 America is the land of the free, but what does a life of spiritual freedom really look like? Are you truly spiritually free if you are bound by worry, fear, resentment, lack and limitation? Come join us this "Independence Sunday" as we explore liberation and spiritual freedom. Remember, we go to two services this Sunday: 9 AM and 11 AM. with coffee hour outside between the two services.   Last Sunday, we welcomed 20 new members to our church!! Welcome to Ian Mills & Foye McDonald; Ed Korson; Roye McDonald; Jeremy Lund & Mark Johnston; Dick & Linda Rieske; Maryjo Lemanski; Rose Marie Stevenson; Linda Koch; Gloria Larrieu; Patricia Denner; Emil Pulick; Mary Alice Townsend; Gloria Becksford & Katie Nucci; Brenda Marcy; Howard Roche & Russ Lamesfield. Our Douglas UCC Food Booth was a big hit at last week's first Douglas Summer Social of the season. Thank you to all who came by to show your support. We made $547 in donations. Thank you to all who helped with shopping, set-up, clean-up, grilling and selling: Annie Hotwagner and Marty Coffin; Gemina Petruzzelli; Larry LaBine; Peter and Kathleen Mueller; Gregg Smith. The next Social is on Thursday, July 25, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Beery Field.  Douglas UCC’s Creation Justice Team invites any of our neighbors who would like to help clean up the stretch of US-196 that hugs our cities and township to join us in our Adopt-A-Highway project to clear the trash along the highway. We have scheduled two cleanups this month: Saturday, July 13 from 9 a.m. to noon and Tuesday, July 16 from 4 to 7 p.m.. If you can help, please click the dates above or sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall.  Reception for Jeff: Our Director of Music, Jeff Spangler, is retiring from the Saugatuck City Council after 22 years of service. A reception will be held for Jeff on Monday, July 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Coral Gables Annex in Downtown Saugatuck. The public is invited. Cake and light refreshments will be served.  On Friday, July 12, "Lights for Liberty" marches will be held all over the country to protest the inhumane conditions faced by migrants and children in detention centers. A local march will be held in Holland at Centennial Park that day at 6 p.m. Make a sign and join us.    Jerry Coates (pictured left) will be teaching a weekly class on the "Bhagavad Gita," the ancient Hindu Scripture, beginning Tuesday, July 9, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Summerhouse Lavender Farm in Fennville, which is owned by our church members, Dan McGavin and Carol Brown. A love offering will be taken. For more information, please contact Jerry at 616-836-7705 or email him at peacejiva17s@gmail.com. Watch last Sunday's music & message:
Financial Stewardship Report:June 30: Attendance: 158 Collection: $1,699 Online: $1,269.91 Social: $547 Total: $3,515.91 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  June is Gay Pride Month, and this Sunday, we celebrate "Open & Affirming" Sunday in the United Church of Christ. Douglas UCC is proud to be among the first churches to become recognized as an Open & Affirming church, affirming the full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons (LGBT) in the church's life and ministry. Please join us this Sunday at 10 a.m., as we celebrate the spiritual gifts with which the LGBTQ community blesses our church family and our world. Thank you to all who helped out at our church’s booth at last weekend’s Holland Pride event: Greg Gerrans & Greg Harvath; David VanDyke; Cindy Winkler; Ruth VandenBosch; Philip Raywood; Max Brown & Doug Sipsma; Kirt Oliver; Bev and Orie Hawkes; Fred Hamlin; Gregg Smith; Wendy Hamlin and Freddy; Mary Browning; Foye McDonald & Ian Mills; Shirley Haaksma.  Peter Mueller (our Church Council Moderator) and Kathleen Mueller (our Retreat House coordinator and a member of our Pastoral Relations Committee) represented Douglas UCC at last week's UCC General Synod in Milwaukee. We are grateful for their service to our church. Click to learn more: UCC Synod  Pastor Sal will be taking a three-month sabbatical beginning in January of 2020. Between now and then, our Pastoral Relations Committee will be helping us to prepare for Pastor Sal's absence. They will be facilitating another "Sabbatical Feedback" session this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at the Spring Street House. This will be an opportunity for you to learn more and to share your ideas, too. All are welcome.  “Adopt-a-Highway” Clean-Up- Please help us clean-up the highway next month. We will be going out two times: Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. till noon, and Tuesday, July 16, from 4 to 7 p.m.. Please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall if you can help. Thank you to our church’s Creation Justice Team for facilitating.
