 Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Sunday: Blessed are the Peacemakers Photo by Dylan Shaw on Unsplash Perhaps you're still reeling from the election results. No guilt here. It's huge to consider if the worst plays out. And, what does it mean to still live love, to imagine human flourishing for the future, to continue to have hope, to look for the best, to care for the least, last, lost, and lonely. To contribute on the side of goodness and justice, to be a people at peace? This is who we are called to be in all circumstances; as people of God, as those who espouse love, as carers of the common collective. Join us on Sunday as we consider what it means to be a peacemaker, another one of the Beatitudes Jesus suggests contribute to a life well lived. 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 You can always find our latest church bulletin and service music at Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin 
Last Week's Service: Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: What Now? According to Oxford Dictionary, mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. What's so special about the kind of mercy we read about in Jesus' guide for a full life, the Beatitudes? We had some radio interference when recording the service last Sunday, so Jody's homily is best enjoyed by text -- linked below. The rest of the service, as always, is available on our YouTube channel right here. 
Jody's Hours in Douglas
Friendship Hall Renovation: Progress!!The re-engineering and refurbishing of the Friendship Hall is coming along quickly. Here are some detail shots of the work being done. All to keep the hall supporting our people in living, laughing, learning, and loving for decades to come. If you see our Campus Steward Kathleen Mueller winging her way around campus, applause is appropriate. Connecting Gratitude to Giving Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash Our local food pantries, Ladders of Hope and Christian Neighbors, will be inundated with requests from our less fortunate neighbors in this season. We know these agencies depend on our food drives. However, there are some things that can't be collected, but are necessary to stock a food pantry, like fresh produce and meat protein. This Thanksgiving season let's connect our gratitude to our giving. We are invited to set aside an amount to contribute based on something for which we give thanks. For instance:
Flour Drive for Thanksgiving Baskets! Tis the Season! Our annual flour drive for Christian Neighbors Thanksgiving baskets has begun. Every year Christian Neighbors works with area organizations to gather ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner baskets for neighbors in need. Our job each year is to provide 5-lb bags of flour to help fill those baskets. If you can help, please drop off (4-5-lb bags only!) at the Isabel Graham Center. Our Christian Neighbors liaison Rich Marth will deliver them to the food bank each week. Thanks to all who help make this holiday truly thankful for so many of our neighbors! Join Our Christmas Choir! 🎶 Our Christmas Choir season has arrived, and we warmly invite everyone who loves to sing to be part of this year’s joyful music! Whether you’re a seasoned choir member or joining for the first time, your voice is welcome in our Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols celebration. Rehearsals start on Sunday, November 24, at 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, led by church member Stan Greene. We’ll meet each Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.While attending every rehearsal is ideal, we encourage you to join even if you can’t make them all. To kick things off, we’ll hold an informational meeting on Sunday, November 17, at 11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. This brief but important gathering will cover essential details, and we’ll distribute the music for this year’s program. Come share the spirit of Christmas and make a joyful noise with us! Questions? Please reach out to our Music Director Peter Black. The Few, the Brave, the AVTeam!! Join them? Our Audio-Visual team works hard to grow our presence, broadcasting our services to our campus and all around the world. Today hundreds of people in many countries call DUCC their church home. However, at the moment, we have just three people who are qualified to operate the camera and three who operate the soundboard. The AV team would like to train and add one or two more individuals for each function, and invites anyone interested in either of these positions to contact Julie Ridl by email. She will make sure a member of the AV team discusses the work further and conducts the training you may need if you are ready to join us Home for the Holidays: A Parent Conversation on Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth, Nov 19 Holidays can be hard when you're a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Perhaps even harder--watching the LGBTQIA+ youth that you love struggle to navigate confrontational conversations with family members, having to defend and advocate for them, or watch them hide their identity to be accepted. The good news? You don't have to go through it alone. On November 19th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Out on the Lakeshore is hosting Home for the Holidays: A parent conversation on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth through the holiday season. This workshop-style event is an open discussion about parenting LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as a time to offer support, wisdom, and advice. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation about navigating the complexities of the holiday season and learn from the experiences of fellow parents and OOTL staff. If you parent, educate, or lead for LGBTQIA+ youth in West Michigan, this event is for you! Interested in attending, or know somebody who is? RSVP by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/AXy9vn7RwVyEWeKQ8 or emailing [email protected] by November 18th, 2024. Dinner and refreshments provided. Soul Collage, November 23 The final SoulCollage® for 2024 will take place on Saturday, November 23 at the Isabel Graham Center. You can choose to attend the morning session from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM or the afternoon session from 1 PM - 4 PM. Our theme this month is "Exploring Our Community Through SoulCollage®." We create cards to honor people, pets, and places that have influenced our lives. Using copies of photographs or found images, we develop cards to celebrate our unique community. Ideally, you would bring photocopies of photos of family members, friends, pets, or ancestors. I will guide you through the process. You must register for this workshop. Just follow the directions in the poster, above. SJT Book Read: "How to End Christian Nationalism" Our Social Justice Team invites everyone in the church, and anyone from the community to join an 8-week book read starting on Thursday, January 9 at 5:30pm. The book is titled, How to End Christian Nationalism, by Amanda Tyler, and is available at your favorite bookseller. As background for the discussion, the SJT team points to two documentaries available to stream on Netflix called "God and Country," and "The Family," with the same theme. We will share news of location soon. Sign up to join in, in the Isabel Graham Center, 5:30pm, eight consecutive Thursdays ,at the Isabel Graham Center, beginning January 9. Care Team News  This winter, the Caregivers Group returns to its regular schedule, meeting on the first and third Tuesdays from 11am - 12pm at the Retreat House. This meeting supports people in grief and caregivers in a supportive community. Grief can mean the loss of a loved one, or any kind of loss. If you're feeling loss at the outcome of our election, your grief will be supported here. The care team also offers Book Lover’s Luncheon on the second Tuesdays of November and December at the Retreat House from 12:30-1:30. Bring your own lunch, and be prepared to share something about books you have read and loved that fed your soul. The Retreat House has a really good collection of books that feed the soul in many ways, and you are also welcome to come early or stay after the meeting to browse the library, and perhaps check out a book or two for yourself. We know there are many readers and book lovers in the congregation, and this luncheon is especially for you! Rev. Marty Rienstra will be facilitating both of these groups. Prayer Requests Anne Dooley's daugher, Dee; Dan McGavin and Family of Carol Brown; 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; (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 & AnniversariesBirthdays : November 17- Arturo Inda, 19- Marcel Westenbroek, 20- Linda Riekse, 21- Peter Mueller, 22- Mary Hasenauer, Stephen D. Prokop 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 DriveStewardship Drive Giving Week ending November 10: New Stewardship Drive Goal: $325,000 Pledges to Date = $228,800.00 Pledge Fulfillment to date = $180,145.13 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 StewardshipIn-Person Attendance, November 10 : 77
Total Views for November 10 worship videos: 146 October Podcast Downloads: 6,833 Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $2,935.05 Online Giving: $1,375.00 Total, General Support: $3,757.05 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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56 Wall Street • Douglas, Michigan 49406
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