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In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Week's Service: Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit
Photo by Nik Shuliahin □□ on Unsplash
In a series of reflections in the months of October and November, we will be considering a teaching of Jesus called The Beatitudes, in which he describes people who are blessed or favored by God. For this week, the "poor in spirit" are favored. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Who are these favored ones? Join us as we explore this, considering the story of a rich man and Lazarus, a man whose name means "one whom God helps."
*Please note that we will add the Prelude back into the service -- some beautiful music before the ringing of the bells and the lighting of the candles. Please feel free to greet one another, especially the guests among us as they enter the sanctuary. And also please be sensitive to those who want to sit quietly while preparing for our time together. Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel Message: Rev. Jody Betten, Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler Download this week's E-Bulletin to follow along with our YouTube service. 
Last Week's Service: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: How Does Community Sustain Life?
The book of James (Ch 5) gives suggestions for what to do when things get dicey. But James didn't know about compassion fatigue and burnout and climate change and mental health trauma and ACES scores. The Gospel reading suggests cutting off the body part that causes the trouble - your heart? your energy? your car? your history? Not very practical! What can we draw from James' suggestions of prayer, singing, confession, connecting with the weather, anointing, touch, reconciliation? Join us on Sunday for some practical suggestions of the value of these things for today. Message: Rev. Jody Betten, Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler
Pastor Jody's Office Hours
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For the Week of October 7..
Wednesday: 10am - 3pm Thursday: Noon - 6pm Friday: 10am - 3pm For the Week of October 14... Wednesday: 10-3 Thursday: 10a - 8pm Friday: 9am - 5pm Well It's Happened Again: Another Scammer Found Our Church
If you've lived online for more than a few minutes, you will be familiar with the concept of "phishing." But if it's new to you, or you need a refresher (who doesn't?), attached below is an excellent primer from CISA, our U.S. agency charged with protecting us from these abuses.
Early this week, a scammer found a digital file of our church directory, looked up the name of our pastor online, and used that information to attempt to prey upon members of our congregation. The plea is the same as in the scamming attempts of past years, and is a common problem for churches everywhere -- the scammer poses as our pastor, and sends a personal, urgent request for funds, but is too busy to talk on the phone right now, yet gives specific instructions via text or email, telling how gift cards or cash can be moved quickly to a needy person. We quickly reported these attempts to the authorities this week. If you receive these texts or emails, just delete them, and/or ask Julie how to report them. Do let us know, please. We like to issue an immediate report to the authorities ourselves when this happens. And please remember. We will never, ever, ever ask you via text or email for emergency financial assistance for anyone or anything. You only need to note that the text is not coming from Pastor Jody's phone number, and the emails are not coming from her email address.
October is Souptober!
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 SOUP-TOBER (Oct 1-31), Christian Neighbors is requesting donated cans of soup. You are invited to drop off cans of soup in the Friendship Hall all month long. Financial donations are also welcomed. Hit the button below to make a financial donation to the soup fund:
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every year at this time as a church and within our communities, we give a tighter focus to supporting victims of domestic violence and engaging in efforts to communicate with and educate people -- with the goal of ending cycles of violence in our homes. If you'd like to learn more about this year's campaign, and the UCC's advice on specific actions you can take, just follow these helpful links:
https://www.dvawareness.org/HealHoldCenter https://www.ucc.org/sexual-domestic-and-gender-based-violence/ Center Kitchen Island Free to a Good Home -- NOW!
The Friendship Hall Restoration and Kitchen Renovation begins this month, and our Campus Steward, Kathleen Mueller, is busy prepping the spaces for that work. So the old Kitchen Island-on-wheels needs to find a new home. Habitat for Humanity will pick it up if none of our church members would like this handy counter-and-storage piece for their studio or garage? If you are interested in hauling this away THIS WEEK, connect with Kathleen Mueller.
Reserve a Paper Copy of the Church Directory
We will be working this month to update the church directory. If you prefer to use the paper copy over the phone or desktop apps (and if this is unfamiliar to you, ask Julie or your favorite church buddy for help), just sign up for your copy in the Friendship Hall. The signup sheets will help us determine how many copies to order, so it's really important that you request a copy in order to receive one.
Holland Hospital is Looking for Volunteers
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Holland Hospital has open positions for their volunteer corps. This important team helps with all services at the hospital. Volunteers are an essential part of creating and maintaining a warm and inviting environment for patients and their loved ones. They become well-known and beloved members of the staff. Download the document below to learn more and to reach out if you are interested!