Thank you to Leith Letcher and Jim Shewell for planting the zinnias in front of the church, and thank you to Gemina Petruzzelli and Dick Bont for the new plants in the Memorial Garden.  We will be going to two Sunday services this summer: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We will begin on Sunday, July 7, and end on Sunday, September 1. Coffee Hour will be held outside in front of the church between the two services.  From our church members, Dan McGavin and Carol Brown, owners of the Summerhouse Lavender Farm: "The dreaded Polar Vortex took out over 400 of our lavender plants. We are replanting this year and are holding events July 20-21 and August 17-18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $10 Admission. Learn about lavender and the best techniques for successful planting. We will discuss culinary lavender and include recipes and sample of lavender infused lemonade, shortbread cookies, and a lavender-lemon salt spice for outdoor grilling." Learn more HERE.  Enjoy Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:June 23: Attendance: 118 Collection: $2,465 Online: $2,607.16 Total: $5,072.16 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  In this Sunday's Gospel Message (Luke 8:26-39), Jesus heals a man possessed with demons. How do we as Progressive Christians make sense of this story? How do we understand terms such as "demons," "devil," and "hell" from a metaphysical perspective? Come join us this Sunday as we explore these questions together and uncover what a life of "Spiritual Freedom" really looks like when we are truly liberated from the bonds of the ego. Special Music: Stan Greene sings "You Will Be Found," from the musical, Dear Evan Hansen. Thank you to all who attended our church's Annual Meeting last Sunday. Our Church Council and Committees presented us with updates; Pastor Sal recognized the outgoing Council members (Karen Clark, Mike Boston, Greg Plowe); and new Council members (Gemina Petruzzelli, David Geen, Beverly Hawkes) were affirmed. Thank you to our Church Council moderator, Peter Mueller, and all who presented: Will Gervais, Julie Ridl, Mary Fechtig, Mike Boston, Glynis Whitcomb, Greg Sherman.  As was announced at the Annual Meeting, Pastor Sal will be taking a three-month sabbatical beginning in January of 2020. Between now and then, our Pastoral Relations Committee will be helping us to prepare for Pastor Sal's absence. All are invited to one of three listening sessions the PRC will be facilitating this month. These "Sabbatical Feedback" sessions will be an opportunity for you to learn more and to share your ideas. The sessions will be at the Spring Street house on Sunday, June 23, at 11:30 a.m.; Wednesday, June 26, at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 30, at 11:30 a.m.. Please sign the sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend.  Thank you to Larry Fuerst (our Church Council Trustee) and Sue Scott for purchasing an AED for our church, and thank you to Tony Shippa for leading us in an AED/CPR Training.  TOMORROW!! Saturday, June 22 is Holland Pride. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Centennial Park in Holland. Our church will have a booth there. Please come out and join us for all or part of the day as we show our support for the LGBTQ community.
