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Weekly E-Pistle: 8th Sunday after Pentecost

7/21/2023

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

  • This Sunday's Service — 8th Sunday after Pentecost: "Ascending the Spiritual Ladder"
  • Last Sunday's Homily — 7th Sunday after Pentecost: "The Parable of the Sower"
  • Sweet Summer Coffee Hour!
  • Thank You for Supporting the Boys & Girls Club!
  • What's Next in Campus Stewardship
  • In Search of: Exchange Student Host Families
  • Resilience Blue Star Bash, July 27
  • Call for Altar Flowers
  • Volunteers needed for Venetian Fest! Sign Up Online!
  • Tickets are on Sale! West Shore Aware Gala, August 19
  • Reports & Minutes
  • Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday: "Ascending the Spiritual Ladder"

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This Sunday, we will explore the Old Testament passage from this week's lectionary: the story of "Jacob's Ladder." In it, Jacob has a dream of a long ladder connecting the earthly realm with the spiritual realm. Did you know that you, too, have access to Jacob's Ladder?

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in person or streaming live online) as we explore the steps of "Spiritual Ascension."  
Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga

Download this Sunday's Online Bulletin:
order_of_service_july_23_2023.pdf
File Size: 2484 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


​Last Sunday's Service

n the Gospel reading for last Sunday Jesus tells "The Parable of the Sower." The spiritual principle of sowing and reaping is common throughout the Bible. Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we learned how how to put this powerful spiritual principle of "sowing and reaping" into practice in our lives. Message: Pastor Sal Sapienza. Music: Peter Black
Here's the Homily!

​Sweet Summer Coffee Hour! 

Summer coffee hours out on the lawn? Yes, please! One of the sweetest ways we enjoy one another's company after service each week. We'll hold outdoor coffee hours as weather permits for the rest of the season! Namaste!

​Thank You for Supporting the Boys & Girls Club! 

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L to R: Tim Lemanski, Pastor Sal, Mark Smaller, Michael Mok.
This is what we do! Thanks to your generous giving and our Grant Committee's leadership, we were able to support the wonderful work of the Rotary Club's Boys & Girls Club, providing after-school support for area children. The $5,000 donation will help them provide food and programming for this growing group of local children.

​What's Next in Campus Stewardship 

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“This Little Church That’s Been Entrusted to Our Care”
As outlined at our Annual Meeting, there are many areas of our church campus in need of important repair and updating. Here's our wish list:

88 Spring Street
  • Grade / excavate perimeter prior to painting 
  • Exterior paint – walls, shutters, gutters, trim 
  • Landscaping / trees on west side 
  • Sprinkler system 
  • Back fence 
  • Concrete: driveway / parking pad / slider step out 

Sanctuary and Friendship Hall
  • Friendship Hall vestibule floor repair / new outer door (east side) 
  • “Bookcase wall” Sanctuary - water damage all the way up (north side) 
  • Memorial Garden fence replacement 
  • Contingency funds
 
We hope to fund these projects through targeted gifts totalling $79, 725 to complete them all.

​You can keep watch on our funding goals here in the E-Pistle. Meanwhile, consider if you can support these needed improvements. You can donate online at the button below, or post a check with  “DUCC Campus Stewardship” in the memo line to:  Douglas UCC, PO Box 519, Douglas, MI 49406. ​
Donate to Campus Stewardship Fund Here

​In Search of: Exchange Student Host Families 

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Greenheart Exchange is again looking for households to host international exchange students!  Impact the life of a student, create friendships and memories, be part of a global family, learn a new culture AND share your own. Students are ages 15 to 18, and come from more than 60 countries. They study here for one semester or one school year, have good English skills, bring their own spending money and have illness and accident insurance. 

