In This Week's E-pistle, You Will Find:
This Sunday's Service: Ascension Sunday
This Sunday is "Ascension Sunday," which marks the end of the Easter Season. We hope you'll join us this Sunday at 10 AM (either in-person or streaming live online), as we hear all about Jesus's ascension into heaven. We'll also learn the path to our own personal ascensions and uncover the "12 Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening." Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black and Max Brown.
Download This Sunday's Online Bulletin: ![]()
Last Week's Service Video: "Divine Healing"
The gospel reading (John 5:1-9) from the lectionary for the Sixth Sunday of Easter is all about the miraculous healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda. Are there really such miraculous places of healing? Please enjoy last Sunday's service, when we explored the healing miracles in the gospels, and how we can, too, can experience "Divine Healing" in our own lives today. Message: Pastor Sal. Music: Peter Black, Stan Greene, and harpist, Joan Donaldson
Click here to read, listen to, watch, and share Pastor Sal's Homily. 70 x 7 Cards for Prisoners
This past Sunday we heard from 70 x 7 minister Paula Creswell, who shared her moving stories about offering letters and cards to prisoners, and the profound difference this outreach has made in the lives of prisoners. You can become a Penpal too! Click the button below to learn more about the program, and to receive your PenPal Packet!
Gun Violence Sabbath, June 12
The DUCC Social Justice Team encourages us to wear orange on June 12 to commemorate Gun Violence Sabbath.
These past weeks we’ve witnessed gun killings at a Presbyterian Church in California, a supermarket in New York, and an elementary school in Texas. There are more guns than residents of the U.S. - more than 400 million. Hate speech flourishes - against persons of color, religious minorities, immigrants, and LGBTQ people; and these hate crimes and killings become the horrendous consequence of hate speech. White supremacy messages erode our hope for unity amidst diversity. Within this situation, faith communities have a voice to raise - a voice of inclusion, non violence, justice. Let’s be the voice of peace. In April, the New England Journal of Medicine released a research report concluding that “Guns became the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2020, killing more people ages 1 to 19 in the U.S. than vehicle crashes, drugs overdoses, or cancer. The University of Michigan recently released a report that firearms are now the #1 cause of death for children and youth, surpassing all others. In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an analysis on gun related deaths. Here are the key findings:
LEDA 17th Summit on Race and Inclusion, June 7
The DUCC Social Justice Team encourages us to attend the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance (LEDA) is proud to present their 17th Summit on Race and Inclusion: Uniting Our Voices! at Hope College, Holland, Michigan on June 7, 2022. The 2022 Summit is a hybrid event; you can attend either in-person or virtually.
This year’s theme, “Uniting Our Voices,” explores how and why, in these unsettled times, it is more important than ever to pull together and unite for real and lasting change towards racial equity and justice for everyone in our communities. We are very proud this year to present as our keynote speakers two gifted speakers and authors: · Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, is the author of The New York Times bestsellers, The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste: The Origins of our Discontents. She has become an impassioned voice for demonstrating how history can help us understand ourselves, our country and our current era of upheaval. · Rev. Dr. Jennifer Harvey is an award-winning author, educator, and public speaker. Dr. Harvey’s most recent books, Raising White Kids and Dear White Christians, brings Jen’s experience as an anti-racist activist and educator to bear on conversations about how white communities can more deeply support racial justice work being led by communities of color. The 2022 Summit will offer a unique day-long opportunity to engage with leaders in our communities, state, and nation. In the morning and afternoon, breakout sessions will address economic equity and wealth generation, health equity, book banning, reconstruction history, the African immigrant experience, talking to kids about race, hate crimes, and more. There will also be a panel of area youth discussing their experiences and hopes for the future. Individuals and organizations can register for this event at: https://whova.com/portal/registration/ledas_202206. This is a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual options to attend. Thank you! We hope to see you June 7! 140th Anniversary Block Party, June 5
We are so excited that this year, Douglas UCC celebrates its 140th Anniversary! We hope you can help us celebrate by joining in the "Block Party," with food and live music, in front of the church on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, from 11 AM to 1 PM.
Christian Neighbors Quarterly Update
Christian Neighbors has been serving our neighbors with food, clothing, utility and rent assistance for more than 40 years. Through the generosity of our community, we have been able to greatly increase the scope of services we provide. With the termination of state and federally funded pandemic programs and increasing inflationary stresses, the organization saw approximately 250 different families this last quarter, and a 35% increase in program expenses. Rental assistance represented one of the greatest needs.
If you are interested in supporting Christian Neighbors, there are many ways you can help:
Working together, we can alleviate many needs within our community. Thank you for your ongoing support of Christian Neighbors. Soul Collage Workshop with Rev. Ruth Zwald, June 11 at 1 PM
Our friend and spiritual teacher Ruth Zwald will be leading a Soul Collage workshop in the Friendship Hall on Saturday, June 11, from 1 to 4pm. If you're interested, register with Ruth at her email adress above.
Community Pride - June 1 thru 5
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Qigong Classes, Wednesdays, 11:30 AM
Kat VanHammen is offering Qigong at Douglas UCC again this year on Wednesdays at 11:30am on the Retreat House lawn, or in the Friendship Hall when the weather requires it. The class is generally about 50 minutes long. Qigong is a very simple but deep practice of movement, meditation, visualization and breathing techniques. Similar to Tai Chi, Qigong is rooted in Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts Practice. But you don’t have to memorize any forms! It is great for cultivating Self and Body Awareness, Stability, Balance, Ease of Movement and Joy and Peace! It is a very accessible practice for everyone.
Class fees are on a donation basis but Kat requests a minimum of $5 in order to keep it sustainable. Contact Kat with any questions: Katvanhammen@gmail.com
Class fees are on a donation basis but Kat requests a minimum of $5 in order to keep it sustainable. Contact Kat with any questions: Katvanhammen@gmail.com
Birthdays & Anniversaries
May 31- Larry LaBine, Derek Rieley, June 1- Floyd Fleming, Tracey Shafroth,
2- Dale Lower, 3- Timothy Buszka, 4- Jane Grady, Michael Teekamp
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.
2- Dale Lower, 3- Timothy Buszka, 4- Jane Grady, Michael Teekamp
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
Phil Sturdevant (Pete Wehle's friend); Darren Dixon (Beverly and Orie Hawkes' nephew); Ruth VandenBosch; The Hotwagner Family; Fritz Royce; David Zylstra (Laurie VandenBeldt's friend); Elinor Hite (Virginia Stuart's sister); Michael Mok and friends and family of Paul Murphy; Wendy Hamlin; Roye McDonald; Michele Turner and Family; Judy Baxter (Kristine Sherman's Mother); Joann DeJonge; Richard and Joanna Weber's grandson Mattox (friends of the Ridls); Paul Burdick; Al Overweg; Beverly Willming (John Willming's mother); Jay North (friend of Dan Pierce); Hannah Sherman; Maureen Pierce; Ron Turks (Carol Cunningham's son-in-law); David Abbot; Sarah Johnson Lock; Linda Masten (Mark Reiman's friend); 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); Dale Lower; Sherri Kanten (Ruth VandenBosch's friend); Michael (a friend of Dan Mack's); 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, May 22: 90
Livestream Attendance: 69
Total Views for May 22 Online Videos: 429
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,514.00
Online Giving: $4,018.80
Total: $5,532.80
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.
Livestream Attendance: 69
Total Views for May 22 Online Videos: 429
Collection Plate & Mailed Donations: $1,514.00
Online Giving: $4,018.80
Total: $5,532.80
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.
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