 You can still contribute to 4 Paws Lakeshore's 2019 Hearts Project. Learn more HERE.  We will be going to two Sunday services this summer: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We will begin on Sunday, July 7, and end on Sunday, September 1. Coffee Hour will be held outside in front of the church between the two services.  TONIGHT! PFLAG Holland/Lakeshore June 21 Meeting: We will view and discuss Stonewall Uprising, a documentary film about the Stonewall Riots in 1969. The gay rights movement traces its origin to these riots. PFLAG meets on the ground floor of Grace Episcopal Church, 555 Michigan Avenue, across the street from Holland Hospital. We will begin with a business meeting and support at 7:00 pm. After a time for refreshments at 7:50 pm, the film and brief discussion will begin at 8:00 pm and last until 9:40 pm. Bring a snack or dessert to share, if you can. Prior to the PFLAG meeting, Gender SAFE (Supporting All For Equality) meets 6:00 to 8:00 pm (note the longer meeting time), also on the ground floor of Grace Episcopal Church. This is a support group that is open and welcoming to all people who are or who love someone who is transgender or gender diverse (TGD). We also welcome those who are gender affirmative and who are interested in learning about the TGD community. Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:June 16: Attendance: 137 Collection: $4,220 Online: $803.54 Total: $5,023.54 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  This first Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, where we celebrate the three Persons of God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is one of the most fascinating - and controversial - Christian teachings. Come join us this Sunday as we explore the metaphysical meaning of the Trinity and its relevance in our contemporary spiritual lives. We will also be celebrating Father's Day. My, how we've grown!!As is our longstanding Douglas UCC tradition, each year on Pentecost Sunday we wear red and take a group photo. Our church has grown so much that we couldn't get everyone in one frame! So, this year, we took a group video. This church is on fire!  Our Annual Meeting is this Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Friendship Hall. Our Church Council, Investment Advisory Council, Facilities Team, and Pastoral Relations Committee will all be giving us updates, and the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will be presented for approval. All church members are encouraged to attend.  Douglas UCC was proud to be a sponsor of the "Summit on Race and Inclusion" this week at Hope College. Pastor Sal and members of our Social Justice Team (Karen Clark, Bev and Orie Hawkes, Dan Ryan) were moved and inspired by amazing speakers, such as Rudy Valdez and John Pavlovitz. Thank you to Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance for facilitating this event, and thanks to Grand Rapids Pride Center for the pronoun buttons, too!  KUDOS!! Thank you to Jim Shewell and Leith Letcher for planting the zinnias in front our church, again, this year. Leith and Jim do this every year for us, and we are so very grateful for their service to our church.  Jerry Coates (pictured left) will be teaching a weekly class on the "Bhagavad Gita," the ancient Hindu Scripture, beginning Tuesday, July 9, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Summerhouse Lavender Farm in Fennville, which is owned by our church members, Dan McGavin and Carol Brown. A love offering will be taken. For more information, please contact Jerry at 616-836-7705 or email him at peacejiva17s@gmail.com. 
 Saturday, June 22 is Holland Pride. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Centennial Park in Holland. Our church will be having a booth there. If you can work the booth for all or part of the day, please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall.  We will be going to two Sunday services this summer: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We will begin on Sunday, July 7, and end on Sunday, September 1. Coffee Hour will be held outside in front of the church between the two services. Enjoy last Sunday's music and message:
Financial Stewardship Report:June 9: Attendance: 129 Collection: $1,601 Online: $2,276.66 Total: $3,877.66 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  This church is on fire! This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost. Just as the apostles became filled with the flames of the Holy Spirit, we, too, celebrate the Holy Spirit aflame in our hearts. Come learn how we can kindle this flame in ourselves and in one another. We encourage you to WEAR RED to church this Sunday. After our service, we will gather together for our annual GROUP PHOTO in front of the church. After the photo, join us in the Friendship Hall for our 2nd Sunday of the Month POTLUCK. Please bring a dish to share. 
Douglas Pride: Photo SlideshowThank you to all who helped out at our Douglas UCC booth at the very first PRIDE event in Douglas last weekend: Stan Greene, Eric Lejeune, Gemina Petruzzelli, Alan Weathers, Peter Mueller, David Turner, Fred Hamlin, Brad Hopkins, David Bohn, Ed Korson, Annie Hotwagner, Marty Coffin, Gregg Smith, Gloria Becksford, Katie Nucci, Nancy Plantinga, Floyd Fleming. So many of our Douglas UCC members were also involved in the Pride Planning Committee and/or served as volunteers for the event. We are so grateful for their efforts. Happy Pride!  Our church’s Annual Meeting is going to be held on Sunday, June 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Friendship Hall. Our Church Council, Investment Advisory Council, Facilities Team, and Pastoral Relations Committee will all be giving us updates, and the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will be presented for approval. (Copies of the proposed budget are available in the Friendship Hall for review). All church members are encouraged to attend.   Saturday, June 22 is Holland Pride. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Centennial Park in Holland. Our church will be having a booth there. If you can work the booth for all or part of the day, please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall.  We will be going to two Sunday services this summer: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We will begin on Sunday, July 7, and end on Sunday, September 1. Coffee Hour will be held outside in front of the church between the two services.
