In This Week's E-pistle, You Will Find:
This Sunday's Service: Everybody Loves a Parade
This Sunday begins Holy Week, the most sacred time on the Christian Church calendar. On Sunday, we will focus on two processions: one of cheers and palms (Jesus's procession into Jerusalem)...and one of jeers and pain (Jesus's procession to the cross).
Message: .Rev. Doug Petersen. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler Join us in person on Sunday at 10 AM, or live on our YouTube channel. Download Sunday's Bulletin here: 
Last Sunday's Service: Fifth Sunday in Lent: What Was I Made For?
In last week's scripture reading, we were reminded that the kingdom of heaven is with us, and within us, always. Please enjoy last Sunday's service when our church member Jeremy Lund, put our focus on the stories we tell, and how very much they matter. Message: Jeremy Lund, Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Paul Kearny, and special guest, cellist Keegan Young.
This Sunday, Welcome Church Member Rev. Doug Petersen
Our church member Doug Petersen is a retired Presbyterian Minister who lives with his wife Anne in their “Hobby House” (aka The Eternal Project) on the shores of the Kalamazoo River. Growing up in a small town in Minnesota, he was very active in sports, Boy Scouts, and church youth programs. A University of Chicago scholarship led to a college degree in psychology and a graduate degree in theology and pastoral care from the Divinity School. Following ordination he joined the staff of the Center for Religion and Psychotherapy of Chicago. Doug and Anne co-parented two children while developing dual careers. Anne’s offer as Professor/Department Head took them to Pennsylvania where Doug first pastored a rural Appalachian parish of three small churches, from which he then developed a pastoral counseling center in State College, PA. They returned to the Midwest where Doug resumed practice at the Center in Chicago while Anne traveled the world working for philanthropic, government, and academic organizations. In 2010 Doug retired as Pastor Emeritus after serving eight years at the First Presbyterian Church of Benton Harbor.
Looking for Church Council Candidates
Photo by Mark Pan4ratte on Unsplash
Two of our council members have served out their terms, and Council is now accepting nominations for two posts. We are looking for a new Trustee, who coordinates the care and upkeep of our campus, as Kelly Wright completes his term, and a Councilor-at-Large as Stan Greene retires from that position. Many thanks and blessings to Kelly and Stan for their amazing service to our church. If you are someone or know someone who might take on these important roles in the church, please let Julie Ridl know.
Pastoral Search Committee Report
This Past Sunday, at our Congregational Meeting, the co-leads of our Pastoral Search Committee, Jeff Spangler and Greg Sherman, shared this report on the committee's work and plans with the Congregation... You can read it here, or download a copy from the link below, for printing...
DUCC SEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT Congregational Meeting March 17, 2024 The Search Committee The Search Committee, originally consisting of 7 members—now 6, was chosen by the church council and represents a cross section of the congregation. The committee members are Bill Briggs, Ginny Makita, Phill Raywood, and Kirsten Stannis with Greg Sherman, and Jeff Spangler acting as co-chairs. The purpose of the Search Committee is to find the next pastor using the Search and Call process as established by the United Church of Christ. The committee works independently, under the guidance of our UCC conference minister Lawrence Richardson. The deliberations of the committee and the identities of the candidates are confidential. The Church Profile The first part of the committee’s work is to write a church profile which is a document that is posted on the United Church of Christ website ,UCC.org, for ministers that are seeking a church. The church profile informs the candidate who we are and what we are looking for in a pastor. Any ordained minister may submit a profile through the UCC conference. The Listening Sessions The Search Committee held a series of three listening sessions in January. This gave us valuable information to add to the profile and to use as a guide when evaluating candidates to determine if they are a good fit for our congregation. In typical DUCC fashion, we had a total of 98 participants! The church profile and the listening session comments are posted in the E-Pistle here on our church website. Please take the time to read these. You will find a lot of great information that you might not have known about our church! A Different Process It was recommended—but not required—that we interview UCC candidates first and if that pool of candidates was exhausted, non-CC candidates should be considered. At our first meeting we decided that we would consider UCC and non-UCC on an equal