Greenheart's Local Coordinator plans events for students and supervises them. Hosts provide three meals a day, a place to study, a separate bed (can share a bedroom with one other person within 5 years of their age) reasonable transportation and encouragement. Families may be single parents, same-gender, with or without children.  Retirees welcome as long as you can still drive. If you would like more information on the experience of a lifetime, contact Julia Colingsworth by email, juliamusicmaker@aol.com, or by phone, 269-225-7418.  Also, check out our website, www.hostwithgreenheart.org

​Resilience Blue Star Bash, July 27 

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Resilience, whose mission is to respond to, reduce, and prevent domestic and sexual violence in Ottawa and Allegan counties, are holding their second annual fundraiser here in Saugatuck on July 27, at Ivy House. If you would like to donate to their auctions or have questions about the event, e-mail DanielleE@ResilienceMI.org. For tickets, hit that red button below!

2nd Annual Blue Star Bash
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Ivy House – Saugatuck, MI
Ticket link below!

Blue Star Bash will feature live music by Desmond Jones, food trucks, delicious drinks, raffles, silent auctions, a 50/50, and a wine pull!

​Thanks to Howard Miller, Empowerment Partner for Blue Star Bash this year!
Tickets and Donations

​Call for Altar Flowers 

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Photo by Kendall Scott on Unsplash
Summer is here, and so are the blossoms! If you would like to dress our altar with lovely blooms, see the Altar Flower sign-up sheet in the Friendship Hall. Just write your name and a note next to the date, and tell us if you would like your flowers to hold the memory of a special event or a loved one. Or email Julie Ridl to help you.
​

​Volunteers needed for Venetian Fest! 

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The Rotary Club of Saugatuck/Douglas is looking for volunteers to help with the Venetian Festival on July 28 and 29. One of our three local Rotary initiatives is to protect and enhance the waterways (and local ecosystems). As a starting point, we have opted for a laser light show instead of the fireworks, and if Rotary continues to carry the mantle for this event in coming years, we plan to include an awareness/educational component to the weekend. Volunteers who sign up by June 25 will receive a really cool t-​shirt with the new logo! See church member Kirsten Stannis (or the website) for details or questions. 
Sign Up Here!

Tickets are on Sale! 
​West Shore Aware Gala, August 19 

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The Summer Event is Coming! The White Party Rainbow Reunion is August 19, and tickets are on sale now. Follow the button below for tickets, sponsorship opportunities,  and more details.

Tickets and Info Here!

​Reports & Minutes 

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pastors_report_july_2023.pdf
File Size: 146 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

approved_church_council_minutes_june_2023.pdf
File Size: 185 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Birthdays & Anniversaries

July 24– Elizabeth Estes, Michael Mok, Elaine & Alton Overweg
25– Kelly Wright, 27– Norman Capello, Rebecca & Jack Klott
28– Sue & John Fleming, 29– Sue Scott & Larry Fuerst,  Kathleen & Peter Mueller
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​​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

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Linda Marth; Myron Bell; Betsy York; Tom Fahlstrom Sr. (Tom Fahlstrom's Dad); Mary Westenbroek; Brian Aikens; Family of Doug Smith; Jerry Elpers and family (Beth Howley's Dad); Edie Plantinga (Nancy Plantinga's mother); Fritz Royce and his Family; Joyce Potts (Ed Korson's Friend); Peter Black and Family; Max Matteson; Eric Cooley (Jo Cooley's brother)
Nicole and John (Wendy Hamlin's daughter-in-law and son)

​Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance July 16: 116
​Total Views for July 16 Online Videos: 735

​
​Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $6,565.00
Online Giving: $1,916.70​​​​
​Total: $8,481.70
​​
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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© 2023. Douglas Congregational United Church of Christ. All Rights Reserved.
  • About Us ▾
    • Meditation Garden
    • Retreat House
    • Our Staff
    • Our Stories
    • About Douglas UCC
  • Connect & Serve
  • Worship & Music Videos ▾
    • Podcast Library 🔊
    • Homily Library 📖
  • Calendar & E-pistle ▾
    • E-pistle
  • Contact
  • Giving