Watch last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report: June 2: Attendance: 137 Collection: $1.312 Online: $1,257.94 Douglas Pride: $714.21 Total: $3,284.15 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  This Sunday is "Ascension Sunday." We'll hear all about Jesus' Ascension, and we'll also learn the path to our own personal ascensions. We'll also uncover the "12 Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening." We hope you can join us for an inspiring message and uplifting music as we celebrate Ascended Master Jesus and our own personal "Ascension Sunday." Special music: "Higher Place (Up Up Up)" by Nancy Plantinga.  Please join us TOMORROW, Saturday, June 1, at the first-ever GAY PRIDE event in Douglas! The event takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Beery Field in Downtown Douglas. Our church will have a booth there, serving hot dogs, chips, pop and water, and handing out rainbow wristbands. We hope you can come out for all or part of the time to help at our booth, or just to join us in the festivities. We especially need people to help with set-up. We'll be meeting in the Friendship Hall on Saturday at noon to start bringing things over to Beery Field.  Thank you to Hayden and Dylan who did an awesome job ringing the church bell last Sunday!  27 of our Douglas UCC church members were among those who packed Saugatuck City Hall this past Tuesday, as the City Council officially proclaimed June as LGBTQ Pride Month in the city. Saugatuck’s Mayor Trester presented the proclamation to Douglas UCC’s church member, Garnet Lewis, who spoke along with our own Fred Hamlin. You can watch the video: HERE.  Thank you to Dick and Barb Lucier for inviting the Men's Group to their home on Memorial Day.  The Saugatuck/Douglas MahJong Club meets in our church's Friendship Hall every Tuesday from 1 - 4 p.m.. Newcomers and beginners are always welcome. Contact Julie Ridl for details.  If you are interested in becoming a member of our church, we will be holding a New Members Class THIS SUNDAY, June 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 88 Spring Street, the house behind the church. All are welcome to attend. (If you would like to become a member, but are unable to attend the class, please email Pastor Sal at pastor@DouglasUCC.org).  Our church’s Annual Meeting is going to be held on Sunday, June 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Friendship Hall. Our Church Council, Investment Advisory Council, Facilities Team, and Pastoral Relations Committee will all be giving us updates, and the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will be presented for approval. (Copies of the proposed budget will be available in the Friendship Hall two weeks prior for review). All church members are strongly encouraged to attend.  Thank you to all who expressed interest in the AED/CPR Training. The class will be offered three different times: Saturday, June 15 from 9 -11:30 .a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 22 from 9-11:30 a.m. Please sign the designated sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend. The cost is $20. Upcoming:
Enjoy last Sunday's music and message:
Financial Stewardship Report:May 26: Attendance: 152 Collection: $902 Online: $1,332.44 Total: $2,235.44 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  Sunday's gospel reading (John 5:1-9) is all about the miraculous healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda. Are there really such miraculous places of healing? Come join us this Sunday as we explore the miracles in the gospels, and how we can, too, can experience miracles in our own lives. Special music by Elizabeth Estes.
Thank you to our Douglas UCC church members, Floyd Fleming, John Kerr, and Bill Kelleher, for beautifying Downtown Douglas this week.  Such a joy to celebrate the baptism of baby Kian last weekend at Douglas UCC!  June is Gay Pride Month. Please join us on Saturday, June 1, for the very first ever Pride event in Douglas! It will be held at Beery Field from 1 to 5 p.m.. Our church will have a booth there, serving hot dogs, chips, pop and water, and handing out rainbow wristbands. We hope you can come out for all or part of the time to help.  If you are interested in becoming a member of our church, we will be holding a New Members Class next Sunday, June 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Retreat House. All are welcome to attend. (If you would like to become a member, but are unable to attend the class, please email Pastor Sal at pastor@DouglasUCC.org).  Congratulations to the Lakeshore Community Chorus and its director, Douglas UCC church member, Nancy Plantinga, for such a wonderful Spring Concert last weekend. We're pretty proud of our Pastor Sal, too, for emceeing the event.  A member of our congregation needs weekly rides to/from doctor’s appointments each week. Three members of our congregation have already been providing rides for him, but would like to have a few more volunteers to help. For the details, please contact Cindy Winkler at winkler.cindy@yahoo.com  Our church’s Annual Meeting is going to be held on Sunday, June 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Friendship Hall. Our Church Council, Investment Advisory Council, Facilities Team, and Pastoral Relations Committee will all be giving us updates, and the proposed budget for the new fiscal year will be presented for approval. (Copies of the proposed budget will be available in the Friendship Hall two weeks prior for review). All church members are strongly encouraged to attend.
