Third Sunday in Lent

3/1/2024

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

This Sunday's Service -- Third Sunday in Lent: Messengers of God
Last Sunday's Service: Second Sunday in Lent: How is Lent Like Springtime?
This Sunday, Welcome Church Member Rev. Ginny Mikita
New AED in the Friendship Hall!
The Soul of Politics, March 10, 3pm
Nurturing Spiritual Connection Retreat, March 13
Congregational Meeting, March 17
CJT Book Discussion, March 27
Help Us Fill Our Easter Altar with Lilies
All Caregivers Invited: Tuesdays in March
Our Open and Affirming Pastoral Search -- Share this Page!
Spring Equinox Celebration, March 17
Soul Collage, March 9
Prayer Requests, Birthdays & Anniversaries, Stewardship Drive & Financial Stewardship

This Week's Service

On this World Wildlife Sunday, we celebrate our neighbors, the wild animals and plants, with special focus on the birdlife around us. Wild birds have much to teach us, especially about the state of our shared home. Rev. Ginny Mikita will lead us in service, with music by visiting pianist Daniel Tague and our Cantor, Jeff Spangler

Join us in person at 10 a.m., or live online on our YouTube channel.
You can download our service bulletin at www.Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin
Or right here:

order_of_service_march_3_2024.pdf
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Last Sunday's Service:
How is Lent Like Springtime?

Here and there are signs of springtime. Have you noticed? And these signs are inviting us to consider repentance --which is a main theme of this Lenten season --the way Jesus did. Spoiler: It is not the way we have usually been taught to think of Lent or of repentance. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we considered another way of thinking of and living them both. Message: Rev. Marchiene Rienstra. Music by visiting pianist Robert Edwards and Cantor, Jeff Spangler

This Sunday Welcome Church Member
Rev. Ginny Mikita

This Sunday, we welcome church member Rev.Ginny Mikita as our guest preacher. Ginny is an ordained Interfaith minister, a 1991 Notre Dame Law School graduate, and Center for Loss, Death and Grief Studies Certification recipient. She provides companion animal loss support services throughout West Michigan., She is a writer and speaker at gatherings of animal care and protection professionals, and officiates at Blessings of the Animals here in Douglas, and in sacred and secular settings. Ginny and her husband, Bob Kruse, have their own compassion- and social justice-based law practice in which they represent the voiceless: animals and those who care for them, neglected/abused and unaccompanied refugee children, transgender individuals in name change and other legal matters, and incapacitated and vulnerable adults.

New AED in the Friendship Hall!

In partnership with our local Fire and Rescue services, our Safety and Wellness team have installed a new AED unit in the Friendship Hall. KUDOS to the team and the installers, Kelly Wright, Wendy Hamlin, Demetrhea Terrien, Rich Marth, Pete Mueller, and Bev Hawkes.

The Soul of Politics, March 10, 3pm

We are honored to co-sponsor this important discussion, organized by our friends at Holland UCC, which will be moderated by our church member, Stan Greene. As our social justice committee explores the threat of "Christian Nationalism," to the future of our country and our church, this timely discussion is aimed to help us find the path forward for this election cycle and beyond.

Nurturing Spiritual Connection Retreat with Rev. Tere Krueger, March 13

This month, our friend Rev. Dr. Tere Krueger is offering a retreat at the Fetzer Institute's GilChrist Center, entitled "Nurturing Spiritual Connection: The Incredible Wisdom & Liberation of Forgiveness." This is an experiential retreat at Gilchrist Retreat Center on March 13 from 10-3:30, supporting healing, unleashing energy, and nurturing relationships, especially with oneself. A Sound Immersion with 5 people playing sacred Tibetan singing bowls will aid transformation. Learn more about it and see instructions for registering by dowloading the flyer, below.

tere_gilchrist_retreat.pdf
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Congregational Meeting, March 17

Our Church Council will hold a Congregational Meeting on March 17, after church at 11:30, in the Friendship Hall and online via Zoom. All church members are encouraged to attend. Council will be updating us on interim plans, campus projects, budget and other items. If you wish to attend the service online, please email Julie Ridl for the Zoom info. She will add you to her Zoom list, and will send out instructions for joining us and joining in when we get close to the meeting date.

CJT Book Discussion, March 27

The Creation Justice Team (CJT) is partnering with Saugatuck-Douglas District Library to offer an open discussion of A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal on Wednesday, March 27 at 7:00 pm at the Saugatuck District Library meeting room.