basis, and if chosen, they must agree to become ordained in the UCC. The reason being, that our beloved Pastor Sal Sapienza came to us as an interfaith minister and quickly fulfilled the UCC ordination requirement. And we all know how that turned out! What’s Happening Now? Soon after the profile was posted, we received nine ministerial profiles from pastors who expressed interest in our church. The search committee got to work evaluating the profiles to determine which ones we would like to interview. First would be a Zoom interview or interviews, and then a personal interview if we decide we want to hear more from them. We are now in the interviewing stage for the first group of candidates. This week we received an additional five candidates. Search Committees may choose to move forward with a profile, keep it in reserve, or end consideration of a profile. If we decide to advance a candidate further, we have the option of holding a neutral pulpit, which is where a candidate gives a sermon/homily at a Sunday service at a nearby third-party church that the committee members attend. Another option is a private pulpit held at our church but only for the Search Committee. The Final Steps If the search committee selects a final candidate, the church will host a Candidating Weekend. This is an opportunity for various groups in the church to meet the final candidate and for the whole congregation to experience a Sunday service with the candidate leading and giving a homily. Throughout the weekend, the Search Committee takes the lead in presenting the candidate as a match to the vision expressed in the Local Church Profile. The final event of the Candidating Weekend is a congregational vote on the candidate by members in attendance after the Sunday Service, conducted by the Church Council in accordance with church bylaws. If the congregational vote is affirmative, the candidate will accept the call and become our pastor. The Big Question The big question is: When will we have a new pastor? The answer is: we don’t know yet. We could choose someone out of the first group of candidates which would make it a very short process, or we might decide that none of these candidates are a good fit for us and then wait for more to come in. We know there is a new pastor for us. With the help of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the support of this wonderful congregation, we will get there! Our interim minister will help us. Please keep the search committee in your prayers. Your attendance on Sunday, continued involvement in our many programs, and your viewership online helps us so much in this time of transition. Remember: These things and greater you can do!
Bakers Welcomed: Communion Unleavened Bread Bakers
For many years, our church member and friend Elaine Troehler has baked the unleavened bread for our communion service. She has decided it is time to hand this good work over to one or more people in the congregation, and is happy to teach anyone willing to perform this service for the church, alone or as part of a team of bakers. There is a sign-up sheet in the friendship hall for those who wish to learn to bake our communion bread. Let us know if this is you, and we will find a date for our Unleavened Bread class.
Caregivers Support Continuing, Tuesdays through May
photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash
Tuesday mornings through May: 10:30 to noon at Retreat House
If you are actively caregiving a loved one, you are welcome to meet at the Retreat House every Tuesday morning through May from 10:30 to noon. Come as you are, and you will be welcomed with an opportunity for caring and sharing. Caregiving for a loved one is challenging work - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Often, the only person who can offer understanding and support is another caregiver. Someone who can share experience and learning, and give us strength to continue our journey. We can be that support for each other. No sign up needed. Our schedule as caregivers needs to be really flexible. Just show up when you can. Rev. Marty and other caregivers will be waiting to embrace and support you. Also: Caregivers Lunch at Evergreen Commons! Tuesday, April 2nd at 12:30 Following our Caregivers Support meeting on Tuesday, April 2nd, our group will travel to Evergreen Commons in Holland to share a lunch of fellowship. A representative of Evergreen Commons will be on-hand to answer questions about their mission and programs. There will be an opportunity to take a tour, if interested. What is Evergreen Commons? Evergreen Commons is a nonprofit community center serving Ottawa and Allegan counties. Evergreen provides services to clients in their home, including respite and homemaking. Services located at Evergreen’s campus include adult day programming, and a senior recreational center. For more information, contact Rev. Marty at: [email protected] Can You Support Team Donovan
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