Thank you to all who attended our Visioning Sessions last week with the Mayotte Group Architects. More than 70 people took part in these discussions! Thank you for sharing your dreams and visions! And, thank you to our church’s Facilities Team for all of their hard work.  Thank you to all who expressed interest in the AED/CPR Training. The class will be offered three different times: Saturday, June 15 from 9 -11:30 .a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 22 from 9-11:30 a.m. Please sign the designated sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend. The cost is $20. Enjoy Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:May 19: Attendance: 112 Collection: $1,328 Online: $2,448.82 Total: $3,776.82 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  Proverbs 29 says, "When there is no vision, the people perish." This Sunday, we will be exploring the "Power of Visioning." Jesus, the prophets, and other great visionaries all understood this spiritual power and were able to put it into action. What is your highest vision for your own life and for the future of church? Come join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we vision, dream, and explore the "Spiritual Visioning Process" together.  Douglas UCC has hired Mayotte Group Architects to explore possibilities about the expansion of our church facilities. All invited to join us this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in the Friendship Hall for a visioning session with the architects. Come share your input as we vision our future together.  Thank you to everyone for such a lovely Mother's Day service. Pamela Chappell and friends (Gloria Larrieu, Nancy Plantinga, Mary Fechtig) performed the song, "O Mother God," and everyone received carnations thanks to the generosity of Stacy Honson and Dick Bont.  This week, members of our Douglas UCC Creation and Social Justice Teams met with Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn, director of Interfaith Action - SW Michigan Peace & Justice Collaborative to learn and collaborate. Thank you to Pennyroyal Café & Provisions for accommodating our group.  We officially welcome new church members just twice a year: once in June and once in November. If you are interested in becoming a member of our church, please sign the sheet in the Friendship Hall on Sunday or email Pastor Sal at pastor@DouglasUCC.org  Thank you to all who expressed interest in the AED/CPR Training. The class will be offered three different times: Saturday, June 15 from 9 -11:30 .a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 22 from 9-11:30 a.m. Please sign the designated sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend. The cost is $20. 
 Sunday Coffee Hour Treats for May 26 If anyone can provide coffee hour treats and help with set up and clean up on Sunday, May 26, please contact Karen Clark at kbclark@iusb.edu or call 574-276-1264.  Groovy! Our very own Pastor Sal will be emceeing this weekend's Lakeshore Community Chorus Concert “Oldies But Goodies,” a concert featuring music from the 50’s and 60’s with special guests, the Holland Windmill Barbershop Chorus. Performances are: Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 19 at 4 p.m. at the 1st Congregational Church in Saugatuck. Tickets are $20/Adults, $10/Students. Tickets available online at www.lakeshorecommunitychorus.org or at Scooter’s Café in Saugatuck.  Patrice and Stan Greene invite you to a reception celebrating the grand opening of The Vintage Bee Company, a boutique that represents a new life for the former Gerstner's Hardware at 6988 114th Avenue in Glenn. The event will be in the store on Thursday, May 23rd, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  TONIGHT: PFLAG Holland/Lakeshore Meeting: Cathy Wyatt, Great Lakes Regional Director for National PFLAG, will share with us some PFLAG trends across the US, including successes, challenges, and concerns. PFLAG meets on the ground floor of Grace Episcopal Church, 555 Michigan Avenue, across the street from Holland Hospital. We will begin with a business meeting and support at 7:00 pm. After a time for refreshments at 7:50 pm, the program will begin at 8:10 pm. Bring a snack to share, if you can. Prior to the PFLAG meeting, Gender SAFE (Supporting All For Equality) meets 6:00 to 8:00 pm (note the longer meeting time), also on the ground floor of Grace Episcopal Church. This is a support group that is open and welcoming to all people who are or who love someone who is transgender or gender diverse (TGD). We also welcome those who are gender affirmative and who are interested in learning about the TGD community. We hope you will join us!
