In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Week's Service: "Nevertheless, She Persisted"
In Sunday's Gospel, a Canaanite woman comes to Jesus asking for help in curing her child. Jesus, at first, is dismissive of her, telling his disciples to "Send her away!" Nevertheless, she persisted, until Jesus tells her, ""Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." Join us this Sunday for our "Video Worship Service," as we explore what it means to be bold and persistent in speaking our truth and putting our faith into action. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Pamela Chappell.
Tune in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website. Last Week's Service Video
In last Sunday's Gospel lesson, the apostles are in a boat during a storm, and they are gripped with fear. Jesus calms the storm with the words, "Peace, be still." Often, when we are in the storms of life and our world is being rocked, we, too, are overcome with fear. The Good News is that Jesus gives us the tools to transform our fear into faith. Join us for last week's "Video Worship Service," as we learn the tools to "walk on water" and explore the path of "Fear-Less Living." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Elizabeth Estes.
Good Reads: Books by Marianne Williamson and Fr. Richard Rohr
In this past Sunday's Homily, Pastor Sal talked about the fears that can sink our boats, hold us back, prevent us from our fullest lives. And he offered paths for learning to manage those fears and doubts. Two books from two teachers surfaced. Here, they are. If you would like to explore these ideas further, order them from your local booksellers or online:
"Nothing binds you except your thoughts; nothing limits you except your fears; and nothing controls you except your beliefs." Our words of Integration Guidance came from Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles, HarperOne publisher, 1996. "Ask your fears: what are you trying to teach me?" In his homily, Pastor Sal quoted Fr. Richard Rohr from his book, Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer, Crossroad publisher, 2003. RSVP, Please for Jim Lemons' Celebration of Life
"A Celebration of Life" will be held on Saturday, August 29, at 1 PM for church member, Jim Lemons, who passed away in May.
The service will be held outdoors - overlooking the water - at Jim's home in Saugatuck (707 Lake Street) with Pastor Sal officiating and music by Peter Black. Safety guidelines (social distancing, masks) will be followed. Parking is limited, but there will be shuttle service to/from Saugatuck High School parking lot. **Please RSVP to Pastor Sal by August 15, if you plan on attending. Christian Neighbors in Their New Home
Thanks to your donations of dollars and time, Christian Neighbors is finishing up their move from St. Peters to Community Church of Douglas. The food bank has the cheerful look and feel of a grocery store, where clients can browse shelves, coolers, and freezers. The clothing "store" is filled with light and will soon have a new space for changing rooms. The offices have plenty of room for people to meet at safe distances to help work on and resolve their problems in privacy. Christian Neighbors always needs help and support. If you'd like to know more about how you can help this wonderful ministry that supports the people of Saugatuck, Douglas, and Western Allegan County, connect with church member Carey Idema. If you need her contact info, write to Julie at [email protected].
Magnificent Makers' Market
Among the hardest hit populations in our region are the artisans and gig workers who usually make most of their annual income at summer art markets and fairs, most of which have been canceled. But this weekend Saugatuck Center for the Artis will host the Magnificent Makers Market, featuring two of our church members, Sue Fleming, and Mary Alice Townsend, among other neighbors and friends. This will be a great time to shop early for the holidays while supporting our friends and neighbors:
August 15 + 16 Sat 10am – 6pm Sun 10am – 4pm Cash bar available Masks Required For more details, visit: https://www.sc4a.org/magnificent-makers-market/ Card Shower for Richard Graham's 85th Birthday!
On August 20, long-time congregant Richard Graham will celebrate his 85th Birthday. Of course, because Richard lives in an assisted living facility, and pandemic rules for these facilities are strict, the best way to show Richard our love is to shower him with Birthday Cards. If you can, would you help us fill his room and his life with love right now by sending him a birthday card timed to arrive before August 20 to: Richard Graham, American House, 11911 James Street, Boardwalk Building C16, Holland, MI 49424
Friendship Hall Roundup
We shared Kudos for Chris Clark, who gifted the church with a smart-phone-connecting lavalier microphone to help the church's Sunday readers with their recordings. Chris helped Sue Scott use it for the first time this past Sunday. Lovely work, and a lovely reading!
Kudos to Larry Fuerst for helping Sydney Matheis to get his bills and paperwork in order. Sydney is suffering from an eye disease that has reduced his vision considerably, making it hard to complete these tasks. This is what DUCC friends are for! Congrats to Demethrea Terrien for her election as City of the Village of Douglas Precinct Delegate. Demethrea will work hard to fill our ballots with great candidates, register voters, and discover and represent local citizens needs and concerns in upcoming elections. Dale Lower asked for continued prayers for his husband, Ted Sommer, as they work through complications of low blood pressure after Ted's heart valve surgery. Sarah Swift is on the move, to Northport, Michigan. From there, she plans to remain a member of DUCC and active on committees. This raised the subject of "Distance Churching," happening more and more as people who live or move elsewhere discover and prefer our little church, and participate weekly in video services and/or join us live in Online Friendship Hall. We now have contributing friends from England, Germany, Australia, as well as several other places in the U.S. We congratulate Pete Wehle for his poem published on Progressive Christianity's website. You'll find it here: https://progressivechristianity.org/resources/timeless/ Pam Chappell shared that she would be giving a talk at Coptic Center in Grand Rapids that evening. Here is a recording of the talk she gave last Sunday. Max reminded us that the DUCC Men's Group continues to meet via Zoom. Connect with Max by writing to him at this address. Jim Hopkins showed us the radio-controlled plane he built, and reminisced about a plane he built and flew himself years ago! Birthdays & Anniversaries
August: 16- Mary Fechtig, 18- Kathleen Mueller, 19- Peg Donohue, Sheryll & Greg VanPortfleet, Kenneth Whitcomb, 20- Richard Graham, 21- Kathy D. Van Rees, Carey & Fred Idema
Birthday and Anniversary cards are a great way we can continue to reach out to one another during this time. If you wish to mail a card to one of our church members, addresses can be found in our Church Directory. If you don't have a directory, please let us know, and we will email one to you. Prayer Requests
Grant Oliver (Kirt Oliver's son); Jim Hopkins; Alan Weathers; Hannah Sherman; Gary Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's brother); Roye McDonald; Jodi Berault; Sarah Hurley and Fred Eagle Royce; Mary Harris; Tony and Chris Coley (Mark Reiman's friends); Patricia Carr and her husband Riley (Debra Carr's sister); Barbara Klatt (Barb Lucier's friend); Myron Freund; Terry Stough (Catz Dienes' son); Ted Sommer; Phyllis Wallis (Kathy Austin's mother); Drew Carter; Jeff Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend); Len Lynch (Kathleen Mueller's brother); Curtis Coffin (Marty Coffin's brother).
All of our Covid-19 pandemic first responders, and for the researchers and scientists working on effective tests and treatments for Covid-19. Prayers for all in the military and their families; all who are homeless or addicted or abused or neglected or rejected or hungry; The UCC; the Grand West Association; our Church Council; our Stephen Ministers; our church committees; our communities, our schools, our nation and our planet. To add or remove a name from the Prayer List, please email us. Financial Stewardship
August 9
Attendance for Online Services: 722 Weekly Online Giving: $2,798.69 Total: $2,798.69 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, or sharing through the donate buttons on Facebook or Instagram, or at our website. Or you may send checks by mail to: Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ 56 Wall Street, PO Box 519 Douglas, MI 49406 |
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56 Wall Street • Douglas, Michigan 49406
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