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Weekly E-Pistle: 8th Sunday after Pentecost

7/29/2022

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

  • This Sunday's Service Notes — 8th Sunday after Pentecost: "The Treasure Principle"
  • Last Week's Service Video — 7th Sunday after Pentecost: "How to Pray"
  • DUCC Honored by Interfaith Action
  • Men's Group Meetup Photos
  • DUCC's Sedona Trip
  • Lakeshore Community Chorus Auditions
  • Christian Neighbors Update
  • CJT Update, Beach Cleanup September 17
  • SoulCollage Workshop, August 6
  • Chamber Music Festival's "Art for Your Ears and Hands" Events, August 4 and 11
  • West Shore Aware White Party, August 21
  • Snug Home Opportunity
  • ​We Are Looking for Affordable Housing Options for Afghan Family
  • ​Birthdays & Anniversaries, Prayer Requests, and Financial Stewardship

This Sunday's Service: "The Treasure Principle"

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In this Sunday's Gospel story, Jesus tells the "Parable of the Rich Fool."  Is money really the root of all evil?  Are material possessions really a stumbling block on the spiritual path?  It is really that difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person orstreaming live online) as we explore together what a prosperous and abundant life really looks like, and how we can manifest it now. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Jeff Spangler


Download this week's online bulletin here:
order_of_service_july_31_2022.pdf
File Size: 737 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Last Week's Service Video — 7th Sunday after Pentecost: "How to Pray" 

In the Gospel reading for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. Many of us today are still unsure about the practice and purpose of prayer in our lives. What exactly is prayer?  How are we supposed to pray?  Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we learned "How to Pray."  Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Nancy Plantinga

Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Pastor Sal's Homily.​

Honored by Interfaith Action

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Men's Group Meetup! 

On Monday, the Spring Street Men's Group met up at church member Kelly Wright's house for a cookout/potluck, garage chat, and fun with motorcycles. Good food, great weather, and good company!

DUCC's Sedona Trip 

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Photo by Avi Naim on Unsplash
There are just 5 spaces left for this wonderful trip!

Join our Pastor Sal as he leads us on a 6-day exploration of Mind, Body and Soul to Sedona and the Grand Canyon in Arizona, one of the most beautiful regions in America. Arizona, and specifically Sedona and the Grand Canyon, both have an immense spiritual and artistic heritage. This is a perfect opportunity to realize and develop your own inner awareness with Pastor Sal as our spiritual teacher! 


Attached are all the details, including the Reservation Form with pricing information.
Call or email David Geen with questions or to make your reservations: 
Cell - (313) 492-9574  david@villasandvines.com
mind_body_and_soul_2022_-_pastor_sal_in_sedona.pdf
File Size: 2517 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Lakeshore Community Chorus Auditions! 

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Christian Neighbors Update 

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With the expected termination of the remaining state and federally funded pandemic programs and increasing inflationary stresses, our organization anticipates an increase in demand, possibly as soon as mid-August, for the services we provide to low-income families in the Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville and southern Holland communities.

In April through June, we assisted  250 local households. This includes those who come on a regular basis and those who come one-time only. In addition to food, these families received 5,150 pieces of used clothing, 124 packages of diapers, 75 bedding sets, 96 towel sets and 42 blankets. All these items were made possible from the donations from our community! Thank you!

If you are interested in supporting Christian Neighbors, there are many ways you can help:

  • Our "Back To School" project  provides school supplies and new clothing for our clients with school-aged kids. Last year, 242 children received needed school items. We received a generous grant from Douglas United Church of Christ that covers new clothing and basic school supplies (i.e., new backpacks, paper, pencils, pens, folders, glue sticks, and crayons), however, additional school supplies such as index cards, single hole-punchers, rulers, graphing calculators, etc are most welcomed. Check school district websites for posted supply lists and pick up a few items next time you're at the store. The deadline to drop-off school supplies for this project is August 12.
  • Food resources we have traditionally depended on to stock our Pantry's shelves have become unpredictable. Especially hard to source right now are eggs, fresh produce, hamburger, cheese, cleaning products and feminine products. Any food, including perishables, that are not expired and are commercially prepared, and in the original, unopened packaging are welcomed donations. Home canned or home processed items cannot be accepted. Our local Lake Vista Store has pre-bagged items you can purchase that will go directly to our Pantry.
  • The 20-year-old cargo van we use to pick up bulk quantities of food from various food distributors will need to be replaced soon. Do you know someone or an organization willing to contribute to the purchase of a new one? Let us know!
  • Infant- through teen-sized, clean, used clothing is always in high demand with our clients. Encourage friends and family members to donate unwanted or outgrown items to us.
  • Our Thrift Store's next “First Friday Sale” is August 5, 9:30-Noon, and features deeply discounted used clothing. Visit us for bargains and shop locally during our regular shopping hours. Funds generated from our Thrift Store support our programs and projects.
  • Our Outerwear project that annually distributes new winter coats in October is in need of a new coordinator. If you or someone you know with good organizational and communications skills, and a compassionate heart, would like to take over this position, please contact us.
  • Finally, please help your friends on a fixed income or neighbors experiencing financial difficulties discover the local resources provided by Christian Neighbors from our compassionate volunteers.
Christian Neighbors is located in the rear of the Community Church of Douglas, 6874 Wiley Rd.  We are open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. (Closed on Wednesdays.)  Hours for client assistance, shopping and donation drop-offs are 9:30 until 12:00. For more information about us, visit ChristianNeighborsDouglas.org, or call 269-857-1050.

