In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Week's Service: Tree Sunday
Do you think of meekness as weakness? A person can be described as "meek and mild" which implies a sort of submissiveness, a willingness to go along with things. But what if meekness relates to what happens when you put a bit in the mouth of a horse? Then the definition becomes something like "strength under control." What other times do you see that sort of meekness, that could be called strength under control? Are trees similarly strength under control (no bit needed)? Join us Sunday, on Tree Sunday, as we consider the wisdom and value of trees, the lungs of the earth, as an example of the blessing of the meek, who will inherit the earth.
Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel. Message: Rev. Jody Betten, Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Paul Kerney, and Lauri Donaldson Download our Online Program, and follow along during our YouTube service... 
Last Week's Service: Blessed are Those Who Mourn
We've all been broken -- by loss, by pain, by shame, by embarrassment, by mistakes, by ridicule. You name it, it breaks you. But is it true that where we are broken is where light gets in? Have you become stronger at your broken places? What is available if we actually experience grief and heartache, let ourselves into the sadness and tears? Last Sunday we explored the blessing of those who mourn. Please enjoy this lifegiving conversation based on this Beatitude, and the story of Jesus weeping.
Jody's Hours in Douglas
Relativity! A Play and Fundraiser: Playing all Weekend!
A wonderful cast of characters, (church members Jim Kern, Shannon Connell, and 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. Special Congregational Meeting October 27
We will be holding a special Congregational Meeting immediately following the Worship Service next week, and we need your input for an important decision. The Campus Stewardship Campaign that is underway was designed to fund projects that we as a congregation decided to support. One of those items was to renovate the Friendship Hall (the walls are bowing and need to be stabilized). As with many renovation projects, the costs have increased as we discover the extent of work to be done. So, our agenda for this meeting is to go back to the Campus Stewardship Campaign priorities and decide how to best to fund these increased costs. A short but important meeting. All church members are encouraged to attend.
All Hands on Deck, Friendship Hall Repairs Begin Soon!
Photo by Ben Iwara on Unsplasy
Following our congregational meeting, the work to stabilize the hall will begin early November. This requires that we move every single item in it, out of it, by Tuesday, November 5th. Restoration work will begin in early November and last through mid-December. Because of the volume of items we must store, this moving-out project begins in the next few weeks. If you have a strong back (and/or a pickup truck), please consider helping to move the furniture to the Retreat House garage. The items can be moved a few pieces at a time, so any amount of help is greatly appreciated. Our Campus Steward, Kathleen Mueller, will flex to your availability.
If you are able to help with this important step toward repairing our Friendship Hall, please reach out to Kathleen by email at [email protected]. Also, please pick up your nametags, and keep them with you for the duration of our renovations. Thank you! October is Souptober!
Christian Neighbors and Ladders of Hope Food Pantries are getting ready for winter and would like to stock their shelves with canned soup for their clients. For the month of SOUP-TOBER (Oct 1-31), our food pantries are requesting donated cans of soup. You are invited to drop off cans of soup in the Friendship Hall all month long (Friendship Hall soup donations go to Christian Neighbors.) Or drop soup at any of the Ladders of Hope Drop Sites Found Here. Financial donations are also welcomed. Hit the buttons below to warm and feed our neighbors.
Sign Up for a Paper Copy of Church Directory
We will be working this season to update the print church directory. If you prefer to use a paper copy rather than the phone or desktop apps (always the most updated) 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. Directory printing comes only once a year! And if the phone and desktop apps are unfamiliar to you, ask Julie or your favorite church buddy for help.
Caregiver and Grief Support Tuesdays: The Fall Schedule
October through December, the Retreat House is offering a time for caregivers to gather and share their experience, insights, and resources on the first Tuesday of each month from 11:00-12:30. 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 hold the space and offer a time for sharing experiences and resources related to grieving after a major loss in our lives. 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. All you have to do is show up. Neighbors in Need Collection
During the month of October, 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 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. Hike with the CJT, October 24
Join the Creation Justice Team for a gentle walk in the woods with the Radar Hill Hiking Club on Thursday, October 24 at "the airport property" in Saugatuck Township. This event is appropriate for all ages. Jon Vanderbeek of Riverwood Council will be on hand to talk about native trees and point out old-growth areas. Helen Baldwin will also join us. Helen chairs the city's Parks & Public Works Committee and she will tell us what the Outdoor Discovery Center is doing on the property. Meet in the parking lot at 3401 63rd Street at 12:30 pm.
