Weekly E-Pistle: 19th Sunday after Pentecost

10/8/2020

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

"One UCC Family" -- This Sunday's Service Notes
Last Weeks Service Video, "World Communion Sunday"
Blessed Animals
Meet the New Homily Library!!
Shannon Connell at HASP on October 13
Call to Meeting, Annual Meeting of the Michigan Conference of UCC churches, Nov. 14
Vote Your Voice Rally, Centennial Park, Holland, October 18, 3pm
October Voter Shuttle to the Polls
Crop Walk 2020, October 18
Friendship Hall Roundup
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service:

At this Sunday's "Video Worship Service," we will join together virtually with members of our National UCC Family for a time of sharing and celebration. Our UCC denomination has more than 5,000 churches and more than 1 million members. We are a large, extended family. This Sunday, UCC pastors and musicians from all over the U.S. will lead us in prayer, word, and song, as we join together online for a very special time of worship. We hope you'll join us.

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

Last Sunday's Service

On the first Sunday in October, each year, we celebrate "World Communion Sunday" along with our siblings from many faith traditions, a day observed since 1933, and an international day of unity. It is a day when we break bread together and remember Jesus's words: "That they may all be one." Please enjoy our "Video Worship Service" from last Sunday. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Pamela Chappell. Read or listen to the podcast of the homily here.

Blessed Animals

The rain couldn't hold back the pets and their owners who showed up for the Lakeshore Pet Boutique's first annual Blessing of the Animals on October 4. Pastor Sal met and blessed each furry friend and the ones still at home too. And boutique owner Randy handed out biscuits and good cheer. A very sweet way to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi.

Meet the New Homily Library!!

We all love a Pastor Sal homily! And we love to share them, too. The building of the new DUCC Homily library is under way, providing text files in a blog form that make those homilies easy to revisit and to share with friends and family. You will find them under Sunday Music and Messages, on the church's website. Or just bookmark https://www.douglasucc.org/homilies

Shannon Connell at HASP October 13

Last year, church member Shannon Connell gave a wonderful talk, "Healthy Aging from a Neuropsychological Perspective," at DUCC. It was a popular, informative, and delightful program, and she is repeating it with the Hope Academy of Senior Professionals (HASP) on Tuesday, October 13. The cost of this program is $5, and if you are interested in attending, connect with church member Pat Denner, the program's coordinator. So delightful to see Shannon spreading her message!

Save the Date: Invitation to UCC Michigan Conference
Virtual Annual Meeting: November 14

Our UCC Michigan Conference Annual Meeting will be held virtually this year, and all are invited to take part online on November 14. Watch the short video above, as Rev. Phiwa Langeni tells us more about it. To learn more, click here; Call to Meeting 2020.

Vote Your Voice Rally, October 18, 3pm

DUCC's friend, Louisa Norris, has shared news of "Vote your Voice," a rally for women voters and their allies, that will be held October 18th in Centennial Park at 3pm. All are welcome. masks and social distancing are required. Speakers include Elizabeth Welch, Bridget McCormack, and Dana Nessel. The focus of the rally is getting out the vote.

October Voter Shuttle to the Polls

Douglas UCC's Shuttle-to-the-Polls is a service for local voters. During the month of October, volunteers from DUCC will transport voters to deliver their completed absentee ballots to their clerks’ offices, in person. The service is designed to encourage early voting and relieve pressure on the United States Postal Service. This effort is a project of the UCC's Our Faith, Our Vote 2020 initiative to support local congregations in faithful, nonpartisan engagement in the electoral process. DUCC volunteers will provide rides for voters living in and around Holland, Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville and South Haven. Both drivers and riders will observe safety guidelines to limit exposure to, and spread of, COVID-19. Volunteers who wish to drive, and voters who need a ride can contact Stan by e-mailing VoterShuttle@douglasucc.org or texting I CAN DRIVE or VOTER SHUTTLE to 616-915-4380.

