In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
Second Sunday of Easter:
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Last Week's Service -- Easter Sunday
This Week, Welcome Mark Johnston
This week, our church council moderator Mark Johnston will lead us in service. Mark works from home when he isn't commuting to Europe in support of his Customer Care team at the Finland-based finance software company he helps to lead. Mark was ordained in the Nazarene Denomination, and served as a youth pastor before he was rushed out the door when he came out as a gay man. He holds a JD from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. He is a proud papa of four kids, one of whom, Luke, passed away at age 8. He has been married to Jeremy Lund for 10 years. He and Jeremy began attending DUCC remotely from Chicago in 2017, and became members in 2019 after moving here.
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Thank You Art Guild
Easter Memorials
Laura Nyenhuis, Linda Smith, Nadine Sicard, Bruce & Vivian Garlinghouse, Buzz & Betty Ridl, Sidney Stallinga, Shon Stallinga, James & Emma Brady, William & Margaret Clark, Larry Ledebur, Laird J. Stuart, Daniel (no last name given), Bill & Nancy Gordon, George Barfield, Bob Orlikowski, Effie & Luke Burnett, Shirley McKee, Margaret Geen, Hazel VanderShaaf, Balei Chinski, Robert Black, Glenn & Mary Lee Trenary, Paul Murphy, Susan Hayes Kelly, Pat & Frank Norman, Claudia & Stanlee Greene, Grady Lundgren, Frank & Anna Muellner, Jim Shewell, Richard Graham, Ester Jorgenson, Louise & Phillip Gilmer, Florence Raywood, Lucila & Everett Lynch, Barbara & Bill Mueller, Ken Schultz, Bullah Hamlin, Rick Hamlin, Joan Hamlin, Barbara Snow, Sterling Snow, Thomas Donvan Sr., Margot & Bob Riddle, Dr. Michael Condron, Rick Hamlin, Bud & Jane Charvat, Shirley Lawson, Fred Sellers, Barbara & Bill Mueller, Luella & Everett Lynch, Kyle McCammon, Tom & Vera Fahlstrom, Ann Fahlstrom & Carol Mills, Dr. Terry Chappell & John Davis
Welcome Our Interim Pastor, Rev. Jody Betten!
When I joined a Reformed Church in America congregation, the little girl calling came rushing back. I earned a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, and was ordained in the RCA in 1996. I subsequently spoke up for a minister and seminary professor who officiated at the wedding of his daughter to her wife and was brought up on heresy charges (which were settled with an admonition by the local judicatory which held my credential). I found a spiritual home in the United Church of Christ in 2012, when I received Privilege of Call and never looked back.
I served large churches in a mostly white Chicago suburb and in the city of Grand Rapids, as well as a small church in a black suburb of Chicago. I served as Director of Church Relations for World Vision in the Chicago office. I planted a new church in Traverse City, which is partnering with Habitat for Humanity and was the associate conference minister for the up north churches. I served as an Intentional Interim for four churches (East Lansing, Elkhart IN, Rochester MI, and Charlotte MI) and two associations (Grand West and South West) in the Michigan Conference, UCC. I've been an associate, solo, and co-pastor. I have also worked as a coaching consultant for pastors and have provided workshops for churches. While I've been around the pastoral block, so to speak, my favorite work is what I am doing currently as an Intentional Interim Minister.
I’m married to my best friend, Dan Plasman, who is also an ordained minister (and was co-conspirator in the heresy charge). We were married in Assisi, Italy. We love to travel like the locals and make new friends around the world.
I have three children and six grandchildren, 3 stepchildren and 7 step grands, and a 20-year-old cat named Bagiera.
Other interests include theater, sewing, reading, yoga, walking, and trying to keep my thumb green in our garden which is the yard of our Grand Rapids home. I love a provocative movie and a stimulating conversation. My greatest challenge is to ‘stay in the moment’.
What does Interim-ing Look Like?
Think about a decision to buy a new car or house. This involves a similar process. Being aware of the reasons why the current car or house are not working any longer is important. Understanding who you are at this time in your life, what your “why” is for buying, will help you to make choices that are going to work for the future. Assessing the specific needs you might have that are different from when you first bought a vehicle or a home will help to determine the specific characteristics of the new purchase. Making connections with those who can help you make your decision will also be important. Finally, keeping the end in mind, the vision for what you want, is critical to getting a good fit. These five considerations are even more important for a church in transition.
1 - The interim process has several distinct phases beginning with examining your history. Even if a settled pastor has a ten-year tenure that is filled with godly ministry and no complaints, a church changes in those years. Exploring those changes can help to identify the kind of pastor who can walk with you in the next era of ministry. This part of the process includes paying attention to the grieving process and naming things that have happened during the former pastor’s tenure that may not be obvious in explaining the changes that occurred.
2 - Articulating your identity, the “why,” of the church is the second phase of the process. Who is the church in the community? What would be missing if this church didn’t exist? What is missing in the community that this church has gifts to fill? Reconsidering core beliefs and values are part of claiming identity, just as your beliefs and values describe you as individuals.
3 - Assessing the systems and structures of the church is the next phase of the interim work. This has to do with leadership and power, what’s working or not, and why. A trained Interim can see things that church members enmeshed in the culture may not be able to see and can name them. When we regularly reassess, we become a learning organization that normalizes change for the better of the organization.
