In This Week's E-Pistle, You Will Find:
This Sunday's Service: "The Benefits of Doubt"
In thisSunday's Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of Easter, we hear the "Doubting Thomas" story. The apostle, Thomas, doesn't believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. When it comes to our faith, we've been led to believe that doubting is an obstacle, when, in fact, the obstacle is certainty. The contemporary Christian writer, Anne Lamott, says: "The opposite of faith is not doubt. It is certainty." Tune-in to our "Video Worship Service" this Sunday, as we explore the benefits of doubt. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler.
Tune-in on Sunday at 10 AM via our Facebook page, YouTube channel, or here on our website. Last Week's Service
Last Sunday, we celebrated the hope and joy of Easter. We rejoiced that the Christ Light shows us the way to new life. This resurrecting power restores and uplifts us. Please enjoy this Easter Sunday Online Service for a joy-filled celebration of hope and new life.
Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga. Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share the Easter Sunday Homily. Survey Says: "Return-to-Church" Survey Report
Thank you so much to all 130 of our church family who took the time to respond to our Return to Church Survey. We have summarized the results in this downloadable document, linked below. It gives us a very good snapshot of how we have remained active and engaged during the pandemic, along with a sense of our comfort and readiness to return to church. The Church Council will take these results and your comments and ideas to heart, along with the recommendations of the UCC National and Michigan conference, and the recommendations of the CDC in planning our return. Stay tuned!
Saugatuck Douglas Art Club Welcomes You!
This week, during our Friendship Hall call, our church member Betsy York -- who has worked hard over the past few years with area artists to re-energize the Saugatuck Douglas Art Club -- gave us an update on the club's work during pandemic time, and their plans for the near future. The club has been meeting virtually, but hope to restart program meetings in May. If you'd like to keep up with the club's programs and studios, explore their website here, and "Like" their Facebook page here. And big thanks to Betsy York and Sue Fleming and all of our church members who keep this important piece of Saugatuck-Douglas history alive and thriving!
May 1 Household Hazardous Waste Cleanup Day: Volunteers Needed
For the first time in 13 years, a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event will be held for residents of the City of Saugatuck, the City of Douglas, and Saugatuck Township. This one-day event will take place on May 1 from 9 am until 12 pm at the City of Saugatuck Department of Public Works Building (3338 Bluestar Highway). This community service is made possible through the Tri-Community Recycling Committee and generous support from the City of Saugatuck, the City of Douglas, Saugatuck Township, the Saugatuck Township Fire Department, the Rotary Club of Saugatuck/Douglas/Fennville, and numerous private donors.
Download the guidance sheet, below, which provides examples of the types of materials that will be accepted, fees that will charged (if any) and special guidelines for some items. If you have questions, please contact the Tri-Community Recycling committee at [email protected]. Residents MUST have an appointment to drop-off HHW items. Sign up to participate at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084FADA92BABFD0-household Registered participants will drive into the DPW site from the Maple Street entrance (behind the DPW garage). If arriving on Blue Star Highway, turn west on North and south on Maple, or turn west on Old Allegan and then north on Maple. Signs and volunteers will direct vehicles to the proper entrance. You will not be able to turn into the DPW site directly from Bluestar Highway. Donations to help subsidize this event are gladly accepted at: Venmo at @hhwday2021 PayPal https://paypal.me/pools/c/8y7LCkwQ1j Or via the event signup link (above) We need volunteers for Collection Day to provide traffic control and directions. Sign up to volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084FADA92BABFD0-hhwday Note: volunteers WILL NOT touch nor remove any materials in/from vehicles. They will simply direct traffic and provide happy, smiling faces that morning!
New Online Giving Page!
Our online giving pages have now become easier to use, with a new page outlining all the ways we can give to the church, and a new online giving page that makes special collections easier to contribute to. Here is a video showing how it works.
Importantly, if you already make gifts using our online donation site, you don't need to do a thing! Your userid and password and giving history all still work with this new page. And we were able to implement it with no charge to the church. Win! Win! Win! Friendship Hall News
Friendship Hall was full of gratitude for spring and our lovely Easter Service, and our good luck to be living in a place where it's easy to connect with nature at Easter. We discussed the Canada Goose migration and behaviors, which led to a Fennville Goose Festival revelation (the festival is held in October during the Fall migration), in which we pointed out a certain church member who leads a double life as "Miss Honker," above, in the parade each year. Our Joys and Concerns included prayers for Cindy Winkler, who is mourning the loss of her dog, Lake, and concerns for her daughter, who is entering the final weeks of her pregnancy. Through Pastor Sal, Dale Lower shared that he finally has a diagnosis of Sensory Motor Neuropathy, and is working with the neurological specialists at Detroit Medical Center on a treatment plan. Meanwhile, he is suffering, and he and Ted appreciate our prayers. Becca Wasso checked in from their new home in Oregon, where they are working to paint the house and move in. Wolfie was enjoying her Easter goodies during the call. Pastor Sal and Pam Chappell shared that our friends, Sandy and Larry Feldman, need our prayers. Sandy has a recurrence of her cancer, and is awaiting a treatment plan. Sandy and Larry spoke at our church a couple of years ago, sharing their journey and work in healing the racial divide here in West Michigan.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
April 12- Ben Greene, Stan Greene, 13- Bill Klatt, 16- Jerry Coates
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
Sandy and Larry Feldman; Cindy Winkler; Eleanor Connell (Shannon Connell's mother), Matt Brazys, Suzanne Cook, and Ken Cassbon (friends of Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell); Jakki Fox (Jeff Spangler's sister); Ronald Konarski; Julia DeMario (Chris Clark's niece); Richie Czarnowski (Mark Reiman's friend); Leith Letcher and his family; Dale Lower; Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Diane Carr (Debra Carr's sister); Michael (a friend of Dan Mack's); Mike Boston and Kathy Austin; Myron (Wendy Hamlin's grandson, Fred Hamilin's great-grandson); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Kurt McDonald (John McDonald's son); Matt Brazys (Friend of Pete Wehle's); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt); Richard Graham; Char Clausing (Nancy Plantinga's cousin); Chris Robinson (Peter and Kathleen Mueller's nephew); Gregg Kirchen (Sheryll and Greg VanPortfleet's friend); Daniel Ver Meulen (Susan Fleming's son); Marcia Sullivan (Jo Cooley's friend); Len Lynch (Kathleen Mueller's brother); Curtis Coffin (Marty Coffin's brother).
Financial StewardshipApril 4, 2021 Viewers for April 4 Online Service and Maundy Thursday Service Videos: 1,299 Online Donations: $5,051.76 DUCC Special Donations (OGHS): $102.75 Total: $5,154.51 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. |
Previous
|