Working together, we can alleviate many basic needs within our community. Thank you for your prayers and ongoing support of Christian Neighbors.

CJT Update, Beach Cleanup September 17 

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At the Creation Justice Team's meeting on July 25 the group endorsed this mission statement: “We work to protect, restore, and rightly share God's creation.” 

We are planning a fall “community read.” The book we are currently exploring is To Speak for the Trees. 

The roadside cleanup project has been postponed to September 10 or 24. If you would like to be involved in leading this effort, contact Eric Lejeune.

Brad Hopkins agreed to be the on-site coordinator for the September 17 beach cleanup. If you would like to help with the cleanup this year, a sign-up sheet is in the Friendship Hall, or email Brad Hopkins.

For the next couple of months we are tying up some loose ends. Expect some new developments in the fall.

Our next meeting is August 22 at 7 pm in the Friendship Hall. 

SoulCollage Workshop, August 6 

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Our friend and spiritual teacher Ruth Zwald's Soul Collage workshop was such a hit last month that she is continuing the offering, with the next session meeting August 6. You must re-register for this workshop by emailing Ruth at the address above. c

Chamber Music Festival's "Art for Your Ears and Hands" Events, August 4 and August 11

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Our church member, Lynne Snyder recommends the two remaining Chamber Music Festival education events for kids and adults. They are called, “Art for Your Ears . . . and Hands." The children will listen to music by the festival's guest artists, paired with an art project that relates to the music. These events are held on Thursdays at 1 PM at the Saugatuck Women’s Club, August 4 and August 11. Both of these events are free to the public. Feel free to bring your children or grandchildren and enjoy some lovely music art!​

West Shore Aware White Party, August 21 

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The Annual West Shore Aware White Party is coming up! Tables and individual tickets are going fast. Come along to have fun while supporting this organization's wonderful work.
Get Your Table or Tickets

Snug Home Opportunity for Manufactured Homeowners​

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Our Congregational Care Team manager, Lynne Snyder, highly recommends the Snug Home program for owners of manufactured homes. She has worked with this Better Business Bureau 5-star organization, who will visit your home, and inspect it for opportunities to stay safe, and save energy and money with no-cost energy upgrades that increase your home comfort and reduce overall energy costs. The team looks for and seals air and heat leaks, seals and maintains ducts, caulks around windows and gaskets and outlets and switch covers, tests and cleans furnaces, provides carbon Monoxide Detectors, and may help with your plumbing too.

To schedule this free service, call 517-507-3746 or email mhi@snughome.org.

We Are Looking for Affordable Housing Options for Afghan Family ​

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Photo by Mayur Gala on Unsplash
The family from Afghanistan we have been sponsoring is beginning to investigate affordable housing options in Allegan and Ottawa counties. We have a list of reduced rent and subsidized housing options. If you are aware of any affordable housing in either county, please email Karen Clark (kbclark@iusb.edu) or Pat Denner (dendronus@yahoo.com)

Birthdays & Anniversaries

July 31- Kathy Klage, August 1- Peg & Nelson Hart
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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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Dianne Soper (Beverly Hawkes' sister); Elwood Cephus Stith (Mark Reiman's friend); Pete Wehle; Rev. Lou Grettenberger (friend of Ginny Mikita); Rachael Rienstra; Phil Sturdevant (Pete Wehle's friend); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); The Hotwagner Family; David Zylstra (Laurie VandenBeldt's friend); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart's sister); Judy Baxter (Kristine Sherman's Mother); Joann DeJonge; Richard and Joanna Weber's grandson Mattox (friends of the Ridls); Al Overweg; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Vicki Latham (Ruth VandenBosch's cousin); Cole Hartman; Mike Sneedon (Peg and Jack Donohue's friend); Tim Reineck, Matt Brazys, Suzanne Cook, and Ken Cassbon (friends of Pete Wehle and Pamela Chappell); Richie Czarnowski (Mark Reiman's friend); Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Chris Stuart (Virginia Stuart's sister-in-law); Mary Elizabeth Loudin (friend of Laurie VandenBeldt)

​Financial Stewardship

In-Person Attendance, July 24: 82
​Total Views for July 24 Online Videos: 773


Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,358.00
Online Giving: $2,354.76
​​​​
​Total: $3,712.76
​
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