The church has a limited number of copies of the book for sale at $10 (half the Amazon price). Contact Chris Clark OR borrow a copy from the library!

Three years ago, headlines delivered shocking news: three billion birds had vanished from North America over the past 50 years. That’s one-third of the population -- hummingbirds, crows, warblers, owls, sparrows and more! This book chronicles the race to save birds, as people struggle to overcome habitat loss, deal with climate change, and navigate urban hazards. The authors, retired journalists, traveled from Hawaii to Florida, Kansas to Ecuador to learn about stunning experiments, contentious politics, and groundbreaking technologies. The book offers hope, concluding with a list of dozens of things ordinary people can do to help.

Can You Help Us Fill Our Easter Altar?

On Easter Sunday, it's our tradition at Douglas UCC to fill our altar with Easter Lilies, offered in memory of our friends and loved ones. Can you help us accomplish this? You can order lilies (and tell us who they are in memory of) for $15 apiece either online, following the button below, or by using the lily envelopes in the church pews. After the Easter service, you can take your lilies home with you!

Order Easter Lilies Here»»

All Caregivers Invited: Tuesdays in March

Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

Retreat House - Tuesday mornings in March - 10:30 to noon

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.

If you are a care-giver, you are welcome to meet at the Retreat House on every Tuesday morning in March from 10:30 to noon. Come as you are (bring a sweet treat if you wish) and you will be welcomed with a hot cup of coffee or tea and an opportunity for caring and sharing.

No sign up needed. Our schedule as care-givers needs to be really flexible. Just show up when you can. Rev. Marty and other care-givers will be waiting to embrace and support you.

Our Open and Affirming Pastoral Search:
Please Share this Page!

Now that the Pastoral Search Committee has completed our church profile, we want to make sure it travels to everyone it should. And you can help with that! We are interested in all ordained pastors who are willing to become ordained in the UCC while serving our church. So the Pastoral Search Team has made a web page available for sharing our profile and what we believe about who we need to lead us. Feel free to share it with a pastor you know. Click on the button below and share this page!

The Pastor Page»»

Spring Equinox Celebration, March 17

Our dear friend, Rev. Ruth Zwald plans to hold an Equinox ritual on March 17 at her farm. Celebrating the day of balance between light and dark, and ritual prepares us to move into the season of light and growth. Spring is the season of new beginnings - and ritual allows us to take a moment to breathe and reflect. Gathering on the Sunday before the actual Equinox gives us time to prepare. Find the details to register in the graphic above, as well as things you would need to bring. You must RSVP if you plan to attend. Space may be limited.

Soul Collage, March 9

Rev. Ruth Zwald's next SoulCollage workshop is scheduled for Saturday, March 9 in the Friendship Hall. Ruth has had a great response to these workshops, and is now offering two sessions, a morning and an afternoon time.

The theme for this month is: Using SoulCollage® to Reflect, Listen and Grow. Through a gentle guided meditation, we learn and listen to what is stirring in our lives, and create a card or two that expresses those parts of ourselves. If you are an experienced SoulCollager, she will also be encouraging you to work on the Transpersonal suit of your deck. Instructions will be provided. It can be a surprising and insightful journey.

All the details are in the attached flyer. Please note the time options: either 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM or from 1-4 PM.

These workshops take a lot of preparation, so you must sign up in advance for this workshop by contacting Rev. Ruth directly by email: [email protected]

Prayer Requests

Debra Carr; Wendy Hamlin; Ann Hopkins; The Chappell-Wehle Family; Carol Brown and Dan McGavin; Dan Mack; David Miedema, his parents and family; Karl Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom's brother); John Kerr; Mike Mok; Dave and Shirley Lawson; Clark McMillion (Chris Clark's friend); Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Nancy Grib (Friend of Pamela Chappell); Stuart Family; Charlene Burdick (Paul Burdick's Mother); Diane Carr; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Mary Westenbroek; Brian Aikens; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son)

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays: March 4- Kathy Hartman, 5- Bruce Belich, 6- Ted Sommer
Anniversaries: Mary & Marcel Westenbroek

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

Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending February 25:
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $115,827.98

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:

Make Your Pledge or Drive Payment Here»»

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, February 25: 68
Total Views for February 25 worship videos: 301

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $486.00
Online Giving: $3,211.64
Total, General Support: $3697.64

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.