Directions from Saugatuck: take the Blue Star Highway north toward Holland. Turn right (east) at the traffic circle onto Old Allegan Road. Turn left (north) on 63rd Street. About 70 yards past 134th Avenue, turn right onto a dirt driveway (photo above) across from A Cut Above Tree Care. Less than 50 yards from the gate is the parking lot (photo below). 
Trunk or Treat, October 31
Calling All Creatives......
We are excited to announce our 1st Douglas UCC "Trunk or Treat" -- a fun and exciting way to give back to our wonderful community. This event will provide our community with a safe place to bring their kids to trick or treat on Halloween night - but instead of going door to door - they will go from trunk to trunk (car/SUV trunks). We are looking for people to decorate the back trunk (and more if you want) of your vehicle in a creative Halloween theme. You can dress up yourselves to match if you would like. We will then line our cars up next to each other around the church parking area (spots will be assigned). Each vehicle will be passing out candy/treats (must be wrapped, nothing homemade) - so you will stay at your trunk (bring your own lawn chair if you'd like). The event will begin at 5:30, with lineup/parking taking place by 5 p.m. The fun will last until 7:30. We will have community voting for the following categories: FUNNIEST, MOST CREATIVE, and SCARIEST vehicle (trophies, prizes and bragging rights to the winners). Register your vehicle in the lineup by signing up in the Friendship Hall, or contact Mark Johnston at [email protected] or Jeremy Lund at [email protected] CJT Movie Night at Saugatuck Brewing, November 7
The Creation Justice Team is hosting a movie night in the "barrel room" at Saugatuck Brewing Company. On November 7 we will be showing "Call of the Forest," an engaging documentary featuring scientist Diana Beresford-Kroeger. The film follows Diana as she learns about our profound biological and spiritual connection to forests. She speaks on a very personal level about how important trees are to our future.
People can begin gathering and obtaining their favorite beverages at 6pm. The film will start at 6:30pm, with a discussion afterward. New Members Meeting, November 10
Photo by Thomas Franke on Unsplash
The long -awaited New Members Meeting has been scheduled for November 10, after Church, in the Isabel Graham Center. If you are membership-curious, or if you just want a refresher on the history and mission of this church and/or the UCC, come along after church to the Isabel Graham Center. No pressure to join, but if you wish to, this meeting is the place to start. We hope to see you!
Prayer Requests
Wayne Titus ll (Wayne Titus lll’s Dad); Barbara Lindsay (Lewis Corbin’s Bridge Partner); Rev. Marchiene Rienstra Family; Karen Clement (Friend of Debra Carr's); Ann and Jim Hopkins; Sally LaRowe (Linda Charvat's friend); Janice Campbell children & grandchildren (Pete Wehle's friends); James Higgins (Friend of Shane Anderson and Michael Tuleja), Joe Scarpone (Friend of Tom Fahlstrom); Fred Hamlin; Carol Brown and Dan McGavin; John Kerr; Dave and Shirley Lawson; Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Nancy Grib (Friend of Pamela Chappell); Stuart Family; Mary Westenbroek; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy’s Mom); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother)
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays : October 21: Alton Overweg jr., 22: Barbara Schipper,
25: MaryJoLemanski, 26: Kenneth Hemminger Anniversaries: October 21: Lyn Anderson & Elaine Troehler, 23: Max Brown & Doug Sipsma, 24: Glynis & Kenneth Whitcomb 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 Grants Granted
Stewardship Drive
Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending October 13:
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00 Pledge Fulfillment to date = $166,304.96 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, October 13: 70
Total Views for October 13 worship videos: 122 Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $ 4,781.00 Online Giving: $2,319.91 Total, General Support: $7,100.91 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. |
Previous
|
||||||
RSS Feed
56 Wall Street • Douglas, Michigan 49406
© Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ. All Rights Reserved.