 Photo by Lily Miller on UnSplash
In this Week's E-Pistle You Will Find:
This Week's Service: Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Savannah College of Art and Design Museum
Rev. Dan and Rev. Jody recently watched the Netflix documentary “Bad Faith” which traces the rise of Christian Nationalism’s “holy war” on American culture. Since the 1970’s, theocratic zealots that include notable pastors of the far right have set out to turn our country into an unapologetic Christian nation. The movement is gaining strength, and one candidate for President is its leader. My message this Sunday is not about “Christian Nationalism” but it is a reflection on the fourth beatitude: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” As I will say again in my Sunday message, I’m not sure how righteousness is best defined, but I know it when I see it, as evidenced in the lives of ordinary saintly people. I’ll introduce some of them to you.
Please join us on Sunday at 10am in our Sanctuary, or online, live on our YouTube channel. Message: Rev. Dan Plasman, Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, Nancy Plantinga You can always find our latest church bulletin and service music at Bit.ly/DUCCBulletin Download this Sunday's Bulletin and Music to follow along here: 
Last Week's Service: Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost: Tree Sunday
Please enjoy this service from last Sunday, Tree Sunday, as Rev. Jody and the Creation Justice Team helped us 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.
Jody's Hours in Douglas
Attention! Special Congregational Meeting After Church this Sunday!
We will be holding a special Congregational Meeting immediately following the Worship Service this 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 best to fund these increased costs. A short but important meeting. All church members are encouraged to attend. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, but can join and vote online, write to [email protected] for a meeting link.
All Hands on Deck, Friendship Hall Repairs Begin Soon!
Photo by Ben Iwara on Unsplash
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! Last Call for Soup Donations!
This is the last call for canned soup donations for our local food pantries. We are running shy of our regular contribution, and are asking please, if you can, add a few cans of soup to your shopping trip, and drop them off in the big box in the entryway of the Friendship Hall. Thank you so much for warming and nourishing our neighbors for the winter!
Wanted: Bible Study Leader at Douglas Cove
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Douglas Cove Health & Rehabilitation Center is interested in someone leading a Bible Study for the residents. They are completely flexible for the time of Bible Study. If you can help, or know someone who can, please contact: Bridget Fritz, Life Enrichment Director. Bridget can be reached at (269) 857-2141 or by email at [email protected].
Sign Up for a Paper copy of the Church Directory
Caregiver and Grief Support Tuesdays: The Fall Schedule
Trunk or Treat, October 31, Join in the Fun!
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] Voting Day Vigil, November 4-6
Photo by Zach Lucero on Unsplash
Given the anxiety around this election, let's gather our strength and hope and prayers --however you express your deep belief in the power of love -- in an intentional way, beginning at 7am Monday, November 4 and continuing to 7pm on Wednesday, November 6. This is an invitation for us to keep vigil together, to breathe deeply, and to extend calmness, from within, to your home, your people, our community, and our country. There is a sign up in the Friendship Hall for you to commit, in 15-minute increments, to keep silence, to pray, to meditate, to sing, to breathe, in whatever way it is that you connect with the power of the universe for good.
We know that you all do this without prompting, and this is a way to harness the power of our community for this moment in history. If you are part of our community, but are not physically present to sign up, please email Pastor Jody ([email protected]) and they will add your name to the sign-up sheet for the time to which you commit. Thanks in advance for your participation! CJT Movie Night at Saugatuck Brewing, November 7
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!
Soul Collage with Ruth Zwald, Novembe 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. Prayer Requests
Carol Plowe (Gregg Plowe’s mother); 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 & AnniversariesBirthdays : October 30: Pat Denner; November 1: Jeff Spangler and Parick Blasco Anniversaries: October 31: Loran Atkinson & Gary Nicodemus 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 Grant Committee
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.
Stewardship Drive
Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending October 20:
Pledges to Date = $228,800.00 Pledge Fulfillment to date = $167721.97 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, October 20: 86
Total Views for October 20 worship videos: 109 Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $3,827.00 Online Giving: $3,014.38 Total, General Support: $6,841.38 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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