 Photo by Karl Magnuson on Unsplash This Week In the E-Pistle, You Will Find...
BEING THE CHURCHThis Week's Service: Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost - Balcony People, Basement People Photo by Mauro Mora on Unsplash What’s a Saint? Or saint? Who are your saints? Might you be a saint? This Sunday we’ll celebrate saints— not in the sense of martyrs, or those who have lived exemplary holy lives and to whom have been attributed with miracles after their death and then declared Saint by the Vatican. Taking direction from Paul who referred to all the Christian in Corinth as saints, we’ll celebrate the everyday saints around us who have encouraged us in becoming peace-loving, justice seeking, love bestowing humans. Gathering in the Memorial Garden at the close of the service and in a spirit of gratitude, we will be invited to name aloud those who have been our saints. Join us for a celebration of saints this Sunday! Please join us on Sunday at 10 am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our Youtube Channel. Message: Rev. Linda Knieriemen Music: Peter Black, Nancy Plantinga 
Last Week's Service: Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - Generosity of Giving  Photo by Dan Plasman Winston Churchill noted: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Last Sunday Pastor Dan pondered the generosity of giving. Does being generous lead to better health? It’s never been proven. Does being generous lead to a longer life? No research confirms that. Does being generous protect one for everyday calamities? If only that were true. Then why be generous? Why support worthy causes? Why give money to civic organizations? Why support Douglas United Church of Christ? Click below for Pastor Dan's message and/or full service. Falling Back! Daylight Saving Time Ends! Photo by ChaseMCcave on Unsplash If you still have clocks to adjust, then please do so Saturday night! Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 2, at 2:00 A.M. At this time, we “fall back” one hour! Origin story: Daylight saving time was first introduced as a means to make better use of daylight hours and conserve energy. The idea is often credited to Benjamin Franklin, who suggested a form of it in an essay in 1784. However, DST as we know it today was implemented during World War I and again during World War II as a way to save fuel and energy. The United States officially adopted DST in 1918 under the Standard Time Act. Jody and Dan on Vacation This Week
You're Invited! Trunk or Treat, October 31 Trunk or Treat – Coming to Douglas UCC! Friday, October 31st, from 5–7 pm Our parking lot is about to get spooky, sweet, and just a little silly! Here’s the deal: we’re inviting YOU (yes, you!) to join in the fun by:
Flyers are available to help spread the word, and there’s a sign-up sheet in the Friendship Hall for anyone who wants to participate. Whether you’re handing out candy, smiling, or just complimenting costumes, we’d love to have you there. It will be a frightfully fun evening—and remember, the more trunks we have, the more treats (and laughs) for everyone! Social Justice Team Community Conversation Our Social Justice Team has been busy making connections and inviting local thought leaders to come to our church and help us understand current challenges to Justice For All right here in our communities. Here are the upcoming dates and times already scheduled. Stay tuned for more from the SJT. Lighthouse Immigration Services Thursday, November 13, 6:15 pm Representative to speak All events are scheduled for our beautiful new Friendship Hall. All are welcome! Second Sunday Luncheon, November 9th
urch potlucks, now called Second Sunday Luncheons, will help us continue to create community while sharing a meal together. Thank you to everyone who helped set up, clean up and provide food for our first Second Sunday Monthly Luncheon. Forty-five people attended. Our next lunch will be November 9 following the service. Bring what you are able (entrees, salads, desserts, bread etc) and if you can't bring anything, please bring yourself. All are welcome! If you are interested in helping to set up or clean up, there will be a new Event Committee signup sheet in the Friendship Hall so that we can establish email communications when asking for help with set up or take down going forward. Listening Ear: Do You Need to Be Heard? Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash Our Listening Ear service has been a great help to our congregation during a tumultuous time, and so, after a successful trial period, this highly trained team of empathic folks -- Paul Burdick, Mike Valdez, Pat Denner, and Doug Sipsma -- will be continuing the service. Their premise is, everyone goes through rough patches in life. Sometimes stress can feel overwhelming. Talking to a caring human helps in so many, sometimes immeasurable, sometimes mystical ways. Our listeners are available at the Retreat House on Thursday afternoons from 1 to 3 pm. Card Ministry Photo by Jenny Razumnaya on Unsplash Do you love receiving cards in the mail when you're sick, recovering from surgery, have a birthday or anniversary, or need a reminder that you're being prayed for? Maybe sending cards to folks in those situations is a way you could bring a smile to someone's day! If you are willing to send a card on behalf of DUCC for members' birthdays or anniversaries, for healing or prayers, for one month, please contact Pastor Dan or Pastor Jody. If you have cards that you aren't using that would be appropriate for such occasions, please drop them off at the office for our use. A couple minutes to let someone know they are thought of, a quick trip to the post office, that's all it takes to bring a smile! Prayer Requests Nancy Plantinga, and the Plantinga family; Tere Krueger; Orie Hawkes; Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart’s sister); Dave Lawson; Christine Kerney; Dan McGavin and Family of Carol Brown; Rev. Marchiene Rienstra Family; Ann and Jim Hopkins; James Higgins (friend of Shane Anderson and Michael Tuleja), Jose (friend of Tom Fahlstrom); John Kerr; Ruth Fahlstrom (Tom Fahlstrom’s daughter); Mary Westenbroek; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's dad); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother): East Congregational UCC. Birthday's & Anniversary's This WeekBIRTHDAYS November 1: Patrick Blasco November 4: Michael Flynn November 5: Peter Carideo November 8: Alton Sr. Overweg ANNIVERSARIES November 8: Nancy & John Grib Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way to connect with one another. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, the addresses can be found in our Church Directory. * If you have had any changes in your information, please know you can go to the Directory and update yourself, or contact Claire to change/update.* Give by Text MessagePlease, consider giving online. To donate by text, open a new text message on your mobile phone, type 844-931-2849 in the “To” field, and in the message body, type only the dollar amount of your gift (for example, 50 for a $50 donation). Then press Send. You’ll receive a message confirming your donation Church Calendar Photo by Dari lli on Unsplash UNIITED CHURCH OF CHRIST NEWSPrayer Circle for All Churches Photo by martin bennie on Unsplash The Grand West Association Council is continuing their covenantal prayer circle for all our churches. This is one of the Councils attempts to better connect in our region as a faithful community. The two-year prayer cycle includes our 22 UCC churches, and also UCOM and the Michigan conference staff. The "church of month" for November is East Congregational UCC. Thank you for keeping them in our prayers.  Church World Service (CWS) has issued a statement following reports the Trump Administration plans to significantly reduce the number of persons admitted to the United States Refugee Admissions Program to about 7,500, and accept mostly white South Africans – a historic low as the administration continues unprecedented immigration raids as part of its mass deportation agenda. The United Church of Christ is a covenant member organization of CWS and General Minister and President/CEO Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson has signed onto the statement in support. CLASSESQigong, Tuesdays in the Friendship Hall Photo by Sajad Nori on Unsplash Kat VanHammen's Qigong Winter classes began in the Friendship Hall on October 7. The classes will run through May! Qigong is a wonderful, 5,000 year-old practice from China, very much like Tai Chi. It involves simple movements that build strength, flexibility, balance and well being. It also employs visualization, breath, and mindfulness to integrate the body, mind, and spirit and develop our felt sense of Interbeing. Class is one hour long and involves both sitting and standing practice although it can be done sitting if needed. There is a requested donation of $10 per class but for those of you on limited incomes, any amount will be gratefully received Financial Literacy Seminars, November 5th! |
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56 Wall Street • Douglas, Michigan 49406
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