Watch Last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:May 12: Attendance: 161 Collection: $1,527.25 Online: $1,601.94 Retreat House: $150 Total: $3,279.19 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  This Mother's Day Sunday, we will explore "God as Mother." Most of us grew up being told that God was a man, our Heavenly Father. How would our world be different if we viewed God not as an authoritative, judgmental male, but as our gentle, nurturing Heavenly Mother? Come join us this Mother's Day Sunday at 10 a.m. as we continue to explore the question: Who is God? Special music: Pamela Chappell and friends!  Join us this Sunday immediately following our worship service for our "2nd Sunday of the Month" Potluck. Please bring a dish to share. We are also in need of people who can stay afterwards and help clean up. If you can help, please contact Karen Clark: kbclark@iusb.edu  Pastor Sal and Peg Donohue presented a $7,500 check on behalf of the church to board members and volunteers of Ladders Of Hope Food Pantry in Fennville to pay for a new generator. Ladders of Hope is an all-volunteer non-profit that helps individuals and families in Allegan county with food assistance. Last year alone, they helped more than 6,000 people.  Thank you to our church's Social Justice Team for hosting author Anna-Lisa Cox last week. Every seat was taken in our Friendship Hall for Dr. Cox's inspiring presentation on 19th Century race relations in Michigan.  Kudos to one of our youngest Douglas UCC churchgoers, eighth grader, Hannah Huggett, who organized the first-ever recycling event at Tulip Time. Hannah was assisted by Douglas UCC members: Sarah Swift (pictured above with Hannah); Kathy Klage; Gail and Denny Babel; as well as by her sisters, Hailey and Molly Huggett. Hannah, you rock!!  The Artz & Gardenz Studio Tour is this Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Among the seven unique stops on the tour is Summerhouse Lavender Farm (owned by our church members, Dan McGavin and Carol Brown), where our own Mike VerMerris will be displaying and selling his artwork.  Great turnout this past Tuesday night for “Bee Informed" at Douglas UCC. Anne Marie Fauvel from the Bee Informed Partnership spoke to us about the honey bee population and what we can do to help them thrive. Thank you to our Creation Justice Team for facilitating.  Congregational Care is a ministry extended to all in attendance at Douglas UCC. This outreach offers rides to doctor appointments, light meals during an illness, and a member who is a nurse has offered to oversee bandage and tube changes when needed. Please do not hesitate to contact Cindy Winkler at winkler.cindy@yahoo.com if Congregational Care can assist you during your time of need. Congregational Care is always in need of volunteers to help with this ministry. If you’d like to be a part of the team, please let Cindy know.  Douglas UCC has hired Mayotte Group Architects to explore possibilities about the expansion of our church facilities. All involved in our Groups and Committees are invited to join us on Thursday, May 16, at 7 p.m. in the Friendship Hall for a sharing of ideas with the architects, and everyone is invited to join us on Sunday, May 19 at 12:30 p.m. for another visioning session with the architects. Come share your input as we vision our future together.  Thank you to all who expressed interest in the AED/CPR Training. The class will be offered three different times: Saturday, June 15 from 9 -11:30 .a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 22 from 9-11:30 a.m. Please sign the designated sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend. The cost is $20. Scholarships are available and observers are welcome to attend for free.  On Saturday, May 18, Margret Bazany, a Shamanic Practitioner and Douglas UCC church member, will be teaching an "Introduction to Shamanism" workshop in the Friendship Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The cost is $50. If you are interested in attending, please contact Margret at margretbazany@gmail.com
Lakeshore Community Chorus Concert- presents “Oldies But Goodies,” a concert featuring music from the 50’s and 60’s with special guests, the Holland Windmill Barbershop Chorus. Our own Pastor Sal will serve as the narrator. Performances are: Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 19 at 4 p.m. at the 1st Congregational Church in Saugatuck. Tickets are $20/Adults, $10/Students. Tickets available online at www.lakeshorecommunitychorus.org or at Scooter’s Café in Saugatuck. 4 Paws Lakeshore Benefit - 10th Annual “4 Paws” Gala is on Friday May 24, 2019 at Laketown Golf & Conference Center in Saugatuck. Benefits the Wishbone Pet Rescue Alliance. Tickets are $100 per person, which includes cocktails, dinner, and entertainment by Kelly Carey. This year’s theme is "Sonny & Cher.” Purchase tix: www.4pawslakeshore.org Enjoy last Sunday's Music & Message:
