever level feels right for them. Even $5, $10, or $25 a month becomes incredibly meaningful when a whole community chooses to show up together.
If you believe in the work we are doing and want to help us keep showing up all year long, we would love for you to consider joining the League of Allies as a monthly supporter.

COMING SOON: We are also excited to be growing Neighbor to Neighbor, a grassroots initiative centered around a simple idea: neighbors have knowledge, skills, and resources that other neighbors need. Through upcoming Neighbor to Neighbor events, local businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, and community members will come together to share practical skills, make connections, and help people more easily find trusted resources.
If you would like to stay connected to what is happening at Out On The Lakeshore, we would also love to have you join our newsletter for updates on programs, events, resources, volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved.

Thank you for being part of a community that continues to make room for everyone.

JOIN LEAGUE OF ALLIES

DUCC's Afghan Family is Growing
A Used SUV/Minivan is Needed

A Used SUV is Needed. DUCC’s Afghan Family is a growing family of 6 and they have an immediate need for a larger vehicle than their Prius. If you are considering selling a used SUV at a reasonable price, they would be grateful to be considered. If you can assist, please contact Bob (312-636-7657) or Louise (847-800-4236) Kenny. Thank you.

Stand in Protest

The protests against Huizenga and the Trump administration continue each Friday from 12-1 pm at 170 College Ave., the corner of College and 7th in Holland. We need more to demonstrate, so please come join us as we continue to bring attention to the wrong doing going on in our country. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Men's Coffee and Conversation

DUCC MEN, JOIN US!
Men's Coffee & Conversation
1st and 3rd Wednesday @ 10am

New Dates: October 7 and 21
No Reservations
Blue Star Barns Coffee and Bikes
3483 Blue Star Hwy
Saugatuck, Michigan 49453