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Weekly E-Pistle: 24th Sunday after Pentecost

11/5/2021

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

  • This Sunday's Service Notes -- 24th Sunday after Pentecost: "Giving & Receiving"
  • Last Week's Service Video -- 23rd Sunday after Pentecost: "For All the Saints"
  • Allegan County Covid-19 Transmission Rate is "High," Masks Requested in Service
  • From the Pastor's Desk
  • Daylight Savings Time Ends Sunday, Nov 7, 2 AM
  • Community Read: A Great Success!
  • Flour Collection for Christian Neighbors until November 21
  • Saugatuck-Douglas Art Club Event at Button Gallery, November 10, 6 PM
  • Brother Al Mascia's Concert, Saturday, November 13 at 7 PM
  • Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil, November 20, 7 PM​
  • ​Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship​

This Sunday's Service: "Giving & Receiving"

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In Sunday's Gospel, a widow puts two pennies in the collection. Jesus praises her because she gave her all. The cycle of Giving and Receiving is a spiritual law. We know that we reap what we sow, so what seeds are you sowing? 

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live online), as we learn "The Treasure Principle" of giving and receiving. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.

Click below for Sunday's bulletin:
order_of_service_november_7_2021.pdf
File Size: 208 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Last Week's Service

In last Sunday's Gospel, Jesus is asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" He answers, "Love God with all your heart, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself." Enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self. In honor of All Saints Day, we will concluded our Sunday service in the Memorial Garden behind the church with a "Remembrance of Names," honoring our loved ones who have died. 

Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler
​Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Pastor Sal's Homily.

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The pandemic continues to be a challenging and stressful time for many of us. Sadly, we’ve been seeing a lot of vitriol directed at flight attendants, restaurant staff, school board members, and front-line workers in recent months. Churches have certainly not been immune to such vitriol. Now that our Sunday services are being broadcast live to hundreds of people around the world, we have seen a sharp uptick in negative comments and reviews directed at our church. I suppose it comes with the territory of having more than 30,000 viewers this past month alone, but it’s disheartening to read such hurtful comments. Although most of this is being done by online trolls behind the anonymity of a keyboard, one viewer recently confronted me in person outside the church. He wanted to tell me about Jesus and save me from my homosexual lifestyle. He was not aggressive and left peacefully. This one-off situation is not a cause for panic, but is the reason you may have noticed police presence outside the church on Sunday morning. I thought this incident would be a good time to remind you of the safety plan we established here at Douglas UCC back in 2018. During that time of great political division in our country, our Church Council was concerned that our social activism and progressive views might lead to protests at our church. So, at that time, several of our church leaders, Sunday greeters, and I received training from both the Douglas Police Department and the National UCC in monitoring and engaging with new visitors, and we put a safety plan in place that is routinely followed at all church services and events. Rest assured that we are in good hands and in God's hands, but should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Blessings, Pastor Sal

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. You can follow Allegan County's Covid transmission and infection rate at this link: 
CDC infection and transmission rates by county. ​


​Daylight Savings Time Ends Sunday, Nov 7, 2am 

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Early Sunday morning we roll back the clocks, friends! We hope you enjoy your extra hour of sleep!

Community Read: A Great Success!

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Thank you to all who took part in Tuesday night's Community Book Read for The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light by Paul Bogard. More than 30 people were in attendance. We are grateful to our Douglas UCC Creation Justice Team for facilitating and hosting this event. Special kudos to church member, Dan Mack, for his many hours of work promoting the event and preparing the materials for it. To learn more, please visit www.DarkSky.org

​Flour Collection for Christian Neighbors until November 21

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It's time for our annual flour drive to help fill the holiday food baskets prepared by Christian Neighbors and shared with our neighbors and friends in need this holiday season. If you'd like to participate, please drop your flour off at the Friendship Hall, on the flour table, or in the bin just inside the Retreat House door.  We will be accepting flour contributions through Sunday, November 21.

Thank you for all of your generous giving and looking 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.

Saugatuck-Douglas Art Club Event
​at Button Gallery, November 10, 6 PM

November 10 at 6pm at Button Gallery, 33 Center Street in Douglas, hear from Michael Burmeister, owner and director of the gallery, about his work with pottery and painting. He will demonstrate some hand building techniques that will be sure to make you appreciate artists who work in the medium. Free to all and open to the public. Come if you appreciate or do art. All are welcome.

Brother Al Mascia's Concert,
​Saturday, November 13 at 7 PM
 

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Brother Al Mascia's will offer a concert on Saturday, November 13 at 7 PM at Douglas UCC. Brother Al was the pastor of Douglas UCC from 1996 to 2001. It will be great to welcome him back. You can learn more about Brother Al and his ministry at his website: www.BrotherAl.org.  ​

​Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil, November 20, 7 PM​ ​

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Douglas UCC is proud to serve, once again, as one of the sponsors of this year's Transgender Day of Remembrance vigil, which will take place at Centennial Park in Downtown Holland on Saturday, November 20, at 7 PM.

Birthdays & Anniversaries

November 8- Alton Overweg, Sr, 9- Elinor & Michael White,
​11- John Wilming, 12- Maeve Kuhn, 13- Liz Wilson
 

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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Family and Friends of Darlene Walker (Greg and Sheryll VanPortfleet's friend); Sarah Donovan; Marjorie and Mark Reiman; and Greg and Sheryll VanPortfleet; Deb & Al Atkinson; Helaine Miedema (David Miedema's mother); Brenda Marcy; Ron Turks (Carol Cunningham's son-in-law); Elizabeth Estes; Sidney Matheis; Pete Wehle; David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Sarah Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's Daughter); Cole Hartman; 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, October 31: 63
​Viewers for October 31 Online Service Videos: 560
Podcast downloads: 10,596

​
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,025.00
Facebook Donations: $370.00
Online Giving: 
$5,747.25
​
​Total:  $7,142.25 

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
  • Sunday Messages & Music ▾
    • Podcast Library 🔊
    • Homily Library 📖
  • Calendar & E-pistle ▾
    • E-pistle
  • Contact
  • Giving