Weekly E-Pistle: 15th Sunday after Pentecost

9/11/2020

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

"Creation Season Begins" - This Sunday's Service Description
"Labor Sunday"- Last Sunday's Service Video
Watch Pastor Sal "Share in the Chair" with Sunshine Cathedral
UCC Grand West Association's Invitation to Serve
Douglas "Pride Celebration Garden": Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
"Blessing of the Animals" at Beery Field with Pastor Sal
Friendship Hall "Coffee Hour" Roundup
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship Report

This Week's Service: "Creation Season Begins"

The theme of our worship services for the month of September is "Season of Creation." Each Sunday this month, we'll be hearing from members of our church's Creation Justice Team. This Sunday, we will be focusing on "Forest/Wilderness." In Hosea 2, God says, "The Wilderness will lead you to your heart where I will speak." So, join us this Sunday for our "Video Worship Service," as Pastor Sal gives an inspiring message about venturing into the wilderness. Plus, there will be uplifting music from Peter Black and Elizabeth Estes.

Tune in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website.

Last Week's Service

Last Sunday was Labor Sunday, a day to lift up workers, celebrate their contributions, and support their struggles. It was also a day to re-commit ourselves to improving jobs so that all workers have wages, benefits, and work hours that allow them to be self-sufficient and live lives of wholeness. Click above for the video of our service last Sunday, with its inspiring message from Pastor Sal and uplifting music from Peter Black and Stan Greene.

Watch Pastor Sal in "Share in the Chair," Sunshine Cathedral

Everything you wanted to know about Pastor Sal! Click above to watch last Wednesday's interview. Pastor Sal was a guest on Sunshine Cathedral's weekly "Share in the Chair" program with their senior pastor, Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins. The Ft. Lauderdale church holds these conversations with LGBTQ+ affirming pastors and friends who share their stories and their experiences in open and affirming congregations and scholarship. This conversation wound through shared histories and motivations, Sal's popular novel and movie, his theological books, his early life, and his present calling to DUCC. The theological discussions were wonderful and interesting, uplifting and just cool. Just 40 minutes long, but feels much faster.

UCC Grand West Association: Invitation to Serve

Our UCC Grand West Association is in need of volunteers to serve on various committees. The Committee on Ministry works with credentialing new clergy coming to serve a church in the association. The Planning Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating the two general meetings of the association. The Nominating Committee nominates persons to serve as officers of the association. If you might have an interest in serving on one of these committees, please contact Pastor Sal to learn more. Thank you.

Douglas Pride Celebration Garden:
Ribbon Cutting Sept 19, 3pm

The "Pride Celebration Garden" Opening Ceremony is planned for Saturday, September 19, at 3 PM. Come see the beautiful new public garden at 147 Center Street in Downtown Douglas, which honors the contributions and legacy of our church members, Carl Jennings and Lawrence Gammons. The beautiful fence around the garden was designed and crafted by our church member, Chris Maitner. The Ribbon Cutting ceremony will begin at 3 PM with a blessing from Pastor Sal and words from the Mayor of Douglas, followed by live music. Mask-wearing and social distancing will be observed. All are welcome.

Blessing of the Animals,
October 4, 2pm, Beery Field

On October 4, at 2 pm, at Beery Field in Douglas, Pastor Sal and Lakeshore Pet Boutique will offer a Blessing of the Animals. The event will be a standing affair, with animals leashed or in carriers, fully in control of their humans. You may bring a chair, and you must wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. Uncommon Coffee Roasters is donating hot chocolate.

Friendship Hall Round-up

Speaking of animals, there was a bit of a Kitten Kapture at the church grounds last week. If you saw Kathleen Mueller's reading in last week's Online Video Service, you may have seen Duke (alt. pronunciation of DUCC), wander out from around the left side of the Memorial Garden bench she sat on. The Muellers lost their cat a year ago, and little Duke walked right into their hearts while they were filming. Julie Ridl showed up with the Muellers to hunt for littermates and the mom, who were camped behind the church's air conditioners. Julie and Jack are now fostering two kittens, Molly and Jennifer, and together with church member David Geen, A Feral Haven, and Mac's Landing (thanks for the tip, Lynne Snyder!) this team is working to capture, spay, and inoculate the mother cat. A Feral Haven is a great organization, working to lower the population of community cats in West Michigan. If you'd like to support them, visit this link.
Ann Hopkins noted that with shelter systems and spay-neuter drives closed or canceled, the shelters are loaded with kittens right now. She advocates visiting the Al-Van Humane Society shelter, whose work she admires, if you are thinking of giving a home to a kitten or cat (or puppy or dog) who needs one. Of course, these organization are always in great need of financial and volunteer support, if you have resources you can offer.
Dick Lucier reported that Barb Lucier's knee replacement went very well, that she is acing her care goals, and healing quickly. Thanks for your prayers!
Jim Kern (and Debra Carr enthusiastically recommended following this author) recommended reading Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet -- One Bite at a Time, by Dr. Mark Hyman. He picked it up and has been unable to put it down.
Wendy Hamlin shared that Fred Hamlin, her dad, will be celebrating his 90th birthday on September 28. We'll celebrate Fred's milestone at our Zoom Online Friendship Hall on September 27.
Kathleen Mueller expressed her gratefulness that the Retreat House has been able to offer pastors and their family members peace and solace during this difficult season. The Retreat House is managed by Kathleen, kept spotless by Laurie VanDenBeldt, and its mission is to provide a space for spiritual rest and renewal.
We offered Kudos to Larry Fuerst and Wendy Hamlin for keeping tabs on and managing updates for the AED unit in the Friendship Hall. It's such a comfort to know it is there and will be in perfect working order if it's ever needed.
Lynne Snyder called for Congregational Care volunteers. This pandemic season has brought with it a number of new kinds of support that congregants need, and a needed redesign to meet those needs safely. So Lynne needs a larger pool of volunteers to draw from. If you might be able to help other congregants by doing some shopping, cooking a meal, driving someone to an appointment, Click here to connect with Lynne to add your name to her list. There is never any pressure to take an assignment on. Guilt - free compassionate care!
Jack Ridl shared the University of Kentucky team's call for support of Black Lives Matter. The team, studying and playing in Louisville, where Breonna Taylor was murdered, begins with a roll call of their own experiences with daily discrimination and aggressions they have endured. Here is the Twitter post with the video.
Rose Marie Stevenson shared that her horse, Cassandra, is doing very well after some health problems and follow-on treatment. She is grateful and delighted at her progress.
Peter Black says that Dennis Bales and Myron Freund showed up at their door with a gift basket, not even knowing it was Peter and Robert's house, but just welcoming new neighbors. So sweet! Another reason Peter is so happy they moved to Douglas.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

September 14- Karen Duffin, 15- Annie Hotwagner & Marty Coffin,
16- Will Gervais, 19- Duke Sims

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

Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); the family of Mary Geraci (Stan Greene's friends); Barb Lucier; Vivian Libby (Sheryll Van Portfleet's Mom); Rachael Overweg; Patricia Rempel (Ed Korson's sister-in-law); Anna Lisa Cox (Friend of Jack and Julie Ridl and Social Justice Team); 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; Patricia Carr and her husband Riley (Debra Carr's family); 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).

Midwest residents and farmers who have suffered widespread destruction of crops and homes from the August 10 derecho storm. 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

September 6
Viewers for September 6 Online Service: 910
Weekly Online Giving: $2,378.31
Total: $2,378.31

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