Crop Walk 2020, October 18

Douglas UCC CROP Hunger Walk - 2:00 pm, Sunday, October 18
CROP Hunger Walks raise funds to feed hungry families today and help them feed themselves in the future. Usually these events involve several groups and lots of people, but the pandemic has made large gatherings unsafe. As a result, our church will hold its own walk on Sunday, October 18. We hope to raise more than $5,000. A quarter of what we collect will be shared between Christian Neighbors and Ladders of Hope. The rest will combat drought in Nicaragua, provide training in Indonesia, and do much more. CROP Walks raised $7.6 million nationwide in 2019!
Walkers:   Physically join us on the day of the event OR walk on your own time along any route.
Before the event, solicit donations from family, friends, neighbors, coworkers etc.
Each walker will have a web page for donations; Chris can help set it up. (a note for those who’ve done this before: we won’t be using the big donation envelopes)
Donors:   Go online to support one walker, several, or the team (online donors can choose to remain anonymous). You can also write a check to “Douglas UCC,” indicating that it’s for the CROP Walk. Give it to a walker or mail it to the church and the amount will be credited to the team total.
All donations should reach us by Monday, October 26.
Contact:    Chris Clark, clark.96@nd.edu, 574-276-2275
Donate or join as a walker at  crophungerwalk.org/douglasmi/ducc

Who and What is the PRC?

PRC stands for Pastoral Relations Committee. According to the UCC, the PRC is a standing committee in a congregation, with the purpose of supporting a healthy relationship between the pastor and congregants to help create an effective ministry.

The PRC has two primary goals:
1. Act as a support group for the pastor’s leadership: interpreting roles, functions, boundaries, opportunities, and needs of the pastor to the congregation;
2. Act as an advisory group to the pastor: sharing ideas, dreams, expectations, and concerns of the congregation with the pastor.

Who is the DUCC PRC?
Here are the current members of the PRC: Mike VerMerris, Mary Harris, Denny Babel, Kathleen Mueller, David Miedema, Betsy York

The main goal of our DUCC PRC is to promote faithful, shared ministry between the pastor and the congregation. To help facilitate this role, your PRC members will be contacting random members of our congregation in the coming weeks. This is just to check in and say ‘Hi’!
Even though in this challenging time we are physically apart, we are always spiritually together.

Friendship Hall Roundup

During the pandemic, Online Friendship Hall has been a place where the congregation gathers to share our Joys and Concerns with Pastor Sal, and update one another on the important stuff in our lives and in the world around us. Last week we learned from Stan Greene about the Voter Shuttle he has volunteered to manage (see story above.) And we learned from Chris Clark about the goals and status of our annual Crop Walk fundraiser (above, too). Fred Hamilin thanked everyone for the fun Birthday surprises and notes and visits. We prayed for the First Family and all those who have contracted the Coronavirus in D.C., We redoubled our prayers for Ted Sommer and for Myron Freund, as their healing continues. Julie Ridl shared that Jack's Bartholomew: Disciple poem is in the latest edition of Image Journal, and we heard from Linda Charvat all about her dear friend Father Jake Foglio, who at that time had pneumonia, and this week passed away. She shared his story, and shared the link above, so that we may know this man who has been such an important part of her life and will remain important to the lives of so many.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

October 12- Jim Bailey, 15- Liz Wilson - Anniversary, 17- Pete Wehle

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

For the family and friends of Marjorie Brettschneider, sister of Bill Klatt; for the family and friends of Fr. Jake Foglio, especially Linda Charvat; Max Matteson, Jodi Berault, Bill Blue (Jack and Julie Ridl's Friend); Fran David (Betsy York and Demethrea Terrien's friend); Dirk Hollebeek (Ruth VandenBosch's godson); Larry Gegsbeek (friend of Mark Reiman); the family of John and Sue Fleming on the passing of John's brother, Gary; Freddy; Nancy Chancellor (Beverly Hawkes' daughter); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Barb Lucier; Vivian Libby (Sheryll Van Portfleet's Mom); Rachael Overweg; Anna Lisa Cox (Friend of Jack and Julie Ridl and Social Justice Team); Grant Oliver (Kirt Oliver's son); 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

October 4
Viewers for October 4 Online Service videos: 434
Weekly Online Giving: $$4,250.65
Total: $4,250.65

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