Weekly E-Pistle: 21st Sunday after Pentecost

10/23/2020

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

This Sunday's Service Notes - "The Greatest Commandment"
Last Week's Service Video --"Our Faith, Our Vote, Our Voice"
Carol Brown's Letters to Voters Ministry
Christian Neighbors -- The Gift of Love, Deadline December 7
Christian Neighbors Flour Drive & Dennis Konarski's Challenge!
Registration is Open for UCC Michigan's Annual Meeting
Crop Walk 2020, a Soggy Celebration!
Centering Prayer with Pastor Sal -- Meeting Weekly in November/December
Friendship Hall News
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Meeting Minutes, Pastor's Report, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday: "The Greatest Commandment"

In the gospel reading from this Sunday's lectionary, Jesus is asked, "Which of the ten commandments is the greatest?" He responds with what's become known as "The Golden Rule" - to love your neighbor as yourself. Following this commandment is a challenging one, especially during this time when our country is so divided. We hope you'll join us this Sunday for our "Video Worship Service," as we explore the true meaning of "The Golden Rule." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga.

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

Last Sunday's Service Video

As part of the UCC's latest initiative, we focused last week's service on the theme, "Our Faith, Our Vote, Our Voice." Under federal law, tax-exempt, non-profit groups, such as our church, are barred from intervening in elections by endorsing or opposing candidates, yet we are called to make our voices heard and to put our faith into action. Click above to watch this inspiring message from Pastor Sal and uplifting music from Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.
Read the homily or listen to the podcast here.

Carol Brown's Amazing Letters-to-Voters Ministry

One hundred and seventy-five (not a typo!) hand written letters! Carol wrote 175 letters -- a gift from the pen and the heart of Carol Brown to people who are not regular voters, telling each why she planned to vote this year and why she felt it was an important year to vote your voice. Carol joined thousands of people who encouraged voters this year through a program called Vote Forward. KUDOS to Carol for doing her thing! And to all of us at DUCC who have voted early and are helping others to vote. If you need help voting this year, we're happy to help.
Write to us at welcome@douglasucc.org.

Christian Neighbors -- The Gift of Love

Christian Neighbors is getting to work early this year to help kids in our area have a warm and happy Christmas. As in years past, our DUCC family can help by buying warm clothes and toys for children in our area.

In the foyer of the Retreat House, look for the Giving Tree poster, and the basket of gift tags containing details of gifts needed. Take one or several! Instructions for are on the tags. Gather your gifts, and deliver them to Christian Neighbors at the Community Church of Douglas by December 7.

We need volunteers to help families select gifts for children too. Call Christian Neighbors at 269-857-1050 for work dates and times. And as always, thank you so much for giving your time and treasure in this way.

Christian Neighbors Flour Drive --
Dennis Konarski's Challenge

Last year our Douglas UCC family gathered more than 900 pounds of flour for the Christian Neighbors Thanksgiving Food basket program, feeding 404 area families. And Chef Dennis Konarski, our church member, is issuing a challenge designed to beat that number in 2020, when we have so many more people facing difficult holidays.

Chef Dennis is offering to cook a full Thanksgiving Dinner for 6 for the household that contributes the most flour to this year's drive! Our drive this year is being managed differently, to keep everyone safe:

1. Drop your flour off in the provided bags in the entryway of the Friendship Hall.
2. Write your contribution on the sign-up sheet if you would like to be considered for the prize!
3. We will be accepting flour contributions through Sunday, November 22.

Thank you for all of your generous giving to look after our community members! And if you know a family that needs a food basket for Thanksgiving Dinner, please write to us at welcome@douglasucc.org.

Registration is Open for
UCC Michigan's Annual Meeting

Registration is open for the Virtual 2020 Annual Gathering of UCC's Michigan Conference. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the link you need to join the meeting. The gathering will take place on Saturday, November 14th beginning at 9:30 a.m. The meeting organizers ask that you plan to join Zoom at 9:15 a.m. so that we can begin promptly at 9:30. The Annual Report Booklet will be available prior to the gathering on the Conference website, and in the Michigan Conference Weekly Newsletter. More information will be shared as plans come together.

Crop Walk 2020 Celebration!

Wow! A new local record! We are so proud of our 12 Douglas UCC church members and their sponsors who raised $7,500 for the CROP Hunger Walk, which helps the hungry here in Allegan County and around the world. We are so grateful for their efforts! Thank you to Julie & Jack Ridl, Sue Scott & Larry Fuerst, Linda Charvat, Dan Mack, Barb Lucier, Mike VerMerris, Wendy Hamlin, Pete Wehle, Joyce Wright, and Chris Clark, our amazing coordinator.

You can still add to that gift by delivering a check into Chris Clark's hands by today, October 23, or online by Monday, October 26. Very special KUDOS to Chris Clark for organizing this year's walk, and to our friends and family at Isabel's Market + Eatery for hosting our blessing and celebration this past Sunday.
Contact: Chris Clark, clark.96@nd.edu, 574-276-2275
Donate or join as a walker at crophungerwalk.org/douglasmi/ducc

Centering Prayer Group - November/December

During the months of November and December, Pastor Sal will be leading a "Centering Prayer" meditation via Zoom each Wednesday night from 5:30 PM to 6 PM. Each session will begin with a short talk, followed by a 15-minute silent prayer practice. If you are interested in taking part in these sessions, please email Pastor Sal.

Friendship Hall News

Pastor Sal and Jack joined us right after another Zoom call, with Pastor Sal filling the pulpit, and Jack reading at the First UU Church of Detroit. A lovely service with a lovely congregation! But they made it to Friendship Hall!
So many people raised to tears of joy to hear Jeff Spangler singing in last week's service! We missed your voice, Jeff. It's good to have you back. If you missed it and need a good cry, follow last week's service link, above.
Dale Lower shared that Ted Sommer's next heart procedure has been scheduled. Prayers ongoing that this next procedure steadies Ted's magnificent heart.
We had a show of hands of people who have voted early. This is a real voting congregation!
Jim Kern later shared that he is going to act in an online play, "R-Montana," with MirrorBox Theatre, in their Out the Box online play readings via Zoom. Learn more about this production here. Register for the Zoom Play here.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

October 25- Maryjo Lemanski, Robert Riddle, 26-Ken Hemminger, 31- Michael Batey, Loran Atkinson & Gary Nicodemus
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

Sarah Swift; Tom & Serena Spina; Sidney Matheis; 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); Freddy; 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).

Governor Whitmer and her family. 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.

In addition to the Church Council Minutes and Pastor's Report (linked below), we can make the first quarter financial results for our 2021 fiscal year available upon request. Just write to julie@douglasucc.org.

approved_church_council_minutes_september_2020.pdf
File Size:	69 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

pastors_report_october_2020.pdf
File Size:	272 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Financial Stewardship

October 18
Viewers for October 18 Online Service videos: 873
Weekly Online Giving: $2,182.26
Mailed Collection Plate: $985.00
Total: $3,167.26

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