24th Sunday after Pentecost

11/10/2023

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

This Sunday's Service -- 24th Sunday after Pentecost: "Tending God's Light"
Last Sunday's Service --23rd Sunday after Pentecost: "Humbled & Exalted"
Sabbath! Shirley Lawson's Beautiful Poem
Call for Christmas Choir Singers!!!
Flour Collection for Christian Neighbors
Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20
Soul Collage: Listening to Our Inner Child, November 11
Allegan County Senior Services Q&A in the Friendship Hall, November 30
Lakeshore Community Chorus Holiday Wonderland, December 2-3, Tickets on Sale
Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, Stewardship Drive and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "Tending God's Light"

In the Gospel reading for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost, Jesus tells "The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids," five of whom did not prepare enough oil in their lamps. He's reminding us to keep our spiritual lamps lit, especially during times of great darkness.

Please join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live online) as we explore how to keep our spiritual lamps lit and burning, especially during such challenging times as these. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler

Download this Sunday's Online Bulletin:

order_of_service_november_12_2023.pdf
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Last Sunday's Service

In last Sunday's gospel reading for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, Jesus says: "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." The word humility is defined as being "unselved," a liberation from consciousness of self. When we humble ourselves, we free ourselves from the bonds of the ego and are, therefore, exalted. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored how the "humbling process" leads to spiritual ascension. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza Music: Peter Black, Shirley Lawson, and Robin Haaksma.

Here's the Homily!

Sabbath! Shirley Lawson's Beautiful Poem

Last Sunday our church member Shirley Lawson shared her Covid-era poem, "Sabbath," along with her friend Robin Haaksma, who set the poem to music. Such a moving and humbling part of our shared church history!

Call for Christmas Choir Singers!!!

Photo by David Beale on Unsplash

Our Director of Music, Peter Black, is calling all singers for our Christmas Eve Choir! All are welcome to join. There will be four rehearsals held each Sunday at 11:30 AM beginning November 19th. You don't need to be able to attend every rehearsal, but we hope you can make as many as possible. Please speak with Peter Black to sign up or email him at [email protected].

Flour Collection for Christian Neighbors

Our Annual Flour Drive for Christian Neighbors' Thanksgiving baskets begins on November 1, and will run through November 20. We will place a flour collection box in the entryway to the Friendship Hall. Please donate 4-lb and 5-lb bags only. Thank you so much!

Transgender Day of Remembrance,
November 20, 7pm

Douglas UCC is proud to serve as one of the sponsors of this year's Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony and candlelight vigil at the Holland Armory on Monday, November 20, at 7 PM.

We will be honoring the lives of transgender people who have been killed in 2023 due to anti-transgender discrimination and violence. We particularly want to lift up trans women of color as they are disproportionately the victims of this fatal violence.

Speaking out against anti-transgender discrimination and violence is now more important than ever as safe and appropriate gender affirming care and other basic human rights are being challenged.

Please join us in standing for those whose voices can no longer be heard. Thank you to Prism, the LGBTQ+ student group at Hope College, and Out on the Lakeshore for putting together this event.

Soul Collage: Listening to Our Inner Child, November 11

Our friend and spiritual teacher Ruth Zwald is once again offering "Honoring the Ancestors: Dia de los Muertos," on November 1, in our Friendship Hall. Connecting to our ancestors is a vital part of spiritual work. Drawing on the Mexican traditions of Dia De Los Muertos involves us in an evening of sharing stories and food, creating an altar, as well as a chance to connect to our ancestors in a guided meditation. To sign up, follow the instructions in the poster above.

Allegan County Senior Services Q&A in the Friendship Hall, November 30

Our Safety and Wellness team invites us all to a special presentation and Q&A with Allegan County Senior Services on November 30 from 3:30 to 5:30pm. Allegan County Senior Services provides many services to seniors in our county. The event will include light holiday snacks and beverages.

The Safety and Wellness team are excited to be able to bring the opportunity to our church family and community.

To learn more about this program, visit the Senior Services web page at: www.allegancounty.org/departments/senior-services

Lakeshore Community Chorus: Our Holiday Wonderland, December 2 & 3, Tickets on Sale!

“Our Holiday Wonderland,” presented by the Lakeshore Community Chorus at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, is a holiday concert celebrating the beauty of the lakeshore, and the wonder of the season! John Rutter’s “Gloria,” an exquisite setting of “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen, and the premiere performance of “Our Wonderland,” composed especially for the chorus by Artistic Director, JK Hilbert, and chorus members, Wendy Gilbert Gronbeck and Mary Hannah Terzino, headline the concert with new and fun holiday songs. The Lakeshore Community Chorus, fifty-five members strong, will be joined on stage by the Lakeshore Brass, dancers, and soloists! Experience the love and wonder of the holiday season through music at the SCA December 2 and 3.

Get Your Tickets Here!

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays: November 12- Rev. Marchiene Rienstra, 13- Liz Wilson,
15- Doreen Ritt, 17- Arturo Inda
Anniversaries: November 17- Daniel Dow & Stephen D. Prokop

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.

Prayer Requests

Mike Mok; Karen Clark; Dave and Shirley Lawson; Clark McMillion (Chris Clark's friend); Richard Mead (friend of Tom Fahlstrom); Ruth Fahlstrom (daughter of Tom Fahlstrom); Ann Hopkins, Pamela Chappell & Pete Wehle; Dan Pierce; Ruth Vanden Bosch; Mary Browning; Nancy Grib (Friend of Pamela Chappell); Stuart Family; Charlene Burdick (Paul Burdick's Mother); Diane Carr; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Betsy York; Mary Westenbroek; Brian Aikens; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Joyce Potts (Ed Korson's Friend); Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother); Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son)

Stewardship Drive

Stewardship Drive Giving Week ending November 12: $1,699.85
Pledges to Date = $ $212,500.00
Pledge Fulfillment to date = $66,505.00

Thank you to all who pledged toward our Campus Stewardship Drive. Weekly Stewardship
Drive totals are posted here and on the giant ‘thermometer’ poster in the Friendship Hall.
If you have not received a pledge card, you can pick one up
in the Friendship Hall.

Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance November 5: 104
Total Views for November 5: 1,179

Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $3,141
Online Giving: $2,955.80
Total, General Support: $6,096.80

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.