Caregiver and Grief Support Tuesdays: The Fall Schedule
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This fall quarter, October through December, the Retreat House is offering a time for caregivers to gather and share their experience and insights and resources on the first Tuesday of each month from 11:00-12:30. The content of our meeting will come from whoever attends, as has been the case this summer. The meeting is open to anyone who finds themselves in significant care-giving mode at this time in their lives. All you have to do is show up at the above time. Rev. Marty will be there to welcome and support and learn from you!
On the other Tuesdays of each fall month, at the same time as above, Rev. Marty will be present to hold the space and offer a time for sharing experiences and resources related to grieving after a major loss in our lives. Again, this will be a time to support and learn from each other. Being able to share grief and the grieving process is vital to our ongoing well-being and opportunities to do this in a sustained ongoing way are important. All you have to do is show up. Beach Cleanup, October 5!
Our big Beach Cleanup Day is almost here! Bring a big bucket or two, meet us under the tent at the Oval Beach Parking Lot. Bring friends! Bring family! Let's get our Earth-Love on!
Blessing of the Animals, October 6, 2pm
It's time to round up your well-behaved non-human family members for a blessing at Beery Field. Revs Jody and Ginny will be presiding at this event organized and hosted by the wonderful owners of Lakeshore Pet Boutique in downtown Douglas. If your pets wouldn't enjoy a crowd of pets and owners, you can bring a photo of them with you. Our pastors do long-distance blessings too.
Your Family's Bread? Worldwide Communion Sunday, THIS SUNDAY, October 6
On October 6 churches around the globe will be celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion, The Lord's Supper or the Eucharist on World Wide Communion Sunday. In solidarity with our siblings around the world we would like to use various breads from our ethnic traditions in this service. If you have a special loaf of bread from your heritage that you would like to contribute, please let Pastor Jody ([email protected]) or Mike VerMerris ([email protected]) know. Thanks!
Neighbors in Need Collection, October 6 (and beyond)
This Sunday and all of this month, we'll be accepting your donations -- in person in envelopes or online, or through the mail, for the UCC's Neighbors in Need offering. This year's theme is “Mental Health Justice For All!” In 2015, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution to become WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health. A just world for all is a world where the human rights and well-being of people with mental health challenges are respected, no matter who you are or where you are in life’s mental health journey.
We will be taking this special collection for the broader UCC ministry starting this Sunday and throughout the month. All donors' gifts are matched by our Church Council before traveling on to the UCC. One-third of the offering supports Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds are used by Justice and Witness Ministries to provide grants to UCC churches and organizations, as well as supporting a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. Meal Maker's Mixer, October 9
Photo by Matthew Moloney on Unsplash
Are you already signed up to be a meal provider or are you interested in becoming one? Join us for a Meal Makers Mixer. October 9, 5:30 - 7:30 at the Isabel Graham Center (Spring Street next to the church). Fun exchange of ideas about providing meals to those in need. Door prizes, recipe ideas, meal labels, conversation around a simple soup supper. Sign up by contacting Kelly Jacobsma [email protected].
Relativity! A Play and Fundraiser: October 17 through 20 October 22,
A wonderful cast of characters, (church members Jim Kern, Shannon Connell, Virginia Stuart) will be staging a performance of Relativity, a remarkable play about the remarkable (shocking?) life of Albert Einstein. Ticket Sales will help fund our Stewardship Drive.
Relativity is set in 1948, in Princeton, NJ, where Albert Einstein continues to research, advise, and teach. He is 69 years old and well beyond his crowning revelation of E=MC(2). Other characters are Miss Dukas, his live-in housekeeper, and Margaret Harding, a journalist who approaches him about conducting an interview with him. As the play evolves, the mysterious circumstances of Einstein’s first child’s death reveal a dark secret from his past, and Einstein and Margaret must come to terms with the secret and the consequences of his past decisions. Ultimately, Relativity asks “what if?” and provides a probative glimpse into the great man who may not have been a good man. Relativity is for mature audiences, not because of language, sexual content, or any other traditionally sanctioned element. Teens and college students would benefit from seeing this show. It is a thoughtful, compelling story about adult decisions and filled with intellectually challenging arguments and questions. But, it is a very easy play to follow. It runs about 75 minutes without intermission. Jack Ridl's Local Book Launch,
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Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
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Know a worthy non-profit in need of some financial support? Download and send them the application below, or connect with any member of our Grant Proposal Team. You'll find them here.
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Stewardship Drive
Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending September 29:
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $162,670.97
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:
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $162,670.97
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
In-Person Attendance, September 29: 75
Total Views for September 29 worship videos: 117
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,530.00
Online Giving: $1,038.51
Total, General Support: $2,568.51
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.
Total Views for September 29 worship videos: 117
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,530.00
Online Giving: $1,038.51
Total, General Support: $2,568.51
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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