Weekly E-Pistle: 12th Sunday after Pentecost

8/13/2021

In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:

This Sunday's Service Notes -- "The Aramaic Jesus"
Last Week's Service Video -- "On Earth As It Is In Heaven"
Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate increased to "High," Masks Recommended in Service
Luke Burnett Memorial Service, August 27, 11am
Can You Help Restock the Church Pantry?
Time to Sign Up for Crop Walk!
Members Needed for Live Broadcast Team
All Are Welcome: Stephen Ministry Info Session, August 29, 11:30am
Sign up for Jason Quigno, "Art of the People" Talk at SDHC, August 26, 7pm
Gardening is Giving Table Resumes August 22
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service Notes

The Gospels were written in Greek, but the language Jesus spoke was Aramaic. In recent years, many biblical scholars have taken the Gospels and translated them into Aramaic. In doing so, the teachings of Jesus take on deeper and more profound meanings. Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM, as we explore "The Aramaic Jesus," with a particular focus on "The Lord's Prayer" in Aramaic, which you can listen to below. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

Last Week's Service Video

Thank you, thank you to church member and guest preacher, Rev. Dr. David Van Dyke, who filled in for our vacationing Pastor Sal. Rev. Van Dyke is a retired minister in the Presbyterian Church. He and his wife, Nancy, have been attending Douglas UCC since retiring full-time to Saugatuck in 2019. Last Sunday, he preached on John 6:35, 41-51. Music: Peter Black and Stan Greene.
Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Rev. Dr. Van Dyke's homily.

Luke Burnett Memorial Service, August 27, 11am

We will hold a memorial service for Mike VerMerris' partner, Luke Burnett, on August 27, at 11a.m, celebrating this wonderful man's time with us. More details to follow, and you can click here to leave a tribute or words of comfort for Mike and their family.

Can You Help Restock the Church Pantry?

Photo by Claire Mueller on Unsplash

Our Community Care Facilitator, Lynne Snyder, is asking for help restocking the church pantry, a collection of home and healthcare care goods for people who need them. If you are able, please shop and drop them at the Friendship Hall on Sundays. Here are the items we need: Facial Tissues, Toilet Paper, Toothbrushes, Bar Soap. She asks that any extra outer packaging be removed for ease of storage. Thank you!

Time to Sign Up for Crop Walk!

This year’s CROP Walk for Hunger will take place Sunday, September 12 at 2:00pm. We’ll have details soon, but returning walkers can sign up now and begin fundraising. There’s a new website this year; the DUCC page is
https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/team/douglas-ucc
New walkers are also welcome to sign up! If you have questions, contact Chris Clark.

Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate increased to "High," Masks Recommended in Service

Mask Recommendation for Sunday Services
Because our area transmission rate has increased to "High," the Church Council recommends that we wear masks at the Sunday Service. Greeters will have masks available for anyone who needs them.

CDC Update

Updated information for fully vaccinated people given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant currently circulating in the United States.
Added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people to wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high transmission. (At this posting, Allegan County is listed as Substantial Risk.)
Added information that fully vaccinated people might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19, or if they have someone in their household who is immunocompromised, at increased risk of severe disease or not fully vaccinated.
Added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to be tested 3-5 days after exposure, and to wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.

Members Needed for Live Broadcast Team

Photo by Rafael Sanfilippo on Unsplash

We are looking for volunteers to operate the video camera during Sunday services. If you want to help please email Chris Clark - clark.96@nd.edu. We can train you if you have not done this before.

All Are Welcome: Stephen Ministry Info Session, August 29, 11:30am

Would you like to learn more about our church's Stephen Ministry program? On Sunday, August 29, our Stephen Leaders, Paul Burdick and Laurie VandenBeldt, will be hosting an informational Q&A about the Stephen Ministry program at the Spring Street cottage behind the church from 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Sign up for Jason Quigno, "Art of the People" Talk at SDHC, August 26, 7pm

DUCC and the Social Justice Team invites you to enjoy the Art of the People Exhibit and hear a talk by Jason Quigno, August 26 7-8 pm. Attendance is limited to 30 people. Please sign up for this event at the link below or in the Friendship Hall.

Jason Quigno is one of the most prominent sculptors living in the Midwest today. Carving for hours each day to shape each stone, Jason’s work often draws upon his Anishinaabe heritage and the contemporary abstractions that are inspired by the land and nature.

Jason will share his views on curating the Art of the People Exhibit, his perspective on being an Anishnaabe in contemporary time and his process on how he carves a stone.

"When I create I am always pushing myself, my designs and the limits of the stone to bring out a fluid and balanced form, and to create artwork that is graceful, delicate ,and has a sense of movement. You don’t think of stone as having these qualities but these are some of the things I strive for in my work.”

See the sign-up sheet in the friendship hall, or...
Click here to sign up online for this free event: https://bit.ly/ArtofThePeople

Gardening is Giving Table Resumes August 22

Our Gardening is Giving crew is out of town this week. So the table is taking a break this Sunday. Look for it again on Sunday, August 22.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

August 15- Russ Foster, 16- Mary Fechtig, 18- Kathleen Mueller, 19- Peg Donohue,
19- Sheryll & Greg VanPortfleet, 19- Kenneth Whitcomb,
21- Kathy D. Van Rees, 21- Carey & Fred Idema

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. If you don't have a directory, please let us know, and we will email one to you

Prayer Requests

Hannah Sherman; David Abbot; Pat Denner; The family of Len Lynch, including Kathleen and Peter Mueller; Alice Reimard (Sarah Donovan's sister in law); Margaret and Dave Bazany and their daughter, Jennifer; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); Pam Carr (Debra Carr's sister); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Sarah Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's Daughter); Mike VerMerris and all of Luke Burnett's family; Cole Hartman; Walt Lawrence; Shannon Connell; Dennis Konarski and the Konarski family; Mike Sneedon (Peg and Jack Donohue's friend); Pamela Chappell; Sandy Feldman; Tim Reineck, Matt Brazys, Suzanne Cook, and Ken Cassbon (friends of Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell); Richie Czarnowski (Mark Reiman's friend); Dale Lower; Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Michael (a friend of Dan Mack's); Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt); Chris Robinson (Peter and Kathleen Mueller's nephew); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend)

Financial Stewardship

August 8 2021
In-Person Attendance: 67
Viewers for August 1 Online Service Videos:140
Online Donations:  $3,970.33
Collection Plate:  $2,391.00
Total:  $6,361.33

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.