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Weekly E-Pistle: 16th Sunday After Pentecost

9/10/2021

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

  • This Sunday's Service Notes -- "Season of Creation"
  • Last Week's Service Video -- "Opening to Miracles!"
  • Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate is "High," Masks Requested in Service
  • 20 Years after 9/11 attacks -- Remembering Father Mychal Judge
  • DUCC Featured in A Celebration of Progress at the History Center
  • Supporting our Crop Walkers
  • Jim Shewell Memorial Service, September 28
  • Helpful Hints for Leaving Campus Buildings
  • Arbor Circle "Final Taste of Summer," September 21, 6 pm
  • CJT Beach Clean-up, September 18, 9 am
  • Thanks to all who participated in our "Gardening is Giving" Season!
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship​

This Sunday's Service: "Season of Creation"

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The theme of our worship for the month of September will be "Season of Creation." This Sunday, we will be focusing on "Planet Earth."  God created this Eden for us to enjoy, yet we have not been good stewards of this gift. Come join us this Sunday at 10 AM, as we celebrate Gaia, Mother Earth. Message: Pastor Sal. Poetry: Jack Ridl. Music: Peter Black, Jeff Spangler, and Mary Fechtig. 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. ​

Last Week's Service

In last 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 enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored what it means to live life "Open Wide." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Stan Greene. 
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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 

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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.

​20 Years after 9/11 attacks -- Remembering Father Mychal Judge 

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Saturday marks a difficult anniversary, 20 years since the attacks on 9/11/2001. The first recorded death on that day, victim #0001, was Pastor Sal's friend and mentor, Father Mychal Judge, whose life and spirit and service to New York's fire fighters, and his work with AIDS patients and homeless people, support the efforts of his many friends and admirers to have Fr. Judge considered for sainthood. This AP story by reporter David Crary has been picked up by many newspapers in the United States, and features an interview with Pastor Sal. Pastor Sal also spoke with Edward Stourton on BBC's Sunday program (beginning minute 13.)  Learn more about Father Mychal from Pastor Sal's book Praying with Father Mychal.

​DUCC Featured in A Century of Progress at the History Center 

Douglas UCC is so proud to be featured in the new exhibit at the Saugatuck/Douglas History Center: A Century of Progress: 100 Years of the LGBTQ Community in Saugatuck/Douglas. The free exhibit is open every Friday-Saturday-Sunday from noon to 4 PM.

​Supporting our Crop Walkers 

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The DUCC Crop Walk team is formed and busy reaching out to people to sponsor their walks. If you can support the team, click here, to make a donation. 

Jim Shewell Memorial Service: September 28

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A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, September 28, at 1:30 PM for church member, Jim Shewell, who passed away earlier this year.

The service will be held in at St. Joseph Cemetery in Lansing, Michigan. Pastor Sal will officiate the service. Afterwards, there will be a luncheon in a nearby park.

Please contact Jim's husband, Leith Letcher, if you plan on attending. His contact information is in our Church Directory.

​Helpful Hints for Leaving Campus Buildings 

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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," September 21, 6 pm 

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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!

​CJT Beach Clean-up, September 18, 9 am 

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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. ​

KUDOS to Gardening is Giving Team

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As Creation Season begins, our "Gardening is Giving" table draws to a close. Many thanks to everyone who donated the fruits of their gardens and to those who gathered them up! Special KUDOS to church members Dan Mack, Paul Burdick, and Michael Valdez who set up and ran the table throughout the season!

​Birthdays & Anniversaries

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

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Ron Turks (Carol Cunningham's son-in-law); Elizabeth Estes; Sidney Matheis; 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​

In-Person Attendance, September 5: 79
​Viewers for September 5 Online Service Videos: 495


Online Donations:  $2,419.08
Collection Plate:  $745
​
​Total:  $3,164.08 
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.

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  • About Us ▾
    • Meditation Garden
    • Retreat House
    • Our Staff
    • Our Stories
    • About Douglas UCC
  • Connect & Serve
  • Worship & Music Videos ▾
    • Podcast Library 🔊
    • Homily Library 📖
  • Calendar & E-pistle ▾
    • E-pistle
  • Contact
  • Giving