4 - Considering the connections of the church in the denomination and in the community is an important phase in the process. In the United Church of Christ, what might the denomination, conference, or association have to offer the local church that could be helpful? What gifts does the local church have to offer the broader settings? In the local and regional communities, the same question could be asked.
5 - Finally, a church going through the interim process will be prepared to articulate a vision for the future based on this work of self-examination. They will be able to imagine a mission that moves them into a future with hope and energy. A church that takes the time to walk through the interim process will increase their likelihood of finding a new settled pastor who can see their vision and mission and is gifted to walk with them into into the next era of ministry.
Welcome Luncheon for Rev. Jody:
A Feast for the Soul, Sunday, April 21
-Shauna Niequist, Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table
Beginning with a luncheon for our new Interim Pastor, Rev. Jody Betten, after church April 21, The Pastoral Relations Committee and the Spiritual Retreat Center Committee would like to welcome you, our beloved Douglas UCC family, to join us for a series of six "family dinners" of soup and bread and conversation, to be held in the Friendship Hall.
We offer you a respite, a sacred space, in which to commune with your fellow church family members and process both the shared loss and hope that have been part of our Douglas UCC journey.
So that we can more accurately judge quantities for both food and drink, please sign up for the dinners on the sign up sheet in the Friendship Hall.
Social Justice Team Presents: And They Were Wonderful Teachers: How the History of LGBTQ+ Teachers Informs Current School Battles, April 11 and May 31
Part 1: Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ, April 11, 7:00 p.m.
"They Were Wonderful Teachers: How the History of LGBTQ+ Teachers Informs Current School Battles"
Part 2: Saugatuck-Douglas District Library, May 31, 4:30pm
"The Fight Isn't Over": How the History of LGBTQ+ Teachers Informs Current School Battles"
Education historian Karen Graves will highlight elements from the history of LGBTQ+ educators that put our current school battles in historical context.
On April 11th she will discuss the most intense state purge of LGBTQ+ teachers on record, detailing the impact of the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee (1956-1965).
On May 31st she will discuss how LGBTQ+ educators across the nation turned to the courts to protect their jobs, beginning in the late 1960s.
In both talks Graves will discuss why schools have been fierce battlegrounds in the fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights.
Karen Graves is Professor Emerita at Denison University. Her book, And They Were Wonderful Teachers: Florida’s Purge of Gay and Lesbian Teachers, was awarded a 2010 Critics Choice Book Award from the American Educational Studies Association. In 2013 Graves received the Education Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Illinois. In 2015 AERA recognized her with its Queer Studies Body of Work Award.
Holland Chorale: Handel's Messiah, the Easter Portion, April 21
It's Not Too Late to Try Living the Questions!
Topics will include: Social Justice, Incarnation, Prayer, Compassion, and Creative Transformation.
Even if you haven’t participated in earlier chapters, don’t be shy: join us! The last section covers fewer than 100 pages, but offers an opportunity to dig into the beauty and mysteries of Progressive Christianity.
If you have questions, contact Linda by email.
Can You Support Team Donovan in MS Walk for a Cure on April 20?
Healthy Aging from a Neuropsychological Perspective, Online, April 13
Topics addressed will include the process of normal aging from a neuropsychological perspective, normal and abnormal cognition, healthy habits for a healthy brain, and tools for maintaining a vibrant mind/body/spirit connection. The positive impact of spiritual and physical practices will be explored. Discover ways in which continued enrichment of the mind and body may be maintained.
Participants have the option to meet In-Person at The Well or to join on Zoom
Registrants will receive Zoom sign-in information via email upon registration + a reminder the day before the program.
Dr. Connell has served as the Coordinator of Neuropsychology at Mercy Health’s Memory Clinic, Muskegon, MI for five years. She has maintained a private practice since 2008. Research areas include: cognitive health, resilience, and mindfulness-based meditation. Dr. Connell conducted a trial study for The Alzheimer’s Association in mindfulness meditation, resilience, and psychological well-being in caregivers of persons with dementia.
Creation Justice Team Notes
1. Dark Sky - Saturday, April 6, should be a good night to look for the constellation Leo and contribute to scientific research. Learn how here.
2. Birds - The discussion of A Wing and a Prayer went very well last week. Visit this web page to learn how you can make a difference.
3. Campus Landscaping - This multi-year project seeks to create easy-to-maintain spaces that remove carbon from the atmosphere, reduce our use of scarce resources, attract pollinators, and provide for contemplation and discussion. A core group has already met with Lake Effect Garden and Design and the full team will do the same on April 22. We expect to present a final plan to the Council in May and then share it with the congregation in June.
Grants Given
Interfaith Action of Southwest Michigan
Wishbone Pet Rescue
Prayer Requests
Birthdays & Anniversaries
12- Stan Greene, Ben Greene, 13- Bill Klatt, Jim DeVries
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.
Stewardship Drive
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $122,855.05
Thank you to all who pledged toward our Campus Stewardship Drive. Weekly Stewardship Drive totals are posted here and on the giant ‘thermometer’ poster in the Friendship Hall. If you have not received a pledge card, you can pick one up in the Friendship Hall. Or you can help us reach our goal of $275,000 by giving online here:
Financial Stewardship
Total Views for March 31 worship videos: 234
March Podcast Downloads: 3,177
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $2,852
Online Giving: $1,562.39
Total, General Support: $4,414.39
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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