Weekly E-pistle: 15th Sunday after Pentecost

9/3/2021

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

This Sunday's Service Notes -- "Opening to Miracles!"
Last Week's Service Video -- "Love in Action"
Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate is "High," Masks Requested in Service
Supporting Afghani Refugees
Helpful Hints for Leaving Campus Buildings
Arbor Circle "Final Taste of Summer," September 21, 6 pm
Saugatuck/Douglas Art Club: Ruth Crowe Encaustic Demo, September 8, 6 pm
Douglas Social: September 9, from 5:30 to 9 pm
CJT Beach Clean-up, September 18, 9 am
Time to Sign Up for Crop Walk!
Gardening is Giving Table Through Labor Day: Give What You Can, Take What You Can.
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service -- "Opening to Miracles!"

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus heals the deaf man by proclaiming "Ephphatha!", an Aramaic word which means, "Be Opened!" It comes from the same root word for "epiphany" and for understanding. It's the "A-ha" moment when we begin to hear things with a new understanding.

Are you opened to seeing the miracles taking place all around you? Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM, as we explore what it means to live life "Open Wide." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Stan Greene. Thank you for wearing a mask.

The Sunday morning service will be recorded and posted later in the day to our church's website and YouTube channel.

This Sunday is also Labor Sunday, a day to lift up workers, celebrate their contributions, and support their struggles.

It is also a day to 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.

Last Sunday's Service

In our scripture readings from last Sunday's lectionary, we heard how we are to love God and one another not merely through our words but through our actions. As people of faith, we know that the way we behave towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored what it takes to truly put our love into action. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, and Adelle Van Daalen.
Click here to read, listen to, watch and share Pastor Sal's homily.

Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate is "High," Masks Requested in Service

Mask Recommendation for Sunday Services
Because our area transmission rate has increased to "High," the Church Council requests 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 High 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.

Supporting Afghani Refugees

The Officers of the UCC Church issued this letter, addressing church members and the American people. The letter ends:

"As a Just Peace Church, we proclaim with prophetic hope that “peace is possible.” We are not about to stop believing that today. Let us hold on to the hope that peace is possible and commit ourselves not only to keeping our Afghan siblings in prayer, but also to committing: our churches to welcome refugees; our voices to engage in advocacy; our hearts to establish partnerships; and our minds and bodies to support the “things that make for peace.”

The UCC has outlined steps for discerning how best we can support the Afghan refugees and the people of Afghanistan, including supporting Afghanis with talents and treasure.

To learn more, click here.

When Leaving Campus Buildings...

Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Now that we are getting back to in-person service and meetings, it's a good time for a reminder about closing up the Friendship Hall, Spring Street, and the Retreat House after meetings. Please remember, when you leave these spaces to:

Turn off the air conditioning, or in winter, turn down the thermostat to 60 degrees.
Close the doors that lead to the sanctuary.
Return HEPA filters to "low" setting, if they have been turned up.
Lock all doors.

Thank you so much for your help in maintaining the campus buildings!

Arbor Circle "Final Taste of Summer,"
Sept 21, 6pm

celebrate with us
After so much distancing, we are excited to come together once again! Please join us for an exclusive evening of fellowship with other Arbor Circle supporters and friends, featuring a cooking demonstration and wine-pairing by Mindy Trafman, co-owner, chef, and sommelier of Coast 236, and the opportunity to make a long-term impact on the health and wellness of your community through Arbor Circle's Endowment Fund.

rsvp
$100 per guest, includes cooking class, wine-pairing, and small bites
Please register by September 14 using the button below.

questions
Email our Director of Development, Taylor Greenfield, at tgreenfield@arborcircle.org with questions

Click Here to Register!

Saugatuck/Douglas Art Club: Ruth Crowe Encaustic Demo, September 8, 6pm

On Wednesday, September 8 at 6pm, you can participate in learning how to do encaustic art with Ruth Crowe at the Saugatuck Douglas Public Library. These programs are free and open to the public. No art skill necessary. You can participate by emailing Christa Wise at this address to get the supply list, or you can just show up and watch. It is fun to hang out with artists! Sponsored by the Saugatuck Douglas Art Club. To learn more about their adventures, read on at their website here: https://www.saugatuckdouglasartclub.org/ .

Douglas Social: September 9, from 5:30 to 9 PM

The City of Douglas will be hosting a Douglas Social at Wade's Bayou on Thursday, September 9, from 5:30 to 9 PM. Douglas UCC will have our food booth. We hope to see you there!

CJT Beach Clean-up, September 18, 9am

Please join the Creation Justice Team, working in partnership with the Alliance of the Great Lakes, on Saturday, September 18, at 9am, for the Beach Clean-Up of Oval Beach to Douglas Beach. Spread the word! Bring family and friends! We'll gather at Oval Beach's parking lot, working until 12pm. If you can help, please sign up via our Facebook Event, or email event coordinator Eric LeJeune, including your phone number, so we can reach out in case of rescheduling. We recommend wearing gloves. Consider bringing a large plastic bucket, and a kitty litter scoop to help pick up small plastic pieces.

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 behind this link:
https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/team/douglas-ucc
New walkers are also welcome to sign up! If you have questions, contact Chris Clark.

Gardening is Giving Table Through Labor Day: Give What You Can, Take What You Can.

The Creation Justice Team's "Gardening is Giving" table will be open this Sunday, just outside the church. Drop off the produce of your gardens -- vegetables, herbs, flowers, divided plants -- and pick up any produce you would like to take home! You don't need to donate to the table to receive from the Earth! Special kudos to church members Paul Burdick and Michael Valdez for organizing the table this year!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

September 7- Patrick Kuhn, Marjorie & Mark Reiman,
8- Pamela Chappell & Pete Wehle, 10- Jack Dunn

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

Pete Wehle; Jeff Chinski and Family; David Abbot; Pat Denner; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Sarah Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's Daughter); Mike VerMerris and all of Luke Burnett's family; Walt Lawrence; Cole Hartman; Dennis Konarski; Mike Sneedon (Peg and Jack Donohue's friend); 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 Hamlin's great-grandson); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); 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 29, 2021

In-Person Attendance: 77
Viewers for August 29 Online Service Videos: 397
August Podcast Downloads: 8,635
Online Donations:  $2,486.24
Collection Plate, Retreat House Use,
and Luke Burnett Memorial:  $4,855

Total:  $7,341.24
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.