Financial Stewardship Report:May 5: Attendance: 144 Collection: $1,991.22 Online: $1,905.19 Total: $3,896.41 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. You can also give securely online by clicking ONLINE GIVING  This Sunday, we are excited to welcome MIKAH MEYER to Douglas UCC. Just this week, Mikah became the youngest person to visit all 419 national park sites in one trip. You may have read about Mikah this week in the Washington Post or watched his interview on the "Today" show. This Sunday at our 10 a.m. worship service, Mikah will be sharing stories about his journey, and he'll also be speaking about his spiritual journey as a gay Christian.  Last Sunday, Pastor Sal introduced our brand-new Douglas UCC logo. Designed by Meraki Social, the new logo symbolizes the expansion of our church's growth; our open and inclusive welcome; our open-mindedness to new ways of thinking; and our outreach far beyond our church walls. We are grateful to the team at Meraki Social for their talents and vision.  Thank you to all who helped clean-up the church grounds last weekend: Bud Baty, Dick Bont, Chris Clark, Jerry Coates, Anita Halcyon, Mary Harris, Bob Kenny, Dick Lucier, Peter Mueller, Jack Ridl, Sue Scott, Sarah Swift, Kristi Van Howe, Alan Weathers, Elinor White, Mike White, Cindy Winkler, Betsy York, Mark Zancanaro. And, thank you to Linda Charvat and Lazaro and Edward from Rosebay Nursery who planted new rhododendrons and azaleas.  Last week, Pastor Sal presented a $2,000 check on behalf of our church to the Sundance Center in Fennville to support Art and Horse Assisted Healing and Empowerment.  Thank you to all who expressed interest in the AED/CPR Training. The class will be offered three different times: Saturday, June 15 from 9 -11:30 .a.m. and from 12:30 to 3 p.m. and Saturday, June 22 from 9-11:30 a.m. Please sign the designated sheets in the Friendship Hall for the session you wish to attend. The cost is $20. Scholarships are available and observers are welcome to attend for free.  Douglas UCC has hired Mayotte Group Architects to explore possibilities about the expansion of our church facilities. All involved in our Groups and Committees are invited to join us on Thursday, May 16, at 7 p.m. in the Friendship Hall for a sharing of ideas with the architects, and everyone is invited to join us on Sunday, May 19 at 12:30 p.m. for another visioning session with the architects. Come share your input as we vision our future together.
 The Artz & Gardenz Studio Tour is Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Among the seven unique stops on the tour is Summerhouse Lavender Farm (owned by our church members, Dan McGavin and Carol Brown), where our own Mike VerMerris will be dsiplaying his artwork.
School Bond Meeting– All are invited to a coffee chat at Uncommon Grounds in Saugatuck on Monday, May 6 at 5 p.m. to ask questions and to learn more about the upcoming School Bond Proposal. Introduction to Shamanism: On Saturday, May 18, Margret Bazany, a Shamanic Practitioner and Douglas UCC church member, will be teaching an "Introduction to Shamanism" workshop in the Friendship Hall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The cost is $50. If you are interested in attending, please contact Margret at margretbazany@gmail.com Saugatuck HS Band Concert - Tonight: Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. at Saugatuck Center for the Arts. This is a fundraiser to benefit the band program. Tix are $27 and available at sc4a.org Potluck on May 12– Our 2nd Sunday of the Month Potluck is on Sunday, May 12 after our worship service. Please bring a dish to share. We are also in need of one or two people who can help clean-up afterwards. If you can help, please contact Karen Clark: kbclark@iusb.edu Financial Stewardship Report:Last Sunday, April 28: Attendance: 124 Collection Plate: $3,693.50 Online Giving: $1,037.94 Total: $4,731.44 Thank you for your generous giving which allows us to sustain our church community and our mission of service. Enjoy last Sunday's Music and Message:
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